Does skincare make a good Mother’s Day gift and what should I consider getting?
In pursuit of a happy mum, I have turned my attention to gifting this week. Treating your mum to skincare should not be stressful, but it can be a tricky area to navigate if you aren’t familiar with your mother’s skin and her daily regime.
Mother’s Day can mean different things for different hoomans. Not everyone has a biological mother in their lives but many of us have a mother figure be it a stepmother or the mama bear in your friendship group! To me, Mother’s Day is about showing love and appreciation for that person who is always there for you, come rain or shine!
Skin nerd or newbie, skincare can make a wonderful, thoughtful gift if you take a few important factors into consideration. Here are some tips to ensure your gift hits the mark this Mother’s Day:
Indulge
the lady who does so much for you by choosing a product or gift set that allows her to pamper herself. Relaxing bath soaks and soothing shower oils are fail-safe gifts that encourage your mother to slow down and dedicate some time to her own self-care.
– buzzwords and ‘IT’ ingredients don’t work for every skin. Consider what products are likely to suit your mum’s complexion before splashing out. As a general guide, peptide-based formulas such as IMAGE’s Skincare Ormedic Balancing Bio Peptide Creme deliver essential anti-ageing nutrients and vitamins to the skin, making these ideal for mature skin. Radiance boosting sets can be popular presents but look for those including enzyme-based exfoliators (such as papaya, pineapple), rather than scrubs that can be harsh on skin.
– regarding ageing as a privilege, I advise my clients to work to address the signs of accelerated external ageing as opposed to fighting the inevitable intrinsic ageing that happens to us all. Vitamin A is a fantastic pro-ageing ingredient that can be applied to the skin topically to help keep us looking youthful for longer. Retinyl Palmitate is an example of a way to introduce vitamin A into your regime and is recommended if your mother has not used vitamin A before.
– Every hooman requires the daily use of sunscreen and therefore a gift set containing a broad-spectrum SPF should be well received. Skingredients PreProbiotic Cleanse + Skin Shield SPF50 PA+++ Gift Set (€74.00, theskinnerd.com) contains a creamy daily cleanser and SPF50 – both cornerstones of a good skincare regime. La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Soothing Face and Body Balm B5 SPF 50+ (€11.99, boots.ie) also offers high protection and additionally helps to heal and protect the skin from irritation and infections. Who doesn’t want hydrated, healthy skin?
Spending time
with your mum is especially precious in 2022 after a couple of years of being robbed of time with our loved ones thanks to the pandemic. Why not book a spa treatment for you both? Massage or facial treatments are fail-safe pleasers but if you have more time, spa days or packages are fantastic ways to help her find an escape from her daily regime and allow you to indulge in some me-time with your favourite lady!
If your mum is a skincare obsessive or has a particular concern, it may be worth investing in a
skincare consultation
. A one-on-one appointment allows your mum to get personalised advice from a skin expert, who can then recommend a product or regime and help you both to avoid wasting money on products that don’t work for her skin.
Providing skincare saviours for the whole family, the Avène Cicalfate+ range is my pick of the week! Designed to provide instant comfort and soothe sensitive, easily irritated skin, this range of hand, face and lip creams are like bandages for the skin. From nappy rash to beard rash, this multi-purpose range contains C+Restore, the brand’s patented post-biotic restorative active ingredient. Derived from Avène Thermal Spring Water, skin repair is 4 x faster, repairing the epidermis in a super-quick 48 hours.*
- Avène Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream, €13.50, boots.ie