Mother’s Day Gift Guide: The Hot 10!

By: Anne M. Raso

Here are some of life’s little luxuries—as well as medium and big ones—that are things mom would never buy for herself! They undoubtedly can totally “make” her big day though, and they show a lot of thought and caring!

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I will make it no secret—I am in love with the mandarin, peach, and orchid of the L’Occitane Neroli & Orchid Collection and you can get the best products in one great set for mom called La Collection De Grasse Neroli & Orchidee Collector’s Set. The box comes with a fancy orchid design and a yellow grosgrain ribbon so you do not even have to wrap it; $85 at L’Occitane stores and loccitane.com.

Alapure Pomegranate & Cassis Body Butter ($19.98) is a completely natural concoction that leaves your skin velvety soft—but the smell is as addicting as the effect on your skin! This wonderful, creamy blend’s secret is that it contains nutrient-rich botanical extracts, and deep-conditioning Tamanu Oil. There’s some lavender mixed in there, too. You’ll almost want to eat this as the scent is so sweet! Check out the other great body butters, lotions and soaps at alapure.com, including the luscious French Vanilla Lotion (also $19.98). The alapure.com site also has great lifestyle articles including how to live a greener life and natural anti-aging tips.

For hardcore foodies who want their “foodie life” to extend to their fragrance preferences, I recommend CLIQUE by Roblé. World famous celebrity chef Roblé Ali has teamed up with noted perfumer Frank Voelkl Firmenich to come up with a unique fragrance that “opens” with sparkling citrus cocktail notes as a complex floral heart explodes with wild jasmine, violet, tuberose and iris. The entire creation is engulfed by an irresistible and very unique base of Roblé’s signature dessert, French Toast Crunch. This might be the most unusual scent you ever try. If your appetite increases, don’t blame us—blame the Chef! Seriously though, this fragrance is a stunner. For more info, go to cliquebyroble.com. $59.50 for 1.7 ounce of the EDP.

Another fragrance I fell in love with is Daisy Eau So Fresh by Marc Jacobs. MJ seems to be able to do no wrong in both the fashion and fragrance worlds (never mind the accessories which are top sellers in nearly every fine department store and at MJ boutiques)! This fragrance is on sale for $58.19--for a generous 4.2 ounce EDT spray at FragranceNet.com--and has a very comforting scent that combines top notes of grapefruit, pear and raspberry with middle notes of rose, jasmine and apple blossom in perfect union.

The SummerSkin Open Cardigan is a classic piece that every fashionista should have in her closet—and not just because it is stylish, lightweight and goes with everything. Made of 93% Bamboo viscose and 7% spandex, this piece boasts UPF50+ sun protection, so it will block 98% of the sun’s harmful rays. Recommended cleaning is to hand wash cold. The Open Cardigan is $95; for more info, go to yoursummerskin.com. (Many of the SummerSkin garments are multiple use and can be used as skirts, swimsuits cover-ups and scarves!) The purple is my fave color in the Open Cardigan, but there is a killer hot pink as well!

At only $89 (available at Best Buy and amazon.com), the Electrolux Rapido handheld vacuum provides incredibly long lasting, cordless cleaning power with a 14.4 volt Lithium ION battery. It has unique soft gliding wheels that keep fragile surfaces protected, so you can clean stairs, upholstery, and more really fast. With the crevice tool attachment, you can easily clean tight spots like corners and nooks and crannies of a bookcase.

East & Lo is a new online store that just went live on May 1st (see eastandlo.com). Items are all designed by an experienced "garmento" team who provide high quality with low prices. All items are between $25 and $75! I fell in love with a Wrap Front Shirt the minute I saw it at their press preview, and it’s only $41. The East & Lo crew believes in fashion forward separates and dresses that provide as much fashion as comfort. They have a wonderful sense of retro style when it comes to their dresses, plus the fabric is so soft (dresses are priced at $45 to $75).

Land’s End is always a great place to look for practical, durable and stylish pieces for Mom. Nothing is a more classic gift than a cashmere sweater, and Land’s End has tons of fun colors. We got a sneak peak at the fall colors (pictured here)—the ones currently in the stores and online have a boat neck—the Land’s End folks vary the ladies’ cashmere necklines from season to season. These fall season line cashmere sweaters are lightweight for true year-round use and are priced at a reasonable $139.

Lia Sophia is the go-to line for mom-pleasing gifts no matter what her taste in costume jewelry might be. Large link necklaces are all the rage and I am nuts about the Wayfarer in navy. It is actually multiple necklaces, which can be taken apart and worn in a number of combinations. Lia Sophia offers a lifetime replacement on their pieces besides offering good prices. The Wayfarer is a “crowd pleaser” for moms of all ages and it gives off a very Chanel-esque look! $168 at liasophia.com.

Just want to give mom a card she will consider a keepsake and spend a little extra? Lloyd Boston’s “Perfectly Styled” line (which is available at Niquea.D stores and niquead.com) are ten bucks, but cards feature illustrations of stylish moms going about their day. Many cards feature embellishments such as crystals and faux pearls! (LB’s cards are as unforgettable as Mom herself!)