The ultimate Mother's Day beauty gift guide

I tend to try new products fairly regularly, both skincare and makeup. Naturally, anything that I love I’ll always recommend to my mom to try out. With Mother’s Day only around the corner, (March 31st) I’ve compiled a selection of beauty treats that would be a fab gift for any of our amazing moms out there who are well deserving of some indulgence.

1. Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Eye Crème €39
This eye cream has fast become a staple in my skincare regime, enriched with jojoba and vitamin C it’s formulated to tackles fine lines and dark under eyes. It’s super hydrating without weighing down the delicate skin under your eyes and provides a lovely base for concealer.

As with any eye cream, only a tiny amount of product is needed (rule of thumb is normally an amount the same size as a grain of rice). My top tip for applying any eye cream is to use your ring finger - this finger is normally weaker than the others and won’t tug at the delicate eye area. Using your ring finger with the cream, draw a circle around the orbital bone from the outer corner, below the brow and towards the sides of the nose and back towards the outer corner. This motion is great for instantly de-puffing as it massages the lymphatic vein under the eye and is especially handy if you’ve not had a great night sleep as many moms out there might be familiar with.

This brand originates from the US but thankfully is now available in Boots stores and online so super easy to get your hands on before Mother’s Day and this eye cream is part of a larger range of Banana Bright products including a primer which looks amazing!

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2. YSL Touche Éclat Heart and Arrow Limited Edition Under Eye Brightener €35
While this product is already a makeup bag staple, having achieved a cult following since it hit the beauty shelves in 1992-the limited edition red glitter heart packaging is just the cherry on top for this must-have. The product itself has the signature YSL gold packaging and it’s weighty enough that it feels expensive in your hand-a real luxe item to add to your/your mom’s collection.

This re-toucher pen is perfect for someone with a beauty on the go makeup style as it will brighten the under eyes, correct any blemishes that most of us are oh so familiar with and can be used to top up your base. This product can be applied with the built-in brush and blended in using your fingers or a sponge or brush (my top pick would be a MAC 286 duo fibre brush this blends out concealer like a dream).

The glitter heart packaging isn’t limited to the classic Touche Éclat, it’s also available in YSL’s signature lipstick which are a beautiful formula and a fab addition to any makeup bag.

3. Body Shop English Rose Plumping mask €25
One of the things I love about this mask is its convenience factor, you can just pop this all over freshly cleansed skin and either leave it on for 10 minutes or so before rinsing with warm water whilst you are busy with other bits or sleep in it to leave the mask work its magic overnight, ideal for any busy moms who want to give their skin a boost whilst looking after the hundred other things going on.

This mask has a refreshing gel texture enriched with rose petals, nourishing rosehip oil and revitalising aloe vera which leaves skin hydrated, plump and refreshed. My favourite way to apply this mask is with a silicon flat brush (available from most Penney’s for under €3) as this ensures that the product is applied in an even layer as only a thin layer is needed but you can use clean fingers also to achieve the same result.

4. Clinique Fresh Pressed 7 Day System with Pure Vitamin C €34
This set contains a 2 step system which is proven to brighten and enhance the skin's radiance and provides a week’s supply of anti-aging vitamin C enriched formulas. It contains 7 powder cleanser sachets of pure vitamin C and then Clinique signature vitamin C booster.

As vitamin C degrades as it comes into contact with oxygen, this system ensures your skin is absorbing the full potency and also seeing the optimum results. The regime is designed to be used in the morning and the evening for seven days and after one week you can see it working, with the optimum results coming from continued use, ideal in the short term if you have an event coming up and your skin needs a pick me up or long term if you’re looking to give your skin a long-lasting radiance and can be incorporated into your existing skincare routine.

After the seven days, the vitamin C booster will begin to lose its effectiveness and while it can still be used, it won’t pack as much of a punch. The powder sachets can be mixed with a few drops of water to create a foamy paste, this is best used in the morning as a micro-exfoliant.

My top tip is to leave this on the skin for a minute or so before washing off to see the best results. After that’s been rinsed with warm water, take two drops of the vitamin C booster and mix it with your normal moisturiser or take a few drops neat on the skin for a more intensive treatment. The booster can be used as part of your day or evening routine. What I loved about this was how my skin looked and felt after using this for a few days, it really delivers on its radiance-boosting promise and my skin was left feeling polished and super glowy after use.

5. Caudalie Divine Oil €32.95
What I love about this product is its versatility; it’s a multi-use oil which is perfect for adding a bit of decadence to the everyday beauty routines without being overly fussy. Formulated with natural oils, shea butter and with a scent that is just heavenly, this luxurious oil can be used on to treat dry skin, hair, cuticles you name it without leaving an overly greasy residue common with some body oils.

One of my favourite ways to use this when I really fancy a treat is to pop a few drops of the oil into the bath before I get in and it leaves the skin feeling velvety and nourished-ideal for any mom out there when you get a chance to take some time yourself to relax and unwind.

Pam Connell is a trained make up artist and self-proclaimed beauty and skincare junkie. Follow her on Instagram at @pam_connell or get in touch at pamconnell@gmail.com

The ultimate Mother's Day beauty gift guide

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