Surprise the mother figure in your life with a thoughtfully recommended beauty gift.
Few things are quite as special to wake up to on Mother’s Day as a coffee in bed and a hand-made card, but if you’re looking to really spoil your mum or the mother figure in your
Every year, a coterie of beauty brands unveil limited-edition collections to launch in time for early May, spanning cosseting bodycare gift sets through to sweetly scented colognes and more.
But with countless Mother’s Day gifts on offer, it can be hard to whittle down options. To cut through the noise, we asked 10 of the country’s most discerning mums and mums-to-be for their top picks of what they’d love to be surprised with on Sunday, May 12.
From bespoke facials and hour-long massages, to bow-shaped hair accessories and rich face creams, discover their picks of the bunch, below.
Beck Wadworth
Brand and creative director of Makespace
My signature scent is Santal 33 by Le Labo. It’s one of those scents I’ve worn for so many years now it’s been with me through all the milestones including being pregnant, becoming a mother, and getting engaged, and will also be my wedding scent next week! It’s also one of those morning rituals I just love — even just on a normal old Tuesday morning — Santal 33 always puts a smile on my face and is the final touch before I head out the door to tackle the day.
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I love a practical gift and something I know I’m going to make the most of. I’ve used the Chloe Zara range for a good few years now and love all her products. The mini essentials kit would be a lovely Mother’s Day gift to add to my suitcase for weekend escapes.
I can’t think of anything more blissful than a 60-minute massage! Time to switch off, unwind and relax. A massage voucher is always a winner. My top picks for location would be Spring Spa or The Park Hyatt.
Lucy Slight
Freelance fashion and beauty writer
I have been wanting an at-home LED light mask forever, not only so that everyone in my family will leave me alone when I’m in robot mode, but so that I can further my endeavour for bright, radiant skin. You can find LED masks in a variety of price points these days (you don’t have to spend $800!) and this one from Caci sits at a very gift-worthy price, if you ask me.
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Let it be known, that if anyone is ever stuck on what to gift me for absolutely any occasion, a Mecca voucher will do just perfectly. With the number of elite brands on offer at Mecca, this present idea goes without saying, but the best part about these is they can be used online and in-store and they never expire.
Anna-Lise Sharma Lawson
Head of sales and marketing at Ruby
Emma Lewisham’s new serum (launching soon)
So many of Emma Lewisham’s products make it into my daily routine. The sound of their latest serum is a product that needs to be added to my roster of favourites — natural yet proven to achieve visible results.
Ever since my beauty aficionado brother got me on to this product, it’s been a constant in my beauty lineup. I’m in need of a top-up, so hint hint! The perfect Mother’s Day gift.
I’ve bought into the hype and the massive waiting list. I’d love for my husband and Uma to jump the queue on this one. No more struggling to find my lip balm in my MASSIVE mom tote.
Sarah Harris Gould
Co-founder and director at Harris Tapper
The benefits are beyond. For me, it aids sleep, circulation, collagen production and balances out my hormones. I also love the feeling you get when you walk into Sala. A sense of calm and connection comes over you.
It’s something I’ve never experienced before. A facial, hot stone and gua sha massage, combined with sound therapy sounds like a beautiful way to rejuvenate and relax.
An Emma Lewisham customised facial at Melanie Grant
This collaboration makes so much sense to me. Both women are experts in the natural skincare space but also have a strong focus on efficacy and authenticity.
Amelia Haysom
Head of brand, PR and communications at Faradays
As baby boy is still yet to arrive, I am not quite officially an earthside mother, but the pregnancy experience so far has already given me a newfound sense of appreciation for my own mum (a sentiment I imagine will only grow exponentially when he is finally here). This year I would love to spoil her with a treatment at my favourite Auckland spa, The Park Hyatt Spa, and book myself in for their Pregnancy Massage at the same time so that we can enjoy an indulgent afternoon together.
I recently purchased this as our nursery scent. It is such a calming and beautiful fragrance, my favourite from the collection, and Cypress oil has known sedative effects which help to promote tranquillity and relaxation. I look forward to creating special memories during this chapter of life and having an attached scent become instantly transportive to those indelible moments, as time goes on.
I also love the idea of layering fragrance throughout the home, so am eyeing up Loewe’s terracotta candle version of this soothing scent as a future addition.
My skin already errs on the dry side and with baby due mid-winter, I’m anticipating the onset of an extra parched visage thanks to both the elements and the expected lack of sleep. I can imagine the cooling experience of popping on one of these fresh from the fridge will be just the remedy I need after a long night (or perhaps something to multi-task with during a 3am feed). They are award-winning for a reason, and I love that purchasing these clever products will support the incredibly talented Kiwi entrepreneur, Alice Henshaw, who created the line.
Ashleigh Cometti
Viva beauty editor
If you’d told me five years ago that postpartum hair loss can last for years after giving birth, I wouldn’t have believed you. Turns out the rumours are true: I had my second son 18 months ago and to this day I still experience significant hair shedding. So when I learned of Rita Ora and Anna Lahey’s latest venture, a haircare line which promotes hair growth and hair retention, naturally I was intrigued. For Mother’s Day, I have my eye on this currently waitlisted hair serum, which works overnight to fortify the hair follicle to promote stronger, healthier hair at the root.
I’ve been meaning to try dry body brushing for a while, so having this natural wooden body brush from Goop sitting next to my vanity will make for an excellent reminder. Dry body brushing is great for boosting skin circulation and detoxification, not to mention exfoliating dry or flaky bits (which is especially helpful coming into winter). I’ve made a habit out of doing my shower and skincare routine the second the kids are in bed (if I wait until 10pm I tend to get lazy) so intend to habit stack dry body brushing in here.
This twin set launched just in time for Mother’s Day and is something I’ve had my eye on to give my own mum. It couples a 50ml size of the reimagined Vital Perfection Advanced Cream Soft with the brand’s iconic Ultimune Eye in a 15ml mini. Not to mention it comes in a chic red and white travel case which I’m sure Mum will appreciate during her upcoming trip to Australia.
Neha Stokes
General manager of online wellness destination TheraStore
The goodness of nature captured to perfection in a delightfully upcyclable and recyclable pot is right up my street! This beauty staple taps into food-based and [earthy] ingredients like buttermilk (think Cleopatra!) and natural volcanic pumice to create a planet-friendly and efficacious facial scrub suitable for even sensitive or ageing skin. Balanced with the soothing and hydrating properties of rose, this small-batch beauty just jumped to the head of the queue.
For a truly indulgent moment of self-care, I love the skin pampering ritual of applying antioxidant-rich, deeply conditioning, and luxuriant plant-based body oils, just as I did devotedly during pregnancy. Pure Mama’s Belly Oil is naturally fragranced with coconut and vanilla and is suitable during pregnancy and post-partum to support smooth, supple skin every day. As a special bonus, the heavenly scent evokes memories of precious moments to relive again.
As a true believer that beauty comes from within, this SporeBiotic is at the top of my list. The skin is not only the body’s largest organ, it also acts as a mirror reflecting the health and balance of our inner universe — the gut microbiome. The gut is a gateway to whole body health, vitality and beauty, which means nourishing the gut microbiome to maintain the gut-skin axis for keeping skin clear, healthy and trouble-free.
Whakaawa Te Kani
Founder of Noa Blanket Co
I appreciate the philosophy of Raaie products, the simplicity and the potency. Made here in New Zealand with native botanical ingredients makes for an easy reliable skincare set that works.
I have always loved M.A.C products and their range of lipstick colours never disappoints. The new silky Matte formula is my new go-to for long wear and moisture.
I would love to incorporate dry brushing into my routine more often. It’s easy to focus on skincare for the face and not the rest of our body. Taking time to slow down and practise this timeless beauty secret with so many benefits would be easy with this beautifully crafted tool.
Michelle Neale
Artist
This would be a dream experience! A place away from home in a beautiful space, with calming music, and being totally pampered. Ooh I feel emotional thinking about it. I think I would cry during!
After a day of painting and gardening (when not injured), smothering on a beautiful fragrant thick and creamy hand cream each night would be such a treat for my busy hands.
This would be so lovely to lay my tired head on at the end of the day after wrangling two young boys into bed each night.
Marissa Findlay
Photographer
I absolutely love this day creme especially in autumn/winter for its super-hydrating and nourishing oils. I also feel like how my skin stays protected from the elements when I’m wearing this, and as someone with super-sensitive skin, I know I can wear this with no issues. It’s lovely under makeup for a dewy look as it can be applied around the outer eye area. Hema products are made in Aotearoa by the amazing Margaret Hema in Pōneke.
I would love to be gifted something from the Raaie range, I’ve been following this brand for a while and am really impressed with their ethos and use of botanicals from Aotearoa. I’m passionate about supporting local brands and I love that a New Zealand woman is behind the creation.
I would love the Super Gloss gift set by Costume National. I fell in love with this fragrance when I attended the perfume masterclass hosted by Lucy Borland at Zambesi last year.
