London Beauty Editor Kate Zadah has Gifts for Every Mum

Mother’s Day (or Mothering Sunday, as it is known in the UK) is almost upon us again! This year it seems to have crept-up behind us as quickly and stealthily as Spring! For the less organised among us, we at BITB have done the hard work for you, scouring the stores for the best in gifts so you can easily pick-out the perfect present for your mum in time for Sunday and there’s something for all budgets.

For Mother Earth:

Photo Credit: NEOM

Natural beauty products, free from nasties, gentle on her skin, yet luxurious. Mother Earth will love the indulgent Mummy Pamper Kit from NEOM organics. There’s a body oil, bath oil and mini candle all in their best selling scent, Real Luxury, and there are no synthetics, petrochemicals or parabens – just pure essential oils & the finest organic ingredients. The NEOM candle is perfect for bath time mood lighting and is made of 100% vegetable wax candles, so there’s no unsightly black soot or toxins.

NEOM Luxury Organics Mummy Pamper Kit, special offer of £60 (usually £72) from www.neomorganics.com

For the Yummy Mummy:

Photo Credit: Lush

A colourful collection of fun, pamper treats selected for deserving mums and boxed in a gorgeous floral hatbox. There’s a generous selection of both bath and body treats including sumptuous Vanilla Deelite hand and body lotion, strawberry and cream scented Yummy Yummy Yummy shower gel, fruity Miranda soap, best-selling Porridge soap and the new Dorothy bubble bar. If you know and love Lush for its fab-fizzy ballistics and bath melts, you’ll be pleased to know mum’s set comes with a cherry blossom scented Sakura bath ballistic and the new Happy Blooming bath melt. This set will certainly brighten up mum’s bathroom.

Mum hatbox, £25.95 from www.lush.co.uk

For the Time-Poor Mum:

Surprise mum with a treat at home at a time to fit  her hectic schedule. Imagine if you could get a beauty therapist to visit mum for a surprise treat. Mobile beauticians and massage therapists from The Simply Fab Company (SFC) do just that! Based in London award-winning SFC certified therapists travel throughout the UK to bring massage and beauty treatments direct to you. Turn mum’s front room into a sanctuary of well-being and all you have to do is book online. There’s a perfect Mother’s Day package, Feeling Fabulous Deluxe, which consists of a one hour massage and one hour beauty treatment of mum’s choice. The therapist arrives at her door with a massage couch, soothing music and fluffy towels. She’ll love it!

Mother’s Day Feeling Fabulous Package Deluxe package priced £99. Book online at www.thefabcompany.co.uk

For the Aromama:

Photo Credit: Aromatherapy Associates

Surround mum in the most potent and luxurious of aromatherapy scents to lift her mood and cater to her mind and body needs. Aromatherapy Associates has cleverly created a perfect set of aromatherapy oil blends so that mum can become an aromatherapy expert at home. Award-winning natural oil blends in the set of miniatures will help mum to Relax and De-Stress the mind and body and Support and Revive her after a busy day. Each of the nine oils comes in a handy 3ml serving – the perfect measure for a bath or to massage on the torso pre-shower.

Aromatherapy Associates Miniature Set, £26.50 for 9 x 3mls, from www.aromatherapyassociates.com

For the Beloved Ma (And aren’t they all?):

Photo Credit: Molton Brown

With indulgent exotic treats with ingredients from Tahiti, this Molton Brown limited edition gift set, created especially for Mother’s Day, pairs two best-selling feminine fragrances for the most luxurious shower experience. Beloved includes heavenly gingerlilly and ultrasmooth coco de mer moisture bath and shower washes and matching body lotions. A little pampering will go a long way, and help to say thank you.

Molton Brown ‘Beloved’ Gift Set, £42 from www.moltonbrown.co.uk

Gotta get ‘em!

Happy Mother’s Day, everyone.

Love from London,

x

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What were the top cosmetic procedures for 2009?

According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, it is still BOTOX and Breast implants! http://www.surgery.org

Photo Credit: Avon.com

HEALTHNEWSDIGEST.COM BEAUTY COLUMNIST WENDY LEWIS HAS 10 WAYS TO DITCH A DECADE Everyone wants to look good and age gracefully, but with the economy taking a nose dive, those weekly facials are going to have to go on the back burner. You go through the hassle of wearing makeup to try and hide flaws and wrinkles and to make yourself look youthful, but your hair and makeup may actually be aging you.

10 TIPS FOR TAKING 10 YEARS OFF

1- Banish Bad Skin: Young skin should be clear, healthy and glowing and free of dark spots and blemishes. If you are prone to problem skin, Avon Anew Clinical Advanced Retexturizing Peel Glycolic Plus Soothing Extracts works wonders for exfoliation, unclogging blackheads, and keeping breakouts under control.

2- The Whites of Your Eyes: Tired eyes make you look older. If you are jet lagged or sleep deprived, bloodshot eyes can be a chronic problem. Systeine eye drops help clear redness and moisturize, cool and refresh. Make your eyes pop with dark navy liner like Sephora Kohl and Liner Waterproof in Keep Blue. Smudge the line with neutral smoky tones of browns, plums and muted grays.

3- Toss Your Brown Lipsticks: Think fresh and soft shades that add light to your face. Stick with medium to light rosy, pinky, peachy and coppery colors and leave dark, drab, matte shades to teens and twentysomethings. Deep reds and wines can make your lips look smaller. Use a neutral lip liner to shape the lips that should not show up as a contrasting shade. For a little shine, try a sheer gloss with a touch of pink pigment. like LipFusion Infatuation In The Flesh.

4-  Brighten Pearly Whites: Just like your skin, teeth get discolored and thinner with age. You lose some of the outer layer of enamel that wears away, and stains set in from foods, Diet Coke, and red wine. See a cosmetic dentist for an in-office laser bleaching treatment that will brighten up your smile. If you’re on a budget, try Colgate Simply White Night Clear Whitening Gel.

5- Frame Your Eyes: A quick fix to open up your eye area is to reshape your brows. Tweeze or wax your brows to create an arch, filling them in with a powder brow pencil, like Dior Powder Brow Pencil. Keep brows in place with a clear mascara or brow fixative, and if you have gray brow hairs, either pluck them out or use a colored brow gel to camouflage.

6- Lighten Up Your Foundation: Wearing the wrong makeup can pile on years to your face. Powders tend to make skin look dry and accentuate fine lines. Choose a lightweight foundation with light-reflecting or soft focus pigments to brighten the skin like Sue Devitt Spa Complexion Hydrating Marine Minerals Tinted Moisturizer SPF15. Apply foundation and blend well so it looks seamless. Look for warmer, light, soft undertones to enhance your complexion and create a healthy glow.

7- Hydrate Your Skin: Keep dry areas hydrated to help plump your complexion from the outside in. Look for emollient ingredients like hyaluronic acid in Peter Thomas Roth VIZ-1000™ 75% Hyaluronic Acid Complex, to plump and firm the skin and inhibit dehydration.

8-  Reduce Brown Spots: Brown discoloration from sun damage and hormonal flux look old. Add a brightening serum to your daily skincare routine to correct existing pigmentation and prevent new ones from ruining your flawless face. Look for the new Lumixyl™ Skin Brightening System that has four key products plus an innovative new sunscreen to keep dark spots at bay for the long term.

Photo Credit: amazon.com

9- Slow Down on Self Tanners: Avoid overdosing on orange or yellow undertones from bronzers and self tanners that create an unnatural look that is so not flattering. Instead of enhancing your natural skin tones, choosing a too dark shade of self tanner can cause your complexion to go sallow. If you’re not sure of the best color for you, try St Tropez Wash Off Face. For bronzing, stick with creamy natural rosy blushes for a healthy Nars Orgasm blush type of glow. Declare a moratorium on any products with that circa 1985 sparkle or glitter look for your face.

10- Highlight Your Hair: Dark brown and black hair can age your face by dragging down your skin tone and stealing the brightness, not to mention, the inevitable grays. Add some soft highlights to frame your face and/or lighten your natural color by a shade or two to soften your overall appearance. Think about wispy layers instead of straight across bangs which can be an alternative to BOTOX® for your forehead but has a harsh effect. Highlights can reflect light back onto your face for a younger look that is pretty and sexier too.