Karin's 10 Picks for Fancy and Frugal Mother's Day Gifts

Karin's 10 Picks for Fancy and Frugal Mother's Day Gifts

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Karin Chen Loo
Certified Yoga Instructor/Fashion Blogger
  • Chanel
    No. 5 Bath Soap


    Karin Chen Loo

    Anything that comes in a Chanel box makes a girl's heart skip a beat, especially if that girl is a Classic Mama. This bar comes beautifully packaged and is a beautiful nude pink color. It's so pretty that your mom may just put it out for display, and threaten you if you ever use it! 

    The classic Chanel No. 5 worn by Marilyn Monroe is the scent of this bar, and unwrapping it is just as good as putting a candle in your bathroom or washroom. This soap bar will make whatever room it's in smell luxurious and dreamy!
  • Missoni Home
    Yari Hand Towel


    Karin Chen Loo

    The House of Missoni has created stunningly patterned dresses, sweaters, blankets, jumpsuits, and wall hangings for generations. This is especially true for Vintage Mamas. You can add a little "oomph" to your mom's bathroom by gifting her with a couple of these hand towels! 

    You can choose from a variety of color combinations and patterns; I love these, since they are more on the neutral side, and will pop against any set of neutral-colored towels that your mom already has hanging in her bathroom. 

    These towels are made of looped cotton terry and run about 16 by 27 inches each. And if you really think about it, no one really throws out their towels unless they're beyond repair, so it's always a great long-lasting present!
  • Yves Saint Laurent
    Tatouage Couture Liquid Matte Lip Stain


    Karin Chen Loo

    This famed lip stain-slash-gloss-slash-long wearing lip color is one of my favorites to gift, especially to Beauty-Obsessed Mamas and gals alike! Anything Yves Saint Laurent comes in beautiful gold packaging, and if you order ahead of time, you can also have the gold lip gloss handle engraved with your lucky giftee's name! 

    The beautiful lip stain goes on feather-soft, has a slightly floral fragrance. It also makes your lips super moisturized. I've linked a deep matte nude/pink/brown, which is great for every day. However, there is a rainbow of reds, pinks, nudes, mauves, and browns to suit every taste.
  • Google
    Nest Hub Smart Display


    Karin Chen Loo

    For less than $100, you can give your mother or your Busy Mama best friend something that makes everyday life a little easier. She can ask Google what the weather is outside each morning, and then the daily news. This hard-working hub can also be programmed to turn on and off lights, lock and unlock doors, set alarms, and set timers all by speaking to it. 

    A Busy Mama will also love being able to set multiple timers and linking her Google calendar to the Nest so that it announces what needs to be done on any given day. If your mom loves learning new things, she could ask questions like "Who is the 15th president of the United States", or "What is Rutabaga". It's like a new, informative bestie!
  • Diptyque
    Roses Candle


    Karin Chen Loo

    The advertising for the famed House of Diptyque's hand-poured Roses candle literally states that this candle will remind you of rose bushes brimming with flowers on a sunny day in May. Who doesn't want that for a Self-Sacrificing Mama? 

    When my sister brought this candle back from London as a gift, I immediately fell in love with the fragrant, relaxing scent. This candle is so designer that it literally curbs your appetite because you wouldn't want to dirty anything up with food scents when you have this candle burning! I've linked the classic size here, but there is a smaller option as well.
  • Le Labo
    Hand Soap


    Karin Chen Loo

    I am absolutely in love with the plant-based, French products from Le Labo. With minimalist packaging and a great font, and Le Labo's branding elevates the look of any bathroom. It's marketed as a thick, no-frills, refreshing hand soap. Lately, I've been so partial to their hand washes, especially in this Hinoki scent. It's a great gift for any mama!

    The formula has sea buckthorn, rosemary, and sugar cane for extra cleansing. This Hinoki scent is inspired by the Buddhist temples of Mount Koya in Japan which all carry the mystical, profusely warm, and mesmerizing scent of the hinoki trees from the surrounding forest. Now if that isn't magical, I don't know what is!
  • Venus et Fleur
    Le Mini Square


    Karin Chen Loo

    The famed Venus et Fleur company creates boxed roses that will literally last forever. What better way to treat the Special Mama in your life than to give her the floral gift that keeps on giving: some pretty pink roses for her nightstand that last for years! 

    This square classic arrangement has nine stunning mini roses set in a classic, Parisian hat box-inspired square box. Le Minis are ideal arrangements for elevating any small space and serve as perfect gifts that don't require a bunch of table room or real estate.
  • Williams Sonoma
    Le Creuset Coupe Cereal Bowls


    Karin Chen Loo

    Any mama that knows her way around a kitchen knows the LE CREUSET brand. It's French, it's sturdy, and it's known for the incredibly rich enamel-painted cast iron kitchen items that cost upwards of $500 for a dutch oven. So, give the same thrill as opening a LE CREUSET box by gifting these beautiful bowls! 

    You can buy a two-, or four-, or six-some to brighten up a mama's table. Whether it's for a Mother's Day feast, or for bringing a little bit of shine to a cold-cereal breakfast, this is a great gift. Bonus: the enamel glaze is scratch and chip resistant!
  • Cacao & Cardamom
    The Jewelry Box


    Karin Chen Loo

    This box of assorted chocolates is organic and looks like a brightly colored array of gemstones. It's perfect for your mom to bring to a dinner party or to indulge in herself. Cacao & Cardamom make luxury artisan chocolates that have been prominently featured in papers like Food Network, the New York Times, and more.

    Gift this luxurious chocolate that looks almost too gorgeous to eat. Any mama will adore this international award-winning chocolate. Cacao & Cardamom won awards for innovation and gastronomy, and their chocolates are just so unique!
  • Liforme
    Yoga Mat


    Karin Chen Loo

    A Liforme Yoga mat is literally the Gucci of yoga mats, and this beautifully and sustainably made yoga mat has lasted me for years. The quality of this mat is incredible, from its organic rubber-plant materials and hard-working four-millimeter make. 

    These mats come in solid colors as well as some gorgeous artist-created designs, such as the deep purple Mother Earth Mat, which is great for Mother's Day, their Blue Sky Rainbow Mat, or their White Magic Mat. All of these come with a free travel over-the-shoulder bag and will garner some wow's during any mama's next yoga class.