Gifts to brighten Mother’s Day in lockdown
- Shopping Guides
- Tested & Recommended
- Published on Tuesday, 02 March 2021 11:42
- Last Updated on 15 April 2021
- Monica Costa
- 0 Comments
Breakfast in bed
First of all, it would be nice to be treated to a full breakfast in bed – after sleeping in for longer than during a weekday. I have chosen this nutritious breakfast by multi-award winning Romulo Café & Restaurant (based in 343 Kensington High Street, Kensington, London W8 6NW), which has just launched a nationwide delivery service.
Romulo, which opened in 2016 to offer fine Filipino dining, is now giving those outside its catchment area an opportunity to discover the delicate, fresh flavours of Asia with an American zest and European sophistication. The new service includes a delicious breakfast box and bakery items. My favourite products in this box are the Pandesal, fluffy freshly baked bread rolls that literally melt in the mouth, Ube Mousse Jam, a classic Filipino delicacy made with purple yams, chorizo de Cebu and butter spread with ‘tuyo’ (salted dried fish). Careful that the kids don’t get their hands on this box like it happened to London Mums’ contributor Bibi.
She tested and recommended the kit: “They’ve all enjoyed the breakfast very much as a family. Very tasty and different from our normal boring breakfast. I particularly loved the salt fish butter and my husband loved that delicious jam. Leo likes everything and inquisitive Oliver liked the ‘blood red’ chorizo sausage after a series of questions.”
Fitness outfit
The Latched leggings and top kit is perfect for my Zumba classes on Zoom. I might not look like the model on the left hand side but give me some time ?
During lockdown I have taken Zumba classes online – following Beto’s amazing video on Amazon Prime called Zumba Max. It’s so much fun and allows you to burn more calories in one hour than running. I found the perfect outfit for these fitness sessions on Latched. These leggings are thick and firm, high waisted and squat proof. They also come with pockets for essentials while dancing in the park or running. The matching sports bra is tight enough to keep the boobs in place while moving vigorously. This bra is also suitable for those mums who are breastfeeding,It is perfect for medium-high impact activities. It’s designed to allow you the freedom of movement yet still able to feed on demand. The bra comes with an extension piece allowing you to buy based on your pre-pregnancy size and enjoy it throughout your pregnancy as your ribs expand. What I love the most about this matching sports’ kit is its animal print pattern. It features black print on a black material. Be careful ladies it’s a jungle out there!
The comfy dream
My favourite gift of all this Mother’s Day would be Lola’s Lashes, vegan, magnetic lashes with an innovative approach to false lashes. The UnReal Lash Technology harnesses the power of nanofibers to create the most mink-like, all vegan lash on the market. I particularly love the Limited Edition Throwback Collection (Magnetic Eyelashes and Eyeliner Kits – £35 – Kit includes 1 x pair of Magnetic Eyelashes, Black Magnetic Eyeliner & Natural Cleansing Oil). It’s fabulous because Daisy Chain, Love Letter, Be Witchin’, Sundae and Kiss & Tell it’s easy to transform any make-up look. The super cute packaging brought me back to the 90’s.
The great thing about Lola’s Lashes is that they are fuss-free and easy to use, no messy toxic glue, just a simple liquid liner application, and voila! The magnetic strip is brilliant. Kiss & Tell is made using 100% premium vegan synthetic silk.
These lashes make the eyes look really big and perfect when taking pictures for Instagram. We all want to look good and flutter our eyelashes, but let’s be honest harming animals is NOT cute! That’s why Lola’s Lashes are the perfect choice for me personally as they are vegan and cruelty-free alternative to mink lashes.
- Vegan Sugar Wax
Practical gifts are always welcome. Considering beauty salons are closed for another month, this superb Vegan Sugar Wax is a blessing. It’s also 100% natural and made from pure sugar syrup and water. It does not contain any citric acid, resins or additives, which means the formula gives a smooth application and gentle results. Sugar Coated Full Body Hair Removal Kit uses our classic formulation to give you a great and safe waxing treatment on all areas of the body – from head to toe! The natural sugary caramel smell will leave you wanting more. Strips can be washed & reused. I love this wax also because it’s mess-free and seems to prevent ingrown hairs. Only Curls Satin Sleep Turban
Only Curls Satin Sleep Turban is a hair wear which can enhance and protect the hair all night long as well as promote healthy, shiny hair. Apparently it is meant to be worn while asleep to minimise moisture loss, hair breakage and split ends. I prefer using it to keep my rolls in place after drying my hair so I can get the perfect hair do while I cannot go to the hairdresser. This turban is very soft and has a super comfortable fit that is suitable for ALL hair types, including straight, flyaway, curly or frizzy and is excellent for maintaining extensions.
The concept behind is that wearing a silk or satin bonnet or silk pillowcases can protect curls, keeping them hydrated and frizz-free all night. Traditional cotton pillowcases are more porous than silk or satin, and can absorb more moisture. As a result it can result in frizzy, dry curls. Silk pillowcases can also benefit the skin for the same reason, as the reduced friction can help reduce wrinkles. Plus the silk feel on the skin feels amazing and luxurious.
Rubis Heart Tweezer
Tweezers are a girl’s best friend! I never found good tweezers before trying Rubis Heart Tweezers. These Swiss made precision tweezers have slanted tip that nestles perfectly to the curve of my eyebrows. The inner tweezers heel grips the hair over the entire surface and pulls it out with the entire root. This slows down the hair regrowth. I absolutely love them and they have been Godsend during lockdown. These slanted tweezers easily grip even the finest hairs as well as the unpleasant initial stubble of regrowing hair. Perfect ergonomics allows superb handling of the tweezers. Every pair of Rubis tweezers is handmade and the tips are strong and durable.
Gifts for new mums
Research is predicting a surge in lockdown pregnancies, and award-winning pregnancy product brand Natural Birthing Company have the stats to prove it! Being pregnant right now, is very different and can be lonely.
New Mums deserve special pamper bags including products to take care of bodies that deserve lots of caring. The best birthing essentials kits are from the Natural Birthing Company which produce gift sets for mums-to-be and mums of babies.
Mama’s Moments Maternity Kit is a beautiful gift set contains all of the essentials you will need for pregnancy, birth, and life as a new mum. All four of our full-sized products together with 2 luxurious organic cotton flannels are presented in a beautiful gift box making this the perfect present for any mummy to be. All of our products have been developed by midwives and aromatherapists to safely support women through the journey from bump to baby. My favourite product in this kit is the Pure Bliss solution made of Hypericum, Sunflower Seed Oil, Calendula. It’s so soothing for the body.
The Birthing Essentials Kit is the ultimate tender-loving care package for pregnant women or women that have just given birth. Containing Four ‘Go To’ Essentials including Cool it Mama, the perfect companion in labour for cooling and calming you; Relax & Breathe, a massage oil that contains a blend of essential oils to help calm, soothe and relax your body and mind; Bottoms Up, a perineal spray bottle provides instant relief to your sore vulva and perineal area following childbirth by soothing, cooling and calming the area; Sleepy Mama, a Relaxing Pillow Mist (my favourite item in the kit) that brings the feeling of relaxation to both body and mind.
Soothing cream
Medela, the brand known for manufacturing breast pumps, has created a great soothing cream, PureLan, pure lanolin cream originally aimed at soothing sensitive or dry nipples and helping form an additional protective barrier over sore or irritated nipples during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Over time PureLan has been used to restore the correct moisture balance and form a protective barrier at what is a very demanding time for mum’s skin (not just nipple). Applying PureLan regularly can help leave mums’ skin smoother from hands to face and feet as well. This cream works well on the lips or nose and on any dry patches on the skin. Perfect for elbows too. It’s a great (and cost effective) gift as pocket ‘all-in-one’ cream for the handbag.
Kit & Kin mum skincare bundle
The gift box is the perfect starter pack including effective natural products that care and protect the whole family from baby to mum and toddlers. The body butter contains a blend of naturally nourishing butters and oils, a deeply moisturising thick and creamy formula that leaves your skin hydrated and gloriously silky smooth. The breast balm cools, heals and protects sensitive nipples whilst our stretch mark oil contains 15 naturally nourishing oils that will keep your skin supple and stretch mark free. The box also includes a calming baby oil, cleansing body wash and hydrating bubble bath to the softening body lotion and soothing magic salve for any trouble spots. These products are gentle on both mum and baby skin and are approved by dermatologists and certified natural by the soil association, as they are made without any harsh chemicals or synthetic fragrance.
Comfortable nightwear
Wearing comfortable pjs is not to be underestimated. When I fit into soft fabric at nighttime I immediately feel more relaxed.
One of the best brand for nightwear is Polarn O. Pyret, which have manufactured sustainable Swedish kidswear since 1976. Their Twinning Loungewear (RRP £52 for set) is not only adorable with their distinctive Swedish flare but also very comfortable because it’s made with quality, organic cotton clothes. The matching mother and child unisex nightwear is particularly sweet and can create a fun bond with young children at bedtime. I love the fabric of the pj I tried: it’s robust and eco-friendly. I read that the fabric used was made from recycled bottles and is waterproof. Now that we are spending more time indoor, it is nice to be able to wear such comfy but also practical loungewear. This first collection – which includes lots of stripes – captures the feeling of spring, providing the perfect attire for playing, baking and snoozing.
Eye mask
Once I started seeing the benefits of having a good night sleep after years of deprivation, I wanted to keep improving my sleep quality. So I started getting accessories. You can go wild on this type of shopping, actually.
I read that using an eye mask can really make a difference, but could not find an eye mask that could guarantee stable positioning until I found the dual strap silk eye mask by This is Silk. Not only it provides the most comfort through the night but it’s also filled with divinely soft Mulberry Silk floss. I can barely feel it on my face. It has two adjustable velvet straps for a personalised fit so it does not move at all. Silk is known for its anti-ageing properties and this one in particular is larger than usual to ensure the delicate eye area is covered and protected, and to block out as much light as possible. The Silk does not absorb eye creams like cotton does, so my overnight eye creams work harder for me and stay in place. I can call myself Sleeping Beauty!
The pillow
To be the perfect Sleeping Beauty I had to also upgrade my pillow. Since using the Gainsborough Blue Silk pillowcase, I feel my skin is also softer and my hair smoother. I thought this was only a legend but I can confirm that silk does indeed make a huge contribution to my skincare. I even feel that I have less wrinkles and that my skin is softer.
The silk touch on the skin helps with fine lines and sleep creases on my face. It also helps my facial serums work harder at night so when I wake up my face is properly relaxed. My hair is also naturally wild and the silk pillowcase calms its frizz and prevents unmanageable bedhead.
Love Songs music box by Kikkerland
Monica Costa founded London Mums in September 2006 after her son Diego’s birth together with a group of mothers who felt the need of meeting up regularly to share the challenges and joys of motherhood in metropolitan and multicultural London. London Mums is the FREE and independent peer support group for mums and mumpreneurs based in London https://londonmumsmagazine.com and you can connect on Twitter @londonmums
Facebook Comments