Consumer Health Features
Mother's Day best last minute gifts under $50
By April MacIntyre May 5, 2011, 4:19 GMT
The silk used is a lofty 22 momme weight silk and it prevents facial lines and overnight swelling from occuring. You can even chill this mask and wear to get rid of puffy eyes.
Mother's Day is May 8, and there is still time to order and buy some very cool and useful items that will make mom very happy.
Criteria that we love? Always for Monsters and Critics, it is preferable that the items are American made, cruelty-free and comprised of organic and healthy ingredients.
Everything below we tested and tried, and they are amazing. Take our list with you and shop for mom this 2011. Company links are provided for you to order online too.
Happy Mother's Day!
L.A. Burdick Chocolate
http://www.burdickchocolate.com/
American artisan chocolate makers L.A. Burdick turn out the most exquisite packaging and handmade bonbons that you can find, made here in the USA. The raw source chocolate is harvested in Granada with local farmers who are supported directly by the company, with their organic cacao supplies bought at the source.
Mothers Day shipping is April 25-May 10, 2011. Burdick Chocolate made a Raspberry-Chambord Cake, just for Mothers Day - almond cake with Framboise eau de vie, Chambord ganache with raspberries and vanilla buttercream.
Their beautiful gold rounds are filled with a single layer of limited edition springtime chocolates for Mom. Filled with Honey-Bees, hand-piped with a honey-nut interior and finished with dark chocolate, almond wings and white stripes. Bee Truffles are rich honey, sauternes wine and dark chocolate truffle, hand-piped and finished with an edible gold bee. Scattered throughout are Rosehip tea bonbons with candied rose petals. Available in 5" or 6" rounds, or stacked together.
Best American chocolate hands down.
TRINA Spring Collection Travelers
www.trinastyle.com
Sixty years of making gorgeous, affordable and chic travelers for any woman have paid off. This is a great gift for mom, and always needed. The shapes and styles accomodate everything from jewelry to makeup, skincare to underwear and socks and tights/hose.
The style we loved the best for a mother's day present was the "Vivien" in Berry - the Travel Train Case that measures 9 x 7 x 6, and has two clear zip bags side by side on the interior. So useful! Love.
Modella - Classic Zebra and Fresh Princess collections
www.allegromfg.com
Also clever and useful bags of every size and shape for mom, stand-outs include the Fitted Weekender and the 4 piece train set that comes in great patterns for Spring and Summer 2011. Ultra affordable, all under $20
TIGI Bed Head's Foxy Curls Tourmaline Ceramic Curling Iron
www.bedheadstyling.com
The perfect new hair tool for the season's toussled Borgias and Camelot inspired BoHo chic loose wavy hair. Mom needs a new hairdo, and this affordable tool with multiple settings and an auto shut off makes it easy and protects the hair to boot.
Suki Body Exfoliate Body Cleanser
www.sukipure.com
Organic and full of natural ingredients, with no parabens or petroleum, cruelty-free, made in the USA, this generous 7 ounce jar of Limoncello sugar scub will do a body good, and is a must-have for mom this skin baring time of year. It helps clear blemishes and dry patches and is particularly good on elbows and feet.
Increases blood flow and creates a healthy, radiant glow and enhances clarity, unclogs pores, reduces dullness and reveals fresh, new skin. Formulated for eczema prone skin. Smells like lemon heaven, and is the perfect all-in-one cleanser and exfoliator that will prep skin for any self-tanning or lotion treatments afterwards. Your skin is polished, healed and invigorated. Love this product.
Out of Africa Handmade Shea Butter Soaps and Body Wash
Vanilla and Verbena
www.outofafricashea.com
No Parabens, Sulfates, Petrolatums or Phthalates, All Out of Africa items are cruelty-free and eco-friendly, plus a portion of the proceeds from your purchases will be donated to help provide education as well as medical care to children in West Africa. Organic Shea Butter bar soaps and body washes (and more) Victor Lulla created California Inside & Out, a manufacturing and distribution company that developed and marketed natural, organic skin and body care products, based in Venice, CA.
He partnered with Gilles Adamon, owner of Natura Sarl, headquartered in Benin, West Africa. The two men shared an interest in natural products and in social responsibility as well. Out of Africa is their collaboration.
The men work with a West African women’s cooperative that supplies locally-sourced organic unrefined shea butter. The company-owned factory in Benin now produces 200,000 bars of soap a month, along with an expanding array of other shea butter products.
Out of Africa’s shea butter products nourish the skin with 100% organic unrefined shea butter direct from Benin, West Africa. A natural moisturizer and emollient, shea butter contains antioxidant vitamins A, E and F and beneficial fatty acids that leave skin feeling restored and refreshed.
A great and affordable gift for mom, the Out of Africa line includes organic shea butter bar soaps, hand and body washes, lotions, body oils and organic unrefined Shea butter tins.
The addictive bar soaps are creamy and are enriched with 20% Pure and unrefined Shea butter - most others on the market only have 1 or 2%, Rich in antioxidants and vitamins A, E, & F. Out of Africa soaps last 50% longer. The Body Wash with 100% Organic Shea Butter in Verbena is a fantstic gift to include with the aromatic soaps too, for daily skin-loving washing.
Belle de Nuit Silk Sleep Eye Mask
www.BrancheBeautySleep.com
Today, Dr. Oz talked about how you should invest in a quality sleep mask. This oversized, ultra-soft, made in the USA raw silk mask has a soft stretch elastic that fits all heads comfortably and is the one you should buy. Even Oprah has raved about this mask, and you know she finds the good stuff.
The silk used is a lofty 22 momme weight silk and it prevents facial lines and overnight swelling from occuring. You can even chill this mask and wear to get rid of puffy eyes. The soft underside worn next to your face is non-bleached, non-dyed silk to gently block out the light and allow you to sleep beautifully. Hand-washable. Perfect luxury gift for mom, under $40.
Parker Pens
www.parkerpen.com
There’s no nicer gift to give in this price range than a classic Parker Pen. The French pen brand makes sleek, sophisticated pens that impress when you whip them out to sign anything, for as inexpensive as $22.00. Parker Jotter Premium Pens come in three stylish designs and are made with impeccable quality. This pen is a wonderful and thoughtful gift for any mom.
April MacIntyre is Monsters and Critics' smallscreen and people/celebrity editor who loves to visit and celebrate small American (and Canadian!)businesses when she can. You can contact her on Twitter
