MOM’S GIFT GUIDE

This year’s holiday gift guide for mom has beauty, baubles and tasty treats, along with a few other delights. Feel free to cut this out, highlight your faves and drop hints indiscriminately to friends and family.

Feel Good

The easiest form of self-care is to take good care of your skin. At-home facials, face and body oil, sugar scrubs and even excellent hair tools can make you feel your best.

Mizz Bloom Organics products smell and feel lovely. They’re certified organic, vegan and cruelty-free. I tried the Paradiso Perfecting Mask, Nourish Face Oil, Ritual Hyaluronic Serum and Glow Body Oil. The pineapple and papaya mask and the oils (both face and body) made my skin feel hydrated and nourished. And yes, they all smell wonderful. www.mizzbloom.com. Before oils and lotions, start with a luxurious bath and exfoliating body in eight natural scents. I tried the Vanilla + Charcoal and the Jasmine + Rose. The scent is light and the polish exfoliates and leaves your skin soft. The “discovery set” includes the body polish, soap, Epsom salt bath bomb and a roller ball fragrance. www.levelnaturals.com. soothes skin. The Evereden line has products for both moms and babies and while my babies are no longer babies, a good body oil is perfect winter skin care for any one. The Golden Belly Serum includes Marula (protective antioxidant), Rosehip (soothing and healing) and Centella (repairing). www.ever-eden.com. From a small company in Alabama, Concrete Fleur is a whipped body cream with Argan oil and a sophisticated scent that’s floral but not overbearing. You’ll smell orange, bergamot, grapefruit, jasmine and rose, along with vanilla and warm musk. It feels as good as it

polish. Level Naturals Body Polish comes

On the topic of body oils, Evereden’s Body Oil smells! www.concretefleur.com. If you or your teen has trouble skin, I highly recommend the Banish line of products. The Pumpkin Enzyme Mask is my all-time favorite. This year, my teen tried the Banish Fighter Gel. It did a remarkable job clearing his skin without feeling tight or dry. The gel can also be used to heal flaky skin and even eczema. www.banish.com.

I flat-iron my hair just about every day and with shoulder-length hair, that can take a toll — and it has. Little did I know my (relatively) cheap flat iron was the culprit. Vibrastrait flat iron vibrates 7500 times per minute. This salonquality tool “shuffles” hair without pulling or tugging. My hair looks and feels so much healthier, definitely worth the money. Amazon.

We have four people, with four different heads of hair in our household. I was eager to try Green Ablution’s shampoo and conditioner bars. They’re low waste (no plastic!) and smell so good. Shampoo and conditioner bars are an excellent solution for travel (someday) or kids’ use (my kids loved this product). My advice is to make sure you have soap dishes or containers to keep the bars in. The shampoo bar, in particular, is soft when

Look Good

helping kids school from home, staring at screens all day. Take care of your eyes with blue light glasses. Blue light glasses aren’t just a fashion statement; they really help with screen eye fatigue. Jins Eyewear has hundreds of styles and its website has an innovative virtual try-on tool to help you decide. I got a matching set with my third grader so we both can keep our eyes My favorite thing about writing this gift guide is finding the “diamonds.” This year, I found CoCo Crowns by Valencia Corraine and the Four Seasons Hoodie. I immediately loved the art and designs. Each of the four designs honors one of the founder’s best friends - her superheroes. https://cococrowns.com/. Use

code OREGON for 25% off.

wet. https://www.greenablutions.com/. Of course, we know beauty comes from within, right? A great water bottle can make all the difference in keeping your skin, brain and body hydrated. If you love a challenge, the Hidrate Spark steel water bottle is a “smart” water bottle that connects to an app, reminds you regularly to drink water and even lights up around the base when you meet your goal. If you prefer something more classic, the CopperH2O is beautiful. Recent studies have shown that copper is naturally anti-bacterial and anti-viral. www.hidratespark.com

and www.copperh20.com.

Add Shanti Creations zero-waste candles for a little ambiance. Located in Queens, New York, the company produces natural coconut wax candles in mason jars for easy repurposing options. The 1.5 oz sampler set is a perfect stocking stuffer. https://www.

shanticreationsnyc.com/.

A little ambiance and a little puzzle-making sounds like a terrific winter weekend. Dowdle Folk Art Wooden Puzzles are stunning. The pieces are made of wood and when you complete the puzzle, you have a beautiful piece of art. You’ll find holiday designs and Oregonspecific designs to choose from.

You feel good, you smell good, you’re wellhydrated and… you’re still working and

healthy in style. https://www.jins.com/, $60+.

https://dowdlefolkart.com/.

Of course, a holiday list isn’t complete without some jewelry! The Ruxi Tirisi Leap Collection is a beautiful statement about embracing being uncomfortable, experimenting and trying new things. The Angel Wing Pendant is handcrafted from sterling silver with hand engraved lines reminiscent of bursts of light, enhancing the stone’s brilliance. I just love this piece. https://ruxitirisi.com/, $173.

Suppose you’re looking for a local idea. In that case, Marche Provisions has a South Willamette Valley Food Trail Gift Box with flavors, scents and character of this bountiful part of the world. https://

provisionsmarkethall.com/ $68.

Beautiful food demands attention to presentation. If you’re a fan of sushi or noodles, chopsticks are everything. Beautiful Chopsticks has a curated and handpicked collection from artisans around the Stroopwafels seem all the rage lately, but if you’re looking for the most amazing of this delicious treat, check or the Stroopie Gift Box are a great way to sample all the flavors, but the dark chocolate salted caramel is my favorite. https://www.stroopies. world. https://shop-chopsticks.com/, $12+. Follow dinner with sweet treats and bubbly. Enjoy a personal size mini Moscato d’Asti from Risata with your tasty treats. Sourced from Italy, it’s a sweet and bubbly beverage that you can find it at most major grocery stores and retailers.

Laumière Gourmet Fruits is a decadent looking and tasting experience. All the products are 100% natural, with no added preservatives, refined sugar, or additives. All collections are vegan, vegetarian, lactose-free and gluten-

out Stroopies. The Stroopie Tin free. https://laumieregourmet.com/ $35+.

com/ $8+.