Mother’s Day is a great time to remember all of the beauty products you saw on your mom’s vanity growing up, as they make for sweet gifts that you know she’ll appreciate. But don’t worry if you can’t recall — we’ve got you covered with the skin care, makeup and fragrances that our editors’ moms love (and we think yours will too). From tried-and-true concealer to perfume she can’t leave the house without to moisturizer that we can’t resist borrowing on visits home, these are 22 products thoroughly vetted by our moms.
My mom said, “It is expensive, but I'm worth it.” She loves that the serum isn’t oily and it helps reduce fine lines and wrinkles. She also loves how the product feels on her skin. — Lindsey Smith, associate editor
As you can tell from the almost empty bottle, this is one of my mom's all-time favorite perfumes. The warm floral fragrance is perfect for everyday wear. It's soft and sophisticated, with notes of bergamot and orange blossom. I'm also a Valentino fragrance stan (the Donna Born in Roma Intense is my personal favorite) and love that we have a mother-and-daughter fragrance pairing. — Sophie Shaw, associate beauty editor
My mom has been dabbing this onto her under-eyes for as long as I can remember. And in recent years, I’ve seen tons of younger people use it too, so I guess my mom was the real trendsetter here. This concealer comes with a super-easy foam applicator that allows you to create some coverage wherever you need it — from under-eyes to pimples. It’s another thing I always grab for in my mom’s makeup bag when I’m home. — Rachel Lubitz, senior lifestyle editor?
Where is my mom’s Maybelline campaign? She’s been riding for this foundation for, again, as long as I can remember. She lives in a very humid part of Florida, so finding a foundation that doesn’t melt right off is a challenge. She loves this one since it’s moisturizing and keeps her as matte as she can be in 90-plus-degree weather. — Rachel Lubitz, senior lifestyle editor?
My mom doesn’t always spend a ton of time on her makeup because she’s an elementary school teacher. In order to get out of the house quickly, a do-it-all balm is a must. This one from 19/99 is the perfect shade for her olive skin and works perfectly on her lips and cheeks. The color is lightweight but also lasts all day and blends great for when she’s just using her fingers and needs to get out of the door. 19/99 also has some awesome kits if your mom is into experimenting with multiple products. — Lindsey Smith, associate editor
As a mom of two boys, everything gets frazzled. Especially my hair. Add in color and balayage to keep my grays away as well as styling with high heat, and I am in constant need of relief for my curly locks. I love Kerastase because the Parisian beauty brand has a product for every type of hair. But I especially love this thick, nutrient-rich Nectar Thermique because it coats my hair in protective goodness and promises to help keep it healthy when I’m blow-drying or curling it. I slather it on top of my leave-in conditioner every time I wash my hair, and though it may not assure an easy mothering day, at least I know my hair will be smooth.?— Tobey Grumet Segal, reviews editor
This face cream from French brand Payot is a current favorite in my mom's skin care routine. She likes its smooth texture and wrinkle-smoothing ingredients like hyaluronic acid and herbal extracts. — Sophie Shaw, associate beauty editor
Another gift from my mom’s favorite (and only) daughter, this has some really lovely bright floral notes of white tea, pear blossom, peony and lots and lots of roses … but not in a stuffy way. Think of if a rose just came fresh out of a shower. —?Rachel Lubitz, senior lifestyle editor?
My mom said she just squeezed out the last bit of this targeted moisturizer. The neck cream has become one of her favorite parts of her skin care regimen. She not only told me, "I feel beautiful when I put it on," but it makes her "feel like i'm looking at the chest of a college student." — Sophie Shaw, associate beauty editor
My mom loves a good Estée Lauder eye shadow palette and can’t say enough wonderful things about all of the different ones the brand sells. She got her first one several years ago during a holiday sale, and the brand has been her go-to ever since. She loves the brand’s eye shadow because it goes on easily and lasts all day at work. And since it's a palette of different colors, you get to play with them. — Lindsey Smith, associate editor
I have literally seen my mom stop mid-sentence to find her beloved lip gloss and reapply it before finishing her thought. Needless to say, she's a big lip gloss girl, and is one of her go-to options for layering. She says that "it has the perfect balance of a little bit of color," which she likes to add on top of lipstick. Even the deeper shades — like Berry or Mahogany — just give a nice, sheer glaze that look pretty on their own or layered over a bolder base. — Sophie Shaw, associate beauty editor
My mom has the most gorgeous olive skin and to make sure she takes good care of it, the brightening mask and Nourish Rehydration Mask moisturize her skin overnight. Since she lives in Florida, it’s great to have products that fade dark spots and add back in the boost of moisture she needs — they also do a great job at keeping moisture in, which is equally as important. — Lindsey Smith, associate editor
I’m convinced that if there’s one thing a mom is gonna do, it’s love this perfume. My mom found this perfume actually after I gifted her a Sephora perfume sampler set, and she’s been hooked ever since. With warm floral notes of bergamot, jasmine and vanilla, it’s the perfect sweet, flirty, everyday scent for her. I always steal a few spritzes when I go home too. —?Rachel Lubitz, senior lifestyle editor?
I had to make my mom buy her own Nivea Creme after I had her pick it for me while on vacation in Europe. While the formula sold in the States isn’t exactly the same as what you’ll find abroad, it’s one of her holy grail products — it has to be the one in the tin, not the plastic. She absolutely loves this cream and has been using it for years now (as have I). It’s wonderful for dry skin and helps repair it and is incredibly affordable. — Lindsey Smith, associate editor
Jennifer Lopez's body care collection doesn't disappoint in delivering a J. Lo glow. This lotion is creamy and fast-absorbing, and it features anti-aging ingredients like ceramides and caffeine. My mom says it "smells like a garden" with its light, floral scent. According to the label, it has contouring and tightening benefits too, but my mom really just loves it for how radiant it makes her skin look all over. She also has the Tighten + Tease Body Serum from the line, which gives a warming, tingly effect after application. (I tried it for myself too and liked that you could feel the product "working.") — Sophie Shaw, associate beauty editor
The Advanced Night Repair is a wonderful cream that helps with dark circles and puffiness. My mom loves to store it in the refrigerator and then dab it under her eyes in the morning. She also really likes it because it's not sticky on her face. — Lindsey Smith, associate editor
"For aging hands, the Alo hand cream is a de-ager," my mom says. With shea butter, arnica and antioxidant amla, the hand cream softens and hydrates the skin. The nourishing texture is one of my mom's favorite parts about the product. "It has a really great consistency; it's not thin and runny," she says. — Sophie Shaw, associate beauty editor
Not to get too personal, but after two pregnancies, I have recently decided that I now look better in clothes than out of them. Which is why I started using Sol de Janeiro’s smoothing cellulite buster to offset my anxiety. This Brazilian Bum Bum Cream is made of the most luscious-smelling ingredients, with caffeine as a main part of its secret smoothing powers. I lather it on after a shower and use it on my thighs as well as my derriere. It’s no miracle, but there is a noticeable difference after I use it, which no matter how small (pun intended) is good enough for me. Plus, I smell like a day at the beach, which is never a bad thing. — Tobey Grumet Segal, reviews editor
I recently fell in love with the chic Parisian brand Yolaine, and I know my mom will love the brand’s mascara. I particularly reach for this mascara because while it lengthens your lashes it still looks natural and isn’t at all clumpy. A small but noticeable detail is that it also smells a lot better than any mascara you’ll find at the drugstore. — Lindsey Smith, associate editor
You know I had to put my mom onto one of the best blushes on the market. I gave her this Merit Flush Balm a long, long time ago. The brand has completely redone its packaging now, but my mom is still swiping on this blush in the shade of Cheeky each and every day. A frequent traveler, she loves how this doesn’t have to go into the bag of liquids in her carry-on too. —?Rachel Lubitz, senior lifestyle editor?
You wouldn't expect Jergens' nostalgic Cherry Almond scent to make for a sophisticated perfume, but it does. My mom likes to layer her fragrances and this one provides a rich and sweet base for other gourmand or floral notes. — Sophie Shaw, associate beauty editor
I started using this as a teenager and then my mom started using it and became obsessed. The soap is gentle enough for all types of skin at any age and doesn’t strip your skin of moisture. My mom loves it because it’s fragrance-free and leaves her face feeling clean and refreshed. — Lindsey Smith, associate editor
From pencils to gels, my mom is always on the hunt for good brow products. I recommended this clear gel from celebrity brow artist Kristie Streicher's new line to her, which provides strong but not stiff hold, and now it's in her daily makeup routine. She "really like[s] the way it holds [her] brows. It lasts all day." — Sophie Shaw, associate beauty editor
My mom has used the Cinnabar perfume for many years and was so happy that Estée Lauder brought back the perfume several years ago. It has a beautiful, warm scent, and she always receives compliments from people when she wears it. — Lindsey Smith, associate editor
