Bollywood Inspired Mother’s Day Gifts Ideas For Our Special South Asian Stars: Grandma, Mom and Aunty

Mother’s Day is fast approaching and with it, whether we wish to admit it or not, comes the pressure of buying a great gift. We may think we know our grandmothers, mothers and aunts… but do we?  Often, we see these vibrant, brave women through the lens of their maternal role, rather than as full-blooded sensual creatures, who want glamour and fun.  So this Mother’s Day instead of going for the tried and true, look for gifts that provide unforgettable, glamourous experiences, and read on to find some great suggestions.

CHOCOLATE LOCKS

We must accept one universal truth about South Asian beauty… our hair comes in a variety of shades of brown and black, textures, and somehow it always looks lovely, like a crown of cascading jamun.  Sometimes the crown is punctuated with henna and streaks of silver, and they just add to the allure.

GETTING THICK!

If your special maternal figure is lamenting her thinning locks, perhaps gifting her with a hair serum designed to minimise hair fall is an idea worth exploring.  I have been a fan of adding a serum to my nightly routine ever since I experienced hair fall at the start of the pandemic when I lost my beloved father.  I noticed after several weeks of treatment that my hair was shedding less, and so I am excited about Aavrani Hair Density Boosting Treatment, because it contains turmeric stem cells to deliver new hair growth, and it is a lightweight serum that is quickly absorbed by the scalp.  It also improves the density so the manes will look fuller and it strengthens the roots.

SHORT AND SASSY

Many South Asian women embrace shorter locks, and the effervescent, timeless Neetu Singh demonstrates why short is sassy.

This easy, on-the-go style looks best with a touch of volume at the roots as it gives the face a lift and creates the illusion of height.  A volumizing styling spray such as Aveda Pure Style™ Style-Prep™ is a great option.  After washing the hair, allow it to air dry for a bit, then spray liberally when it is damp, and then style away. The product is easy to use and will leave the hair with a soft lift that looks natural and effortless.

LONG AND LUSCIOUS

Long, dark locks ,such as those of British actress Sarita Choudhury, , are striking and breathtaking.  Her mane is what my hair dreams are made of!

In order to style the hair to such a gorgeous level of volume, it is important to have hair that is moisturised so that the cuticle lies flat and hence looks shiny and is amenable to styling techniques.  I am a huge fan of the Guerlain  Abeille Royale Revitalising & Fortifying Care Shampoo, because my hot shower smells of  honey, the shampoo gently cleanses my scalp  and leaves my hair soft.

I follow the wash with the Guerlain Abeille Royale Repairing & Replumping Care Conditioner which is composed of four honeys that hydrate the scalp, without leaving it greasy, and plump the strands.  My hair swings for up to two days after I wash it; and this is my favourite weekly hair treat. This duo is both an olfactory experience in terms of the texture and delicious scent, and delivers results.

LAAL LIPS

For millions of Hindi film buffs, Rekha Ganesan is red lips.  Her sensuality and strength are palpable even in pictures and her ever present red lips drive home the message – she is an unforgettable diva!

My mother and I have debated, actually argued, over her obsession with maroon lips, as this colour drains her complexion and makes her lips look smaller – yet she always wanted maroon lipstick.  Lately, I think I have made some headway by citing Rekha’s red lips and now my mom likes this shade.

ACE THE BASE

Red lipstick is a commitment and if you are inclined to buy a lip gift for Mother’s Day, but are unsure as to what shade to buy, maybe the preparatory steps are a great start.  As we get older, the skin around the lips tends to form lines and sometimes the lipstick migrates into these lines.  A quick way to temporarily fix this issue is to prepare the lips with a gentle exfoliator and a waxy lip balm that sinks into the skin.  I am a huge fan of the Ghlee Lip Scrub because it is composed of gentle ingredients such as moisturising ghee; exfoliating sugar cane; and soothing vitamin E.

You only need to scoop a few grams of product and then you can slowly pass it over the lips in a circular motion to remove the dead skin.  After you have rinsed the lips, I like to swipe on the matching Lip Balm Original because the moisturising ghee and mango seed butter and the soothing vitamin E plump the lips.

RED, NOT MAROON, LIPS!

If you are interested in buying a red lipstick colour in a bullet, remember that if her skin tone is darker, a warmer, tomato-like shade is likely flattering and if she is lighter skinned, a cooler toned red is ideal.  Ctzn Cosmetics has 6 shades of rich red lipstick, and a convenient quiz that can help you pinpoint which shade will work best for your special maternal figure.

A great option for a busy woman on the go who has scant time for touch ups, is a longwearing matte lip pencil that you can swipe on with precision.  I recommend the Nars Powermatte-High intensity Lip Pencil, which lasts up to 12 hours and comes in a variety of red shades such as Dragon Girl (siren red), Cruella (scarlet red – a great way to transition from maroon to red lipstick),Midnight Rider (bright classic red) and Kiss Me Deadly (an orange red that flatters dark skin tones).

BROWN SKIN IS ALWAYS STUNNING

I owe my mother a huge debt of gratitude because she was militant about colourism not having a place at the dinner table.  Mom grew up believing that fair skin is the most desirable shade but when she came to Canada, she realised that this mentality was wrong and she stamped it out, and now finds beauty in all skin tones. Her attitude towards skin tone helped me to focus on what makes skin beautiful and that is a healthy glow that helps someone radiate their confidence.

Indra Nooyi, an Indian-born American corporate icon who was the chairperson and CEO of Pepsico, and she is always polished and crisp in her look.  The key to her beauty look is glow, and for Mother’s Day there are a few ways that you can help your special maternal figure claim her skin glow.

TRIALS FOR TRAVEL

A great little option is to buy a Mother’s Day set because the sizes are deluxe, and it permits the lucky recipient to try products for an extended periods of time and to identify which products are a great full size buy.  I love the Drunk Elephant The Littles™ 6.0 because this is an example of complete kit, that is perfect to pack for a short trip.  It contains Beste™ which removes makeup, grime and sunscreen with ease; T.L.C. Framboos™ which resurfaces the skin by liberating pores from gunk; Protini™ which plumps the skin; Virgin Marula Oil which seals in moisture and allows you to gently massage the tension away; C-Firma™ is a serum that brightens the face; and Umbra Sheer™ is a lightweight sunscreen that protects the skin subtly and effectively.  I suspect that this gift will help you to select the subsequent birthday gift!

SUPER CREAM

I mentioned in my previous blog that many of are caught in the springtime blues whereby our skin suffers because we are either dealing with cold fronts or warm days.  If your maternal figure is complaining about dry skin, I highly recommend the Biossance Squalane + Omega Repair Cream.  This power product looks like a cream but feels gel-like and is quickly absorbed by my skin, leaving a soft finish.  This lipid-rich cream fortifies the moisture barrier and omega fatty acids to plump and hydrate, ceramides that prevents moisture loss and squalene to replenish the moisture barrier.  It is an active cream that leaves an instant sheen.  It is a great gift!

GLOWING BASE

Modern foundation is so lightweight, that it enhances your natural glow without covering up its colour.  I love the new technology – because I want to look like me, not tan, not light – just me.  This is a great gift to buy for oneself – because loving and caring for children is hard job, and you should always appreciate yourself.

I am enjoying Clé de peau The Foundation because it is i) luxurious (it comes with a metal spatula so that you can take product from the glass jar which remains on its own little stand, so it remains pristine), ii) lightweight, so you can build coverage on areas you need it, and add a dab where you just need to even the overall tone and iii) plumps the skin leaving a blurred, glowing finish.  This foundation raises my complexion game and I feel like a queen when I wear it.  It is luxurious in every sense of the word… but hey Mother’s Day comes once a year!

KAJAL TIME

Kajal is to South Asian beauty what rice extract is to Japanese beauty, part of the DNA and wonderful!  I know for a fact that if my mother knew that the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse were cantering up the street, that she will have lined her eyes for the occasion, such is the power of this tiny little product.

Sakina Jaffery, an American actress, who has starred in many films and televisions shows is a familiar face whose eyeliner look is a modern, and effortless take on kajal.

For a glamourous, busy occasion such as a wedding, a rich liner such as Live Tinted Longwearing Kajal Pencil Liner, which glides on, leaving clean, sharp lines that will not budge.

If your special maternal figure prefers a softer look, then the Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Cream Eyeliner Stick is perfect because its thicker tip allows you to create a smokier look, and this collection of 5 colours includes softer shades such as Rich Chocolate, a neutral brown, that defines the eyes without the intensity of black.

SPOIL HER… OUR GRANDMOTHERS, MOTHERS AND AUNTS ARE PRECIOUS

Mother’s Day is more than just a day in the calendar.  It is an opportunity to honour the women who have raised us and a chance to show them that we see all of them, including their glamourous side.  Matronly is so 18^th century… our grandmothers, mothers and aunts are trailblazers for the 21^st century and should be spoiled accordingly.