Mother's Day Gift Guides: Pamper and Preen

by Shona Wallace, @SWfashion_

Every lady loves a good old fashioned pampering. I love nothing more than going home, running a bath with some Laura Mercier Almond Coconut bath honey, slapping on a face mask, applying a Bumble & Bumble hair treatment and lighting a few scented candles. It is just bliss- and most women appreciate this luxury, particularly busy mums!

Pampering can stretch from little touches like flowers or a bottle of champagne, to some lovely cocktails or a personalised nail polish.

I love to put together a little "Pamper Hamper" as a present, and it really is a nice touch. Just get a few of mum's favourite things, put them in a hamper and you're done quicker than you can say "Fortnum and Mason"! A great mix is some bubble bath, some chocolates, bubbly, a candle, face mask and a magazine. That'll be her evening sorted and you can make it as special as you want!

If your mum appreciates the finer things in life, she will be more than a little bit pleased with a lovely fragrance like the new Jo Malone ones, or even a beautiful Laduree (buy them here) or Diptique candle.

If you want to pamper her, but do something a little bit quirky, why not head to Harvey Nichols in Knightsbridge and create a bespoke Nails Inc nail polish (£16 for basic lids, £20 for glitzy lids). The couture service lets you you choose the lid, the colour, the box decorations and- the best part- the name label! Nails Inc Couture is also available online, so get your orders in now! Another lovely gift to treat her is by making her some glamourous cocktails- Nigella's salted caramel martini (recipe here) sounds just dreamy and i'm sure the  butterscotch schnapps concoction complete with a salt frosted rim will not disappoint!

Mother's Day Gift Guides: Yum Mum

by Shona Wallace, @SWfashion_

Nothing makes a woman feel better than chocolate. Fact. 

Okay, that's maybe not the case for everyone, but I personally have yet to be faced with something so stressful that a Nutella-smothered digestive wont fix. And a box of tangy or creamy or crunchy chocolates is all the more stress-relieving and uplifting. Thus, mother's day is the perfect excuse to buy a tonne of choccies for your mum, with every intention of pinching one yourself.

Or you could go down the cake route. Buy them at the Hummingbird or go all Nigella and make a delicious cake yourself (by, ahem, Nigella). A coffee and walnut number always goes down a storm!

As far as sweet treats goes, however, I would happily give birth if it meant my kiddies would buy me macaroons from Laduree- the rose ones are just heaven! Failing that, i'd happily take the "All About Mum" Sleekster from Hotel Chocolat... Presumably I can still eat them despite being a proud mother of none?

SHOPPERS TIP! If you're buying your mum some chocolate, always go to Artisan du Chocolat in Selfridges. They have the best selection of chocolates ever, and their salted caramels and golden chocolate pearls are delectable. The best part? The Selfridges concession often gives out freebies! The embarrassing part? I think the shop assistant recognises me as I visit so frequently...

(make Mother's Day extra sweet at Laduree, Hotel Chocolat, Artisan du Chocolat, Mrs. Kibbles, Nigella, Hummingbird Bakery and Notonthehighstreet.com)