Online Self-Care Gifts for Mom on Mother’s Day, Part 2: Superlative Skincare

Hi guys, it’s me, your girl Shan! I’m continuing my series on Mother’s Day self-care gifts that you can order online and have shipped directly to Mom’s doorstep during this insane pandemic, and each gift is not only convenient and practical, but also, socially-relevant and sure to satisfy!

So without further adieu, here is gift #2: Superlative Skincare.

Almost every woman has doubts and concerns about her skincare regimen, but we never seem to have the time to fully research the best products out there because we’re so busy all the time. Well….this, my friend, is the time. And the times, they are a changing!

I mean, even before this pandemic hit, I’ve been feeling disenchanted by department stores, and as for beauty boutiques, well, they’re so yesteryear. I’m absolutely over the mediocrity of medspas…and to be quite honest, I don’t trust most dermatologists, be they traditional or trendy. That is the sad reality of the skincare scene at this moment in time. Having said that, the department stores, spas, and dermatologist’s offices are all closed at the moment anyway, so finding fresh, potent products in luxe formulas is more than just challenging. It’s impossible. Unless you know my secret.

Mom deserves the best products science has to offer, ones that work synergistically together and for her skin type, that smell luscious yet are affordable, too. While we’re at it, let’s make them cruelty-free so Mom can feel good about using them. Oh! And let’s also have them shipped straight to her door so she can bypass the now-defunct mall mayhem and any hard sell from hucksters masquerading as skincare professionals. Add to the list a 60-day, empty-jar guarantee and you’d have to be crazy not to want to invest in these products.

Does all this sound too good to be true? Allow me introduce you to modern skincare from a modern company. I’d like you all to meet Rodan + Fields, my personal skincare choice and the one I have supported for nearly 15 years, since before I even completed my education as a licensed aesthetician. I positively adore these products, their thoughtful packaging, the sound business model, and of course the doctors who started it all.

Stanford-trained dermatologists Katie Rodan and Kathy Fields, the latter of whom was my personal dermatologist for years, sit squarely at the helm of this direct-marketing business, which is the number one skincare brand in North America, and for good reason.

It’s because the Rodan + Fields products really work and their business model makes sense. It’s crazy how much time and money you waste at the mall or the spas, or even at a reputable doctor’s office, with hard-sell tactics and products that you’ll never really use–products that are ineffective, seem punishing, or are downright offensive to the senses.

Rodan + Fields products are truly transformative and yield tangible results with a very elegant delivery system. I’ve seen women literally age backwards, looking more youthful and all-around better, five years, ten years and beyond after using the regimen. Aging doesn’t have to be a life sentence nowadays. The before and after photos below were taken only one week apart, and just look at the difference in her skin texture, luminosity, fine lines. It’s impressive.

Now your mom has an abundance of free time to read product descriptions and investigate ingredients, perform her own trial and error testing, and develop consistent a.m. and p.m. rituals that will become second-nature over the duration of this pandemic. If she establishes some good habits now, by the time society opens again Mom will be positively glowing. The value of great skin simply cannot be overstated, as evidenced above.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t have time to waste fighting off overly-zealous, ignorant sales clerks who are trying to push product. If you or your mother have ever felt like a victim at the cosmetics counter, now is the ideal time to change all that and empower yourself. You will work with a consultant who sells the product, and yes, they do receive commission, but these women (and men) are passionate about the Rodan + Fields brand and its life-changing results. As a quick aside, and as a journalist who happens to also have a license in aesthetics, I do not receive any kind of commission, discount, advertising monies, or free product from Rodan + Fields. I will tell you that my ageless mother uses and now sells their products and I purchase them from her.

But enough about all that. I’ll let you be the judge. As I stated earlier, your Rodan + Fields purchase comes with a 60-day, empty-jar guarantee. If you don’t like what you see, simply call your consultant and they will arrange for your hassle-free refund, every last cent. And now, on with the products.

I highly recommend the Redefine three-step, four-product anti-aging line, above, for most women out there. It’s never too soon–or too late–to start with preventative products. Unless your mom is suffering from adult acne, extreme sensitivity, or struggles with pigment issues, three separate conditions for which Rodan + Fields also has comprehensive solutions, this is the ideal way to induct her into what is, in my opinion, the gold standard of skincare.

Then after a while, she can tweak her regimen, adding a serum or a mask, or another, different, task-oriented skincare product later, and as needed, because Rodan + Fields make plenty of them, and they are all spa-quality, dermatologically-sound, and clinically tested with fabulous, guaranteed results. Just check out their site or talk to a consultant for more information. But for now, here are the basic products from the Redefine line for Mom, along with a summary of their best and most noteworthy features.

Daily Cleansing Mask. The first step in your regimen is this refreshing mask, which takes just an instant to dry before you rinse it off to reveal baby-soft skin. The kaolin clay really draws out any impurities while the gentle exfoliating beads slough off dead skin, revealing a beautiful, rosy, clarified complexion. This cleanser also prepares the skin to accept the beneficial ingredients in the subsequent steps of the regimen.

Pore Minimizing Toner. They call this second step a toner, but in reality it reminds me more of a serum. The weightless liquid, which you apply with a cotton pad, is a vehicle for skin density-inducing ingredients, like peptides, and moisture-binding hyaluronic acid. It should be noted that Rodan + Fields is a company of integrity. They don’t ‘sprinkle’ to make product label claims, like many big skincare brands who shall remain nameless, but rather, they use efficacious doses of active ingredients that make a sincere difference in the quality of your skin.

Triple Defense Treatment. Packed with peptides–the collagen-building, skin-firming über-ingredient for a youthful-looking complexion–this broad-spectrum sunscreen is your third and final step for day. It protects with four different kinds of powerful active sunscreening agents. Plus it has a non-greasy slip to it and leaves your skin beautifully matte. I won’t leave the house without this SPF 30 on my face and neck.

Overnight Restorative Cream. This powerful night cream is your third and final step for the evening, and is spiked with skin-soothing dimethicone as well as vitamin E and surprise, surprise, more peptides! When you wake up the next morning? OMG. Prepare to be amazed!

There are many, many other great R + F products that I use and covet, especially the Mineral Peptides, which I cannot live without, and the accompanying antimicrobial Kabuki brush; the insanely-underrated hand cream; the lip balm; and the body butter, just to name a few. Since you’re paying for the shipping already, you might as well snag an add-on for yourself. Just choose something that interests you and see why Rodan + Fields makes utter sense right now. Every product is pure perfection. In my opinion, this is the future face of dermatology, and it looks a whole lot better than it used to.