Who:Oh Mumma
What:Beauty and Lifestyle gift boxes for mums handpicked by beauty experts
Why:
All the judges agreed that these beauty boxes were a cut above. While most curated boxes we’ve encountered include a couple of filler type products that fall into the nice but never get used category, every single product in these kits is high end, well thought out, exciting, nurturing and efficacious. No doozies whatsoever.
The panel felt that these beautifully presented boxes would make excellent gifts for new mums who need a boost and loved the fact that dads can get in on the pampering act too with the Oh Pappa boxes. That £1 of every box sold goes towards creating a box for a mum staying at a Ronald McDonald House was a wonderful touch that really impressed the JDA team.
These expertly curated beauty boxes that can be bought individually or on subscription are the perfect tonic for tired mums with discerning taste.
If someone had sent me an Oh Mumma box during my pregnancy or in the early months of being a new mum, I would have named my child after them. So good!
The element of surprise doesn’t get old. And Oh Mumma works with such a strong stable of brands that you’ll never be disappointed. I love that products can be tailored to your profile and baby’s due date, too.
Who:Modor & Bearn
What:Prepare & Protect pregnancy skincare range
Why:
Our judges felt that this was a wonderfully nurturing skincare range that really worked hard to address the specific skin concerns of pregnancy. Developed by a pharmacist with first-hand experience of the aches and strains experienced by pregnant women and new mums, the range includes products that deal with itchy skin, cracked nipples, back discomfort and swollen, tired legs.
While these conditions don’t sound at all fun, the products themselves smell great and feel wonderful to apply and our judges were specially taken with the Warming Back Rub which feels like a lovely warm, enveloping hug.
A really well thought out collection of targeted products that feel like they’re helping to support your body through pregnancy and beyond.
This is such a nurturing brand, created by someone who really understands the pressures of childbirth and wants to help make your body feel better!
The Warming Back Rub is one for pregnancy and beyond. It smells fresh and really takes the edge off pain.
Who:Bramley
What:Natural Sustainable Bath & Body Collection
Why:
Just beautiful. These products are gorgeous to look at, even better to use and have the wonderful reassurance of fresh smelling, all natural ingredients as well as strong eco-credentials. Our judges were impressed with the easily absorbed creamy formulations and were really excited to discover that all Bramley bottled products are available in both glass and plastic and are produced in small batches so that there is no wastage or compromise on quality.
The availability of super large bulk sizes to encourage customers to refill bottles was also much applauded.
A wonderfully nurturing and uplifting brand that gives peace of mind in terms of quality and its gentle footprint. I adore the gentle scents too.
Beautifully blended products that make you feel like you’re in a woodland spa.
Nourishing formulas with fresh, aromatic fragrances and impeccable eco credentials. An all-round feel-good range that’s not so luxurious you have to ration it.
Who:Cradle & Tonic
What:Motherhood Skincare and wellbeing range
Why:
This luxury skincare collection specifically devised to help mothers feel soothed and relaxed really stood out to our judges who loved the clean packaging design and gorgeous aromatherapy based smells.
The panel felt these products and gift sets would make a wonderfully uplifting and thoughtful gift for any pregnant or new mums needing a little bit of natural luxury in their lives. We can’t count how many times the motherhood candles were lifted, sniffed and sighed over.
A wonderful range of safe, indulgent, essential oil based maternity products that really celebrate this special time in a mother and new baby’s life. Have been a fan of this brand since I first discovered it at a kids' trade show.
As far as gifts go, the Bump, Birth and Baby candles are guaranteed to be well-received by expectant and new mothers.
Who:WeTwo
What:Haircare for pregnancy and beyond
Why:
This haircare range formulated and designed by professional hairdresser Kelly Simpkin-Clarke (and wife of hairdresser Nicky Clarke), alongside the Portland Hospital’s gynaecologist Miss Claire Mellon, really stopped our judges in their tracks who were excited to see this new concept of a dedicated pregnancy haircare range. The simple three-step programme that supports women through various stages and hormonal changes of their lives as they transition from pregnancy to becoming a mother was really well received, with many of the panel sharing their own pregnancy related hair challenges.
The judges were impressed by the ingredients list – these products are free from parabens, silicone, phalates and SLS, and made with more than 90% natural ingredients – and loved the fresh comforting smells
The strain of pregnancy hormones on your follicles is often just brushed off as par for the course so it’s great to see a product range specifically blended to tackle these concerns.
I lost masses of hair post pregnancy and would have loved this nurturing range to feel like I was addressing the situation and giving my hair the best chance.
Haircare seems to be relatively untapped territory for pregnancy and parenthood products. The carefully crafted Nourish formulas, in particular, are bound to give expectant and breastfeeding mothers peace of mind.