In honour of Mother’s Day, we’ve asked the founders of some of our favourite brands to share with us what they’ve learned from their mothers, and what they’re choosing to pass down to their children. From protecting their skin from the sun to embracing their inner beauty, we wanted to know a little more about the lessons they have learned that made them the women and mothers that they are today.
“My mother and grandmother would always have spa parties with their friends and they all took the time for beauty every day. It was a lot of DIY face masks and treatments using ingredients like avocado, honey, and lemon, and things growing around us locally or fresh from the store. We often made our own honey mask with natural, pure honey. It’s super inexpensive to make and I find it super hydrating and refreshing.
The advice I want to pass down to my daughter is that beautiful skin comes from what you are putting in and on your body, and it’s important to be mindful of this at a young age. Focus on a good regimen and keep your skin healthy and hydrated.”
– Tata Harper
“My mom has always been very vocal around sun protection, so I developed a love for wide-brimmed hats early.
I want my daughters to understand that beauty is about a trusted and deep connection to ourselves, our community, our world and all its beautiful creatures.”
– April Gargiulo
“I am so thankful to my mother for teaching me that skin concerns need to be professionally diagnosed and treated. I suffered from hormonal acne all through my teens and my mother made sure I saw dermatologists and skin therapists on a regular basis. This truly saved my skin from serious scarring. My mother and I also did facials together at home – a fun tradition I am continuing with my two boys!
Growing up in Finland, my mother also taught me how to enjoy the relaxing and detoxing benefits of a sauna from an early age. I remember my mother dipping freshly cut birch branches into a bail of hot water, and we would breathe in the essential oil vapours. A magical smell of summer and motherly love I will never forget.”
– Jasmi Bonnén
“One of the first things I got from her is the idea of accepting myself the way I am. My mom is not a big makeup fan, so this understanding of my unique beauty, and no need to fix anything in me definitely comes from her. But also, with this, came the idea of preserving our bodies, by drinking at least 2 litres of water per day and wearing sunscreen daily, even on the days I don’t leave the house! Thanks to her, I’ve been doing that since I was 10 years old – before it was a trend! Haha!
On the hair side, she gave me a nice trick to get natural highlights after going to the beach – in the Brazilian days – or in very sunny days, which is to spray chamomile tea on the hair before bathing in the sun. It really works!”
– Clarissa de Queiroz
“Less is more. When your skin goes wrong, the tendency is to throw the entire kitchen sink at it, but she always told me never to do that. An to do the exact reverse – scale it back. Allow your skin to calm and rebalance and then take a methodical approach, re-introducing one product at a time, to establish what your skin likes and doesn’t like.
Never pick or squeeze your spots. This will be no surprise, but it’s one thing my mum shared with me when I was growing up as a teenager. This is really important to prevent scarring and stop the spread of more spots.”
– Sarah Brown
“My grandmother Evelyn taught me the importance of skincare rituals at an early age. She taught me how to cleanse, how to moisturize, and how to never ever go to bed with makeup on the skin. I have followed those skincare rituals religiously since she taught me them as a little girl, and I have to say it’s all paid off.
My mother has always been low-key in terms of beauty and cosmetics. She takes good care of her skin, but she only very occasionally wears makeup. My mother taught me the importance of being confident and comfortable in my appearance without makeup. She also taught me how to love my body regardless of how it looks, what number it weighs on a scale, how it is behaving, or how it is dressed at a certain moment. She taught me to love my body for what it does for me each day – for what it can and does do. In fact, we never even owned a scale growing up, so I often didn’t know my body weight. It just wasn’t important, and that has shaped my self-love and body positivity to this day.”
– Heather Urquhart
“My mom taught me beauty secrets by just being herself. She was effortless and no-fuss but always pulled together. She has strong bone structure and beautiful skin so, really needed very little in makeup – maybe even just lip and go. She taught me about colour types. Although I am blonde, I am a Winter. Most blondes think pastels and Spring colours work, but as a Winter, dark blues, black, whites, etc. – avoiding yellows – work best. She was absolutely correct.”
– Kat Burki
“The best beauty advice that I got from my mother is that you are only beautiful on the outside when you are beautiful or happy on the inside. She also told me that if you aren’t wearing SPF, wear a hat!
For my girls, I want them to know that makeup isn’t what will make them beautiful. Feeling beautiful from the inside out is what really matters and what truly shows.”
– Sasha Plavsic
“Strangely, almost all the beauty/mantra advice I received was from my dad. Just two weeks ago, he offered to mix up some turmeric for my mask instead with my mom, I think I learned more from observing. She taught me to be humble, quietly fierce and incredibly kind. She has an incredible sense of dignity and from her, I learned that true beauty comes from who you are.
The advice I would share with my daughter is to drink water, gets lots of sleep, wear SPF always… those are critical to nurture your outward beauty. True beauty comes from the soul- how kind you are to others and how kind you are to yourself.”
– Lisa Mattam
“My mom is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to skincare, and I’m grateful for the advanced techniques she’s taught me. Red light therapy, microneedling, and chemical peels are just a few of the treatments she’s educated me on to keep my skin looking its best. Thanks to her guidance, I’ve also incorporated powerful ingredients like Vitamin C, Retin A, stem cells, growth factors, copper peptides, and more into my routine.
In addition to these advanced treatments, my mom also instilled some basic skincare practices that have stuck with me over the years. Never go to bed with makeup on and always double cleanse at night to ensure your skin is healthy and prepped for your skincare products.
One piece of advice that I’ve taken to heart is to wear SPF every day, even when indoors, and to reapply it multiple times throughout the day. I’ve found a powder SPF that doesn’t interfere with my makeup, making it easy to touch up throughout the day.
My mom has always emphasized the importance of taking care of oneself, and that includes exercise and eating healthy, balanced meals. Making an effort to get outside and breathe in fresh air each day is also key to a healthy mind and body. And at night, it’s important to take a break from screens and noise and unwind with a soothing bath or a good book.
Thanks to my mom’s guidance and these valuable beauty tips, I’ve learned to prioritize self-care and take care of myself so that I can take care of those around me.”
– Lauren Bilon
“My mother raised me with all of the beauty secrets from Japanese culture and was the inspiration behind the development of BeautéJaponica. The general concept of our scalp serum was also inspired by ingredients that she shared with me that helped Japanese women grow beautiful hair for centuries.
Beyond that, she has also taught me that beauty comes from within, and that nurturing your senses is true nutrition for your soul.”
– Mai Nozoe
Viola Menzel, Founder of Mahoni
“The best beauty secret from my mother was – without a doubt – discovering the powerful benefits of mānuka honey! At first, it helped my cold sores, and eventually, it became my go-to remedy for skin outbreaks, sore throats, and other issues. It’s the natural remedy I had been searching for, and I loved not having to decide between natural or effective.
This beauty secret eventually sparked my entrepreneurial journey. It inspired me to establish Mahoni, a tribute to nature’s potent remedy. Thank you, Mom!”
– Viola Menzel
Happy Mother’s Day from all of us at Etiket!
