My mother is an exceptional woman. There are so many things that make her cool, like her wicked sense of humour, her laugh, and the fact that — at age 67 — she is as full of energy and enthusiasm as she’s ever been. But the thing that defines my mother, at least in my mind, is her attitude, and the way she sees the world. She can always the see the good in every person, the silver lining in any cloud. To my mother, life is full of exciting opportunities and wonderful moments, and I am so, so grateful to have grown up with her as a female role model.

My mother believes in keeping champagne in the fridge at all times, and in creating a beautiful environment that reflects your inner world. She believes in encouraging women to see their own beauty: she has owned her own boutique for years, and paying attention to women, dressing them so they look their best, and helping them find their inner confidence is her gift. My mother believes in bringing style to everything you do, and wrapping presents extravagantly. My mother believes in the transformative power of bright lipstick and a smile. My mother believes in turning the music up loud, humming along, and dancing whenever you feel like it.

I am my mother’s daughter, and I couldn’t be more thankful, or more proud.

If you adore your mother like I do, and you’re wondering about the perfect gift this Mother’s Day, I recently had the (incredible) experience of visiting Firmenich, the largest privately-owned perfume company in the world. They developed Avon Femme, a brand new fragrance which smells sensational!

At Firmenich, I met Master Perfumer Harry Frémont, who created Avon Femme. As he talked us through the various notes in the perfume, I was astounded, and then when we walked through the fragrance lab (where the magic happens!), my nose didn’t know what to do with itself. I walked back out onto Madison Avenue smelling like vanilla, like a garden, like a campfire.

It was wonderful to learn how fragrance was made, and to be talked through the various note of Avon Femme. It’s full of some of my favourite flowers, like violet, jasmine, orchid and magnolia, but it’s brought to a fresh crescendo by the addition of pink grapefruit and sparkling pear. It’s floral, fruity, and effervescent, and I really like it. It’s a beautiful scent for a bright spring day, which all leads me to think it would make the perfect gift for that special babe in your life: your mum. At $30, it won’t break the bank, and will make you (or your mother) feel like a star. A bargain at twice the price!

$5 Off Avon Femme Eau de Parfum Spray with code FEMME5. Offer expires 5/31/14. Direct delivery only.

Much love,

This post was made possible with the help of Avon and Style Coalition.