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We’ve all heard it before. Like mother, like daughter. It usually crops up when we’ve displayed a similar characteristic – the same devious smile, an unflappable work ethic, not to mention inherited looks. And we have so much to thank our mother for.
Their wisdom (which, we’ll be honest, we never really appreciated until we reached our twenties) never ceases to amaze us. They’ve got the life experience to help us not make the same mistakes they did, and this is especially important when it comes to beauty – even if we didn’t listen when they told us not to over-pluck our eyebrows.
In addition to them passing their beauty rituals on to us (more on that later), we are truly grateful for everything they do for us, and this Mother’s Day we want to show our gratitude. Everyone knows the best gifts are those that are carefully thought out so we’re looking for an item that speaks to their personalities and interests, while being indulgent and spoiling at the same time.
That’s why we love the idea of a fragrance, to capture new memories with our mums this Mother’s Day. And the just-launched Carolina Herrera Good Girl Blush is one of our top picks this year. Its brazenly attractive pastel-pink bottle, shaped in the signature Good Girl collection’s striking stiletto, is a star in its own right – and definitely worthy of a shelfie. But, of course, it’s what’s inside that counts and this new fragrance doesn’t disappoint.
The hint is in the name; Good Girl Blush is a fresh, ambery floral with swathes of sunny ylang ylang and citrusy bergamot, blended with boozy vanilla and powdery peony, and a pinch of tonka bean. It’s warm, pretty and confident without feeling overpowering.
Master perfumer Quentin Bisch worked alongside the world-famous noses of Shyamal Maisondieu and Christophe Raynaud to create the new scent, inspired by the brand’s iconic Good Girl stiletto bottle. “It instantly brought to mind the vanilla bean. The heel is the strength of the shoe, and I imagined the vanilla as the strength of the fragrance,” Bisch says.
The team experimented with finding different notes within each ingredient. “We were already working with the gourmand side of vanilla in previous incarnations of Good Girl, so using an additional powdery extraction was the ideal way of articulating a blush,” Bisch adds.
To create the floral notes of peony, the perfumers worked with scientific molecules blended with upcycled rose water and two types of sustainably sourced ylang ylang. “We had the luminosity of the flower petal itself, and by using an Absolute in addition, we were able to play with the deeper, more narcotic and sensual side of this alluring flower.” The overall effect is a spring-like waft of fresh, blousy petals.
Sounds like the dreamiest combination, right? You’ll also be pleased to know that as well as being packed with sustainably sourced ingredients, Carolina Herrera’s Good Girl Blush is also 100% vegan.
Supermodel, entrepreneur, and philanthropist Karlie Kloss is the face of the fragrance (she’s been part of Carolina Herrera Good Girl campaigns since they launched in 2016). On the subject of mothers, and being a new mum herself, Kloss told GLAMOUR, “I always remember my mom saying beauty comes from the inside and it's so true. It's inner joy, happiness and peace when you radiate your most beautiful.”
In celebration of the new Carolina Herrera Good Girl Blush and Mother’s Day 2023, we asked three GLAMOUR editors to share the beauty secrets they learned from their mothers.
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Moisturise, moisturise, moisturise
My mum had some sort of phobia of seeing her children running around looking ashy. I wouldn’t dare go out of the house without moisturising every inch of my body. I have fond memories of her rubbing cocoa butter all over my face before heading to school (although heavy handed, it was endearing). When I got old enough to do it myself there was a checklist to adhere to. ‘Neck? Check. Elbows? Check. Wrists? Check. Knees? Check. And, finally, ankles? Of course, Mum, check.’ She reminded me for the billionth time how those areas are often neglected. Now it’s second nature, and my glossy, nourished adult skin thanks her.
Layering perfumes
Growing up, Sunday was church day in my household, and that meant having your Sunday best. That means, dressed to the nines, hair done and the top accessory of all was a good scent. Mum always chose something powerful yet comforting. It would seep through under my parents’ bedroom door and then I knew they were pretty much ready to leave, so that’s my queue to put my church shoes on, because we’re heading out. I’ve known about layering perfumes all my life because my mum (who copied my own father) discovered the power it holds. Her go-to? A punchy oud for a base and a floral or citrus scent to sit right on top. The layering scent would alter depending on what she was wearing – all accessories must match.
Learn how to do your own hair
“You better learn how to do this yourself, because once you leave home, who will do it for you?” I was guaranteed to hear this speech from my mum pretty much every time she finished doing my hair. As a Black girl living in the Western world, it’s not always easy to find people that know how to treat and style Afro hair. That’s one thing my mum learned the hard way and she was quick to instil some hair independence on my sisters and I. I learned how to braid my own hair, sew my own weaves, pluck my own wigs, create faux locs, give myself a slick ponytail or straighten my fro’ down to the gawds. Mumma taught me that my Afro hair is beautiful and as with all beautiful things, you should find the best ways to take great care of it.
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Coconut oil for pretty much everything
Whether she fried her vegetables in it or slathered it over our dry skin to combat the side effects of the cold weather when we were younger, my mum has long been an advocate for coconut oil (way before it was trendy). Her favourite use? On our hair. My mum has always sworn by coconut oil for rehydrating dry ends, fighting off frizz and adding an instant lustre, as well as serious shine. Thanks to her raving about the benefits of coconut oil, I’ve since used it to shave my legs and even as a natural way to whiten my teeth. Trust me, it works for everything.
A natural bronzer hack
I’ve always envied my mum’s bronzed glow – she always manages to nail that ‘I’ve just stepped off the plane after two weeks in the sun’ look with just a few sweeps of bronzer. Her ultimate hack for achieving the lit-from-within look? The clever ‘figure of three’ application technique. My mum always uses a matte bronzer (because no one wants a shimmery tan) and applies it in a figure of three shape. She starts at the top of the temples and writes the number three across her face, taking it over her cheeks and back down the side of her face. To ensure an even spread – and avoid the dreaded orange streaks – she then swipes an extra helping of bronzer across her forehead and down her nose, followed by three swipes down her neck. Simple, speedy and effective.
The power of fragrance
My mum taught me to capture a memory, use a fragrance. She always treated me to a new fragrance to mark a momentous time in my life and, quite literally, bottle it – from my prom and graduation to my wedding day and the birth of my first baby. Now, whenever I spritz the scent from that time in my life, it takes me right back and evokes some amazing memories.
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Shiny, strong and healthy hair
My mum taught me to rinse my hair with cold water after washing it to help seal the hair cuticle. This gives your hair a better chance of staying shiny, strong and healthy (and if you can bear it, rinse your scalp with cold water too, to close the pores on your scalp to prevent dirt and oil getting in). Me and my mum both have thick, healthy hair, so it must be working!
Stick to a routine
No matter how late you get in, never skip the cleansing step – it’s the most important one in your skincare routine! It’s crucial to removing dirt and pollutants but also to making your other skincare steps work effectively; if you use the right cleanser for your skin type, you may not need all the other 10 steps in your routine.
Protect your skin
Wear a decent sunscreen, even in winter. UVA rays – the ones that go deep into your skin and cause lines, wrinkles and hyperpigmentation – don’t just disappear after summer; they can penetrate clouds and glass and windows, so wear an SPF moisturiser even if you’re inside and the weather is miserable. Thanks, Mum.
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Discover more about Carolina Herrera Good Girl Blush, available in stores and online from 1st March
