Wow. There are so many amazing gift sets this season, I decided to make two lists because I had such a tough time narrowing it down.

Here my luxury beauty picks. (Watch out for my under $50 list next.)

Violet Gray Bedside Table Set, $185

La Mer, Dior, By Terry—this lovely curated set of lip, hand and nail creams are the ultimate evening luxury.

Tom Ford 2 Piece Lip, 2 Piece Nail Box, $174

Timeless shades from one of my favorite luxury lines. The packaging, the products—it just doesn’t get any better than Tom Ford.

Kevyn Aucoin Travel Brush Set, $285

Five double-ended brushes from the makeup master. Easy to store and travel-friendly. I still have Aucoin brushes in my kit from ten years ago. A worthy investment.

illuminage Seeing Beauty Deluxe Set, $99

I love products that work overnight. This super-soft mask and pillowcase set is infused with copper ion technology that delivers the powerful mineral to help the skin renew itself and diminish wrinkle. It’s like beauty sleep insurance— and I hope my husband is reading this because I want this!

LightStim for Wrinkles $249

If I could invest in one high-tech tool, this LED powered, FDA-studied skin tightener would be it.

Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Killer Cheekbones, $110

The easiest, most beautiful way to subtly contour and highlight. I love love LOVE this compact and swear by the fool-proof brush.

simplehuman 5″ Sensor Makeup Mirror with Travel Case, $130

You’ll never have to worry about bad lighting again with this genius little-but-big-enough mirror that simulates natural light. It’s also cordless and adjustable. Perfect to take on the road or to keep in an office drawer.

DryBar Dirty Martini Kit, $149

This is a perfect wave-making iron, conveniently packaged with DryBar’s signature products that smell amazing. Perfect for any woman who wants but thinks she can’t give herself tousled tresses.

Giorgio Armani Luxe is More Oversized Palette, $140

Ten gorgeous eyeshadows, two blendable cream foundations to perfect and contour.  This is one of the most gorgeous nude palettes I’ve seen. It really works on a range of skin tones. Snag it while you can.

Rodin Luxury Body Oil, $130

The most luxurious blend of essential oils, it’s no wonder this oil is a perennial celeb and beauty editor favorite.

I am so proud to say this is my seventh Mother’s Day. I have a hunch there will be breakfast in bed and precious handmade cards involving too much glitter and glue. If I’m lucky, I’ll still be in bed with a warm cup of coffee to watch CBS Sunday Morning uninterrupted. But even if there’s mayhem and children and crumbs in the bed, I’ll cherish every moment and probably cry because motherhood has flipped that inexplicable switch—the one that sharpens emotions the way high-definition television amplifies images. Everything is clearer and closer. (And sometimes hard to watch.)

Of course, motherhood can be messy and loud, and you don’t get to sleep as much, but it really has made me a better person. I’m, at once, more confident than I’ve ever been—yet, as eager as ever to learn. And, as it has been written about with love and laughed at through tears for ages—my heart has opened and bloomed in ways I never could have imagined. I think when you come to realize you are the guiding light for tiny little ships in the night, you aim to shine brighter.

For Mother’s Day, I’d like to celebrate the top 20 ways having children has changed me:

I think less about myself. In a good way.
I think less about others. In a good way.
I go to bed earlier.
I wake up earlier.
I’m more on time.
I’m more organized.
I value my body more.
I cook more.
I dance more.
I read Dr. Suess more.
I dress up less.
I feel more capable.
I smile more.
I laugh more.
I eat more cookies.
I expect more of myself.
I pick flowers in the summer.
I pick pumpkins in the fall.
I make snowballs in the winter.
I splash in rain puddles in the spring.

How has motherhood changed you?

I’m headed to Florida for a few days to see my family and defrost my kids.

I actually grew up in Miami. But to be honest, I never liked the weather. I always felt like a creature out of my natural habitat with my big frizzy hair and pale skin. Don’t get me wrong, I like warm weather, I just like a more arid heat. It must be genetic or something. Because my people are from very cold places. Humidity makes all my five senses cringe. It puts me in a bad mood and my hair in a spiral.

Not this time.

This time I’m glossed and ready. Here’s my defense, head to toe.

Hair
I got a gloss and a blowout the day before my trip. Anyone can get a gloss, a subtle color gloss or a clear one. A gloss adds major shine and really clamps down the cuticle, which is key for blocking moisture.

Before my blowout, my stylist used this anti-frizz Kerastase spray I’ve heard great things about.

Body
I went in for a full-body St. Tropez self-tanning treatment the day before I left. I swear the layer of color gives me an added boost of sun protection under my SPF. Plus, I am less apt to scare people at the pool.

Face
I intend to use Bare Mineral makeup exclusively because I find it “sweats” well. Plus, it absorbs oil. Win-win since I tend to be both sweaty and oily in humidity.

At the end of the day, if all my defenses fail in the dampening powers of the weather, I’ll have my new favorite hat from Lola.

No-rinse cleansing waters have been a big thing in Europe for years. The trend started in Paris in response to the city’s notoriously harsh tap water. Micellar water from French brands like Dior, Darphin and La Roche Posay have been making their way onto US shelves over the last year. I’ve tried many of them and I get why they’re such a big deal—they’re gentle, effective and leave skin soft and glowing.

This Micro Water from one of my favorite brands, Dr. Jart+, is similar to a micellar water but with an added boost of antioxidants and skin brighteners. I’ve been using it in the morning and have noticed a difference in my skin in just three days. It is absolutely fragrance, paraban and sulfate free.

I’m always on the hunt to find the best time-saving products and this is definitely my new short cut to morning cleansing. It’s a cinch to use—just saturate a cotton pad to swipe away all traces of makeup and impurities. I follow with toner, antioxidant gel and moisturizer.

P.S. My favorite Dr. Jart+ BB Cream.

I don’t know why Similac didn’t wait to run this during this weekend’s Super Bowl. It’s that big and that funny. The touching video went viral this week, getting the attention it deserves. It’s an ad where motherhood is celebrated, not debated, as the brand says.

If you haven’t seen it, you must click. I laughed, I cried. I got really emotionally invested!

Well played, Similac.

Take a walk through any big beauty or department store this month and your head will probably spin. Between the loud rock n’ roll holiday music, the pungent wintry scents and the glittery packaging of so many gift sets, even I, a champion shopper, cannot contend. That’s why I decided a while ago to only shop online this season. Shipping is fast, discounts are plenty and returns are easier than ever.

So without further ado, here are my favorite beauty buys this holiday season from many of my favorite brands. Be sure to snap something up for yourself, too.

Nails Inc The Holiday Edit, $19. This beautiful trio of chemical-free polishes are statement-making and simply beautiful.

Charlotte Tilbury Enhance Your Colour eye collections come in sets catered to eye color. Stunning, fool-proof makeup that is my current obsession.

AHAVA Wish Upon a Star Ornaments, $12. So clever, such a sweet gift.

Annick Goutal Holiday Candles, $60 each. Limited edition and fabulous.

Clarisonic Pedi Sonic Foot Transformation, $199 ($310 value). The same technology that transforms your pores now does miracles on feet. Clarisonic has so many good holiday deals, but I think this pedi set is the ultimate indulgence.

Bliss Handy Candy, $25 ($35 value). This is one of those tiny luxuries I feel like no woman would buy for herself but would be thrilled to have these little gems.

Miracle 10 Skin Rejuvination Collection, $160 (use code “BeautyMama” for 20% off). This remarkable set is the brand’s remarkable (easy) 3-step exfoliation system that really brings radiance and luster to dry, dehydrated skin. A perfect winter fix.

Emily and Tony Ménage À Trois Aromatherapy Massage Candle Trio $24—these amazing candles burn beeswax, soybean oil and coconut oil that you can use as massage or body oil as the candle burns!

June Jacobs Brightening Gift Set, $54. TSA friendly! I will be traveling with this no-fail regimen.

Tata Harper: Tata’s Daily Essentials Natural Antiaging Skincare Discovery Kit, $68. A really well-priced introduction to this cult natural skin care brand. (I’m in love with the cleanser.)

For Him: Anthony, The Perfect Shave Kit, $65 ($90 value). Not too fancy but a nice indulgence.

For Kids: So Cozy’s So Smooth gift set: Kid’s haircare legend, Cozy Friedman, has launched a new line of hair care for older kids who are beyond Burts Bees but not quite ready for grown-up shampoo and conditioner. The packaging and scents are amazing and the products are fabulous.

Shopping tip: I just learned about Raise, a site that offers discounted gift cards from major retailers, including many great sites for beauty like Sephora, Macys, Saks and Barneys. But what’s also cool about Raise is that you can sell your own gift cards or merchandise credits on the site, too. Pretty cool.