Mother’s Day is this Sunday. While I’m usually not one to forget Mother’s Day or any special occasion, sometimes they sneak up on me and I find myself racing to the nearest gift store to find something. When I feel pressured because I am running out of time, I start second guessing myself. I am not sure if I am buying the gift because it is in my hand or because it is something that I know they will love. Giving a thoughtful gift is important to me and these days when I am looking for a perfect last-minute gift, I gift a monthly subscription. These gifts can be selected from the comfort of your own home and sent to the recipient within minutes – it doesn’t get any more last minute than that. Speaking from personal experience, getting a gift box in the mail every month is awesome (I get BirchBox Beauty). I love the fact that a one-day occasion turns into a year-long celebration of fun and exciting surprises that will leave your Mom thinking of you whenever she gets the mail – and you don’t have to wrap a thing. You’ve just been gifted.

 

For the new Momma

Citrus Lane – Every month you and your child will get a box of 4-5 items. These best-of products are recommended and reviewed by real moms and are tailored to the age of your child, from newborn up to 5 years. Each month, you’ll discover and enjoy a surprise selection of some of our favorite finds, including toys, books, snacks, household products, as well as other goodies for kids and even parents. (Boxes are only $21 a month with a 6-month subscription).

 

For the Beauty Lover

Julep – For the Mani-Obsessed. Geared toward nail and hand care, membership to this club from Seattle-based nail-and-beauty brand Julep offers you a constant stream of its high-end polishes in a variety of sophisticated and hip shades, as well as creams, scrubs, and tools, delivered as themed (and beautifully packaged) ensembles.

ipsy – For the Makeup Pro. Co-founded by makeup artist and YouTube star Michelle Phan, this beauty community offers viewers detailed instructional videos (accessed online), as well as a service called Glam Bag, which sends subscribers a cute tote containing products picked out by the site’s “stylists” (YouTube beauty pros).

Birchbox – One of the best-known beauty-sampling clubs is also one of the most cost-effective. I signed up several months ago and love the samples. With a vast, cherry-picked roster of brands, deliveries include everything from Malin + Goetz hair care to Chantecaille makeup, and offerings vary widely according to preferences you supply in an online questionnaire. Here is a link to the BirchBox I received in April.

GlossyBox – Five luxury beauty products, delivered to your doorstep.

POPSUGAR Must Have – The best in fashion, beauty, home, fitness, food, and more delivered straight to your door. Get a monthly delivery of fabulous surprises curated by POPSUGAR Editor in Chief Lisa Sugar. Sign up for a subscription, unwrap your box of full-size surprises valued over $100.00

Beauty Fix – For the Skincare Buff. You decide on eight deluxe travel-size to full-size products from around 50 options recommended for your hair and skin type (as supplied in an online questionnaire). Skin-care brands include dermatologist-approved DDF, Glytone, Vichy, and natural and organic choices, plus high-end makeup and hair care with a problem-solving slant (such as Peter Thomas Roth plumping mascara and Nick Chavez body-building clay for hair).

 

For the Crafter and DIYer

Darby Smart – The gift that keeps giving! With a subscription to a DIY gift box, your recipient receives a monthly box full of chic supplies for delightfully stylish projects. P.S. Darby Smart just doesn’t do monthly gift boxes, they have DIY in a box for a one time experience too. Check out their website, it is FULL of creative and fun ideas! They even have boxes for teens called Darby Girl.

A Beautiful Mess – This started out as a blog and has turned into much more. Happy Mail by A Beautiful Mess and Messy Box are monthly subscription kits designed and curated by A Beautiful Mess. In Happy Mail, subscribers get $50 (retail value) of stationery at their doorstep for $15 a month. Messy Box subscribers get a monthly box of awesome products you can use to document your life in style. You’ll get a bunch of one-of-a-kind goodies like cool alphas, stickers, patterned paper, and much more that you can craft with and personalize to make beautiful photo books. Each month, they focus on a cool design or theme to get you inspired, and they share tips and tricks along the way so you can learn to make your photos really pop.

For the Makers – YOU MAKE IT. WE MAKE IT EASIER. For The Makers’ kits combine fun and easy DIY tutorials with chic materials that you can’t find anywhere else. You’ll find all the runway trends behind each project along with tips and tricks to personalize both your home and your outfit. Each kit contains materials to make four (4) DIY projects and tutorials, tips, and techniques from expert designers.

 

For the Food Lover

Graze – Each graze box is made up of snacks customized for each individual based on taste preferences and dietary requirements. With their 4 snack variety box, graze hand-picks each box and conveniently delivers it weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly nationwide to your home or office at a low cost of $6.99. Their 8 snack variety box contains double the snacks, and is a great value savings at only $11.99. Lastly, you can choose from their sharing box that contains 5 sharing bags of snacks, equivalent to 20 servings. You can choose exactly which snacks you receive and how often you receive them.

Love With Food – Love With Food helps you discover new organic or all-natural snacks delivered to your door every month. Their subscription membership starts as low as $10/month. Every month, Love With Food members will receive a curated box of unique, hard-to-find tasty snacks which varies based on seasonal themes. For every box sold, they donate a meal to several food banks such as the Feeding America Network and Share Our Strength – No Kid Hungry. Join them to help end child hunger one meal at a time.

Nature Box – The first box is free! Your Free Trial box includes 5 of our most-loved snacks, pre-selected for you and delivered right to your door. NatureBox membership starts at $19.95 per month and includes 5 full-snack bags that you choose. NatureBox delivers a world of carefully sourced and nutritionist-approved foods right to your door. Each snack contains wholesome ingredients – with no artificial sweeteners, flavors or colors. Snacking has never been so deliciously fun and naturally easy.

 

For the Eco-Conscious

Homegrown Collective – Delivering a “homegrown” experience to your doorstep each month. Receive a seasonally appropriate, professionally curate box of products that deliver the satisfaction of living a more self-sufficient & sustainable lifestyle to your doorstep each month.

Petit Vour – You will get a monthly delivery of cruelty-free beauty products, hand-picked from businesses that align quality with progressive standards. In your box, you’ll receive beauty & grooming samples from brands like Acure, AHAVA, Beauty Without Cruelty, DuWop, Hourglass, LUSH, Pacifica & Tarte.

Conscious Box – Start replacing the products in your life with healthier choices. Every month, they scour the globe for natural, non-GMO products, like delicious snacks, lush cosmetics and non-toxic cleaners. Then they box them up and send them to you. It’s an easy way to discover new favorites, and start living a healthier, more “conscious” life.