21 Affordable Mother's Day Gifts That Only Seem Expensive

Chocolate is always a good idea, especially when it’s from a brand like Oodaalolly that uses traditional Swiss chocolate-making techniques paired with cacao beans sourced from the Philippines. There are several flavors to choose from including just plain dark or milk chocolate, or you could opt for a variety set.

This vegan soap is made using the “penca” part of the cactus which makes it lightly exfoliating. It gets its pretty pink color from clay, which also gives it a rich lather. In addition, the Flor de Mayo cactus soap is lightly scented with jasmine oil which makes for a nice in-shower experience but won’t linger on your skin.

Yep, lips need sunscreen too. From Beekman 1802, a goat milk-based skincare company with a farm in upstate New York comes this SPF 15 lip screen. It uses a blend of, you guessed it, goat’s milk and zinc oxide which is a natural sun protectant and helps prevent irritation, plus all their products are typically gentle enough for sensitive skin.

This affordable Mother’s Day gift will transform her shower into a spa-like experience with this Voesh shower filter. It adds vitamin C to the water which can help remove chlorine and other impurities from hard water, probiotics to help protect the skin barrier, and oatmeal powder for soft skin. The best part (in my opinion) are the great scents that fill the bathroom with each shower. I have the lavender one which is relaxing at the end of the day, but if you shower in the morning, the citrus scent may help to wake you up. I installed this myself in under a minute.

Luxe skincare doesn’t have to break the bank. Apto is a natural skincare brand that makes affordable products, and best of all, you can find them on your next Target run. This turmeric and azelaic acid mask helps to clear up any breakouts while reducing redness, and it leaves skin glowy and calm-looking.

Hummingbird feeders are pretty low maintenance (all you have to do is replace the nectar from time to time, which you make at home using sugar water) but they bring a lot of joy. If your mom is into wildlife, she’ll love watching hummingbirds come to the feeder. Hummingbirds are thought to symbolize joy and good luck, and this vintage-inspired bird feeder looks pretty even on days no birds visit.

If she already has a house full of candles (or is wary of them) incense is a cool way to get some good scents flowing. From skincare and wellness brand Strange Bird in collaboration with ceramic artist, Yesha Panchal, this custom, handmade incense holder is pretty and unique, and looks gorgeous even when nothing is burning.

There’s something so cozy and inviting about a matching set of PJs, especially when they come in a cute print like this starry pair. Made of a soft cotton poly blend, mom will be extra excited to head to bed in these.

While this was technically created to be taken on a flight, there’s no reason your mom can’t take this cute cocktail kit onto a Zoom call or an IRL brunch with you. It includes a small-batch Bloody Mary mix, rimming salt, a travel-size bar spoon, a recipe card, and a linen coaster (alcohol not included).

If mom’s idea of a relaxing time is curling up with a good book, then she’ll love this trio of bookmarks from Etsy seller K Ligg Co. These are handmade, and reviewers noted they are high-quality and not flimsy or easily ripped.

If she loves having fresh cookies around but doesn’t necessarily love to bake, these frozen cookies from Home Dough are a must. They come individually frozen in bags of eight, and all she’ll need to do is preheat the oven then pop them in. Plus, there are gluten-free options available in flavors like chocolate chip, molasses spice, and oatmeal toffee. I tried these and I loved the option to bake just one or two cookies when the mood struck.

Choose a favorite mommy-and-me book from childhood (like Guess How Much I Love You written by Sam McBratney, illustrated by Anita Jeram) and include a heartfelt inscription at the beginning about how much you loved it when your mom read to you as a kid and how much you still treasure the memory today.

This shadow box style photo frame looks unique and elevated without breaking the bank. It comes with a clip to secure a 4"x 6" or smaller photo, and the blushed marbled background makes the picture pop.

This “What I Love About You” book for Mother’s Day (or any occasion really) makes it easy for kids or adult children to express everything they love about their mom. Helpful prompts like, “you have the best taste in...” will have you thinking of things you didn’t even realize you appreciated about mom. Just be ready to cue the tears.

Deodorant may seem like an odd gift, but if your mom is looking to “green up” her beauty supplies, a natural deodorant is a good place to start. The vegan, aluminum, silicone, and paraben-free option is not only good for her, but the packaging is also recyclable and biodegradable, plus the scents are layered and luxe.

Perfect for the mom who always has an excuse to throw party, these felt wine glass markers make it so that no one accidentally mixes up their glass of wine with someone else. I actually have these and you’ve never seen adults so excited to pick their color.

Even if she doesn’t have a green thumb, aloe is easy to care for (unlike children). Plus if she winds up with a sunburn this summer, she’ll have the remedy she needs. Jungalow will send this four inch aloe plant right to her door, and if you want to spend an extra $7, opt for the six inch plant instead.

Finally you have an excuse to get all those sweet photos off your phone and into a book. The the smallest custom book of photos still has room for 30 pages and the paper is high-quality and 100% recyclable.

She can grow sunflowers on her windowsill year round with this flower growing kit that comes with everything she’ll need to get started including a cute mason jar, bulbs, and soil. The plants germinate in as little as a week and if she doesn’t have a natural green thumb, the company will send as many seeds as it takes to get growing. Sunflowers are also Ukraine’s national flower, and you could make a donation to a relief organization in her name alongside this thoughtful gift.

For the mom who likes history mixed with a bit of mystery, this amazing virtual tour of Buenos Aires is a cool thing to do together if you’re in the same place. All of the Amazon Explore tours have a real-live host who you can ask questions of. You’ll learn about urban myths, ghost stories, murders and more, and you’ll have the opportunity to “walk” around the Plaza de Mayo and tour one of the oldest book stores in the city.

Give mom a cutting board in the shape of the state you grew up in (pictured is Washington, but all states are available on the Totally Bamboo Amazon store). She’ll think of you every time she’s chopping vegetables, and it may not be the onions making her cry.