We asked female founders and CEOs of popular retail startups like Parachute, Brandless, and Cuyana for their top Mother's Day gift ideas

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We asked female founders and CEOs of popular retail startups like Parachute, Brandless, and Cuyana for their top Mother's Day gift ideas

Insider Picks writes about products and services to help you navigate when shopping online. Insider, Inc. receives a commission from our affiliate partners when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

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mothers day gifts from startup founders 20

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  • We asked the founders of up-and-coming retail startups, all of whom are also moms, to give us their top Mother's Day gift recommendations.
  • The following products include favorites that they've been personally gifted and everyday essentials they can't live without.
  • We also have dozens more gift guides to browse so you can find the perfect Mother's Day gift this year.

If you're having trouble thinking of a good Mother's Day gift, sometimes it helps to do the obvious and simply ask a real mom.

We did exactly that and consulted some mothers - who also happen to be the founders and CEOs of popular retail startups - about the best Mother's Day gifts you can give this year.

With their busy schedules balancing motherhood and running a business, they know exactly what gifts will delight and properly pamper your own mom.

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Many of the robes, skin-care products, kitchen tools, and clothing accessories mentioned below are things that have been personally gifted to them, and they only want to pass on the love to a fellow mom. And, for transparency's sake, it's worth us noting that some recommendations include products from the companies they founded.

Here are 27 thoughtful and useful Mother's Day gift ideas - as recommended by the mom founders of some of our favorite startups.

Find more Mother's Day gift guides here:

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Disclosure: This post is brought to you by the Insider Picks team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners. We frequently receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising sales team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at insiderpicks@businessinsider.com.

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A soft, hand-woven weighted blanket

A soft, hand-woven weighted blanket
Gift the Bearaby Tree Napper, from $249

I live for my Bearaby woven weighted blanket — I use it every day. We literally have family "take-turns" with it as it is now the go-to for the most restful sleep. I keep it on the couch for the perfect TV blanket and "weekend toes-up" luxury. —Tina Sharkey, cofounder and CEO of Brandless

A personalized ring

A personalized ring
Gift the J.Hannah Demi Signet, from $198

I've been told I'm not the easiest person to shop for (!) but my best girlfriends somehow seem to get it right every year for my birthday. This past year, they gifted me an engraved gold signet ring with my daughter's initial, "H." It's quickly become one of my most beloved pieces of jewelry that I wear every single day. —Eunice Byun, cofounder and CEO of Material Kitchen

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A lightweight robe

A lightweight robe
Gift the Parachute Cloud Cotton Robe, $99

I honestly can't get enough of our newest robe — it was a recent gift to myself! It's the perfect weight, and the perfect shade of blush. It makes me feel feminine and cozy. —Ariel Kaye, cofounder and CEO of Parachute

A smart and exact kitchen appliance

A smart and exact kitchen appliance
Gift the ChefSteps Joule Sous Vide, $179

A sous vide always sounded very "Top Chef" to me until my husband got one and now we can't live without it. Essentially it cooks meat to the perfect temperature every time, and stops cooking once it's done — meaning you plug it in, turn it on, and can completely forget about it. This one even comes with Bluetooth integration to control from your phone. Best part? No dishes. —Nidhi Kapur, founder and CEO of Maiden Home

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A hydrating sheet mask

A hydrating sheet mask
Gift the Tatcha Luminous Dewy Skin Sheet Mask, $12

After a long day I love to go home and unwind. My husband knows that I'm a huge fan of Tatcha's clean beauty products and started buying me these masks for an end-of-the-day relaxation session. —Karla Gallardo, cofounder and CEO of Cuyana

An organized travel bag that's also comfortable to carry

An organized travel bag that's also comfortable to carry
Gift the Lo & Sons OMG Overnight Bag, $192.50

I travel frequently for work, and try to make the trips short so I can miss as few bedtimes with my girls as possible. My husband gifted me the Lo & Sons O.M.G. bag last year for Mother's Day and I love it. It's lightweight, easy to clean, and has plenty of easy-to-access pockets for my laptop, shoes, and more. —Amy Nelson, founder and CEO of The Riveter

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A pair of stylish, oversized sunglasses

A pair of stylish, oversized sunglasses
Gift the Dita Day Tripper Sunglasses, $550

I'm an accessories girl. I'm pretty basic in my outfits — mostly all black. I look for my flair to add personality. Sunglasses (and glasses) are one of my favorite go-to accessories. —Beryl Solomon, cofounder and CEO of Poplar

A cute headband to keep her hair out of her face

A cute headband to keep her hair out of her face
Gift the Cult Gaia Turband, $60

I love this headband and use it all the time. It's great to keep your hair out of your face when you're running after your kid but is also stylish. —Sophie Kahn, cofounder of AUrate

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Colorful teaspoons

Colorful teaspoons
Gift the Anthropologie Palette Teaspoons (Set of 4), $32

I drink a lot of coffee in the morning and love a cheery teaspoon! My husband got me a great set last year and I really love these colorful guys from Anthropologie. —Galyn Bernard, cofounder and co-CEO of Primary

A serum packed with 22 nutrient-rich botanicals and essential oils

A serum packed with 22 nutrient-rich botanicals and essential oils
Gift the Vintner's Daughter Active Botanical Serum, $185

My best friend gave this to me. She's obsessed with this serum and knew I needed a little extra pampering. I love the smell of this product — it's so calming — and it makes my skin feel dewy and healthy. I use it day and night. —Ariel Kaye, cofounder and CEO of Parachute

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A coffee maker that produces a superior cup of brew

A coffee maker that produces a superior cup of brew
Gift the Technivorm Moccamaster Coffee Maker, $309

I start my mornings eating breakfast with my boys and of course, with coffee. My sons know how much I love coffee so they and my husband got me this coffee maker last year. —Shilpa Shah, cofounder and CXO of Cuyana

A pima-modal robe she can wear both in and out of the house

A pima-modal robe she can wear both in and out of the house
Gift the Cuyana Pima Modal Robe, $120

Our Pima Modal Robe is ultra luxurious and was made to be worn both in and out of the house. I instantly fell in love with it when we launched it last holiday season. I wear it mostly around the house before bed but it's also a great layering piece while running weekend errands. —Karla Gallardo, cofounder and CEO of Cuyana

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A restorative overnight face mask

A restorative overnight face mask
Gift the KORA Organics Noni Glow Sleeping Mask, $48

This is an essential for any busy Mom! It's a multi-tasking overnight face mask that's more hydrating and restorative than a regular night cream. It really plumps the skin, softens fine lines, reduces redness and inflammation, improves cell renewal, tone and texture, and boosts radiance and luminosity. —Miranda Kerr, founder and CEO of KORA Organics

High-quality EVOO

High-quality EVOO
Gift the Brightland Alive and Awake Olive Oil Set, $62.98

Our team is obsessed with food (rightfully so), which means when one of us discovers a new food item we love, we immediately share it with each other. We've all fallen in love with a California-based olive oil company called Brightland, which has become our go-to gift for anyone who appreciates beautiful tasting (and looking) things. —Eunice Byun, cofounder and CEO of Material Kitchen

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An 18-karat rose gold bracelet embellished with white diamonds

An 18-karat rose gold bracelet embellished with white diamonds
Gift the Tate Stick Bracelet, $1,185

Jewelry is special, so when I go to splurge on a nice piece, I also want it to be something that can be worn every day so I can show it off. Something delicate like this is so easy and so functional. —Beryl Solomon, cofounder and CEO of Poplar

A sustainably constructed backpack

A sustainably constructed backpack
Gift the Sandqvist Hege Backpack, $259

This is the perfect backpack for the busy entrepreneur mom on-the-go. It fits all your stuff, it's comfortable, durable and doesn't get dirty. They are also big on sustainability which is very important to me. —Sophie Kahn, cofounder of AUrate

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Clean skin-care products

Clean skin-care products
Gift the Brandless Clean Skin Regimen Bundle, $35

To be perfectly honest, my favorite go-to gift for everyone I know is our Brandless Clean beauty bundle. I have become addicted to using our Grapefruit Facial Cleanser in the shower every day and I never close my eyes at night or consider getting on a plane without our Night Cream. I keep a tube in every tote, backpack and purse. —Tina Sharkey, cofounder and CEO of Brandless

Sleek, X-shaped coasters

Sleek, X-shaped coasters
Gift the Fruitsuper Lift Coasters (Set of 4), $68

I love home decor items that are both functional and beautiful. One of my girlfriends, who knows my penchant for such items, gifted me these not-so-ordinary coasters that both keep my tables nice and dry while looking sleek and modern. —Eunice Byun, cofounder and CEO of Material Kitchen

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Floral china mugs

Floral china mugs
Gift the Royal Albert Old Country Roses Mugs (Set of 4), $22.99

I enjoy drinking tea from my own special mug and actually take my Royal Albert mug when I travel, so there is always a little bit of home where ever I am. —Miranda Kerr, founder and CEO of KORA Organics

A light down vest

A light down vest
Gift the Uniqlo Ultra Light Down Vest, $49.90

I love my Uniqlo down vests and have it in multiple colors. I use it as a layering piece under my jackets, as a perfect travel accessory, and as my go-to when running around town. The inside has two pockets that fit a cellphone or small wallet so I can go hands-free. I have given them as gifts so many times — in fact when we first started Brandless, we bought them for the whole founding team. —Tina Sharkey, cofounder and CEO of Brandless

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Luxurious cushioned slippers

Luxurious cushioned slippers
Gift the Birdies Starling Slipper, $120

I think every mom wants a little luxury for mother's day, and my Birdies slippers in slate are exactly that for me. Really chic and a little indulgent. —Nidhi Kapur, founder and CEO of Maiden Home

A set of textured cloth napkins

A set of textured cloth napkins
Gift the Dot and Army Seersucker Cloth Napkins (Set of 4), from $22

My husband is the cook in our family and so I get to focus on making the table pretty (and doing dishes, which I find oddly satisfying!). I have been loving cloth napkins lately. It's something I only had one set of for a long time, so they felt super precious and like I could only use them on special occasions, but now I have a little collection so I feel better about using them all the time! My in-laws got me this great set and they make me happy (and feel like a grown up!) every time we use them. —Galyn Bernard, cofounder and co-CEO of Primary

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A flowy nightgown

A flowy nightgown
Gift the Hatch Nightgown, $68

I'm pregnant with my fourth daughter (within five years) so it's fair to say I've had maternity clothes and nursing clothes in heavy rotation for quite a few years now. I'm in love with female-founded, high quality HATCH clothing, even for nighttime. My mom gave me this nightgown as a gift the last time I was pregnant and it's amazing: soft, comfortable and functional. —Amy Nelson, founder and CEO of The Riveter

A playful diffuser

A playful diffuser
Gift the Ellia Pineapple Aroma Diffuser, $19.99

I love these diffusers I found on Amazon and have them all throughout my house, in almost every room. Just add your favorite essential oils. —Miranda Kerr, founder and CEO of KORA Organics

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A plush and fast-drying terry bathrobe

A plush and fast-drying terry bathrobe
Gift the Snowe Classic Bathrobe, $98

I love Snowe's approach to the home — luxury staples at affordable prices — and this robe is the epitome of that: It feels so soft and cozy, wears well over time, and doesn't break the bank. Every mom needs a great robe. —Nidhi Kapur, founder and CEO of Maiden Home

A glamorous leather pouch

A glamorous leather pouch
Gift the Comme des Garcons Large Zip Pouch, $215

I love a pouch. I carry around so much that I need a pouch to contain the necessities so when I switch bags I don't lose my mind! In my pouch I always keep my headphones, a charger, and my CBD products. —Beryl Solomon, cofounder and CEO of Poplar

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Sophisticated suede mules

Sophisticated suede mules
Gift the Aeyde Corey Suede Mules, $295

These mules are the perfect mix of comfort and class and a great style to get your hands on as we head into warmer weather. —Sophie Kahn, cofounder of AUrate