Ear Plug Superstore - Official Blog

Something for Every Mom Part 6: Every Mom Needs Peace & Quiet!

We know every mom is different, and that your mom is totally unique. We believe that there really is a perfect Mother's Day gift out there for every mom, no matter what she loves or needs, or how difficult she may be to shop for. So far, we've suggested gifts for all kinds of unique moms: for working mothers, and for moms with very young children, and for moms who can't sleep, or who love the great outdoors, or who can't get enough of their favorite tunes.

Wow, that's a lot of different kinds of moms!

But if we haven't suggested the perfect gift for YOUR one-of-a-kind mom yet, never fear! In this final installment of our Something for Every Mom series, we've got a gift any mom will enjoy:

The gift of Peace and Quiet!

A pair of Quies Boules Wax and Cotton Earplugs will provide luxurious sound blocking plus ultimate comfort -- and you know they're a quality gift because we import them specially, direct from France! (Ooh la la!) These earplugs are excellent for general noise blocking, sleeping, and relaxation. They're moldable, so they'll fit any size or shape of ear, and our customers adore these earplugs! People say they're some of the most comfortable ear plugs out there.

If foam earplugs might fit your mom better than the moldable kind, we recommend Mack's Dreamgirl Earplugs -- they're some of the softest foam earplugs available, they're pretty and pink, and they work great for helping mom sleep or just relax after a long day. These are also a customer favorite: we hear they're really excellent for sleeping, striking a good balance between comfort and effectiveness, and they won't fall out during the night. These are specially designed to be soft, smooth, and silky, so we're not surprised they get good marks for comfort!

And our favorite peace-and-quiet gift has to be the Sound Oasis Sound Therapy White Noise Machine. This is hands-down one of the very best white noise generators out there. It offers a variety of lovely white noise background sounds to help mom create a soothing ambient atmosphere, anywhere! The Sound Oasis Sound Therapy machine comes with a total of 12 sounds, but this truly unique white noise machine employs revolutionary Sound Card technology -- that means many more sounds are available, all from this one white noise machine! Indeed, the interchangeable sound cards (sold separately) provide an incredible selection of white noise sounds, from plain white noise, to nature sounds like Ocean Surf, Thunderstorm, and Forest, to specially-developed Sound Therapy sounds like Energy Chimes, Delta Voyage, and Dream Echoes -- sounds specially engineered for deep relaxation by an internationally-accliamed music and health expert! With four additional sound cards to choose from (and discounts for purchasing multiple cards), this is really the ultimate gift for any mom. She can use it at work, she can take it with her when she travels, or she can keep it on the bedside table to soothe her to sleep at night with the soundtrack of her dreams! With sound cards offering sounds as highly-varied and unique as Asian Garden, Dolphins, Crashing Waves, and Forest Rain, the Sound Oasis Sound Therapy White Noise Generator is sure to provide an audio atmosphere that will please and relax any mom! This is the ultimate peace, quiet, sleep and relaxation gift for the hard-to-shop-for mom.

After all, what mom doesn't need more peace and quiet in her life?

This concludes our Something for Every Mom Mother's Day gift ideas series. We sincerely hope that we've given you the inspriation you need to find the perfect gift for your unique mom. After all, your mom is truly one-of-a-kind, and she deserves a Mother's Day gift that shows both how well you know her, and how much you care.

And if you're still stumped and need some help finding the right gift for the special mom in your life, don't hesitate to contact us at info@earplugstore.com -- we're here to help.

As always, be safe and do the right thing... and be good to your mom -- she deserves it!
--Tom "Dr. Earplug" Bergman

Something for Every Mom Part 5: Moms who Love Music

In case you hadn't noticed, music isn't just for kids and teens. Moms love music, too!

If your mom loves going to concerts and other live music events, then the perfect Mother's Day gift might be a pair of music and concert earplugs. Also known as natural-sound musician's earplugs, these music earplugs provide hearing protection without distorting the music. Some of our favorites are the ever-popular Etymotic ER-20 Earplugs, which come in two different colors and have an optional cord to make them easy to keep track of at the show. We also think a set of Alpine MusicSafe Pro Earplugs would make a great gift for the concert-going mom: they come with three sets of filters so she can get just the right amount of sound protection -- so whether she enjoys chilling in the back of the venue or getting out in the mosh pit, with these high-quality concert plugs, Mom can pick just the right amount of hearing protection to suit her needs.

If Mom plays in the band herself, check out our selection of musician monitors and mixers. We offer a great variety of musician monitors from Shure, a brand you know you can trust. Because monitors are complicated, you'll probably need to check out all our musician monitor options to find the right one. If you need help choosing, give us a call at 1-800-426-7959, and we'll personally help you pick out the perfect gift for your musical mom!

(And here's a tip: the prices shown for these musicians' monitors are primarily MAP prices -- those are just the minimum prices Shure will allow us to advertise on our website. But if you call to place your order, not only can we help you choose the perfect gift for your music-playing mom, but we can also tell you our current price rather than the one listed on our website! How cool is that? Call us and check it out!)

Of course, not all music-lovers also love going out to shows or playing in a band. If your mom just wants to listen to high-quality music from the comfort of her own home, we have some great gift ideas for her, too. Our earphones come in a range of styles to fit any music-lover -- and any budget! Ultimate Ears Super.fi 4 Earphones are some of our most affordable high-quality earphones, but don't be deceived by the relatively small ($79.95) pricetag: they contain the same technology used in Ultimate Ears' custom in-ear monitors, which are used by a wide variety of today's most popular musicians! Moving toward the mid-range, Shure SE215 Sound Isolating Earphones come in at just under $100 (but again, as with our other Shure products, this is a MAP price -- so if you call to place your order, we can tell you our current price on these high-quality in-ear earphones!) They deliver detailed sound quality and enhanced bass, and they're sure to make your music-loving-mom smile. And at the top end of the spectrum, we have the Westone 3 True Fit In-Ear Isolation Earphones -- these little babies aren't cheap, but they feature triple-balanced armature drivers in each ear, with a three-way crossover and an excellent form factor, making them a truly fantastic gift for even the most discriminating audiophile.

Finally, if Mom prefers an over-the-ear headphone (rather than an in-ear earphone), we recommend a set of Creative Aurvana Live! Headphones: they provide vibrant sound, they're lightweight and ergonomically design, and they're perfect for the mom who wants to listen to her favorite tunes on-the-go or around the house.

Music is a wonderful part of life -- and whether your mom enjoys going to live concerts, or just listening to her iPod in the comfort of her own home, we know one of these gifts will make this Mother's Day one she'll remember for a long time to come!

If we still haven't found the right gift for your unique mom, stay tuned for our final installment in our Something for Every Mom series!

And until next time, be safe and do the right thing.
--Tom "Dr. Earplug" Bergman

Something for Every Mom Part 4: The Outdoor Mom

Being a mom isn't all about taking care of the home; far from it! Some moms like nothing better than getting outside for some sun, surf, or fresh air. Other mothers enjoy adventurous outdoor sports and hobbies. If your mom can't get enough of the great outdoors, we have some unbeatable Mother's Day gift ideas for you!

If the mom in your life loves hunting and shooting, we highly recommend giving her the gift of a pair of Pro Ears Sporting Clay Gold Electronic Shooting Earmuffs. These top-of-the-line electronic earmuffs are some of the best shooting hearing protectors available; they come from Pro Ears, so you know they're seriously high-quality earmuffs. They use directional microphones to amplify ambient noises so she can hear voices or game sounds clearly, in true stereo, while wearing them -- and Pro Ears's cutting-edge technology will cut the mics and block out loud noises instantly for great protection from dangerous gunshot sounds. They're also lightweight, with a slim design that makes them ideal for trap and skeet shooting, or for wear during particularly long hunting trips. And best of all, these high-quality earmuffs come in a variety of colors -- including both pink, and pink RealTree camo. With these earmuffs, she won't have to sacrifice feminine fashion to get the top-notch hunting/shooting hearing protection she needs!

These earmuffs are an incredible gift for any mom who loves to hunt or shoot recreationally, and we just cannot recommend them highly enough as a totally unique and useful Mother's Day gift! As an added bonus, right now these great earmuffs come with a FREE Pro-Ears Storage Bag (a $14.95 value) and FREE ground shipping! (However, we recommend upgrading to Express Mail shipping if you need these in time for Mother's Day; it's not free, but if you order today, it'll guarantee you receive your order in plenty of time for Mother's Day gift-giving!)

If a day at the pool or beach is more your mom's speed, then consider getting her a gift that will protect her ears from water. After all, it's May, Summer is right around the corner -- and that means swimming season! A pair of swimming earplugs will help Mom keep the water out of her ears while she enjoys a nice dip in the pool, the lake, or even the ocean. Swim and water earplugs are an affordable, thoughtful gift for moms who love to swim, surf, or enjoy other water-based sports, and they come in all kinds of varieties, from moldable silicone plugs to pre-molded rubber earplugs, so you can pick the perfect water-blocking earplugs for your water-loving mom. (These are a particularly smart gift for moms with ear tubes!)

We also highly recommend the Mack's Ear-Dryer. This inventive little wonder will let Mom dry out her ears with gentle, warm air after enjoying anything from water sports to a relaxing dip in the pool, and it's safe, waterproof, and portable, so she can take it with her anywhere! Not only will it help keep her ears dry and comfortable, but it can even help prevent swimmer's ear. (And if mom brings her little ones with her at the pool or beach, the Ear-Dryer is perfect for keeping their little ears dry and healthy, too!) So if your mom loves the water, the Mack's Ear-Dryer is definitely a must-have Mother's Day gift. Ear drops and these unique ear-drying earplugs are also excellent for drying the ears after swimming, and go great with an Ear-Dryer!

Last but not least, if Mom loves nothing more than answering the call of the open road on her motorcycle, we have some great gift ideas for Biker Moms! MicroBuds Isolation Earphones provide good quality sound, and have a low-profile fit that's perfect for wearing under a motorcycle helmet. Those little ear bud style earphones are great for listening to music while riding. (Be sure to check your local laws before getting Mom earplugs to wear on the road -- in some places, earphones and earplugs are illegal to wear while driving or riding a motorcycle.) Or if Mom doesn't need to listen to music while riding, we highly recommend a pair of Windtamer Motorcycle Earplugs. These affordable earplugs are specially designed to cut down on wind noise, and they make a great gift for motorcycle-riding moms!

We know every mom is different, and you know exactly what she'll love. If you haven't found the perfect gift for the unique mom in your life yet, stay tuned -- even MORE great Mother's Day gift ideas are on the way in our next installment of Something for Every Mom!

Until next time, be safe and do the right thing.
--Tom "Dr. Earplug" Bergman

Something for Every Mom Part 3: The Mom Who Can't Sleep

Let's get real here: nobody gets as much sleep as they need these days... and this is especially true for moms!

Whether it's noisy neighbors next door, traffic noise outside, airplanes overhead, subways below, or a snoring spouse right next to her, there are all kinds of disturbing noises that can keep Mom from getting the sleep and rest she needs. Sleep is vitally important for reducing stress and improving overall health; sleeping well is absolutely critical for enjoying our waking hours. But far too many moms are missing out on the deep, restful sleep they need to enjoy their day-to-day lives -- and irritating, disturbing nighttime noises are often to blame.

So this Mother's Day, why not give Mom the gift of a good night's sleep?

The first solution to help Mom sleep well may be as simple as finding her a great pair of earplugs for sleeping. These earplugs need to be very soft and comfortable to sleep on, while still blocking out disturbing nighttime noises. Sleep Pretty in Pink Earplugs were designed especially for women to use during sleep. These foam earplugs are super-soft, and they even come in a pretty pink color moms will love. Another great gift to help improve mom's quality of sleep would be Mack's Dreamgirl Earplugs -- they're also very soft foam earplugs, and they're designed to be small and comfortable enough for wearing all throughout the night. And if you're not sure what kind of earplugs your mom might like best, consider gifting her with a Just the Softest and Smallest Ear Plug Trial Pack: this affordable assortment pack contains a variety of soft, small earplugs so Mom can find the perfect earplugs to wear during sleep!

If foam earplugs won't work, we also recommend a couple kinds of moldable earplugs for sleeping. Flent's Ear Stopples are great for sleeping, according to our customers. And Quies Boules Wax and Cotton Earplugs are another great choice -- they're moldable, super-comfortable, and they make an especially fancy gift because they're imported straight from France!

All of these earplugs can potentially help your favorite mom sleep better at night, and any of these earplugs will make for a fantastic, useful, and very affordable gift. However, not everyone enjoys wearing earplugs while sleeping. Though the plugs we recommended above are all very soft and designed for comfort, some people have extremely senstive ears, and simply do not find wearing earplugs all night to be a viable solution. Too, for cases where the ambient noises are particularly loud (think: a husband who snores like a chainsaw!), earplugs alone may not be enough.

In those cases, we recommend adding a white noise machine to help block out that nighttime noise. A wide variety of white noise machines are available, from the simple and affordable Marsona SleepMate White Noise Machine which just plays plain white noise, to the luxurious Sound Oasis Sound Therapy White Noise Machine, which can create a whole huge variety of soothing, ambient white noise sounds to sleep to with fancy interchangeable sound cards. Either of these white noise machines would make for a fabulous gift for any mom who has trouble sleeping, especially when combined with earplugs. (And if you want to give the gift of white noise but you're on a tight budget, check out our White Noise CDs. These offer many of the benefits of a white noise machine, at a tiny fraction of the cost -- and they can be played on any standard CD player for excellent portability.)

Finally, if snoring is what's keeping the mom in your life from getting the sleep she deserves, and earplugs and white noise won't do the trick, consider getting her an in-ear white noise generator to wear during sleep. These are exactly what they sound like: little earpieces that fit into the ears, blocking out external noises and emitting soothing white noise directly into each ear. These are the most heavy-duty white noise generators for sleeping available, offering the benefits of earplugs and white noise all in one small package.

In-ear white noise generators come with a variety of different-sized eartips to fit any size of ears, and they're mostly recommended for snoring relief. (A very soft pillow is highly recommended for use with these if she sleeps on her side, to help avoid discomfort from wearing the earpieces all night long.) They're not cheap, we won't lie -- but a gift like a Sleep-Eze or a Snoremasker Pro in-ear white noise generator could literally change her life by blocking out that snoring for once and for all. (Bonus: both of these products come with a FREE Deluxe Ear Pillow -- a small, special pillow that's ideal for use in addition to her own very soft pillow, for maximum comfort.) Either of these in-ear white noise generators will make for a truly unforgettable Mother's Day gift -- whether you're shopping for your own mom, or the mother of your children. (If you snore, you know you owe it to her to try these!)

And one last gift idea, before we leave the subject of sleep: how about a great sleep mask? Light can enter our eyes even when they're closed, seriously disturbing the natural sleep cycle and preventing us from getting the deep, restful REM sleep we need. Even a small amount of light (from, say, streetlights filtering through the window) can prevent Mom from getting a good night's sleep. So making it dark is very important in getting good, restful sleep. The Mack's Shut-Eye Shade Sleep Mask is a classic black, comfortable sleep mask that will let Mom sleep like a movie star anywhere. Or if Mom loves all things pink and girly, the Sleep Pretty In Pink Sleep Mask, with its special free-blinking design and pretty pink color, might be right up her alley!

Or for an even snazzier sleep mask gift, consider giving mom the Hearos Deep Sleep System, which includes a sleep mask, a set of soft earplugs, and some aromatherapy lotion -- talk about a perfect gift for helping mom sleep well! Or check out the Pink Pack Gift Assortment: it contains several kinds of earplugs for sleeping, a sleep mask, AND a pink noise CD. (By the way, the Pink Pack Gift Assortment is our Official Ear Plug Superstore Mother's Day 2011 Gift of The Year -- we highly encourage you to check it out, we think it'd be a great gift for any mom!) Both of these gift packs provide protection from noise and light to help Mom sleep better, and best of all, neither one of these lovely gift assortments will break the bank.

We know that sleep is critical for anyone, especially for hard-working moms. And we hope that one of the above recommendations will help you find the perfect Mother's Day gift to help the special mom in your life get the deep, restful sleep she needs and deserves.

Seriously - what gift could be better than the gift of a good night's sleep?

Stay tuned for even more great Mother's Day gift ideas; we know your mom is unique, and we truly believe we can help you find the perfect gift for your one-of-a-kind mom!

Until next time, be safe and do the right thing.
--Tom "Dr. Earplug" Bergman

Something For Every Mom Part 2: Moms with Young Children

As any parent already knows, taking care of little kids can be a BIG challenge!

We know first-hand that adjusting to life as a new parent can be very hard, and one of the biggest problems new parents often face is simply finding a way to get out of the house every once in a while. Finding a trustworthy babysitter is difficult -- and expensive -- and as a result, mothers with young children often find it hard to simply get out to do the things they enjoy. But we at Ear Plug Superstore believe that taking care of babies and toddlers doesn't have to be like being under house-arrest!

That's why we're recommending a pair of Earmuffs for Babies as our top Mother's Day gift for moms with young children. Earmuffs are available for kids of all ages, from very young infants, to toddlers and beyond. Armed with a great pair of child earmuffs, Mom can safely take her kid (or kids) out to all kinds of great events. Concerts, sporting events, and even very loud activities like NASCAR races all become safe for even the tiniest little ears when they're protected by a good pair of earmuffs for babies.

Obviously, Mom won't be wearing the earmuffs herself -- but if you give the mom in your life a pair of Earmuffs for Babies and Children, you're giving her the ability to get out and enjoy some of her favorite activities and events, no matter how noisy they might be!

Kid earmuffs are one of our most popular products of all-time; parents are always sending us rave reviews, telling us how they're able to enjoy their favorite out-of-the-house activities safely, with the whole family -- and without having to hire a babysitter! We're always getting fabulous photos of little ones chilling comfortably at concerts or napping away at football games. There's no reason Mom shouldn't be able to bring her baby or toddler along for a fun, safe night out of the house!

Caleb, 7 months, snoozing at the football game! (photo courtesy of Leah)

For all of these reasons, we really think you should consider gifting the special mom with young children in your life with some Earmuffs for Babies and Children this Mother's Day. Mom will finally be able to get out of the house and do the things she enjoys -- from concerts, to parades, to fireworks, races, and sporting events -- guilt-free, knowing her child's hearing is safe and sound. It's peace-of-mind and freedom all in one package, and we think that's one great gift for any mom!

Stay tuned for more gift ideas for every mom!

And as always, be safe and do the right thing.
--Tom "Dr. Earplug" Bergman