When Christmas Loses It's Spark

Can I have a show of hands if you've lost that festive spark? Or if you haven't had an inkling at all? We're now into the second full week of December, Christmas is rapidly approaching and I am getting to the point where I just want it to be over already. Am alone in feeling like this? Or am I just letting the stress of trying to juggle everything get to me. As I write this, I haven't finished Christmas shopping, I don't have a clue if there's anything or one I've forgotten, I've had to buy a Secret Santa present for someone who's worked for the company for over a year but is still a mystery to many and half of my ideas for this month's content haven't come to fruition yet. And that's all before the stress of wrapping everyone's presents takes a hold.

Christmas is supposed to be a time spent with loved ones with some good food and a tv schedule that no one can agree on. And as I've gotten older, it's definitely become more about spending time with my family than it has about presents. In fact this year has been the hardest year of thinking of ideas of anything I'd like or need but haven't brought for myself. A lot of that comes from having my own disposable income that gives me the freedom to buy what I want, when I want but it also comes from my mindset changing over the last year. Don't get me wrong, I love seeing my pile of presents come Christmas morning and I love watching others open theirs but this year everything retailers have had to offer as part of their 'Gifting' range has seemed stale, recycled and overpriced. And as someone who works in retail and as a consumer, I can tell you it's definitely a case of 'same shit, different year'. However it does make it harder to think of things to ask for as time with family and good food isn't always the welcomed answer. This year I've just asked for books I don't want to wait for in paperback and a couple of TV boxsets to binge throughout the New Year. 

Which leads me to the problem with all of us when it comes to buying presents. We are all so wrapped up in finding the perfect gift or spoiling our loved ones whether they'll actually like and use the presents or they'll be left to gather dust on the shelf somewhere, that we lose the true meaning of Christmas. I'm not bashing any one for wanting to spoil their loved ones as I am one of the worst when it comes to this. Every year I try and go above and beyond, to almost beat last years presents. I know I'm doing it but I can't stop myself. It always starts at the end of August and carries on through until I've brought the last present, even if it wasn't on the inital list. I'm worst at doing this with my mum, she's the easiest person to buy for and whilst I also write a list of things I know she'd love, I always end up adding to it, the majority of the time without realising. I've done it this year and I'm currently deciding whether to buy her another present or if she's got enough as it is but I always find myself justifying with 'but she's done a lot for me this year' which is true every year but I feel like I should be able to thank her for by giving her my time and attention instead of a pile of materialistic items she may not even like. We all wrapped up in that consumerism way of thinking that we actually forget that our time and love is enough for most of our loved ones. Maybe next year I'll be able to rein it in but I think it's safe to say that it's too late for that this year.

And even when you've got the list of perfect presents for everyone, you've then got to find the time to go out to buy them and then sit and wrap them. Yes I know that you can order pretty much anything online nowadays but there's something that usually feels nice and festive about actually leaving the house and buying them in person. Yet now we don't have that kind of time, we have to work, to find time to keep ourselves balanced and this time of the year is also filled with a ton of social events that you have to work around. So sure I understand that ordering online is easier but it also takes away from the pastimes of going Christmas shopping and making a day of it. I haven't had half the chance this year to go out and shop so a lot of my shopping has been done online but it's just one of the things that's taken the spark out of Christmas. It also doesn't help that my work has been shoving Christmas down everyone's throat since the August Bank Holiday. No you didn't read that wrong, I did in fact say August. Which leads to my next point.

Take away the desire to find the perfect present, the lack of time and the ease of ordering online and one of my biggest bug bears and probably what takes the spark out of Christmas is how early the shops starting ramming it down everyone's throats. I speak as someone who works in retail, who has Christmas plans shoved under their nose as early as August now. Companies don't understand that people don't want Christmas rammed down their throats for the last quarter of the year. Sure it's a busy time of year and there's a lot to do but August, really? And as someone who works in retail, starting it this early means that by the time you hit mid November, you're pretty much done, ready for it to be all over with. It's bordering on ridiculous, especially when those big companies also expect their workers to give up any spare time during December to work, including late finishes on Christmas Eve and long shifts on Boxing Day. It never fails to start a few arguments where I work, especially when we talk about how the company don't care about it's workers, only about bringing in the money. I really miss those simpler times as a kid when you would finish school on a set day and then have a fortnight to eat, wear nothing but an elasticated waistband and watch every Christmas film being shown. Now you're lucky if you can get two days off over the festive period and a lot of the time you have to sacrifice your time elsewhere for it.

Now I know this post has been a bit of a Debbie Downer but I also know that a lot of people are feeling like this and that no matter what they do, how many Christmas films they watch, how many Mince Pies they eat, nothing gives them that festive feeling. I know that feeling very well at the moment but I'm hoping that taking a couple of days off to rest and recharge my batteries, as well as finishing that last bit of shopping will be enough to push me into a more festive mood, instead of being a moody old Scrooge. To anyone who's reading this and feeling exactly as I've described, I hope that you do manage to find that festive feeling and that you have a wonderful Christmas with your loved ones and more food than you could fathom eating.

Review: T-Zone Charcoal Under Eye Patches

I love a good under eye patch and if you've been reading for a while then you'll know that. I also like to try every new offering the beauty world releases. So far this month I've tried the new Garnier Moisture Bomb Under Eye Patches and loved them as well as these new charcoal and bamboo patches from T-Zone, which is today's subject matter.

These intrigued me from the get go. One they contained charcoal, two they were black in colour and three they were made of  hydrogel instead of material, something unusual for more inexpensive under eye patches. Containing activated charcoal, this masks are designed to hydrate, cool and brighten tired or puffy eyes. And I have to admit they do actually do a really good job of cooling and removing signs of puffiness but I wouldn't go as far as to say these hydrated and brigthened my under eye area. A lot of this comes from the fact that they're that saturated in product they slip down your face as you wear them and readjusting them is required every few minutes. In fact I found I had to apply eye cream as soon as I'd removed them to hydrate the area whilst staring slightly horrified at how pronounced my dark circles were, something I'm not sure I can put down to using these patches and something I've never noticed after using various other eye masks.

An upside to this product is that you get four in the pack for around a fiver which is how much I sometimes pay for one pack of higher end patches. Each pair comes individually packaged in a foil pack; I assume to keep the hydrogel as fresh and saturated as possible, as nobody like a dried out eye patch. However getting into said individual pack is a pain and I find I have to cut around and as close to each patch as possible to get them out with tearing a chunk out of them. Overall I think the basis for this product is good and that T-Zone did an okay job for their first attempt but these aren't an eye patch that I'd rush out and buy again. Maybe if T-Zone took them back to the drawing board and modified them every so slightly so they were easier to get into and didn't slide down your face as soon as apply them, then they have the potential to be a great product, especially one available on the hight street at a reasonable price. For now though, I think I'm going to stick to others I like more.

Review: Revlon Prep, Set, Refresh Mist

                           

Setting sprays are becoming a popular trend amongst high street brands. The big three (Rimmel, Maybelline and Loreal) have released their own take on the setting spray alongside smaller brands such as Collection and Barry M. So it was about time that Revlon jumped onto the trend and released their own. And like with so many high street setting sprays, this had the potential to be great but unfortunately fell flat. 

Revlon have kept it very simple with no bold claims of being packed full of vitamins or other skincare based ingredients like other brands do. However when you look at it online or in stores, it just doesn't have enough of a description to persuade me as a consumer to buy it. Obviously I did buy it but that was out of curiosity more than anything.The packaging is sleek and minimalistic which is something I've come to expect from Revlon as a brand but it's also lacking that something that a lot of other products have which make them really jump off the shelves and appeal to our ever inquisitive manner.

Advertised as a three in one, do it all micro mist, the Prep, Set, Refresh Mist is supposed to work as your primer, setting spray and refreshing/hydrating mist. Unfortunately it does none of these things for me which is a shame but it seemed like it was a very promising product when I tested it in the shop. What I thought would be a fine evenly distributed mist is in fact a fine mist that shoots where it wants onto your face which can easily disrupt make up and leaves skin feeling sticky to the touch. 

It has potential as a primer because of the tacky finish it leaves behind which would work well to adhere any base products to the skin but that's about it. I tried it as both a setting spray and a refreshing pick me up and it did not end well. I found I had to go back in with a dampened beauty blender to try and blend out the patches where it had disrupted my make up. If you're looking for a spray primer that helps the longevity of your foundation, then this could potentially be right up your street. But if you're looking for a setting spray I'd say give this a miss and go for either the Maybelline SuperStay Setting Spray, the Collection Primed and Ready Make Up Fixing Mist or even the B Vitamin Facial Mist. All three work really well, don't disrupt make up and don't leave skin feeling tacky or uncomfortable.        

Review: Simple Sheet Masks

When I saw that Simple had released sheet masks, all three may have just slipped into my basket in Boots. I really wanted to love these masks but they didn't quite meet my expectations.

The first of the three I tried was the Rich Moisture Sheet Mask. Enriched with a complex of botanicals and moisturising ingredients, this mask claimed to boost even the driest of skin's moisture levels. However this mask fell flat from the first hurdle. When I took it out of the packaging, I was impressed to see it was saturated in product but said product then proceeded to drip onto my floor in a steady stream which luckily didn't ruin my carpet. And it didn't get better once it was applied. Most sheet masks fit well to my face but this one did not. It was massive and by massive I mean, the holes cut for the eyes were so wide apart that they actually didn't go anywhere near my eyes. It took a lot of repostioning to get it to sit on my face and even after that it flapped and slid around my face. And where it was so saturated in product it dripped all down my chin and neck which wasn't pleasant to say the least. And the most disappointing bit of it all was after all of the trouble I had applying it and wearing it, it didn't do a lot for my skin. It didn't feel as moisturised/hydrated as I expected it to and I found I needed more night cream than I'd usually go for.

The second mask I tried was the De-Stress Sheet Mask. Enriched with Agave and skin loving vitamins, this mask claims to brighten and soothe stressed/irritated skin. I didn't have high hopes for this when I opened considering the state of the first mask I tried. However I was pleasently surprised. Whilst this one was still saturated in product it didn't drip or stream everywhere and I was able to apply it without product flicking all over my mirror. And this one actually fit my face, the eyes were where they were supposed to be, it wasn't overly large and there wasn't a large amount of excess material that I had to cut to fit my face. What I liked about this mask is that it actually felt and looked like it was doing something. Once I took it off, my skin looked quite soothed, my redness diminshed and it felt quite moisturised and soft to the touch. If I had to repurchase another of these masks it would probably be this one as it's the one I enjoyed the most.

And the last mask in the range is the Pollution Protect Mask. Soaked in Vitamin E, Vitamin B3 and Agave, this mask claims to help reduce the appearence and feel of pollution on the skin. This was another good mask, not results wise but the product in general. It had enough product to coat the mask generously but it didn't drip or flick everywhere. It fit the face well and needed minimal adjustments. Once it was on the face it didn't drip or flap about and I found I could move about freely without worrying about it coming off. The results didn't really impress. My skin felt soft, hydrated and somewhat soothed but I wasn't wowed as I was with the De-Stress mask. I think this mask is best suited for those who live in very busy cities such as London but as someone who lives in a smaller city, I don't think this necessarily works wonders on my skin.

Overall I would say that these masks aren't ones I'd rush out to repurchase. And I'm not making that judgement based on the one mask that was just terrible. The ones that worked were nice but didn't make an impression on me the same way the Garnier and Soap and Glory Sheet Masks did. The ones that did fit the face felt nice but didn't work extreme wonders and the results were pretty much gone the next morning. And at £2.99 a pop I think that as a brand Simple could have put a little more work into them. Sure they've created three masks but one of them seemed a little bit of a waste. Sure people need to be protected from pollution but a sheet mask isn't the product to do that. So instead of that I think Simple could have done with creating a mask aimed at more combination/oily skin types to not only moisturise and mattify but do so without stripping or overloading it with chemicals.

They were nice but definitely not a product I would rush out to buy or would recommend you go rush out and buy. If you can only use Simple Skincare products then sure these would be right up your street but if you can use a good range of brands then I'd suggest giving these a miss and trying something along the lines of the Garnier Moisture Bomb Tissue Masks or the range of sheet masks from Soap and Glory.

Review: B Face Masks

If you've been reading me for a while now you'll know I love a good face mask. I'm always on the lookout for new releases. So when I saw the B had branched out and added face masks to their skincare range, I obviously picked a couple up.

There are three masks in the range, each designed to work on all skin types. I however only picked up the two I thought my skin would benefit from more.

The first was the B Detoxed Mask. It's a charcoal based mask, containing charcoal powder that works to delve deeper into pores and clear out any and all impurities that might be hiding in the skin. It's a clay based mask, containing Koalin which is one of the more nourishing clay ingreidents found in masks. This gets light as it dries and you can see where it's working on certain blemishes as those spots will remain darker in colour.

The other mask is the B Glowing Mask. This contains Koalin and a complex of fruit extracts to loosen and remove any dead skin cells, leaving behind clear glowing skin. This works really quick and doesn't have to be left on for the recommended ten to fifteen minutes, five minutes would be suffice.

I want to like this masks but I have a feeling they've not worked well with my skin and are part of the reason I've been having a few skin issues. I used the B Detoxed mask one day and had a set of fresh blemishes the next day. The same stands with the B Glowing mask. I used it this weekend just gone and I can feel several small under the skin spots along my forehead and down my nose. Now I don't think it's the ingredients that are causing my skin to flare up after each use, I believe it's the fragrance. My skin is very sensitive to fragrance and these masks have quite a chemical scent to them. I didn't expect my skin to react the way it has but I definitely think these have had something to do with my recent skin issues. For this alone I'll probably won't be reaching for these again or at least on a regular basis. I'm not to sure if they're completely to blame for my blemishes but they definitely haven't helped and I don't feel like putting my skin through that again.

However if your skin doesn't react to fragrance then these masks might be right up your street. They're very remniscent of the Loreal Pure Clay masks both in ingredients, price and appearence. If you can't get your hands on these then definitely try the Loreal masks, they're the same price and work effectively on the skin without causing any irritation. I'd like to say these masks are a breakthrough on the high street but they're not and I'm quite glad I didn't pay full price for them. If it come to choosing between these and the Loreal Pure Clay when you're browsing, I'd definitely say go for the Loreal. You won't be paying any extra but you'll be getting better results with each use.