Christmas skin part 2

Yesterday I discussed cleansing, exfoliating, serums and moisturisers as part of your daily routine. Today I am going to discuss the extras that make beauty fun. I think they make it fun, your mileage may vary.

First up, sheet masks! Unpacking one of these babies makes me giggle. Everyone looks like something out of a horror film in them but that's part of the joy. I have a friend who sends me a selfie via What's App whenever she is wearing one and it never fails to amuse me. I love a sheet mask. They are pretty cheap and perfect for jet lag. I always pack one when I am flying to use at the hotel when I land. Slap one on cleansed skin and relax for 15-20 mins. You can relax for longer if you like, no harm will come to you. Then when you're ready gently remove it and massage in the residue. I also wipe the mask over my hands for a hit of moisture and because I can't bear waste.

I've been using these for years and my absolute favourite used to be Oil of Olay but they seem to have stopped making them. Never mind, the market is crowded. Sephora do a fabulous line (and they ship to the UK). My favourite is Rose.

You can find dozens more on their site.

I also like Tony Moly and have used the Rice one. Again, you can see plenty of others to suit your skin type on that site.

When I was in Rome, the hotel was so fancy that the toiletries included a sheet mask! I didn't have time to use it on the trip so it came home with me but A for effort.

I also like eye masks and the Skyn Iceland ones seem to act like scaffolds to eye bags. I often use these when I don't have time for the full face mask. They don't leave residue on your face but tighten and firm which is what we all want, right?

I'm also a fan of the Bliss Triple Oxygen eye masks although they are expensive. These get wheeled out when things are really bad.

Moving on from sheet masks to the old fashioned face masks. I adore these, there is something so satisfying about applying a cool layer of gunk to your face and praying the doorbell doesn't ring.

Sometimes you just want a clay mask and the best one for me is by Clarins. It's very gentle and doesn't sting or irritate and it leaves skin feeling very soft and clean.

Other times you want moisture. Sisley Black Rose is the Rolls Royce of masks. I bought mine with reward points. I can't imagine ever shelling out hard cash for this but if you happen to get a sample or ask someone nicely near your birthday, you won't be sorry.

To perk up tired skin, I still like Bliss Triple Oxygen Mask. It has the added bonus of being really easy to wash off.

I could go on and on. I have my eye on the Bobbi Brown masks. I have some mini Caudalie ones that I adore.

At this time of year, I recommend holing yourself up and treating your skin but a tip from me, don't apply a face mask and then sink into a hot bath. I have done this more than once (I never learn) and ended up with a bright red face that took three hours to calm down!

Christmas shopping tips

Some people find Christmas shopping hard. I don't understand how shopping can ever be hard but here are some tips for the beauty addict in your circle.

The Karl/Shu Uemura collaboration continues to make my heart sing. This eye palette is so divine, who wouldn't want it?

Bobbi Brown is our friend when it comes to easy make-up and her gel eyeliners are legendary for a reason. I have my eye on this Antique Gold one.

I also love the look of the Black Pearl Eye Palette.

The NARS Andy Warhol set is so beautiful, you'd never want to mess it up.

I know I am always going on about eye make-up. I make no apologies, it's the most fun you can have. And the Urban Decay eye palette is so much fun, you can create loads of different looks with this.

The OPI Bond collection is genius. I almost don't care what the colours are like as I am so in love with the idea of wearing The Spy Who Loved Me.

I'm a bit over Jo Malone these days but you can't go wrong with bath oil and the Red Roses one is still my favourite.

I adore Bliss, their products are fun and they work. The body butters are gorgeous.

Make-up brushes are always a great gift. MAC has some fun ones. Look at the bag!

A Tom Ford lipstick is the height of luxury. Stupidly expensive but that's why we have Santa, right?

After all that partying, a good face mask is what every woman needs. I know it's not cheap but this Sisley baby delivers, trust me.

I could go on and on but I'll stop there for now. Happy shopping!

Sisley Black Rose Cream Mask - review

I mentioned I wanted this a week or so ago. Well, that want turned into an obsession as seemingly every magazine I opened was reviewing it. I had £50 in John Lewis vouchers and decided if I put them towards the cost, it wouldn't be quite so extravagant. Yesterday I hot-footed it to Peter Jones and bought it. They had a 10% off all toiletries offer on too. So the total I had to pay out was £29. Yes, told you it was expensive.

The very nice lady asked me the magic question: "Would you like any samples?" Does anyone ever say no to this? Here is what she gave me:

Here is what was in that pouch:

10 samples! I was astounded but very grateful.

To the mask, what's it like? Well, I put some on after my long bath yesterday. You leave it on for 10-15 mins and then simply wipe off excess with a cotton pad. I hadn't realised this when I got it and had I known I may have had second thoughts as I am a fan of masks that require rinsing off because I think they work better on my skin. My verdict is it's lovely. It smells gorgeous and it rehydrates your skin. I wasn't too wild about just removing excess with a cotton pad as I did feel quite sticky for a few hours afterwards but after about four hours, my skin felt softer and plumper than it has done for ages. This would be a great post-flight mask.

Is it worth over £80? Well, it's a tricky one. I honestly am not sure it's any better than the Olay masks. It's obviously more luxurious etc but in terms of performance, I'd have to use it a few more times to give a rounded verdict. I can say that it's not as good as their Radiance mask.

The samples almost made it worth the spend though! I've always wanted to try their hand cream and now I have two sachets.

Sisley Black Rose Cream Mask

I so have my eye on this and if I read about it one more time, I am getting it. Who am I kidding? I plan to get it anyway and I shall report back. Sisley is the Rolls Royce of skincare.