Monday 16 December 2013

Neal’s Yard Remedies: Garden Mint and Bergamot Hand Lotion



 
 


Overview

Neal’s yard are motivated by a desire to produce authentic products made primarily from organic rather than synthetic ingredients. They are also environmentally conscious and driven and enjoy sourcing local produce and assisting with various campaigns. As such, you can enjoy the wonderful, healthy spoils whilst also sleeping with a sound conscious that you are contributing to the planets welfare. A transparent brand, you are able to see exactly what is in the products you purchase, how they were sourced and made.

Packaging

A dark blue, semi-transparent bottle that looks as though it could house a message bobbing out to sea, the aesthetic mirrors the brands desire to promote healthy, organic, environmentally friendly living. What you see is what you get.

Price

A 200ml bottle will set you back £12.50.

Scent

Wonderfully exhilarating, this is the scent of summer; delicious, zesty and fruity. The website describes a ‘clean, green scent’ meshing mint, bergamot, and conditioning Shea nut butter, jojoba and evening primrose oil.

Texture

Silky, soft, smooth and sublime! Not thick or heavy. A light and refreshing lotion.

Bang for your buck

This will make you feel special and a little luxurious. It smells heavenly, really lasts and makes a great addition to any shelf.

Does it work?

A great conditioning hand treatment, it feels light and refreshing rather than thick and heavy making it perfect for ‘normal’ hands that just need a little revitalising after a hard day.

Does it last?

200 ml will last you, especially if you keep it to yourself! We are not yet half way down a few months in.

Would I repurchase?

I think I would try another of the wonderful hand lotions of Neal’s Yard for comparison, but it is certainly a keeper based on scent alone!

Instructions for use

Use sparingly throughout the day for maximised hydration.

 

Score: 8/10

Saturday 14 December 2013

Mor – Candied Vanilla Almond Hand Cream


 
Overview

Mor defines itself as a ‘modern apothecary’, focusing on cosmetics and scented candles. An exotic, luxurious brand, products can be purchased from the brands e-boutique and make ideal pampering gifts.

Packaging

Noir and gold are utilised to create a simplistic but striking effect making the product look both regal and luxurious. My first impression of the product was that it must have been very expensive. It simply looks as if it should be. Flanked by what I believe are golden peacocks, the brand is beautifully decorated.

 Price

Priced at $20, you can buy cheaper, so this is most certainly a luxury item, ideal for someone you love.

 Scent

The earthy, heady scent of almonds mingled with one of my favourite ever smells, innocent, playful vanilla, smells sweet and seductive and very delicious. The only way I can fully describe the scent is that you immediately notice when someone has used this when they walk into a room – it truly is a heady, intoxicating scent. Something about it reminds me of musical notes, like a shrill violin chord.

Texture

Soft and melty as butter, you don’t have to wrench your hands to moisturise them with this.

 

Bang for your buck

We’ve established that you can purchase cheaper hands creams and lotions. Favourites of mine include large tubs of Vaseline and doublebase cream, but this is a luxurious present for a special someone or as a treat. My mother was given this product after she had recovered from a strenuous hospital spell, and I think this range is ideal for such occasions when you want to feel a little extra special. The scent is one of my favourites ever and the brand is aesthetically gorgeous. This isn’t a product for the household, it’s a one person only gift!

Does it work?

So let me tell you that this product describes itself as containing ‘candied almonds blended with sugar blossom decadently layered upon a base of smooth vanilla create this sweetly sophisticated bonbonerie’. Doesn’t that sound amazing to you? Promoting softness and revitalisation, containing shea and cocoa, sesame oil and glycerine, hands feel and look gorgeous and just smell so sensual too!

Does it last?

My mother and I use this product sparingly after we wash our hands and the 100ml of the product are lasting us.

Would I repurchase?

We were gifted this but did we like it enough to repurchase? As much as I loved this, I think I would opt for cheaper items, and perhaps splurge on this as an occasional treat for a friend.

Instructions for use

No rocket science here. Apply to hands and rub in, particularly after you wash the hands or come into contact with winter weather.

Friday 13 December 2013

Gravity




The menacing, mercurial magnitude of space has always enthralled audiences. We sit and ponder what life forms exist beyond Earth, the misadventures of space crafts, the languages and cultures abounding on various planets. Gravity is a different sort of space film. Although it is rightly heralded as science fiction, it is also a very human drama and furthermore, a thriller.

Watching Gravity is a very stressful, claustrophobic experience and also an unusual fusion of boredom and exhilaration. Although we have come to associate space movies with thrills and most moviegoers expect dramatic twists, turns and wild swings in the opposing direction from their stories, Gravity delivers a far more simple and poignant premise. Medical engineer Ryan (Sandra Bullock hyperventilates herself through this movie with her usual likeability) is on her first mission, partnered with veteran astronaut Kowalski (George Clooney portraying his characteristic cocky charm) when their shuttle is obliterated by a cataclysmic rush of space debris.




What ensues is a desperate, frantic struggle across the confining expanse of space in order to return to Earth. The 3D effects really amplify the dense expanse of space in all its terrifying, bewildering beauty whilst also honing in on minute details such as beads of condensation. This creates a detailed, stunning and also quite frankly, frightening perspective of space as a wild, blank canvass of unexplored wonders and indefinable sporadic dangers. The illusion created is one of being in space with the characters, hence my stressed, tense, claustrophobic reaction. Feeling hemmed in by my own 3D glasses also intensified this rush.
 
Although the film itself follows a trajectory both monotonous, repetitive and deliriously unhinging, what is most intriguing are the themes of the film, which some have claimed feel hammy and disingenuous. Yes, it’s true that some of the dialogue has most definitely been scraped up from the barrel of clichés, but there is only so much that can be done when the films focus is on two individuals floating in a vacuum. The film is naturally limited by its forced fixation on one limitless location. There are no shots to Earth and that’s a good thing, as it would only take away from the sense of total abandonment.
 
 
Gravity explores the importance of understanding when to let go, and when to hold on, both of which are demonstrated as being both physical and tangible, and emotional and psychological. It gives a real feel of the intensity of isolation and alienation. We learn that Ryan’s character has outcast herself for a long time, but in space this is enormously amplified. The film uses contrasting images of religion and evolution, Ryan slithering out of the water like an evolving fish and learning to stand, and speaking to the sky as if she has acknowledged the presence of a creator. There is also emphasis on rebirth, as Ryan floats like a baby, curled in the foetal position into the womb of the shuttle. It is a surreal look at the delirium of fear, anxiety, solitude and profound loneliness and the overwhelming urge to survive and to return home.
 
This slow burner was visually delicious, truly engaging the eyes, and although I am happy I saw this film, it is not one I could or would watch again. Its effect I imagine would also be diminished on the diminutive television screen. This feels made for cinema only.  It’s also important to note that this film will not be an enjoyable romp for all, as it can feel agonisingly boring and uncomfortable as it feasts on its own themes of powerlessness and the vulnerable human condition. It’s certainly convinced me that should holidays in space ever be a reality, I will not be attending.