All Things Lush and Beautiful

Everybody that reads my blog must know by now how much I love this company and the wonderful luxuries it makes. This year I’ve been treated to – and treated myself to – a whole new host of their products. So here’s my take on all of them, one by one...

New Christmas Edition: Maple Taffy Lip Balm

I really wanted to get this review out sooner as sadly this little beaut won’t be back on the shelves until December later this year. However initially when I got to Lush this Christmas I was instead very sad to find that the Christmas edition ‘Let Them Eat Cake’ lip balm had been discontinued. This was my favourite Lush lip balm in the collection, so much so I stocked up on enough for the year ahead last year so that I wouldn’t run out (and can I add that I only needed two lip balms for the whole year?!) It was also a winner amongst all of my clients as they love the smell when I use it on them as a moisturising base before applying lippy.

But soon all woes were forgotten when I found the new Christmas edition lip balm in its place – ‘Maple Taffy’. Smelling of and containing maple syrup I think I actually prefer this one now. The smell lasts longer and yet the ingredients list is simpler: Extra Virgin Coconut oil, Maple Syrup, Japan Wax, Shea Butter, Illipe Butter, Carnauba Wax and Glycerine.

The other difference – which admittedly takes some getting used to at first – is the waxy consistency. ‘Let Them Eat Cake’ was a lot oilier and glossier, I think owing to the Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Whereas ‘Maple Taffy’ contains Extra Virgin Coconut Oil and a lot of rich butters and these seem to provide a much waxier base. If you don’t mind it though I think it’s worth giving the lip balm a chance because I maintain this one moisturises better because the waxy layer that it forms seems to keep moisture in more effectively and stays put whilst Let Them Eat Cake could sometimes eventually slide off.

Vanilla Dee-Lite Hand & Body Lotion

This lotion is my new Holy Grail Lush product. It’s a light moisturiser, but lasts the mile. The smell is so scrumptious, it’s one that’s truly addictive and makes me feel, well put quite simply, happy. I’ve always been a fan of vanilla, so it’s an easy sell to me really. However they’ve put kiwi fruit in this lotion, and as odd as the marriage of these two scents sounds, I think that’s what gives it the amazingly addictive twist! It’s not as sickly as some vanilla-scented products can be and I think that’s owing to the kiwi – it balances out the sweetness, like lime does to coconut!

As I mentioned above the durability is great too – I can wash my hands after having using it on my arms, get a hairstyling product all over my hands whilst styling my hair and I can still smell Vanilla Dee-Lite on my mitts long afterwards! I can also often smell it on myself as the day winds on which is always a bonus for me as isn’t that the reason we use lovely smelling lotions and potions?!

The only disadvantage to this hand and body lotion I’d say is that it may not be nourishing enough for everyone’s skin. The skin on my arms and legs can lean a bit toward the dry side so I still need to use nourishing exfoliants as well as working this into my skin. However Lush does have the name bang on as it really is a delight to use!

Christmas Edition ‘Cinders’ Bath Ballistic

Again another Christmas limited edition – sorry! But if it helps I’d be curious to see if you’d feel let down by this one too. I'm afraid to say I was a little disappointed by this bath bomb. It smelt so exciting and promising when I took it home and of all the bath bombs Lush sells I think it’s one of the prettiest as the colours are gorgeous.

I could definitely smell its cinnamon leaf and sweet orange when it was solid, but when I popped it in the bath I could barely smell anything as it fizzed away. It turned the water a lovely warm, buttery yellow colour and it did feel like it was moisturising my skin once it had melted into the water but other than that I wasn’t blown away.

The bath bomb promised an experience like “falling asleep in front of a log fire and hearing the crackling embers as the snow falls down” – the crackling effect that it produces comes from very cute red popping candy that’s set into the bath bomb! But whilst it did have great fizzing quality it left much to be desired for me. The fragrance that was left on my skin wasn’t very detectable and I couldn’t smell it when I woke up in the morning at all. So sadly out of the three, I won’t be buying this again in future Christmas shopping sessions!

Now normally this is the bit where I point you in the website direction for your own bottle of Vanilla Dee-Lite lotion, but sadly the Lush UK site has fallen victim to hackers recently and as a result no trading’s taking place on there at the moment (more info at www.lush.co.uk) But as an alternative in the meantime you can get in touch with the Lush team on 01202 668545 to place an order or head down to your local Lush and have a sampler there!

Product Reviews Ahoy!

Well as you can imagine, I’ve been filing away a whole heap of reviews for you guys because quite simply when I try something new I always think “I must blog about this!” A little like sharing a piece of great news or gossip with a friend over a cup of tea or coffee ; ) I’ve well and truly missed my little run-downs on all of the cosmetics I’ve got my hands on in recent months so in the next few weeks you can expect to see my thoughts on:

• Boots No. 7 Extreme Lash mascara
• Lush Vanilla Dee-Lite Hand & Body lotion
• Lush Maple Taffy lip balm
• Body Shop Coconut Shimmer Body Butter
• Laura Mercier Silk Creme foundation
• Maybelline Volume Express Falsies mascara

And plenty, plenty more..!

Image from Keep Calm, Stay Positive Blog

Product Review - Boots Botanics Face Nourishing Eye Makeup Remover

I had this recommended to me by a friend and seeming as I've been turning to organic and natural alternatives for skincare I thought it was ideal timing. My facial cleanser doesn't quite manage to remove eye makeup so I needed an effective but gentle solution. Look no further, I think I just found it...

Boots Botanics describe it as:

A luxurious eye make up remover that melts into the skin, easily removing eye make up and leaving skin cleansed, smooth and velvety soft.

So does it match up?...

A luxurious eye makeup remover?

I'd say so. The consistency of this cleanser is smooth and creamy to the touch so it feels really lovely when you're applying it. A little of it goes a long way, you only need a pea-sized amount to remove makeup from both eyes. I find it best to rub your finger tips together to warm up and spread the product and then gently massage in circular motions around the eye area working into your lashes (to remove mascara) and around the eyes to get rid of the eyeliner.

Once you're done you can either rinse off with luke warm water, take a damp but hot cloth and sponge away the remnants or take a damp cotton pad and wipe it off that way.

Easily removes eye makeup, melting into the skin?

This makeup remover really does melt into the skin. It dissolves eye makeup quickly and effectively but without being harsh on the skin or if it gets into the eyes. In fact, it's quite the opposite! I was really impressed the first time I used this as to how easily it broke down the makeup and how gentle it is all at the same time.

However taking a look at the ingredients list, it becomes no surprise. This is possibly the most natural skincare product I own. It simply contains Olive oil, Jojoba seed oil, Glycerin, Water, Sucrose stearate and Sucrose myristate. Knowing that all of the ingredients are that simple and natural makes you feel a whole lot better about going near your eyes with it. I'd also go as far to say that it's the first eye makeup remover that I thoroughly enjoy to use day after day, as applying it feels like a luxury treatment...

Leaves skin cleansed, smooth and velvety soft?

Yes, yes and yes! Whilst getting rid of hardier makeup such as waterproof mascara/eyeliner can still take a little bit of work, there's absolutely no need to scrub away. A gentle relaxing massage into the eye area is all it takes to loosen the makeup.

Beforehand with other eye makeup removers, I was finding I'd be waking up with traces of eyeliner underneath the eyes in the morning. Not good if you want to keep wrinkles at bay! Either that or it would take two applications of rubbing the previous cleansers fairly vigorously around and that only distresses and damages the delicate skin further!

This cleanser's perfect because the Olive oil does all the hard work at breaking down the makeup while you're just gently pushing it around and giving it a helping hand. Not only is the Olive oil taking away the makeup but it's also moisturising and nourishing the delicate skin so when you touch it after drying your face, you will feel your skin is absolutely baby soft. My eyes feel so soothed afterwards, whereas in the past with previous makeup removers the skin around my eyes has felt quite taut and tight.

Overall...

I have to say that this is the best eye makeup remover I've ever tried and I've tried plenty! What's also an added bonus is its price - it retails at a mere £3.99 a tube and as a little application is all that's needed at any one time I think this bottle will last me a good 6 months. Whereas past eye makeup removers have only lasted me three, because I have to use so much more. At this price, I think everyone should give it a go, especially as it's so gentle and natural on the skin, perfect too for those with dry and sensitive skins - this makeup remover will be a miracle!

Would I buy again? Well, in case the above didn't make it clear - yes!

Because Beauty's Skin-Deep :-)

Hello fellow makeup-addicts!

I can't believe I've been away this long! A slight lack of funds and time in the past few weeks has meant I haven't been able to blog as much as I'd like. However I recently became the proud owner of the eagerly awaited MAC Hello Kitty bits and bobs, some Helen E makeup, Miss K Co makeup and this weekend I went to the Vitality Show in London so I have lots to update you with :-)

I also want to make it my aim to post on a daily basis, if and when possible, so I won't be taking such a long vacation away from my blogging from now on!

Today's post is one I've been meaning to write for a while now. Make-up's fantastic (obviously pfft!) and can transform any look, spice up an outfit or simply hide the mistakes of the night before! But as any makeup artist worth his/her salt will tell you: looking after your skin is essential for providing a great canvas to start with! This means getting plenty of sleep and water, eating the right foods, exercise and of course using great skincare that's right for you and your skin's needs.

My friend Gemma is a natural skincare and beauty fanatic and she has created a fantastic website called Anderra, a great resource for any of you who share her passion or just want to know more. We've all heard about 'natural' and 'organic' products, but before I saw Anderra I wouldn't have been able to tell you the difference between the two! And as more and more of us become aware of what potential damage some synthetic ingredients can cause (like parabens) it's useful to know what alternatives there are and what they can do.

The website is packed full of product reviews on soaps, shampoos, right through to toothpastes and multi-purpose products. Plus if you feel like having a go yourself, hunting around for your own organic or natural faves and would like to review them drop her a line - Anderra's open to anyone who wants to add a review themselves. I'll be sending mine very soon :-)

In addition it's got loads of information on understanding all the jargon on skincare labels, plus a great glossary of A-Z of all the ingredients - natural and synthetic - that you'll see in everyday skincare products, what they're used for and how safe/dangerous they are for the body.

My ultimate favourite section has to be the blog where you'll even find recipes for making your very own bath bombs and much more so you can have a go at home - something I really want to try out myself at some point! Why not have a bash at making the Cocoa Butter Bath Melts?! They look good enough to eat... But I wouldn't advise it :-P

Finally, if you're not sure where to start looking or what brands are out there, Anderra offers a Brands section where you can find a rundown on many of the organic and natural skincare ranges on the market, a little bit of history on how they each came about and where to find them. Because of Anderra I've even found the smaller specialists that are just starting out and whose products are simply gorgeous and are very good value - it's well worth a look!

To find out more you can find Anderra here

Enjoy! x