Katie's Lush Oxford Street Picks

As I have mentioned in previous blog posts, when I got into Lush, it was only fair that I got my sister into it and now like myself she loves it. One difference, is what we actually use from Lush. We both have different preferences when it comes to scents but also what use in order to deal with certain issues, such as skincare and haircare. As she uses products that are different to what I use, she has chosen her favourite must haves from the recent Lush Oxford Street Collection, so I handover to my sister Katie for her Oxford Street Picks.

Katie's Lush Oxford Street Picks

Prince of Darkness Face Mask: £6.95 

Instant favourite. This charcoal mask smells just like BlackJack Sweet which I loved as a child. The mask has a gentle exfoliant that removes build up of oil. For someone with greasy skin this has improved my skin so dramatically since I started using it in April. The texture is thick enough to go a very long way, used with Dark Angels Facial Cleanser you are guaranteed to finally start getting on top of those spots. 

This product contains: Kaolin, Fullers Earth, Powdered Charcoal, Patchouli Oil, Tincture of Benzoin, Lavender Oil and Fine Sea Salt. 

Foot Soak and Fancy Free Foot Soak: £3.95

A dream for tired and achey feet, plus you can get up to four uses from this one bar. The Epson Salts (or magnesium sulphate) in this soak are renowned for getting rid of aches and pains. The Irish Moss is antibacterial and is now believed to help dry skin, eczema and psoriasis. As soon as you dip your feet into the bowl of this, the instant tingling, feels like you are being given a foot massage. It relieves any discomfort and you end up with soft, ache free feet. 

This product contains: Magnesium Chloride, Magnesium Sulfate, Irish Moss Powder, Fine Sea Salt, Carrageenan Extract, Chamomile Blue Oil, Jasmine Absolute, French Lavender Oil and Tagetes Oil.  

Bewitched Mascara: £15.50

I suffer from incredibly itchy eyes, hay fever season or not! I have tried countless mascaras, but this one is genuinely the first one I have been able to use all day with zero irritation. It is a godsend. The application brush is more like a comb, so it is very easy to apply and avoid clumps, you can also achieve long, thick lashes. It lasts all day through heat, rain and even crying. The packaging is larger than Right Eyes Mascara, but I have always found the dropper style lid too difficult to use on my eyelashes, so I think Bewitched's style packaging is something that is necessary and worth it. This product contains: Ascorbic Acid, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Carnauba Wax, Lanolin and Beeswax.

Guardian of the Forest Bath Bomb: £3.35

If I want to feel like I am having a bath in a forest, away from all my worries and the care of the world, this is what I will use. The beautiful forest and jewel colours create such as beautiful sight for the eyes. The smells of natural earthy scents creates an atmosphere throughout the whole room. Once you are in, you can see the water looks like glittered green created by the lustre and the surprisingly soft moisturised water will make you feel beyond relaxed and care free. A Magical Experience!

This product contains: Cypress Oil, Lime Oil, Rosewood Oil, Oak Moss Absolute, Cream of Tartar, Spring Green, Frosty Holly and Yellow Lustre. 

Damaged Hot Oil Treatment: £6.50

If I had to guess what the main ingredient in this product was, I would say magic! Never in my life have I used something that genuinely turns dry, heat and bleach damaged, frizzy curly hair into soft manageable, shiny, touchable locks. Simply melt and apply, coats your hair in it's own duvet and sets easily so you can leave it while you get on with stuff or soak in the bath. Comes out easy too and what you are left with is miraculous hair. If you have naturally frizzy or dry hair you will think you have grown new locks. If you have heat or chemically treated hair, this will turn back time. A must have staple and worth every penny. This product contains: Fair Trade Vanilla Absolute, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Guar Gum, Almond Oil and Organic Avocado Oil. 

Love, Katie x 

  

Mask of Magnaminty

Who doesn't love a facial? Or possible go to hold hog and have a pamper evening or afternoon? Whether you do it by yourself or with a group of friends - it is always nice to treat yourself to a bit of pampering. I personally love to treat myself when I am feeling low or just feel like I need a bit of TLC. As I am going to meet a group of friends tomorrow I haven't seen in years, tonight I thought it would be a good idea of treat myself to a pamper evening in front of the telly. 

What I think really sets off a pampering evening is definitely a face mask. Tonight, I have gone for Mask of Magnaminty. 

Mask of Magnaminty

This face mask is amazing, not only does is it for your face - you can use this all over your body in order to give some TLC. This is good to use if you have one of those annoying break outs. This would help get them under control and hopefully prevent them coming back and disappearing for good. 

I like to use this when I want to really treat my skin and make it looks its best - especially with wearing make up nearly everyday, this mask is really good for clearing clog pores and getting rid of impurities. 

One thing that sets this mask above the others, is the exfoliating properties included in this particular mask. Therefore, you are able to do two jobs at once, this being applying a mask - then once the mask dries you can them exfoliate for added cleansing of the skin. 

This mask includes: Bentonite Gel, Kaolin, Honey, Talc, Ground Aduki Beans, Evening Primrose Seeds, Peppermint Oil, African Marigold Oil and Fair Trade Vanilla Absolute. 

The mint elements of this product, really comes across in this mask - which is the key property for fighting against those annoying breakouts. Also, as the ingredients are not as harsh as other exfoliating mask can be, the gentle ingredients do not upset the skin in order to fight the breakouts. 

As Lush offer a lot of fresh masks, that have to be kept in the fridge, this one does not - so therefore you are unlikely to forget it once you have jumped in the shower! I have on many occasion forgotten my fresh mask once I have leaped into the bathtub - luckily I have had this mask on hand! 

This mask also comes in self-preserving. 

For this mask: 125g: £5.50 and 315g: £9.75.

Love, Becky x 

Each Peach And Two's A Pair Massage Bar

When I first started using Lush Products, I only stuck to bath products, as this is all I was interested and excited about. However, I began to think about possibly using more of the other products, such as shower gels, shampoos and of course massage bars. Due the fact I was still worried about my super sensitive skin only liking the bath products and reacting to shower gels/shampoos. However, as you know from previous blog posts, I pretty much use Lush for all my cleaning and styling needs, this includes the massage bars. Earlier this year I fell in love with the Each Peach And Two's A Pair massage bar and now I am going to detail why I love it so. 

Each Peach And Two's A Pair

Oh my god, this is absolutely amazing to use whenever, even if you haven't been in the bath and need to moisture - just to hold it in your hand and smell it. 

When I was visiting Lush Oxford Street, on one of my various visits, I decided that I wanted to try a massage bar. Now, I am not into strong smells, such as spicy scents or strong musky scents, I tend to lean towards citrus and more floral scents - so this massage bar played to my senses incredibly. 

I love to use this massage bar after I have shaved my legs, whether that was in the bath or in the shower. I love how it glides onto my skin, moisturises my legs and arms - without feeling sticky and instantly soothed and non itchy! 

This product contains: Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter, Shea Butter, Avocado Butter, Mango Kernel Butter, Lime Oil, Sweet Wild Orange Oil, Mandarin Oil, Grapefruit Oil and Safflower Petals. 

The benefits of this massage bar, is that it can last a lot longer than normal creams and lotions. Make sure you get one of the oval tins from Lush in order to store it - as because they are soft they can melt easily. 

This is an amazing massage bar, I will definitely be re-purchasing this massage bar over and over again. On a side note, I also think it is an insect repellent - but I am not sure that needs further investigation. 

For this massage bar: £5.95. 

Love, Becky x 

My Rose Jam Bath!

Just over a week or so, I stayed at my sister's and decided to finally try the ever so popular Rose Jam scented products. Previously I have been in two minds about whether I actually liked the smell of the product, having previously said that they smell a bit like baby powder and nothing else. Oh, how wrong could I be? 

Rose Jam Bath Experience

While at my sister's I got to chance to try out not only the bath products but also the shower gel, body conditioner and shampoo bar all smelling of the lovely Rose Jam goodness. 

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Rose Jam Bubbleroon 

Exactly like a bubble bar, this is crumbled under running water and makes sweet rose smelling bubbles in your bath. What I like about this product, is that you get two baths in one as you can pull it apart and use each side individually. Not only do you get a lovely pink bubble bar, the bubbleroon is pack full of Cocoa Butter and Shea Butter which makes your skin fill amazing afterwards. The product also contains Rose Absolute, Geranium Oil, Rose Oil and Lemon Oil. This smells amazing and it is a really lovely bubble bar/roon to use in your bath. This is one of the products that has been updated since the arrival of Lush Oxford Street, now they are available in all stores and they are slightly bigger and a darker pink colour. For this Bubbleroon: £3.65.

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Sparkler Bath Bomb

This particular bath bomb came out as part of Lush's Halloween/Christmas collection for 2014. It is a unusual bath bomb, as unlike the regular round shaped bath bombs, this one is long and bright yellow. Now, what I didn't release until I had my Rose Jam bath experience, that this was Rose Jam scented. Another thing that is cool about this bomb, you can get two baths out of this one bath bomb. I use half of this in my Rose Jam bath, and it turned my bath from the light pink colour to a lovely creamy orangey/yellow colour. Alongside the bubbleroon, this really set off the Rose Jam scent and filled the entire bathroom. This bath bomb contains, Rose Oil, Egyptian Geranium Oil, Sicilian Lemon Oil, Popping Candy and Gold Glimmer Lustre. I really hope they bring these out again this year, as these look amazing when they are let off in the bath water. 

Rose Jam Shower Gel 

Now, if you like the scent of Rose Jam, you really want to get your hands on this shower  gel. This is one product that does make an appearance during the Christmas Ranges which Lush bring out every year. Packed full of Vanilla Pod Infusion, Cypress Leaf Infusion, Goji Berry Juice, Argan Oil Organic Rose Absolute, Rose Oil, Egyptian Geranium Oil and Sicilian Lemon Oil. Now, this is the one product out the Rose Jam Range, that definitely stays on your skin longer after you have finished in the bath or shower. This is an amazing product, leaving your skin extra soft and leaving your with a luxury feeling on your skin as well as the smelling being incredible. My sister was very kind and gave me a little bottle to take home with me, which I am really pleased about, but have to be careful not to finish it all. Hopefully they will be bring it back this Christmas. 

Ro's Argan Body Conditioner

Now the idea of Body Conditioners, took me forever to get my head around and I found it very hard to explain it to someone. Anyways, this is a conditioner than you apply all over your body while you are still in the bath or shower - perfect to use if you hate moisturising after a shower or bath. I did not use this all over my body in the bath, but use it on my legs once I had shaved them, which stops the annoying irritation/itching that shaving can leave. This product contains, Almond Oil, Cypress Leaf Infusion, Brazil Nut Oil, Fair Trade Vanilla Pod Infusion, Fair Trade Shea Butter, Argan Oil, Culpuacu Butter, Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter, Goji Berry Juice, Rose Absolute, Rose Oil, Geranium Oil and Lemon Oil. This is amazing, for if you are that sort of person that likes to use Lush products, which are all from the smell family then this is one to keep that Rose Jam scent going. For this Body Conditioner: £16.50. This is available all year round. 

Jason and the Argon Oil

One of the greatest smelling shampoo bars that Lush has ever invented. This was one of the first Rose Jam scented products that I used and I fell in love with it. It is packed full of Argan Oil, which is really good for maintaining healthy hair, allowing it to stay strong, shiny and soft. It is also really good for people which lighter tones in their hair - such as maintaining highlights. This product contains Agar, Argan Oil, Organic Rose Absolute, Geranium Oil, Rose Oil and Sicilian Lemon Oil. The only problem I have discovered, that since this product has been improved for the Lush Oxford Street launch this shampoo bar crumbles easily, so you end up using small parts of it rather than a whole bar. But, the smell is incredible and does wonders for keeping your hair shiny and healthy. For this shampoo bar: £5.75. 

Overall, my Rose Jam bath experience was amazing and definitely a bath time that I will experiencing again. I do not know why I did not like Rose Jam before, and cannot believe it has been over a year before enjoying the Lush Rose Jam goodness. 

Love, Becky x 

Stepping into the Perfume World......at Gorilla Perfume.

Having mentioned before about my super sensitive skin in a previous blog post, I also mentioned as I have never been able to wear perfume, as I am allergic to it. However, since using Lush, and experiencing the nice smells I decided to venture into the world of the Gorilla Perfume to see if they would be able to provide me with the joy of being able to wear perfume. 

The Gorilla Perfume Shop

If you did not know Lush work alongside Gorilla Perfume in order to make amazing smelling perfumes, some of which smell exactly like or a version of your favourite Lush products. The store is located in the Camden Passage in Islington in London. 

Whilst in the store, a lovely friendly member of staff helped me choose a perfume which I liked and gave me so many testers to smell before deciding on what perfume I was going to purchase. At the store they have different volumes of perfumes - which is there collection and they range of different scents ranging from citrus, musky, sweet and floral. 

In the end I decided to a solid perfume. Gorilla Perfume allow you to choose on certain of there perfumes either a solid version or a spray/liquid version. I went for the solid version, because I am new to perfume and did not want to disappoint myself with having an reaction to it. I was also told that the solid version does not contain alcohol. 

I chose the Sun Solid Perfume, which comes in a small tin. With this I rub the solid perfume and apply it to your wrists or just behind your ears. Then during the day you can top it up. One cool fact about the perfume, it smells different one each person. My sister loves the Gorilla Perfume, she owns the same perfume and it smells differently on her as it does on me. 

The Sun Perfume contains, Organic Jojoba Oil, Castor Oil, Candelila Wax, Brazilian Orange Oil, Perfume, Sandalwood Oil and Mimosa Absolute. 

I am hoping that this allows me to progress to be able to use other perfumes from the Gorilla Perfume, as it would be amazing to finally be over my allergy and actually enjoying perfume and smelling lovely. I would definitely recommend going and experience the store and choosing a perfume for yourself. 

I would like to thank the staff at the Gorilla Perfume Shop for helping me choose a perfume, and hopefully I will be back to buy your entire store. 

For the Sun Solid Perfume: £5.00.  

Love, Becky x