Showing posts with label Lush. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lush. Show all posts

Friday, 5 September 2014

Lush Spa event at Meadowhall










On Sunday I headed over to Meadowhall after closing hours for a Lush Spa blogger preview event. I must admit, it was strange being in the centre after hours. When we first arrived, the store was closed and in darkness. I starting panicking that I had the wrong date, time and venue. But we soon noticed candles flickering away inside. The store was opened and we was greeted by relaxing music. As I mentioned, the store was in complete darkness - minus a few candles - so some of my photos were off. However the atmosphere was incredible. And although it was a store, you'd have thought it was a treatment room.

We were offered fruit infused waters by our hosts, Lindsey, Natalie and Fauve and I opted for orange and raspberry which tasted delicious. It was very refreshing! The other choice available was cucumber and mint. There was also cakes and Jammy Dodgers on offer throughout the evening. I'm supposed to be on a graduation diet but I couldn't refuse. It'd been a long day.

There were three treatments available for us to try: Validation Facial, The Spell and The Comforter. Becky and Carrieanne chose the Validation Facial, Rosie and Rose decided on The Spell and myself and Sian opted for The Comforter. 

Validation Facial, 60 minutes £75
A natural facial that will make your skin feel beautiful, while offering a touch of the supernatural to change the way you feel from inside.

The Spell, 60 minutes £55
The Spell is a magical treatment; let your worries vanish right before your eyes. Releasing body tensions and calming the mind by stimulating reflex points through the feet, The Spell helps you stand in truth with courage. 

The Comforter, 60 minutes £75
Dive into a world of pure imagination with a hot chocolate body scrub followed by a rose massage that will leave you feeling uplifted and your skin gently nourished.

The Comforter starts with a gorgeous-smelling scrub. The scrub itself is unique to the spa so the Meadowhall ladies created their own version which was delicious. The scrub wasn't harsh, but it really got to work on the skin. All this time, the massage-motion was taking place. Afterwards a body wash was applied, followed by a body conditioner. After this there was the massage bar. The treatment was done by the lovely Natalie who had a lot of the same interests at me. We nattered about books and it made the whole experience much more pleasant. 

There's no denying that the prices are expensive but after having a mini taster myself, I honestly think the treatments are worth the money. The Lush Spa is more than just a spa, it's an experience. There's the beautiful music, the gorgeous atmosphere and the treatment itself that doesn't just leave your body feeling and looking great, but your mind too. It completely eased all of my troubles and I left feeling like I could take on the world. That night I also slept extremely well.

We were allowed to take a few samples home and also given the opportunity to shop at our own leisure. I ended up picking up the Honey Bee bath bomb and the Miranda soap for my sister's new bathroom. The samples included in our goody bag were the Ro's Argan Body Conditioner*, Full of Grace Serum Bar*, You Snap The Whip Body Butter*, Turkish Delight Shower Smoothie* and a Big Blue bath bomb.*

Meadowhall's Lush isn't a spa store itself but the closest one available is Leeds. I'm already planning a spa day away with my mum for Christmas! Lush Meadowhall are offering a spa experience on September 21 from 6pm - 7:30pm. The experience costs £15 per person and you can book your place and find out further information by emailing meadowhall@lush.co.uk.

Have you been to a Lush spa before?
*Treatments were provided free of charge as were the samples
_________________________________________________________________________________

Monday, 18 August 2014

Lush reviews: The good, the bad and the undecided

I cannot deny how much I love Lush. I'll never forget my first venture into one of the stores. Suddenly, I was surrounded by an array of delicious scents encased in beautiful packaging. For a young Jemma, it was heaven. And I still get the same feeling today. Yesterday, I want on a little spree in Nottingham and the moment I set foot into their Lush store, I was in my element. I've been trying a few things from the brand recently. There's one that I'm addicted to, one that I'm not sure of and one that I really don't like. So I thought it'd be worth sharing my thoughts with you... After all, who doesn't love a bit of Lush?!

When it comes to Lush's skincare, in the past I've liked everything that I've tried. But I just can't seem to get on with this cleanser. The gentle exfoliant uses lavender oil, rose absolute, kaolin and ground almonds to soften, tone, brighten and calm the skin. There's nothing wrong with the ingredients, there's nothing wrong with the cleanser itself. But I just can't get on with the smell. I'm really not a fan of lavender and sadly, it puts me off using this cleanser. I always promised myself I wouldn't be "one of those people" but I can't help it. So if you love lavender and you're wanting a fabulous daily cleanser, head on over and pick this up! But if you're like me, and you're a lavender hater. I'd steer clear and stick to the Let The Good Times Roll Cleanser (which smells like cake)!

First of all, I must say that I'm very happy Lush have started bringing out SPFs. If you know me then you'll know I'm not a sun worshipper, and I'm constantly slathering on SPF. First of all, this SPF is expensive considering most are on offer for around £10. Secondly, it is only SPF 10 which is quite low in my opinion, and I'd always recommend using at least SPF 30. Those little remarks aside, I really enjoy using this. It uses cocoa butter and aloe extract which both nourish and soothe the skin. It's very cooling which is fabulous when you're in the heat. I also quite like the smell - it's a toasted sesame seed lotion so as you can imagine, that's what it smells like. So I'm in two minds about this. I think it's fine when the weather is like it currently is in the UK, but I wouldn't recommend it abroad (unless you're using it as an aftersun).

I could rave about this stuff all day! This pink shaving soap uses fresh strawberries and cocoa butter which leaves the skin silky smooth. It's a strange consistency as it really is like using a whipped soap, but it smells delicious. If you remember Lush's Yummy Yummy Yummy then you're going to love this. YYY was my all-time favourite shower gel but sadly, they discontinued it. So this takes me back to my 16 year old self. So basically, this shaving soap looks great (pink!), smells even better and leaves the skin beautifully soft, smelling gorgeous and helps get a close shave. It's perfection in a tub.

What are your favourite items from Lush?
*PR sample
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Saturday, 10 May 2014

What's in my make up bag?


Oh I must say, it's good to be a "full time blogger" now. Obviously this isn't a viable career as I certainly don't make enough money from blogging to live off, but it's nice to be able to blog whenever I want. I love having nothing to do and I'm definitely making the most while it lasts. Although this post is called, "what's in my make up bag," I actually don't have a make up bag. I suppose these are just my everyday make up products. And although I mix it up often, these are the items that I reach for most often; my favourites, if you like.

I truly love this primer and I find myself reaching for it daily. It feels lightweight on the skin and make up adheres to it like it's glue, nothing that's applied on top of this is budging throughout the day, no matter what. The purple hue counteracts scarring and although it's not incredibly noticeable, I definitely think it helps up the coverage of my foundation, so no complaints with that one. 

Vichy Dermablend Corrective Foundation - £15.50 (currently on offer for £11.62)
I've raved about this many times before and I'll contain to do so as long as I live. As far as foundations go, this is perfection and it doesn't receive enough love. It's full coverage at its finest but is exceptionally lightweight and unnoticeable on the skin. Easy to blend, this foundation glides over the skin and stays put throughout the day. You can see my full review here with before and after photos.

I've tried many different concealers over the years but I always come back to this one. It's fail safe and always serves me well. The coverage is nice and probably the fullest on the high street and it never ends up looking cakey. I also find that I need a fair amount of concealer and go through tubes of the stuff quickly, so the price of this concealer is perfect for me. Why spend £20 when this one's under a fiver?!

This is a new discovery of mine and at the moment, I'm on the lookout for a new brow product. For ages I've been using my Urban Decay Naked Basics palette, but now the shades "Naked 2" and "Faint" are running extremely low. I don't like the Brow Tint half of this but the Pencil is lovely. It's more like a wax and fills in the brows nice and naturally.

I don't know how I've lived so long without this palette. It's an absolute godsend. It has every shade you'd ever need to create the most perfect neutral smoky eye, and it smells like chocolate. As with all of Too Faced's shadows, the pigmentation, blendability and staying power are second to none. You can find my full review here.

NYX The Curve* - £14.00
This eyeliner completely changed my life. No matter how hard I tried, eyeliner was something I couldn't perfect for many years. Then this beauty came along. The handle makes the liner incredibly easy to hold and the nib glides along eyelids meaning you don't need to stretch and tug them. You can find my full review here and since then, I've gone through five tubes of the stuff.

I'm someone who has never remained loyal to mascara. I naturally have long eyelashes so overtime I've found that pretty much all mascaras do the same thing. But the moment I tried Green People's Volumising Mascara, I knew I was a convert. This brush combs through the lashes, coating each one and making them luscious and thick. You can see my full review here.

I have the biggest love/hate relationship with this powder. You see, you only get 7g's worth of product for a whopping £23.50 - I have no idea how Benefit can charge that amount, it's almost crazy. But aside from this, the finishing powder is lovely. And I absolutely love it. It doesn't just fill in pores, it fills in my scars and leaves my skin looking airbrushed. Such a dilemma. I don't know whether I'll repurchase when I've used it all.

The moment I saw this blush I fell in love and since then, I haven't used any other product on my cheek. The packaging is beautiful, the blush is stunning and it takes me from dead to alive in approximately one minute. You can see my full review and swatch of this product here. Although it's limited edition, I hope KIKO never stop selling it. I'd be heartbroken.

And finally, we have something for the lips. I do change my lipstick everyday but I've been loving LUSH's Strong lipstick. It's a beautiful orange/red shade that's incredibly vibrant. However, when a small amount is applied, it's muted down enough for me to wear in the day. The formula sadly, is a little bit off and if I don't properly prep my lips they can end up looking dry. But it's worth it for the stunning colour.

What are your favourite everyday make up items? Have you tried any of the above?
*PR sample
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Friday, 4 April 2014

My current skin care routine feat. Garnier, No7, Lush, Epiduo, Ponds & Bio-Oil









I think it's safe to say that I'm a complete and utter skin care addict. Skin care was the reason I started blogging; I have bad skin - that's no secret - and I'd tried out a lot of products so I wanted to get my opinions out there. Since then (over four years ago) I've tried out even more products and nothing makes me happier than seeing a comment, tweet or email from you guys letting me know that my recommendation has helped your skin care woes. Skin care, in general, makes me happy. I was watching skin care routine videos on YouTube last night and I was literally like a little girl in a sweet shop. But enough of that, here's my current skin care routine. It's changed a little bit since the last one and my skin is doing well at the moment.

Make up removers:
At first, this eye make up remover seems quite expensive however with No7's £5 vouchers (and my staff discount), this ends up being a bargain. I'd compare this to Lancome's Bi-Facial as they work in the same way and get the same results. The oily formula instantly dissolves all eye make up and makes removing waterproof mascara a doddle. I don't use this daily, just on those days when my eye make up has been particularly heavy.

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water - £4.99 (currently £3.33)
I have fallen head over heels in love with this product. I was always a Bioderma fan but I still find it hard to get a hold of in the UK and it works out quite expensive. So when I saw Garnier's version on the shelves, I had to get it. Dare I say it's better than Bioderma? I certainly think it is. It's a fraction of the price, breaks down make up instantly (I only need one cotton wool pad to completely remove a face of make up) and leaves the skin feeling soft and nourished. This is a product that I use when I'm feeling lazy with make up removal.

On most days, this is the make up remover I use. I thoroughly believe in the double cleanse and you may know that I use to be a massive fan of Super Facialist's Vitamin C Cleansing Oil. However, since getting this cleansing cream from LUSH, I haven't gone near the oil. I adore this product as it breaks down make up exceptionally well and leaves my skin feeling incredibly nourished and soothed. A lot of people comment on the scent of this and while it's nothing to rave about, it certainly isn't unpleasant like many people say. I doubt I'll stray from this cleansing cream, it's perfect, and dare I say, a wonder product?

Cleansers:
I'm not going to lie, I bought this because of the scent. It smells like fudge and leaves my face smelling good enough to eat. However, I've now been using it a couple of weeks and it's become my favourite cleanser. All you have to do is a scoop a little bit out of the pot, mix it with water to create a paste and you have your very own exfoliating face wash. It buffs away dead skin cells and leaves the skin looking glowing and feeling incredibly soft and subtle. Since using this I've found my make up application to be flawless - foundation glides onto the skin. 

Once again, this is another product I use if I'm having a lazy day. It's not something I believe I'll repurchase once I've ran out as I can't see many benefits when using it but it's a nice little extra. I keep it next to my bed in case I'm in need of a quick pick me up throughout the day as the scent is really uplifting and soothing. It doesn't really do much to my skin other than gently cleanse it (when I use it first thing on a cotton pad) or refresh my make up.

Moisturisers:
Garnier Moisture Match Wake Me Up Revitalising Hydrating Gel - £5.99 (currently £3.99)
I've been in need of a lighter moisturiser for a while now. I originally wanted to invest in the Origins GinZing Moisturiser but I saw this gel doing the rounds on blogs. It was on offer for £3.99 in Boots and of course, with a price like that I just couldn't resist. I'm very glad I picked it up as it's lovely. It's really refreshing on the skin and feels lightweight but nourishing. It doesn't interfere with my make up but instead, creates a beautiful 'awakened' base. One of the best moisturisers I've tried.

Bio-Oil* - £8.99 (currently £5.99)
Bio-Oil is a product that I've dabbled in since my teenage years but over the past few months, it's become a firm favourite of mine. I use this as my night time moisturiser as it's wonderful for balancing the skin and diminishing any scars and redness. I have noticed a reduction in my scarring since using this and the other day my housemate commented on how calm my naked skin was looking. Bio-Oil really is the perfect night time moisturiser as it's moisturising, sinks into the skin quickly and rejuvenates the skin whilst you sleep.

Treatments:
Epiduo - prescription only
I won't go into too much detail about this product as I've mentioned it a few times before. But if you don't know, this is my daily spot cream that I use every single night on top of Bio-Oil without fail. A combination of this and Yasmin (the contraceptive pill) has really helped to clear my skin up no end.

Ponds Eye Contour Cream* - £7.99
I don't have any problems with my eyes - the only area of my skin that's actually decent - but I do believe that prevention is better than cure. I use this eye cream every morning and every night as it isn't heavy and sinks into the delicate eye area nice and easily. The long term benefits include: reduced puffiness, smoothed out wrinkles and nourished eyelashes.

What products are in your skin care routine? Do you use any of the above?
*PR Sample

Sunday, 23 March 2014

Current Wishlist


First of all, do you know how hard it is to find stock images of products for wishlist posts?! No matter what I type into Google, the image tab is always filled with beautiful images by bloggers. Great for the community, not so great for wanting to compile a wishlist - it made me want to buy these products even more! But anyway, I managed it in the end (although it did take me a few hours longer than it would've done four years ago, bravo bloggers, bravo)!

Of course, being a Britney fan it was inevitable that her two new fragrances were going to make the list. Fantasy Nice and Fantasy Naughty are two new fragrances that have taken the exact same notes from the original Fantasy, remixed them and created two completely different scents. The Nice Remix is said to be fruity and sparkling whereas the Naughty Remix is more sensual and musky. At £23 each, they're not cheap when you want to buy them both so I'm waiting for them to be released into Boots so I can use my staff discount - waiting is not a good thing for Britney fan, sigh.

Since I discovered they do £15 student discount at UNiDAYS (even on sale items) I've fallen head over heels in love with In Love With Fashion. The two playsuits above are from the brand and I've been lusting over them for a while. Both the Mint Oriental Print Playsuit and the Lemon Diamond Back Playsuit would be perfect for my holiday in July. "I need them both" is an understatement. 

A few days ago, I'd had enough of my foundations so I found myself perusing Boots in search of a new one. I swatched many and instantly fell in love with the Bourjois Happy Light Foundation. The texture was gorgeous however, I needed a fail-safe foundation that would cover everything and I was unsure if the coverage of this was good enough. So I went with a different one. Since then, this foundation is all I've thought about it. I think I need it.

I've had my current Tangle Teezer for a long time now - ever since they were first released - but I've always lusted after a Compact version. They're more expensive than the original ones, but they're perfect for throwing into your handbag and taking with you when you're travelling. The Tangle Teezer Compact Styler in Feline Groovy is one that has caught my eye for a while. And I've managed to find it on a website called Hairtrade for a couple of pounds cheaper than it would be in Boots - bonus!

A couple of LUSH products I've got my eye on is the Oatifix Fresh Face Mask. Made up of bananas, oatmeal, vanilla and almonds, this mask smells good enough to eat. I've currently got a small sample sitting my fridge waiting for me to use it and I can't wait. I've recently replaced my cleansers with LUSH ones so I'm soon due a free face mask (with their loyalty "bring your old pots back scheme) and think this is the one I'll be getting. At the Meadowhall blogger's event, I fell in love with the Emotional Brilliance range and one shade in particular that caught my eye was the Sophisticated Eyeshadow. I decided to invest in the Strong Lipstick at the time instead but I haven't been able to get this eyeshadow out of my mind since (swatch here).

The weather is getting better and my skin is getting oilier so I'm in desperate need of a new moisturiser. One I've tried before (only a tiny sachet sample unfortunately) and fell in love with is the Origins GinZing Energy Boosting Moisturizer. It smells delicious and is lightweight on the skin. I think this is the year that I finally invest in this beautiful moisturiser. 

What items are currently on your wishlist?
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Friday, 14 March 2014

#MHBloggersBreakfast







Ham, Mushroom & Mozzarella served on toasted bloomer bread at Caffe Rizzoli




LUSH Emotional Brilliance wheel

LUSH Sophisticated Cream Eyeshadow - my next purchase



Oatifix, smells incredible



Our homemade LUSH face masks



Dress: Primark
Tights: Primark
Boots: New Look
Necklace: Primark

Yesterday morning saw me rising from my pit at 5:20am; I know, I don't quite know how I managed it either. But it was most definitely worth it. Myself and eleven other bloggers/PRs headed down to Meadowhall in Sheffield for a Blogger's Breakfast and two mini LUSH workshops. First stop was Caffe Rizzoli (which is just outside of House of Fraser) for a delicious breakfast. I started off with a tea and then chose the Ham, Mushroom and Mozzarella offering and it was beautiful - next time I visit Meadowhall, I will most definitely be having it again.

After lots of nattering and introductions, it was time to visit LUSH. You could smell the gorgeous scent from around the corner and we couldn't wait to get inside. First up was the Emotional Brilliance range. Although I've seen the range in store before, I'd never actually researched into it or tried it for myself. We found out that a lot of research had gone into the range and each colour - which has been named after an emotion - represents said emotion; such a beautiful and genius idea.

LUSH has their own Emotional Brilliance Wheel which tells you how you're feeling right at that moment, what you need more of and how you feel in general. I chose Lifted, Quietly Motivated and Intuitive, all which I believe to be a somewhat accurate representation of me. In terms of colour, I fell in love with Sophisticated (which is swatched above). It looks like the most beautiful eyeshadow base ever. I also ended up buying one of the lipsticks in Strong. A gorgeous orange-red shade, but I'm not going to lie, I bought it for the name. If I'm ever having a rough day and feel I need strength, this is the lipstick I'm going to be rocking. At £14.50 the Emotional Brilliance range isn't cheap but the pigment and quality is outstanding and if there's one thing I took from the day, it's that LUSH's make up range is perfection.

Afterwards, we moved onto the skin care section. We learnt about LUSH's cleansers, toners and moisturisers and we were all quickly amazed at Ultrabland - a make up remover - which instantly dissolved any make up with just a tiny amount. After this, we made our own face mask. The face mask we made was Catastrophe Cosmetic* which is packed with blueberries, calamine, chamomile, rose and almond oils which soothe and soften the skin. I loved getting messy and stuck in, and it'd always been a dream of mine to make my own LUSH face mask. The end result was wonderful and I used it in the bath tonight. My skin feels gorgeously soft and my angry blemishes have been calmed down.

After cleaning up, we were told we could take home one cleanser and one toner. At first, I'd considered Let The Good Times Roll as it smells delicious - just like fudge. But after much deliberation, I decided that Ultrabland* would be better for me. I've used it twice since and I will be doing a full review on it because I'm in love. I also decided to go for the Breath of Fresh Air Toner* as it's very refreshing on the skin - the perfect pick me up.

All in all, it was the most lovely morning and I was gutted I couldn't stay for longer as some of the girls went shopping. Meadowhall was the perfect setting and without a doubt one of my favourite places to shop. Not only does it have the best shops, a wonderful food court and an affordable cinema all under one roof, but the parking is free too which is a major plus for me. I'm glad Meadowhall has big blogger plans! The other girls who attended were absolutely lovely and hopefully we'll all meet up again soon. You can view their fabulous blogs by clicking on their names: Beth, Becky, Charley, Georgina, Mary & Rose, Clare, Joanna, Phoebe and Jade.

Thanks to Meadowhall for inviting me!
*PR Sample
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Monday, 20 January 2014

BATH | LUSH Santa's Grotto gift set










Seeing as you can no longer buy this beautiful gift set, this post is way overdue. I usually hate blogging about things you can no longer get a hold of but it's too pretty not too! And I know that many of you went crazy in the LUSH sales so a few of you may have this gift set already. Plus, there's nothing wrong with admiring beauty, hey?!

I received this delicious gift set off of my mum for Christmas. I could already smell it through the wrapping paper before I opened it much to her dismay - damn me and my LUSH searching nose. The Santa's Grotto gift set retailed for £18.95 meaning that in the sale, it was an absolute bargain. I know it was on the sale page for a couple of days too so I do apologise for not getting this post up quicker - I blame Christmas.

Anyway, wrapped inside this gorgeous scarf were four festive bath ballistics: Cinders (one of my all-time favourites), Father Christmas (filled with refreshing mandarin oil), Secret Santa (with energising lime oil and a miniature Santa bomb inside) and Snowman (with is ridiculously nourishing). 

So far, I've used up Cinders and Snowman (which I've already reviewed here and here) however I've held off using the other two. The reason for this is that 1. I spent a lot of money in the LUSH sale so have many bath bombs to go through and 2. I'm unsure whether or not to photograph them and blog about them separately. I want to show off how pretty they look in the bath but I don't see the point if I'm honest as it's only going to make you all miss the delicious Christmas goodies LUSH had on offer this year. So let me know in the comments if you'd like me to review them separately and I will do. My camera is ready.

Did you receive any LUSH for Christmas?
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Thursday, 9 January 2014

BATH | LUSH Think Pink Bath Ballistic






As part of a Secret Santa gift, my housemate - Andy, hello! - got me LUSH's Think Pink bath ballistic. As a lover of anything pink and smelling sweet, I'd used this bath bomb before and absolutely loved it. This time when I used it, I loved it even more. Leaving the bath looking like a pink-lover's dream and the bathroom smelling like a delicious sweet shop, this is a must-have for any girl. The scent itself is similar to Rock Star and Creamy Candy - vanilla and floral - and it completely fills the room. Also, as you can tell from the last picture, the bath bomb leaves you with gorgeous confetti hearts which slowly melt away so they don't clog your drain - genius! At only £2.50, this bath bomb is an absolute steal and you can buy it here.

Have you tried Think Pink before?
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Sunday, 22 December 2013

BATH | LUSH So White Bath Ballistic






Earlier in the week, my sister, our friend and I popped into town and ventured into LUSH. Again. I managed to persuade my darling sister to buy me a bath bomb and I decided to choose So White. With a delicate apple fragrance, this bath bomb is truly stunning. What looks like the most boring bath bomb in the world soon turns into a gorgeous treat when it hits the water. Turning the bath a rose colour and filling the room with the most delicious fragrance, this is definitely one that can't be missed. This bath bomb was also still fizzing away once the bath was filled - it's absolutely huge and next time, I'd break it into two. Delicious, delicate and juicy, this is one of LUSH's offerings that I'd definitely have a look at the next time you're in store.

You can buy So White here for £3.25. Thanks sibling! What's your favourite LUSH product?
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Saturday, 21 December 2013

BATH | LUSH Snowman Bath Ballistic





When I walked into LUSH, I couldn't resist this little guy. Isn't he just adorable?! But what really persuaded me was Miss Budget Beauty's post as she said that this bath ballistic leaves your skin feeling silky soft - something that I adore. This bath bomb is scented with the same vanilla fragrance as Butterball (one that I've never tried) and the smell is incredibly soft and pleasant. The bomb has been loaded with skin-softening cocoa butter which leaves the bath feeling nice and creamy. Once I stepped out of the bath it was almost unreal how soft and nourished my skin felt - it was wonderful! And I will definitely be picking up many of these in the sale and I'll be using Butterball all year round. A win on my behalf!

Have you tried Snowman before?
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________