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
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