Lush Halloween 2017

Halloween is fast approaching and recently I was invited to my local Lush store in Tunbridge Wells for the Halloween and Christmas showcase. If i'm honest, the event was more focused towards Christmas so I will show you the Christmas bits in a separate post, but for now my head is firmly on Halloween so read on if you want to see what they have in store!

I just bought a few of my favourite bits for myself and my family but if you want to have a look at the whole range then go here

The first thing I bought is the 'Bunch of Hocus Pocus', £19.95 set as I felt it had a good selection from the Halloween collection. It contains the Dark Arts Jelly Bomb, £4.95, A miniature Lord of Misrule Shower Gel, 250g £10.95 or 500 £17.95, and the Bewitched Bubble Bar, £4.25 which I realise now adding it up isn't actually a great deal.

 

 Usually you can expect to make a saving of some sort with gift sets but considering you're paying a surplus of nearly £10 for the shower gel which is a miniature and the cat knot wrap, it may actually be wiser to get them separately! Anyway, I've bought and used them all now so I can't change that but let it be a heads up to you!

On another not so positive note, I have to say the first product from the set was a huge flop for me so I'll get it over and done with first!

Lush have now brought out a range of Jelly bombs, which fizz and marbel like a normal bath bomb, but leave the top layer of your bath feeling like jelly. I'm sure they already have jelly bath products so they have merged the two together to create these jelly bombs. I was really excited to try my Harry Potter inspired dark arts jelly bomb, and the smell was absolutely amazing, probably my favourite from all the Halloween bits. It has spicy cinnamon leaf and brazilian orange oils which are lovely and warming for this time of year.

I plopped it in the bath and watched it fizz and a surprise red flash of colour came from the centre.

The jelly bomb texture was really strange, and when I touched it, (sorry I'm not one to sit and watch a bath bomb I have to pick it up and play) it felt really slimy. Unfortunately this sliminess didn't really go, and the jelly bomb was having a real problem dissolving. I ended up having to squeeze the bomb apart whilst there were still huge chunks floating around that never dissolved and were still there when I emptied the bath. Not to mention the staining from the product too. Nothing permanent, but my skin had black blotches as did the bath so I had to have another shower the following day to wash it off, and also have a wipe down the bath after the bomb which isn't what you want to do once you have relaxed.

It is also worth mentioning that this jelly bomb made my bath really slippery too so if you do try any of the jelly bombs, do be careful!

I was so dissapointed with my experience of this jelly bomb I checked a few YouTube videos and some reviews on their website and it seems like a lot of people have also had this problem, so maybe the jelly bomb formulation still needs a bit of work.

The Lush team demonstrated the Christmas jelly bomb in store at the event and it didn't have the slimy feel so it could be something to do with the ingredients in this particular jelly bomb. One positive from this jelly bomb was the pretty glitter, which made my bath look like a galaxy.

Next is the Bewitched bubble bar which you can get a few uses out of. The idea with the bubble bars is to tear off chunks and run them under the tap to create a more traditional bubble bath.

Compared to the dark arts jet black bath, this doesn't look very impressive, but I didn't have to wash the bath out afterwards so that is good enough for me! Whilst I do feel guilty pulling apart this cute kitty, it smells of sweet blackberry and is really soothing and bubbly. 

Finally from the set is the Lord of Misrule shower gel which I have to say has gone a funny texture. It looks as though mine has been shaken and has loads of air bubbles where as the products in the shops are a much more vivid slime green which really drew me to it.

I am a big fan of sensual spicy scents so this shower cream is well suited to me. It as spicy black pepper and patchouli and it really lasts on the skin all day. I love using this in the morning if I want to wear my Escentric Molecule 01 perfume as it works well with the sandalwood base.

This is a very earthy smell so if you are someone who likes sweetness this won't be for you.

Of course with the set you also get the little cat knot wrap which when tied right gives you the illusion of cat ears.

So now moving onto the individual products I picked up. Firstly, is the Lord of Misrule bath bomb, £3.95. I couldn't resist this because I just loved the smell of the shower gel. It is pretty much the same smell as the shower gel but this adds a bit more drama to bath time.

This is a slow melting bath bomb which reveals a bright red centre

The marbling effect is really pretty and by the end the green foam vanishes and you are left with what quite literally looks like a blood bath.. very Halloween!

Last but of course by no means least is the orange Pumpkin bath bomb, £4.25. Whilst this isn't the most dramatic bath transformation I have ever experienced you cant resist the way his little pumpkin head looks staring at you in the shop. He smells of orange zest and gently fizzs leaving your bath looking like an orange soda dream. It isn't a creamy consistency, it just transforms the colour of the water, but I'm ok with.

Here are a few other pictures from the event of some of the other Halloween products they currently have on offer.

The Metamorphosis bath bomb is one I have had before and absolutely loved! It had a heady myrrh and black pepper scent which fizzes into a cinnamon treat and the hard black exteriour transforms into such a beautiful mix of colours.

Another jelly bomb from Halloween is Ectoplasm Jelly bomb, £4.95 which again from reviews on the website looks like people have had slight problems with. The video on the website shows this bursting into a green fizz which looks really exciting, it has tangerine and grapefruit so is a really citrussy bomb.

Of course there are the legendary pink and orange glitter pumpkins which have been brought back every year!

So that concludes the Lush Halloween 2017 collection. As I said there are a few more items which haven't been pictured here but I hope it has inspired you to have a few spooky soaks!

The Body Shop Vanilla Pumpkin Range

When I saw via Facebook last year that The Body Shop were releasing their new special edition Autumn collection in Vanilla and Pumpkin, I rushed down to the shops that weekend and bought pretty much every item from the range.

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I absolutely love Autumn. It is 100% my favourite season as I really enjoy the transitional period between summer and Christmas. The thing I love most about Autumn notably, is the colours. I love the browns and reds but most of all I love the oranges, and where better to get orange than from Pumpkin!

I would never just buy an item because it looks good in my bathroom, but I have to say it definitely helps that this packaging is giving me all the Autumn feels with the Christmas wreath and spices. Not only does this range look like a fall dream, it smells like one too! 

If you are the sort of person who looks forward to Starbucks releasing the Pumpkin Spiced Latte, then this is a range you're going to like! It contains a shower gel, body cream, shimmer spritz and hand cream. I decided not to go for the Vanilla Pumpkin Hand Cream, £5, The Body Shop as I don't tend to use hand products too much, and the body cream can be used on the hands anyway so it is a multi-tasker.

What I love about the Body Shop is it's affordable prices for ethically sourced, lovely products. The whole range together costs under £40, but on top of that, there was a deal in store that when you spent over £20, you received a product so my shimmer spritz was completely free!

The Vanilla Pumpkin Shower Gel £5, The Body Shop is creamy and sweetly scented.  I love using this in the evening before bed as the vanilla is really warming and calming and leaves my skin feeling really smooth.

If I want an added bit of hydration, I use the Vanilla Pumpkin Body Butter, £15, The Body Shop which smells absolutely incredible. It really hydrates the skin leaving my body feel soft for days and it sinks in to the skin really quickly.

My final purchase was the Vanilla Pumpkin Shimmer Mist, £12, The Body Shop which I would never usually buy. I have never been a fan of body mists but this range smells so gorgeous I couldn't resist picking this up so I could smell like it on the go. Layered over the other products means you really pack a punch with the pumpkin perfume. This mist has glittery fleks in which create a beautiful dancing shimmer in the globe shaped bottle, and when sprayed on the skin, it leaves a golden dusting of glitter which will look great on the chest on an Autumn evening.

The body shop will always be a go to shop for vegetarian, cruelty free, lovely quality products, and this range can certainly be labelled as a success from me!

My Current Shower Routine

Hi guys! It's been a while since I last did a product review as it's mostly been nail art since I got my mojo back, so I thought I would do a new shower routine as I am using new products I have not talked about before.

My first product isn't actually for in the shower but more of a prep. I am a person who showers in the evening, as I would rather go to bed feeling clean and have an extra few minutes in bed in the morning!

My boyfriend and I have the "should you shower in the morning or afternoon" debate quite a lot, as he loves to wake up and have a shower to wake him up. 

I have actually read somewhere that if you have drier skin like myself, then showering in the evening is better for you, and if you have more oily skin then showering in the morning is better for you as you tend to sweat more at night!

That seems to suit myself and Tom but who knows if its true or not!

Anyway! As I tend to shower in the evening I usually have makeup on so use my first product to remove all traces of make up before I cleanse.

Since some one stole my Ren Rose Balm (RIP) I don't have a face wash that removes makeup so I am currently using this 'Micellar Cleansing Water' by ' Sukin' which is an Australian natural skin care brand.

I had never heard of this brand before I came to Australia but it quite a large brand that can be found in Priceline stores which are the equivilent to Boots or Superdrug. They are a fairly new family owned brand which use completely natural ingredients! Yey! It has a large range from body and hair care, and they are really inexpensive too!

I love this cleansing water as it really cools my skin after the hot weather, and also removes all traces of my eye makeup without irritating my eyes.

This leads onto my next product which is also from Sukin, and is the first product I bought from the range.

I didn't actually realise until I looked more into the range that I bought the Derma Sukin wash which is for more problem skin, so this is probably not as simple as I need it to be, but nevertheless this hydrating face wash makes my skin feel really fresh, without that horrible dry feeling afterwards.

The consistency is like a very thin gel which I'm not usually a fan of, but in this case I don't mind it so much.

So next is onto hair care, and I have been using some more Australian natural products that are working wonders for me.

Organic Care is an amazing brand, dedicated to helping the environment as well as charities across the globe. They have lots of different cleaning products for the household as well as personal use to ensure we are using the best organic resources available.

They have lots of other hair ranges to tailor to different hair types, but I find this normal balancing shampoo and conditioner works perfectly for me.

The smell is so fresh and clean, and my hair has been the healthiest it has been ever! Again, this brand is so affordable! With the shampoo and conditioners each being about $3 in super markets!

The next product is one you may have seen on my Instagram a few weeks back. I have tried 'Original Source' shower gels before but never in this scent. The zesty lime and awakening mint are still up there as some good gels, but when I saw YouTuber and beauty enthusiast Shaaanxo feature this in a video I knew I wanted to try it.

I love the packaging and how it tells you a little fact about the ingredients that go into the shower gel and therefore coming straight from the 'Original Source' get it... see what they did there...kudos marketing team... good job.

The smell is incredible!! Like strawberry milkshake and I am obsessed with it! I honestly don't think I will use another shower gel ever again. AND Once again original source is a natural brand! and it is so cheap too! 

The next product is a fairly new idea on the showering market, as it is a body conditioner. As you would imagine, the idea is to condition you skin after washing like you would a normal hair conditioner.

I know Zoella made a video on a Lush one the other day, and expressed her opinion that anyone who says they enjoy moisturising their body is lying. And I completely agree! You just want to get on with your day and not have to wait 5 minutes to put on your clothes.

Cue the idea of an in shower body moisturiser. 

This Nivea one I have been using is made with Shea butter and has a really comforting smell. I use this after my shower gel (which is sometimes masks the milkshake smell :( ) but it does make my skin feel soft afterwards and I feel as if I've done a good deed for my body that day.

As I am living under the sun at the moment though, I do also use this Vaseline Aloe Vera moisturiser if I have been out in the sun as it is amazing at cooling any sun burn!

I love the fresh smell and even after some severe sun burns this has been my go to product as it is a miracle worker!

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So there you have my new regime!

 As you can see my love for natural products has not gone anywhere, and I am pleased to say that my love hasn't been an expensive venture as I though it would have been to uphold. I didn't even mean to venture out and continue my love of natural products out here in Aus but it has just somehow managed to happen, and it's proven to me that it is not an expensive luxury after all!

Let me know if you have tried any of these or heard of them at all! I also want to hear about any other Australian products you think I should try so let me know!

Noble Isle

Hello there readers! After my downer about England being rubbish in the world cup in my Birchbox review the other day, I felt today I should do a post on why Britain is just great! Today's post is on a luxury bathing brand, which is a little different to what I usually do, but these products really struck a cord with me.

Noble Isle is a British brand that is inspired by Britain, by encorporating the smells of our beautiful nation. As you can see by the logo, each flower represent the national emblem of each country; The English Rose, the Scottish Thistle, the Welsh Daffodil, and of course the Irish Shamrock. Their range of hand washes, shower gels, candles, body lotions and reed diffusers have been deeply researched in terms of smells and their locations. Each scent is inspired from a place in Britain, and the ingredients are of the highest quality to reflect that place. The aim of the brand and their products, is for the smells to transport you to a place or memory in our home. As I am a bit of a mongrel and have family from every country in Britain, it maybe why I relate to the smells so much, even though I have never actually been to them. (I suddenly feel very ashamed that I haven't, especially as I am planning on travelling the world soon and I haven't even explored the very Island I live on!)

 "The act of smelling something, anything, is remarkably like the act of thinking. Immediately at the moment of perception, you can feel the mind going to work, sending the odor around from place to place, setting off complex repertories through the brain, polling one center after another for signs of recognition, for old memories and old connection." – Lewis Thomas

I once heard a quote about the sense of smell that was a little like this one, it could have even been this one, but I do think the sense of smell is one that we undermine. But simple things such as the smell of a perfume can remind you of a person, or the smell of a plant can take you back to a place. Even the smell of food can make you instantly feel hungry! If you read my blog you will probably know that I am absolutely horrific at trying to explain a smell, but I can explain to you what memories these products remind me of, so join me as I go down memory lane!

I bought this Noble Isle set which contains a few of their best sellers. They aren't really suited for a particular sex, they can be used by anyone.

The packaging certainly screams luxury and make perfect gifts for people. I bought this set for £29.00 which I think is quite good for the size. Each scent has the destination from where the smell was inspired from underneath.

'Lightning Oak' is meant to be the smell of an oak tree that was struck by lightning in Hertford Heath. As you would imagine, this has quite a woody aroma and is probably more masculine. It is a very clean smell though and for some reason reminds me of my Welsh Grandad. I think it reminds me of a shaving soap he uses or maybe a shower gel.

Willow Song is by far my favourite, and really makes me emotional for some reason. This smell for me  makes me realise what Lana Del Rey is talking about when she says 'summertime sadness'. When I was younger I used to live in the country side and all I would do in the summer would be play with my friends from dusk till dawn. It also reminds me off going up to Norfolk to see my Grandma and Grandad in the summer. I think this is what this smell reminds me off and it makes me almost sad and nostalgic but also kind of happy. I can't explain it. Girls are weird like that.

The next two scents also come with a matching body lotion, which should be said are lovely quality.

Summer Rising is meant to be the smell of Cornish Hedgerows, and I have to say that is exactly what the smell reminds me off. It has an almost salty aspect to it as well as a warmness. I have had a couple of holidays in Cornwall, one being in a beach town and this smell reminds me off that holiday.

Fireside again smells exactly of what its meant too. I think the smell of a fireside is one everyone can relate too. It is a very festive smell and reminds me of being in pubs with my friends during the Christmas period. Also of a Church my dad sang Carols at one year in a cute village near me.

I also have a hand wash from the brand that is in my homes downstairs toilet. This Rhubarb Rhubarb smell reminds me of country pubs in the summer with friends. It has juniper berries in it which could be what reminds me of gin in the pub!

Reading this back I realise this post became a little bit cheesy and possibly boring for you to read, so I apologise for that, but I enjoyed writing it and explaning what each smell meant to me. I think the point of the brand is that everyone gets something different out of it, and it certainly gave me an excuse to remember.

Kiehl's Creme de Corps

I have had the Kiehl's Soy milk and Honey body cream for about a year now. I was love at first scent for me, and I bought it purely because the smell was so comforting to me. After actually using the product, I realised it is actually a really lovely body cream.

Apparently all the Victoria's secrets models use this air whipped butter on the runway, as it is light and easily absorbed but gives the skin an instant smooth, soft feel and a supple look. When applied onto the skin, it has that rich and buttery feel to it, that makes you feel like your getting really good moisturisation, but the air whipped formula means that in seconds the product is absorbed and your left with touchably soft skin. I love to use this in the Winter or if I'm feeling ill, as I said earlier, the secent just makes me feel really comforted and like I'm being looked after. I also use it before bed if I feel a little dry.

As I have mentioned, I absolutely love the smell, the milky honey-ness is one of my favourite smells ever, but some people aren't keen. My sister thinking it smells like mouldy milk, but I strongly disagree!

My large tub was £45.00 which is a bit pricey, but Kiehl's are renowned for being very generous with their samples so if you go to a counter or store near you then you can go and try a sample!