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.

.

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 Top 5 Autumn/Winter Nail Colours

Autumn! Nail varnish! My two favourite things! So why not combine the two and see what my top 5 autumnal nail colours are?

First up is a metallic blue from Mavala. Metallics are very on trend this autumn, and 'Flashy Violet' has the most amazing purple blue tone to it. It is one of my favourite colours ever, not just for autumn, and I find it really elongates the nail as well, so great for shorter nails.

Berry tones around Autumn are an absolute must, and this year in particular I have been loving them a little bit more than usual. 'Raspberry' from Barry M is a deeper red compared to more orange toned summer reds, however I still think I haven't found the perfect autumnal red just yet. This will do for now though.

Of course coming up to colder Christmas months you have to start adding a little sparkle. Autumn is my favourite season because of all the orange you see, whether is be leaves on the ground or bright Halloween pumpkins. This Jessica polish, aptly named 'Pumpkin Delight' is an amazing duo toned pinky orange colour that is just so darn pretty.

A slightly more controversial colour I have in my collection is 'Mustard', again, from Barry M. This colour doesn't actually suit my skin tone very well, but I really love the warmth this colour has, and it looks amazing with a long snuggly jumper.

Finally, it is another Barry M Gelly shine polish, this time in 'Watermelon'. I really like dark colours this time of year and this deep green is a great alternative to something as harsh as black. It goes with pretty much everything, and the Hi shine finish means it always looks really slick and chic.

 Do you have any go to nail colours for this time of year?

August 2017 Favourites

Can you believe it is September already? From a quick scroll down twitter or instagram, you can see that everybody has watched summer fly by in the blink of an eye, and it seems we were only just starting to embrace it. 

I have never done a monthly round up or 'favourites' post which seem to be popular in the blogger world, so I think I may start doing a round up of products and things I have been loving for the past month as I think it is great to mention smaller things that may not warrant an entire post by itself.

I think this month I have managed to find some great dupes and high street alternatives which is great for when you're wanting to scrimp on shopping to save up for one more cocktail when you're away on holiday. 

Whilst the warmer months are going to start cooling off, here is a run down of my top ten summer products and accessories I have been using in August.

I absolutely love luxury lifestyle blogger and YouTuber Lydia Elise Millen, and her style and wardrobe always have me drooling. One bag that she has been wearing this summer is a Chloe Nile Bracelet bag, but with a £1000+ price, it is completely out of my budget! I knew I needed to find a solution, and had a quick search through the web and found this amazing dupe on Ebay for just £11.99. Of course it won't have the same quality as a genuine Chloe, but it is a real leather and still looks really chic. If you have a quick look on the Chloe website, you will see their official tan colour is more of a caramel which is deeper than this. I actually really like this beige tan colour so this dupe worked out perfectly for me.

The link to the Ebay seller is here, and they do a variety of colours to match the Chloe ones.

I absolutely love reflective sunglasses and I bought a really cool pair from Quay Australia earlier in the summer but lost them :( As I went on holiday last week I had a mad panic as I realised I didn't have any shades, so I ran into the nearest Accesorize and picked up this pair which were £12.50 which was a real bargain. When I got to the till and realised they were reduced down to £7.00 then I couldn't believe my luck. Of course they are not the most high end pair of sunnies, but I love the slanted top of the glasses which has been a huge trend this summer, and I like the pink tinged lens as it is reminiscent of the gorgeous tinted Ray Bans. As these are sale items they are no longer available online but make sure you have a little look around the sales in store as you're sure to find a bargain now the Autumn/ Winter lines are coming in.

I have really been loving this bubblegum pink nail polish for the summer months. This is called Pinking Out Loud from the Barry M Daylight Curing Range, £4.99, Boots and it has featured heavily across some recent nail art I have done such as these 90s Nails. I find this doesn't need the daylight curing top coat and is such a fun colour for holidays and this time of year. If you are looking for an amazing fun pink, then this is polish for you.

I have had this Kick Ass Fake Awake Dark Circles Concealer, £8, Soap & Glory in my makeup bag for a while now and I only reached for it when I couldn't put my hands on my usual Urban Decay concealer. It has a really balmy feel and it melts into the under eye area and conceals any darkness, so I have found this has become a regular staple in my makeup routine. Because it has a yellow tone, it is almost like a colour corrector as well as a concealer so it really balances out any darkness, and it looks really natural and brightens the whole face. I think it is a really great product and for £8, it is a fantastic high street price for a dual purpose product.

I am well aware I spoke about this product in my last post from my MAC trip, but this foundation has been perfect for the hotter August months. The Studio Sculpt Foundation NC20, £27.00, MAC has been my go to foundation due to its light weight feel, full coverage and dewy finish. It is the perfect foundation look for glowy summer skin and the fact it has an SPF 15 has been a lifesaver for the unexpected sunny days you find in August. I am sad I didn't find this earlier on in the summer but it will carry me through to the bright Autumnal months and will be a staple for my makeup bag next year.

Another product I am well aware I have covered heavily is this gorgeous lipstick in 'Naked', £15.50, Urban Decay and it even featured in my Top 5 Nude Lipsticks post. It is from the Cream Vice collection and is so comfortable and beautiful to wear. It adds just a hint of colour to the lips but it transforms them and makes them look fuller and juicy and wonderful. It is a pinky peach colour and it is maybe my favourite nude lipstick of all time.

Now bodily grooming is always a bit of a taboo subject, but as I have been loving lipstick this month, not to mention having intensely zoomed images of swatches for my blog, a fluffy upper lip is always going to spoil the look of a perfectly presented pout. Therefore I have started waxing my upper lip and I really love the results of it. I say 'I' have been doing it, but I am such a huge wimp as soon as the strip is on I have instant regret and my sister has to hold me down and pull them off.

Of course professional waxing is always advised, but these Precision Facial Wax Strips, £6.55, Veet are a fantastic budget alternative. Make sure you do steer clear of the lip skin, as on my first attempt I managed to wax of part of my lip and it left me with a lovely scab across my lip for a week which defeated the object of lovely lips. Once you nail the technique though, there are so useful and a quick resort, and the berry scent makes them quite pleasant under the nose area. 

A lot of my favourite bloggers and infulencers have become the face of the L'Oreal, and I think it is fantastic how much of an influence bloggers are having on the beauty industry. A lot of the bloggers I follow have all been raving about this Paradise Extatic Mascara, £11.99, L'Oreal, and as a slave to the infulencer, I had to go out and try it. I love the summery bronze and rose gold packaging, and although the first application was a little gloopy, I have loved the results ever since. It is a lengthening mascara and gives you the look of natural looking lashes, perfect for the no makeup look we like to adopt in Summer.

Another Soap & Glory purchase now and this is in the form of the Peach Party Multi-Colour Blush Brick, £11.00, Soap & Glory. This is a gorgeous shimmer, bronzer ad highlighter all in one and I love to blend this across the cheeks for a beautiful warm, peachy glow. It looks great on it's own but also with a bit of blush underneath as it brings out all the gorgeous tones in the brick. I think this is a really great high street alternative to products such as the Bobbi Brown shimmer brick which comes in at £35, and I think the final look is really beautiful on the skin.

Finally is fragrance, and again this is probably one I have mentioned time and time again so I apologise, but I just cannot get enough of this 'This Is Her! 100ml, £70, Zadig & Voltaire. This fragrance has vanilla, chestnut and sandalwood and it is a really seductive and warm scent perfect for summer nights and will also be beautiful in Autumn for those frosty sunny days.

I have really enjoyed doing this monthly round up as it has a variety of fashion, beauty and fragrance so it is certainly something I will continue to do in the future!

Let me know what your August Favouites have been as I'd love to try them for September!

MAC Makeup Trip

Earlier in the Summer, one of best friends got married and as it was going to be a beautiful day, my friend and I decided we would go and get our makeup professionally done at MAC to spoil ourselves and take the stress out of getting ready that day.

I went to MAC in Fenwick Tunbridge Wells, and had my makeup done by Rhiannon and I was really impressed with what she did for me.

As my dress was a dusty pink colour, I wanted bronze-y makeup with a nude lip and I think she nailed it!

 



The great thing about MAC, is that you can have your makeup done and the payment is redeemable against products after your makeover.

The products I decided to invest in after were the foundation used on me that day, as well as the lipstick and then as I had lashes applied I had to buy those too. I kind of wish I went with the highlight she used on me as well because it was beautiful! I was also lucky enough to have been there at a good time as they were giving away a free lipstick with any makeup appointments so I nabbed one of those too!



 I got the 34 Lashes, £11.50 which are graduated in length to give a longer lash at the outer eye which worked well with my winged eyeliner. As a non false lash wearer, these felt really dramatic at first but by the end of the day I loved them and they were so comfortable. I was so sad when I had to take them off.



I also decided to purchase the foundation Rhiannon used on me, as I have been looking for quite a full coverage foundation for those awful skin days I get! I liked this one as it had a satin finish and also had an SPF 15 which I like in a foundation. It was just as well I had an SPF on the day of the wedding as it got really sunny and I burnt my chest in the ceremony! Face was all good though.
I have the shade NC20 in the Studio Sculpt Foundation, £27.00

I also purchased the lipstick I wore on the day of the wedding which was Velvet Teddy, £16.50. I have gushed about this lipstick enough on my my top five nude lipsticks post which you can read here, but as the title of the post suggests, I am a big fan of this colour!

Finally, was the free lipstick I received which is this beautiful colour called Eros from the liptensity range. It is a fantastic fuchsia and is really long wearing and comfortable wear so I was really happy with this added bonus.

What are your favourite MAC essentials?

90s Nails

I have recently really got back into doing nail art. Seeing some of my favourite brands such as Wah Nails and I Scream Nails doing all their summer designs has my camera roll filled with screenshots of designs I want to try.

This design is taken from the I Scream Nails nail art book and it reminds me of the 90s theme credits from 'Saved By The Bell' and it is so simple to do but looks really effective.

The base I used is my current go to colour at the moment, which is Pinking Out Loud from the Barry M Sunset Gel collection. It is such a great bubblegum pink colour perfect for summer designs.

Using pastel colours on top of such a bright base will really make the pink pop. In all honesty, I have no idea what kind of shapes work with this design, but these sharp pastel zig zag shapes work with the black and white dots and stripes to make a contrast and big impact. I would love to try out some new fun combinations in the future.

If you have any ideas of fun colour combos or other shapes you think would work I'd love to know. 

Keep your eyes peeled for more fun designs whether it is 90s style or another design with this amazing pink base.