Back to Lush - My 5 Empties

If you aren't already aware, Lush runs a similar scheme to Mac where if you collect 5 empty black pots you can pick up a fresh face mask absolutely free of charge. I don't find it all that difficult finishing up Lush products, especially their face masks, so here are my current 5 empty black pots waiting to be recycled!

Catastrophe Cosmetic;

I picked this up because I am utterly obsessed with blueberries! It claimed to give my skin a good deep cleanse without causing puffiness - leaving the face cool, clear and calm. And it delivered. My skin definitely looked brighter, felt cleaner, and the crushed blueberries running through the mask gave a lovely exfoliating action when it came to rinsing. Just be sure to apply a good moisturiser after as it may be a little drying.

The Sacred Truth;

I was looking for a face mask to help hydrate my tired looking skin, and this is what I picked up. I'm glad I did! The coconut oil and shea butter really helped to moisturise while the papaya gave a little chemical exfoliation to remove dead skin cells. The Sacred Truth made an instant noticeable difference to the dry patches on my skin and I couldn't be more pleased! 

Turkish Delight;

I received this in a gift set for Christmas and honestly had no idea how to go about using it! According to Lush, you just scoop a good handful straight out of the pot and work it over your body in the shower, rinse, and marvel at your softness. I tried it, and I liked it, but I felt I was using a lot more than my regular shower gel. At over £15 a pot, I don't think I'd be able to justify it. However, it did leave my skin incredibly soft and clean and even my boyfriend commented on how lovely it smelt! Imagine walking through a garden of roses. Yep, that.

Dream Cream;

Can we all just take a moment to marvel at this magnificent product? Even after using up this entire pot, which might I add, seemed to last me foreverrrr, I still can't get over how amazingly well this worked. The cream is surprisingly light, more like a lotion, which enables it to soak into the skin incredibly well. I felt like my skin just drank this stuff up. Because of how thin it is, I really wasn't expecting much. Oh, how I was wrong! I can't remember the last time my skin felt so soft and hydrated and silky and soothed and velvety etc etc etc. This cream is by far one of the most hydrating things my skin has ever seen. And all of this without any greasy residue! It's perfect! 

Breath of Fresh Air;

And finally, the  mysterious black container with no label! I bought this toner to spritz over my face after cleansing and throughout the day whenever I felt was necessary. I hated the packaging with the harsh, direct squirt (not at all a refreshing mist!), but loved the product itself so I simply decanted it into an empty container I had lying around with a better spritzer. This light and gentle toner did a great job of removing any excess dirt and oil while providing just a little extra moisture!

And now the hard part... which fresh face mask do I try next?! Any suggestions?

S.

Le Volume De Chanel

I managed to get my hands on a sample of Le Volume De Chanel Mascara which naturally got me mega excited. I haven't heard much about this mascara so I really didn't know what to expect, but still, it's freakin' Chanel so it's gotta be good, right?

How chic is this packaging?!

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Straight off the bat I thought I wasn't going to enjoy it because I don't often get along with these plasticy brushes and I much prefer the more bristly ones (like my Maybelline Colossal Volum'). Regardless, I persevered and I was pleasantly surprised!

The formula was quite wet (it may dry up a little over time?) which meant that I had to work with my lashes a little to get them from going clumpy and looking like I had only 5 individual eyelashes. In this sense, it's already a higher maintenance mascara than my regular, but the final results are so worth it.

After a few minutes clarting on with clumps and splodges, this is what I ended up with, with just one coat on my stubby blonde lashes (I very rarely go for seconds). As you can see, I unintentionally ended up with mascara on my eyelid too which I really cannot avoid but this is so much neater than usual, trust me! Does anyone have any tips to prevent this though? 

Despite its pretty impressive staying power, my usual Peaches and Clean cleanser removes every trace of the mascara with no problem, I'm just left with bigger panda eyes halfway through the process!

I don't think I'll be heading down to my nearest Chanel counter anytime soon, but this really is a nice treat which I'm going to savor for the next couple of weeks. I seriously enjoy having lashes which reach to my eyebrows if I try really really hard, and even my boyfriend commented on them which is also a pleasant bonus.
If you want to treat yourself, you can pick a tube up from Boots for £24.

S.

sunday spark

After all, everyone needs a little encouragement in their life from time to time.

Face Mask Friday | Coconut Oil + Honey

I've had the sniffles for a little while now and it's really taking a toll on my skin. It's mega dry at the moment and no lotion or potion seems to be working. I took to the internet to find a home remedy and I stumbled across coconut oil! I'd heard of it before being used as hair masks and make up removers, so I really don't know why I didn't think to use it as a face mask! I dug out the oil from the back of my cupboard and set off to work. I decided to throw in a little honey too to make use of its antibacterial properties.

(My honey is a little crystallized but it still works perfectly!)

I used;

1 teaspoon of honey

2 teaspoons of  coconut oil

Measurements are approximate and you can easily chop and change them to suit you. This mixtures makes enough for at least two applications so I just put any leftover in an empty glass jar to use next time.

After I mixed it all up I applied an even layer to my clean face using a Real Techniques pointed foundation brush (from the core collection). I prefer to use a foundation brush to apply my face masks just to reduce mess and get an even application (and sometimes it makes me feel fancy). And while we're on the subject, coconut oil makes a wonderful brush cleaner, too!

I let it sit on my face for about half an hour while I had nothing to do, but 10 minutes would be just fine. After I rinsed it off with warm water and a face cloth I followed up with a light coat of my usual moisturiser. I saw a huge improvement in the feel of my skin. It wasn't as flakey and sore and I reckon after another use my skin should be back to normal, yay!

Word of warning! This mask is a drippy one if you apply too much, so keep a tissue on hand to catch any drops.

S.

Sex Bomb (Bath Bomb)

I'm still working my way through a Lush gift set my sister bought me for my birthday and I came across Sex Bomb! I had seen this in the shop but had never bought one or even smelt one, so I though I'd give you my first impressions.

Here's what they say

This ballistic is packed full of every sensual, relaxing oil we could find. Clary sage, jasmine and ylang ylang, blended into a classic musk base. We then packed it full of soya milk, so you can step out of the bath feeling like Cleopatra.

Here's what I say

It's a big one, that for sure (oh my). If it wasn't my first time (oh dear) I would definitely have crumbled it in to get more than one use out of it. Regardless, I filled my bath up and plopped the whole thing in, and a few minutes later I got in myself. It was nice. It turned my water a vibrant pink, smelt fresh and floral, and left me feeling relaxed, and my skin feeling soft.

However. I really wish they had left the little flower on top out, or at least made it out of something else that dissolved a little easier. After the bulk of it fully dissolved, I was left with floating jelly-like petals. I think I read somewhere that they were gelatin petals? Either way, they didn't benefit me in any way and I'd rather they weren't there for me to have to scoop to one side.

Other than that I don't think I can really fault it. I'd consider buying it again but not in a hurry.

You can buy Sex Bomb for £3.20 from here.

Do you have any recommendations for my next Lush purchase?

S.

L'Occitane Spring Cherry

Today I received a lovely unexpected surprise from the postman. He handed over a parcel from the wonderful French beauty company, L'Occitane. I'm a huge fan of their hand creams (you know the ones) but I haven't yet tried anything else, so I was super excited when I discovered the gift set contained goodies from their new Spring Cherry collection.

It was all beautifully presented and I even felt bad opening it. Unfortunately the sticker didn't quite make it, but hey ho!  

This exact collection isn't available to purchase on their website, but each product is linked below to buy individually.

Spring Cherry Iridescent Shower Gel - £13

Spring Cherry Moisturizing Gel - £20

Spring Cherry Eau De Toilette - £32

Spring Cherry Hand Cream - £8

Spring Cherry Soap - £3.50

I can't wait to try everything out. I've already spritzed the Eau De Toilet and it's love!

It's a shame this collection is limited edition as it's so lovely. Looks like I'll be stocking up next time I pass a L'Occitane counter ;)

S.

Space NK Goodies!

The Sunday Telegraph teamed up with luxury British skincare and spa brand Elemental Herbology and beauty boutique Space NK to give every reader the chance to claim a free 30ml tube of one of its best-selling products, Cell Plumping Facial Moisturiser, worth £25. I'm not a regular reader of The Telegraph, but I was more than willing to pay £2 to get my hands on a tube of this stuff which claims to contain pearl extract and royal jelly to help improve skin hydration.

 Elemental Herbology - Cell Plumping Facial Hydrator SPF 8

Plump up mature or dry skin, in all the right places. This lightweight yet super-hydrating daily moisturiser is brimming with antioxidants  anti-ageing marine actives and botanicals to protect against environmental aggressors and the elements. Skin collagen is boosted, leaving a healthy glow.

This couldn't have came at a better time. All the central heating and harsh weather conditions has started to take a toll on my skin. My face is dry and sore and is in need of some serious TLC. 

Before I even tried the product I noted it has SPF protection. 1 point to EH! However, as soon as I opened it I couldn't help but notice the smell. It's a pleasant scent, clean and fresh, but seriously overwhelming. If you're not one for strong scents I wouldn't even consider this. I don't mind so much as it's agreeable and doesn't irritate my skin at all.

The product itself is lightweight which is absorbed quickly into my skin and doesn't leave much of a residue or shine. I have only used it a handful of times but it's done a great job at soothing and rehydrating my tired dull skin. 

This seems like the perfect daily moisturiser for anyone who needs a radiance boost but doesn't like anything too rich or heavy. 

Nuxe - Reve de Miel

An ultra concentrated natural formula for instant healing. Soothes, repairs, nourishes, softens and heals chapped lips whilst reducing fine lines of the lip contour area.

After all the love and praise this product received from EssieButton I just couldn't stop myself from buying it. And lemme tell you, this has certainly lived up to every expectation I had. It has such a unique consistency which has me constantly reaching for more. It's thick yet still manages to sink it extremely quick. It smells delicious, of citrus and honey. It comes in a luxurious glass jar. It's perfect!

I will, without a doubt, be giving this little gem pride of place on my bedside table.

Did anybody else make use of The Telegraph promotion this week? 

S.