A Very Lush Easter Hunt

Easter is just around the corner! A time for celebrating life whether religious, cultural, familial, or social. Treating oneself is an important part of Easter celebrations, especially poignant in the Christian tradition as the Lenten period of fasting and abstinence ends. And whilst this indulgence usually takes the form of chocolate eggs and bunnies/bilbies, Lush has produced a limited edition range of Easter treats that rival many of these festive sweets (and probably won't cause you to move up a dress-size). Lush was kind enough to send me a few highlights from this range, the reviews of which you can read below. A big, special thank you to my mini-models Keziah and Babbit the rabbit, and to my backup bath bomb tester,  Demi. You can purchase the Lush Easter range online or in-store ♡ 

 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . GOLDEN EGG BATH BALLISTIC . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

GOLDEN EGG BATH BALLISTIC
With it's shimmering gold exterior, and slippery cocoa butter surface, I was most excited to try this big ball of decadence. Covered in a generous layer of fair trade organic Colombian Cocoa Butter, the ball sinks and melts under the running tap of a warm bath, before the surprise fizz of the centre erupts. I imagine the Golden Egg as a seemingly magical item that would have wowed ancient civilisations, as it is a true aesthetic delight with the glitter creating nebulous swirls and leaving the skin with a layer of Twilight-vampire-sparkle. Skin feels especially moist and supple thanks to all that cocoa butter, especially appreciated as the Winter chill kicks in and turns skin to paper. However, what is that saying that talks of the perils of too much of a good thing? Golden Egg is an indulgence and a half - the cocoa butter, the glitter, and the fizz all work well, however the added illustriousness of the Honey I Washed the Kids scent, which lingers around in full potency for many hours, leaves the subject in - for wont of  better term - bath coma. An intense delight, the Golden Egg need only be heeded by bath-time pros. 

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BUNCH OF CARROTS BUBBLE BAR . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

BUNCH OF CARROTS BUBBLE BAR
These carrots are quite a cute and nifty invention - a short run under the tap creates mounds of light, fluffy foam perfect for a quintessential bubble bath. There is a subtle sweet smell, which could possibly be intensified by running a carrot under the tap for a little longer, however inducing the possible compromise of drowning in bubbles. I do have to admit that I missed the moisturising quality that is more apparent with Lush's bath melts, my bathing accessory of choice. That said, I was most impressed that the carrots could be used quite sparingly, and therefore would last quite a while. A nice investment for an indulgence that will last a little longer.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BRIGHTSIDE BUBBLE BAR & CARROT SOAP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

BRIGHTSIDE BUBBLE BAR
A zesty blend of tangerine, Sicilian mandarin, and bergamot oils, Brightside Bubble bar is a treat that smells just like a pack of gobstoppers. It is a generous size, and subsequently requires to be mostly crumbled by hand under the tap to get it all to dissolve. But if you're willing to put in this manual labour, you'll have yourself a refreshing and relaxing experience, with some soft skin as a souvenir. 

CARROT SOAP

Scented with bergamot, buchu, and lemon, Carrot Soap has a slight sweet, refreshing scent. It has a creamy texture due to the generous amount of carrot oil, which gives skin a subtle softness. Overall I enjoy the melty-quality of this soap, however it doesn't beat my exfoliating favourites Figs & Leaves, and Porridge. 

♡ LUSH Limited Edition Easter Range ♡ 

A Very Lush Chrismtas

A couple of weeks ago, I had the pleasure of attending the Lush Christmas blogger event held in celebration of their Cruelty-free Christmas range and campaign. Of course, it was a splendid night that certainly tantalised all the sensations. We were treated to lessons on the art of wrapping presents with headscarfs (and also how to make them into flowers and bags!) and how to make Cupcake, a chocolate-y fresh face mask. It was an absolute treat to try out the products in the company of so many fellow Lush-fanatics! 

There are only two more days until Christmas, so if you're in need of some decadent, delightful gifts (or if you need some soothing remedies from the end-of-year stress) then I suggest you head to a Lush store! A lot of items reviewed below are Christmas specials, but they also have related year-round citizens. I hope you find some inspiration, and remember that any time of the year is a good time for giving, gifting, and treating yo self. 

CUPCAKE & GOLDEN FUN

CUPCAKE

With a base of Rhassoul mud and with the smell of dark chocolate brownies, Cupcake is a rather irresistible face mask. Besides the smell of chocolate, this mask leaves skin feeling soft and supple. Overall, I'm still a sucker for the tight and bright feeling of Love Lettuce but Cupcake is a close second!

FUN

Well the name says it all - Fun is an adult version of play-doh, with cleanliness as its excuse. Golden Fun is scented the same as the soap Honey I Washed the Kids, so has a sweet, honey smell and leaves the skin with a dessert-like aroma. Fun can be used as a bubble-bath, a body wash, and a shampoo. It does the first two quite well, acting like a cooler version of its cousin, the soap-block. I don't mind it as a shampoo, as it leaves hair squeaky clean, however I do find that I need to followup with a good conditioner. 

Making Cupcake at the Lush blogger event. Once all the ingredients are added they are stirred together - just like making a chocolate cake!

Cupcake modelled by Emma of My Fair Lipstick

SHOOT FOR THE STARS 

When Shoot for the Stars hits the water, it explodes with colours and swirls like a nebula. It also fills the water with glitter & the scent of Honey I Washed the Kids - an absolute treat for an extravagant bath!


CANDY MOUNTAIN, SANTA'S LIP SCRUB, SANTA BABY LIP TINT

CANDY MOUNTAIN
Look Charlie, Candy Mountain! Candy Mountain bubble bar has the scent of Snow Fairy Shower Gel -  like fairy floss and vanilla. It has a pearly shimmer finish and is high on the bubble factor. For some it's a sugar overload, but I adore it!

SANTA'S LIP SCRUB
The Cola flavour of this lip scrub is totally delectable. Like all Lush lip scrubs, I wouldn't mind grabbing a spoon and eating it all up! The Cola flavour is a nice alternative to my usual super-sweet Bubble Gum. Leaves lips feeling soft and fresh.

SANTA BABY LIP TINT
I am still undecided about Santa Baby, the first lip tint I have tried by Lush. I love the softness of the mixture, which is loaded with fair trade butters and carrot oil. It has a strong, bright red pigment which goes on the lips with full colour impact. That said, I am finding it a little messy and will perhaps try applying it with a lip brush. Overall, a fantastic colour with a lot of festive pop!


SNOW FAIRY & PONCHE

SNOW FAIRY
Snow Fairy is like Bubblegum Lip scrub's bigger sister. It has a sugary, vanillary smell and just a dash of glitter to leave your skin smelling and looking like a sugarplum fairy. When I travel, I like to take familiar beauty products and fragrances as a way of avoiding home-sickness, and this coming Summer will be the era of Snow Fairy!

PONCHE
I love the fruity fragrance of Ponche, which was inspired by a Mexican fruit punch. It has a subtle fragrance, and besides feeling quite moisturising, it leaves the skin smelling like winter spices.

An image from the Lush Blogger Event 

BOMBARDINO

Inspired by its namesake Italian drink - although many people think it is more akin to Harry Potter's butter beer - Bombardino is a decadent slow-fizzing bath bomb. Turning the water yellow, it is like slipping into a bath full of butter (which also reminds me of Butterball). Skin is left smelling sweet - a total dream.


SECRET SANTA

Secret Santa is the ultimate Lush bath ballistic! Its scent is modelled on the Lush store - the combination of fragrances that give Lush that distinct smell that can entice you from a mile away. The ballistic itself is like a babushka doll of delights - floral scents, and sandalwood, and a bit of orange. A huge indulgence!

Anna holding a Secret Santa at the Lush Christmas event

SIKKIM GIRLS

This thick, buttery rich body lotion is incredibly moisturising, has the scent of the Sikkim Girls perfume, and leaves the skin feelings incredibly soft. More than Dream Cream, I like the thickness of Sikkim Girls and find it useful for particularly dry patches of skin.

A big thank you to Lush for inviting me to such a lovely event, for creating such divine and morally-conscious products, and for generously providing me with the above products.

A Very Lush Picnic

Miranda and I share a lot of things in common, however one particular common interest is a current obsession with Lush. Combing this enthusiasm with our other collaborative hobby of photo shoots, we present A Very Lush Picnic!

Lip scrubs (shown here as sugar cubes)

The lip scrubs are just delicious! I have to summon all my will power to stop myself grabbing a tea spoon and simply eating it all from the cute little tub! Let alone adding a scoop to my cup of tea…! So I definitely recommend both Mint Juleps and Bubblegum. However one cheeky tip I received from a Lush shop assistant was that Mint Juleps with its tingly minty qualities can stimulate blood flow to the lips, leaving them flushed and polished after usage. NB. I found this to be true! MF

Herbalism face wash
After I finished my first pot of Angels On Bare Skin I decided to try the next notch up, Herbalism. I've always had problematic skin and thought a heavier hand could keep it better under control. Herbalism is noticeably stronger and good for the T-zone, however overall left my skin feeling a bit dry. For something a little stronger, I prefer the more exfoliating and refreshing vodka-filled Ocean Salt. VL

Angels On Bare Skin face wash 

I must admit that exfoliating my face daily with lavender feels absolutely lovely! The dried lavender that is scattered throughout the mixture of kaolin clay and ground almonds beats the micro-beads of the many face washes that haunted my adolescence. Angels leaves your face with a pleasantly fresh and moist feeling perfect for waking you up in the morning. Soft enough to be used daily, this is my absolute favourite face wash. VL

Jackie Oats colour supplement (c/o)
Finally I foundation that is truly suited to pale skin! I have always struggled with big make up brands as even their lightest shades can appear dark on me. Jackie Oats is a gorgeous colour supplement and it really does ease redness as it promises. However I just wish it was less of a colour supplement and more of a foundation. If only it was thicker with better coverage! Also if just a little finer and smoother in consistency, I would never need another foundation again. In the meantime I am happy to use it as a base for my foundation and as nifty concealer. MF

Dirty solid perfume 

I love Dirty! Minty, fresh and really wakes you up in the morning. I have since bought Imogen Rose and love love love that too! I rub these solid perfumes on my wrists and press it on my collar bone and neck for that little touch of perfume for the day. MF

Karma Bubble Bar (c/o)
If only real Karma was so easy to attain! And smelt so darn good! If you want to try a Lush bath bomb and are overwhelmed by the masses of choice go with Karma, for an invigorating, sensual and slightly exotic bath. Also I love the bubbles, and refuse to accept they are just for kids and babies. I typically go for Lush products that especially promise bubbles. Just a thing I do. MF

Ro's Argan Body Conditioner (c/o)

After using Ro's Argan I felt like one big cream puff! The concept of a conditioner for your skin was unknown to me before I used Ro's, however after doing so I felt incredibly decadent and delightful and it is now one of my most frequented Lush products. It works just like hair conditioner, but for your skin - lather, rinse, and then feel the moisture! I have been enjoying it especially as the weather in Sydney is getting colder and skin is becoming dryer - it is a colonel in my "winter army" of beauty products.

Orange Blossom Solid Perfume
Punchy and delightful, like a big bunch of flowers! Be careful not to overdo it as solid perfumes take about half an hour to release their full scent. VL

Dark Yellow Colour Supplement (c/o)
I have tried quite a few tinted moisturisers in the past and enjoyed the coverage they provided – for me it was a great compromise for skin that was very sensitive to foundation. My favourite thing about the Lush Colour Supplements is that you can add it to any moisturiser of your choice (I currently add it to Imperialis), making it a flexible base. I use Dark Yellow every morning as a cheat’s way to quick, light coverage! VL

Dream Cream (shown here as milk)(c/o)

I admit, the smell of Dream Cream doesn’t really appeal to me. As someone who loves soft but robust scents like rose, Dream Cream smells a little harsh. That said this is a beautiful cream and wow, does it moisturize. Thankfully I don’t have many skin complaints for which this cream is designed to treat, but I will continue to use this general body cream. Lovely stuff. Oats really are magical. MF

Emotional Brilliance

As soon as I walked into Lush, I was immediately drawn to their Emotional Brilliance range. Luch has really picked fun colours, some of which are particularly in fashion at the moment which I appreciated. The products I took home without a moment’s hesitation were two lip colours: “Ambition” a sexy orange-red that really pops, “Believe” a luscious bright pink and an eyeliner “Control” which is a dark metallic navy with a hint of sparkle. Regarding quality and vibrancy of colour, these win full marks. They look exactly the same on your lips as they do in the cute little bottle and I quite like the brush applicators. However as someone with quite sensitive lips that dry out super easily and can react terribly to the most innocuous looking chapstick I do find the waxy consistency of the lip colours can leave my lips dry and the skin uneven by the end of the day. If only they were more hydrating for those of us with sensitive lips! Also as much as I love these colours they are not particularly long lasting. So I often start the day with "Ambition" but after the first coffee or meal whip out the pawpaw cream for the rest of the day. MF

Honey I Washed The Kids soap (c/o)
As promised, this soap smells as sweet as a pot of honey! With a honeycomb fragrance and producing a good amount of lather, this is an all-round pleasant soap to use. However, I personally prefer some of the more exfoliating options. VL

Turkish Delight shower smoothie (c/o)

Turkish Delight “Body Smoothie” is my new favourite Lush product! I am a massive fan of anything involving roses and just love the Turkish dessert of the same name. So I am super excited that this product has really lived up to my expectations. It has such a unique consistency, almost like ice cream! Using it in the shower is almost like washing yourself in a Turkish Delight flavoured milkshake or sundae! It is creamy, buttery and the scent is just so feminine, delicious and soothing. I would recommend this as the lighter, fluffier, creamier and less oily cousin of Ro’s Argan Body conditioner. MF

Lushin'

Some refer to a kid in a candy store. Others, a dog with two tails. A few nights ago Lush was kind enough to let us explore and experiment with their tasty face masks, butter soft creams, decadent massage bars, and make a cocktail of bath bombs. Disneyland, eat your heart out. 

Face Friends

So delicious I could eat it right out of the pot with a spoon

Miranda getting a Cupcake face mask

Bubble Bar!

Just kidding, it's actually dipped in chocolate!

Amanda!

Emotional Brilliance

Sunny Side Bubble Bar

Honey I Washed the Kids

Massage Bars

Me, post Love Lettuce

An Ode to Lush

Up until about a month ago I had associated Lush with merely fancy soaps and incredible bath bombs. That was, until Miranda asked me if I had known that is was also a mecca for skincare? No way! I've tried a lot of skincare regimes for almost a decade, as my skin is incredibly sensitive and puberty was not kind to yours truly. I decided to give 'Angels on Bare Skin' a go - a "medieval cleansing wash with rose and lavender" - and was impressed that it didn't strip my skin down but left it feeling really fresh, but also plump with moisture. And thus a fan was born.

Also pictured above: a steam tab (first time I've tried using them and the experience of sweating your pores out was actually quite enjoyable); orange blossom solid perfume (it's like a Chapstick, but for your neck!); Grease Lightning in the background (kills upcoming blemishes. So, basically used every day); and Herbalism (the new cleanser I've decided to give a go as Angels has almost run out!).