LUSH COSMETICS - CHRISTMAS 2016 PRODUCT LINE REVIEW

Lush Cosmetics has been one of my favorite brands since I was first introduced to them in high school and was definitely one of the first cosmetic companies to ignite my soon-to-be obsession with beauty products. Lucky for me, Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics also later became a great influence and educational benchmark for me on what fresh, natural, and ethical cosmetics are.

I remember the first time I saw, or rather smelled, a Lush store. I was instantly attracted by the bright colors, floral and citrus smells, the never ending array of bath bombs filled with sparkles, and the mounds of products you're actually allowed to touch and smell (for me at 14 this was a big deal!). Since that first experience I have become an avid customer and have been known to give their products as gifts for Christmas!

Recently I had the pleasure to team up with Lush Cosmetics to sample and review some of their seasonal Christmas products. I was very surprised to receive the products so quickly but after days and nights of experimentation I am happy to share my product review with you.

Bubbly & Rose Jam – Shower Gel

First let’s talk about Bubbly! I loved this shower gel and it instantly became my favorite out of the two. I tend to always navigate towards citrus-based products because of how fresh and vibrant they are. I also find that if I am using something repeatedly it’s easy to get olfactory overload, however if it is citrus based I tend not to get sick of it so quickly. Two additional great things about this product are that it is vegan and doesn’t dry out your skin!!!

Bubbly starts at $9.95 - $32.95 depending on size

Rose Jam is perfect for any floral and citrus scent lovers! I love floral scents, but can sometimes find them overpowering - but not this one! The Rose Jam shower gel also has hints of vanilla and as an added bonus contains argan oil. Argan oil is an incredibly nourishing and hydrating oil. It is filled with vitamin A, vitamin E, and antioxidants and is known for its amazing healing powers when it comes to skin infections, rashes and bug bites. When applied to the skin it can ease inflammation while moisturizing your skin! P.S. This product is also vegan and all Lush Cosmetic products are not tested on animals – BONUS!

Rose Jam starts at $21.95 - $32.95 depending on size

*Someone suggested to me to mix the two – I did and it was fabulous! Try it! I double dog dare you!

Santa Baby – Lip Tint

When I first saw this product my expectation of what it was, was completely different. First of all anything that comes in a tube I automatically associate it to a texture of a lip balm or something that applies smoothly and appears shinny, but probably leaves your lips feeling dryer then before. It’s not uncommon for lip balms such as ChapSticks and lip plumpers to cause severe irritation on and around the lips because of ingredients that can actually dry out the lips like —menthol, camphor, and phenol. These ingredients are what give the tingling sensation but actually have no real nourishing benefit.

That is why when I tried Santa Baby for the first time I was super surprised because it is a) Shea and Coco butter based - meaning its super nourishing and moisturizing but does not slide on in a slick, filmy kind of way and b) because it’s a lip tint and gets its tint from cherries and dates, you don’t need very much to see the effects of the pigment. In terms of scent there is only a slight hint of spice, perhaps cinnamon, but nothing that is too pungent or that overly stands out.

If you are not into red natural looking lips this may not be a product for you, however I am curious to try this product on my cheeks even as a soft natural looking blush! There are potentially numerous applications here!!

Santa Baby - $9.95 per 5g tube

Christingle – Body Conditioner

I was super excited when I received the Christingle Body Conditioner because I had never tried anything like it before. After reading the description “Invigorating peppermint and menthol crystals energize skin with tingly holiday excitement.” I practically jumped in the shower right away! So in order to use this product properly you are supposed to shower/wash as per usual and then as a final step apply the body conditioner to your wet skin thinly and evenly and rinse off before lightly towel drying. Upon exiting my hot shower I instantly felt a rush of the cool tingly sensation all over my body however I am not sure if I was that into it to be honest. Even after getting dressed and putting on layers of clothing I continued to shiver and feel very cold. I feel like the menthol may have defeated the purpose and enjoyment I get from a hot shower…. especially in the winter. Perhaps menthol is not my thing, but on the plus side my skin felt super hydrated after and I smelled really good like fresh peppermint! I think I’m going to save this bad boy for the summer when its hot out and I could use a little winter refreshment. 

Christingle - $14.95 for 90g tub

Mistletoe – Bath Bomb

God do I love a good bath bomb! I have tried many times to replicate Lush Cosmetic bath bombs but have never come quiet as close in smell, size and level of enjoyment that I receive from theirs - and the Mistletoe bath bomb was no exception.

First of all this bath bomb is so big you only really need to use half. Since it already comes with a ridge in it you can easily cut it in half and save the other half for another occasion. Even before it explodes you can smell the sensual scent of Jasmine – a scent that to me evokes memories of summer evenings and gentle breezes. It is a lifting scent that is known to relax the body and mind in order to encourage intimacy and has historically been used to do just that!

Once I dropped the bath bomb into the water it instantly came alive, revealing pink and purple streaks – these streaks of colours and bubbles were a source of inspiration for my #bathart series seen below. Feel free to experiment with different Lush bath bombs yourself and come up with your own series! Don't forget to hashtag #bathart on social media when you show off your series.

*I have to admit that this bath bomb does leave a pink glittery ring around your bathtub but don’t worry it comes off really easily.

Mistletoe Bath Bomb - $7.95 per Bath Bomb (200g)

Luxury Lush Pud – Bath Bomb

The Luxury Lush Pud bath bomb was another welcomed surprise. I love anything lavender scented because of its comforting properties. This bath bomb is again big enough for you to split and use over two occasions however I found that it was not as easy to split as the mistletoe because there was no defined ridge – but whatever that didn’t stop me. I recommend really putting aside some time when you use this bath bomb and getting your setup/Netflix all ready because once you experience this bath bomb you won’t want to get out of the bath for hours! It’s a perfect before bedtime soother to get you all relaxed and cozy before crawling into bed for a good night’s rest.

Luxury Lush Pud Bath Bomb - $7.95 per Bath Bomb (200g)

To read more about Lush bath bombs and see a video on how they are made click HERE


Before I go I also want to talk about Lush Cosmetic outstanding core values, values you do not often see in cosmetic brands today. Lush Cosmetics makes all their products by hand and use only the best and freshest ingredients. They believe that when it comes to packaging, less is more – so our environment incurs minimal waste. All their products are 100% vegetarian – 80% of these are actually even vegan and they actively do not buy ingredients from companies that test on animals. They are also 100% transparent with what is in each product and you can go on their website or grab a catalogue in store and see all the ingredients in every product they release! And if that’s not enough for you – well they are also a Canadian company!

Visit Lush Cosmetics to learn more about the brand and beat the lines by shopping their entire Christmas product line online!

BATH BOMBS

Bath bombs can run you $5-$6 a pop at the store but they are so easy to make and don't take that long. They also make a great gift idea!!! Bath bombs are made up mostly of baking soda which is great because it is a natural remedy for common skin problems. Taking a bath in baking soda can help neutralize skin acidity and promote elimination of toxins, this can help refresh your skin and renew/soften your skin if it is dry. Bath bombs also contain Epson salts which is a great ingredient that can relieve sore muscles, help with colds and congestion and help relax the nervous system. Okay, so ready to get started???

YIELDS: 6-7 Big bombs or 30 Small bombs

INGREDIENTS:

DRY -
2 Cup Baking Soda
1 Cup Epson Salts
1 Cup Cornstarch
1 Cup Citric Acid (this when mixed with baking soda helps it fizz when it hits the water!! VERY IMPORTANT)

WET -
6 Tsp. Olive Oil
4 Tsp. Essential Oil (If you are using a strong scent like Lavender or Mint you can use a little less. If you are using softer scents like lemon or grapefruit add more.)
2 Tsp. Water
Food or Soap Coloring (as many drops as you need to reach your desired colour)

Bowl
Whisk
Mold (open face is fine if you do not have a bath bomb mold/case)

DIRECTIONS:

First add all the dry ingredients together in a bowl and whisk so that it is evenly spread out.

Next in a jar or cup add all the wet ingredients together and mix well with a fork.

Slowly, bit by bit (no more then 4Tsp at a time) add the wet ingredients you just mixed to the dry ingredients. Be sure to stir well after each time you add the wet ingredient so that It does not fizz up too much and the colour spreads out evenly. After you add the wet ingredient to the dry ingredients you will notice it will start to get clumpy but keep whisking and it will smooth out.

Once all the wet ingredients are added to the dry ingredients and whisked together nicely you can fill your molds! Make sure to pack in the mixture so that it binds better in the mold. Once nicely packed you can tap on the outside of the mold gently to release the bomb.

I would recommend sitting it somewhere to dry for one to two days before packaging them to ensure they do not crumble. If you want to use it right away that is okay just put the bomb in the fridge for 30 minutes so it will maintain its shape.

Also if you want to add flower petals to the mixture you can do thatjust make sure they have been dried before hand or if you have a bomb mold you can always add a surprise in the middle before you close the two bomb halves.

Did you have fun doing this project??? Have any project to recommend? Let me know in the comments below!