Oh So Lush | Lush Cosmetics

Okay so it is fair to say I have been missing out for the past god knows how long as I have only recently discovered how amazing the Lush cosmetics range is, and oh how my world has been turned upside down! I cannot get enough of these products and am constantly reading other bloggers posts and watching YouTube videos on which ones are your favourites. 

As you can imagine I am extremely excited to be sharing with you all my first Lush blog post (I am sure there will be many more to come). For those of you who know me and read my posts, you will be aware that I am a big lover of natural products due to my sensitive skin. When I first heard about Lush I must say I was put off by the smells and extremity of colours as I passed by one of their stores in Birmingham city centre. However after doing a lot of research into the brand, I was surprised to find that all the products are handmade and use fresh ingredients including fruit and vegetables which is locally sourced and bought into the different stores each day. With little preservatives and little packaging these products ooze ethical goodness and are right up my street that’s for sure! There is even a little note on each product to say when it was made and who by. I love this finishing touch as it really allows you to connect with the brand on a personal note. From the moment you step into one of their stories you are able to recognise that those who work for Lush really put a lot of love and care into their products. 

So the first product that I am going to be reviewing today is this Blooming Beautiful gift set bought for me by my lovely friend at Christmas. Now I have only just got round to using this but what a lovely gift it is. The first thing that struck me was the beautiful packaging it was wrapped in. In fact each of the gifts available at Lush are wrapped in some really funky paper, the only problem being with this is that it looks too nice for you to want to rip it open! 

At £7.95 I think this is definitely a well priced gift as it contains two different bath bombs. The first one, Think Pink is said to be like ‘giving a hug’ as it is filled with paper confetti hearts which you will see start to appear in your bath once it starts to dissolve. I think this is such a lovely idea and will definitely lift your mood during any bath time. I love the colour of this product, anything pink related is a winner in my eyes. 

Pop in the Bath which is also floral is said to ‘transport you to a citrus grove’. This smells divine and even though this one doesn't make my bath pink like Think Pink, I cannot wait to lather myself in the mountains of bubbles.

The second product I will be reviewing today is called Shimmy Shimmy which was bought for me by my other half as a Valentine’s gift. This massage bar which is made from Fair Trade shea and cocoa butters is said to ‘make nights out sparkle’ or I'm sure nights in! May I add here that I love the little messages that come with each Lush product, they’re so cute and again add that personal touch to the products. Now there is a whole range of massage bars available at Lush of which I cannot wait to try. This one in particular is the glitter bar as it makes your skin shimmer (think twilight), a perfect treat for me as one of my favourite things to have visually is glowing skin. Yes I love to sparkle! You can use this a few times but remember once it comes into contact with your skin, it does start to dissolve so keep it somewhere safe. Not only did my skin look great after using this, it felt so clean and super soft too. Now I didn't manage to get a picture of this one before it was used so I grabbed this one of the Lush website just to show you what it looks like if you were interested in buying it (below).

So two different products here but both of which I was very impressed with. I have recently purchased a golden egg bath bomb and a madame butterfly for my mother so I will see what these are like when she uses them!

L.A

xox

Valentine's Day | Red Roses And Expensive Dining

With Valentine's day soon approaching, I have decided in this next blog post that I would keep up to date with the latest happenings as I see many of you lovely bloggers out there often do. Now take it from someone who has never had a Valentine so to speak on Valentines day, this day is pretty much alien to me. Even now I don't really see the point in celebrating this OTT day, surely you should celebrate your love for someone all year round ladies. Anyway I'm not one to judge and I have to say, I too will be succumbing to the Valentine's charm this year myself. I'm sure the restaurant will be packed and ridiculously overpriced but I'm always one for trying things at least once.

So a few tips for you ladies out there who want to impress your Valentine this year, whether this be a long term partner, new love or even just a friend. I love a good excuse to dress up and sure you ladies will agree, so let's get down to it and start with the basics, make-up. 

The most obvious thing for me has to be some daring lipstick. In line with the Valentine's theme, a gorgeous red shade of lipstick would look stunning, or even a pink shade if you're not feeling too adventurous. I've gone for this Rimmel Alarm red shade myself, which is both glossy and vibrant and will add the final touch to any outfit. In terms of the other make-up I will be using, I love  Max Factor's long lasting foundation whenever I go out on the town as it does exactly what it says on the tin, it lasts for hours and gives you great coverage. It also matches my skin perfectly, especially if I am using fake tan as it is a much darker shade than my Clinique foundation. In terms of my blush, at the moment I am currently using a Clinique blusher palette which I really love. I think it is very important to keep those those cheeks looking flushed for your Valentine ladies! A layer of Rimmel mascara and I will be all set and ready to go! 

In terms of my outfit I have gone for a cute little black and white polka dot play suit along with my Chelsea boots (of course). A black blazer and a pair of black tights and my outfit is pretty much complete. I think it is important to try and look your best without going too over the top especially if you are a new couple. You don't to scare him off ladies!

So what do us girls expect on Valentine's day? Well as I am still trying to diet I have said no to the chocolates and gone for a nice meal for two and hopefully a bunch of flowers. If you are struggling for ideas I have listed a couple below. 

First on the list being this lovely bunch of roses from Interflora at £44.99. I am not the biggest fan of big flowers and sometimes think being subtle is better. However, these flowers, which are described as their most popular bunch of flowers on their website are perfect for my liking. Secondly on my list, is this Moet & Chandon Rose Imperial Champagne Brut, perfect if you're after luxury this year.I love an excuse to crack open the champagne and what better excuse than on Valentines day! I love Moet and am also a big fan of anything pink so why not combine the two and really treat yourself this year. Available from Asda for a price of £40.25 this is not the cheapest of champagnes but it certainly is a hot pick this Valentine's. Lastly, I think looking sexy is definitely important on Valentines day so some nice lingerie is a must ladies. Ann Summers and La Senza will be raking in the profits this kind of year I'm sure. 

Intrerflora Roses

Moet Pink Champagne

Ann Summers Volume Boost Basque

Whatever you do on this Valentines ladies make sure you enjoy yourselves, I know I certainly will!

L.A

xox