LUSH Haul

I visited LUSH in Canberra yesterday and always manage to walk out with something, I love that shop!  The shop assistant was telling me that you can purchase your favourite products online here and they are having a free postage offer for Christmas, so if any of you would like to pick up a few of your favourite products now would be a good time to save on postage.  Lush have some gorgeous Christmas Packs available.

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I love anything made with strawberries and this massage bar is no exception.  Made with crushed strawberries and hibiscus flower extract. Contains more Coconut Oil than some of Lush's other massage bars so it melts and absorbs into your skin easier.  No greasy after feel and the subtle fruity scent lasts and lasts.  This is a limited edition product so if you want to try it I recommend now.

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This soap is made with freshly squeezed orange juice and orange oil.Contains real slices of orange preserved in a seaweed based jelly.   I usually purchase a block and slice it up into useable pieces so it lasts longer.  Keep in zip lock bags to maintain freshness.

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If you love Ro's Argan Body Conditioner you will love Rose Jam Shower Gel because they have exactly the same aroma.  Rose, Geranium and Lemon Oils.  Contains Argan Oil to help soften your skin.  Apply a little to a body sponge and it lathers up a treat, leaving your skin feeling fresh and subtly of roses.  I like this shower gel better than the Ro's Argan Body Conditioner because it isn't as strong and doesn't clash with whatever perfume your wearing.  I noticed they have brought out "available online only" a matching Rose Jam perfume.  

What are your favourite LUSH products?

Jac x0x 

LUSH Haul

My LUSH store lives in a land Far Far Away and I don't get to visit very often.  

This is my latest haul and I surprised myself by how little I actually picked up.  It might have something to do with the fact my Hay fever is in full swing because I usually linger and try just about everything on offer but I really couldn't smell a thing! 

I ended up with only four items and I forgot one!  Lemony Flutter  -  I have read some really good reviews about this cream, oh well next time!

Dirty Soap - This is always the first product I ask for when I walk into Lush.  When I first tried this soap as a sample I hated it but the aroma has grown on me.  I think the Dirty range is targeted at male customers but I just love the aroma of Spearmint and Sandalwood on my skin.  Leaves the bathroom smelling yummy too.  I usually purchase 200gm's of soap at a time and cut them into 50g blocks for ease of use, they last longer.

Dirty  ~  Sexy Peel
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Sexy Peel - Marmalade Soap - contains Orange, Lemon, Lime and Grapefruit juices, oils and peel.  Has a lovely mild citrus aroma compared to Lush's Bohemian which is just pure lemon heaven.   Citrus is very good for reviving the senses and citrus essentials oils make you feel happy. A very good soap to use during long cold winters when you are longing for summer, as it lifts your spirits and leaves your skin feeling fresh and clean.  My son reckons this soap looks like cheese, I think he's right!

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Sympathy for the Skin - This would have to be my favourite all over body lotion from Lush.  Looks and smells just like a creamy banana smoothie in a tub and once applied develops into a subtly warm sweet vanilla with just a hint of bananas.  A little goes a long way and I am surprised considering this is a light lotion, how rich and moisturising it is for dry skin.  Leaves your skin feeling soft, smooth and smelling delish!

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Ro's Argan Body Conditioner - this is another product I first received as a sample and hated.   I still really don't like the smell straight from the tub but I just love what it does for my skin.  It has a very strong, overly sweet fermented aroma and I can make out the Rose, Geranium and Lemon essential oils.  Luckily for me once you rinse it off most of the smell goes too, what's left  is a pleasant floral citrus rose aroma which lasts most the day. Contains an abundance of rich moisturising ingredients such as Capuacu, Shea and Cocoa Butters as well as Argan, Almond and Brazil oils.  I would never have believed that a moisturiser you rinse off could actually leave your skin feeling as soft and hydrated as this one does.  

So that was my Lush haul, hopefully I won't forget the Lemony Flutter next time!!

Do you have any favourite Lush products that you think I would like, please leave a comment below and tell me what your favourites are.

Jac x0x

Lust Have It January 2013

LHI's effort for this month.

LOVE the box, it's fantastic.  Beautiful pattern and colour, love that it closes magnetically, can think of lots of things I might use this for.

I am hoping that next month's box will have a U on the spine so in the end LUST HAVE IT will be spelt out in a nice little collection of boxes.  If not maybe they will all be differently coloured like the bags.

LUSH COSMETICS - EMOTIONAL BRILLIANCE MAKEUP - RRP $24.95.  I received CONFIDENT Believe in Yourself, this is a gorgeous gorgeous Eggplant Purple, unfortunately too dark for my fair skin, I could never pull it off as a lipstick, eyeshadow or blush.  I am just going to admire the bottle from afar lol.......I am going to try this as a lip stain and then cover it in light lip gloss I think that might be wearable.  The only concern I have is that it doesn't seem to set and smudges everywhere!!  Sorry I couldn't get a good swatch of this, kept coming off brown on my camera and it is definitely NOT brown!

Also included was a card for a Free Emotional Brilliance colour reading in store and a free sample of make-up remover, unfortunately I live about 200km's away from my nearest Lush Store so I won't be able to partake of this offer.

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NUDE BY NATURE BB 5-IN-1 MIRACLE CREAM - 50ml, full-size RRP $19.95.  I received Medium.  I normally would purchase Fair but I can live with this, smells lovely, creamy hydrating texture, I will probably pick up a Fair and mix the two so I get the use out of this tube.  I generally use BB creams when I go for a walk first thing in the morning, covers the ghostly appearance of my pale skin as well as protection from the Sun.  I use quite a lot of BB cream as I work as an Athletics Coach, BB creams offer great coverage, sun protection and doesn't come off with perspiration, works best if you set with powder.

LUST HAVE IT KABUKI BRUSH - full-size RRP $19.95.  I don't know anyone who can't do without a Kabuki Brush, these brushes really are the best.  Lovely dense soft bristled brush, good one LHI!!

KLORANE SHAMPOO AND CONDITIONER - samples 10ml, RRP $9.95.  Formulated with Pomegranate and Mango Butter for colour treated hair.  Great,  but the samples need to be bigger for longer haired ladies such as myself.  Two teaspoons of conditioner just doesn't do it when your hair is down to your waist.

AVENE CLEANANCE SKIN RANGE - sample size,  prices start at  RRP$24.95.  OK I am just about Avene -d OUT!!  I have so many unused tubes in my sample basket, I just don't like the stuff.  This is also not for my skin type, these products are for oily blemish prone skin, I am mature dry skin,  this is where LHI"S lack of profiling their customers lets them down.

OK so besides the totally wrong skin care from AVENE, I am not too unhappy with my box this month.  In fact after seeing what some other lovely LHI customers received I am quite relieved.

What did you get this month and what did you think, let me know comment below.

My facial skincare routine

My skincare routine is pretty simple.

I do like a clean face and I do like to wash with soap and water.  Unfortunately soap being too harsh on my skin I had to find an alternative.

Recently I discovered a product from an Australian company MooGoo Milky Wash.

Comes in a great big 500ml pump bottle,  I apply one or two pumps depending on how much makeup I have on.  It has a thick creamy consistency which I  massage into my skin, including around my eyes to remove mascara (no tears) and then I rinse it off with water.   No dryness, doesn't leave my skin feeling tight, just super clean, every spot of makeup removed and feeling incredibly soft.  This stuff contains capric glucoside (sugar) which was originally developed for baby and face wipes.  I love it, I use it at night in the shower.  You can also use it as an all over bodywash, it is great for sensitive skin, totally soap free.

In the morning I generally just swipe my face with a face wipe, I am amazed by just how dirty my face can get sleeping.  At the moment I am trying Lacura 3-in-1 cleansing face wipes and they do a pretty good job.  I also use them to remove makeup when I arrive home too late and don't feel like washing my face, they leave my face fresh and clean without any dryness and they remove mascara without stinging my eyes.

Next I moisturise.  I have been using the Lacura Renovage System with good results.  It consists of an Intensive serum, Day cream, Night Cream and Eye Cream.  I have written a review about them previously so I won't go into too much detail but I am really happy with the results I am seeing, my skin definitely has improved and I am seeing less wrinkles and plumper skin.

Another repairing moisturiser I apply before I go to bed without fail is Macro Natural Vitamin E cream, this has been a lifesaver for me and has done wonders for my skin.  I have Systemic Lupus and the skin on my face started to peel making it impossible for me to wear foundation, this cream cured the peeling and I have been using it ever since.  I have also written a review about this product as it certainly deserves its own page.

Every now and then I like to do an Oil Cleanse.  I know there are a lot of oil cleansers on the market but I prefer to make my own with Organic Castor and Jojoba oil, I use a ratio of 10% Castor oil to 90% Jojoba oil, for dry skin,  I mix it up and keep it in a pump bottle.  Two pumps of oil in my hand and I massage the oil into my face for approx 30 seconds, then apply a warm face washer, leave it on my face until it cools and then wash off the oil.   I also use this for my boys who are teenagers and have acne, I use a stronger ratio of 30% Castor oil to 70% Jojoba oil.  After massaging in the oil for 30 seconds, I steam with a warm face washer until cool and repeat steaming three times.  Oil cleansing helps to deep cleanse your face and remove impurities, whilst leaving your skin moisturised.  With acne skin, castor and jojoba oil mimic the natural oils in your skin, reducing the skin's own oil production and thus reducing acne.  With the boys I do this once a fortnight as part of their cleansing regime, I think it is very important to teach boys about good skincare habits.

I have also been loving LUSH Ultrabalm which I wrote a review for here.  It's a great all-purpose natural balm for dry skin, lips, scars, cuticles, split ends and wrinkles.

So that's my skincare routine, please click here for the Renovage System and here for the Macro Natural Vitamin E cream reviews.

Cheerio

LUSH Ultrabalm review

I purchased this balm a couple of weeks ago when I went into the LUSH store to pick up my favourite soap (more on that later).

Basically this is a very natural product with only three ingredients, Jojoba oil, Candelilla wax and Rose wax.

I was surprised when I first opened this balm because it is really hard, like candle wax hard, I was expecting to be able to swipe and apply like most other balms.

Has no fragrance, for some reason I thought Rose because of the Rose wax but it just smells like wax.

With this you need to rub your finger across the surface until the friction melts some of the balm to oil and then you can apply it to your skin.

It is oily but not overly greasy. It applies well and you can use it on just about anything.

The label says "for bits that chap and chafe", so far I have used it as a balm for lines on my face, round my eyes, my lips, dry spots on my skin, scars, cuticles and massaged into the ends of my hair.

I like that the oil absorbs easily into my skin and there is no greasy after feel. Leaves my skin feeling soft, moisturised and helps plump out those pesky frown lines.

I don't particularly like it as a lip balm, I find it too thin and it doesn't stay on your lips but I like to smooth it around my lip area because it is a great moisturiser and then I add lip balm.

You get 45g of balm in a tin with a screw on lid, which is a great bonus as anyone who has wrestled with a lip balm lid which just won't come off will testify.

Great value as a little goes a long way and one tin should last you a long time.

Anyone who loves the idea of an all purpose natural product will love this balm, I do.