Massive LUSH Easter and Spring products haul

LUSH really has gone all out for Easter this year haven't they? I always felt as though their Spring/Easter range was lacking a little, but there are so many new products this time around that I hardly know where to start. 

LUSH's Grease Lightning - my spot cure

I've been scouring the shelves of LUSH for years now, and every so often I come across something that I've totally overlooked before and I wonder how I ever glanced past it before. That's 100% what happened here. 

Massive LUSH haul - Christmas presents, sales picks and little treats!

It took me an upsetting amount of time to condense everything I wanted to say into the title for this post, so soz, but I am hyped to share all the goodies I've got from LUSH over the last few weeks. As I'm not doing a 'what I got for Christmas' post, I'm sharing all the bits I was lucky enough to receive a week ago today(!), as well as my picks from the sales, and a few treats I gathered in the post Christmas slump. 

NEW LUSH Naked Winter skincare products*

Winter really feels as though it's here now. It's less than 5 weeks until Christmas (and guess who hasn't really started their Christmas shopping? *raises hand*), morning frosts are becoming more regular and holy poop on a scoop I am living for steamy showers and hot baths. 

Trying out LUSH's Soak and Float solid shampoo

Dandruff has been the absolute bane of my life for the past few months. It started off with a lil bit of scalp sunburn and never really recovered. Brill. I've been desperate to try anything and everything to help out with it (hmu with your suggestions) and have finally found that using this solid shampoo and a weekly coconut oil hair mask improves the situation, even if it doesn't totally get rid of it.
I've been trying to cut down on my plastic waste recently too, so for the past six months or so now I've only been using LUSH solid shampoos. Soak and Float is their one that targets dandruff, which is obvs what I really need. It's full of cade oil to nourish the scalp as well as marigold and rose petals to soothe redness. 
Those marigold and rose petals? Yes, they get in the way a little when you're trying to rinse your hair but oh my god they smell AMAZING. As in full on dreamy. Using this shampoo bar feels like an absolute treat because it makes my hair smell like some sort of goddess' locks after I use it. 
I won't lie, it hasn't had any sort of 'miracle' effect on my dandruff. But, it has made my scalp stop feeling tight and itchy, which is a massive win in my book. So, if you're suffering from dandruff I'd definitely recommend giving this a go to help treat your scalp. But, in terms of a complete remedy for it? I'm still on the hunt ....
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Cosmetic Warrior LUSH Fresh Facemask

Fresh face masks from LUSH are kinda my own personal skin saviour. I've noticed a massive (downhill) difference in the state of my skin now that I've been using them less frequently over the past few months, and I definitely need to get back into the swing of things. But, for now, we're chatting all about LUSH's Cosmetic Warrior face mask. I did a big roundup of all the LUSH face masks I'd used (which is scarily almost all of them) a few months back, but I hadn't picked this up before, so it escaped the post, which you can read here. 
This wasn't the nicest smelling LUSH mask I've ever used - I think Oatifix wins that category - but, the effects of it outweighed the slightly strange odour. It smelt very fresh with a little tang, which I can only assume is a combination of the tea tree and garlic in the mask. The mask also contains honey and egg, so it's one of the few LUSH products that isn't suitable for vegans. 
I've got super sensitive skin, and one of the main properties of this mask is its cooling effect. It worked as a little bit of a gentle scrub as well as helping to calm my skin, which made my skin feel as though it had a deep clean without being irritated. 
I loved this mask, and will be repurchasing it in the future when I feel as though my pores need a good ol' clean out without using something too abrasive. 
What's your go-to face mask? Have you tried any of the new LUSH jelly masks yet?
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Honey I Washed My Hair Solid LUSH Shampoo review

Solid shampoos are my ultimate bae at the moment. They last for ages, they don't waste any plastic packaging, and once you get the hang of it, they're really easy to use. I've got a myth-busting post all about how to use them and what they're really like here, but essentially you massage the shampoo bar into a lather between your hands and then use it as you would normal shampoo.
I've got quite dry hair at the moment, what with it being summer and with having dyed my hair a lot in the last few years. So, I wanted to go with something that would really moisturise my hair, keeping it soft and shiny. Honey I Washed My Hair seemed like a fab answer to this, and in a way it was.
It kept my hair shiny and feeling super clean, but I was so upset to realise that it's definitely had an impact on my sensitive scalp. I've had really bad dandruff recently, and once I stopped using this there was a noticeable improvement. However, if you don't have a sensitive scalp and just want your hair to be kept hydrated and moisturised then this is honestly really fab. 
Have you ever used a solid shampoo? What did you think?
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LUSH Valentines Range Picks

LUSH's ranges always seem to signal the start of a new season, or festive time. We all get super excited when the Halloween range comes out, because duh, that means Autumn is here, and I'm not even going to mention the Christmas range. But I actually think that the Valentines range is my favourite (wild, I know). It offers a bright little variety into the bleak dullness of Winter, reminds me that I probably ought to find a card for my OH right about now, and the pieces they bring out are just so cute. 

LUSH Halloween Haul

The weather over the past fortnight has really started to gain a chill to it, and as it gets colder my desire to have a bath before bed gets stronger. I've been hyped about LUSH releasing their Halloween range for weeks now, and I wasn't disappointed. What I am a little disappointed about however, is how close the Halloween and Christmas releases were - just one week apart! I would love to have a haul coming up asap for their Christmas range, but with moving home just around the corner, I simply can't justify buying a whole extra box of bathing goodies. 
With that little rant aside, I am very impressed with this year's range. There are some bits we've since before, but also a good couple of newbies in there, including the much anticipated Autumn Leaf. I didn't actually buy the entire range. If you're a big LUSH fan, you'll probably notice that the Lord of Misrule bits and pieces are missing. I picked the shower gel up last year and just wasn't bowled over by it, so I gave it a miss and opted for some other goodies instead.
First, let's chat bath bombs. There's something so luxurious about popping an entire bath bomb into your bath, filling the room with a heady scent and making your bath a gorgeous colour. If I truly want to pamper myself and feel good, a bath bomb is definitely the way forward. Autumn Leaf is the product that I really fell for from the very beginning, when LUSH had their Creative Showcase and I got to see a whole load of bloggers and vloggers talking about the new releases. This is the only product from the range that I've tried thus far and I fell more than a little in love. I'm seriously considering stocking up on reams of these to last me all year year round. It smells like crisp mornings and it made my bath the precise colour of fallen Autumn leaves. It was honestly divine. 
Monster's Ball is supposedly inspired by Mike Wazowski from Monsters Inc, and I can definitely see the resemblance. This is probably the bath bomb that I'm least excited for (but it is a tough choice between the three). It turns your bath a pinky-purpley colour, but has a citrussy scent. I'm waiting to see how this feels in the bath as it seems like a bit of a clashing combination! 
The third and final bath bomb I got my hands on is the Pumpkin bath bomb. From online demos that I've watched (and there may have been more than just one or two - whoops), this is the one that fizzes up quickest, and bobs around your bath, sizzling with glorious orange pumping out as it goes. The scent of this reminds me of fizzy sweets from my childhood, and would be the perfect treat for a Spooky October evening.
Next I picked up a couple of bath melts. Ceridwen's Cauldron isn't strictly part of their Halloween range as far as I'm aware, despite the spooky name. Correct me on that one if I'm wrong. This bath melt contains milk and oats all wrapped up in a muslin cloth. I have eczema on my hands due to over washing with liquid soap at work (the idea of not washing my hands after clearing plates as a waitress is just pretty disgusting to be honest, so I wash them almost incessantly). Milk and oats are supposed to be amazing at helping to ease the itching and soreness of eczema, so I'm hoping this bath melt can do wonders for me! 
The other bath melt I grabbed is Boo, the little ghost. This one promises to turn your bath a milky colour so that you can hide in it just like Boo does. I don't think I've actually used one of LUSH's bath oil melts before, so I'm pretty excited to see if this makes my skin super soft; a priority for me now that it's about to start facing the harsh ravages of Winter.
Bubble bars are probably the most cost effective of LUSH's range of types of bath goodies. Whereas I always dunk an entire bath bomb in to get the right effects from it, I always break my bath bombs into chunks so that I can get a good few baths out of them. My all time favourite is A French Kiss, which contains lavender as its main scent, which always makes me feel blissful, so the Sparkly Pumpkin has its work cut out for it! This is something that I've seen come out year after year (I think) and it's just absolutely beautiful. For the past few years however - weep for me - I've not really had access to a bath because I've been living in grotty student houses, so I'm super happy that I've finally managed to get my hands on this to try it out!
Finally, I got the Fireside soap. This is probably least exciting for you guys, but as I can't use liquid soap, treating myself to a LUSH solid soap is always a bit of a whirl. I would love to be able to use all of the fun Carex scents on a daily basis, or chill out with some  moisturising Radox hand soap, but I've had to give it all up. Fireside soap smells like cloves, Atumn spices and vanilla all rolled into one. I'm saving this to be the first soap we use in our new home and I just cannot wait. 
Here's my video detailing my first impressions, first sniffs and first bout of going gooey-eyed over the range: 

What have you picked up from the range? Let me know if you'd like to see a Christmas post too!
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LUSH Cup O' Coffee Face and Body Mask

Two beauty posts in two days? What the hell is going on over here, I know right?! Things are getting WILD. In all serious though, I am trying to get a lil' more beauty in here and there in this latter half of 2016 so watch out.
LUSH Cup O' Coffee has really become one of those cult beauty blogger favourites. It's not quite up there with Urban Decay's Naked 3, or Garnier's Micellar Water, but it's definitely there. It's LUSH's best selling face mask I believe, and rightly so. If you've read my LUSH face masks comparison post, then you'll know that there is a soft spot in my heart for the brand, and that Cup O' Coffee was one of the few I actually hadn't tried. 
Cup O' Coffee is, surprisingly, filled with ground coffee beans, making it an excellent exfoliator. But, where I really think it comes in strong is with the combination of this with agave syrup. This makes it nourishing, hydrating, and honestly I'm more than a little in love.
It may surprise you that I didn't actually buy this for my face. Cup O' Coffee is labelled a 'face and body mask' and it was recommended to me to help with my newfound stretch marks. My recent weight gain has meant that my upper thighs have suddenly seen a mass growth in stretch marks. Brill, I know right?! So, I've been using Cup O Coffee twice weekly as a little mini leg mask and I have to say it really is making a difference! It's noticeable to others that my stretch marks are going down, albeit slowly, and I couldn't be happier that a natural, vegan product is helping me do this!
I've gone through why I love this goodie from LUSH in a little more detail in this video: Please give it a watch! 

Have you tried this one? What did you think?

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Daily Summer Skincare Essentials

It's that dreaded time of year again - the annual week long UK summer. As of Sunday I started to notice my face getting a little melty, and by Tuesday I was basically competing against the sun to keep my makeup from downright sweating off. I don't know about you, but we whacked out the oscillating fans and took to thrice daily showers to keep cool. 
As with any weather change, your skin will tend to react. A lot of us get slightly chapped (hopefully it's not just me?!) skin in winter on their face, and summer can have an effect too. The combination of excess sweat and the fact that my makeup doesn't have an opportunity to settle basically means that not only has this been heatwave week for me, but it could have been breakout central week. So, I made sure I stuck rigorously to my skincare regime and finally (hopefully) I've found a way to keep heat-induced skin issues at bay.
So, what's my miracle formula? Well, I've got combination skin, that's usually dry to combi, but there's been hardly a sighting of those little cakey-foundation inducing patches of horror recently. I used to be super lazy way back in those teenage years, and you were lucky if I actually washed my face in the morning, let alone had a full on routine for this stuff. Although I do have a routine, teenage Steph is still inside their somewhere, so it's by no means a full on 20 product every day kind of thing, but just takes a few minutes in the morning and evening to keep my skin happy.

Now let's get chatting this routine! First up I start my day off with a quick cleanse using my Nip + Fab Glycolic Fix Cleanser. I've actually got a whole post on this range and why I love it here. I just use water and the cleanser here to get rid of any grease that's built up overnight. If you've got dry skin I probably wouldn't recommend this, as sometimes it can leave my combi skin feeling a little tight. 

Then we move onto preparing my face for the day. Usually I only include this step in my routine if I'm wearing makeup - on other days I just let my skin be free and do its thang to give it a little bit of a break. First up I spritz my face with LUSH's Eau Roma Water, which is an aroma-therapeutic toner water. It smells like lavender and rose so totally helps me to feel relaxed in the morning. Then, if my skin is feeling a little on the dry side I follow it up with Simple's Kind to Skin Hydrating Light Moisturiser. This is basically my fail-safe anti-foundation-cake product. 

In the evening, I like to incorporate my skincare routine into my pre-bed ritual. Like a great many sufferers out there, my anxiety is worst at night, so having a set routine before I go to bed really does wonders in helping me get off to sleep. I don't actually take my makeup off until I'm already in my PJs and sat on my bed with just the lamp on. I use LUSH's 9-5 cleanser on some cotton wool to get the majority of my makeup off, especially my eye makeup as I find it is gentle enough to not aggravate my sensitive eyes. 

Next up is the beauty blogger favourite: Garnier's Micellar Water. I pop some on a cotton wool pad again, and use it to get rid of any of the last dregs of makeup that I might have missed with the first cleanse. I follow this up with one of Nip + Fab's Dragon's Blood Daily Fix Pads. This combination keeps my skin totally hydrated overnight and even works to plump it a little. 
And finally, if you're looking to treat your body to a little smoothness this summer, then totally give Korres' Fig body butter a go. It's not my favourite scent this summer (hello Pinita Colada), but it's made my skin so soft that I practically wave it at everyone to feel!
What's your summer skincare routine?
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LUSH Face Masks Comparison

I know, I know another LUSH-based blog post. We all know I have really sensitive skin, and LUSH face masks are simply something that I can come back to time and time again with the assurance that my skin won't flare up after using them. I've been thinking about it recently, and although they're not all pictured here, (I've spent forever scouring back through my archives to find pictures, but it turns out I'm pretty shit at taking pictures of the face masks!) I've used almost every face mask that LUSH has to offer. Whoops. 
Some of them I've done full review posts on (check out my BB seaweed one and my Oatifix one), but most have really fallen under the radar. So, here's a round-up of all the LUSH face masks that I've given a good go. Bear in mind that I have dry-combination skin, so all of my favourites are going to be ones that are good for that. However, I used to have really oily skin, so I should have you covered on that front too *insert wink face emoji*.
First up is BB Seaweed, which is particularly fab if you've got dry and dull skin. The rosemary oil and rose absolute in it help to hydrate your skin, whilst the millet seeds and ground almonds get rid of dead skin cells. This is one I come back to time and time again, particularly in the winter when my skin is likely to get chapped.
Next up is Oatifix. Obviously I've talked about this and BB Seaweed pretty extensively in their own posts, but I have to say that this is 100% my favourite face mask of all time, and that is a pretty darn large honour. It smells like banana-y oatmeal (NOM) and is incredibly nourishing for your face. If you've got dry skin and are heading to LUSH to give one of their masks a go, this is the one I would recommend. Again, this has ground almonds for some gentle exfoliation. 
Love Lettuce is another favourite of mine for dry skin. This was actually the first LUSH face mask I ever used, way back when I was still in school. I love the fact that this has a kind of classic face mask vibe - dark green, thick and would go perfectly with some cucumber eye circles. This one has lavender in, so almost creates an aura of aromatherapy whilst you use it. It also has honey to go that little extra mile in terms of moisturising your skin.
Although a lot of LUSH's products are vegan, Brazened Honey uses honey too, as well as eggs. SO, if you're looking to go cruelty free, this one isn't a mask you should be opting for. This is a pretty fab one for combination skin - it keeps your skin moisturised, without using oils, so it shouldn't make your skin too greasy. Indeed, the moisturising honey is combined with cleansing (and a little drying) lime juice. This is my go-to in the heat of summer when my T-Zone is getting a little cray cray and slippery (grim). 
Now let's move on to the ones a little more suitable for oily skin. Don't Look At Me was totally an impulse buy on my part. It's bright blue, and I wanted to give a bright blue mask a go #sorrynotsorry. However, it turned out to be my least favourite LUSH mask. I used it during winter, when my skin really needed a little extra moisture and gentleness. Don't Look at Me is a really drying mask, and was a little too harsh on my skin. It contains grapefruit and lemon, which are both fab at toning your skin, but also dry it out in the process. If you've got really oily skin, then this will be great for use once a week, but for me it was just too drying.
Finally we have Cupcake. This is one that I'd seen a tonne of other bloggers raving about, and it smells like chocolate muffins, so I obviously couldn't pass it up, right? If you've got super super sensitive skin, this is one that you might want to pass over, as it works on getting deep down into your pores, and excavating as much dirt as possible. This isn't as drying as Don't Look at Me - nowhere near - but it still won't do much for hydrating your face. Instead, this is one that you should look to if you want to soften the skin on your face. 
So there it is: my roundup of all the LUSH masks that I've given a go. Next up on my list is the Mask of Magnaminty as I've heard amazing things about it. What's on your list?
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LUSH Oatifix Face Mask

Okay, okay, I know I promised you guys that I would be working on my photography in the latter half of this month and in coming months, BUT I took this a little while ago. So sozzles about that. I almost ended up not even posting this because let's face it, this picture is kind of spectacularly fail-worthy. However, LUSH's Oatifix mask is kind of becoming my absolute favourite mask of all time (I also promise I'll stop saying this about every new product I like!), so, you know, it needed to be done. 
If you've read my recent post about LUSH's BB Seaweed face mask, you'll already know how much of a fan of their facial products I am. Or any of their products really. And no, I'm not some kind of LUSH brand ambassador. But if that was a thing, I would totally be first in line to apply. I really just love the fact that everything is cruelty free and that they really do make genuine, sustained attempts to help the environment. 
So, as you'll all know from my hundreds of rants about it, my skin used to be oily - combination sensitive skin, and now has become dry-combination ultra sensitive skin. So, I've really needed to re-organise my skincare regime to fit in with my skin type. LUSH's Oatifix has honestly been a godsend. It specifically targets hydrating and exfoliating sensitive and dry skin, which is fab for me: not only does it get right into my pores to scrape out a fair few toxins, but it then ensures that that process doesn't leave my skin feeling raw or tight. YAY. There really is nothing to hate with this one. It smells good enough to eat as it's full of banana, oatmeal and vanilla. If you've got skin like mine I would 100% recommend this. I can't wait to pick up a new tub soon!
What's your favourite face mask at the moment?
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April Favourites, Monthly Life Update + VIDEO

It's time for another monthly favourites post. You guys seemed to enjoy my February favourites and March favourites, so it's time for round three. I actually love doing these posts, but this month I really didn't have time to get the photography just how I wanted it (dang it). However, my goal for the next month is to up my photography game again so that my May favourites post can be fully of pretty pictures for you guys. 
This post is a little late because I've been waiting for the Youtube video that goes with it to actually upload (third time lucky, right?!). I've been on a spending ban for April, so these are all things I picked up beforehand and have refound a love for in the past month of not buying anything new. So, without further ado, here's my favourites for the month:
Korres Bergamot Pear Body Milk
As I'm moving soon, I packed up my *small* collection of moisturisers to send to my mum's for the time being, alongside some few other bits and bobs that I didn't need for the time being. This was the only one I kept because it has the most gorgeous spring scent. It's sweet and subtle. Plus, the moisturiser itself doesn't apply too thickly like a body butter, so it won't make your skin greasy now that it needs a little less TLC as the winter months are over. 
LUSH BB Seaweed Fresh Face Mask
I think we all know how much I love LUSH face masks, but the last two I've tried did very little for my dry to combination skin. So, I went back to an old favourite of mine - BB Seaweed - and realised that I was just using face masks that weren't appropriate for my skin type. This one is very gentle on the skin, and as I have super sensitive skin on my face this is possibly the most important factor for me. The one downside is that the chunks of seaweed in it do make you like a teensy bit like a monster from the deep. But, your face feels soft afterwards, so I'll take the ten minutes of being a troll!
LUSH Happy Hippy Shower Gel
When I first tried this I absolutely hated it. I'm a big fan of sweet scents and this one is very zesty as it contains grapefruit oil. However, since then it's found a firm spot in my gym bag. Happy Hippy makes me feel totally refreshed and enlivened after a tough gym session, plus it's small enough to fit into my bag easily.
Small Animal Finger Brush
I can't find one of these anywhere online, argh! I think it originally came from Pets at Home. I love using this little thing to give our dwarf hamsters a quick groom. 
Twinings Apple & Elderflower Green Tea
This is basically heaven in a mug. Elderflower is one of my favourite flavours (there is nothing better than elderflower cordial and ice on a summer day) and I'm absolutely obsessed with green tea. This is my go-to when I'm feeling a bit rubbish and want something special to drink.
Here's my April favourites video:

If you liked it, please subscribe to my channel - I'd love to see some of you guys over there! What were your favourites this month?

LUSH Kinky Hair Oil Treatment Review

I have a confession to make: I'm a serial LUSH hoarder. This particular product has actually been sat in my bathroom cupboard since I went on my pre-Christmas rampage in November. Yep, November. It was one of those things where I was so excited to use it that I wanted to save it and ended up not using it (please tell me other people do this?!).

LUSH Valentines Haul | A Little Pamper Time

You guys are all probably a bit sick of reading LUSH valentines post from pretty much every blogger ever, but it's pretty much the only valentines tradition I get involved in. Yes, me and my boyfriend like to spend the day together and get cute cards, but we don't tend to buy in to the expensive meals, outfits and presents game. 
So, to 'celebrate', I've been having a little pamper this weekend. I'm not the greatest bath fan - I usually get in and sit there for about two minutes before my anxiety kicks in and I end up all 'OH MY GOD I NEED TO BE DOING THINGS, NOT WASTING MY TIME LYING IN A POOL OF MY OWN DIRT' and it turns out to be totally unrelaxing and I end up feeling worse than when I got in.
BUT, I've had a revolutionary weekend! Last night I got my elderflower and prosecco tealights (which you can read more about in my recent home ware post) and placed them all around my bathroom. Then I added some fresh PJs, my fluffy dressing gown (far, far away from the flames - that thing is like my baby) and my LUSH unicorn horn bubble bar. This is the favourite of so many bloggers and now I see why. It smells of lavender, which is so relaxing, and is rainbowy coloured and totally turns your bath pink. Like, what more could you want?
Despite the unicorn horn being so beautiful, it wasn't my favourite product that I picked up. This award has to go to the lover lamp bath bomb, which is the best bath bomb I've ever used! It smells of vanilla and oranges, which made me feel totally sweet and fresh, whilst the soap hearts it released made it the perfect Valentines treat.
Sex bomb isn't strictly part of LUSH's valentines range, but hey, a lot of us like a little extra treat on Valentines day *cue wink emoji*. This contains Jasmine oil, which is an aphrodisiac and made the pretty deep pink bath colour you can see in the water picture above.
Prince Charming and Roses All the Way are all about making your skin feel a little bit better on a daily basis. I was actually a bit disappointed with the shower gel - I expected something sweet and maybe floral for Valentines day but instead was hit with a waft of grapefruit which totally jarred with my colour prejudice for this deep pink gel. However, I think the roses soap totally made up for that. As well as being super softening, it also smells like, you guessed it, roses, but without being too overpowering.
Finally we have the kiss lip scrub. I'm a big fan of the mint julips one (which totally has NOTHING to do with the fact that it tastes like after eights, nothing!), but this may have topped it. The little edible hearts in the scrub make it such a cute addition to any Valentines collection, and LUSH lip scrubs are amazing for softening your lips.
Have you picked anything up? What's your favourite from the collection?