9 to 5 Cleansing Lotion

If you haven't spent all teenage-hood searching for the right beauty products for your skin and even trying to understand your skin, then you were blessed by the Gods.
I suffered a hit from the teenage gene. Oily, spotty skin and the expanded package that involved eczema. Cleansers would either dry me out, break me out, or make my skin so oily it looks like I'm sweating 24/7. 

So Lush was the holy grail for my skin, hair, body and overall confidence. Switching to a Lush routine of cleanser, scrub, mask, toner, spot treatment, facial serum, and moisturiser was the best thing I ever did for my skin.
As one of my favourite cleansers I can't say enough.

For me, this is the perfect nightly cleanser. To wipe away the dirt of the day. I use it to remove makeup by applying it on a dry face and massaging into the skin, even over the eyes. Then wipe away with a damp face cloth (or cotton wool). It removes all traces of makeup. Of course this is depending on the amount of makeup you use. I only have a thin layer of foundation, focusing more on the eyes. So this cleanser suits me just right.

The texture of this cleanser isn't runny or thick, it's the bridge between the two. It also heavily depends on the batch. I found my first bottle was runny compared to my second which was surprisingly thicker. It won't 'lather' but it will spread over the skin with ease and keep a cream-like consistency.

Because this cleanser features almond oil and dove orchid extract, it won't be stripping on the skin. I actually find it leaves my skin supple, brightened, and lightly moisturised. Moisturised enough that if after a night out I used all my energy to even bother removing makeup, I can skip the moisturising step and head straight to bed. 

This is also great to use when correcting makeup. By applying a small amount on a cotton bud and running it along any mistakes (usually eyeliner for me) and it clears it right up without smudging! 

A typical 95g bottle lasts me a couple of months, all depending on how much I use and how frequent. Since I've been using makeup more, the second bottle has been depleting at a faster rate than my last but I still find you don't need much of the actual product to get the job done. 

Overall, I can't go without having this in my bathroom. A staple product and probably one of my most recommended.

Rating: 8/10 

Price:
95g   £5.25
240g £9.95

Lush Oxford Street Bamboozled Lip Stain

Available in Oxford Street & Manchester Arndale 

If you asked me a year ago what I thought of makeup, I would reply "It's a waste of money". After trying to be like the girls in Youtube makeup tutorials all my end results ended up in me turning into an oompa loompa or a dry, flaky foundation mess. And certainly any attempt at applying lipstick on my big mouth transformed me into a clown. But after an eventful year I've learnt enough about makeup to at least not make a mess each time. Even though I'm pretty sure my skin is allergic to foundation, I'm getting there.

Lipstick was a path I thought I'd never go down again, as I always felt self-conscious of my big lips. But then I remind myself, people pay to pump their lips with silicone to get them this size and they must do that for a reason right?
So where's the best place to start for a lipstick newbie?

Well, a stain definitely. The idea of obsessing over my lips all day to see if I need to reapply just isn't the life for me (yet). I needed something long lasting, matte, naturalish looking. And the Oxford street makeup range was right on my doorstep, so close I could hear it calling me. After already giving my heart to the eye powders, jewels, and mascara. There was one last category that my bank account hadn't seen.

The Bamboozled lip stain is entirely encased in bamboo (kinda in the name). With a golden foil wrapping, so it's a tad worrying seeing a lipstick without a lid.
The colour sports a bright pinky red, with more applications turning darker. It's definitely a colour I didn't think would suit me, but Ro made all these fantastic shades believing anyone can look good in lipstick. And who am I to argue with the beautiful Ro?

To apply, you'll definitely need a lipstick brush. (I may or may not have pinched the ones they use in store). With first application it definitely smudged and made a mess. But after washing it off once, the second time was flawless. So it really does come down to experience.

The colour can get everywhere so I would recommend not touching your lips until it's thoroughly dried, but even before that it's not sticky or shiny. Once 'set' it looks matte, with no feeling of it even there. Be warned though the colour is very vibrant and does stay on all day (and even longer). It doesn't leave any marks during the day, even while eating and drinking.

It is difficult to wash off and I doubt you'll completely remove it. I tried 9 to 5 and ultrabland, which just faded it to a more natural pink tint. Even the lip scrub was no match. However, you do sign up to that if you buy a 'lip stain'.

Even without a lid, the lipstick doesn't become hard. Plus I doubt I'll ever need to buy it again with how big the bamboo is. I do look forward to reaching the bottom one day though.

Overall, for £12 this lip stain is serious stuff. Worth every penny and an interesting addition to the makeup collection. It's made me excited to try the other lipsticks Lush have to offer.


Rating: 9/10 
Price: £12