Volume 4 Perfume Thoughts

Volume 4 has been in our thoughts since the Creative Showcase of 2016. Finally a year later, they are available to the public online and in stores. Along with a revamp of the current perfume range and a general price decrease across the line with the omission of the 10ml perfume bottles.

I am delighted about finally having new perfumes to sniff and fall in love with and I enjoy the focus on this range and the story behind it. The founders wanted to create a line of perfumes that didn't just smell nice- but specifically evoked memories and make you feel something. I certainly pick up on this with the complexity of the scents featured.

While I'm not sure why they decided on a complete makeover- only offering white labels (or black on the exclusive line), it's certainly something I'm indifferent about. The OCD in me is satisfied that all the perfumes being the same size, shape, design so they'll look neat and tidy on my shelf. But I do miss the individuality of the labels and the illustrations on them.

My first experience with the range was a solid Rentless. Rentless features a patchouli aroma with a contrast of sweetness from the grapefruit. It reminded me of a fruitier version of Lord of Misrule. The first thing that struck me was how little you needed to apply for it to have a strong impression on the skin when compared to the now-older tin design where I would apply generously for a good layer of the product. This new formula also lasted a lot longer, and almost reached the strength of a liquid perfume. This was then confirmed for me when I tried Amelie Mae solid which was the same performance wise.

From my experience, this range contains a lot of earthy scents such as Rentless, Icon, Tank Battle. Sweet ones like Amelie Mae, What Would Love Do, I'm Home and Cardamom Coffee. However, all of them are complex with multiple layers. My favorite so far from the range is definitely Cardamom Coffee which reminds me of a small family owned coffee shop, it's rich like chocolate and offers a warmth that I'm not familiar with in any of my other perfumes.

If you go to Oxford street or Lush Arndale in Manchester, you'll see they have a wider range of the line. With perfumes as previously mentioned- Tank Battle and Icon. Along with old favourites like 1000 Kisses Deep, Devils Nightcap, Love etc that have only been available in Oxford street, but are now available online as well as in a few more stores across the country.

If you haven't been to store to experience these yet, then please do. On paper, the descriptions may sound like your cup of tea, but they are so different on each person that you just have to go and try them for yourself.

Scrubee Body Butter

Being on a budget is a rather difficult task when Lush release a new range every month or so. So limiting myself to £20 per seasonal range means careful choice. Scrubee stood out to me because I'm always after the perfect body butter. I suffer from eczema so every shower needs to be as moisturising as possible to make sure my skin stays hydrated. Whilst my all time bestie has been Buffy, when I heard that Scrubee could be 'better' I had to see for myself.

To use Lush body butter's, you usually wash like normal and apply after a shower gel or jelly. You rub them directly on your body. Your skin, or water, heats the butters for them to easily glide across and melt their goodness over your skin. Scrubee is particularly special, as it scrubs as well as intensely moisturises. Then wash it off and pat yourself dry!

Scrubee offers a range of rich ingredients to truly treat the skin. Consisting of Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter, Fair Trade Shea Butter, Coconut oil, and Honey to hydrate and repair the skin. Honey is especially magical as it is a natural preservative and has been used as a natural skin ointment for thousands of years. In addition, Scrubee's scrubbing power comes from the combination of Ground Coconut Shell and Ground Almonds, which offer a light but effective exfoliation. As well as all these ingredients, the scent of Scrubee is enhanced by Brazilian Orange Oil and Bergamot Oil.

Altogether these ingredients create the beautiful scent of Scrubee, which shares its scent with the Honey I Washed The Kids family. But in case you aren't familiar, I smell a mix of white chocolate, sweet honey, and notes of orange. It's absolutely addictive and a scent I can't see many people not liking. Even after the shower, I find it dominates any memory of shower gel used and offers hours of a comforting impression on the skin.

I found that the stripes of Scrubee is where the exfoliation comes from. So you won't feel it until you melt the layer of butter first. It melts easily, but less-so than Buffy. I also find that Buffy can leave skin feeling too greasy post-shower, whereas Scrubee is as if you've just applied a light lotion- you know it's there on your skin but it's not too bothersome. Scrubee may look small, but it's quite fat for its size, and from using it in the shower for over two weeks I find it has only shrunk by 1/4 of its shape, meaning it can really hold up between uses and will probably last a good month of daily full body usage.

My only gripe is that it's only around for Mothers Day and not everyone can afford to stock up. Whilst I do find it being quite pricey, Scrubee is truly the best product I have tried this year, and I would do anything for it to be regular line and would even forgive Lush if they replaced Buffy to make room for it. If there's a must-have item from this year's seasonal range, it is definitely Scrubee Body Butter.

Rating: 10/10!

Price: £6.95

Buche De Noel Fresh Cleanser

When introduced into the 2015 Christmas range, I have to admit that I did overlook it. As my first Christmas as a Lushie, my purse was a little more stingy than it is now. But I did manage to grab a sample nearer to the end of the season; making me kick myself for ignoring it so long when I finally experienced its magic.
So much to my pleasure in the Christmas range of 2016, Lush brought it back! I hastily grabbed a fresh pot, praying it would help my change-of-season confused skin.

To use a fresh cleanser is easier than you think (for those new to Lush). With Buche De Noel you take a pinch to the palm of your hand and mix with a drop or two of water until it becomes a thick paste. Buche de noel is particularly creamy and spreads with ease over skin. When massaged into skin it gives light exfoliation, similar to Angels On Bare Skin fresh cleanser.

One of the winning qualities of this cleanser is its comforting fruity scent. Jam packed full of cranberries that are high in vitamin C and contain the compound resveratrol which is a natural treatment for acne. Almonds offer exfoliation and hydration, along with a drop of brandy for it's antiseptic and antiaging properties. Finally, the fair trade organic butter soothes and softens the skin. Overall, leaving you smelling like a Christmas pudding and skin as bright as the tree.

Buche de noel is the perfect partner for winter skin. As my combination skin gets drier, this cleanser really smoothes everything out and leaves my skin especially soft when paired with the enzymion moisturiser. This cleanser also contains golden flakes to make you feel extra pampered.

In conclusion, this easily makes my favourite cleanser. Having snagged a fair amount on eBay to separate and freeze to last throughout the year, I'll never have to go without. So if you have the chance to, try this before it goes back to the North Pole until next Christmas!


Rating: 9/10

Hair Custard Hair Dressing

A hair dressing was one of the many new inventions from Lush that was revealed for the Oxford Street store opening before being released as a regular item around the country. A hair dressing can be used in numerous ways. Such as: styling cream, hair treatment, and a form of protection before using heat devices such as blow drying.

Scent wise I find is almost identical to that of the custard shark bath oil (another oxford street exclusive), and fans of the Vanilliary family should like the scent of this delicious pudding. It really is true to the name and smells reminiscent of sweet custard, but it's not a sickly sweet that would be repulsive for some, including me. I absolutely adore this scent and on more than one occasion want to grab a spoon and dig in to it's temptation. Even better, the scent stays in my hair until the next wash (which for me is 2-3 days) and as a person with short hair, I have to get my fix when a nice breeze blows.


It's quite easy to use for those that are experienced with styling products. However, the only difficult part would be the quantity. While I don't find this product makes my hair sticky or oily, if you use too much (which is the same for most hair products) it will make your hair like that. So start small, with pea size amounts and rub between your hands to then run through the hair as evenly as possible. To use as a hair treatment, apply a generous amount and leave on for an hour or two (it's really up to you) before shampooing and conditioning like normal.

I find this product easy to use, long-lasting, and effective. It fights the abundance of static my frizzy hair curses me with, whilst providing volume and enhancing my hairs natural waves. It gives my hair a natural hold, so if you want something more powerful and fixing, then you'll have to keep looking! I love how this product is multi-purpose, whilst supplying moisture to dry hair. Making it a healthy addition to your hair routine! Furthermore, the scent is absolutely scrumptious and one that I even rub on my wrists when I'm really craving it.

Hair custard is packed full of gorgeous ingredients intended to improve the condition of your hair. For instance, it uses cocoa butter, coconut oil, and jojoba oil for intense moisture, along with argan oil to repair damaged hair. In addition to the vanilla pods, vanilla absolute, and fresh strawberry juice to give it it's beautiful fragrance. Finally, the most key ingredient- egg whites, to fully coat the hair follicles and even stimulate the scalp, it's even rumored to aid hair growth.

Overall, this is certainly one of my favourite hair products from Lush. The only downside being the heavy price tag, but when you consider the small amount you use each time, it justifies treating yourself to it!

Rating: 9/10 (My only wish is for it to be a little more affordable) 

Price: 
100g £12.95
200g £24.95

Eyes Right Mascara

Since switching my cosmetic routine to Lush, it still baffles me how the makeup range took so long to catch my eye. I feel like with age I'm becoming more aware of my image, the image I show to others and the image I form of myself. Makeup is an expression, one that I can be creative with and one that helps my self-confidence. But no matter how young you are when you start your makeup journey, I feel like mascara is the first step. It's the weapon of choice we wear everyday, and one we feel naked without. But does everyone know the harm it does to your eyelashes after each and everyday?

Wearing mascara frequently weakens the eyelashes, making them brittle overtime. Waterproof mascara is the worst of bunch as with it being more difficult to remove, it puts more strain on the eyes and lashes with every rub. So what can you do? Give up wearing mascara?! Don't be silly.

This is wear Eyes Right mascara becomes the best I have ever had. The applicator, formula, performance, are all worth your pretty pennies. The key ingredient that sets this mascara apart is Wheatgrass, which not only conditions the lashes but improves them overtime, so that means your lashes get healthier the more you wear it, cool right? Since switching to this mascara about 6 months ago, my natural lashes look longer, thicker, and generally a whole lot healthier.


The applicator will feel a bit foreign at first, with it being so short you really do have to get up close and personal. The actual applicator brush though is quite basic but still prevents clumping. Lush purposely gave this mascara it's small size as with other mascaras, you tend to waste a a lot on the long applicator and so this way you can access more of the actual product. And the great thing about a glass bottle is that you can see how much mascara you have left.

One layer of this mascara is perfect for me. Giving me a natural volume and length. Plus it helps my eyelashes are black and already pretty long. However, you can build up the layers for a bolder look. I do find I will end up with excess product on my lashes, which is easy to take care of by brushing it through again with a separate mascara brush (which is what I always do with other mascaras in order to remove clumps and brush the formula through more evenly). It can be a bit messy to apply and you will have to wait for it to dry. But once set, this mascara lasts me all day and night with only slight smudging in the corners.

Left is with one layer of the mascara, Right is without. 

It's not a waterproof mascara but unless you aim to be drenched in rain then it shouldn't bother you. It does stay on pretty well, but can be removed with 9 to 5 cleansing lotion. I also found that by using a very fine lip liner brush, you can turn this into a liquid eyeliner! Great for if you're in a pinch.

I've been using this mascara for nearly 6 months now and I can see I'm not even half way through the bottle. Making the £12 price tag completely worth it.

Overall, I can't go back after using Eyes Right. And I await the day I can try the rumored Bewitch mascara at Oxford Street. If you don't like the size of Eyes Right, they also have a normal tube form of it at Oxford Street and Manchester Arndale. So I heavily recommend if you are a frequent user, to get this mascara. Your eyelashes will thank you!

Rating: 8/10 

Price: £12

Sugar Plum Fairy Lip Scrub

Christmas is certainly magical, but Lush Christmas is Wonderland. An overwhelming array of products, new and old, stunning colours and comforting aromas; with each enticing product calling you to try it. Along with Santa's lip scrub, is Sugar Plum Fairy which shares the scent of the Comforter family. The Comforter family is vast for a very good reason, appearing in most formats such as bubble bar, shower gel and cream, body lotion, and two shower jellies (Sweetie Pie & the new Comforter Shower jelly). The scent itself features a fruity blackcurrant fragrance. I find this scent is perfect in the lip scrub format as it's good enough to eat, and now I can!

With all Lush lip scrubs, to use you take a pinch and rub onto lips until you're satisfied then you simply lick or wipe off. With Sugar Plum Fairy the consistency is a lot smoother than it's siblings. Especially evident when compared to Santa's lip scrub which I find to be rather rough and hard, making it difficult to even apply. Whereas Sugar Plum Fairy's finer consistency makes it easier to stick and stay on the lips. 

The taste itself is a sweet berry with orange tang, a pleasant and delicious flavour. One that isn't overly sweet like Bubblegum lip scrub but still reminiscent of sherbet sweets I use to devour as a child. Because of it's smoother consistency, it provides a more subtle exfoliation. Leaving my lips feeling soft and plump. It doesn't necessarily dry or moisturise my lips, but I always apply a lip balm after a lip scrub so it doesn't matter so much in my routine. 

With ingredients in mind, the key elements to any lip scrub is caster sugar which is the base to exfoliate the lips of dead skin cells and to stimulate blood flow to the lips to leave them plump and healthy. Another key component is Organic Jojoba Oil which is commonly used in hair products because of it's conditioning qualities but it's fantastic to hydrate skin too. Sweet Wild Orange Oil is an antiseptic and can tone the skin, with the addition of it's refreshing taste. It also states that there's Purple Lustre which is not noticeable when using the scrub but must be used to reinforce the incredible purple colour of the product. 

Overall, I'm so glad I bought this scrub. Despite telling myself I already have enough lip scrubs to use up, these really are a great value for money with over a years worth of use. Even past the listed expiration date, lip scrubs are fine if kept clean as sugar is a natural preservative. In conclusion, I do recommend anyone to get this before it leaves. 

Rating: 10/10 (Literally no faults) 

Price: £5.75

Decisive Lipstick

With the opening of Lush Oxford street, comes with it was the re-formulated lipsticks. From liquid to solid, these new tube formats will eventually home themselves into all stores.
Now, if you've read my Bamboozled lip stain review. You'll know of my lipstick virginity. But now being acquainted and quite familiar with the Oxford Street makeup, I've happily taken the lipsticks under my wing as a new addiction. Which isn't a cheap one with each small 2g tube costing £13.50.

Decisive is a gorgeous straight up, classic 40's red. You can apply this straight on the lips for boldness, with a brush, or dab with fingers for a more plump natural look. When applying straight on you'll notice it leaves a soft, consistent, matte layer that smooths out the lips while providing no feeling of it even being there. I actually find this shade to be similar to that of a Lip Stain. Once on, Decisive barely moved or dulled. Fighting against food and drinks. Even after removing with 9 to 5, it left my lips with a subtle red tint, not even leaving any uneven patches either. My lips held their moisture, kept within the perfect balance of matte without dryness.

The ingredients in this amazing tube are ones that keep the essence of Lush. With Kalahari Melon Oil which is commonly used in their body lotions to keep skin supple. Organic Jojoba Oil to hydrate, and Organic Castor Oil to keep lips healthy whilst being a natural anti-bacterial. Candelilla wax to bind the ingredients and create an absorbent texture. Sunflower, Orange Peel, and Rose wax to usually give texture and effect. These ingredients were carefully formulated to give Decisive a stubborn hold on the lips and a beautiful soft matte texture. Even though the list of ingredients give off a impression, there is no overpowering scent or taste. Other than a sweet waxy scent, it still smells similar to lipsticks of other brands.


The small size of the tube means it won't take up much space in a hand bag for application on the go. And I can even fit two tubes in the lipstick part of my makeup organiser. Overall, I can count on this lipstick lasting me a whole night out, whilst being the perfect shade to wear casually too. It's a sharp, bold colour that carries the message "Ready to Rock" and lives up to it. I'm not sure how long a tube can last me, being my first lipstick but since it only takes one swipe to create a bold colour, I doubt it will run out anytime soon. Especially since I prefer to create a natural look by applying True and blending a little of Decisive with my finger to add a bit of colour.

I look forward to the full range being out in stores, but until then I'll have to grab a tube each time I return home to Manchester where luckily, the Arndale Lush contains the whole Oxford Street makeup range.

Rating: 8/10 

Price: £13.50

True Lipstick

I chose True because of it's almond brown colour. As a believer that to get my makeup confidence up, I first need to keep everything natural and nude, then work my way up to bold and bright. So along with Decisive, I picked this up at the Lush Creative Showcase in London where they kindly brought along Oxford Street to us.

You can apply the lipsticks straight on for boldness, with a brush, or dab with fingers for a more plump natural look. With True being such a light brown shade, it doesn't suit all skin tones. However, it depends on which application you use. While dabbing provides a more subtle tone, because it blends into my natural light pink lips quite well and creates a natural look. Where if I wanted my lips to stand out I could easily increase the intensity with more application. 

I find that True is a complete different texture to Decisive. It's thinner and clings to the dry parts of my lips. It also doesn't last as long, with average wear being about 2 hours, but will disappear instantly if eating food. But then again, with it being such a light colour, it may be because it wasn't as noticeable to begin with. True still gives me a consistent colour and application so I don't have to worry about uneven patches. 

What also makes it different to it's sibling Decisive is that instead of Melon oil, it features Watermelon seed oil, whilst most of the ingredients list staying the same. Watermelon seed oil provides light moisture while apparently being anti-aging too. With the addition of Organic Jojoba Oil to hydrate, and Organic Castor Oil to keep lips healthy whilst being a natural anti-bacterial. Candelilla wax to bind the ingredients and create an absorbent texture. Sunflower, Orange Peel, and Rose wax to usually give texture and effect. With no overpowering aroma, I do find True to have a sweeter wax scent than Decisive, but with no taste it doesn't leave an impression on the senses. 

The small size of Lush Lipsticks mean that is won't take up much room for on the go application and I can even fit two tubes in my lipstick part of my makeup organiser. While I wouldn't wear this on a night out, this is a great everyday nude lipstick. Even though I do prefer the shade of Decisive, I will probably use this shade up faster as it's more of a daily colour to help me get used to the application of lipstick. But I still expect this to last me over a year since I don't use much each time. It blends really well with other lipsticks such as the lip blocks and Decisive. But priced at £13.50 I'm hoping in the future I won't need to buy another tube of this shade as I plan on warming up to the brighter bolder options that Lush has to offer. 

The message on this shade is "Genuine and most real".

Rating: 7/10 

Price: £13.50

Lush Creative Showcase London 2016

When Lush announced the Creative Showcase I have to admit that it sparked my curiosity but the idea of traveling to London (in which I've only been once before) lessened my excitement. However, after being kindly invited, whilst knowing I would be allowed a plus one, I couldn't let my anxiety win over. I was in the midst of the busiest season at work with this planned perfectly at the end of it. Providing the perfect therapy and reason to treat ourselves.

My haul. 

So what happens at a Showcase? I'm not sure if it's just my memory or not, but I don't recall this event happening last year but that may be because I was so focused on starting University that I didn't notice. Lush mentioned in their email, the Showcase will be releasing the 2016 Christmas and Halloween collection. As well as talks, workshops, and masterclasses. Carefully not revealing there would be also Kitchen items, Oxford Street Exclusives, and a few new reveals (not for purchase).

'Nebula bath bomb £12' (aka giant Intergalactic)

As the date got nearer it was revealed there would be Kitchen items to buy but with complete surprise being items of Twilight, Honey I washed the kids, Tramp, Rose Jam, and The Comforter Shower Jellies that were newly released in the previous kitchen week. Along with classics and popular Shower Gels of Grass, Yummy Yummy Yummy, Avoshower, and Sonic Death Monkey (I apologise if I miss anything out). They also had various Swag such as T-shirts, Totes, Aprons, and Patches.

When we arrived at nearly 2, an hour and a half after opening it was already overwhelming. I didn't know what to expect, how Lush would plan everything, or more importantly, how many people were attending. With Twilight shower jellies already snatched up (luckily we found a few misplaced around the shop), ques lining up outside, and a wave of 30 degree heat, I wondered what I stepped in to. There were also other shops, with a hair lab, makeup, a giant Christmas room that even Santa would approve of, another room for the solid Mouthwash tabs, and even one for books. Again, I feel like I've missed one.

 Whilst I love that Lush gave me the chance to get so many items I've never tried before, I do think they went over the top. To even navigate and see everything was a challenge. And sadly the items took all my attention. With atleast 2-3 hours spent in various ques, then time for eating, sitting down and cooling off (I've never sweat so much in my life). I managed to run out of time and miss all the talks, workshops, and everything else. Although I don't think I've ever been so social in my life too. Running into staff from my usual (Leicester and Manchester), and talking about the Oxford street makeup with a few others, and the greatest moment of that day is hearing a familiar voice... ERICA VEGA. The Lush USA Queen of Quick Tips on Youtube or AKA the love of my life and getting to smell her fingers. (New scented nail polish)

The Tobacco Dock was the perfect venue for Lush's shenanigans. Even though I don't think anyone anticipated it would be so hot that the bath melts would literally melt. Staff were calm and collected, with some handing out bottles of water and fanning everyone in ques. Toner water was spritzed around and it gave us a great excuse to test out the new itchy scalp hair toner (Dr Itch) with stimulating peppermint to keep our heads cool.

GIANT TWILIGHT JELLY

They also provided free food with an abundance of vegan and vegetarian selection. Whilst I'm most definitely not one of those (sorry), it was amazing to try something new that I would happily eat again.

Overall, I did love every minute of it. However, for next year I hope Lush works on solving the long que problem whilst I understand there were limited tills. There was no line in the Mouthwash area because their till wouldn't accept any other items which if did, would have balanced it all out. I didn't get to attend any of the other events but I've now been given the chance to test out and review new items. And it makes me look forward to next year, in which they have to do it again.

A very big thank you to Lush for inviting me, it definitely made my summer and I can't wait for all the items to be out in stores soon.

(All photos were took by Liliya, Follow her instagram (lill_sophia) for more gorgeous pictures!)

P.S. New items = Scented Nail Polish, Perfume, Bath Bombs, Shampoo (Ditch the itch) and hair toner (Dr Itch), more shades of the makeup supplement and powders.

Bottom floor in the Tobacco Dock, featuring the new perfumes... 

Happy For S.A.D Shower Gel

I got this on a lucky chance that a friend of mine was ordering from the kitchen for the first time. Declaring that a week before I would go on a ban, I had fallen inlove with the Creme De Menthe mouth wash tabs from my last order. So with Pan Galactic still available, along with Happy for S.A.D, and Bubbling Under, I easily caved in.

The S.A.D stands for 'Seasonal Affective Disorder', defined as a depression associated with late autumn and winter, due to the lack light. Designed with this disorder in mind, the ingredients in this gel were carefully selected to alter and brighten mood. With key ingredients of Neroli oil, Grapefruit oil, Sicilian Mandarin oil, Aloe Vera gel, Fine Sea Salt, and Fresh Dove Orchid Infusion. I can see why some compare it to the regular line gel Happy Hippy, with the dominate scent being grapefruit. But unlike Happy Hippy, the Happy for S.A.D scent is a bit more complex. With highlights of the mandarin oil, creating a sour citrus scent with floral tones. Whilst Happy Hippy is sweeter with a clear, crisp grapefruit scent.

On first sniff, the scent is easily fallen inlove with. Probably now on my list of favourite Lush scents, I can't get enough of it. However, this is definitely the thinnest shower gel I have experienced. With almost water-like consistency makes it feel like you might waste half of it. BUT this lathers better than any other of my shower gels. So I can forgive the consistency.

The colour is stunning, with first glance it's a dark plum shade. When shown in the light it turns pink and even over time transforms into a pastel purple which resembles the colour of when it's out of the bottle. However, even though the scent is prominent when in use, on the skin after it seems to disappear entirely.

Overall, even though this shower gel doesn't tick off all the boxes. It still holds steady in my favourites list on scent and lathering power alone. I do find that one bottle is enough to tie me over but seeing as it's not a popular kitchen product, I may have to order a few bottles next time as it really does work well in a lot of bath cocktails as well as in the shower.

Rating: 9/10 

Price:
250g £10.50

Silky Underwear Dusting Powder

If I recall, Silky Underwear was one of the first few items I ordered online. So not only does this bottle contain a magical powder, there's 60g of nostalgia too. 

Firstly, it holds a subtle scent. With key notes being Jasmine and cocoa butter. However, the cocoa butter dominates the fresh aroma as the Jasmine certainly isn't as strong like it is in the Get Closer dusting powder. 

Performance wise, it sinks into skin immediately. Leaving you feeling clean, soft, and matte. I use it on my thighs and lower back, keeping me dry all day and sweat stains are a thing of the past. Silky Underwear is the most effective powder I've tried when it comes to thick thighs, whilst Get Closer is lovely, I prefer using that as a foot powder because of the strong scent.

The life of one bottle with daily use lasts me a year, with my recent date expiration being until 2019.

Incase you're new to dusting powders, you use them in the same way as Baby/Talc powder. To keep certain areas dry. Lush dusting powders have multiple uses. Such as, foot powder, deodrant, dry shampoo, freshen up bedsheets, or after using a lotion/massage bar. 

Being a powder it's great for travel, fitting perfectly in a handbag. Silky Underwear is also vegan and a regular line product. Furthermore, it's a fantastic value for money being £4.95 a bottle. The only cons I find are that it sometimes rubs off on clothes (but you can just rub it off) and it can be messy to apply. The cocoa butter pieces may clog the opening and once you get to the end of the bottle the big chunks of butter are all you're left with.

Overall, I can't live through summer without this product.

Rating: 9/10 

Price: 60g £4.95

Lush Oxford Street Lip Barrier Crayon

You read that right. The Lip Barrier Crayon is a crayon for your face. Designed to be used around the lips to create, well a 'barrier', to prevent lipstick bleeding or smudging. Available with the introduction of the Lush Oxford Street makeup range, on my trip to the Manchester Arndale, I had to buy this intriguing invention.

As someone that only owns the Bamboozled Lip Stain, I can't thoroughly review the performance of this crayon against lipstick. However, I do have to inform you that it has more than one use. Being told on my first visit that it can function as a 'primer'. For those that are new to makeup, a primer is used before applying makeup to create a layer to fill in pores and make foundation appear smoother on the skin as well as keeping makeup in place for longer.

So to put it to the test, I drew this on half of my face over the t-zone areas, then further rubbing it in with my fingers. You can't see the barrier crayon when applied to skin so rubbing it in allowed to me to control the amount more by knowing it was melting in the skin. After applying foundation, the half of my face that had the barrier definitely appeared smoother and I could see the foundation didn't fill in my pores meaning the barrier had beaten it to it. This is a miracle when considering I've always had a bad reputation with market brand primers, with every bottle either making my skin sticky or drying out my foundation.

Even if a primer is what you'll be using it as. I can see this crayon lasting a good year or so, and for £7 that is an absolute bargain compared to other primers. But if only used as a lip barrier, I can imagine you'll lose it before you finish it.

Overall, I'm glad I purchased this interesting product. It works especially well as an eye primer for the eye powders and creates a 'wet' base for the powders to react to and therefore brighten. So if you have the chance to, definitely buy this product!

Rating: 9/10 (Rating when used as a primer!) 

Price: £7 

Oxford Street Eye Powders

There's just something magical about a powder in a glass bottle. I would imagine seeing something similar in Alice in Wonderland with the words "wear me", and when you see the beautiful shades, you'll believe me. With the Lush Oxford Street release, with over 200 new exclusive products, makeup was a fair percent of it. Along with the never before seen Eye Powders, there's: eye jewels, face powders, lipsticks, and re-designed items like the Eyes Right Mascara and the Emotional Brilliance Face Powder.

The Eye Powders caught my attention first. With over 18 different shades, all £10 each. A heavy price tag for a single shade but when compared to Mac products, doesn't seem as bad. There are two types of eye powders, with the second labelled as 'Earth' which feature about 5 or 6 colours. Along with colour, every bottle has a unique message to live up to the name of the  'Emotional Brilliance' makeup collection.

To use, dab a brush and tap any excess off before applying to the eyelid. For a creamier/bolder effect, wet the brush beforehand and apply. All of the shades are heavily pigmented, creating an already flawless colour which is easy to blend. In my experience, the colours last all day, even after being washed off the lustre remains. Each shade is versatile in their own way, with multiple uses. So since I can't review them all in a single page, I'll feature mini reviews of each shade I own.

They don't have a scent to them and they're very generous in size. So I estimate they would last longer than the compressed shadows. Plus they fit perfectly in the lipstick part of a makeup organiser.

Overall I can see my bank account crying as I attempt at collecting all the stunning shades. And since I switched to Lush makeup, it's encouraged me to me to use it more as my confidence increases.

-Arty (Black with shimmer)
-Cherish (Beige pink)
-Hypnotic (Grey)
-Radiant (White with golden lustre)
-Sophisticated (Nude Brown with shimmer)

Earth Powders

-Protect (Baby blue)
-Lucid (Slytherin Green)

Lush Oxford Street Elated Blusher

Along with the 'Lovely' blusher, these are the two new shades of blush in the Oxford Street makeup range. That lucky for me, the Manchester Arndale store features the entirety of. On my makeup journey, I've learnt an important fact. That your face isn't all one colour. So when you plaster that foundation on, it's going to look weird. You need a bronzer, blusher, and highlighter to make it look like natural makeup, if that makes sense.

From never owning a blusher before, there was something very exciting when I purchased Elated. A beautiful sunkissed pink that I imagine as an autumn companion in the makeup box. When compared to the 'Lovely' blusher which features a bright baby pink, Elated is the more natural shade of the two.

The great thing about the new powder design is that not all the powder is exposed. With a second lid with holes that spell out "Lush" means you can control the amount better. You either apply the powder with a puff or a brush, needing a tiny amount because of the high pigmentation. I find it blends well into the skin, creating a natural glow.


When looking at the ingredients it really baffles me how Lush founders think of everything. With Organic Rose Hip Oil, known for providing vitamin A which improves skin tone. Not only that but Rose Hip Oil contains antioxidants that combat damage caused by UV rays from the Sun. In addition, this little powder incorporates Organic Jojoba Oil, which hydrates the skin. Along with talc to control oil and keep skin matte, and is used as a preservative.


However, when you compare price to size, it can look a little daunting. But when you consider, the market street ones are thinner and compressed, there is actually more in this tiny looking tub. With the high pigmentation, I can't see myself ever needing to re-stock. Overall, I'm impressed by this blusher and it may even be one of my favourite makeup items.



Rating: 9/10 

Price: £15.50

Let The Good Times Roll Cleanser

When someone asks me my favourite range of products by Lush, cleansers are the first to spring to mind. Why? Because every pot or bottle is filled with fresh, natural, skin goodness. And after trying most of them, there's not a single one that's on my worst products list.

You might have noticed that Lush products are non-prescriptive, meaning they won't label a product as "for oily/dry/combination/normal skin" like other market brands would. They know that everyone's skin is different and their cleansers will therefore effect everyone differently, despite their skin type. But that doesn't mean they're good for all skin types, a lot of them have targeted ingredients for certain conditions. Because of this, they do recommend that you get a skin consult in store to see which cleanser is best fit depending on their ingredients.

Let The Good Times Roll is a cleanser I define as made for drier skin types. When winter is coming I grab this one off the shelf and breathe in all it's glory. It offers maize flour, polenta, and actual popcorn pieces, to give a light exfoliation, just enough to unclog my pores without stripping the skin. It also features cinnamon, which stimulates the skin, and corn oil to provide vitamin E. Combined all together, these ingredients soften and brighten the skin. Leaving it lightly moisturised and smelling of yummy popcorn. I must admit this is definitely the best smelling cleanser Lush has to offer. I can't leave the same room without having a sniff of its deliciousness.

With similar designs to Angels on Bare Skin, Herbalism, and Dark Angels, these fresh cleansers are unusual to use at first. Demanding to take a pinch and add a drop of water until formed into a paste, this will be a new experience for all new Lushies and will take some time to get used to. Once formed into a paste, massage into skin and wash off with water or a face cloth. I find Let The Good Times Roll is more moist than the others, and therefore just wetting my face and applying straight on is enough, creating a paste by massaging it in. This way you gain more exfoliation, whereas if you want something softer, you add more water.

You will find that they have a short expiration date. With an average of 3 months. From all the pots I've had, they've definitely made it past that but don't worry, as long as little to no water gets in the pot and you keep it in a dry place, it shouldn't go off. Most Lush products last a lot longer than their use-by date but some aren't as effective as they would be when fresh.

The cleansers feature a more expensive price tag than the usual £1 drug store ones. But considering quality, performance, longevity, ingredients and fair pay to the farmers of those ingredients, it certainly makes it worth it.


Rating: 8/10 

Price:
100g £7.25
250g £18.10