I'm Home Perfume (Solid + Liquid)

What comes to mind when you picture home? To me, Home is change. Home is where my family is. It's where my friends are. It's christmas and summer. It's something I know I will always have, and it's also a dream to one day make my own. Home is complicated.

When I smell this perfume, it truly does feel like Home in a bottle. It's sweet and welcoming, the warmth of a family coming together. I immediately pick up on the vanilla, transforming into a pudding-like sweetness. Along with the cocoa absolute that reminds me of hot chocolate at Christmas. It's almost a sticky sweet scent but not one that I can turn my nose up at. I usually hate the sweet scents like Snow Fairy. But there's something about I'm Home that captures the addictive side of chocolate and sweetness that makes you melt.

Both the liquid and solid versions last their worth on my skin. I usually spray after I've had a shower and dried off, and one spray is enough. I go to town and still get whiffs of it in the wind. The solid version is very creamy in consistency and doesn't smell as alcoholic as the liquid. The solid is definitely gentler and not as overpowering, but still, offers a powerful impression on the skin.

What I also love is the new packaging for the solids. However, it means that I won't be able to remelt as I usually do with the tin version when I've used it a bit too aggressively. It reminds me of the packaging of a brow pomade. It does mean the actual product is only 6g compared to the 12g in the tin, so iwe're getting half for the same price. But take into account the new formula is probably more lightweight and you don't need to use as much since it's definitely more potent. I find that a few swatches of the new formula and I am set for the day.

I find that I'm home is similar to the likes of it's volume 4 sibling- Cardamom Coffee. They both feature a sweet warmth and when I pointed this out in store, a staff member gave the perfect metaphor that I'm Home is like a mocha and Cardamom Coffee is like a cappuccino. So if you have fallen in love with this scent, then you have to try Cardamom Coffee (or vice versa) as you won't be disappointed.

I will be certainly wearing this during the winter season as it will pick me up on those dull wet days and make me feel less homesick whilst I'm at university. I absolutely adore this addition so far and thank the Lush founders for creating such a beautiful scent. I heavily recommend it.

Rating: 10/10

Price:
30ml £25
100ml £49
Solid £9 

Vanilla Puff Dusting Powder

Featuring in this week's kitchen menu (commencing 22nd May 2017) is Vanilla Puff Dusting Powder. It got me thinking to when I bought my current one, tracking back through the menu's and recalling I bought it alongside the Halloween gift set- Great Balls of Bicarb. But before its Kitchen appearances, Vanilla Puff was in the regular line, discontinued in 2015 alongside old favourites like Space Girl bath bomb, Phoenix Rising bath bomb, Grass shower gel, Sweetie Pie shower jelly... need I go on listing the mistakes Lush made that year? (Sorry Lush) Sadly, I missed out on a lot of these products. I had only found Lush earlier that year, and was still finding ways to justify the hefty price tags. But I do remember smelling Vanilla Puff in store and being appalled by it's sickly sweet scent (noses change though okay?). More then a year later, I talked myself into trying it again. I had fallen in love with the dusting powders and thought I may as well make postage worth it, and I haven't regretted it since.

Vanilla Puff shares it's scent with the modest Vanillary scent family. You can find this scent in the regular line in the forms of the liquid and solid perfume in stores and online. Other members include the Vanilla Fountain bath bomb, Heavenilli massage bar, and Vanilla Dee-lite body lotion (this one was discontinued alongside the dusting powder). The siblings do make frequent appearances in the Kitchen every month or so though. But going back to Vanilla Puff. This format is certainly different to the perfume. I find it to be lighter and sweeter, in the more natural way. Capturing a vanilla ice cream essence.

So how do you use a dusting powder? Dusting powders are a wonderful thing. You can use them as dry shampoo to refresh your hair, absorbing oil whilst offering a fragrance. Sprinkle on fresh bed sheets, or on your carpet before vacuuming. I prefer to use them on my thighs to reduce sweat and chafing, as well as on my feet to keep them smelling fresh and dry. Some dusting powders, such as Powdered Sunshine which is SPF 15, is fantastic to use as a face powder to protect from the sun and keep oily skin at bay. In regards to Vanilla Puff, I mainly use it in my hair or after a lotion, as it's not as absorbing as Silky Underwear.

Vanilla Puff also holds a little surprise, so don't be startled when you spot a strange object in your bottle! There's a vanilla pod inside which is easy to remove. The consistency of the powder itself is very fine and smooth, disappearing onto the skin to leave behind a gorgeous scent. I find I don't need to use loads either as powders go a long way. 60g may seem like a small amount but with regular use I can get around 6 months out of one bottle. Which is why I see the price is worth it as I don't see myself running out anytime soon.

Overall, this is one of my favourite dusting powders. It's a scent that I have grown in to during my time as a Lushie, and I recommend anyone with a sweet tooth to get this product. I love taking this with me as it fits nicely in my bag when travelling, so I can top up during the day! Dusting powders can be a bit messy, but once you get more practice, they become easier to use.

Rating: 8/10
Price: 60g £6.25
Hidden Message: "Sweet on you"

Pink Custard Shower Jelly Mothers Day Range 2017

As each passing season, I am definitely feeling poorer as Lush release a new range of items that get better and better. When I first heard the leak of a new shower jelly, I was immediately looking forward to getting my hands on it. On the first day, the Mothers Day range hit shops (17th February 2017) I was there to pick up a tub along with Scrubee body butter. Whilst I couldn't detect any form of fragrance in the shop, as soon as I got home and opened it, I was hit with a wave of fresh lavender.

So let us start with how to use shower jellies (the important bit). Shower jellies can be a mystery to even the older Lushies but don't give up! There are many ways you can use it, just find what is right for you. My preferred way is to smush a wet loofah into the jelly, whilst it's still in the pot, and just keep doing that until I am satisfied with the amount of suds. Other ways include: blending your jellies in a food processor until they are a smoothie-like consistency, cutting them up into pieces to smush into your sponge/loofah, or rub directly on the body (easier with the 100g ones or just cut the bigger ones into 4 hand size pieces).

All shower jellies by Lush contain a key ingredient- Carrageenan Extract. This is used as a natural and vegan alternative to the commonly used gelatin. Carrageenan Extract is derived from dried Irish moss seaweed and provides the jelly with moisture to soften skin. Another key ingredient in this jelly is Lavender Oil which dominates the scent. But Lavender has been known for centuries as an ingredient that calms the mind and to provide a restful nights sleep. However, it also has balancing and soothing qualities which are great for the skin and scalp. Along with this, Pink Custard contains Golden Syrup, Neroli Oil, Vanilla Absolute, Tonka Absolute, and Organic Coconut Milk.

Scent wise, this jelly shares its fragrance with the Think Pink bath bomb (one of the few I've not tried). But to me, this jelly smells strongly of fresh lavender in the pot, but once in use in the shower, the vanilla comes through creating a sweet and comforting aroma. There have been a mix of reviews regarding the scent, while this is my opinion, some find it to smell similar to that of Chlorine, or Twilight, which I can understand.
The only quality of this jelly I don't like scent wise is that I can't detect much on my skin post-shower. However, it does leave me feeling fresh and my skin clean, as well as soft and hydrated. Other than that, after using it every day for more than I week, I have become to love this jelly and really give credit to Lush for creating a fantastic new shower jelly. Using the method of smushing my loofah into the pot, it doesn't create as much suds as my other jellies but the suds that are produced are a beautiful vibrant pink and who doesn't want to shower in pink suds?

To conclude, I highly recommend everyone try this jelly. I find a big pot usually lasts me more than 6 months of daily use, making it fantastic value for money, and if you have dry skin this will certainly be better than shower gels which I can sometimes find to be too drying. So grab a tub before it leaves, or until I buy every pot Lush has made!


Rating: 9/10

Price: 
100g £4.25
250g £8.50

Secret Message: "What's pink and dangerous?"

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

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

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