A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

This Valentine’s day, why not share a bath with someone you love?  Just make sure that you don’t get the tap end.

LUSH have released some new delights and brought back some old favourites in celebration of the mushy occasion!

New to the LUSH party this year are…

1. Be Mine (£26.95) … A sexy selection of six scrumptious treats that’s sure to make the one you love ‘be yours’ this Valentine’s Day. Inspire someone to melt into a marshmallow bath, let it rain men in the shower and get up close and personal with a Soft Coeur massage. A gift to ensure they’ll stay yours as well! Contents: Melting Marshmallow Moment bath melt, The Frog Prince bath ballistic, It’s Raining Men shower gel (100g), Sex Bomb bath ballistic, Sugar Babe sugar scrub, Soft Coeur massage bar, Lust solid perfume.

2. It’s Raining Men shower gel (£4.25 for 110g / £7.95 for 260g / £14.25 for 510g) … hallelujah! A divine shower gel scented with our best-selling Honey I Washed the Kids fragrance … amen! Shower with this luxurious honey and tropical flower gel and your skin will be left deliciously soft, scented like crème brule and extremely lickable!

3. The Frog Prince bath ballistic (£2.75) … kiss this cute little character (on his bright red, pursed pout), throw him in a tub of warm water and, as the fairytale goes, marvel as he dissolves in front of your eyes to reveal your very own Prince Charming … or in this case, a sticker of one of our charming compounders from the Lush factory! And as you would expect for royalty, he has his own, exquisite, sultry brand new fragrance – a majestic blend of jasmine, sandalwood, rose and neroli.

4. Love Birds soap (£3.00 for 100g) … something for all those lovers out there, this gorgeous new soap is scented with some beautiful aphrodisiac essential oils to make Valentine’s Day that extra bit special! It’s the Keep It Fluffy fragrance, which includes sensual jasmine and vanilla for a romantic soap that will soften and moisturise skin, while leaving it delicately scented.

5. P.S. I Love You (£13.95) … say it with Lush and tell that special someone what you’ve been meaning to say for ages. This cute little gift is a foursome of romantic products to leave your special someone feeling in no doubt of your feelings. All wrapped up with love birds and heart embossed paper. Contents: The Joy of Jelly shower jelly (100g), Strawberry Feels massage bar (mini), Love Birds soap, Sex in the Shower emotibomb.

1. Truly Scrumptious (£27.25) … a delectable collection of Lush’s sweetest treats, what better way to tell someone you’re sweet on them?! Contains Lush’s best-selling Honey I Washed the Kids soap, a chocolately Whipstick lip balm, Space Girl and Butterball bath ballistics, Vanilla Dee-lite body lotion, Creamy Candy bubble bar and a Melting Marshmallow Moment bath melt. All in all, it’s exactly what it says on the tag!

2. Ex Factor bath ballistic (£1.99) … a gingerman shaped little friend to join those Valentine-less folk in the bathtub, who may be feeling a little blue at this time of the year and fed up with all the lovey dovey paraphernalia wherever they look! He dissolves in the warm water in a swirl of ylang ylang and vanilla to reveal a small pink candy heart. The delectable mix of essential oils is the same as our best-selling Butterball bath ballistic, so will leave you feeling happy, relaxed and ready to meet someone else!

3. Magic Mushroom bubble bar (£2.30) … a fun-guy to share Valentine’s Day with, this charming toadstool is a frothy strawberries and cream scented wonder for your bath. The fragrance is a blend of Lush’s best-selling Vanillary and the popular strawberry-sundae Yummy Yummy Yummy. Crumble under running water for masses of skin softening strawberry and vanilla scented bubbles.

4. Hello Gorgeous (£17.90) … it’s always good to tell people they’re gorgeous and what better way than with a selection of Lush’s most gorgeous products. There’s a Japanese influence, with a cherry blossom design on the outside and the mimosa scented Sakura bath ballistic on the inside. Also contains a small tin of Gorgeous, our extra special orange blossom moisturiser; Helping Hands hand cream; cherry and mimosa Rub Rub Rub shower scrub (100g) and a lovely pink luxury bath melt made with marshmallows.

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I haven’t decided if I’m falling in line with the marketing this year or going all-out I HATE HEARTS AND FLOWERS.

Are you a Valentine’s celebrator?  However I’m feeling about all that love stuff, I never fail to use the occasion as a magnificent excuse to do things that I couldn’t get away with on an ‘ordinary’ day… hello Chinese takeaway, self-indulgent baths and leftover Quality Street.  Love yourself I say!

The ever-popular LUSH Christmas gifts are back for the Winter… ranging from the accessible Secret Santas right up to those lustworthy hat boxes!

Here’s what LUSH have in store for us this Christmas…

1. Secret Santa (£5.00) – Snowcake star soap and Satsumo Santa bath ballistic.

2. Best Wishes (£9.95) – Bearded Lady bubble bar, Satsumo Santa bath ballistic, So White bath ballistic.

3. Chillin’ With My Gnomies (£6.50) – Snow Globe soap and Whoosh shower jelly.

4. Christmas Cracker (£6.50) – Cinders and The Boogg bath ballistics.

5. Christmas Allsorts (£9.95) – Satsumo Santa, The Boogg and Lil’ Lush Pud bath ballistics.

6. Have A Sweet Christmas (£5.95) – Candy Cane bubble bar and Godmother soap.

7. Snow Fairy (£9.95) – Snow Fairy shower gel; Angel’s Delight soap star; Shimmy Shimmy massage bar.

8. Matryoska (£9.95) –  So White soap, So White bath ballistic and Cinders bath ballistic.

9. Winter Warmer (£7.50) – Glogg shower gel and Mandarin’s Tea Party soap (50g).

1. Christmas Present (£13.95) – Christmas Eve bubble bar, Winter Bath ballistic, Fizz Banger ballistic, Mandarin’s Tea Party soap.

2. Christmas Candy Box (£19.95) – Snow Fairy shower gel; Candy Cane bubble bar; Rock Star soap; Honey I Washed the Kids soap; Bubblegum lip scrub; Snow Fairy tinted lip balm.

3. Christmas Tweets (£14.50) – Snowcake soap, Vanilla Fountain bath ballistic, Lil’ Lush Pud bath ballistic, Smitten hand cream (45g).

4. Gingerbread House (£13.95) – Gingerbread House Bubble Bar, Cinders Bath Ballistic, Candy Cane Bubble Bar, Lil Lush Pud ballistic.

5. Happy Christmas (£19.95) – Christmas Eve bubble bar; Sexy Peel soap; Mandarin’s Tea Party soap; Dragon’s
Egg bath ballistic; Butterball bath ballistic; Cinders bath ballistic.

6. Christmas Star (£19.95) – Lil’ Lush Pud; Winter Bath; Butterball; Cinders; So White; and Mrs Whippy bath ballistics.

7. The First Snow (£19.95) – Snow Globe Soap; Ice Blue soap; Too Drunk emotibomb; Once a Year massage bar, Iced Wine shower jelly and Glogg shower gel.

1. Christmas Wishes (£24.95) – Sexy Peel and Mandarin’s Tea Part soaps, mini Sugar Scrub, The Olive Branch and Glogg shower gels, Buffy body conditioner, New shampoo bar.

2. Winter Wonderland (£49.95) – Sugar Plum Fairy sugar scrub, Glogg shower gel (100g), Snow Globe soap, Porridge soap, Turkish Delight shower smoothie, Iced Wine shower jelly, Once a Year massage bar, Double Choc tinted lip balm, Rub Rub Rub shower scrub (100g), Aqua Mirabilis body butter, Vanilla Dee-lite body lotion, Lip Dip lip scrub, Too Drunk emotibomb.

3. Stardust (£24.95) – Twilight bath ballistic, Lip Dip lip scrub, Sugar Plum Fairy sugar scrub, Iced Wine shower jelly, Angel’s Delight soap, Candy Cane bubble bar, Snow Fairy shower gel.

4. Bathtime Favourites (£24.95) – Lil’ Lush Pud, Cinders, So White, Winter Bath, Butterball, Lil’ Big Blue, Lil’ Avobath, Lil’ Honey Bee and Lil’ Sex Bomb bath ballistics.

5. 12 Days of Christmas (£34.95) – The Boogg bath ballistic, Winter Bath bath ballistic, Satsumo Santa bath
ballistic,  Cinders  bath  ballistic,  So  White  bath  ballistic,  Bearded  Lady  bubble  bar,
Gingerbread  House  bubble  bar,  Candy  Cane  bubble  bar,  Christmas  Eve  bubble  bar,
Mandarin’s Tea Party soap, Snow Globe soap, Glogg shower gel.

6. Winter Garden (£29.95) – Vanilla in the Mist soap, Mandarin’s Tea Party soap, Snowcake soap, Maple Taffy lip balm, Once a Year massage bar, King of Skin body butter, Sugar Plum Fairy sugar scrub, The Olive Branch shower gel.

7. All The Best (£29.95) – Each Peach massage bar, Dream Cream body lotion, Karma and Snowcake soaps, The Olive Branch shower gel, Christmas Eve bubble bar, Cinders and Avobath ballistics.

1. All I Want for Christmas (£64.95) – Cinders, Satsumo Santa, So White, Lil’ Lush Pud, The Boogg and Winter Bath
ballistics, Candy Cane, Christmas Eve, Bearded Lady and Gingerbread House bubble bars, Mandarin’s Tea Party, Snowcake, Angel’s Delight and Snow Globe soaps, Maple Taffy lip balm, Lip Dip lip scrub, Sugar Plum Fairy sugar scrub, Snow Fairy tinted lip balm, Glogg and Snow Fairy shower gels, Iced Wine shower jelly and Once a Year massage bar.

2. Wonderful Christmas Time (£99.50) – Maple Taffy lip balm, Karma soap, Winter bath ballistic, The Boogg, Cinders and Butterball bath ballistics, Christmas Eve, Pop in the Bath and Dorethy bubble bars, Iced Wine shower  jelly, Glogg shower gel, 9-5 cleanser, Sweet Lip  lip scrub, Figs and Leaves soap,  Brimstone  scrub,  Aqua  Mirabilis  body  butter,  New  shampoo  bar,  Ultrabalm, Ceridwen’s Cauldron bath melt, Crème Anglaise body lotion (100g), Each Peach massage bar,  Grass  shower  gel  (100g),  Orange  Blossom  solid  fragrance,  Celestial  moisturiser (sample tin).

3. Merry Christmas Darling (£89.95) – Once a Year massage bar, Soft Coeur massage bar, Massage bar  tin,
Amandopondo bubble bar, Sex Bomb bath ballistic, It Started with a Kiss tinted lip balm, Sex in the Shower emotibomb, Joy of Jelly shower  jelly, Godiva shampoo bar, shampoo bar tin, MMM  luxury bath melt, Lip Sip lip scrub, Angel’s Delight soap, Candy Cane bubble bar,  Silky Underwear dusting powder, French Kiss bubble bar, Keep it Fluffy ballistic, Flying Fox shower gel, Lust solid  fragrance, Sugar Babe sugar scrub, Sultana of Soap, Sexy Peel soap, Honey Trap lip balm, Smitten hand cream (in a pump), Mrs Whippy bath ballistic.

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Phew!  I need a rest after all that… and strangely enough… I’m hankering after a LUSH bath.  Which of those gift sets has your name on it?

No one celebrates the end of October more beautifully than the people of Mexico.

“Day of the Dead” or “Día de los Muertos” as it’s known locally is a celebration of the lives of those who have passed on and allows the living to remember them in their own way.

The costumes and festivities involved in this celebration have inspired LUSH to release their Halloween goodies themed around the Mexican holiday.

1. CALAVERA Bath Ballistic (£2.95)

Calavera means skull in Spanish, so drop this ballistic into your tub and watch as it explodes with bright, vibrant colour and dances around your tub.  The fragrance is a blend of lime oil and Mexican marigold petals – both of which play a huge part in traditional Mexican cooking and celebrations. One of our new version ballistics with bubble bar mixed in with it, it leaves a trail of skin softening bubbles as it dances about the water, interweaving different colours together in a celebration of the after life.

2. CALACAS shower jellies (£2.95)

Calacas is skeleton in Spanish, so these colourful jellies are designed to represent dancing skulls – another iconic image of the Day of the Dead celebrations. There are four to choose from: in red, green, yellow or orange and each one is scented with the same uplifting, invigorating scent of lime and neroli. These wibbly wobbly jellies are also infused with aloe vera gel, to soften and soothe the skin. Especially good frozen, they make for a great bracing, sharp shock in the morning – great if you’ve overdone it with the tequila the night before!

3. LADY CATRINA soap (£2.95 for 100g)

A spectacular hat-shaped soap decorated with bright, neon flowers. Lady Catrina was an etching by Jose Guadalupe Posada that he made in the early Twentieth Century to parody that the rich and fashionable, despite their pretensions to importance, are just as susceptible to death as anyone else. Since then, Lady Catrina has become an iconic image for the Day of the Dead celebrations … And she wore big, colourful hats! The same fragrance as Calavera ballistic, it’s fresh, zesty and uplifting.

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Anything among the new Day of the Dead themed bathroom goodies that capture your attention?

I’m not a fan of LUSH shower jellies (too tricky to chase with soapy hands!!) and I have far too many bars of LUSH soap to get through as it is… but I’ll definitely be indulging in a Calavera Bath Ballistic – I love that the new ones bubble!

Light Pink my bum.

I picked up the LUSH Colour Supplement in shade Light Pink a few months ago.  In theory, I love the idea.  A simple product that can be used in multiple ways?  I’ll let LUSH explain:

…Just mix into your favourite moisturiser for a natural tint or use on its own as a foundation. You can also dot a little around unsightly blemishes for effective coverage.

With Summer nearly upon us, I wanted a tinted moisturiser.  Well, I *thought* I wanted a tinted moisturiser.  TM’s are an odd beast… we love them in principle, but in reality?  We often crave more coverage.  I envisaged that with LUSH’s Colour Supplement, I would be able to custom mix my tinted moisturiser… adding extra product on days when I wanted a more flawless finish.

LUSH currently offer 4 shades.  Light Pink, Dark Pink, Light Yellow, Dark Yellow.  It’s not rocket science… and I like it that way.

Except that Light Pink isn’t very light.  And it’s not very pink either.

If you go to the dictionary… and open the page at “light pink”, you’d see a picture of me.

Oooh look, tide marks!

Better, but no cigar.

Otherwise?  I like the product.  It’s too drying for me to use neat as a concealer or foundation as LUSH suggest, but I loved having the ability to self-mix my tinted moisturiser in the mornings.  But sadly, the shades just aren’t right for me.

LUSH Colour Supplements are priced at an incredibly reasonable £7.50 for 20g.  That small pot will make a hell of a lot of TM.

Are you a fan?

LUSH Tea Tree Water Popular Toner

No, no, no… not that kind of popular…

1 : of or relating to the general public
2 : suitable to the majority: as a : adapted to or indicative of the understanding and taste of the majority b : suited to the means of the majority : inexpensive
3 : frequently encountered or widely accepted
4 : commonly liked or approved

This is my second bottle, I have a toner addiction.  It sits nicely alongside my million other addictions, I’m allowed though… I gave up smoking 2 years ago, these pale into insignificance by comparison.  I’d quite like to give up my food addiction though… am I going off on a tangent again?

Where was I?  (About 150 words in, without having said anything useful)

Ok…. LUSH Tea Tree Water… the popular toner…

I find this one particularly refreshing on warm days, the tea tree water is a beautifully cooling astringent that isn’t too harsh for my skin.  I’m not THAT oily, so don’t really have much call for astringent and was initially concerned that this could be a little drying… it isn’t.  It’s just refreshing.

Last summer, I kept one of these in my glove compartment in the car and whipped it out often on long journeys for a quick spritz.  That’s it really, it’s not mega-exciting… but it’s something that I’ve seen fit to repurchase, a summer essential if you like.

I do appreciate a short ingredient list… would appreciate it even more without the Methylparaben, but I don’t really know enough about the paraben controversy done to hold any kind of educated opinion.

I paid £3.25 for a 100g bottle.

What have you picked up from LUSH recently?

From the 1st June 2010, staff from Lush Cosmetics are embarking on a nationwide cycle journey that will encompass each and every Lush store in the UK.

They’re doing it in aid of the Change Your World campaign – a movement that encourages people to consider alternative, sustainable modes of transport for local journeys.  And this, is where the Cyclists Repair Kit comes in…

In conjunction with this journey, Lush has launched a limited edition Cyclists’ Repair Kit (£9.95) that contains six fresh handmade cosmetics to repair and rejuvenate tired cyclists.

Available throughout the month of June only, the kit contains a 10g sample tin of Lush’s NEW Ultrabalm, a sample sized Ultralight SPF 10 moisturiser; one 10g pot of Kings of the Mods styling gel to keep hair smooth under cycle helmets; one Aromaco deodorant with patchouli; one sample sized Handy Gurugu hand cream; and a Wiccy Magic Muscles cinnamon and mint massage bar to rub onto aching muscles to help dispel tension and possible inflammation.

I reckon it’d make a great little festival kit for the summer!

Talking of which, any of you ladies take part in the festival circuits?  I’ve never been to one!

I don’t generally copy press releases verbatim, but thought this might be of interest…

We love mums here at Lush – they give good cuddles and bake yummy cake, so we think they deserve some serious spoiling come Mother’s Day. With this in mind, on Sunday 14th March 2010 Lush will be opening up their doors to all mums for an afternoon of decadent pampering.

The afternoon festivities will have a 1950s theme and there will be free hand massages, foot massages and facials available, – along with cups of tea, cakes and even some vegan treats. All mums are welcome – young and old – whom their children are treating or who just feel like indulging themselves! And there’s even something to keep the children occupied – while mum is being pampered and preened, the little‘uns can colour in their special Lush Mother’s Day cards.

Lush has also designed a selection of limited edition gifts and products especially for Mother’s Day. Treat her to the new MUM hatbox (£25.95) containing a selection of bath and body products to spoil and pamper; or buy a bunch of MUMS ballistics (£3.50 each) that are short for chrysanthemums and offer a quirky alternative to giving mum flowers!

So if you are looking for the perfect Mother’s Day gift to say thank you to your wonderful mother, what better way than heading down your nearest Lush store and giving your mum the treat she really deserves!

Mother’s Day parties are taking place on 14th March 2010 in Lush stores nationwide. To find your nearest Lush store, please call 01202 668 454 or visit www.lush.co.uk

Ok, press release outta the way, am curious…

Are any of you “Lush Heads”?  I’ve never known (what is essentially a soap company) divide opinion so strongly.  A lot of people seem to love the brand with a passion… and there are equalliy as many who can’t stand it.  Which camp are you in?

Me?… I think it’s mostly overpriced, but there are certainly a few gems in the lineup that I would purchase over and over again.  Plus, I haven’t found better drawer scenters than their bath bombs… Leila always smells like a litle Lushie!

Baahhhh!

Like the sheep I am, I knew I had to have this after reading about it on the fabulous LionLovingTiger‘s blog.

LUSH Mint Julips is a sugar-rich scrub for your lips, housed in a fully unsanitary little black glass pot.  It’s possibly the most travel unfriendly item I own, and yet I tote it around with me everywhere, sneaking it out of my handbag whenever I’m in a semi-private place to give my lips a quick rub.  I did tell you they were mega dry!  Mint Julips works well, it scours them giving my lips a smoother surface for applying lipstick whilst leaving a little oil behind to moisturise.  I do find myself applying some balm ontop for extra hydration though.

It’s not a clever product, as many bloggers before me have poined out, you could easily make it yourself at home.  But I’m as lazy as I am flakey-lipped.

The new LUSH Lip Scrubs come in three flavours: Mint Julips (After Eights!), Bubblegum (Bubblegum durr) and Sweet Lips (Chocolate).  They taste far too nice for cosmetic products and it’s a struggle to keep them on your lips and off your tongue.  Or is that just me?

I love the product and hate the packaging, alhough I’m not sure how they could have improved it.  Have you tried these?

LUSH Mint Julips Lip Scrub – £4.50 available online and instore.

Every year I do it.  I forget Pancake Day, or to give it it’s biblical name… Jif Lemon Day. (Tuesday 16th February incase you were wondering)

Do you remember those Jif adverts when you were a kid?  They were proper public service announcements weren’t they?

Anyway…

They Say:

Lemslip shower butter cream (£2.50 for 100g) from Lush has been given a makeover.  Lush’s butter creams are now more solid, similar to our soap, so easier to use in the shower and needing less packaging.

Lemslip contains fresh lemon juice, lime oil and sweet orange oil.  This one will awaken the senses and effectively cleanse dull skin. Cocoa butter moisturises the skin, along with extra virgin coconut oil.

I Say:

I love lemon things… food-scented things in general if I’m honest.  Mint, Ginger, Bubblegum… all a big hit with me.  I think this is more for oily skins, thanks to the antibacterial properties of those citrus oils.  I haven’t tried these Shower Butter Creams, but I do like the LUSH Shower Jellies.

I don’t think you can put it on your pancakes though.

Have you tried this or the other Butter Creams?  I’m kind of a LUSH n00b!