Haul: Boxing Day

The long-awaited Boxing Day sale is here!  There are always huge rumors about if there will be a sale, what will be on sale, etc.

I received my email last night: buy one get one free on all holiday gift sets, regular gift sets, holiday products and soaps.  I quickly looked through my Lush times to make a plan.

Well, unfortunately for me, I don't like a lot of the holiday items or the gifts.  But I was excited about the soaps.  My top three favorites are Honey I Washed the Kids, Alkmaar, and Vanilla in the Mist.

Sadly, I can no longer get Vanilla in the Mist, because it was on the Discon 2011 list and my Lush store has completely sold out.  I think I did pretty well, regardless.

I purchased:

• 2 Christmas Delights tins, which include: Heavanilli massage bar, Angel's Delight soap, Candy Cane soap, Vanilla Dee-lite lotion, Sugar Babe sugar scrub, and Snow Fairy shower gel.
• 2 large Snow Fairy shower gels
• 2 Superstar bubble bars
• Appox 3 pounds of Honey I Washed the Kids soap (cut in two pieces)
• Approx 5 pounds of Alkmaar soap (cut into two pieces)

I think we're set on soap for the entire year!!

Review: Aromarant

Most antiperspirants contain aluminum.  Yes, like the stuff your cooking foil is made of.  Think about little microscopic particles of aluminum plugging your pores so you don't sweat.  Pretty gross, right?  Well, that's why you should think about switching to natural deodorants!  And yes, they are deodorants, not antiperspirants.  It's good for your body to sweat.  Sweat is a good thing -- stink is not. (:

With that said, if you've been using an antiperspirant for a long time and you switch to a natural deodorant, your body will need to adjust.  So be aware the first few days of using a natural deodorant, your sweat will smell stinkier than it's ever smelled before.  That's because your pits are detoxing and purging all those chemicals that were clogged up!  But after a few days, you'll be glad to have made the switch.

It's true-- some Lush products just aren't that easy to use.  Their deodorants are one of them.  Lush deodorants come in two forms: powder and bar.

• Coconut - too messy
• Greeench - too messy, and I don't like the herbal smell
• T'eo - more for heavy sweaters (which I am not) and the powder leaves some residue on skin and/or clothing
• Aromaco - patchouli?  no thanks!
• Aromarant - winner!

It's truly been a love/hate relationship with Aromarant.  When I first started using it, I was very surprised.  It smelled really pleasant -- but of course, I'm a sucker for sandalwood.  There's also a hint of lemon -- yes, just a slight hint -- not a distinct smell, but definitely enough to brighten the muskiness of the sandalwood.  I loved the way it was able to absorb some moisture, because of the witch hazel and sodium bicarbonate.  I also loved that my pits didn't smell like anything.  It didn't smell like body odor, or Aromarant.  It just did not smell.  And that's the point, right?

A few weeks after happily using Aromarant, something weird happened.  I got fire pits!!  (Lots of reviews on Lush's website talk about getting rashes or "fire pits" after using Aromarant)  It was truly bizarre.  I've been using the product for weeks now, and suddenly, I get fire pits?  So sadly, I stopped using it and went back to Tom's of Maine.

Then one morning, I had a bit of an epiphany: the rash may have been because my skin was too dry and irritated.  So I tried something unusual -- I put some Dream Cream on my pits before using my deodorant.  The thinking is, the Dream Cream contains soothing ingredients that will calm and moisturize my skin before I apply deodorant.

Hallelujah!!  It's been working for several weeks now, and I am a happy fresh-pit-smelling girl!

MY SCORE: 4 OUT OF 5

My score is not a 5 because it's so dang difficult to use.  Couldn't Lush put it in a nice, traditional deodorant container??  I know, I know... carbon footprint, trash, etc.

Helpful hint: Keep your Aromarant wrapped up in a ziplock bag.  This will keep it soft and makes it easier to apply.  If you leave it out, air will basically oxidize it and make it hard.  If it does get hard, just use a butter knife, or your fingernail, and scrape off the outer layer.  Sometimes before applying, I soften the bar (just the part that will be in contact with my skin) by rubbing it with my fingertips.

Review: Face Cleansers

I'm blessed to have good skin.  I've never had any acne/oil problems.  When I was younger, I would use bar soap to wash my face -- and remember, this was the Ivory stuff! -- and still maintained a clear complexion.  I never used special cleansers or a moisturizer, and miraculously, I made it through my teens.

Now that I'm older and my skin isn't as forgiving as it used to be, I need to take care of it.  Lush has a variety of face cleansers -- each one to suit the needs of different skin types.  Of course, you can't just place your skin-type into one of four neat categories (normal, oily, dry, combination), so my suggestion is to go by trial and error.

Best seller: Angels on Bare Skin

How to use: The "logs"
 Several Lush face cleansers are made and formed into logs, with the approximate size of a Starbucks venti cup. (Sad that we all know the reference, huh?)  A huge benefit is that you can go into a Lush store and buy as much or as little as you need.  Sorry online orderers, you will need to purchase their pre-packaged 8.8oz or 3.5oz sizes.  To use, place a pea-sized amount in the palm of your hand.  Add water to make a paste.  Then rub on your face and rinse.

Aqua Marina - This pasty log is made with calamine powder and aloe vera to soothe sensitive skin. It's also wrapped in seaweed to give it a boost of nutrition.  I don't need to try Aqua Marina to know that this isn't right for my combination/oily skin.  The Irish moss infusion makes it very gel-like and sticky, but sure to leave your skin super moisturized. Good for sensitive and/or dry skin.

Angels on Bare Skin - This cleanser has ground almonds, which makes it nice and scrubby.  The kaolin clay base (or it could be the lavender oil) leaves a residue on my skin that I didn't like.  This would be better suited for someone with dry skin, or combo/normal skin who wants a bit of moisturizer in their cleanser.

Herbalism - Also containing ground almonds, this herb-filled scrubby cleanser is good for oily skin-types.  I liked the way this felt on my face, but I couldn't stand the smell!!  So sorry, Herbalism, you are not for me.

Fresh Farmacy and Coalface

Coalface - This is a solid bar, so you would use it like a bar of soap.  Lush makes them in large molds, so you can cut off a large or small chunk.  Coalface contains -- you guessed it -- coal!  The powdered charcoal sucks up the oils in your pores and leaves you squeaky clean.  I really liked how clean my face felt after using this, but the licorice root took a toll on my nose, so I thought I'd give Fresh Farmacy a try.

Fresh Farmacy - Similar to Coalface, in that you use it like a bar of soap.  Fresh Farmacy contains calamine powder -- which is why it is pink in color -- and is good for reducing redness and irritations.  I find it to be a bit drying, which is probably good because it is sucking oils out of your pores.  I love the smell and the squeaky clean results of my skin, but I only using it every once in a while because it does dry my skin quite a bit.

Ocean Salt - I can see why this is one of Lush's most popular face cleansers.  The sea salt and lime cleanses the skin while the avocado and coconut moisturizes.  I was surprised at how gentle this scrub is.  I was expecting the sea salt to be more coarse, but they are fairly fine granules.  In fact, too fine for me.  I didn't feel like it was scrubby enough.  But I'm hardcore and like a good, rough scrubbing.  Try it for yourself -- you'll probably really enjoy this one.

AND THE WINNER IS....

Dark Angels, cute sugar bowl

Dark Angels - This is my all-time favorite cleanser, hands down!!  It truly is a combination of Angels on Bare Skin and Coalface.  It has the consistency of Angels on Bare Skin (but uses black sugar instead of ground almonds) which makes it nice and scrubby.  It also contains powdered charcoal like Coalface, which sucks up oil and dirt.  Lush also adds avocado to the mix to moisturize skin.  I love this product.  It is my every day staple.

You have to keep  your "log" cleansers away from water when not using.  I keep mine in a glass sugar bowl, because all of my Lush products have cute homes. (: Right before I enter the shower, I take a small amount out (I like to use a chunk the size of two peas) and set it on the counter right next to my shower so I can grab it right before I wash my face.  For my gym bag, I purchased several 1/4oz flip-top pill containers and filled each one with enough Dark Angels for one use.  Keeping it very simple, I only need to enter the gym shower with: a bath sponge, shower gel (Lush shower gels are awesome for body and hair) and container of Dark Angels.  Easy.  Done.

Review: Godiva

Every Lush soap / shampoo bar deserves a good soap dish!

Yes, it is a shampoo.  Yes, it is solid and shaped like a hockey puck.  Yes, it is amazing.  Let's start with its super-scientific qualities.

How to use: Get your hair wet.  Slide the puck down your hair (like you're combing it) 3 times -- left, center, right.  Then put down the puck, that's all you need!  When you start to lather your hair, it will be plenty of shampoo-y goodness to get you nice and clean.  If you have longer than shoulder-length hair, you may need an additional swipe or two, but not much more than that.

This tiny little solid shampoo has revolutionized the way I think about packaging.  Ok, so I spent $11 on shampoo the size of my palm.  But because you need so little, this puck will last the equivalent of three shampoo bottles!  Not only are you saving money, but you're also saving on packaging.  Less packaging means less trash in the world,  less raw materials being used, and a smaller carbon footprint!  Win win!

So the hippy part of my brain and the nerdy (financial) part of my brain are happy, but also the girly part of my brain is cheering for joy because this stuff works!

Lush advertises this as a shampoo & conditioner in one because there's cocoa butter and shea butter in the puck to moisturize your locks.  The jasmine absolute (and I think there are even jasmine petals in it) leaves your hair smelling heavenly!

MY SCORE: 5 OUT OF 5 !!

I have a three-year old and I use this on her hair because it's gentle, and I don't have to fuss with conditioner to get her hair silky soft.  I still follow with conditioner when using Godiva because I have thin, fragile hair.  It never hurts to follow with a conditioner -- everyone's hair is different.  The scent is mild enough for the whole family to use, ie: the husband doesn't think it's "girly shampoo."

To get the most bang for your puck (ha! get it?), place it on a soap dish that drains well.  My shower caddy broke the other day, so I placed my soaps and shampoo bars temporarily on the shower shelf.  The next day, the shampoo bars formed a gelatinous goo on the bottom.  It still worked just fine, but I prefer to not have any goo in the shower.  So find a nice home for your precious shampoo bar, ok?

Review: Sympathy for the Skin

All Lush lotions are top notch.  They contain quality ingredients, and are each so different (their scent AND their effects on skin) that there's something for everyone.  Although I use many lotions for many different reasons, Sympathy for the Skin is my absolute favorite.

There are real bananas in this lotion.  Real bananas!  (Not sure if you can see the seeds/fiber in the picture)  It's such an ingenious way of using natural, raw ingredients to soften skin.  It's then mixed with fair trade cocoa butter and almond oil to keep you moisturized all day.  I used some this morning and 6 hours later, my arms are still soft and smooth!

At first I was turned off by the mild scent of banana.  But the warm vanilla overpowers it and now I don't even smell the banana anymore... only a yummy vanilla-y, custard-y fragrance.  Makes me want to take a bite of my arm every time I smell it!

You may think $26 is expensive for a 8.4oz container of lotion, but because there is very little (if any?) water added to Lush lotions, a little bit goes a long way.  My hands get very tight and dry after just getting them wet, let alone washing them.  And I have an infant, so I'm washing my hands a lot.  I use Sympathy every time after I wash my hands and this tub has lasted months!  But I don't mind splurging on lotion.  Just like taking care of your teeth, you gotta take care of your skin -- it's the only set you'll have for your entire life. (:

MY SCORE: 4 out of 5

Why am I giving my favorite lotion only a 4?
Because the scent doesn't really last.  It's mild and wears off after a few hours.  Some people may like that -- they don't want an overpowering scent.  But I love the smell of this sooo much that I wish it would last all day!