Review: Moisturizers

When I first discovered Lush in August, I fell in love with Imperialis.  I don't know how it works, but it works.

I have no idea what my skin type is.  It's hard to categorize when people ask oily, dry, combination?  All of the above!  It depends on a lot of things: the weather, the type of cleanser I use, my level of activity (like when I've just taken a shower after working out and I'm still sweaty), etc.

During the summer months, Imperialis was the perfect moisturizer for me.  It was lightweight with a matte finish.  My face did not feel greasy.  It was easy for me to apply powder immediately afterwards (yes that's all the makeup I wear!) and my face was balanced all day.

Then winter hit, and my skin needed more.  I tried Celestial, because I love the way it smells, but it was too greasy for me.  (I still keep it on hand because I could use it as a night moisturizer.)  But eventually I settled on Vanishing Cream, and I think I'm in love with this one even MORE than Imperialis!

And now I know why they call it Vanishing Cream. (:  It instantly soaks into your skin.  It is so light, yet clears up any dry patches that appear when I get out of the shower.  It smells a little like Dream Cream -- must be the lavender -- but I'm getting used to that.

Overall, I'd say you can't choose which moisturizer is right for you based upon my review.  You should go to a Lush store, demand samples of all of them, and give them a try.  Price-wise, they're cheaper than most department store cosmetic facial moisturizers -- and you'll feel better about using it.

Cocktail: Shampoos and Conditioners

Ok, so not so much a "cocktail" as a perfect pairing of Lush shampoo and conditioners.

I think I love Lush hair care more than anything.  It's done wonders for my hair and the shampoo bars are just so dang ingenious!  I've tried most of the shampoo bars, aside from the obvious that wouldn't work well with me (Soak and Float, Jumping Juniper), and my husband has toiled around with all of the liquid shampoos.  The winners?  Well, he loves Rehab.  My favorites are:

Irresistible Bliss shampoo bar with American Cream conditioner -- I was really surprised with Irresistible Bliss and the mild honeysuckle scent that lingers.  However, its cleansing agents are also mild.  It leaves my hair a little dry, so I feel like I need to use a heavier conditioner with it.  Luckily, the scent of American Cream conditioners pairs nicely and my hair smells yummy all day.

Karma Komba shampoo bar with Veganese conditioner -- I never thought I would like anything Karma scented, but the orange oil really balances out the patchouli smell.  Also, its magical oils (orange and lavendin) really nourishes my hair, so a light conditioner like Veganese pairs well.  Also, the light citrus scent of Veganese matches the citrus tones of Karma Komba perfectly.  Lush really knows their stuff, huh? (:

Godiva solid shampoo bar with Forever in Bloom -- Godiva is my favorite shampoo bar, and I've reviewed it before.  Because there's no need for conditioner, I use it on my three year old.  In the past, I've rarely used it because I used to pair it with American Cream, and the combination of the two was really too heavy for my hair.  But since, I've discovered Forever In Bloom...

Forever in Bloom was made to be paired with Godiva!  The consistency is very runny, similar to Coolaulin, both more runny than Veganese.  I also feel like it absorbs into my hair quickly, so I find myself using more of it than my other conditioners.  But it works, so I don't mind.  It has infusions of chamomile, jasmine and honeysuckle.  The scent is very mild -- you don't feel like you've been hit with a heavy floral scent, but it does pair nicely with floral shampoos.  If it works for you, you could also pair it with Irresistible Bliss.

With the many shampoos Lush has to offer, I feel like there's something for everyone.  These are just a few of my favorites.

Review: Ghost

I used to work in the fragrance department at Macy's many many many years ago.  My favorite moments are when someone would come up and say, "I'm looking for a perfume for my mom."  I follow up with, "Well, what kinds of scents does she like?"  Their response: "Something floral."
....
......... Really?  You gotta give me more than that, buddy.

I'm sure most of you are aware (assuming I have an audience of Lushies) that different flowers produce a vast array of different scents.  Rose does not smell like jasmine does not smell like gardenia does not smell like lily.  I could go on forever.  But I won't.  I'm here to write a review about the wonderful limited edition shower gel, Ghost.

Ghost shower gel and Pumpkin soap!

It's white (hence the name) with iridescent glitter.  The glitter does not come off on your body, so it really just looks pretty in the bottle.  And boy, is it pretty. (:

Ghost has a nice floral scent.  LOL.  It smells like lilies.  Do you like lilies? Chances are, they probably don't offend you.  It's a really mild, sweet smell.  I will warn you, though, smelling Ghost directly from the bottle is kind of like taking a whiff of grandma's linen closet.  It's pretty pungent.  But once you shower with it, it's wonderful!

Also, it's very liquidy.  I'm used to thick shower gels like Back for Breakfast and It's Raining Men, which are both honey based.  Ghost is runny, so be careful not to use too much -- it's still a Lush product and a little goes a long way!

I'm a little bummed that this is a limited edition item that only comes around Halloween time, but I'll definitely get another bottle next year. 

Review: Butter Cream Soaps and Mud Flats

Lately, I've had a run in with a lot of weird Lush soaps lately -- not bad, per say, just not for me.

Two of them are the soon-to-be-discontinued butter cream soaps: Lemslip and Ring of Roses.  They are called butter cream soaps because they contain cocoa butter, to moisturize the skin.  Unfortunately, this cocoa butter prevents the soap from lathering!  It took a lot of effort to get my bar of soap to actually act like a bar of soap.  If I rub it on a sponge or washcloth, I'd get a little lather, but when using it solo, I was very dissatisfied.  Sure, the end result was good -- I was clean and moisturized -- but the experience was not up to par.

Ring of Roses had a really nice floral scent, but Lemslip was too lemony for my taste.  If I wanted zing, I'd grab a bar of Bohemian.  For both soaps, the scent was mild at best.  It just didn't have the "wow" factor for me.

Mud Flats was a whole different experience.  I was eager to give it a shot, because I wanted to see how effective the Rhassoul mud was in soap form.  Right off the bat, I was hit with an overpowering herbal scent.  I get it -- it's got rosemary oil, tea tree oil, and sage oil -- all, combined with the Rhassoul mud, should be very astringent.  But again, herbal scents are not for me.  Then I smelled it again and got a strong peppermint scent??  It was weird.  I looked at the list of ingredients and didn't see anything that would smell minty.   Did it get me clean?  Sure.  Would it clear up spots and body acne?  Hard to say.  But the scent alone would prevent me from testing any further.  But if you're into that woodsy, herbal scent, you should try Mud Flats. (:

MY SCORE: 1 OUT OF 5

I never thought there would be any Lush soaps out there I didn't love.  What's the phrase?  Can't please them all? (:

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: the Snowcake Craze

Smitten lotion and Snowcake soap

When I chat with other Lushies and mention Christmas time, the word that usually spews from their mouths is "Snowcake!"  What is with this Snowcake obsession.  Seriously?

Snowcake is a limited edition soap that comes around Christmas time.  It is made of almond oils and is supposed to smell like marzipan.  Smitten, the Retro line lotion, has a similar scent.  What the heck, I thought, I like eating marzipan, I'm sure I'll like smelling like it too.

The first time I used Smitten, I was not smitten.  It has a very strong sugary top note, like frosting.  The texture of the lotion was actually quite nice -- very thick but fluffy -- and the fragrance lingered a while.  (Here's where some Lushies will growl at me)  Since I didn't like the scent, I started using Smitten as a foot lotion.  And it worked great!  I always put a dab of Lemony Flutter on the balls and heels of my feet after I shower, then apply a thick lotion over that.  Normally I use Helping Hands but ran out, so I started using Smitten.  The Lemony Flutter and Smitten smelled like a lemon dessert on my feet!

A couple of weeks ago, a Lushie friend gave me some Snowcake soap.  So I tried it out.

MY SCORE: 4 OUT OF 5

Hey, this stuff ain't bad!  The soap when dry smells really sugary sweet, but once you use it in the shower, it's not as overwhelming.  It was very creamy and luscious -- reminded me a lot of Alkmaar -- and the fragrance that was left in the shower was exactly what I wanted Snowcake to smell like: a very deep, sweet, just-baked marzipan scent. I would definitely recommend this to others, especially since it's a limited edition Christmas item.

And I'll have to admit, after a few weeks of using Smitten, I've really grown to love it.  Sure, it's not as warmingly sweet as Sympathy for the Skin, but that's the beauty of Lush products -- every one is unique!

If you really want to go Snowcake crazy, you can use the Marzibain bubble bar and the Melting Snowman with Snowcake soap and Smitten lotion afterwards. (:

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!

Review: Ruby Red Slippers

"Pretty" is the first word that comes to mind.  I put it in the palm of my hand and couldn't stop looking at the glitter.  I'm like a bird -- I'm attracted to sparkly things!  It's pretty obvious why they call it Ruby Red Slippers.

What's in it:  Rose oil extract, carnation extract, tangerine oil.
I did smell the rose extract, but also something spicy (not like a pepper; more like a cinnamon), which I suspect was the carnation extract.  The overall smell was pretty mild and not overpowering.  It didn't leave my bathroom fragrant, like many other Lush bubble bars and bath bombs tend to do.

This bubble bar is about the size of two solid shampoo bars.  I cut it into quarters, which is plenty of bubbles for a bath.  After cracking it open, I realize that the ultra-fine red glitter is only on the outside of the bar. 

How to use:  Crumble the bar under running water.  The agitation of the water creates more bubbles.  If you have access to a tub with spa jets, watch out!  Those bubbles will dominate and spill over!  Fortunately, I do not have such luxuries so I don't have to worry about that. (:

The water turned pink, not red -- maybe because I only used 1/4 of the bar.  If I had used the entire bar (I have no idea why anyone would!  That's a lot of bubbles!) the water would be more red.  Also, the glitter gets lost in the water below all the bubbles so the "fun" really didn't last too long.  The glitter doesn't stick to your skin, either, which is a good thing.  But I did find some of it left in the tub after the water drained out!  No worries, one quick rinse and they were all gone.

MY SCORE: 3 out of 5

Compared to other Lush bubble bars, this one's pretty mediocre.  The fragrance is mild, and there's no skin softening agents added.  It is festive and attractive looking, but I got more glitter out of half a Dragon's Egg than this bubble bar.  I'm glad it's only seasonal.  I wouldn't use it as a staple year-round product.