Sparkled Beauty

If you are a fan of Lush bath bombs, there are a few to choose from this holiday season.

You probably all heard about Cinders bath bomb (90g, $4.95) by now, so I'll be brief with it.

The brand said Cinders was inspired by fireside gatherings with family and friends, so you know it is going to be a little "spicy". With cinnamon leaf oil and crackling (vegan) popping candy, you will feel warm and cozy with a kick after you get used to the popping sound :)

Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Coarse Sea Salt (Sodium Chloride), Popping Candy (Isomalt, Lycasin, Carbon Dioxide), Fragrance, Gardenia Extract (Gardenia Jasminoides), Almond Essential Oil (Prunus Amygdalus Amara), Almond Essential Oil (Prunus Dulcis), etc.

Stardust bath bomb (90g, $5.25) is more subtle and calm, with fair trade Ugandan vanilla and rosewood from Peruvian rain forest. It sparkles like crazy in the sun, like a star literally, and some end up on your skin afterward. Nothing over the top though.

The scent is said to be bergamot and the water is milky after Stardust dissolves. If you like bergamot and need some comfort, this bath bomb is a great option.

Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Fine Sea Salt, Corn Starch (Zea Mays), Snowflake Lustre (Potassium Aluminium Silicate, Titanium Dioxide), Titanium Dioxide, Fragrance, Fair Trade Vanilla Absolute (Vanilla Planifolia), Rosewood Oil (Aniba Rosaeodora), Bergamot Oil (Citrus Aurantium Bergamia), etc.

Father Christmas bath bomb is huge (200g, $6.40), great for 2 baths or a super long soak. Besides the cute Santa face on the front, it hides a little green surprise inside and that's what gives the bath this colour. The scent is mild and comforting as well.

Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Cream of Tartar (Potassium Bitartrate), Gardenia Extract (Gardenia Jasminoides), Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Lauryl Betaine, Fragrance, Synthetic Musk, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Benzyl Benzoate, Yellow 5 Lake, Blue 1, Red 4.

I do find all 3 bath bombs do nice things to the skin. If you have a tub in the house, give yourself a treat with a Lush bath bomb, or two.

Salt and Peppermint Bark (130g, $9.95) is a take on American Treat, a scrub in solid form, great for travelling.

Instructions: Use dry or under water in the bath or shower. Rub the bar in a circular motion along all those rough, dry body parts.

Sea salt offers its exfoliating effects while fair trade organic cocoa and cupuacu butter soften the skin. Note that when I use the product all over the body (winter skin, don't mind me), I do feel a tingling sensation shortly after application which only subsides when I start to rinse off. It might be the Peppermint oil, I'm not sure.

Ingredients: Fine Sea Salt, Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter (Theobroma Cacao), Sodium Bicarbonate, Cupuacu Butter (Theobroma Grandiflorum), Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Cream of Tartar (Potassium Bitartrate), Fragrance, Lauryl Betaine, Peppermint Oil (Mentha Piperita), etc.

Hope you (and your bath) are relaxing and comforting this holiday!

I recently had the opportunity to pick up 2 brand new fresh masks at my local Lush store. They are meant to be stored in the fridge at all time to ensure freshness (with a short window of a few weeks to expiry date), hence cannot be shipped by mail.

The first one is called Don't Look at Me, mostly due to its vibrant aqua blue colour which you might not want to be seen masking with :)

This is a rejuvenating fresh face mask with interesting key ingredients:
- Ground rice: gently scrubs away dry skin
- Murumuru butter: moisturizes
- Zingy lemon juice: tones
- Organic silken tofu: softens the skin. 

Like most face masks, this one is meant to be left on 10-15 minutes, then rinsed with warm water.

I love scrubs so it is not hard to like this mask. The exfoliating effect is just right, not too harsh, not too gentle. Coming out of the fridge, it is cooling and refreshing. And the effect lasts for a bit afterward. The scent is slightly herbal, might not be the best first impression but it does not linger very long.

Ingredients: Kaolin, Fresh Organic Lemon Juice (Citrus Limonum), Glycerine, Rice Syrup (Oryza Sativa), Ground White Rice (Oryza Sativa), Organic Silken Tofu, Murumuru Butter (Astrocaryum Murumuru), Bentone (Hectorite), Rice Milk (Oryza Sativa), Water, Fragrance, etc.

The tub is small (60g), retails for $10.95.

On the totally opposite spectrum is Rosy Cheeks, a soothing mask for the face and body with Kaolin, Calamine and Turkish rose oil.

It is very smooth going on the skin, with the cooling effect after being refrigerated. Feels like silk when it goes on and after it washes off too.

The texture is quite thick so it takes a bit of spreading action, which is the reason why I don't really use it on the body. But it is the absolute treat for my troubled skin.

Ingredients: Calamine Powder, Glycerine, Kaolin, Water, Rose Clay (Kaolinite), Red Rose Petals (Rosa Centifolia), Fragrance, Rose Oil (Rosa Damascena), *Benzyl Alcohol, Lilial, *Citronellol, *Geraniol.
*Occurs naturally in essential oils.

Same size (60g), sells for $12.95.

You can see the rice particles in Don't Look at Me and how smooth Rosy Cheeks is.

You can't go wrong between these 2 masks, depending on your skin needs. Just make sure you use it up before the expiry date!

There is also Cup 'O Coffee face and body mask but my store didn't have it in at the time. I can see it being a hit to those who love coffee :) Have you tried a Lush fresh mask before? Which is your favorite?

My second year featuring Lush V-Day goodies, and I accidentally picked 2 repeats among 17 LE treats this year. Obviously they always appeal to me :)

If you didn't check out the Love Locket bath bomb and Prince Charming shower gel last year, refer back to my review of Lush Valentine's Day 2014. Love Locket is always a fun treat, and I have been using Prince Charming as a shampoo this time, as suggested by Lush.

Love Locket is $11.95 this year, while Prince Charming keeps the same price - $9.95 (100ml), $19.95 (250ml) or $29.95 (500ml).

The item this is new to me this year: The Kiss lip scrub :)

Now lip scrubs aren't new at Lush, but The Kiss is V-Day special edition and shares the same sweet mandarin flavour with The Kiss lip gloss.

Pink is appropriate for the occasion, and so are the extra sprinkles and edible red hearts. I like the fact that it does not take much products for both lips (a pea size), and it is safe to lick off the excess after you are done - Squirt would like that lol.

Ingredients: Caster Sugar, Safflower Oil (Carthamus tinctorius), Fine Sea Salt, Sugar Sprinkles (Sugar, Partially Hydrogenated Palm Kernel Oil, Glucose, Corn Starch, Soy Lecithin, Red 40, Yellow 5, Blue 1, Carnauba Wax), Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter (Theobroma Cacao), etc.

I definitely reach for The Kiss more often instead of just using a tissue or tooth brush to exfoliate my lips. If you like citrus scents, give this scrub a try. The jar has 25g, retails for $9.95.

Lush has recently introduced a batch of 6 new products and celebrated its 200th store in North America, to join more than 900 locations worldwide. I received two items to review for you.

Here are African Paradise body conditioner on the left and Granny Takes A Dip bath bomb on the right.

Behind the black and white packaging are exciting stuff, I promise :) A body conditioner is a new concept to me, and that bath bomb is quite different too. Let's get on to them now!

African Paradise body conditioner is formulated with shea butter and Moringa oil from Ghana to soften, and aloe gel from Kenya (all Fair Trade) to soothe the skin.

Lush suggests to use African Paradise like you would a hair conditioner, but on your body. Smooth on over wet skin after washing, rinse off.

The scent is described as a blend of carnation absolute, clove bud oil and sandalwood oil. The texture is smooth and luxurious. At first, on application, it smells more herbal, then changes to more floral after washed off. It also feels slightly sticky afterward, not for long though.

As it is the extra step after you wash off the main bath product you use, I don't use African Paradise every day. I save this product for those days I want to linger in the bath a bit, taking my time treating myself.

Ingredients: Water, Glycerine, Almond Oil (Prunus dulcis), Moringa Oil (Moringa Oleifera), Fresh Aloe Gel (Aloe Secundiflora), Fair Trade Shea Butter (Butyrospermum parkii), Stearic Acid, Marula Oil (Sclerocarya birrea), Baobab Oil (Adansonia digitata), Kalahari Melon Oil (Citrullus Lanatus), etc.

250g of product is housed in a pot that can be "back to Lush" (5 empty pots for a free fresh mask), retails $39.95. A little costly compared to most Lush products, I agree.

Moving on to more colours. The Granny Takes A Dip bath bomb was inspired by a 1960’s clothing boutique called Granny Takes a Trip, I heard.

If you haven't seen this bath bomb in person, it does not have the typical ball shape like others, with exciting colourful layers, almost like a bullseye :)

The pink outer ring carries small bits of Bubble Bar, responsible for the bubbling effect. And scents also seem to layer too - lemon, ginger, even black pepper. A luxury bath you will have, with purple water and mixed scents!

Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Cream of Tartar (Potassium bitartrate), Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Lauryl Betaine, Lemon Oil (Citrus limonum), Black Pepper Oil (Piper nigrum), Ginger Oil (Zingiber officinale), Gardenia Extract (Gardenia jasminoides), Fragrance, Citral, Limonene.

Granny Takes A Dip is 170g, sells for $6.95. This last me 2 baths.

Other new products include D'Pluff Strawberry shaving soap, Mangificent hand & body soap, Parsley Porridge hand & body soap and Zeste hair gelly. Have you tried any of these new products yet?

The day before Valentine's, are you ready to indulge? I received some Lush V-Day goodies to test out, and they definitely put me and Squirt in a good mood :)

The Neon Love soap (LE) definitely catches our attention with the pink/ white heart pattern on the red background.

The soap has passion fruit juice to cleanse and soya yogurt to nourish, both of which I haven't experience in a soap before. As with other Lush soaps I tried, this one is not drying and gets the job done.

Contributing to the scent are citrusy bergamot, rosewood and spicy cinnamon leaf oil, so this is one gently spicy soap, invigorating!

Ingredients: Water, Propylene Glycol, Rapeseed Oil, Coconut Oil (Brassica napus; Cocos nucifera), Fresh Passion Fruit (Passiflora edulis), Cornflour (Zea mays), Sodium Stearate, Fresh Figs (Ficus carica), Fragrance, Cinnamon Leaf Oil (Cinnamomum zeylanicum), Rosewood Oil (Aniba rosaeodora), Bergamot Oil (Citrus Aurantium bergamia), etc.

Good for hand and body, the soap retails $6.95 for 100g.

I finally has a Prince Charming, a (LE) shower gel that is lol.

Keeping with the citrus trend, this product has fresh pomegranate juice and grapefruit oil to cleanse; Fair Trade vanilla pod infusion, marshmallow root and almond oil to soften.

I also used the shower gel as a bubble bath, as I enjoy the scent quite a bit (pomegranate and grapefruit together is a fun scent), just have to swirl the gel around a bit to help it dissolve.

Ingredients: Water, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Propylene Glycol, Lactic Acid, Lauryl Betaine, Grapefruit Oil (Citrus paradisi), Sandalwood Oil (Santalum austro-caledonicum vieill and Fusanus spicatus), Geranium Oil (Pelargonium graveolens), Almond Oil (Prunus dulcis), Titanium Dioxide , etc.

Prince Charming is yours for $9.95 (100ml), $19.95 (250ml) or $29.95 (500ml).

Another cute factor - the Love Locket bath bomb (LE).

This heart is huge (see it next to a regular bath bomb for size comparison), good for at least 3 baths - two with each half of the pink heart and one with the yellow center.

The surprises: the paper hearts embedded in the pink layer that will float to the water surface, making a scene, and the red seaweed hearts inside the center layer. Hearts overload, I have a lot of fun with this bath bomb!

The scent is from a blend of vanilla, jasmine and neroli essential oils, a bit sweet and calming.

Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Fragrance, Jasmine Absolute (Jasminum grandiflorum), Fair Trade Vanilla Absolute (Vanilla Planifolia), Neroli Oil (Citrus Aurantium amara), Gardenia Extract (Gardenia jasminoides), Eugenol, Geraniol, Methyl Ionone, Linalool, Limonene, D&C Red No. 33, D&C Red No. 27, Pink Heart Confetti, Red Edible Hearts (Hydroxy propyl methyl cellulose (HPMC), etc.

This bath bomb is $10.95 for 269g (vs. $4.95 - $6.95 for a regular bath bomb of 180 - 200g).

Finally, rub some of the Tender is the Night massage bar on your skin before you leave the house or before bed, and your day ends in a very good note.

The bar contains shea and murumuru butter that melt easily onto skin for a smooth, tender massage. It erases all the dry spots on my arms and legs, gives off a scent (vanilla, jasmine and ylang ylang) that lasts for hours.

I am addicted to using it every day now! It is so easy to use and store (the tin is available at Lush too, $3.95).

Ingredients: Murumuru Butter (Astrocaryum murumuru), Organic Shea Butter (Butyrospermum parkii), Fragrance, Fair Trade Vanilla Absolute (Vanilla Planifolia), Jasmine Absolute (Jasminum grandiflorum), Ylang Ylang Oil (Cananga odorata), Titanium Dioxide, Cornflour (Zea mays), Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Salicylate, etc.

The good thing is this massage bar is available all year round, $11.95 for 60g.

Another special collection from Lush, this time for the holiday. Squirt and I have enjoyed testing out the products quite a bit :)

The Melting Snowman bath melt feels like a sign of Christmas to us :) With skin softening benefit (thanks to cocoa and shea butter) and hot toddy scent (i.e. herbal to our noses), he is different from other Christmas items.

He works like a bath bomb - dropped in the tub with hot running water and he dissolves like a real snowman, lol, even his carrot nose and dairy free chocolate drop eyes. He turns your bath water into a cloud and softens your skin!

I have to admit, the scent is very different, not my utmost favorite but I love how my skin feels afterward. And we can't deny the fun factor he offers.

Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Icing Sugar, Citric Acid, Cocoa Butter (Theobroma cacao), PEG-6 Caprylic/ Capric Glycerides & PEG60 Almond Glycerides, Almond Oil (Prunus dulcis), Titanium Dioxide, Shea Butter (Butyrospermum parkii), etc.

He'd cost you $5.95 for 2.1oz/ 60g.

Just as exciting is the Secret Santa double layered bath bomb, modelled after the first Lush shop in England. The (exclusive) scent called 29 High St. is easy on the nose with notes of jasmine, lime, tonka and Sicilian lemon. It is sweet and pleasant.

The house is about twice as big as regular bath bombs, so I got like 3 uses out of it. It turns your water into a clear (see-through) orange dream - think orange popsicle! So much fun!

Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Fragrance, Ylang Ylang Absolute (Cananga Odorata), New Caledonian Sandalwood Oil (Santalum Austro-Caledonicum Vieill), Indian Jasmine Absolute (Jasminum grandiflorum), Lime Oil (Citrus aurantifolia), etc.

The house is $9.95 for 9.5oz/ 270g.

A new to me product is the Sandy Santa body butter and scrub. A 2-in-1 product with improved formula including coconut oil, murumuru and shea butter to intensify moisturization.

I have never tried a (moisturizing) solid scrub before, really enjoy using one at this point :) A bit of warning though, the scrub feels quite rough upon contact, even with a light hand on wet skin. However, it is gentle when you rub out the particles once they are on the skin. And the skin feels amazing after rinsed.

Another warning: Santa's hat does come off red on your skin, so don't be alarmed when you see red streaks appeared. They rinse out thoroughly, no staining effects though.

The solid form makes it easy to travel with. Once used, the ball softens a little, would be best to be carried in a ziploc bag. The scent from orange, rose and sandalwood oils is quite uplifting.

Ingredients: Sugar, Murumuru Butter (Astrocaryum murumuru), Sodium Bicarbonate, Organic Shea Butter (Butyrospermum parkii), Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Cream of Tartar (Potassium bitartrate), Sand, Lauryl Betaine, Brazilian Orange Oil (Citrus sinensis), etc.

This Santa is $9.95 for 4.58oz/ 130g. I definitely would repurchase, if he comes back next year without the red hat.

Another twist in product design - a cleansing roll :) This is Buche de Noel facial cleanser, imitating a cake log.

The ground almonds in the formula exfoliate while kaolin clay acts as a mild but deep cleanser. Almond oil and seaweed moisturize dry patches, and satsuma brightens. All sounds really good.

Despite the log format, the cleanser is meant to be used the same way as others. A pea sized chunk in the palm, worked into a paste with a bit of water, applied to damp face. I got good result with using the cleanser, however, I cannot deal with the herbally scent in it, which is a shame. It smells like coriander herb to me, and I don't wish to wear it on my face :(

Ingredients: Ground Almonds (Prunus dulcis), Kaolin, Glycerine, Fresh Satsumas (Cutrus reticulata), Dried Cranberries (Vaccinium macrocarpon), Cocoa Butter (Theobroma cacao), Brandy, Almond Essential Oil (Prunus dulcis), etc.

This pot of 3.5oz/ 100g is $12.95, also available in 8.8oz size. It does have an expiry date, so use it up quick if you have it :)

And this is a full-on kids' item - Gold Fun, a 4-in-1 mouldable soap (shampoo, soap, bubble bath and toy) with LE gold luster and Honey I Washed the Kids (honey toffee) scent. Not to say that adults can't enjoy it but we just don't find the playing stage as fun as the actual bath stage like kids do.

Squirt spent a bit of time playing with a piece of Gold Fun making shapes and spreading them all over her. Then I let the warm water run in the tub smushing the pieces in, there came bubbles. More play time! The luster disappeared when we started playing, no worries there.

The scent is pleasant, a little sweet but not overwhelming.

Ingredients: Talc, Cornflour (Zea mays), Glycerine, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Radiant Gold Lustre (Potassium Aluminum Silicate, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides), Sweet Wild Orange Oil (Citrus sinensis), etc.

The roll is $6.95 for 250g. A fun holiday gift for the kids in your life.

One of the gift sets Lush offers this season is the Snow Fairy Box ($22.95). It's pink and it jingles :)

The items inside:
- Snow Fairy shower gel (3.3oz/ 100ml)
- Shimmy Shimmy sparkle bar/ body tint (30g), and
- Angels Delight soap (70g).

The wrapping paper is made from recycled material, the snowflakes are holographic on top of the bright coloured background and a silver string to tie a bow with. The hot pink tag shows you the items inside, with the little jingle smiling face to decorate.

The Snow Fairy shower gel has been talked about so much, I don't think we need to say anything further, except this year, the plastic glitters are replaced by environmentally friendly shimmers.

The Shimmy Shimmy sparkle bar/ body tint has made it to my travel bag for the trip. A solid body lotion with a hint of shimmer, in a heart shape, to be rubbed on pulse points, shoulders and anywhere else for that holiday glow, what not to love? It smells like vanilla and lavender. Win win!

The Angels Delight soap in the set is all pink, with silver bits embedded, different from the individual Angels Delight soap which is in multi coloured chunks. The scent is still fruity with tangerine, orange and blackcurrant.

And there you have it, some Lush holiday products that I think are special and worth a try, if you are in a shopping mood :)

Halloween is exciting for kids to get treats. For adults, we indulge in Lush Creatures of the Baaaaaath! collection - and my kiddo gets a fair share of it too :)

This little cutie is the Pumkin bubble bar, with candy leaf and licorice top (dairy free). A display-worthy piece of art right here!

When you can bring yourself to use it, crumble the bubble bar under running warm water to create bubbles. A moisturizing treat to your skin after a long day.

If you recall the Mumkin from the Mother's Day collection, Pumkin is the Halloween version of it, with the scent of orange flower and ylang ylang oil.

Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Cream of Tartar (Potassium bitartrate), Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Lauryl Betaine , Cornflour (Zea mays), fragrance, Ylang Ylang (Cananga odorata), Orange Flower Absolute (Citrus Aurantium amara), Gardenia Extract (Gardenia jasminoides), etc.

Pumkin retails $5.95 for 100g, Limited Edition.

And then, there is a Lord of Misrule bath bomb, with herbal blend of patchouli and black pepper oil. It does not smell spicy though, at least to my nose :)

The green outer layer covers a dark burgundy center, and both dissolve into a beautiful dark pink/ purple bath water. I can't tell I enjoy the scent or the colour more :) And as with most bath bomb, your skin feels soft after the soak.

Be careful stepping out of the tub, as the bath bomb makes it a little slippery :)

Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Popping Candy (Isomalt, Lycasin, Carbon Dioxide), Cream of Tartar (Potassium bitartrate), Black Pepper Oil (Piper nigrum), Patchouli Oil (Pogostemon cablin), Fair Trade Vanilla Absolute (Vanilla Planifolia), etc.

This green ball of joy sells for $5.95 (200g), Limited Edition.

And there are more Halloween appropriate items.

Demon in the Dark soap is wrapped in a layer of black wax (meant to be peeled off before use - I took the pic before doing this), with fresh mint and fresh organic apple juice to clean and cool the skin. The scent is that of peppermint, spearmint and clove. A spicier one!

I go through soaps more slowly than other face cleansing products, but when I need to wake up my senses, a mint soap is just the thing. To my skin, it is not drying, so that's always a plus.

Ingredients: Water, Glycerine, Rapeseed Oil, Coconut Oil (Brassica napus; Helianthus annuus; Cocos nucifera), Apple Juice, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Stearate, Mint (Mentha piperita), Spearmint Oil (Mentha viridis), Clove Bud Oil (Eugenia caryophyllus), etc.

This soap retails $7.95 for 100g.

Even more exciting is the Ceridwen's Cauldron bath melt. Lavender and rose melt wrapped in a muslin bag, dipped in wild flowers and tied with a ribbon. How good does that sound?

Oats, lavender and sandalwood calm and sooth, cocoa butter and walnut oil soften the skin. So it is more than just meeting the eyes.

I cut the half-moon chunk in half (it is soft, a lot easier to cut than a bath bomb), then wrap it back in the muslin cloth (necessary to catch the oat pieces afterward) and toss it in the bath water. It smells pleasantly good, I felt like I had a milk bath.

Ingredients: Cocoa Butter (Theobroma cacao), Whole Oats (Avena sativa), Laureth 4, Walnut Oil (Juglans regia), fragrance, Tangerine Oil (Citrus reticulata), Lavender Oil (Lavandula augustifolia), Sandalwood Oil (Santalum austro-caledonicum vieill and Fusanus spicatus), Frankincense Resinoid (Boswelia carterii), Rose Absolute (Rosa damascena), etc.

The piece is 80g, $8.45. Bath melts are designed to melt at body temperature, so they need to be stored at a cool dry place, away from direct sunlight.

What are you treating yourself this Halloween, besides all the sweets you are going to eat? :)

Squirt had a really great Easter this year getting all the treats she asked the Easter Bunny for. The Lush Bunny also sent us some Easter treats that we really enjoyed.

This Carrot bubble bar (120g, $7.95) looks good enough (for the Easter bunny) to eat lol. And in the water, it is the coolest thing ever. You hold it by the green top, swish it around the bath to make as much bubbles as you desire.

It is reusable, so you can set it aside for another 9 baths or so. I just wish it comes with a carrot container to make storing more fun :) Scent wise, it smells citrusy because of the fruity oils and carrot oil in the formula.

Besides the bubble fun, this carrot makes the skin feel soft and moisturized, always a bonus with Lush's bath products.

Ingredients: Sodium Carbonate, Cream of Tartar (Potassium bitartrate), Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Glycerine, Lauryl Betaine, Fragrance, Sicilian Lemon Oil (Citrus limonum), Buchu Oil (Barosma betulina), Bergamot Oil (Citrus Aurantium bergamia), Limonene, Linalool, D&C Orange No. 4, Polyester-3, D&C Red No. 28, D&C Orange No. 5.

Moving from orange to pink, this is a Fluffy Egg bath bomb (130g, $6.95).

Smells sweet, similar to Creamy Candy bubble bar or Snow Fairy, with a candy flower as decoration, half of this egg is good enough for one bath.

Just drop it in the tub filled with warm water and see it sizzle and turn your water pink. And you won't be able to complain about how the skin stepping out of this bath :)

Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Fragrance, Synthetic Musk, Benzyl Benzoate, Propylene Glycol, D&C Red No. 27, D&C Red No. 33 , FD&C Red No. 4, Candy Flower (Sucrose, Corn Starch, FD&C Blue No. 1, FD&C Red No. 40, FD&C Yellow No. 5 & FD&C Yellow No. 6).

New this season, and limited edition, is the Brightside bubble bar (200g, $8.95).

The colourful swirls are just a cheer to any mood, and so is the citrusy scent (again), but you have to bring yourself to crumble a bit of the bar under the running water to make bubbles. Such a hard thing to do :)

Like with the first two products, I keep the rest of the bar in a Ziploc bag (outside the bathroom) for next time.

This bubble bar's "side effect" is to tone and brighten the skin, but I don't think we can confirm it unless we go through a bunch of them in numerous baths.

Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Cream of Tartar (Potassium bitartrate), Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Lauryl Betaine, Sicilian Mandarin Oil (Citrus Nobilis), Tangerine Oil (Citrus reticulata), Bergamot Oil (Citrus Aurantium bergamia), Fragrance, Limonene, Gardenia Extract (Gardenia jasminoides), Linalool, FD&C Red No. 4, D&C Orange No. 4.

Hope everyone had an awesome Easter or just a relaxing long weekend. This is the mother - daughter NOTD for you :) Me - a few colours from Orly Sweet collection and others, Squirt - Revlon "scented when dry" pastels, topped up with glitters :)

The very rare 4-day long weekend has come and almost gone and here is me finding I still don't have enough time to do what I planned. How does that work lol? But Squirt was very happy this Easter, I guess that's all that matters. She said she felt bad for me not having a holiday to eat chocolate, and I told her adults get the day after Easter to indulge when stores put chocolate on clearance lol.

Happy New Year, everyone!

Lush brings out the party girl side of me with a bunch of luscious products. Even when I don't get to go out, I can still have the full feeling of, well, Lush :) And it sounded like lots of you stayed in last night and today as well, so let's have some fun.

Here they are, clock wise, from the top left: Lustre body powder, Sweetie Pie shower jelly, Silky Underwear dusting powder and Lovely Jubblies breast cream. Don't they all sound so cute?

Let's get right to the two powders first, shall we?

Lustre body powder is meant to add a subtle golden glow to your skin day or night - sprinkled lightly on the arms, chest and/or legs. This type of glow, I prefer it on my legs and shoulders.

The jasmine scent in the powder (the scent of Lush's Lust perfume), however, is just so intoxicating that I try to use it anywhere near my nose. Aphrodisiac or not, I just want to smell good. So Lustre has got quite a lot of love from me.

Note: use the powder with a very light hand, at least until you know the proper amount to achieve the glow you want.

Ingredients: Radiant Gold Lustre (Potassium Silicate, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides, and Iron Hydroxide), Cornflour (Zea mays), Magnesium Carbonate, Talc, Perfume, Jasmine Absolute (Jasminum grandiflorum), Ylang Ylang (Cananga odorata), Rose Absolute (Rosa damascena), Vanilla Absolute (Vanilla planifolia), Sandalwood Oil (Fusanus spicatus), Benzyl Salicylate, etc.

The bottle has 1.4oz/ 40g of powder, retails $14.95.

Silky Underwear dusting powder is more on the practical side but it has its own flare.

The practicality is that the powder has kaolin [with absorbing quality] to help your body stay dry, making slipping clothes on (or off) easier lol.

The flare is that, being the best selling powder at Lush for a long time, Silky Underwear has the cocoa butter [moisturizing] in the formula and the jasmine [aphrodisiac] and vetivert [musky, earthy] in the scent to thank.

So needless to say, the product is suggested to use before you get dressed. It also works well on your bed sheets for more comfortable sleep.

Scent wise, it still smells a bit jasmine-y but not as good as Lustre. I really appreciate how easy my skinnies go on without too much tugging (lol) but if I am going to sleep with it too, I would love to smell something comforting that could help me fall asleep too. Too greedy?

Ingredients: Cornstarch (Zea mays), Kaolin, Fair Trade Cocoa Butter (Theobroma cacao), Magnesium Carbonate, Perfume, Jasmine Absolute (Jasminum officinale), Vetivert Oil (Vetiveria zizanoides), Linalool.

The bottle is a little larger than that of Lustre body powder, 2.1oz/ 60g for $6.95.

Swatches, in comparison between the two powders.

Lustre is on the right, the glow is awesome, visibility depends on the light. Again, application amount is key.

Silky Underwear is on the left, not visible but makes the skin appear smoother.

Just an observation, Lustre costs a little more than Silky Underwear while having a smaller bottle.

Talking about the Sweetie Pie shower jelly, fruity scent from blackcurrant and sour cherry [anti-inflammatory and antioxidant] plus iridescent glitters plus softening seaweed base equal another best seller at Lush.

Squirt is a big fan of shower jellies at Lush because of how they jiggle (caused by the carrageenan ingredient, extracted from seaweed, a gelatin substitute). Me, I'm a fan because of how I can use it - to just smooth it all over (body and hair, if I want to), or rub it on with a shower pouf if I need more lathering. In hot weather, I can store the jelly in the fridge to get a fair share of coolness in the shower :) I adore products with multiple uses.

Sweetie Pie smells good, fruity and sweet. I personally prefer floral, lighter scents, also could do without the glitters in it. They were not annoying or anything, but I'm always worried I ended up with some left on the skin after shower. They are beautiful in the pot to look at though :) I intend to try more jellies at Lush.

Ingredients: Glycerine, Cherry Infusion (Prunus cerasus), Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Coconut Infusion (Cocos nucifera), Propylene Glycol, Carrageenan Extract (Chondrus crispus), Perfume, Bergamot Oil (Citrus bergamia), Cassis Absolute (Ribes nigrum), Cypress Oil (Cupressus sempervirens), Limonene, Linalool, Irridescent Glitter (Polyethylene terephthalate and Acrylates copolymer), etc.

The price is reasonable too, $6.95 for 3.5oz/ 100g jar, or $11.95 for 8.4oz/ 240g jar.

And finally, the Lovely Jubblies breast cream!

Flat out, I'm just gonna say that I don't believe a cream could offer amazing, visible help to the girls. And after testing the product, I still don't. I appreciate Lush's effort of making a targeted product like this one though.

Lovely Jubblies is supposed to have:
- tightening meadowsweet infusion and firming tiger lily petals to help fight the forces of gravity. I don't have the knowledge to analyze the use of these ingredients or their effectiveness, so I am reviewing the product of how it works on me
- fresh rose infusion for its soothing property
- beeswax and organic oils of almond and avocado to soften the chest area.

Suggested to use a generous amount on your cleavage and neck area. On me, Lovely Jubblies works well as a targeted moisturizer, helping the skin feel soft and comfortable under the bra. The cream feels a little thick in the tub but applies easily, is not greasy nor heavy on the skin. The scent is described as orange blossom, rose, jasmine and ylang ylang. I can't tell the notes and things like that, but to my nose, the scent was not an instant love, but it grew on me.

Ingredients: Meadowsweet Infusion (Spiraea ulmaria), Fresh Rose Petal Infusion (Rosa damascena), Organic Cold Pressed Almond Oil (Prunus dulcis), Cocoa Butter (Theobroma cacao), Organic Cold Pressed Jojoba Oil (Simmondsia chinensis), Stearic Acid, Glycerine, Organic Cold Pressed Evening Primrose Oil (Oenothera biennis), Organic Cold Pressed Avocado Oil (Persea gratissima), Orange Blossom Honey (Citrus Aurantium dulcis), etc.

The tub has 3.5oz/ 100g, for $25.95. Not the cheapest, I admit.

This is a haul, plus sale updates, from my first shopping trip since the end of November. Please ignore stuff that isn't new news to you, as I am a month behind on new products :)

Shoppers: I went to two different locations on Saturday to check out clearance items, as Boxing Week sale plus x20 points equal awesome :)

As part of the one-day deal for Saturday, Revlon nail polish were $3.99, including the dual ended Moon Candy Nail Art (reg. $8.49). I got Galactic, Meteor and Moon Dust to join the two I already had (Cosmic and Supernova).

Also bought this Calgon Take Me Away! set with two pair of body cream and body mist (full sized) in the scents Marshmallow and Red Velvet (50% off, reg. $12.99). How awesome is this? I have been wanting to try Red Velvet for a long time, didn't expect to get it so cheap.

Saw some Quo holiday products also 50% off but no sign of the Back to Basics palette. I bought the master brush set, reg. $60.

Lawtons: Remember I told you about Layla Hologram and MagEffect nail polish were cleared out a while ago and replaced by the Softouch Effect and Ceramic Effect shades with $14.99 price tag. It is now their turn to be cleared out for $2.74-$3.74 but not many shades left.

From L-R: Layla SE in 03 Stone and 10 Turquoise Splash, and CE 54 Green Gala and 55 Space Cowboy. I looked up the names as the bottles only had the numbers printed on the lids, a little annoyed by that.

If any of my local readers finds SE 05 Cherry Diva and CE 52 The Butterfly Effect from the clearance corner, please kindly let me know or even better, grab them for me, I kinda have a lemming :)

And more good news: There are two more new displays from the brand.

- Layla Bubbly Effect (imagine OPI Spotted-ish): 01 Meringue Pie (white), 02 Black Forest, 03 Red Velvet Cake, 04 Cherry Muffin (darker red) and 05 Anise Shake (blurple), plus a Bubbly Fix top coat.

- Layla Caviar Effect (don't think I need to explain): 11 shades in individual bead colours and one shade with multiple bead colours (only numbers, no names), plus tiny funnels to drop the leftover beads back into the bottle without a mess.

Nicole by OPI Kardashian Kolor collection is 50% off this week, I picked up A Gold Winter's Night (left, first row), around $5.50. After checking swatches, I might have to go back for All Is Glam, All Is Bright. On the right is a random find of OPI DS Mystery, $9.99 from a clearance basket with no other OPI shades :)

Second row: Sinful Colors Nova, Super Star, Faceted and Ice Dream (Holiday Shimmers collection), on clearance for $0.99 each.

And before I forget, all Marcelle and Annabelle holiday products I posted about before are half price at Lawtons right now. Best time to get them! I can't confirm the same deal at Shoppers, just because I didn't see any sets at the locations I went to.

Winners: I found a CND display with their famous Effects shades (Pearl, Shimmer and Sparkle finishes) together with other coloured shades, $7.99 a piece.

I was only interested in the Sparkles (who knew, lol) and got all three that I found: Amethyst Sparkle, Jade Sparkle and Raspberry Sparkle. Now on the hunt for Sapphire Sparkle and Crimson Sparkle. Do I need any Shimmer Effects, what are your favorites?

Please keep me in the loop of what goodies you have found at Winners lately.

Lush: My first time checking out their Boxing Week BOGO sale. I only got two gift boxes, reg. $39.95 each.
- Honey Farm (pictured): with It's Raining Men shower gel, Honey I Wash the Kids soap, Honey Bee and Butterball bath bombs and Soft Coeur massage bar (my favorite).
- Holiday Candy Box (not pictured): with Snow Fairy shower gel, Rock Star soap, Candy Mountain bubble bar, Butterball bath bomb and Bubble Gum lip scrub.

I used a stock pic here as it is easier for you to see the products inside and their sizes.

The BOGO sale also includes the Emotional Brilliance colours (reg. $18.95), selected holiday bubble bars and soaps. I am tempted to get the Do Knot Disturb set (reg. $29.95, also on BOGO) as it also has Soft Coeur (retails $8.95 by itself) besides the Sex Bomb bath bomb, French Kiss bubble bar and Lust soap.

I walked by Sears and noticed that selected fragrance sets were discounted between 25-50%, including Kary Perry's and Lady Gaga's, etc. I know Shoppers also has seasonal fragrance sets on sale for 40% off, so if you are looking for a scent, price check to get the best deal among stores.

It has been a really long time that I did a FOTD for the blog due to random breakouts. Now things calm down a little, so here I am.

These pics were taken outside on an overcast day, no flash. The colours were a lot more vibrant than how they looked here. What's new huh? :)

The featured products are from Lush's Emotional Brilliance line that I reviewed yesterday:
- Focus on the inner half of the lids, very subtle
- Motivation as liner on the upper lids, vibrant and lovely
- Perspective on the lips, looks like a pinky nude on me.

I was going for a smoky eye look with toned down lips but by the way it looks here, it could be a neutral, work safe look too. I want tell you to click to enlarge the pics, but at the same time I don't really want to show you my flaws up close lol.

Other products used:

- Eye base: Maybelline Color Tattoo in Fierce & Tangy. It is sheer, did not affect the eyeshadow colours on top
- Eyeshadows: Annabelle Hawaian Hues palette (champagne as brow bone highlight, green and black on the outer corners)
- Eyebrow: Avon Ultra Luxury brow liner in Dark Brown
- Lower lash line liners: Annabelle Smoothie eyeshadow pencil in Absinthe-minded and Annabelle Smudge liner in Foxy Grey
- Mascara: L'Oreal Double Extend with Lash Boosting serum in Blackest Black
- Primer: Vichy Normaderm Hydrating Acne care (review coming soon)
- Foundation: Rimmel Lasting Finish 25 hour foundation in 300 Sand, lighten by Marcelle Matte Finish in Almond. I have ended up with a few foundations that are darker than my skin tone, so mixing is a must
- Blush: Sally Hansen Natural Beauty sheerest cream blush in Sunrise. Still trying to finish this up so I can move on to new blushes :)
- Setting powder: CoverFx Setting Fx. This step was actually not necessary with the primer I used, it was a habit to use a powder without thinking.

Close up on the eyes to do a (weak) justice to the eyeliner. It is a gorgeous teal shade that makes your eyes pop. You all know I am not good at applying liquid liners, but I didn't do too bad with this one. It last well on my lids till the end of the day, no smudging/ flaking/ fading.

Bonus pic: crazy hair when the wind was not playing in my favour when I manage a smile of some sort :) Told you I don't look good when I smile.

That's it for my "glamorous" comeback of FOTD. The Emotional Brilliance line is a nice addition to Lush's product offers. I would suggest lots of swatching in store before you commit to a shade or two.

I realize that I haven't heard much from you all on the blog lately, so what have you been up to? This week has been such a blur to me, I can't wait for the long weekend to recharge.

There won't be much of a Thanksgiving celebration for us this weekend with no family around, so we might end up eating tofu instead of turkey. Squirt started to question my diet choice lately, not that there's anything wrong with tofu lol.

I was quite curious when Lush announced their Emotional Brilliance makeup line where the colours were appropriately named to represent you and how you feel. I received three items to review.

Focus is one of the 6 cream eyeshadows in the line, with sponge tip applicators. The name suggests me to Stay On Track, quite appropriate cause I am very easy to be distracted by sparkly things.

It swatches beautifully on my hand (see below) but on my lids, it is quite sheer. This particular shade is best as a base or to add a bit of shine on top of your eyeshadow.

Motivation (i.e. Do What You Love) is a beautiful teal liquid liner, comes with a brush applicator. The formula is meant to be blendable (does not set right away), except two shades - Independent and Fantasy - that are meant to be fast drying.

The base in the eyeshadows and liners is made with soothing rose petal infusion and skin-softening almond and jojoba oils to care for the sensitive area around your eyes. Motivation is easy to apply and wears well, no smudging nor fading throughout the day.
 
Ingredients for the cream eyeshadows and the 9 blendable eyeliners: Rose petal infusion (Rosa centifolia), Water, Glycerine, Stearic acid, Almond oil (Prunus dulcis), Jojoba oil (Simmondsia chinensis), Cupuacu butter (Theobroma grandiflorum), Triethanolamine, Cetearyl alcohol, Titanium dioxide, Iron oxides, Methylparaben, Propylparaben.

Ingredients for the 2 fast drying eyeliners, for reference: Water, Glyceryl stearate, PVP, Titanium dioxide, Iron oxides, Methylparaben, Propylparaben.

Perspective (Now I Can See Clearly) is a liquid lipstick, with a sponge tip applicator. The 13 lipsticks in the line range from nude to red, purple, plum, orange, etc.

The formula contains a blend of organic jojoba oil, candelilla wax and rose wax to soften and moisturize.

They are suggested to use after a lip balm, and I do agree with this. Perspective on me is a pinky nude shade, does appear a little drying on the lips after a few hours, even with a lip balm underneath.

The product can work as a cream blush as well, but I did not try it this way.

Ingredients: Jojoba oil (Simmondsia chinensis), Candelilla wax (Euphorbia cerifera), Rose wax (Rosa damascena), Iron oxides, D&C Red No. 27, Titanium dioxide.

Overall, Motivation is a great name, seeing how easy it applies and how well it stays on, I am motivated to try more liquid liners. Focus needs a bit more coverage focus (pun intended), but I won't judge the whole eyeshadow line after testing only one shade. Perspective is a beautiful shade but can be a little more moisturizing and light. Each of these little bottles has 0.2oz/ 5g of product, retails $22.95.

Stay tuned for a FOTD to feature these shades. In the meantime, enjooy this song about the line, with some ninjas making appearance :)