LUSH HAUL - OXFORD STREET


Howdy partner!

The past few weeks have been particularly hectic for me, what with exams and the end of my college education. Needless to say I've been wanting a nice relaxing bath. So when I found myself in London for a university open day, of course I had to pop into the Oxford Street Lush!

The store itself was incredible, I would definitely suggest popping into the store if you're in London because it's really special. The employees were really helpful and friendly, which really made a difference for me; I was feeling a bit overwhelmed at first if I'm honest, haha..  Everything in Lush is so vibrant, and there are so many strong smells that it can definitely be a bit full-on. Not to mention that as with most of the stores on Oxford Street, Lush was pretty crowded. If you're someone who suffers in crowds then I'd suggest going when it's not quite as busy, and if you're looking for specific items or would just like to know the basic layout before going, you can view the store online: LUSH Oxford Street.

While I was there I picked up a few products, among them a couple of Oxford Street exclusives which I'm very excited to try out! Other than a couple exceptions I haven't tried these products yet so I won't be writing full reviews below, just my general first impressions. However, if it's something you guys would be interested in, I'd love to review a couple of the items at a later date.

So without further ado, let me present what I bought:

Ylang Song (Bath Bomb)

“This Tunisian neroli and Peruvian rosewood bomb erupts into a sensual world of tumbling peony and everlasting flower petals. A perfect behaved companion to take into the bath with you.”

I think this is the product I am the most excited about. I'd done a little research into the exclusive products that Lush were bringing out, and I was so excited to get this one. It's among the most beautiful Lush products I've ever owned, and if you think I'm not going to take a million pictures of it for Instagram, you're wrong.

Not only does it look and smell amazing, but it's full of flowers. I got to see it in action in store and had to get one; when you pop it in your bath it fills your bath tub with beautiful flowers. And I don't know about you, but I am all for a flower-filled bath.

I'd say this is a little more mature than most of the other Lush bath bombs I normally go for. The scent is definitely floral, but in my opinion, it's a pretty dark, almost heady. I really love it.


Pink Flamingo (Reusable Bubble Bar)

“Birds of a feather bathe together! Slip into something more fruity with this cocktail-inspired reusable bubble bath, filled with fragrant rosewood and ylang ylang. Let the bubbly flow.”

Can we please take a moment?
...
It's a flamingo. This bubble bar is a flamingo. I'm really sorry if you were hoping for some kind of eloquent response to that flamingo, because you've really come to the wrong place. Because as I've stated it's a flamingo. A fluorescent pink flamingo at that. I mean, honestly, what more could you ask for?

This is perhaps the epitome of fun bath time. Never did I imagine a day would come when I swirled a pink flamingo around my bath. But that day is here. And I think it should be celebrated. In fact, this day shall henceforth be referred to as Pink Flamingo Day.

Okay, all jokes aside, I am beyond excited for this. The reusable bubble bars that come on a stick are by far my favourites, they are just so user friendly. In fact, the Magic Wand reusable bubble bar is among my top five Lush products despite being a Christmas exclusive. I mean, what's not to love?Swirl in in the water and hey presto: Bubbles! I don't know about you, but to me that's preferable to having to crumble things under water. I shouldn't be trusted with anything crumbly, let alone vibrant bubble bars in a mostly white bathroom.

Unfortunately, like Ylang Song this is an Oxford Street exclusive. But if you do visit the store, I'd definitely recommend this one! The scent is like a slightly darker version of Snow Fairy. Although it's inspired by cocktails it reminds me more of gum balls..

Also, apologies for having repeated the word flamingo about 100+ times.. But it is Pink Flamingo Day after all!


Salted Coconut (Hand Scrub)

“This creamy coconut and sea salt scrub is the perfect way to keep your hands in tiptop condition.”

This is the first product I picked up. However this one isn't for me, it's for my mum. The scent is pretty strong, and in fact it's a little too strong for my liking. I mean I like coconut as much as the next person, but this scent is pretty musky too.

I believe there's also a perfume/body spray in this scent as the lovely lady who was serving us asked her colleague to find it so that my mum could try it and smell like it all day. Plus, I've heard a lot of people compare the scent to the Furze perfume by Lush.

It comes in either a large pot or a small one like the one in the picture. I'd personally recommend the smaller pots to begin with because there really is a lot of product and you really don't need much at all. And Lush actually have a great recycling policy; returning five clean pots will earn you a free "fresh mask".



May Day (Bath Bomb)

“Drop into your bathwater and watch it fizz away”


One of the things I love most about Lush is the work they do for animal rights. All of their products are suitable for vegetarians, which ins't very common.

One of their more recent projects was with the Save Me trust, in the hopes of stopping the badger cull. You can find more information about it here if you're interested, but in short many badgers are killed every year to decrease their population.

Animal rights isn't really something I've addressed on here, but it's very close to my heart and I'll often, if not always, jump at any chance to donate and help. This particular product was only sold until the end of May (although I did get mine last Wednesday, so it may still be in stock), but I'm sure Lush will be doing more projects for similar charities in the future.

The scent that they chose for May Day is really comforting to me. I believe it has fennel in it, possibly with honey, or something other sweet-scent. Plus the badger face is so adorable, I'm going to be so sad to see it dissolve. I'm sure my skin will appreciate it though!



Soft Coeur (Massage Bar)

“Smooth this sweet-smelling massage bar over the body for deliciously-scented and soft skin.”


Now this is one of my must have Lush products. They describe the scent as deliciously-scented and they are not wrong. If it was socially acceptable I would probably marry this massage bar. Pretty fitting actually, considering it's also called the Honeymooner.

The massage bars are generally are super moisturising, and they melt to the touch. But the smell of this one is just so good. It smells like chocolate and butter, and honestly every time I use it I have to stop myself from gnawing off my own arm it smells so good.

 The only possible downfall is the chocolate centre, which can sometimes leaves brown streaks on your skin. This normally happens towards the end of it's use, and the more product you've used, the more the chocolate will rub off on your skin too. When it get's to that point I like to break it into pieces for baths as it'll still moisturise your skin.



Other

The final things I picked up in Lush were these Fighting Animal Testing patches, as well as one of their vintage scarves.

The patches were pretty cheap, at only £1.50 each. They do some others too, such as 'Be Happy' etc..

These are iron-on, thank god, so there isn't the hassle of trying to sow them onto clothes. I'm actually not entirely sure what I'm going to put mine on, so if you do have any ideas, let me know in the comments !






As always, have a great day ♥
Over & Out, T xx
PS: WHAT ARE YOUR FAVOURITE LUSH PRODUCTS?

NEW YEARS MUST HAVES



Hello people of the internet!
Firstly, I hope you all had a lovely Christmas a nice 25th of December if you don't celebrate it!

Unlike most people, I don't set myself new years resolutions. I get anxious enough as it is without having to worry about whether or not I'm achieving the goals I've set myself.

However, I do like to start the year off equipped with what I consider 'must haves'. Of course, I'm only human and chances are I've forgotten something so if you think my list is missing something let me know in the comments below!


Also, I'll be including links to all of my must haves, so if you're interested in any of them then all you have to do is click on the corresponding image!




The Notebook.

No not the heart wrenching film, but the small blank book in which you can make notes. For me personally, notebooks are probably the most essential items to own. I am forever in need of somewhere to jolt down an idea, doodle or write out a to-do list.

I especially love ones with pretty covers. I think that when it comes to notebooks then you are fully allowed to judge them based on their covers!

Unfortunately, my featured notebook is no longer for sale, but if you'd still like to browse the web for it then it's made by a company called Èccolo.



Furthermore, here's a few links to other journals that I love:
1.  The Serious Notebook (so people think you know what you're doing) by Happy Jackson.
2.  The Tabby Cat Journal by A Little Lark.
3.  The Write Something Today Even If It Sucks Notebook by Amanda Wright.
4.  The Cat Pattern Notebook by Mary Kilver.




The Calendar and The Diary.

For me, both of these are essentials. I know that theoretically, they both have the same purpose but I couldn't live with just one of them.

For the most part I use the diary to note down assingments and generally most things college related. I do sometimes use it for social events too, but rarely. This particular one is really handy to carry around because it basically has a section for everything; including detachable shopping lists.

I think that the large wall-hanging calendars are so useful too. I obviously always get something cat related because in case you hadn't already noticed from any of my book reviews, I love felines. I tend to use these types of calendars for reminders such as birthdays, deadlines, et cetera. That way, I see the reminders everyday when I mark off the day. Plus I think they add to a room; I like to keep mine on the wall above the small bookcase where I keep all my stationary, and I think it just add a little Je ne sais quoi to that area. Would you guys like me to post a picture.. Maybe a room tour? Let me know in the comments.

Also, if you're looking for a similar calendar for 2015, I love Cat's Life Calendar by Gemma Correll.




The Wreck This Journal.

A definite must have. I was given a Wreck This Journal for my birthday last July, and I still enjoy using it.

If you're not already familiar with what it is: it's basically a book with random tasks on each page. Each task in intended to nudge you out of your comfort zone, forcing you to gradually 'wreck' the book. For instance, some pages instruct you to 'Bring this book in the shower with you' or to 'Climb up high [and] drop the book' and my personal favourite: 'Doodle over the cover'.

Obviously this isn't for everyone, but I really love mine. I'd especially recommend it to anyone who enjoys listening to audiobooks. If I'm listening to one and have to time to sit down then you can pretty much bet that I'm working on my 'Sew this page'.. I'm sewing the Hufflepuff crest.

Also, I'm pretty sure that there is a compact version of the book (pocket sized) as well as an app for your phone if you'd rather try one of those :)

I actually think I'll do some kind of blog post about this soon, maybe showing my favourite pages?




The Face Masks.

After a stressful day a nice face mask can do wonders not only for your skin but for you mood too.

I know that most people like to have baths when they're stressed out, and whilst I do love a good soak in the tub, sometimes I just don't have the time or energy for one. Those are the times when face masks come in for me. I'll just plop one on lay down and relax to an ASMR video or watch an episode of Gossip Girl.

Obviously any face mask will do, but I just love the packaging for the Anatomicals' face masks. I'm a total sucker for packaging and honestly the Grease one gets me every time!

I often use face masks, so I like to try a range of brands. I do have a couple of favourite brands who both do great face masks. Also, both brands are against animal testing, which is always a plus in my books.
1. The Montagne Jeuness range; they do a variety of different masks targeted at different results or different skin types. These come in sachets like the Anatomicals' so they can be a little fiddly when you've already got product on your hands.
2. The Lush facemasks; handmade and completely organic. They come in pots which I find so much easier, plus if you return a certain amount of pots then you get something free I beleive.



The Purrfume.

Please excuse the pun but it had to be done! (Let's pretend that didn't rhyme shall we?)

I have a range of perfumes that I like to alternate between ranging from the cheap perfumes from Zara to the pricier alternatives of Ralf Lauren and Estée Lauder. I tend to receive perfume as a gift as so my collection has grown a fair amount and Purr by Katy Perry is the newest addition!

I tend to not feel ready in the morning until I have perfume on, so having a few different perfumes is so much better for me personally as alternating scents means I don't get too used to any of them and so I notice them more.


Plus as we've gathered I'm a sucker for both good packaging and cats so this bottle is basically my own version of perfume heaven!




The Spearmint Gum.

Now I know that for some of you it may seem a little odd that I included gum as one of my must haves. However, hear me out.

Gum reduces stress and anxiety. Whether this has to do with the taste itself or the process of chewing, studies have shown that stress levels decrease when chewing gum. And for me this does work to calm my nerves and tame my anxiety in situations I find stressful.

However, normal mint gum actually gives me stomach ache so I use spearmint instead. Plus, it's always handy to have around after meals!

I'd definitely recommend the pots instead of the packets or boxes because they're not only so much easier to find in a bag, but they don't get lost at the bottom of your bag and covered in lint.




The Tissues.

There is never a day in which I don't need a tissue.
Yep, it may sound extreme, but it's true.

If you're going to buy tissues like the ones I've featured here, I'd recommend filling the packet up with half of these and half plain white tissues. Maybe it's just me being selfish, but I am forever asked if I have tissues and I don't really want to give out my Cath Kidston tissues that were a gift..

Plus, sometimes I need to dispose of gum in a tissue and I don't really want to use a nice tissue so carrying plain white tissue too is super handy!




The LED Book Light.

Now, I couldn't call myself a true bookworm without mentioning something book related now could I?

Admittedly, I mostly read books via my phone. That's because I'm lazy and reading a physical book means having to get out of bed at 2:30AM when you've finally finished your book. And I'm really not up for that.

However, using a book light eliminates that problem altogether. I don't have to get out of bed in order to turn the light off because the light is right here! Win!




Thank you if you've read this far! This post basically took me an entire afternoon to photograph, edit and then write up so any feedback in the comments would be really lovely!





Over & Out, T xx

PS: WHAT ARE YOUR NEW YEAR MUST HAVES?