Lush

LUSH Do Knot Disturb

LUSH Do Knot Disturb

LUSH Do Knot Disturb ($29.95) includes four products: French Kiss bubble bar, Sex Bomb, Lust soap, and Soft Couer massage bar. Note, mine is a press sample, and it came with Dirty Toothy Tabs, whereas the ones for purchase include French Kiss–boo!hiss! since I adore lavender! The bubble bar as the fourth item is a way better pick, because those Toothy Tabs aren’t for everyone (so just ignore it in my photos!). With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, I wanted to share this with you, because I think it’s absolutely adorable. Totally a cute gift to give to your special someone who loves LUSH!

French Kiss is a bubble bar, which is described as a “calming and reviving lavender, rosemary, and thyme bath.” Bubble bars are typically used to add bubbles and scent to a hot bath. While you can certainly drop the whole thing into the tub, the best way to use these is to crumble a few pieces into the bath. I normally get two to three uses out of each bubble bar.

Sex Bomb is a bath bomb, which is described as “jasmine, clary sage, and ylang ylang.” It also has soya milk to make the water milky and helps to soften your skin while you soak. It primarily adds scent and color to a bath, and this particular bath bomb turns the water pink. Not as moisturizing as a bath melt, but skin won’t feel dry after a long soak with this. It will leave a faint purple ring around the tub, which I found rinsed off once I turned the shower on, but still something to mention.

Lust soap is all about jasmine. It’s full-on, unabashedly jasmine. I’m personally not a fan of jasmine (or most floral-based scents), but if you do love jasmine-scented products, it’s nice. It’s not synthetic or like a layered perfume.

Soft Couer is a massage bar, which is described as a mix of honey and cocoa powder. If you’ve tried Honey I Washed the Kids, the scent should be familiar. Massage bars are solid forms of moisturizing butters that melt as they’re slid around the skin (assuming you’re warm-blooded, of course!). I actually picked this up a couple of years ago in a trio of massage bars. If you do any massage, these are excellent–they really melt upon contact with the skin, and you can work it in over time, because it doesn’t dry down immediately.

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LUSH for Valentine’s Day

Sweetheart Soap ($4.95 for 3.4 oz)

This sweet smelling soap is chock-full of aphrodisiacs like jasmine, sandalwood, ylang ylang and bergamot to help lift the spirits and give you a boost of confidence to take your relationship to the next level.

Love Potion Massage Bar ($9.95)

Give your love a little rub and cast a spell with this sensual massage bar. Delicately scented with the fragrance of Love perfume this heart stopper is sure to put you, and keep you, in the mood.

Leap Frog Bath Bomb ($4.95)

Ladies the world over will be popping the question as 2012 is a leap year, and it’s the girls’ turn to do the asking! LUSH has created the Leap Frog bath bomb, made with the sultry scent of jasmine, sandalwood, ylang ylang, rose and neroli, to help ladies everywhere get a ring on their men. Once he gets a whiff, he’ll have to say yes!

A Million Kisses Lip Tint ($8.95)

This gorgeous red lip tint is scented with the same rose fragrance and will leave lips soft, supple and tinted a romantic hue…all ready to give your beau a million kisses! Pop on your cheeks for a bit of lustful blush. Available all year round!

25:43

25 minutes and 43 seconds is the amount time it took Mark Constantine, our founder and Gorilla Perfumer, to make this fragrance for his son Simon’s wedding. The main notes are lime tonka accord with sweet warm hay and a fresh green citrus top that are sure to have your lover smitten in no time flat!

Do Knot Disturb Knot Wrap ($28.95)

This is one knot we wouldn’t mind undoing! Inside you’ll find four products sure to make your Valentine’s Day a little more special. The paper band around it can be used as a door hang once cut out, wink wink… Contents: Soft Coeur, Lust soap, Sex Bomb, French Kiss

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LUSH Red Dragon Soap

Happy Lunar New Year with LUSH Red Dragon Soap!

LUSH Red Dragon Soap ($7.95 for 3.5 oz.) is a limited edition soap infused with Lush’s Karma fragrance to celebrate the Year of the Dragon. I made sure to suds up last night with this soap to kick off the new year myself. The top of the dragon has a dusting of “gold,” which does immediately disappear after it hits the water. Lush describes the Karma scent as a “spicy blend ot patchouli, lavender, and pine.” There is also orange oil in it, which is one of the more noticeable notes of the scent for me.

I get the citrus along with a spicy earthiness. It makes the whole shower smell just like the soap, though the scent will dissipate after you’ve finished, and it doesn’t linger for long on the skin (which may be good or bad, depending on your preferences!). The scent fits for Lunar New Year, but I could see it being a love it or hate it kind of aroma overall.

I will say that the actual shaping of the dragon could be more precise, but I’ve never made soap, so maybe it’s not the easy feat I imagine it to be.  I think it’s the head–perhaps a more distinct shape or with better detailing.  Still cute and a nice way to celebrate the beginning of the year!

Happy Lunar New Year!

Holiday Gift Guide: Totally Holiday, Totally Gift-Worthy and Over $50

The last part of the Totally Holiday, Totally Gift-Worthy section of the guide features the more indulgent gifts to give this holiday season. These may be luxurious, or they may offer tremendous value but will be an investment for years to come. Next part of the guide will focus on limited edition holiday color favorites. If you missed it, I already posted the under $30 and under $50 guides!

A Few Tips on Breaking the Bank for Gifts

• Typically, the thought really is what counts, and if you have the budget for it, great gifts can be pricey gifts, too, but make sure you’re still thinking about the person you’re buying for and getting them something indulgent that they want.  Similarly, just because it’s a gift you’d love to receive doesn’t always translate to one your recipient would love to receive.
• Not all sets are created equal–I picked my favorites (across all the holiday kit/set guides) that I felt were good overall, both for quality as well as value, but sometimes kits have minimal savings or it might be in a product you’d never use (maybe it’s a mascara or primer or whatever).  It’s easy to get caught up in “savings” when it’s plastered all over the kit/sale page but remember to read the fine print and see what’s really inside.
• Sometimes buying full-sized products is better if your budget is bigger.  For instance, for the price of the NARS set ($125), you could purchase five full-sized, individual NARS lipglosses–and you could hand-pick the colors or shades.  You can also mix up brands, product types, and whether something it’s limited or permanent that way.

Eyes: One of the ultimate gift sets this season is Make Up For Ever Wild & Chic Aqua Cream Collection ($175.00), but it presents a good opportunity to have several full-sized Aqua Creams at less than retail; I love Aqua Creams in general, and this set is mostly neutral, so it’s workable across skin tones and preferences. If you thought that was indulgent, check out Make Up For Ever’s Wild & Chic Collector Case ($330.00), which contains an instant makeup stash (it’s valued at $616 in product), just at a rather hefty price tag. For Bare Escentuals fans, one of my favorite kits from their holiday offerings is Bare Escentuals bareMinerals Oh La Luxe ($79.00) which contains fifteen shades for eyes/face. They come in a metallic zippered bag, too, which is nice for travel.

Cheeks/Face: There didn’t seem to be very many cheek/face kits/sets this year in this particular price range, but I did like Make Up For Ever Wild & Chic Best of Make Up For Ever Kit ($55.00), since it contains several of their ultra-popular products without having to shell out fully for it–like their HD Powder, Aqua Cream, and Primer. Let me share with you a fantastic Hair kit since this category is a bit barren, Blow Out in a Box ($200.00), which features my favorite T3 Featherweight Hair Dryer, along with a T3 AntiGravity Barrel Brush and Wide Tooth Comb, plus Living Proof Full Thickening Cream and Straight.

Lips: NARS Kudoki Kabuki Lip Set ($125.00) is one of those products that very few of us actually buy but something most of us would appreciate receiving as a gift; it’s decadent, intricately designed, purposefully made–it’s pure luxury and a collector’s item.  I cannot comment on its quality, as I don’t have it and haven’t seen it, but I see this as that, “ooh, ahh” item for the season. Chanel Les Deux Levres Scintillantes ($55.00) contains two glossimers (Spark and Liaison) along with a miniature-sized Nude Lip Definer all housed in a black Chanel-emblazoned makeup bag; the set is fairly neutral and should work universally, and because it’s Chanel, it can impress (for instance, my aunt would much more appreciate a designer brand, because she would never buy it herself).

Skin/Body: The ever-popular Clarisonic has several year-round kits/sets, but they do put a few more together for the holidays. They all tend to be a good value overall, and it’s really a matter of what accessories/bonuses you’d like with it (or what color!).  LUSH has a fantastic offering of holiday gift sets and boxes, including plenty over $50 (and plenty under!), and I love giving LUSH sets for anyone I know who likes to take baths or extended showers to relax–also great for younger teens!

Fragrance: When you’re not quite sure what scent someone wears, or if you know they’re looking for a signature scent or just getting into fragrance, I love the sets Sephora puts together. This year’s Sephora Favorites Rollerball Collection For Her ($65.00 for 7×0.20-0.34oz.) includes popular favorites in rollerball format, so they’re small, travel-friendly, and very convenient; for the fragrance collector, you might consider the collector’s edition, which features miniature sizes of popular scents. I also love fragrance sets like Jo Malone Fragrance Combining Cologne Collection ($95.00 for 5×0.3 oz.) because they can be used individually or together–it’s a great opportunity to pick-up Jo Malone scents in smaller sizes (and for lower prices!).

Do you have any suggestions for readers looking for a really big ticket item to add to their wish list or to splurge on for a loved one?

LUSH Pumpkin Soap

LUSH Halloween: Pumpkin & Demon in the Dark Soaps, Ceridwen’s Cauldron Bath Melt Reviews & Photos

Pumpkin Soap ($6.95 for 2.5 oz.) is warm and spicy; the clove and cardamom co-star in this autumnal-themed soap. I personally think it’s adorable; it’s the happy Jack o’ lantern, not the creepy kind. LUSH likens this to the “sweet and spicy scent of pumpkin pie.” I get a wee bit of pumpkin pie coming through on the tail end, but it’s not a scent I’d describe as gourmand. I think it’s the lack of sweetness that allows the spiciness of the clove, cardamom, and cinnamon to rise above the pumpkin aspect. It’s a subtle scent, too, and it disappears quickly after washing (which may be a good or bad thing, depending on your preferences).

Demon In The Dark Soap ($7.95 for 3.5 oz.) is described as a mix of spearmint and apple juice. The scent is more mint than anything else, but there is an underlying earthiness to it. I found the minty freshness more apparent when just sniffing the dry bar, but the sweetness of the apple juice did come out when used and lathered. Overall, it has a more masculine edge, which makes it great to give to the dirty boys and men in your life, though I have no problem using it as a female! It’s a lower lathering soap compared to other LUSH soaps I’ve tried, but it gives me the same clean skin (without being drying). The scent does not linger for more than a half hour post-shower.

Ceridwen’s Cauldron Bath Melt ($7.95 for 2.8 oz.) is a perfect melt to choose for a decadent and ultra-relaxing bath, because it’s rich and herbaceous with lots of lavender. LUSH’s Bath Melts are nice, because they provide a milkiness to the bath water without making it feel oily or greasy, so your skin gets the hydration without the slippery tub afterward. It comes wrapped in muslin, which is a nice touch, because there is also oatmeal and herb bits and bobs, so the cloth keeps everything from getting into the water while still giving you the aromatic experience. After I emerge from a quick bath (I am actually not a bath person; I think it’s because I suck at relaxing), my skin feels soft and moisturized. There’s a lavender scent that lingers for a few hours afterward.

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LUSH Holiday 2011 Gift Offerings

Bundled up tight in each of LUSH’s holiday gifts you’ll find beautiful baths and tasty skin treats, but this year you’ll also be discovering some of the greatest innovations LUSH has ever created. LUSH has your gift giving needs packaged and ready to go, whether it’s a small token of appreciation for a co-worker or a gift for that special someone.

All of our gifts are wrapped in recycled handmade paper, but we also offer an eco-friendly option with our Knot Wrap Scarves ($6.95). Made from two recycled 500ml plastic bottles, our Knot Wraps can be used to wrap LUSHious gifts Japanese style. After the goodies are gone, the Knot Wrap can be worn as a beautiful scarf or used to wrap other gifts!

Secret Santa ($9.95)

The go-to gift for all those tricky Secret Santa presents, this one suits everyone – so it doesn’t matter whose name you pull out of the hat! Containing two of LUSH’s classic festive treats, a Lil’ LUSH Pud bath bomb and a star shaped Snowcake soap, both of which smell like the marzipan icing on the Christmas cake! Contents: Lil’ LUSH Pud bath bomb and Snowcake soap

Have A Sweet Christmas ($10.95)

Everyone likes to treat themselves at Christmas and why shouldn’t they? Curb those Christmas candy cravings with a duo of delicious bath time goodies from LUSH. The new Candy Mountain bubble bar will create masses of sweet scented skin softening bubbles while a chunk of the jelly baby scented Angels’ Delight soap will satisfy your sweet tooth. Mmm, delicious! Contents: Angels Delight soap and Candy Mountain bubble bar

BRRRRILLIANT ($12.95)

Wake yourself up on cold winter mornings with these two uplifting and invigorating shower products. The lemon and grapefruit oils in Snow Globe soap will enliven the senses while the sugar in Australian Igloo will leave you with smooth and glowing skin. Contents: Snow Globe soap and Australian Igloo sugar scrub

Merry and Bright ($12.95)

Christmas Eve bubble bar and Cinders bath bomb make the perfect pre-bedtime bath combination. After soak with these little wonders and a good night’s sleep, you’ll be merry and bright for all the holiday festivities. Contents: Christmas Eve bubble bar and Cinders bath bomb

Cosy Christmas ($12.95)

Protect your paws this winter with a pair of products scented with almonds and vanilla, some of the most comforting and reassuring essential oils. Tiny Hands is a solid hand serum to smooth and soften hard skin in preparation for some serious snuggling while Snowcake soap is a slice of pure Christmas, fragranced like the marzipan icing on the Christmas cake, it leaves skin soft and deliciously scented. Contents: Snowcake soap and Tiny Hands hand serum

Rocket To Me ($19.95)

Shoot for the stars with this stellar trio of innovative bath fizzers. There’s the new Rocketeer, that’s shaped like a jetpack and literally rockets around the tub; a Space Girl that will orbit the tub leaving a trail of stardust and a blackcurrant aroma and finally an Ickle Baby Bot that’s made with soothing chamomile and lavender to calm down excited minds after Christmas Day. It’s out of this world. Contents: Ickle Baby Bot, Rocketeer, Space Girl

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