Friday, April 25, 2014

April 2014 Beauty Favorites!

Face Products:
Kat Von D Lock It foundation - one of my all time favorites, very full coverage and long lasting.

The Balm Bahama Mama bronzer - awesome, really dark and pigmented bronzer that works extraordinarily well for contouring.

Elf Complexion Perfection powder - this is only $3 and is the best touch up, mattifying powder I've ever used! Definitely one of my holy grail products.

Nars Gaiety blush - perfect blue toned bubblegum pink blush, it's the only Nars blush I own and it was definitely worth the splurge.

Eye Products:
Maybelline Color Tattoo cream shadows - holy grail product that I literally use every day that I wear eye makeup. I use these as a primer/base for eyeshadow and they are just fantastic and so affordable. I'm especially loving the new limited edition shades that were recently released!

Makeup Forever Smoky Lash Extravagant mascara - I've had two deluxe sized samples of this mascara and I absolutely love it. However I find it works best to layer over top a lengthening mascara, when used on its own it can turn out clumpy looking. I like to apply the Maybelline Illegal Lengths mascara first then apply the mufe mascara after that coat has dried and my lashes look amazing all day!

Skincare:
Lush The Sacred Truth fresh face mask - I've been using Lush face masks for years and during my last trip to Lush my friend who works there recommended I try this one since I never have before. I really love it, definitely a face mask to keep on hand. It's a nice, gentle face mask that leaves my skin feeling so clean and refreshed. It is designed for aging but anyone can use it, I believe it is important to take steps to prevent aging rather than try to reverse it when it's too late!



My Daily Skincare Routine | Winter/Spring

The first time I ever heard of or used Lush cosmetics was when I was about 14 and my mom bought some soaps for me. Now almost 6 years later I'm a full blown Lush junkie and I adore all of the various types of products they offer, but their skincare products are especially exceptional. 

I personally am not a vegan but for those who are, almost all of the products Lush offers are 100% vegan and cruelty free. Lush uses fresh fruits, vegetables, essential oils and safe synthetics to make their products. I have always had difficult skin and no products have worked nearly as well as Lush skincare products do. 

Lush offers a wide variety of cleansers, moisturizers, toners, face masks and more however the ones I use are designed for oily, acne prone skin. 

My all time favorite cleanser that I use daily is Herbalism. Herbalism is designed to balance skin's oil production and is wonderful for acne prone skin. It is made with a kaolin clay base and also contains chamomile, rosemary and nettle and rice bran to clean up excess oil. This cleanser has never failed to clear up a breakout and keeps my face smooth and clear. It is deep cleansing but gentle enough for daily use. The one and only thing I dislike is that it does leave my skin feeling quite dry and tight after using it, but once I apply the Imperialis moisturizer I'm good to go!

After washing my face the Tea Tree Water toner is an absolute must. I love this toner in conjunction with the Herbalism cleanser to help keep my skin clear. All of Lush's toners are alcohol free as alcohol can dry out skin. This toner is designed to help control and clear up breakouts, redness and balance skin tone. 

For the past few months I've been using the Imperialis moisturizer which I love, but I'm not quite sure if I love it enough to spend another $25 on another pot once I run out. Imperialis is designed for combination skin, which is why I decided to purchase this in the winter as my skin tends to get much drier during the cold months, but also still gets oily at times. This moisturizer contains lavender which helps prevent oily skin from overproducing oil. Likewise, it encourages dry skin to produce more natural oils. 

Prices of products may vary depending on your location, these prices are from the lushusa.com website
Herbalism Cleanser - 3.5oz $13.95 | 8.8oz $33.95
Tea Tree Water Toner - 3.3oz $9.95 | 8.4oz $21.95
Imperialis Moisturizer - $24.95
Cupcake Fresh Face Mask - $6.95 (only available in store)

I do use and alternate between other Lush cleansers, toners and fresh face masks however this is just a quick overview of my daily routine and the products I use on a regular basis. I will be doing another post in the near future talking about other Lush skincare products I love and would recommend. 

Also, for those who may be new to Lush do not be intimidated by the prices! I personally find Lush to be skincare very affordable considering how long the products last and therefore do not need to be repurchased frequently. For example, I spent $16.95 on a pot of Herbalism cleanser in store and that will last me a good 6 months if not longer. I probably won't be able to finish it before it expires (since Lush products are made of all fresh ingridients and no preservatives they do have a much shorter shelf life compared to other cosmetics). A small amount of product goes a long way and the quality of their fresh, natural skincare products is just amazing, making it worth every penny, in my opinion. 

Friday, November 22, 2013

My current Lush wish list

Photo credit: lush.co.uk

Photo credit: lushusa.com
One of Lush's retro products available on the US website is 17 Cherry Tree Lane, and I am dying to purchase this soap once I finally make my first online order! After reading about this soap and finding out that it has the same tropical mimosa and orange blossom scent as the Sakura bath bomb and one of my all time favorite Lush products, Rub Rub Rub I need this in my life!


Photo credit: lush.co.uk
Another product I plan on purchasing during my next trip to Lush is the Buche De Noel facial cleanser (also pictured above). This is a limited edition holiday product, and it is made with ground almonds to gently exfoliate but also contains almond oil and seaweed to hydrate your skin during the brutally cold winter months that leave my face feeling dry and sore around my eyes and nose.This cleanser is great for all skin types and according to the Lush website, if you love Angels on Bare Skin cleanser (which I do!) you will love this one too!
Bûche de Noël Cleanser








Photo credits: lush.co.uk

I also have been wanting to purchase a few of Lush's hair treatments. One that caught my eye recently while I was browsing the Lush website was the Jasmine and Henna Fluff-Eaze, which is a hair treatment designed to tame fluffy, frizzy, out of control hair. It's loaded with moisturizing and nutrient rich oils such as extra virgin coconut oil, Brazil nut, jojoba and almond oil. It claims to control frizzy, dry hair as well as add loads of shine. The reviews on it are great, I cannot wait to try this out!  



Photo credit: lush.co.uk
For months I've had my eyes on H'Suan Wen Hua (I have NO clue how to pronounce that) hair treatment and I honestly don't know why I haven't purchased it yet! This stuff is supposed to be a mega moisturizer for dry, out of control hair (sounds similar to the Jasmine & Henna Fluff-Eaze hmm..). It contains balsamic vinegar to add loads of shine, as well as fresh mashed bananas, avocado and olive oil to add loads of moisture. I honestly believe once I try out some of Lush's hair products I'm going to become addicted, just as I am to their skin care products! Using fresh, handmade and 100% organic and 70-80% vegan products, I can honestly say they have made a world of a difference compared to drugstore and even high end skin care products that I used to use!

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Most recent Lush purchases & favorites part two!


Santa's Lip Scrub was another new item I recently purchased during my most recent visit to Lush. I had seen it on the UK website and thought it wasn't available in the US, but when I saw it in the store I was over joyed. I had just recently ran out of my Bubblegum lip scrub and keeping a Lush lip scrub in my purse is essential. These things are amazing for removing dead skin and transforming chapped lips to smooth and soft. Great for using before applying lipgloss or lipstick. I absolutely love this and highly recommend picking one up before it's gone, as it is limited edition!

Snow Globe Soap was another Lush soap I never thought I would purchase, let alone a half pound of it. I've always overlooked this soap simply because of the name, it sounds like it would be peppermint scented but to my surprise, it smells amazing. It has a wonderful citrus lemon and grapefruit scent. It's a very heavily scented soap, in my opinion, and it is very creamy and bubbly when you rub it against a loofa (is that what they're really called?). I think you all know what I'm talking about, those shower puffy things you put your body wash on. What the hell are they actually called? 




Lastly, Tea Tree Water Toner was another product I never expected to purchase from Lush, until I received a sample of it. Surprisingly, for being so interested in makeup, beauty and skincare for so long I had never used a toner before. I really love this product, it's designed for oily skin and clearing up pimples. Since I've been using this toner I have noticed a significant decrease in the amount of pimples I get. Although it is for oily skin, it isn't drying at all. It contains antibacterial tea tree, juniper berry and grapefruit water. I really love this and I'm planning on purchasing the Breath of Fresh Air toner my next trip to Lush! 




NOTE - I do not own any of the photos used in this blog post. All photo credits go to lushusa.com and lush.co.uk

My most recent Lush purchases & favorites!

I can't believe I haven't made a post in nearly a year! Life is going by way too fast. I also abandoned my YouTube channel for 4 months so I have so many new products that I've discovered and been loving that I'm dying to share my thoughts about! 




Recently I made two (or maybe 3..shh) trips to Lush and I got a few new products I've been planning on purchasing for a while now, and some that I never thought I would purchase.


Ocean Salt - a product I've been wanting to purchase since I first got into Lush and I finally did! After receiving two samples of Ocean Salt, I loved both and decided it was worth the splurge. I purchased the small tub, 4.2 oz for $25.95. However, since Lush products are all natural and made of fresh ingredients they have a relatively short shelf life. This small pot will last me a very long time considering a little bit goes a long way! Ocean salt is one of Lush's many vegan products; containing coconut, lime, vodka and avocado. It hydrates dry skin as well as deep cleans dirt out of blocked pores and is beneficial for those with blemishes. 


 Miranda Soap - This is one of Lush's vegan soaps made with kiwi, exotic fruit and flower essential oils. It smells amazing and is great for shaving and also using as a hand soap or body wash in the shower. It has a very mild, non over powering scent. Personally when I smell it, it smells like kiwi and tropical fruit (I'm terrible at describing scents). 






The Godmother Soap - This was a must buy simply because Godmother is the same exact scent as Snow Fairy shower gel, which if you ask me, is the most heavenly scent on earth. It's a bubblegum/candy floss scent that is to die for. I personally hate sickly sweet scents but this one is an exception, something about it is just magical (the Snow Fairy Shower Gel too!) I always said I wish Lush would come out with a snow fairy body butter and this holiday season they made my dreams come true - a Snow Fairy Sparkle Bar. It's a massage bar but has the consistency of a body butter. They come solid and I put one in a massage bar tin, mashed it up, now I have Snow Fairy body butter! 




Snow Fairy Sparkle Bar


Herbalism Cleanser was a facial cleanser I was interested in trying for quite a few months before I finally decided to purchase it. I have oily, acne prone skin and that is exactly what this face wash is designed for. Again, this is another one of the oodles of vegan products Lush offers. Herbalism is made up of rosemary, nettle, chamomile and also kaolin clay which is made to deep clean pores. It's recommended paired with Grease Lightning, which I haven't got around to trying out yet!
Angels on Bare Skin is a cleanser I never really considered trying. At the time I purchased this (before Herbalism), I was using Dark Angels as a daily face wash and it was just too rough for every day. Angels on Bare Skin is a cleanser made for all skin types and again, a vegan product. It is a lovely, gentle cleanser for every day. I recently ran out of it and I am definitely going to repurchase it. This cleanser is made up of kaolin clay, ground almonds, lavender and rose.




Phew, I think that's enough for this post. I feel like a teacher that lectures for too long and loses everyone's attention haha. I will be making a part two to this so check that out if you're obsessed with Lush even half as much as I am :)
NOTE - All photo credit goes to Lush Cosmetics. None of the photos in this blog post are mine.

Sunday, February 10, 2013

Review/Mini Lush Haul!

Last weekend I went to Lush and picked up 3 products I've been dying to try out :) 

The first product I decided to splurge on because it
was always so tempting in the store was the Rub
Rub Rub shower scrub. I love sugar/salt scrubs but I felt like spending $19.95 USD on a scrub would be a waste of money. However, the first time I used this I instantly fell in love. The scent is amazing. It has a mimosa, orange blossom tropical scent, but it's very light and fresh. This salt scrub not only exfoliates my skin wonderfully, but it leaves it feeling so silky and moisturized!



 
The next product I decided to try out was the Mask of Magnaminty (pictured below), I've heard many great reviews on it, and I decided to try it out because I absolutely love my Lush Cupcake face mask, but it has a very short shelf life, but it is designed for oily/acne prone skin, and it works amazingly for me. The Mask of Magnaminty is also suppose to be good for oily skin and acne. However, I've tried this product about 3 times already and I haven't seen any noticeable results. I have high hopes for this product, so I hope I end up loving it ! The Mask of Magnaminty claims to be a deep cleansing facial cleanser or mask, including ingridients like China clay and fresh peppermint that help deep clean pores. It also includes Adzuki Beans which help exfoliate while vanilla helps calm redness. 


The last product I really wanted to try from Lush was one of their Shower Jellies! I decided to try Sweetie Pie, which is actually the same scent as the Comforter Bubble Bar, which is one of Lush's most popular products. This product is so fun to use in the shower, it has a fun jelly consistency, but when you massage the product into a loofa it gets super bubbly and smells wonderful. This product is also very inexpensive, considering most Lush products are on the pricier side. A 8.5oz tub runs for $11.95 USD, and you get a ton of product!

Friday, February 8, 2013

Review: Lioele Beyond the Solution BB Cream


My Thoughts: Recently BB Creams have been the talk of the beauty community. I swear everyone and their mother raves about them. I have tried both an authentic Korean BB Cream and an "Americanized" version of one. I originally heard about BB creams from YouTube videos, and they sounded like amazing and promising products. I've never heard a single bad review about one. I first tried the Smashbox BB Cream after a Sephora employee recommended it to me. I wasn't impressed by it at all. It hardly had any coverage or lasting power. Recently, I ordered the Lioele Beyond the Solution BB cream from an Ebay seller in Korea. I was so excited to finally try it after seeing reviews on it for months. I immediately started trying it out and took notes throughout the day on how it wore. I first applied it at 6:30 am, then by 11:30am my skin was more oily than it normally is by that time, but it still provided the same amount of coverage as when I first applied it, and it was still in place and not cakey. I had to touch up my skin twice with a translucent powder by noon, and although I do have oily skin, the products I had used previously kept my face matte all day and my makeup would still look 100% flawless by noon. By 12:30, after touching up my makeup twice that day, I could see the BB cream noticeably fading. It looked a bit uneven and my freckles and pimples were showing through as if I had no face makeup on at all. I also noticed that this product has a very strong pink undertone to it, at least on my skin, which is odd considering I naturally have very pinky-toned skin. Overall, I was pretty disappointed in this product. As I said  before, I do have oily skin but it is easily controlled by the Revlon Colorstay Whipped foundation and the same setting powder and primer I used with the BB cream. I was honestly surprised that this product didn't live up to all the hype I had heard about it. This BB cream may work a bit better for those of you who have dry skin, but I can't really say since I don't have dry skin. I would definitely not repurchase this product or recommend it to anyone with oily skin, or even skin on the slightly-oily side. 


Pros:                                                                                       
Inexpensive ($11.75 where I purchased it)
Very light feeling on skin
Has medium coverage
Nice natural satin-like finish on the skin
Includes a pump (clean and easy application)


Cons:
Skin appears oily very quickly after application
Awful lasting power (even with a mattifying primer and De-slick Oil Control spray)
Fades away and loses coverage after 5-6 hours 
Can become cakey and patchy/uneven looking

Consistency: This BB Cream has a relatively thick/creamy consistency to it. It blends out smoothly and flawlessly, and leaves a satin and ever so slightly dewy finish.