Halloween with LUSH! 2014

Aloha Sprinklerinos,

Trick or Treat? 

Treat of course!

Halloween is fast approaching and those good eggs at Lush have conjured up some brand spanking new potions for us to get our mitts on. Squee!

Today I'm going to talk you through the items available, most are newbies, but you might notice the odd return due to popular demand.

 Northern Lights Bath Bomb (NEW!) - £3.50
Familiar with their Christmas Eve fragrance? Well you'll ruddy love this, filled with Jasmine and Ylang-Ylang this little beauty fills your bath like the night sky, creating blue and green colours whilst some added popping candy jumps through the water. You could quite easily be viewing the Northern Lights from your bathroom! Ooh-err.

Sparkler Bath Bomb (NEW!) - £3.50
Not only is this one a must have for Halloween it's title makes it pretty appropriate for Bonfire night too, non? With a golden colouring and popping candy it gives off bright glittery fireworks. And with Organic Rose fragrance it's also going to give heaps of moisture and nourish the skin - winner.

Sparkly Pumpkin Bubble Bar (NEW!) - £3.50

How pretty? The specks of gold lustre will fill your bathtub and with an uplifting fragrance of Orange Flower Absolute, hints of Juniper Berry and Lime Oils you can't really go wrong. Plus, did you know Orange Flower Absolute helps to tone the skin? Oh yes.

Lord of Misrule Bath Bomb - £3.50

Back for another year you might already have this in your stash. If not, you'll be pleased to know this little devil turns your water in to a wine colour 'chin-chin' with scents of Vanilla and Black Pepper - mm hmm.

Wizard Bubble Bar (NEW!)- £3.25
Is this not the cutest thing you've ever seen? (kittens aside) He's full with popping candy, so simply crumble him under the tap and release heavenly scents of Juniper Berry, Tangerine and Ylang Ylang Oil - Puuurfection (see what I did there?)

Wizard Hat Gift (NEW! includes: Wizard Bubble Bar, Star Light Star Bright Bath Melt; Sparkler Bath Bomb): £12.95
What's this then?! A proper lovely little treat of wizard-y goodness, that's what. 

Fairy Ring Soap (NEW!)- £4.10
Have you tried out Lush's new Gorilla Volume 3 perfume? Well this fairy is full of just that! Containing Shiitake mushrooms - I know, mushrooms in a soap, heaven forbid. BUT, they contain anti-ageing properties as they're full of Kojic Acid which means I can't wait to try it. Hey there younger, fresher looking skin! I'm comin' for ya...

It's no secret that Lush are one of my favourite places to have a good old splurge - so needless to say I'll be relaxing in some pretty exciting baths over the next few weeks.
Most of these goodies are limited edition and only available through Halloween to Christmas...so you'll have to purchase now to avoid disappointment!

Toodlepip!

xx

Lush Favourites

Aloha Sprinklerinos,

I am hands down, a HUGE Lush fan! I think I can confidently say I have tried out at least 90% of the shop and love the products, the company ethos and the friendly staff.

Last week I made a YouTube video featuring some of my favourite Lush products and I thought I would share it here too, incase you're not a tubey-you kind of a gal (or guy).

If you would like any individual reviews on the products in the video/image above, do let me know and I will aim to please.

What's your FAVOURITE Lush product?

Toodlepip!

xx

This month my Ultimate Advertiser is Confessions of a Secret Shopper. If you would like to know more about advertising on Sprinkle of Glitter, check out my 'Sponsor' page up at the top!

Lou's Reviews :: Lush Solid Perfume in 'Love'

Aloha Sprinklerinos,

I have been a Lush addict for as long as I have loved all things beauty. I never manage to go into one a store without picking up a bath ballistic or bubble bar and telling myself it's an 'essential'. It's not! I have an entire box full of the fragrant little 'essentials', just waiting to be used- Eepp!

Recently, rather than stocking up on more delicious bath wonders, I chose something a little out of the ordinary for me, a solid perfume. 

I bought this for £7 and felt that was a bargain when you consider what you would happily pay for a 'liquid' perfume. With notes of lemongrass, apple and cinnamon, this is perfect if, like me, you adore all things fruity. 

The idea with this product is that when you would like to apply a burst of fragrance, simply untwist the lid, push up the perfume and rub like a lip balm on the areas you wish. I tend to go for pulse areas like wrists, as these help omit the fragrance. 

This fruity little number will not be replacing the luxury that is a spritz of Gucci II or D&G Light Blue, but it is the most handy, affordable (and lightweight) day time scent I have found. I think this is ideal for college or the office, when you don't want to be overpowering, but do want to freshen up as the day goes on. 

I don't find this product drying or irritating to the skin (although please do be safe and do a patch test on yourself), but would say that I had to re-apply fairly regularly. 

You can purchase this solid perfume HERE Perfume or in stores and there are 12 to choose from, variety is the spice of life after all!

Is solid perfume something you might add to your makeup bag? Or are you a luxury fragrance kind of a gal?

Toodlepip!

xx

This month my Ultimate Advertiser is Laura from Secret Diary of a Fashion Journalist. If you would like to know more about advertising on Sprinkle of Glitter, check out my 'Sponsor' page up at the top!

Miniture Celebrations

Aloha Sprinklerinos,

Despite having lots of 'proper' posts to be getting on with, I felt like just having a natter with you and filling you in on some of my latest mini happies.

(Yes, that's Baby Glitter on a giant tap in her new and slightly too big snow suit. As you do)

Today I was walking to the bank (more on this later) and I was thinking about all the good things that have happened recently and so I have decided to share them with you because we all need a bit of positivity on these gloomy January days. I know I do.

♥ Although I haven't managed 30 minutes exercise a day, this morning I put on my pre pregnancy jeans and DID UP THE BUTTON! This is a bit of a break through for me and my tum!

♥ I've been on 3 good walks this year to 3 different parks. That's not bad going in my books. If I had to rate them I'd give Sywell Country Park 9/10 (really cool kiddie sand park with diggers, water activities, fun slides, giant ornaments like fish/birds/taps, climbing wall, butterfly garden, reservoir, ducks, loooaadds), Abington Park 8/10 (fun children's park with all the usual apparatus, avery, bandstand, little cafe, tennis courts, duck ponds galore and lots of open space) and The Race Course 3/10 (not much there, kiddie park was vandalised, scary looking 'characters' about). I don't know why I just gave little reviews, but I did! I hate walking, but it seems a lot less arduous if it's somewhere enjoyable. Also, it leads to less wobbly bits and that's my goal.

♥ Finally, after a year and a half of repayments, I have paid off my stinking overdraft. Take that bank! Now everything in there is mine, mine, MINE! It's a huge weight off my shoulders and I'm going to promise myself not to get into such a pickle again. Now to work on the mortgage...

♥ This blog tipped over the 5,000 follower mark last night and I couldn't be more thrilled! I feel like that is a crazy amount to have grown in one year (it was around 1,000 last January) and I hope it continues to blossom and share it's sparkle with the world. Thank you every single Sprinklerino who has hit that little 'join this site button'. I loves ya.

♥ I have been longlisted for the Marie Claire Beauty Blog Awards. Wow! I NEVER get long listed/short listed/anything listed for things so this has come as a huge surprise and excitement to me! To be honest, I'm happy enough to just be on the long list, but if you would like to see Sprinkle of Glitter on the short list (issued 20th Jan), then please to click HERE and select 'Sprinkle of Glitter' from the drop down. Muchos Thankos!

~~~~

As I said above, I have a tonne of 'proper' posts to write, like Amazing Advertisers, reviews on Jolie Box, Carmine, Glossy Box for Men and Lush, Baby Glitter's latest update, Ebay Hearts and a Home Corners of my lounge. Any requests on ones you'd like to see first?

What little things are you celebrating today?

Toodlepip!

xx

Lou's Reviews :: LUSH Space Girl Ballistic

Aloha Sprinklerinos,

Remember in the olden days, when we were kids and a bath was something your mum made you do to get clean? Isn't it funny that now it's transformed from an essential yet boring daily chore, to a relaxing treat. I can't recall the last time I had one without an 'accompniment'. No, no, not the human type (filthy minds), but yummy bubble baths, luxe oils or fun and sparkly bath bombs.

Lush's Space Girl bath bomb certainly ticks fun and sparkly. This purple flying saucer shaped ballistic turns your water a deep violet and leans to a more fruity smell than floral or vanilla, which is no surprise considering it contains bergamot, grapefruit and almond oils as well as citric acid. I must say though, the fragrance is very light and not at all overpowering like some of my past Lush experiences.

I love that this product contains glitter. We all know I have an obsession with the stuff. Personally, I would've coped with a lot more, but I'm not sure that would be to everyone's taste. The glitter isn't all that obvious until you look for it. When you really do have a good gander, you will note little shimmers of red and gold amongst your purple bath- lovely.

According to the WEBSITE, the Space Girl bath bomb also has popping candy packed inside it. It suggests submerging your head under water to hear this, but I must say, that's not something I have done or will do- I don't like the feeling of water in my ears. Has anyone else tried and verified Lush's candytastic claim?

Retailing for £1.95 (the lower end of the bath bomb price spectrum), having a cool shape, making my water violet and glittery and not being overly pungent makes Space Girl one of my favourites from Lush and a product that I have bought over and over.

Have you this ballistic? What is your absolute fave?

Toodlepip!

xx

To The Imagination Station!!

Aloha Bloggerinos,

Way back when I did my 1000 follower giveaway (would you like another one if I hit 1500 followers? let me know), I asked people to request posts for the blog as I was lacking a little in inspiration. Lots of you came up with some brilliant ideas that I am slowly working through, but one stood out the most.

One nifty little Bloggerino delved into her imagination and asked me to tell you all what I would invent if I could make anything for Lush. I thought this was a really unusual question and have pondered it for a while and decided on my fantasy product!

As a big fan of cleansing wipes (despite being somewhat of a Liz Earle convert these days), I would like to use these as my base. I would invent a packet of cleansing face wipes that smelt like green Opal Fruits (I know they are officially called StarBurst but I'm practically elderly and will never change) and in the packet, each wipe would be a different colour. I think nice pastel colours would be cool, mint, pink, lemon, aqua etc.

Naturally I would want to wipes to remove eye makeup as well as the Johnson 3 in 1's (the best I have ever tried), wouldn't be tested on animals, wouldn't contain sulphates or parabens and would be hypo-allergenic- I'm not asking much haha!

If any company were ever going to do something this 'out there' with colour and scent, I think it would be

Lush, as their products are always so vibrant and brave.

Obviously this is a made up product so until we invent cameras which look inside my head then I can't post a picture, but fortunately, weheartit.com has come to the rescue! Huzzah!

What would your dream product be?

Toodlepip!

xx

Lou's Reviews :: Liz Earle Toner and Moisturiser

Aloha Bloggerinos,

Do you remember when I posted about my love for the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser HERE? Well, those crazy gals at Liz Earle were kind enough to read my review and then send me the next two steps in the range, which I was over ze moon and zo stars about now that I'm such a convert! Eep!

(How professional is that? I do think Liz Earle have excellent PR)

I was generously sent a bottle of  Instant Boost Skin Tonic and a jar of Skin Repair Moisturiser (for dry skin).

Instant Boost Skin Toner

A while ago I asked you all what the point of toner was, so it was good luck that you all answered before this product arrived, otherwise I'd be fumbling around in the dark for something to say like a blind mouse.

I have been informed, by none other than you clever Bloggerinos, that the purpose of toner is to remove any remaining yuk from the skin, close the pores and prepare your skin for moisturising. Now that I know this, I am much more inclined to use toner and much less clueless- thank you!

I love this toner. It doesn't smell the same as the Cleanse and Polish (which is a shame because I am in love with the fragrance of that one), but does still smell mature and sophisticated. I go through phases. Sometimes I like the funky vivid smells of Lush Whoosh Shower Jelly and Snow Fairy, and sometimes I like a more grown up scent.

The packaging, like all of this range, is very bathroom friendly- pastel greens with unoffensive silver writing, lovely. Also, I like the cap of the bottle. Rather than take the whole cap off, you twist the lid and tada, a little nib where the toner comes out of, allowing you to control the flow of product and prevent wastage. A bonus in my books.

I have only ever used one other toner before (Lush Breath of Fresh Air) so I am by no means an expert in this field, but I know what I like, and I like this. It feels refreshing but doesn't make my skin tingle and it doesn't leave me feeling all tight and horrid- this is a big thing for me because my other one does leave me running for the face cream post haste!

I can't say I noticed that it removed any remaining yuk from my face, but I really do think this is because the Cleanse and Polish kit deals with everything and does such a good job that there is nothing left to remove.

Phewf, who knew I could talk about toner for so long?! Sorry!!

Skin Repair Moisturiser

I'm in love. Fact.

I used to use Lush Dream Cream religiously because I enjoyed the thick, non oily consistency. Then Baby Glitter started making my tum her home, my sense of smell went gaga and Dream Cream became Nightmare-Vomit-At-The-Smell-Of-It Cream. I had been using a Vaseline body lotion in it's place because I could bare it, but this. is. brilliant!

The scent is subtle yet fragrant- I'm yet to put my finger on it but all I can think of is that it smells 'clean'. Does that make any sense? I hope so!

This product sinks in beautifully, especially after using the 2 prior steps the routine, but I have also used and enjoyed it after a little makeup wipe cleanse (sometimes I just don't have the energy for a full routine/I'm lazy).

It leaves my skin feeling revived, soft and I have noticed my foundation sets very well over the top of it.

Win win win.

Links are at the top for each product but for the whole Liz Earle site and prices (I didn't include as they are different depending on sizes), click HERE. 

Have you tried these or similar products? What did you think?

Toodlepip!

xx

Lou's Reviews :: LUSH It's Raining Men

Aloha Bloggerinos,

You will have seen a zillion of these, so I will keep it short, I just couldn't not profess my love for it.

This is 'It's Raining Men' shower gel from Lush and is from the limited edition Valentines range.

I took the picture from Google Images because I can't bring myself to waddle upstairs, take some pictures, upload them, ra ra ra. Will you ever forgive me/the bump?

This shower gel smells exactly like 'Honey I Washed The Kids' soap and I LOVE it! I'm much more of a shower gel than block of soap gal, and I'm really into sweet honey smells at the moment so this is just perfect for me.

It lathers nicely, makes me feel all cosy and happy and the scent lingers- what more could you want?

I'm afraid I can't give you a price because the UK site is still down and the USA site doesn't feature it, so it's a good excuse for you to get down to your nearest store and grab one before they all go! I've had mine a few weeks and am using it very sparingly...I may need to purchase a backup....

Have you tried this? What do you think?

Toodlepip!

xx

Toner-Tastic?

Aloha Bloggerinos,

As you'll know from my previous Battle of the Cleansers post (HERE), I am currently on a skincare mission. I have basically good skin, but I know if I look after it better, it will thank me for it in the long run.

So, I have been properly cleansing, and moisturising and have recently added toning into the equation.

I will admit, I don't really get this Toner business. Tightening the skin? Ummm Ok but I don't really like tight skin and instantly want to slather moisturiser on it to sooth the tightness. I've half looked into this terribly important matter but I'm still not 100% clear. If you know more about why it's important to tone or what precisely it does for you, puurrlleeaasee let me know because I'm just being a bit of a beauty sheep and doing it because I feel I should! Ha.

So, on Boxing Day I bought a 250g bottle of Lush Breath of Fresh Air Toner. I would love to tell you how much it retails for but the Lush website is still down due to hacking. I think maybe the £7-8 mark. Hoowwwweevvveerr, prepare to be jealous.....I got it for free!!

How cool is that? I don't know about you, but I really do think Lush are good to their customers and that's definitely part of what makes me go back there so often. That and I luuurrrvvee the products of course!

I have been using this toner regularly (not everyday, slaps wrist) for about a month. Now, I really like it, it smells fresh, doesn't irritate my skin at all, makes me feel like I'm doing the right thing skincare wise annddd apparently is boosting my face with vitamins and all sorts of goodness. That's it.

I haven't noticed anything different, good or bad, in my skin. I feel pretty 'meh' about it all. I have tried applying it in a variety of aways- spraying directly onto skin, spritzing on dry or damp cotton wool and applying to face and even squirting onto my hands and patting on.

So really, I'm throwing the ball in your court dear Bloggerinos, what shall I do? Am I doing it wrong? I want to join this Toner club but can't find the bloomin' door!

Please help!

Toodlepip!

xx

PS. Only six more days left til giveaway time, so get your entry in now. To have a looksie, click HERE.

Lou's Reviews :: Battle of the Cleansers

Aloha Bloggerinos,

For the past few months, I have become somewhat obsessed with skin care. In my quest for beautiful skin, I have tried a few different cleansers/makeup removers and I thought I'd share my thoughts with you. I have actually already made my YouTube video on this, which you can see HERE.

 

Way back when in about November, I was given a little sample of a Lush Cleanser called 9 to 5, which claims to 'clean the skin thoroughly with a mild antibacterial action'. I totally used all the sample (I don't always do this if I'm not enthused. I was also given an 'UltraBland' sample but didn't really warm to it) and wanted more! Soooo, in the boxing day sale, I bought a bottle for half the original price. I was going to link you to Lush and tell you the rrp but as you may well know, the site has been hacked and is temporarily shut. I *THINK* 9 to 5 Cleanser is around the £6-7 mark for a smaller bottle.

Seeing as 9 to 5 is infused with orchid oil and everlasting flower, it really does have the most soothing yummy effect on the skin.

To achieve this I wet a piece of cotton wool pleat, squish it down so it's damp, not soaking, squib on some cleanser (yes, squid) and gently rub onto my face. A lot of makeup comes off with this step, but then I take another damp cotton wool pleat with no cleanser on and rinse. I can't describe the soothingness, but it feels really calming.

It's great for taking skin makeup off but I found it struggled with my eye makeup. I think if you are a gal that only wears a light dusting of eyeshadow and a slick of mascara, you might be ok, but for my primer, shadow, eyeliner and looooadddsa mascara'd kind of eyes, it's no match. Sad times. Because if this flaw, I only use this in the mornings to kind of pep my skin up and to cleanse it of general impurities, not as a makeup remover. Or sometimes, I just use it for a little skin treat :)

As always with Lush, packaging is spot on. Sleek, unique to Lush, enjoyable to have on display in your bathroom and I enjoy that it has a small opening so you can control the flow of product, preventing mess.

In the absense of the UK site, you can check out the Lush USA site HERE.

Next up on my little quest for cleany clean skin is the MAC Pro Eye Makeup Remover which retails at £13.50 for the big 100ml bottle. I was actually sent a sample with a little postal order I made a few months back and had been saving it.

I used it all, so far so good. I had high hopes for this little number, especially since my opinion of a lot of other MAC Products is uber high, but sadly I was a bit let down. It claims to be a 'mega effective remover that lifts off every look', but as with the Lush Cleanser, I found it didn't really remove all my eyemakeup. I will be fair though and say that the sample was really teensy, so I wasn't overly generous with how much I put on the cotton wool pleat, and also I dampened the cotton wool, thus diluting the remover a bit.

I really liked the fragrance of this, not chemically but just pleasantly clean. This is a really winner for me because I am ultra fussy about smells. I also found it left my sensitive skin calm and happy, which isn't always the case with makeup removers.

I won't really go too far into this one as I don't think I had enough to fully give a fair opinion on it but I would say it's OK, but not something I will be buying soon. It works alright, but unlike the Lush 9 to 5, it doesn't make my skin smile.

On a side note, have you tried the makeup wipes from MAC- wowzas I bloomin' love them! I wish I had some of those to review for you because it would be smiles all round :)

You can check it out for yourself HERE.

Last but by no means least, is the hero of the hour. This is the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser Kit- phewf what a mouthfull!

The idea with this is to squirt a little bit of the product (which comes out as a smooth, rich, white cream) onto your fingers, massage into dry skin, then using a wet with warmed/hot water muslin cloth (2 are provided in the kit), remove (or 'polish off') the massaged in cream and it takes away all makeup and impurities.

At first I was quite sceptical about this product. Yes, I too have read a lot about it on other blogs, but I couldn't see how this white creamy stuff would manage to get off all my eyemakeup/how my eyes wouldn't sting after having something massaged into the lashes. I was wrong. Oh so wrong. This is a remover of kings I tell thee.

I could go on all day about this item but I'll try and just keep it short with what I love about it.

It is uber gentle on my skin. I haven't felt tight/dry/irritated, just fresh as a daisy. I think this may well be down to the fact that it is 'plant based'. Winner.

It has a really refreshing scent to it. As I have said a million times before, I am super fussy about fragrances but this just smells really zingy and fresh. It took me about a week to work out it was the eucalyptus. Love it.

In the kit, which retails for £13.25, you get the 100ml bottle, 2 generous sized muslin clothes and a cute pastel green wash bag to keep it in. I was really glad of the 2 clothes because it means you can have one in the wash and still use your cleanser. Top tip- Don't be a fool and put your cloth in with your jeans...unless you like baby blue. Top Fact- I read somewhere tha Kylie Minogue uses muslins to remove her makeup and look at her skin- Flawless!

The packaging is very bathroom friendly. Pastel green, sophisticated and grown up. The bottle has a pump top, preventing wastage and contamination. I only use one or two pumps a night, so hopefully this will last a while.

It removes ALL my makeup!!!!!!!!! Even dark bases like MAC SharkSkin Shadestick can't fight this.

It's pretty fair to say that I am a convert and will buying this over and over, for richer for poorer, til death us do part.

I urge you to have a look at this little wonder, HERE.

Have you tried any of these products or do you have something that you lovity love? Let me know :)

Toodlepip!

xx

Little Disclaimer- Liz Earle Cleanser was sent to me to review, but as I'm not paid by them or anything serious like that, I give you Bloggerinos my honest opinion and thoughts. Woop woop.

YouTube- Great Big Baby Clothes Haul

Aloha Bloggerinos,

I've just got back from the London IMATS 2011 and was about to make a haul video, when I realised I still had the Baby Clothes video lurking in my file. I've been being really good lately and been doing all your requests, so do let me know if you have any suggestions or wants. I know a lot of you have left me requests on my 1000 Followers Lush Giftset Giveaway (click HERE to enter) and I will tally all those up when the contest closes- thank you to those who have already entered and requested something :)

I've got TONNES of Lou's Reviews coming up for you, as well as a crafty post and maybe another pregnancy update- that's a lorra lot!

LOU'S VIEWS: Great Big Baby Clothes Haul

Also, I want to say a BIG THANK YOU to all of you who said such lovely things on my Nursery Tour and especially to those who gave me the nappy advise I asked for, I feel a lot more informed and a lot more confident, and that means a lot to me.

Happy Viewing xxx

Toodlepip!

xx

Belated 1000 Follower Giveaway!!

Aloha Bloggerinos,

I promised you all a while back when I hit 1000 followers that I would do a giveaway. Weeeelllllll, life got in the way and it got a little delayed, but, never the less, here we are with a 1245 follower giveaway! Hahaha!

So here we have it, the chance to win a brand new lovely jubbly Lush Gift Set. It's been pretty hard going keeping this all wrapped up and not using it all myself I can tell you!

(I'm aware that some Bloggers are super generous with their prizes, and think I have been in the past, but with a little bambino on ze way, I kept it small and simples. Besides, all the best things come in small packages, non?)

As usual, the rules are really simple:

For One Entry- Follow and comment. The comment I would like to see is something that you hope to achieve in 2011. It could be anything at all. I might even do a little post of a few things I want to achieve. Hmm.

For Three Entries- Write your comment and mention this giveaway somewhere else (blog, you tube, twitter, fb, etc) and give me a little link so I can see.

For Five Entries- Comment, mention this and give me a request for a YouTube video or blog post- I need inspiration, stat!

Simples.

I will also be giving an extra entry to you if you are one of my existing 1245 followers, please let me know if you are and be honest- cheaters never prosper.

I'll be picking a winner on Feb 9th, so you have a whole calendar month to get cracking :)

Looking forward to seeing your goals for 2011!

Toodlepip!

xx

Lou's Reviews :: Lush Ma Bar

Aloha Bloggerinos,

I know lately I have done quite a few Lou's Reviews, after the reviewing draught, but that's because 1) I have a bit of mula now to treat myself to a few bits and 2) I'm having a massive Lush and MAC obsession at the moment. Do you do that? Do you go through phases of being totally in love with certain things or brands??

I've mentioned the Lush Ma Bar before, but realised that I had never done a proper review on it, so here we are chums, a maaaaaaaaaarvellous maaaaaaaaaaa bar review. Mwahaha see what I did there?

(Ma Bar's don't have glitter on them but in my house, glitter is an occupational hazard so lordy knows where those sparkles came from. See anyone you know in the background??)

The Ma Bar is a chocolate-toffee flavoured bubble bar that smells good enough to eat. Retailing at £2.45 per bar, it won't break the bank and I usually get about 4 baths out of it, so a small price for big luxury. The idea of bubble bars is to break a chunk of, crumble under the running water and voila, bubbley bubbley goodness. I know some people crumble a whole bar but I prefer to preserve the pleasure and use about a quarter per bath....maybe one day I'll go wild and live on the edge..I'll let you know.

This bubble bar, like all the others I have tried, gave the water a really moisturising, slippery type feel. I know that sounds nuts, but it felt like someone had popped a bit of oil in and it was doing my skin some good. This could just be in my own baby brained head (yes, pregnancy has adled my mind), but I liked it none the less. After leaving the bath my skin did feel pleased and I felt totally soothed and relaxed.

(MMMmmmmm I want to eat it)

The scent of this product is A-Mazing! It reminds me of delicious cafe hot chocolates and makes me want to lick it a bit. Beware! Once in a moment of maddness, many moons ago, whilst nobody was watching, I did lick a lush product (soft coer massage bar if you must know) and I will tell you now, it did not taste good. So learn from my mistakes, don't lick things you shouldn't...ooer missus.

My one negative on this product would be the colour it turns the water. Obviously as the bar is brown and cream (with a very cute little brown sugar cube I might add, dissolves in the water, lovely), it's not going to turn the water pink. No. It turns it a light brown sort of colour.................a litttttllee bit like someone has had a little tiny accident in the bath. Yes, that's right, I said it. My sister won't thank me for this, but when she was a baby and I was about 11, I had a bath with her on my lap, thinking how cute she looked in the bubbles. Cute until she did a million tiny malteser sized poos that subsequently dissolved into the water, turning the whole experience into a runny poo flavoured nightmare.

Please try not to associate this yummy bubble bar with poo (oh gawd), it really is lovely and I have bought quite a few of these, and do look past the browny tinge. The smell is amazing, price is good and overall performance is a total winner.

Have you tried the MA Bar? What did you think? Do you perhaps think I have completely lost it and gabbled on about poo??

Toodlepip!

xx

Lou's Reviews :: Lush- Irridescent Glitterbug

Aloha Bloggerinos,

Two Lush reviews in two days, I'm spoiling you!

I have bought three of these to date and will continue to purchase these because in my eyes, they're fabulous. The Glitterbug is infact a bug shaped massage bar chocablock full of bluish mauve sparkles that transfer to the skin with the staying power of no other glitter product I've tried before. If glitter isn't your thing, then I'd recommend you stay well back!

My first experience of the famous Glitterbug is not one I relish. I was 18, at university in Liverpool and eagerly getting ready for a big night out. I had popped into Lush that day and grabbed a few things, not really taking the time to find out what they're uses were. What a mistake-a to make-a!!! I foolishly presumed the sparkly little bug was a soap, jumped in the shower and rubbed it EVERYWHERE. I remember thinking it was a bit odd that it didn't lather and was rather scratchy but carried on none the less.

It wasn't until I stepped out of the shower and looked at myself (nudey tudey) in the full length mirror that I was met with a blue, sparkly, mirrorballed human smurf! I had put soooooooooo much on that I had literally turned myself blue! I nipped next door to ask my flatmate if I was perhaps over exaggerated the situation but alas, she confirmed I looked MENTAL. I learnt a valuable lesson that night- befriend the Lush Sales Assistant and do your research!

I love the moment before you open a Lush product and it is all new and fresh and pristine. Mmmm

Since then, I have learnt the art of the Glitterbug. The idea is to warm up the bar in your hands and then either use as you would any other Lush massage product or use the residue from your hands to rub into anywhere you want the shimmer. I like it on my arms, shoulders and decolletage, but not my face!

Aside from it's obvious brilliance (gliiittttteerrrr), it also has other fantastic properties, like the shea and cocoa butter it's made from that give your skin a well earned drink. Glittery moisturised skin? Yes please. Lush tell us that it's scent is made up of rose, neroli and sweet vanilla, but to me it just smells of Glitterbug...helpful!

I have looked on the website and it seems to have gone, although when I was in store today, they had plenty, phewf!

The Iridescent Glitterbug retails for £3.25 (i think!) and will last you a VERY long time, well worth it for its unique effects, moisturising properties and general yumminess to have in your collection.

Have you tried this? What did you think?

Toodlepip!

xx

Lou's Reviews :: Lush - Once a Year

Aloha Bloggerinos,

What a festive Saturday I'm having! Matt is here tapping away on his laptop, the cat is curled up, Love Actually is on, I've done a bit of present wrapping and we just had bacon rolls- bliss, bbuuuurrrrliss!

With this in mind, I thought I'd give you my thoughts on the most Christmassy massage bar I have ever smelt- Once a Year. This massage bar retails at £3.95 for 60g which is quite steep in my opinion but if you can't treat yourself at Christmas, when can you?

It consists of the big pink oval and a quirky cream moustash which has gold sparkles in it. I did detect a hint of shimmer in the pink oval too but nothing substantial, so if you aren't a glitter fan (a crime in my eyes) then you'll still be alright.

This little number is packed with shea butter (your skin will love you for this), almond essential oil and hazelnut oil which is said to have deep moisturising properties and form a protective layer around your skin without blocking pores- super!

Sparkle sparkle!

When I first smelt this I thought "Mmmmmmmmmm Christmas!" but couldn't quite put my finger on it. Maybe desserts and suchlike? Since looking on the website, I have discovered that is in infact Brandy! Whilst brandy isn't my usual tipple, the scent is distinctly festive and something I really enjoy. I would also say that the fragrance isn't overly feminine or girly, so could be used with a loved one...ooerr missus ;)

I love this so much I may well buy a backup because it saddens me greatly when LE items leave us, like Jingle Spells did, and never come back.

Have you tried this? How's your wrapping coming along? Anyone want to send me another Once a Year? Mwahaha!

Toodlepip!

xx

Get Your Glitter On!

Aloha Bloggerinos,

As October looms ahead, I think we are well and truly into Autumn. For me, this is the most magical time of the year. Trees turn golden, you get to treat yourself to lovely coloured gloves and scarves, dig out your winter clothes that you forgot about, turn on the cosy lamps and drape thick blankets all over your lounge.

I also tend to feel more attractive in the Autumn. I think this is because I feel confident wearing dark purple nails and dark smokey eyes, rather than the lemons and pastels that summer tends to suggest to us. With the festive season (by far the best time of the year) on the horizon, I also feel that is it perfectly acceptable to smatter yourself in glitter. Yes, SMATTER!

There seems to be a bit of a glitter issue though which I would like to address. Yes, children love glitter, yes, 12 year olds love a load of sparkle at a school disco, and yes, I know the rule 'less is more'. That's all very well and good but what if you really happen to like large amounts of glitter? Should you stick to the so called rules and have a light shimmer over your collar bone or a dust of luster on your eyelids? I say NO!

If like me, you love the sparkly goodness and feel repressed by the very un sparkly rules, panic not. These rules aren't set in stone like the old testament, it's just what people say. Who bloomin' well cares?!! If you can stand tall and have confidence, get your glitz on!!

There are many ways you can incorporate glitter into your look and here are my top tips on how:

1. EYES- There are quite a few ways you can go about this one.

You can apply whatever look you were going for with matte or shimmer finish and then with a small, dry brush, dab on a little bit of sparkle in the outer corner of you eyes to give a bit of joosh.

These are a selection of my glitter pigments. Clockwise from the top : Too Faced-blue irridescant, MAC- gold, Topshop- Pink, NewLook- Silver holographic.  

You could do your 'look' and then either over regular eyeliner or in leau of, apply a bit of glitter eyeliner. I have tried many a glitter eyeliner, right from the cheap 2true brand (£1.95 per item), to Ubran Decay (£15 per liner). In my shamefully extensive experience, the best brands for this are Collection 2000 an 2True. I found some of the more expensive brands to have a very thin brush and sparse glitter flecks, as opposed to Collection 2000 that has a dense line of glitter particles and a wide variety of colours.

My Collection 2000 liners.

My favourite, is the 'all over' glitter effect. I have a nifty little thing from Collection 2000 that is double ended (ooer missus). One end is glitter and the other is an adhesive gel. I apply black eyeliner, and then cover the lid (but not the eyeliner) with the gel. Then, using a small dry brush, I apply glitter thickly over the area. The gel allows the glitter to stick to every bit of skin so it looks dense. I do this look with my MAC Gold glitter pigment that I bought from a LE range last Autumn. The best picture I could find of this look is from a night out so please excuse my idiotic pose, I was a little worse for wear!! To add the extra wow factor to this look, I wear false lashes too. What I will say, is this is a rather full on look, so it's not for daywear!

2. LIPS- Like eyes, lips are a very versatile face part for cosmetics.

To add some lip sparkle then the obvious choice is either a glittery lipgloss, shimmery lipstick or a mixture of both. I would suggest you try sticking glitter pigment to your lips though, it would be a bit weird and scratchy. If you were feeling adventurous you could try adding your fav colour of glitter pigment to clear lipgloss but I would ensure the glitter is very finely milled so it's not 'bitty'. Pretty much all brands will have a few sparkly lipglosses to choose from. I love the MAC Dazzleglass ones the very most because I find them to be sheeny shiny on my lips rather than gloopy poopy. I also have a regular lipglass in 'Oyster Girl', which is a nudey pink with a slight gold shimmer. This is nice as it's subtle, a good choice for the office I find.

If you have a particular favourite lipstick but want to glitz it up, just add a layer of clear sparkly gloss and your away. Beware though, if you are doing sparkly eyes, try not to do sparkly lips (unless you REALLY want too) as that can look a bit much even by my standards!!

 

3. HAIR. This is not an area of sparkle that I personally pop into, but for fancy dress, I have been known to go there.

The easiest way to glizt up your hair is with Glitter Hair Spray. This is just hairspray that as you spritz it, particles of glitter shoot out. You can buy all sorts of varieties with different coloured sparkles and you can pick them up in places like Boots, Superdrug or Savers. I don't personally own any glitter hairspray because I tend to go glitzy on my eyes or lips. However, last year for a Halloween Party (please see embarrassing story at the bottom), I wanted to put glitter in my hair but didn't want to fork out for the spray that I would never use again. Instead, I generously added regular spray and then with my fingers in a 'pinch of salt' fashion, threw on some of my glitter pigment. Big mistake! looked good for the do, took about 6 washes to get out! Use this technique with extreme caution.

4. BODY. Glitter on the body is all about quantity control. Too much and you look like a mirror ball, too little and it's not worth it.

For big nights out (oh how I miss those now I have ze bun in ze oven), I like to add a bit of shimmer to bare arms, shoulders and collar bones. For this look you have to pick your glitter wisely. In my experience, the best ones are very, very finely milled. If you have big chunks of glitter wacked across your cleavage, you run the risk of looking a little cheap, and I imagine this is not the look you were going for.

To achieve the shimmery body look you can go a few different directions. I personally use my glitter pigments and a large fluffy brush and simply dust them onto the skin. By using a brush you can control how much you are applying and build it up as you see fit. 

You can buy many cream based products that you apply like a lotion and in the mixture there is sparkle which will then be applied to the skin. I have used these previously but found them to either be drying or sticky. This is obviously a matter of personal opinion though.

Another route I take with body shimmer is Lush's GlitterBug massage bar. It smells divine, is under £3 (I think) and applies tiny blue/iridescent sparkles to your skin. Note to self: buy a new one/locate old one asap.

Hopefully you have enjoyed my glitter tips and haven't slipped into an eye strain induced coma because of the length! Mwahaha! 

What are your tippy-pips or are you all together anti-glitz?

Toodlepip!

xx

Little story as promised:

Do you remember my niece Issobelle? Well last year, I was having her a lot after school and spending lots of lovely time with her. My Auntie Jackie asked me if I wanted to bring her to a fancy dress halloween party near where she lives, with her kids and her friends kiddlywinks too. I said yes and was really excited because I LOVE dressing up! I dressed Issobelle in her princess outfit and then set to sorting myself out. I wasn't working and didn't want to shell out for an outfit so decided to pop my creative cap on and see what i could do.

I decided to go put on a mish mash of mental clothes, do crazy mental makeup and huuuggeeee glittery dragged-through-hedge-backwards hair, I was a FASHION VICTIM, taadaaa! I thought I looked AMAZING!! Even Issobelle said "wow!".

Feeling pretty confident we went to the par-tay that was being held at a local Toby Carvery (so please bare in mind regular members of the public were also there, along with the mothers of the kiddlywinks). 

Issobelle and I walked in, feeling pretty cool as Princess and the Fashion Victim, only to turn the corner and feel horror to the pit of my stomach. NONE, and I mean NONE of the other grown ups were in fancy dress!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was stood there in a crazy mish mash of clothes and mental makeup and they were all in the restaurant like normal women!!!!!! Cuuurrrrrr-rringe!

xxxxx

Lou's Reviews - Lush The Comforter Bubble Bar

Aloha Bloggerinos,

Thank you for all your psychic energy, I found my charger.......in a suitcase. Smooth move Louise, smooooth move!

Anyway, this allowed me to get snapping all the delights of my Lush gift set and I shall review them as I use them.

The gift box came beautifully packaged and with a great big pink bow, which is always a winner in my eyes. It contains eleven classic products, all kind of from the same 'scent family' if that makes any sense to you.

I cannae wait to try all of these but shan't rush, you must savour such treasure!

The first product that I sampled the joys of was The Comforter Bubble Bar. Individually this retails for £3.95 which seems pretty steep but you do get 200g of product, twice as much as the average bubble bar dontchya know!

The Comforter Bubble Bar claims to wrap you in purple waters and blackcurranty goodness like a real 'comforter' or scarf. I used this on a night when my morning sickness (which comes in the evenings) was really bad and I was just feeling really down about the whole thing. I ran a medium-hot bath (can you have hot baths when you have a bun dans le oven? I wasn't sure and google wasn't to hand) and broke off a reasonable sized chunk.

I was really pleased with the water colour, more cerise than purple and it created a good amount of bubbles, more than my top ranking bubble bar, Flosty Gritter. The smell was really enjoyable and not over powering. I was a bit apprehensive about the smell because I associate blackcurrants with Ribena, which I despise, but thankfully, there wasn't a whiff of Ribena to be..whiffed. Eloquent.

I stayed in the bath for a nice long while and the bubbles didn't fizzle away. I can't say I felt any particular difference in my skin condition afterwards but I did feel comforted and relaxed and that's all I needed that night.

Have you tried this product? What did you think?

Toodlepip!

xx

Losty lost lost!

Aloha Bloggerinos,

I'm back in my stride and have made 3 YouTube videos today and am feeling a bit more optimistic about life. Hurrah!

As one of my gorgeous wedding presents, my bestest chum Ceri gave us (well, mainly me!) a great big Lush Think Pink hatbox gift set. Well, I want to take a tonne of snaps and blog about it but can I find my camera charger? No, I cannot!

(Shoddy picture stolen from google images)

This isn't the first time I have lost it, so once again I am asking you to channel your psychic energies and tell me where you think it is! I really must find a designated place for keeping it! Grr!

Happy Psychic Hunting!

Toodlepip!

xx