Christina Alyce Beauty

If you’re at all familiar with Lush’s Sugar Scrub Body Scrub, you’ll notice mine looks a bit different than what you’re used to.. Sugar Scrub comes as a hard, half-sphere of product with no packaging. As much as I adore this scrub and find that it works beautifully on my skin, i find that it is just too harsh to use in the original format (except perhaps on rough heels, but there’s Pumice Power for that!). Instead, I crush it up and store it in a container, as seen here. I promise I will add photos once I have repurchased this product!

I have quite sensitive skin, so using a hard clump of solid product as a scrub is just too rough on me. But after I crush it up, I can scoop out just enough, and rub in a circular motion onto my skin until it dissolves in the water. This method is gentle, but effective, and leaves my skin wonderfully exfoliated without any irritation.

I find that it is best to step out of the direct stream of water when using this, in both it’s solid bar or crumbled form. If you are using the solid form of this, the bar will quickly start to crumble and dissolve, shortening its number of uses immensely. If you are using it in the crumbled form under the water, it will dissolve even quicker, before you even have a chance to get a good exfoliation.

Aside form exfoliating, I find that this product also leaves your skin feeling quite toned without feeling tight or dry. This is from the fennel and ginger, both of which offer toning and antiseptic properties. This makes this scrub a great product for those who suffer from body acne, because it will clear your pores, and lavender oil will help to sooth and heal.

This scrub has a very green, fresh scent, no doubt from the fennel and ginger, and it is soothing and herbal from the lavender. I am really excited to pair this with my B-Electro shower gel, as they both feature Fennel as an ingredient.

Rating: 4/5

Price: 

Status: Permanent

Vegan?: Yes

Would I repurchase?: Yes

Ingredients: Granulated Sugar, Sodium Bicarbonate, Cream of Tartar, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Fresh Fennel, Fennel Oil, Lavender Oil, Fresh Ginger Root, Lauryl Betaine, *Limonene, *Linalool, Perfume, Chlorophyllin, 

The Comforter is certainly one on Lush’s more popular products and fragrances. This sweet and fruity bubble bar shares it’s scents with quite a few delicious products and is large enough to spread across multiple baths. It was one of my very first bubble bars from Lush and remains one of my absolute favorites. 

The comforter is a pretty massive bubble bar, designed in the same style as Brightside, and Blue Skies and Fluffy White Clouds. I find that I can spread it across 3 baths for the perfect amount of color, scent, and bubbles. I know some people prefer to use the whole thing in one go (which I’ve done and is amazing, though expensive!) or spread it across 4 or more baths. The Comforter produces glorious mountains of fluffy bubbles, and turns the water a beautiful dark pink. Something about being enveloped in a blanket of bubbles and sweet pink water is truly very comforting. I also find that it is quite moisturizing and softening in the water, and I don’t need to rush to apply lotion after my bath.

The scent of The Comforter has to be in my top five Lush Scents. I adore anything fruity and sweet, and the Blackcurrant and Bergamot scent of the Comforter is the perfect balance. its candy like without being sickeningly sweet, and perfect for both winter and summer. I really hope to try this scent in other formats soon. Using this alongside the shower cream and body lotion would make a perfect trio for a sweet blackcurrant themed bath.

Rating: 5/5

Price: 

Status: Permanent 

Scent Family:

Vegan?: Yes

Would I repurchase?: Yes

Ingredients:  Sodium Bicarbonate, Cream of Tartar, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Lauryl Betaine, Perfume, Titanium Dioxide, Cocamide DEA, Bergamot Oil, Cassis Absolute, Cypress Oil, *Limonene, *Linalool, Colour 45410, Colour 17200.

I am an incredibly pale person, there’s no denying it. I have searched high and low for the perfect match when it comes to foundation, and no brand ever seems to carry the perfect shade. On the rare occasion that I find a color that works for me, the texture or finish is all wrong, or it triggers a breakout. When I first got into Lush, I sat flipping through one of the catalogues, and I was very intrigued by their line of color supplements. with only 5 shades available, I assumed they wouldn’t have the right fit for me, but the next time I went into Lush I decided to just go for it. 

Upon first application, I was stunned. The color perfectly melded with my skin tone, and gave me a decent amount of coverage. It blended beautifully and without streaking. This is by no means a heavy coverage foundation, but I find that it is pretty buildable, and works well for an everyday foundation. I have spotty skin, and this covers all but the reddest of my breakouts. This can be applied in a number of ways, Lush suggests mixing with a moisturizer as a skin tint (I don’t find this gives me any coverage), mixed with another foundation to give you the perfect shade, or directly to the skin as it is. I use as my foundation. I use a buffing foundation brush to apply, but a damp foundation sponge would work just as well. I do not recommend using your fingers, because it will be difficult to obtain an even finish, and I find that I use more product if I use my fingers. 

Here are some before and after photos showing the product's coverage:

Rating: 4/5, only because the luster is not long-lasting

Price: £5.95 ($9.04)

Status: UK Exclusive, Christmas 2015 

Scent Family:

Vegan?: Yes

Would I repurchase?: Yes

Ingredients: Cornflour, Sodium Bicarbonate, Magnesium Carbonate, Perfume, Synthetic Musk, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Tin Oxide, Citral, Alpha Isomethyl Ionone, Limonene, Snowflake Lustre and Fandango Lustre.

Featured in this post:

Antique Fenton Glass Powder Jar from Hit of Miss Treasures on Etsy

Luxury Natural Merino Wool Powder Puff (mine is the Pink Crystal Handle version) from Soapsmith on Etsy

Big Blue is one of Lush’s more popular bath bombs, often mixed with Sunnyside to create a shimmery turquoise cocktail known as “Mermaid Water”. I skipped the bubble bar and tried this strikingly blue bomb all by itself, and enjoyed every moment.

This ocean inspired bomb is packed full with wonderful treats from the sea. Nourishing Arame seaweed is used to detoxify, soothe, soften, and protect the skin against moisture loss. Unrefined coarse and fine sea salt are added for their astringent and cleansing effects, as well as beneficial minerals like sodium and magnesium. Sea salts are also thought to promote healing and contain anti-inflammatory and muscle soothing properties, which will be of benefit post-workout, to relieve menstrual cramps, and to reduce the pain of arthritis. I suffer from severe cramps as well as arthritis in most of my joints, so this bath bomb is truly a miracle for me!

This bomb also contains lovely ingredients that hail from dry land, such as lemon oil and lavender. Lemon oil brightens and cleanses skin, while lavender acts as an aromatic to promote relaxation as well as soothe joint pain. The combination of the two create a light, clean scent. The lemon oil is uplifting, while the lavender is calming, and the salt and seaweed give a hint of the sea.

I found this bath bomb very softening, and I felt refreshed, relaxed, and clean once I got out of the tum. My skin was lightly fragranced for a while afterward. I really enjoyed the relief this bomb brought my joints, and I will surely be repurchasing it as a staple in my stash. I know some people have concerns about the seaweed because it leaves behind quite a lot of it, and while this is not an issue for me, I can understand how it would be worrisome. An easy solution would be to drop the bomb into the oe of an old pair of tights and cut it off at the ankle, (or wrap it up in cheesecloth), secure the top, and drop it in the bath. this way, the bomb is free to dissolve in the water and release its nutrients, but the messy stuff stays inside the little sachet. It’s also a great way to recycle a pair of ruined tights!

Rating: 5 out of 5

Price: £3.50/$6.50

Status: Permanent

Vegan?: Yes

Would I repurchase?: Yes

Ingredients:  Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Coarse Sea Salt, Fine Sea Salt, Perfume, Arame Seaweed, Lemon Oil, Lavender Oil, Seaweed Absolute, *Eugenol, *Geraniol, *Limonene, *Linalool, Colour 42090, Colour 19140.

Out of the small fraction of Lush fragrances I have encountered, The Olive Branch has a secure place at the top of the list, right beside Yuzu & Cocoa and The Comforter. The Olive Branch was the very first Lush shower gel I tried, so I had no Idea what to expect. It’s a beautiful orangey amber color, with a thin consistency. I was surprised to discover that despite the watery consistency, just a couple drops on my netted sponge lathered beautifully.

This gel contains bergamot, olive, mandarin, and olive oils, which not only make for a moisturising and brightening wash, but mingle to create a warm and bright scent. The smell is more complex than just citrus, it has a complexity to it that is mature very sultry. This is one of the most glamorous smelling products I have ever smelled, and it’s absolutely stunning. Vine leaf infusion conditions the skin, and sea salt cleanses, leaving you with nourished, clean skin. 

This is an all around beautiful product, the only criticism I have would be that it’s a little too watery, and I know this puts many people off. I personally don’t find that it affects it’s overall performance, and as long as you are mindful of how much you’re using you won’t run out any faster than with thicker gels. This is the first shower gel that I’ve been tempted to order in a 1kg bottle, and that might just be what I ask for for Christmas…

Rating: 5 out of 5

Price: 

Status: Permanent

Vegan?: Yes

Would I repurchase? Yes

Ingredients: Vine Leaf Infusion, Water, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Fresh Mandarin Juice, Fair Trade Olive Oil, Perfume, Propylene Glycol, Bergamot Oil, Lemon Oil, Orange Flower Absolute, Mandarin Oil, Fine Sea Salt, *Limonene, *Linalool, Hydroxycitronellal, Colour 14700, Methylparaben. 

Yoga Bomb was the perfect bath bomb to set the mood for a lazy sunday morning. This slow fizzer has a chalky orange exterior, that takes quite a while to fizzle away to reveal the pastel turquoise and purple hidden within. If you like a bomb that’s pretty and colorful, but not over the top, this is perfect for you. After it has fizzed out, I noticed the vibrant orange waters had lots gold lustre glinting in the morning sunlight.

The mixture of sandalwood, ho wood, and olibanum (frankincense) oils was very relaxing and let off a woody and very slightly sweet floral fragrance. This reminds me of incense without the smoky element. I found that this scent paired beautifully with Karma soap, which I used to wash with. 

Aside from a beautiful aroma, the aforementioned oils lend their cleansing, emollient, and toning properties, leaving you with fresh, softened skin. I also left the bath with lightly fragranced skin and just a touch of luster, which wore off throughout the morning and reminded me of my magically relaxing bath.

I would say this bath bomb is aptly named, and leaves you with the relaxed feeling you may have after doing a light session of yoga. I also thought it would make for a lovely meditative bath, as many of the oils found in this bath bomb are also common scents used to meditate to,

I really enjoyed this beautiful and relaxing bath bomb, and I look forward to using it again!

Rating: 5 out of 5

Price:

Status: Permanent

Vegan?: Yes

Would I repurchase? Yes