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Christina Alyce Beauty

Testing and reviewing the best of clean beauty.


As someone who previously worked at a local coffee chain, and has a sensitivity to caffeine, coffee is not my first choice when it comes to a morning beverage. But, about a year ago, I was introduced to my very first body scrub, made from coffee, and I absolutely fell head over heals.
Coffee scrubs are typically made of pretty basic ingredients, and are super easy to DIY. They contain coffee grounds and any variety of plant oils as a base, and may also utilize sugar or salt for extra exfoliation, and essential oils for any number of skin benefits. I absolutely adore the texture of coffee scrubs. The coffee is more gentle than salt or sugar because it doesn't have jagged edges, and the consistency makes for a wonderful, dense product. My favorite thing about coffee? It stimulates blood flow to tighten and brighten skin, and can even lessen cellulite. I like to apply my scrubs almost like a body mask to get the full effect: I rub it in all over my body to exfoliate, and wait a couple of minutes before I rinse, so it has a moment to absorb and work its magic. My skin glows afterwards. Sounds delightful, doesn't it? I'll share two of my favorites with you below:

Prim Botanicals Debauchery Detox Body Scrub [SHOP]

This is my go-to summer scrub. Instead of that warm cup-o-joe  scent you would expect from a coffee scrub, this one smells more earthy. Lemon, eucalyptus, and lavender essential oils mix with the coffee to create a scent reminiscent of a forest after a rainstorm. As the name suggests, this is a great scrub if you're looking for a detoxing product for congested skin, because it contains activated charcoal. This does wonders for my occasional shoulder and upper back breakouts. Black lava salt and Epsom salt add a little extra exfoliation and help to relax muscles, as a source of magnesium. The blend of almond, coconut, hazelnut, Andrioba, and Pracaxi oils help to tighten and lightly moisturize the skin.

Fig + Yarrow Coffee + Cardamom Body Scrub [SHOP]

In the fall and winter, I like something with a warm and cozy scent. Fig + Yarrow's coffee scrub is the perfect warming, decadent blend of cardamom, vanilla, black pepper and chocolate. I turn to this scrub when I need a little extra moisture during the dry winter months. It blends coconut oil and castor oil with cocoa butter and shea butter to deliver an incredibly moisturizing experience. It also utilizes the humectant and exfoliating properties of cane sugar to smooth skin.

I would love to know if you've tried and adored any other coffee scrubs, or if you prefer another type of scrub to exfoliate with. Let me know in the comments!



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Before discovering Lush, I never used bar soap. I hated the feeling on my skin, and it was only once I received a sample in an online order that I realized how fantastic a good soap can be. I’m so glad I changed my mind, because otherwise I probably wouldn’t have ever tried this truly magical soap.
Old Father Time was introduced this year as part of the Christmas range, and while it’s doesn’t boast a particularly “Christmassy” smell or look, it is festive nonetheless. In store, you will see it in the form as a giant maroon clock with numbers, cogs, and the gold face of Old Father Time himself. Each piece cut from the clock is unique, mine is gold and maroon with luster covering the outside. 
I have honestly never smelled something like this soap before, and I quickly became enamored with it. My 100g bar, tucked away in my bathroom closet, fragrances the entire bathroom more than any other product, especially soap, that I’ve used from Lush thus far. It fills the air with a sweet, incense smell that is strong, but not sickening or overpowering by any means. This soap is composed of some beautifully aromatic ingredients, such as Myrrh resinoid for a warm amber note, and Opoponax oil for a dash of balsamic, honey scent. Sage and Thyme come together to offer a green note. Rosewood and tuberose add a warm, woody, and slightly floral aspect. Redcurrants are perhaps the most apparent scent in the mix, giving this soap a fruity and sweet fragrance. I love sweet and incencey fragrances, and I find that this is the perfect balance for me.
Using this in the shower did prove to be a bit tricky, because this may just be the most slippery soap I’ve ever encountered. I will admit, I dropped this a number of times trying to lather it! Also, when in contact with water, the soap becomes quite messy, and leaves a burgundy puddle wherever you rest it, which made quite a mess of the side of my tub. Luckily, it does not stain, and the gorgeous lather and fragrance make up for this inconvenience. I just needed to rub this on my netted sponge a couple of times before I had a generous helping of suds to take care of my entire body. And, of course, the beautiful aroma was amplified in the steam of the shower, though it did not linger long on my skin afterwards, or leave my skin particularly hydrated.
Overall I think this is a gorgeous wintertime soap, and I want to stock up on another block or two to see me through the never ending New England winter. This has a beautifully complex scent that I imagine would be enjoyed by many, so this would make a fantastic gift for any soap lover on your list.

Rating: 4.5/5
Price: 
  • UK - £3.50 for 100g.
  • US - $7.95 for 3.5oz
Status: Christmas 2015 Limited Edition
Vegan?: Yes
Would I repurchase?: Yes
Ingredients: Fresh Sage and Thyme Infusion (Salvia officinalis;Thymus vulgaris), Glycerine, Rapeseed Oil; Coconut Oil (Brassica napus;Cocos nucifera), Sorbitol, Water (Aqua), Perfume, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Redcurrants (Ribes rubrum), Myrrh Resinoid (Commiphora myrrha), Opoponax Oil, Rosewood Oil (Aniba rosaeodora), Tuberose Absolute (Polianthes Tuberosa), Sodium Chloride, EDTA, Tetrasodium Etidronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Benzyl Benzoate, Hydroxycitronellal, Linalool, Radiant Gold Lustre; Gold Glimmer Lustre; Glacier Blue Lustre; Yoshi Yellow Lustre     
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Roulades are quite a new concept to me, and I’ve had my eye on both Dreamwash and Icing on the Cake for a while. I was excited to try a sample of their blueberry-scented sibling, which was in a handful of surprise product samples in a recent Kitchen order. Upon first sniff, I wasn’t all that impressed. I was hoping for a sweeter blueberry scent, something fresh and fruity, but what I found was far from it. While not the most unpleasant thing I’ve ever smelled from Lush, I wouldn’t exactly call it mouthwatering. I found it to be a very natural blueberry scent, and quite earthy and even a bit sour. Very unlike the homemade jam scent I was expecting!
As I mentioned above, I am new to the whole roulade thing. It is a soft but solid bar shape, so I assumed it would be easy enough to use it like a bar soap. Unfortunately, It was not so simple. I dug my little grape tomato sized chunk of roulade out of the container, wet it, and attempted to lather it directly onto my body, but this proved to be rather slippery and messy. When mixed with the warm water, the roulade got a bit softer, so it squished unpleasantly in my hands and pieces fell off and a lot of product got wasted. It also didn’t produce much lather to speak of. I really didn’t like using this directly on my skin, so I decided to use it on my netted sponge the next time I used it.
With the netted sponge, I had slightly better results, but it was really more effort than it was worth. just rubbing the roulade on the sponge didn’t give me any lather to work with, so I ended up mashing it into the netting and really working it in, to finally produce some suds to work with. What lather I had didn’t stretch very far, and the bits of roulade fell out of my netted sponge and made a mess of the shower.
After washing with both methods, I didn’t feel any more moisturized than I would with a shower gel, or even a traditional soap. I certainly didn’t feel the moisturizing effects of soya milk, coconut oil, almond oil, or cocoa butter. On paper, this sounded beautiful and nourishing, but in reality, I just found this a really disappointing product overall, and I’m apprehensive to try the sample of Orange Roulade that I received. I would never spend close to $13 on this product!
Rating: 1/5
Price: 
  • £8.50 ($12.84) for 100g
  • £21.25 ($32.11) for 250g
Status: UK Exclusive
Vegan?: Yes
Would I repurchase? No
Ingredients: Fresh Blueberries (Vaccinium myrtillus), Rapeseed Oil: Coconut Oil (Brassica napus;Cocos nuciferal), Glycerine, Water (Aqua), Soya Milk (Glycine soja), Organic Almond Oil (Prunus dulcis), Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter (Theobroma cacao), Perfume, Olibanum Oil (Boswellia carterii), Osmanthus Absolute (Osmanthus fragrans), Sandalwood Oil (Santalum austro-caledonicum vieill), Sodium Chloride, EDTA, Tetrasodium Etidronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Farnesol, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool, Colour 17200.  
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I must admit, I never thought I’d ever become as huge a fan of shower jellies as I am. Though my collection is still small, or perhaps because it is so small, as soon as I saw that the Cold As Ice gift set from the Kitchen contained a jelly, I was sold. The scent description sounded amazing, and as the “celebrate” scent family is one I’ve wanted to try this season, that was a total bonus.
Upon opening the tub, I smelled a very citrus scent that smelled more of grapefruit to me, than of lemon and lime. I suppose that slight bitterness could be from the cognac oil. Once the jelly hit the warm water, the scent changed slightly, and I could smell a slightly sweeter lemon- lime aroma. I really like the scent in the water, it’s very cheery and the perfect winter citrus scent.
Like all shower jellies, Snow Showers contains carrageenan extract, which is derived from seaweed, to give it a jell-o like texture. Seaweed is quite moisturizing and nourishing for the skin, in addition to giving jellies a fun texture. the cognac and citrus oils help to tone the skin, while elderflower soothes and sesame oil hydrates. I would not say this is the most moisturizing shower product I’ve tried, my skin felt quite dry and tight after my shower and I wouldn’t have lasted the rest of the day without applying lotion.
I was also slightly disappointed in the lather. my Nightwing shower jelly produces lots of lather that is easy to spread, but I felt that it took a lot of product to get a lather on my netted sponge, and I had to top up my sponge by the time I got to my legs. Luckily after a few uses, I haven’t noticed any shrinkage to speak of, so this should last me quite a long time, even though I do require more product each use.
Overall, this is a fun product with a cheerful scent. I may not go out of my way to repurchase it, but it’s a quirky product whether you choose to freeze it, cut it up, or use it as is. I will certainly use it up, and I’m excited to try it alongside my Celebrate Bath Bomb and Celebrate Lotion, for a gorgeous citrus bath combination!
Rating: 3.5/5
Price: Part of gift set, not sold individually
Status: Lush Kitchen Exclusive
Scent Family:
  • Bridal Bouquet Ballistic 
  • Celebrate Body Lotion
  • Celebrate FUN Bar
  • Celebrate Liquid Perfume
  • Celebrate Shower Gel
  • Celebrate Solid Perfume
  • Snow Showers Shower Jelly
  • Christmas Morning Bubble Bar
  • Christmas Party Bath Ballistic 
  • First Snow Dusting Powder
  • Golden Wonder Bath Ballistic
  • Snow Showers Liquid Perfume
  • Snow Showers Shower Gel
  • Snow Showers Solid Perfume
  • Supernova Bath Bomb 
Vegan?: Yes
Would I repurchase?: Yes
Quantitative Ingredients: Fair Trade Organic Sesame Oil, Glycerine, Elderflower Infusion, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Propylene Glycol, Carrageenan Extract, Perfume, Sweet Orange Oil, Cognac Oil, Lime Oil, Titanium Dioxide, Citral, Limonene, Linalool, Methylparaben. 


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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: 
  • UK £2.95
  • US $6.55
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, 
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Calacas Shower Gel
Calacas shower gel is one of Lush’s most magical looking products- depending on the light, its color shifts from clear amber to an almost pearly lime green. It was most recently released from the Kitchen in October, in honor of Dia de los Muertos, which is celebrated October 31st - November 2nd, primarily in Mexico. The word “calaca” means “skeleton”, or “skull” in Spanish, and skull imagery is a very prominent symbol in Day of the Dead celebrations.
Calacas is an all around beautiful shower gel. Moving past its gorgeous shifting color, the scent of Calacas will please any citrus fan. It offers a bright lime scent, one that is equally sweet and tangy. Lime oil, Olibanum oil, and Neroli oil combine to give the gel an uplifting scent, perfect for a zesty morning shower any time of year. The lime scent also lingers for quite a while on the skin, outside of the shower.
This Shower gel offers a beautiful lather, that will get you immaculately clean, without over drying your skin. Aloe Vera gel is high on the ingredient list, and overs a soothing and hydrating property to Calacas. This gel is also quite thick, presumably from the aloe vera gel.
Out of the handful of shower gels I have tried, Calacas is a true gem. It boasts a lovely scent, color and consistency, and is a beautiful addition to a morning shower. I really hope the Kitchen continues to provide this stunning product.
Rating: 5/5
Price: £10.25 ($15.61) for 250g
Status: Kitchen Exclusive
Scent Family
  • Calacas Shower Gel
  • Calacas Shower Jelly
  • Calacas Perfume
  • Calavera Bath Bomb
  • The Enchanter Bath Bomb
  • Lady Catrina Soap
  • Skullduggery Bath Bomb
Vegan?: Yes
Would I repurchase? Yes
Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Aloe Vera Gel(Aloe barbadensis), Sodium LaurethSulfate, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, LaurylBetaine, Propylene Glycol, Perfume, Lime Oil (Citrus aurantifolia), Olibanum Oil (Boswelliacarterii), Neroli Oil (Citrus Aurantiumamara), Lactic Acid, *Citral, *Geraniol, *Limonene, *Linalool, Colour 42090, Colour 45350, Methylparaben, Propylparaben. 
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I am a huge fan of anything with a gorgeous autumnal scent, and once I saw that this contained a selection of ingredients that combined to create the aroma of pumpkin pie, I was ready to order twenty. Unfortunately, something must have happened during the ordering process because I had intended to order two bars, but only ended up ordering one. But, of course, that just means the bar i did get my hands on is that much more special.  
I awaited the arrival of my soap eagerly, and once it arrived, I could faintly smell it through the package. I dug it out, and the beautiful spicy autumn scent amplified. This soap contains a combination of orange juice, pumpkin puree, cardamom oil, clove bud oil, spearmint oil, cinnamon, and gardenia extract. These create a warm, creamy, spicy scent with a hint of freshness from the peppermint and citrus to keep it from being too heavy. This soap is formulated to stimulate the skin with the spicier oils, and nourish and hydrate with pumpkin puree, coconut oil, and rapeseed oil. This is the creamiest soap I have used from Lush, as well as the most hydrating. This bar is very soft to the touch, and I didn’t expect it to lather much as a result of all of the moisturizing ingredients, but I was surprised to find that it lathered rather generously. 
Pumpkin is a beautiful fall soap, that smells glorious and is generous with lather and moisture. I plan to savor this soap, and I look forward to using this as the perfect product for a Thanksgiving shower. While I won’t be eating pumpkin pie, there’s nothing wrong with bathing in it!
Rating: 5/5
Price: £4 ($6.08)
Scent Family:
  • Jacko Bath Bomb
Status: Kitchen Exclusive
Vegan?: Yes
Would I repurchase? Yes
Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Rapeseed Oil and Coconut Oil, Glycerine, Fresh Orange Juice, Pumpkin Puree, Perfume, Cardamon Oil, Clove Bud Oil, Spearmint Oil, Gardenia Extract, Sodium Chloride, Titanium Dioxide, EDTA, Tetrasodium Etidronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Cinnamon, Eugenol, Limone, Colour 15510. 
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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: 
  • £4.95/$9.95 for 100g/3.3oz
  • £9.75/$19.95 for 250g/8.4oz 
  • £16.50/$30.95 for 500g/16.9oz
  • £27.95 for 1kg (UK only, converts to $42.51 for 35oz)
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. 
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I took a risk ordering this from the Kitchen, and after using it multiple  times, I’m not really sure where I stand with it in regards to scent. It’s hard to bring up Supertramp without someone comparing it to Tramp and Smaragadine. Tramp was a well loved shower gel that was discontinued a few years ago, and is highly sought after. I am not sure why i was discontinued, I heard that it was because it contained oakmoss, and there were new regulations involving the ingredient, but Lush Still carries a handful of other products with oakmoss, so I’m not really sure. Either way, Tramp was removed, the oakmoss was taken out, a plethora of new ingredients were added, and it was renamed and reissued as Supertramp. Many people say that with the addition of the new ingredients, it’s a Tramp and Smaragadine hybrid, that falls short of both of the originals.
I never had the chance to smell Tramp or Smaragadine, but the scent of Supertramp is complex, and I really cannot decide if I like it or hate it. The scent that I find to me the most noticeable in the bottle is a woody, spicy scent that I imagine comes from the patchouli, sandalwood, ginger and allspice . Under this earthy spice, the peppermint is very noticeable. Though this product contains rose and lavender, I really can’t detect any floral notes whatsoever. The fruity, citrus notes of petitgrain are also hard to detect. In the shower, the scent is almost completely taken over by a smokiness from the patchouli. This is a very masculine scent, if you’re looking for something sweet, floral, or fruity, you certainly won’t find it here. While I like a more earthy, musky, and spicy scent, I cannot decide if this is just a little too over the top for me,
As a shower gel, this thick, emerald green liquid performs well. It lathers beautifully in a netted sponge and cleanses the skin thoroughly without drying you out. The white horehound and peppermint leaf infusion is wonderful for stimulating circulation, and helps to give skin a healthy glow.
Rating: 3 out of 5
Price: £11.95
Status: Kitchen Exclusive, Last released Oct 9th, 2015
Scent Family: Supertramp Bubble Bar
Vegan?:  Yes
Would I repurchase? Probably not
Ingredients: White Horehound and Peppermint Leaf, Herb, Rose Petal and Lavender Flower Infusion, Water (Aqua), Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Lauryl Betaine, Propylene Glycol, Fine Sea Salt, Organic Orange Peel Decoction, Patchouli Oil, Petitgrain Oil,  Pimento Berry Oil, Sandalwood Oil, Ginger Oil, Plantain Vinegar Gel, Perfume, Methyl Ionone, Eugenol, Limonene, Linalool, Chlorophyllin, Methylparaben.
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Welcome to my world of green beauty! I'm Christina, a twenty-something esthetician with a passion for natural, non-toxic, and effective products.

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