Christina Alyce Beauty: vegetarian

I am usually cautious about purchasing higher priced Kitchen Items, like Shower Gels and Body Lotions, because at $15 or $20, it’s a bit of an investment for something I may not like. I went back and forth on this one for quite a while and though I didn’t want to spend the money, I’ve learned from experience that I’d probably regret passing it up and give in weeks later buying it for a very inflated price on eBay or elsewhere. I could always sell it myself if it didn’t agree with me anyway!

The list of ingredients and online description certainly make the scent of this sound unique. With a few floral ingredients, grapefruit oil, and fennel, you’d perhaps imagine a fresh floral scent, with a dash of licorice. But in reality, the scent is nothing like what I expected. I will do my best to explain how it actually smells to me, but in all honesty, this scent was rather weird and difficult to describe.

I could definitely detect a little bit of citrus in the aroma, but It doesn’t smell at all floral to me- my nose can’t pick out the rose or jasmine ingredients, whatsoever. There is a slightly powdery note that may come form the rose, but I really can’t be sure. The fennel gives the shower gel an equally sweet and bitter twinge, and brings everything together to create an overall fresh, sweet, yet almost plastic scent... a rather strange way to describe it but it’s not necessarily a bad smell. I have certainly smelled worse things from lush.

Moving past the strange scent, this gel is also pretty unique to look at. A neon green opaque liquid, this shower gel certainly looks electrifying. The creamy consistency is similar to that of Lush’s new shower creams, and I did find this shower gel to be a little more softening than other shower gels, and it still lathered really well. The scent lingered very softly on my skin after using this.

Overall, B Electro is a pretty decent shower gel, and while I don’t think I will repurchase it, it is definitely an eye catching product with a unique scent, and feels great on the skin.

Rating: 3.5

Price: £11 ($16.64) for 240g

Status: Kitchen Exclusive

Vegan?: Yes

Would I repurchase?: Probably Not

Ingredients: Fresh Rose Petals, Water (Aqua), Sodium Alkyl Sulfate, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Glyceryl Stearate & PEG-100 Stearate, Fine Sea Salt, Cocamide MEA, Perfume, Glycol Cetearate, Propylene Glycol, Lauryl Betaine, Grapefruit Oil, Fennel Oil, Rose Absolute, Jasmine Absolute, Tincture of Benzoin, Organic Jojoba Oil, Benzyl Benzoate, Citronellol, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool, Colour 59040, Colour 42090, Methylparaben, Propylparaben.

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The original Karma bubble bar was one of the first bubble bars I ever tried from Lush, and when I first heard that they changed the look of it so drastically, I was a little upset. I really enjoyed the old version, and while it didn’t offer much color, it was a very nice product all around, so why fix what isn’t broken? Well, I decided to just order the new one to give it a try while it was still a UK exclusive, and I was a little sad to see that when it arrived, most of the glitter at the top had worn off, and most of the orange band had crumbled away. I blame this on the UK’s naked shipping method, because while environmentally friendly, it does tend to cause your products to arrive a bit worse for wear.. most of the items from this order ended up with a lot of color transfer. But, of course, there shouldn’t be any issues with product performance even after a bumpy journey, and I’m glad to say that this bubble bar worked beautifully.

I decided to use the entire bar, as I normally do when trying out a smaller bubble bar for the first time. Within moments, my bath was transformed into dark amethyst waters topped with mounds of fluffy bubbles. I really am not exaggerating when I say this is the most richly colored bath product I have ever used from lush, and it’s a very big improvement from the weak orange waters of the old formula. I couldn’t even see my hand when I touched the bottom of the tub, it was that deeply colored. The rich color mixed with the generous amount of bubbles means that this bar could easily be split across two or even more baths,and still leave you with vibrant purple waters and plenty of bubbles. My only complaint, was that the bubbles did disperse fairly quickly.

Another aspect that I found to have improved over the old formula is the scent. While it still smells identical to the classic patchouli Karma fragrance, I did find this to be much stronger than the original bubble bar. I really enjoy the sweet, musky scent of Karma, and the soap is a staple in my stash, so having an even stronger scent in the bath is always a treat.

This version of the bar also improved the condition of the water a great deal, something that I didn’t notice all that much with the old version. I don’t know what ingredients the old bar contained, but the updated bar is filled with moisturizing ingredients like olive oil, cocoa butter, and mango butter. It also contains lemongrass oil which not only tones the skin, but has uplifting and anti-depressive properties. Elemi oil is a product I had never heard of before, but it tones the skin, balances sebum production, and acts as a natural painkiller. Patchouli, pine, lavender, and orange oil combine for an uplifting and soothing aromatic experience.

This was a beautiful bubble bar, much improved from it’s predecessor. It offered water in an unbelievable hue, generous bubbles, and a fragrant, moisturizing soak. The only way I could hope to see this improved would to be a little dash of luster next time, since mine was all but rubbed off.

Rating: 5 out of 5

Price:

UK £4.25
US $11.95
It’s twice the price in the US, and as with most products, I highly recommend ordering from the UK. It still ends up being cheaper even with the slightly higher shipping cost.

Status: Permanent

Vegan?: Yes

Would I repurchase? Yes

Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Cream of Tartar (Potassium bitartrate), Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Lauryl Betaine, Corn Starch (Zea Mays), Mango Butter (Mangifera indica), Fragrance, Citric Acid, Patchouli Oil (Pogostemon cablin), Sweet Orange Oil (Citrus sinensis), Lavandin Oil (Lavandula Hybrida), Pine Oil (Pinus sylvestris), Lemongrass Oil (Cymbopogon citratus), Elemi Oil (Canarium commune), Deep Purple Lustre (Red 28, Blue 1, Aluminium Potassium Silicate, Titanium Dioxide), Glycerine, Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter (Theobroma Cacao), Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Olea europaea), Laureth 4, *Citral, Hydroxycitronellal, *Limonene, *Linalool, Copper Sheen and Radiant Gold Lustre (Potassium Aluminium Silicate, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides), Gold Glimmer Lustre (Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Iron Oxides, Silica), Yellow 6 Lake. *Occurs naturally in essential oils

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Received Cosmetic Lad as a sample from my local store. I had gone in wanting to try Enzymion, but they were all out, so the salesgirl suggested I try Cosmetic Lad instead. This is not a moisturizer I would have chosen for my skin type, and I don’t think I would ever purchase it. I had told the girl that I have dry skin that is prone to breakouts, and I realize now that I should have emphasized my issues with acne a little more clearly, because this really isn’t a first choice for those who struggle with acne.

I found this to be very greasy, and though I often wake up each morning with a few new breakouts no matter what product I use, I noticed my acne was substantially increased after using this moisturizer, and I had not changed any other aspect of my routine. I believe it was primarily the shea butter and cocoa butter in this product that caused the breakouts, because although these are very hydrating and nourishing ingredients for dry skin, they should be avoided by people with acne prone skin as they are comedogenic.

Cosmetic Lad is marketed as a good choice for those who need a product to soothe skin, especially men who suffer from post-shave irritation. There are many ingredients in here that support this claim, such as lavender, honey, aloe vera, linseed, chamomile, and marigold oil. And while it didn’t work for me, I can agree that it was extremely hydrating, not only from the she and cocoa butters, but also almond oil. It boasts antioxidant properties from wheatgrass as well.

Overall, this moisturizer is incredibly luxurious feeling and smooth, and though it feels a touch greasy and can be comedogenic, it has many soothing and healing properties that would make this a great choice for those with sensitive and dry skin. Not to mention, it smells faintly of tangerine ice cream!

Rating: 3 out of 5 Nice, but not for my skin type.

Price:

UK- £12.95 for 45g
US- $24.95 for 1.5oz

Status: Permanent

Vegan?: No, Contains honey

Would I repurchase? No

Ingredients: Lavender Honey Water, Linseed Mucilage, Fair Trade Organic Aloe Vera Gel, Chickweed, Chamomile and Marigold Petal Extract, Organic Cold Pressed Almond Oil, Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter, Fresh Wheatgrass Juice, Stearic Acid, Glycerine, Cetearyl Alcohol, Shea Butter, African Marigold Oil, Tangerine Oil, Sandalwood Oil, Triethanolamine*, Limonene*, Linalool, Perfume, Methylparaben, Propylparaben

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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:

UK- £3.75
US- $8.95

Status: Permanent

Vegan?: Yes

Would I repurchase? Yes

Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Perfume, Cream Of Tartar (Potassium bitartrate), Cassie Absolute (Acacia farnesiana), Olibanum Oil (Boswellia carteri), Ho Wood Oil (Cinnamomu camphora), Sandalwood Oil (Santalum austro-caledonicum viell), Water (Aqua), Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Lauryl Betaine, Limonene, Eugenol, Linalool, Benzyl Benzoate, Snowflake, Frosty Holly and Gold Glimmer Lustre (Potassium Aluminium Silicata, Titanium Dioxide, Colour 19140, Colour 42090, Synthetic Fluorphlogite, Colour 77492, Silicia), COlour 45410, Colour 42090.

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I was intrigued by the charitable aspect of this hand cream, and I was on the hunt for a new lotion to keep on my desk at work. This little black pot is full of nourishing ingredients, and 100% of the proceeds go towards various grassroots organizations. You can read all about the Charity aspect of the product and the company’s SLush Fund initiative here.

This lotion contains moisturising ingredients such as olive oil, jojoba oil, aloe vera, shea butter and cocoa butter. This makes for a nourishing cream. I was a little unsure at first because it ends to be a little greasy if you put too much on, but overall it is very hydrating and it has a beautifully silky texture. I also find that the “greasiness” left behind feels more like a protective barrier against dehydration, which makes this a great cream for winter.

When I smelled this lotion for the first time, I immediately thought of a little Italian bakery I pop into from time to time. I’m not sure how the geranium, rosewood, ylang ylang, and vanilla essential oils combine to create that doughy, sweet smell, but I swear it does. The scent is quite strong when you first apply the lotion, but after 15 minutes or so, it mellows out to a gentle sweet fragrance, pretty much undetectable unless you put your hands right up to your nose.

I love the creamy luxurious feel and the charitable aspect of this cream. This is the first lotion I have tried from Lush, and I’m really excited to see what else they have to offer!

Rating: 5

Price: Small £6.95/$6.95 for 95g/1.7oz or Large £13.50/$25.95 for 240g/8.4oz

Status: Permanent, charity item

Vegan? Yes

Would I repurchase?: Yes

Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Fair Trade Olive Oil (Olea europaea), Glycerine, Organic Jojoba Oil (Simmondsia chinensis), Moringa Oil (Moringa Oleifera), Fair Trade Cocoa Butter (Theobroma cacao), Stearic Acid, Fresh Aloe Gel (Aloe Secundiflora), Fair Trade Shea Butter (Butyrospermum parkii), Triethanolamine, Geranium Oil (Pelargonium graveolens), Rosewood Oil (Aniba rosaeodora), Ylang Ylang Oil (Cananga odorata), Fair Trade Vanilla Absolute (Vanilla Planifolia), Cetearyl Alcohol, *Citronellol, *Coumarin, Geraniol, *Linalool, *Limonene, Fragrance . *Occurs naturally in essential oils

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As someone with dry and very curly hair, I’m not one to shampoo very often because traditional shampoos tend to be very stripping. I liked the idea of Jason and the Argan Oil because it sounded less harsh than other shampoos, and it contains argan oil, which my hair absolutely adores. This is the first shampoo bar I’ve ever tried.

I was surprised by how much of a lather this little bar produced. My hair felt very fresh and clean after using this, but it did feel more stripped than expected, which was disappointing. I can’t imagine using this without following up with a conditioner, though I’ve seen people with different hair types say they do not condition. I didn’t really notice that my hair was significantly more manageable after using this, though it did feel softer. (EDIT: After a couple more uses (followed by conditioner) my hair became very dry. My I had to use about 4x the amount of argan oil I normally use on my dry hair, because it was completely stripped, lacking any trace of natural oil and shine. I will use this very sparingly, only on occasions when my hair is needing an intensely clarifying wash.)

When choosing my products, I tend to look at ingredients and how they will effect my hair/skin etc first, keeping scent secondary. If a product works well but smells less than pleasant, I’d rather stick it out and reap the rewards of healthy hair or skin instead of passing up the product due to scent. This was my mindset when I chose this shampoo bar. I am not a fan of florals, and I really dislike rose scent- it honestly just gives me a headache. But, I decided that the argan oil and lemon oil both sounded like they would work well on my hair, so I decided to give it a go. While I wasn’t impressed with the overall performance of this product, once your hair dries, the rose scent becomes very faint and pretty much unnoticeable so I didn’t find it bothersome after use. While I won’t be repurchasing this product, it does a good job cleaning, so I will use it up.

I have not completely given up on shampoo bars, as I love that the last a long time and produce no wasteful packaging, so I plan to try Lady Godiva next. Also, my boyfriend uses Seanik and loves it, so I may borrow that from him to see how it works with my curly hair as opposed to his straight hair.

Rating 2 out of 5 (+2 for the thorough cleaning job, -3 for over drying my hair and the scent)

Price: £5.95/$10.95 (£1.14/ $1.76 cheaper in UK!) for 55g/1.9oz

Status Permanent

Vegan? Yes

Would I repurchase? No

Ingredients Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, AgarWater (Aqua), Argan Oil, Glycerine, Perfume, Organic Rose Absolute, Geranium Oil, Rose Oil, Sicilian Lemon Oil*, Limonene, Coumarin, Citronellol, Geraniol, Colour 17200

2 comments

I’m not going to lie, I was pretty disappointed in this product. I had never tried a LUSH deodorant before, so I was expecting a slightly more traditional consistency (meaning solid, yet creamy), but this was just a compacted powder, and it is so very messy. When I recieved the bar, the wax on the bottom had completely come off (2nd photo), so now whenever I put it down somewhere, it leaves a powdery pile behind, wasting tons of product.

I applied this after an evening shower, and the first thing I noticed, was the incredible stinging sensation- I hadn’t even shaved my underarms since the previous evening, so I can only imagine how painful this would be on freshly shaved or waxed underarms. I’m not sure which of the ingredients might have been irritating, though I suspect it was most likely the sodium bicarbonate, despite LUSH’s claims that it is a soothing ingredient. Also, the product is quite coarse, which I’m sure does not help.

As for protection against perspiration… again, I’m not too thrilled. I honestly didn’t feel like it did much to keep me dry. I rarely sweat, especially now that the weather is cooling down, but I felt that this did nothing to keep me dry- I actually felt consistently damp throughout the day, which does not happen even when I go without deodorant altogether!

The sole redeeming quality in this deodorant would have to be it’s scent. It’s deliciously citrusy and very clean smelling. Unfortunately, as with every other deodorant brand I’ve tried, it just doesn’t mix well with or mask my natural scent. As I stated, I’m not a sweaty or stinky person, but for some reason once I add a scented deodorant to the mix, some strange reaction happens and I just smell worse. I must just have some strange pheromone that doesn’t jive well with perfumes… so the search will continue.

So overall, I would not repurchase this should It be available in the Kitchen again, though I would suggest you to try it out for yourself before I say I wouldn’t recommend it, as everyone is a bit different. When looking at reviews for LUSH’s T’eo Deodorant, I saw many people who had the same problems as I did with Krysztal, but then there were others who absolutely raved about it. This is the type of item that you either love or hate, and I have a feeling that if you enjoy T’eo, you will likely enjoy Krysztal because they are very similar in composition. But, it was just not for me. I think I will give it a few more tries, experimenting with different methods of application, and keep you updated.

Rating: 1 out of 5

Price: £5.00 ($7.74) for 90g.

Status: Kitchen Exclusive

Vegan?: Yes

Would I repurchase? No

Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Cream of tartar (Tartaric acid), Jojoba Oil (Simmondsia chinensis), Lemon Oil (Citrus limonum), Black Wax (Specerit Black Z), Magnesium Carbonate, Cypress Oil (Cupressus sempervirens), Lime Oil (Citrus auranfifoli), Fresh Lemon Juice (Citrus limonium), Fresh Lime Juice (Citrus limetta), *Citral, *Geraniol, *Limonene, *Linalool, Perfume.

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Christina Alyce Beauty

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