Christina Alyce Beauty

Licorice has never been one of my favorite scents or flavors, but recently it has been growing on me. I decided to give Lush’s new licorice scented Christmas bubble bar a try, and I’m really glad I did. At first sniff, this small, swirly purple bubble bar appears to have a much more complex scent than what I anticipated. While the licorice is most definitely present, a sweet, lemony note of bergamot stood out to me the most. In the water, the lemon subsided and the fennel and tarragon became much more pronounced, and the air filled with a much more traditional aroma licorice. I found it smelled very comforting and cozy, perfecter winter bath.

When filling my tub, I decided to use the entire bubble bar at once, since it is on the smaller side. Also, I enjoy using an entire bar the first time I try a product just to see how vivid the water can get, and how many bubbles it can produce. Bar Humbug did not disappoint! I put my bubble bar in my strainer, and stuck attainder the tap. As soon as the water hit it, rich pinky purple water started to fill the tub, and the bubbles started to grow. By the time the bar was fully dissolved, I had a mountain of bubbles and incredibly bright and pigmented water. Between the color and the scent of this bubble bar, I think it would pair beautifully with the herbal and fuchsia Jingle Spells bath bomb.

The bubbles this created lasted a long time in the bath, and were so plentiful. I will probably only use half a bar the next time I use Bar Humbug, since it was so effective. I was really pleased with the scent and color, and it softened the water as well as most of Lush’s bath bombs. Overall, it was a fantastic and unique new addition to this year’s Christmas range.

Rating: 5/5

Price: 

Status: Limited edition, Christmas 2015

Vegan?: Yes

Would I repurchase?: Yes

Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Cream Of Tartar (Potassium bitartrate), Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Lauryl Betaine, Perfume, Cornflour (Zea mays), Bergamot Oil (Citrus Aurantium bergamia), Fennel Oil (Foeniculum vulgare), Tarragon Oil (Artemisia dracynculus, Synthetic Fluorphogopite, Silver Glimmer Lustre (Corn Starch, Maltodextrin, Potassium Aluminium Silicate, Titanium Dioxide, Mica, Colour 77400), Citral, Coumarin, Limonene, Colour 45410, Colour 17200, Colour 42090, Colour 77226.  

Full of Grace had been sitting on my wishlist for quite a while. When I first saw it in the catalog as a brand new Lushie, I was pretty intrigued. At the time, I was starting to incorporate a lot of natural oils into my skincare routine, so a bar that featured a plethora of gorgeous oils sounded like a dream to me. I let it sit on the back burner for months without purchasing because at first glance the price seems a bit steep for 20g of product, but I finally decided it was worth it and made the order. I’ve had this little serum bar in my possession for a week now, and in conjunction with my Coalface Soap, my skin certainly looks the best it has in months, if not years.

So many people tout this as a miracle for the skin- softening, reducing redness, scars, discoloration, even fine lines. While I don’t suddenly have skin as even and supple as an infant’s, I have absolutely noticed a difference. I apply this in the evening, as my moisturizer. So after cleansing and toning, I rub the bar either between my hands, or directly on my face (It’s all up to how I feel that day, both methods work equally well!) and smooth the melted oils into my skin. I love this before bed, because aside form having wonderful skincare benefits, the rose oil and chamomile blue oil are incredibly relaxing. I find the scent of this is quite similar to the Dreamtime Bath Melt, so it is definitely a calming scent, perfect for your evening routine. 

As I stated, I use this in the evening as my sole moisturizer, but you can use this underneath or on top of another moisturizer if you have incredibly dry skin, or only on certain pats of your face that need an extra boost in moisture. It really depends on your skin’s needs, and I may layer this with another moisturizer later in the winter if I notice increased dryness, and in the summer I may cut back my use. I think that this is a very versatile product, and though it was formulated for dry, sensitive skin, I think many people can benefit from it, even if you only use it as an occasional treat. One way I would not recommend using it is under a mask, which is one method Lush suggests on the website- this seems quite silly to me, from an esthetician’s standpoint. Not only are you wasting a product by washing it off with your mask after 10 minutes, when you would reap so much more benefit by leaving it on for an extended period, but the oils in the serum also create a barrier of sorts, that will prevent your mask from being absorbed fully into the skin, hindering it’s full effectiveness. I’m really not sure why they recommend using it this way, but you will notice many more benefits to your skin when keeping the two steps separate!

So, what is it exactly that makes Full of Grace so wonderful for the skin? Aside from leaving out preservatives and filler ingredients, this serum is packed full of beneficial oils. Almond oil mimics the skins own natural oils, so it won’t clog your pores, and absorbs easily. Murumuru butter is known as a miracle butter. It’s highly emollient and hydrating, and it is wonderful for acne prone skin, as it is naturally antibacterial and anti inflammatory, and also boasts many antioxidants and fatty acids. Portobello mushroom is also incredibly antioxidant rich, and contains B and C vitamins, potassium, vitamin D and ergothioneine all of which show this is a good candidate for protecting the skin from damage  Ingredients such as almond oil and murumuru butter broaden the market for Full of Grace, because while it is gentle and highly moisturizing, it has the potential to work well with oilier and acne prone conditions, as well as for anyone who is looking to protect their skin from environmental damage. I have not had any breakouts since using Full of Grace, and my skin is normally very acne prone.

Calamine powder, rose oil and infusion, and chamomile blue oil are all very soothing on the skin and should help with redness. I currently have a lot of acne in the healing stage, so my face is quite sensitive and I have a smattering of red along my jawline and temples. Since I started using this serum, I have noticed the healing process seems to be going much faster than usual and my redness is fading quickly. 

I am completely enamored with Full of Grace so far, and though I have only been using it for a short time, my skin is softer, more hydrated, and feels wonderfully soothed. I would recommend this to all skin types, and it is totally worth the price!

Rating: 5/5

Price: 

Status: Permanant

Vegan?: Yes

Would I repurchase?: Yes

Ingredients: Murumuru Butter, Calamine Powder, Cupuacu Butter, Fresh Rose Petal Infusion, Organic Almond Oil, Perfume, Fresh Portobello Mushrooms, Chamomile Blue Oil, Rose Oil, Tagetes Oil, Eugenol, Geraniol, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl, Cinnamate, Citronellol, Farnesol, Limonene, Linalool

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: 

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