LUSH Sparkly Pumpkin bubble bar

Usually, Sundays are dressed in Lush on my blog but since there are currently so many LE products that I want to write about, and I am also trying out a couple of their other products, I decided to give them a little more space. Meaning, there's a chance that you'll be reading about them much more… And if you are wondering if I am in any way affiliated with them, the answer is „I wish!“

a new Lush bag is always a good sig ;)

Today I am going back to my Lush roots…

The reason I said that is because, in my opinion Lush experience, in most cases, starts with their bath products. I mean… All those fancy colors, glitter, shapes… What is there not to love? ;) That is how I got into Lush, and that is how I met this bubble bar- Lush Sparkly Pumpkin.

It is a glittery bronze and gold little pumpkin which was launched as a perfect „welcome“ to fall and Halloween. You can guess that it is a part of the Halloween LE collection and that is why I am writing about it now. There are some more left on their webshops and in their stores, so if you decide to buy one, I wanted to do this review.

This 100 g bubble bar costs 39 kunas in Croatia which is about 5.06 Euros/4 GBP/6.32$. A bit much, but any Lush junkie knows that that is their standard bubble bar price.

Its apperance is super cute. Starting from the shape of it and with the fact that it is frosted with bronze and gold glitter… Ugh… It was just adorable for me. Yes, it was a fall item but I think that its glowy appearance is perfect for the holidays, too. If you are worried that all this glitter will stain your bath tub too much, don't. It is beautiful but it disappears in water, so much, that I was sad not to see it anywhere.

Its scent is amazing for me, which wasn't really surprising since I love almost anything with ylang ylang. Lush says that it is a combination of ylang ylang and orange blossom, and to try to describe it, I would say that it first smells soft and creamy (?!), a bit sweet and then after some time in water, it smells like oranges. I would go even further and say that at first, when you put this bubble bar under your nose it smells like a sweet pumpkin pie, which could be an autosuggestion because its appearance, but it really does. In any case, the scent is very soft, subtle and nice.

This is how Lush describes it:
"Have fun in this warm and merry bubble bath that will add a little sparkle to your night. The exotic and energizing combination of ylang ylang and orange blossom will empower you in a second. It is perfect for long, realxing baths but be careful! Its magic lasts only until midnight..."

And a far as I am concerned, I agree. This is a bubble bath which will really enrich your „me time“. The water will have luxurious foam on the top with only small parts of orange underneath.

beginning

developing

more

As with all of the Lush bubble bars, this one also needs to be crumbled under running water and then left to perform its magic.

For the purposes of this review, I cut mine in half, which is what I always do, but you should use this particular bar for at least two times because it developes such a rich foam that it would probably look like foamcopalipse in your bathroom if you would put the whole piece in.

THE END! See what I mean? ;)

For me, this was a very nice bath, which I recommend for some pampering time.

Ingredients:
Sodium Bicarbonate, Tartaric acid, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Lauryl Betaine, corn flour, Perfume, Juniperus communis, Citrus aurantifolia, Citrus paradisi, Citral, Geraniol, Citronellol, Limonene, Linalool, Colour 15510, Colour 45380, golden shimmer, Cinnamomum cassia

Have you tried some of their products from LE collections? Any favorites from their Holiday season line?

Tell me..

Love, beautyandbrains007

LUSH Turkish Delight shower smoothie

Shower smoothie? Let me try to explain. It is a shower product that washes your body but much richer in texture than body cream or gel. It contains many nourishing oils (coconut and almond oil, as well as cocoa butter) which will leave your skin soft and smooth... Get it? Smooth. I would say that it is a soft and velvety soap.

To me, it smells like a freshly cut turkish rose, but the smell although very rose scented is also very clean and elegant. Even if you are not very fond of rose scents, I think that this one won't bother you. As I already said, its texture is buttery and heavy but in contact with water it soon becomes lighter and silky.
The idea behind this product is to offer a very nourishing product, full of rich oils which will take care of dry and sensitive skin. You should apply it on wet skin, rub it in, leave it on for a few seconds and then rinse off. My skin is normal and to be honest, it was squeaky clean after turkish delight. It didn't dry my skin out but I haven't really noticed all of these oils or butters listed in the ingredients.

ingredients

This is how Lush describes it:

"A decadent shower cleanser to leave you feeling soft and smelling of roses. We've packed this gentle wash full of delicate damask roses as well as rich cocoa butter and almond oil to leave you feeling soft all over. Scoop this out of the pot and work all over your body before rinsing off in the shower or bath. It’s so thick, a little goes a long way."

I've read many reviews of this product and they were all raves about how good it was... But for me, it was just OK. With its price tag and all the ingredients, honestly, I expected more. If you are interested in this product, you can buy it on Lush sites worldwide or go to their store, which I recommend just to be safe that you like its scent. In Croatia it comes in a plastic recyclable 200 g pot which costs 174 kunas (about 28.42$, 22.86 Euros, 18.16 GBP). So, it is quite expensive! On the other hand, I had a 50 g pot that lasted me for more than a month, so a 200 g pot will last you a very long time. 

In my opinion, this is not a must have product but if you are interested in it, you are more than welcome to try it, and if you do, please let my know your impressions. And if you are wondering why my pot looks like it saw better times, I wiped some dust from bath bombs off with a wet cloth and this was the result.

What about you? Have you tried this product? Interested? Not for you? 

Tell me...

Love, beautyandbrains007

My new in...

One would think that I stopped my beauty obsession since I don't write as often but a small look at these boxes will let you know that you got it all wrong.

In September (yes, you read it right) net a porter offered free shipping which resulted in my Charlotte Tilbury madness. Mostly, Charlotte Tilbury, but we weren't exactly exclusive.

But since you have to take care of your skin first in order for it to look nice with makeup on, let me start with non-makeup beauty products. The majority was bought at hqhair during sales/discounts and Vichy Idealia Serum was a present from my mom, also bought on sale for 20% less. What can I say? Our family loves dicounts. ;)

One of my first choices was Glam Glow hydrating face mask (I really want to try the other version, too) that I have been wanting for a long time.

Elemis also has my full attention but I decided to go into our relationship with small steps, starting with a daily gel cleanser/exfoliator. Nuxe Reve de miel lip balm is a cult product here in Europe, so I couldn't be the only one "stuck" with Korres ( I am joking, Korres is my favorite!). Caudalie is almost always a good choice, and now when this tube is almost gone, I can say that we are having a great time together, and Murad cream was so affordable that I had to throw it in my cart.

But...it is makeup where I became crazy!

I've been on a Charlotte Tilbury kick. My first order was Lip Cheat in Pillow talk and Lustre Lip Gloss in the shade High Society, which blew me away so much that I bought crazy amount of her products, mostly lip products.

Charlotte Tilbury is not available in Croatia, but you can buy her products online on net a porter and on her official site. Usually, I would prefer her official site since there you can find everything from her range, and shipping for Croatia is 9 GBP, which isn't cheap, but with net a porter's normal shipping in mind (25 Euros), it's a bargain. During free shipping on net a porter you just don't have a lot to think about besides- BUY! :)

Later I ordered more lip cheat pencils in the shades Kiss 'N' Tell, Iconic Nude and one more Pillow Talk (which my mother bought me after seeing how obsessed I am with it), I also had to try her  K.I.S.S.I.N.G. lipsticks, so I bought two shades Penelope Pink and Nude Kate, and made a full circle with one more gloss in the shade Seduction. The only non-lip product was her eye pencile in the shade Audrey.

One more brand which I am really intereted in and which, unfortunately, isn't available in Croatia is Laura Mercier. So, I went for a safe choice and bought two caviar sticks in the shades Rose Gold and Amethyst. I purchased Anastasia's brow wiz pencil in the shade Taupe (love you, Anastasia), and lastly something from the drugstore range, Bourjois matte primer.

all together now!

That was my catch for September, October and most of the November.

Have you been shopping? Do you like what I chose?

Tell me...

Love, beautyandbrains007

BALEA AQUA eye cream/gel

I am preparing a pretty overwhelming post about my empties in November. It will be like a beauty products of all kinds massacre in which you will see how much products I've used up in a five months period. If you have ever read my empties posts you alredy know that I really like to finish my products. When you are so into beauty, it is such a good feeling to play with products and finish them. Then you can really form an opinion how a certain product worked for you, and when some of these products repeatedly appear in your empties bin, I think it is time for a review. So, today I bring you a review on Balea Aqua eye cream/gel.

It is a cream, very light in texture, almost like a gel but a bit richer, which is meant for the sensitive skin around your eyes. This cream doesn't promise a miraculous anti-age effect that will wipe off all your fine lines and wrinkles, but very simple, it promises to provide moisture for your skin which will reduce and remove signs of puffiness. It fulfills it claims with a little help of blue algae and thermal water. It is recommended to use it twice a day, in the mornings and in the evenings (which I did) and in return she will moisturize your eye area.

I'm in my thirties, so my journey with wrinkles and fine lines has begun… especially around my eye area. And I won't lie. I bought this cream/gel twice already in DM. First time because of curiosity, low price and previous positive experience with Balea's Aqua line (I had their Aqua serum and loved it!), and second time because this cream turned out to be great, my other eye cream was vanishing fast from its pot, I was lazy and without any idea what to purchase next, and YES… Have I mentioned alredy that this is a very wallet friendly choice? ;)

My impressions… This is a very good and light cream which nicely moisturizes your eye area, sinks quickly and nicely into the skin without being greasy, which also means that it doesn't leave an oily residue, so it won't affect your makeup application or longevity in any way. It is unscented and also very mild, so much that it is recommended for people who wear contact lenses. My eyes aren't overly sensitive but they do sting and tear up if an eye cream accidently ends up in them. I never had that experience with this one. But because this is a moisturizing cream I think it is a much better choice for spring and summer, because it might not be enough for winter conditions and all the things that come with that (cold, winds, central heating…). That time of the year I suggest to go for something more nourishing. For oily skin, you can still use it in the mornings, but dry skin, especially mature one, should go for something else. Also, as I stated before, this doesn't fight any signs of ageing so if you need something a bit stronger, you should also look further. I don't struggle with dark circles so I don't know how it deals with them, but for young girls with oily or mixed skin that just want to offer their skin rehydration, this would be great.

It comes in a small plastic 15 ml tube. Since it is a Balea brand product, you can find it in DM stores for the price around 25 kunas (I think it costs 21,90 kunas, but am not 100% certain; which is about 4.15$, 3.25 Eura, 2.57 GBP).

ingredients

From my experience (I have oily skin with first signs of ageing) it was a very good eye cream, with all the pros and cons mentioned above in mind. I have bought it twice already and would buy it again for mornings. In translation, I would encourage you to try it out. Even if you will not be crazy about it, its price is so affordable that a possible miss will not hurt your wallet. On the other hand, who knows? Maybe you'll find a new affordable trustworthy friend?

Did you try this cream? Anything else from Balea's Aqua line? Any recommendations?

Tell me…Love, beautyandbrains007

LUSH BUBBLEGUM LIP SCRUB

It is not a secret that I like Lush and am their frequent customer, so you can often read about their products here. Today it is time for their BUBBLEGUM LIP SCRUB. If you ever entered any of their shops or browsed around Lush's site you probably noticed this small glass jar with its pink content inside.

As its name says, it is a scrub but specially made for delicate skin on your lips. It is efficient and mild enough at the same time, leaving your lips smooth and nourished.  For best results it should be followed with a lip balm of your choice. Since it is sugar based, this is definitely a product that you can make by yourself at home, but that is not something I usually do. It also contains jojoba oil which nourishes your lips in order to leave them nice and smooth.

You apply a small amount on your lips, gently massage them and then either rinse it off or lick the rest off. It is natural and edible. In my opinion this is as girly product as it can be, since it is pink and smells like cotton candy bubblegums.

list of ingredients

As I said, it comes in 25 g glass jar which has a protective cap when you first buy it, and it is packed full.

I've read that some women/girls use it both in the morning (before lipstick or gloss) and in the evening (before a balm). In my opinion, that is a bit too much. I use it only in the evening every or every other day. After it, I apply my beloved Korres jasmine lip butter. This routine works great for me. My lips are always nice and smooth.

This is how Lush describes it:
"Prep your lips with a buff and polish at the start of your make-up routine to ensure your lipstick glides on and stays put. Just apply with a clean finger, and let the exfoliating caster sugar and softening jojoba oil scrub away dead skin and infuse moisture to rejuvenate your smile. Bubblegum lip scrub won’t leave any greasy residue; just a sweet candy taste that you’ll enjoy licking off. Lip-smackingly good."

You can buy this small jar for 67 kunas in Croatia (6.93 GBP, 8.70 Euros, 11.15 $). While browsing through Lush sites internationally, I've realized that it is less expensive in other countries, so a jar of it in the UK will cost you only 5.50 GBP. So, it is not cheap at all. Another minus that I have to mention is that with time it hardens and looses that light sugary texture. It is still good and effective, but since this is not my first jar of this product, I have to mention it. On the jar it says that it is best to use it in a year from the time that it was made. I think it is OK that you use it up in a year from opening it.

In my opinion, this is a great product, with an excessive price tag but I still like it and have it. Although I must say that I got it in my Think Pink box for 50% less. It is fun to use and this small jar reminds me to give some love to my lips on the daily basis. If you are not crazy about pink, bubblegum taste and smell, you have other scrubs to choose from. I must admit that I, personally, would not buy the popcorn one. I have another one from their Christmas LE. Too cute...
The conclusion is that I bought them before and would and will buy them again, but can't tell you to go and buy them! If you have will and knowledge to make something like this at home, or just don't want to splurge for this type of product, I fully understand your reasons.

So.... Is this something you would be interested in? Have you tried any of their lip scrubs? Do you make something like this by yourself?

Tell me...

Love, beautyandbrains007

TETESEPT bubble bath with lavender and orange oils

We are enjoying a warm and sunny autumn in Croatia and I am very thankful for that, but it is getting dark sooner and temperatures drop more during the night. So, after being exclusive "showerer" during spring and summer, I am starting to get more into luxurious bubble baths. I have this bottle from last winter and am more than happy to finish it, now.

In Croatia, you can buy Tetesept bubble baths in Müller department stores. Mine came in a 125 ml glass bottle, which will normally cost you 40 kunas (5.23 Euros, 4.12 GBP, $ 6.61), but for some reason, I paid mine 20 kunas (2.61 Euros,  2.06 GBP, $ 3.30). I am not sure if it was on sale or this is a cheaper version?

To be honest, I didn't really pay attention to these bubble baths but after seeing them on another blog that I follow, HERE (check it out, you won't be sorry), I just had to try it out.

So, the story about Tetesept bubble baths is that "it is warm and cozy bubble bath which helps calming your body and soul. That is because it is full of essential oils which don't only benefit your skin while you are bathing, but also continue doing their magic after your bath. These bubble baths don't contain preservatives, paraffins, silicones, mineral oils or alkaline soaps. You just need to fill you bath with warm water (temperature between 35 and 38 degrees Celsius) and enjoy your bath for about 10-15 minutes."

I agree with their statements. This is not the bubbliest bubble bath that I ever came across but it is bubbly enough and makes your bath time special. Lavender will prepare you for the night and lead you to your dreams, so I prefer it in the evening before going to bed. In any case, you will have some quality time with yourself to relax.

In this particular one you can smell a perfect fusion of lavender, orange blossom and a hint of a herbal note.

In the bottle it has a dark magenta colour...

in the beginning

But, when in water, it will have a light purple colour.

developing

It says on the packaging that this 125 ml glass bottle is enough for 8 baths but I don't agree with that. Mine was good for 5-6 baths and I used an amount that fits 1.5 caps from the bottle.

in the end

My overall impression is that this is a beautiful bubble bath and I would definitely buy it again or try others from their range.

ingredients

What about you? Have you tried any of the Tetesept bubble baths? Did you like them? Do you have any to recommend?

Tell me...

Love, beautyandbrains007