Review: Lush Granny Takes A Dip Bath Bomb

 Making my rounds in Lush the other day and I spotted something that made me very excited: a new bath bomb. Naturally eye-catching with it's bright colours and design, the new Granny Takes A Dip bath bomb is something a little different from the regular Lush standards: It's flat. Well, not exactly flat but it's shape isn't that of a ball - it's more like a ball that's been flattened. A few inches thick and quite a good width around, this is one of the largest bath bombs I've seen at Lush. So naturally I had to bring it home with me.

It's fresh citrusy scent is the perfect pick-me-up after a long day and the ginger and pepper elements are very warming and refreshing. This is the kind of bath bomb whose scent lingers long after the water has been drained away. And the water, it's such a pretty colour! A kind of mulled wine shade, kind of a pink/purple/red if that makes sense. As this bath bomb is quite a frothy one, the water is clouded by a little bubbliness but it soon fades away. Whilst the bomb is fizzing away (which takes about 4 - 5 minutes in total) it releases a lovely array of colours as each circle melts away. So pretty.

Overall, I think this is one of my favourite bath bombs from Lush. The price is perfect (£3.25) as I think it's well justified and it's pretty colour show is lovely to watch.

xx

NEW LOVE: M&S Naturals Coconut Body Butter

 First things first: I hate moisturiser. I find it tacky, heavy and uncomfortable. I've dabbled in a few different methods of moisturising before (in-shower moisturisers, cocoa butter bath bombs ect) and haven't been able to find anything that I'm 100% happy with. Until now.

 

I got a 50ml pot of the M&S Naturals Coconut Body Butter for Christmas, but cast it aside without a second thought. But my hands, shins and elbows have been so dry lately that desperate times called for desperate measures and I tentatively slathered a layer of this gorgeous cream onto the dry patches and waited with expectations for it to take forever to sink in and to stick to my clothes. It didn't do either of these things. This thick yet light cream takes mere seconds to dissolve into my skin, taking my dry patches with it. Applied twice daily and my flaky bits are looking and feeling so much better. It isn't sticky at all and leaves behind the most delicious, mouth-watering coconut scent.

 

For just £5 for a huge 200ml tub, I'm definitely-nearly converted to moisturiser and am going to be making a mad dash to the nearest M&S when I run out.

 

xx

SPRING SHADES: Barry M Hi-Shine Gelly Polishes

 

Another day, another nail varnish shade. The fact that I'm not allowed to wear nail polish at college has forced me to develop the habit of changing up my nail shades after a day or two. And aside from one polish that will be featured in my up-coming April Favourites, these three have been amongst my most reached for.

 

Barry M's Gelly Hi-Shine Polishes are a fresh take on regular nail varnish - extra shine, extra pigmentation, extra beautiful shades. Seriously, the shade range for this line: delicious. I have several of the pinker shades on my lust list, but these three are the ones I currently own 'Blueberry' (the lightest blue), 'Blue Grape' (the darker blue) and 'Prickly Pear' (the lilac). They give gorgeous colour and shine within two coats and last really well paired with or without a top coat.

 

Blue Grape is definitely my favourite, paired with an all black outfit and red lips, although Prickly Pear has started to grow on me on sunnier days. And how adorable is that shade name? Cute.

 

xx

Review: Lush Blackberry Bomb Bath Bomb

Despite it's delicious scent, I've never paid much attention to the Blackberry Bomb Bath Bomb whilst doing my rounds in Lush. It's simple lilac colouring and lack of snazzy design is probably something to do with this - I'm a sucker for a pretty pattern - and I'm honestly ashamed I've put it off so long! Since buying this the other day, it has fast become one of my all-time favourite Lush products.

 

 Packed with essential oils that are relaxing and great for relieving anxiety and a scent that reminds me of those little purple refresher sweets when I was a kid, this bath bomb is the perfect thing to chuck in the bath after a long, hard day. It's simplicity is one of the things I enjoy about it - no crackling or shimmery water here - meaning I can just lay back with my eyes closed and breathe in the smell, whilst trying to recover from my awful day.  

 This does have a little surprise though. A little note emerges from the bomb after it's been sizzling away for a few minutes saying "BOOM BOOM" which I think is cute. The bath water turns an amazing, rich purple colour that I honestly think is lovely and the scent was picked up on by my unassuming sister who was sat downstairs. Plus, for the price (£2.95) this is one of Lush's largest bath bombs. I'd compare it to the size of the Dragon's Egg.

 

Overall, I adore this bath bomb. I'm definitely going to pick up another on my next trip into town!

 

xx

Review: Rimmel Kate Moss 101 Lipstick

 

 

I'm pretty sure there's not a girl alive who isn't somewhat familiar with the good old Kate Moss 107 lipstick. But I don't often hear enough about the other shades from the collection, which lead me to investigate in my local boots and emerge bearing the beautiful shade 101.

 

My tastes in lipsticks change very frequently depending on my mood or outfit choice for the day, but I have noticed my favouring of a pretty, dusty pink shade. Up until recently it had been Rimmel's Oxford St Fuchsia but after discovering this beauty it's been well and truly pushed aside.

 

The 101 lipstick is a matte-yet-glossy lipstick that sits beautifully upon the lips. The formula is so moisturising despite it's matte finish that I'm amazed and the scent, oh, the scent is a deliciously fruity kind of smell. I think it's very important for lip products to smell nice because they are so close to your nose that they're often unpleasant to wear otherwise. Anyway, the colour. It's somewhat similar to the MUA Matte Effect in Pouty Pink - a pretty, girly, bubble gum pink that's not too dark and not too light but this one contains more pigment and is much more flattering, I feel. It's wear time is impressive and maintains strength through eating and drinking.

 

 

Overall I'm really impressed with this lipstick. Whilst I'm not sure it will ever gain such a credibility as the infamous 107, I'm sharing this find with whoever will listen. This lipstick retails for £5.49 from Boots but is currently on offer for £3.99!

 

xx



Review: Lush Big Blue Bath Bomb

 

 

Please excuse the smudges of lipstick samples on the back of my hand haha

Lush says: "This calming and nourishing bath bomb evokes a summer’s day at the seaside: perfect for drifting off. Your cares are soaked away with this bath bomb filled with relaxing and nutritious ingredients that bring to mind the Mediterranean: citrus groves, lavender, and a hint of seaweed."

 

This bath bomb wasn't purchased by choice (my boyfriend chose it) and that was purely because of my mis-conceptions about the sea salt and sea weed thing. My Seanik shampoo bar isn't very hydrating and I know for a fact that salt is very drying on skin so I expected to emerge from the water with tight, dehydrated skin but this was not the case.

 

But let's go back to the beginning. This bath bomb is one of the larger lush ones, maybe the same size as the Dragon's Egg and isn't very stand-out-ish, appearance wise: it boasts a simple, dark blue colour with a patch of white which reminds me of clouds in the sky. The scent isn't something that I would choose - or really describe either - but according to Lush it has hints of lavender, which was very relaxing.

 

Once dropped into the bath, a big puff of sky blue colour exploded and changed the tone of the water immediately. I also noticed the little strands of sea weed coming out - which, in my opinion, there are far too many of! But due to these little strands, the bath water was so soft and this softness remained on my skin long afterward. The sea salt is supposed to be mildly exfoliating which I didn't really notice, but hey, how could I tell?

 

Overall I quite like this bath bomb but I can't say I'm rushing out to buy it again. I just have too many other favourites! The only set back I have with this is the amount of sea weed - there honestly is loads of the stuff packed in there. This bath bomb retails at Lush stores for £3.25.

 

xx

The £1 Tangle Teezer Dupe?!

On the budget of a college student, it's difficult for me to always try out new things as I'm worried that I wont love them, meaning I'm always reluctant to part with my pennies. I adore budget brands such as Nivea and MUA and Rimmel because, despite their tinsy price tags, I know their products work and that I like them. I don't own a lot of 'expensive' nail varnishes such as Dior or even something as 'low priced' as Essie, because I know that Barry M and Rimmel offer such amazing polishes as a fraction of the price. For this reason, I have put off the progressing mania of the Tangle Teezer: what appears to me to just be an overpriced hair brush.

 

Now I'm sure you've read the reviews (I know I have!) and that the Tangle Teezer is good for what it is, but naturally I spent my time (and tiny amounts of money) testing out a comparison. Such to my surprise, I found it in Poundland.

 

 

The Tangle Teezer 'dupe' named the Tangle Attack was sitting below a bunch of unwanted shampoos and conditioners on my recent trip to Poundland and their obviously duplicated shape drew me in, as well as the bright colours. Naturally, I picked one up and proceeded to use it as soon as I got home.

 

I can't compare to you the difference between this dupe and the real Tangle Teezer, but I can give you my thoughts on this which you can compare to the circulating reviews of the original, so I hope this will be helpful in some way.

 

Lets start off with the basics: this Tangle Attack is made from simple plastic and is filled with air, where-as the original is solid through-out. It's not neccesarily a sturdy design (as my dog chewed up my last one) but it's hardy enough to not bend when in use. The bristles are a mix between short and long, much like the original, but these are a little scratchy on my scalp. The bristles do the job, no doubt, and don't leave my hair with any static at all but I tend to reserve it for the ends of my hair rather than using it all over.

 

Overall, I think this is a pretty good dupe for the legendary Tangle Teezer, but I can't imagine it will lessen it's reign any less. It's certainly stopped me from going out and buying the real thing, though!

 

xx

Review: Johnson's Daily Essentials Nourishing Day Cream

 

 

Following a recent summer-winter swap in my skincare routine, I've re-discovered this little beauty: Johnson's Daily Essentials Nourishing Day Cream for Dry Skin. I'd found that my usual Boots Simply Sensitive Moisturiser just wasn't up to scratch for the colder months and the tight, flaky skin that comes with it and was looking for a thicker, more nourishing cream to replace it with. During my earlier teenage years I'd been a big fan of this moisturiser and had forgotten about it once I'd used it all, but scouring the shelves in my local Sainsbury's I found this again - and also on offer for just £2 (normal price £4)!

 

 

 

This day cream has a thick, luxurious consistency that isn't at all heavy and greasy or long drying - I simply apply a light covering all over my face following my cleansing and toning routine, leave it to sink in for a few moments and apply my foundation right on top. It creates the perfect base for my make-up and helps fight against flakiness through-out the day. You don't even need a lot of it - I just tap my finger gently onto the surface and gain enough to cover at least half of my face.

 

It's also very aesthetically pleasing, too. It comes in a little glass jar with a pink screw-top lid that rests inside of it's own little cardboard box. I think it's really cute and makes it seem a lot more luxurious and expensive than if it was in a squirty bottle like most other moisturisers. The cream itself looks so deliciously buttery and smooth and is literally packed to the brim of the jar. 

 

The SPF 15 that this cream contains is an essential all year round and paired with my Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation, keeps my skin protected from the suns rays (even if they are behind the clouds). It's also packed with nourishing nutrients which leaves your skin super soft without a heavy greasy residue.

 

Overall Thoughts:

 

This is the perfect winter moisturiser - it's nourishing properties keeps flaky skin at bay whilst still containing SPF to keep your skin protected. The price is so perfect - just £4 for a cream that will last you forever due to the fact you only need a tiny dab at a time. The packaging in itself is lovely and makes me think of more high-end products.

 

xx



Review: MUA Heaven & Earth Palette

 

 

Sorting through my beauty stash the other day, I realised something: I don't own many nudey eye shades. I was quite surprised by this, simply because it seemed like such an obvious thing to own. The subtle glam that a simple, soft brown smokey eye can bring to any day or night look is something that I'm personally a fan of so I honestly didn't expect to be lacking these shades in my collection. Naturally, the only plausible thing to do would be to go out and buy said shades, which is exactly what I did: enter MUA's Heaven & Earth Palette.

 

 

This 12 shadow palette contains a variety of brown tones, ranging from dark chocolate to buttery cream. All colours are 'shimmer' but not in a glittery or gaudy way - they're more luminous than anything. They're lovely to apply and very blendable, with very little fall out.

 

 

As they don't have shade names I'll brand them with numbers 1 - 12, starting from the top left and finishing at the bottom right. My most used colours are 4, 9, 10 and 12 - number 4 as a base and highlight, 9 and 10 for creating the smokey line and number 12 as a sort of eye liner along my eyelash line. Pigmentation for these shadows are great and they last all day.

 

 

Shades 1 - 6 (top row)

 

Shades 7 - 12 (bottom row)

 

Avaliable for £4 from Superdrug or the MUA Online store, this palette is a must-have for nude eye lovers or even for younger girls who are beginning to build their own make-up collection. A perfect stocking filler, too!

 

xx



Review: Lush Candy Mountain Bubble Bar

As I'm sure some of you know if you've followed my blog for a while, I'm a little bit obsessed when it comes to Lush products. In fact, one of my very first posts was showcasing their Seanik Shampoo Bar and I've featured several of their products since then.

 

 

 

Today I'm here with a review on one of their limited edition Christmas products: the Candy Mountain bubble bar. As I've mentioned previously, I don't really like buying limited edition products simply because I get way too attached to things if I like them and then it leads to bulk buying which leads to me not actually ever using the things because I'm terrified I'm going to run out.

 

Craziness aside, this is my very first trial with one of Lush's bubble bars. I'm not sure why it's taken me so long to try one out - but I'm glad I started my love affair with this beauty. I picked it up simply because of it's pretty pink, sparkly appearance and with the promise of the Sales Assistant of it's sweet candy scent. I was going to cave in to the hype and buy a bottle of the infamous Snow Fairy shower gel but decided against it for the reasons above and for the fact that it was around £4 for a tiny little bottle! This bubble bar offers the deliciously sweet scent but with sustainability and bubbles!

 

To use, you simply crumble a little chunk under running water to create frothy, foamy bubbles and lovely pink tinted water. Truth be told, I prefer to use this for it's scent and moisturising properties - I can't stand bubbles in my bath! They always work their way into my hair, especially when I don't want them to. So I can't give you guys any promises on a crazy Disney-movie-overflowing-washer scene but I can tell you that this smells divine. I got my baby sister to smell it and she described it as 'lemonady with a berry smell' which is pretty much on point. It definitely also has a hint of candy-floss-ish scent which isn't too sweet. The Lush website says it contains a vanilla fragrance but I honestly can't pick up on it!

 

Another reason to love this is because of it's gorgeous moisturising qualities. My skin feels super smooth and soft after use which isn't oily or greasy at all.

 

Overall I adore this bubble bar and I'm certain it's sparked a long love affair with them (next on my list is Karma). I've had 4 baths with this so far and I think I've got another 2 uses left with it but it of course depends on how much you use! An absolute bargain for £2.65, I'd love to see this in my stocking this Christmas!

 

xx



Review: New MUA Matte Effect Lipsticks

Hello everyone!

Today I have a review for you guys, featuring a new exciting release from bargain make-up brand Make Up Academy. I'm a dedicated lover when it comes to all of their products so of course when I saw these new Matte Effect lipsticks I had to pick up one... or three.

The first thing I noticed about these was the packaging. It's very clean and simple - basically the same as their regular lipstick tubes but instead of black these are white. The next thing I realised was that they've finally finally given their shades names. I don't know why this is such a big deal to me, but I hate it when companies use numbers instead of words to distinguish their shades. The three I got are named 'Pouty Pink', 'Scarlet Siren' and 'Wild Berry'. Definitely not the most imaginative but at least they've given us something to work with.

Anyway, on to the lipsticks themselves. I'm really depressed to say this, but I'm not a fan. Many matte lipsticks are drying and chalky and these are no exception - they sit, flaky, upon even the most moisturised lips. Weirdly I found the pink to be more drying than the other two, and the red the nicest to wear. I'm also very disappointed with the pigment of these shades. The pink appears to be a lovely, bright colour and the purple/brown shade very dark and vampy but they simply do not come across this way upon lips. You have to apply quite a few coats before the colour even becomes noticeable.

Left to right: 'Pouty Pink' - 'Scarlet Siren' - 'Wild Berry'

 Their staying power appears to be pretty good, mostly because the colour clings to your lips (which in this case, is a blessing and a curse) but I can't say that I'm going to rush out and buy any other colours from this collection. I would definitely recommend the red as I find it the most moisturising and flattering and possibly the pink if you have an amazing lip balm to pair it with, but I would steer clear of the Wild Berry shade - it's nothing like I expected!

Overall, I think this is the only product I've bought from MUA that I haven't got on with, but at £1 each you can't really argue!

xx 



Review: Trevor Sorbie Beautifully Straight Blow-Dry Spray

Ah, I do love the Boots Clearance Counter.

 

Especially as I picked up this bad boy for 50p, purely because it didn't come with a lid! To be honest, I wasn't even entirely sure what it was at the time, I just sort of saw the price and my favourite hair styling words 'heat defence' and 'straightening', grabbed it and was walking out with it five minutes later.

 

 

This spray is basically a heat defence and straightening blow-dry spray. I'm not going to lie, I wouldn't have even picked this up if I'd've walked past it on a normal shelf. I don't have much faith in straightening products, mostly because despite the fact my hair's no where near curly it always flicks out no matter what I use, so I wasn't exactly holding my breath with this one.

 

But, it actually works.

 

I would love to say to you guys that in the colder seasons I take my time building elaborate hairstyles and curling my hair but, to be honest, I mostly just spend that time in bed. Not always, of course, I do love curly hair for the fall time, but mostly I just sort of wake up early but get up late and end up rushing around, no time for straighteners or complicated twists.

 

So a spray like this is perfect for me. It's official name is Trevor Sorbie's Beautifully Straightened Protect, Flatten & Shine Spray and I can say it lives up to all it claims. It's supposed to be used as part of a whole straightening routine (including shampoos and straightening) but I just use it on it's own and it works just fine. It's heat defending properties means my hair's protected even when blow-drying and can be used when even straightening at the highest temperatures. It also leaves my hair soft and silky with a slight shine.

 

I'm not sure of the official method for using this - it doesn't give any specific instructions - but I use it when my hair's wet and it works just fine for me. The end result is perfectly straight hair that lasts for hours. This spray wont last longer than a day, but will take you til your next wash/straighten.

 

Overall Thoughts:

 

A straightening spray that does just what it says on the tin (bottle). I'm not sure how it would fare against wavy or curly hair, but us straight haired girls will definitely see results. It's reasonably priced at £5.59 and available from most Boots stores so if something like this is missing from your routine, give it a go! My only problem with it would be the scent - it has a faint alcoholic smell to it but you can't smell it once it's settled into your hair, although it does make me wonder about the ingredient list.

 

xx



Budget Brand Focus: Boots Natural Collection

 

 

Personally, when I think of certain brands I have a certain product of theirs in mind. Collection: concealer. Rimmel: lipstick and foundation. Revlon: nail varnish. They all have their own sensational hits or depressing misses with products that are widely appreciated across the blogging world, so I thought I'd do a little 'Brand Focus' series here on Mega Beauty to show you guys my likes and dislikes with certain brands.

 

I thought I'd kick off with one of my favourite budget brands, Natural Collection. A baby of the Boots brand, Natural Collection's products are all Dermatologically Tested and Fragrance Free so they're perfect for even the most sensitive skins! The price range of this brand is fantastic, ranging from £1.79 - £1.99 per item or rather often they feature a '3 for £5' deal that I regularly take advantage of. The product range itself is rather good, they have all the normal products you would expect such as mascara, eyeliner, lipsticks and nail varnishes as well as blushers, foundations, concealers and bronzing pearls. However the shade ranges are lacking in some areas such as the blushers and eye shadow duos where-as the lipstick and nail varnish range is full of lovely shades.

 

So without further ado, I'll show you my little collection of their products and my thoughts!

 

 

I currently own one Blushed Cheeks Blusher in Pink Cloud, one Eye Shadow Duo in Mink/Sable and three Moisture Shine Lipsticks in Berry Blush (top), Raspberry (left) and Pink Mallow (right).

 

As you can see, the packing of these products are fairly simple and straight-forward: white plastic containers with clear screw-on lids for the potted products and a simple white lipstick lid for the lipsticks (obviously). The brand logo is written in a simple brown on the side/top. I personally like the packaging aesthetically, it's very simple and the clean white shade makes the colour of the products pop. The practicality of the packaging is awful though - the pans all fall out of the pots but it's nothing a little super glue wont fix.

 

Now onto the products themselves.

 

I've done a full review on the Blusher here so if you want the full info on this product plus swatches then go and take a look, but for now I'll just give you the basics. The pigment of this is literally incredible, you hardly need any on your brush and it does require quite a light hand as it's so packed full of colour so it means the little pot will last a long time! It sits very nicely upon the skin and lasts a fair amount of time. This is the only shade I have from this range as the others are more bronzy/peachy and they're not really my thing. This blush was £1.99.

 

The Eyeshadow Duo is my newest purchase, I got this when I went on a 'neutral eye' shopping spree (I also picked up a Heaven & Earth MUA Palette, review coming soon!) and have been using it regularly since. The shades I chose are Mink/Sable, a lovely light chocolatey brown and a slightly shimmery cream. Both of these shades are quite matte and yet at the same time have a slight luminosity to them that make them very flattering. The pigment isn't amazing, but that might just be because of how light the shades are themselves but they do last a long time. I wear these together, with a darker shade from the MUA Palette to accentuate the crease a little more. The other shades in the collection are quite nice but I think these are the only neutrals. This duo was £1.99.

 

Finally, the lipsticks.  My three shades are Berry Blush, a deep purple/red/pink shade that's packed with subtle sparkle, Raspberry, a pretty red/pink shade and my favourite, Pink Mallow, a gorgeous dusty pink shade that I can't stop wearing. The consistency of these lipsticks is really nice and buttery but despite being part of the 'Moisture Shine' range they're not particularly moisurising, a lip balm is definitely needed. The staying power is okay, but if you're planning on wearing it for an all-day-out kind of day, you'll definitely need to take it with you! The shade range is quite nice, a mix of nudes, reds and pinks but there's not really any darker shades. These lipsticks were £1.99 each.

 

 

So there you have it!

 

Overall, I do love this brand. There's a few gems within the product line-up but they also have their faults with shade ranges, so I'd say it's a mixed bag. The price definitely makes up for it though!

 

xx

Review: Nivea In-Shower Body Moisturiser

I'm going to admit something to you guys, which some beauty-fiends may find offensive.

 

I never body moisturise. Like, ever. I don't know if it's maybe just my skin, but it always feels clogged and thick when stroked with even the lighest touch of moisturiser. I think it's something I got from my mum - she hates moisturising, too - and also because I've never really moisurised before my skin doesn't really know any different!

 

 

So when I saw Nivea's In-Shower Moisuriser, I jumped at the chance to try something new. This is basically like your regular moisturiser but it works kind of like a hair conditioner - it's activated by water. So once you've washed your body you apply a layer of the In-Shower moisturiser, I personally leave it to work it's magic for a few minutes and then rinse it off. It really is that simple.

 The end result is gorgeously silky skin that's not heavy at all! It's totally a 'lazy-girl in winter' moisturiser - you can just jump out the shower, dry yourself off and pull on your warmest pajamas! It's the perfect thing for the colder months, as there's no hanging around needed. The softness doesn't last too long, but will definitely carry you until your next shower and although it carries a pleasant, light scent that kind of reminds me of sun cream, it's not overpowering. I'm so impressed by this, as it's fully converted me to not ignore my poor dry limps! 

            My only annoyance about this is how much you need to cover your whole body - it wasn't a crazy amount but you do feel the need to apply more and more as it's so readily absorbed. I'm going to stick to using this on just my arms and legs so I don't run out too soon!

 

Overall I'm really enjoying using this product! It's available pretty much anywhere, I've seen it in Boots, Superdrug Co-Op, Sainsburys and Tesco but the prices range as sometimes it's on sale and in other places it's obviously full price. I got mine for £2.66 in Sainsbury's, but I think full price it's around £3.50.

 

xx



Review: Lush Limited Edition 'Lord Of Misrule' Bath Bomb!

 

When it comes to limited edition products, I have a love-hate relationship. On the one hand, I adore testing something out that may or may not turn into a much anticipated special treat upon their return. On the other hand, if I do actually love said product, I become irritable when I can no longer get my hands on it!

 

So when the sales assistant in Lush approached me, preaching of their new Limited Edition Halloween range, I doted on the adorable little Pumpkin-shaped bubble bar (which I might have to get as well) and the delicious scented shower gel and as impressed as I was, I wasn't planning on buying anything. But when I was shown the pretty Lord Of Misrule bath bomb, I knew that my sister would love it!

 

 

 

 

I don't have an original picture of the one that I bought because my sister just chucked it in the bath before I could take a photo haha! I got this photo from Lush.co.uk

 

As you can tell from the picture, Lord Of Misrule is quite a large bath bomb that's a lovely almost mint green colour and has an adorable crown etched right into it. Let me tell you, the scent on this one is POWERFUL. It's so heavy! I'm not going to lie, it's quite overpowering and concentrated when dry but once it's in the bath it mellows which is a lot nicer. It's a sort of earthy scent, quite florally to me with hints of vanilla and black pepper.

 

The bath bomb itself is another of Lush's colour-changing and popping candy creations, which is most of the reason why I bought it! They're so fun and such a surprise for my sister when we drop it in and watch the water change!

 

 

This bomb causes the water to change into a mulled-wine-ish deep fuschia shade which is such a Christmassy colour! It makes me think of cold evenings by the fire. The amount of popping candy in this bomb is crazy, it literally crackles on and on for a good 2 - 3 minutes! The bomb's dissolving time is around 5 - 7 minutes and the crackles come in after around 4 minutes.  

 

The scent lasts for pretty much ever.. or at least that's how it seems to me! I had a bath earlier after using this bomb last night and my water still had a faint scent to it!

 

Have any of you guys tried anything from Lush's Halloween range?

 

xx



Review: Maybelline Baby Lips!

 

You know sometimes you have those moments with a new product and you literally think to yourself, "where have you been all my life?!" That's what I feel about the Maybelline Baby Lips. I was a little late on the bandwagon with this one as I really didn't know if through all the hype, the product itself was actually worth buying. How wrong I was.

 

 

 

 

The Baby Lips I opted for is 'Pink Punch' a deliciously sweet smelling balm that provides your lips with moisture and a light pink tint. The formula of this lipbalm is incredible, it literally is the softest thing ever! It glides across lips smoothly and evenly, coating them with the gorgeous sheen as it goes.

 

 

 

 

I first applied this a few hours ago, and the hydration is still going strong. Bizarrely, so is the scent. It's a very, very sweet scent that's really potent so if you don't like sweet smells I'd give this a miss as you'll literally be smelling it all day! It sort of reminds me of Lush's Think Pink bath bomb, so if you're a fan of that you're going to love this.

 

Another thing I adore about this product is the super cute packaging. The product itself is in a normal 'lipstick' style tube with a twisty bottom which I prefer in a lip balm, and the plastic is the most gorgeous bubblegum-ish pink shade. The cap is clear plastic with 'Maybelline Baby Lips' written in sherbert yellow in an almost graffiti font. If I'm being honest, it kind of reminds me a little of the 17 Blow Out Mascara.  It's fresh and fun and I love it.

 

Superdrug are currently running a promotion for two Baby Lips for £5, which I definitely would have considered if I hadn't already spent all my money! I paid £2.99 for mine and I don't regret a penny.

 

xx

 



Review: Max Factor Lipfinity Lip Tint

 

 

I don't know what it is, but there's just something about red lips that makes me feel confident, powerful and, frankly, empowered. If I'm feeling a bit crap, or I've woken up late and need to look like I've made an effort when I really haven't, I always lean towards a bold red lip to help me through the day.

 

 

 

 

 

My very dearly beloved favourite is my Lipfinity Lip Tint by Max Factor, a felt-tip pen like lip colour that literally lasts all day long. And I'm for reals here, guys. It lasts ALL DAY. From long morning bus journeys and lunches to me chewing on my lips when I'm nervous, it doesn't budge. Not one bit.

 

The shade I have is 09 (no shade names, boo), a gorgeous deep red shade that is totally wearable and works really well with my pale skin tone. Personally, I think that the shade itself will be slightly altered depending on the natural colour of your lips as it tints instead of sits on top of your actual lips like normal lipsticks and glosses.

 

 

 

 

Applicator-wise, this felt-tip pen style allows precision when applying the tint as the point is very sharp and accurate (without being uncomfortable) and gives a very controlled distribution of the product itself to allow a neat finish. The trick to this is to line the lips first, and then fill in afterwards, kind of like what I used to do with my felt tips when colouring a picture!

 

Sorry, five year old moment there.

 

Moving swiftly on, the product itself is reasonably fast drying, which in itself is a help and a hinderance. It's useful because it means once the colour is in place, you can pretty much just carry on with your day and forget it's there, and it doesn't leave a sticky, heavy feel upon your lips. However, if you don't have the steadiest hand, you should prepare yourself to remove mistakes quickly!

 

The one thing that does irritate me a little about this is that it's not exactly waterproof - sure, I can drink from a glass/bottle without it running all down my chin and it's safe in the rain but poolside (let's all pretend we're going to be around a pool/beach for a little while longer!) it's going to be a problem if you're planning on going for a swim/being thrown into the pool by an annoying relative.

 

 

 

Either way, I am absolutely in love with this product, and it's reasonable price (£7.99) makes it even better. The shade range isn't the best, but because they have my perfect red I think I can forgive them for it!

 

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First week at college passed without any incidents, although my bus did drive past me this morning which was irritating, especially considering I woke up extra early to catch it! Starting on Body Electricals and full body massage next week, can't wait! Hope you all had a lovely first week back or, if you haven't/don't need to go back, I hope you all had  a lovely week having lie-ins.

 

xx



Review: 17 Blow Out Mascara

 

When it comes to mascara, I expect a lot. I desire long fluttery lashes that are perfectly curled and volumised without being heavy and clumpy. I thought I'd found my 'holy grail' mascara in my Max Factor Masterpiece Max, but sadly it's time has passed so I was on the look out for a new replacement. Cue 17's Blow Out, with it's promises of 12x volume and 'bigger, bolder, bouffant lashes'.

 

 

 

The first thing I noticed about this mascara was, obviously, the packaging. It comes in a thick, easy-to-handle tube that's jet black with fun neon writing. It's certainly not the most aesthetically pleasing packaging I've ever seen, and it's by no means sophisticated but I quite like it, I think it's quirky.

 

 

 

I'm also loving the brush. It's a lovely thick brush that's very easy to use, even on bottom lashes. You'd think due to it's size it would be very messy, but I find it's super easy to coat the bottom lashes with the briefest touch of the brush. The bristles slick through my lashes perfectly, providing even coverage and no clumps.

 

 

 

 

The formula itself is also really nice, and is enriched with Vitamin E and Argon Oil for deliciously nourished lashes. This mascara is lightweight even when I'm wearing a lot of it, which is only needed if I'm going for a really dramatic look as it's so volumising even with the slightest bit! The difference between my lashes with and without this mascara just proves how good it is, and in these pictures I only applied one coat very quickly. It's also unscented, which is great as I find some that come with a faint scent always irritate me.

 

 

What do you think of this mascara? Have you ever tried it?

 

This mascara (as well as several other 17 ones) are currently on offer for £4 at most Boots stores.

 

xx

 

 

Review: Lush Dragon's Egg Bath Bomb

I've finally done it, guys.

I finally caved and bought the Dragon's Egg bath bomb after thinking about it for months and standing there for ten minutes smelling it in Lush, on Saturday I actually bought it. It's one of Lush's larger bath bombs, and retails for £3.25. It's actually really heavy, and I'm going to warn you it's super powdery and leaves your hands covered in it!

This bath bomb is a 'layered' bomb, which basically means once one amazing part of it dissolves another surprise comes up. I'm not going to go into too much detail as I think it's worth trying for yourself, but each part basically symbolises a dragon's egg cracking, complete with the snapping noises and swirls of fire. 

I am going to say though, I did have a slight allergic reaction to this! Not so much so that I had the puffy face thing going on (which I have had before), but sort of itchy and blotchy. I think it's due to the Lemon Oil in the recipe, as I've found that with in some lemon scented shower gels containing Lemon Oil I've been allergic too as well. The troubles of sensitive skin!
 

So, after watching the gorgeous, elaborate bath bomb dissolve in my bath (which took around 5 - 7 minutes, as it's quite a large one), effectively turning the water a shimmery, liquid-gold shade and plunging my hand into the deliciously soft liquid, I pulled it out to find my skin lovely and silky, but sadly very blotchy and itchy. The scent was gorgeous, though and filled my bathroom with it's lovely, lemon-y sweet perfume. To be honest, I should have worked out my to-be-irritations just by the smell, but it didn't even occur to me.

This bath bomb does exactly what it says on it's non-existent tin. Fiery swirls of colour and glitter and loud, random cracks of popping candy make this a cool bath time treat for adults and children alike. The scent lasted the whole time my sister was in the bath (which was around 30 minutes) and still lingered sweetly in the room for an hour or so afterwards.

I was so disappointed that I couldn't enjoy the bath as the water really was silky, but my sister took full advantage of my allergic reaction so at least one of us enjoyed it. I do have to say though, the softness of the water didn't really do much to her skin, so I think you'd still need to exfoliate and moisturise for pure silkiness.

Hope you guys are well!

xx