Unicorn Horn

   I'm a firm believer that, no matter our gender, we should all indulge in a fairytale once in a while... Some of us seek out Disney films for these stories, some of us look to anime for those adventures, and some of us go to LUSH Cosmetics around Valentine's Day!
   Why? Because once again Unicorn Horn Bubble Bar has reared its magnificent pastel swirls up in hopes of making us believe in a bit of magic during the month of love.

"They're real!"

   Unicorn Horn is an adorable product shaped as, well, a unicorn's horn! With pastel blue, pink, and yellow swirled together with silver lustre to help give this bubble bar some magic... Where does the rest come from? Its uplifting floral scent! I was very skeptical of this product last year and avoided it altogether because of my sensitivities to floral smells, but I took the plunge this year and snagged one with one of my LUSH Kitchen orders when it hit the UK site. I was surprised, to say the least, that my head didn't feel a single twinge when around or when using this bubble bar (especially since lavender is basically my mortal migraine enemy)... I noticed notes of neroli oil a lot more than I anticipated, and not as much ylang ylang as I had hoped for. The scent didn't evolve at all once in the water, which I always find disappointing, but it actually seemed to disappear completely after a few minutes.
   For the consistency of this product, it was shocking (in a good way) to see it produce classic LUSH bubbles; big, soft, and a little noisy. Not so many that I felt claustrophobic, but not so little that they were gone within ten minutes... I will say I was immensely sad that my tub water didn't change color whatsoever, even with using the entire cone. I'm a big fan of the more "plain" products that are meant to wow your mind/body with physical results, rather than putting on a show while they dissolve, but if you hand me a cone of lustre and pastels (with big media hype) I would expect a bit more color in my bath.
   It didn't do much at all for my skin or mood, other than leave some lustre here and there... And even with the amount of lustre in this product, there wasn't much left as residue in the tub afterwards. Which is always a plus in my book.

    Maybe it was my particular Unicorn Horn Bubble Bar that seemed more like a dud, but to me this is just a cutesy purchase to take some selfies with. I give it a 2/5, and probably won't repurchase if it returns next LUSH Valentine's... If you had a different experience with this bubble bar, let me know in the comments section!

Handmade With Fresh Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Cream of Tartar, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Lauryl Betaine, Cornflour, Perfume, Lavender Oil, Ylang Ylang Oil, Neroli Oil, Citral, Limonene, Linalool, Snowflake Lustre, Silver Glimmer Lustre, Maize Starch, Colour 45430, Colour 42090, Colour 47005, Colour 19140, Colour 45350

*This post is in no way sponsored and all opinions are my own.*

xoxo Elle

Holiday FUN

   Everyone needs some good, clean fun for this holiday season, and LUSH Cosmetics' holiday FUN is a bath staple, in a category all on its own... Some  familiar scents have joined us for LUSH Christmas 2015 and I'm quite excited to be chatting about them with you all!
   If you're not familiar with LUSH Cosmetics FUN products, they're what many lushies refer to as LUSH PlayDoh - moldable, squishable, play-with-able products for your bath that can be used as a soap, shampoo, or bubble bar!
   These products create much creamier bubbles than the average bubble bar, and before you know it there will be a tub full of fluffy, bubbling goodness; be mindful that these bubbles will dissipate faster than the average bubbles... Also, if your FUN is crumbling, or not sticking together, add a dab or so of water for a quick fix.

   *Please note that LUSH Cosmetics does not advertises FUN products by comparing them to PlayDoh. This is simply what many lushies reference to when explaining how you can mold and play with the products as well as getting clean.

   Shown above are the four holiday FUN bars that I picked up this season...

• Magic of Christmas - Conjure up a treat! This tangerine, fennel, and juniperberry oil filled FUN shares its scent with the Wizard bubble bar that many of us were missing this autumn season.
• Snowman - Would you like to build a snowman? You may recognize the scent of Sicilian lemon, bergamot, and buchu oils combine to be almost identical to the Easter soap, Carrot.
• Santa - Santa Claus kit! Let calming jasmine and ylang ylang of Christmas past linger on your skin... Christmas Eve bubble bar, to be exact.
• Aliens & Monsters - Where no bath has gone before! You'll recognize this vanilla and black pepper scent from a familiar face of this season - the Lord of Misrule bath bomb.

   *Not shown is the Snakes & Ladders FUN that shares a very similar scent with Ponche shower gel, a potent and fruity product of Christmas past.

   Use these bars to create ghoulish creatures, elves, snowmen, holiday gifts, snowflakes, and even Santa himself! Shown below is the wonderful handiwork of my mother using Snowman FUN.

   For storing FUN, I always recommend the marbling method (see below)... Rip apart the colors into equal parts then mold them together equally. Make sure to get rid of air pockets as you re-create the log shape. Cut the "log" into equal slices, then store in a container that won't have much room for air... It's that simple! (This also works for single colors, you just cut the FUN as-is and store it the same way.)

   I want to make a quick mention, since I've been asked a good bit... The only way to get samples of FUN is when ordering online. In my experience, only when ordering from the UK website... You cannot get samples of bath products (bath bombs, bubble bars, FUN, bath oils, bath melts).

   Also, I want to remind everyone that every time you purchase FUN of any color, 2.5% of sales go to the LUSH FUNd supporting charities in Fukushima, Japan to help create safe places for children to play outside.
   Every FUN that LUSH Cosmetics makes is unique - in scent, use, and look. Whether it is an exclusive in the Kitchen, for a holiday, or part of the (growing) regular line of FUN, they're always worth picking up.

Handmade With Fresh Ingredients: *Vary by product.

*This post is not at all sponsored and all opinions are my own.*

xoxo Elle

Sparkly Pumpkin Bubble Bar

   If you're a fan of the fruity cocktails and punch that fill our glasses during the holidays, you'll love this LUSHoween exclusive! Sharing its scent with the LUSH Christmas soap known as Mr. Punch, prepare for a potent and sparkling Halloween treat with Sparkly Pumpkin bubble bar.

"Add a sparkle to cold, wintery nights."

   Sparkly Pumpkin is an adorable little treat that's good for two-three baths, depending on your preference for bubbles... Perfectly pumpkin orange, covered in Gold Glimmer Lustre, with a cinnamon stick to represent the pumpkin's stem. This bubble bar just screams autumn in its looks, but the scent will prepare you for the holidays that are right around the corner!

   This bath goodie is one with a very strong and distinct scent... Lime and grapefruit oils bring a wonderful touch of zingy citrus and tangy sweetness, while the delightfully unique notes of juniperberry bring fruit, sweetness, and a hint of earthiness to Sparkly Pumpkin - making it a great treat for any bath, including a festive bath cocktail!

   Once you've crumbled up part of this bubble bar and let it run under the water, you'll notice a peach tone comes over the bath water with a bit of golden sparkles floating about. I couldn't capture a photo of the bath's color, but trust me when I say it was pleasing to the eye... The bubbles produced are classic LUSH bubbles; a perfect amount, great for making bubble beards, and lasted the length of my bath. Although they did leave a very small amount of residue once my bath was finished, it easily cleans up (like most bubble residue) by pouring a little water over it.

   After drying off and watching the sparkly water go down the drain I was left feeling quite happy, without too much "OMG I AM SO AWAKE," and a tad festive - I'm not one for punch, you see. I noticed the faint scent of juniperberry and lime lingering on my skin and a few bits of glitter; delightful!

   I may not be much of a holiday punch fan, but I am a fan of Sparkly Pumpkin bubble bar... I give it a 3.5/5, and will most likely pick up one or two more before the LUSHoween goodies disappear for another year!

Handmade With Fresh Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Cream of Tartar (Potassium bitartrate), Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Lauryl Betaine, Cornflour (Zea mays), Fragrance, Juniperberry Oil (Juniperus communis), Lime Oil (Citrus aurantifolia), Grapefruit Oil (Citrus paradisi), *Citral, *Geraniol, *Citronellol, *Limonene, *Linalool, Orange 4, Red 21 Lake, Gold Glimmer Lustre (Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Iron Oxides, Silica), Cinnamon Sticks (Cinnamomum cassia).

*This review is in no way sponsored and all opinions are my own.*

xoxo Elle