Supernova Bath Bomb

   Take a dip into pink champagne waters with the best party prep bath bomb around - Supernova Bath Bomb from the LUSH Kitchen! Turn on your favorite playlist and pour yourself a glass of, well, whatever suits you... There's a galaxy waiting.

"Celestial celebration!"

   This bath bomb comes from the champagne heaven that is the Celebrate scent family, which highlights gorgeous notes of sweet orange oil, lime oil, and cognac oil... Also in this family are:

• Celebrate Body Lotion
• Celebrate Perfume(s)
• Celebrate Shower Gel
• Snow Showers Shower Gel
• First Snow Dusting Powder
• Golden Wonder Bath Bomb

   I had been lusting after Supernova for quite a while, so I was ecstatic when my order arrived in the post... On first impression, while still wrapped up, I could see the lovely shade of pink and smell the wonderful scent of the bath bomb. Once unwrapped, I noticed the red, yellow, and blue confetti throughout the ballistic and it was less dusty than expected (I have no idea why I expected it to be dustier)... I filled my bathtub with water that was bordering between warm and hot, as I usually do for LUSH Cosmetics bath bombs, and gently placed it in the water. This was a much slower fizzer than a name like Supernova let on to be but I was pretty pleased about it. Then, gradually, my entire bathroom filled with hints of sweet orange and lime, and I was slightly taken back to LUSH Christmas (I went a bit Golden Wonder crazy this past season) - the bath water ended up being somewhere between Barbie and rosy pink with confetti floating and melting about.

   After soaking in this bath for a while I hadn't noticed Supernova having any "body perks" - my skin wasn't any softer and the Celebrate scent I love so much was very, very faint on my skin and disappeared after thirty minutes... But my condition did cause a small ~issue~... My entire lower body looked as if I had sunburn for three or so hours, yet there wasn't any odd sensation or pain associated with this reaction.   Like I always say, with my illness I never know when/why/how my body will react to products/environments; I've not heard of anyone else experiencing any poor reactions to Supernova.

   I only purchased three Supernova Bath Bombs (two for myself and one for my mother, whose favorite LUSH products are those within the Celebrate family), and I'm regretting not grabbing another two or three for us to split... This is a wonderful product that left me in a great mood, and I give it a 4/5! If the scent lingered better and it softened my skin, it would have gotten a 5/5, but I'm not complaining whatsoever. I look forward to when this fizzer hits the Kitchen again, and definitely recommend you try one out.

Handmade With Fresh Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Perfume, Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate, Sweet Orange Oil, Cognac Oil, Lime Oil, Paper Confetti, Linalool, Limonene, Colour 45410.

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

xoxo Elle

Coola SPF 30 Matte Setting Spray

   I was randomly creeping on the Tarte Cosmetics Instagram feed and reading comments on a photo of their TarteGuard where a girl mentioned how their company should make an SPF makeup setting spray and another girl replied to her saying that Coola made a product just like that... Well, I'm always looking for a good SPF product and I'm addicted to good setting sprays! So I went by Ulta and picked up the SPF 30 Matte Setting Spray by Coola - who make a wide range of skin protecting products.
   On first impression, I was very attracted to the packaging... The color scheme of the box made me want to be poolside with a drink in my hand and the sun kissing my skin, while also being very informative - mentioning that the bottle is TSA size approved, cruelty free, information about the company, and general ingredients. The bottle itself is very sleek, clean, and attractive but the best part? The cap clicks in place and stays on like a dream, making this a good product for travel.

   The advertising for the Coola Setting Spray promotes their organic ingredients such as cucumber, Aloe Vera, and green tea extracts that help soothe and refresh skin, as well as hyaluronic acid, which is known to lock in moisture and help soften, tone, reduce pore size, and protect against UV rays... This product protects skin with broad spectrum SPF 30, which means it protects against both UVA and UVB sun rays.
   There is a warning on the Ulta website for this product, due to the alcohol within it, to not use this in the presence of a spark, flame, or lit cigarettes... Which was slightly scary to me, seeing how sensitive my skin is... The directions say to shake well, with eyes completely closed (there is an emphasis on completely), hold the bottle ten to twelve inches from your face, and then mist evenly over entire face.

   When it came to using the product, my first impression was basically "oh my Lord, the alcohol"... It was so strong that my eyes and the small cut on my forehead burned, and the air smelled of alcohol... Note: Please remember how sensitive my skin is; I don't want my experiences/reactions to scare you!
   My first test for the Coola Setting Spray was without makeup on a 79 degree day in direct sunlight while I was staining a deck for several hours. There wasn't any sort of scent left of my face, but it did feel heavier like sunscreen... Sort of like when you would spend all day outside in the springtime and can feel the pollen on your face... It did protect my skin from the sun (my shoulders got quite dark whereas my face got a small bit of color), and controlled how oily my face become.   For the second test, which was more humid but only 73 degree day, I wore medium coverage foundation and filled in my brows. I could still feel the weight of the spray on my face, and again there wasn't any scent, but this time my face didn't feel "dirty". Compared to my favorite setting spray, NYX Matte Setting Spray (which keeps my oily skin under control, is lightweight, and locks my makeup into place), it didn't perform as well - in my opinion. I compare this more to the Urban Decay Setting Sprays because they are a bit heavier, and results for keeping makeup in place seem to be all over the place... Which isn't a dis to the Urban Decay sprays, they just simply aren't for everyone.

   My final thoughts about Coola's SPF 30 Matte Setting Spray are simply that it isn't worth $36.00 USD for results that don't surpass the competition much, if at all... It isn't a bad product, and if I could fight through the alcohol causing my skin to react poorly, I would have kept this product around for the summer. Even shaking this product for almost two full minutes didn't lessen the alcohol's potency, so I did debunk that thought... I just prefer to stick with NYX Matte Setting Spray and Shiseido Oil Free Lotion (which lasts me all through spring, summer, and early fall). I do intend on trying out some of Coola's other products, because they do have good reviews, but I give this product in particular a 3/5.
   Let me know if you've had other, positive or not, results with this setting spray - I love learning how products react to different body chemistry!

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

xoxo Elle

Shark Infested Custard

   Dunnn-dun... Dunnn-dun... Dun-dun, dun-dun, dun-dun... DA-DUN-DUN! There's something swimming - erm - floating in the water with a fin as black as night... Shark Infested Custard Bath Oil made its way from LUSH Oxford Street, across the pond, and into my bath water.

"What's yellow and dangerous?"

   When dealing with bath oils/bath melts, I use 3/4 hot to 1/4 cold water to ensure that these products melt properly... Much like Razzle Dazzle, compared to IAARB, Shark Infested Custard melted quite smoothly within the water and when picked up by hand as well. Now, I adore throwing in a bath melt or bath oil into my cocktails because they add a little luxury to the experience, but I do tend to lean more towards melts - not just because of the financial end or accessibility, but because of how the product acts in the water. In my experience, melts tend to drift about and evenly distribute throughout the water but as oils melt they drift and cling to the sides of the tub (we are speaking melts vs oils ALONE in the bath water, with no other products)... I generally turn on the jets or swish my arms around vigorously to try and prevent the cling, and the mess that comes with it. This particular product did seem to have a bit more of a consistency difference than the other LUSH Oxford Street luxury bath oils after this "mixing" process I go through... I understand not every product will be the same though.
   As far as looks go, this is an absolutely adorable product... Who wouldn't be attracted to a tiny shark fin placed into a bright yellow ball with a name like Shark Infested Custard?! Add in the delicious aroma of the Vanillary scent family, that perfectly resembles vanilla custard... Borderline irresistible! I will credit all of the new Oxford Street bath oils with having gorgeously unique scents that are just as true when melted as they are in solid form.
   With an ingredient list that includes organic Shea butter, extra virgin cocoa butter, organic jojoba oil, and extra virgin coconut oil you can expect this little guy is one to pack the punch when it comes to moisture - but I was sort of disappointed. Instead of feeling soft and silky, I felt like I needed to shower... Like I was covered in cooking oil. It was so upsetting because of how wonderful I smelled! I'm writing it off to body chemistry not mixing with this particular product.

   All in all, even though I'm a huge Vanillary fragrance fan, I'm giving Shark Infested Custard Bath Oil a 3/5. It just isn't my favorite luxury bath oil out of all the Oxford Street exclusives like I thought it would be... No matter my usual tricks to keep the tub relatively comfortable and clean, I was left with a bright yellow ring around the tub and felt far too oily. I'm sure it is just my preferences, and I still think it is a very cute design.

Handmade With Fresh Ingredients: Organic shea butter, Fair trade organic cocoa butter, Laureth 4, PEG-6 Caprylic / Capric Glycerides, & PEG-60 Almond Glycerides, Perfume, Extra virgin coconut oil, Organic jojoba oil, Titanium dioxide, Fresh honeydew melon pulp, Rapeseed oil, Coconut oil, Glycerine, Sodium chloride, EDTA, Tetrasodium etidronate, Sodium hydroxide, Colour 19140:1, Colour 47005

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

xoxo Elle

Quinquireme of Nineveh

   Let's get right down to it, Quinquireme of Nineveh soap has several of my favorite ingredients that LUSH Cosmetics uses and I've never hit the Add To Cart button so fast in my life... This LUSH Kitchen exclusive fills the entire room with its dreamy aroma and brings about whispers of decades gone by.

"Precious cargo." 

   Firstly, let's define what the name means... Quinquireme is a large Greek, Roman, or Carthaginian ship used to wage wars and haul cargo between the first and fourth century B.C., and Nineveh is known as the capital city of ancient Assyria off the Tigris River... The poem Cargoes by John Masefield, about this vessel and its voyage, can be found by clicking HERE.

   This milky white bar of soap seems so simple and plain, but if you've used LUSH long enough you know that some of the best products aren't exactly as they seem on the outside... Through the wrapping, I honestly did not like the smell of this soap. So much so that it sat in my cabinet for almost three weeks! I finally ran out of the current slice I was using and decided to unwrap QoN, and when I did it was a burst of gorgeous fragrance that I couldn't believe I had been missing out on.

   Fair trade vanilla absolute and creamed coconut are the base notes for this soap -  think smooth, sweet, creamy, and borderline edible. Sweet orange oil adds into the mix, giving it the pinch of fruitiness it needs, and finalizes the heavenly scent that has filled my entire bathroom (but somehow it isn't overpowering whatsoever)... This scent stays on skin for a few hours and combines well with sharp citrus and/or sweetly fruity shower gels. If I were more of a fan of floral scents, I believe they would also pair quite well... Or, ya know, go crazy like I do from time to time by using Curly Wurly Shampoo during the same shower/bath...

   QoN has small bits of coconut throughout each bar that provide gentle but effective exfoliation. That exfoliation preps skin for the intense moisture given from the rapeseed and coconut oil, as well as the cleansing and soothing properties of the benzoin resinoid.

   I never get bitter about missing exclusive items, or when I only purchase one of something instead of multiples, Quinquireme of Nineveh Soap has become the only exception... *grumble grumble grumble*... I give this gorgeous product a 5/5, and hope I see it hit the LUSH Kitchen menu again - sooner than later - so I can stock up!

Handmade With Fresh Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Rapeseed oil and coconut oil, *Glycerine, Creamed coconut, Sorbitol, Sodium lauryl sulfate, Perfume, Sodium strearate, Titanium dioxide, Sweet orange oil, Fair trade vanilla absolute, Benzoin resinoid, Sodium chloride, EDTA, Tetrasodium etidronate, Sodium hydroxide, *Cinnamyl alcohol, *Limonene

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

xoxo Elle

Which Came First?

   There is an everlasting discussion that inspired this final LUSH Easter product review... Which Came First? Bath Bomb was previously released under the name Immaculate Eggception, and although the previous name was a bit more fitting (if you ask me) - it still packs a wonderful punch on all fronts and rules the LUSH Cosmetics displays with its extra large size.

"Eggs Benedict come-be-hatched!"

    Which Came First? is such a large bath bomb that it can easily be used for three baths... All I had to do was tap my bomb on the edge of my tub one good time and it broke in half rather easily. The yellow chick design inside can be popped out/cut out with a knife (please do not put yourself in harms way).

   When I picked up Which Came First? the vanilla absolute was the immediate fragrance that was noticeable, but as it lingered in the air, sharper citrus notes of grapefruit made themselves known... As the outer shell quickly dissolved in a flurry of bright pink, yellow, and blue, the inner yellow egg sunk to the bottom of the tub and took its time dissolving.
   As the yolk disappeared, the bath water began to look like something I should be dipping eggs into for Easter - SO PLEASING TO THE EYE! Once dissolved, my tub was full of brilliant pink-orange water... I noticed a small bead at the bottom of the tub and picked it up. At first I thought it was plastic, but it began slowly dissolving as I held it in my wet palm. It smelled strongly of citrus (almost tangerine, which makes sense for mixing lemon and grapefruit with vanilla), so I tossed it back in the water to finish dissolving. Did anyone else notice this little ball, or was it a happy accident?
   My skin wasn't left with much, if any, fragrance from the bath but this sweet combination is one I was okay with leaving in the tub... Not that it wasn't lovely, but I don't think it would compliment me much throughout the day like previous LUSH Easter scents. I was left a tad bit softer than before my bath though, and I always chalk that up as a plus!

   Once again, I need to make sure I get my hands on a few more of these before they're gone from the sites/shops... I give Which Came First? Bath Bomb a 4.5/5 for its gorgeous scent, multi-bath use, and absolutely gorgeous color display while fizzing about in the water. It is a product that embodies the decoration of Easter eggs!
   I hope you have a wonderful spring that is packed full of flowers, baths, and bike rides my darlings - and a Happy Easter to those that celebrate it.

Handmade With Fresh Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Perfume, Grapefruit Oil, Lemon Oil, Fair Trade Vanilla Absolute, Dipropylene Glycol, *Limonene, *Linalool, Gardenia Extract, Colour 45410, Colour 17200, Colour 14700, Colour 42090, Orange Pip

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

xoxo Elle

Golden Egg

   Do you like bath bombs? Do you like bath melts? Well then you're in luck this LUSH Easter because Golden Egg Bath Bomb Melt is here to cover your entire spring in golden lustre and chocolaty goodness... What more could you want?!

"Good as gold."

   Although my Golden Egg arrived with minimal glitter on it - compared to those in store or what I saw in other online orders - this product was still something beautiful to behold... Fair trade Colombian cocoa butter and fair trade olive oil surrounds the internal bath bomb, forming a bath melt shell. Once it hit the water, all the loose glitter fell to the bottom of the tub (shown in the photo just above this paragraph). After a bit of melting, releasing an absolutely gorgeous caramel and chocolate aroma, the internal bath bomb began to slowly fizz; creating a spinning effect that helped the melt evenly distribute about the bath.

   Add into the mix toning and brightening effects of sweet, wild orange oil and uplifting bergamot, the room filled with... Well... A completely delicious scent that made me feel like I was indulging in a truly luxurious experience, but also ready for a box of assorted chocolate creams.

   Once completely dissolved, the water was a very bright, florescent yellow which was sort of surprising with how classically gold and creamy white Golden Egg is... On the surface of the water, small pools of what felt like olive oil floated about. Even with my sensitive skin, I was able to used the oil to shave my legs while in the bath - to me, that is a big deal.

    At the end of my bath, Golden Egg Bath Bomb Melt left my skin extremely moisturized (without feeling gunky from such strong butters/oils) and scented like a soft caramel... Lastly, there wasn't any oil residue left in my tub, but there was an abundance of gold glitter - which I can only imagine the cleanup with a fully glittered Golden Egg... I give this LUSH Easter exclusive a 4/5, because the cleanup did take more time than with any other bath product I've used in the past from LUSH Cosmetics. Worth it though, and I'll be grabbing another one or two of these golden goodies before they're gone!

Handmade With Fresh Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Fair Trade Colombian Cocoa Butter, Citric Acid, Laureth 4, Cream of Tartar, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Perfume, Sweet Wild Orange Oil, Bergamot Oil, Fair Trade Olive Oil, Cornflour, Almond Oil, Lauryl Betaine, Amyl Cinnamal, Citronellol, Geraniol, Lilial, *Linalool, *Limonene, Gardenia Extract, Colour 19140:1, Radiant Gold Lustre, Gold Glimmer Lustre, *Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Silica

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

xoxo Elle

Humpty Dumpty

   Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,
   Humpty Dumpty had a great fall;
   All the kind's horses and all the king's men
   Couldn't put Humpty together again.
   So LUSH Cosmetics seems to have made a mold in his honor and created the wonderfully giant Humpty Dumpty Bath Bomb for this year's LUSH Easter range!

"Shell suits make a comeback."

   This cute bath bomb comes with his own bow tie, so he's clearly ready for Sunday dinner! As one of the softest bath bombs I've ever worked with, it was extremely easy to take a knife and cut it in half to reveal the fried egg design inside. A pro to this softness (and size) is the fact you can easily break/cut this product apart to get two-three baths out of it, and the con to the softness is that my Humpty Dumpty arrived pretty beat up (I ordered mine on the UK Easter release day). I think it evens itself out...
   For the size, it was a far quicker fizzing bomb than expected but the second it hit the water it began to release beautiful pastels of pink, blue, and yellow that really put me in the spirit of springtime - honestly this was one of the most aesthetically pleasing bath bombs to watch disappear into the water. As Humpty Dumpty dissolved more, a very milky, sky blue swirled and crawled through the water much like smoke in the air. Once completely gone, my bath water was left looking like tropical water - one of the most gorgeous shades of blue I've ever seen.
   Not so surprising, the Brazilian orange oil is what made me purchase this bath bomb over some others, but not even a day after placing my order I saw that its scent was in the Honey I Washed The Kids range - I was ecstatic! I think the toffee/honey/caramel scents of this range are a wonderful winter to spring transition fragrance, and the extra moisture usually gained from these products go along with that magical transition as well... After this bath my skin was wonderfully soft and gently kissed with a toffee-sweet scent. I used the last bit of my Vanilla Dee-Lite lotion after drying off and my goodness... I SMELLED SO GOOD! Even to the point of receiving a few compliments over the next few hours.

   I'm definitely rushing to my local shop to snag at least two or three more of these bow tied cuties! I give Humpty Dumpty Bath Bomb a 4.5/5 for its lovely color scheme, adorable design, multi-bath use, and fragrance... Make sure you pick him up before he's gone and fallen off the wall again!

Handmade With Fresh Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Fragrance, Brazilian Orange Oil (Citrus sinensis), Bergamot Oil (Citrus Aurantium bergamia), Titanium Dioxide, Water (Aqua) , *Coumarin, *Limonene, *Linalool, Lilial, Citronellol, Blue 1, Yellow 10, Red 4, Ice Blue Luster (Blue 1 Lake, Corn Starch (Zea Mays))

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

xoxo Elle

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

Blackberry

   Let this bath bomb bring you back down to earth...
   Blackberry bath bomb is one of the first bath bombs that LUSH Cosmetics invented, back in 1989 in Mo Constantine's garden shed laboratory... Earthy and uplifting, Blackberry is one of LUSH's ultimate crowd pleasers.

"A purple, fruity fizzer for a burst of cheeriness."

   To be honest, I have no idea why I never tried this bath bomb before a few months ago. I've been venturing on my lushie journey since 2010, and I've definitely been missing out...
   The scent of Blackberry is beautifully earthy and sweet thanks to frankincense (also known as olibanum), which brings rich woody notes, and the refreshing citrus of bergamot. The lovely scent lingered on my skin well into my day, creating tons of compliments given to me... As the bath water becomes an inviting shade of indigo, look out for the booming surprise inside!
   Something that was a bit interesting, not particularly positive, to me was that once this bomb was completely dissolved there was visible oil on the surface (shown below). This created an instant ring around my bathtub that was very similar to that of the bath oils - but luckily there were no stains left behind, and cleaning up the ring just took a bit of rubbing with a wet washcloth... With that being said, Blackberry left my skin feeling very soft, and I could have easily shaved my legs while in the tub thanks to the gentle oils on my skin.

   I feel quite silly for waiting so long to try Blackberry bath bomb, and it is now a regular in my stash! I give this fizzer a 3.5/5, because even though the oil creates cleanup, I love the scent and softness it provides... Head to your local shop or LUSH online to grab yourself one of these bombs today!

Handmade With Fresh Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Fragrance, Bergamot Oil (Citrus Aurantium bergamia), Frankincense Oil (Boswelia carterii), *Limonene , Hexyl Cinnamal, Lilial, Red 33, Green 3.

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

xoxo Elle