Tuesday, March 31, 2015

The Lush Easter Items Not On My Wish List || MaddyBeautyLove



I love Lush's seasonal collections, they always manage to lure me back even when I've sworn off spending. So surprise, surprise I found myself in Lush yet again ready to pick up their new Easter Limited Editions. But while I picked up most of the collection, there were a few items that I gave a miss. 

Pot O' Gold Shower Jelly ||
This is the product that I "Um"d and "Ah"d over the most. It is by far the most stunning shower jelly that Lush have ever created. It's decadent, it's mesmerising and it almost glows. Ingredients include fresh pineapple juice, carrageenan extract, Fair Trade vanilla absolute and sweet orange oil which creates this warm yet sweet scent, not too dissimilar from the scent of the Golden Egg. Plus there's also a heavy sprinkling of lustre too! I've heard people say that it cleanses like a dream and nourishes your skin.
So why didn't I pick it up? 
Being wary that I have a mountain of soaps (in all forms) waiting at home for me, I decided to give this one a miss.

Somewhere Over the Rainbow Soap ||
Guess which one this soap is in the photo….(Hint: it's the one that looks like a giant lemon drop!).
With sicilian mandarin oil, neroli oil and rose absolute, it not only looks like a lemon drop but was created to smell like one too. They've named this mixture "rainbow"which reminded me a little of the Lush's soaps like Bohemian and Baked Alaska, but not as strong. It certainly is visually stunning with the blend of colours and the lustre throughout.
So why didn't I pick it up?
Like with Pot O' Gold, I was wary about adding another soap to my collection unless I fell deeply in love with it like I was with the Carrot Soap. It also didn't tick two important boxes; the scent was quite light and because of this I didn't believe the scent would linger on my skin.

Ultraviolet Bubble Bar ||
Looking like the Comforter and Brightside Bubble Bar's long lost sister, this big bubble bar is sure to give you the most for your money from the bath products in the collection.
So why didn't I pick it up?
Unfortunately with essential oils like jasmine absolute, rosewood oil, violet leaf absolute this really isn't my thing. If you loved the Valentines Day collections or products like Sex Bomb Bath Bomb or Flying Fox Shower gel, this will be the pick for you.

I would love to hear what you have to say on the products I gave a pass on and perhaps what products you didn't pick up this time around!

Bisous, bisous
MaddyBeautyLove
XxXx


Thursday, March 12, 2015

Rose Hip Night Cream By Essano || MaddyBeautyLove



Cruelty free, organic ingredients, organic preservatives, vegan, rose hip


It’s important to keep your skin healthy, hydrated and happy, especially if you love wearing make-up like I do. Today is a night cream from a recent-ish skincare finds and boy do I have plenty to say! Essano's Rose Hip Moisture Restorative Night Cream is my weapon for soft, plump skin. that works while I sleep.  

Ingredients || Claims ||
Rosehip by Essano is a range based around - you guessed it, Rosehip! An oil that does wonders for any skin type. Whether its aged skin, sun damaged skin, de-hydrated skin, oily skin or fine lines. With it's amazing healing qualities this cream was created to rejuvenate your skin. Though of course, the rose hip oil doesn't do this alone. There's a combination of amazing ingredients like  organic jojoba oil, aloe vera, shea butter! *sigh of happiness*

Preservatives || 
This product does contain preservatives. However they are certified organic by Eco Cert. Their list of nasties that Essano avoids is shown in the left picture below. These are ingredients believed to be ones that mess with hormones and are carcinogenic. Things that I certainly don't want to be absorbed by my skin!  

Ingredients and the nasties it's free from.











Application ||
After my face wipes, cleanse and tone, I use about a 5 cent coin amount  to apply to my skin. I apply an even amount to my cheeks, chin, nose and forehead before softly massaging it in with circular movements, giving careful attention to my neck also. If there are any noticeably dry patches on my chin and between my eyebrows I'll apply a small amount of rose hip oil. By morning I find that the dry skin is gone. 



Texture ||
The consistency is quite thick but it absorbs quickly in to your skin. It doesn't sit on top and by the morning my whole face feels moisturised so it doesn't disappear on to your pillow during sleep. I have normal to oily skin ( usually my t-zone) and I can safely say that it definitely does not produce more oil, nor have I had any breakouts. 

Boyfriends Approval ||
Definitely! The scent is delicious. Though there is some obvious fragrance, it's a low ingredient on the list and definitely not fake smelling. It's a scent that is soothing for sleep with a tinge of sweetness about it.  

Where // Price || Cruelty Free ||
The most important question, is it cruelty free? YES. Cruelty free AND vegan. What's also great is that it's so affordable at $19.95/p. 50 g, it lasts me a long while.  As it's available at Priceline, you might be lucky enough to catch it on a sale. So completely guilt free. 

Other products ||
Essano also have a whole skincare range, from body lotions to face lotions. I'll have a review of the Treat Your Skin Pack up shortly so keep a look out for that if you're interested to find out more!


Bisous, bisous
MaddyBeautyLove
XxXx

Monday, March 9, 2015

Lus's Honey Trap Lip Balm || MaddyBeautyLove



Honey Trap is animal cruelty free, preservative free and vegetarian! 

I've always been a lip care fanatic. Starting with the lip smacker phase, I’ve certainly made my way through brand after brand. It’s only now that I have come across the one that champions them all. Lush’s Honey Trap Lip Balm is perfection in a tin.












First off, the texture its unlike any other. It doesn’t just sit on the top of your lips (Nivea Lip Butter I’m looking at you!). It’s just like butter that melts in to an almost serum-like texture, which is amazing as you can apply this underneath your lipstick with no threat of it slipping and sliding.


Lush's Honey Trap is preservative free. This means that you’re getting the ultimate nutrients from the ingredients, speaking of which, there is no ingredient that I feel uncomfortable with. Which is confidence I don’t have in other balms.



The texture and the hydration is thanks to the use Shea Butter, which as you can expect is Fair Trade, as well as the organic extra virgin olive oil and almond oil. Shea Butter is loaded with vitamin A and is also said to have the qualities of UVB protection (a good source of protection for the amazing yet sun-attracting vitamin E from the almond oil). Almond oil is the multitasking genius as it is the emollient, a demulcent (forms protective film on skin to relieve inflammation) and of course provides high vitamin E content.


So by it’s name you may have guessed that it contains beeswax. The use of beeswax allowed Lush to eliminate petroleum jelly for a superior ingredient. It does more than provide nourishment. It’s a real hard worker as an antioxidant, antiseptic, antibacterial and antifungal, replacing the harsh preservatives that do bugger all for your skin.


 TIP: Lush’s Mint Julip’s Lip Scrub and Honey Trap are the perfect pairing.  


It’s also a treat for your taste buds. The white chocolate, vanilla and peppermint oil compliment each other perfectly. Plus I find the peppermint oil to be ultra soothing and cooling on hot and irritated lips. I also read somewhere that the chemicals we release when we are in love, is the same you’ll find in chocolate!

Now let's move on to the other aspects of Honey Trap. The size of Honey Trap is so compact, as you can see in the picture above in comparison to the Mint Julips Lip Scrub. It fits conveniently in any purse, bag or storage. However, I have seen many people become discouraged from trying this one because of it's application being fingers rather than by a stick. This is not something I'm personally fussy about as the texture is nourishing even for the hands, besides this is where the properties of the honey comes in. 

The one note that I will make is that the packaging I have is from a batch from Japan, where as the Australian packaging is much more difficult and fussy to use (if you've used their other balms/tints you might know what I'm saying). Though I can hope this packaging will change if it hasn't already. A tip that I was taught that might help is to tap the tin twice and always twist with dry hands. 

I really hope you guys enjoyed this review. If there are any Lush products that you'd like to see me review for you, please don't hesitate to ask! I'd also love to know your thoughts on Honey Trap!

You can find Honey Trap in your local Lush store or online for $9.95 (8g).

Bisous, bisous
MaddyBeautyLove
XxXx