When it comes to hair I seriously got a bad deal. Not only is my natural color most accurately described as Cow Turd Brown, but it is overly frizzy. On a good day I look as if I have broken ends and damaged hair. Which leads to daily comments on how I should take better care of my hair. (I kid you not, strangers have stopped me to give advice!)
Traditional hair care products lead to one of two options. Overly greasy, dirty looking hair or dry, even frizzier hair.
After hearing that the solution is hidden in Argan Oil, I decided to brave the shops. I was expecting overly expensive bottles that would make me feel like a neanderthal. Great was my surprise to stumble across the Hask range of products.
The range is affordable and beautifully packaged. Not only does this product contain Argan Oil, it is also free of Sulfates, Parabens, Phthalates, drying alcohol and artificial colors. Added the bonus that the Hask range is not tested on animals I was pretty darned impressed!
From using this product I can definitely see an improvement in my hair. It is soft and easier to manage. (However, still frizzy...I don't think I will ever really be able to tame the curse of Medusa's locks.) The shampoo lathers up well and a little really does go a long way. My hair doesn't end up greasy and neither does it end up overly dry. However, I only wash my hair once a week. I can foresee this product causing very fine hair to become greasy rather fast. The scent is divine. I adore citrus scents. It is long lasting, fresh and not overly sweet.
The only negative thing is the fact that my blue hair faded to purple quite fast while I was using this shampoo. Their website states that their range is safe for all hair colors, be it brown, blonde or purple. However, I have to disagree. When you have alternative hair colors, rather don't take the chance. For a while I kept thinking that I must be imagining the fading. However, upon using the shampoo on my currently sea-green and pink hair the lather again ended up with a large amount of pink in it, even though my current pink color isn't even the result of pink hair color!The plus side is that a bottle lasts me more than 6 months. Take into consideration that I have really thick hair I find this really impressive.
At R129.95 for a 355ml bottle of Shampoo I feel that the Hask Argan Oil Repairing Shampoo is truly worth every cent. Partner this shampoo with one of their other hair care products for a winning formula and healthy hair.
https://clicks.co.za/hask_argan-oil-from-morocco-repairing-shampoo-355ml/p/228425
This little jelly had me very perplexed. I am used to shower gels, which come in a thick liquid form. So imagine my surprise when I opened the container to find a solid blob. I turned the pot upside down on my hand, to find the little thing wobbling, like a Sunday pudding. Or a Pokemon of sorts.
Its smelled divine, even when dry. According to the Lush website it is filled with the organic goodness of Lemon, Lime, Grapefruit, Rosemary and Geranium with a dash of Citronella. However, the little Jelly has an overpowering Lime scent to it. Taking one sniff refreshes your mind, body and soul.
Due to my perplexity with using the little blob of jelly I googled the various ways to use it. I'm not exactly fond of washcloths. They're soggy, dirty and rife with germs. Thus I opted to break small pieces off the giant jelly and washing all over with it. My fear was that using the entire jelly would cause it to lose shape, or to become dirty or moldy. My method didn't have a very good result. It really didn't want to foam much and ended up on the shower floor far sooner than I anticipated.
I then succumbed to using it with a cloth, as all reviews stated that this is the preferred method. Again I didn't have much luck. It didn't foam much, but it was definitely a bit better than just using my hand.
Since we were experiencing a serious heat wave I decided to use the next recommendation. I stuck broken off pieces of the jelly in the freezer. The result was lovely and cool, but still not what I desired. Definitely refreshing though!
Finally I hit a spot of luck. I received a care hamper from another cosmetic company. Inside the package was a mesh pouf sponge. Fighting my issues with things that hang in the shower for extended periods of time I decided to give it a go.
What I found was a winner. The mesh sponge causes the jelly to foam. Finally! I had the refreshing, foamy goodness I was looking for.
During the process of experimenting with the various techniques, my four year old got hold of the poor, innocent jelly. It was rendered to something resembling bubblegum Slush Puppy. However, this did not stop it from packing a serious punch. Using the mesh pouf sponge the little slushy bits still performed just as well.
The key to this product is to find the method that works best for you. Use it whole with a bath cloth or shower sponge, break pieces off, freeze it, refrigerate it. Whichever you prefer, you won't be disappointed. This small jelly packs a serious punch that will leave you refreshed and ready to take on the world.
At R85.00 for 100g the Woosh Jelly is totally worth it. My 100g container lasted me more than a month, even after being turned into liquidized jelly slush.
https://www.lush.co.za/shop/product/product/path/136_138/id/1002/SHOWER-Shower-Gels-and-Jelllies-Whoosh-Jelly
Because of its notoriety with Lush supporters I was looking forward to giving this Bath Ballistic a try. It is said to be spectacular all round. Fragrant, colorful and glittery! Why would I not love it? I read reviews and watched videos where people were actually complaining about the overpowering fragrance or abundance of glitter so I was really looking forward to this Bath Ballistic. The Sakura Bath Ballistic was made to sound like the wall flower sister in comparison to the Dragon's Egg.
This is quite a sizable bath ballistic compared to some others. It is a large white ball with chips of blue, pink and green. Really a thing of simplistic beauty.
Sadly, my experience was not the wonderful sweet smelling, glittery bonanza I was hoping for. The Ballistic started off with a lovely fizzy crackling, releasing a soft citrus fragrance. After about a minute it started releasing a golden spray of color. Unfortunately, as time went on, the golden water started to turn into a yellow shade reminiscent of urine.
The fragrance started to fade away until it was barely noticeable. The pink and blue chips seem to contain the essential oils for the Bath Ballistic. The only problem being that they turn into something that can only be described as soggy fruit loops when they melt. After about 20 minutes in a rather hot bath they went from soggy fruit loops to snot. The little buggers absolutely refused to dissolve.
As for the glitter, I fully understand that you don't want to exit your bath resembling a Drag Queen (Unless you happen to be one to begin with.) However, when all the reviews say glitter I want glitter! The sales lady promised glitter! The only way I could see the glitter in the water was to look at the tub after the water has run out. Yes, I am rather blind, but even I can spot glitter in water.
Because of its size it took almost 20 minutes for the ballistic to fully dissolve. I kept hoping that it would give me a surprise of sorts, a burst of color, an explosion of glitter, anything to keep the sinking feeling of disappointment at bay.
In essence I sat stewing, for 30 minutes, in what I can only describe as urine with bits of booger floating in it. This might be why I only have one child.
At R49.50 for a 180g ball the price isn't too bad, however, I would honestly opt for one of the other bath ballistics next time.
Maybe I picked the dud in the batch? I would really like some feedback from the other Lush fans out there on this one.
https://www.lush.co.za/shop/product/product/id/1073/keyword/dragon/dragons-egg
Soap...such a simple and under appreciated thing. You don't spend much time picking one at the mall. You hardly look at it when you use it. The only reason you remember about it is that moment when everyone at the grocery store try to move downwind from you after a typical South African summer day spent outside.
With Lush there is no such thing as a boring soap. They are made to be noticed. Everything about them scream use me!
The Bohemian is no different. Don't let its simplicity fool you. This soap packs a punch! Its the one I nearly missed in the shop. Yellow with white marbling, a stark contrast against the likes of The Godmother. Pale in comparison to Ice Blue. A thing of majestic simplicity.
What drew my attention was the smell. I was drawn to a fresh lemon fragrance in the soap display. Having inspected all the other soaps I realized that the source of the amazing smell was the seemingly unimpressive Bohemian.
The citrus scent combined with the lemon oil in the soap is the perfect way to leave your mind fresh and invigorated after a long day. The coconut oil will turn your dry, flaky skin into a thing of sleek beauty. No more praying that the weather will allow you one more day of stockings so nobody will notice your fish scale legs and cracking feet. The perfect soap for the free spirit and artist.
Not only does this soap pack a punch, it lasts for ever! After a month and a half I still have a sizeable piece left. At R42.50 for 100g this soap is worth every cent. Don't overlook this one, it will not disappoint you!
https://www.lush.co.za/shop/product/product/path/143_181/id/1656/BATH-Soaps-Bohemian
The first of the products from my shopping spree at Lush.
Now please note that I am not usually a bath kind of person. I find something rather strange about stewing in your own sweat and filth. I seriously think this little bath bomb has changed my mind.
I chose it from the many available because of its distinctive scent and color. Sakura brings to mind a lush garden with Cherry trees, Brimming with blossoms and relaxation. My imagination got it spot on.
The idea of a bath ballistic / bath bomb is to throw it in your bath while you have the water running, or just after. It turned my bath a soft pink, releasing light pink bursts of color as it twirled. The effect and scent is not as over the top as some of their other bath ballistics so is more suited to individuals who prefer subtle hues and fragrances when taking a bath. The scent was magical. A blend of Mimosa, Jasmine and Citrus that lingered long after I finished my bath.
I spent about 20 minutes just relaxing. (The exact opposite of my usual disgust with having to take a bath.) The idea of getting out and draining the soft pink water smelling of blossoms was rather depressing.
Much was my surprise when I got out and the fragrance followed me. Relaxing, soothing and refreshing. Not only did I smell like spring blossoms, my skin was soft and moisturized.
All in all the Sakura Bath Ballistic is an absolute win. A swirling twirling fragrant win. I can't see anything wrong with this product.
At R59.90 for 220g it is the perfect addition to a gift basket for that workaholic that never takes a second to relax. You know what? Forget the workaholic, spoil yourself! You won't regret it.
https://www.lush.co.za/shop/product/product/path/143_145/id/1747/BATH-Ballistics-Sakura
