Sympathy for the Skin - Lush

The only way to describe this Body Lotion is delicious. Opening this container was an absolute surprise. A delightful one. 

The cream colored lotion with small dark flecks remind me of walks through the banana plantations in Tzaneen. Decadent and dreamy. Don't let the small dark particles dissuade you from trying the lotion, you will regret it! 

Packed with the fresh goodness of organic mashed bananas, vanilla pod infusion, almond oil, fair trade cocoa butter, sandalwood and lemon oil this is a deeply nourishing lotion. Perfect for overly dry winter skin that just won't return to its natural glow. 

Available in a 240g tub the packaging is elegant and simplistic. 

At R225.00 for a 240g tub the lotion is a bit pricey. However, its the perfect winter treat. Spoil yourself! You know you want to! 

https://www.lush.co.za/shop/product/product/path/225_162/id/76/BODY-Lotions-Sympathy-For-The-Skin

Vanishing Cream - Lush

The Vanishing cream was part of the testers I received when I made my Lush purchase in 2015. As I was concentrating more on the full products I purchased I left these for last. I should have known better!

I'm not fond of moisturizers. My skin is possessed by the demons of a thousand angry wasps. There is a 90% guarantee that applying any standard moisturizer would lead to those wasps becoming angry. Really really angry. Thus I approached the little pot of cream with trepidation. 

The Shea Butter scent put me off. It reminds me of stale vomit.  The smell meant I put off testing the cream even longer than intended.

It surpassed all my expectations. My possessed demon skin was soothed, calmed and quite angelic! It has to be the impressive formulation of ingredients that make my skin so happy. The combination of Shea Butter, Linseed, Rose Water, Lavender Honey Water, Grapeseed Oil, Honey and Witch Hazel to name a few, means that the most foul tempered skin is calmed down within seconds of application. 

The Fair Trade Shea Butter means that you can tame your skin while soothing your conscience. The low fat formulation leads to a gentle application that doesn't linger around as an oily mess. Perfect for problem skin. 

The only heartbreaking thing about this little container of moisturizer is the price. My small tester container lasted me a week, with careful application. At R345.00 for a 45g tub of Vanishing Cream I shall just cry quietly into my pillow. With the impressive list of ingredients and the effect it has on sensitive skin I suppose I can't be too upset, it is quite obvious that it would cost an arm or a leg. It might just be worth it to sell a limb for this! 

https://www.lush.co.za/shop/product/product/id/502/keyword/vanishing+cream/vanishing-cream

It's Raining Men - Lush

Yet again, a tester I should not have left unnoticed in the dank depths of my bathroom cupboard. The name alone should be an indication that the little container contained something interesting. 

I did open it out of sheer curiosity, but for some reason the sticky consistency put me off. (I think by now we have established that I am seriously full of rubbish when it comes to smells and textures.) 

The tester contained a toffee colored syrup. There is no other way to describe it. Its not like any other Shower Gel I have ever tried. According to the Lush website it smells like toffee fudge. To me it smells like a soft blend of flowers, spice and honey. If you like Honey I Washed the Kids soap you will absolutely adore it. If you dislike honey (What on earth is wrong with you??) this is definitely not the Shower Gel for you. 

Don't let the syrupy texture put you off. The second it hits the shower sponge it turns into a thick, fragrant lather. Beautiful liquid gold. 

With Honey, Lotus flowers, Orange and Bergamot oil it isn't just beautifully scented, but incredibly moisturizing. Using this shower gel leaves your skin feeling silky. The fragrance stays with you all day, exotic and mysterious. 

At R85.00 for a 100g bottle this beautiful shower gel is worth every glorious golden drop. 

https://www.lush.co.za/shop/product/product/path/136_138/id/991/SHOWER-Shower-Gels-and-Jelllies-Its-Raining-Men

Woosh Jelly - Lush

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

Dragon's Egg Bath Ballistic - Lush

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

Chou Chou - I Love You Toothy Tabs - Lush

Toothpaste? In tablet form? Are you mad? No minty freshness? Not a gel? No toothpaste tube? Say what??

Okay, so maybe it was more curiosity that attracted me to this product than anything else. But it definitely surprised me. 

Together with deodorant, cruelty free toothpaste is something I struggle to wrap my head around. We get so conditioned to that tube of minty goo that its difficult to imagine any other route to demolish morning breath. 

What you receive when you purchase this product is a small cardboard box that reminds me of a mint container. Sliding it open you discover the tablets.(Yes, they do look like something that Grandpa would use to clean his dentures.) What intrigued me about this specific product in the Lush toothpaste range is the fact that it contains Rose Oil. The gentle scent of roses is very subtle but surprisingly appealing. 

When using the toothy tabs, the idea is to break up the tablet between your front teeth, then to wet your toothbrush with water and brush. The result is something that might cause a farmer to shoot you. It foams. A lot. I was between horror and insane amusement the first time I tried a tablet. The taste reminded me a bit of stale Turkish Delights. My brain was rather confused. However, I could not complain with the outcome. My teeth felt clean and my mouth strangely fresh. It didn't aggravate my sensitive gums as much as normal toothpaste. 

Because it is a pricey product compared to traditional toothpaste I don't use it every day, but rather for those special occasions. The rosy foam experience is something I got used to in  a short time. To be honest, if I could use Toothy Tabs every day I definitely would. 

I only have two problems with the product. Firstly, when it gets damp it loses some of its oomph. For obvious reasons this is a bit of a problem for a product that is kept in a bathroom. Second is the packaging. It is sometimes a bit difficult to get the tablets out of the container. Especially when you add the damp problem. Somehow I keep thinking that a refillable tin would possibly be more functional than the cardboard container. 

These deceptive little tablets definitely pack a punch when it comes to freshness. At R49.50 for a 20g box it is unfortunately a bit pricey, but totally worth it when you only use the Toothy Tabs every now and then. 

https://www.lush.co.za/shop/product/product/path/224_262/id/1298/FACE-Teeth-Chou-Chou---I-Love-You-Tabs

Bohemian Soap - Lush

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

Sakura Bath Ballistic - Lush

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

I Broke my Lush Virginity!

I have always wanted to try the Lush range of products but sadly it wasn't available in South Africa. I can not describe the joy when I learnt that the brand is being brought to us!

What is the big deal? Lush is the creme de la creme of Cruelty Free beauty products. Why? 

• Their range of products is 100% Vegetarian. Many of their products are Vegan, a very rare thing in the cosmetics and beauty industry. 
• Lush practices ethical buying. They strive to assist local communities when they source ingredients. (Not yet local as in South Africa local, but hopefully that will change as soon as the brand becomes more popular in South Africa.)
• All Lush products are cruelty free. All their bags are branded with their Fighting Animal Testing logo.
• Their products are fresh and hand made! 
• 70% of their products are sold naked. This means without packaging. You can sniff it, touch it, see it. 

From shower gels to eyeliner, you can find almost anything in their shops. Can't get to a branch? Not to worry, they have an online store as well!

We visited their first Gauteng store, Dainfern Square. Now you see, usually this is a dreaded exercise for me. I have social anxiety and agoraphobia. I also have severe allergies. My entire year working at Truworths (Surprisingly, a really awesome company to work for!) was spent wheezing and sneezing as the main counter was too close to the perfume area.  I hate shopping, especially in cosmetics and beauty shops. I'm used to rude employees that don't even understand the different products they sell. 

I was blown away. We were met by a bright and open shop. The display window was filled with fresh products. Bath Ballistics, Soap, Shampoo bars, Bubble Bars, you name it! I walked in, expecting the usual puffy eyes and wheezing that usually accompanies any establishment selling fragrant products. My olfactory senses realized that they have died and gone to heaven. Not even a sneeze! Just a shop that smelled like a field of fresh spring flowers. If there is a heaven it had better smell like the Lush store! 

We were a bit overwhelmed with the amount of products. I had a set idea of what I wanted, but the amount of amazing products far surpassed what I imagined. The sales ladies were spectacular. I told them which products I was looking for, and that I wished to review them for the blog. They were honest, well educated regarding their products, and friendly. So incredibly friendly! This is South Africa, a shopping spree is usually ended by a grumpy cashier who would rather be sipping Martinis somewhere than looking in your direction. 

Upon hearing that I have a blog the young lady assisting suggested adding some samples to my purchase. 

With the naked products you are prompted to take a paper bag and put your products in the bags. Each product is rung up at the till, and paper bags are weighed. (Most of their naked products are sold per weight.) I was petrified that I would go over my R300.00 budget. I was so far below my budget I managed to add another product that I really wanted.

With my shopping spree I bought the following:

1 x bar Bohemian soap.

1 x Sakura Bath Ballistic

1 x Dragon's Egg Bath Ballistic

1 x Woosh Shower Jelly

1 x box Chou Chou - I love You Toothy Tabs

For samples I received the following:

1 x sample It's Raining Men Shower Gel

1 x sample Sympathy for the Skin Hand and Body Lotion

1 x sample Vanishing Cream

1 x sample Veganese Hair Conditioner. 

I will be reviewing each product separately in the future blogs. 

My opinion of the brand, store and products? Simply amazing. I was sceptical as some of the products tend to be pricey, but I was pleasantly surprised. 

The only cons I could find is that Lush still uses parabens,  sulphates and artificial colours in some of their products. Because of the sulphates I am unable to use their Shampoos on my hair. (Never ever use shampoos and conditioners containing sulphates on your hair if you have funky coloured hair. It will discolour and fade it.)

Overall one of the most pleasant shopping experiences I have ever had. A big thumbs up to the ladies at Dainfern Square. Keep up the good work!

Buy the products online, or go visit a store. You won't be disappointed. 

https://www.lush.co.za/

https://www.lush.co.za/shop/common/store_locations