My First Time: LUSH Cosmetics
I don't even know how it happened. I'm calling it sheer luck. This weekend, I happened to come into a pocketful of extra money. With this extra money, which was honestly burning a hole in my pocket before I even saw it, I decided I was going to spoil myself rotten.
My first stop was a place I'd been meaning to visit but never actually had: LUSH Cosmetics. Now, don't get me wrong. I am far from your average girly girl. I wear jeans and tee shirts exclusively. I own more sneakers than heels. I've seen all the Star Wars movies more times than I can count. But I do have an inner princess and believe me when I say that LUSH satisfied her and left her utterly giddy.
Being a LUSH virgin, I didn't know what to expect. The store front was gorgeous and colorful and I could see an array of bath bombs from fifteen feet away. Walking in, I was instantly greeted by the kindest and most adorable person I've ever met. He asked if I'd been in before and what brought me in that day. He was very attentive and he was literally with me almost the entire time. THAT is the kind of customer service that I love and appreciate. I only wish I'd looked for a name tag; his name wasn't on the receipt so I could give great feedback.
The first thing I picked up was the Vanillary perfume.
Vanillary Gorilla perfume smells strongly of vanilla extract, but it also has hints of tonka and jasmine. Depending on your body chemistry, when you wear it you may get sweet notes or you may get earthy notes. When I wear it, I smell like cupcakes. My boyfriend LOVES it. The 9ml size cost me $15.98 and will last me a long while.
Speaking of perfumes, I will be going back ASAP to pick up Breath of God. It is a combination of two of LUSH's former scents, Inhale and Exhale, and it smells of cedar, sandalwood and a hint of melon. When I wear it I smell like a campfire.
Next up, I had to go for the Rock Your Body box. Rock Your Body was a special promotion wherein you get a Sugar Scrub (3.5oz, $6.25), Dusting Powder (1.9oz, $6.95), Dream Cream lotion (1.5oz) and a massage bar (varying sizes and prices) for $24.95. How convenient, and what a great way to become introduced to LUSH's full range of products.
Please excuse the fact that in my photo, my sugar scrub is a little bit used. I couldn't help myself. The sugar scrub is $6.25 for 3.5oz and it is wonderful. It's made with ginger and lavender, and when softened a little before use provides not only great exfoliation but a wonderful, creamy finish that is super moisturizing.
Still on my sweet-smells kick, I chose the Mange Too massage bar for my kit (3.5oz, $10.95). This bar is massive. I expect it to last me a long time. Mange Too is scented with white chocolate and honey and is made with shea and cocoa butters so it is extremely moisturizing. Plus, it's edible! It heats up and softens when rubbed on the skin or held between hands, and becomes a gentle and moisturizing treat for a rubdown that ends with perfectly soft skin. It's even better when finished with the dusting powder!
Speaking of the dusting powder, my bottle of Powder Puff will last me forever. A little goes a long way with this stuff! Vanilla Puff is an extension of the Vanillary line I mentioned before, which is probably why I love it so much. And the layered scents of the Mange Too bar, Powder Puff dusting powder, and just a touch of Vanillary perfume (when used with a soap I will talk about soon) made me smell like a sweet, iced cake. I am completely in love.
The Dream Cream lotion is the most soothing and moisturizing lotion I have ever tried. It is made with jasmine and lavender, so it soothes both sensitive skin and the bad day blues. Plus, it is made with olive oil and cocoa butter for extra nourishment for dry skin. I can't remember how much my small container was, but online 8.4oz is $26.95 and it is worth every penny.
From here, I was left to my own devices as Amazing LUSH Employee Man packed up my box. It really did come in a cute little take-out style box! (See my photo above--the upside-down box is what my sugar scrub is resting on). So, my first stop was of course bath bombs.
The bath bombs you see here are The Enchanter and Sex Bomb, respectively. I haven't used them yet because my tub not worthy (we will use them together when we next stay at a hotel). Both smell amazing. The Enchanter is lime and neroli scented and it literally smells like a creamsicle. It also foams, filling your bathtub with colorful, enlivening suds. According to the website, when dropped in a bath, the colors spiral outward, which I think would add a wonderful, tie-dye appeal. Sex Bomb says what it means: this one is meant to be shared. It is jasmine (a known aphrodisiac), ylang ylang and clary sage and it smells amazing. Sex Bomb contains soya milk, which will turn your bath water milky, softening your skin while you bathe with your lover. It also has a cute little rice paper flower inside that will release as the bomb melts and float around your tub. Even though I haven't used these yet I'm still definitely benefiting: they're making my bathroom smell amazing! Both are right around 7oz, and each are $6.95
So, I mentioned a soap earlier. What you see above is Honey, I Washed the Kids. Yes, it does look like it has beeswax on top. Yes, that's because it's made with honey. Can you tell yet which scents I seem to favor? Honey I Washed the Kids is made with honey and caramel. It definitely smells like it, too. While we were still in the shop, boyfriend spent a good five minutes just smelling this soap. I had to get it. In stores, it is $37.80 a pound. I got about half a pound. It was $17 and it is going to last forever. You can't tell from my photo, but it's bigger than it looks. You CAN tell from my photo that I've used it. Several times. And I haven't made a dent in its size. This is the best, most moisturizing soap I have ever used.
And finally, my impulse buys:
These were at the register and I just couldn't resist. I occasionally make my own lip scrubs from brown sugar, coconut oil and honey but I'm so glad I picked up Popcorn. This is salty and buttery and it literally smells and tastes like buttered popcorn. It's made with jojoba and coconut oils, sugar and fine sea salt so not only is it exfoliating, it's very moisturizing! .08oz was $9.95 but it barely takes any to massage your lips so expect that little jar to be a good investment.
None of Your Beeswax is the only vegan lip balm. I'm not vegan, but it just sounded good. It's lemon and vanilla and is made with extra virgin coconut oil and japan wax instead of beeswax. It's a little gritty but it smells so good and works so well. 10g retails for $7.25.
Toothy Tabs have put me off of conventional toothpaste forever! These little things come 40 to a box and are $4.95, about the same as a tube of Crest. I got sparkle, which are lemon and black pepper. I definitely notice some whitening qualities and honestly my mouth has never felt fresher! They may seem weird and foreign at first but they're so cool. You just crush one up with your front teeth and then scrub with your toothbrush! They foam up just like toothpaste and provide a super clean feeling.
So, that was my haul. I can honestly say that I'm a LUSH convert for good. The only negative thing I can say about LUSH is that I wish I'd paid closer attention. It turns out they have a line of Harry Potter related bath bombs (Dragon's Egg, Phoenix Rising, and Butterball) and I really wish I'd known, as I would've bought all three!
