November Empties & Mini-Reviews

Lush Herbalism Cleanser: Lots of Lush empties for me this month! This is my HG cleanser and I've gone through many containers of it by now. I did a full write-up on it HERE.

Bed Head Rockaholic Dirty Secret Dry Shampoo: This is one of the best dry shampoos I've tried--shame it's so pricey. It does an excellent job of de-gunking your hair and adds great volume too. I go through dry shampoo super fast, so I stock up on this when it's on sale.

Lush Charity Pot Hand and Body Lotion: A nice rich (but not too greasy) body lotion. I bought this on a whim, because I liked that 100% of the selling price goes to various charities supported by Lush, and wound up really enjoying it. I used it for quite a while and then suddenly my boyfriend decided he hated the smell. It just smells like cocoa butter to me, so I told him he'd have to live with it. :p

Lush D'Fluff Strawberry Shaving Soap: This is a creamy soap that creates a light, conditioning lather for shaving. I will definitely purchase another pot of this! A little goes a long way, but without gumming up your razor. Plus it has a delicious strawberry scent!

Lush Yummy Mummy Body Conditioner: The concept of limited edition skincare is always a frustrating one for me. I don't mind it as much with color products, because it takes me forever to use up a lipstick or eyeshadow. I get that Lush has to make room for new goodies each season, but it sucks when you fall in love with a skincare product that's no longer available! Lush's body conditioners are like an in-shower body lotion. You leave them on for a minute or two, then rinse and enjoy your ultra soft skin! This one has organic cocoa butter and almond oil, making it super rich and creamy. The scent is divine! It smells like strawberries and honey to me. I absolutely adored this product and I hope Lush brings it back next spring!

Nivea In-Shower Body Lotion for Dry Skin: I was using this a ton until I fell head over heels for Yummy Mummy, then finished it off after Yummy Mummy was done. It's formulated with shea butter and that's the only real scent it has to it. It's not as rich or as fragrant as Yummy Mummy, but I still enjoyed it and will likely re-purchase.

Mally Volumizing Mascara: I have a tendency to hang on to mascaras way too long and I finally had to force myself to chuck this one, because it was getting super dry and past its prime. This is easily the blackest mascara I've ever used. I love how thick and dark it makes my lashes. I suggest layering this over a lengthening mascara if you have short, stubby lashes like me, because it really gives more thickness than length.

Clinique Turnaround Concentrate Extra Radiance Renewer: I've tried quite a few brightening serums and this is one of the best! I've always felt I have a naturally dull complexion and after a couple weeks of using this, I noticed my skin seemed more vibrant and glowing. Clinique recommends wearing their serums over a moisturizer and while that's the opposite of everything I've been taught, I followed the directions and it definitely worked! I'll have to get another bottle of this!

Mario Badescu  Facial Spray With Aloe, Herbs and Rosewater: I can't live without a good facial mist, especially in the wintertime! I'm a big fan of the Mario Badescu line in general. They make wonderful products and I love the philosophy behind the line where they don't spend money on advertising and excess packaging, so they can provide high-quality ingredients at a budget-friendly price point. Almost all of their skincare products are less than $30! I was turned on to this spray by a co-worker who swore by it as a setting spray and it works great as a post-skincare mist too! It feels very soothing and refreshing on the skin.

October Empties & Mini-Reviews

Phew! I had a really productive month for empties! I actually found that having this post to do really helped motivate me to work through products, which is good because I have a lot of beauty-related stuff at home! So hopefully you guys are enjoying these posts too. :) We have a ton of ground to cover, so let's get to it!

Lush Oatifix Mask: This just might be my new favorite Lush mask! I adore Cupcake, but this one is amazing! Look for a full review shortly, but my quick take is it really helps soften, smooth and soothe skin. Plus it smells ridiculously yummy, since it contains bananas, vanilla and ground almonds! I am always so tempted to have a little bite, but I'm sure it wouldn't taste anywhere near as good as it smells. :p

Philosophy Purity Made Simple Cleanser: My HG makeup remover! I've gone through at least half a dozen bottles of this and always have a back-up on standby. Read my full review HERE.

Philosophy Homemade Honey Buns: I love Philosophy's shower gels. I always have either a Lush or Philosophy one in my shower. They have such a rich, creamy lather and come in lots of great scents! I prefer the food ones, myself. I believe this was a Christmas scent of Philosophy's last year? It smells like honey and warm dough with a sprinkle of cinnamon. Sadly it doesn't appear to be returning this year.

Bed Head Rockaholic Dirty Secret Dry Shampoo: This is my absolute favorite dry shampoo. A co-worker recommended it to me after I told her I felt dry shampoo did nothing for me. I've never found one that de-greases hair as well as this and it's got a nice scent to it as well. I try to stock up when it goes on sale, because otherwise it costs like $22 and I tend to go through dry shampoo very fast. If you feel like dry shampoo hasn't worked for you in the past, definitely try this one!

It's a 10 Miracle Leave-In Lite: I love It's a 10! I use this every day before I blow dry as a detangler and heat protectant. It's great for eliminating frizz too and is absolutely weightless on my hair. I only bought the Lite because I found it on crazy low clearance (I think I got a two-pack for like seven bucks?) but normally I use the original in the blue bottle. 

Exuviance Brightening Bionic Eye Cream: I swear there is like a portal to Narnia or something inside this bottle, because I'd been using this eye cream forever, yet it never seemed to run out--not that I'm complaining, mind you, I love it! This has Vitamin K for treating dark circles. When I use this regularly, I need little to no undereye concealer. Awesome stuff!

Lush Marilyn Hair Treatment: I've really been meaning to do a full review on this, because it's one of my very favorite hair products from Lush. I'm bleach blonde (naturally brunette) and sometimes I need a little help between color appointments. That's where Marilyn comes in! This is a natural brightening mask that uses linseed oil and chamomile infusion to brighten and condition blonde hair. The packaging mentions that Mediterranean women have been laying out in the sun with chamomile in their hair for ages to help lighten their locks, so I like to follow their example and lie outside with a good book while I let Marilyn soak a while. It gives my blonde a nice boost that lasts a few days, plus it leaves my hair feeling super smooth and silky! This product and AG Sterling Silver Purple Shampoo are my must-haves for blondes!

Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara: I have to admit that the first couple times I tried this, I hated it. It was really clumpy on me. But then after I had it set to the side for a while, I decided to go back to it and it seemed like the formula had dried down a bit (in a good way) to where it was more manageable to use. While I think the naughty name is a big part of why this mascara is so popular, it is really good. For extra impact, I like layering it over a lengthening mascara like Benefit Roller Lash.

NARS Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base: Urban Decay's Primer Potion is my HG, but this comes real close! The only thing I don't like is the tube-style container. I feel like you waste so much product with these! Although this is "empty," I'm sure there's a lot more still in the tube that I just can't reach with the wand applicator.

Milani Infinite Liquid Eyeliner in 03 Eternal: This isn't so much an empty as it is completely dried up. I went to use this and found it was all gummy and the brush is completely splayed and hardened to a point beyond saving. Bummer. I remember liking this but I wouldn't repurchase based on how quickly it went bad. I also bought this in a blue shade at the same time and that one still looks fine.

TonyMoly I'm Real Avocado Mask Sheet: Face masks are one of my favorite ways to relax and I love that the TonyMoly ones are becoming more easily accessible in the US! TonyMoly is one of the brands at the forefront of the Asian beauty trend and they make some fantastic masks. The avocado one is for nourishing and brightening skin. I dunno if it really brightened all that much, but it definitely made my skin feel soft, hydrated and supple. I'm super oily most of the year, but we're getting into the short time where I'm a bit more dry. So I needed an extra dose of moisture to help keep my skin feeling smooth and this did the trick! I would buy one of these again next time I'm looking for a little beauty treat.

Dr Teal's Pure Epsom Salt Soaking Solution: This stuff is my jam! I work a job where I'm on my feet all day, so I get sore legs and feet a lot. I love popping a couple scoops of this into a hot bath to help soothe my muscles. It really works and a huge bag is only about five bucks.

Up & Up Nail Polish Remover Dip-It: I need to write a full review on this because it's fantastic. I bought it after reading a review on Nouveau Cheap and now I'm on my third one! One of these puppies will only set you back three bucks at Target. This isn't like those remover tubs that have the worthless sponge inside. Instead, it's got little plastic bristles, almost like a mascara wand. You just dip one finger into the acetone at a time, rub your nail against the bristles a few times and then you're done! I love how fast and mess-free it is, plus it's great at removing glitter. The mixture inside the tub is pure acetone, so it's drying by nature, but that's my only gripe.

 Pixi Skintreats Glow Tonic Exfoliating Toner: I'll admit I bought this after hearing so much hype about it online. And I will say that the product itself is wonderful. It's an alcohol-free toner with glycolic acid (fantastic anti-ager with resurfacing abilities), witch hazel and aloe vera. I loved the way it made my skin feel and it did seem to help brighten my complexion. But my one beef with this product is the container is so small! I go through toner pretty fast and this 3.4 oz bottle only lasted me a little over a month. It cost $15, which isn't a terrible price by any means, but I can buy an 8 oz bottle of Mario Badescu Glycolic Toner for the same price and it will last me a lot longer.  Still, it's a great product and worth checking out if you don't mind the small size.

Boscia Balancing Facial Tonic: This is a skincare prep spray with lavender, jojoba oil and willow herb. I like the actual product a lot--it's super refreshing and feels very calming on the skin--but the delivery system needs a little tweaking. The spritzer releases more of a direct spray than a fine mist, so you have to be careful not to hold it too close to your face, otherwise you'll get doused. Other than that, this is lovely! I've used it as both a facial mist with my skincare and setting spray with my makeup and it works wonderfully both ways!

Review: Lush Ayesha Fresh Face Mask

It's been a while since I've done a Lush review on here, but you guys seemed to like them--especially the Fresh Face Mask ones--so I figured I'd pick that series back up with a review on Ayesha, Lush's tightening and brightening face mask. Ayesha is formulated with Fullers Earth (cleansing), asparagus (enzymatic), kiwi (rich in Vitamin C), Witch Hazel (anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory) and rose absolute (moisturizing).

The selling point of this mask is probably the Vitamin C. Vitamin C is the "BLT' of skincare--it brightens, lightens and tightens! My skin did seem visibly brightened after using Ayesha. I can't say it really felt tighter, but it was smooth and supple. The brightening effect is temporary, so I'd say the best way to use this mask is to pop it on as part of your beauty routine right before a big event.

A lot of reviews I've seen online mention hating how this smells, but I honestly didn't mind it. One of the ingredients is patchouli oil, which I find to be a love it or hate it scent, but Ayesha mostly just smells like kiwi to me. 

This mask is targeted for those with mature or dry skin. Since I don't fall into either of those categories, my experience with Ayesha was just okay. I liked the temporary brightening, but this wasn't a favorite overall. It's not bad, just not ideal for me!

A single pot costs $6.95 and you can get about six to eight masks per pot, depending on how thickly you apply them, so it really is a great value. The masks need to be refrigerated because they contain fresh ingredients with no preservatives, so the only place you can buy them is in-store. The masks have a shelf life of three weeks, but personally I just treat them like food: So long as you store them properly and check for changes in scent and consistency, you can get away with using them a bit longer than the official shelf life.  

If you're curious to learn more about all of the different Fresh Face Masks, check out my other reviews too: Cupcake, Love Lettuce, BB Seaweed, Catastrophe Cosmetic and Cosmetic Warrior. 

September Empties & Mini-Reviews

I thought it would be fun to start sharing my thoughts on each month's used up products with you guys! I'm a huge makeup and skin junkie in addition to my polish addiction (I'm just a beauty freak in genral, really) and while I hardly ever finish a bottle of polish, I go through other products on a fairly regular basis. Plus I figured doing this type of post would help motivate me to work through more of my massive beauty stash.

This is one of those months where a ton of things ran out at once--11 in all! Most of it's skincare, but there's some makeup too. Read on to see my thoughts on each product...

IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye in Light: This is THE best under eye concealer! It's super pigmented and wears all day. You need the absolute smallest amount you can squeeze out of the tube, since a little bit goes a loooooonnngggg way. This little tube lasted me over a year! I've already got another one ready and waiting.

MAC Prolongwear Foundation in NW20: Another all-time favorite product. I love the wear time on this and the coverage is great too. I'd classify it as medium buildable. It feels very lightweight on and doesn't cake or crack. If you have oily skin, definitely check this out!

Bath and Body Works Hand Sanitizer in I Love Cinnamon Buns: It's true, I do! I always keep one of these little guys clipped on my purse. Great for when you're on the go.

Urban Decay Big Fatty Mascara: I like the volume this gives, but it is super hard to get off. My go-to makeup remover, Philosophy Purity, can remove ANYTHING (ever notoriously tough mascaras like Benefit They're Real) but it can't get Big Fatty off without giving me some serious raccoon eyes. I believe UD has recently discontinued Big Fatty now that Perversion Mascara is out.

Peter Thomas Roth Unwrinkle Turbo: I'm currently using a prescription retinoid on my face for post-acne marks, but I was having a bad reaction to it only on my forehead for some reason, where it'd get really red and flaky. I don't have any acne marks on my forehead, but I wanted to use the retinoid in that area to help with brow "11's" that were starting to show up. Unwrinkle was a great alternative--no irritation (peptides and hyaluronic acid are the main active component rather than retinoid) and I did see a decrease in the width and depth of the 11 lines. This little guy lasted a surprisingly long time, too! The big bottle is pretty expensive, so I won't be investing, but I liked this and am glad I tried a mini of it.

Bare Minerals Well-Cared For Brush Conditioning Shampoo: My go-to makeup brush cleaner. I use a Sonia Kashuk brush spray when I need to be quick, then use this shampoo for deep cleaning. It works great with both synthetic and natural bristle brushes. It's also got conditioner built right in, so it leaves your brushes smooth and soft afterwards.

Lush Dream Cream Hand and Body Lotion: I got this as part of a set. Dream Cream is designed for sore and sensitive skin. It has calming ingredients like oatmeal, lavender and rose water. I have KP on my upper arms and this felt nice and soothing on that, but overall there are other Lush lotions I like better...

Lush Sympathy For The Skin Hand and Body Lotion: For instance, this lotion! It smells super scrumptious! The dominant notes are vanilla and banana, but like a real banana, not a fake banana Runts-type smell. The texture is rich without feeling greasy. The only thing I didn't like is that, as you can see, the lettering on the packaging kinda disintegrated over time, so it would come off on my hands whenever I used it.

Dr Brandt Microdermabrasion Skin Exfoliant: This is like a reset button for your skin. When I have days where my makeup isn't setting quite right or my skin looks tired, I know it's time to bust out this stuff! It's pretty intense, so I use it sparingly and only massage it very, very lightly against the skin. If you were to rub it in like your normal face scrub, you'd probably take a layer of your face off.

Lush Cupcake Fresh Face Mask: Probably my all-around favorite Lush mask, although I haven't tried the newest ones. It smells like chocolate and gets all the gunk out of my face--what's not to love? I've bought this a couple times now. You can read my full review HERE.

Deborah Lippmann Gel Lab Base Coat (not pictured): I've gone through several bottles of Gel Lab and I'm still crazy in love with it. I'm curious to try the re-formulated version, Gel Lab Pro, as I've only used the original. If you want to learn more about Gel Lab, I did a full review on it HERE.

Hope you guys enjoyed my first attempt at an empties post! Is this something you'd like to see more of? What products did you finish this past month?

Review: Lush Life's A Beach Body Scrub

It's been a while since I've done a Lush review on here, but I thought it'd be fun to chat about their newest product: Life's A Beach Body Scrub! A cool thing to note about this item is that 100% of the purchase price is donated to organizations working to protect waterways from microbead pollution--y'know, those little plastic buggers that are in so many face and body scrubs.

Life's A Beach is an environmentally-friendly blend of sand and sea salt, topped off with a scrumptious vanilla-caramel scent.

At first, it was a little odd to wrap my head around how to use this--I mean, it's literally sand--but I've found using only a small amount of product goes a long way and also helps to minimize any messiness. Everything went down the drain easily, so I wasn't dealing with any clogs or sand all over the shower.

I really like how smooth and soft this makes my skin feel, no after-shower lotion needed! This is a scrub that exfoliates well without feeling overly coarse or rough. The sea salt gives it some extra grit, but it's not too intense. If you've tried Lush's Ocean Salt (which I also love), Life's A Beach is considerably gentler. It's perfect to use before shaving. The light vanilla scent is a nice bonus as well. It's noticeable when you sniff closely but not potent enough that it'll interfere with the scent of your favorite lotion or perfume afterwards.

Overall, I wouldn't say this is an absolute must-have, but it is a nice skin indulgence for summer. It's a fun little extra to pop in your bag on vacation--or to bring the beach to you! A 3.3 oz pot will only set you back $6.95, so the price is right and I like that the purchase price goes completely to charity.  But this is limited edition, so if you want it, snap it up fast!

Have you tried Life's A Beach? What are some of your favorite tips or products for soft skin?

Review: Lush Veganese Conditioner

I have had a really hard time finding a conditioner that my hair likes. Even ones that claim to be "lightweight" always wound up making my hair look greasy and feel oily. So for the longest time, I just gave up altogether on using one, because I was tired of wasting my money. But since I color-treat my hair, I had to admit that even my naturally oily hair needed a conditioner.

So I decided to give it one last go by ordering Lush's Veganese. Based on past experience with conditioners in general, my expectations for Veganese were pretty low. So I was shocked when I fell in love with it!

Unlike most conditioners, Veganese is formulated without lanolin, which is what makes it vegan, since lanolin comes from sheep. But it also makes Veganese very lightweight. In place of lanolin, Veganese uses agar gel (which comes from seaweed) to soften and condition the hair. Lush formulated it not only for their vegan customers, but also for their Japanese stores, where their customers were telling them they wanted a light conditioner for naturally straight and oily hair.

With Veganese, I only apply it on the ends of my hair; from the ears down is my general rule of thumb. As soon as I rinse it, my hair feels softer and smoother almost instantly. Veganese also contains lemon oil to add some nice shine, not to mention a light, citrus-y scent that I could catch whiffs of throughout the day.

I recently had to say goodbye to my beloved Veganese, since I needed something a bit heavier now that I've gone bleach blonde and my hair can handle extra moisture. I've bumped things up to another Lush conditioner, American Cream, which is lovely too. But I figured I would share my thoughts on Veganese if you too are looking for a good conditioner for oily hair. Even if your hair feels greasy, it still needs moisture and protection to keep it healthy! So if you feel like you've tried everything, try Veganese! It's a fantastic product and one that I would recommend in a heartbeat!

Review: Lush H'Suan Wen Hua

Lush H'Suan Wen Hua: I can't pronounce it, but I like it! This strengthening, ultra-nourishing hair mask is great for anyone with dry, damaged or brittle hair. H'Suan Wen Hua is a hair treatment mask that uses protein-rich organic eggs to condition and protect hair; bay leaf infusion to stimulate and tone the scalp; bananas and extra virgin olive oil to moisturize and rosemary oil to add shine.

One of the first things I noticed about this product is it smells absolutely amazing! I'd read some reviews that mentioned the smell being funky, so I was prepared for the worst, but honestly I really loved the way it smelt! It reminds me of bananas and cinnamon. If you like the scent of Lush's Sympathy For The Skin (another favorite of mine), I think you'll enjoy this as well!

So anways, back to what the mask does! But first, a bit of background on my hair: My hair is neither fine nor thick. It's naturally straight and goes a bit past my shoulders. I'm a bleach blonde, so my hair can always use some extra lovin' to keep it feeling strong and healthy, especially after I've just had a color touch-up. However, I hate anything that makes my hair feel greasy or sticky. If I'm using a conditioning product, I don't want it to be anything that weighs my hair down or leaves any type of residue behind. (I rarely use product in my hair. It's a texture thing.)

I was a little worried H'Suan Wen Hua would weigh down my hair and make it look limp--or worse, greasy--but I was pleasantly surprised and very pleased with the results! I started with by working the product through my dry hair, applying it all over. I didn't use a ton of product, just enough that my hair felt damp, but not wet. (A single pot of H'Suan Wen Hua would yield about seven or eight all-over treatments with my hair, although of course your mileage may vary depending on your hair's length and texture. You could also extend the life of your pot by just using H'Suan Wen Hua as a spot treatment on problem areas.) Then you're supposed to let it sit for at least 20 minutes. Afterwards, rinse it out, then follow with shampoo and whatever your regular hair routine is.

As soon as I rinsed it out, I could tell right away that my hair felt amazing! It was so smooth, silky and soft! Seriously, my hair has never felt this soft before, to the point that I was touching it throughout the day like a creeper because I couldn't believe how perfect it felt. I could feel it was more conditioned than usual (if that makes sense), but it wasn't heavy or greasy at all. While blowdrying, my brush slid through effortlessly and my hair looked so smooth and tamed that I would have sworn I flat ironed it if I didn't know better!

The effect lasts 2-3 days, probably longer if you don't shampoo your hair. I shampoo'd after two days and still noticed smoother, sleeker texture on the third day, then it kinda gradually dwindled off from there on out. My hair also smelled crazy good for several days. I would catch little whiffs of cinnamon here and there and I loved that!

So to sum it all up, H'Suan Wen Hua is a great multi-tasking hair mask that conditions, strengthens, smooths, softens and adds shine. I love that you get the good stuff, without any of the grease. My hair has never felt or looked as healthy as when I use this mask! Whether you want a mask to help with the regular upkeep of your hair or you're in need of a total re-set button for your locks, this stuff should do the trick!

Review: Lush Buffy

It may look plain, but that little bar you see above packs some serious magic! One of my all-time favorite Lush products, Buffy is a body butter bar (try saying that five times fast) that's an exfoliant and and a moisturizer all in one--perfect if you're like me hardly ever remember to put on body lotion!

Buffy could not be any easier to use. Just rub it against wet skin and let the ground rice, almonds and aduki beans go to work polishing your skin and slogging off all the rough, dry bits. While Buffy means business, it isn't overly harsh and its infusions of lavender oil, cocoa butter and shea butter will leave your skin feeling moisturized and silky smooth all day long! After I'm done buffing my skin with the bar, I like to take a minute or two to massage in all of the oils and butters, then rinse it all off. (Extra tip: Heat and moisture makes Buffy melt-y, so I highly recommend keeping it safe and dry in one of Lush's body butter tins.)

Buffy is also great for after shaving. I'll rub my legs with it, then run my razor back over my legs to get all that dead skin off. This gives you the smoothest, softest legs ever! I'm a little self-conscious about my legs, but it helps knowing that Buffy will always leave them looking their best!

Have you tried Buffy? What are your favorite products to help get your skin ready for summer?

Review: Lush Angels On Bare Skin

 Source

After my HG, Herbalism, my next-favorite Lush cleanser is the wonderful Angels On Bare Skin. This gentle cleanser helps calm and soothe even the most sensitive skin and will leave your face feeling smooth, clean and super soft!

Angels On Bare Skin contains ground almonds (exfoliating and toning), kaolin clay (deep cleansing), lavender oil (antiseptic and soothing), rose absolute (soothing and moisturizing), chamomile blue oil (anti-inflammatory) and lavender flowers (exfoliation).

This cleanser's primary benefit is to help reduce inflammation and irritation and I've found it does a beautiful job of that on my skin. The antiseptic properties found in the lavender oil also make this a suitable cleanser for someone with occasional or mild acne (if you're looking to try a Lush cleanser and acne is your biggest skin concern, I would suggest checking out Herbalism first) and it's also a very balancing cleanser the helps keep you skin's oil production in check without completely drying you out. While Herbalism is my go-to, I like to keep some Angels On Bare Skin around when I feel like switching it up every once in a while or for when my skin can start to feel a bit dry in the winter time.

I should mention that since they come in a solid form, Lush's cleansers are different from most. To use it, break off a small piece and enclose it in a loose fist. Then run your hand under the faucet for a few seconds. Open your hand and begin rubbing the cleanser until the consistency is like a milky paste. Then massage it into your face for as long as desired, rinse and you're done! It's extremely easy to use but might take a little getting used to the first couple times.

On the skin, this cleanser feels very softening and lightly hydrating. You can notice some of the granules in the cleanser helping to gently resurface your skin, but they never feel rough or like they're tearing at your skin. You can also mix in more or less water to create the consistency that's perfect for your skin, depending on how creamy or gritty you like your cleanser to be! Like most of Lush's cleansers, Angels On Bare Skin won't remove make-up, so you'll need to pre-cleanse with another product first. (I love Philosophy's Purity Made Simple for this. I'm on my fourth or fifth bottle now!)

Have you ever used Angels on Bare Skin? If so, I'd love to hear what you thought of it!

Twinsie Tuesday: My Nail Care Routine

We're doing something a little different for this week's Twinsie Tuesday. Rather than sharing manis, we'll be sharing our nail care routines!

As I was writing out my whole routine, I was afraid I kinda sounded like a complete crazy lady, detailing all of the different steps I do and products I use. But it's a ritual that I enjoying doing and while it might sound like a lot of work, it's also very relaxing for me. I use it as a way to decompress and take some time for myself. So without further ado, here's how I take care of my nails!

A few of my nail care favorites: Essie Feed Me, Deborah Lippmann 2-Second Nail Primer, Barielle Nail Strengthening Cream, Seche Vite & Deborah Lippmann Cuticle Oil

Polish Removal & Nail Upkeep

First thing's first: removing my old manicure. For remover, I recently bought my first bottle of Zoya Remove+ and it absolutely lives up to all the hype! It works wonderfully but doesn't leave my nails feeling as dry and stripped as traditional removers do.

A few times a week, I follow up with Develop 10 Nail Whitening Scrub. I have some bad staining on my nails from polishing them so often and one of my nail care goals this year is to whiten them up. I've only been using this scrub for about two weeks, but there has been a visible difference so far! I know getting the stains to go away will be a gradual process but I'm encouraged by the initial results I've seen with this scrub.

 My essentials for cuticle removal: Blue Cross Cuticle Remover and a Sally Hansen cuticle pusher

As needed, I'll also use a cuticle remover after taking off my polish. My favorite is made by Blue Cross. You can get a jumbo bottle for super cheap at Sally Beauty. After applying my cuticle remover, I use a metal Sally Hansen cuticle pusher to get everything looking nice and tidy. I like this Sally Hansen pusher because the other end of the tool is designed for cleaning underneath your nails, so it's a two-in-one.

Prepping For Polish

Once or twice a week, I'll give my nails a good buffing and do some light filing, all with my Deborah Lippmann Smooth Operator 4 Way Buffer. I'm working on an in-depth review but in short, this is a great buffer if you're like me and tend to get a little overzealous. Deborah designed it so that it won't damage your nails, even if you like to put some extra pressure on.

After buffing, I massage Deborah Lippmann Cuticle Oil into my cuticles. This is one of my absolute nail care must-haves and I'm obsessed with it! Lush Lemony Flutter is another favorite cuticle rescue product. At this point in my routine, I may also slather on some Lush Handy Gurugu Hand Cream if my hands are feeling dry or rough.

Then I apply some Barielle Nail Strengthener Cream. My fellow Twinsie Lakeisha kindly provided me with some of this cream to try and I'm hoping it will work wonders for me like it did for her! My right index and middle finger nails always seem to peel or break and Lakeisha recommended this as a remedy. I haven't been using it for too long but so far, so good!

Next, I usually go mess around on the computer or watch a show or something like that, just to give all the creams and oils time to really sink in. When I'm ready for my actual manicure, I bust out my Deborah Lippmann 2-Second Nail Primer. This is a newer addition to my routine and I thought it sounded like kind of a gimmicky product at first but now that I've been using it, I really like it! What it is, is a primer that you brush across your nails to dissolve any grime and oils on the nail surface, ensuring you have a smooth, clean nail to help your polish go on easier and stay on longer. It's the same general concept as applying primer to your face before putting make-up on and it's a handy little product to have around.

Polish Time!

When I first started getting really into polish, I never wore--or even owned--a base coat. I only started wearing one after I got a free bottle of Seche Clear as part of a promo at Sally. Of course, now I know it's important not to skip base coat, both to lengthen the life of your manicure and to prevent staining. I haven't really committed to a base coat, but two of my favorites are Essie Feed Me and Deborah Lippmann Fast Girls. For glitter manis, I can't live without Nail Pattern Boldness Glitter A-Peel.

Current base coat go-tos: Glitter A-Peel & Fast Girls

As for top coat, I have tried several different ones, but I always seem to wind up back with the ever-popular Seche Vite. It has its annoying quirks (thickness, shrinkage, etc.) but I can't deny how shiny it makes my nails and I love how quickly it dries.

So yeah, that's about it! This is a much longer post than I'd originally anticipated but hopefully I didn't come out of it looking too cray-cray. My personal routine has definitely changed and evolved over time so I'm looking forward to hopefully learning about some new products and tips from my fellow Twinsies' routines!

Alaina at The Little Canvas

Amanda at Amandalandish

Amber at Nails Like Lace

Anna at Going to the Showing

Anne at Grape Fizz Nails

Casey at CaseyLane Loves Polish

Chelsea at Nailed Blog

ChiChi at I'm Just Me...ChiChi

Elizabeth at Did My Nails

Erin at Paint Those Piggies

Heather at Peace, Love, & Polish

Kelly at Tuxarina

Lakeisha at Refined and Polished

Maribeth at Obsessive Cosmetic Hoarders Unite

Marisa at Polish Obsession

Rachel at Top Coat It

Róisín at Cuti-CLUE-les

Stephanie at A Little Polish

Tiffany at Polished To Precision

Traci at DrinkCitra

Review: Lush Snowcake Soap

One of Lush's big Christmas bestsellers is Snowcake soap. After reading so many raves about it, I had to snag a slice to try for myself!

Snowcake's scent is a light blend of marzipan and rose. It's a lovely, feminine scent that is especially nice if you like something more on the subtle side. I personally prefer fragrances with a bit more "oomph" to them, so while this isn't one of my all-time favorite Lush aromas, I still like it!

But what really endeared me to Snowcake is its soft, creamy consistency and its rich lather. Lush's soaps generally fall into two categories: glycerine-based soaps that don't lather much but leave you feeling squeaky clean and softer soaps that produce more lather. Snowcake definitely falls into the latter group. It leaves my skin feeling clean, soft and smooth, making it an excellent winter soap--convenient considering that you can only buy Snowcake during the holiday season. So whether you're a curious newbie or a Snowcake fanatic stocking up for the months ahead, time is running out to pick this one up!

Have you tried Snowcake? What's your favorite Lush holiday scent?

Review: Lush Almond & Coconut Smoothie

Lush's shower smoothies are like a body wash and body lotion all in one. They not only cleanse your skin, but moisturize and tone it with blends of natural butters and essential oils. I'd been curious to try one for a while and the Almond & Coconut Smoothie sounded too yummy to pass up!

Before I get to anything else I have to talk about the smell...oh my God, the smell! It's like bathing in frosting, with a heavenly mix of vanilla and coconut, topped off with a hint of almond. The smell is sweet, but not overly so. I love "foodie" scents, so this is one of my favorite Lush aromas. I wish it lingered a bit longer after showering, just because I am so crazy about it!

In keeping with the scrumptious desserts the smell brings to mind, the texture feels almost like fresh whipped cream to me. It's very soft and rich, but doesn't leave behind a heavy or greasy residue. A little bit goes a pretty long way, so all you need is a tiny scoop. If you prefer something with a lot of lather, you're probably better off sticking with a shower gel, because the shower smoothies don't really create any bubbles--but they do make your skin feel smooth, hydrated and cleansed.

Although it's a shower smoothie, this also works fabulously in the tub, where all of those wonderful oils and butters can soak into your skin then seep into the hot water afterwards for some extra skin TLC. The salesgirl at Lush said she also uses the shower smoothies for shaving, so I have tried that a couple times and it makes for an amazing shaving cream! The consistency of the smoothies is thick enough to create a protective cushion but not so thick that it'll clog your razor.

Overall, I love the Almond & Coconut Smoothie! It cleans you and makes you smell like a batch of warm, gooey frosted cookies. Honestly, what more could you want?

Review: Lush Catastrophe Cosmetic Fresh Face Mask

Hope you all had a fun weekend! I have been nursing a bitch of a head cold today, so I'm about to curl up with some tea and Captain America comics before calling it a night. Good thing I have the day off tomorrow so I can hopefully catch some extra sleep.


Anywho, I'm gradually working my way through Lush's entire Fresh Face Mask line and sharing my impressions on each mask. So I'm excited to talk about one of my very favorites today: the blueberry bliss that is Catastrophe Cosmetic! All of the Fresh Face Masks are geared toward a specific set of concerns and Catastrophe Cosmetic is Lush's soothing, balancing mask for skin that's prone to irritation and blemishes.

Catastrophe Cosmetic contains calamine (soothing), talc (cleansing), Irish moss gel (softens skin) and, as you might have inferred from the picture, fresh blueberries (rich in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals). It's gentler mask but that doesn't mean it's not effective. I like to think of it as a chill pill for your skin. When you're struggling with chapped skin, redness or impending breakouts, Catastrophe Cosmetic helps soothe and restore you skin to a balanced state, without agitating it any further.

There's no burning or tingling sensation that you sometimes experience with other deep cleansing masks, so it's a nice mask for wintertime when I need to baby my combination skin to keep it from veering into dry, flaky territory but it's also very refreshing in warmer weather too. Once I remove the mask, my skin feels clean, soft and supple. If you've found other acne spot treatments or masks tend to dry your skin out, give this one a shot. It's not so harsh that it'll make your face feel tight but it's not so mild that it feels like it didn't do anything.

I love how Catastrophe Cosmetic soothes and clears my skin, plus the smell is absolutely amazing--assuming you enjoy blueberries, of course. It smells like real blueberries instead of some fake fruit scent like blueberry Runts. I always crave fruit after I use this, which I suppose isn't a bad thing.

If you're new to Lush face masks, Catastrophe Cosmetic is a fabulous mask to start with, because it's nice and mild, plus it has ingredients that will potentially benefit all skin types. Whether you're dry, oily or somewhere in between, this mask will sort your skin out and bring it right back where it needs to be!

A single pot costs $6.95 and you can get about six to eight masks per pot, depending on how thickly you apply them, so it really is a great value. The masks need to be refrigerated because they contain fresh ingredients with no preservatives, so the only place you can buy them is in-store. They have a shelf life of three weeks, but personally I just treat them like food: So long as you store them properly and check for changes in scent and consistency, you can get away with using them a bit longer than the official shelf life. Or, as my friend Ash has suggested, you can also try freezing them!

If you're curious to learn more about all of the different Fresh Face Masks, check out my other reviews too: Cupcake, Love Lettuce, BB Seaweed and Cosmetic Warrior.

Review: Lush Sea Vegetable Soap

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Sea Vegetable is one of my favorite Lush soaps ever! It's really more than just a soap though--you also get a gentle exfoliant too! One end of the soap is soft and creamy, while the other end has a crust of seaweed and sea salt. The sea salt brushes away dead skin and other nasties, while the seaweed softens and hydrates. I love the way the sea salt feels. It's not overly harsh or scratchy and it doesn't leave behind that tight, stripped feeling you get with some soaps. Sea Vegetable lathers well too.

The scent is a fresh blend of lime and lavender oils. (The lavender acts an antiseptic too!) The smell is simultaneously invigorating and soothing, just like the soap itself. I consider it a pretty gender-neutral scent, so this might make a good gift for guys, although my boyfriend thought it was a little too feminine for his tastes. (He likes minty stuff like Dirty and Ice Blue better.)

I've still got a big block of this but I plan on re-purchasing once I run out! This is one of Lush's permanent products, so thankfully it's available year-round.

Have you ever tried Sea Vegetable? If so, what'd you think?

Review: Lush Prince Shaving Cream

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I've been using Skintimate shave gel for years, but I always feel like I go through it really quickly, so I decided to try something new and check out Lush's Prince Shaving Cream. As you might have guessed by the name, Prince is intended for dudes, but that doesn't mean it won't work for us girls too!

Prince is filled with all kinds of softening and moisturizing ingredients to create a nice cushion for your blade and prevent razor burn and bumps. You've got cocoa butter, shea butter, rose water, flaxseed oil--all good stuff for a smooth, close shave. Prince also contains orange flower absolute and sweet orange oil, so it smells just like a fresh-picked orange. If you've ever used one of Lush's citrus-scented products in the past, then you know there's a huge difference between a product with artificial fruit fragrance in it and something that actually contains the real thing! It's a fresh, fruity scent, but not cloying or overly sweet--after all, this is a product for guys.

All of those wonderful butters and oils make for a shave that's as close as it is comfortable. My legs feel sooo smooth and soft after I use Prince! I can definitely feel and see a difference between this and regular shaving gel. The neat thing too is that once you're done shaving, you can rub any excess Prince into your legs to give them a nice mini conditioning treatment. I haven't had any issues with razor burn or bumps since I switched over to Prince. It is so rich that a little bit goes a long way. I've been using Prince for several months now and am only about halfway through my small container.

And that brings me to the one thing I don't 100% love about Prince: it clogs my razor. Prince's rich texture does an excellent job of banishing razor burn, but a couple times each shave, my razor gets gunked up and I have to blast it under the faucet or hit it against the side of the tub to clean out the blades. It's an annoyance, but I love the super smooth shave I get with Prince, so I put up with it. I used up my last can of regular shaving gel and I can't see myself going back! Prince is pricier than traditional shave gel but it also lasts me much, much longer and delivers a better shave, so I think it's worth the extra money!

Review: Lush Cinders Bath Bomb

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I normally don't review Lush's bath bombs. Don't get me wrong, I use them frequently, but when I do, I tend to just want to relax and think about absolutely nothing. It's refreshing, but probably wouldn't make for the most descriptive review. But my recent experience with the Cinders bath bomb was such a let-down that I felt compelled to share it.

In theory, Cinders sounds like a home run: a lightly fruity scent with a lingering hint of cinnamon spice, topped off with popping candies meant to mimic the crackle of a roaring fire. Based on the reviews I'd read, there seems to be some kind of quality control issue with Cinders. People either have a great experience or a total dud. But it sounded so ridiculously inviting and relaxing that I had to try it for myself! I had visions of a cozy bath, enveloped in a warm haze of seasonal spices and crackling ambience. But what I actually got was the most underwhelming experience I've ever had with a bath bomb.

When I took it out of the bag, I noticed my Cinders didn't have much of a scent to it. Where was the cinnamon?! Then when I dropped it in the tub, it fizzed for a few seconds, letting off a little puff of orange foam, then quickly sank to the bottom tub, where it gradually disintegrated without releasing any color or crackling sounds whatsoever. By the time the bomb had dissolved, my bath water still looked and smelled like ordinary bath water, albeit with a slight yellow-ish cast to it. 

Doesn't look super exciting, does it? While I originally had high hopes for Cinders, it turned out to be a huge disappointment. Part of me wants to try again to see if I get another dud, but then I'd rather spend the money on a bath bomb I know I'll love instead of potentially wasting it on Cinders again.

Have you ever tried Cinders? Was your experience anything like mine?

Review: Lush Blue FUN

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I'm betting most of us have fond childhood memories with Play-Doh, making everything with it from spaghetti to little animals. Don't lie, at least once in your life, you totally tried tasting some too! If you loved Play-Doh growing up, you'll want to check out Lush FUN. There are a bunch of different ways you can use it! Obviously, the first thing you'll probably want to do when you unwrap FUN is to start making some awesome creatures with it. Then once you've molded and modeled to your heart's content, you can take it with you in the shower and melt it into a foamy lather to use as shampoo or body wash or run it under the faucet to create a bubble bath!

FUN comes in a variety of colors, each with its own scent. Blue FUN is lavender and chamomile-scented, so it makes for a very relaxing bath. It lathers surprisingly well too and is super creamy as a body wash. I think the best part about FUN though is just how friggin' entertaining it is to mess around with! It's a shamelessly silly product that I think just about anyone would enjoy.

I had originally bought Blue FUN last Christmas with the intention of giving it away as a gift. My boyfriend had tagged along when I made the purchase and later on, when he saw FUN sitting on my gift-wrapping pile, he gave me a bit of a sad look: "Oh, you're giving that away? I thought it sounded pretty cool..."

Needless to say, no one received Blue FUN for Christmas that year. We had a blast with it, making our FUN action figures fight each other before meeting their tragic ends with death by bubble bath. (There are worse ways to go.) A single roll of FUN goes a long way, so you can have plenty of adventures before it's all used up!

Review: Lush Angel's Delight Soap

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A slice of Angel's Delight Soap was one of the very first Lush products I ever purchased. Seeing as Luch is bringing it back again this holiday season, I figured now was as good a time as any to do a quick review on this fabulously fruity soap!

Angel's Delight is not your typical winter scent. It's a sweet, "tutti frutti"-type aroma that's sure to help you shake off the winter blues. This soap contains tangerine and sweet orange oils, so the dominant notes are very citrus-y. It's a light, happy scent that doesn't linger long after you get out of the tub or shower.

Visually, the soap is equally appealing. There's lots of fun colors going on in this one. I've never gotten a piece that had part of the moon design on it, but I understand those pieces have a bit of a gold lustre to them too.

Lush generally seems to have two "types" of soap: those that have a rich, creamy lather and those that don't lather as much but make you feel squeaky clean. Angel's Delight falls into the latter category and leaves you feeling fresh and fruity!

If you like Lush's sweeter scents, definitely give Angel's Delight a sniff this holiday season! I still have a piece all sealed up from last year, in case they didn't bring it back this time around, so I'll be happy to grab another fresh slice!

Review: Lush Cosmetic Warrior Fresh Face Mask

Continuing with my series on Lush's Fresh Face Masks, today we'll be checking out Cosmetic Warrior! Cosmetic Warrior is Lush's mask for oily, acne-prone skin. Lush designed this mask to fight blemishes, without stripping or disrupting skin's natural balance. It contains kaolin (deep cleansing), fresh green grapes (cleansing and cooling), free range eggs (contains Vitamin A to regulate sebum production), garlic (antiseptic), cornstarch (absorbs oil) and tea tree oil (antiseptic).

 Please pardon the terribly awkward hand pose above. I have no idea why I was holding the container like that, but it makes my hand look deformed.

One thing that has to be said about Cosmetic Warrior is that it stinks--literally. If you have a sensitive sniffer, this may not be the mask for you. It contains garlic and you know how potent that stuff smells. It's not the worst thing I've ever smelt, but I certainly don't salivate over the aroma like I do with the Cupcake mask. Cosmetic Warrior doesn't smell as much once I've put it on (or maybe I've just gotten used to the scent at that point) but I try to hold my breath a bit while I'm applying it so that I don't catch a big ol' whiff of garlic.The smell also doesn't linger after you wash the mask off, which is appreciated!

Smelliness aside, this mask works. If you need a reset button for oil and acne, then this is it. It de-greases and de-gunks like a champ! I like to think of this as an acne intervention. When I can tell things are about to take a turn for the worst, I bring out the big guns and let Cosmetic Warrior show blemishes who's boss. It's excellent for calming my skin down and reducing zits, without making my face feel dry or tight afterwards. It really takes the initial inflammation out of breakouts and zaps problem areas back into shape.

If this mask had a more pleasant aroma to it, I might give it the edge over Cupcake as my favorite Fresh Face Mask so far, but seeing as Cupcake is a great de-greaser and deep cleanser that also happens to smell like ooey-gooey chocolate-y goodness, it's kept the top spot for me!

A single Fresh Face Mask pot costs $6.95 and you can get about six to eight masks per pot, depending on how thickly you apply them, so it really is a great value. The masks need to be refrigerated because they contain fresh ingredients with no preservatives, so the only place you can buy them is in-store. The masks have a shelf life of three weeks and normally, I just use them until they start to look or smell "off," but since this particular mask contains eggs, I wouldn't mess around with the expiration date. 

Review: Lush Grease Lightning

Lush's Herbalism cleanser continues to work wonders on my oily, acne-prone skin, so I decided to check out another one of their acne products: Grease Lightning. Grease Lightning is an acne spot treatment that contains seaweed gel (keep skin from drying out completely), aloe vera (soothing), seawater (antiseptic), grape juice (cooling and calming), herb infusions (antibacterial properties), witch hazel (astringent and anti-inflammatory) and tea tree oil (antiseptic).

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The product itself is a clear gel dispensed via a pump, to keep everything nice and sanitary. A single pump goes a long way, especially if you use toner on your skin beforehand. I've used Grease Lightning as a spot treatment and as a general preventative measure in areas where I am typically most prone to breakouts (chin and mouth area) and it works like a charm both ways! I use this product once a day--although sometimes twice a day if I'm fighting a particularly stubborn breakout--before bed, as the last step of my nightly skin routine.

I've used benzoyl peroxide spot treatments before and let me tell you, my skin does not like them. I get red, flaky and unbearably itchy around the entire area I used the spot treatment. The itchiness can last up to 24 hours after I first applied the spot treatment and it's one of the main reasons I moved away from benzoyl perozide-based products and opted to try out gentler, more natural alternatives. Grease Lightning doesn't cause any redness or irritation on my skin, which I love! I experience some dryness and tightness in the area where I dabbed some gel on (to be expected), but this is only temporary and does not leave behind any lasting dryness or flaking. Everything feels completely balanced and normal by the time I wake up in the morning. I appreciate that this product is tough on acne, but not on the rest of my skin!

I very rarely get big, cystic pimples (especially since I started using Herbalism), but when I do, Grease Lightning zaps them away quickly. A while ago, I woke up early one morning and could feel one of those swollen, under-skin bastards of a zit starting to emerge on my upper cheek. I dabbled on some Grease Lightning and, since I wasn't feeling well, went back to sleep for a few more hours. When I woke up, the zit already looked and felt a lot better. The zit never surfaced and was completely gone in a day or so! With smaller zits like whiteheads, which is what I struggle with the most, Grease Lightning gets rid of them very quickly--usually by the next morning if I put some on before bed.

If you haven't seen results with benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid spot treatments or if you're in need of a spot treatment that won't completely dry out your skin, you might want to give Grease Lightning a try! It's become one of the key products in my nightly routine and, along with Herbalism, has really helped keep my acne under control and my skin looking clear!