Lush UK: Votes For Animals campaign

In 1918 women were first granted the vote.  Although it wasn't an equal progression it was progress nonetheless.  For those who do not know, women campaigned peacefully and violently to be granted the vote and to be able to speak up for a better life.  Groups like NUWSS and the WSPU challenged their lack of voice for years and it is a huge mark on history.  It took 21 recorded years that we know of, of campaigning before change came.

Now 2015, anyone who has seen photos of people dressed like Suffragettes and wearing animal masks like something out of the 2011 You're Next horror movie, must be very intrigued.  Well it is all tied to, in aid and benefit of the "Votes for Animals" campaign.  

The Votes For Animals campaign wishes us to remember our little friends who cannot speak up for their rights for this General Election.  In the run up to elections people usually begin to investigate, little or large, on who should be voted into power.  Many of us will watch live debates - as I have done this past month - to see where certain parties loyalties lie and their proposed promises.  Such an example is free education in Scotland and who wants to continue this system or introduce a money making racket.  Votes for Animals aim for us as voters to determine which party is best for our animals.  To do this we must learn what our local candidates plans are for Animal Welfare and where each political party stands.  And trust me - each party's plans are different.

On the 24th of April I had a sit down with a lovely Lush employee in Lush Buchanan St where we chatted about the campaign and it's purpose.  She explained who we vote into power affects animals just as much as it affects us.  When we make our votes we will think about what we want from our government - minimum wage increase, tax reductions, policies and so forth.  But Lush's new campaign would like us to think of our friends who cannot speak for themselves and do not have a vote.  It's the old chestnut: animals cannot speak for themselves so we must give them a voice.  It's sad though, don't you think? That this has literally become an old chestnut.

We went on to discuss how Lush employees get campaign training to educate them on what the principles of the campaign are, and to further their understanding of charities.  It helps increase awareness from employee to customer. But I clocked something else from this discussion.  With campaign education or training, Lush are not only increasing awareness from employee to customer, but also general awareness overall.  This really impressed me and left me speechless since hypothetically, a Lush employee would go on training and reiterate it to customers in store.  But that is only one part of that individual's life.  They could be a student at college or university, they could be involved in a drama club/organisation or attend an art club where word of mouth turns up the volume.  The campaign training provides the information for employees to become advocates.  They are the water and sunshine that will encourage growth until seeds become plants.  This was proven when Lush marched with the Votes For Animals campaign on the 23rd of April, in a silent protest to the UK Parliament passing Downing Street from Lush Cosmetic's brand new Oxford Street store.  

Involved in the march was Dr Brian May who's organisation (Common Decency) supported Animal Aid, The League Against Cruel Sports, Save Me and Lush employee campaigners.  Wildlife expert Bill Oddie was also involved.  Each organisation rallied at the Lush's Oxford Street store before setting off in protest to the UK Parliament.

Behind #VotesForAnimals are three advocacy groups; 
The League Against Cruel Sports, Animal Aid and Common Decency.  They want us to remember animals from all walks of life - domesticated, wild, in laboratories - affected by the choices we make and who we vote into power.  Arguably the two biggest issues surrounding animals in government are the Hunting Act and the badger cull.  Although 80% of the British public support the Hunting Act (which makes dogs hunting animals illegal since 2004) some political party groups wish to repeal this legislation and legalize hunting once again.  Another divided political opinion is on the Badger Cull. The Badger Cull happens since in the 1970s badgers were identified to be an animal infected with Bovine Tuberculosis (bTB).  This is harmful to farmers, can be caught by human and the cause of thousands of slaughtered cattle.  bTB is a disease hard to eradicate which is why badgers are also being slaughtered.  Uninfected badgers can be vaccinated with the Badger BCG which protects them from bTB, theoretically making killing badgers a sport. Therefore it is a necessity we choose with caution who is voted into power.  

While it is pretty clear which political party has animals in mind, it is of course any person's right to vote who they want to vote and to keep their vote private.  This is what I like about Lush as when I asked which party should Lushies vote the question was deflected.  Instead it was suggested the information was readily available online if I wanted to know the answer.  This is what I'm going to suggest as well.  I would very much like to write which political party is best for animals and I would like to list the pros and cons of each party too - I have done my research.  However, I want to stress that each individuals vote is private and I am not a spokesperson for any political party either.  Nonetheless I am a supporter of Votes For Animals, Lush Cosmetics and I am a blogger. I will conclude this blog post strongly suggesting each person who reads this to do your own research and make your own conclusion.  Below I have listed all the websites you need to learn who is and isn't against improving animal welfare.  And I wish you and all the little furry creatures big and small, the best and most positive outcome with this General Election.

"The lives of domestic pets, farm animals, wildlife and the millions of animals in research laboratories are dictated by decisions made by government. The government that we choose for them!" - Lush Cosmetics UK 

Don't forget to pick up the exclusive charity aiding bath bomb 'May Day' available across UK Lush Stores throughout May and available online now - click here - all profits go to the charities Animal Aid, Save Me and The League Against Cruel Sport.
I'd also like to mention a big thank you to the Lush Buchanan ladies Lousie and Maddie for their time, kindness and patience in support of this blog post.  Thank you!

And thank you for reading!

Click here to go to Votes For Animals official website.
Click here to go to League Against Cruel Sports official website
Click here to go to Animal Aid official website
Click here to go to Common Decency official website

Click here to go to Wintercroft website (the company which makes the masks seen in the march and the badger one I wear above)




Photo credits of the march and forest campaign photos go to Lush Cosmetics Facebook.  They do not belong to me and I in no way take ownership of them.  They are used in evidence and support of this blog post. 

Lush Oxford St New and Exclusive Products: What we know of and Prices

So Lush Oxford St opened its doors today to all the Lushies out there desperate to get their hands on exclusive products and new ones too.  Sadly I'm not going to Oxford St but I do have my fingers crossed I'll be getting my hands on some goodies very shortly from the lovely gals in the Lush Community.  But whilst you and I wait, I thought I'd list all the products I've seen, heard or read of until I can actually get some of the products.  Here's what's up for grabs and what's hopefully coming to all stores sooner rather than later:

Bath Bombs:

Frozen bath bomb (£3.75)

Cyanide Pill bath bomb (£3.50)

Guardian of the Forest (£3.50)

The Experimenter bath bomb (£3.75)

Yoga Bomb bath bomb (£3.75)

Lava Lamp bath bomb (£3.35)

Intergalactic bath bomb (£3.50)

The Sacred Lotus Flower bath bomb (£3.50)

Golden Slumbers (£3.35)
Ylang Song (£3.35)

Bubble Bars:

Granny Takes a Dip bubble bar (£3.65)

Pink Flamingo bubble bar (£5.95)

The Windmill bubble bar (£5.95)

Milky Bottle bubble bar (£3.75)

Cherry Blossom bubble bar (£5.95)

Diviation 'Pendulum' bubble bar (£5.95)

Little Dragon bubble bar (£5.95)

Flowering Teabag "Bath Dunk" bubble bar (£5.95)

Supertramp bubble bar (£3.75)

Grass bubble bar (3.75)

Big Bang bubble bar

Luxury Bath Oils (all £2.00):

Razzle Razzle bath oil - pink coloured ball

Ginger bath oil - gold coloured ball

Orange Blossom bath oil - orange coloured ball

I Am A Radiant Being bath oil - pink/purple star 

Furze bath oil - looks like a Scottish thistle 

Flowers Barren bath oil - petal covered ball

Lime Pastille bath oil - light green coloured ball 

Shark Infested Custard bath oil - yellow coloured ball 

Sun bath oil - bronze coloured ball

Delight bath oil - silver coloured ball 

Monsieur Gustav bath oil - purple coloured ball 

Johnny Appleseed bath oil - Apple green ball

Happy Thoughts bath oil - red coloured ball

Oil on Troubled Waters bath oil - royal blue glitter coloured ball

Double Vitality - star

Soaps:

Bertie soap (starting at £3.70)

Zen soap (starting at £6.50)

Sticky Banana soap (starting at £3.10)

Respect Your Elders soap (starting at £3.40)

Out Back Mate soap (starting at £3.40)

Sea Salted Caramel soap (starting at £4.10)

Cream of Tomato soap (starting at £2.95)

Layer Cake soap (starting at £3.40)

Maypole soap (starting at £3.10)

Green Gold soap (starting at £3.50)

Devil's Night Cap soap (starting at £5.50)

Apandapand soap (starting at £3.70)

Milk Bottle soap (starting price at £2.95)

Lush Hippy cold pressed soap (£4.95)

Lush Mechanics cold pressed soap (£4.95)

Lush Gardeners cold pressed soap (£4.95)

Serendipity soap (starting at £3.40)

FUN (all are £5):

Sea monsters FUN

Mermaid FUN

Monsters and Aliens FUN

Purple FUN

Orange FUN

Speedboat FUN

Gold FUN

Shower Gels/Creams (all range between £4.75 - £27.50):

Yuzu and Cocoa shower cream

Lord of Misrule shower cream

Comforter shower cream

Beautiful shower gel

Wash That Man Right Out of My Hair shower gel

Don't Rain on My Parade shower gel

Shower Jelly (£3.50 100g / £6.95 250g)

Refresher shower jelly

93,000 Miles shower jelly
Needles and Pine shower jelly 

Shower Scrubs/Butters/Powders/Smoothies

Life's a Beach! shower scrub (£9.99)

Candy Floss showder (£9.95)

Lemon Serbet showder (£9.95)

Washchinno showder (£9.95)

Rub, Rub, Rub body scrub (solid version - £3.95)

Rough with the Smooth body butter (£4.95)

Enzymic shower smoothie (£5 per 100g)

Coconut Scrubby shower smoothie (£5 per 100g)

Berry shower smoothie (£8.50 per 100g)

Orange shower smoothie (£4.50 per 100g)

Blueberry Roulade shower smoothie

Cleansers:

Havana Sunrise cleanser (£12.95 per 300g)

Face Moisturisers:
Magical Moringa (£29.95 - but was £28.00 in the Lush Kitchen)

Fresh Face Masks:

Prince of Darkness (£6.50)

Rosy Cheeks (£6.50)

Don't Look at Me (£6.50)

Man in the Mushroom Mask (£6.50)

Cup o' Coffee (£12.00 for 250g)

Deodorant:

Sunflower solid deodorant (£4.95/100g)

Lip Balms:

Vegelene all purpose balm (£2.95)

Buttered Brazils lip balm (£6.75)

Passion Fruit lip balm (£6.75)

Rose Lollypop lip balm (£6.75)

Key Lime lip balm (£6.75)

Hot Hand Mask:

Golden Handshake (£2.95)

Hand Scrub:

Salted Coconut hand scrub (£7.95 small size / £13.95 large size)

Hand cream/treatments:

Love and Light hand cream (£7.95 small size / £13.95 large size)

Foot Lotion:

Softy foot lotion (£4.95 small size / £9.95 large size)

Go Faster Feet foot lotion (£6.95 small size / £13.95 large size)

Pink Peppermint foot lotion

Foot Soap:
Pumice Power foot soap (£3.10 per 100g)
Foot Soak foat soak (£3.95)

Tooth Products:

Tooth Fairy tooth powder (£4.95)

Atomic tooth powder

Ultrablast tooth powder

Oral Pleasure toothy tabs (£5.95)

Miles of Smiles toothy tabs  (£5.95)

Boom toothy tabs (£5.95)

Bling toothy tabs (£5.95)

Limelight toothy tabs (£5.95)

Body Spray:

Uptown Funk (small size £25 / large size £45)

Princess Cottongrass

Hot Oil Treatments(haircare):

Tangled (£6.50)

Damaged (£6.50)

Kinky (£6.50)

Shampoo: 

Odango solid shampoo (£7.95)

Waves solid shampoo (£6.50)

Hairy McClaggy (£6.95)

Avocado Co-Wash (shampoo + conditioner; £9.95)

Jersey Bounce shampoo (£6.50 small size / £12.95 large size)

Hair Conditioner:

Super Daddy-O solid hair conditioner (£5.95)

The Plumps hair conditioner (£5.95)

Hair Dressings:

Hair Custard hair dressing (£12.95)

Giants Gel hair dressing (£9.95 - £19.95)

Mr Dandy's Hair Candy hair dressing (£12.95 - £24.95)

Hair Product:

Sunny Day anti-static hair detangler (£9.95 small size / £19.95 large size)

Queen Bee hair wax (£9.95)

Jo Jo hair wax (£9.95)

Candles:

Inhale candle (£25.00)

Exhale candle (£25.00)

Voice of Reason candle (£30.00)

Vanilla Brûlée candle (£25.00)

!!!CANDLES HAVE BEEN TAKEN OFF SHELF FOR INVESTIGATION DUE TO CLAIMS THEY ARE FIRE HAZARDOUS!!!!

Make-up:

Bold solid lipstick (£13.50) - pink shade with reddish notes

Secure solid lipstick (£13.50) - a midnight blue and black shade

True solid lipstick (£13.50)

Just solid lipstick (£13.50) - blood red shade

Beautiful solid lipstick (£13.50)

Energy solid lipstick (£13.50) - creamy light pink shade like a rose

Soul solid lipstick (£13.50)

Amorous solid lipstick (£13.50)
Ambition solid lipstick (£13.50) - poppy red shade
Passionate solid lipstick (£13.50) - twilight bath bomb shade

Faithful solid lipstick (£13.50)
Tenacious solid lipstick (£13.50) - hot pink shade
Tenacity solid lipstick (£13.50) - fuchsia (pink purple) shade
Witty solid lipstick (£13.50) - lilac shade
Elegance solid lipstick (£13.50) - milk coffee shade
Stand Out solid lipstick (£13.50) - mauve shade
Decisive solid lipstick (£13.50) - bright red shade

Joy solid lipstick (£13.50) - coral shade 

Lovely blusher powder 

Elated blusher powder

Refresh bronzer
Dark Brown colour supplement
Light Brown colour supplement

Moisturising Bar:

Elbow Grease moisture bar (brightens tattoos) (£5.95)

Dusting Powder:

Gymslip dusting powder (£6.95)

Princess dusting powder (£9.95)

Get Closer dusting powder (£6.95)

Lush Oxford Street Canvas Bag: £8.95

Please note there are other new products that I do not know of - I will be updating this post regularly when I find out about new products and can confirm prices to products that don't have a price label next to them.

Honey Bee bath bomb review: "you got a sweet tooth?"

Honey Bee (£3.35) is a lovely yellow coloured bath bomb with brown waves/circles through it's design.  One of Lush's sweeter bath bombs due to its yummy honey fragrance.  And since it contains honey, this makes it a vegetarian bath bomb - not vegan.

Honey Bee gives a pleasant bath experience fizzing away and turning your bath water yellow.  In between popping this into your bath and it disappearing, the bath bomb contains little chunks of honey and rhassoul mud which come away like seaweed from Big Blue.  Other than this, there isn't anything overly exciting with Honey Bee.  It has no rainbow magic (colour changes) and with a lack of Cream of Tartar the bath bomb fizzes quite quickly like Avobath.  It smells so sweet and very much like the rest of Lush's honey products.  It isn't as strong as the soap, shower gel or shampoo bar, but it is a part of that scent group.  Honeylicious.  This is for anyone who has a sweet tooth and cannot get enough of honey love.  So, you got a sweet tooth? 

The benefit of Honey Bee comes from the Aloe Vera Gel and Honey within.   Honey is both moisturising and antiseptic.  It also contains antibacterial, antioxidant and anti-fungal properties and has the ability to attract and retain moisture.  And if this didn't make Honey Bee good enough for skin, the addition of Aloe Vera Gel and Aloe Vera Extract make it a delight.  Aloe soothes itching and is good in calming sunburn or redness caused by the cold.  It softens the skin and helps to protect it.

I tend to buy this time to time rather than religiously like Avobath.  Personally, I don't find it as good as Avobath in how well it conditions the skin and I much prefer the smell of Avobath too.  I'm a massive fan of the Honey product line with Lush but the bath bomb isn't the greatest one on offer, in my opinion.  I use this on an odd Sunday afternoon every month or so.  I find it gives a relaxing bath and leaves you with soft skin rather than moisturised skin.  I do recommend Honey Bee to anyone who hasn't tried it to form your own opinion but anyone who doesn't like the Honey line (Honey I Washed my Hair, It's Raining Men...)  I think it would be best to venture other bath bombs.  And if you're a fan of the Honey line up then give this little honey a pop.  Everyone has their favourite bath bomb and this may be yours! 

Thanks for reading!

Instagram: @lushvoyage
Facebook: LushVoyage


Ingredients:

Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Rhassoul Mud,  Perfume, Honey, Aloe Vera Extract, Fair Trade Organic Aloe Vera Gel, Sweet Wild Orange Oil, Bergamot Oil, Gardenia Extract, Lilial
Citronellol,*Limonene

Lush New Zealand: Stop Seabed Mining with Lush

Stop Seabed Mining with Lush is a campaign in support of protecting New Zealand's natural coastlines.  These natural coastlines are in danger from seabed mining since as much as a third of future mineral production could come from beneath the oceans, and mining here has put it's marine life in danger.  The Seabed Mining experimental industry collects sand primarily for construction and also for the replenishment of urban/popular beaches.

Seabed Mining is a problem since the sea floor is the home to loads of ocean creatures such as mussels, worms and many others.  These creatures are part of an ecosystem and support a food chain that leads all the way up to sharks and dolphins.  Anyone who knows me and has read some of my other posts know by now I'm a massive shark lover.  This, therefore, is very serious to me.  It not only affects the sea creatures that live where the mining occurs, it also affects distant habitats due to the plume created when mining.  Each time seabed mining takes place all the creatures that live there die.  This turns the seabed into a dead-zone.

The coastline is also facing coastal erosion from mining.  Coastal erosion happens because of the removal of large amounts of sand.  In past mining cases, coastal erosion was predicted, but the outcome of erosion was much higher than predicated.  Therefore the science behind seabed mining isn't as "carried out" as it should be.  Coastal Erosion is a battle on it's own never mind it being increased by seabed mining.  Coastal Erosion is responsible for the destruction of sand dunes, beaches and coastal rock (stacks, stumps, cliffs).  So it's really important awareness of Seabed Mining's impacts come to public's knowledge to be a part of something greater than what it may seem at first glance.  This is clearly important and I'm really pleased Lush are supporting such an incredible campaign.

Plus, if you're a surfer you'll want to support this.  No sand means less waves or no waves at all! Waves won't be able to take the distinctive shape they do, what all you lovely surfers enjoy to ride.  Time to find a new hobby, I guess.  Skateboarding is just like surfing, right?

From April 8th to April 15th Lush New Zealand have ran a campaign to help stop Seabed Mining.  Lush has teamed up with the organisation Kiwis Against Seabed Mining (KASM) to bring awareness to it's impacts and to help raise funds for KASM's campaign.  The aim of the campaign is to put pressure on legislators to implement a moratorium (a temporary halt of action) until a thorough scientific investigation has been carried out on the impacts and implications seabed mining could cause.

Gathering awareness and support for campaigns such as Stopping Seabed Mining is vital in achieving a victory. Below is a direct quote from Phil McCabe, the founder of KASM.

"New Zealand is an Island Nation full of Coastal People. We love our marine environment and will not allow it to be damaged by an unproven industry called Seabed Mining. Our government has underestimated the destructive nature of seabed mining as well as the commitment of New Zealanders to protect our oceans for future generations. We’re stoked to have LUSH standing beside us as we call on our government to place a moratorium on seabed mining."

Lush created a body scrub called "Life's a Beach" to raise the funds to go toward KASM's campaign.  It's a one week exclusive product available both online and in store and has been a complete success.  Unfortunately, Lush New Zealand don't ship internationally like Lush Australia so Lush Australia's campaign was the only option of purchase before it went out of stock.  Thankfully, I was able to pick up a couple of pots (happy dance!)

The problem overall is a lack of oceanic knowledge and understanding.  People don't know and don't realise the damage humans are inflicting on the ocean and sadly, seabed mining is only one problem on a list.  I myself didn't comprehend the massive impacts seabed mining would have so I am very thankful for Lush to join in on this campaign.  Not only has it brought awareness to me, sharing it now here, it's given me another campaign and organisation to support, not only for the better good but for my sharks too.   We need to stop taking beautiful and natural resources for granted before the damage is irreversible and all that's left in it's wake is regret.  I was out with my driving instructor last week and we discussed the ocean and what she said (in my opinion) is a perfect fit to the ignorance of these actions.  

'If I can't see the sea bottom then I'm outta there! Noooo way, I don't like it.'

Just because we can't see it doesn't mean it isn't there.  Just because it isn't our day-to-day habitat doesn't make it any less important.  And just because the damage inflicted each day is gradually unseen, it doesn't mean the damage will be unseen in years to come.  It doesn't mean the damage isn't happening right now.  Seabed Mining has to stop now! And hopefully, with growing awareness, it will soon.


Click here to go to Kiwis Against Seabed Mining's official website to learn more and to see what else you can do!


Thanks for reading!

Instagram: @lushvoyage

Lush Australia: Grave Barrier Reef Campaign

The Grave Barrier Reef is a campaign in support of protecting Australia's Great Barrier Reef - the largest collection of corals off the coast of Queensland, Australia.

Over the years the Great Barrier Reef has declined in liveliness and will continue to do so.  The Reef once thrived back in 1980 and now in 2015 it's a shell of what it once was.  Did you get my pun?  Yeah, I know this is a serious post and what not but there are many different headsets this needs to get through to.  Despite the Reef's decline, it is in a much better standard than what it is going to be by 2050.  By 2050 it truly will be a shell of what it once was.

The causes for the Barrier Reef's destruction range from climate change to industrialisation for coal and gas along the coastline.  There are too many threats to the Barrier Reef and this is why action must be taken.  Further damage to the Barrier Reef will have a powerful and negative effect on ecosystems and marine creatures such as humpback whales and green sea turtles.  Oh! Clownfish also live here.  That's right, if you don't help little Nemo and Marlin, they won't be able to tell Clownfish jokes.  And Finding Dory may not happen (dun-dun-dunnnn).

From April 8th to April 15th Lush Australia have ran a campaign to help the cause of protecting Australia's Great Barrier Reef.  Lush teamed up with 1 Million Women (Environmentalist Organisation) to raise funds and collect signatures to help.  The signatures collected will go toward the World Heritage Committee urging it to recognise the Great Barrier Reef's endangerment and the funds will go toward 1 Million Women.  The entire aim of the campaign is to successfully declare the Great Barrier Reef in danger and to bring awareness to it's frightening decline.  

Lush created a body scrub called "Life's a Beach" to raise the funds to go toward 1 Million Women's campaign.  It's a one week exclusive product available both online and in store and has been a complete success.  Australia's website has had to restock multiple times before it went out of stock - thankfully I picked up some pots before this happened.

Although a new product by Lush was a very exciting prospect for many of us Lushies - it is the reason of why this product came about that is most important.  I'm very passionate about the ocean and although I am in awe of all the contributions Lush pay toward selected charities, I do wish more of those charities were ocean and marine life focused.  This is why the 'Grave Barrier Reef' campaign meant a lot to me, why I took action and bought pots and why I'm writing about it here.  I want people to learn and to join the fight to help the ocean's current threats.  And I'm delighted Lush took it upon themselves to create a product that without a doubt received mass attention.  And fingers crossed, it will help declare the Great Barrier Reef "World Heritage in Danger" and give it a fighting chance.


Click here to read about Lush New Zealand's campaign to Stop Seabed Mining. 


Thanks for reading!

Instagram: @lushvoyage

Sympathy for the Skin review: "Thirst be gone!"

Sympathy for the Skin (£11.75/240g) was the first lotion I ever tried from Lush and undoubtedly my favourite for how good it is. Definitely a lotion tipped for greatness when the label Lush produce informs us that this lotion is very popular so much so they've never been able to discontinue it.

I'll give you a little bit of my background story here.  I came across Sympathy for the Skin when I went into my local Lush crying because of how bad my eczema was.  The hour before that I'd been doing gardening with my mum - I didn't think about how it was going to affect me.  My eczema was in the inside of my arms and it was raw to the point I couldn't bend my arms.  I'd been getting into Lush at this point and talked and talked and talked about it to anyone who would listen (still do in fact, hehe!)  So when my mum suggested we try out Lush I jumped for it, even if it were just a trip to smell the stuff. 

There I was taken under the wings of two lovely Lush women who advised me to try out Dream Cream.  However, due to its ingredients, it only aggravated my skin and inflamed it more.  Sympathy for the Skin was then slapped onto my arms generously and instantly peace was restored.  I felt a coolness spread across my arms and a strong soothing sensation.  It felt lovely to feel such a sensation.  And within 5 days of applying this cream, my skin cleared completely.  My eczema and other skin issues were really severe where I had to wear oat patches everyday to prevent infection and to try and let things heal.  My skin had suffered for 15 years, but had been a true mess for 11 years and not once in that long, long time did it clear once.  Not with steroid creams, moisturisers, emollients, shower treatments, oat patches, light treatment and so on.  I went through the process of dermatologists and their treatments for 11 years entirely unsuccessful.  And in 7 days Lush's Sympathy for the Skin cleared my skin entirely.

The ingredients speak volumes for how good this is for your skin.  It's like how good smoothies are for your insides... But a lotion for your outside.   The main ingredient in this is fresh bananas which are very, very good for your skin because of how nourishing they are.  Bananas are full of vitamins and minerals and when used for the skin they are a great moisturiser and emollient.  Anyone who has skin that is parched and thirsty smack this baby on it.  Thirst be gone!  It will feed life into your skin once more and bring health to it.  It also contains lemon oil which will not only be refreshing and cooling for the skin, but the oil is believed to stimulate white blood cells that defend our body against infection.

Sympathy for the Skin is probably Lush's most water-thin lotion available all year round.  This is compared to Dream Cream (both types), New Charity Pot, Vanilla Dee-Lite, Karma Kream and Forumlae Known As.  It's almost like a milk consistency - not as thin as milk but it certainly looks as though it is.  When spread across the skin it disappears so quickly and sinks into the skin.  Yes, there is a creamy oily greasy look across the skin but the majority of the lotion does sink into the skin.  It feels so rich and light, not heavy and thick at all where the lotion sits on the skin.  It's perfect in that regard, light enough to give comfort and save time whilst it works wonders.

Word of warning though, if you knock the pot over, the lotion will start running very quickly.  You'd maybe have a couple of safe seconds with other lotions but you'd need to act fast with Sympathy.  It's runny!

The smell of this lotion is a blend of bananas, cocoa butter and vanilla.  It has such a tempting fragrance since it smells delicious.  I'd actually believe this was edible if it wasn't a lotion - it smells that good! You can definitely smell the vanilla which provides the sweetness but I'd argue the bananas provide a rich base smell for the vanilla to blend to.  It smells yummy! Kind of mirrors the smell of vanilla ice cream but it isn't strong either.  You need to stick your nose into the pot to smell this.

I recommend Sympathy for the Skin for anyone who has eczema or psoriasis despite Dream Cream being the number one recommendation by Lush.  My recommendation is purely from my experience and how well it has fared me and how well I do believe it will fair others.  Dream Cream contains both Lavender oil and Tea Tree oil which if your skin is open and flared, it could possibly sting and burn your skin aggravating it further.  It simply depends on how sensitive your skin is.  When my skin was open and oil kept oozing out my sores, Dream Cream did nothing but make this more painful than what it already was when I walked into the store.  As soon as Sympathy was on my arm - no burning, no stinging, no itching - it was one the most apprehensive and frightening moments of my life.  I was waiting for the pain to come like all the other stuff I had been given before.  And it never came.  My arm actually felt soothed and cooled by Sympathy for the Skin.  I'd recommend if you can, go into your local Lush and test both out aka 'patch test' them because it stopped me from making a mistake.  I would have ordered Dream Cream online for sure if I didn't feel so comfortable with my local Lush.  So I need to thank them here for being the loveliest, greatest and most friendly people I've ever came across.

Sympathy for the Skin smells amazing, feels amazing and works better than any other Lush cream.  All Lush lotions work differently and smell different but this lotion has so much love from me.  It is a skin saver with no doubt about it.  Whenever my eczema flares up I slap Sympathy on it and 12 hours later its minimized it greatly and by 4 days its calmed it and cleared it.  I get great results with this lotion and I hope it gives other people the relief and life line it gives me.  It has a sweet, comforting and yummy fragrance that makes the product all the better.  It feels great on the skin and nourishes it beyond nourishment.  The Almond oil is a great addition to the lotion with its hydrating qualities.  All of this, makes it my favourite Lush lotion and if you try it out, especially if you suffer eczema, you'll soon know why yourself.

Thanks for reading!

Instagram: @lushvoyage
Facebook: LushVoyage


Ingredients:

Fresh Organic Fair Trade Banana, Fair Trade Vanilla Pod Infusion, Almond Oil, Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter, Stearic Acid, Glycerine, Triethanolamine, Sandalwood Oil, Lemon Oil, Labdanum Resinoid, Cetearyl Alcohol *Limonene, Perfume, Methylparaben, Propylparaben

Tea Tree Toner Tab review: "This is a skin treat"

Tea Tree toner tabs (£1.00) have always been overlooked by me.  I was given a facial cleanser machine (a steamer) in my early teens and absolutely hated it.  I couldn't handle the heat of the steamer and I actually felt it burnt my face.  Given how bad my cystic acne has acted up as of late, I decided to pick up two of the Tea Tree toner tabs to give them a go.  And I've tried them out.

Very much like a bath bomb, these little things fizz and cackle away when you pop them into a warm bowl of water.  The pictures demonstrate what they look like when fizzing.  Immediately the smell of these little guys is unleashed which I found rather surprising.  In it's solid form I barely smell any fragrance but as it fizzes away it comes all at once.  I'd say Tea Tree toner tabs smell really medicinal and that is all I can really say to round it up.  It has a really antibacterial medical smell... Love it or hate it, which I'm indifferent too.

Lush recommend you drop this into a bowl of steaming water and cover your head with a towel to get a really good cleanse.  I did this and as a first timer I found this really, really difficult.  To begin with I felt like I had no air and that someone was physically choking me and I actually thought I'd have to back out and waste it.  

Thankfully, I adjusted and could breath through the steam and could bare the heat too.  I did this for around ten minutes wishing for the time to go much faster than what it did.

When I finished up I felt relaxed and ready for bed.  My whole body just relaxed the way it does using bath bombs which I didn't expect.  And when I got up the next day I noticed my cysts had reduced in size.  I was really surprised by this, which shows me what faith I had in this toner tab.  I didn't expect it to do anything but it has.  Now I'm being cheeky and wishing it had got rid of the cysts entirely... Give a step and they take a mile as the saying goes.

The three big acting ingredients in this toner tab are Tea Tree oil, Organic Aloe Vera powder and Chlorophyllin.  Aloe Vera is known to soothe the skin and cool it down which is very beneficial for people with sunburn or redness from the cold.  And here's a cool fact: Chlorophyllin has a distinct quality of making Lush products green! I think the only two products that aren't green with this ingredient in it is their Handy Gurugu hand cream and The Greeench deodorant, and even then they are a dull white.  Chlorophyllin helps balance the skin by working with other ingredients to balance out skin's sebum.  It's also believed to soothe and protect the skin with healing properties.  And Tea Tree oil has many benefits.  It is antibacterial, antiseptic, antifungal and is very useful to help clear the skin and make it blemish-free.

All in all I was really shocked at how much I really liked using this product and also how effective it is.  I'm rather bummed I haven't tried it sooner.  This really relaxed me and soothed my mind and quite literally put me to bed with how relaxed I was.  My skin felt super soft after using it and the next day I felt a total change in the condition of my skin.  Not only did it minimize the size of my spots but I felt when I did my morning routine (ocean salt, tea toner water and vanishing cream) it felt much richer and my skin responded to it better than what it has the past three weeks.  Particularly my moisturiser - I haven't been enjoying Vanishing Cream as much I thought I would, but it actually felt like my skin soaked it up this morning.  I can't take this as a coincidence considering I've been using it for almost a month.  The toner tab definitely has done something to skin.  I think what amazes me is how powerful this little product is and believe me, it's powerful.  I recommend Tea Tree toner tab to anyone who has problem, oily and spotty skin.  This is a skin treat and I hope very much it's as effective for others as it was for me.  I've already ordered more with my latest Lush Kitchen order.  Just remember though - this made me very tired so I'd recommend doing it when you know you're home for the night!

Next time when I use this I'm going to pair it up Cupcake face mask.  I'll do the toner tab cleanse first and then do my face mask to give my face a full treatment - you can do this! Lush actually recommend it too.  I'll be adding this to my face care regime every two days or so, perhaps whenever I use my face mask.  I just need to get myself to my lush store to get a bucket full of them!

Toner Tab Steps:

• I gave my face a clean with a hot cloth so the toner tab would directly treat my pores - you'd obviously do this if you had make-up on too.
• I used boiling water from a kettle.  I boiled the water and poured it out about five minutes later.  I wanted to give the water time for the burning heat to calm down. Remember steam can be dangerous! 
• I popped the toner tab into my bowl of water and hoovered over the bowl with a towel covering both the bowl and my head - I did this for ten minutes.
• Then I was done and poured it away.  BUT you can keep the toner tab water for up to a week for a refreshing spritz/cleanses - you must keep it in your fridge.

Thanks for reading!

Instagram: @lushvoyage
Facebook: LushVoyage

Bath Cocktails

"Eden of Cherry Violet"

Violet Nights bath oil

The Comforter bubble bar

Happy Blooming bath melt

"The Peaceful Deep"

Big Blue bath bomb

Mother Superior bubble bar

Dreamtime bath melt

"Blue Sedation"
Ickle Baby Bot bath bomb

Ceridwen's Cauldron bath melt

"Queen B"
Butterball bath bomb

Yuzu and Cocoa bubbleroon

"Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride"
Avobath bath bomb
Miranda soap
Yuzu and Cocoa bubbleroon
(Curly Wurly hair shampoo - optional)
(Jungle hair conditioner - optional)
*highly recommend listening to Lilo & Stitch's "Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride 

African Paradise body conditioner review: "Tropical Hydration"

African Paradise (19.95/225g) is the one of two body conditioners available by Lush all year round.  It was released in the summer of 2014 and what an addition it is to the product line up.  The pot label reads: "full of softening and scented ingredients from Africa" which is true.  The Moringa oil in this is sourced from Ghana.  

The smell of African Paradise is really unique and if I remember correctly, was the first product released by Lush that has this fragrance.  African Paradise has a really floral and spicy aroma which blend together to make a really rich shower product.  It's meant to duplicate the smell of Africa - Africa's calling! - and given that I've never been to Africa, I cant quite verify that.  But I can verify that it's like nothing you've ever smelt by Lush before.  

African Paradise has the same fragrance as the New Charity Pot and Lush's Valentine's Collection 2015 Heart Throb bubbleroon.  I don't think there is anything else... But comment below if you can think of anything! These three products together make a spicy floral overload! But without the bubbleroon and lotion, the smell of African Paradise body conditioner lingers on the skin for hours on end which personally, I adore.  I just wish Lush had a matching shower gel to go with this since whenever I use this, it covers up the fragrance of any shower gel I've used before it.  That is why, when I find the time and know I'm not going to create a global disaster, I'm going to convert Heart Throb bubbleroon into a shower gel.  Yep.   

The benefit of African Paradise is to condition your skin in the shower.  This can be really crucial, whether it's because you're pressed for time or because your skin needs deep hydration.  Containing Almond oil and both Cocoa and Shea butter to condition the skin makes this a very rich product indeed.  There's also Aloe Gel which will sooth and cool the skin which would be excellent for anyone with sunburn or redness from the cold - making it essential in both summer and winter!  Aloe Gel is known for it's healing properties so it will also soften the skin and protect it from (further) damage.   Hidden in African Paradise is the little gem of Mango juice which makes this even more brilliant.  Mangoes are packed with vitamins making it highly nutritious, and full of enzymes which will remove dirt whilst it clarifies and improves the condition of skin.  Can you get anything better?  There are uplifting citrus oils and the addition of sweet vanilla absolute packed in this conditioner but the love this product will give your skin is what makes it special.  What makes body conditioners special.  As I've wrote before, I love my body conditioners and treasure them greatly, using them near enough every time I shower.  African Paradise is a welcomed and fabulous addition to Lush's products.

African Paradise is a really moisturising product and is really good for your skin.  Just slap it all over your body and see the magic happen.  But here's how it goes if you're still unsure... This has a really creamy consistency but it becomes almost water thin in the shower because the butters melt in contact with your skin.  So a little goes a long way!  But it moisturises your skin the way moisturisers do and you can feel the oils all over your body.  This product doesn't lather like buttercreams or shower smoothies, it just spreads across the skin like moisturisers do - which it is meant to do!  Since I don't wash them off because I really want nourishment for my skin, when I get out of the shower I can still rub the oils across my body! My skin is always completely moisturised from head to toe using this, and is left soft and smooth when my skin soaks it all up.

I want to write about something I've experienced with African Paradise here.  It's not necessarily a bad thing but I want to mention it.  I've noticed African Paradise changes colour after a couple of months.  Below are before and after pictures of African Paradise.  The photo on the left is when I just bought the body conditioner and the photo on the right is now, this weekend.  This is about an eight month span.  I bought two pots of this back in August and finished the first pot about a month and a half ago, heading to two months. 

 I've just been so obsessed with Yummy Mummy! I pulled this into the shower this morning and saw the change.  I didn't find anything wrong with the product at all.  It was normal.  The smell is the same, the feel of it on the skin is the same - all that is different is it doesn't have such a runny consistency as it did before.

So, what's the lesson here? Buy as you need.  I didn't need two pots at once but I bought two since they were new products.  Albeit I've found nothing wrong with the product, I'd still rather it fresh and runny the way it once was.  So there's a little advice for you and also for myself!  But if you find yourself in this position - just get something to mix it up and it should be good as new.  I used the base of a fork.  

I really love Lush's body conditioners since they save people time.  The purpose of conditioners is to hydrate the skin in the shower like a hair conditioner.  And trust me when I say, this hydrates your skin! With Aloe Gel this body conditioner is perfect for summer and winter and is definitely going to be a necessity for my shower bag during summer.  I'm a shower bug during summer... The time where baths go on a hiatus and showers are religious, and African Paradise will be there with me.  I recommend this for anyone who loves spicy scents and skin that needs good TLC.  Because what I love about conditioners is when you suffer eczema like I do, this really helps calm inflamed skin in the shower.  Although when it is really flared up I like to use King of Skin in combination with Sympathy for the Skin.  However, African Paradise really helps combat against skin getting irritated by sweating during the hot months.   

So, African Paradise is indeed a tropical hydration with softening and scented ingredients that lets us all believe we are in Africa for two minutes of our day.

Let me know if you if you've decided to try out African Paradise or have your own thoughts on the product.  Or perhaps you like the idea of conditioners but fancy a citrus one like Brightside bubble bar (raises hand), comment below! 

Thanks for reading!

Instagram: @lushvoyage

Facebook: LushVoyage

Lush Kitchen Easter Haul

It's Easterrrrr! Happy Easter peeps! And I got some of the Easter goodies the Lush Kitchen offered this year.  

What was on offer:

• Ma Bar bubble bar
• Hippy Chick bath bomb
• Egg Hunt soap
• Bunny bubble bar
• Choccy Egg bath bomb
• Harvey bath bomb

I got 2 Choccy Egg, 2 Harvey and  2 Egg Hunt.  See below!  I also threw in a surprise knot-wrap, Carrot soap and a Lush bag! 

Carrot Soap

Gorgeous design and gorgeous fragrance - need I say more? I couldn't pass on getting this little honey as it smells like a dream come true.  So uplifting and comforting, and my favourite soap by Lush.  It just has such a fresh smell and is beautiful.  The buchu oil makes this product so fabulous!

Egg Hunt soap

I recently missed out on Mumkin bubble bar in the Lush Kitchen.  So when I learned Egg Hunt supposedly smells exactly like Mumkin, I jumped for two of them.  Smells really fruity and deep.  If I'm honest though, I'm slightly disappointed in the fragrance of this product - just isn't what I imagined.  I don't find it identical to Mumkin either.  But just because I don't find it as sweet doesn't mean I don't like it! It's a lovely soap and I can't wait to start using it.

Harvey bath bomb

Oh my toddy.  I bought this bomb on a whim because of it's design, I mean look at how adorable it is (below).  It's on my header banner too, up above! This smells incredible though.  Spearmint, Patchouli and Orange oil are what bursts through this gorgeous bomb the most.  I literally swoon when I smell this because it's so relaxing and sensual.  If you missed this and get the chance to get one - GET ONE.  Fingers crossed the Kitchen make this again soon or next Easter.  Or maybe even reformulated into another look entirely, you know, so it can be released again.

Choccy Egg bath bomb

Choccy Egg has got such a delicious smell I genuinely believe I'm in Easter heaven.  The chocolate and vanilla aromas coming together make this such a sweet treat that if edible would surely give you tooth ache.  I didn't think I'd love this as much as I do - kind of like Harvey in that regard.  I can't pick a favourite between the two since they're just so different! But I really do love how yummy this smells... I've wrapped my knot wrap around these two bombs hoping to make the wrap smell like them.

And here's an up close and unwrapped look at the goodies!  Harvey is such a cutie, don't you think? Let me know if you got any of the kitchen Easter goodies last week.  Or maybe even some of Lush's Easter Collection - Immaculate Eggception? Carrot Soap? Or Golden Egg 

Happy Easter folks! Let's get bathing! 

Instagram: @lushvoyage
Facebook: LushVoyage

Thanks for reading!