Dark Angels Facial Cleanser

I'm going to start this review with a disclaimer as I feel it necessary to warn people before they read this; As I have said time and time again, in one way or another, this blog is solely about my experiences and my opinions on Lush products. 

When it comes to each and every product available, there is not a definitive type of person it is aimed at. And as I'm buying and testing every vegan product on their site, there is bound to be some items that just don't work for me, whereas these same products may perform miracles for other customers. Please don't let anything I say on here put you off trying it out for yourself.

When I purchased a tub of Dark Angels, I already had my suspicions that this might not be the facial cleanser for me. After all, it's aimed at people with greasy complexions and my face is at the opposite end of the spectrum.  

Dark Angels is one of their 'solid' cleansers, and while not exactly as solid as the soaps, it is a flaky consistency that is closer to being a solid as opposed to a liquid. One positive aspect of this is that this, along with all of Lush's facial cleansers, are made with far fewer preservatives than liquid cleansers. Win!

So far I've tried Herbalism, Angels of Bare Skin, Let the Good Times Roll and Buche De Noel and really liked them, and aside from the former, they cleanse and care for my skin really effectively.

Dark Angels was invented as an alternative to the bestselling Angels on Bare Skin for those with oilier skins. And much like every other Lush product available, it has been designed so that every ingredient plays a part in caring for your skin. 

The main ingredient is Rhassoul mud which is known to be good for the skin, helping to condition the pores and reduce oiliness. The next ingredient, and perhaps the most prominent one, is charcoal, which has been added due to it's absorbency. Black sugar acts as a natural exfoliant, helping to remove dead skin cells, and perhaps adds a sweetness which takes away from the harshness of the charcoal scent.

To counteract the possible harsh exfoliating and oil-absorbing effects of these ingredients, the cleanser contains avocado oil and vegetable glycerine which help to soften and moisturise the skin. It also contains sandalwood and rosewood oils, which contribute to the fragrance and are cooling and antiseptic. 

Like with other Lush cleansers, you're supposed to take a small pinch, mix it with a little water and rub it on your face. As Dark Angels is rather gritty, I wouldn't recommend rubbing it too harshly as I can imagine it might cause damage to your skin. 

It is a little messy as well; I suggest doing it over a sink or as part of your usual  shower as it's almost impossible not to drop at least some of it on the floor. Given that it's black, it can make quite a mess and may even stain light-coloured carpets/bath mats etc...

The problem I have with this cleaner, is that it actually made my skin feel really greasy once it was on, and even more so when I had rinsed it off under the shower. For a cleanser that's supposed to banish greasy, oily skin, I fail to see how this would do anything other than the opposite. However, I do recognise that this cleanser is most likely not working because my skin is the completely wrong type.

As it is a gritty consistency, much like Let the Good Times Roll, I can imagine using it daily might cause some form or irritation or skin damage, although I have no proof of this.  

For £6.25, Dark Angels is no dearer than any other Lush cleanser available. However, unlike most of the other cleansers, I think this one is solely aimed at those with greasy skin, and doesn't work as effectively on other skin types. 

I am really interested to hear about other people's experiences with Dark Angels. If you've used it yourself, please let me know how it worked on your skin. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Rhassoul Mud, Organic Cold Pressed Avocado Oil, Glycerine, Powdered Charcoal, Black Sugar, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Perfume, *Linalool, Sandalwood Oil, Rosewood Oil.

Vegan?: Yes

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Pumkin Bubble Bar

For those of you who are aware of what Lush have released this year as part of their seasonal range, you may feel as if you're seeing double when you cast your eyes upon the Pumkin bubble bar. Although extremely cute, I was a little miffed to find that Lush had chosen to feature a reincarnation of a product that had only made it's debut earlier in the year as part of their Mother's Day collection.

The Pumpkin, originally presented in red and called Mumkin, is a raspberry scented bubble bar with a liquorice top and two vegan chocolate chip eyes. Containing a mixture of orange flower and soft ylang ylang, this bubble bar gives off a delicate, floral fragrance that shares it's scent with the rather popular,  Figs And Leaves Soap. 

As with most of my bubble bars, I popped the whole thing underneath a running tap and marvelled at how quickly the bath filled up with soft, silky, zesty bubbles. This betters from Mumkin in that it turns your bath water a gorgeous, vivid, rusty orange colour, which is a perfect accompaniment on a cold, dark night. The scent was also more prominent than it's counterpart and I felt the raspberry fragrance came through more this time around.

Both the water and bubbles felt lovely, soft and creamy when I was in the tub and didn't have to use many other products at all as I felt the bubble bar really cleansed and moisturised my skin by itself. The scent was very strong in the bath but not too overwhelming so I found it really naturally fresh and fruity. 

It lingered for some time in the room and stayed on my skin for a little while after I was dry, leaving a slight floral scent on my clothes. As to be expected with Lush bubble bars, Pumkin really moisturises the skin and leaves you feeling smooth, shiny and hydrated without feeling greasy or oily. It left my skin feeling soft and smelling of raspberries, which put me in a good mood for the rest of the evening.

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Cream of Tartar, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Lauryl Betaine, Cornflour, Perfume, Ylang Ylang Oil, Orange Flower Absolute, Gardenia Extract, *Benzyl Benzoate, *Linalool, Colour 15510, Dairy Free Chocolate Drops, Candy Leaf, Liquorice Piece.

Vegan: Yes

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Bubblegum Lip Scrub

Over the past eight months, I have managed to amass some six different lip scrubs from Lush. And up until two months ago, I hadn't attempted to use any of them. They claim to clear dead skin and flakiness from lips, leaving them moisturised and smooth. However, I just assumed they were a bit of a novelty and told myself I'd 'get around' to using them at some point. Oh me of little faith! When will I ever learn?

Last month, after weeks of dried, cracked lips, I thought I'd dig out one of the infamous lip scrubs, and give it a go. And I've regretted any animosity I've shown towards these products ever since. 

All of Lush's lips scrubs are made mostly from castor sugar, which acts as the 'scrub' and jojoba oil, which helps to moisturise the skin. As you can see from the ingredients list, there is not a whole lot more that goes into this product, which is a good thing.

The scrub itself is a bright bubblegum pink colour (hence the name); you can clearly see the grains of the lip scrub which feel extremely gritty when you scoop it up onto your finger. However, the best aspect of this product is that the scent shares itself with that of Snow Fairy, one of Lush's best ever creations. 

The scrub smells delicious, a mixture of strawberry bubblegum and candy floss; a scent that certainly smells good enough to eat. And for the thousands of Lushies around the world who have dreamt of drinking Snow Fairy by the gallon, who have perhaps even dipped a finger in and hoped it would taste as good as it smells, Bubblegum is a product that could not have come soon enough. Yes my friends, this is edible Snow Fairy!

To use I simply scoop out a tiny amount with my finger and then rub the scrub all over my lips in a circular motion. Then the best part; I use my tongue to lick off the excess sugar from my lips before applying my favourite lip gloss or balm. 

It makes my lips feel beautifully soft and moisturised and removes dead and dried skin, instantly improving the look and feel of my lips. I tend to use this twice daily, and within 3-4 days, my lips are always smooth and kissable. 

This small pot, although priced at a hefty £5.25 is fantastic value for money because it can easily last for 6+ months, depending on how often your apply it. I recommend you try it out for yourself, just try not to eat too much of it.

Quantitative Ingredients: Castor Sugar, Organic Jojoba Oil, Methyl Ionone, Flavour, Colour 45410, Colour 45380.

Vegan?: Yes

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Maple Taffy Lip Balm

Aside from shower gels, I have a bit of an obsession with collecting vegan lip balms from Lush. Something about harvesting those small, compact little tins in my handbag for when I'm out and about, is highly alluring and down-right fun. So when I saw a brand new tin of Maple Taffy on eBay recently, I just had to have it. 

As with all Lush lip balms Maple Taffy is presented in a screw top 10g tin, which is perfect size to fit in a pocket or in a side compartment of your favourite bag. Unfortunately, it is also the perfect size to lose down the back of a sofa or in the smallest crevices of one's bag, so make sure you put it somewhere safe.

Although I purchased this on eBay, the price tag for Lush balms nowadays is normally around the £6 mark, which I think is very reasonable. A pot can last me anywhere from 2-4 months and whereas other balms often melt or harden depending on the temperature outside, Maple Taffy remains the same consistency throughout.

What is great about this lip balm is the layered fragrance that hits you immediately upon opening the tin. Initially you get the sugary-sweetness of maple syrup mixed with a wholesome, slightly burnt caramel scent. The more you explore the fragrance, the more layers begin to immerse; I can smell hints of both vanilla and coconut that drift in and out of my senses when I'm wearing it throughout the day. I don't think I could have picked a better time to discover this balm as it's a very comforting smell, perfect for the winter months. 

While I can only comment on a small handful of Lush's past and present lip balms, what I have found with most of them is that they can be rather stubborn when it comes to usage. Sometimes, especially on a cold day, I have to really work my finger to heat up the balm and get enough to coat my lips. Maple Taffy has a distinctive consistency which means that it is really easy to apply. 

The only complaint I have against Maple Taffy is that the balm is a little greasy, which causes the application to feel rather heavy at times.  However, this could be due to it's age rather than a product default as the balm was past the expiration date when I first started using it. 

The main ingredient in Maple Taffy is coconut oil, followed by maple syrup, Japan wax, Shea Butter, Illipe butter and carnauba wax that work together to soften and moisturise the lips. While I don’t personally think this is the most moisturising of Lush’s lip balms, it does to a reasonable job. It sinks in quite quickly, but does leave a slightly oily yet not sticky film on my lips, which helps protect them against cold winter winds. 

Although I have not noticed a dramatic improvement in the softness and moistness of my lips, my dry and cracked lips have healed quite quickly after a day or two of application so I'm definitely going to continue using this in the coming months. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Extra Virgin Coconut oil (Cocos nucifera), Maple Syrup, Japan Wax (Rhus succedanea), Shea Butter (Butyrospermum parkii), Illipe Butter (Shorea stenoptera), Carnauba Wax, Flavour, Glycerine.

Vegan?: Yes

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World Piece Bath Bomb

Whenever Lush release a bath bomb or product that has an engender attached to it, I'm over it like a rash. I feel these products epitomise the purpose and value of Lush as a company, and what better way of getting rewarded for supporting a great cause than to get a lovely, limited edition item in return. World Piece Bath bomb is one such product. 

Released earlier this year, World Piece was Lush's way of showing support and educating the public on Peace One Day, an organisation founded by filmmaker Jeremy Gilley, who wanted to create an annual day of ceasefire and nonviolence – Peace Day. He created a documentary about his fight for the day to exist and in 2001 the UN accepted his plea, unanimously voting for an international day of peace – the 21st of September.

Peace One Day's objective is to institutionalise Peace Day, creating a day that is self-sustaining - an annual day of global unity, and a day of cooperation on a scale that humanity has never known; Peace One Day aim towards a target of 3 billion people's awareness of Peace Day by 2016.

For most of the public, a cause like this might seem too much on the grand scale to know where to begin supporting or getting involved. Aside from 'keeping the peace' in your local area, what can someone do to voice their support for such a cause? Buy a bath ballistic of course!

Not only does every penny go towards funding and supporting Jeremy's cause, but the ballistic has been specifically created to promote world peace in other ways. 

The World Piece bath bomb is made with pine oil from Russia for courage and constancy and peppermint, symbol of friendship and love, from the USA. Lush have also included sweetie oil, from an Israeli grapefruit bred to remove sourness, mixed with a secret perfume from the edges of the Arabian Sahara Kenyan as well as cypress oil which is said to soothe anger and calm down irritability.

The bath product has a sweet citrus and mint scent which intensifies when added to water and is very very refreshing on a hot day or in the morning when you need a wake up call. The bomb turns the water a gorgeous deep turquoise blue which remains vivid throughout the whole bathing experience. 

This calming, uplifting product was created to bring peace and tranquility to you and your bath and I really got a sense of wellbeing when testing it out for the first time. I loved the fact that the peppermint fragrance lingers on your body during and after bathing, awakening your skin and making your feel invigorated and refreshed. 

The best part about the bath bomb is that it looks like our planet Earth, a personal touch that demonstrates why I support Lush Cosmetics so much, and why I'm always excited to see what they decide to bring out next.

This bath bomb was first released in 2003 to coincide with World Peace Day and looks exactly the same today as it did then. I'm unsure whether this is an annual release for Lush but I do hope they choose to bring this back next year as I'd like to buy a few more to help me through the winter months. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Pine Oil (Pinus), Sweetie Oil (Citrus grandis), Peppermint Oil (Mentha piperita), Cypress Oil (Cupressus sempervirens), Perfume, Gardenia Extract (Gardenia jasminoides), Colour 42045.

Vegan?: Yes

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Competition Winner Announced!

It's a little belated but well done to Cats-are-great-men, who was picked at random to win the wonderful Lush goodies and vegan Clif Bars.

Thank you to everyone who left a comment on my blog or entered over on Tumblr, the support is very much appreciated. I'll be doing another Lush giveaway very soon with lots of new and wonderful goodies. Keep your eyes peeled on the blog or head over to my Tumblr page for more Lush information. 

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From Dusk 'Til Dawn Massage Bar

From Dusk 'Til Dawn is a brand new massage bar that was created by Lush as part of their Valentine 2013 range. Due to popularity (I'm guessing), this bar has continued to be sold in stores and online since then, begging me to believe that this product might very well have become a member of their regular range. 

At first, I was slightly confused by Lush's choice of shape, and thought perhaps it had been designed to play homage to Madonna's famous 'wardrobe malfunction'. Although I still didn't understand why Lush was trying to associate a famous bra with Valentine's Day, I did my research and was intrigued to learn that the shape has actually been stragically designed to fit a specific purpose.

One of Lush's employees found that the pyramid shape meant you could rub the pointy end into the knotted muscles easier than you could a flat massage bar. They also found that the cone shape makes it really simple to hold and get to grips with your massage partner. Oooer!

From Dusk til Dawn has a very uplifting fragrance which isn't common with other massage bars. The perfume is uplifting, invigorating and super zesty, with Sicilian lemon and sweet wild orange oil bathing your skin with citrusey goodness. The addition of ginseng and guarana powders wakes you up and helps you to keep going all night long (If you wish to!). 

Unlike other massage bars, From Dusk 'Til Dawn is slightly easier to use as it tends to melt quicker than other bars. It's also really effective at moisturising the skin without making it greasy or oily. The zesty lemon and orange scent permeates your skin, clothes and anything else it touches, leaving a beautiful citrusey smell that I've smelt days after use.

Unfortunately, I have not been able to use it on any unsuspecting 'victims' apart from myself but I have had nothing but positive experiences with it so far. Firstly, I will say that it is definitely my favourite massage bar to date. The smell is beautiful and intoxicating, and lingers on your skin for hours after appliance. Secondly, although initially worried by the gold lustre painted on the tip of the bar, I found that very little comes off during each use, so you don't have to worry about smothering your skin with unwanted gold. Finally, despite it's size, the bar lasts a good 8+ times, meaning it's super value for money. 

I'm so glad that Lush have decided to keep it as part of their every day range, as this is going to be a regular product in my house.

Quantitative Ingredients: Cocoa Butter, Fair Trade Shea Butter, Moringa Oil, Illipe Butter, Perfume, Sweet Wild Orange Oil, Sicilian Lemon Oil, Ginseng Root Powder, Guarana Seed Powder, Ginkgo Leaf Powder, *Citral, *Limonene, *Linalool, Radiant Gold Lustre.

Vegan?: Yes

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