LUSH Bloggers Breakfast

Okay, so admittedly, I've been a slow burn with my love of LUSH products... but as the brand grows, so does my love! I really love their passion for cruelty free, less packaging and also their innovation for new scents & products. Last month I got to invited to their Bloggers Breakfast Event which involved seeing their new products before the store opened. What more could a beauty lover ask for? Oh, pizza? There was also pizza! (And who doesn't love pizza for breakfast??)

The pizzas were courtesy of Pizzastorm, also based in Eldon Square. Vegan and packed with flavour.

The colours and smells are a joy for the senses on entering the shop, but I was dying to get down to the nitty gritty of the products. There's so many beauty brands these days that its easy to get lost in the sea of insta faves but Lush continue to bring in new exciting products season after season. 

We were split into groups and rotated round different stations. Our first stop was a bubble bar making masterclass which i totally loved and wish was a regular thing in store! We followed a recipe and mixed all of the ingredients...

Adding the glitter, was the best part (especially for a total self proclaimed magpie, like myself.) It was floating around the shop like some sort of magical dust. We had to make sure the ingredients were well mixed and this required some kneading. I loved getting stuck in, and my baking skills came in handy too.

The mixture had to be left to prove, a little bit like making bread... so whilst that was left to do its thing, we moved onto our next station to hear about new products. The naked lip scrubs and tints are a new products which really got my attention.... more nourishing on the lips and less packaging! What could be better?! I really do suffer with dry lips when the cold weather rolls in so I'm always on the hunt for moisturising lip products. These babes come in a range of different colours and are packed with cocoa butter for goodness. The lip tints are a great alternative to lipstick or gloss if you fancy more of a lip stained or blush effect. 

I then got my eye on this little gem of a soap. I've never bought any soaps from LUSH but the Golden Pear is full of pear puree and oh my days, it smells delicious. And how adorable is this? Pears have been used for years throughout the Christmas celebration so this addition to their Christmas range is a perfect festive fancy to the range. 

For anyone who loves the infamous Magic Wand Bubble Bar will probably see some resemblance in this festive retake. Stuffed with star anise, almond oil & cinnamon, The Magic of Christmas literally oozes the traditional warm, Christmas scents. Wave your wand, and in minutes your bathroom will have you feeling nostalgic about Christmas times passed. The good thing about bubble bars is that you can reuse them.... you hold these under running water until you have the right amount you'd like, then wrap away for next time. 

We were then showed more new products in the form of naked shower gels. We all know and love the Snow Fairy but the naked shower gels are a slight variation on the original gels.

The naked shower gels are basically a soap bar in appearance, however in contact with water these react more like a shower gel in texture. I am in love with this concept and not only are they cute and shaped like a bottle but they have no plastic which means less plastic in our seas and buried in the earth. 

I spotted these little fellas whilst at the naked shower gels sections and was intrigued. They are like rice paper teddy bears for your bath! Whatttt! The Butterbear Wash Card is the same scent of the Butterbear bath bomb but in the form of a wash 'card' and again these are reusable and amazing if you're travelling light and need to keep your packing easy! 

I'm a sucker for a cute novelty item from LUSH and The Snowman indulges me in that. They have so many little characters for different times of the year, and the LUSH team are always making me fall in love with new little faces! 

The next station was the bath bombs & the jelly bomb range. I am known to splurge on a bag full of bath bombs from Lush, from time to time. Hence, why I was excited for this part! I love watching them fizz around the bath with different smells and colours exploding from them. My new favourite bomb has to be Thundersnow. Full of peppermint oil, this is a refreshing but comforting scent. This one is a real active bomb, so if you love a bomb that whizzes around the bath, spewing out a rainbow of colours, this one is for you! 

Sherbet Dip (unreal) and  Ectoplasm (inspired by Ghost Busters) are 2 others which I think I'm going to have to get my hands on! 

The Man In The Moon is another cute character I fell in love with. I asked where the inspiration comes from in the LUSH head quarters and apparently inspiration comes in many forms. One bath bomb was created by a customer who created it for her daughter. Other products are inspired by other things like movies. The Man in the Moon was one of those cases, inspired by a black and white 1920's movie. How magical and fascinating!

We returned to the bubble bar making and pressed our mixture into moulds which we got to take away with us. I loved this interactive part of the event and being able to make my own bubble bar. The mixture had got more firm whilst we were off sniffing and seeing everything else!

LUSH continue to win my heart in their war against plastic and excess packaging, and of course in gorgeous beauty products. If you're young or old... I think there'll be something for you in the new range! 

Until next time...

The Original Redhead 

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Scent Seduction: Viktor & Rolf Bloom

In February I was invited along to Fenwick, for the launch of the new Viktor & Rolf fragrance, Bloom. This fragrance is a twist on the original Flowerbomb. The scent is a slightly fresher and more floral fragrance. 

The guys at Fenwick Newcastle always take such good care of us! 

Viktor & Rolf also have a range of beauty products too alongside their fragrances of which I only discovered at the launch. Bath oils, body creams and such. Just to ensure you always smell like their signature fragrance! The new fragrance is an extension on the Flowerbomb story, with the sensuous undertones and a burst of springtime flowers. This scent is stunning and the perfect transitional spring/summer scent! 

Until next time... 

The Original Redhead 

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KATHLEEN Skincare: Cleansing Lotion & Tonifying Mist

After seeing blogger Carly Musleh, talk about cream cleansers on her Instagram stories. So when I was selected to review the pre launch products from Kathleen Skincare I though it was divine timing. I was sent the Lightening Cleansing Lotion & Rebalancing & Soothing Tonifying Mist which are set to launch and be available to order in May. 

For those of you who may have missed my last post about the Kathleen Caviar Enriched eye cream, you can catch up here. Kathleen offer are luxurious beauty products which are made in the UK, natural, organic and no added chemicals. They really know their stuff, and I sometimes find organic skincare a little diluted and doesn't pack as much punch against other brands but I really feel a difference with their range. 

The cleansing lotion & toning mist come in complimentary boxes and the packaging is lovely quality. They are both available in 2 sizes, 150ml for your nightstand and the smaller size, 50ml is perfect for those weekend stays when you need skincare on-the-go. 

I've been having a crazy time with my skin recently due to a hectic schedule so I really felt this was a great time to put these to the test. After a long (and stressful) day, I removed the majority of my make up with a make up wipe and then used the cleanser followed by the mist. The cleansing lotion is to be applied to dry skin and massaged deeply using your fingertips. I followed the instructions and massaged it all into my face. I then ran a skin of just-hot water and submerged the muslin cloth which I used to exfoliate my face and remove any make up still lying on my skin. 

I cleaned my face, using different sections of the muslin for each section. This lotion boasts to "help to lift dirt, oil, make up and impurities, without drying the skin" for which I can vouch for. This left my skin feeling fresh, clean and free from the greasy oils left on your face from a long day of wearing make up! The cleansing lotion is made up from rose water, lavender water, lemon, tamansu and  avocado oil among other nourishing ingredients. We all know the benefits of oils and such so to get it penetrating your skin in your routine is super beneficial. The muslin cloth helps to exfoliate and rid your skin of dead skin cells to reveal fresh, bright skin underneath. 

I then let my face breathe for a few minutes before moving on to the tonifying mist. The mist can be applied in one of two ways. You can either spritz over your face in a "just stepped off a desert island and need hydrating" kinda way, or you can spray onto a cotton pad and apply to face and neck. Obviously I opted for the first option. 

I let the mist sink into my skin and this glistened on the surface and then slowly dissepearing to work its organic magic on my skin. Aloe vera, chamomile water and lemon are some of the ingredients in this spray. I have quite a good skin tone overall and not many red patches or uneven colour but I could really feel a difference after using this combined with the cleanser. My skin felt lighter, fresher, clean and soft with the Kathleen products and would recommend if you have sensitive skin or are looking for organic luxe beauty products. 

If you're looking for organic products with a punch, then Kathleen has got you! The cleansing lotion is priced at £ 29.50 for the 150ml or £13.00 for the 50ml (only bigger size includes 2 muslin cloths.) The tonifying mist is £23.00 for the 150ml or £13 for the 50ml size and these are set to last you quite a while. However, I have a special discount code for you to all receive 15% off, just enter redhead15 at the checkout to redeem. 

If you're looking for that fresh, glow you get right after leaving the spa then give Kathleen products a try. These launch in May however, their other products are available to order now. 

Until next time... 

The Original Redhead 

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Heatless Bouncy Curls?! Curls in a flash for NYE

So it's New Years Eve, and you've got to your friends house to get ready for the big night ahead. So far, so good. Pour yourself a glass of champagne and operation beautify begins... but you panic. You've forgot your curlers, straighteners, tongs!! In the excitement and last minute rush I have done this so thought I'd post this tutorial to show you how to create bouncy curls with no heated hair tools.

 

So firstly, these are the things you'll need.  Hairbrush, dry shampoo (I used Batiste), hairspray (Insette shown, but whatever you prefer), hair grips (although I prefer the silver crocodile hair clips you can buy from most hair shops) and a spray bottle filled with water.

 

 

 

 

So, keep sipping the champagne, spray your hair with dry shampoo if needed (I like it to add texture to my hair as my hair is so shiny and slips), then brush your hair and secure in a high pony tail.

 

 

 

 

The next step is to spritz your pony tail with the water. If you hair is super porous (like mine), you may have to repeat this step once you get about half way. You'll be able to gauge, but you want all of the pony tail to be pretty damp.

 

 

Then, in small sections, coil you hair around 2 fingers. Gently slip you fingers out of the coil of hair.

 

 

 

 

 

And secure in place with 2 hair grips (in opposite directions, for maximum security.) My hair has a mind of its own so I always double grip. The silver crocodile clips do hold my hair better, but wanted to show you hairgrips as most of your girlfriends will have those lying round!

 

 

 

 

If you love a varied size of curls like myself, then just alternate thinner and thicker sections of hair. This look was with strands from apx 1 inch wide to apx 2 inches wide.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Keep pinning until all of your pony tail is pinned up. You need to leave in for quite a while so the hair will be dry once you unpin it all. Once all is pinned up, spray with hair spray. I find the most effective way is to spray from beneath upwards so you're spritzing the curls gently, not drowning them and making them heavier. This now allows you to 

1) Drink more champagne

2) Apply your make up and pick your outfit with your hair out of your face

 

 The longer you leave the curls, the curlier your hair will be. However, if you're pushed for time you can give them a helpful hand by drying with a hairdryer.

 

 

 

This is the final look, once the hair has been unpinned and also sprayed again for hairspray to hold them for the big night ahead. You can leave them in the ponytail or you can untie it and let your hair loose for a different style! I hope this helps a few of your girls, as I know the struggle can be real to look your best when the clock strikes midnight.

 

All images above are by Kirstie Mackin Photography.

 

 

Necklace is from Aphrodite Jewels

 

 

Until next time...

 

The Original Redhead

 

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