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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Meat:Stack at No.28. New name, same great taste.

Last night I was invited along to the re-launch of Meat:Stack.... formerly known as The Grind. If you don't remember my last post about these guys, I labelled it as "the best burger I'd ever tasted." With a rename and re-brand, I was eager to know if the delicious, loved burgers remained the same. 

You might not have heard of Meat:Stack as they are based in No.28 - a hidden bar. This cool venue is tucked snuggle upstairs in the Grainger Market, Newcastle. I love this spot, always guaranteed to make my ears happy with their sick playlists. We tasted some cocktails before getting down to business with the menu. 

 When I last tried these burgers, I tasted the West Coast Classic which is a waaay better upgraded version of a Big Mac. Classic burger, slathered in delicious cheese and a handmade patty. This time I wasn't sure to expect on taste, quality, if the recipes had changed and such so I went for the Classic again for comparison....

Safe to say, this juicy and succulent burger didn't disappoint. The name may have changed but the taste remains! I'm yet to try a burger better than this. A hand thrown patty on a soft bun covered in melted cheesy goodness and a dash of lettuce for the classic crunch. Each component carefully thought about. The taste that makes this is the secret sauce. For all you classic cheeseburger lovers, this one is for you! 

My friend tried the Fried Chicken & Parmesan Burger which was again another tasty winner. Juicy chicken, cooked to perfection with honey mayo and that classic lettuce crunch. My other friend tried the Mid Western Burger which is a butter burger packed with french onions, charred green chilli, miso butter and whipped garlic. Still no faults to be had, each burger had its own distinctive taste but the quality remains. The Mid Western has a hint of gherkin taste to it. Anyone in search if something out of the ordinary, you've gotta give this a go!

So while you're tucking in and your senses are going crazy, add beef dripping fries to the mix and this will tip you over the edge. These guys know how to make your tummy happy! Crunchy, yet perfectly crispy american style fries, fried in beef dripping and seasoned with salt. Unreal! Again, I tried these last time but no change in the amazing flavour. 

An exception to last time of tasting, I got to try the Legendary Buffalo Wings which were spicy but flavoursome and crispy. The meat is tender and everything you want from a chicken wing. Bite size chicken goodness. And I'm not a huge fan of meat on the bone or beef burgers per say but these guys just know what they're doing! Hand thrown patties right down to their sauces. 

 We were also treat to Dog Hot Fries which are filthy fries drizzled in in secret sauce, ancho chilli honey, buffalo hot sauce and topped with cheddar cheese and gourmet hot dog. Spicy on the taste buds but just as addictive... once you start on these you cant stop. The sauce is a unique taste yet still an american vibe of a classic. 

If you're a burger connoisseur or just looking for something delicious to satisfy the hunger, get yourself to Meat:Stack at No.28. The burgers range from £6 - £8 and sides are reasonably priced too. I'll for sure be back to taste their Parmesan & Truffle Fries and maybe even test the desserts if I leave any room. And if you can't eat a burger without the all important fries, the £10 offer Monday - Thursday is insanely good value for money with the addition of Buffalo Wings too. Good food, done very well. Still the best burger I have ever tasted. 

Until next time... 

The Original Redhead 

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KISS Couture Lashes Launch

Tucked on the corner of the Grey Street, at the intersection is Grey Street Hotel in Newcastle. The venue for the KISS VIP Event to launch their Couture lashes range. With a promise of a fun girly night filled with canapes & prosecco, I was looking forward to it. 

We arrived at the uber chic location, complete with lime green seating and neon signage to boot. Yes, I'm an interiors geek with no shame! We waited in the lobby and were taken down to the spa were the KISS event was being hosted. On entrance, we were greeted with a glass of bubbles (priorities), and were taken through to the lovely spa area. Not a large spa but cosy and a getaway from the hustle of the city view from the level above.

There was a nail bar set up and also lash stations in the side rooms. We headed for the lashes first, and got to choose a pair from their huge range to wear on the night. I was totally spoilt for choice and I'm not sure if any other high street lash brands offer that many shapes and variations of lashes. 

I opted for the Peony lashes which are a natural looking lash but with a little fullness and a fluffy finish. My regualar faves are the Whispie lashes from Ardell so these look like my style too... 

The lashes they were launching on the night is the Lash Couture Faux Mink Collection. A set of 6 in total, different lashes which claim to have weightless volume and non-mink which is a plus with many mink lash brands popping up. It really isn't necessary when there's so many decent non mink lashes out there. The contour range is bold so if you're wanting to make a statement look with some killer lashes these are the babies for the job! The lashes range from apx £4.99 - £7.99 in Superdrug if you're wanting to grab a set yourself.

Once the lashes had been applied, prosecco in hand, I went to explore their nail range. Emerging from the lash room... the even had filled up extremely quickly and obviously everyone wanted to get in on the action too. 

Canapes circulated the room but they surpassed me many times as I was waiting to get a look at the nail selection - also an impressively large selection for a high street range! The designs go from matte, pearlised, sparkly, matte, glossy, squared, talon shaped and the list goes on. The nails come in either press on manicure (which last some time from trying a set for myself) and traditional glue on sets. I've always been weary of the sticky back pre - adhesive type as they seem to ping of fairly quick but these have some staying power! 

In Superdrug, the nails retail from arounf £6.99 - £7.99 a set. Personally having tried these and knowing how long they last and the quality if the finish on the surface I think that is a very reasonable price. 

To top the night off, we were gifted with an amazing goody bag packed of their different products to test at home. thanks so much KISS for the generous goodies!

Until next time... 

The Original Redhead 

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