Lush Christmas 2016 picks.

Who doesn't love a little bit of Lush on Christmas time? No one, that's who. To be fair I don't know anyone that wouldn't be happy to get some gorgeous bath goodies all year round, but there's something extra special about the Lush Holiday range that makes it absolutely irresistible. This year I felt particularly spoilt for choice and together with some old favourites, I've discovered some delightful numbers that made me wish I could buy the whole store and be all stocked up for the whole year. Read on if you want to find out what my top picks are.

Snowcastle - the old Snowcake soap bar - is a classic that never gets old and a truly must have for anyone struggling with dry skin during winter time. It's creamy and seriously moisturizing, bringing relief to thirsty skin and leaving your hands and body incredibly soft. Another favourite is Sleepy body lotion*, a limited edition release that I hope will soon become a regular product. This dreamy moisturizer infused with soothing lavender is a good night of sleep in a pot and something I love applying right before bed to feel extra relaxed. This is definitely one I need to hoard for any sleepless night ahead.

Every year I pick up a new lip scrub and this time around the winner is Sugar plum fairy. With hints of orange and grape, this smells and tastes exactly like the fruit jellies I used to eat as a kid and leaves my lips super smooth and ready for color. Lush lips scrubs are the ultimate essential if you struggle with chapped lips but still want to wear bold or matte lippies, and because a little goes a long way, they seem to last forever.
You can't go wrong with shower gels and the new entry Bubbly*, with the explosive scent of orange and lime, is the perfect companion to start the day with an energizing and uber refreshing shower, but if like me you can't resist the aroma of freshly picked juicy apples, Santa's belly shower jelly is the way to go. Love this one!

Shoot for the stars* wins the crown for the prettiest bath bomb of the year, with its deep blue water and beautiful golden stars made of cacao butter floating around the bathtub and slowly melting to leave the skin nourished and super soft. If you can't choose between bubbles and the show of a bath bomb, you will surely adore Never mind the ballistics. It's probably the least Christmassy of the bunch but is so pretty, swirling around in spirals of hot pink and yellow creating a soft creamy lather, while filling the room with the intense scent of banana candies. I'm definitely going to buy a couple more of these as soon as the sale begins.

Finally, year after year the gorgeous bubble wands end up stealing the show, and this Christmas is no exception. Not only they're extra cute and very instagrammable, but because they're reusable, somehow it feels like I'm getting my money worth even more. The Magic of Christmas is a firm favourite of mine that never fails to cheer me up, as I love the festive combination of almond and cinnamon, while Santasaurus* is a lovely option for the ones that prefer fruity scents. What is Christmas without an adorable dinosaur wearing a Santa hat, after all?

Are you a Lush fan? What's your favourite Holiday release?

*Press samples

***

The Spooky Lush Edit.

A trip to Lush is obviously a fantastic treat all year round, but when the Halloween range hits the shelves it seems more appropriate then ever. As it always happen, I popped in to have a quick look around and left with an unmistakably lighter purse, a bag full of deliciously scented goodies and lots of dreamy baths in mind. Halloween is serious business at Lush and every single year without fail their bath collection has me bounce with excitement all the way to the till. I had to restrain myself a little, as my stash back at home was nearly overflowing already, but here are my picks.

The one cult classic I always feel drawn to is Lord of Misrule Shower cream (£4.95), truly a must-buy for any spicy scent-lover. It's smoky and peppery, with an added touch of vanilla to lift the herbal notes and make it a bit more mystical. The new formula is creamier than ever, it bubbles up like a dream - it doubles up as a bubble bath, in fact - and feels lovely on the skin. With its cozy scent that lingers around the house for hours afterwards, it's the perfect companion for a warming shower at the end of a long day.

Despite being a total shower gal, every once in a while I do crave a dip in a bathtub full of beautifully scented hot water and a colourful bath bomb frizzing around. On a whim I picked up Pumpkin Bath Bomb (£3.95) that stole my heart with its sharp zesty fragrance. This must be the most intensely fragranced bomb I've ever encountered - you can seriously smell orange and ginger through the paper bag and from the other side of the room. I can't wait to dump it in my bath tonight!
I also snatched a cute Monster's Ball (£4.25) after seeing it in action in the store. To be fair this doesn't smell very autumnal - it's rather floral actually, with hints of fruitiness -, but is absolutely adorable with that little eye made of cocoa butter that floats around over the moisturizing purple water.

If you love tons and tons of bubbles, grab yourself a Sparkly Pumpkin Bubble bar (£3.95), or three, and get mentally ready to find gold glitters everywhere for the next six months. So worth it, though. This adorable little pumpkin is not only very Instagram friendly, but feels uber energizing and uplifting thanks to the lime, grapefruit and juniperberry mix.  Plus, the cheerful mandarin orange water is simply perfect to brighten a foggy day.

Finally, I couldn't just leave little Boo Bath Melt (£3.95) alone on the shelf. This was my first time trying a Lush bath melt and I must say that I'm in obsessed. The clean, slightly soapy scent is right up my alley - it's a warming concoction of mimosa, ginger and sandalwood that melts away stress and tension and is incredibly soothing - and it left my skin feeling amazing, soft and nourished, and ready for soft pyjamas and a good night of sleep. It's the ultimate indulgence for dry skin gals like me.

Have you tried any of these bath treats? What are your plans for the scariest night of the year?
Be right back, the bathtub is not going to fill itself...

***

Currently on my radar #3.

001 Truth is I'm never going to fully forgive Nars for discontinuing my favourite mascara, because I haven't been able to find a decent waterproof offering ever since. I really wanted to try the Too Faced Better than sex Waterproof (£19) - mostly because of the drop dead gorgeous packaging to be honest - but I've been reading so many conflicting reviews about it lately and I'm not really sure anymore. Do you have any recommendation?

002 A product that has been getting amazing reviews left and right is the Make Up For Ever Water Blend (£27) and you know how I am with new foundations. It's supposed to be a new and improved version of their old Face and Body offering, pretty much undetectable on the skin, with light to medium buildable coverage and a budge proof formula that stays in place for hours. Need to get my hands on this asap.

003 Another foundation, what a shocker! I've never been particularly fond of stick foundations but the new Hourglass Vanish Seamless Finish Foundation Stick (£42) is very promising. I've seen dozen of YouTube videos and in every single one of those it looks incredible - flawless and with the coverage of a concealer but still natural and glowy on the skin. The price tag is maybe a bit excessive, but it's definitely something I'd like to try for the colder months.

004 Ever since I started following Nudestix on Instagram, I've become quite obsessed with their range and their effortless application techniques. The Intense Matte Lip+cheek Pencils (£24) sound like the ultimate fall must-have to me and an excellent way to dip my toe into the range. The shades are also quite lovely: Raven and Royal are great bold hues for the upcoming season, while Entice and Purity are great nudes for everyday wear. Decisions, decisions...  

005 Because I have zero self control when it comes to highlighters, I couldn't help but drool when I heard that Becca were launching yet another version of their famous illuminators. I already own enough highlighters to last me three lifetimes and then some, but I'm sure I can make room for at least one Shimmering Skin Perfector Slimlight (£24). Available in 3 gorgeous shades, they promise a soft, lit-from-within glow in just a few strokes. Nice!

What's on your wishlist at the moment?

***

The Summer base.

Summer is that awkward season that seems to be designed to make the life of a beauty enthusiast that little harder - I love makeup, but some days simply opening my makeup drawer makes me break into a sweat and the idea of slapping foundation on it's utterly unbearable. For those days, whenever going bare-faced is not an option, I have a bundle of trusty numbers that allow me to look put together but not too made up, and most importantly will stay put despite the sweat and about a zillion sprays of refreshing mist.

MAC Face and Body Foundation (£22) is a classic choice for hot days and a base I can always rely on. Because my skin tends to do pretty well during the warmer months, coverage is not my priority. Instead I want my base to look even and polished but still fresh in a I'm wearing foundation but you can't really tell kind of way, and MAC's F&B is perfect for the job. I love the water-based liquid formula - it doesn't feel heavy and it's easy to bounce around with a beauty blender, and since it's virtually undetectable on the skin, the result is simply beautiful complexion.

For a touch of extra coverage, I've been reaching for the good old trusty MAC Pro Longwear Concealer (£18), which is a great all-over multitasking concealer. A little goes a very long way and takes care of all sorts of imperfections and under-eye shadows with ease. With a super long-lasting and crease-proof formula, look no further if you're after the ultimate heat proof coverup.

Blush is the essential step in my routine that keeps me looking healthy and glowy year-round and simply cannot be skipped. At the minute I'm completely obsessed with Nars Orgasm (£28) and simply can't get enough of this stuff. The pinky peach hue is uber flattering and the formula is one of the most long-wearing I've come across, as well as very pigmented and overall absolutely dreamy to work with. Also, the gold flecks give a beautiful warm glow to the cheeks and eliminate the need for an additional highlighter.

Last on my list is the Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray (£22), perhaps the ultimate summer staple. This spray helps to lock everything in place and feels lovely and cooling on the skin. Plus, it keeps any unwanted shine at bay for hours and doesn't make my makeup feel heavy or look cakey. Win win!

Have you tried any of these products?

***