Have you been lush-ing lately?

Warning : This post is very wordy.

Lush oh lush... how I used to adore you so very much. It was over a year and a bit ago that I was first introduced to Lush. I don't remember how, I don't remember when but it must have been after or during Winter in the year 2009 when my skin started going to a bizarre state of dehydration and flakiness, especially on the cheeks. I was freaking out thinking that my skin would never go back to the way it used to be or that I would never get the clear glowing skin I always wished for. Lush changed it... for the best.

For about 6 month... ish. Minimum...

Let me tell you a little background just straight from memory of the products I have tried over the year from Lush. Give you a run through...

• BIG Shampoo - at AUD$30.95 (or is it $31.95 - bummer I can't check, the website is currently under maintenance.) It is on the pricier side of hair shampoo. But there's nothing else in the market like it. It really leaves your hair feeling squeaky clean. Why? It has sea salts, real grainy salt texture that loves water as it foams up on your hair. To me it smells like the ocean and the beach although some others might find it too fishy. I just have not repurchased it due to its price and I might repurchase it just as a weekly or even fortnightly treatment to deep cleanse my scalp. A little messy, because it comes in a tub and you have to dig your fingers into it.
  
• Jungle Solid Conditioner - (I'll double check the price again and edit this) I think they reformulated this. The first batch I purchased were of very dark green color that almost looked like deep moss green shade. However when I went back to get more, the color had changed to this pastel light green. I don't know if I'm just paranoid but it used to work but then it didn't anymore. It used to condition my hair so nicely then it just seemed to stop working for me. Plus, I found that it got trickier using the solid conditioner as it slides around in your hand and when it gets small it just slips out of your fingers. Don't think I'll repurchase again, not overly keen about its scent though still tolerable.
• Vanishing Cream (Face Moisturiser) - AUD$39.95 this is targeted for oily, acne-prone skin that is meant to just vanish into your skin meaning that your skin will absorb its goodness in no time. The previous formula might have worked for me that way, but the new formula... uhm, not so much. It has a pretty distinct scent in a bouquet of roses and vanilla and lavender - which is quite soothing in a way but for those sensitive to scent, this isn't for you. This lasted about 2-3 months for me depending on whether I had been using it for just night cream or day and night creams.
• Eau Roma Water - I've been using this for a little over a year now and still going. It doesn't irritate or sting my skin. Its scent is not a tragedy (*cough* Witch Hazel *cough*), and during summer time you can put this in the fridge and spray straight on to your body and neck to give you a refreshing feel. If Tea Tree toner or A Breath of Fresh Air toners are both too strong for you - give this a try.

Cleansers: (warning: the solid cleansers are not for everyone, this is my review and how I feel about the following products. No products were sponsored whatsoever in this case.)

• Aqua Marina - Strangely, I used to like this stuff... especially when my skin used to get dehydrated. This cleanser somehow soothes the skin and it has a strange scent of seaweed which did not bother me. Its texture is almost like a softer version of playdough. You all have played with playdough when you were younger, no? yes? Yeah, so it has that feel, the slippery feel. It does not remove makeup, none of these solid cleansers are meant to, anyway, I still believe you are meant to use separate cleansers to remove your makeup. However this does nicely to gently cleanse your face. A note on this though, do really cleanse your face thoroughly, and load up that water, splash it all over your face and wipe it good. You don't want residues. This cleanser is pink in color and wrapped in seaweed.
  
• Dark Angels - I think this was the first cleanser I tried from Lush and at that moment in time, when my skin was just mass producing oil during summer time, it was perfect. This is meant for oily skin. A note of warning however, this can be quite abrasive. It is in fact so abrasive that I would not recommend using it everyday although I did try using it everyday during one summer another year back. But my suggestion is, don't. Your skin needs pampering, not scrubbing like a gravel road. Smells sort of like charcoal, its color is charcoal black.
  
• Angels on Bare Skin - This is their famous cleanser that has almond grains and rosemary and all these goodies within that interesting texture of herbs and nuts all blend into this cream green paste. It has a scent of rosemary and even though I'm not overly keen on the scent it grew on me and I did use this for quite some time and even repurchased a few times. It is for all skin type. It's like a nice cleanser with some exfoliating grains that are supposed to deep cleanse and rid of impurities in your pores. However I don't think it does go too deep into your pores.
• Herbalism - I like this mixed with other gentle cleansers and that is how I like to use it. This worked with keeping my skin blemish free for quite a number of months. This is dark luscious green in color with almond grains again for light exfoliation action. If I'd repurchase, I would repurchase this, I just hate the fact that they have resorted back to plastic packaging when they had done amazing with converting this into the black tubs for a few months. Ah, can't have everything can we?
• Ultrabland - cleansing oil in solid form if I could sum it up in littlest sentence possible. It feels oily as it has peanut oil and other oils to help you remove makeup. It does actually dissolve the makeup off your face, though I would not recommend using this on the eyes as the girls at Lush would suggest. I think it is way too thick to be used on your eyes, trust me, this cream is the king of solid oil. The queen. It literally dissolves your makeup. Trick with this though, don't just apply this on your dry face then wash it off. You need to apply it onto your dry face - then use cotton pads and spray it with your toner or soak it in water to remove the cleanser off your face first. If you try and wash it straight away with water, in which I have tried and done, you would be left with a face feeling greasy with water droplets all over your face not able to be washed out. As we all know, water vs oil. They don't mix.

Hmm...what else have I tried... Oh yes... Who have gone to Lush and not get intrigued by their fresh masks seated on top of those pile of ice just ready to be eaten. No, wait, I mean, slapped on your face. Hahaha, but don't they look like dips? Guacamole, please? No, I'll have that chocolate dips with the blackberries on the side. (Kindly note, I was referring to the different colors of Lush fresh masks, namely Brazened Honey, Cupcake and Cosmetic Catastrophe)

• Brazened Honey - yes the guacamole looking paste that actually smells quite rather delicious with its blend of lime and other goodstuffs. This is deep cleansing and after a hot school days under the sun, all you want is this sort of cold mask to refresh your tired self.
• Ayesha - if I have to pick one product that stinks out of Lush I would pick this. I had actually stopped using this even though it felt quite pleasing and soothing on my face simply due to its scent. I got really put off. It has a strange blend of smell - a mixture of witch hazel mixed with ... I don't know... onions? No, there couldn't be onions in the mixture but it puts me off big time. I love the name, I love the smooth texture and how soothing it feels but oh my goodness if only they'd improve on the scent.
• BB Seaweed - Unfortunately, no matter how good seaweed is meant for your skin and how good this mask is supposed to be, this mask did not do zilch on my face. Maybe I was impatient but hey I did use up a tub of it and did not feel any difference. It did not smell anything particularly strong and it has the deep cleansing effect. Nothing too special for me. If you want the deep cleansing, pore sucking refreshing mask I'd still stick with Brazened Honey.
• Oatifix - This is the fix if your face has gone mad and decided to boycott you leaving your skin very snake-like and unmanageable. Nothing else could fix it and so a week spent every night with this mask on should make your skin feeling nicer. This has such delicious aroma of freshly baked banana cakes that you have to stop yourself from licking your face when you have this on and smelling it while you're at it. Smell it, stop right there, then wash it off and go "aahh..." =)

Brain, brain... where have you gone... bring back my memory of the many Lush things I've tried in the past...

I think I'd leave the soap section to another time... this has come to be quite a long wordy post ... and if that bothers any of you in the slightest bit at all... do excuse this photo less post... for the time being.

Have you checked out Lush lately? What products have you been using?