Now, more than ever, it is so important to look after your mind and your body. A lot of us are on lockdown or isolation due to COVID19 so self-care is key to ensure this disruption to your life will limit the disruption to your mind.
For me, self-care is having a nice prolonged bath with a face mask and a hair mask, but this isn’t the same for everyone.
Try reading a book or cosying up with a video game. Whatever helps you relax and take your mind off things, even momentarily!
This week’s issue is another lovely Lush bath bomb, Peachy.
Peachy Lush Bath Bomb
So this might actually be one of my favourite ever bath bombs by Lush. Peachy has an amazing smell and produces a gorgeous colour in the bath.
It produced a lot more bubbles than a normal bath bomb as well which I found surprising but I thoroughly enjoyed my bath regardless
As you can see from the pictures above, the bath bomb melts away beautifully with it’s gorgeous peach, coral and green colours and the bubbles were a nice little bonus.
I highly recommend Peachy. It’s a seasonal Lush product but it’s definitely worth buying!
I was too lazy to run myself a bath so I had a nice shower with a shower bomb and had a very interesting experience with
Lush Not Sleepy Shower Bomb
The Not Sleepy shower bomb made such a nice change to the lengthy baths and bubble bars I use.
It filled the shower with gorgeous citrus smells and I used it over my body as a scrub. It was refreshing and calming at the same time and I finished my shower feeling invigorated.
As with most Lush products, I love this shower bomb. It’s a different option for people which is nice and does the job perfectly.
Spacemasks
In the evening, I decided to relax with the Spacemask that I received in my Cruelty Free Beauty Box in December.
To describe it as an interesting experience would be accurate. The mask itself was great. Soft and comfortably hooked behind my ears.
Waiting for the mask to get hot felt weird, and the actual heating feeling felt super strange and to be completely honest, a little uncomfortable. I started to feel a little woozy from the heat so I took it off after about 10 minutes.
As soon as the mask was off, I actually felt great. The steamy feeling hit and it was super soothing and refreshing.
Although the after experience was lovely, the actual experience ruined it for me and I don’t think I will be buying these or using them again. It definitely wasn’t for me.
Another Sunday has come around, and another pampering and relaxation session.
I’m still making my way through my Christmas Lush haul and the Pixi FortifEYE patches which you can read about here.
Here is what I used this week…
Lush Snowman Dreaming Bath Bomb
This was a lovely simple bath bomb with gorgeous smells and colours. Lush described it the scents as lavender and cedarwood oil. I smelt lavender and the smell wasn’t over-powering and overwhelming.
It was an incredibly relaxing smell and it was nice to soak into. A lovely post-Christmas treat!
Lush Candy Cane Bubble Bar
As much as I love a bath bomb, I really love bubbles. I think I’m going to have to start giving up on bath bombs and only buying bubble bars.
When I topped up the bath with some more hot water, I decided to fill the bath with my beloved bubbles so I used the Candy Cane reusable bubble bar.
You simply run it under water and let it produce all the bubbles you want. It leaves you with a lovely, bubbly and red bath smelling of lemon and bergamot.
I would definitely recommend a bubble bar. It’s so nice to have bubbles and it makes it feel like a real bath! Lush have a huge range of bubble bars so have a browse online.
January has come to an end and I’m still slowly making my way through the Christmas Lush haul that I received, so here’s another edition of Self Care Sundays with more wonderful Lush products!
As we move into a new month of 2020, it’s important to keep taking time to relax and recharge for your own health and benefit.
Along with my usual bath products, I’m still making my way through the Pixi FortifEYE patches and the Sand & Sky Pink Clay Mask which you can read about in my previous Self Care Sundays post.
Rose Jam Bubble Bar
I loved the Rose Jam bubble bar. It’s bright pink and smells fantastic, as well as covering my fingers with glitter!
It didn’t take long to dissolve and fill the bath full of gorgeous scents and amazing bubbles. Some rose scents can be really overwhelming, but the scent of this bubble bar isn’t strong and was really relaxing to be in. I must have spent almost 2 hours in the bath, enjoying my relaxation time.
Lush have hit it out of the park with this bubble bar. It is easily one of my favourite ones so far and more importantly, it is still available to buy on their website.
At £4.95 a pop, it’s not the cheapest bath product out there so it’s definitely a once in a while treat, but it’s definitely worth it.
January always feels like a slow month. After the Christmas rush, it’s important to take a beat and relax.
I’ve been back at work for a full week now and getting back into routine is exhausting! So finally it’s the end of the week and before the week starts all over again, I treated myself to a nice long bath and face mask.
Luxury Lush Pud
The first of my Christmas bath bombs to be used, I have 2 Luxury Lush Puds so to make my way through them, why not start with the duplicate. It’s colours enticed me too to be honest.
The bath bomb had a lovely scent and fizzed away nicely and made some lovely colours in the bath. I have to admit, I did add some bubbles by running the Candy Cane bubble bar under the tap for a few minutes.
A plain bath is not sufficient anymore, I always have to have a bath bomb or bubble bar to keep me entertained as I only ever bathe instead of shower to relax.
Apologies for the terrifying selfie!
Sand & Sky Australian Pink Clay Mask
I wrote about this clay mask a few weeks ago which you can read about here.
I am noticing improvements to my pores and skin after each use but whether that’s due to the mask specifically or the other skin products I’m using is hard to tell.
It’s a nice, but very expensive treat to have. There are many dupes out there that can be bought now so I think after this pot is finished, I’ll definitely be trying a cheaper dupe to see how that fares.
Pixi FortifEYE Patches
I do love these Pixi FortifEYE patches. They’re so easy to use and there’s so many of them in the pot that they’ll last me a while.
My only minor issue with them is that the shape of them doesn’t quite fit with my face shape. It’s a minor annoyance that I can live with and the soothing benefits outweigh it.
After a very busy weekend last weekend celebrating marriages and working overtime until the early hours of Sunday morning, I skipped a blog post to take some time for myself and relax.
I’ve written various blog posts in my Self Care Sundays series and although I like to earmark a Sunday for self care, remember that every day is a self care day so look after your minds and your bodies!
Lush Peng Bath Bomb
I love a bath bomb. They may not always have any skin benefits, but they’re a nice treat and they always have the bath in pretty colours and smelling lovely.
Peng wasn’t the best bath bomb I’ve ever used but it smelt nice enough and was interesting enough. I would probably go for a more fragrant one in future.
Natura Pumpkin Sheet Mask
As some of you may be aware, I have subscribed to The Cruelty Free Beauty Box which is delivered every other month. One of the treat in October’s box was the Natura Pumpkin Infused Sheet Mask.
I finally used it last weekend in the bath for the full 15 minutes (possibly longer). Sheet masks have become very popular and they’re so easy to use and remove.
Scarily during use!
After use.
Apologies for the terrifying images above and the extra skin on show! I just wanted to show those of you who weren’t familiar with sheet masks what they’re like.
My skin felt great afterwards and the mask smelt amazing. This isn’t the first Natura sheet mask I’ve used before and I’m a big fan of them. They’re not a regular feature in my beauty regime as they aren’t cheap but, as with a bath bomb, they’re a treat.
A quick note on the sheet masks, don’t wash off the product after use! Let it sit on your skin and be absorbed so you can really get the full effects of the mask.
That’s all for this issue of Self Care Sundays! There’ll be more to come in the future.
My friends and family know me very well, and I was well and truly spoilt this Christmas. In particular, I received some amazing Lush goodies to get me through the next few months before I’ll need to stock up (or get gifted more for my birthday in March… *hint hint*).
So let’s get to it… This is what I got spoilt with at Christmas…
2 gift sets: Happy Christmas and Christmas Candy Box, plus extra bubble bars
I know not everyone is a fan of Lush, but I love their bath bombs and bubble bars. The smells are amazing and the quality is great. More importantly, everything is either vegetarian or vegan (of course, I would prefer if they were vegan, but they’re making those strides and that’s what is most important!).
Happy Christmas
The Happy Christmas box contained 4 very Christmassy bath bombs in a very beautiful gift box.
The descriptions are as follows:
Santa’s Grotto: Santa’s Grotto swirls into turquoise and mauve shades, releasing a zephyr of everlasting flower absolute and stirring ylang ylang as it goes.
Luxury Lush Pud: This is one Christmas pud you just won’t be able to resist! Perfectly pink with colourful spots, reach for this when you’re in need of a playful soak.
Snowman Dreaming: Cedarwood and lavender fill your bathroom with a dreamy fragrance, perfect to help little tots, and big ones, to the land of nod!
Shoot For The Stars: Honey-scented sparkles of Brazilian orange and bergamot waltz in a swirling, cobalt sky.
Snowman Dreaming
Santa’s Grotto
Luxury Lush Pud
The whole box
Lush have been trying to remove as much of their plastic packaging as possible, and so many of their products now have ‘naked’ versions, which means they don’t have the unnecessary packaging.
All the bath bombs in the Happy Christmas box come naked and they all smell amazing and I can’t wait to try them. I’m sure all of them will produce some beautiful colours and swirls in the bath tub.
The blue bath bomb which I haven’t pictured separately is the Shoot For The Stars bath bomb. I’ve written about this bath bomb before in a previous blog post which you can read here.
Christmas Candy Box
Another beautiful gift box filled with the sweet stuff! The box contains the following:
Luxury Lush Pud: as above.
Candy Cane reusable bubble bar: Hold under running water to take a trip down candy cane lane with Sicilian lemon and bergamot oils.
Snow Fairy shower gel: A fantastical fuchsia festival of fragrance will help your mood skyrocket to Neverland.
This box is smaller that the Happy Christmas box but all smells delicious and sweet. Their Snow Fairy range is one of their Christmas specials and is amazing. I suspect it’s one of their best sellers at this time of year!
The Extras
Tom treated me to an extra 2 solo items! As much as I love a bath bomb, bubble bars are my favourite. I really love bubbles! They make a bath feel much more comforting and cosy.
Bubble Brush Candy
Blue Skies Bubble Bar
Candy bubble brush: Ready to brush up on your art skills? Who said bathing had to be boring? Whether you’re already a seasoned artist or just like to paint by numbers, these new #BathArt reusable bubble brushes from Lush’s artful splodges are sure to make a Big Splash in your bathroom.
Blue Skies and Fluffy White Clouds bubble bar:A double-sized bubble bar scented for when you need to get away from it all, this bubble bar will help you float off. Patchouli and frankincense give it an exotic, hypnotic fragrance that helps you relax. This melts into your bathwater, turning the water sky-blue, dotted with foam clouds. Patchouli is used as a relaxant by aromatherapists, while frankincense and cinnamon leaf oil add spicy, deep tones to the calming scent.
Tom loves the bubble brush. I treated him to one for his Christmas present too. It’s reusable, and like the candy cane bubble bar, you just run it under the tap while the bath is running to produce lots of bubbles.
The Blue Skies bubble bar reminds me of The Comforter and should be amazing if The Comforter is anything to go by!
I’m sure lots of these will be making an appearance in an issue of Self Care Sundays in the very near future!
It’s been a while since I posted a Self Care Sunday post so apologies! It’s been a busy few weeks but I was finally able to take a beat…
Here are the products I treated myself to this time.
Lush: Unicorn Horn Bubble Bar
I am a big fan of a bubble bar. Bath bombs are lovely and smell amazing, but bubble bars give you the same thing with all of the bubbles! I bought the Lush Unicorn Horn bubble bar a few months ago and finally got to use it.
The bubble bar was lovely and didn’t produce heavy amounts of glitter which is a positive for me as I don’t like coming out of the bath caked in glitter or shimmer.
It was lovely and relaxing, and as always, I highly recommending visiting Lush for all your bathing and bubble needs!
Superdrug: Dead Sea Purifying Clay Mask
I’m not sure if I’ve written about this face mask before but it is my absolute favourite face mask. It is so refreshing and great for my pores.
It’s a Superdrug own brand mask and costs only 99p. It’s clearly labelled vegan which is great too. Here‘s the link to the product.
My only criticism of this is the packaging. I find these disposable packs really inconvenient and quite wasteful. I feel like I end up wasting product. I usually end up emptying it into a small Lush pot that I have spare and lying around to try and get the most of it.
PIXI: FortifEYE patches
Finally, I bought a new product the other day and have been using these on a few occasions, usually just when I’m sitting around watching TV.
Everyone loves an under-eye mask and these ones are great. There’s lots of pairs in the pot, but admittedly they are a little pricey. I managed to get these on LookFantastic with a discount code so it worked out quite well.
The reviews were really good and when I finally got them I definitely didn’t disagree. They were really easy to use and left my eyes feeling really refreshed. I do think that they’re lifting and firming well and I’m noticing the bags under my eyes less and less.
Don’t forget to treat yourselves every now and then because you deserve it!
I know it’s early, but I’m going to mention the C word… Christmas!
I’m sure plenty of you (if you’re not vegan yourselves) have vegan relatives and friends that you don’t know what to purchase for.
I pride myself on being a good gift buyer. I pay attention to the people I love and note their needs for future reference. I won’t know your friends and families personally, but here are some shops and generic gifts that many vegans would be pleased to receive!
Holland and Barrett
H&B is a health shop that you can find on most high streets. H&B has so many vegan products available in their stores, including chocolate and snacks, as well as beauty items so it’s always worth popping in.
For Tom’s birthday recently, I popped in to pick up chocolate for him. They have a great range of vegan chocolate there which includes Vego and Nomo. He’s made his way through most of it now and loved it all.
My personal favourite was the Cocoalibre raspberry bar!
Lush
Those of you who are avid readers will know that I’m a fan of Lush. I usually stock up on bath bombs and bubble bars which I think make fantastic gifts for people during the holiday season.
Come Christmas time, Lush releases a whole range of Christmas gift boxes as well as individual items. Gift boxes are always a great gift as they usually give you a bit of everything. There are plenty of boxes to choose from so this isn’t specific to Christmas but I do love the Christmas boxes.
Another thing that Lush offers are knot wraps instead of boxes. This gives you the flexibility of choosing which items you’d like your receiver to have, including the design of the wrap.
Everything in Lush is labelled so make sure you pick vegan items. There is a clear distinction between the vegetarian and vegan items so if you’re not sure, ask the staff and I’m sure they’d be more than willing to help.
Ethical Superstore
When we start approaching the Christmas season, I like to take a visit to the Ethical Superstore online store. There’s usually lots of goodies and it’s really easy to filter for vegan items on their website.
My usual Christmas order will consist of chocolate for stocking fillers and there will always be some Booja Booja chocolates, usually for myself…
There are so many items available to browse and buy. Scented candles, clothes, bags, shoes, etc! Depending on who you’re buying for, there’ll be plenty of selection available.
Clothing
There are lots of vegan clothing brands that I’ve come across in my short time as a vegan with their appearances at various vegan events in Cardiff!
Viva La Vegan
Tom loves the Viva La Vegan range. There are plenty of t-shirts, hoodies and accessories to choose from. Their designs are simple and effective but here are so many designs and options to choose from that there’s bound to be something there.
I love that they also do badges, stickers and reusable items like tote bags and reusable cutlery! If clothing wasn’t what you were after, then these are great options too.
Wear Your Voice
Wear Your Voice have some truly beautiful designs for their clothing. It’s impactful but gorgeous. Their designs range from stunning animal drawings (which are designed by them and won’t be found anywhere else) to some more simple designs.
Eden Perfumes
We’ll finish this post off on Eden Perfumes. I’ve written about Eden Perfumes before in this blog post. They are based in Brighton and are completely vegan and cruelty free. They make so many different fragrances and there will be a cruelty-free and vegan version of your favourite there!
If you know someone who’s recently turned vegan or is transitioning over, Eden Perfumes will be a great alternative for their favourite perfumes. Lots of people forget about the need for cruelty-free and vegan cosmetics so this is also a friendly reminder, as well as a great gift!
If there’s anything you guys would like hints and tips on, please leave a comment below and I’ll do my best to help!
Our skin is the largest organ of our bodies so it’s important to take good care of it.
My skin is generally quite good. I’m not particularly acne prone, but I do have an incredibly oily T-zone. My skin tone is quite patchy and red so does need to be evened out.
Skin is unique to everyone as we all have different skin types and quirks. These are products that I use and love, but they might not necessarily be great for you. But always continue the hunt for the perfect skincare!
Lush Jade Roller Naked Cleansing Balm
‘Naked’ products are all the rage these days. They give you your favourite products without the unnecessary packaging! The Jade Roller cleansing balm is exactly that.
I bought this product in May and have been using it for the last few weeks and it is absolutely lovely. I only bought a mini version, but more recently they’ve released a larger version which I will definitely be purchasing in future.
The product smells amazing and is so easy to use. It’s quite melty so as soon as you start rubbing it over your face, it melts across the skin. I think massage it into my face, focusing on hard to clean areas like my eye make up. The cleansing balm lifts it all up with ease and I wash off with a Face Halo. My skin is always left feeling refreshed and soft.
Figs & Rouge Hydra-Pore Soft Focus Veil
In a previous blog post, which you can find here, I wrote about a one-off beauty box I bought from Cohorted. This box contained only items by Figs & Rouge which are a vegan, cruelty-free company. I actually love everything that I was given, but the Hydra-Pore Soft Focus Veil was my favourite.
I’ve essentially been using it as a primer underneath my make up. It does say to use it after cleansing and moisturising, but I kind of use it as a moisturiser.
My pores gets covered well every time and any foundation I use sits so beautifully on it. This includes both powder and liquid foundations. It’s not cakey and it’s not too thick. I much prefer it to silicone based primers, and it still feels soft and smooth on the skin.
Natura Sheet Masks
The first of these sheet masks that I had received was in The Cruelty Free Beauty Box before they revamped their options and I finally got round to using it in June. You can read my review of this on this post here.
Because I loved it so much, I ordered another one and it was just as good. Sheet masks aren’t for everyone but I love them. The Natura ones are great, easy to use and smell amazing.
The Rose Infused Sheet mask was absolutely lovely. The smell wasn’t too much and my skin felt amazing afterwards. I think I’ll try and make my way round the entire range, but each one has different skin benefits so make sure you read up.
LUE by Jean Seo: Clear
This one is coming to the end of it’s life so I’m going to have to buy a new one, but for the occasions where I can feel spots coming through (and even when they’re right there!), this skin treatment is amazing.
I apply it directly to the area affected, usually my chin, and it helps dry out the spot and reduce redness. It’s an absolute life saver! I fully recommend buying this one. I think it’s worth every penny.
VGN Annabel 