This lipstick tho'

Basically I just need a minute of your time to tell you how much I love this lipstick.

This is one of the new lipsticks Lush have bought out with their revamped Emotional Brilliance range. 

Joy is a gorgeous coral colour that has a slight shimmer to it. The pigmentation is fab and it almost has a matte feel to it when you wear it. 

It's fast becoming my perfect summer colour! 

So yeah I just needed to gush about it for a second. I'll definitely be buying more shades from this range as soon as I get back to London. 

Love, 

Lucy 

A closer look | The Comforter shower cream

In this series of posts I'm going to write about the Lush Oxford street products I've used, in more detail.
The first one I'm going to talk about is the comforter shower cream. The comforter is one of Lush's most popular fragrances. It currently comes in the form of The Comforter bubble bar (£4.75), the soon to be discontinued, Sweetie Pie shower jelly (£3.50 100g/ £6.95 240g)  and You Snap the Whip body butter (£6.50).
The Comforter Shower cream fits nicely in Lushes new shower set, which upcycles old fragrances such as Tuca Tuca and Cocktail. It has a sweet and fruity blackcurrant fragrance, that, as its name suggests is warming and well.. comforting!

 "like a cuddle in a bottle
cypress oil, cassis absolute
and bergamot oil create an
uplifting, reassuring fragrance."

So let's delve into some of the ingredients.
The first interesting thing on the list is,

Blackberry and vanilla infusion. So what's an infusion? An infusion is the act of soaking something in hot liquid, usually water, to make a drink, remedy or extract. basically you're making tea. Blackberries not only contribute to the smell and that glorious colour but they have one of the highest levels of antioxidants out of most fruits and on a par with blueberries. Vanilla is soothing and softening on the skin. The sugars bind moisture to the skin and protect the skin from losing moisture.

Bergamot Oil,  this is used to help give the mind a boost, used to treat Seasonal Affective Disorder. Often described as sunshine in a bottle, this citrus oil is used to cleanse the mind. brightening and antibacterial. great for skin and hair. Lush source their bergamot oil from Reggio di Calabria in southern Italy.

Cypress Oil, from cypress wood. This has a woody fragrance and is antibacterial and deodorising. It has a warm aroma, this contributes to that comforting smell in the fragrance. It's an oil that can be blended easily with other oils.

last but not least, probably the most important oil for the shower cream's scent.

Cassis oil, cassis oil is the name for blackcurrant oil. It's only use is for that lovely deep blackcurrant fragrance. like Kir Royal or Ribena. A rich nostalgic smell that transports you to only the most wonderful times in life.

This shower gel has a slight shimmer to it, it's a beautiful cerise colour and will instantly, I'm sure, become a cult favourite. Lush have only previously released this as a special product on the forum (if anyone here remembers that!), Retro and kitchen. It was a shoe in to have a place in Oxford street and as Lush prepare to roll out exclusives nationwide I'm sure it's something we'll be seeing in store very soon.

Thank you for reading, If you liked this post please add me to your reading list or follow me on Bloglovin' and if you want to know more about your favourite Lush products you can find lots of information on Lush.co.uk

Lucy x

Why I love bric a brac.

Today I want to talk about why I really love second hand goods. 

These, for me, are normally found at car booties, table top or charity shops. 

Ive always had a place in my heart for bric a brac and little odd knick knacks, I think it's because I've always grown up in places that have them lying around. Those odd little gems that should look out of place seem to work so well wherever I've lived. 

At my Grandparents house most of these things were locked away in display cabinets, I was always so curious about them that when they were finally opened it was like discovering buried treasure. Beswick figures, medals and funny little toys from the 1950s. It was like delving into the past and I was always desperate to find out more about them. 

My Grandparents on my Mother's side was similar, my Grandpa always has little bits around, musical instruments and sheet music, they collected beautiful things, including gorgeous hand made dolls houses, that I still covet to this day.

I feel much more at home with clutter, I think of it as comforting and homey. when I visit places where every thing is cleared away it seems sterile. For me possessions show your personality. I'm often left thinking- where are you? where's all your stuff?

My parents home has always been a hive of activity. we did so many things as children, dancing, swimming, dressing up and going to fun workshops. There are still things around from those times. It makes the house feel like there is a history. That the people there are interesting and that they have stories to tell.

I cant wait to have my own home. I'll be filling it up with so many bits I've collected over the years. I'll be able to tell my children where I was when I bought it or what it reminded me of. I want to embarrass them with my tacky pottery cheetah, Eduardo. I want them to think of me as a  person who lived well who did many interesting things and lots of stories to tell. 

Eduardo

When I visit a some where that sells second hand goods, I  always think of the life the object may have had and how I can incorporate that into my story. to the person selling the item, it may just be an old alarm clock. To me it's the person switching it off every morning to go to work. It looks fun and many things I buy turn out to be fantastic ice breakers at parties. In turn allowing me to create many more special memories of my own with friends. 

My Latest find.

These places allow you to re purpose old and unwanted things. It give the objects a new life, if it can give many more generations joy then why wouldn't you want it in your home. 

FYI, The flowers in the picture are also from the car boot. Some times you can get amazing bargains from them. These flowers were 4 bunches for £1, there was enough to make a small bouquet for Chris's mum, the flowers for me and a vase of flowers for my mum. At our local car boot there are amazing fruit and veg stalls, bakers and farm shops. 

roses, carnations, babies breath

It's obvious that for me going to these places evokes nostalgia and memories but it can just be a great day out.
 here's my 5 top tips for doing it right.

1. always go for a wee before you set off- this might seem dumb but you will thank me when there are no on site loos.

2. Haggle- you can! this isn't someones lively hood like an antique or furniture shop. chances are they'd rather not take it home if they can help it. think of it as practice for if you ever need to haggle seriously.

3. Don't buy it unless you love it. you cant return it once you've bought it.

4. If you love it buy it! it might not be there when you go back- then some other lucky person gets to enjoy it and you'll have serious regrets.

5. be prepared! stay hydrated if its hot, take had sanitiser, a back pack and lots of change.

I also recommend taking full advantage of ice cream and burger vans. 

That's it for now, if you like car booting let me know why? 

I hope you enjoyed reading this, If you liked it then please follow this blog or find me on bloglovin' 

 Lucy x