New Lush Products

I picked up these three items in Lush last weekend. It was a successful trip as I managed to get in and out of there without too much interrogation from the staff ʕง•ᴥ•ʔง. The main reason I dived in there on a Saturday was to pick up the I Love Juicy Shampoo...so let's start off with why I did that...

My scalp the last few weeks has been a bit gross. I've been finding that after washing and whilst even in the middle of drying that it feels sticky and waxy around the crown. Which has been getting me down! I read up online about it and it could have been a build up of the chemicals you get in your usual high street shampoo's (sulphates, parabens etc) I was using Pantene at the time (get in the bin).

People recommend rinsing with Apple Cider Vinegar which helps break down that build up and get it out. I wanted a natural shampoo to make sure I wasn't putting any build up back in. I trust Lush to sort this and this is what came up! My scalp was fresh and clear after the first wash *angels singing* Sometimes I still spray some ACV as a rinse too as it makes my hair shiny giving me a halo effect around crown *beyonce singing*

It's known for being strong and stripping the hair so this is my no.1 shampoo right now.

Lush - I Love Juicy Shampoo

Next up I came across the Yuzu & Cocoa Shower Cream. This might be a seasonal one off product but ... the smell. Theres a sort of coconut/ liquorice scent in there somewhere I think (for me anyway). Its an alarmingly thick yellow substance and the scent stays with me the first half of the day. I want to drink it. I did a little research to see what other products you can get in this scent and they used to do a perfume. I would lap that up if it still existed. Please bring that back someone. Just look at that blob.

Finally I picked up a new daily cleanser Lush Ultrabland. My skin is quite irritable this time of year. It seems the weather change makes my forehead really itch and welt up. So I'm up for trying oil based products to help keep that soothed (even though I have oily skin) Can I not have all the skin types plz! I find oil cleansers are good at breaking down make-up gently too so this makes a really nice soft night face wash. The texture is like soft creamy cupcake icing.

So yeah pretty happy with this lot ʕᴥ• ʔ☝

Cup O' Coffee Mask

Lush - Cup O' Coffee Exfoliating Mask

I spotted this on the Lemon Freckles Instagram and thought I would try it out. Coffee isn't the first thing I would think about smearing on my face but I do like the smell...so ok then (ﾉ･ｪ･)ﾉ

It seemed quite watery in the shop but comes up quite thick in the end. Its definitely the most abrasive mask I have tried in Lush so I wouldn't use it on my face too often. Nice to use on the back and shoulders though. The smell is accurate and perky but I think Face of Magnaminty is still the one for me as its just the right amount of rough and tingly ٩(●ᴗ●)۶

“Reading is a bit like hallucinating.” - N.Filer, The Shock of the Fall

I just finished 'The Shock Of The Fall' by Nathan Filer, tricky to get into at first as its from the perspective of a guy with schizophrenia, but definitely worth it in the end. It's a little depressing but very clever and I like the way the main character (Matthew) remembers his dead brother by considering his atoms in everyday objects. Might have to read it again.

I've had a run of pretty good books recently so was struggling to find something else. I asked a friend I trust on recommendations and they came up with "IT" by Stephen King. I haven't read any King yet but have seen a few movies. If you think the films aren't all that scary then the book is a different story. I've been sleeping with the light on since I started and there is a lot left to go. Not for sensitive minds and those who want to keep a watch on their electricity usage. I'm going to stick with it and keep an eye out for clowns.

Colour Contact Lenses

I bought some coloured lenses from Pinky Paradise a few weeks ago and have finally got around to trying them out. I got the GBT Green and the Venus Eye Blue.
I normally wear contacts and I'm a -2.50 so I'm use to putting them in (just about) but if you are new to contacts you will find this tricky ( I still remember my first time) so be careful not to drop them on the floor. I also use an alcohol antiseptic hand gel between taking them in and out as I've been told off recently by the eye doctor man for not being nice to my eyeballs.

They arrived to my UK address really quick and you get tracking too. This is what the set looks like when it arrives

You get a little hippo eye case for keeping them in and each pair of lenses come in a jar. Now be careful with opening these jars, because once you lose the metal pull and find you have to prise the rest of the top off it gets pretty dangerous. I cut my thumb doing this, so avoid using contact with the skin if you find you have to pull the bendy metal lid off with your hands. You then pour the contacts into your hippo's and you are good to go.

Photo's have not been enhanced and I didn't Photoshop my skin so you can get the best idea of how they look in natural light. Their website shows real life examples of people wearing them off Facebook too. I naturally have hazel (green/brown) eyes which will be the first pic.



My eyes with no lenses (natural colour hazel)

My eyes with the Venus Blue lenses

My eyes with the GBT Green

Hope this gives you an idea of how they turn out and I haven't scared anyone. They are comfortable enough but not something you would wear everyday more for one off occasions ;)

Bell x

What I've been reading

Dress: Topshop

Normally when I give in to reading a book its 'when I have to' (i.e when there is no internet connection) I went away to Australia for a few weeks and the wifi situation was looking grim so... book time. They must have been good as I even continued to read when I had internets! In order of preference...

The Rosie Project - Graeme Simsion

I'm glad I started on this one as it was my favourite. It's about a guy in his 40's called Don with aspergers who devises a questionnaire to find a suitable wife. Aspergers often means you have an inability to pick up on social 'rules' and facial expressions and you tend to see everything in a straight forward and logical way. This contrasted with the emotional minefield of dating sets up the book for a refreshing outlook from Don's perspective. The clever writing prevents it from becoming a soppy romcom and you end up warming to someone who struggles to employ warmth and feeling themselves. Also Don's way of seeing things often makes sense and you question whether 'non-aspies' really do have it worked out.

Wonder - RJ Palacio

The main character Auggie was such a cutie in this book, you just wanted to squeeze his asymmetrical cheeks. 'Wonder' is a children's book written from the perspective of a 10 year old who was born with a severe facial disfigurement and documents his struggles with starting school. The book focuses on how cruel children can be to one another and a need for us to be "kinder than necessary". In that sense the book seems quite timely in terms of internet bullying and trolling on social media. The story will hopefully educate younger kids who are entering their teens about how to have empathy for others and maybe remind adults how to go about it too.

The Fault In Our Stars - John Green

At first I wasn't too keen on the main character (Hazel) she started out the cliche cocky sulky teenager, but she starts to soften through the book and lets those barriers down which I guess is a tribute to the authors writing. It's about two teenagers meeting through a cancer therapy group who fall in love, but its as much about death and illness and tackles these issues with a dark humour that keeps it compelling. It's also interesting to see a book address death with regards to social media. At one point Hazel trawls through Gus's dead girlfriends Facebook wall, hunting for a trace of this girls identity amongst the generic posthumous wall posts that arise in the wake of somebodies passing. I watched the trailer for the film adaptation yesterday and I did feel a bit sick, so don't watch it before the book, it will ruin it!