Your guide to Lush bath products ♡

If you're new to Lush, or are used to using the same products every time you order, you may find there are hidden treasures perfect for you that you've never tried before!  I've sorted bath bombs, luxury bath melts, and bubble bars into 4 possible categories, Relaxing and Calming, Uplifting and Invigorating, Visually Gorgeous, and Great for your Skin. I've used every bath product available from the most recent booklet from Lush, but there may be some new or seasonal products online that aren't in this post.

I should mention that all lush products have a little bit of all categories in them, but I've divided them to show their specific benefits. For example, all Lush products will nourish your skin, but some are more specially designed to leave your skin amazingly smooth and silky.

1) Twilight 2) Think Pink 3) Amandopondo 4) Floating Island 5) Rose Jam Bubbleroon 6) Dreamtime 7) Ickle Baby Bot 8) Big Blue 9) Blackberry Bath Bomb 10) A French Kiss 11) Blue Skies and Fluffy White Clouds 12) Dorothy 

The relaxing and calming bath products contain oils that calm and soothe your mind. Lavender oil, for example, is a great sleep aid, and is a main ingredient in most of these products. The Ickle Baby Bot (7) and Dreamtime (6) are specifically promoted to help sleep! If you're more into a bath that will help you clear your mind but not send you off to sleep, the Blue Skies and Fluffy White Clouds (11) and Twilight (1) create a soothing environment from the scent and look of the product.

All of these products have different effects on your bath water, most colour the water the same colour as the product. The bubble bars are designed to create a bath full of beautiful bubbles - remember to run these under your tap and break them apart to create bubbles and not just drop them in like a bath bomb or a melt.

1) Pop In The Bath 2) Tisty Tosty 3) Sakura 4) Fizzbanger 5) Dragon's Egg 6) Green Bubbleroon 7) Avobath 8) Sunnyside 9) You've Been Mangoed 10) Karma 11) Brightside 12) Phoenix Rising 13) Space Girl 

The Uplifting and Invigorating products are designed to give you a fresh burst of energy, and help restore positive and energetic feelings. Most of these products have a floral, citrus, or fruity scent. These are all perfect for when you feel like you need a boost in life. You've Been Mangoed (9) and Karma bubble bar (10) have sweet and fruity scent, and contain energising citrus oils, including orange, lemon, and lime. 

If you'd prefer a strong floral scent, Sakura (3) and Tisty Tosty (2) both contain jasmine absolute alongside other oils from flowers. If you want something uplifting but without any strong floral scents, Space Girl (13) and Phoenix Rising (12) are perfect products. Not only do they have a lovely scent (Space Girl specifically has the scent of Parma Violet sweets!) but they give your bath water exciting colours and patterns. For a full effect, fill your bath first and let it settle until the water is completely still, then place in a bath bomb and let it fizz away to create beautiful and unique patters in the water.

1) Sunnyside 2) Granny Takes A Dip 3) Karma bubble bar 4) Blue Skies and Fluffy White Clouds 5) Big Blue 6) Think Pink 7) Space Girl 8) The Comforter 9) Dragon's Egg 10) Twilight 

These bath bombs create the most striking and beautiful patterns and bubbles in the water. For full effect, when using a bath bomb use as I stated above - let the water rest still and then place it in and allow it to move around in still water. For the bubble bars crumble and rub them under running water to create amazing bubbles. 

Sunnyside (1) creates beautiful bubbles, and turns your bathwater into a deep shimmering gold colour. The other bubble bars, Blue Skies and Fluffy White Clouds (4), Karma (3), and The Comforter (8), all create bubbles but also give your bathwater a deep colour, depending on which product you use. The Karma (3) especially turns your water bright orange and looks great against the bright white bubbles.

Granny Takes A Dip (2) consists of almost psychedelic colours, and is the most striking Lush product! If you're interesting in turning your bath crazy colours then this product is perfect for you! If you prefer a more subtle - but still gorgeous - effect on the water, Space Girl (7) consists of a combination of deep reds, pinks, and purples that create a cosmic effect.

1) Yuzu And Cocoa Bubbleroon 2) Avobath 3) Ceridwen's Cauldron 4) Green Bubbleroon 5) Honey Bee 6) Dragon's Egg 7) Butterball 8) Mmmelting Marshmallow Moment 9) Sex Bomb 10) Creamy Candy

Last but not least, the collection of products above are specially designed to leave your skin smooth and silky. If you've used Lush products before, you know how soft some of the products can leave your skin! 

The Butterball (8) and Avobath (2) are simple looking products, but will soften your skin, and allow you to relax in the scent of vanilla and lemongrass. Ceridwen's Cauldron (3) is designed so you can soak the melt in your bath and allow it to infuse the water, and then soothe your skin with the product by using it on your arms and legs. 

All of the Bubbleroon products are great for your skin, but Yuzu and Cocoa Bubbleroon (1) contains coconut oil and shea butter which will do wonders for dry skin that needs moisturising. It also has the scent of chocolate orange which is one of my favourites. 

I hope you enjoyed my guide to lush bath products! 

If you have any ideas of posts you want to see, feel free to comment below.

Tofu Cute - the UK kawaii shop ♡

Tofu Cute is a great online shop that sells a range of cute and unique products - including charms, plush toys, stationary, and a variety of candy and snacks from Japan you can't easily find in the UK. The shop offers world wide delivery, and I've personally ordered products from this site before in the UK with no problems. This site is perfect if you have an interest in kawaii or Japanese products or candy. 

There is a good range of products available without being too overwhelming too look through. I've chosen some of my favourite products from a selection of lifestyle, stationary, and snacks - but I definitely recommend browsing through the site yourself. 

♡ Lifestyle ♡

The lifestyle section of the site includes kawaii charms, sweet petites, purses and cases, bento and kitchen, kawaii gifts, and miniatures.

There are so many interesting products within this section of the site, but these are my three personal favourites. I'll reference them in the order that they're shown above! If you wish to view a product, just click on the name of it in the text below.

• The Alpacasso Alpaca Rainbow Keychains are sold separately, and come in the variety of colours shown. The detachable ball chain allows you to attach it to your keys, phone, or bag, so you can accessorize  anything you like. These items are also around 10cm big so keep this in mind before ordering!
• Pastel Alpaca Furry Multi-Purpose Cases are big enough to fit an iphone or a small camera. They are also sold separately and come in the colours displayed. There are so many things you could use these small cases for! Not only could you use them to protect a phone or camera in your bag, you could also use them to keep any small items that easily get lost, or for hiding anything you wish to keep discreet instead of having them loose in your bag.
• Poteusa Loppy Bunny Plush Charms are another cute item. Their function is similar to the Alpacasso charms shown above, but at 5cm they are half the size and a bit more suitable for phone charms. If you want a cute accessory that's a bit more manageable than a huge alpaca these are a great alternative!

♡ Stationary ♡

The starionary section of the site includes kawaii stickers, paper and deco, pens and erasers, and greeting cards.

As before, I'll reference the products in the order they are shown above, and to view a product on tofu cute, just click on its name.

• I absolutely love the Kawaii Neko Kitty Fineliner Pens! Each comes in a different colour and are sold separately - the colours of ink available are blue, black, and red. You could just buy one colour, or buy all of them and mix and match the lids. They have superfine tip, which makes them perfect for line art or writing.
• The Alpaca Sticky Marker Peep Outs are super cute, and will also help with organisation of any files or papers you may have. There are 120 in a pack, and are the perfect size for small notes or to use as dividers. If you get bored easily studying, using items such as these will help brighten up your work and help you keep organised.
• The Kawaii Animal Die-Cut Lined Notepads are so adorable! They're quite small so perfect to take on the go to jot down any notes. The pages are lined and have a small place in the corner to put the date. They are sold individually, so you can choose the design you like the best.

♡ Snacks ♡

The snack section includes pocky sticks, cute biscuits, sweet candy, diy candy kits, chocolate, and ramune soda.

As before, I'll reference the products in the order they are shown above, and to view a product on tofu cute, just click on its name.

• The Glico Panda Pocky Cookies and Cream look so nice, and have really cute and unique packaging. They would be such a nice gift to give as a small present, or as a treat for yourself! The flavour is unique and not something you would usually find in normal shops. They're also suitable for vegetarians! 
• Meiji Hello Panda Biscuits Strawberry remind me of my favourite candy that I only seem to find when I go abroad on holiday. They also come in different flavours: creamy milk, chocolate, and double choc. The packaging is so adorable and would make a really lovely gift! These are also suitable for vegetarians.
• Popin' Cookin' DIY Candy Kit - Ice Cream.  These DIY kits allow you to make your own candy! They include instructions, and everything you need in the box to make the sweets. I bought a kit from the same brand, but made candy sushi! I would definitely recommend buying one of these kits; they're so fun to do and they taste pretty good as well. 

I hope you've found this review useful or interesting! In the future I may buy some of the candy kits or snacks and do a more detailed review. If there are any products you'd like to see specifically, comment below. 

Your skin type, and the perfect primers for it ♡

A lot of times I find people I talk to are never sure of their skin type, and use foundations that don't work well. Using make up for your face that doesn't match well with your skin type can mean your foundation wears off too quickly from using the wrong type, or is drying out your skin. 

This post will help you find out what type your skin is, and the primers to use to give your skin a perfect base for other make up. (I will write a post similar to this for foundation as well - this post is to help you figure out how to create a perfect base for your make up). Also, instead of suggesting specific primers, each skin type will have a generalised idea of what is best for them, so you can then find a primer in your price range to suit you with the knowledge of what's best for your skin.

♡ Figuring Out Your Skin Type ♡

There are 4 basic skin types, not including having acne prone, or sensitive skin. If you have either of these you will have to keep this in mind when purchasing make up. Your skin type mostly refers to how dry or oily your skin is, and on which parts of your face. You could have normal, oily, dry, or combination skin. The best way to determine your skin type is to observe the quality of your skin when you have no products or make up on your face. 

Firstly, make sure not to over wash your face with too many products such as scrubs and soaps. Only use water and a gentle cleanser to remove any products or oils from your skin. After this, wait around one hour so your skin has time to return to it's natural state. Be super careful not to touch or lean on your face with with your hands. After this time, take a tissue and, paying close attention to your forehead and nose, dab your whole face with the tissue. Observing the amount of oil or flaky skin on the tissue will help you figure out what type your skin is.

• If your skin is normal, the tissue should show no flaking skin or oil. Keep in mind that 'normal' skin isn't actually the most common, this just means that you have no excess oil or dry skin.

• Oily skin will show grease on the tissue. You may also have larger pores and 'shiny' looking skin.

• Dry skin may feel tight, or show dead skin flakes on the tissue. Dry skin is often accompanied by small pores.

• Combination skin - the most common - shows different traits of the other skin types. Usually your T-zone (your forehead and nose) will be oily, and the rest of your skin will be normal or dry.

♡ Which Primer Should You Use? ♡

In all primers, it's good to look for a high SPF. This will protect your skin from sun damage which will keep it healthy and prevent it from ageing prematurely. Also, keywords such as 'sweat/water resistant' or 'long lasting' will make sure that your primer won't just come off half way through your day.

♡ Normal Skin

• If you have normal skin, you don't have to be super careful about which primers you use, as there are no real problems you have to cater for. 

• 'Normal' skin means you have no excess oil or dry skin. You may not need a primer to fix any problems, but would like to give yourself a longer lasting and more flawless finish to your foundation. 

• Look for light and creamy primers to make sure it's not too heavy on your skin. You're just looking for a primer that will give your skin a smooth base for foundation. 

• If you prefer a glowing or dewy finish, look for illuminating primers.

• If you prefer a matte finish, look for a mattefying primer.

♡ Oily Skin 

• Look for primers that are oil free and have a shine free finish.

• Oily skin may have large pores, so a pore minimising primer will benefit your skin type if you want an flawless look.

• Mattefying primers will help prevent a 'shine' on your skin that many people will oily skin experience. 

• Avoid illuminating or dewy primers, as they may not work well with your skin type.

♡ Dry Skin 

• Hydrating and moisturising primers will not only improve the general look and condition of dry and flaky skin over time, but will help your foundation glide on smoothly and not cling to dry skin. Using hydrating primers will prevent your foundation from looking patchy.

• Those with dry skin may also suffer from redness. There are many primers to buy with a mint or green tone, this helps to eliminate pink or red tones in your skin. But make sure - as with all other primers - to let them dry completely before you apply foundation.

• Illuminating primers will create a glowing and radiant look, combating matte or patchy skin.

♡ Combination Skin 

• Combination skin is both the most common and the most difficult to deal with, as you may have very dry skin in one area, and very oily in another. 

• If you have enough time in your make up routine and money to spend, you may wish to use multiple primers on different areas of your face.

• Using a primer that targets oily skin on your T-zone, and a normal or dry skin primer on the rest of your face will allow you to create a base more suitable for your skin.

• This may help you, for example, if you have a shine on your forehead and nose, red and flaky skin on your cheeks, and normal skin all over (my personal experience).

• Multi use primers will indicate that they are good for combination skin. If you only have time in your routine to use one primer, these are your best bet.

♡ How To Tell If It Works ♡

If your primer is working, the quality of your skin should be the same over all on your face, with no excess oil or dry skin. Primers are meant to create a long lasting base for your skin, although you may just wish to use them on their own for a quick flawless look. If you want to try out various foundations because you're not sure on what to ask for, ask for samples from your beauty store instead of buying multiple primers and risk not using them.

I hope these tips have helped you figure out your skin type, and how to find the perfect primer for your skin! All information I have collected either through personal experience of my own and others, or various information online from other blogs and websites.

Pick me ups - big and little things to improve your mood ♡

A lot of times I find myself in a low mood, with no idea what to do on how to pick myself up. I've made a list of some things to get you out of the dumps, from tiny pick me ups that take very little effort, to big ideas that might take a bit more money or preparation. 

♡ Little Things ♡

♡ Pop to your closet store or bakery, and pick the tastiest looking treat they have, either something you know you love, or something new you want to try. Buy it for yourself and eat it out in the sunshine, or save it until you get home. 

♡ Order a couple of cute bath bombs from Lush online - or whatever shop you like. Then you can look forward to your delivery and the relaxing baths to follow.

♡ If you're having a bad day and haven't showered or got ready, have a quick shower and get changed, and sit and do your make up, hair, or nails. This will make you feel more refreshed and lively, and will give you a chance to experiment with your hair and make up and try new styles.

♡ Download an app like Pinterest and follow some pages that post things you enjoy. You can either use it to scroll through when you're bored to take your mind of things or set up your own pins and boards as a small hobby.

♡ Find some youtube videos online of a game you've always wanted to play but never did, or games you've played before and enjoyed. If you find a complete series, you can watch an entire game with or without commentary. Instead of sitting and watching a film in bulk you could instead watch one episode a day so you have something tiny to look forward to at the end of the day.

♡ Big Things ♡

♡ Look online for some recipes and instructions on how to make your own bath bombs, websites like Pinterest might give you some great ideas. Use them yourself, or give them away as gifts.

♡ Find a delicious looking recipe online or in a cookery/baking book, and make it from scratch. Either just for yourself, or invite other people round and share a meal. Even just baking a cake and sharing it with your loved ones will give you something to do rather than be in a bad mood, and will help cheer you up as you're doing something nice for other people!

♡ Book an appointment at a salon to have your hair, make up, or nails done professionally. You could either just have your usual hair style, or try something different. Having a new hair colour could be a big boost in your confidence, and having a full set of nails will make you feel more polished!

♡ Start up a blog and write about the things you love or are interested in, and make a promise to yourself to post something new every week or month. Spend some of your spare time thinking about new things to write about, and planning what your post will be each month. 

♡ Go through old storage or boxes and find any old games or consoles you have. Figure out how to set them up, and enjoy playing all the games you used to play when you were younger! You could find old games for your console on buy and sell websites such as eBay, and bask in the nostalgia.