Lush's Fair Trade Foot Lotion

I don't think we quite appreciate how much work our feet do. Whether it's running barefoot around the house (Or even walking barefoot down the street after a night out!), going on a hike or just standing behind a till for 9 hours - our feet are baring the brunt of it all. So I think we can all agree that our feet deserve a bit of TLC, and what better than way than treating your toes to an intensely soothing, peppermint foot lotion.

I've been a bit of a Lush kick recently, so this iconic company need no introduction. However, this product certainly does. This lotion is 20-years in the making, and features only the finest in fair trade cocoa butter from Conacado - a group of small-scale farmers, so you can be sure that your feet are being taken care of by farmers that are receiving fair pay for their goods! Everybody wins!

This lotion is packed full of cooling and soothing ingredients such a peppermint oil and spearmint, along with almond oil to prevent cracks in the skin and amica to aid swelling and bruising - this tub is full to the brim with everything you need for gorgeous feet. The recycled tub comes in a generous 225g tub, so there's no need to skimp on product during application!

How amazing does that look?! It has the resemblance of pink icing, and the consistency of it too! It's thick as it's designed to take time to sink in, which is why application before bed is the best way to ensure your feet get the most out of this lotion. It smells like polo's, which I absolutely love, and during application the peppermint and spearmint instantly cooled my feet and I felt relaxed straight away. The only fault I had with the product was that because it took so long to absorb it was difficult to judge how much product to use and I found that I couldn't leave my bed after application as it would rub off the soles of my feet as I walked across the floor! However, the results most definitely outweigh the faults. When I woke up, my feet felt smooth and refreshed and I could smell how clean and refreshed they were as soon as I opened my eyes! I put this product to the test after a tiring news day at University where I was constantly running around for about 6 hours - and this product could not have delivered better results! My feet no longer ached, and it even managed to soften parts of my feet that i'd never been able to before (Too much information, I am aware!). It retails at £8.95, which is a reasonable price for the amount given and the results it achieves.

To apply, smooth a generous amount onto clean feet and rub in as best you can. For a more indulgent experience, apply a thick layer before bed and then put on a pair of socks. In the morning, wash off the remaining lotion (And stick the socks in the wash!) and voila - perfectly pampered feet!
If your on your feet and find yourself struggling to walk at the end of the day, you need to get yourself a tub of this magic lotion - trust me, your feet will thank you for it.

You can purchase Fair Trade Foot Lotion from your local Lush store or online here.

Click here to enter my giveaway to win a months supply of Ohso chocolate. This is dark chocolate with a difference!

Win a MONTHS Supply Of Ohso Chocolate!

This is a first for me, as i've never hosted a giveaway for food - but who can resist free chocolate?!

Ohso are a company that produce dark chocolate that satisfy your cocoa cravings but keep the calories low and your daily probotic intake full to the brim.

Coming in weekly packs of 7, each 13.5g bar contains just 72 calories, and as each bar contains 53% cocoa that is surprising low! Probiotics are an essential for keeping your digestive system happy and healthy, so this chocolate is a great alternative for regular dark chocolate (Or even if your a milk lover like me, I have been converted!). Great for that daily chocolate fix, these mini bars are perfect for lunch time or an after dinner snack! For someone who regularly suffers from stomach and digestion problems, this is a perfect alternative for me. They are also cholesterol, gluten and wheat free!

You can take a look at their official website here.

After having a taste and being completely satisfied by the quality, the lovely people at Ohso decided it was time to share the love and have offered 4 people a chance to win a MONTHS worth of Ohso chocolate - that's 28 bars! And at £3.99 a packet, you could be receiving £16 worth of gorgeously healthy chocolate!

So here are the rules:
- To enter, leave a comment below with your email address so I can contact you if you've won.
- Only one entry per person.
- Entrants must be in the UK (This is due to postage costs, sorry international readers!).
The competition closes at midnight on Sunday 28th October, where I will pick four winner through a random number generator.
- Winners will be contacted the following day, and have 48 hours to respond before another winner is chosen.

GOOD LUCK!

**This giveaway is now closed!**

Lush's Vanilla Dee-Lite Body Lotion

I've never been much of a bath person. Baths are for people that actually have time. I'm most definitely a shower person - get in, get clean, get out. No fuss! This means that I tend to have showers to quickly wake me up in the morning, and I tend to be in a mad rush after i'm finished as I prefer to spend an extra few minutes in bed than a few minutes relaxing after my shower. Therefore, I usually skip the whole moisturising process after my showers. And that is a BIG no-no.

You can use whatever you like in the shower, it could be the most indulgent and moisturing product in the world, but what about after you've scrubbed your skin dry with a towel, pulled on your jeans and gone out in the cold for the day? Your skin is simply not protected, and in my case, dry and malnourished by the end of the day. So I went on the hunt for a body lotion that will easily absorb - so I could simply slap it on and go about my business, not wasting any time waiting for the sticky residue to absorb before I attempt to put on clothes. And this is what I found:

Vanilla Dee-Light is one of Lush's oldest products. I must admit, being an avid Lush follower it took me a while to notice this product as it is a regular it regularly gets outshone by the more 'flashy' of body products. With a combination of real vanilla pod, fruity kiwi and coconut water, this lotion is perfect for giving your skin a quick softness boost. A thick consistency is a key component in slow absorpsion, so it's great that this lotion isn't too thick nor too thin, a perfect balance so that the application is still as luxurious as indulging in a richer, thicker moisturising cream. I could literally smooth it onto my skin and it would be absorbed in next to no time at all.

The scent is definitely the best part. It takes me back from when I first walked past Lush and smelt the mixture of all the products Lush had to offer. It has that generic Lush smell, which I loveeeee. Overall it is the perfect non-greasy, quick-absorbing moisturiser. Easy to distribute in a recycled plastic squeezy bottle, and a little really does go a long way so this generous 250g bottle will last a long time - Amazing value for £11.95. This will definitely not disappoint, but if you're not yet convinced pop into your local Lush store and ask for a sample - you'll be back for the full-sized bottle in no time, though!

You can purchase Vanilla Dee-Lite from your local Lush store or online here from their official website. 

Lush's 'Vanillary' Gorilla Perfume

What you will notice within the next week or so, is that i'm having a bit of an obsession with vanilla - and this was the product that started it all!

I'd always seen Gorilla Perfumes by the counter at my local Lush, but they were just something i'd never thought i'd try. It was only until I ended up taking one of my ultra-expensive perfume bottles to work in my bag with me and I spent the whole train ride terrified that it would smash, that I knew I needed a practical alternative.

Gorilla Perfumes are the brainchild of Simon and Mark Constantine - perfumers dedicated to producing quality perfumes that go against mainstream fragrances. The 13 featured fragrances are a combination of completely unique scents, and perfumes that are created to accompany the scent of another Lush product e.g.: A bath ballistic or a massage bar. Vanillary is the accompanying scent of the Vanilla Foundation bath ballistic (Which was created after a few Lush employees visited the amazing Heston Blumenthal's restaurant and became inspired by one of his dishes!) and is one of Lush's best selling perfumes.

Described as a "Warm, cosy hug", the perfume contains main notes of real vanilla and jasmine, along with the caramel-like scent of tonka bean. The solid perfume is a simple push-up stick with a screw-top lid making it perfect for a perfume on the go. It's compact and in a plastic casing so instantly fulfills the 'glass perfume bottle' dilemma I was having. What's amazing about this perfume is that, once applied, you smell as though you've just stepped out of a kitchen after cooking. It's sweet and warm with a hint of seductive jasmine - a perfect, comforting winter scent.

To apply, you simply rub the stick onto the areas (I use it on my neck and wrists, but you can use it on the backs of the knees and even the ankles!) and the product simply melts on. I must admit it is ever-so-slightly sticky straight after applying, but nothing that would stop you from using the product. Like I said, the perfume uses real vanilla pod, so you don't need a lot of the product to ensure your covered all day long. Best of all is the price - this little beauty can be yours for just £6.50. You can also buy any of the solid perfumes in spritzer (£12 for 10ml) or atomiser (£25 for 30ml) form, but this is perfect to keep in your bag for when your rushing out the door and forget to spritz. This now has a permanant place in my university handbag, and i'll definitely be visiting Lush soon to purchase more scents so I can have one in every handbag I own! 

Vanillary and other Gorilla Perfumes are available from your local Lush store, or view the full range online here.

Limited Edition Pink Bubbly Lip Therapy Tin

Remember when Vaseline looked like this?

Image - beautyish.com

Well, this brand has come a long way from being a staple in every families bathroom cabinet. Spanning over 130 years Vaseline has vastly expanded, providing nourishment and protection in not only its signature petrolium jelly tub, but in a variety of body lotions, hand creams and lip balms. 

ink Bubbly is a limited edition flavour from the Lip Therapy range. Rich in colour and scent, it includes champagne grape extract and has a gorgeous rose tint that will gently colour your lips. It does actually smell like pink champagne, only a little sweeter so it doesn't smell like your rubbing alcohol onto your lips. What drew me in however, was the gorgeous pink and black tin. Described as "Petroleum kelly with a hint of decadence", there is quite a luxury feel to the product. The Vaseline Lip Therapy range (Or just Vaseline in general, really!) is quite simply packaged - no frills, just a straight forward, does-what-it-says-on-the-tin product, so it's nice to actually add some glam to an otherwise dull product.

However, I haven't actually found that the product tints your lips very well as promised - but the overall appearance and attractive fragrance of the product makes it worth the £3.50. It's perfect for someone who wants to add a bit of glam to their makeup bag - after all, luxe is all the range this season! This will make the perfect stocking filler this Christmas, so stock up as it is limited edition. Vaseline is usually quite multi-use (It can be used to set brows and tame stray hairs, on your lashes and even on your eyelids for a dewy finish), but i'm afraid that even though the slight pink tinge isn't really apparent on the lips, it may make it difficult to use on other areas of the face - so i'd be hesitant before you start slapping it on your face - the colour could be more prominent with your skin tone than mine! Overall, Vaseline is amazingly moisturising and leaves my lips feeling smooth and well nourished, so it's always great to have one of these little pots in your bag.

You can purchase the Limited Edition Pink Bubbly Lip Therapy Tin from your local chemist or supermarket for £3.50. 

Paul Mitchell 'Pink Is My Colour' Collection

Paul Mitchell are a professional haircare company with a fleet of professional yet affordable products for practically any hair type. Whether you want to put the bounce back into your curls or tame unruly frizz, Paul Mitchell will have something for you. However, this haircare giant goes far beyond simply producing new products...

 

Pink Is My Colour is a collaboration with the American Cancer Society, featuring limited edition items, including brushes that bare inspirational words that embody the courage of cancer survivors. The collection* also included products from the Strength collection, which aims to strenghten the hair by up to 50%. I love the idea of raising awareness of such an important issue through haircare products; it allows a wider range of people to be reached. So here's some quick reviews on the contents of the collection:

Super Strong Daily Shampoo & Conditioner- £11.50 & £14.25

 I'm always on the lookout for new treatments, and the strengthening shampoo and conditioner is an excellent new addition to my hair treatment collection. The fragrance isn't exactly individual, it smells like a quality product (That sounds wierd but that's the only way I can describe it!) but isn't as distinguished as others. I found after application my hair felt thicker and glossier, and I believe with continued use it would continue to improve my colour-damaged hair.

Super Strong Liquid Treatment - £16.50
This hair treatment helps banish split ends and uses silicones to protect the surface of the hair, reducing the risk of splitting in the future. It's lightweight but has really big results! You only need a few light sprays and your hair already feels stronger and thicker. It's basically a leave-in conditioner, so I like to use it before I comb through my hair - it stops the creation of split ends (Although this will also help to fix them straight after!).

 Super Skinny Serum - £16.75
This serum is a treatment that smooths and conditions wet hair, reducing drying time and styling. It's obviously not as effective as my treasured Moroccan Oil, but this lightweight serum seals ends and leaves your hair smooth and frizz-free. It's great as an after-shower hair treatment, it does the job but it isn't life-changing - it's not the best, but definitely not the worst i've found.

And to top of the kit, it includes a large paddle brush (£10.50), and a smaller brush (£9.50) that's an appropriate size for your handbag. Although i'm not a big fan of the graffiti print (I love the idea of inspirational words, but i've found it's a little too childish for me in design) i've found the brushes, especially the paddle brush are of really great quality.

Overall i'm impressed with the quality of the products - delivering exactly what it says on the tin, my hair is quite fine and none of the products made my hair feel too heavy or greasy. Like I said, I think its amazing that people are raising awareness of cancer and celebrating the strength of both the sufferers and survivors.

You can buy the products in the Paul Mitchell Pink Is My Colour and Super Strong range from professional salons nationwide - to find your nearest salon click here.