Lush Lust: Hair Care Review

I've had this little series on this blog in which I am reviewing every Lush product I've tried. This is the haircare part of the series. Some of these products have their own posts, so I'll just link them for you to check out. 

*For pictures (and prices), click on the product name, and it'll bring you to the Lush website product page. I've finished all of these products, and I don't have the packaging, so I can't take my own photos. (I would get them from the Lush website anyway if I did want to show them in the posts). 

1. Godiva Solid Shampoo

This shampoo was pretty good. I love the concept of solid shampoos (good for the environment, easy to trave with, etc), and after trying Jumping Juniper, I wanted to experience some more. I got Godiva because it's supposed to be great for frizzy hair (it was really just okay). While this was a really nice shampoo for me (creamy lather, cleansed well without stripping (I still used conditioner after), smelled amazing (jasmine)), I won't be repurchasing. Towards the end, this completely fell apart. The cocoa butter chunks, which don't really do that much, were surrounded by tiny amounts of shampoo, and they just break off and get thrown away, and that's basically half of the product. While this was pleasant while it lasted, I guess I was just disappointed.

2. Jumping Juniper Solid Shampoo

3. Curly Wurly Shampoo

I didn't like this shampoo. It smelled nice, had a nice lather (when using lots of product), and was somewhat frizz reducing (not too much though), but it was just messy. There are tons of coconut shreds in this, and they just get caught up in the scalp, get all over the shower, etc. It's a nice idea, but I don't want chunks in my shampoo.

4. Rehab Shampoo

This shampoo wasn't bad, but it wasn't good either. It really is just average. The lather is average, the smell average (like cough drops), and it cleansed like any other shampoo. Lush promises that this will help frizzy hair, but it really just doesn't do anything (maybe boosts shine a tad, but that's not worth it to me). That stinks, because this is so expensive. 

5. Trichomania Solid Shampoo

I hated this shampoo. I was glad I only got a sample. On first use, the rough bar was pulling out my hair, breaking it, and just in general was hard to get going lather-wise. I used it for a week before I threw it out because I was starting to get dandruff and an itchy scalp, a problem I hadn't had since elementary school. When I switched shampoos to Jumping Juniper, my scalp cleared up. The smell is nasty, too. Just a bit too hippie for me. 

6. Retread Conditioner

I don't understand why Lush calls this their heavy duty conditioner. It's not really thick, and it isn't detangling or hydrating at all. It just smelled like musty yogurt. I hated this, and I would avoid this and go for American Cream instead.

7. Jungle Solid Conditioner

This conditioner is okay. I would say go for it if you have fine hair. While it gave my thick hair a bit of shine and scent, the detangling wasn't as great in the shower as I would have liked (I could get a brush though my hair out of the shower though). I ended up using the rest of the bar (because it broke into pieces, making it hard to put on my hair) as shaving cream, and it was actually nice as that. I do have to say though, smell before you buy. I hated the smell at first, but it did grow on me in the end. 

8. American Cream Conditioner

I think Lush should call this their full strength conditioner. My thick, dry, frizzy hair absolutely loved this stuff. It felt nice and thick, and just a bit helped detangle my hair, leaving it soft and way less frizzy. The smell lingers forever, too. This is a great conditioner, and I would definitely suggest going to get a sample if you have thicker hair. I know people with thin hair that love it, too. 

9. Jasmine & Henna Fluff Eaze

This hair mask is okay. It's smells like a weird cross between jasmine and curry. Unfortunately, both smells linger for days in your hair (even after shampooing). I wish the curry scent would go, just leaving the jasmine. Anyway, for the price per use (about two for my long hair), this stuff isn't worth it. It minimized frizz a tiny bit, but it did nothing extreme for the health of my hair. It made it a tad greasy, too. 

10. H'Suan Wen Hua

This is really the same story as with the Jasmine and Henna Fluff Eaze. Smells okay (like gingerbread), but it's really just average on the moisturizing level, and not a lot of bang for your buck. 

11. Dirty Hair Cream

12. R & B

So I hope this was helpful, and I think that wraps up my Lush series for now. I know some of the product descriptions might not have been so in depth, but the Lush hair care, minus a few products, is pretty average and doesn't need much explaining. I know some people rave about it, but for my thicker hair, sometimes these "miracle products" just didn't get the job done.

What's your favorite hair product? 

Goody Quick Style Brush

I was actually thinking of buying this brush myself, so I was really happy to receive it in the Influenster Holiday Vox Box. After using it, I was really happy I didn't go out and buy it. 

The idea behind the brush is that it'll save you time due to little cloth "noodles" in between the bristles that are supposed to absorb excess water from your hair during styling. There are even little vents on the side of the brush to help airflow if you do decide to use a blow dryer. As far as styling with heat tools goes, I didn't use it for that, simply because this brush has an obnoxious cleaning process, and I use a lot of product in my hair while styling. Basically, this brush would get real nasty real fast. I did, however, just brush through my wet hair after my shower (hair sin, I know, I know). 

The cloth in the brush didn't absorb that much water, which defeats the purpose of the brush. However, that wasn't the worst quality for me. The reason I would not recommend this brush is that the bristles lack flexibility. I found that the stiff bristles were really just painful on my scalp, and I heard a lot of hair breaking. I think this could be a cool concept, but only if the bristles were made way more flexible in order to protect the scalp and the hair shafts.

Basically, just don't waste your money. When buying a new brush, look for bristle flexibility and give in the rubber pad. This helps prevent scalp irritation and breakage. You can also look for combo brushes of nylon bristles and boar hair bristles, as the boar hair will distribute oils from your scalp to the ends, making your hair healthier. Long, thick hair tends to love a bigger brush, while a smaller one is just fine for thinner hair. 

Do you have a brush you swear by?

Montagne Jeunesse Chocolate Face Mask

I received this mask in my Influenster Holiday Vox box, and on first sight, I was actually disappointed (keep reading, this isn't a negative review). This is a mask for dryer skin, and in the ingredients, there was cocoa butter and salt in the mix, and those ingredients are extremely comedogenic. I have oily, acne prone skin. However, I had just gotten off an airplane, so I thought I would give this a go anyway just to put some moisture back into my skin.

What I do and don't like about this mask is the packaging. I think it's really clever to have a mask in a one-time-use packet. That way if you're traveling, you can just bring a little treatment along with you, or if you just want a quick pick-me-up, you don't need to worry about storing a big tube of mask. This also gives you the option of trying a bunch of the masks, as Montagne Jeunesse has really good variety for all skin types. However, the packaging doesn't allow you to save the mask if you have leftover. I think you could probably get a good two to three uses out of one packet, and the packaging makes it very difficult to save for another time. To remedy this, I would either suggest adding a nozzle at the top that can screw off and on (like those new packets of baby food or something) or just making a smaller packet with less product (of course lowering the price as well).

The actual mask was very pleasant to use. First of all, it smells absolutely AMAZING. Just like chocolate. The consistency was also very smooth as well, which is something I haven't experienced from a clay-heavy mask before (they're usually very thick and difficult to spread). It basically just felt like I was spreading chocolate frosting all over my face.

My worries over the ingredients were gone right as the mask started drying. You can feel the mask drying over the skin and pulling your pores tighter. It's actually quite a nice feeling. It absorbed the oil in my skin, and didn't feel heavy. This isn't a pro or con, but the mask dries in patches, too. It's definitely weird, but it kind of looked cool.

The mask directions say to leave on for 10-15 minutes or until dry. I definitely left it on for over an hour. Oops. Anyway, nothing bad happened, and when I did go to clean the mask off (with warm water and a terry towel to give me some exfoliation), I was left with smooth, refreshed skin, and some blemishes I did have looked more soothed and a bit smaller. I didn't break out from this, and I was scared about that initially.

Anyway, I definitely will purchase another Montagne Jeunesse mask in the future when I need a quick but good treatment (it isn't too expensive, after all). I think it's great that you can try a bunch of their masks in one-go packets, and I would really like to try one suited to my skin type. The only flaw is the packaging, as I said above, so I think once that's fixed, these masks will get an A+ from me.

Aromatherapy?

Being a vegetarian, environmentally friendly, health conscious person, I usually get a lot of crap for being a hippie. Because of that, I usually try to avoid anything hippie-ish (dreads, marijuana, drum circles, random stuff like that), and I usually tend to not believe in certain things that are kind of gimmicky in the natural world. One of those things would be aromatherapy. I know some scents can have certain relaxing properties, but I never thought they could actually really help change my state of mind. 

That's why I'm surprised that I love the Tata Harper aromatherapy so much. We sell it at the store in which I work, and it's there that I could experience its miraculousness for myself and then finally get a bottle. 

Tata Harper is quickly becoming my all time favorite beauty brand. It's 100% natural, and it's extremely effective. I've never really gone for natural skin care before, because it's never worked on me. The Tata Harper line, however, uses the highest quality, most potent ingredients, and science, something the skincare at Whole Foods just won't give you. I could go on and on about the skincare I've tried from this line, but this post is about the aromatherapy, so moving on...

There are three Tata Harper aromatherapy treatment roller balls (Stress, Irritability, and Bedtime). The aromatherapy treatment I have is Irritability. This has become an absolute necessity for me. Whether I'm  hungover (you know we've all been there), on my period and feel like I'm going to just break down in tears, with my little cousin over the holidays,  or in any annoying situation, I just crack out this baby. It seriously changes my whole mind set, and I feel like everything is going to be okay. 

To use aromatherapy, you just roll it onto the wrists and the palms of your hands, rub them together a bit, put your thumbs at the base of your neck, cup your hands over your nose, close your eyes, and breathe deeply five times. It's miraculous. 

These treatments are pretty expensive, but I absolutely cannot live without mine now that I have it. It's become so necessary for my peace of mind, and body, and when you think about it, it's cheaper than real therapy. 

So as gimmicky as this may sound, it really is absolutely amazing. If you find yourself in a lot of stressful situations, this could just be for you.

Some nail marbling

One of my favorite (yet time consuming) things to do is nail marbling! It takes a bit of practice, but it is so cool and so satisfying when you get the end result. I just love how different every nail looks

Step 1: Fill a small dish you don't care about with room temperature to cool water

Step 2: Paint on base coat

Step 3: Paint on one coat of either white or gold polish (whatever looks best with your nail polish that you use to marble). I like gold when I'm using gold in my actual patterns.

Step 4: Using two strips of tape per nail, wrap one around the skin at the base of the nail, covering the cuticle slightly (but not so much of the nail to get you gaps), and one around the top skin around the nail.

Step 5: Using your marbling colors (whatever combos you think look cool), put drops in your desired order until you have a fair number in the dish. I like to keep the tops of each nail polish unscrewed and the bottles nearby, because you have to work quickly (especially if you use a quick dry nail polish, which I don't recommend because they don't spread well in the water).

Step 6: Using a toothpick or a pencil, drag through the polish (middle to outside works better for me usually) until you get a pattern you think will look cool when you dunk your nail. Tip: keep a paper towel on hand to help keep a clean surface and wipe off your dragging tool. It's also good when you need to set your dirty Q-tips down.

Step 7: Dunk your nail(s)! I like to do two at a time to save time and polish. Make sure you hold your nails parallel to the water and go straight down. Keep them in, and using a Q-tip, clean up the excess polish in the water. The pull them out.

Step 8: When your nails are dry, remove the tape and paint on top coat.

Step 9: Remove any excess polish around the cuticles/skin with nail polish remover.

Step 10: Enjoy your freaking cool nails. I always like to pick out my favorites. ;)

Chanel Emprise

Sorry for the little flood of posts here, but this is the first time I’ve actually had to getting around to them, and while I’m sitting here at the airport waiting for a ride back to the dorms, this is just the perfect little pastime.

You all know (... or do you?) that I am obsessed with my Chanel Peridot, and my mom knows about that little obsession, too. She decided to surprise me with a couple of new Chanel polishes in order to give my Peridot a break. The one I’m wearing at the moment is Emprise.

Chanel came out with Emprise for this spring, and I have to say, it’s a gorgeous color. It's a peachy pink with very subtle silvery shimmer, and two coats will get you to full opacity. 

However, this color just looks horrible on me. I was a little unsure of it even before I put it on, but I wanted to try it out still, especially to make my mom happy. I just really think the peach clashes with my olive-y skin tone, and I really don’t like the way it makes my nails look. It’s also already chipping... hmm. I’ve gotten used to my Butter nail polishes lasting for a week, so the whole chipping in two days thing is starting to get unacceptable to me, especially for a higher end polish.

Anyway, my mom said she loved the color and that I should leave it with her, so I did. 

I’m always a bit disappointed when I don’t like a [higher end] product, but this really would look better on someone with a different skin tone. This is definitely one that you should try before you buy, and I would have. However, I absolutely adore the other color my mom got for me, but more on that later....
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Fresh Sugar Berry Lip Treatment SPF 15

Instead of buying me anything for Christmas, my mom took me shopping. No complaints here. I went to Sephora and snapped up one of the Fresh value sets. Mine came with the Soy Cleanser, which I really like, the Supernova mascara, which I don’t really like (but more on that later), a good lip scrub, and the star of the set, the Sugar Berry Lip Treatment. 

I’ve always wanted to try one of these babies, but since they’re so expensive, I could never justify it. I’m so glad I was able to get this in a value set, because I absolutely love this. 

First of all, the packaging is just absolutely gorgeous. It has a cap that screws on, which is nice because it won’t pop off in your bag, and it just has this nice weight to it, which makes it truly feel like a luxury product. I also like how it’s a stick. I hate dipping my fingers into those nasty little pots.

The actual product itself is just so good. It’s hydrating, long lasting, and it smells and tastes good. I love how it has the SPF 15 (and without tasting like sunscreen) just to protect the lips, which are often ignored when it comes to sun care. 

It also has a beautiful berry shade that is just so flattering. Since it’s so sheer, it’s not like you have to worry about it wearing off or use a mirror. I just swipe on the bottom lip then rub. It just gives the lips a gorgeous flush of color. 

For my birthday, I also got the two mini lip treatments from Sephora (the classic one and the rosé). I have yet to use the rosé, but I’m loving the plain one for night time or if I don’t want color. 

These are just fantastic lip balms, and I would definitely get your hands on one of those sets just for this if you can just to get more bang for your buck. I really hope Fresh brings out another one of those sets that has all the colors in it for next year, because I will definitely be picking it up. 

December Empties

I don’t know why, but it seems like I run out of everything at the same time. December saw a lot of products finally being used up (and, therefore, I could discover some new ones, but more on that later), so I have a load of things to show you all. 

What’s great about hoarding empty bottles for these types of posts is that we all get to see all of the products we’ve used up over time. I feel like I’ve seen so many hauls, yet a lot of those products go unreviewed unless a person raves about them. I love empties, because you get to see the final opinion someone has of a certain product (I have definitely raved about something, but the time I’ve finished the whole product, I hate it), and you get to see the products that people don't normally show in videos.  

Anyways, I have a lot for you this month, so I should probably start the actual post.

1. I can’t say I was sad to see this go. I’m the kind of person that gets annoyed when something lasts me too long (I’ve had this since the 9th grade... Oops. I just like to try new things. Anyway, this lip balm was nice. It gave a subtle gloss on the lips and kept them feeling hydrated over the summer. However, my issue with it is that it didn’t last long on the lips. I was constantly reapplying. It also felt more like a barrier lip balm, meaning it didn’t actually put anything into your lips, but it kept the moisture that was already there from leaving. That can be great for the summer, however, during the colder winter months, I like all the hydration I can get. What also peeved me about this is the packaging. It’s gorgeous, I know, but I don’t think it’s healthy to be sticking your finger in a pot of lip balm and putting it on your lips every five seconds during flu season. If this were in a tube, I’d consider repurchasing, but for now, I don’t think I’ll ever repurchase. If you were interested in just a lip balm for the nightstand though, this could be a good option. 
2. I love mens products. Cologne, body wash, deodorant, skincare, you name it. I was fortunate enough to get a free set of Jack Black products a while ago at my work (I work as a sales skin consultant and makeup artist at a local luxury beauty store) and this little guy  was in the set (along with my favorite SPF moisturizer). I’m pretty particular about cleansers. I think a good cleanser leaves behind no residue on the skin while still leaving it not stripped. I also like a cleanser that lathers up well with my Clarisonic (no bubbles up the nose though, please!) and smells good. It definitely has to smell good. This cleanser was just okay. I didn’t love it or hate it. It smelled okay, kind of herbal-y, and you can definitely smell eucalyptus. However I do think it left kind of a residue on my skin, and due to persistent use of this over my break (it was the only cleanser I took with me), I think it could have been responsible for some small breakouts. If you don’t have acne prone skin though (in fact if you have dry skin), you might enjoy this, as it didn’t strip the skin at all. In the end, this wasn’t right for me, and I won’t be repurchasing. 
3. This mascara is definitely one of my favorites. It smudges and flakes minimally, and it gives me natural yet enhanced looking lashes. I’ve repurchased this a few times, and definitely will again at some point. However, there are some other mascaras I’ve been dying to try, so this isn’t at the top of my list right now. If you need a good, cheap mascara though, I highly recommend this.
4. My mom started using the St. Ives moisturizer way back, and it didn’t suit her anti-aging needs, so she gave it to me. I enjoyed this moisturizer, however, I didn’t use it on my face. I used this as a neck and décolleté cream at night. I do have to say it made some of the lines on my neck fade, and it was very moisturizing, smooth, and just sunk into the skin. It kind of smells like pumpkin, too. While I’m not going to rush out to repurchase this, it could very well be an option in the future when I’m tight on money (this stuff is dang cheap for the VERY long time it lasts). 
5. I finished two fragrances this month, which is always exciting for me. The Bodycology Gardenia Body Spray smells amazing. It’s a light, white floral that doesn’t get sickly sweet, and it’s very simple and classic. This is actually a great alternative for one of my favorite perfumes, Tocca Florence (without that same depth, however). It’s a pretty moisturizing spray as well, and I do like having something I can just spray all over when I’m feeling less than fresh. I will repurchase this eventually, however, I want to work on finishing the other perfumes in my “collection.”
6. I’m very sad to see this toner go. It definitely lasted me a long time (I got it almost a year ago), and I feel like it helped maintain the clarity of my skin, due to lovely acne fighting ingredients such as tea tree and juniper berry. The only thing I got a bit annoyed with was the packaging. The spray would often get stuck, and I would have to pull the spray part up in order to spray it again. I eventually just started to unscrew the top and put some on a cotton pad to wipe down my face (before I would do three sprays on a cotton pad). Needless to say the product started going away much faster after that. Another downside to this is the price and the availability. I have no car in order to get to Lush, and there’s no way I’m paying for online shipping. I probably will repurchase this at some point when the time is right, but for now I’ll make my own toner (mixing witch hazel, tea tree oil, and lavender oil).
7. I was SO glad to finish this product and it’s safe to say I will not repurchase it. It’s not that it was bad or anything. It was actually pretty good (cleansing, lathering, not too drying). However, while I loved the scent initially, I got sick of it very quickly. I found myself just trying to use more and more product just to get rid of it. It also has a very runny consistency, which I don’t like. This isn’t a bad product by any means, but I just didn’t enjoy using it. It didn’t feel very luxurious. Sadly, I have another bottle of the same shower gel (different scent) to get through, and I’m sure I won’t be sad about seeing that go either.
8. I have a few cleansers that I’m working through at the moment, and I finally finished up this one. This is my favorite cleanser from the drugstore, and it’s definitely in my top five cleansers. I was glad I finally decided to try Lumene products, because I think that for the money, they’re very effective. This cleanser definitely rivals my favorite cleansers from Darphin and Natura Bisse, cleansers that are four times its price. A little bit of this cleanser goes a long way, and has a nice, soft lather. It removed my makeup well, and just left my skin feeling soft and hydrated, yet clean. I felt like after I used it, my skin had a nice glow to it, and it smells absolutely AMAZING. Kind of fruity/citrusy. I will definitely repurchase this once I am finished with my other cleansers. This stuff is amazing for all skin types, and I would highly recommend it to anyone.
9. I think this is the third bottle of Cetaphil Lotion I’ve used. I just buy it in bulk from Costco, so it’s good stuff for cheap. It has a nice consistency, very smooth, and it just sinks into the skin and really hydrates it. This stuff is a hand/body/face savior during the cold winter months, and I’ll probably be repurchasing it at some point. This lotion is very multipurpose, which is something I really like about it. You can use it on your hands and body of course, however, it’s an excellent nighttime moisturizer for the face, and if you’re feeling dry at any point, you can just dab it on throughout the day. You can also dump a bit on a cotton pad to remove your makeup or rub a pump onto dry skin and rinse it off like a milk cleanser. It doesn’t have any fun scent, which is kind of boring and probably why I won’t be rushing out to repurchase until I finish some other things I have and try new things, but that could be good if you don’t like the scent of your lotion clashing with your perfume. Overall, this is a great multipurpose product that I would recommend if you’re feeling dry and just want something effective.
10. Another Lumene product was finished this month. I actually already have a second bottle of this that I’m working on now. If you need an effective, gentle eye makeup remover, this one is a great option. You shake it and apply with a cotton pad, and it just gets the job done. I don’t know if I’ll repurchase it for the third time after my second bottle runs out simply because I’m trying to introduce more multitasking products into my routine. I want to get a cleansing oil so that I can just take off my face and eye makeup in one go. I hear Lumene makes a pretty great one that I’ll probably be picking up soon...
11. I don’t recommend makeup wipes to anyone, because I don’t think they’re good for the skin (drying but don’t cleanse enough), however, I liked to keep these (I can't find the link for these wipes, but they're the store brand of the Olay Daily Facials Wipes) on hand just for those really lazy days when it’s better than nothing, and I would use these all over the face to get the rest of my makeup off after I removed my eye makeup with the Lumene. This is my third pack of these, and when I do go for makeup wipes, they are always these ones. However, I think I won’t be repurchasing anytime soon, because as I said above, I want to go for a cleansing oil. 
12. I am so glad I finished this fragrance. I cannot tell you how sick of it I was. For some reason, the Marc Jacobs fragrances just really don’t mesh with me. I think they’re kind of sickly sweet; they get a bit heady, and this one had almost a sour smell to it. I received this and Daisy from my dad (he’d go through Duty Free on the way back from volunteer trips to Africa and always get me a fragrance), and I’m sad to say I didn’t get along with either of them. This one meshed better with me than Daisy, so I kept it, but I just gave Daisy away because it smelled gross on me (and way better on the girl I gave it to). So yeah, I’m just glad this is gone. 
13. The Revlon Photoready Concealer is my favorite that I’ve tried, and I already repurchased and cracked open a new one. It’s just a good full coverage concealer that matches me perfectly (I wear Light/Medium all year round). While it can dissolve on my oily t-zone throughout the day, I don’t find it gets too cakey, and it looks really natural. I just use this with some powder, and that’s my routine. It’s great to use with your fingers, as that really melts down the product into the skin. My only gripe with this is again, the packaging. I think this would be much better in a pot/pan. The stick got annoying for me, because to finish the whole thing, I would have to scoop the rest of the product out with my fingernail, warm it up on the back of my hand, and waste some product. That’s only an issue toward the end though, and you can probably just use a brush. I just like using my fingers. Anyway, I highly recommend this if you need a great, creamy, full coverage concealer. 
14. I’m sorry to end this post on a low note, but I hated this Neutrogena primer. I got it because one of my favorite gurus on youtube said it was really good, but I wish I just did more research before buying. This didn’t really work as a primer is supposed to work. I like a primer to smooth my skin (pores) and absorb oil throughout the day. This didn’t do that, even though that’s what it claimed to do. It had a really gritty consistency, kind of a white cast, and it didn’t absorb oil or keep my makeup on longer. It really just didn’t properly prep my skin for makeup, and I was very disappointed. Especially considering how expensive this was for a drugstore primer. It will last you a long time if you do buy it, which is good if you’ve tried this and know you like it, however, I couldn’t wait to be rid of it. I thoroughly hate this. It also has a scent (not a bad one, but a strong one) for those of you that are sensitive. Speaking of sensitive, if you have sensitive skin, don’t use this. I guarantee you it will be irritated due to texture and other harsh ingredients. 

Sorry this was so long. I just had a lot of products to talk about this month. I hope this was helpful!