Lush Co-Mingle Body Scrub

In need of a new body scrub, it was Lush to the rescue with their recently launched product Co-Mingle. Described as being a 3-in-1 Lavender Dream, it’s an absolute delight to use.

With Spring and Summer on their way, my legs have been suitably hidden underneath leggings or cozily wrapped in chunky knit tights, away from the cold and blistering wind, much like the rest of me! As the sun (finally) looks like she is to stay for a few weeks, it is time to remove the scales and the lizard skin and try my best to look presentable! Starting with a body scrub.

Packaged inside the tell-tale black pot, Co-Mingle is a cute pastel pink shade, reminiscent of Strawberry Angel Delight in colour and in many respects texture too. Lightweight and an almost whip-like mousse feeling as it touches the skin, but there is a light scrubbiness, not too harsh or overly abrasive.

Like all Lush products, Co-Mingle is packed full of amazing ingredients, in this case it starts with ground tagua nut and bamboo combo which give it that ability to exfoliate those dead and dry skin cells without being too rough and without scratching the skin. Added to that we also have the inclusion of 

• Glycerine which helps lock in moisture and effective ingredients, such as essential oils, into the skin.
• Cypress Leaf Infusion which helps stimulate blood circulation and reduce congestion
• Almond Oil - which is soothing, moisturising and packed with vitamin E
• Organic Brazil Nut Oil - which moisturises, protects and gives a gorgeous glow
• Vanilla Pod Infusion - which has soothing and antimicrobial properties as well as a sweet scent 
• Fair Trade Shea Butter - is an emollient which moisturisers and softens the skin 
• Argan Oil - knows for its ability to soothe, condition and moisturise the skin 
• Cupuaçu Butter - often used as a vegan alternative to lanolin, it moisturises and protects the skin 
• Lavender Oil - Cleanses, balances and soothes the skin as well as being relaxing and calming
• Goji Berry Juice - antioxidant rich, it has cleansing and toning abilities for the skin
• Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter - Moisturising and soothing for the skin 
• Carrageenan extract - helps to enhance hydration and soothing of the skin.

Those are just some of the ingredients within this scrub and anyone who shops regularly with Lush knows that each ingredient has its purpose.

On the skin, this scrub is designed to be used when wet. You need just the smallest, walnut sized amount, mix it in the palm of your hands and then apply to your skin, ideally in circular motions to your legs, arms, body and if you have time, paying attention to those areas which are drier than others - knees, elbows, shins and I’ve used it on my feet too! 

Priced at £18 for a 225g tub, if used once a week, it is going to last quite a good amount of time, slightly on the expensive side, but an absolute treat and better still when combined with the Sleepy collection!

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.

Aldi Fragrances - dupes?

I absolutely love my fragrances and when it comes to Aldi, they do have an entire fragrance catalogue, which you might or might not have come across.  I make no secret of my love for the Aldi Lacura range, if you have never tried it, there are some absolute delights to find, the latest being the Warming Eye Masks.  However, today I am sharing some of the latest fragrances to launch and they might just surprise you.

The latest two fragrances to launch within the Aldi range is Lacura Lady Pour Femme EDP and Lacura Atom EDPP both 100ml and both priced at just £5.99.  At this stage you might be wondering where Aldi got their inspiration from for these fragrances! Well keep on reading to find out!

Lacura Lady Pour Femme Eau de Parfum is described as being a sensual scent which boasts dark notes of sandalwood and tonka bean to compliment the notes of orange blossom and Bularian rose.  So have you guessed what it might be a dupe for? The answer is Carolina Herrera Good Girl.

So where do the similarities start and end?  For anyone who is a fan of Good Girl, of which I am as you can see here, the bottle is perhaps one of the most iconic of its kind. That stiletto heel is attention grabbing, it looks stunning and is like nothing else I have ever owned. Aldi have not copied that design, instead their bottle happens to be a deep blue with a gold lid, so you could say the colour design compliments the stiletto but that's all.  

When it comes to the fragrance, they are incredibly similar, from Caroline Herrera, you have a scent which is fresh, rich, it is bold and incredibly beautiful with the citrusy floral aroma and in contrast, you get pretty much that very same scent with Lady Pour Femme from Lacura, only the sillage isn't as good and the opening notes are not as fresh.  However, at £5.99 for 100ml versus £98 for 80ml, it is worth looking out for in store.

The second fragrance is Atom and it is described as being carefully formulated with Iso E Super to create a warm fragrance that is designed to adapt to each person who wears it. So have you guessed what it might be a dupe for? The answer is Escentric Molecules - Molecule 01, which happens to also be one of my all time favourite fragrances.

It isn't easy to describe Escentric Molecules 01 as a fragrance to anyone but it is best described as being a Woody Floral Musk fragrance for women and men. Created by the incredible Geza Schoen to take the fragrance industry and give it a shake to create something completely different. Molecules 01 is designed to blend with the wearer’s natural pheromones and create a scent which is unique to each person that applies it, so much so, you might not be able to smell it on yourself. Whenever I wear this fragrance, I am always asked multiple times what I am wearing, much more so than any other fragrance I own.

From Aldi with Atom, there are no similarities when it comes to the bottle design, firstly it is much more rounded whereas as Escentric Molecules is square and whilst both are 100ml, you pay £5.99 with Aldi and £72 with ES.  However, there is for me a difference in the fragrances, they are similar on the first spritz (I am using the example of spraying them on the hubby) but when drying down, Atom carried the woody amber scent much stronger and again the silage isn't as good.  However, if you have always wondered about Escentric Molecules 01 and wanted to know what all the fuss is about, Atom isn't one to turn your nose up at, but it definitely doesn't beat the original.

Both of these fragrances can be found within the Aldi Health and Beauty range and as with many Aldi Lacura products, they come in and out of stock all the time, so worth keeping an eye out for.

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.

Cult Beauty - The Cult Conscious Edit

Cult Beauty is back with another beauty box, having not too long ago launched The Sunshine Edit, the Conscious Edit is described as being dedicated to unearthing the best that beauty has to offer and better still, it is priced at just £30.

The Cult Conscious Edit is said to be worth over £155/€185 but will be on sale for just £30/€34.50 and as is tradition with these boxes, Cult Beauty states that it is a saving of 80%. 

Dedicated to unearthing the BEST that the beauty world has to offer, we unite proven products from established brands and unsung and up-and-coming companies under one online ‘roof’. And because elevating your beauty ritual is our ultimate mission, we're always curating selections of beauty finds that are destined to delight and thrill. Next in line: The Cult Conscious Edit. Powered by Provenance (read: a software solution that uses blockchain technology to log impact claims), Cult Conscious rejects greenwashing by cutting through the industry 'noise' and equipping you with evidenced facts that matter. This carefully curated edit shines a spotlight on nine Cult Conscious heroes with Proof Points — from vegan to recyclable packaging — that make them all the more covetable...

Hand-picked by the expert Buying team at Cult Beauty, you will find an edit which features five full sizes, one deluxe and three travel-sized beauty finds.

Contents

• a travel-sized Coco & Eve Bali Buffing Sugar in ‘Lychee & Dragonfruit’ (60ml); 
• a full-sized Decree SOS Revitalising Mask (1 x sheet mask); 
• a deluxe Alpha-H Generation Glow Resurfacing Essence (30ml); 
• a full-sized Larry King Hair Care Good Life Shampoo Refill (180ml); 
• a full-sized La Bouche Rouge Mascara Le Serum Noir (6g); 
• a travel-sized Fable & Mane HoliRoots Pre-Wash Hair Oil (14ml); 
• a travel-sized Pai Skincare Rosehip Bioregenerate, Rosehip Seed and Fruit Universal Face Oil (10ml); 
• a full-sized Honest Beauty Gentle Gel Cleanser (150ml) 
• a full-sized Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% (30ml) from The Ordinary. 

Plus, added to this edit, you will also have a handy RecycleMe bag inside the box, so you can easily recycle your empties too!

The Cult Conscious Edit can be found right here and will be on sale soon.

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.

Emma Hardie Lotus Flower Collection

I am a huge fan of Emma Hardie, you will have all seen how many times I mention the incredible Moringa Cleansing Balm on my blog, across my social feed, so when I was lucky enough to be introduced to the brand new Lotus Flower Collection, I couldn't wait to share it, so this is a first impressions post which will be updated over the coming weeks!

Harnessing the power of the calming Lotus Flower, the new three-step routine has been designed to reduce high colour, blemishes, oiliness and shine and in doing so it imparts visibly improved, clearer skin tone and texture.  If your skin is oily, stressed, hormonal, peri-menopausal or menopausal, then this collection could work for you.

The new Emma Hardie Lotus Flower Treatment Range contains an innovative combination of Egyptian and Sacred Lotus Flower, as well as wild indigo, which  work sygergistically to soothe and calm irritation and redness whilst balancing excess oil for an improved complexion.

The three products within this range include a Lotus Flower Treatment Cream, a Lotus Flower Targeted Blemish Balm and a Lotus Flower Treatment Serum. What I love about this range is that it has been extensively tested in consumer trials and it has some pretty incredible stats

• Immediately - 89% said their skin was left immediately calmed and soothed
• After 1 week - 71% said their skin was less oily
• After 2 weeks - 85% said their skin looked more radiant
• After 4 weeks - 89% said their skin was calmer, 77% saw an improvement in their skin texture and 74% said they had fewer breakouts since using the regime.

First up we have the Lotus Flower Treatment Cream (£38/50ml) a lightweight gel-cream moisturiser which helps to provide hydration, help reduce oiliness and inflammation plus it helps to strengthen the skin's microbiome to give a visibly smoother and softer skin.  

What I am loving about this cream is just how delightfully light it is on the skin, it feels almost like a serum when applied, it is cooling and soothing as advised. Packed with an amazing ingredients list, you will find:

• Egyptian and Sacred Lotus Flower - to reduce oiliness and leave the skin smooth and radiant
• preBULIN AGA - a pre-biotic super moisturiser which improves the dispersion of microbiota over the skins surface
• Pollustop - this forms an non-occlusive film over the skins surface which acts as a protective barrier against pollution
• Aquaxyl - boosts hydration throughout the skin layers
• Wild Indigo - breaks down cortisol production and helps the skin appear de-stressed, calm and even.

On the skin, you need the smallest pea sized amount, the texture of this cream means it isn't too thick, so it spreads much easier and massages like a dream.  Ideal for use in both the morning and evening on freshly cleansed skin.

The second product within this collection is the Lotus Flower Targeted Blemish Treatment (15ml/£18) and this is an antibacterial and anti-inflammatory targeted treatment which works to immediately tackle breakouts, or potential breakouts, by reducing redness and blemish size within 6 days.

On the skin, this treatment is velvety soft and smooth and it glides onto the specific area of skin suffering from that breakout or potential breakout effortlessly. Within this treatment, again there is a whole host of amazing ingredients which includes:

• Egyptian & Sacred Lotus Flower – to reduce excess sebum production
• Salicylic Acid – works on reducing blemishes and conditions the skin
• Witch Hazel – provides astringent, anti-inflammatory benefits and antibacterial effects whilst reducing the appearance of large pores
• Wild Indigo – to break down cortisol production (a by-product of stress), helping the skin appear de-stressed, calm and even
• Vital ET™ – a form of Vitamin E which has anti-inflammatory benefits and is known to help with reducing redness and blemishes

To use this treatment you need the smallest amount, you can either apply using your finger or it has been suggested that you could use a cotton bud and apply it right to the breakout.   Amongst the ingredients list, you will see Witch Hazel, an inclusion for many that is a no-no because of its scent, however.... it is not at all detectable within this formula and all I need now is a spot to threaten existing so I can put this treatment to the test!

The final product within this three-step programme is my favourite and it is the Lotus Flower Treatment Serum (30ml/£40). Fragrance-free, this lightweight gel serum to reduce excessive oiliness and shine on the skin, helps to reduce inflammation, and visibly improve skin tone, blackheads and blemishes.

I have become really picky with the serums that I use within my routine. In recent months, some of the serum products I have been using have a stickiness to them, almost as though they want to stick you to the pillow you sleep on and prevent you from moving and it isn't something I am enjoying. So, whenever I am introduced to a new serum, the test is always how it feels after I have applied it immediately to my skin, if there is any sign of stickiness, then it is a no from me. This serum is not one of those I am saying no too, it is delightful.  As with the rest of the range, this serum also has a series of key ingredients which includes:

• Egyptian & Sacred Lotus Flower – to reduce oiliness and leave skin smooth and radiant
• PoreAway™ – to tighten and re‑ne the skin as well as reduce shine, blackheads and microcysts
• Niacinamide – to help regulate sebum and provide anti-in­flammatory benefits
• Hyaluronic Acid – to hydrate and moisturise
• Wild Indigo – to break down cortisol production and help skin appear de-stressed, calm and even

To use, the suggestion is that you need between 4 and 8 drops of the serum, thankfully, I have found that the pump gives enough of the product in 3-4 presses that it is more than enough to use.  Massage the serum onto and into the skin and it can be used on the face, neck and décolleté both morning and evening.

So there you have the brand new Emma Hardie Lotus Flower Collection and it has launched on both the Emma Hardie website and with Marks & Spencer.  It can be used in conjunction with other Emma Hardie products to compliment that already existing skincare routine and if like me, your skin has a little bit of a strop and is in need of some TLC, a routine like this can make all the difference.

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.