Touring The New LUSH Arndale Store in Manchester!

A Break Down of What Happened! 

When I first entered the shop all I could think was how much it looked like Lush Oxford Street. It was renovated beautifully and I think they have made this shop great. The feel of the shop isn't as hustle and bustle anymore as there is room to move around, opposed to the smaller shop they used to have.

There are clear areas you should go to for certain products and every member of staff seemed extremely inviting. 

Firstly, I was greeted by a lovely member of staff who told me I could take any pictures, ask anything and look around everything in the shop! It was great to meet some people who knew my Instagram and even better someone who followed me before I even started my tour.

We first started by looking at the new Fathers Day range. Due to my circumstances at the moment, I haven't been able to see the new range yet, but she made sure I smelled everything. I have to say I love Smugglers Soul and found the new range fab.

She popped the SuperDad bath bomb into the water for us to watch and the colours were so different to any other bath bomb. I loved the way it slowly swirled around the water.

                   

Then I was showed the other products such as Smugglers Soul multi-purpose cream which I picked  a pot up of at the end of my tour!

I was then directed to their new soap counter. It looks just like a deli counter and the soap is weighed at the counter. My favourite from Oxford Street was Sea Salter Caramel and I was ecstatic that they were selling that in the Arndale store.

I then was shown the other sections such as shower gel, bubble bars, bath bombs etc. And I loved the way it was all laid out!

I loved how they had clearly marked every section and it had a modern lay out, which was vaguely similar to Lush.

We stopped at the massage bar section and I mentioned that Wiccy Magic was one of my all time favourites!

It helps with my chronic pain and I was showed the aduki beans and the cinnamon which they put in it, to give it that warming feeling when used on the skin.

Having the Aduki beans on show is a great sensory experience for everyone! They can see and even touch what goes into their Lush products. It adds to the excellent customer service Lush always manages to provide to their customers.

We stopped at the perfume section and I was amazed by all the perfumes they had! There are so many now and they are so colourful.

I spent such a long time just taking in the shop as a whole and the perfume section was no exception.

They glinted and glistened and I had no idea what to pick up.

I noticed one of my favourite scents, Karma, but admitted I hadn't try many of the regular line Lush perfumes.

I love 1000 Kisses Deep which shares its scent with Beautiful shower gel and Superworld Unknown which is a sweet but crisp and deep scent.

It was suggested I try Lust, which I kind of liked, however the scent was quite strong to me.

I could picture China and all the beautiful spices mixed with a floral scent when I smelled it.

I found picturing what you could smell was really helpful and a great way to try perfumes. I also found out that you shouldn't rub perfume but 'dab' it, as rubbing can destroy the top layer of it.

We then took a trip to the makeup section, which I was very excited to try!

The amount of makeup was amazing and I was showed every product, and my hand was covered in swatches.

I was extremely excited to try the eyeshadows and my favourite is Sophisticated. It was lovely brown colour but seemed gold and beautiful at the same time.

I tried another really pigmented golden eye colour but I finally chose Sophisticated.

Everything about the makeup stall was perfect! There was eye jewels, mascara, eyebrow crayons (actual crayons and it is lovely to use), lip stains, cleansers, eye powders... everything you could possibly need!

And I'm so happy I now have this close to me as it makes finding cruelty free makeup easier.

I also picked up a Bamboozled lip stain and a eyebrow crayon which I talk about in my haul post! 

After the makeup, I had a skincare consultation. I've always been slightly reluctant to change my skincare routine as my skin has just settled down as I have got older.

Don't Look at Me and
Catastrophe Cosmetic. 

It used to be rather oily and break out a lot, but it has finally reached a level I'm happy with.

We sat in the greenhouse, which is at the back of the store, and discussed what she suggested for me. The greenhouse was beautifully quiet and lovely at the back of the shop, and a well-needed break.

They had various plants which are used in their products and they are attached to a machine which provides them with all the water they need.

We sat down and I was presented with a slate that had various products on it. It had a two face masks and a cleanser with a toner.

The whole experience of a skincare consultation was lovely and I learned about the rose which is used in Breath of Fresh Air.

I really liked Catastrophe Cosmetic on my skin and I think that will be the face mask to try next!

I also tried the Smugglers Soul body scrub and really enjoyed it, which is why I picked up some of the cream.

After the consultation, we looked around the shop for a while longer before I picked up a few things and finished my day at Manchester Arndale Lush.

The whole shop is amazing and I thoroughly encourage you to check them out and what beautiful products they are offering.

Thank you to the lovely staff for a wonderful tour and a great time, you'll be seeing me much more in the future!

-Rachel <3

Question and Answer #1

You asked... I answer... 

I asked my Instagram followers to ask some questions on anything and you delivered. 

I'll try to answer to the best of my knowledge and thanks to everyone who involved them in this. 

This is my 1st  Q & A and I hope it's not the last.

lushlover620: What was your first bubble bar and did you use it right?

My 1st bubble bar was Comforter and I'm fairly certain I used it right. I did the correct thing where you ask someone in the shop what it is or they demo it.

I've seen far too much money go *literally* down the drain when people throw in bubble bars thinking it's a bath bomb... and it kills me inside.

lushie08: What are your top 5 regular line products from lush? Xx

I like when people ask me about regular line products! I feel that we focus too much on everything which is limited or a Kitchen product, which can make people feel out of this lovely Lushie community.

So, 

1. Tea Tree Water Toner- I use this EVERY NIGHT and it is now part of my skincare routine. It is a toner, I've found, which isn't too harsh on the skin. For me, with kind of a mix between oily and normal skin at times, it does a good job.

2. 9 to 5- Lord praise the people who invented this. It is a lovely go to cleanser when you get up. You just wipe every mistake you made the night before when you left your make- up on.

3. Big Blue- One of my first bath bombs from Lush when I got back into it last summer. It is lovely on the skin and I absolutely adore it!

4. Dream Cream- I used this for my itchy scar and I find it works, literally, like a dream. I gave some to a friend when they were sunburned and they commented on how amazing it felt. 

5. Okay, this is definitely Karma bubble bar. One of my first bubble bars and a scent I used to love and still do to this day. 

intergalacticlushgirls: What is your favourite Lush scent?

At this moment, it has to be Twilight. I love the malty lavender scent... really helps me to sleep... and I totally don't have 5 bottles of the shower gel in my wardrobe *shifty eyes*

liverpoollushie: What Lush product that everyone loves do you dislike?

I always tell this story and everyone must have heard it by now. I really went off Grass scent when I tried to eat the flowers on the bubble bar and almost vomited. Every time I smell that, I get flashbacks of that stupid moment in my life.

alushielife: What is your desert island lush bath or shower cocktail? (Consisting of up to 5 products)

I don't really have anything which is my signature yet... so I'll throw together some products I love.

Butterball SG, Twilight SG, Magic Bath Bomb, Blue Skies Bubble Bar and Yog Nog Soap (yummy)

enya_91: Why do you use several products in the same bath? I only ever use one bath bomb.

Sometimes I only use 1 or 2, but its just something I do. I like to mix and match what I use, plus it can make products last longer (say if you use bits and bobs of bubble bars with other things)

Though everyone is different! 

Thanks for reading and have a lovely day/night.

- Rachel xx 

Intergalactic Bath Bomb

Intergalactic (2016)

If you don't like mint, then you might as well click off this post and never come near it again.

Intergalactic is like you've been punched in the face with mint and then they throw some on you just to finish you off. By the end, you feel well and truly 'minted out' (yes I'll take credit for that phrase)

Sadly, this photo is taken from the
Lush USA website, deleted
my original one :( 

It creates a truly spectacular show in the bath but it's not really for the mint haters amongst us (me being partially one of those people).

Don't get me wrong, I do like this product. As someone with chronic pain, mint is known to provide some relief from aches and cramps. That's also why I love 93,000 miles... along with the fact it smells slightly like After Eights...

The bath bomb itself is beautiful when you first look at it. It's extremely glittery with rainbows of colour rippling through it. I guess the name Intergalactic comes from how much it looks like I imagine Space to look.

The first smell is definitely mint, as if I should mention it again, but it definitely packs a punch.

In The Bath

Intergalactic is a complete contrast to my recent review of Lava Lamp.

When this bath bomb hits the water it slowly fizzes and produces this light blue foam. It slowly turns from side to side as it fizzes various colours out of the side.

The colour of the foam is so pretty and the way it settles in the water just amazes me.

Of course, you can really smell the mint, but the Grapefruit Oil seems to add another subtle layer to it. I feel that it sets off the mint and produces this refreshing smell which is no longer unpleasant or too heavy for the nose.

Grapefruit Oil is supposed to have a cleansing and brightening impact on skin and I believe that this happens when using this product, along with the amount of glitter that Intergalactic seems to produce.

It really, well and truly, makes me feel like royalty when I bathe in Intergalactic. I might hate the smell of mint but I'm a true sucker for anything with glitter, I'm normally so amazed by the water.


Additionally, it produces a beautiful show in the bath.

The bath bomb has colours of pink and yellowy white leaking from it as it slowly whizzes round the bath. It has this wonderful mark it leaves behind in the bath which you can feel for the rest of your bath.

I would think it can calm any kind of nerves as it seems such a stress reliever. The colours aren't too bright, just perfect, and I can see why it appeals to a lot of people... hence, I'm not ready to bash the hell out of this product just yet ;)

It leaves behind this beautiful water which smells perfect and it calms me when I'm using it.

After Thoughts

Intergalactic is a crowd pleaser and I can see why....

It is a smell which many people won't be overwhelmed by (unless you hate mint, in which case, don't buy this product unless you SMELL IT FIRST), but it still has a hint of sweetness to it.

The show in the bath is perfect and it fizzes for a while whilst producing some perfect 'bath art'.

One con has to be the glitter, but we can probably overlook that because it makes us feel like royalty for an hour or so. Plus, its fairly easy to clean up when it's dry.

I give this product 5/5. I'm a hater of mint but I get over that to enjoy this beautiful bath bomb.

Additionally, its great for many of us with chronic pain, and I find it gives me a small moment of relief from my constant jont pain.

- Rachel xx

Lava Lamp

Lava Lamp (2016)

I never tried Lava Lamp when Lush first brought it out, and I probably wouldn't if my boyfriend hadn't bought it for me. 

When my boyfriend anxiously looked at me on my birthday and handed me a Lush package, I could smell this beautiful citrus scent. It wasn't really too sweet or artificial, and being not really a lover of orange smells, I liked it.

Luckily, I had never tried this bath bomb and my boyfriend actually sighed with relief. 

Lush discontinued this product when the bath oil in the product actually stained things. I didn't much hear the rumour due to other things at the time but when Lush announced this product was coming back people were extremely excited. Due to this, I was pretty excited to try it.

Admittedly, due to its scent and ingredients, Lava Lamp had never really appealed to me. Though when I opened the Lush bag on that Friday morning and smelled it, I instantly fell in love.

The ingredients: Orange Flower Absolute, Tangerine Oil, and Sicilian Mandarin Oil, mean it is packed full of bright smells. The kind of smells which wake you up from the get go.

The beautiful bath bomb. 

I really could smell the orange but it wasn't an off- putting smell. I'm not too much of a fan when it comes to packing orange smells- Brightside never appeals to me, but this bath bomb changed my mind a little.

In the Bath

Lava Lamp is priced at £3.95, which is pretty standard for a Lush bath bomb. And the 16 ingredients aren't exactly cheap.

I found that Lava Lamp was extremely pretty. It was different to any Lush bath bomb I had used before. The orange colour was striking and the purple made it look really, and there's no other way to phrase this, cool! It looked sort of alien but that's what made me find it amazing. 

The bath bomb was a quick fizzer when it hit the water, and it created this lovely orange foam, whilst turning the water the same orange colour.

Unlike other bath bombs from Lush, Lava Lamp doesn't produce as much as a show, it's very different to say Twilight or Fizzbanger. It doesn't produce what people would call 'bath art' as such, but when the bath oils explode into the water then it creates a show in your bath.

The oils slowly fell off the bath bomb and into the water. They didn't melt that easily in the bath and tended to float around in the water. When I picked them up, the purple smudged on my fingers and it was a lovely colour, and I would love to mention it didn't stain me, the oil came off pretty easily.

My bathroom was filled with this beautiful uplifting orange scent which was slightly sweet, probably from the use of Limonene. It creates this kind of 'dry' orange scent but it was still lovely. It was that nice my boyfriend even commented on it when he walked in every now and then.

After Thoughts

I think that Lava Lamp is a beautiful product which is perfect for a little 'pick me up'. It will be lovely for days when it's raining outside or you're having a rubbish time because it will make you feel instantly happy.

However, one problem I have with this product is the bath oil. Anywhere they touched, I found purple bath oil stuck on me. It wasn't really a big problem, but I was stained by purple oil until I left the bath as they continuously stuck to me. Admittedly, though, I find this same problem with any Lush bath oils!

Also, I would suggest you sit in your bath until the water drains and wash the oil off the side of the bath. It's always a pain as when you wash the oil off the side of the bath it constantly re-appears until there is no water left in the tub!

Though, I loved this bath bomb and can see why so many of us love this one by Lush.

I will definitely use it again and give it 4/5 due to the oil nonsense, but thats just me being picky ;)

- Rachel xx 

See me demo it here 

Bomb Cosmetics Unboxing

Bomb Cosmetics Unboxing/First Impressions

*Disclaimer* Prices may have changed since I received this, products may have changed etc, promotions may have changed*

Granted, this is about a year and a half overdue, but I'm finally writing about these products.

As I've mentioned before, I'm very much for helping people find alternatives to Lush which are cheap as not everyone can afford Lush.

The total of 16 products came to £45.84 which you can't complain about. On top of this, Bomb Cosmetics gifted me a free gift box and a free body lotion.

The box is a lovely pink colour when it arrives and it's inviting. You feel special when you receive this box. I appreciate the fact it is made of cardboard, as it's especially good for the environment because it can be recycled.

As you can see, it has a lovely slogan as well of 'you know it makes scents'. I was pretty impressed with the play on words and it got a giggle out of me. Very very punny.                                  

    

The box is jammed full of packing peanuts, the same packaging Lush uses, which are bio-degradable and less waste for the environment. They can be dissolved in water or they bio-degrade by themselves, but I love them so much! 

I was amazed at how well the products are packed and how they managed to fit all of my purchases in one box, but I couldn't complain as they used less packaging. However, one complaint is the amount of plastic they use to wrap their products. There are pros and cons to wrapping your products, unlike Lush who now use 'naked' packaging, which usually results in a lot of their products being damaged easily. 

To the right of the picture is a blue gift box, this was free from Bomb Cosmetics because I think I spent over £30. This had 5 products in which had a clean and fresh smell to them. They were lovely to use in the bath. 

I decided to order 5 soaps from Bomb Cosmetics. At £2.49 each, it was a pretty good price compared to Lush, I also think they may be slightly bigger in size. However, the smells of the soaps are pretty artificial and pretty harsh on the nose.

The little wrapped up products in tissue paper are bath mallows and bath creamers. Like bath melts but they fizz at the same time. They were in cute shapes such as cherry and gingerbread man. Bath mallows are £2.24 with creamers at £2.09. The large red dotty product was cocoa swirl at £2.99. You could easily use it for many many baths and get your moneys worth! The massage bar was interesting as it was lavender - something I hadn't found Lush regularly produce. I'm a fan of lavender at night and at £3.49,  I couldn't resist buying it.

 

The bath 'blasters' were all £2.29 which is fairly cheap for the size product you receive. Honestly, I didn't find them as lovely as Lush or as beautiful in the bath, but you pay for what you get. These particular ones were Christmas themed and I found them really cute. Excellent gifts to give to friends etc. 

The last product I bought was a mad hatter candle which was priced at £8.99. Being the most expensive thing I bought, I was glad as I find it a beautiful product. It is enclosed in an actual tea cup and saucer and smells beautiful. It still hasn't been used fully to this day but smells beautiful when it is burned.

Conclusively. you pay for what you get with Bomb Cosmetics. If you want a cheap alternative to Lush, then this is definitely one!

- Rachel  xx 

Magic Bath Bomb

Magic Bath Bomb 

I first bought Magic in February 2016. It was pretty hyped up in the Lush community and I think I'd avoided it due to that reason. However, when they announced it on the live Lush Kitchen Periscope I was pretty interested.

They noted that it had peppermint which was good for the joints and with my chronic pain this bath bomb seemed far more appealing. The same week they also released the Magic Shower Jelly, another new found love of mine.

I should say straight out that Magic is not for the people who like sweet smells such as Candy Mountain or Yuzu and Cocoa. There is nothing remotely sweet to Magic; it is pure herbs all the way through. 

When they first arrived, you could smell them straight away. There was an overpowering strong smell of fresh mint, not the artificial smell of mint.

They are a 3D hexagon shape and a light blue. Notice that they are the same shape as The Experimenter? Maybe I heard that The Experimenter was modelled off Magic, but I wouldn't hold me to that.

To many people, they don't smell the Rose Absolute but it isn't exactly a strong floral smell. It seems to be a stripped back rose smell, so if you're expecting Roses All The Way soap smell then you won't get this.

I could really, however, smell the Basil oil through the bath bomb. It wasn't particularly unpleasant but more refreshing.

To you and I, this bath bomb may look boring and just like any other but Magic is far from boring. It is called Magic for a reason.

When it hits the water, it fizzes loudly and quite fast. It starts off as a beautiful blue colour which swirls in the water.

Then it starts to seep this wonderful purple colour which slowly turns into a pinky colour. The show it produces is rather amazing to watch. There are many different waves to this bath bomb which make it exciting.

As you can see, the bath bomb has this purple centre which explodes in the bath. It ripples around the water and creates a beautiful picture in the bath .

It really creates what many would call 'bath art'.

As I sat in the bath, I found the whole experience very relaxing. Using such a herby bath bomb is really like taking a break with nature. There are no sweet overwhelming smells, but everything just smells lovely.

 Truly, I find that Magic gives my joints a break and they feel eased by the peppermint in it. Plus, the water doesn't end up covered with glitter but just a lovely blue and purple colour.

As the bath bomb comes to a finish, one of two sprigs of parsley emerge, finishing the amazing experience off.

When they released this again in May 2016, I made sure to snag just a couple (7 I think) but it is one of my favourite bombs!

Would I reccomend it for you? Do you like herbal smells? Or are you a comforter gal?

Don't buy it if you hate mint or overpowering smells of nature!

Watch me demo it here and here.

- Rachel x

PrettySudsUK! Review

Pretty Suds UK

I ordered from PrettySuds a while ago but have only just got round to this post. I wanted to try out a few of their products before writing this on them. 

When I ordered with them I mentioned I was a blogger, because of this they were kind enough to give me two free bath bombs (one of them is in a giveaway I am running atm on my Instagram) *the giveaway has now closed* 

The order came in two boxes, due to the amount I had ordered, and was packaged beautifully. The smells from the box had me in much awe and I was very excited to try out the products!

As you can see from the picture, I ordered a lot of products. Although it came at a pretty cheap price of around £40. As someone who is constantly finding products which are cheaper than Lush for my followers, then I think these were pretty good value!

I ordered nearly every bath bomb on their site, three reduced bubble bars along with a beautiful smelling bubble bar, 2 shower jellies and quite a few wax melt bars. 

I noticed that every product is wrapped individually in plastic which has pros and cons. By wrapping them, they are less likely to be damaged during shipping, but, of course, this produces excess waste which isn't too good for the environment. However, they were wrapped really well and they would make perfect gifts as they are!

I already did an unboxing video on my YouTube channel (linked below) so I'm going to dive straight into talking about the products!

The Products

Juliet's Kiss

Juliets Kiss is a lovely floral and pink bath bomb. The colours are soft and the smells are natural but lovely. It reminded me a lot of roses when I first smelled it and I knew it would be great in the bath. 

Pretty Suds describes it as 'blossoming with jasmine, violet and peony. Captured inside the bomb are rose petals that are gently scattered across your bath. Courtesy of Romeo himself'.  

The smell very much reminded me of Tisty Tosty from Lush. If you don't like things floating in your bath then I suggest you use this with some kind of strainer. It is packed full of petals which made me feel like a princess when I bathed.

This bath bomb would be perfect for a romantic night or when you want to have a floral pick me up bath. It made lovely water and fizzed nicely whilst making beautiful patterns in the water. Watch me demo it here , here and here  . 

I would give this 4/5 in terms of value for money, scent and my love of it.

Moonshine 

Moonshine smelled fruity when I first opened the packet, but then I could really smell lemons and raspberries. The bath bomb was beautiful colours and I was slightly mesmerised by the blue and yellow that ran round it. 

Pretty Suds calls it '[a] gorgeous bath bomb.. [with] its spectacle of colour and rich English fruit fragrance'.  The bath bomb was simple but exciting at the same time. The minute it hit the water it fizzed bright blue and yellow which smelled of crisp apple, raspberries and lemons. 

It was very different to something I have ever tried, and I very much enjoyed it. They have managed to incorporate some beautiful fragrances into this bomb and they smell very natural. Nothing smells artificial or fake. 

The only downside was the little stars which were then stuck in my bath after but they were pretty easy to clean out. 

Watch me demo it here. 

This bath bomb definitely deserves a 4/5. 

Monster

The monster bath bomb was a beautiful bath bomb of pinks and greens. When I first opened the package, I couldn't really work out the scent. I knew it was sweet and hoped the true scent would come through when I used it in the bath. 

On the website, Pretty Suds shows the bath bomb with a strawberry and lime. I think it was supposed to be a sweet kind of strawberry milkshake. 

In the bath, it created beautiful colours as it fizzed and you can see the demo here.  First I could smell the lemon but then the sweet strawberry smell hit as a backnote. 

When the bath bomb created a beautiful colour in the water, I noticed the monster inside it. This had been the thing which had intrigued me to by this product in the first place. 

It was purple and the cutest thing ever! It was such a nice surprise and I think this would be a great product for children.

This bath bomb deserves a 5/5. I found nothing wrong with it and would definitely recommend and buy it again. 

The Bee's Knees

This was actually one of the free products which Pretty Suds sent to me! I thought it was like honeybee from Lush but more sweet. It had a strong smell of caramel and it smelled of all things good. 

The website says it is 'Fragranced in sweet chocolate and honey and carefully decorated in chocolate and gold glitter.... Can you resist?'.

It was pretty to say the least and it had a beautiful pattern on top which looked like chocolate (I'm not too sure if it actually was... I was reluctant to try after a bad Lush bubble bar experience).

It smelled beautiful and I was pretty sure it would smell just as good in the water.

The bomb fizzed fast as soon as it hit the water. Shades of orange and amber leapt off it as it bubbled in the water. I could instantly smell the honey and the smell was beautiful. Watch it here. 

I found that the bath bomb was quite moisturising and left a lovely colour of water.

I give this 5/5. 

Fireworks

Fireworks is one of the prettiest bath bombs I have used so far! The colours which ran round the outside absolutely amazed me when I took it out of the box.   

It smelled different to anything I had ever tried but the smell was beautiful. It was an orange yet floral smell and it definitely lifted my mood.

Pretty Suds describes it - 'Fireworks bath bomb has been carefully crafted with rays of colour to brighten up your day. The scent of the bath bomb is Frangipani Plumeria, which is an aromatherapy oil used to lift spirits and soothe emotional wounds' 

When it hit the water it created so many beautiful colours. There was blues, reds and yellows. The bomb rocked from side to side and the colours dived off it into the water

I watched in absolute awe at the show that was appearing in my bath. It was by far one of the best bath bombs I've ever tried.

And the scent was beautiful. The orange wasn't too strong as the floral scent kept it mild. However, the scent was still very uplifting.

I would say this bomb is amazing and at £2.95 you can hardly complain. Watch my demo here. 

I give it a 6000/5 and think it is perfect!

Thanks for reading, leave comments and have a wonderful day! - Rachel x