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

Empties #1

May 2016/ June 2016 

I have been collecting these empties for a while and I thought it was finally time to empty the overflowing box!

Ted Baker London, Body Wash 50ml 

The body wash was part of a gift set and I absolutely loved it!

I've had Ted Baker before and think they are perfect little gifts for anyone, and I would highly recommend this product.

The mix of rose, sandalwood and raspberry create a very different and unique scent. I think it was past the sweet scents you use as a child but it creates this mature fragrance.

It was a lovely soft gel which created a great lather on the skin.

Unfortunately, it didn't last many washes, but it was only a gift set size!

Additionally, they are cruelty-free, which is a huge bonus.

I can't find this gift set currently, but I found one *like it* on the Boots website at £8.

Buy again? No!  Maybe.  Definitely!

Lush, Yummy Mummy Shower Cream 100g 

This is very different from the other Yummy Mummy product I will talk about!

This little bottle was from the 2016 range of Mothers Day products, and I'm sure I loved it far more than I loved the shower gel.

The cocoa butter and tonka absolute create this beautiful scent which is rich and creamy in the shower.

It lathered up really well and I found myself buying a 500g before the range left Lush stores.

What I loved about the 100g is how easy they are to travel with! They fit perfectly in any suitcase or bag for a weekend away etc.

You can probably tell how much I loved this by the fact I went through two 100g and bought a 500g.

I hope they bring this back next year as it is one of my all time favourite scents!

According to allthingslushUK, it was £4.95 for 100g.

Buy again? No!  Maybe.  Definitely! 

Lush, Rose Jam Shower Gel 100g 

It was my first time trying Rose Jam at Christmas (2015) and I absolutely adored it!

I think I bought a 100g just to try, and then realised how amazing it was so bought a 250g.


The bottle was probably left in the shower, hence the fact the label looks so tattered.

The product itself has this sweet rose smell to it, so if you hate the floral side of rose then you'll probably like this!

It doesn't have that overpowering sickly scent of rose, but some
thing else that makes it amazing.

I actually bought the solid perfume of Rose Jam and I'm so glad I did.

It is £4.95 for 100g.

Buy again? No!  Maybe.  Definitely! 

Lush, Comforter Shower Gel 250g

This was a pretty older bottle of shower gel which I bought from a fellow Lushie.

It was from when Lush Kitchen brought out the shower gel, which is a very different product to the shower cream you now see in stores.

I think it was from 2014, so it was past its use- by date, but everyone knows you can use *most* Lush products past their use-by date.

I'd been holding onto it for so long as it was a precious bottle of shower gel, but I finally finished it off in a bath, and it was glorious.

It has to be one of my favourite shower gels so far and it was much better than the shower cream.

It had a straight up Comforter smell and smelled just like the bubble bar, which is what made me love it.

I hope they bring this out again or I can get my hands on it!

It was £10.25 for 250g.

Buy again? No!  Maybe.  Definitely! 

Boots, Simply Sensitive Soothing Face Wipes with Aloe Vera (25 Wipes)

I think I bought these as I'd forgotten makeup wipes on a trip.

I use make up wipes a lot and it seems that I go through them so fast.


I try to use products that aren't too harsh on my skin and I think these were pretty good.

I obviously liked them as I finished the packet!

You can buy them for £2.49 here. 

Buy again? No!  Maybe.  Definitely!

Lush, Glögg Shower Gel 250g.

This was a kind of whim buy from Lush Kitchen.

The idea of it really appealed to me as the ingredients sounded pretty yummy.

I'm a fan of cinnamon things and all those beautiful spice smells at Christmas.

The red wine, lime and patchouli sounded amazing together and I wasn't disappointed with this product.

For someone with chronic pain, this can really make a day better. 

I don't think it is better than Hot Toddy (Shower Gel) but it has the same kind of impact.

It is a thin shower gel which smells fab when you open the bottle.

I say 'it is' because I still have another bottle, luckily!

I think, despite what other people have said, it can be used any time of year... especially if you live in the UK! 

£11 for 250g

Buy again? No!  Maybe.  Definitely! 

Lush, Yummy Mummy Shower Gel 250g 

The Yummy Mummy shower gel used to be one of my favourite products, but then it turned into a real hate.

The texture was great, the lustre in it was amazing and the smell was a dream.

Though, then it turned into a chemically smelling sort of disgusting mess. 

I hated it so much and I really really hated this product.

Admittedly, I never EVER finished this bottle. I had a bit left in the bottom which made me gag every time I smelled it so I had to chuck it away.

It hadn't even reached its use by date, which was March but I'd avoided it for a couple of months, when it smelled absolutely foul.

I'm glad they replaced 2015 Yummy Mummy with a shower cream, which seems to be, so far, holding its own.

£9.50 for 250g (2015)

Buy again? No!  Maybe.  Definitely! 

Lush, Twilight Shower Gel 250g 

How can I describe Twilight? 

Let's make sure we know we're discussing the shower gel and not the film about glittery vampires.

Twilight has this beautiful malty lavender smell, which I think is beautiful.

The lustre on these shower gels was insane! 

The deep purple colour and the glitter create an experience unlike any other.

Lush Kitchen released this and I snatched up 4 I think?

So, I have a fair few to keep me going for the time being!

You can buy a 100g bottle from the regular line in the Relax gift set for £19.50. 

£11 for 250g (2016) 

Buy again? No!  Maybe.  Definitely! 

Simple, Spotless Skin Quick Fix Cleansing Wipes (25 Wipes) 

I've just finished these makeup wipes and I found them beautiful on the skin.

They wiped off makeup pretty well whilst giving your skin a cleanse at the same time (but I would use a toner after these anyway).

I think the chamomile in them had a cooling impact on my skin and they weren't too abrasive.

They even managed to take off Jeffree Star Liquid Lipstick, which is extremely hard to remove.

You can buy these for £4.25 on the Boots website. 

Buy again? No!  Maybe.  Definitely! 

Thank you for reading!

What are your empties? And what are your staple products which you always have empties of?

Until next time, Rachel xx

Lush Manchester Arndale Haul!

Haul Time! 

So when I went to Lush Arndale, I had to pick up just a few things. Here is a breakdown of my haul :)

I needed a few essentials but many of the things were just for me to try! There are lots of new exclusives at Lush Arndale.

Sophisticated Eye Shadow Powder 

I say eyeshadow powder as Sophisticated seems to be a cream eyeshadow on the Lush website still.

I was asked what eyeshadows I tend to go for and I answered that I used browns a lot. The lovely staff member suggested I try this and swatched it on my hand.

It was a beautiful colour of shimmering brown and I felt it had an almost purple tinge to it.

You can expect to see me wearing this on my Instagram!

Price - £10.

Smugglers Soul Multipurpose Cream and SuperDad Bath Bomb 

I didn't really intend to buy any of the Father Day range, but I could hardly resist the fab products being offered.  

When the staff member showed me Smugglers Soul, I instantly fell in love with it. The natural but beautiful smell was great, and it was so moisturising on the skin! 

I found that during the day I kept on smelling the moisture after being sprayed without about 15 billion different Lush products. 

The bath bomb was a must. I tend to not buy bath bombs as much from Lush as I have so many to get through. I treated myself to this one as it had some great colours, looked fab in the water and smelled awesome! 

Multipurpose Cream- £14.95

Bath Bomb- £3.95

SuperDad in action! 

93,000 Miles Shower Jelly 

I talk about this product a lot because I love it so much! 

It is a real staple product and since my other one turned yucky, I decided to treat myself to a brand new tub. 

I tend to go for the smaller tubs in staple jellies for some unknown reason, maybe its because I prefer to use smaller ones in the shower? I have nooooo idea.

Though, as someone with chronic pain, I totally recommend this product to anyone who has any kind of muscle or joint pain. 

Price-  £3.75 for 100g  £7.50 for 250g

Breath of Fresh Air Toner Water 

As a lover of Tea Tree Water, I've always been hesitant to try other toners. Though, the staff member recommended this to me.

When I told her that I have combo skin (oily t zone, random spots etc but dry sometimes) and that I use Tea Tree Water, she suggested that maybe it dried my skin out. 

She told me the Rose Absolute would reduce redness whilst toning and balancing the skin. 

I've tried it a few times but due to a recent spot appearance, I've gone back to my Tea Tree Water for the time being. 

Price- £4.50 for 100g  £8.50 for 250g 

Sea Salted Caramel Soap

In Oxford Street, I loved Sea Salted Caramel Soap and its scent. 

Unfortunately, I picked up the wrong slice of soap and staff members didn't really give me the option to pick the one I did want. Something to this day I still find slightly annoying as I was on crutches and wanted a *little* help... but I don't hold grudges (obviously).

Luckily, I found this gem in Lush Arndale and had to snatch up a piece! 

I haven't got round to using it yet but it has a distinct Yog Nog scent to it, so if you like that then you will love this!

It's sort of a burned Yog Nog scent, and it smells preeeetty good. 

Price- £4.10 per 100g

Bamboozled Lip Stain

Ever since I saw this on AllThingsLushs page etc, I have always wanted to try it!

I had no luck in Oxford Street with it but managed to get one in Lush Arndale.

What really strikes me is the packaging and design of it. It's such a good use of something which can be thrown in the compost when finished with.

The staff member told me that Mark, the owner of Lush, had some bamboo left and decided to use it for this lip stain. So the shoot of the bamboo acts as the lip stain holder... cool, right?

I've tried it on my lips and it's definitely bright, so be prepared for a swatch post on Instagram or here very soon.

Price- £15

Blonde Eyebrow Crayon 

Admittedly, I am still getting used to filling in my eyebrows, and it still scares me.

Though, when I saw this in Lush and tried it, I wasn't so scared of filling them in anymore.

It's a lovely tame colour which you can intensify with how much you use, and you can also use an eyebrow brush with it to create a more natural look.

The fact it was a crayon really interested me and I have used it, and so far it seems good.

Though, eventually, I will let you guys know what I think of it!
 Price- £7

American Cream Hair Conditioner

This is another staple product for me.

I have used American Cream for a couple of months now and I find it leaves my hair smelling amazing.

It isn't too thick on hair but definitely conditions it, and this is coming from someone who can get extremely knotty hair.

It is also definitely a reasonable price!

Price- £4.75 for 100g   £9.25 for 250g   £14.95 for 500g   £25.50 for 1kg


Thanks for reading guys and hope you enjoyed!

Have a great week and see you guys soon.

Rachel xx

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