Lush Perfumes: Imogen Rose, Orange Blossom & B Scent

In my obsession with Lush Cosmetics shower and bath products, I always forget that they have plenty of other goodies in their collection. Last fall, I decided that I had to explore their skincare and perfumes, and Lush kindly sent me a small collection of travel friendly perfumes! 

In general, I found that these perfumes need a few minutes to develop into their real scents. I love how they come in a variety of sizes so you can have as much or as little perfume as you want - $15.95 for this .3oz travel size or a sample vial .07oz for $1.95! Or, if you really love a scent, you can grab an ounce for $42.95. 

*PR Sample

Imogen Rose is intended to be the purest of roses. On my skin, it is a mix of rose and powder, being very powder at first and developing into something more floral after an hour or so. I love that it doesn't smell like your typical rose scent, but it is a bit too powdery for my preferences. 
Main notes: Rose absolute, orris root, vetivert, tonka, and bergamot.

Orange Blossom is a scent I always want to try - this one is quite fresh, actually. Initially, it is a bit soapy and reminds me of classic Lush bath product scents. Then, as the fragrance develops on my skin, the neroli emerges. I've always been a fan of neroli, and after an hour or so on the skin, Lush Orange Blossom starts to remind me of Tom Ford Neroli Portofino. My nose is not that good, but for me, it is a passable replacement for Neroli Portofino given that it is much more affordable. Yay! Lush’s website says it was originally made for a candle, and I think I would actually love that! 
Main notes: Orange blossom, neroli, rosewood, ylang ylang, sandalwood and beeswax.

B Scent is my favorite of the bunch, being quite citrusy at first and mellowing out with the sandalwood and rose. I didn't expect to like citrus mixed with lavender and fennel, but I'm quite impressed by the unique combination of notes. I can't explain it at all! 
Main notes: Lemon, bergamot, fennel, lavender, rose, jasmine, ylang ylang, sandalwood and musk.

All in all, I enjoyed experiencing these Lush perfumes. I've also reviewed a few solid perfumes here and I believe some of those scents come in spray form as well. Have you tried any perfumes from Lush? Do any of these sound interesting to you? I'd love to know! 

An Introduction to Lipstick Queen: Sinner Lipsticks in Pinky Nude & Red

Lipstick Queen is a brand I've read so much about and always wanted to try. So, you can imagine my excitement when I received Lipstick Queen Sinner Lipstick in Pinky Nude as part of a Space NK gift with purchase last fall, and Red* as a press sample from Space NK shortly after! 

Sinner is a lipstick formula meant to be full coverage, with about 90% opaque pigment. I love that the formula is not drying on me and fragrance free. There's quite a variety of shades too, and I'm quite curious to try the Medieval and Endless Summer formulas. 

Anyways, on to the lipsticks! :)

Lipstick Queen Sinner in Pinky Nude is quite appropriately named. It may just be the perfect pinky nude, actually - not too pink or too pale on my skintone. This lasts a few hours on me (about 2-3) and appears to fade evenly. I love the shade and the non-drying formula!

*PR Sample

Lipstick Queen Sinner in Red* is such a gorgeous color, but for whatever reason, I found the formula to be a bit waxy in texture. It has a bit of slip as well, and for me I found it moved a lot while I was eating. As a very low maintenance gal who likes to eat a lot without thinking about her lipstick, that was a bit of a dealbreaker for me. Unfortunate, as the color is so gorgeous! I passed the color on to a friend, so I'm not sure if it was Fire Red or Scarlet Red... 

All in all, I was quite excited to try something from Lipstick Queen. I love Pinky Nude, and plan to check out the reds in one of the other formulas. I'm also curious to try the new Vesuvius Candy lip pen things. 

Have you tried anything by Lipstick Queen? If so, what are your favorites from the brand? If not, what are you lusting after? :)

Classic Cleansers from Clarins & Origins

I thought I had sworn off gel cleansers until these two cleansers came along...

I've been obsessed with cleansing oils, but these two cleansers from Clarins and Origins made me realize that I still enjoy a more "standard" cleanser for a fast and easy cleanse. 

Especially since some of my cleanser loves are quite pricey or just require a bit of effort, these two cleansers from Clarins and Origins certainly make my morning routine easy and much more affordable. Both come in at under $25 and leave my skin feeling clean and not dry,

I was particularly surprised by how well I got on with Origins Zero Oil Deep Pore Cleanser, which I picked out for Mr. Bunny last summer. I thought I would never get along with a gel cleanser marketed toward oily skintypes, but my dehydrated skin feels perfectly normal using this stuff. Plus, it has a light minty scent that is quite refreshing in the mornings!  

And when the Clarins Gentle Foaming Cleanser landed on my doorstep in a beauty swap of sorts, I was quite puzzled. How could a foaming cleanser be for dry and sensitive skin? In any event, this cream textured cleanser lathers a bit and feels just perfect for wintertime! 

What cleansers have you been using lately? I'd love to know! :) 

Winter Skin Saviors: Lush Celestial Moisturizer

I haven't explored much of Lush's skincare range, but one of my favorite things is their Celestial Facial Moisturizer. Much loved by my friends Marianna and Gummy, I was excited to finally try it these last few months. 

*PR Sample

Scented of almonds and vanilla, this cream has a lovely texture. I find it to be thick, yet somehow light when it is applied to the skin. Intended for extremely dry or sensitive skin, Celestial is very moisturizing. I found it to be just a smidgen less moisturizing than my Dr. Ci:Labo moisturizer in these extremely cold temperatures we've been having, but in the fall I found them equally as moisturizing. I'm not sure anything can beat this cold, so I'm not worried! I also really like how this layers well with face oils. 

All in all, I'm a fan of this affordable moisturizer from Lush. Have you tried it? I'd love to know! :)