EuropaFb: charcoal

Showing posts with label charcoal. Show all posts

Black Rose Naked Lip Scrub

castor oil, charcoal, coconut, Halloween, halloween 2017, limited edition, Lips, murumuru, naked, orange, Scrub, spearmint, ylang ylang

Despite it being a regular thing: my lips being chapped, I hardly ever use any of Lush's sugar scrubs to rectify the problem. There's a small part of me that almost forgets that the company even do such a thing, so if i own any they're usually buried away underneath the mountains of other products waiting to be used.

When I first caught a glimpse of the three new naked lip scrubs for this year's Christmas and Halloween ranges, I was immediately bowled over by how pretty the designs were. Aside from the lack of packaging (hence the 'naked' part), the shape and etched surfaces made these limited editions so much more appealing than the boring tubed varieties.

Yet, my very next thought was: how exactly am I supposed to use this and not completely soil the bag/purse I'm carrying it around in? Ultimately, while I have been using the cardboard boxes that they were delivered in, I've still yet to find a more effective way of carrying these lip scrubs around: they certainly don't travel very well naked.

Having said this, all three variations of this year's naked scrubs are exceptional in what they do, and offer a much better experience than the old-style scrubs.

Firstly, the product is much easier to use and less of a hassle to clean up afterwards. Whereas the original lip scrubs would need to be applied with the use of a finger, and you'd often cover yourself in sugar while doing so, these naked versions can be applied in seconds, without the unnecessary mess. Simply massage the block across your lips, applying as much pressure as you want, before either licking away the sugar or rinsing it away with warm water.

Secondly, you can apply more pressure when using these blocks, so you'll find that these naked scrubs are far better at scrubbing away excess skin. Furthermore, you can focus on particular areas of the lips, so if you have a particular stubborn spot, this scrub will do wonders at removing the dried skin.

Thirdly, there is less sugar to contend with, when it comes to the naked blocks. The condensed form means that there won't be as much sugar as there once was, but it also means that you can feel how nourished your lips feel after application, and this leaves your lips soft, smooth and plump. With the original lip scrubs, I sometimes found that you'd be massaging your lips for ages, unable to see exactly which areas needed a little extra buffering. Furthermore, there is an extra generous helping of butters and oils in the ingredients list, to make this a far more moisturising experience overall.

Obviously, the fact that these lip scrubs are naked means that there's zero wastage, which makes them much better for the environment.

What I really liked about Black Rose Naked Lip Scrub was that it was rather robust, and so I found it far easier to buffer away without the fear of it crumbling away. As someone with quite naturally dry skin, I enjoy a coarse scrub to remove excess dried skin and clean out my pores before I moisturise. The strength of this block means that I can apply quite a bit of pressure when I'm scrubbing my lips, without worrying about using too much product, or breaking the lip scrub in the process. Having used this daily, for almost two weeks, I have barely dented the corner of the scrub, and I see this lasting a good 4-5 months before it'll need to be replaced.

Scentwise, this beauty has a scent that reminds me a little of Yummy Mummy Shower Cream. While not identical at all, the combination of mandarin oils, along with the sultry and quite treacle-esque nature of the charcoal give off a fruity smell that is both as rich and as fruity as the aforementioned aroma.

One thing I will say about the Naked Lip Scrub is that the taste you get when licking your lips clean is definitely not the best flavour that Lush have offered, and I cannot imagine anyone wanting to nibble on this when they get a little peckish (which a lot of Lush fans do.) However, it functions incredibly well as a Lip Scrub and will easily last me another twelve months, before it makes a reappearance and I can buy another one.

Quantitative Ingredients: Castor Sugar (Sucrose), Murumuru Butter (Astrocaryum Murumuru), Illipe Butter (Shorea stenoptera), Extra Virgin Coconut Oil (Cocos nucifera), Organic Jojoba Oil (Simmondsia chinensis), Sicilian Mandarin Oil (Citrus nobilis), Spearmint Oil (Mentha Spicata), Ylang Ylang Oil (Cananga odorata), Charcoal (Charcoal Powder), Titanium Dioxide, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Benzyl Benzoate, Flavour (Fragrance), Tin Oxide (Tin oxide) Iron Oxides.

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: £5.75 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2017.

Want To Believe Bath Melt

aniseed, Bath, Bath Melt, charcoal, cocoa butter, Discontinued, limited edition, Lush Kitchen, Skin, soya milk, starflower, sugar

Back when I would spend my entire monthly salary on eBay 'bargains', I never filtered what I would and would not invest in. Therefore, I found myself quite quickly building up a collection of, what I can only describe as relics: products that were clearly passed their best, but still excited me enough that I wanted them in my life.

One of those less than perfect items was the interesting-looking Want To Believe Bath Melt - which isn't the most attractive product to begin with, so you can only imagine what they would look like 3-4 years past their best before. To say that they were a royal flop in the bath is an understatement. Having said that, I actually quite enjoyed the unique idea behind the bath melt, and was a little disappointed when I couldn't give it any more than an embarrassing one-bottle rating.

When Lush released them in the Kitchen in late 2016, I was really excited to finally discover how a fresh one would function in the bath, and how the fragrance would fare on the skin. Having already had a lot of positive experiences with products that feature charcoal, I was expecting quite a lot from this item, and I can honestly say that I was impressed with the outcome.

Taken from the idea of naughty children getting coal in their Christmas stockings, this bath melt is for those who haven't quite made Santa's 'nice' list this year. Packed with an array of ingredients to soften and replenish the skin, this seasonal treat is a gift that keeps on giving.

Firstly, the inclusion of charcoal makes this far more effective than most of the other Lush bath melts that I have tried before. Not only is charcoal known for drawing out toxins and bacteria from the skin, it is also great at balancing out oily skin and leaving it looking radiant without any excess grease. Although I have dry skin, I did notice that my complexion looked and felt far more radiant within a short while of being in the bath. In fact, my face felt noticeably smoother and more radiant for a good 24 hours after I had used one of these.

Alongside the charcoal is fennel oil, which is not only one of the key components in the overall smell, but also uses its antiseptic properties in the water to calm and clean the skin while you're bathing. Furthermore, the soya milk softens the water and offers a creamy respite in the tub, while the cocoa butter and starflower oil, which evidently is known for its anti-aging properties, only adds to the experience, and ultimately makes this a feast for the skin.

Described as having a liquorice scent, Want To Believe offers quite a dry, aniseed-like smell. Yes there is the fennel element present, and you get a slight sweetness from the starflower oil. However, the charcoal does play a part at grounding the scent - which is rather gentle to begin with, need I say, and giving it an almost powdery fragrance. In addition, the inclusion of the granulated sugar adds a gentle syrup-like note to the bath melt, which is lovely.

Despite the black attire, this bath melt is a real softy at heart, and I was thrilled to see how much of an impression it made in the water. Within a matter of seconds, the bath melt was dissolving across the tub - sending out both swirls of creamy white foam and glistening flecks of black and silver lustre. It certainly wasn't the most interesting of experiences to watch, but it was something very different, and I appreciated that.

While I used the whole melt in a single bath, this would easily last across two or three, if you wanted to stretch your money a little further. Given how silky-smooth the water was after using an entire one, I can safely say that you'll definitely get the full-body moisturising session you're craving, using only half of this. In fact, if you don't enjoy baths that are too nourishing and silky, you may wish to segment this bad boy to prevent disappointment.

Although no one wants a piece of coal in their Christmas stocking, I would happy to have a handful of these in mine. Despite being very different from the usual fruity bath oils/melts that Lush pride themselves on, I really appreciated how well this worked in the water. It may not have a fragrance that will bowl you over, but it does have enough butters to leave your winter-kissed skin soft and ready to face the day ahead.

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter, PEG–6 Caprylic / Capric Glycerides & PEG-60 Almond Glycerides, White Granulated Sugar, Perfume, Cold Pressed Organic Starflower Oil, Powdered Charcoal, Fennel Oil, Soya Milk, *Limonene, Silver Glimmer Lustre.

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: £5.75 each.

Year Of Original Release: ?

Coming soon!

Prince Of Darkness Fresh Face Mask

charcoal, Face, kaolin, lavender, lush oxford street, Mask, patchouli, salt, Skin

There's something rather horrifying about a tub full of black gloop - reminds me of a terrible near-drowning experience that I went through when I was younger. While I no longer choose to throw myself into blackened, muddy rivers like I did back then, a mere glance at this product brought back those unpleasant memories - ones that I would rather leave forgotten.

Despite my association of this with a childhood trauma, I was surprised to find that I really enjoyed using Prince Of Darkness Fresh Face Mask. Not only did it immediately improve the condition of my skin after a single use, but it made for a very different experience from any of Lush's other masks that are currently on offer in their stores.

Named as a homage to the notorious rocker, Ozzy Osbourne, this brand new face mask works as both a scrub and a cleanser. Containing an array of ingredients to help brighten the complexion, clean away unwanted debris and soften the skin, this exclusive product is a haven of key elements that work in harmony with all skin types, especially those with greasier skin.

What is intriguing about this mask is that two of the main ingredients have come directly from the earth so they are as natural as can be. Fullers earth is a type of clay material that is known for its fantastic absorption of excess oils and dirt on the skin. Removing these unwanted particles from the face allows the clay to work on giving the complexion a thorough cleanse so it feels super-soft and looks much clearer afterwards.

Kaolin has a slightly rougher texture, which is what partially gives Prince Of Darkness its consistency, but this too is known for its cleansing properties. This ingredient exfoliates dead skin cells while absorbing excess oils on the skin - helping to leave a well-balanced and far healthier looking complexion.

The powdered charcoal is what gives this face mask its colour - not to mention most of its consistency which makes it such an effective exfoliator. As well as allowing the mask to gently scrub away surface dirt, the charcoal works on balancing out the face's natural oil secretions so the skin isn't so shiny or greasy.

While it doesn't smell identical to Dark Angels Facial Cleanser, there is definitely some similarities here. Both use charcoal to help balance the face's natural sebum release and both have a slight scratchy consistency which allows you to remove unwanted dry skin and dirt during application. Not only this, but both products have a sort of sweet but slightly burnt aroma - one that isn't particularly pleasant on the senses, but one that isn't exactly awful either.

Once the mask has been applied, you're supposed to leave it on your face for a good 15 - 20 minutes before rinsing it off with warm water. What is interesting about Prince Of Darkness, is that this is a face mask that doesn't seem to dry once it's been applied. While every other face mask I have used from Lush has dried and set on my face, this one remained wet right up until I rinsed it off in the shower. I quite enjoyed this aspect of the product as it meant that I wasn't dropping flakes of dried mask all over the floor while I was waiting to wash it off.

Once you have patted your face dry, you're left with a clean, clear and rather radiant looking complexion - one that feels smooth to the touch. I loved how refreshed and uplifted it made my face feel after use and I would definitely use this again.

While Lush doesn't advertise it as being so, I think that this face mask would suit those with more oily, greasy complexions. I only say this because the grainy element of the mask would be great at removing stubborn build up of grease, while the lavender oils would soothe sensitive skin and prevent the former ingredients from being too harsh on the complexion.

Although I don't have greasy skin - in fact, I suffer from the very opposite most of the time, this mask worked well with my complexion. While my face didn't feel as moisturised as it does after I have used Catastrophe Cosmetic, it did feel very light and free of dirt and would work as a fantastic night time mask to clean the skin before going to bed.

Quantitative Ingredients: Glycerine, Kaolin, Fullers Earth, Water (Aqua), Powdered Charcoal, Labdanum Resinoid (Cistus labdaniferus), Patchouli Oil (Pogostemon cablin), Tincture Of Benzoin (Styrax benzoin), Lavender Oil (Lavandula angustifolia), Fine Sea Salt, Limonene, Geraniol, Linalool, Citral, Perfume.

Vegan?: Yes.

2015 Price: £6.95.

Year Of Original Release: 2015.

Prince Of Darkness Fresh Face Mask

charcoal, Face, kaolin, lavender, lush oxford street, Mask, patchouli, salt, Skin

Vegan?: Yes.

2015 Price: £6.95.

Year Of Original Release: 2015.

Fighting Animal Testing Soap

Bergamot oil, charcoal, coconut, limited edition, Lush Kitchen, neroli, rapeseed, sandalwood, Soap

You can usually rely on Lush to bring out at least one charital product a year - whether it be the reappearance of the popular World Piece Bath Bomb, the fleeting Mrs Fox Bubble Bar or the strange but rather fantastic Bugsplat Ballistic. While I still don't forgive Lush for not giving British fans the chance to buy some Shark Fin Soap, I was rather excited when I noticed this little beauty pop up unannounced on their website earlier this week.

Fighting Animal Testing Soap is pretty self explanatory in every sense of the word - epitomising the very heart and soul of what the company stand for as well as what I strongly agree with as well. Sporting the brand's own iconic image of the boxing hare, this soap is a limited release, released to raise money for international organisation, InterNICHE.

As Lush state, 'InterNICHE is an international organisation that works with teachers, students and campaigners to replace animal experiments in education and training. InterNICHE helps implement innovative and humane alternative methods - from training mannekins and simulators to software and virtual reality. And following this replacement in education and training, there's a knock-on effect in research and testing: students who use alternatives are much more likely to choose careers in humane science.'

As a practicing teacher and avid fan of most anti-animal testing campaigns, this cause really stole my heart and I couldn't help but buy a rather hefty amount of these bars to show my support.

Sharing it's scent with the popular Grass Shower Gel, this uplifting soap is packed full of essential ingredients to give you a refreshing and very natural green smell - one that will follow you around all day and leave you feeling invigorated and clean. The combination of sandalwood, bergamot and neroli oil gives this soap an aroma that smells like a combination of fresh grass on a rainy day, intertwined with fresh lemon juice. However, the sandalwood gives it a deep and rather powerful musky base note as well - one that elevates the overall scent and gives it a richer, slightly woody finished smell.

While I am a fan of the shower gel format, I actually think that this smell suits the soap format better, and I was surprised by how much stronger and more complex the fragrance came across - both in the wrapper as well as when in use.

What can be seen as a positive or a negative aspect about this soap, is that it's incredibly soft; cutting a piece in half was like cutting through a block of ice cream, it was that delicate. This meant that in the shower it produced an abundance of thick, creamy soap suds that coated the skin, leaving me feeling really smooth and squeaky clean all over.

Although the consistency makes this soap really gentle on the skin, I also found that Fighting Animal Testing tends to shrink very quickly when in contact with water and I can see a 100g chunk disappearing a lot quicker than your regular soap. While there is only so much you can do to prevent this from happening when in the shower, I would definitely recommend that you store this somewhere dry in-between showers and pat it down after each and every use. Otherwise, you might find that your block will vanish a lot quicker than usual.

I would highly recommend that you grab yourself a couple of these soaps before they disappear into the Lush vault, perhaps never to be seen again. While I dislike the colder weather, I'm looking forward to using this product during my crisp, early morning wake-up calls. And let's not forget about the fact that money raised from the sale of this soap goes towards an excellent cause - two perfect reasons to reach into your pocket and find that loose change before it's too late.

Quantitative Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Propylene Glycol, Rapeseed Oil and Coconut Oil, Kaolin, Perfume, Sandalwood Oil, Bergamot Oil, Neroli Oil, Glycerine, Powdered Charcoal, Sodium Chloride, EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide,Tetrasodium, Etidronate, Coumarin, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool, Methyl Ionone.

Vegan?: Yes.

2014 Price: £5 for 100g.

Scent Family:
Against Animal Testing Soap
Autumn Leaf Bath Ballistic
Grass Body Lotion

Grass Bubble Bar

Grass Shower Gel

Grass Solid Perfume

Fighting Animal Testing Soap

Bergamot oil, charcoal, coconut, limited edition, Lush Kitchen, neroli, rapeseed, sandalwood, Soap

As a practicing teacher and avid fan of most anti-animal testing campaigns, this cause really stole my heart and I couldn't help but buy a rather hefty amount of these bars to show my support.

Vegan?: Yes.

2014 Price: £5 for 100g.

Scent Family:
Against Animal Testing Soap
Autumn Leaf Bath Ballistic
Grass Body Lotion

Grass Bubble Bar

Grass Shower Gel

Grass Solid Perfume

The Guv'ner Powdered Deodorant

charcoal, deodorant, lavender, patchouli, Rose, sage

As I've mentioned in previous deodorant reviews, it is very rare that I have anything bad to say about Lush. Unfortunately, when I do, it's normally to do with one of their less than effective deodorants that often seem to elevate and encourage the very problems they claim to eradicate.

The Guv'ner is the second to last deodorant from Lush that I have left to review, and as previous experience goes, this product already starts off on uneven standing. Described by the company as a 'hardworking, absorbent deodorant powder that means business', I was expecting something a little more effective than their previous offerings.

This is one of Lush's powdered products and comes in an 80g bottle, which may make it sound rather expensive when priced at £6.25. However, you only need to use a minuscule amount each time, meaning this bottle would probably last you a good six or more months. I was using it twice a day, for almost a month, and the powder barely moved a centimetre away from the top of the bottle.

The powder is made up of a combination of different ingredients, each bringing their unique scents and properties to the mix. This list includes charcoal, sodium bicarbonate, lavender powder and calamine powder to name just a few.

The different powders used in this are supposed to absorb sweat and soothe skin while the essential oils keep you smelling good for the whole day. Firstly, there's charcoal powder, which absorbs moisturise and eradicates smells; the lycopodium powder helps to keep the deodorant gentle on your skin, also acting as a cooling element, alongside the patchouli, to keep you feeling fresh; the sage and patchouli are there for their wonderful aroma and also for their antiseptic and astringent qualities. These latter ingredients have been proven to shrink pores, aiding towards the ultimate goal of decreased sweating!

Much like The Greeench Powdered Deodorant, applying the deodorant proved a little difficult. I tend to pour a little on the tips of my fingers and then rub it immediately under my armpits. However, despite my best efforts, I always end up spilling excess powder on my clothes or floor, so it's a little fiddly to say the least. Furthermore, it left a dark powdery layer on my armpits, which although didn't transfer onto my clothes, did leave me feeling rather conscious; it wouldn't be a product I'd be able to wear with short sleeves.

Unlike a lot of synthetic deodorants available in shops, this one is far more natural, meaning it doesn't block off the sweat glands. Although this is definitely a positive attribute, I was also aware that The Guv' ner wouldn't protect me for as long as other anti-perspirants might have done. This fact became all the more apparent when I found myself sweating profusely at work one day and became paranoid that the sweat would permeate my top and show through. However, the deodorant does act as a great repellent of smells, and despite amassing a fair bit of sweat, I couldn't detect any bad smells coming from my body.

The Guv'ner is probably one of the better smelling deodorants, a subtle blend of vetivert, patchouli, sage and lavender. It is this latter ingredient that comes through the most here, although it's a gentle scent so won't overpower any body lotion or perfume that you wish to apply.

Overall, it's far from being a terrible product; I just don't think it's suited to me. As I said in a previous review, I know I look for Lush for solutions in all of my cosmetic needs, but as of yet, they have yet to convince me that I should move away from my regular bottle of Nivea.

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Lycopodium Powder, Magnesium Trisilicate, Powdered Charcoal, Calamine Powder, Sage Powder, Lavender Powder, Perfume, Patchouli Powder, Rose Absolute, Vetivert Oil, *Geraniol, *Limonene, *Linalool.

Vegan?: Yes.