Lush Valentine's Bath Bombs

To be fair, Lush often get it exactly right when it comes to seasonal offerings but I couldn't not mention their Valentine's bath bomb selection because I do think they've surpassed all expectations with the stuff they've come up with. To be honest you'd have to have been living under a rock (or totally not excited by bath bombs) to not know about Lush Valentine's products but I'm going to tell you them anyway because there might just be someone out there stuck for a Valentine's gift idea...

Probably their most talked about products are the Aubergine (£3.95) and Peachy (£3.95) bath bombs which are cleverly modelled on the emoji symbols we tend to use for certain parts of our anatomy. How totally genius was that idea?! A massive pat on the back to their product development/marketing team for that because I was so impressed with it! So far I've tried the aubergine and it didn't disappoint - it was the most perfect sparkly purple bath you've ever seen even if it did slightly resemble a glittery turd as it was fizzing away (haha!).

I've only just managed to get hold of the Peachy one today because it's been sold out (testament to its popularity!) but I've heard it's another amazing creation.

The Goddess is one I also grabbed because the store assistant told me it was the most glittery bath bomb they've ever done which has me sold, straight away. This one is a little more pricey at £5.95 and it does pain me to use that in one bath but we all deserve a treat sometimes, right?! Although it is part of the Valentine's collection, this one isn't a limited edition so if this is something that tickles your fancy you could treat yourself a little later on. I decided to save this until actual Valentine's so I haven't tried it yet but I will definitely be showing it on my Instagram (@girl_upnorth) if you fancy following me on there to see that. 

The Love Boat (£4.50) is the last of their Valentine's bath bomb collection and I saw this in action when the sales assistant offered to show us. This is what I would call a 'slow burner'. Obviously because it has to stay afloat and look like a boat it does fizz quite slowly but the sweet citrus smell is absolutely unreal and it turns the water a gorgeous pinky purple colour and it'd still be fizzing away long after you got into the bath. 

There are other product types in the Valentine's collection but I thought I'd focus on bath bombs because they're what I know most about; if massage bars, soaps and bubble bars are your thing then they also have some limited edition products that are worth having a look at!

Lush Christmas Collection

If you follow me on Instagram, you'll know that recently I've rekindled my love for Lush, and my timing couldn't have been better. On October 1st they launched their Christmas collection so I made a point of going to the store near where I work to have a look at this years selection of bath bombs and other festive bits and pieces. Even though it was a good 2 months until Christmas I couldn't help but feel a bit festive while I was browsing the shop. This is going to be a photo heavy post and I'll let them speak for themselves.

A gold, sparkly bubble bar on a cinnamon stick with red ribbon on and a bell wrapped around it, seriously, could you get anymore stereotypically Christmas - I love it!

Eeek! Father Christmas - my favourite Christmas Eve bath bomb.

It's not all about Christmas yet at Lush though, there's still the Halloween bits hanging around obviously because we aren't even at the end of October but I love the fact that the whole store is filled with seasonal bits - just another reason why autumn/winter is my fave!

I finally bought myself some Fun! Even at 25 who says that playdough in the bath can't still be fun?!

I bought one of these after seeing that Louise Pentland really liked it and it really is like present because you don't know what's inside it until you put it in the bath.

Honestly, I'm not sure how I feel about bubble bars on a stick... 

I do wish it showed enough in the UK to make actual snow angels but until it does I'll have to make do with a bath bomb.

Last but not least, a collection of bottles of Snow Fairy varying in size... I think you could say it goes something like fanatical, lover and first time buyer haha.

What to Buy at Bath and Body Works

In case you hadn't heard, I love America.

The people, the sights and possibly most importantly - the shopping. They have lots of amazing brands and shops which aren't available in the UK and one of the most talked about of those in the blogging community is probably Bath & Body Works. I'd be very surprised if you've never heard of them but they're basically Gods of fragrance on the American high street. As the name would suggest, they stock products to use in the bath and on your body - with a few extras thrown in there like candles and room sprays all in the most amazing range of scents I've ever seen.

They do a few different collections of scents but they're basically split into two for the most part: signature and seasonal. The signature stuff is what's available all year round, a good example of a signature scent is 'Warm Vanilla Sugar' which incidentally, is one of my favourites. Whereas the seasonal scents are available for a limited time and different ones are usually released 3/4 times per year; I was going to say what my favourite season is for scents but I genuinely don't think I could pick because they bring out some amazing fragrances every time.

Anyway, onto what you should be buying from Bath & Body Works. Hopefully this brief guide may cut down your visit time a little... or maybe not (to be honest in the few minutes I've spent on the website I've seen new fragrances that I know I'd spend ages smelling in store so if you're in store for the first time... good luck!)

Shower Gel

I'll start by saying that it does pay to take advantage of the offers when you're there because individual prices can seem quite expensive and this goes for anything; not just shower gels. In store, they'll generally do 3 for $24 dollars or something like that so essentially you're getting one free if you buy 2.

Hand Sanitizers

These little guys are probably the things you'll see most people coming back from Bath & Body Works with; they come in loads of different scents both from their permanent ranges and also seasonal scents. I always buy plenty when I go because they're don't take up much room in your suitcase and you could have some in your hand luggage if you wanted because they're under 100ml. They're $1.75 each or 5 for $6 and you can also buy little holders which you can hang off your bag or a belt loop. They smell absolutely divine and they obviously serve a purpose as an anti-bacterial. 

Foaming Hand Wash

These are hands down the best hand washes I've ever tried in terms of scent and feel on your hands. The formula is so gentle on your hands and the foaming element makes it feel so soft when you're washing. This hand wash doesn't leave your hands feeling 'squeaky' clean it makes them feel refreshed and smelling good!

So if you're really pushed for time in Bath & Body Works these are the 3 product ranges I'd personally look at but in all honesty if you can afford to, set aside a good hour for shopping in there because it's absolutely unreal, why they don't have one in the UK is beyond me!

Imperial Leather Sweet Treats Shower Gel

I love a good gimmick when it comes to bath and shower products, I'm a sucker for anything fun and fancy from Lush and I'm always drawn to the weird and wonderful fragrances, especially anything sweet, so when I heard about the new Imperial Leather Sweets collection I kept my eye out for it. I happened to see them on offer in Tesco for just 85p each so I decided to get one of each for research purposes, obvs. 

Imperial Leather Sweets Range (85p, Tesco)

The 4 sweetie fragrances are Fruit Salad, Sherbet Lemon, Marshmallow and Spearmint so all quite retro kinds of sweets; the colours reflect their scent and each of them does actually smell like sweets. I think Marshmallow is my favourite of the four because it's more of a soft sweet scent, the only problem is that it always leaves me craving Flumps when I've used it! The Fruit Salad one is also pretty unmistakable, it's kind of tropical and really does smell exactly like the sweets (I was never actually a fan of them but I really like the smell of this). Spearmint does obviously smell like spearmint but to me there's nothing really special about it; if I'd have been picking a minty scent for a Sweets collection I would have tried to make it a creamy minty smell like a mint humbug but this is like lots of the invigorating mint scents already on the market. Of course, there has to be a least favourite and mine is the Sherbet Lemon, again it does smell like sherbet lemon but in my opinion it smells too much like lots of other shower products on the market. 

In terms of the cream formula it doesn't lather too much if you just use your hand but they're great to use with a shower puff. My skin isn't left feeling tight after washing and I love being able to smell whichever scent I've used even when I've got dried. In my opinion though the main reason why you would buy these is for the fun fragrances, not for their skin nourishing properties. 

If I was going to recommend one that you should definitely pick up if you're in Tesco it would have to be Marshmallow with Fruit Salad following in close second. These were actually £1.85 in Tesco a couple of weeks ago which I think is way too expensive; I would begrudge paying that for these but at 85p/£1.00 I don't think you can go wrong. They're fun, they smell good and they get the job done.

Luxury Bath and Body - Aromatherapy Associates Bath Oils

Having a bath is my favourite way to relax after a stressful/tiring day and there's some bath times when plain old bubble bath won't cut it in terms of relaxation; that's when I turn to bath oils. Although you don't get the bubble factor, you get the most amazing smell which fills the room with essential oils and really helps to destress your mind and relax your muscles. My go to brand for bath oils is Aromatherapy Associates; I already have a full sized bottle of De-Stress Mind Bath and Shower Oil which I absolutely love but if you are looking to try Aromatherapy Associates or you'd like something to use when travelling then this little set is definitely for you...

Aromatherapy Associates 10 Oil Miniature Bath & Shower Oil Collection* £35.00  This set has all you need to dip your toes into the world of bath/shower oils and Aromatherapy Associates; with 10 different fragrances to choose from there must be something for every bath 'occasion' whether your legs are aching from a day on your feet or you need something to clear your head after a long day at work these little vials hold the key to your relaxation. Each 3ml bottle is enough for one bath or shower; to use in a bath you run hot water into the tub and pour the whole thing in when your bath is full and for the shower you apply the full bottle to your body before getting into the shower so you can breathe in all the aromatherapy goodness as you wash. I personally prefer to use most of these in the bath because I find I relax more but the Revive Morning one is perfect for the shower because it's a really invigorating fragrance.  If you're looking for some products to give you an excuse for some me time then this is perfect, it would also be an ideal gift for anyone who loves a good bath but is bored with plain old bubbles. Buying a full sized bottle of something without trying all the options available to you is quite a commitment so this would definitely help you work out which is your favourite! 

Body Care Favourites

Garnier Summer Body Light - Love this for maintaining or topping up a tan if I haven't got time to do a full fake tan; it doesn't smell like fake tan and the colour is very subtle. You can also use it as a gradual tanner without any existing tan but I prefer to just use it to top up as I can't see enough difference with this light one; when I repurchase I will definitely go for the darker one so I can use it on its own as well.
Nivea In-Shower Body Moisturiser in Honey - I rave about these, I know I do but I can't stress how good I think they are. It takes the hassle out of daily moisturising and I honestly wouldn't be without a bottle!

Caudalie Vine Body Butter - This smells amazing; it's luxurious and it sinks into your skin effortlessly. There's nothing worse than feeling all sticky when you've applied body cream but this doesn't leave you feeling like that. I love applying this after I've shaved my legs, oooh so smoothhhh... Nivea Q10 Firming Body Oil - In all honesty I've never really been one for body oils but with the promise of firmer skin and improved look of stretch marks I had to give this one a try. I've been using it on my stomach (where I have stretch marks and my skin has gone a bit weird and lost its elasticity) and also on my boobs (losing weight has taken its toll a bit on the girls, unfortunately). As daft as it sounds it's not a really oily oil; it actually absorbs really quickly and doesn't leave my skin feeling slippery or overly oily. I have noticed a difference in how supple my skin is and my stretch marks are looking more silver than red now which makes them less noticeable. I don't expect miracles because at the end of the day my skin is damaged (probably beyond full repair) but this has made my skin feel like it's regained some of its youthful feel. Full review of the Nivea Q10 range coming soon!

Nivea In-Shower Body Moisturiser New Scents

Way back in March (my God that seems so long ago) I wrote about Nivea In-Shower Body Moisturiser which at that time only came in one fragrance. Well there's some good news for those of you who have tried it and loved it; Nivea have brought out another 2 fragrances! If you weren't keen on the traditional soapy kind of scent then maybe you'll be tempted by Pampering Honey or Nourishing Cocoa? To be honest, mention chocolate, cocoa, or any other indication of chocolate and you've pretty much got me sold so when I saw that one of the fragrances was 'Cocoa Butter' I was quite excited to see what it was like.

Nivea In-Shower Body Moisturiser Honey* (£3.56) & Nivea In-Shower Body Moisturiser Cocoa Butter* (£3.56)

My Thoughts: To be honest, out of the two it's actually the Honey one which is the sweetest smelling, I think it actually borders on fruity but without being sickly sweet. The Cocoa Butter one is a very subtle scent but I still prefer it to the traditional Nivea In-Shower Moisturiser. The formula is exactly the same; activated by water it goes on quite thin but then thickens up when it comes into contact with water. They work just as well at keeping my limbs moisturised and helps to keep a tan from going patchy quickly. If you asked me to choose between the two in terms of fragrance I think I would actually have to go for Honey, especially in summer, which really surprises me but I just can't smell the cocoa butter like I thought I'd be able to. If I compare this to Body Shop cocoa butter products this is a lot more subtle than those which may be perfect for some people because the Body Shop products can leave you with a bit of a chocolate craving...
If you see these in store then you should at least have a sniff, and if you're a bit lazy with moisturising (like me) then this is the ideal way to inject a bit of moisture into your routine without adding on too much time.

Lush Golden Egg Bath Bomb Review

It's been a while since I enjoyed a Lush bath and I couldn't resist buying the Easter Golden Egg bath bomb when I went to the Meadowhall Bloggers Breakfast. Let's be fair it is covered in glitter so it does stand out a little, especially if like me, you're a sucker for anything sparkly. However, in all honesty I did wait a little to use this because I was unsure of just how glittery I would be when I emerged from the bath, if I resembled a human glitter ball I might look a bit daft if I was going out straight away!

 Golden Egg Bath Bomb £3.50 Lush Cosmetics

My thoughts: Despite its scarily glittery outside, the inside of this bath bomb is actually a lot less daunting, the glitter disperses immediately when you drop it into the bath, revealing an easter chick-yellow egg shape. As with all bath bombs it foams and fizzes; this one leaves a trail of yellow water along with flecks of gold and red glitter. I tend to get into the bath towards the end of the bomb's life and upon closer inspection I could see that the bath water was full of glitter, it looked really pretty actually especially when lifting my hands out of the water; it actually looked quite 'magical'. Surprisingly enough, when I got out of the bath I wasn't a human glitter ball but I did have a nice subtle sparkle. As for the scent, it's very similar to the 'Honey, I washed the kids' range which is like a sweet toffee/honey kind of scent; very enjoyable and not overpowering in the slightest.

Overall I really liked using this, it's perfect for anyone with a penchant for glitter and anyone who wants to add a little bit of fun to their bath time.  As with all Lush products, it doesn't come cheap at £3.50 but everyone deserves a me-time treat now and again and it's a great alternative to chocolate if you're looking to buy someone a little something for Easter.

Nivea In-Shower Body Moisturiser Review

I'm quite lazy when it comes to moisturising; unless one of my body butters in within easy reach when I get out of the bath/shower I generally skip that step (hence why I seem to have a bit of a body butter overload in my cupboard). The new Nivea in-shower body moisturiser is the answer to my prayers because it brings back the convenience in moisturising. The proud owner of an Elle International Beauty Award, this in-shower moisturiser has been thoroughly tested to ensure only the best performing ingredients have gone into it. Its unique water activated formula is designed to be used on wet skin after washing, leaving skin moisturised for up to 24 hours. 

Nivea In Shower Body Moisturiser* £3.56 Boots
My thoughts: It dispenses easily and smells like traditional soap, there is nothing fancy about the scent but I don't mind that at all because I can get a fancy smelling shower gel if I really want. To begin with I was unsure about this product, it felt so weird applying a thick moisturiser in the shower... and then showering it off! I was also under the illusion that this was a moisturising body wash not an actual full on moisturiser which you use after washing. However, after using it a couple of times I got used to the concept and actually begun to quite like it, it's become part of my shower routine so I automatically use it while I'm waiting for my hair conditioner to do its stuff. 
The trick is not to overdo it, the first time I used it I squeezed a massive splodge into the palm of my hand and tried rubbing it on my arms; it seemed to be never ending and made me realise that you don't need quite so much. It eliminates the hassle and inconvenience of moisturising after you've showered; no more waiting for your sticky limbs to be dry enough to clothe just shower and go. Just a small note, I think if you have excessively dry skin then this would not be enough for you, I think you would probably need a more intense moisture kick but if, like me, you have normal/dry skin this is perfect.
This is ideal for busy people; if you find that you don't have the time to moisturise after showering then this is a product you should pick up next time you're in Boots. It'd be absolutely perfect for any mummies out there who find it hard to find time to shower let alone moisturise because you can kill two birds with one stone. At the moment this is the only one in the Nivea in-shower moisturiser range but they are set to bring out some more scents.

Lush Meadowhall

I've probably been annoying you all more than enough just lately banging on about how excited I was about going to The Meadowhall Bloggers Breakfast but the excitement wasn't without reason. The North of the UK, much like most other parts that aren't London, is quite deprived when it comes to blogger events which is a shame because there are some very influential Northern bloggers who don't get a chance to shine at events unless they can afford to travel down to London so it's VERY exciting when something happens up North!
Luckily, Meadowhall in Sheffield has identified the gap in the market to attract bloggers to one of the biggest shopping centres in the north. I felt very privileged to be invited to their bloggers breakfast and I can honestly say it is my favourite event to date!

After our breakfast we headed over to Lush which was just a short walk away from the Caffe to be treated to an out of hours snoop of the shop and a sneaky look at their Emotional Brilliance makeup range and their selection of face masks. Our group went to the Emotional Brilliance wheel of colour first and we learnt about their philosophy behind the colours and what they can show in terms of how you're feeling and the person you are.

Sophisticated - I really liked this shade regardless of whether the word applied to me or not, Although I guess in some ways at that is now I felt at that moment in time because I'd dressed up in a grey swing dress with tights and boots; this is quite 'dressed up' for me as I'm usually a jeans and tee kind of person when I'm at home. In Control and Power - these two made me laugh when I saw them; there have been jokes made about how I like to be in charge and I'm a bit 'power mad'. I don't think I am, I like being in a position of authority but I guess that's because that's what I've trained to do. I've also always been quite a bossy confident person, in a group situation I am willing to take control and I like my voice to be heard. So although I was a little bit embarrassed at the outcome to begin with, thinking about it it's actually quite accurate! As for the actual colours, I love electric blue, not necessarily as makeup but I'm always drawn to blue shirts and patterns. 

Cupcake Facemask... NOM
Next was face mask making; we had a look at all the Skincare Lush had to offer and although I've tried a lush face mask before I didn't realise how extensive their Skincare range was so it was a real eye opener for me. Next we all put our blue gloves on and got down to making a face mask with fresh ingredients. Catastrophe Cosmetic was the mask of choice, with fresh blueberries and chamomile it's a great mask for problem skin and for injecting some moisture into thirsty skin. We added crushed fresh blueberries, calamine powder, talc, glycerine, almond oil and chamomile blue oil and mixed them all together to make a thick creamy face mask. We each took a pot and divided the mixture between ourselves to take home. Lush were also kind enough to let us take home a cleanser of our choice as well as a spray toner which I though was insanely generous! 
After the talks, the store opened at 10am and we were free to browse and have a chat and a drink with each other. I went straight over to the Golden Egg bath bombs and grabbed one of those, had a chat with Beth and the lovely Meadowhall ladies then took off to do a bit of shopping in the rest of the centre. I met up with Georgina, Charley, Becky and Joanna in a Debenhams and we all did a bit of enabled shopping at MAC and several other shops!  
I had an amazing morning at Meadowhall Bloggers Breakfast and I loved meeting some more bloggers, I've already said it a million times but thanks to Meadowhall for inviting me and thanks to Lush for having us!

Lush Handy Gurugu Hand Cream Review

So for Christmas my step-sister, Shikha, asked what I would like for Christmas, I always struggle to think off the top of my head what I would actually like so I just said 'get me anything from Lush' which I think is a pretty safe bet no matter who's asking! You could literally buy me anything from Lush and I would love it I think. One of the things she bought me was a tub of 'Handy Gurugu' hand cream; Lush is heavily featured on lots of beauty blogs but it's usually bath products or face masks, I don't think I've ever seen a Lush hand cream reviewed on any of the blogs I read - so here we go.

Handy Gurugu Hand Cream £8.25 Lush

Lush customers had been crying out for a more intense hand cream, and this is what they came up with; it's a 'powerful super moisturiser for extra dry hands'. My hands aren't excessively dry but they have suffered a little this winter so I've been using hand cream a lot more than previous years. The product is incredibly thick for a hand cream - it's a good job it's in a tub because I do not think this bad boy would be in a position to be squeezed out of a tube. It does not move in the pot at all, it looks solid and you have to kind of scoop a bit off the top with your finger to use it. It contains a blend of creamy nut butters, chamomile and evening primrose oil to provide instant relief to dry, sore and irritated hands. 

I've been using this after I have washed my hands or had my hands wet in the kitchen sink and I really love it. Despite the fact that it looks really thick in the tub, it melts into your hands effortlessly and leaves them feeling really soft and nourished and the smell isn't at all overpowering, I think it's actually quite comforting. If you have extra dry hands then a good idea would be to apply an extra thick layer before you go to bed and wears some sleep gloves; I would imagine this could work wonders! There's 100g in the pot, I've been using it over a month and barely made a dent in it so although it looks quite small tub, a little goes a long way! The only thing I don't like about it is the fact that it's in a pot, which is why I only use it when I've washed my hands; using it on the go could mean you're dipping your fingers in it and leaving it less than hygienic... 

Overall I would recommend this to anyone with very dry hands, I usually buy my Dad and my Nana (who both get dry, sore hands) a tube of Body Shop Hemp hand cream but I think this would be a nice little change for them. At over £7 a tub it's not cheap but I believe if something works, paying a little extra won't hurt.

The Best of Body Butters

Is it just me or do you seem to get lots of body butters at Christmas time? They seem to be in so many of the lovely gift sets I receive and before I know it I've got a massive oversupply of body butters! Not that I'm complaining because I do like a choice of bath and body products but I thought I'd share my little body butter collection with you today and tell you a little bit about each.

Treacle Moon 'Her Mango Thoughts' - I actually did a full review of this around this time last year, I was raving about how much I loved using it, this is my second tub as I grabbed it when they were on offer in Tesco. To me it smells just like Lilt and it even though it's really thick it absorbs really quickly into my skin leaving it feeling lovely!
Caudalie Vine Body Butter - This is the most luxurious of the 4 body butters, for me it's ideal as an after sun product because it relieves tight feeling skin, it's lightly perfumed and packed full of grape and shea butter... I think the packaging is also really nice, simple but pretty.
Ted Baker Body Souffle - The largest of the 4 tubs, this one holds 300ml of product and it's full to the brim. It's the thinnest in consistency of the 4 because it's a 'souffle' but seems to leave a bit more of a greasy residue than the others. This tub will last absolutely ages though so 
Champneys Skin Comforting Body Butter - A 300ml pot of this is only £5 at the moment in Boots so if you're in the market for a body butter and you can find one in store, I'd highly recommend this one for the money. It has more of a mature scent but one that reminds me of being in a spa; it's more of a powdery scent rather than a perfumed or fruity scent. It's quite a thin consistency for a body butter but I find that it's perfect for melting into your skin after a hot bath/shower.  So I suppose you could say that I've currently got enough body butters to moisturise a small army, but who doesn't like a bit of choice?! I actually can't believe that none of these are from the Body Shop, when I think 'Body Butter' I automatically think of that brand but for some reason I don't actually own any!

Aromatherapy Associates De-Stress Bath and Shower Oil Review

Around this time last year I went to Professional Beauty in London and came away with a set of mini Aromatherapy Associates bath oils I tried each and everyone one of them and that's where my obsession with bath oils began. An email arrived in my inbox the other day to tell me that Aromatherapy Associates had a sale going on on their website; I've been quite good this year and resisted most sale stuff but I couldn't pass this up. I've been waiting and waiting to be able to buy a full size bottle of one of their bath oils so this was the perfect opportunity. 

Aromatherapy Associates Bath & Shower Oil De-Stress Mind 

This is the only full size bath/shower oil available in the sale but luckily it was one of the ones I would have chosen anyway out of the ones I tried in the minis set. Just recently it's been a really stressful time in my job with end of year self assessments among other things so an oil that claims to de-stress your mind is perfect for me. De-stress mind helps to focus the mind and ease emotional stress and confusion by adding one cap full to your bath or smoothing it over your body in the shower; I've never used it in the shower, I always use it in baths because I find it much more relaxing. 

The prominent scent is frankincense but this is toned down slightly by notes of camomile, it is a strong fragrance but I think this is key to it being so relaxing, this poured into a hot bath with the lights turned off and a candle burning is the one of the most enveloping experience you could have at home. 

I really, really enjoy using this bath oil especially when I've had a really stressful day, it helps me relax and aids in a more peaceful sleep. 1 full size bottle will give you 20 gorgeously relaxing baths/showers which works out at just under £2 per bath (if you're working on full price); this is cheaper than most products you find in lush so although it sounds expensive at £40 a bottle I don't think it's too bad and I've definitely got a bargain at less than £20!

When you get to the checkout on the Aromatherapy Associates website you get the choice of three samples, I chose a small version of de-stress mind, support equilibrium and support breathe. These are the same size that you get in the minis set and they're a great way to get customers hooked on Aromatherapy Associates products. Support equilibrium is supposed to aid in balancing your emotions and uplifting your mood, I really like the smell of this; it's actually similar to turkish delight as daft as that sounds which is probably to do with the rose element of this. Support breathe is for when you're feeling a bit bunged up if you have a cold, I got this one in the minis set and used it when i was feeling rubbish and it was really gorgeous, the eucalyptus and peppermint really helps to clear your airways and make you feel a bit more normal.

I also got an extra 10% off my order because I signed up to their newsletter when prompted on their website so in total my order cost me £17.55 which I think is a bargain!

Garnier Summer Body Light for Fair Skin

I don't tan very often but I realise that everyone looks better with a tan, even if it's just a bit of a bronzed look on your legs when you get them out so when I saw this on the shelf at a couple of quid I couldn't resist as I've seen it on quite a few blogs lately and they've been loving it so I thought why not give it a go?! This is a great option if you don't want to use full-on fake tan.

I've been using the Cocoa Brown 1 Hour Tan which I'll be showing you very soon (when I get a good photo of my tanned arm) and it's great for maintaining and moisturising a tanned look, the one I got is 'light' which I didn't realise when I bought it; had I realised I would have probably gone for dark. I'll be honest, on it's own its not the best, it does take a hell of a long time to build up any noticeable tan (which is why I haven't taken before and afters as it's not that easy to see on its own).

It doesn't smell at all when you first apply it and the scent of apricot is really dominant rather than the odd cheesy/biscuity smell I find a lot of gradual tanners have but it does develop the signature tan scent about 4 hours after you've put it on which isn't a problem for me because I actually don't mind the smell of fake tan. To be totally honest I genuinely don't think anyone will ever totally get rid of that 'whiff', even if a product smells good when in the tube it's probably the developing agent or whatever that actually makes it smell.

The moisurising aspect of this is what I love the most about it, because I tend not to use moisturiser on my body because I'm lazy but if it's going to prolong my tan then I'm willing to take a bit more time over it. If you were going to use this as a gradual tanner alone then I suggest you get the dark shade as I doubt you'll tell much of a difference on any skin tone other than porcelain! Obviously even when you use moisturisers/gradual tanners on top of regular fake tan you do still need to exfoliate properly regularly and do a bit of a tan detox every now and again otherwise you'll get a nasty tan build up, which isn't pretty! 

I think gradual tanners are pretty good for most people especially if you're fair skinned and you're worried about looking like the tango man with full on fake tan. I like to think of it as tanning without the commitment, you can see within the first day if it's not the right shade for you and you simple don't apply it anymore and it doesn't take ages to fade. 

Rituals Happy Buddha Shower Gel and Happy Mist

With a name like 'Happy Buddha' and it's bright orange packaging how can anyone not be drawn to this new offering from Rituals? I was first introduced to the brand in the very early days of blogging when I got a shower gel in a Glossybox, ever since then I've yet to find a shower gel which foams and smells as good as Rituals. If you like citrus fruity bath and body products you'll love these!

Rituals Happy Buddha Happy Buddha foaming shower gel £7.00*

Rituals Happy Buddha Happy Mist bed & body perfume £15.00*

Inspired by good fortune, optimism and happiness, the 'Happy Buddha' collection has a citrus kick of a scent, the sweet orange being a really key note in this fragrance to kick start you and make you feel good. It makes the foaming shower gel perfect for using in your morning shower or if you're feeling a little bit sleepy before you go on a night out. It comes out as a gel and within seconds of coming in contact with wet skin it begins to foam; a little goes a very long way with this product, you literally need a penny sized amount to do most of what you want to do in a shower/bath.

The 'Happy Mist' light bed and body perfume is absolutely gorgeous for spraying on any bed linen or indeed most household materials to give them a quick freshen up if you've got guests coming round, and there's nothing better than making your bed cloths smell fresh before you get in for the night. I'm not overly keen on this as a body spray however I have been using it during the day instead of perfume sometimes but I do think it's more suited to bed linen etc. but that may be down to the kind of body perfumes I usually go for... what I spray on my body isn't what I'd want to spray on my bed because it's usually way too musky but Happy Mist smells beautiful on pillows/quilts and I would definitely buy this if they did it in candle form!

There's actually 7 products in the Rituals Laughing Buddha collection; 'Fortune' shower oil, 'Good Luck' scrub, 'Touch of Happiness' body cream, 'Fortune' shower cream scrub and 'Mandarin Bliss' anti-antiperspirant spray and stick. Obviously I have only tried the Happy Mist and foaming shower gel but I would have absolutely no doubt that the other products would be as nice! I can't wait to go back to York to have a look in the Rituals shop again!

Champneys Spa Treatments at Home

Instead of buying me chocolate for Easter, my mum got me a massive set of Champneys Spa Treatments products; the box contained 6 products, 3 of which from the Skin Comforting Range which I'm going to show you today.

I make no secret of the fact that I love a good bath, if baths didn't take so long to run I would definitely have one every single day over having a shower. Products like these make baths extra nice to have because they totally ooze luxury and really help to aid in relaxation whilst making your skin feel and smell amazing! These were my first Champneys products as previously I'd kind of just skimmed over the brand assuming the products weren't really for me, I'd always seen them as a bit of a 'mumsy' brand.

The idea behind Champneys is that you can have the experience of spa quality products in the comfort of your own home for a fraction of the price. Everyone loves a good spa day but for most people they're a rare luxury because they tend to be quite expensive, especially with brand names such as Champneys on the door. However, treating yourself to some luxe bath and body products for home use doesn't seem like such a splurge does it?

Champneys Skin Comforting Body Butter £10 Boots

Champneys Skin Comforting Bathing Milk £8 Boots

Shower Cream currently unavailable to be separately but can be bought as part of the Champneys Best of Spa Gift Set £10 Boots

The other products which came with the set were from the Citrus range which I don't enjoy so much, the Skin Comforting range is made with loads of skin nourishing ingredients (sweet almond oil, chamomile, wheatgerm, shea, coconut oil, milk) to make the range smell totally gorgeous, it's quite a soft powdery smell which really calms the mind and soothes the senses. I'm a massive lover of bath oils now but for when I don't fancy something as over powering as an essential oil this is perfect. 

I filled the bath up to the top, swirling the bath milk under the running water. The milk really is just that in the sense that it's very thin in consistency; I'm used to creme products for the bath so when it came out so quick I realised I didn't need as much as had actually gone in. But regardless of the consistency it still packs a punch in terms of scent and bubble factor; not the bubbliest bath I've had but it certainly didn't lack bubbles. 

The shower creme is so silky, equally as gorgeous smelling and the scent sticks around on your skin for a good while afterwards. When I've got out of the bath and my skin is still warm I put some body butter on because it melts so easily into the skin and tends to soak in a lot quicker than on normal temperature skin. I feel totally relaxed and moisturised when I've finished with these products, I absolutely love using them as part of some 'me time'.

Aromatherapy Associates Bath and Shower Oils Review

The Aromatherapy Associates stand was one of the ones I was looking forward to most when I went to Professional Beauty a couple of weeks ago, I knew I was going to make a purchase and I had my eye on the miniatures collection because I'd never tried anything from the brand before and there was 30% off (looking back now I should have got a few more bits at that discount!). I've heard such good things about Aromatherapy Associates so I was really looking forward to trying them out. I do think it's nice to splash out on luxe bath and body products now and again because there's nothing better than a Sunday evening pamper!

Aromatherapy Associates Mini Bath/Shower Oil Collection Beauty Bay £24.23 (sale price, Beauty Bay)

Basically the miniatures collection contains 9 x 3ml vials of bath/shower oils, I assume there's one of most of the oils that Aromatherapy Associates have to offer. There are 4 different 'categories'; Support, Relax, Revive and De-stress, each having different purposes. Then within the categories they have the following:

Relax Deep

Relax Light

Support Equilibrium

Support Breathe 

Support Lavender and Peppermint

De-stress Mind

De-stress Muscle

Revive Morning

Revive Evening

Some appealed to me more than others instantly; the main reason why I have a bath is to relax, so Relax Deep caught my eye straight away. Sometimes when I've come home from work I struggle to sleep straight away because my mind is racing so having a bath oil to completely relax my senses is perfect. Although I have to admit there isn't one that I don't like, each one does have a purpose and serves it's purpose. I have only used the Revive Morning in the shower as I never have baths in the morning, and it did wake me up but it wasn't a miracle worker like the relax ones. However, please be aware that I am rubbish in the morning and it really does take a miracle to wake me up any quicker than about half an hour after I've woken up!

If I absolutely had to choose a least favourite it would probably be Support Lavender and Peppermint, simply because it doesn't smell as nice as the others but that doesn't mean I don't like it, I just favour others over it. I haven't used Support Breathe yet as I haven't had a blocked nose etc. but just by smelling it in the vial I can tell that it's going to be a big help when I am unfortunate enough to get a cold!

I have quite a big bath but surprisingly 3mls was enough, I'd actually probably say to only use half a vial each bath if you have a regular sized bath otherwise I reckon it could get a bit slippery and greasy. I'm not over keen on shower use, purely because I'm never in the shower long enough to really enjoy it; I see showers as more functional than enjoyable... I can easily spend an hour in a bath whereas I'm in the shower for a maximum of 10 minutes. 

This is the first bath oil I've tried so I don't actually have anything to compare it to but to me that's irrelevant because I absolutely love these and I would honestly recommend this miniatures collection to anyone, even if you don't think you'll like bath oils and especially if you've never tried Aromatherapy Associates. I am really wanting to buy a full sized bottle of Relax Deep but I need to justify a treat for myself because it is quite pricey at £37.00, however I dare say it will last an absolute age! I'd also love to try their new bath oil; Inner Strength but that'll have to go on the back burner for a little while or until I can have a sniff in a store. 

The Aromatherapy Associates Miniature Bath/Shower Oil Collection is currently on offer on the Beauty Bay website at £24.23 (should be £28.50) so I would recommend buying it sooner rather than later if you fancy it!

Treaclemoon Her Mango Thoughts Review

If you've been reading my blog for a while you'll know that I quite like posting about bath products, my favourite kind of 'me time' is definitely in the bath where I can use all different kinds of products to pamper myself. I very rarely post about body butters and lotions because I simply don't use them enough to know what they're really like, so when I make a point of doing a post about a body butter you know it's got to be good.

'Her mango thoughts' Body Butter* £4.05 Treacle Moon 

I cannot express to you enough how much I have completely fallen in love with this body butter; everything about it totally works for me which is so unusual because normally I don't really get on with body butters. The main reason why I don't get on with body butters/lotions is because they seem to take an absolute age to  soak into my skin but this one from Treacle Moon just melts into my skin pretty much in an instant; it's not really heavy which is probably why it works well for me as there's absolutely no greasy residue after application and I don't have to wait 10 mins to do anything after I've put it on. 

The smell is absolutely amazing. Normally I don't go for fruity kinds of fragrance because I find they are a bit sickly but this Mango one smells just like Lilt (as in the drink), to the point where I'm sat here blogging, craving Lilt. It's not headache-inducing strong but it's strong enough to make you want to drink the contents of the pot!!! Everyone who I've showed this to have all said how gorgeous it smells; it's totally out of the ordinary for me to have a fruity smelling product in my cupboard, I'm normally one for oriental, musky kind of smells but this body butter has really broken the mould. 

Ray from Oh Who Is She recommends Mango Thoughts to keep your fake tan on longer and I can definitely vouch for this as I use Xen Tan at the moment which is supposed to give around a weeks wear in one application; since I've used it I've never got a week out of it but when I used this every other day it prolong my bronzed-ness easily to a week! I try and use this every other day whether I've tanned or not after a shower or a bath and I'm absolutely loving how it's making my skin feel! 

Even if you don't think you're a fruity lover I urge you to pick this up, it's only £4.05 on the Treacle Moon Website for 250ml which is a total bargain considering it's £13.00 for 200ml in Body Shop and in my opinion the Treacle Moon one smells much better. I honestly cannot rave about this enough!! 

Treacle Moon would also be a great brand to treat your mum with for Mother's Day, from what I can see on the Tesco Direct website, Treacle Moon has some great offers on in Tesco so definitely have a look next time you're in!