My rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ (5/5)

For: “Bits that chap and chafe” - universal use.

Originally, I got a smaller portion of this because I simply picked up the wrong product and thought I got a lip balm. When I realized I ended up getting this, I was first confused, but then a little intrigued. After doing a little research about this, I was glad I ended up up with Ultrabalm after all. From what I found out by using on my own, it’s literally all purpose. I use it on my driest bits, like my elbows and parts of my feet. But anyone could basically use this anywhere. I recently discovered that it can be used around piercings (probably not best directed on) if they do dry out the surrounding area of the skin. This product is perfect for this since it is all natural and contains jojoba oil (which some people use on heir ears while stretching). I also heard it’s good for taming hair, and for you guys out there with mustaches- use this as a wax even!

There’s nothing wrong with this product. It’s all natural, vegan, and is all purpose- perfect for everyone. There’s little to no smell, which is great because you know then there’s no added ingredients that aren’t necessary. It’s just the bare minimum so it can be used anywhere and everywhere. It takes a little bit to get used to, but it is definitely worth checking out. If not confident with it right away, get a small portion like I did first!

My rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ (5/5)

For: Oily skin, Daily use, Combination skin

Definitely the most effective cleanser I have ever used. The main ingredients are licorice root, ground up charcoal, and sandalwood; all used in order to better the skin. Use this cleanser if you have a bit of troublesome skin. I have combination skin and it soaks up all the oily spots with no problem. It does kind of dry out the already drier parts of my face, but I just use toner and moisturizer everyday anyway so that isn’t a problem for me. When used daily, it’s great for clearing up the face and getting rid of some pimples and problem areas. The ground up charcoal in the bar is like a scrub to the skin, so it isn’t necessary to use a harsh scrub after this. If you like a real squeaky clean feel, definitely go for this. It makes you feel like this product is definitely working.

I had some problems finally trying this product, however. I was turned off that it was black and smelled like licorice (which I eventually got used to- and you probably will too if you try this out). I first tried out Fresh Farmacy because I thought my skin was really bad, but it dried out my entire face because this product is really for cystic acne, which I don’t have. Next I tried Angels on Bare Skin which was too light for my skin. Finally I tried Coalface and I loved it. So don’t be discouraged by the color and the smell, the scent does not linger on your face.

As for applying it, just run it under lukewarm water in your hands and rub in, then massage into your face as you would like a normal cleanser. When not in use, store in a cool, dry area away from water.

My rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ (5/5)

Again, I bought this because of the Boxing Day sale on all the holiday products. I never had the idea to try it out because I thought it would be too minty. But when I smelled it in store, I was actually impressed. Obviously it smells like peppermint, but it has a sweet candy-like undertone that doesn’t make it overpowering or make the soap smell like toothpaste. 

When I tested it out washing myself in the shower, I was surprised with how creamy it was. I thought it was going to give a super squeaky clean vibe and be more like a hand soap. But surprisingly it’s well suited to both clean the body as well moisturize it a bit. And I especially need that because in the winter, my skin gets unbearably dry. And after a few uses already, I barely made a dent in it. Just make sure between uses to keep it in a dry area. My overall experience with this product exceeded my expectations and I’ll be upset to know that I can’t have this again until next Christmas time.

My Rating:  ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ (5/5)

So as many of you Lushies may know, LUSH has a sale on Boxing Day on all the holiday products and gift sets for buy one get one free to basically just get rid of everything. I decided to pick this bubble bar up along with a few other things because I’ve wanted to try it out for so long. It’s so adorable and smells good enough to eat. It really lives up to it’s name for the smell. It’s hard not to buy when you’re in the store taking a look at it.

I used it after having it for a day, I just needed to try it out. Because it is a bit on the small side, I’d suggest two uses by just breaking it in half and saving the other part for another time. My bath tub is relatively big so half of it was good enough. The smell was delicious and left my bathroom smelling like gingerbread. It was surprisingly moisturizing and it made my super dry legs pretty soft. It turns the bath water an orange color, but thankfully does not stain the bath tub. It doesn’t make a ton of bubbles but it was enough for me so there was no complaint there. I have a jacuzzi tub but I didn’t want to turn the jets on, but if you do have one of those tubs, try using the jets to get more bubbles if that’s what you prefer.

All around great holiday product. It’s a cute little gingerbread house! C’mon, need I say more?

Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5)

LUSH is unique in the fact that they provide shower jellies among other products to keep users clean in the shower. This shower jelly is a favorite among many due to it’s fruity blackcurrant and cherry smell. This scent smells almost like cherry cola and fruit, which is really pleasant and sweet. In store, the jelly looks a little intimidating because a lot of questions arise: How do I use it? Will it clean my body enough? What is it, really? But don’t worry, the helpful staff will answer all your questions and probably will convince you to buy this interesting product.

How to use: crumble about a sugar cube sized piece from the pot smashed into a loofah, lather and massage into skin. It’s that simple and easy to use. I love that I got this product because it smells amazing and lingers on the skin for a while after the shower without being too overpowering. The only thing I don’t care for is that you have to be really careful about crushing it up because some bits may get loose and fall into bits around your shower. But this stuff lasts forever and and makes a nice lather which makes up for it all.

Definitely a product worth checking out because not only is it interesting, it gives a nice wash and smells great!

Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5)

First off, this massage bar is very appealing in store because it looks like a cute little strawberry and smells like strawberries and cream. So it definitely lives up to its name. The featured the contents are you guessed it, strawberries, but also contains a hibiscus flower infusion that both calm the skin. Obviously it is meant for massages and there is two ways to apply it to the skin. One would be to let it warm up in your hands until it starts melting into a massage oil/lotion and then apply it on the skin to moisturize. Or you could apply it directly on the skin for a more massaging effect. This one would be great for taking turns for a couple’s massage.

I personally love the smell and think it’s so cute that it’s shaped like a strawberry. I got it for the intended purpose because I thought my boyfriend and I would use it on each other for massages, but we never got around to it. I just use it occasionally as a body moisturizer. My complaint with this product is that I think it’s a bit to oily to use it just to moisturize the skin like a lotion. There’s a bit of a greasy, sticky residue that does not absorb into the skin right away. I’d just like this product to absorb faster because I do like using it as more of a lotion because of the smell and how it feels on my skin after an extended period of time. Sometimes I don’t have enough time in the morning after my showers and before my classes to sit around and wait for it to absorb.

I’d recommend for couples who like massaging each other with fun products. Not exactly great for a daily body moisturizer.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ (5/5)

Marketed for combination skin, I had to absolutely try this as my first LUSH facial moisturizer. Even on the container itself it reads at the bottom: “Good for faces that are oily in places and fry in others.” The key notes in this moisturizer are lavender, tiger lily, and orange blossom to soothe and balance the skin. It has a light, airy texture with a mild, natural scent that does not linger much at all. It’s one of the cheaper moisturizers at $23.95 so it’s not a big splurge for a great, a little more premium product. The ingredients definitely do what they’re put in there to do because the lavender really balances the oils and dry spots out on any face. Also very soothing for sensitive skin as well.

I absolutely love this product. I’ve had so many problems in the past with skincare, especially moisturizers. I either find them too heavy or that I need to use so much in the fall and winter for my dry spots, but Imperialis balances my face out nicely. A little goes a long way, I dab my finger in it and a small amount is good for my entire face. I really love that even though I got this about three months ago, I still have a lot left. I usually get dry spots on my forehead and around my mouth and I’m oily on my cheeks and nose and because of this moisturizer, my dry spots are not noticeable at all and are basically barely there anymore. In the “how to use” video on the actual LUSH website for this product, the employee says it’s great for blotchy, irritated, and sensitive skin as well and is great to put on the face after shaving for men. So this product is pretty universal when it comes to the face. Highly recommended.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆  (4/5)

This product mainly features spring and sea water, aloe vera, carrageenan extract, and rose absolute. This combination leaves the face feeling especially refreshed and moisturized. A very good product for removing the last bits of cleanser also. Just make sure you typically use this after cleansing the face and before using a moisturizer. It is also great for a refresher during the day. Great for after a hot and exhausting day at the beach, the aloe vera can be very soothing to sun burn.

Overall, I really love this product. I didn’t give it the full five stars because I feel like it didn’t change my oily skin all that much. And I tend to skip out on it if I’m in a rush in the morning. I still love it though. It has a very mild smell that does not linger. Other than uses I previously stated, I noticed that this was a lifesaver for another purpose. I was really sick with a head cold a few weeks ago and I was really congested. I noticed that after washing my face, I spritzed this on and automatically it unclogged my nose. It didn’t last that long, but that feeling of breathing through my nose felt amazing. This is also great for a quick refresher throughout the day so a good idea would be keeping a travel sized bottle in a bag during work or school for a pick-me-up. It also always leaves the face feeling touchable, soft, and smooth feeling. A great buy/investment for a skincare routine. 

Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3/5)

When I went into lush recently, I knew I wanted to leave with a bath product, either a melt, bubble bar, or bath bomb. I figured since I didn’t have that much money to spend, that I would stick with one of the smaller, cheaper bath bombs. After smelling all the bath bombs, I chose this one because I was immediately drawn to the faint vanilla smell. I’m a fan of vanilla and tonka so I thought it was perfect. Plus it was small and cheap, exactly what I was looking for. And it had these really cute flowers on it.

So as soon as I dropped it in, it started fizzing and smelled pretty nice, not too overpowering. The smell didn’t really fill up the whole room like I thought it was going to do though. The bath bomb barely made my water turn pink and it turns out, it didn’t make my skin baby soft like I had hoped it was going to do. My skin was just a little bit softer after. It was kind of a dud to me. I guess I had too high of expectations for this little guy or maybe I just have too big of a tub for this smaller bath bomb. I guess go big or go home if you have a large jacuzzi. The best thing about the whole experience were the little hearts that came out of the bomb in my experience and the faint smell that came off of it in the beginning.

It’s a decent product, I just suggest it for people who have smaller bath tubs and that don’t like the smell to linger that much. Maybe for a romantic bath for two with this would be nice because of the little hearts and the sweet vanilla smell. Plus two people in tub with the added weight calls for less water, which means more of the product to come through.

Jumping Juniper Solid Shampoo Bar

Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5)

The featured ingredient for this shampoo far is, you guessed it… Juniperberry oil. This light and fruity oil is a great astringent and soaks up oil. This is great for oily scalps and hair that just needs a good, thorough cleaning. I decided to use this product because I thought it would be perfect for my hair. My hair is a bit on the thin side, so I don’t have enough strands to soak up extra oil produced throughout the day. So I wouldn’t say my hair is super oily, it just shows up easily after a long day on my scalp and I have to wash my hair every day because of it. I knew as soon as I walked into my local LUSH that I wanted it so I didn’t ask any questions about anything else, it was just straight to the point.

When I first starting using it, I had to get used to it for a little bit because of course I wasn’t acquainted with using solid shampoo bars. Once I got the hang of it, it was one of the best hair decisions I’ve ever made. It made my hair feel squeaky clean, yet soft. And using it, I could wash my hair every other day to make it healthier without looking the least bit greasy. It’s a great buy and a very reasonable price. I don’t think I’ll ever find another shampoo that is even on the same level of what Jumping Juniper is on. It’s pretty simply to use, just take in your hand in the shower with some water and lather it up that way. Or you could just swipe the bar once to three times throughout your hair and it creates a really nice lather. And then you massage it in then rinse. And then your set for grease-free awesome feeling hair. The smell not be for everyone, it does smell like juniper which means, for me at least, that is smells like gin. That isn’t an issue for me, I actually like it. But even if the smell is not very appealing, it does not linger in your hair. So overall I just think this product is amazing for me. This will forever be a re-purchase.