Everything's Coming Up Roses...

... but no, I mean it - just about everything. You guessed it: it's all because of the dreaded Valentine's Day, or Cupid's Day of Doom as I like to call it; well, maybe not exactly, but you might have correctly inferred that I harbor a strong dislike for February 14. I DO like roses though, so I thought we could meet in the middle - you'll be conjuring images of glitter, pink hearts and romantic dinners, if that's your thang, and I'll just talk about one of my favorite flowers. Deal? Or does everyone hate me now?

Anyhow. I'm not sure exactly how it happened, but it turns out I have a good variety of rose-centric beauty products - I won't lie, I mostly enjoy using them due to the sweet but sophisticated, feminine floral aroma, although rose (or more specifically, rose essential oil and rosehip oil) has a number of skin loving properties too. Rather nifty coincidence, right?

Starting with skincare, I've waxed lyrical about the Jurlique Herbal Recovery Advanced Serum ($54 for 30ml/$150 for 100ml) before, but here's a quick recap: it's a beautifully-scented hydrating serum rich in natural ingredients including anti-aging rosa canina fruit oil (rosehip oil), which helps to diminish scars, lighten pigmentation and nourish dry skin. I've also recently picked up a bottle of organic Rose Hydrosol from Mountain Rose Herbs ($4.50 for 3 oz spray bottle); hydrosols or flower waters are by-products of essential oil steam distillation and offer all the beneficial components of a whole plant. Rose hydrosol/ rosewater has antibacterial properties, helps balance sebum production and tighten pores, calms and relieves anxiety. I like best using it as a toner or a natural pillow spray.

My rose-scented bath selection includes an old favorite, Lush's Rose Jam Bubbleroon ($6.25 for 3.5 oz), previously metioned here (thank you Kar Yi for reuniting me with it!), and a new find: Neom Organics Complete Bliss Bath Oil ($56 for 100ml) with Moroccan Blush Rose, a perfectly relaxing, moisturizing treat. In terms of scent difference, Lush's Turkish rose is a bit sweeter, jammier and more edible, while Neom's Moroccan rose smells greener, sharper, more rose geranium. To complete our rose world tour, I was gifted this Bulgarian rose soap by my mom; this hot pink bar smells like garden rose petals, fresh, clean, slightly musky. The soap came in a set with a little vial of rosewater, which I can't wait to use for scenting pot pourri sachets or in a diffuser.

While browsing The Body Shop's hand cream offerings, I couldn't resist a purse size tube of their Wild Rose Hand Cream ($20 for 3.3 fl oz/100 ml, I believe my smaller size was $10). This luscious cream contains rosehip and brazil nut oil (by the way, I love The Body Shop's Brazil Nut Body Butter, it pretty much smells like nutty donuts) and it's aimed at more mature skin types but I find that it works perfectly for my dry, eczema-prone hands; it's richly moisturizing yet soaks in without leaving a greasy layer, and the rose scent is not too overpowering - it has a sharp, soapy edge to it.

Last but not least, my beautiful vintage-inspired bottle of L'Occitane Rose Quatre Reines Eau de Toilette ($22 for 0.66 fl oz/20 ml). This rose soliflore is composed of four different varieties of rose: the Grasse rose, the Bulgarian rose, the Moroccan rose and the Turkish rose. This light, refreshing EDT becomes more powdery and musky as it dries down on the skin without turning too old lady - it still retains an effortless, sunny, summery quality. If you're after a feminine, but not overly complicated rose perfume, I do recommend you give it a sniff.

Now that I've been smelling all these rose-scented products for the past hour, I may actually use one or two this Friday night... but I'm not promising anything! What are your favorite rose-themed beauty products?

Springtime Bathtime!

I'm a bath person, through and through. Every night, I look forward to my relaxing soak, lights slightly dimmed, sounds from the rest of the apartment muffled, just my underwater floating pale limbs and... bubbles. Preferrably, lots and lots of fluffy bubbles, smelling like cleanliness, peace of mind and a good night's sleep. Because that's what baths are for, are they not?

Last months, after going through the last dregs of my bubble collection, I picked up a couple treats from Lush and I thought I'd share my thoughts. First off, Dorothy Bubble Bar ($6.25 for 3.5 oz): 'Our Dorothy bubble bar will take you far from the rain and grey clouds to somewhere over the rainbow where blue birds fly (...) The exotic floral scent of ylang ylang, sweet figs and uplifting orange oil will take you down the yellow brick road and far away' (from Lush website). Dorothy is an item I'd been meaning to try for a really long time and I'm really glad I finally decided to give it a whirl. Being partial to both ylang ylang and singing 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow' in the tub, this is just perfect for me: sensual, warm floral with the feminine sweetness of ripe figs, similar to their Figs and Leaves bar soap. Now, I'm pretty stingy with my bubble bars, so this size comfortably lasts me four baths, somewhat justifying the price tag.

 For some fun in the tub and to try one of the reusable bubble bars, I've also chosen Carrot ($7.95 for 4.2 oz), which was released with their Easter collection. 'This bubbly carrot may not improve your eyesight, but it will fill your bath with piles of frothy lemon and buchu scented foam.' For ignorants like myself, buchu is an African fragrant shrub with an herbal aroma. Carrot smells mostly of sweet Sicillian lemon with some clean musk, simple yet refreshing. It also produces lots of bubbles when held under the running tap water, although the process is a bit more time-consuming than using their regular bubble bars.

Rose Jam Bubbleroon ($6.25 for 3.5 oz) is my current absolute favorite; 'Rose Jam is based on a decadent traditional Turkish recipe for rose jam that our Turkish rose absolute supplier shares with us every year, and is made with our sophisticated new rose perfume.'. Growing up in Poland, I have very fond memories of rose jam, which our delicious donuts (pączki) are traditionally filled with. This rose bubbleroon certainly evokes the feeling of sweet decadence with its powerful but slightly green aroma; while there's very little of the geranium aspect to this rose (which I prefer), it's not musky old-lady either. The coconut-oil center does make this bubble bar more moisturizing than others I've tried, although the bubbles seem to disappear slightly faster.

Lastly, a robin egg bath treat from my Spring 2013 Fortune Cookie Soap Soap Box: The Birds and The Bees bath fizzy ($4.50 for a set of 2). I don't have it anymore to give you a run down of the scent but it had a very pleasant fruity kick to it, with maybe a bit of luscious late-blooming floral. The formula boasts honey powder and sweet almond oil to moisturize the skin, and I did notice a bit of oil residue floating on top of the water.

I also wanted to share how I now store my bath treats: I purchased these two clear plastic food containers from The Container Store and they're just perfect for preserving the scent of the bubble bars for longer. They're easily stackable inside my bathroom drawer, easy to wipe down and most importantly, now I can see what I have in stock instantly.

What's in your bath tub or shower this spring?

Products I Regret Buying Vol. 2

Nothing like a good rant to get me back into the swing of things, right? Normally, mediocre products don't really manage to get me worked up - I just shove them to the back of the drawer where they don't see the light of day for another couple months... if not years. But since I'm trying to downsize my stash and stop just hoarding countless beauty products, I've been working my way through these unloved bits and bobs, and let me tell you - some of them are just absolutely INFURIATING.

 1. Wet'n'Wild Natural Blend Lip Shimmer in 104 ($0.99 for 0.11 oz) - the actual name of the shade was probably printed on the plastic wrap, as usual, but it seems to be Berry. I don't know what to say, ladies - I guess I was impressed that you could have a Natural Products Association Seal on a $0.99 lipstick. It's a glittery mess, though, and stays put for maybe an hour at its best. I could have gotten a gallon of mineral water instead.

 2. Avon Lipstick in Metallic Blush. The story of how I got this is quite peculiar; I ordered a different lipstick altogether from my mum's colleague, an Avon lady; and then, a month later, got this instead, because the one I wanted was not available (or something). I mean... huh? Again, a fruity-scented glittery mess. If someone ever describes a lipstick to you using the adjective 'metallic', just run.

 3. LAVANILA The Healthy Deodorant in Vanilla Passion Fruit ($18 for 1.7 oz). I've been looking for a more natural deodorant that's not a crystal, and Suka&Spice recommended this; I really liked the packaging and the scent, so didn't hesitate much to grab it. However, it's just not effective on me - don't know, maybe I'm just a real stinker but I can't wear this if I want to make sure I stay odorless throughout the day. Sad face.

 4. Skindinavia No More Shine Make-up Finish Setting Spray ($19 for 2 oz). A glowing review online convinced me to try this but as above, this just does not work on me - I think I might be actually getting oily even faster when I spray this on. I've tried using it a couple different ways, before my make-up, after my make-up, both, shaking the bottle for what feels like eternity; still, just doesn't work. Don't waste your money, people.

 5. Physicians Formula Organic Wear 3-in-1 Powder, Bronzer and Highlighter Trio (seems like it's been discontinued - thank God!). I got this probably two years ago when I was really into more natural products; I also thought it could be a great multitasker to take on a trip. However, the problem is that this face trio has absolutely no pigmentation, and the surface is quite hard, so even the face powder doesn't perform at all. I did like the leaf embossing, though!

 6. Stila Forever Your Curl Mascara ($22 for 0.24 oz). This was a deluxe sample I got in my Sample Society box a while back (and, on a positive note, I'm still really enjoying that subscription service!) that definitely failed to impress - for one thing, this curling mascara actually straightened my lashes, even after using a lash curler, but even more importanly, it flaked off terribly; it wouldn't even get through a short shift at work. Bleh.

 7. Peter Thomas Roth Max Sheer All Day Moisture Oil-Free SPF 30 ($42 for 1.7 fl oz, mine was a Gift with Purchase). See, I even have here a sunscreen that doesn't work; no mean feat, right? This sun protective moisturizer not only feels very heavy and greasy on my skin but also doesn't shield from the sun all that well either - I've definitely got a good tan while wearing it on my chest and shoulders; well, at least I didn't burn. Not sure why this is so popular.

8. Lush Porridge Bar Soap ($6.95 for 3.5 oz). I know, it looks like a moon rock of some kind - the thing is, it feels the same way on your skin. The abundance of hard and scratchy oat grains makes it impossible to enjoy even on my feet, and the pleasant scent is long gone too. The sparse amount of soap that holds it all together is harsh and drying as well. I think that might have been my last bar soap from Lush... like ever.

Good news is that since taking photos for this post, I've given many of these products away to my family - hopefully someone will get to enjoy them... or at least will try it a couple more times before chucking away. For the rest, I'm still working my way through as a punishment for careless money-spending; no more impulse-buying for me anymore, no siree!

What has been recently added to your 'Products I Regret Buying' list? Anything I should steer clear off in the future?

September Favorites

September has been a very fall-oriented month here on Rocaille Writes; have you noticed how many times the word 'fall' appeared in the posts' titles? However, when it comes to actually following the autumnal trends in practice, I haven't been too diligent. In fact, this month I've hardly been wearing any make-up at all and also refrained from make-up shopping; my birthday giftcard for Sephora is still laying unused... Shocking, no?

Still, there have been some titbits that reached the 'favorite' status:


1. Wet'n'Wild Sweet As Candy eyeshadow trio
Yes, high-end make-up excites me far more than drugstore thrills. Nevertheless, I do believe you can find fantastic gems among rolls of bathroom tissue and bottles of laundry detergent, so to speak, and one of them is certainly this little beauty. The colors seem a little blah in the pan but they go on smoothly and vividly, creating a great everyday eye set for those who are pressed for time in the mornings, or, as in my case, gals who often find themselves pondering which eyeshadows to take for a weekend hiking trip.


2. Lush Sweet Lips vegan lip scrub
You're right, this is essentialy sugar and flavoring. So what? Not that I could make such a glamorous chocolatey concotion in my own kitchen. I find this lip scrub especially essential now that the dark lips are in; there's nothing worse than chapped, flaky mouth smeared in a dark lipstick (well, at least in my world). I wish it had a tiny bit more jojoba oil in it though, as I tend to get a lot of fall down when using it.


3. Badger Organic Fair Trade Creamy Cocoa lip balm
Now that your lips are smooth and soft, it's time to moisturize and protect that perfect pout. I've tried a lot of different lip balms over the years and for now, this is the winner. It smells faintly of cocoa, very similar to Lush Therapy massage bar, and has no taste. The big tube makes application a matter of seconds and I like 'Badger the Magician' packaging design. However, as with most organic moisturizers, it's quite sensitive to temperature change, so carrying it around in your pocket might not be the best idea.


4. Lush Figs and Leaves soap
I like the sweet, floral scent of this soap, so subtle and feminine. However, if you intend on rubbing the bar all over your body, there's nothing subtle about it: the fig seeds in it act as a very abrasive exfoliant which I find too harsh for my skin. I just put some on my loofah and enjoy the creamy lather and luxurious feel of the product without the pain.


5. Bass Bamboo comb
I bought it on an impulse in Whole Foods, hoping that it'd help me solve my biggest hair woe: tangly hair. I find it ridiculous that for someone with such an oily skin as mine, my ends get so unbelievably dry and impossible to brush through. This sustainable comb detangles my mane effectively without ripping and breaking a handful of hairs as is the case with detangling brushes. Success!


6. TRESemme 24 Hour Body Root Boosting Spray
I have big faith in TRESemme styling products, and this is no exception. I spray this into sections of my hair at the crown, massage it in, blow dry head down and voila, voluminous and bouncy do. It doesn't hurt that it also smells amazing of exotic fruit and flowers and comes with a very reasonable price tag.


7. MAC Vex eyeshadow (Frost)
All of you girls who recommended this shade to me, you were so, so right. This unique silver with pink and green duochrome is one of the best neutral eyeshadows in my collection. Easy to pair with other shades, smooth, understated and elegant, this has already become an everyday staple. If you don't have this, you need it in your life!

What are your favorite beauty products this month?

Natural body moisturizers

Recently, I've been turning to natural alternatives in my skincare and I think there's been a noticeable improvement in how my skin looks and feels. Today's post is all about 3 natural body moisturizers I'm currently using, particularly their benefits and drawbacks. Let the battle begin!


1. The Body Shop Wild Cherry Body Butter for normal to dry skin
Key ingredients: cherry oil, organic soya oil, organic olive oil from Italy, Vitamin E. On The Body Shop website, there's also a mention of shea butter, Brazil nut oil and sesame oil, but they're not to be found on the ingredients' list. Naughty TBS! There's some artificial coloring and fragrance added to the product as well.

Body butters are one of the classic and most popular products from The Body Shop and they come in 18 different scents. While I'm not very fond of this version, which smells like cherry yoghurt, there are some lovely ones in the collection to choose from. The texture is quite thick and very creamy, it spreads quite easily on the skin and absorbs well, although after bedtime application you can still feel a bit of a slip to your skin in the shower on the following morning. It provides a reasonable level of moisturization.

Would I repurchase? No, not really. The product isn't all that natural and I think it's not very cost efficient for what it is. Don't get me wrong, it does a good job at moisturizing my skin, but it doesn't blow me away either, especially considering the price ($20 for 6.8 fl oz.).


2. LUSH Dream Cream Hand & Body Cream
Key ingredients: oat milk, rose water, olive oil, Fair Trade cocoa butter, rose absolue, camomile, lavender and tea tree oils. Unfortunately, it's not all that perfect, it contains parabens and added fragrance! Ouch!

Dream Cream is also a classic Lush product and has a great number of fans. I can completely understand why: it has a fresh herbal scent somehow reminding me of oats, which I love, a medium thick, non-sticky consistency which sinks into the skin right away, leaving it smooth and moisturized. I just love to slap it on dry hands after washing, it makes them feel so comfortable! It claims to have a calming effect and to put this to test I used it on my undereye area a couple of times. This actually worked better than some of the eye creams I've tried, and unlike them, didn't break me out!

Would I repurchase? I'd like to try some other Lush's Hand & Body Creams first, such as Coco Lotion or Sympathy for the Skin, but I'm definitely enjoying using this one! It ticks all the boxes, I just wish it was paraben-free as well... and maybe a tad less expensive ($24.95 for 8.4 fl oz.)


3. LUSH Mange Tout Massage Bar
Key ingredients: Fair Trade cocoa butter, shea butter, mango butter, white chocolate, fresh bananas, honey, peppermint oil, vanilla absolute, sweet orange oil. No parabens this time, but still added fragrance. What can I say, it does smell delicious!

Interestingly, I got mine in Canada and it's called Mange Tout (French for 'Eat all') there, while in the US it exists as a Mange Too massage bar. Anyway... Yes, it smells like a mouthwatering dessert. This can be a good thing or a bad thing: my husband loved it, my brother hated it, but most importantly, I love it. If you're not familiar with Lush massage bars, they're solid bars of moisturizer melting on the contact with your skin, therefore very well suited for a relaxing massage. They're quite oily and take a good while to absorb, which is why I mostly use them before bed. While leaving a bit of residue on the skin, they also give it a lovely sheen, perfect for the summer weather.

Would I repurchase? Yes, please! I already have another massage bar waiting to be used, Therapy this time (depicted), and have enjoyed using Soft Coeur in the past. I find them very moisturizing and luxurious, plus the scents are to die for. Not the best option though if you're looking for something non-sticky that sinks right in. I guess it's one of those love/hate products! Reasonably priced at $9.95 for 3.5 oz, you don't need much at all so it's going to last you a good while.

I don't have a clear winner here as you can see, I think I just like different products for different purposes. Have you tried any of these? What is your favorite natural body moisturizer? xxx

Storage Tip: Lush Pot Pourri

Certainly the idea of using Lush as a wardrobe perfume isn't very new, but here are my 2 cents on how you could do it. Basically, I decided to make a small string bag from some checkered fabric leftovers and red velvet ribbon I had laying around in the house. Then I popped my Lush 'Waving not drowning' bath bomb inside and buried it in my wardrobe for ylang-ylang smelling clothes. Simples!


The sewing project took me maybe 30 minutes and I was hand stitching it, so with a sewing machine it's probably a 10 minute job. First I just folded and stitched one end of the fabric to weave ribbon through later, folded the piece in half and stitched around 2 edges. Then I turned it inside out, weaved the ribbon into the fold using the old safety pin method (you attach a safety pin to one end of your lace/ribbon/string which makes it much easier to push through the fabric), worked on the little wholes at the ribbon's ends by folding the fabric inside and stitching around. Voila!


Here's the little baggy cosily wrapped up in my scarves. From now on they'll be smelling divine! The bag would also be handy for soaps or bubble bars, but I wouldn't recommend it for neither massage bars (too greasy) nor sugar scrubs (far too messy).


I'm planning on buying some more exciting fabrics and making more of those little bags. They''ll be great as unique reusable gift bags for b-days or Christmas. What do you think?

pot pourri - lit. 'rotten pot'. Originally meant "mixed meats served in a stew", the modern meaning of "mixture of dried flowers and spices" only appeared in the 18th century. The other meaning is that of "miscellaneous collection". From Online Etymology Dictionary.

Robson Street haulage

For those of you who have never visited Vancouver, Robson Street is a main shopping destination for both Vancouverites and tourists. Apart from lots of different stores, you can also find little cafes, sushi bars, restaurants, ice cream parlors and what not; it'd be my favorite shopping spot if not for the crowds!


Alors, when I planned a little shopping trip, this is where my instinct of a beauty addict led me...

First stop: MAC Pro store at Robson & Howe. I've been meaning to get a couple more of neutral eyeshadows for my palette for months now, and initially my little list included Patina and Trax, but when I saw Trax in person and swatched it on my hand, there was little color but lots of gold shimmers, so I decided to skip, but Patina was definitely a keeper! My husband, who went with me, made faces at those 'boring neutrals', so together we chose Deep Truth, which is the most gorgeous navy blue with a Frost finish. I'm planning on wearing it either smudged along the lashline or for more dramatic smokey or cat eye look.

(L-R: Embark, Deep Truth, Patina)

Then, on a MUA's advice, I got Romp, though when I came back home it looked very similar to a coppery Inglot eyeshadow I had, so I exchanged it for Embark, a very dark chocolate brown with a Matte finish. I'm wearing it today with Patina on the lid and I'm so glad I got it, it's a great crease shade, warm but not too reddish.


Second stop: Lush. After reading about Lush Boxing Week sales on some blogs I definitely wanted to check out what they had on offer in the Robson store. I really wanted to get Honey I Washed the Kids solid perfume, and then I took advantage of the 3 for 1 Holiday products sale and got Let Them Eat Cake vegan lip balm, Snow Fairy solid perfume (I grabbed the last one!) and Candy Cane bubble bar.


I have to say I was a bit hesitant about the smell of this lip balm - to me and hubs it smells kinda like toffee, but the girl at Lush told me it was a Christmas cake scent (well, how would I know, to me a Christmas cake would be either a poppy seed roll or gingerbread) with a strong dose of butterscotch. Either way, it really grew on me and I love putting it on, plus the smell really lingers on your lips, I can still feel it after 1 hour from application! The consistency is of a grainy cream which melts under your fingers and feels very soft and moisturizing on the lips. Definitely thumbs up for this product!

Solid perfumes are both amazing, yummy scents, I already have the soaps from the respective lines. Plus, I like the idea of applying them together with your favorite perfume to create more unique, individual scents. I love keeping one in my purse to reapply during the day; dabbing a little at the wrists has become another of my personal pleasures.

My total at Lush came to something like 17 CAD, so that was definitely a good deal. I'm very happy with everything I got and I think for now I have satisfied my MAC and Lush cravings :)
Have you got anything at Boxing Week sales? xxx

2009 Best Beauty Buys

Hello lovelies! Excuses for being a bit late with it, but I hope you all had amazing time on your New Year's Eve parties (we hosted a tiny house party, which is apparently what most Canadians are up to on Dec 31), and let me wish you a very Happy New Year!

Now that I managed to gather my thoughts a bit after the holidays, I thought of posting sort of a make-up and skincare summary of 2009, just because I love reading other bloggers' lists of favorites. Last year was when I really got into make-up and got to try different products, so I'd like to share with you the things that have been rocking my world ever since I discovered them.

1. MAC Studio Finish Concealer with SPF 35


Great concealer for covering any skin blemishes. I use it on the under eye area as well and it requires quite a good deal of blending in with warm fingers for it to look natural. I got color-matched at MAC for NW20, and while under my eyes it is a perfect, peachy shade, I think for concealing redness I should try one shade down.

2. Lush Massage Bars

These amazingly scented bars of organic goodness keep my skin soft and moisturized. I use my current one, Mange Tout, which smells of honey and white chocolate, every couple of days after bath, and the smell helps me to unwind and lingers on the skin until the next morning. However, if you like moisturizers that sink into the skin right away, these might not be the best product for you, as they leave a bit of an oily residue - which also gives your limb a lovely glow, but it's just a matter of personal preference.

3. Covergirl Lash Blast mascara

Well, not much to say here, it's a classic. Also, one tube should last you a pretty decent amount of time, this mascara doesn't clump even after 3 months of everyday use.

4. Benefit Creaseless Cream Eyeshadow/Liner in Skinny Jeans


I think this is a single eyeshadow shade that my mom noticed and complimented, which, believe me, definitely says something about the product. It's a beautiful shimmery greyish taupe color that can be used both for daytime and more dramatic looks. On my extremely oily eyelids, without any additional base, it does crease a bit in the socket, but I think on most people it must be a very long lasting eyeshadow.

5. Prestige Total Intensity Eyeliners

(Depicted shades: Navy Blue and Powerful Purple)

I know, I know, I'm not being very innovative here, but what can I say? These are great, unexpensive liners with a wide color range to suit anyone's needs. Well, would it be too much to ask for those in a non-shimmery version as well?

6. Sleek Storm Palette

Since I got mine in a swap a couple of months back, I must have used it every other day for neutral, glowy eye looks. A staple.

7. Barry M Nail Paints

(Depicted shades: Vivid Purple and Raspberry, both sent to me in a swap by the lovely Loveaudrey!)

Again, amazing, cheap polishes in many different colors and finishes. If only Barry M was available outside UK...

8. Mac Blot Powder

If your face starts looking like a mirror in no time, it's a great product to throw in your purse and use throughout the day. It adds no color to your face, just keeps shine at bay without looking unnatural or cakey. It comes with a powder sponge, but I just use a small face brush to sweep it on my T area, and a little goes a long way! I just bought one for my cousin the other day and I'm sure she'll like it.

9. Softlips lip balm

Great lip balm with SPF 20 to use as a base under your lipstick - not too dry and not too slippery. It comes in a sleek, long tube and many different flavours, like Vanilla, Raspberry or Melon, and gives a bit of a tingly sensation when applied, which I quite like actually.

10. NYX Round Lipsticks

(Depicted shade: Tea Rose)

Cheap as borsch, as would a Pole say, these lipsticks have beautiful colors and different finishes. Of course, they don't last as long on your lips as a MAC lipstick would nor do they have a similarly nice smell, but if you'd like to experiment a bit with some more unique shades, they're a perfect choice. Just remember to do some swatch research before you buy online, as the swatches available on the websites of the most popular retailers can be very misleading.

I hope you enjoyed my little list and have a great evening everyone! Let me know in the comments which products made it to the top of your beauty lists in 2009. xxx

Lush Sweet and Dreamy set

Look what Santa got me for Christmas!


My husband hid my Christmas presents in the closet so that I wouldn't peek too often at them and try to guess what was inside those pretty boxes, but with this one, it wasn't all that difficult to guess... Every time Iopened the closet door, I could smell something lovely and sweet and I just knew it was Lush!

This set includes Honey I Washed the Kids soap, Dreamtime Bath Melt, The Comforter Bubble Bar, Vanilla Fountain Bath Bomb, Ring of Roses Buttercream, Dream Cream Hand and Body Lotion, Therapy Massage Bar and Waving not Drowning Bath Bomb. Phew, a lot! I'd say Lush put some classics in here, like Honey I Washed the Kids or Comforter, as well as some more original products such as both the bath bombs or buttercream.

I haven't tried everything yet (that would be a Lush overdose!), but already have some favorites. All of these products have a similar scent line and complement each other well, so thumbs up for the idea! Personally, I like best the smell of Therapy Massage Bar, the famous Honey I Washed the Kids soap and Dreamtime Bath Melt, and the least favorites scents for me would be Dream Cream lotion, Vanilla Fountain bath bomb and Ring of Roses Buttercream.

Now, onto the products I tried in more detail...

I have to admit I'm not a huge fan of bath bombs in general; in my book, no bubbles equals half the bath fun, so Vanilla Fountain left me a bit disappointed. It smells nice, sweet but fresh at the same time, but the scent doesn't linger on the skin and the bath water doesn't feel any special apart from the fact that it turns yellow.


Similarly, I have very mixed feelings for Dream Cream lotion. In the tub, it smells fresh and herbal, but not 100% pleasant for me. Well, I can kind of see past that (although just 'ok' scented products from Lush defeat the purpose a bit, don't they?) since it's jam-packed with healthy essential oils and other natural ingredients, such as oat milk, rose water, olive oil, cocoa butter or chamomile oil. However, once on the skin, at first it smells a bit oatmealy, and then just like your typical body or hand lotion, a fresh, soapy scent. It's a very smooth emulsion that sinks well into the skin and it does a great job at moisturizing. I keep it at a bedside table and apply a dab whenever I feel my skin is dry and tight. I use it to moisturize my lips as well and I have to say I quite like it for that, it leaves them soft and plump and has no taste whatsoever.

Honey I Washed the Kids had made its way permanently to my bathroom now, and I almost can't believe I didn't like its smell when I had a sniff in the store a couple of months ago, so I'm really glad it was in the set and got a second chance. I'm lusting after the solid perfume version right now, and with the buy 1 get 2 offer in my local Lush store at the moment, it's just a question of time.

Honestly, Sweet and Dreamy just fuelled my love for Lush and I just adore how special bathtime feels now... Which just got me thinking it's almost bathtime now...

Have you got anything from Lush for Christmas? What are your favorites? xxx