SUNNYSIDE BUBBLEBAR WORKSHOP

As you know, I love Lush. When scrolling through my Facebook timeline as I usually do, I noticed a post from my local Lush shop, informing people about in-store workshops that were going to take place over the weekend to make the Sunnyside bubble bar. Naturally, I put my name on the list!

Sunnyside is a lovely glittery and golden coloured bubble bar. When crumbled into the bath, it changes the water to an indulging shimmery gold sea. It adds a lovely creamy texture to the water too which is amazing and skin softening. It is described to have a citrusy scent, with featured ingredients such as sweet wild orange oil to cleanse and tone the skin, at the same time creating an uplifting and cheerful aroma - perfect for summer!

I am not a huge fan of orange, however I personally would describe the smell of Sunnyside to be similar to chocolate orange, and the orange scent is not too over powering. It really is a beautiful smell.

It was really fun to take part in this workshop, where I got to create my very own Sunnyside bubble bar! It was so interesting to see how they combine ingredients together to create it. It was much like making a cake, adding each of the ingredients together into a bowl and then mixing together.We then each got a piece of the mix to shape into whatever we liked - I went for the original rounded shape, however they were still in the process of rising at this point, so by time we had got home it had doubled in size and slightly changed shape. I'm not complaining though - it means I get more baths out of it! Once home, we had to leave them to set for 24 hours before using.

Whilst there, we were also offered some cake and pineapple juice from the lovely staff at the Lush store, which was really nice. They also demonstrated how to make a mermaid bath cocktail by using the Big Blue bath bomb and of course, the Sunnyside bubble bar. It makes the water turn a turquoisy-green colour with a gorgeous golden shimmer to it. I must admit it was pretty amazing. Did you know that Lush are the only company that is able to create a solid bubble bath?, the main reason behind this is because it creates less packaging!

If you are interested in purchasing either of the products mentioned then you can get them online using these links Sunnyside and Big Blue , or visit your local Lush store! You can also ask them if there are any workshops taking place near you, I would really recommend that you attend one, I mean who can resist free Lush?


Jemma x

SEX BOMB - LUSH REVIEW

 

Hey guys, I've been super busy this week so I haven't had much time to post anything. On Wednesday my boyfriend took me out for a meal and then to the cinema to see The Fault In Our Stars, which is such an amazing film, but guaranteed to make you cry! I really recommend it if you don't mind being sad haha. Anyway, I thought I'd put up a quick post on Sex Bomb from Lush. I will be putting up more things such as outfit ideas and monthly favourites next week. Also on Sunday I am going to Lush to make the Sunnyside bubble bar so I will include that in a post if you would like to see!


Sex bomb is one of the most popular products from Lush, and it was one of my first ever products I purchased from there. It's one of the larger bath bombs which means you can cut it in half for 2 uses, or just use the whole thing! This bath bomb is great for when your'e feeling anxious and stressed, as it contains ingredients like Clary sage oil to help relax you and clear your mind, whilst Jasmine helps relieve stress and anxiety.

I really love the scent of Sex Bomb, it reminds me a little of those parma violet sweets but sweeter. I decided to use the whole thing for my bath; the smell is so strong that it lingers around long after you've finished and the fragrance also sticks to your skin which I liked.

Unlike bath bombs such as Twilight and Granny Takes a Dip, Sex bomb is one of the faster fizzing bath bombs which can be a good thing as some of them take forever to dissolve. It leaves the water a vivid pink which is really girly and not to mention my favourite colour. The bath bomb itself once dissolved is rather simple, as there are no fancy added bits such as glitter or confetti -just the rose from the centre of the bath bomb which just sort of dissolves if you try and pick it up which is a little pointless in my eyes. So if you are looking for something exciting I wouldn't recommend this.

Overall this is a great bath bomb, and its definitely worth trying if you are new to Lush.

Jemma x

STRAWBERRY PICKING AND SCONES RECIPE

The weather today has been beautiful; not a cloud in the sky and the sun shining bright. The perfect excuse for a day out. It was just me and my mum at home today, so we decided to make the most of the sunshine and go strawberry picking.

When it comes down to where to go, we just leave it to a bit of an adventure. We eventually came across somewhere pretty close to where I live, called Wash Farm. The location is in  Hedingham, Essex. It is such a lovely place and if you don't live too far away it makes a great day out, with attractions such as Hedingham castle and Colne Valley Railways.

The best time to go strawberry picking is around now. Last year we left it until August and there was barely a strawberry in site. I think its such a fun alternative to buying strawberries from a supermarket, especially since you can choose exactly which ones you like the look of. It's also good knowing exactly where they have come from, and that they are nice and fresh. 

Hunting around for the best looking strawberries is always a fun task. I felt like a little child when I found the really big ones because I got so excited. The plants were really low down on the ground, so you literally had to get on your hands and knees to search for them. My mum and I did go a little crazy and ended up with a massive basket full. However, they are so delicious I doubt they will be around for long in our house! (It's always a bonus knowing they are good for you too). We also picked up a punnet of raspberries and some double cream on our way.

We then visited a lovely nearby pub, which unfortunately I can't remember the name of. We had a drink and some food outside in the garden area. It had a lovely view of the castle.

 A nice way to enjoy strawberries is with scones and cream. Once we got home, we decided to make some gluten-free scones to enjoy with them. If you would like to make some of your own then read on! (alternatively you can use normal self-raising flour!)

Ingredients: 

450g Gluten free self-raising flour

2 heaped tsp baking powder

 75g butter

 50g caster sugar

 2 eggs

 225ml milk

1) Pre-heat the oven to 220°C

2) Add the flour and baking powder into a bowl, and rub the butter into it using your fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar. 

3) Beat the eggs in a measuring jug, and then add to them the milk ( it should make up about 1/2 pint ) Leave aside around 2 tbsp of the mixture for the glaze. Then, gradually add the mixture into the dry ingredients until you have a dough. It should be of a sticky consistency. 

4) Put the dough onto a floured surface and roll out to about 2cm thick. Use a 2inch cutter to stamp out the shape of the scones. It should make around 15-20. Place onto a baking tray and glaze with the remaining milk/egg mixture you set aside earlier. 

5) Place in the oven and leave to bake for around 10-15 minutes. Leave to cool on a wire cooling rack. 

Serve with your fresh strawberries and some cream! 

LUXE-LONDON LOVING

Pretty much every girl loves jewellery.It's a fun way to express yourself, add some originality to your look and change things up. Statement necklaces are a must-have this season. They can easily dress up any outfit if you are going out somewhere, or simply add a pop of colour and excitement to your every day look.

 I'm always on the search for awesome new brands, and whilst browsing my Instagram feed, I came across Luxe London. They are an online store which sell gorgeous statement jewellery for a great price! As you can see, I've added some pictures of some of my selected favourites. I really love the Monarch Necklace in Rainbow; the multi-coloured pattern is so pretty for summer. I am also a huge fan of the white Empress Necklace. The white colouring allows it to be a perfect match  for almost any outfit, and the silver details add a touch of glamour which is great for a party!  

With prices ranging between just £11-£12, these pieces are a fashion steal. Plus, for all you lucky readers, the lovely people at Luxe London have provided me with an EXCLUSIVE discount code for you to use, which entitles you to 20% off your order! 

To redeem this discount, simply use the code : JEM20 at the checkout x

http://www.luxe-london.com 

Let me know if you place an order! I'd love to know your favourites! 

Jemma x

MAC OSBOURNES COLLECTION

For all MAC cosmetics fans out there, or even just make up fans in general - I'm sure you know that recently they released a two part collection with mother-daughter duo Sharon and Kelly Osbourne. With a beautiful and vibrant collection from Kelly, featuring packaging in her iconic violet colour, and a warmer classic collection in vibrant red packaging from Sharon; This collection was not to be missed out on.With almost the entire collection selling out online in just 2 hours, fans went crazy. Luckily I was able to get my hands on a piece from each set.

The first item that I purchased was the Kelly Eye Kohl pencil. This comes in the colour 'Smolder' which I believe you can also purchase as a non limited edition item, however it will not come in the Kelly packaging or design. I am a huge fan of black eye pencils, which I wear along my waterline almost every day. It is an essential product for me as I do not wear a lot of mascara. I could not resist treating myself to this product as although I use one almost every day, I have never had a good quality eye pencil. When it arrived I was so excited, the gorgeous lilac colour of the packaging is one of my favourites. The pencil itself is lovely, it has a really rich black colour and it's soft, making it easy to apply. The colour lasts for a long while which is great, as I'm used to my eye pencil fading after an hour or so. I would really recommend investing in one of these if you are a fan of eye pencils, I believe that the Kelly version is still in stock for £15.50 here . If when you click the link it is out of stock, or you simply would like the normal MAC version, it can be purchased for a cheaper price of £14 here .

The second item I got was of course from the fabulous Sharon Osbourne. The product I purchased was the Sharon Patent-Polish Pencil, in the shade Patentpink . This comes in a large twist-up 'pencil'. And is created to give you the colour and shine of a lip gloss, with the precision of a lip pencil. The colour is a buildable washed out lilac. I absolutely love the colour of this product and it is so creamy and smooth in texture. It gives a lovely shine but is not sticky - which is one of the things I hate about lip gloss. I also love how MAC lipsticks have a really nice vanilla scent to them. This product was available for £16. Unfortunately all of the colours from the Sharon patent polish collection is sold out, but I have found some alternatives below if you wish to purchase something similar.




MAC lipstick in colour : Saint Germain
MAC lipstick in colour : Pink Pearl Pop

MAC lipstick in colour  : Pervette

Hope you enjoyed this post and found it useful!


Jemma x

HEALTHY(ish) BROWNIE RECIPE !

I'm super excited for this post as it is a little different to my usual reviews, but today I am going to share with you a recipe on how to make a healthier alternative to usual brownies. Remember that although there are lots of healthier ingredients in this, it is still a treat. Also these brownies are Vegetarian, Gluten free and Dairy free ( depending on which chocolate you use! ) This recipe is inspired by the amazing Youtuber/Blogger Tanya Burr, who I absolutely love. So if you want to find out how to create this delicious treat for yourself then read on!


So the list of ingredients you will need are :

1/2 cup coconut oil ( around 8oz ) 

300g Dark chocolate ( or 150g each of milk and dark)

2 cups Brown Sugar ( 16 oz ) 

1 cup ground almonds ( 8 oz )

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract 

1 Avocado 

pinch of salt

Before you start, Put your oven to 180°c ( or 160 for fan ovens). 

1. Take a large saucepan over a low heat. Break up the chocolate and add this to the saucepan along with the coconut oil. Stir with a wooden spoon until melted, then turn off the heat. 

 2. Now add the ground almonds and brown sugar and stir together. Mash up the avocado well, before adding along with the vanilla extract. Beat the eggs before adding them in, along with a pinch of salt.

 3. Once all of the ingredients are well mixed together, pour evenly into a baking tin. Place into the centre of the oven and bake for 25 minutes. The brownies should appear cooked on the top, but gooey in the middle. 

4. Leave to cool for 10-15 minutes. Cut into squares and serve with whatever you like! I had mine with blueberries. 

And that's it! I hope you enjoyed this post, let me know if you try it for yourself or if you would like to see more recipe ideas in the future! I had so much fun making these, and they taste delicious! 

Jemma x

UPDATE / H'SUAN WEN HUA HAIR MOISTURISER REVIEW

So if you follow me on Instagram, you would've seen that I mentioned going on a Lush haul. There are lots of exciting products that I have to try out and I thought I'd get started with the H'Suan Wen Hua hair moisturiser. I have really long and thick hair, which has become very dry and slightly damaged due to its length and hair dye. I try to take care of my hair as much as I can, but the hair mask that I was using ( Rainforest Radiance hair butter - The Body Shop) was not working well for me. As more Lush reviews have been requested, I decided to give one of their haircare products a try as I have heard great things about them.

There are several different options to chose from when it comes to the Lush hair products, however the one that stood out the most for me was H'Suan Wen Hua. This is described to nourish, strengthen and restore dry and damaged hair. When taking care of your hair, think of it as taking care of the rest of your body. You feed it with healthy ingredients. This hair treatment has many great things in it such as fresh free-range eggs, which a full of protein, helping to strengthen and protect your hair. Rich in oils, Bananas and Avocados are super moisturising, leaving your hair soft and shiny. Using a hair treatment made from natural ingredients makes it much better for your hair, and you know exactly what is going on to it.

I would say that the scent of this hair moisturiser is not for everyone. It is definitely very strong smelling. I would describe it as a gingerbready kind of tea smell... Which sounds a bit strange but that's the only way I can think to explain it. I personally did not like the scent at all, however the purpose of the product is to help do good things to your hair so the smell did not really bother me.

You apply the treatment on to dry hair, by massaging it in. The texture of it is not particularly thick, it's similar to normal conditioner. As you apply it to dry hair, it does take quite a while to get it all distributed through your hair as it doesn't spread as easily as it would on wet. As my hair is extremely thick and long, I used around 1/2 of a pot. This sounds like quite a lot, but to get it to cover all of my hair that's how much I had to use. This was quite annoying as it is priced at £9.50 for a tub of 225g. You then leave the product in your hair for at least 20 minutes, and then rinse well, followed by shampooing and conditioning as normal.

As soon as I started rinsing out this product I was AMAZED. My hair has never felt so soft before. Imagine rinsing out your conditioner, your hair feels soft, right? Imagine that x5 . I am serious. I then washed my hair as normal and left my conditioner in for a further 10-15 minutes and rinsed. The results I got when my hair was dry were just fantastic. My hair immediately felt so much softer and shiny. It says on the pot that for extra damaged hair to use it once a week for 6 weeks and I really think it is worth the money to do this.

I will update you after six weeks on the condition of my hair. Thanks for reading ! let me know if you try this product or if you enjoyed this review!


Jemma x

LUSH COSMETICS CUPCAKE FACEMASK REVIEW

I love face masks. Weather I'm having a pamper session with friends or just having some 'me' time, face masks are an absolute must-have. I usually result in getting a cheap sachet from Superdrug or Boots, but when I went into Lush I came across their fresh face masks and decided to give it a try. Although they are quite pricey at £6.25 a pot - you can get at least 5 masks out of it, which if you think about it is the same as buying the same amount of single ones. Plus, this mask is much better.

When looking at all of the different varieties of masks Lush has to offer, I will admit I was a little stressed about which one would be best for me. To my luck, a lovely person who worked there recommended for me to try the Cupcake face mask. This works best for people who tend to have oily or teenage skin, as it helps to absorb excess oil and calm breakouts.

The smell of this face mask is to die for. It smells of chocolate cupcakes with a fresh minty infusion, which I love. It is made from completely fresh and natural ingredients which will benefit your skin. Unfortunately as the mask is fresh it does only last around a month , however you can use it more than once a week! Some of the ingredients included are Cocoa butter/powder which is great for softening and purifying your skin, fresh mint stimulates and tones, and highly absorbent Rhassoul mud which works with the cocoa powder to draw out impurities, giving you a deep cleanse. 

Its recommended to keep this mask in the fridge to keep it fresh. Leave this mask on for 10-15 minutes after applying, then simply wash off with warm water.The results I got from this mask were fantastic! Immediately after using this mask, my skin felt so clean and fresh. I continued to use it about 2-3 times a week and since then my skin has genuinely improved a lot! It looks so much brighter,clear of spots and so soft. I really do advise that you try this mask - if you are still not convinced if you should invest, then ask in store if they have any samples and I am sure they will kindly give you one!

P.S - did you know that if you bring back 5 full size black pots/bottles to Lush, they will exchange them for a free face mask? 

Let me know if this mask works for you!

Jemma x

GRANNY TAKES A DIP - LUSH BATH BOMB REVIEW

When it comes to bath bombs, there is one store that automatically comes to mind - LUSH. There are so many different kinds to suit whatever you fancy. If somebody was to ask me my favourite bath bomb, the answer would usually be 'Twilight' , however when recently browsing the new summer collection I came across 'Granny Takes a Dip'. This bath bomb is brightly coloured and really stands out amongst the other items. Naturally, I couldn't not find out more, so I headed down to my  nearest Lush store to purchase it.

I absolutely love the appearance of Granny Takes a dip.Its different to the other bath bombs as it is in a circular shape rather than the typical 'ball' design. The bath bomb is made up of four vivid layers; bright pink on the very outer layer wrapping around baby blue, followed by red and finally a bright green circled core. It's vibrant and eye-catching, I love how the colours combine together to create something exciting.

Some of the featured ingredients of this bath bomb include lemon oil, which uplifts and refreshes you. Warming and clarifying black pepper oil, and also ginger, which is another refreshing ingredient which is also great for relaxing and soothing tense and aching muscles and joints.

When it comes down to the scent, I was not disappointed. As soon as I removed Granny Takes a Dip from its wrapping, A wave of aroma filled the room. Much like the appearance, the bath bomb has a unique and warm fragrance to it. In my opinion, the smell reminded me of something similar to a lemon sherbet sweet, with a layer of warmth and slight hint of creamy vanilla to it.

I usually use half of a bath bomb when it is a large one, but I decided to treat myself and use the whole thing. I am so glad I did as the result was amazing. This is by far the prettiest, most colourful bath I have ever had. It is slow fizzing, similarly to the Twilight bath ballistic, and each colour slowly disperses throughout the bath tub, swirling into one another to create a psychedelic sea of multi coloured patterns across the water. As each colour begins to dissolve, you are left with beautiful light violet shade waters.

The bath bomb takes at least 10 minutes to completely fizzle out. Priced at £3.25 it is one of the pricier bath bombs, however you can easily cut it in half to get 2 uses from it. I personally think its a steal given its size and believe everyone should try it, even if it's just once. Let me know if you do in the comments!

Jemma x

VERA WANG BE JEWELED ROUGE REVIEW

Perfume is one of my obsessions - no matter how many bottles I have ( a lot! ) , I just can't help but want to try more. As you would expect from reading this, when my mum came home from work yesterday and gave me a bottle of new perfume I was so excited. As some of you may know, a new perfume was released by Vera Wang called Be Jeweled Rouge - a follow up from the original Be Jeweled. I could not wait to give this a try, so I immediately opened the box. 

The design is rather beautiful . Packaged in a deep pinkish red box with an image of scattered diamonds covering it. Its extremely girly, and as for the bottle itself, it is a diamond/ jewel inspired light pink shaped glass. It has several red and silver coloured jewels surrounding the brim and a similarly shaped
diamond lid. 

As for the scent, it is very sweet and light fragrance. The top notes include several varieties of red berries and mandarin, middle notes of vanilla orchid and pink peony, and base notes such as praline and cashmere wood. My description would be a sweet fruity smell which leaves a lovely vanilla tone to it afterwards. I absolutely adore the sweetness of the perfume.

I decided to put this perfume to the test when it comes to how long the smell actually lasts for once its sprayed. Obviously I can't speak for every body weather you will have the same results as it will vary between people. I found that this perfume seemed to last for most of the day, and a couple of people noticed that I was wearing it, so overall a good result - however it is quite a light fragrance so if you prefer something more noticeable I would not recommend this.

I hope you liked this review, and if you would like to see another post on perfumes let me know in the comments!


Jemma x

BENEFIT COSMETICS BIG EASY REVIEW

Hey guys!

This post is a review of a fairly new product from Benefit Cosmetics - Big Easy.

With summer fast approaching and those hot sunny days already appearing, I decided it was time to switch up my usual make up to something different. I am not the biggest fan of foundation as I dislike the feel of it on my face, and often find that it either doesn't look the right shade, or appears too 'cakey'. However, I am not confident enough to go completely bare faced so I needed to find something else to replace my usual foundation with. This is when I found Benefit's 'Big Easy'.

 Titled as a 'Multi-balancing completion perfector' , Big Easy is bigger than BB cream, but not as heavy as foundation. The product claims to give 'light to medium coverage to even out skintone and conceal imperfections'. I would say that it gives me more light than medium coverage on my skin, and does not hide blemishes completely - however it does make them less obvious and give my skin a better appearance overall. It definitely gives a very natural looking finish.

Benefits Big Easy comes in a squeezable tube, which allows you to easily apply it to your face without using too much. I like to use a foundation brush to smooth it evenly over my face. One of the things that I like about this product is that it first appears as a liquid , which melts into your skin like a cream, but then becomes lightweight and velvety with a powder-like finish.

There are 6 different shades available ranging from fair to deep beige. I personally found that 02-light was the best shade for me as it self adjusts to my exact skin tone.

The only slight downside to this product is that unlike a BB cream, you have to apply this to already moisturised skin.

The tube comes in 35.0 ml , which is fairly large, for £27.50 . Although this is rather pricey I believe that it is worth investing in if you want a change from foundation. You can purchase this product from stores that sell Benefit Cosmetics , or via their website here: http://www.benefitcosmetics.co.uk/product/view/big-easy

Thanks for reading!

Jemma x

x

LUSH D'FLUFF STRAWBERRY SHAVING SOAP REVIEW

LUSH cosmetics is one of- if not my most favourite brand of all time. One of the main reasons for this being because all of their products are cruelty free, meaning that they have not been tested on animals.They are all 100% vegetarian, and I also love the fact that they include lots of fresh, natural ingredients in their products. When browsing their newest collection on the website www.lush.co.uk , there was one thing in particular that caught my eye - D'fluff Strawberry Shaving Soap. I immediately wanted to try this out as soon as I saw the word 'strawberry' and the girly pastel pink colour... 

Lush D'Fluff Shaving soap uses lots of fresh ingredients to make it extra good for your skin. Fresh strawberries are a source of minerals, antioxidants and have many other great benefits.Using freshly whipped egg whites gives the product a light and fluffy mousse-like texture. Along with this, another core ingredient used is fair-trade organic cocoa butter, making it extra moisturising and soothing. With other ingredients such as balancing rose absolute and rosehip oil, it makes the perfect combination for soft, smooth skin. 

As soon as I opened the pot, I was greeted with the smell of what I can describe as a very sugary-sweet citrusy strawberry scent. The appearance of the product comes across like strawberry Angel Delight, with a beautiful pink colouring. You apply the product as you would normal shaving foam/shower gel etc. It works into a little bit of a lather, but not too much. I was honestly impressed with the result I got as I usually end up cutting myself by accident when shaving! With this I was able to go cut free as my razor glided easily across my legs and it left my skin feeling really smooth and silky for a few days after. It says that you can use this anywhere you want to shave or even just as a body wash- making it even better!

I would definitely recommend Lush D'fluff to anybody who is looking for a shaving soap or that was wondering if it was worth purchasing. You can buy it in your local LUSH store or via their website which is  http://www.lush.co.uk . They come in pots of  75g ( £5.75) or  150g (£9.95) . 

I Hope you enjoyed this review/ found it helpful! I will be posting some more LUSH reviews soon :)

Jemma x

Welcome!

Hey guys,

Firstly, if you are reading this then thank you for checking out my blog! This is my first post just to tell you all a bit about me.

My name is Jemma, I'm 17 years old from England. I have wanted to start up my own beauty blog for a long time, but the truth is - I've never had the confidence to do it. After a long time of contemplating weather or not this will be a good idea, I decided that the best way to find out is to give it a try!

I love all things beauty and fashion and wanted to share my thoughts and ideas with other people.I will review products and give you my honest opinions, which hopefully will be helpful to you.

Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoy!


Jemma x