LUSH Hair Cleansing Bar and Scrub Review :)

So we always hear about the importance of exfoliating our skin in order for it to be cleaner and more clear. Rarely do we ever hear about scrubbing our scalps! Over time, especially with the use of hair products and just the general buildup of natural hair oils, our scalp may become full of gunk. This leads to clogged hair follicles and poor hair growth. You may notice that your hair gets oily faster than it should, sometimes even the day after washing it! It is not good to wash our hair every day because it leads to overdrying, breakage, and limp flat hair. However, it is also unattractive to have a greasy head of hair... so what do we do?! Clean the buildup accumulating at the roots of our hair, of course. This can be done by using clarifying shampoos, or- since I recently got back into Lush products again after a few years- by using a hair scrub or deep cleansing shampoo bar, both can be found at any Lush store! I personally have tried two of their deep cleansing hair products that I really loved: the "Squeaky Green" shampoo bar and the "BIG" hair scrub.

The Squeaky Green shampoo bar is literally a round bar designed for oily scalps and stressed out hair, that you gently rub into different parts of your scalp and it suds up into a generous lather leaving your scalp free of any and all buildup! It is made of refreshing Rosemary, deep cleansing Tea Tree, and stimuating Peppermint, all of which account for that squeaky clean feeling. It also contains Vanilla and Chamomile which calm any irritation or itchiness that may be present on your scalp. The only minor drawback is that there are little pieces of (peppermint?) bark that you may see being rinsed through your hair and into your tub, but it's really no problem since they don't stay in your hair. This bar lasts an incredibly long time, I got mine a couple months ago and use it a couple times a week, or whenever I feel like I need a deep cleanse for my scalp and it still looks like it's barely been used. It leaves your head feeling "squeaky clean" and your hair feels fluffy and lightweight afterwards. Just remember to use a good moisturizing conditioner afterwards. This is definitely a product I will continue to use. :)

**Good for: greasy scalp & flat hair (better for use with thicker hair)

PROS

-cleans thoroughly

-adds shine

-adds volume

-pleasant smell

-gentle

-improves hair health

-lathers well

-lasts a long time

-economic

-reduces scalp oiliness

CONS

-a bit drying

-little pieces of bark get into your hair, (but rinse out easily)

The BIG hair scrub is another product I was glad I ended up buying. This is a bit pricey for a shampoo, but it is well worth the nearly $27.00 for an 11.4 oz tub. Do you have thick hair and want it to have volume and shine? Then this product is for you. I was intrigued when I saw this was a sea salt scrub... for hair!? I am all about using body scrubs, since I love how you can literally feel all the impurities being washed off of your body, leaving it soft and smooth. So I was definitely interested in how a scrub for hair would be. However, I was not about to pay almost $30 for it though, even though it is a pretty big size. So while I bought some face scrubs and a hair shampoo bar, I requested a sample of this scrub just to try it out. I am not even exaggerating when I say I literally fell in love with it immediately! Not only does it feel incredibly amazing on your scalp, but it also smells so nice and the smell lingers in your hair for a pretty long time. Just scoop out a small amount (enough to fill about the tips of your fingers) and massage a little into different areas of your scalp- not the ends of your hair. If applied directly to the ends it will dry them way too much- as you rinse the scrub out the ends of your hair will get just the right amount. The sea salt beads gently remove any and all buildup and clarify your scalp. Sea salt contains lots of minerals which are good for hair health and remove dead skin cells and grease without stripping your hair of natural oils. The scrub also contains virgin coconut oil, avocado butter,and citrus juices to help smooth and add shine. After using this scrub you are left with just-came-back-from-the-beach volume and a very clean and nice smelling head of hair! A definite favorite that I try to use once in a while when I feel like pampering my head, since it's a little more on the pricey side. Be sure to use a gentle and moisturizing conditioner after this to keep your hair soft. I have long, heavy, and thick hair so it's hard to keep it volumized and soft but this product seems to work like magic and is definitely something I will buy again and again :)

**Recommended for: flat hair that tends to get greasy in the scalp area**

PROS

-cleans thoroughly

-gentle enough for everyday use

-adds shine

-adds lasting volume

-very pleasant smell

-improves hair health

-reduces scalp oiliness

-a little goes a long way

CONS

-expensive

-doesn't lather as well

Lush Brazen Honey Face Mask!

So I decided to start a blog just where I can talk about love, health, and beauty. I've always had a fascination for these topics, and I am just so excited to start blogging about them! I went to the store, Lush Cosmetics, today at Montgomery Mall. I have been hearing about this store quite a bit and have often smelled its fruity and flowery fragrance from afar while strolling the mall. So today my friends and I decided to go inside and take and took a look around, and we were pretty amazed by what I saw- there were tons and tons of natural products, from bath fizzes, and moisturizing lotions, to glittery massage bars, face masks, and even henna bars for naturally coloring your hair, to name a few! I am the type of girl who lives for pampering myself! I adore manicures, pedicures, massages, facials, and just any type of spa or feel-good treatment. Call me high-maintenence but I believe every girl deserves the royal treatment! ;) So when I walked into Lush Cosmetics, this really pretty bath fizz that was covered with tons and tons of gold glitter caught my eye first. I was just mesmerized by it and touched it with my finger, and my finger became full of gold sparkly glitter. I love glitter, and I love gold so you can imagine just how drawn I was to this. I thought about just how heavenly it would be to take a glittery bubble bath with one of those bath bombs- it sure would feel great to soak in a tub full of warm, shimmery water! Now I wish I bought one of those! hahaha. What I did end up buying was a face mask called "Brazened Honey."

The Lush Brazened Honey Face Mask contains ground almonds which are great for exfoliating dead skin cells and giving the skin a smooth appearance by polishing the skin. The honey in the mask is supposed to moisturize your skin and leave it feeling vibrant and revitalized. Honey is known for its moisturizing and healing properties. The mask also contains fresh lime juice, which helps brighten the skin. Citrus fruits such as lemon and lime are rich in vitamin C, an antioxidant containing skin brightening properties. The mask also contains kaolin, which is clay or mud-like and its purpose is to absorb excess oil from the skin. The mask contains a number of herbs and spices to detoxify and liven up the complexion such as rosemary, sage, fennel, ginger, parsley, coriander and free range eggs, to name a few. When I opened the jar I noticed the mask had a strong, but pleasant, odor which can be accounted for by the numerous herbs, spices and essential oils it contains.

I washed my face before using the mask, because on the jar it says to apply the mask onto clean skin. When I tried spreading the mask onto my skin, it was a bit difficult to do so because of how thick it is, so I added a few drops of water to make it easier to spread. The almond pieces help to exfoliate the skin, so I gently massaged the mask onto my skin. I started to feel a slight tingly feeling, but it felt good and refreshing! After I had applied the mask evenly onto my face and decollete, I let it dry for about 15 minutes. As it dried, my face became stiff and I found it difficult to speak properly on the phone when a friend called! hahaha. After 15 minutes had passed, I went to my bathroom and put some warm water on my face- this caused the mask to because wet again, and I used my fingers to gently massage my face and neck some more in order to thoroughly clean out my skin. Then I rinsed it off, and oh my gosh I felt the results immediately! My skin felt and looked great just after one use! My skin felt very soft, fresh, and rejuvenated, as well as a little tighter. It looked brighter and smoother too, I decided I would definitely be going back to Lush regularly to get my face masks from now on. I really wanted to try the Love Lettuce face mask but they were currently out of it. I would definitely reccomend Brazened Honey to anyone who has problematic skin, and suffers from acne, uneven skin tone, and combination skin! This one is definitely a winner in my book ;)