LUSH Holiday Bath Bomb Review: Cinders

The scent of spice, orange, and cinnamon is really nice, especially as it lingers on afterwards. This is the sole reason as to why I bought and enjoyed Cinders. This bath bomb is equal to the warmth of a crackling fire on a dull and dreary evening. I took my bath using Cinders during the late afternoon while strong winds ran gustily against my window at 63/km an hour outside. I was thankful to be inside and in a hot, comforting bath!

Lush describes it as: "The warming, sweet cinnamon and orange fragrance was inspired by a comforting yuletide drink in Sweden and is utterly irresistible on a chilly evening. Cinders is the color of a glowing ember and crackles like wood on the fire (just like the fire that Cinderella slept beside in the fairytale)."

I had used Cinders at two different times and had slightly varying experiences in regards to the pop rocks. The bomb with the most pop rocks showing (see picture below) did not give off a crackling sound that I could hear. However, the one with the least did. But I wasn't in the tub for the first one, only the second. Maybe that would make a difference. I thought it was the water dripping when I heard it. But nope. It was the pop rocks! So if you'd like to enjoy that, I would recommend to actually be in the tub to listen (and not be taking pictures). It also fizzes quite a bit.

(these pictures were taken with a flash so the color of the water appears a little bit brighter than IRL)

Unfortunately, it leaves some residue. I'm not quite sure what that stuff is; it was like floaty and soft. I thought it may have been undissolved rocks, but it wasn't hard. I'm not sure! I wasn't too worried about it though.

There are a few downfalls I should mention. One, it made my skin feel sticky. It may have just been me, all in my head. Maybe I was paranoid about bathing in candy. I'm not sure. Let me know if you've had a similar experience. Two, it left a yellow ring around the tub while bathing. It wasn't the most appealing thing but it's easy to wipe down afterwards. And three, I had on a sheer pink nail polish. Towards the end of my bath I noticed that my nails were developing a yellow tinge to them. I probably wouldn't use this if you've just got an expensive manicure, just in case.

The water was a transparent amber color. There are no bubbles, as it's a bath ballistic. The best thing about this is it's scent! Which is exactly why I got it. If you're after a Christmass-y, winter theme bath, then definitely check this out. I hadn't noticed any significant benefits to my skin afterwards (just the stickiness). Although Cinders does contain sodium bicarbonate which, I believe, is to promote circulation and skin softening.

Now, no two things are alike. Not with these babies anyway. One I ordered online and  the other came from a store. They are slightly different colors with a difference in its texturized look, and varying in the amounts of pop rocks.

I purchased these two only and probably will not re-purcahse again. It is a nice treat for the a cold winter day and I loved the scent. But it's not something I would not use often. I'd rather use bath bombs containing moisturizing agents and whatnot than nothing at all.

♥M

My Christmas Wishlist

First and foremost, I want to thank all of you 42 beauties that are following my blog! You guys are the bestest! I started writing on Blogger only a few months ago and I never thought people would really care to read what I wrote. I still get excited every time I see that number go up. I don't know; it's just a nice feeling. Yay! Perhaps I shall have a little giveaway type thing in the near future. Let me know if you'd be up for that. But honestly, who wouldn't be up for a chance to get some free stuffies!? Hello!

Now on to other pressing matters.

There have been a few 'Christmas Wishlist' blog posts going around. And I personally enjoy reading them. I like to see what the girlies are yearning for this season.

So, I have a few things I would love to own as well, someday (soon). They're not all beauty related, as you'll notice. And I absolutely do not expect to get any of these things for Christmas by any means. This is merely just for fun.

First up, a pink typewriter! How cute, right!? I want to own a type-writer because I love old, vintage things. And this one has got a modern flare to it. Very girly. I could write thank you notes or poems to my friends and family on it. Not that I write poems now, but I could start.

Cranium! I've never played this game before, but I heard it's fun. I love board games! And I want to start a little collection of games. Last year I received Monopoly: The World Edition from my mom. But it's hard to find people to play with because it can be a pretty long game.

I love this scent, it's one of my favorites. But I've never actually owned a bottle of Givenchy's Hot Couture. Whenever I go to the store I spray some on and then ask for samples.

I randomly picked this up to have a whiff and was pleasantly surprised. A lot of fragrances (in my opinon) have a chemical smell to them and I don't like that. However, this one smells delicious in the bottle, even before it's on the skin. It's Parisienne by Yves St Laurent. I'm sure there are scent descriptions online some where if you'd like.

I swatched the NARS Multiple in Luxor while I was at their counter during my recent travels and I liked it so much! I should have gotten it while it was right in front of me. But it was $47. And I'm not an impulse buyer. But now I can't just go back and pick it up. I'd have to order it online. I also swatched a few other multiple highlighters, including Copacabana, but Luxor was my fave.

This is also a pricier item, considering it is a mascara. I was talking to one of the sales woman in the Bay and she had very  beautiful brown eyes with lashes nicely coated in a deep blue mascara. Her brown eyes popped. So I commented on that and she went to go get me the YSL Faux CIls in color #6, a blackened navy blue. But they didn't have any in stock. Bummer. I really wanted it.

A crock pot so I can finally cook meals! I like simple. No muss no fuss. I currently do not cook aside from a couple fried eyes (wow, edit! eyes? I meant eggs) or a grilled sausage. I'm learning.

I love books. Just as much as I love makeup. I know, who would have thought, right!? I really enjoyed Jeannette Walls' first memoir The Glass Castle. It was hard to get into at the beginning, but hold on, it does get much better. It's an amazing story. So I'd really like to read her 2nd book, Half Broke Horses, a real-life novel about her grandmother.

That's it for now! Well, I also need a pair of boots for the snow... I really need to stop because, unfortunately, this list could be longer if I wanted. But I've got to jet to my hair appointment! I'm just getting a trim, nothing major. Maybe I'll do a hair post sometime.

I hope you're all enjoying the festivities of whichever holiday you celebrate, if you celebrate any. Thanks again for reading! And if you have a list up, let me know, I'd love to check it out! Have a wonderful day!

♥M

A Tragical Incident You Can Avoid (Graphic content!)

I'm so upset. Why me?

This is about a mishap with my Creme Cup lipstick. This has happened before with one of my other Mac lipsticks (the beloved Hue). And of course, other things like dropping one of my favorite blushes and it's all broken into pieces. Grr. It happens to the best of us, right?

Creme Cup is one of my favorite colors. I just don't wear it as often now because it's difficult to apply (you'll see). It's a muted baby pink color, by the way. Natural looking; not "in-your-face" baby pink lips. I wore it on Halloween night.

Two pieces of advice I can give so that you can avoid this from happening to you:

1) Do Not store your prized lipstick in your bra while out at the clubs. I don't know about you, but I find it such a pain if I bring a clutch out with me. It makes dancing a little awkward if I have to hold onto a purse. Anyway, my lipstick was warm from the heat I was generating while it was stashed in my bra. And whenI applied it, it smooshed and bent.

2) Do Not twist the lipstick all the way up to put it on. Especially if you're in the sort of state in which you're unable to judge how much strength to utilize as you apply the lipstick. If you know what I mean.

Next time I think I'll just stick to lipgloss if I go out. Not as fragile.

The pictures below are quite frightening, so be warned! This incident happened on a night out with the girls (possibly a tad bit inebriated). I also swatched the color for you.

It's such a mess. But itsn't it a pretty color!? It completely broke at the base but I tried to salvage it as best as possible. There's still a lot left, too, as it happened shortly after I bought it. Oh well, you live you learn!

♥M

LUSH Holiday Bath Bomb Review: So White

I personally don't think this is one of lush's finest.

It smelled of a delicious green apple scent in the store. But in the tub? Not so much. The fresh scent did not deliver very well when completely dissolved in the water. It was quite faint; it didn't lingered very long, unless my nose just got use to its subtle fragrance. That was just a little disappointing but it wasn't what totally made this one a downer.

So White bath bomb has a bit of bubble bar built in. As the bath bomb sizzles in the water it also creates a few tiny bubbles. So it does make for a sight-fully pleasing  drop-of-the-ball. But that's it. After a few minutes of being in the tub, all this dissolves and completely fades away into nothing. So White is also the smaller sized bath bombs that Lush makes. But I'm sure size has nothing to do with the results, it's more so the formulation, I think.

Anyway, it's as if I never even added anything into the tub. A regular 'ol bath. The water ended up clear with no bubbles and the scent was weak. It was not exceptional in any way. In fact, quite boring. If you want to see what I mean, help yourself to it. But I wouldn't recommend it.

Lush has a lot of other nice Holiday choices to choose from. I really can't wait to use Cinders because I love its scent.

♥M

LUSH Holiday Bath Melt Review: Star Melt

This is a delicious bath item that would make a sweet treat for yourself or as a gift, especially for a girly girl (think stocking stuffer perhaps). If you enjoy the vanilla and candy fragrance of Snow Fairy shower gel, you will love this.

This product's moisturizing ingredients include starflower oil, shea butter, and cocoa butter. It is also made with some icing sugar which helps create a silky texture in the water. And if it weren't already so delectable, the icing sugar sure does amp up the sweetness factor.

As this began to melt away in the water I had picked it up and it felt like a glob of soft icing mixture. There were no sparkles in mine but it did leave my skin gleaming while in the tub. I found it certainly moisturizing but, in my experience, it didn't quite have the lasting effects of the Mr Butterball bath bomb, which left my skin feeling more soft and supple after the bath. Also, the Star Melt turned my water into a nice foggy baby pink color.

After the bath I took a shower to rinse off the icing sugar (I personally didn't like the idea of icing sugar sinking into my skin). And of course, it pairs perfectly with the snow fairy shower gel!

You could probably get away with cutting it in half if you wanted a little more for your money. But I would prefer to use the whole thing at once. It wouldn't be as strong of a scent and you'd only get half of the oils and its moisturizing goodness.

I would re-purchase this Star Melt bath melt time and again if not only just for the scent! The sweet scent, the pink shimmering water, its moisturizing aspects definitely make for a luscious bath. If you are one for sweet scents I would highly recommend you give this one a try.

FTC Mandatory Questions:

1. Did you get this item sent to you for free or did you buy them yourself?

    I bought it myself.

2. Are you affiliated with the company in any way?

    No.

3. Are you being paid or compensated by this company for your review?

    No.

4. Is this your honest opinion or a paid review?

    This is my honest review.

For your information: I have never received any products for free to review. This review, along with all past reviews on this blog, have always  been my honest review. The products reviewed on my blog are purchased with my own money. I am not here to help out a company. I am here because this is what I enjoy doing and I am not seeking anything in return. And if I do help a consumer make a decision, even better. But I'm not here to get free stuff, make money, or whatever. If, however, I ever do receive a free product to review (if I choose to review it) I will ensure to let everyone know, if that's the case. And with everything else, I will continue to provide honest feedback from my own experience. Thanks for reading and have a great one!

♥M

Favorites of November

Okay, so frankly there were not as many makeup favorites this month. My cosmetic favorites have pretty much remained the same since the previous month. However, there are a couple little beauty-related things as well as some other items that I have been partial to during this month of November.

MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack

I prefer this gel formula when it comes to eye liner. If I use any other eye liner - like a pencil liner, MAC technakohl liner - it will transfer to the upper part of my eye lid. Fluidline doesn't do that. And it's also ideal when using false lashes.

Pure Liquid Vitamin E

I like to use this at night on my lips, around the eye area, any dry patches on my skin,nails and cuticles. Vitamin E is vital for healthy, shiny hair, nails, and skin. So in its pure liquid form I can apply it directly to those certain areas. I got mine from Shopper's Drug Mart.

Botanics Night Cream

This stuff is heaven. I love the way it feels, it's like a fluffy cream texture. It works well in moisturizing and repairing my skin during the night. And it's a drugstore product!

Tea: Green, White, and Mint

I've been drinking quite a bit of tea in the past couple months, especially these three kinds. Green tea because of its health benefits. I picked up Tazo's Berryblossom White Tea because it sounded good and I have proved that it is in fact good. And mint is a good one to drink after dinner, especially if what you ate isn't settling well, because it aids in digestion. Tea also makes for a warm and healthy treat in these coolers months.

Snow Fairy Shower Gel

Smells so good; vanilla and candy. I want to eat it.

And..

Breakfast at Tiffany's, The Movie

I watched this film for the first time while in Montreal. I loved it! I can't wait to watch it again and again.

♥M

LUSH Holiday Bath Bomb Review: Mr Butterball

One of my favorites. Mr. Butterball is super moisturizing and serene! It's also limited edition so I will need to stock up before it's too late.

I had used this shortly before going to bed one evening, which I think is the best time to use it. The vanilla and ylang ylang scent really aids in relaxation and unwinding before going to sleep.

This bath bomb contains chucks of cocoa butter, a skin softening ingredient. When I got out of the tub and into my PJs, my skin felt so smooth and soft to the touch and I hadn't even used any body moisturizer. I don't believe there are any color dyes added and the water is natural; a bit foggy, but still transparent. If you enjoy bathing in pretty colors, you may not enjoy this one as much.

You can see the oils floating in the water. I like to massage my legs, arms, or any  dry areas to really allow my skin to absorb in the cocoa butter goodness. If you're not a fan of oils or a greasy feeling you may want to steer clear of this one.

The only downfall about this item is that it did leave a little tub residue. As I was laying there, I could see the ring of oil that was developing around the tub. Just be sure to take a rag and wipe it out afterwards to ensure it doesn't collect other grime and to prevent slippage.

If you have dry skin or live in a cooler climate during the winter, I would highly, highly recommend the Mr. Butterball bath bomb. I want to stock up on these and use them during times I want/need that extra skin-quenching, especially throughout  the winter.

♥M

Mon voyage à Montréal, Québec

My apologies for the lack of posting! I had planned to write a few entries before leaving on my week-long trip to Montréal, Québec and then posting them while I was there. However, I didn't really quite do any such thing. Oopsies :( But, but, but! I wanted to take in the whole experience! Including sitting on my bum in the apartment, eating ice cream while watching Breakfast at Tiffany's and Uncle Buck in Montréal.

A few things that I did: I traveled up and down rue Sainte-Catherine quite a bit. It is one of the main streets of downtown Montreal which is lined with many restaurants, two malls (Montreal Trust and the Eaton Center), as well as many various stores. Stores include - but are not limited to -The Bay (which include cosmetic counters of YSL, Chanel, Dior, MAC, MUFE, Guerlain, and many more), Lush, Jacob, Apple Store, Parasuco, Urban Outfitters, Louis Vuitton (just off of St Catherine) and so many more. I really didn't do all that much shopping because I was so overwhelmed by it all.

I didn't tour around McGill University but I was around the campus and I did go into one building, I forget the name of it. We walked through the Plateau, on la rue Saint-Denis. I experienced a bit of the Underground City as well. We also checked out Old Montreal which has the most beautiful buildings. And if you're ever in the city I would recommend you check out the House of Jazz. A friend and I went there and enjoyed a live band and some drinks.  Oh, and most importantly, the Bio-dome! It was so much fun, I love animals. I also ate at some great restaurants including Zero 8, Le Commensal, and Bofinger.

On my next trip to Montreal I will ensure to check out the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. We made three attempts to get to the museum but there was always something preventing us from doing so. The first time we looked it up on the map (but it was the incorrect location) then rode the bus for a while to get there, in the dark and in the rain. We couldn't find it so we decided to go home and catch a movie at the cinema instead. The next day we found the right location but it was closed due to some "Velvet Ball" being hosted. And then the last time we tried to visit, the place was closing at 5 pm, the time we had arrived. So I gave up and I'll try again next time.

I did pick a few things up at the Lush store. One of my purchases included a small bottle of Snow Fairy shower gel for my sister. But it was taken away from me at the airport! I took out the wrong bag from my suitcase to pack in my carry on because the suitcase was overweight. Needless to say, I tried to get away with it in my carry-on. You're not allowed liquids over 30 ml. Never again will I ever try to sneak in a bottle of liquids more than 30 ml. It's not worth it. Not even for Snow Fairy. Ugh. And I was "randomly" chosen for a body search and then they searched through my backpack because they had seen the water bottle-shaped image in the "x-ray" scan. It was a little embarrassing. Stupid move on my part. I should have chucked it (my suitcase was gone by the time I realized what I had taken out). You live and you learn, even though you knew better to begin with. The things we do for our beloved cosmetics.

In conclusion, I must say, I do love the French culture of Montreal and the bilingualism there is really great. People are very friendly and nice. It's a big city but it is pretty well laidback. I could see myself living there! It's beautiful. I also live in an official bilingual province and  Montreal has inspired me to learn French again.

This was a rather large post. Again, my apologies. Some posts you can expect in the near future:

- Lush Cosmetic product reviews

- November Favorites

- Winter Beauty Aids

Rue Sainte-Catherine

Rue Sainte-Denis 

Subway

Old Montréal

Le Biodôme de Montréal

♥M

World Wine & Food Expo

This year a group of friends got together to attend the 19th year of the World Wine & Food Expo. This would be my 3rd year attending. There were hundreds of different wines and 3 hours to taste! The wine festival is always a ball with meeting new people, seeing familiar faces, and trying new and different wines. After the event, a bunch of us went to a restaurant for appetizers and more drinks. And then to a nearby place for some dancing.

Here are just a few pictures from Saturday night that I deemed blog appropriate.

My sister and I (don't you hate it when your bangs split like that? Grr.) Oh, and those are some of our friends posing in the background there.

A group of girlfriends

My sis & I

A little wine buzz going on here

At the restaurant

One of the dishes we got

Oup. Guacamole on my ring. You might be able to dress me up, but you can't take me out.

♥M