DIY: Your Lips But Better

Hey guys :)

So it has been a personal mission of mine to find a lipstick which is just my lips colour but better. So far I haven't had any luck in finding something that I feel comfortable wearing on a daily basis - I would love to find something that I could whip out and apply without a mirror. So that's when I thought - why don't I just make my own lip colour. Sounds crazy but it's really easy - here is my top trick to achieving the your lips but better look.

Step 1: Lush Santa Baby Lip Tint

Step 2: Maybelline ColourSensational in 740 Coffee Craze

First you need a red lip tint - I have one from Lush called Santa Baby(£5.95/8g), It's really pigmented so I just apply a little to my lips. Then take a nude lip stick which is suitable for your skin-tone, the one I used is from the Maybelline ColourSensational line in 740 'Coffee Craze' (£6.99/3g), super affordable and really creamy. Apply the nude lipstick on the top of your red stained lips and it will mix together, forming a pink shade that complements your skin. That's it! It's so easy and works every time, if you want it to be more pink, add more lip tint, if you want it to be more nudey then apply less lip tint or add more lipstick. What I love the most about this trick is that the lip colour lasts, even after the lipstick itself has faded, the lip tint still provides the same colour and really easy to top up!

Left: Maybelline, Right: Mixed Maybelline 740 and Santa Baby

Top Left: Maybelline, Top Right: Santa Baby
Bottom: Mixed together

I think the swatches above will help you to see how much of a difference it makes to the colour of the lipstick when you mix them both together, the Maybelline Lipstick is sheer but with the lip tint, it's more of a block colour but still wearable.
If you want to find out more about the Maybelline nude lipstick I used click here. They have all shades of nudes so I'm sure you can find your match!

I hope this helps you guys! Especially if you guys have been struggling like me :) You can use any brand you want, I'm sure it will work out :) 

Thanks for reading, 

Anjna

Stress Relief! My Routine :) ft. Lush

Hey guys :) 

So lately I have been super stressed - I am in my second year of university studying psychology and I have a lot of other commitments that I dedicate my time too such as being a lab research assistant and having a part time job. I love all of the things I commit myself too and so I would rather take a lot on than miss out on amazing opportunities. That's where this post comes in - recently I have found that I should dedicate some time to myself and this post is how I do that and what I use! 

Before I head into the shower - I make sure to light my candle and the one I am using at the moment is The Body Shops Sandalwood and Ginger Scented Candle (£10.00/200g). I do this so when I come out of the shower my room smells nice and inviting. I also make some tea - either Earl Grey or some Indian Chai (I will be sharing my recipe really soon!) to cool down while I shower.

Shower

So at my university accommodation I don't have access to a bath which sucks because that's usually my method of choice when I want to de-stress. However the shower is still an awesome place to relax and the way I choose to do this is to pick a lot of nice smelling products. Currently I am using Bûche de Noël (£6.50/100g)*  from Lush which is a Christmas face and body cleanser - I just use this on my body because it is extremely moisturising for my skin-type and nowadays my body could use some more moisture. I really like this product because it contains ground almond which helps to gently exfoliate the skin and it really does smell like Christmas (that's probably because it contains Brandy!). I am also using the Yog Nog (£3.40/100g)* which is a soap from Lush - I haven't posted a picture of it because it's been too well loved these past few weeks. It smells wonderful and spicy because it contains Nutmeg Powder and Clove Bud Oil - my mom simply adores it too. 

Although I won't go too much into depth here I love to remove my make-up and cleanse my face in the shower at night because I feel like the warm steam helps to open my pores so I get a deeper clean. Also cleansing the face with warm hands makes the whole process more luxurious and pampering.   

Post-Shower Body

This is my favourite part lately! On days where I still don't have a lot of time I love to use Celebrate Body Lotion (£12.95/225g)* by Lush - It's amazing! I cannot rave about the smell enough! Too me it smells like Terry's Chocolate Orange which is just a weakness of mine. It contains Brazilian Orange Oil and Orange Flower Absolute so that's probably where I get that from. This body lotion also goes on like a dream - really easy to blend in and a little does go a long way. I love how quick the process is :)

Dirty shown Above and Shades of
 Earl Grey Below. Both looking worse
for wear!

However when I do have a bit more time on my hands I love to use the massage bars from Lush. I had never tried any until about two weeks ago and I am addicted already. I have two and although that may seem excessive I use them for different reasons. The first is Dirty Massage Bar (£5.95/1)* and smells like mint chocolate - really nice on the senses and soothing - it contains Lavender, Fair trade Cocoa and Shea Butter - I can smell this throughout the night and it really helps to calm me. The second massage bar is called Shades of Earl Grey (£5.95/1)* and I was attracted to this because I love Earl Grey tea and I knew I would love this too. This one also contains your Fair Trade Cocoa and Shea Butter but it contains Bergamot Oil which is what gives the massage bar the nice Earl Grey smell as Bergamot is an ingredient in the tea. I love that Shades of Earl grey contains Lime and Lemon Oil because it becomes very uplifting and refreshing. Honestly, from the first use I knew this product was something I needed in my life because when I did get into bed I felt a lot less burdened and I was able to sleep a lot better. Another plus is that massaging your body will make it more firmer and more toned :) 

Extra's

I don't have that much time to myself so reading actual books is problematic which is a shame but recently I have been loving reading quotes. This book is amazing for it - it's called 8,789 Words of Wisdom by Barbara Ann Kipfer (£5.73/1 )and I like reading it because it gives you a lot of perspective on life especially if you do feel down or just need some advice. I love philosophy and so this book is great because you don't need to read pages of it - just reading one quote could give you that push or mental enlightenment you need. 

From philosophical quotes to nail polish. Again this depends on how much time I have, so that's why Essie is the right way to go because the formula is perfect - giving you quick drying time and even layers that do stay on for a few days. Recently I have been loving Sew Psyched (7.99/ 13.5ml) and Chinchilly (7.99/ 13.5ml). If I am being honest these are my favourites all year round because they are lovely colours but right now it's the formula lean more towards.

So this is how I relax in my day to day life. I have discovered some awesome products in Lush and I know that I will continue to purchase them because they are helping me so much right now. I hope if you are having the same issues as me (stressing/no time) that you will use some of the items I have mentioned. They are honestly amazing.

When you begin something, believe it will end positively (Kipfer, page 191)
Thank you for reading,
Anjna xx

*This is not a sponsored post, these items were given to me by Lush so I could experience them since I work there. 

Bath Time! (Ft. Lush)

Hey guys!

First I have some exciting news - I am working as a Christmas Temp at Lush! I can't even explain how over the moon I am about this since talking about products all day every day seems to be what I do best. Since I am now working there - I get to try out some awesome stuff that I probably wouldn't have picked up myself and so if you wanna know some more about Lush products then stayed tuned for the next few weeks on my blog because I think Lush will feature quite heavily. 

Today I wanted to talk about what Lush is particularly famous for: bath bombs and bubble bars. I also have a confession to make: before this week, I had never used any of the bath stuff from Lush, shocking right? I can truly say that I had been missing out -  here is a review about two of the products I used.

Golden Wonder (Bath Bomb): (£3.75/1)*

The reason I was drawn to this was because it was shaped like a present and if you shake it then something rattles inside! It just made me excited for Christmas since it's seemed like it would be full of 'wonder' and I was totally right. As soon as this hit the bath water it was just captivating to watch the water change from yellow to green so quickly. The fragrance that soon filled my bathroom had a citrus scent which was fresh and relaxing and so this would be perfect relieve stress in the evening. The shimmer from the bomb does transfer to the water but honestly it looks so lovely with the dark green water and although some of it does get on your skin it really isn't noticeable. I thought I would have problems with the water staining my bath but it didn't leave a single trace which is amazing - Lush uses natural ingredients and also safe synthetics so that probably explains why my bath didn't turn green! All in all I would recommend this product to everyone who is looking to try something extremely special this Christmas. See it in action in the photos below :)

The Christmas Hedgehog (Bubble Bar): (£3.25/1)*

I am going to be honest and say I wanted this because it was shaped like a hedgehog - it's so cute! The next reason that this got my attention was the smell. It is fantastic. It smells like the forest and just nature - so clean cut that you can never get bored of it - I think it's the Ylang Ylang oil in it which is extracted from a plant. The way this works is to crumble it underneath your tap while your bath is running to make bubbles - easy! While the colour of the bath didn't change for this product, the feel of the water transformed into something more silkier and softening which I think is perfect for the colder winter nights where your skin becomes drier. The bubbles that were created were so big and soft! I loved it ;) Again with the cleaning up, this gave me no problems - I thought I would need to hose down the excess bubbles but they went straight down with no effort from me. I would recommend this for people who want a change in their bath routine - it really is something else.

So my first experiences with bath bombs and bubble bars went down a treat! I loved the entire experience and I am a total convert now - I'm so curious to try what else Lush has. Another thing I would like to add is that  both products would be suitable for people of any age - the colours and fizziness of Golden Wonder would be mesmerising for children but the scent is something an adult can appreciate. The bubbles of The Christmas Hedgehog is something a child would enjoy yet the texture and smell is just so appealing to everyone. I think these products would make lovely add on Christmas gifts for anyone of any age or gender and I urge you all to try them. 

Thank you so much for reading, 

Anjna x

*The products featured in this post were not purchased by me, it was a 'welcome to the team' gift that Lush gave after my induction. This is not a sponsored post.

Lush: Exfoliating Favourites

Heey, 

So I have to say that I am kinda a new customer of Lush, I have never bought anything from there until a couple of months ago - I know, crazy right? Here is a warning to those who were like me: Once you go in - you will always go back :P I did find Lush a little intimidating - there is just so much stuff! so much choice and so it's an overwhelming experience if you don't know what you are going in for. That's why today I wanted to write about my favourite Lush products - specifically body scrubs, so if you are in need of a new body scrub then hopefully this post will be able to help you out  :) 

1) Sugar Scrub (£2.95) 

This was actually the first product I had purchased from Lush :D and I think the fact that I've repurchased it probably says a lot. What's the first thing that comes to mind when I say Lush? For me it's the smell of the shop and just like the shop this product smells sooo good. It contains Fennel and Ginger which is a really interesting combination, it smells good without being overpowering and after you use it your bathroom will smell super awesome too! This is the 'harshest' of the scrubs that I am going to mention - because of the fact that this product is actually made of sugar. Honestly, I really like this scrub because it exfoliates, it really is as simple as that. I absolutely hate it when I want a decent scrub but the particles are so tiny that it doesn't even do anything. This product actually came with more surprises than I had imagined - once I had scrubbed my skin and rinsed it off - my skin was already moisturised! I was literally so shocked and so impressed. This sugar scrub also contains lavender oil which calms your skin after all that scrubbing and leaves your skin so smooth and soft that you won't even feel the need of adding any lotions after the shower. For the price - this product is definitely worth it. When I repurchased it the sales assistant said that it's a really good foot scrub too sooo it's a multi-purpose product :) What more could we want eh??

2) Ocean Salt: Face and Body Scrub (£13.25/ 250g) 

I think you guys know that throughout this post I'm gonna talk about how amazing these all smell :P The lime in this product smells so good, and mixed with the avocado butter it's simply divine. I always sniff this before I use it - It does kinda smell like the ocean, just a nice fresh smell - perfect for the mornings :) The thing I love about this product is that it contains actual bits of sea salt and so it scrubs your skin but because the particles are way bigger - it's not as harsh as the sugar scrub and so perfect for the face. This has more of a creamy texture to it and so it is so softening and just an all round great product. I like the fact that this is a dual purpose product, it's really convenient and a good choice to go for if your skin is a bit more sensitive :) I should also mention that they do a smaller 120g tub for £7.25 which is good if you want to try it but not commit fully :) 

3) Sandstone Soap (£3.40/100g)

Okay so this one is kinda pushing it a little since it is a soap buuut it does contain sand which is so cool, and so does exfoliate. What attracted me to this product was the smell (surprisingly :P ) - I actually loved this scent more than all the other soaps (yes I did smell them all) - it smells like lemon but just so much more better! Like the other two products the whole bathroom will smell of this scent which I looove :) This product, like I mentioned hastily before, contains particles of sand which I think is such an awesome idea for everyday use. I think this will be awesome if your skin is super sensitive - It scrubs really nicely if you massage it into your body. I just love the fact that i can use this everyday without feeling like I am doing too much to my skin - it really is a nice balance. I would recommend this if you are looking for a multi-purpose soap - I mean it smells good, it exfoliates and cleans your body - what more could you want? :)

So those three were the scrubs that I would definitely recommend to you guys to try, depending on the sensitivity of your skin and what you actually want the scrub for :) I hope you guys enjoy these products as much as I have done! Leave a comment telling me your favourite scrub or even your favourite Lush product  - since there is sooo much to try! :)

Thanks for reading, 

Anjna x