The Lush Lip Lineup

Me? A lip balm hoarder? Guilty as charged. I can totally justify it though! Lip balms are easy to scatter everywhere so it's always good to keep a few around. Some of these stay in my handbag & some live on my dressing table. I like to be able to top up my lips with a balm no matter where I am at that point in time. I think my obsession started when I was at school & everyone had those horrific little tins of Vaseline. I cringed every time I saw people whip them out & practically told them off if they dared to offer me some. It just coats the lips leaving them even drier in the long run. If you use Vaseline on your lips stop it now or... I'm not sure we can be friends anymore ;) From that point on I made it a personal mission to find a better lip balm & convert my friends. Carmex is still an old favourite of mine because it saved me from the hell of Vaseline. I've gone through countless pots of the stuff but the tube packaging is lot more convenient. It has a lovely texture & that menthol tingle sure is addictive. My mint flavoured Balmi is quite similar but with the added bonus of SPF 15. The little keychain makes this a great one for handbags as you can just hook it onto your keys or a bag strap.

Much like the rest of your face or body, your lips need a little exfoliation before treating them to some moisture. I normally go over them with my toothbrush or a flannel but if they're still a bit flaky then there's no better treatment than one of Lush's lip scrubs. I adore the sugary sweetness of Bubblegum but my favourite has to be the Popcorn one. It tastes like salted caramel & will smooth over even the roughest of pouts. If you're a bit lazy then Lanolips Lemonaid Lip Aid* will naturally exfoliate & hydrate your lips all at the same time. The combination of creamy whipped lanolin & organic lemon oil is hard to beat. It makes your lips feel absolutely amazing & the fresh lemon scent is truly delicious. Another incredibly yummy product is the Super By Dr. Nicholas Perricone Lush Lips conditioning balm. I think the Super range has been discontinued as you can only find the products in TK Maxx or online now. This uses coconut oil which is renowned for it's hydrating properties. It has a nice buttery texture & over time it definitely makes your lips softer in general. I can't get enough of it's subtle coconut taste & scent. I only hope I can find another pot when mine runs out.

If you've never tried the NUXE Reve de Miel lip balm, what are you doing?! Go buy some pronto. This balm is a staple product for me. Whenever my lips get cracked & start bleeding due to the weather or illness then I can always rely on this stuff to sort them out. I normally reach for the stick during the day, it's a good one to take out with you & it is my go-to base for lipsticks. Unlike most lip balms it has a matte finish so it won't affect whatever you put on top. The pot stays on my nightstand as the texture is a little thicker. I always pop some of this on before bed to keep my lips moisturised overnight. Philosophy's Kiss Me Tonight is another brilliant overnight lip treatment. It makes my lips feel really soft & is very comfortable to wear. This stuff lasts for hours & I rarely have to reapply it. Whenever I use Kiss Me Tonight, it's always still on my lips when I wake up. It works just as well during the day for kissably soft lips 24/7. What's your favourite lip balm?

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June Favourites

Carmex Moisture Plus Pink
I do love a bit of Carmex and this month I've been addicted to this sheer lip tint. Like the original Carmex formula its brilliant at keeping my lips hydrated. The lovely hint of pink it imparts on my lips is great for daytime wear and it applies really well. I prefer this stick packaging to the pot or tube because its even easier to use.

Jemma Kidd I-Glamour Volume Mascara
I picked this up as freebie in Red magazine. I wasn't sure what to expect really considering it was free but Jemma Kidd products tend to have a good rep so I figured I'd check it out. It is actually a fantastic mascara. The way it separates your lashes makes them look really pretty and its so good at holding a curl. One coat alone makes my lashes look nicely thick and black without being clumpy. I'm really impressed with this mascara and if you can still track down a copy of last month's Red, you should definitely buy one.

Laura Mercier Foundation Primer
I first tried this about 6 years ago and absolutely loved it. I can't fathom why I haven't bothered to repurchase it until now (umm the price?!) but I'm so glad that I did. Theres loads of different formulas of this primer so theres bound to be one to suit you but I opted for the original again as my skin isn't particularly oily or anything. Its such a nice primer to use, the smell is really lovely and you only need a small blob to do your whole face. I apply this after moisturiser but you can use it right after cleansing. It doesn't make my face feel really soft like Philosophy's The Present or completely hide my pores like Benefit's The Porefessional but it does make my foundation apply super smoothly and gives it the longest staying power out of any other primer.

Lush Ro's Argan Body Conditioner
If I have a shower at night I've been using my gorgeous new pistachio scented Laura Mercier products to moisturise with but if I have one in the morning, I don't really have much time to faff about with moisturising properly. Thats where this body conditioner comes into play. Its like a hair conditioner but for your body in that you use it after washing yourself with shower gel. You just apply it all over your body, wash it off and dry yourself as normal. It eliminates the need to moisturise afterwards, saving time & effort. Its filled with loads of great ingredients such as argan oil, cocoa butter, almond oil & shea butter so you can imagine how moisturising this product is. The best thing about it is the smell. It leaves your body smelling like fresh roses, in a nice non-grannyish way. I've not been excited about anything from Lush in a long time but this product is just awesome.

Illamasqua Translucent Loose Powder
It's happened. I think I've finally fallen out of love with my MAC MSF Natural as a setting powder. Its still great to use dusted over my whole face with some concealer if I'm in a rush but if I want something just to set my makeup with I've been reaching for this wonderful Illamasqua powder. I was tempted to buy the Laura Mercier translucent powder but I saw Tanya Burr using this in one of her videos and figured I'd give it a go. Plus its a good £10 cheaper than the Laura Mercier one for a bit more product. I have never tried a powder as soft and as silky as this one is. It completely disappears into the skin leaving the area matte and set in place all day long. This product is a godsend if you use a thick concealer like the Bobbi Brown ones. I no longer get any under eye creasing or racooning from my mascara. I also run a small amount over my T-zone to keep shine at bay. I'm just so in love with the finish this powder gives. It comes with a large powder puff but I use this with my Real Techniques Setting Brush which is perfect for precision powdering.



Mirai Nikki
When I was about 13 I used to be totally into anime. Infact my first foray into web design was when I used to create Pokemon & Sailor Moon fansites on Geocities. My love for Japanese cartoons has been reignited ever since I found some awesome anime streaming sites. I've watched through several series in just the past few weeks. My favourite new discovery is a show called Mirai Nikki which means Future Diary. Its in the same kinda vein as Death Note but with a hint of Battle Royale/The Hunger Games in that its a fight to the death. There are 12 competitors and the last one left alive will be crowned as the new God. Each person has a mobile phone which has a future diary on it so that they can see whats going to happen to them next & if they will be the next to die. Its up to them to change what is written in their diaries in order to survive. The main character is a middle school student called Yukiteru who soon becomes the favourite to win the game & the main target of the other competitors. The pink haired girl called Yuno is quite possibly the most psychotic anime character ever created. She falls in love with Yukiteru and will do whatever it takes to make sure that he wins. The twists are really unexpected and the OST is fab too. Its definitely a show I'm going to rewatch because the story is brilliant. I totally recommend watching it if you like anime.