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I’m going to start off stating that this is not my first time trying Damaged but it’s my second time. The first time, probably around two years ago, I was super excited to give a hot oil treatment a try because lord did my hair need it! It was dry and damaged (ba dum tss) and really needed some extra TLC. 

However, the old formula was a complete NIGHTMARE to melt down into the mixture. Not only that, but it gunked itself up in my hair and it had taken me shampooing three times to remove these gelatinous chunks out of my still dry and sad hair. I’m pretty sure I actually swore I would never try these damned things again.

Guess what! After reading for almost a year about the new formulas and how amazing they were I decided that I in fact WAS going to try these damned things again. So here we are!

So, for those of you who don’t know, aren’t sure, or have an idea but want to just read this little part because you’re procrastinating something superrrr important, Hot Oil Treatments are solid forms of treatments for your hair. They do things such as heal damaged (second ba dum tss) hair, give your hair an extreme dose of moisture, and give bounce and life back to your hair. They’re basically a superfood for your hair if that makes any sense. So, if your hair needs a little lovin’, it may be worth giving these little guys a shot, or sniff, whatever you want!

These Hot Oil Treatments come in a solid form (yay minimal packaging!) so what you need to do is obviously break it down into a form of custard or lotion. Think Mr. Dandy’s Hair Candy or Sleepy lotion consistency. I’m not going to lie, it can be very intimidating because the only instructions you get on the actual product are pictured above. I got a lot of anxiety from it because it sent me back to the nightmares of building IKEA furniture. I wish I measured the actual amount of water I added but I honestly took a giant risk lazily dumped a bunch of super hot water into the bowl, stirred, and prayed a little lot. I low key didn’t even heat the water in a pot like the instructions clearly depict in their creepily-similar-to-the-ikea-man instructions. I literally put a mug full of water in the microwave for three minutes. Because that’s how all great projects start; a microwave.

Once I stirred the correct (?) amount of water into this lovely mug with this super schnazy treatment on a stick and the consistency was that of a lotion but a tad thicker (see image below), the instructions say to let it cool. Now, I know we all like to play god sometimes, but trust me, let it cool. I burnt my fingers twice touching this stuff because I thought the instructions were stupid. Trust me. THEY’RE NOT. This stuff is thick, goopy, and hot. Don’t play with it. It will win.

Once the mixture’s cooled, you’re going to liberally apply it onto your hair. I don’t honestly know if it matters if your hair is dry or damp, but I did it dry. I soaked my hair with it, focusing on my ends. Once your hair is saturated, I left mine on for thirty minutes but I’ve read people leaving them on anywhere from thirty minutes to overnight. I suggest the longer the better for the best results.

Once your time is up and your hair is ready to be rinsed, give it a thorough rinse and shampoo as well. You’re going to want to shampoo to make sure any gunk is out. I conditioned afterwards, even though I feel like you might not have to but just to be safe! You’re going to feel how soft your hair is even when you’re shampooing it after. I was actually really shocked.

Even though I went into this treatment with a closed mind and preconceived notions because of the first time I tried it, I have to say I truly enjoyed it. I’d have to give it a four out of five bath bombs just because my hair really was softer and a lot less frizzy. It seemed to calm down the volume in my hair that was WAY too poofy before too which is awesome. The only reason I can’t give it five out of five bath bombs is because it’s been about five days and my hair has seemed to get oily quicker which I’m not a fan of at all. I may have used too much product.

Overall I’d suggest giving this a try if your hair is overly poofy, dry, damaged (last time I promise) or just could use an extra dose of moisture. It’s a great re-formulation for sure and I’ll be trying others in the future! Also, fun fact, if you have shoulder length hair like me you probably can get away with half the product. Just put the leftovers in the fridge in a closed container! They can apparently last up to three months! Just reheat and apply!

So I know it’s been a month or so since I posted, and I’m sorry everyone! It’s just really crazy with work and trying to have a good life balance as well. However, with all the insanity and stress, Lush knows how to give me something I can’t refuse. As we all know, the company has been going NUTS with discontinuations of products we’ve all grown to adore, and it’s been a bit hard not to think that they’ll never fill the voids that they left behind in our hearts.

About a week and a half ago, Lush brought some hope into our lives as they unveiled the Jelly Bombs and Jelly Face Masks. Both products are brand new and similar to the shower jellies, except they’re bath bombs and face masks! This is really innovative because not only did Lush never have anything like this before, but the market itself did not have anything of this kind before either, at least to my knowledge! These are brand new to the world of cosmetics and people freaked out, rightfully so! It’s not every day Lush unveils something completely brand new and even less often that they’re ready to go so quickly!

Let me just start by saying that this post isn’t going to get into reviewing any of these products, as that would just make a giant ass blog post that no one will want to sit and read through. It’d also be kind of hard to skim and find what exactly it is that you want. Instead, I’m going to just kind of go through what each product type is, and vaguely go into the scents! Other than that, I’ll try to get into each product within the next few days or week.

So, starting with the bath bombs, as I mentioned, Lush invented something called Jelly Bombs. They’re still bath bombs, except when they fizz and fill your tub with delightfully scented goodness, there will be a thin layer of jelly on top of the water in your bath. This sounds really gross at first, but in case you’re instantly worrying about the cleanup afterwards like I was, the jelly only lasts about five to ten minutes. After that it blends with the water, and creates an extremely softening and moisturizing bath water for you to enjoy! And hey, if you’re not too grossed out by the thought of jelly in your bath, you get to play around with it until it breaks up!

Lush created four scents for the first batch of these bombs,with what I imagine to be more on the way eventually! They are The Big Sleep, Green Coconut, Marmalade, and Dark Arts!

The Big Sleep is said to smell similar to Deep Sleep Shower Jelly obviously, which is primarily Lavender, Neroli, and Tonka Absolute! It’s definitely a scent for a night where you really need a good rest, or after a stressful week, so I might be using this one come next Sunday!

Green Coconut’s scent is full of Coconut Cream fragrance and Cinnamon, which sounds a bit strange, but trust me, it works so well! It smells like a sweet summer bonfire, which is definitely something I can get used to.

Dark Arts is a completely black bath bomb, which we’ve all been dying for. Finally, Lush makes a bomb the color and density of my soul. Anyway, the scent is comprised of almond oil, orange and cinnamon, which makes it more  of a mysteriously intoxicating scent. It’s hard to explain, but it’s deep and almost layers the orange with the cinnamon, so it’s neither too citrus or too spicy. It’s a very good balance. It’s also inspired by Harry Potter, so there’s that!

Lastly, Marmalade actually just came out today because of supplier issues, so I don’t have it yet so I’m just going to tell you the scent ingredients because I can’t give my opinion yet! It’s made up of citrus, citrus, citrus! With two kinds of orange and grapefruit oil as well, this one’s going to probably be my dream come true! I’m in love with citrus, so I can’t wait until mine get here!

On to the face masks! So, these are awesome because, I mean, come on they’re jelly. Jelly everything, please. Hear that Lush? Please? No? Okay...

Either way, the jelly is made with Carrageenan extract which comes from seaweed! It’s really calming and soothing for your skin, which is great especially in the summer. It’s also very moisturizing. The other best part about these masks is they last a lot longer than the fresh face masks,with a shelf life up to three months! So, for those of you that can’t get through a pot of face masks within the two weeks, try these out! Also, if you hate how dry masks feel on your face, these don’t really dry. Instead, you just keep them on for five to ten minutes, then rinse!

So, the five new face masks are FOMO, or fear of missing out, which is a calming calamine mask with a light Rose scent. This one is one of my favorites so far. Then, we have Just to Clarify, which is a really uplifting citrus scent, including Oranges, Papaya, and Bergamot! 1000 Millihelens is a brightening mask, with Witch Hazel and Green Tea. The tea is very prominent but in a great way! The Birth of Venus includes sea water, Lavender, and Rose, which combines to be a very fresh and uplifting scent! Lastly, Bunny Moon includes Honey, Chamomille and Vanilla in a blend that’s very soft, and light.

These are all really exciting new additions to the company, and I cannot wait to break all of these babies in! I’m a huge face mask fan, and just recently got into baths as well so I’m beyond ecstatic that this is happening and real! I’ll keep you all updated as I try each product!

As you all have noticed and known, I’ve been missing for quite a while from the blog world. It’s been a very trying and difficult past few months, but I’m finally at a place where I can take time once in a while and write a post or two. However, it being so long since I’ve posted, I may come across a few items that I forgot where or how I got them, so just bear with me guys! I’ll make it up to you, promise! 

So, onto some Lush reviews! I believe I came across the Salted Coconut Hand Scrub via the kitchen this year, and to be honest I didn’t have much expectation for it. I found it to be kind of stupid, and wondered why anyone would ever need a product like this. I know, very closed minded for me even. But regardless of my personal opinions, I decided to try it anyway. You know, in the name of, well, reviews? 

Hand scrubs are exactly what they sound like. They’re scrubs that take dead skin off of your hands, which is really useful especially if you’re someone who has problems with dry, flaky skin or a lot of calluses on your hands. You can imagine this to be similar to Lush’s body scrubs like Rub Rub Rub, except for your hands. This one in particular is meant for your hands instead of your body, and has a very warm scent to it, almost herbal. It doesn’t smell a whole lot like coconut, so if that’s why you were checking here, then it’s not what you’d expect. 

How To : So, I kind of spoiled the fun for you already, but I’ll still go over it again! To use a hand scrub, what you want to do is take about a dime to a nickel sized amount in wet hands. Once you have it, you want to scrub all over your hands for about a minute to a minute and a half. You want to get all over your hands evenly, so don’t be afraid to spend more time than I said doing this. It’s all up to you, and all depends on your hands really. Once you’re all lathered up and you feel ready, run your hands under warm water to rinse them off. Make sure to get all the product off, dry, and feel the difference! 

Scent : The scent at first comes off very herbal, but you also detect hints of vanilla in it which is a nice touch. After my first sniff however, the herbal scent turned into more of a floral one. It almost reminded me of Lord of Misrule Shower Cream at first, and then slowly went into a sweeter florally scent that I actually can’t tell if I like or not. It’s not that it’s overly bold. It’s just that it seems a bit overplayed, and a bit strange for your hands. I also was expecting more of a coconut scent since the name, but what I got was the almost complete opposite. It’s not a bad scent, just not what I was expecting or wanting from the product. 

Vegan : Yes!

Try Outs : I broke this one out in my sink, obviously not the shower. I really came into this trial having little to no hopes for the product, as I kind of almost found it stupid and way too extra in a way. I decided to give it a shot, and I got a nickel sized amount in my hands wet. Lush says to use a larger amount, but unless you have giant hands, I think you’re good with a smaller amount. So, I rubbed it all over my hands for about a minute, making sure I got every inch, and rinsed in warm water. I felt my hands, and they felt ever the slightest smoother after I dried them, but nothing crazy! Maybe it’s because I’ve never really had dry hands or anything of the sort, but I just didn’t get wowed by this one sadly. 

Ingredients :  Fine Sea Salt, Glycerine, Fresh Lemon Infusion, Organic Silken Tofu, Japan Wax, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Argan Oil, Cupuacu Butter, Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, Perfume, Neroli Oil, Hydroxycitronellal, Amyl Cinnamal, Geraniol, Farnesol, Limonene, Linalool.

Rating : Overall, I think the thought of the product was a good idea. I know I said I didn’t find it useful at all, and for the most part thought it was very extra, but I know there are people out there who have excessively dry skin that probably drive them insane. For those people, I could imagine this to be a godsend of a product, especially because of the moisturizing qualities it has as well. However, for me personally, I don’t think it’s very useful or worth the money as I don’t have these problems. 

I thought the scent was very off compared to what I imagined and or expected from the product name. I imagined I would have a lovely coconut scent, maybe even with caramel or vanilla. What I got was a light vanilla scent, that went from herbal to floral, which was a big let down. 

It’s really exciting when the Kitchen comes up with a brand new item. In this case, they decided to test the sparkling waters with a new line of body conditioners. They included a bunch of hot selling scents that catered to almost everyone’s needs. Lord of Misrule, The Comforter, Big Blue, Sultana of Skin and Butterball were the first ones ever to hit the market, and people freaked out. I decided to start fueling a new addiction by taking a chance with the Lord of Misrule body conditioner, as it was a scent I was most familiar with at the time and felt I couldn’t go wrong.  

The scent is shared with Lord of Misrule Bath Bomb and Lord of Misrule Shower Cream, favorites from the Christmas season. It’s a Patchouli based scent that’s not only spicy, but sensual and sexy. It’s a really amazing scent for a cold Winter night, so now’s definitely the time for this one! This one’s out of the Kitchen currently, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get it on Ebay, Amazon, Reddit, or Facebook trade groups! 

How To : Body Conditioners are an in shower version of a lotion. Think Nivea In Shower Body Lotion, but Lush, and a little bit thicker. Just like a lotion, you apply this directly to your skin while in the shower. I prefer to use this after I cleanse my skin with either my shower gel or jellies, almost as a final cleanse and moisturizer in one! After you cleanse yourself to your liking, apply a pea sized amount of this directly to your skin. It’ll feel really softening and thick. Once it’s been on for about a minute, rinse it off like you would any other cleanser. I like to leave mine on while I rinse conditioner out of my hair so it’s on my skin for a few minutes, almost like Retread but for your skin!

Scent : Patchouli is one of the best ingredients Lush includes in their products. Scented just like Lord of Misrule bath bomb and Lord of Misrule Shower Cream, this new product is destined to succeed in taking you to a new world of sensual, spicy bliss. The sensual experience that this scent delivers is quite honestly amazing. I was never a fan of spicy, earthy scents until I smelled Lord of Misrule Shower Cream this year, and I was beyond pleased. I knew I would instantly love this in a body conditioner, so I didn’t hesitate to make it my first selection when I saw the body conditioners were announced. I was right, and this one is the perfect shower cream if you want to relax after a long day. It most reminds me of a forest, as strange as that sounds. Patchouli faintly reminds me of a pine kind of scent, so I always think of a calm, relaxing winter night in. Either way, if you were looking for a spicier body conditioner, this is the one for you.

Vegan : Yes!

Try Outs : I was a little taken back by how large this container is! It’s probably around twice the size of the regular shower smoothies, so you’re definitely getting bang for your buck with this. I brought this one right into my shower, and got to cleansing. I wanted to make sure I was thoroughly clean so I could best enjoy the experience I was about to take part in. Once I was clean, I applied a liberal amount of it to my arms, and started to rub it all on myself. I immediately noticed it was a LOT thicker than the regular shower smoothies, and I was pleased. I was hoping it would be even more moisturizing than them for the price, and it delivered!

The scent was also really strong in the shower, compared to the not as impressive power of the scent when smelled in the container. I know a lot of people were complaining about how weak the scent was when they opened it, but trust me, when you apply this to your skin in the shower it is strong! It made my entire shower have that deliciously spicy Lord of Misrule scent that I’ve come to adore, and I was excited to see how long it would last afterwards.

Once I rinsed off and got out of the shower, I got to drying, excited to see the finished results of my work. Shockingly enough, my skin was so moisturized! Like, better than my lotions moisturized. Not only was I moisturized, I wasn’t sticky with that residue a lot of lotions leave behind for an hour. I was completely dry and smooth. The scent also lasted around five hours after I showered, and even after that it was faintly there. The smoothness of my body lasted for around two days as well, which is incredible in my opinion.

Ingredients :  Water, Organic Jojoba Oil, Glycerine, Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter, Fair Trade Shea Butter, Stearic Acid, Cetearyl Alcohol, Triethanolamine, Black Pepper Oil, Patchouli Oil, Vanilla Absolute, *Limonene, Perfume.

Jojoba Oil is amazing for softening and moisturizing, which makes it a key ingredient in the body conditioner line. Along with Jojoba Oil, Shea Butter and Cocoa Butter are also excellent moisturizers. The Black Pepper Oil and Patchouli Oil both team up to give this body conditioner its amazingly sexy and sexual scent.

So this week I discovered a great little Shampoo Bar from the kitchen I got a few weeks ago called Irresistible Bliss! I’m usually really excited when shampoo bars come into the Kitchen because I don’t see it as often as other items, so I tend to snag them as soon as I see them. You could definitely say I’m a bit of a hoarder I guess, but to each their own! It also is this really cute pinkish red color, so it was perfect for Valentine’s Day! Again, I’m a sucker for really anything Lush, so I’m sorry. This Shampoo Bar is full of Neroli and Jasmine, and Lush says its perfect for everyday, normal hair, so if that’s you, you’re in luck!

The scent is floral based, and is very light. If you’re not a fan of overpowering smells, this one may actually be a better option for you than some of the other Shampoo Bars. It’s really a great scent for someone who showers at night, as it’s actually very comforting and relaxing, which makes sense because of the Jasmine. Because this is a Kitchen item, if you missed it you still can get your hands on it. You just would have to check either the Lush Cosmetics subreddit, Facebook groups, or Ebay and Amazon.com! Always keep in mind Shampoo Bars cost usually from $9 to $13 dollars, so never allow yourself to get robbed by resellers! There is always someone somewhere who is selling honestly! 

How To : If you’ve never used a Shampoo Bar before, what they are is a shampoo for your hair, just compacted in a solid form for convenience. It’s a great for saving space since you don’t need a bunch of big plastic bottles if you want to stock up on a Kitchen shampoo for example, and they’re also awesome for traveling since you can just put it in your carry on or checked bag in a little Lush Shampoo Bar Tin! To use these, all you have to do is wet your hair thoroughly in the shower or bath before you use it, then rub it on your hair directly! I find it best to make sure my hair is completely soaked, since once I get to the other half of my hair, it’s a little less soaked than the rest. Weird, I know! If you prefer, you can also rub these bars on your hands, and then apply the lather to your head! Once you have a lather to your liking, you can rub your hair like crazy! You may not think these lather like liquid shampoos, but they definitely do! Once you’re done, rinse and condition!

Scent : The first thing I thought of when I was giving this one a smell was actually kind of weird. It almost reminded me of a really faint detergent smell, which may be a turn off for some people. I do still smell the floral though, so don’t think it’s a chemical smell because it’s definitely not! Think of it as a sexy, cruelty free Tide! It’s just more of a floral clean smell if that makes sense! It’s a pretty scent, but I just wish there was more of it because it takes a lot to pick up what the scent actually is, which is a little annoying. Then again, I’m a fan of very strong, in your face smells, so I would take that into consideration as well! The Neroli Oil gives it a very nice smell, but the Jasmine Absolute is for sure the stronger scent in this product! It gives it that delightful floral scent that I love so much. 

Vegan :  Yes!

Try Outs : I got right to work and broke this Shampoo Bar in, because I know I had to get right to reviewing! This one lathers so well, which I was very happy with. It created a rich, fluffy lather almost instantly, which is very impressive! The lather also smelt incredible, which was very pleasing since the bar itself isn’t the strongest of scents. The lather felt very cleansing, and I didn’t have to use as much as the other Shampoo Bars, which means this one will go a lot longer! My bars usually last around two months, so I could see this one lasting me almost three, which is great for the low price that these are compared to liquid shampoos. When I rinsed my hair, I had the squeaky clean so many of you aim for. However,  I noticed my hair was a little more tangled and almost too clean if that makes sense, which concerned me a bit. When my hair dried, it was a little on the drier side, but as I said earlier this is for normal hair, so maybe it wasn’t meant for my exact hair type. My hair was a little knotted as well, which is not what I’m used to. 

Ingredients :  Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Perfume, Neroli Oil, Jasmine Absolute, Lilial, Linalool, Colour 14700.

Like I mentioned before, the two key ingredients here are the Neroli Oil and the Jasmine Absolute which both work together flawlessly to give this a delightful clean, floral scent. It’s not the strongest scent, but it’s definitely one that is refreshing and calming, which makes this Shampoo Bar one I would love to use at night before bed!