Oh, Friday...

Dear Lush Keep It Fluffy Purple Bath Ballistic,

Thank you for being amazing. I had been looking forward to dropping you in a hot bath all day and you didn't let me down. Your delicious jasmine and warm vanilla soothed my aching muscles, moisturised my skin and melted away the stress from a week that can only be described as icky. I feel a gazillion times better (and a little bit sparklier) from having spent time with you.

Big love,
Elise

Dear Cleaner,

Apologies for the bath bomb residue in the bath. Im sure you'll have fun cleaning it up.

Sorry,
Elise

Congratulations to me? Congratulations to you!

This post here...the one you're reading right now...is a pretty important one. You know why? It's my 400th post. That's not something to sneeze at. That's 400 posts of blood, sweat, tears, rashes, pain and pure pleasure (on my part...I hope you're not in pain reading my blog!)

To celebrate this great milestone for me and the impending visit of my favourite North Pole dwelling gentleman, the good kids over at Lush are helping me celebrate with a limited-edition Christmas pack from Lush. You know I love me some Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics. The prize consists of three NEW Christmas bath ballistics, a sweet smelling piece of Angels Delight soap and it's all wrapped in Lush’s eco-friendly gift-wrapping service, The Knot Wrap that I wrote about a few days ago, which uses a vintage scarf to wrap gifts instead of paper and ribbon.

So...checklist...
Lil’ Lush Pud bath ballistic (pictured) - tick
Satsumo Santa bath ballistic - tick
Cinders bath ballistic - tick
Angels delight soap -tick
All wrapped in a beautiful vintage scarf, Lush Knot Wrap - double tick for awesomeness

All you have to do is enter your email address HERE and I'll do the draw at 5pm on Monday December 20th so that your prize gets to you in time for The Big Day.

Huge thanks to Lush for offering this great prize for me to give away and a huge thanks to you, my darling readers, who put up with my bad jokes, encourage me on twitter, leave great comments and remind me why I love blogging so much. Here's to 400 more great posts.

Note: Competition is open to Australian residents only - sorry! Prize will be drawn at 5pm on Monday December 20th using random.org.

.

No need to buy wrapping paper this year

You know how I always say ‘three’s a trend’? (I do, I swear) Well I’m just waiting for a third beauty brand to declare they are doing furoshiki this Christmas and then I can be all Trend Trend Trend. In the meantime, two of my favourite brands are doing furoshiki and I like it! (and let's be honest - it's my blog and if I didn't like it I probably wouldn't write about it. Duh)

Furoshiki is essentially a wrapping cloth that is knotted to carry clothes, groceries or lunches. It started in the bathhouses of Japan in the 1600’s when people knotted a piece of cloth to carry their clothes and toiletries. Those clever Japanese – always so practical.

At opposite ends of the stealth vs wealth scale, this Christmas both Lush and SK-II are offering incredible scarves artfully folded around their products as an alternative to gift wrap. Lush are using vintage scarves, and for $5.50 they are a bang-tidy alternative to paper. Pick your gift in store (their Christmas range is to die for – candy cane and gingerbread bubble bars! Mulled wine shower gel!) and one of the Lushettes will origami your scarf into a beautiful gift ready for you to give. Saves you time, paper, and you look creative!

Over at the SK-II counter, their Christmas coffrets are enveloped in divine silk scarves in the SK-II colours – deep burgundy, icy grey, silver and gold. These are very grown up gift sets chock full of cleansers, lotions and the famous treatment masks – perfect for sucking up to your Mother-In-Law.

So while one brand tips the $$$ scale and offers very grown up silk scarves, the other offers something for everyone and the vintage scarves are $. I like a trend that anyone can buy into.

If you want to attempt to tie your presents at home using furoshiki techniques, check out the Modern Furoshiki youtube channel – they make it so easy that even a klutz like me can nail it! Lush sent me a parcel tied up in a scarf and once I opened it I couldn’t figure out how to put it back together. Awkward.

SK-II
Price: Coffrets start at $99 and go up to $950
From: SK-II counters in Myerand David Jones

Lush
Price: Scarves are $5.50, products range in price
From: Lush stores

PS - Remember the Lush Lip Scrub that I was kind of obsessed with? They have a body wash in the same flavour/scent for Christmas called Snow Fairy. I have never wanted to lick myself so much, and I know that sounds dirty.

Some Lush products were offered to me for review, and they came wrapped in a scarf.

.

Was it really a good idea to send a sugar addict a sugar lip scrub?

A few weeks ago the good kids from Lush sent me a couple of different products to try out (thanks Lush!) Now either they know me too well or it was fate, because they sent me a product that was most definitely made with me in mind.

If you’re a regular reader then by now you would know I’m a sugar addict. Like, a full blown, need it in my veins, punch your mum for a Twix kind of addict. When I opened up the Lush Bubblegum Sugar Lip Scrub my pupils dilated and my heart beat a little bit faster...what a rush.

Think about it – a sugar lip scrub, flavoured with bubblegum. It’s like giving crack to Lindsay Lohan.

Beyond the obvious yummy factor, this is actually a really good lip scrub. I love wearing bold lipstick (my current favourites are the orange and fuschia from the Innoxa Couleurs D’ete Summer Matte Collection) and this gets rid of all the dead skin and smoothes my lips out without being harsh or abrasive. Plus, obviously, it tastes good. Call me predictable, but it’s a total winner in my book.

Price: $9.95
From: Lush
Why you need it: For smooth, healthy lips and a sugar rush


This product was offered to me for consideration

.

How *not* to DIY sauna steam experience

The hot babes from Lush sent me some stuff to try out last week and I was all 'awesome, I love Lush! Their stuff kicks ass'. Cos their stuff does kick ass. I know their stores can be a little overwhelming to visit because there are so many strong scents, but their products are so unique and creative, and way friendly to the environment.

One of the things they sent me was a Token To The Forest Gods Sauna Tab and, me being me, instead of reading the instructions I decided I would use the product how I saw fit. This didn't quite go to plan.

Lush recommend you drop the tab in the water of your finnish sauna, because who doesn't have one of those. However, if you live in reality, you use it as a steam toner by dropping it in a bowl of hot water and steaming your face with the beautiful grapefruit, orange and neroli oils - the ultimate pick me up.

Me? I turned my shower onto super scalding hot, threw the tab on the ground, turned the shower down and stepped into the steam. It worked, kind of. I sat down in the shower to be closer to the fizzing action, and my shower was definitely infused with the fresh zing, but I feel like I probably should have just popped it in some water and concentrated it on my face. There's a lesson in this: dogs aren't meant to eat chocolate. I mean, always follow the instructions. Sure, go crazy sometimes. But generally instructions are there for a reason.

Price: $1.95
From: Lush
Why you need it: To steam the impurities right out of your face! (as long as you do it right)

Picture credit: lush.com - this product was offered to me for consideration

.