Lush | July Favourites

Over the last couple of week's I've felt really stressed out and it's taken a toll on my health. I used to let this stress build up inside until it would completely take over. Now, when I recognise the symptoms, I try to nip it in the bud and take care of myself. With that in mind, my recent visit to Lush was all about finding products that I could use to relax when taking some time out.

First, I ran a hot bath using Rose Jam Bubbleroon (£3.95). The 'Bubbleroon' is shaped like a macaron and looks good enough to eat! I only had to use half of this bar in my bath to change the water a pretty pink and create so many bubbles! It has a gorgeous floral scent from the rose and geranium oil and made my skin feel and smell delicious afterwards. It was such a lovely product to use! It definitely helped create a relaxing atmosphere.

I also used the Ceridwen's Cauldron Bath Melt (£4.95 / 80g). I kept the melt in the muslin pouch so I could use it again. The scent of frankincense, rose and sandalwood worked really well with Rose Jam. I loved using the pouch to scrub my skin and give myself a mini-massage. I also tried this out in the shower and felt it worked just as well!

The facemasks in Lush are my favourite - they leave me feeling so fresh faced! I decided to try out the BB Seaweed Face Mask (£6.95 / 75g) as it's a good overall mask for cleansing and reviving. It's a really hard working mask and I was really impressed with the results as my skin felt so refreshed afterwards.

For the first time, I tried out a massage bar! I actually thought Shades of Earl Grey Massage Bar (£5.95) was soap when I bought it (oops!) but I had to try it because it just smells so good! Unlike the name suggests, it doesn't smell of tea - it has a gorgeous citrus scent. I got the bf to give me a massage with it and it was just fantastic. It melts at body temperature and I found it so easy to use.

Have you tried any of these products? What did you think?

Primark | Affordable Essentials + Bits

In my experience, there are some products out there that don't need ribbons and bows, they just need to work. Certain brands will market these products with gorgeous packaging and buzz words but ultimately there really isn't a difference in quality between high end and bog standard. That's why I stock up on a lot of my essentials at Primark. It's cheap but the quality is the same. It's also good for buying a couple of non-essentials without breaking the bank!

There are several items from the Primark PS Love range that I find myself buying again and again. The Nail Polish Remover (£1) and Round Cosmetic Pads (50p) are two such items! The polish remover is 300ml so the bottle takes me ages to use up and I really can't tell the difference between this and more expensive polish removers. The cosmetic pads are also such a bargain. There are so many uses for these and recently I find I go through a packet quite quickly so I really appreciate the price.

The PS Love Facial Cleansing Wipes are also a favourite of mine. I chose to get Cucumber Facial Cleansing Wipes and Deep Facial Cleansing Wipes (both are currently £1 for two packets of 25 wipes/ 50 wipes total). Again, I go through these really quickly. I do find some brands a little harsh on my face but I don't have a reaction to these and they are perfect for quickly removing makeup.

I was really pleased to find these plain Black Elastic Hair Bands (£1). 50 in a pack may sound excessive to some but these go missing in my flat all the time! I know I've given a few to friends when they need one but the majority have been stolen by the cat! These are my favourite bands as they are so basic - plain black, a selection of thick and thin, excellent quality. They don't have the metal bit that pulls out my hair and very rarely does the elastic break inside them (and that's after a lot of wear).

I also got a really cute PS Love Gel Eye Mask (£1). You pop the mask in the fridge to cool it before wearing it and it soothes the skin around your eyes. I found this mask to be a little awkward to put on but once it was actually on it felt really relaxing. It will be perfect for coming home after work or when relaxing with a face mask!

As I've said, Primark is also great for non essentials! I bought a couple of beauty bits from the PS Love range just to experiment. The PS Love Matte Nail Polish in Lavendar Ice (£1.50) was just too good an offer to pass up. The colour is absolutely gorgeous, really neutral and would go with anything.

The PS Love Blush Stick in Peach (£1.50) was a complete wild card! I wasn't sure if my pale skin was going to suit this, however it applied thinner than I thought which is perfect as I can build up the colour. It's also a really lovely shade of orange, quite pink and very pale.

While I was there, I got a couple of interior bits for the flat. The Pink Bubble Candle (£4) has a very subtle citrus scent. The pink jar holding the candle is huge! It's also really cute and cheerful. The Copper LED lights (£6) are such a find - I love the geometric shape, they look really good lit up!

PS Love my cat. He was 'feline' curious!

Have you got any good bargains at Primark recently? Where do you stock up on your essential items?