the snuggliest kind of night

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of SlipperFairy.com. All opinions are 100% mine.

Lights off, snuggled up in bed in my most comfortable pjs, candles flickering in the background... this my favorite kind of night. Sometimes I look forward to this all day, and then I cuddle up with a good book or a romantic movie. Every now and then it seems that blogging is just the thing to put me in that zen mood. There is something very relaxing about writing on this blog, and this is really the only time that I write - the middle of the night. So here I am, happily typing and sipping on my chicken noodle soup.

Speaking of being very comfortable, I am currently loving a particularly snuggly find of mine. They are my slippers - and I am in love. I was actually sent a couple of pairs over Thanksgiving break to try out, but I immediately realized I wanted to buy my mom a few. I have two favorite pairs - my pink flip flop slippers and my little furry booties. The flip flop ones have a quarter inch of memory foam in it, which is definitely enough to sink down into. It kinda gives me that "ahhh" feeling, you know? I don't think the booties have memory foam in them but they are still quite comfy and more "fashionable" than the flip flop slippers (at least in my mind). These are machine washable and very durable, so for those of you that love slippers they would really great to try.

To be quite honest, my mom has always had this weird phobia of her feet touching the ground, so I grew up with her always telling me to wear slippers or shoes. I think I rebelled a little and tried to walk around barefoot all the time, but as I've gotten older I have started to appreciate a comfy slipper on my feet. (does that mean I am turning into my mom?) (on second thought that's not so bad considering she is the cutest mom ever).

The company that makes these slippers, Dearfoams, caught my attention with this cute little contest they are having called the Slipper Fairy. It's basically a "let's give away tons of free slippers" contest. You can win up to 15 pairs of free slippers by entering in one of 4 ways:

• Tweet it: You just tweet about who you'd like to give the @dearfoams to this holiday season. You have to include the hashtag #slipperfairy
• Say it: talk about who you would give the slippers to in a youtube video and submit it to the site.
• Sing it: Sing the Slipper Fairy song on youtube and submit it to the site.
• Match it: Play instantly on the site.

The match it option is really simple, you just type in your email and see if you instantly win slippers for you and your friends.

I would really appreciate opinions on which ones to order my mom for Christmas. I want to get her two pairs, but I don't know which ones. I think the ones that are my favorites might be to young for her, so I think I will pick her out something different. Feel free to leave suggestions for what you think she would like (or what you would give your mom)!

The Slipper Fairy is also donating 500 pairs of slippers to US military families who have loved ones overseas in our name (mine and all of you reading this blog!), which is amazing and very, very generous. I really want to thank them for that, because they did not have to do that, and I REALLY think that the recipients are going to love them.

I am down to my very last noodle...mmmm soup :) I like to pretend that the weather is cold outside, since it is December after all, but alas... LA is quite warm. Somehow it still manages to feel like Christmas though; when I was at the mall earlier they were playing holiday music and it made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. So on that note... I am going to burrow down and zzz. Goodnight!

xoxo

Elle Fowler

Forever21 Makeup? Swatches and Review

Last time I was at Forever21 with my sister I picked up a little eyeshadow set to try. I've never tried any beauty products from this store before, so I wasn't sure what to expect, and to be quite honest I didn't have high expectations. The palette cost $6.80 (VERY inexpensive) for 10 shadow colors. Here are some pictures of the colors plus the chic clutch it comes in.

I filmed a haul video for the items I purchased (which will go up tomorrow) and while showing off this set I decided to swatch one of the colors... and realized that it had amazing pigmentation. Here are all the colors swatched on NW20 skin with Urban Decay Primer Potion as a base:

The colors are beautiful! This particular palette is a bit pink heavy but they had other palettes with more neutral colors. I looked online and didn't see this one, so it might be that every store has slightly different ones. This one is from their "Love and Beauty" line and I think it is a great deal for $6.80. The colors are creamy (not super powdery) and have a beautiful shimmer to them. They blend easily and came right off with a MAC wipe. Not only would I completely recommend this palette, but I will be picking up more shadow sets from Forever21 in the future. I think they are incredible quality for a super low cost.

One gripe is the packaging... not the super cute clutch case but the actual plastic packaging the product came in... mine was super beat up and looked like the palette had been thrown around a lot (they all looked like that) but that is hardly a gripe when the product is so great.

Overall thoughts? Worth it!

Product purchased by me.

Elle Fowler

ZPalette Review

For the last few years MAC palettes have been my choice for shadow organization, and in many ways they still are. They are affordable, easy to find (if you live near a MAC), and classic... I love the look of my little black MAC palettes all stacked up. I actually use a DVD holder from the container store to organize them which I find works really well. That being said, I have found another palette company that has been giving my little mac ones some competition. I will quickly insert a picture of a filled up MAC palette vs. a filled up ZPalette:

MAC Palette filled with 15 shadows: (note that you can pop the casing out and fit many more shadows if that interests you... personally I have always been scared to break my palettes). (P.S. I actually feel like saying "awww" when I look at this well loved palette).

Leopard ZPalette filled with 26 shadows:

ZPalette with the lid open (I went picture happy):

The MAC palettes are $14 and the ZPalettes are $20. I like that the ZPalettes have a clear lid so you can see the colors that are in it - I have labeled my mac palettes but sometimes the shadows get switched up and then I can never find what I'm looking for! The entire bottom of the ZPalette is magnetic so you can slap a magnet on the back of any shaped shadow or blush and put it in there. The two palettes are the exact same size, and the Zpalette comes in different colors. I'm loving the leopard print - feels much younger and trendier than solid black. It also comes in a smaller size that holds nine MAC shadows: (MAC also has a palette that holds 4 shadows).

Overall thoughts? I like the ZPalette a lot, and will use it especially when I travel since it fits so much. It is a bit more pricy than the MAC palettes but it feels really sturdy so I think that it would be durable. Another pro is that it won't look as dirty as the black mac palettes - mine get so dusty! I will be using these palettes and might buy a few, but as for completely switching my loyalties? Not yet... we will see :)

ZPalette: http://www.zpalette.com

Mac Palette: http://www.maccosmetics.com

ZPalette received for review consideration.

illumenature Candle Review

Hey guys! I am currently sick in bed with what could possibly be the flu (bad Blair for getting me sick) so I can't film tonight. Therefore I figured a blog post was in order. I was sitting here noodling over what I could review when I spotted my two candles happily burning on my dresser, and thought, "I know I talked about these in my April Favorites but I will do a blog review as well". If you haven't seen my April Favorites video you can watch it here; I give away 2 of these candles, but please do not comment any "enter me's" on this blog - only on my YouTube video :)



So I was sent 6 scents, and for time purposes I only described 4 of them in my video. I will quickly describe each one, and tell you my favorites. These are available at www.illumenature.com.


The first one is my favorite, and one that I am currently burning. It is called Cinnamon Sticks. This one has the scent of cinnamon bark and spicy yumminess. It smells exactly like big red gum. I didn't burn this one right away, I just let it sit in my room with the lid open, but when I lit it up it immediately grew in scent intensity. I took this picture RIGHT after I lit it, so it hasn't even formed a puddle yet, but it smells marvelous. I will purchase this one when it runs out. One thing I like is how streamlined these candles are, they don't look "homemade" at all.




My next favorite is the Banana Nutbread. This one smells of banana, brown sugar, and vanilla. It is a sweet smelling, cake-like scent, one that would be good in the kitchen. Obviously I am burning mine in my bedroom currently along with Cinnamon Sticks, because I love sweet, food smelling candles. I actually especially love banana nutbread, my mom makes the best banana nutbread around, but she only makes it in the fall. Maybe I will pester her and get her to make me some tomorrow. "Mom, I'm soooooo sick. I have the flu and the ONLY thing I can eat is your banana nutbread....".

Hahaha I am playing, I wouldn't use her like that, but it does sound tasty!



The next one is a scent I'm sure everyone recognizes, Japanese Cherry Blossom. It smells just like the one from Bath and Body Works, but I am not complaining because it is one of my all time favorite scents. It is a clean scent, slightly floral and very feminine. Plus, the candle itself is pretty; and I am one to judge on those things. I am big on packaging, and if it is not pleasing to the eye I don't want it as decor. The ones from Bath and Body Works are pretty as well, which is why I purchase from them often.






The next one is one I chose not to review on my April favorites, but it is still a nice scent. It is called Citrus Basil. This one smells exactly as it sounds - exceptionally citrusy. It smells like lemon, lime, orange and grapefruit, all mixed into one candle, with a bit of basil leaf. This one I would keep confined to my kitchen or bathroom, just because I like my bedroom to have a softer, more feminine and romantic scent to it. I like it though; it smells very clean and fresh.





Next is Chestnut and Brown Sugar, which smells deceivingly like banana nutbread at first, but once you smell them closely it has its own unique scent. It smells of caramel, chestnuts, vanilla and brown sugar. It is another cake-y scent, smelling like baked goods straight out of the oven. It is a bit less sweet than banana nutbread, but still smells nice and I would recommend it if you like that type of scent.






The last one is my least favorite, but I could see some people enjoying it. It is Lavender, which is a scent that I am so-so about in general. Lavender is great to use at bedtime, because it naturally makes you sleepy and relaxed. I use lavender sometimes in my baths, but it is just not a scent I am personally that attracted to. This one reminds me of laundry detergent - not in a bad way, just a clean, lavender way. It is a fresh scent, and if you are a big lavender fan then the scent is true to its' name.


So that's all of them! For reference, mine are the 8oz size, so they are $11.99 each. They are also available in a 20oz.

Speak soon,
Elle Fowler

Press On TOENAILS?!

As a beauty girl, I like stepping over the bounds of ordinary to try new trends. This isn't a far extreme, but I like to think it's something most people wouldn't consider. Everyone has dabbled with press on nails, but press on toes? Very peculiar...

Regardless, I gave it a try. I spotted the box at my local drugstore and was immediately intrigued by the picture of the foot on the box; the nails were so perfect. We are not talking long extension nails here... just very nice, normal looking french pedicure toes. In a box! Some people are not a fan of the french tip for toes but I ALWAYS have mine painted in the french style. Every now and then I spring for a fun color, like hot pink, but I always tire of it and want it french tipped again (just my toes, my nails always have fun colors).

This press on set happens to be from my favorite press on nail brand, so I decided to give it a try. Plus, I have been in a nail mood lately, and just filmed a video today on my YouTube channel about the various types of nails:




I brought the box home, excited but a bit wary, and proceeded to give them a try. I was a little predisposed to dislike them, just because it is SUCH a weird concept, but I was determined to give them a fair shot. I stuck them on, taking my time to ensure the right fit for each toe, but there wasn't one for my pinky toe. They were all too long and looked like I had a freak toe (not the look I was trying to achieve, btw). My box came with complete with little flower decals, so I went all out and decorated my toenails and then went to show them off to my friends.

Let's just say they are a FREAK. CONCEPT. I felt totally bizarre the whole day, and they kept getting caught in my socks that night. I didn't notice it during the day because I wore flip flops so I could rock my tacky looking toes but I think they would feel uncomfortable in shoes. I took them off the next day, thinking they were just one step too unusual for me.

Overall opinion: nice to try, but probably will never touch them again. You might like them for a one off occasion, like prom, but don't be too concerned if you do not have the right fit for your pinky toe. You do not have a deformed toe. Broadway just doesn't make them little enough! Also, please forgive me for not attaching a picture of my toes - I find that a bit too much. I don't really like feet, lol.

Now I am off to watch last night's "The Hills" season premier and then possibly the Sex and the City movie (Blair bought it for me for no reason - nice sister). I am quite enjoying this blog, I hope you guys are as well :)

Speak soon,
Elle Fowler

Down to the final 2...

Yes, that's right! I am down to my final two on project 10 lush, and let me tell you - I am quite pleased. I already have my wish list going of what I am going to try next, cough Jasmine Henna Fluff cough. They also have these amazing looking Sugar Lip Scrubs that are new on their site that I'm sure smell SCRUMPTIOUS! I personally want to try the sweet lips scent (milk chocolate yumminess!).

Anyway, as a quick catch up I will fill you in on what I have completed to date:
The highlighted ones are the ones that have mini reviews, so you can read about the individual products - I did not love all of them!
Gnome Name Bubble Bar
Ma Bar Bubble Bar
Blackberry Bath Bomb - I LOVED THIS ONE! Read the review! Do it! Do it!
Lil Lush Pud Bath Bomb
Honey I washed the kids soap
Therapy Massage Bar
Flosty Gritter Bubble Bar
Angel's Delight Soap

I finished the 9th one up tonight! I suppose I could be finished with project 10 lush since I used a product (cinders bath bomb) the night before I officially "started" this mission but I will be diligent and not cheat. I need to finish one more before I get to have a mini haul, and believe me... there will be a video :)

So the one I finished up tonight is the Comforter Bubble Bar. I have purchased this one over and over - it is truly one of my favorites. Lush claims it is big enough for 2 baths - I use it for 4-5 baths easily. It makes luscious bubbles and smells amazing, so soft and comforting. I will be repurchasing this one, I like to always have a piece for when I am in the right mood. For those 21 and over - a glass of wine and this bubble bar makes for a very happy girl.

That means one left! Then I get to do a lush haul! Project 10 pan update - I have mostly finished up a few more items, but honestly I am not being as diligent as I am for project 10 lush. I haven't bought any new products, but I have been sent stuff so it seems like I am cheating. I have been trying out new stuff and not concentrating on using up the old, but I am still trudging along! I recently went through ALL my mascaras and threw all but a few away, all ones that are under 2 months old (anything older than 3 months should be tossed anyway - eye infection alert!). I might be doing a blog sale soon to clear some more stuff out just because my collection is way too big for one person.

Let's see... any more news...
I will be posting videos more frequently (I hope!) starting this week, I have a bit of a traveling break so I want to film, film, film. Look for one Wednesday.

Chat soon,
Elle Fowler

Flowerpot Dwellers

I am sitting at an airport (alone might I add - I hate traveling alone) so I am going to amuse myself by having a quick ramble. In about 3 hours I will be landing in NYC and heading to my hotel, where I will proceed to nap for a couple hours and then spend the day exploring the city. As you guys might remember, I lived in Manhattan last summer so I'm familiar enough with it to feel comfortable trampoozling around alone (even if it's only 4 square blocks from my hotel). Speaking of traveling, I have an absolute problem with overpacking, so today I compensated by packing practically nothing, which means I will have to make a quick stop at a drugstore to buy completely necessary things that I thought I could leave behind. You would think I would know myself better than that.


I'm getting quite tired of Project 10 Lush; I finished up two more products, bringing the total to 8, but there are still 2 to go. I completed my therapy massage bar and my honey I washed the kids soap. Both of these products I have purchased on several occasions, so there isn't anything new to tell you about them, but I still very much enjoyed them. I especially like honey I washed the kids soap, it's one of my all time favorite products (I love the lil honeycomb on the top!).


On a totally different note, I realized this morning, for the first time, that I have no more sensitivity in my eyes from my Lasik. I was sitting in the half dark, applying my Mac paint pot when I noticed that I was rubbing about and didn't feel anything! It took about a month to get back to this point, so I am quite excited about it. I also noticed that I now have better far away vision then up close vision, which is very strange for me (but I like it!). So mini update: yes I would still recommend it, yes I think it was worth it :)

This morning I went running about trying to say goodbye to my cats but I couldn't find Bella. Bear was running around under my feet, trying to sneak into my suitcase or my car but Bella was hiding. I finally found her in a flowerpot in the front yard, sitting in the dirt. Weirdo cat. You are not a flower. She looked very serene and happy, like that was her happy spot. To each their own, unusual creature.

Ahhh I need a new book. I finished all the house of night books that are out, so I have a new book with me for the flight - I hope it is good! It's called "Need". We are boarding now, maybe I will post again tonight since I will be bored in the hotel!

Elle Fowler

Belle Ame Bath Products Haul

Recently I was sent a box of goodies in the mail by a bath and body company. Before I get started on my haul and review I want to mention that I get sent bath products often, since I am quite addicted to anything relaxing, and rarely do I find a company that I reach for over Lush. That being said, I have really been enjoying this selection of yummy smelling goodies, so I wanted to share my thoughts with you all. I did some research on the company, and I like that they do not test on animals, and that each item is hand packaged with love. Even the picture of the store is adorable - I want to visit it!

The first item that I tried was the Honey Almond Foaming Body Scrub which is a salt scrubby dub with major moisturizing properties. It is $14.95 for an 8 oz. jar. This scrub is made up of shea butter, salt, jasmine, vitamin E, chamomile, and other soothing ingredients that feel and smell great. This is a great exfoliater, and my skin felt very soft and smooth after using it. You don't need a ton of product for the whole body, and I like how it foams up into a light lather as you are scrubbing. Before this I was using Lush's porridge soap to exfoliate but that one does not lather up at all, and it is a little too harsh for my skin. This one was not too abrasive, which I really liked. I like the scent as well - you guys know how I am about my Honey bath products. The scent lingered on my skin for the entire day, and I kept getting whiffs of it as I moved around. I must admit it looks a little deceiving, (kinda gross), but don't be fooled! It does not smell like it looks :)





The next item I tried was the Oatmeal, Milk & Honey Shower Gel. Could this one sound any more yummy?! Geez, I want to eat it! I absolutely love the packaging for this one, all wine bottle shaped and glamorous. It is $9.95 for a 12 oz. bottle. My thoughts? I love the smell, but I can't say 100% that it smells like the name implies. There is definitely a hint of oatmeal and sweetness, but I can't exactly pinpoint another scent in the shower gel. Regardless I really like the scent, and I like how the products foams up. Just like the Honey Almond Scrub it produces a nice, thick lather that Lush products simply do not do. Sometimes I feel like I am getting cleaner if my product foams up, even if it's just in my head.


Another product that I must rave about is the Goat's Milk and Honey Lavish Lotion. I LOVE the scent of this one. I can't even pinpoint it, it just smells very girlie and perfume like. I have dry skin so I am always looking for a thick and great smelling lotion to infuse moisture back into my skin. This is what the blurb on the site says "Lavish is our modern, sophisticated and feminine fragrance. Our Lavish Lotion is made with Goat’s Milk, Honey and Shea Butter. Goat's milk naturally moisturizes, hydrates and nourishes skin and is high in protein and vitamin A. Honey is naturally rich in anti-oxidants and has anti-inflammatory properties, and Shea Butter is a wonderful natural moisturizer. This thick and luxurious lotion is easily absorbed by the skin, avoiding any greasy residue, and leaving a wonderfully silky feeling that lets you know that you are taking care of your skin." For $9.95 for an 8 oz. bottle it's not very expensive, and I would really recommend this one, I LOVE it! I wouldn't mind a perfume in this scent, to be honest, and I think I am going to order the bubble bath in this scent. Mmmm... girlie perfumed bubbles... sounds relaxing :)


I was also sent one of their bath bombs, the Stop and Smell the Roses scent. This is a rose scented luxurious bath bomb that is supposed to remind you to stop and smell the roses every now and then. Speaking of, when Blair and I were in LA a few weeks back we were walking past a gorgeous flower garden and I stopped to smell one of the flowers, which Blair thought was VERY odd. She made an annoyed huff and I got startled and a honeysuckle went right up my nose. I think the idea is nice, but maybe I will keep my nose to myself when I am around Blair. I haven't used this bath bomb yet because I am saving it for when I really need to relax, but my initial thoughts are that it is pretty and smells exactly as it should. It is $4.95 for the little one, and looks like it has real rose petals infused into that bath bomb, which is always fun :) This one has Kaolin Clay in it to help draw out impurities with Vitamin E and Omega 3 fatty acids to help soothe your skin. I can't wait to use this one, I will let you guys how I like it.


I also got 3 soaps. I like all 3 of them for different reasons, and it is hard to decide which is my favorite, but if I had to pick 1 it would be the "Island Spa" scent. This one is a combination of Honeysuckle, Clary Sage and Mango - again with the honey scents! This company obviously knows me well to pick all these honey smells :) I can most definitely smell the honey suckle in this one and a tad bit of mango (which is one of my favorite fruits), but I don't know what Clary Sage is supposed to smell like so I can't be of much help there (LOL!). It has shea butter to moisturize and a layer of oatmeal to help soften the skin, and has a little seashell on the top of the soap, which I think is a nice little touch. You can bathe with this soap and set the seashell on the side of your tub and think of the beach. This soap is really nice, and not like anything that can be duped at lush - I will be purchasing one once I run out.

The other two I received are Citrus Crush and Fujian White Tea. Citrus Crush comes with a little Glycerin Orange slice tied to the top. I think I am a major sucker for these little details - the orange slice is reason enough for me to fall in love with this soap. This one is very fresh and clean feeling, and is the type of soap I would reach for in the mornings to invigorate me. I has grapefruit, lemon, and orange essential oils, and is a very pretty soap, if you know what I mean. I like the look of this one on the side of my tub.

Fujian White Tea is a very light and sweet scent that smells as you would imagine it to - a little like white tea. It has little poppy seeds in it that help exfoliate your skin and the scent lingers on your skin after you use it. It is moisturizing and soothing, and the type of soap that you could use morning or night - on one hand it is rejuvenating, but it is also soothing.

The soaps are $5.95 each and I used stock photos from the site since mine are cut up and used. My overall thoughts on this company is that I really liked everything I received, and I will be placing my own order soon. I love the Lavish scent, so I might try it in a few more products (like the bubble bath!), and since I adore all 3 soaps I think I will try a few more of those. I might use the rose bath bomb tonight - I'll keep you posted on Twitter @ellefowler.

xoxo everyone, let me know if you have tried anything or if you order anything from here!
Elle Fowler

a pink glittery mess of fun

While diligently taking inventory of my ever dwindling lush stash I came across a gem I had forgotten about (that is why project 10 lush is fun - finding products you forgot about!). I spotted this glittery piece of pink love and decided to try it out. It's called Flosty Gritter and it is a bubble bar, so its like a solid bubble bath bar... thing.

My first impression of this was "prettttyyyyy" but as soon as I picked it up I wondered if it would create a huge mess. Glitter immediately got all over my fingers and ended up on my jeans, so I think a normal person would have thought it was too messy and put it back. Not me though, I bought one right away.

I must admit, this makes quite a mess when it is dry. I was a bit skeptical of it, as pretty as it is, and was scared to use it at first. I ran my water, broke this in half, and started to crumble it up. My water instantly turned a pretty baby pink, and the glitter pretty much disappeared. It did NOT get all over my skin and create chaos as I halfway expected. It had a light scent of cotton candy but was not overpowering at all. Here is the online blurb:
"If you're in the mood for something sweet and comforting, crumble this luxurious bar under your tap and revel in dazzling swirls of pink sparkles and fluffy white bubbles. The fragrance is delectably soft vanilla with lavender, similar to our American Cream conditioner and solid perfume. Whether you're planning a night in with chick flicks and manicures or a girls' night out on the town, start with a Flosty Gritter bubble bath.".

Bottom line - I love the scent, I love the color, and I love the glitter. It screams Elle in my opinion, and for that reason alone I will probably repurchase this in the near future :) If the dry glitter is going to bother you I would stay away from it, and don't expect it to be the most soothing of lush products, it's more of a fun lets-soak-in-a-pink-glittery-mess type bath product.

That brings me up to number 6 on project 10 lush! I have a few more that are nearing completion, and I can assure you that you will see a Lush haul as soon as the project is finished. There are a few Lush hair products I have been eyeing, including the Marilyn hair mask for blonde hair and the Jasmine and Henna Fluff Faze which is a deeply conditioning jasmine scented hair luxury. Has anyone tried either of these? Any good?

xoxo
Elle Fowler

Who Dunnit???

While watering my bouquet of flowers tonight I discovered a disturbingly ancient pattern of flowers droppings around my vase. Naturally, my first thought was CROP CIRCLES! ALIENS! But then I came to my senses and remembered to think logically. Take a look at this picture -------------->

Now, there are two things that could be going on here. The flowers did not just drop gracefully down in pattern form, all facing outward. No... larger forces are at work here. There are two explanations, in my opinion. The first one is that Booga the pottery elephant has been messing with my flowers. I must admit he looks very guilty in this picture, as if he was caught "red-handed".

The second explanation I must look into is that Bear might be chomping on my flowers. Now, given that he is a monster of a cat, being part mountain lion and part firefly/sloth, I don't see how he could be nimble enough to get up there behind the vase without knocking it over. You can't tell from the picture, but I don't even see how he could have gotten up there! There is not a lot of room at all! Highly suspect... I am more likely to blame the elephant, to be quite honest.

I think Bear knows I suspect him, because he is being very cuddly right now. Let me insert an insanely fluffy picture to the left. He is all "ur's": Fur, Purr, and kinda a blurr.

You guys tell me. Was it Booga, Bear, Aliens, or something totally different?

On a side note, while writing this blog I tried to type "in my opinion" and blogger automatically corrected it to "in my onionskin". Hahahahaha good job Blogger - I'm not sure how common that phrase is, but I'm glad it's there for me when I need it most.


On a slightly more serious note (as if LUSH is serious):
Tonight I was finally feeling up for a nice bath so I mustered up the energy to walk over and start up the water. I chose a Lil Lush Pud Bath Bombfrom my slowly dwindling lush stash (which I have to remind myself is the point of Project 10 Lush), and got in. I decided to wear my goggles because I do not trust myself not to splash about like a 5 year old, and I couldn't risk getting water in my freshly cut open eyeballs (which feel fine, but still... don't wanna dislodge those flaps!). I wore sunglasses in the house all day and felt completely ridiculous, but it was nothing compared to how I felt with my goggles in the water.

Hello!!! It is not a swimming pool, Elle!

So I sat in the water with my book (still chiseling away at The Lost Symbol) and waited for the water to fill up, and then I plopped this baby in. Before I review it let me tell you my "before ponderings". I have been avoiding use of this bath bomb in favor of, for lack of a better description... prettier ones? It is not the best looking bath bomb lush makes... let's just be honest. This is from their holiday collection, hence the Christmas holly design, and is supposed to smell like Holiday pudding. It smells nice, sweet and soft, and I assumed it would be an enjoyable, if a bit boring bath bomb. Tonight was the perfect night to use it; I wasn't in the mood for a really exciting one, I just wanted something relaxing.

This is what the Lush site says:
"Looks like a pudding, smells like a pudding, fizzes like a spicy Bath Ball. It's perfect for nursing your hangover. Clove powder warms and stimulates, as aloe vera and rose calm and soothe suffering skins. Lemon peel adds a sharp citrus zing to the Ball and creates part of the authentic Christmas pudding aroma."

My thoughts? It smells nice, but the smell goes away in the water much too quickly, and the scent doesn't linger on your skin like other bath bombs do. I CAN smell it on my skin, but I just took the bath two hours ago. I doubt I will be able to smell it in the morning like I could with my Blackberry Bath bomb - review here. It fizzed up WAY too quickly - it was one of those ones. It turned the water a weird tan color, which was a bit offputting, and it was just kinda... boring. Just like I suspected it would be. Nothing exciting, not something I would necessarily buy again, but it was okay. I don't have the price off hand, since it is only available during the holidays, but it would be on the cheaper end since it was one of the smaller bath bombs.

Overall thoughts: It's nice, but just kinda blah. If I was given another one as a gift, I would use it and enjoy it, but I would probably save my money for something a bit more exciting in the future. This brings me up to number 5 on Project 10 Lush.

Quick Project 10 Pan Update: I haven't made any progress because I haven't been wearing any makeup at all the past couple days, but I haven't bought anything new either, so that's good! Project 10 Lush has been very successful though!

Elle Fowler

a shoe tub and a bath bomb

Project 10 Lush seems to be speeding on by, but I think it's because I am using up some of the bath items, which are used up in 1-3 baths most of the time. I don't have a bath tub at my house, so when I am visiting my parents house I definitely make the most of my tub. I have always wanted a tub with little feet on it, like this one ------>
I think they are so romantic and old fashioned, I just love them! I perused on Google for awhile, totally content to look at these clawfoot tubs when I came across this:




That's right. A shoe. Tub. A shoe tub. The most ingenious development ever. It is from SICIS and starts at $17,000. Not really in ANYONES budget for a tub..shoe...thing, but I still love it. I'm sure in the long run I would rather have a little clawfoot tub, but I very much would enjoy bathing in a shoe tub as well. And this is coming from a girl who doesn't have a tub at all. Poor me. (I'm kidding. Kind of.)




Tonight I took a bath (in my sadly normal tub) with my Lush Blackberry Bath Bomb, which costs $5.80. I normally try to split my lush items up into multiple baths, but this time I used the whole thing. With my eye surgery being tomorrow, I wanted to pamper myself a little bit more than usual. This one looked like a cartoon bomb you would see in an old Tom and Jerry episode, complete with the word "bomb" on it. (Ingenious, right? Someone at lush is a whipper snapper). Here is the blurb from the Lush website: "Blackberry smells deliciously fruity like blackcurrant, balanced out by frankincense which lends a certain air of mystery to the bath. Imagine sitting near the sea on a warm Mediterranean day, inhaling the perfume of the flowering trees as it mingles with the exotic smokey incense trailing from the Egyptian trade-boat harbored far beneath you. That's the smell of a Blackberry bath: comforting, serene, and subtly beautiful." I filled my bath up, plopped this baby in, and let it fizz up as I read my book. It smelled very floral, and not very blackberry like, but I liked it anyway. It smelled like violets, stronger than most bath bombs I have tried. It turned my water a light purple color, but it was more of a pretty lavender than a gross omg-my-bathwater-is-black-looking color. I read as I listened to it fizz and relaxed to the floral scent... when I saw a little piece of paper floating in the water.

Yes. My bath bomb had a little paper baby. Fo reals.

I got really excited at this point and almost dropped my book in the tub, so I forced myself to calmly put my book to safety before rescuing my runway paper baby. And guess what it said?

"Boom Boom".

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA oh the irony of my little cartoon "bomb". I love it. That alone would be a reason to repurchase the bath bomb. Good job Lush. I am thoroughly enjoying Project 10 Lush, because I am savoring each product even more than normal. I am working on a few more products that are taking a bit longer, like some bar soaps and massage bars, but that's a good thing - it means they last awhile, and are worth the money I spent on them.

So now I am off to read and sleep so I can be semi-rested for tomorrow. Overall thoughts? I will be repurchasing this bath bomb :)

Elle Fowler

Face Primers - Yay or Nay?

Over the last year I have tried many face primers, thinking that they were an integral part of my daily routine that I was most certainly missing out on. I assumed that they were like eye primer - a step that I find impossible to leave out now, or I feel that something is missing. For the record, I use either a Mac paint pot or Urban Decay Primer Potion for my eye primer 99% of the time. I really do feel that eye primer makes a difference in the consistency, color, and wear of the eye shadow. I have always assumed that a face primer would work the same way, and once I found the right one I would always wonder how I "ever lived without it".

As far as face primers go, I have tried silicone based primers, such as Smashbox Photofinish and Mac's Prep and Prime only to find that I am definitely allergic to something in these (the silicone maybe?). I break out into little white bumps that go away within 48 hours of discontinuing use of the primer. This has happened to me with certain foundations too, like Mac's Studio Fix Fluid and Nars liquid foundations.

I have also tried non silicone based ones, like Bare Escenutals Skin Rev-ver Upper, which is not a typical primer but basically is the same concept, and my newest one, Laura Mercier's Hydrating Primer. The Laura Mercier one apparently does contain silicone in it, even though I was told it did not when I bought it. It has an ingredient in it called "dimethicone" which is a silicone oil. Now... call me a hypochondriac but as soon as I found out it does indeed contain silicone I discovered a breakout on my forehead. Was it the primer or my imagination? Let's just say after continuing the use of the primer the breakout went away - so I'm not sure.

Even beyond the breaking out part, I have never really thought primers... did that much. I don't really understand the hype - in my opinion it makes my foundation apply worse! Obviously I just haven't found the right one, but I hate buying them over and over again only to be disappointed.

So my question is, are face primers that important? Does anyone have one that is part of their routine that they would never skip? Am I really missing out? And lastly - does anyone have one that does NOT contain silicone?

Elle Fowler

Another Lush Item Down!

Continuing with Project 10 Lush, I have used up a second product. This one took me two baths to use up, since I broke it in half. And it is.... (da da da DA!)






My thoughts? It's a bit pricey at $7.65, even for two baths. That's almost 4 dollars a bath. That being said, I really did enjoy this one. It smells like my favorite soap from lush, Honey I Washed The Kids, all honey and sweetness. It made a ton of bubbles that filled up my bath and lasted while I read my book (The Lost Symbol - Dan Brown). One weird thing though - the brown side kind of crumbled up on the bottom of my tub, I had to keep smooshing the pieces so they would dissolve and make more bubbles. Would I repurchase? Probably at some point in the future I will, but for now I will keep chugging along with Project 10 Lush. I did enjoy this one very much, as honey is one of my very favorite scents in bath land :) I recommend using this one at night, since it is quite soft and soothing smelling.

So that is 2 lush products down, 8 to go. I am currently using up my second therapy massage bar, which I have a review on here, and a soap from Christmas - Angel's Delight, which I quite like. I will review each product as I finish it up. I am already planning which items I wish to purchase when Project 10 Lush is over, which is probably bad of me since the whole reason I am doing this project is because I have accumulated too many products. However, I really want to try out a hair product or two and maybe ocean salt scrub for the summer. If there are any products you absolutely love and haven't heard me talk about, let me know so I can give them a try!

On a quite different note, the Bachelor, "Jason and Molly's Wedding" was on last night. I was not able to catch it on TV, but I'm thinking of watching it online - was it worth it? They were not my favorite couple, but I do love weddings! Anyone who saw it - let me know what you think.

Elle Fowler

a haul of a different sort

Last night I was pondering over this blog, thinking about how I have had it for ages but never really have gotten into posting on a regular basis. I actually quite like writing, so this blog is a nice little 10 mins out of my day. I think it should be a regular thing :) This posting is about books, so if you aren't into that sort of thing feel free to skip over this one!

While I was visiting home I made a quick stop at the bookstore, picking up 3 books. The first is part of a series I have been reading for awhile, the House of Night. I got Untamed, the 4th book. The House of Night is like a mixture of vampire saga with Harry Potter - it's about these vampire's who go to a school together, but they possess witch qualities too. It's a unique mix, and interesting even though it's completely a tween series - reading level of about 8th grade. I recommend it though if you are into that type of story.


The second book is The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown. I have read two of his other books, The DaVinci Code, and Angels and Demons. The DaVinci code was FANTASTIC! If you haven't read it I strongly recommend it. Even if you have seen the movie, and didn't particularly enjoy it, I would still try out the book. I have found that movies rarely match the strength of the book, so I never judge a book by its movie counterpart.

Angels and Demons wasn't that great. I read it years ago, so I don't really remember it but it didn't grab me the way I like a book to. If I remember correctly, Angels and Demons was a prequel to The DaVinci Code, and The Lost Symbol is a Sequel. It was number 1 on the New York Times Best Seller List for 6 weeks, and stayed near the top. I'm excited to read this one.


The last book I picked up was one I had never heard about - it's called Need, by Carrie Jones. The sales clerk at the bookstore recommended this one to me as I was checking out, so I figured I would give it a try. I don't know much about it, but I'll let you guys know if it is any good.

If you guys have any books you would like to recommend I am all ears! Leave a comment if you would like :)

- Elle Fowler

Annoyed over a deodorant

I am sitting here completely annoyed over the fact that I ruined a perfectly good (and brand new) deodorant. I was puttering around my room, unpacking from my trip and trying to get ready for a LONG day of class tomorrow (and I was avoiding studying for my exam). I decided to open up the deodorant I just purchased and get it all ready for morning. You know how you have to click it about a hundred times before any products comes through the little holes? So I sat there, click click clicking while watching the Bachelor make his "hardest decision ever" when the stuff starts oozing through. Already having deodorant on, I did what any sensible person would do... took a cotton pad to wipe up the excess off the top.

STOP!

DO NOT REPEAT AT HOME!

Talk about an utter fail. The top of the bottle looks like it has sprouted feathers. I literally have a chicken sitting on top of my deodorant. The cotton ball stuck to that bottle like I had tar and feathered it. I tried wiping it clean with a wet wash cloth - it only served to make matters worse.

On another annoying note, Kroger brand cotton pads are absolutely horrible. They are very, very stringy and fuzzy. I wouldn't recommend trying to be a cheapie there (like myself).

I have been trying to save money lately, which probably is why I am so annoyed over my new pet chicken and Mr. Fuzz pads. I need to start project 10 pan. Project 10 lush has begun. See 2 posts below for more info on these. My first lush item used? Gnome Name Bubble Bar. Do I recommend it? Errr.... probably not. Here is my mini review:

Gnome Name: from the Christmas collection, which comes out every year. This bubble bar turned my water red (which was more creepy than festive) and made lots of lush, white bubbles, no pun intended. It had a nice, light smell, but it wasn't as fragrant as some other lush products I have used. I used it just like a regular bubble bar, crumbling it under the running water until it was all dissolved. Would I repurchase? Probably not... just because of the creepy red water. As a reader observed... "Looks like the little guy died in there".

Elle Fowler

a nice surprise

Last night I took a long bath, and I decided to use my Cinders bath bomb from Lush. I have been saving this one for several reasons. First of all, the scent is completely captivating, all cinnamon and orange. Second of all, this bath bomb claims to make crackling noises as in dissolves just like the sound a fire would make on a cold night. So, naturally I saved it for a "rainy" day. It has been freezing and snowy for the last several days so I figured last night was the perfect night to use it.

As soon as my bath was filled with steamy water I plopped this baby in. Now, before I explain what happened next let me say that lush has two types of bath bombs. Some of them dissolve slowly, like the "So White" bath bomb. That one dissolved so slowly I was ready to get out before it was done. Unfortunately, they are not all like this. A few I have tried dissolve as soon as they hit the water, and before you know what's happening they are all used up. Cinders fell in the latter category, and I was quite disappointed. The worst part? No crackling :(

But then... luck changed! Before I knew it the crackling started, and I noticed the water had turned a nice orange color. The smell was amazing, and the crackling went on for longer than expected. I can still smell Cinders on my skin. Bottom Line? Yes, I would repurchase this one, but not to use on a night where I want to lay around in a bath for hours on end. This was a fun little bath bomb. I wish Lush made more stuff in this scent! $3.95.