Skin Care

Today Jessica RD of Just Another Beauty Blog shares why it pays to venture inside fragrant stores.

Here’s the story with me and LUSH: I’ve walked past the brand for 10 years, covering my nose each time I’d walk by one of their stores because I just couldn’t stand the strong smell (if you’ve ever walked by one, you know what I mean!).

I’d never even stepped inside, but one day I read in a magazine about LUSH Massage bars and thought the idea sounded pretty cool, so I decided to hold my breath and give it a try.

I am SO glad I did!

First, LUSH Massage bars can be used for much more than mere massage.

Other ways to use LUSH massage bars

• Use it all over your body for intense moisturizing that leaves you smooth until you wash it off
• Dab it on your lips for an ultra-soothing lip balm
• Pre-shaving if you don’t have water around
• Post-shaving to sooth irritation and dryness
• As an air-freshener; leave it on your counter, and it will fill the room with its scent
• Melt a bit in your hands, and put on gloves overnight for that just-manicured softness
• And, of course, let it melt a bit, and use it for massages!

So quite a few uses — and those are just the ones I discovered!

These bars are so luxurious. They melt by the warmth of your skin and are the single most intense moisturizer I’ve ever used!

You can purchase them online from lushusa.com or lush.ca, or from your local LUSH store or counter. The prices vary somewhat for the different bars, but they all cost between $8-9USD each.

Bargain

When you buy any two, LUSH will throw in a tin to store them in (I recommend this because they can get a little messy on a hot day, leaving residue on your counter), but a good ol’ soap dish works just as well.

Natural

Keep in mind LUSH’s wonderful tradition of fresh, handmade cosmetics from natural and organic sources. These bars are something you can feel good about slathering all over!

Here are a few of the ones I love…

Soft Coeur

This tiny heart-shaped massage bar was a hit around Valentine’s Day, and with real chunks of chocolate in it, how could I have ever resisted? This one’s definitely the richest of the bars I’ve tried; perhaps a little too rich for everyday moisturizing, but perfect as a luscious lip balm. The scent is nice, but you just don’t get enough for the price! It’s pretty — but I’d try a different one first. B+

Nutts

The scent is just like it sounds — a very strong nutty, cocoa-butter smell which might be a little overpowering for some. The bar melts fast, which makes it great for massages or moisturizing quickly on the go, and the oval shape fits perfectly into the massage bar tin. A

Mange Too

With honey and white chocolate, this is the bar I leave out to fill my room with its wonderful aroma. It’s also one of the biggest bars available and lasts a long time.

The bar stays fairly solid, which is great when moisturizing all over (you don’t want it goopy!); however, the only downside is the honeycomb shape doesn’t fit into either the square or the oval tin… which is why I cut mine in half! Other than that it gets top marks for the amazing scent. A

Others that people are raving about…

Therapy

Made with organic Neroli oil. It delivers a more aromatherapeutic scent (instead of one that makes you crave dessert), while also helping to reduce stretch marks!

Heavanilli

It’s the latest addition to the LUSH massage bar collection and one I am dying to try! If you love the scent of vanilla, you may not be able to take your hands off this one!

Let me know

Let me know what you guys think of LUSH Massage bars and if you’d recommend any other LUSH products!

Oh, and about the store, once you’re inside it only takes about 20 seconds to get accustomed to the smell 🙂

This post was written by Jessica RD of Just Another Beauty Blog. When she isn’t blogging or creating video makeup tutorials, you’ll find her studying to be a doctor, beautifying others as a freelance makeup artist or working in a medical office. She loves MAC, NARS, Benefit, NYX, Coastal Scents and Covergirl.

Today MBB reader Jane in Philly shares two great drugstore products for baby and mommy.

Hello, Beautiful Women! I’m really excited to be writing a guest post for this blog. I’ve only recently discovered MMB, so I’ve been doing lots of catching up on past posts and searching for how-to’s and tips. MMB is my guilty pleasure.

My husband thinks it’s silly how people can be so passionate about cosmetics enough to blog about them. Little does he know just HOW MUCH exists in cyberspace about a particular lipstick (e.g., MAC’s Lollipop Loving), let alone everything else that people buy, use, and review.

Anyway, here’s a look at two products I’d like to call “Good for Baby, good for Mommy.”

Pregnancy, labor and delivery, recovery, breastfeeding — those were probably the greatest physical challenges I’ve ever endured, even more than running a marathon! For all you moms out there, you know what I mean.

Now my daughter is almost a year old — how time flies! Over the past year, I’ve come across several “beauty gems” that I would not have discovered had it not been for my sweet baby girl. 🙂

Aveeno Baby Calming Comfort Lotion

I love this lotion! I should stock up on it in case Aveeno goes bust or something equally tragic happens.

FOR BABY: I use it to give my baby a massage after her bath. The lavender scent is subtle and pleasant and doesn’t scream “I’ll make you smell good!” like other baby products do. And there’s something about lavender that really does seem to calm her down for bedtime, especially when she’s feeling under the weather.

FOR MOMMY: I started using it myself when I accidentally squeezed too much from the tube. I rubbed the excess on my elbows and knees. After that night, I started squeezing A LOT more out of the tube, and not by accident anymore! 🙂

I love what it does to my dry skin, especially the skin on my legs and arms. The texture is just right — not too thick, not too slippery. It’s so much better than Johnson & Johnson’s baby lotion in lavender, which I used before getting Aveeno’s. J&J’s lotion is filmy and the scent is too much. The texture feels thin, slick, and doesn’t seem to absorb into my skin — it just sits there (ironically, Aveeno’s parent company is J&J).

I’m becoming more loyal to Aveeno (also check out their suncare products as well as their daily moisturizing lotion with SPF — perfect for year-round sun protection, which I need!).

Eucerin Aquaphor Healing Ointment

This does it ALL. I found it at my pediatrician’s office. I picked up a handful of tiny sample tubes (no shame!), along with some coupons.

FOR BABY: I’ve been using it since my daughter was about a week old, primarily for her cute little baby bum, and for what it’s worth, she’s never had a diaper rash. I also use it when she scratches herself with her fingernails (I know… I’m terrible about not clipping her nails regularly, but if you’re a new mom, you know it’s not easy!). The scratches heal quickly and are very mild for her delicate skin. She’s never shown any adverse reactions to it.

FOR MOMMY: I’m not ashamed to admit that I made it a habit to pick up Aquaphor samples every time my little one has an appointment. I like to have samples with me everywhere — purse, diaper bag, office desk drawer, car console, jacket pocket, bedside table. They’re as ubiquitous in my household as lip balm and diaper wipes.

Aquaphor works wonders on my feet (especially the heels) after a shower, and it’s awesome on chapped, dry lips in winter.

My favorite use of all? — running. I need Aquaphor when I’m going beyond 10 miles because there’s a good chance I’ll chafe and get yucky blisters. Before I head out, I’ll put some wherever my skin rubs — underneath my sports bra, in the groin area, around the waist, even underneath my ipod armstrap.

It’s especially important when I’m running marathons, where my arms and legs make the same repetitive motions for about 3 hours and 55 minutes.

Now it’s time for all of you to chime in, especially you fabulous new moms! Which baby products have you found useful for your own beauty needs?

This post was written by Jane, lover of Revlon and MAC, high school teacher and mommy to a smiley 1-year-old daughter in love with green peas. Jane has been wearing makeup since high school but credits blogs with turning her into a full-on makeup addict.