Just a quicky to let you all know i am now on twitter under the tag @LouLou_Lushbomb.
Drop me a like, if you like 🙂 You can also follow my other project LilBlu’s Thankyou that promotes kindness and celebrates those who help others.
Mucho Love
LilBlu xxx
A Catherine wheel of a bath bomb. It changes colour as it fizzes, crackling with popping candy as it goes and releasing first a citrussy apple and then a cinnamon, apple pie like scent with a hint of ylang ylang. Petitgrain is used in aromatherapy to calm the breathing, slow the heartbeat and reduce feelings of anxiety. Ylang ylang produces a feeling of joy, and cinnamon leaf oil helps you let go.
https://uk.lush.com/products/fizzbanger
I originally chose this LushBomb for my partner who suffers with anxiety. He had a few days off booked so i wanted to get it off to a good start by booking him in for a massage & getting him a few bits to unwind at home. The Fizzbanger sounded perfect so i ordered two. In the past he has used my bath bombs before me and ive then had to wait to test it myself. This way i was free to test it at my leisure. I’m glad i did too, as it was this week i discovered that we were to be effected by the Government caps and so money was going to be tough as of next month. It really did do the trick too. In the same way the Yoga Bomb and Sacred Lotus had.
This had total 5 star entertainment value too. It danced around the bath making lovely patterns as others had before and it crackled with the popping candy. At the very end it released a ‘Bang’ which floated on top of the beautiful emerald-green water. The emerald green was beautiful and one of my favorite features, reminding me of the emerald city. However, Little did i know on ordering it but this LushBomb was inspired by Roald Dhal’s book The BFG, which as a child i have loved. Though as i told the Lush employee who told me this that a ‘wizzbang’ was the term he used for breaking wind but we’ll gloss oer that as it was so relaxing. I didn’t want to get out & i slept so well that night.
I would certainly recommend this to EVERYONE. Its amazing.
‘Dragon’s Egg makes bathtime exciting as it fizzes and crackles and changes the colour of your water to a gorgeous citrusy gold. Its scent is reminiscent of lemon sherbet, with a hint of jasmine, leaving you feeling great and ready for a good day. Its citrus scents leave you feeling transformed and invigorated.’
https://uk.lush.com/products/dragons-egg
I think it was the Game Of Thrones/Middle Earth geek in me that drew me to the Dragons Egg bath bomb. It certainly was a spectacle and smelt amazing but for me it was missing the finale. It started off well it fizzed quite quickly and the popping candy gave it an amazing fiery feel to it. As the ‘egg’ turned in the water it started oozing a glittery orange bubbles and as it spun made a really nice pattern on top of the water. The room started to fill with the smell of lemon sherbet which just awoke my inner child. The water under the bubbles was glittery and golden and i noticed transparent egg shares floating in the bath. These egg shapes later just turned into ‘gung’ and started making me quite uneasy and i did question if something had gone wrong with the coca butter but once i fished it out all was well again.
As i lie there in the golden water i contemplated if bath bombs were named and then made or made and then named. The reason behind this was because i couldn’t work out why there was no finale. Its like and amazing film with an unconcluded ending. I came to the conclusion, however that the Dragons Egg was named after it was made as thinking of it from that perspective made it more exciting. If you were given the name and created the egg around it, surly you would have put a dragon in it somewhere? The actual reason was that the Dragons Egg was one of the first bath bombs to have glitter in so the glitter was the finale. This certainly settled my mind as dragons love gold so this certainly was a treat for those used not non-sparkly bath bombs.
All in all i liked this bomb, it had some great qualities and smelt really lovely and full of nostalgia. I think this would appeal to a geeky friend who may not already be a lush fan and those who love citrus baths. I feel it would have been better with a representation of a dragon in the centre but i can settle for glitter.
There are times when i start to feel that stress is just a compulsory part of everyday life. Something we wish would bugger off but put up with all the same. I think i can be as bold to say that it affects us all daily? There are just different degrees of severity dependent on our situation & the moment in time. We stress about the day-to-day issues life spits out at us like money, work & general domestics but these are out weighed by health issues of us & our loved ones both physical & mental. But then there are situations, experiences that leave footprints in our minds and leave us with delayed stress and it take a lot to move forwards. To be frank i think if i tried to categorize all the different ways & things that can promote stress i would need to publish a self-help book rather than a blog post, but i think i have given some varied examples so i’ll stop there.
I think, at this point i should state that apart from basic first aid and spending a few of my younger years as a pool lifeguard & St Johns Ambulance volunteer i have no official medical training, so everything i am writing about is drawn from my own personal experiences & (unless stated) personal observations of stress, anxiety & mental health. If you are worried about stress, anxiety or mental health it’s always best to speak to your GP. They’ll listen & point you to ways you can help yourself, they did for me at any rate.
The dictionary definition for ‘Stress’ (as a noun, in this context) is; “A state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or demanding circumstances.” It is worry, it is anxiety, it is nervousness & strain. It is a state of mind that is niggling & uncomfortable & one we should all keep an eye on. I understand we are not all as prone to stress as the next person & i have even known people to boast ‘i don’t get stressed’ which i am partly very sceptical about and also partly impressed by.
I think your first battle, with any mental health issue identifying you are experiencing it. Then admitting it to yourself & asking others for support (this is sometimes the hardest part). There maybe some of you who are thinking this is very obvious and there is no way you wouldn’t realise something like that. I would say remember we are all different, we all handle things like this differently. There maybe times when your mind is getting so engulfed by a stress bubble it is not always easy or simple to identify the symptoms because the direct everyday causes are taking up all your focus. For me, its a times when it all stops, like in the shower, waiting in line at the store or walking to my next meeting or appointment. I tend to refer to it as ‘down time’. I stop and let my mind just daydream, after a few moments i start to feel calmer, relaxed & i realised just how high my stress levels had got. So, it is important to kick-back and relax daily. In fact i would go as far as saying it is certainly a massive part of healthy living because your mental health is just as important as your physical health & if you neglect one it will always affect the other.
I thought i would give some of my own tried and tested tips to help;
Keeping a balanced diet really helps, so get a little of everything that is important, this includes carbs as well as Fruit & Veg. Also i try not to eat once i am full or just before i go to bed and drink plenty of plain old boring water.
2. Treat yourself
Whatever it is for you, treat yourself but don’t over indulge. For me once a week (usually a Friday) i have an ‘indulgence day’ and i treat myself to some chocolate goodness. I think sometimes quitting something you enjoy cold Turkey can really effect you, more than you would realise so, for me a little treat once a week is a good way to keep smiling.
3. Go outside
Cabin fever is never a good thing and getting out , especially first thing is a great way to detox your mind. Fresh air, before the hussel and bussel of the busy day starts. Just the birds and the trees. It really does dust of the cobwebs.
4. Excercise
I swear by this and i often say that Zumba saved my life. When i was at my lowest point ever it go me out the house, it got me socializing, it got me fit, it also gave me a way to physically fight the stress. No matter how bad things got, i always made myself do excercise & i would always feel better for it.
5. Talk to people
People will always surprise you. By just being open about your issues, people know you are struggling and 9 times out of ten will do what they can to help. Remember, people won’t help if they don’t know so be open & honest and be grateful for their efforts, no matter how small.
6. Take a break
So very important. especially if you have deadlines and are cramming everything in. Take breaks throughout the day & take yourself away from your desk, revision or whatever it is your working on. Physically go to another place & do something unrelated. You will find your head will be a lot less prone to error and relaxed. If you have had a busy few months and notice you a getting stressed take a whole day out, no matter what. Book a day off and spend time doing something stress free. When you return you will find things easier and clearer than before.
7. Me time
Do something that makes you happy. This is where the LushBombs come into it. Kicking back and finding time to daydream.
8. Lists
Oh, i love my lists. It’s a way of taking control & helping yourself. I always start with a list of what i want to change in my life, then i write a second list of where i would like to be. My next list is the first step i will take to get myself from list one to list two.When the first steps are complete write the next step until you have achieved your goals. It really helps to see your progress & how far you have come.
9. Helping Others
With my project LilBlu’sThankyou i do what i can to promote kindness and celebrate those who help others, so i am constantly looking for examples of people who are helping others. One thing that comes up a lot are people who help others as a means to improve their own life. This is totally missing the point. Yes helping others does help you but this will only work if you are doing it for sake of goodness & because you truly want to help. If you are doing it for your own self-gratification, i do not think you will find any benefits in it. The way it helps you is by knowing someones better for because you did something to make a difference. It should not be selfish. So pay compliments, respond to social media posts, be kind, be giving, offer your time and attention and most importantly really listen to them.
10. Hug someone
Obviously only hug someone if they want to hug you back. but sometimes all you need is a hug from the right person at the right time to make it all go away.
As i said before these are just my tips, it is not for everyone. There are many resources online you can search. I tend to stick to trusted websites such as the charities mind & Anxiety UK. The NHS website also has a few good ‘stress buster’ tips of their own that may help (link below) It is certainly worth a look.
I hope you have found this post helpful or informative. Lush as a company have amazing ethics and they really go out of their way to help people. This is what has drawn me to them and want to review their products. So i am going to take a leaf out of their book and extend my own project LilBlu’s Thankyou by including posts such as this to raise awareness for stress and anxiety which is something that affects a number of people i love and live with.
Stay happy & healthy
LilBlu x
‘Ever wondered what bathing in deep space would be like? Invite the cosmos into your bathroom with this sexy, interstellar bomb and become the guardian of your own galaxy. An awesome mix of refreshing peppermint and neon colour sends your mood rocketing, while popping candy takes you on a trip around the Milky Way. Constellations swirl and pop, creating vibrant lustre vortexes in the night sky. Before you leap too far, rogue layers of vetivert and cedarwood take hold, evoking the warmth of human contact far from home and a hint of 80s aftershave. Return from your intergalactic brief encounter as the grounding scent brings you gently back from orbit.’
https://uk.lush.com/products/intergalactic
Wow, what a show!
This one was similar to twilight with a bit more glitter, which i stupidly hadn’t realised before letting my partner try the bomb before i had! He was off to a works leaving do too and it was a bit of a formal do. I did ask LouLou Lushbomb and when she said it was a nice dark blue colour i thought why not, he likes blue! So off he went with his LushBomb. When he came out the bathroom he seemed pretty chilled and said it was really fun, then i noticed a trail of glitter following him. He literally had glitter everywhere, more so than the golden egg and twilight! I told him it wasn’t too noticeable and suggested that he avoided happy thoughts incase the ‘fairy dust’ made him fly! Thankfully he found it funny, i know a lot of men who wouldn’t. Anyway a week or 2 later i had my own intergalactic to test out. Which was when i realised just how much more glittery it was than any of the other ‘glitter bombs’ i have tried so far. Opps!
The bomb itself is made up of 3 elements and these split at the end, which fitted well to the cosmic space theme .The water was transformed into the most beautiful dark blue too and was full of star-like sparkles which just made the colours even more vibrant. It was a really beautiful bath. When i got in it was so relaxing, i was drifted of into my own little day-dream very easily and it was just what the doctor ordered. Looking into the water too it made my skin look blue and sparkly & i just sat watching the glitter & oils making patterns in the water. I really didn’t want to get out of this bath but its best to before the water gets too cold and you get too wrinkly! After i felt very relaxed and i slept so well that night.
This is very much a LushBomb for the glitter lover, especially a glitter lover with a love for star-gazing and space. I may even be so bold as to categorize it as a bit of a geek bomb & can been used to make the boys sparkle too. I really loved this bomb and is certainly on my birthday & christmas lists!
‘A celebration of spring, bursting into a floral fragrance. Inspired by the cherry blossom in Japan, this pretty bomb is designed to evoke the burst of optimism the first sign of spring brings. Calming mimosa and jasmine oils are complemented by lemon oil and orange flower to bring to mind the smell of this colourful season.’
https://uk.lush.com/products/sakura
I wasn’t having the best of days, so i thought i would treat myself to Sakura once BabyBlu was tucked up in bed. I think maybe i should have chosen a ‘Glitter bomb’ or a ‘Lavender Bomb’ something like the Yoga Bomb or Twilight to take me out of my own brain for a bit and chillax. Sakura, smelt sweet and cherry blossoms remind me of my late grand father so i thought it may have a bit of an aromatherapy effect on me. Sadly my brain was too noisy on this occasion and i found it hard to relax and enjoy the scents to their full potential.
The bomb itself was a simple and fast fizzing bomb. Lovely citrus smell filled the bathroom and i think i would use this as an ‘everyday bomb’ rather than a ‘cheer me up bomb’. Personally i think this bomb would have benefited with a surprise element like cherry blossom confetti making your bath look like the ground under the cherry blossom trees. All in all though it was a very pleasing bomb , just a shame i couldn’t relax my mum brain! I would recommend this to someone who likes a simple bath, it may even be one for a citrus loving boyfriend or husband as it has no ‘frilly, glittery bits!!’.
‘Take a journey of the self as reassuringly soothing sandalwood oil creates a sanctuary of calm in your bath. When you plunge this meditative fizzer into the water, slow mesmerising shades of oranges, purples and turquoise will unfurl. At the same time deeply relaxing olibanum and ho wood release, fragrancing your body and surroundings. It’s the ideal atmosphere to lie back and contemplate life.’
https://au.lush.com/products/yoga-bomb (USA site)
After the disappointing entertainment value of The Butter Bear so i thought i would next go for a bath bomb that promised colour, and a lot of it and the Yoga Bomb was just that. It fizzed and gradually introduced new colours like rainbow in my bath. Just what i was looking for. Being the mum of a toddler means it’s not easy to switch my brain off but not only did i drift off into my own little day-dream i actually fell asleep. I woke up feeling very relaxed to a lovely sweet smell. I will certainly be buying a Yoga Bomb for my next mothers day treat.
I would recommend this to anyone looking to kick back and just chill especially after a tough day. Treats like these are a must have to busy people to keep those stress levels in check.
Sadly since writting the above i can no longer find it on the UK site but i have included a link to the USA site 🙂
‘A gentle lavender bath bomb to relax children before bedtime. This is a bath bomb designed to look after young children’s delicate skin, and is so gentle it’s suitable for babies over six months. Its aromatherapy oils also work to soothe irritable cherubs before bedtime. Lavender is a calming aromatherapy oil, used in traditional medicine to treat skin irritations, sunburn and insect bites. ‘
https://uk.lush.com/products/ickle-baby-bot
I was so delighted to see that Lush had a bath bomb that was suitable for BabyBlu. I was told in store The bomb is suitable from 6 months old. BabyBlu was 16 months when we tested this out with her. She loves chucking things into the bath. At any time of the day or night. She’s a little like a ninja at times as we always keep the bathroom door closed but the second its left open of not quite shut she’s there chucking her bath toys in. So you can imagine her delight when mummy was giving her permission put something in the bath freely. The bomb is very simple itself and takes very little time to dissolve which is perfect for an impatient toddler. Personally i think my it would be better with some bubbles as once it was done it was done and it was business as normal. I didn’t notice much lavender coing through either which can get over powering sometimes so i was grateful for this. Sadly it didn’t much help her sleep either but with 4 teeth cutting at the time i am not going to say its calming effects didn’t work.
The Baby Bot only comes in one colour but i don’t think this matters in the long run. I think it is worth the money and brings a little excitement to bath time for you & your little one.
Rating
***2 Stars***
LilBlu Category
****Discontinued bomb****
Keywords
*****Beneficial, Simple, Butter*****
I was given the Butter Bear as part of a LushBomb mothers day gift. It was an item a friend had bought and not used, so if you are looking for this one online or in store you probably will not find it. Standing alone this bath bomb would have been great for regular use because of the buttery goodness your skin enjoys but other than it’s over all look, once it was in the water there wasn’t much entertainment value. Infact mine fizzed for 1 or 2 seconds and then sank and when you are following ‘Twilight’ it really was a bit of a switch. However after the bath my skin was feeling lovely and my mummy tummy certain felt the benefits so on that front, had it been still available in store i probally would have gone for it for this reason alone.
If you, like my friend have this one tucked away in your bathroom draw somewhere give it a go to help your skin. If your skin is free from stretches then maybe offer it up to a new mummy, like me who’s mummy tummy & strech-marks could benefit from it buttery goodness.
Rating
***5 Stars***
LilBlu Category
****Sleepy bomb****
Keywords
*****Tranquil, Beautiful, Night-Sky*****
‘If sleep is evading you, this combination of essential oils will help get you ready for a good night’s rest. As Twilight dissolves, it turns from the colour of the setting sun and gets darker, turning your water a shimmering deep purple. The fragrance has been designed to help you sleep: lavender is a soothing, mind-clearing and calming fragrance, used in aromatherapy to treat insomnia and aid restful sleep, while benzoin and tonka call to mind a milky caramel malt drink.’
https://uk.lush.com/products/twilight
This is the most beautiful LushBomb so far. I must admit i was originally put off by the name & its association with a certain movie but putting that aside i must say It is most certainly my favorite to date. Watching the pretty blue & pink patterns forming is one thing but then when you look under the pretty foamy clouds that have formed you see the most beautiful, tranquil & sparkly purple night-sky in you bath tub. This is certainly the LushBomb for me & i felt this way before even getting into the water! Settling into my beautiful bath was just the icing on the cake, it smelt amazing & i just drifted off into my own little world, which for a mum of a toddler doesn’t happen that often. That night after the bath i slept better than i had slept in a long time. Just wonderful.
Once again you are left with a very glittery tub once the water has drained way, so make sure you wash it away before you tuck up in bed for the best sleep you’ll have in a long time!
I rave about this bomb and weeks later thinking about it makes me so happy. I will be popping in regular orders for this one i think! Obviously i would highly recommend this one, especially to people struggling with sleep issues, lovers of astronomy & the night sky & those among us who live for glitter.
LouLou LushBomb Experiment 