Despite my best intentions, before this event I had yet to step foot into the new Leeds Lush Spa store. I was unable to attend the opening night (This still pains me to this day), so when an invitation arrived to visit the store, for an introduction to the Christmas 2014 range, I made damn sure that I could go! I was so excited to have the chance to try out some of the new, limited edition ranges, and also to introduce myself to their other products. I don't usually shop at Lush, partly because it overwhelms me, so to have the opportunity to have a good look at everything without having to push past the weekend shoppers was too good a chance to miss. Warning, there is a lot of Christmas sparkle ahead...






The event was held on 22nd October (Better late than never with this post, I feel), so as soon as I entered the store the Halloween bath bombs caught my eye! Unfortunately these are no longer available, which is such a shame as I really fell in love with one in particular - but I'm sure that they will be back next year. The Sparkly Pumpkin bubble bar was the first product to grab my attention - and how could it not, it's in the shape of a pumpkin! Sadly this did not smell of pumpkin as I suspected, but instead is scented with oils of juniper berry, lime and grapefruit - very uplifting and zesty. As you can see, it is very sparkly indeed and even has a cinnamon stick as the stem. This is one that I know I'll be looking out for next year when I finally have a bath to use one in! I also spotted the Wizard bubble bar, which looks so cute - I think it's meant be a wizard's hat/cloak but I could be wrong. This one has more of a shimmer rather than a full-on glitter coating, and uses ylang ylang, fennel, tangerine and juniper berry oils to create its scent. Apparently, it's the same scent as the Jingle Spells bath bomb from a couple of years ago.






Now, onto the Christmas products, which you can still buy for a good few weeks at least! Lush always push the boat out at Christmas time, and this year has been no exception. There is a mixture of old and new products for 2014; some products have featured in previous years' festive releases, whilst others are brand new for this year. A bath product that has made a comeback is the Star Light, Star Bright bath melt, which uses cocoa butter, shea butter and coconut butter to deliver a super moisturising bath. I remember seeing this last year, and thinking "That glitter will be a pain to clean up!"! Lush have actually listened to comments like these over the last year, and now use biodegradable mica, minerals and natural starches. This means that not only are they are not harmful to the environment, they can now be cleaned out of your bathtub much easier - a win-win situation all round! Also in the "very sparkly" category for Lush's Christmas range this year is the Holly Go Lightly bubble bar, which contains a festive blend of clove leaf, sweet orange and patchouli oil for a warming, spicy aroma. Another new product to hit the shelves this year is the Dashing Santa bath bomb; an refreshing blend of mandarin oil, bergamot oil and orange flower absolute. This was demonstrated to us later on in the evening and it smelt absolutely divine - not festive at all, really but wonderful all the same. A favourite from last year is back again; the Luxury Lush Pud bath bomb, although if I remember rightly it was purple last year, not pink. This is a technicolour marvel as far as bath bombs go, creating pastel-coloued islands as it fizzes away and soothes you with scents of tonka absolute, ylang ylang and lavender oils.






If you think that the bath products are too expensive for single use (Which I think they are), Lush have a bath product that is designed for making your money go that little bit further. Enter the Magic Wand, one of the reusable bubble bars that is back again this year. This has the same iconic scent as the Snow Fairy shower gel and is suitable for both adults and children alike. Just swish under running water for as many bubbles as you like, then leave to dry out to use again next time. Easy! If you're looking to splurge on someone, rather than save, then Lush Christmas Gift has to be at the top of your list. Starting from just £7.95, and going all the way up to a jaw-dropping £155 (If you wondering what that one is, check it out here - it's immense), there really is something for everyone! A particular favourite of mine that I came across when wandering around the store was Rudolph, which contains the Yog Nog soap, Snowman Shower Jelly, Dashing Santa bath bomb and Golden Wonder bath bomb. The packaging is just too cute to ignore, and would look amazing under the tree. I actually got given a Christmas gift to take home at the end of the evening - stay tuned for the next post, where I will be telling you what it is and what's inside it!






As I made my way around the store in a bit of a daze, my attention was caught by a member of staff (I feel awful that I can't remember his name, but he was lovely!), who wanted to show me and some other bloggers some of their tempting body products. I was determined not to leave covered in glitter (Which I did anyway), so he showed me the Snow Fairy Sparkle Shimmer Bar, which as the name suggests is only shimmery instead of glittery. Full of nourishing shea, murmuru and cupuaçu butters, it actually had a fondant centre which melts away as soon as you glide it over your skin. I smelt good enough to eat and I was amazed at how soft and smooth it left my skin feeling - and he only used a little tiny bit! He also showed us how to use the First Snow Dusting Powder, which you can see in the image above. It was just too sparkly for me, but I could see how you could use it across the collarbones and arms to create a perfect Christmas party-ready look. It also worked beautifully with the Celebrate Body Lotion, creating a delightfully heady scent that I think we all fell in love with! Last but not least was a pit-stop at the bath bomb section before heading home, to see some in action. The lady showed us the Dashing Santa and Sparkly Pumpkin bath bombs (seen above), amongst others - I was mesmerised by the beautiful colours and of course, the wonderous scents that were being produced. I could have stayed there all night!

Even though the event was short but sweet, I really had a wonderful time and left much more clued-up about the range that Lush has to offer. I now have a beautiful gift set containing some fantastic products that I have been trying out, yet still have a wish-list as long as my arm! Thank you to the staff at Lush Leeds Spa for putting on the event, and I will be back soon... if my bank balance allows me.