Lush Christmas Haul // 2013

Once Easter and Mother's Day have flown by every Lush fan starts their countdown for the big release of the year...Christmas. I've been eagerly waiting for the launch since reading through the press releases before placing my order late Thursday night and it arriving this morning much to my surprise. This year sees a lot of new products varying from brightly coloured bombs, melts and bars to skincare and body care. It's not one of their cheapest years, long gone are the days of Cinders, Lil Lush Pud, Snow White (old) and Candy Cane (now a 'pimped' Candy Mountain or Creamy Candy - all year round) ...Lush upped the game with larger products, enhanced formula's and techniques, it sure is fun! 

First to take place in my basket had to be the new skincare for Christmas 2013, Rudolph Fresh Face Mask at £5.50. I've always loved their fresh Christmas cleansers and have longed for them to create a face mask just like this. If I had more time to head over to the next town I would have saved myself a few pennies by returning pots but we'll see how this goes, I've enough pots for another two free masks. Rudolph has been created to soothe and nourish from the harsh winter chills with fresh Cucumber, Oatmeal and Tofu!? I'm keen to see how this will tone down my redness, along with my dry skin. It doesn't smell too differently from Oatifix and Brazened Honey but you can bet this will be put on and reviewed after I've finished writing this haul.

Next to fill my basket, Star Light, Star Bright retailing for £3.30. This ghastly lustre covered bath melt smells incredible but has been the most awkward product to take photo's of...there is glitter everywhere, thanks Lush. I can't wait to see my waters turn into a Mermaids dream - Lush have packed this one with a surprise centre and plenty of cocoa butter. Eczema sufferers will appreciate this hydrating melt.

Another new bath product for 2013, can you notice I've tried to only concentrate on the new rather than repeat my reviews and features? Shoot For The Stars ballistic retailing for £3.25 had to be ordered, this guy smells of the incredible Honey I Washed The Kids. This is the product you can smell walking into my room, Chester must be in his element while still rooming it with me. It seems a lot of this years collection isn't all about the warm, spicy and cinnamon scents that personally make Christmas...well Christmas.

My old Christmas favourite has returned with a rather colourful makeover. Who else would buy countless butterball scented snowmen every year? This little guy was always the reason I looked forward to Christmas at Lush, even more than old favourite Snow Fairy. Obviously you can buy the little bomb of butterball all year round but frosty is now in 3D rather than his former lack of derriere. At £2.50 Snowman can easily be a weekly buy for the forth coming winter months.

Following the snow theme I ended up ordering a bottle of Snow Fairy and her new form...Snow Fairy Sparkle Bar. These two were originally ordered as a surprise treat for my mum, but from smelling a fresh bottle of Snow Fairy this year I can announce I'm a fan of the sickly sweet, candyfloss gel again. Snow Fairy is the cheapest of the Christmas show gels this year, Lush kindly popped me in a sample of the Rose Jam shower gel - if you hadn't looked it up you'll see the 500g bottle is ridiculously expensive but just as ridiculously beautiful. A 250g won't last that long with two Lushies in the house but at £6.85 you can't go wrong Lush wise - someone will mention £1 bottles of shower gel ;) As for the new Snow Fairy addition it's your average massage bar, full of shimmer (just like shimmy shimmy) and scented with Snow Fairy, just not so strong. We personally think it smells like Fruit Salad sweets while from reading others accounts of the VIP, local previews/late openings it smells slightly chocolaty. Snow Fairy Sparkle Bar retails for £4.95 - a little high in my opinion for how teeny it is and also make sure you pick one up in store mine came a little...smushed?

My other old favourite Creamy Candy, Candy Cane and Candy Mountain reappeared with a slight upgrade of shimmer and polka dots. Did I order any last year? I'm not sure, I think I may have had one lying around from the previous Christmas. If you haven't already tried Creamy Candy or Candy Mountain you must, it is perfect paired with Angels Delight, Snow Fairy and of course the after bath treat of Snow Fairy Sparkle Bar. This bar will create oodles of bubbles, froth and pink, shimmering water for just £2.65.

I made sure to add a Christmas Eve bubble bar to my basket for £2.95 purely for my Mum. She adores this bubble bar, a couple years back it actually didn't return and she was gutted, every year the collection comes out I pick a few bits for her ready to decide her Christmas Lush wish list. The scent won't be for everyone, I don't particularly like it, but if you enjoyed Lush's regular heavy ylang ylang & patchouli products you'll love Christmas Eve. P.S It'd be great for little ones on Christmas Eve rather than one to excite them even more.

Bombardino is another new addition to this years collection, I ordered this £2.50 bath ballistic expecting him to be slightly bigger, sitting between the small and large bombs. However he still seems worth it with plenty of cocoa butter and Sicilian lemon oil. I'm not sure he's entirely that Christmassy but inspired by an Italian Alps drink this will be a pick me up without the calories.

The Christmas Penguin HAD to be ordered, who could resist this little guy? Apart from when he looks like mine there's a possibility you actually could but going by the website image they looked adorable. Sadly mine looks more like a blue and white candy mountain than a penguin with his nose missing. This aside Pingu here smells just like The Olive Branch which was used in the Jilted Elf Shower Jelly. At £2.95 The Christmas Penguin will bring plenty of glaciers to your baths.

My last item is the most exciting bath product from the collection, taking Crackersnap's space on the 2013 shelf. Secret Santa is HUGE and so it should be at £5.75. You do however get at least three baths out of the delight modelled on the original Poole store. This morning we were mentioning how it smells *just* like your first time in a Lush store...reading more about the item, Lush created the fragrance to emulate the rich smell of oils inside the store. Inside you'll eventually find Santa hiding away from you, a few more will be purchased to decorate my room come December.

Have you ordered any of the Christmas 2013 items? I hate to be one of those people but it really doesn't seem that long ago that I was reviewing the 2012 items. IF there's any items you'd prefer me to review first let me know, or something I haven't already purchased above. Lucy xx