SILVER SCREENWIPE; Man of Steel, World War Z & After Earth

Hi folks. In lieu of having a life, I spend a lot of time at the cinema. Lalita has therefore sent me on a mission to review some of this summer's most eagerly anticipated movies. 

Personally I don't need to be asked twice to sit on my arse in a darkened room and eat junk food, so naturally I jumped at the chance. 

So here you have it, my reviews of Man of Steel, World War Z and After Earth. Enjoy.

Man of Steel 

Man of Steel is the latest in the trend of superhero reboots, and this time it's Superman. So now Henry Cavill dons the cape in the latest mega-budget, mega-hyped Superman movie. What Superman needs is a Batman Begins- a movie to take the franchise in a different direction with a different interpretation of Supes' story. Superman Begins, if you like. 

This movie concentrates on Superman's origins from baby Kal-El, escapee of his dying planet Krypton, to childhood Clarke discovering his powers and fearing he will be shunned and ostracised by others, to adult Clarke Kent, a directionless wanderer having yet to discover his roots. So in many ways this IS Superman Begins. 

Russell Crowe

The supporting cast are impressive, with Russell Crowe playing Jor-El, Kal-El's biological father back on Krypton, Michael Shannon camping it up as chief baddie General Zod, Laurence Fishburne playing Perry White the Editor at the Daily Planet, and Amy Adams as Lois Lane. 

Laurence Fishburne and Amy Adams

The movie begins with Kent (unable to fit in anywhere he goes) drifting from place to place, hiding his powers until he finds humans whose lives are in peril, saving them, then moving on. The movie starts very strongly, being grittier and more realistic than some of it's predecessors. We also see a Clarke who is dark, angry and distrustful of people, yet still having the inescapable urge to help those in trouble. 

The movie regularly flashes back to Clarke's childhood, and the advice he received from his adopted father, adequately played by Kevin Costner, to explain adult Clarke's cynicism of the world. Cue baddie-in-chief General Zod to arrive at Earth with all kinds of evil machinations, forcing Clarke to accept his superpowers and come out of hiding to save the world etc. 

A Superman movie is seen by some as a poisoned chalice, due to iconic Superman actor Christopher Reeves' sad and untimely death. After Reeves, no actor was ever going to be able to measure up, and as a result any other Superman movie since will be harshly, and perhaps unfairly judged. Now, he may be no Christopher Reeves, but Henry Cavill still does an excellent turn, and should be credited accordingly. Not to mention you get to see his muscles at every possible opportunity. This will please fans of his, but after a while you're left thinking "OK congratulations son, you're built like a tank. Can we now just move on please?" 

Where the movie starts to falter is that the original gritty realistic start is soon forgotten, and it therefore quickly descends to glossy and generic summer blockbuster territory, as a result losing the originality the franchise desperately needs. On a positive note, there is enough action and spectacular special effects to gloss over astonishingly large holes in the plot making this a perfect popcorn movie. The action is prolonged and breathtaking, with numerous skyscrapers in Metropolis being demolished. Thankfully the story ended when it did, because Metropolis was starting to resemble Hiroshima after the atomic explosion. 

Man of Steel cast

Overall, this is a pretty good reboot attempt, and given that Warner Bros has already fast-tracked a  sequel, with rumours of a 2014 release, Man of Steel is on a solid footing to expand on this Superman story. Hopefully with the next installment the director will avoid the temptation of going down the mediocre blockbuster route, and will return to the grounded, grittier style Man of Steel began so promisingly with.

Rating: 7/10

World War Z

Next Up is the much hyped World War Z... 

Now a quick disclaimer. I haven't read the book by Max Brooks, and so I can only take the movie on it's own merits, which is perhaps a good thing, as there will be no book-reader bias. 

World War Z stars Brad Pitt as UN investigator Gerry Lane, tasked with travelling the World in search of the origins of a new rabies-type infection which very quickly ravages the entire planet. 

At the start of the movie Lane guides his family to safety from overrun Philadelphia City (Glasgow) and decides that the best course of action is to drive straight into overrun Newark (Glasgow), as you do in these situations. 

Most of the movie is spent in various locations, such as South Korea, Jerusalem and Cardiff. For some reason this seemed to get a huge laugh from the cinema audience, so I can only assume that people find the idea of the Welsh holding the key to curing the Zombie apocalypse laughable, which is slightly unfair. I'm sure there are plenty of
clever people in Wales. 

Pitt puts in a solid performance as usual, but there isn't much chemistry between him and the rest of his family. There is a scene where they are stuck in a traffic jam and they are playing a guessing game. It is more reminiscent of a man abducting a few total strangers in a car and threatening them to act like a family or he'll start cutting pieces off them. 

There is a lot of drama and incidental music, which is extremely effective as times, and at other times has completely the opposite effect. The action sequences are fantastic and enthralling, and overall the sight of a zombie plague bearing down on you is quite frightening. 

There is something fundamentally wrong with the zombies however. I'm not sure if it's the fact that every last one of them could outrun Usain Bolt, regardless of age and weight. Perhaps it's the fact that they all seem to be quite partial to mindlessly headbutting glass windows when they have perfectly adequate fists. Or perhaps it's the fact that there is something strangely un-scary and quite comical about them. You're left thinking, regardless of speed; "Yeah, one-on-one I'd fancy my chances with any of them. Bring it on". 

Overall the movie is definitely worth seeing, but due to the far-fetched nature of the film and certain plot holes, it all seems quite superficial with little time spent on character development. It doesn't quite live up to the hype. 

Paramount has confirmed that a sequel has been given the go ahead, and I for one can't wait to see where Gerry Lane goes next. May I be the first to suggest New York, Istanbul and Aberystwyth.

Rating: 6/10

After Earth

There is an urban legend that every single Will Smith movie must feature his son Jaden or else Holywood will burst into flames, and After Earth is no different. 

Smith Snr stars as living legend Ranger Corps General Cypher Raige (possibly the most contrived name since Pussy Galore) and Smith Jnr as his Ranger cadet son Kitai. 

The film is set over 1000 years in the future where man has expanded into new galaxies after finally knackering Earth beyond repair. The Smith's are on a routine space trip when their ship gets the shit kicked out of it by a meteor storm. It crash lands on a hostile planet teaming with wildlife which has evolved to kill humans. We join Jnr when he wakes amid the wreckage of the spaceship which has split in half, and finds Snr with 2 broken legs and a bump on the noggin. The only way to signal for rescue is to set off a beacon located in the tail part of the ship which landed 100 kilometres away. It is at this point Snr informs us that the hostile planet is in fact, Earth. 

Inexperienced cadet Jnr must therefore venture out into the wilds alone and somehow make it to the tail section whilst surviving attacks by all manner of nasty beasts, and enduring freakish weather patterns whilst being guided by Snr who is resting up and getting merry with the painkillers. 

This is a solid enough movie, with decent acting from father and son, because although they spend the majority of it talking to one another over a futuristic walkie-talkie, you still sense the chemistry between a judgmental and distant father and the son who is desperate to live up to his expectations. 

The CGI animals are at times a bit ropey looking, but on the whole they are passable. Perhaps the most frustrating aspect of the movie is that the original concept was a strong one, and the film could have been so much more, but after some truly terrible films (The Happening, for example) director M. Night Shyamalan can tuck this solid movie under his belt and move onto better things. 

There are of course plenty of points to ponder. If Earth has been completely stripped of it's natural resources and war/industrialisation ravaged the planet to the point of it being uninhabitable, then why do they crash land in a massive rain forest teeming with life, food etc? Isn't it handy that in a huge spaceship the only 2 survivors just happen to be a father/son combo? Is Jaden a beneficiary or ultimately a victim of Holywood nepotism? Perhaps one day these questions will be answered. Or perhaps we don't care. 

Rumour has it that Will Smith has signed on to star in a remake of Cast Away. He will reprise Tom Hanks' role, with 2 broken legs but lots of painkillers, and Jaden will feature as Wilson, the volleyball with the face painted on it...

Rating: 5/10 

So there you have it folks, my review of some of what's in the cinema right now. So go and see them. Or don't. Whatever. 

Kieran x

LIP SERVICE: Lip colours and balms review

Let's check out some of this summer's newest lip colours and treatments, designed to help keep skin moisturised while adding a dash of sparkle to make lips look lush!

Beauty UK Lip Lust Lip Gloss, £2.99 


Beauty UK Lipstick, £3.49

This collection of 11 different shades of gloss boast rich pigments and are lightly scented. Flavoured with a variety of sweet tastes such as papaya, mint and strawberry, these are indeed a treat for the lips and glide on easily thanks to the soft applicator.

My favourite shades personally were Moulin Rouge, Office Chic and Envy, while Diamond (the clear gloss) has become a handbag staple, either used on its own to add a shine to my lips or sometimes I apply it over lipstick to achieve a "wet look."

Clockwise from top; Date Night, Diamond, Playboy and St Tropez lip glosses

The lipstick collection is very generous indeed, with no less than 17 shades to choose from. I tried a few of them and I would say my favourites were; Brown Sugar, Plumalicious, Naughty and Vampire.

Clockwise; Moulin Rouge & Sweet Sixteen lip glosses, Brown Sugar & Naughty Lipstick

I found the colours to be highly pigmented, they were moist on and lasted for ages. The only downside for me is that the lighter shades just did not suit due to the intensity of the colouring.

Clockwise; Pink My Ride, Snob, Son of a Peach & Plumalicious Lipstick

Vampire Lipstick

Obviously there are going to be some shades that don't suit me, but it's personal preference depending on skin tone etc, so while some of these shades may not look right on me, that's not to say they may look the same on someone who was fair skinned and blonde for example and vice versa.

The Beauty UK collection is available at Superdrug, Select and Internacionale. Judging by the choice of store and price range, it would appear that this range is marketed at a younger audience.  Sometimes this can mean a "cheap" ulterior product, but this is not the case with Beauty UK. While the price may be "cheap" the quality isn't.  An added bonus also is that all these lip colours are vegan friendly.

This range is great for a starter kit for teens and young ladies, or someone of any age who just fancies trying out a new look.

Lush Lip Balms, £5.50

Lip Service
The original and the best, Lip Service has been sold at Lush since the company started up 19 years ago.

It's packed with lots of lovely natural moisturising ingredients  such as beeswax, cocoa butter, shea butter, organic extra virgin olive oil and apricot kernal oil, promising to lock in moisture and protect lips from the elements come rain, cold, wind or shine.


It also contains African marigold herb to boot, which is reputed to have anti-viral properties and a delicate flavour of tangerine oil.

I suffer with very dry and cracked lips.  I can start the day with them relatively ok but by the end they have dried up so much that there's usually a patchy noticeable area on my bottom lip that is totally devoid of moisture.  When I used Lip Service, this was the first ever product I have come across that actually prevented this from happening! I'm overjoyed, honestly.

The best results come when you apply this at night before bed, let the balm do it's magic, then when you wake up the next morning, your lips will feel super soft. 

It's a bit pricey for such a small tin, but in my case, it's worth it I would say.  You'll also probably find that you use the balm sparingly anyway, so it should last you a while.

I also tried Honey Trap Lip Balm, which has added oatmilk for it's soothing

properties and honey for sore, raw lips.  This also tastes of honey and white chocolate, and I mean REALLY tastes of it.  

Then there's this Jaffa Cake inspired beauty - Whipstick.  The chocolate and orange flavouring is sublime, and no wonder with actual top quality dark Belgian chocolate thrown into the mix.

I would thoroughly recommend the Lush Lip Balms and there are other flavours available to try that I'm sure are just as nice. Like I said, it's a bit pricey but you definitely get what you paid for and this little tin will last a long time.

Origins Drink Up Hydrating Lip Balm, £16

Coming to a department store near you in July, these super-sheer balms come in three colours all containing apricot kernel oil, jojoba oil, barley and wheatgerm, orange peel wax and aloe vera.

I tried this in Guava (the pink one) and although initially unsure whether it would suit due to the very pale shade, it wasn't a problem due to sheer quality of the balm.

On application, the balm felt as though it should be very sticky (if that makes sense) but it wasn't. It moisturised very well and lasted a long time. I would definitely invest in one of these when they hit the shelves.

Tom Ford Lipstick in "Casablanca" £36

"To Tom Ford, there is no more dramatic accessory than a perfect lip. It is the focus of the face and it has the power to define a woman’s whole look. Each Lip Color is Tom Ford’s modern ideal of an essential makeup shade. Rare and exotic ingredients including soja seed extract, Brazilian murumuru butter and chamomilla flower oil create an ultra-creamy texture with an incredibly smooth application. Specially treated color pigments are blended to deliver pure color with just the right balance of luminosity." 

Yes, this is an expensive purchase, but let me assure you, it's so worth it.

This lipstick oozes luxury and feels creamy on your lips. It also comes in a sexy black enamel case with gold trim, very sophisticated. 

Me wearing Tom Ford's Casablanca

I love the shade Casablanca. This highly pigmented dark pink really suits my complexion and the lipstick is easy to apply and stays on for ages.

I loved the shade so much I actually purchased this specially for my own wedding after being recommended it during my makeup trial. I wanted something that would look good and stay put, especially when I didn't have access to my own handbag and makeup for a while!

What other lip treatments and colours do you like? What else is good to try for dry and chapped lips? I'd love to hear from you, so please leave me a comment below!

IT'S A MAN'S WORLD: TED BAKER GROOMING ROOM REVIEW

In today's It's A Man's World, Peter Quinn reviews products from the Ted Baker Grooming Room range...

The Rise Of The Gentlemen

To avoid being one of those guys on the right, and to become one of those gentlemen on the left, 

I’d read this very carefully...

We have the steps (well 1,2 and 5 of them)

Scroll down to find out the steps ...

Ted Bakers Grooming Room Face Scrub, £8

I'm always wary when fashion labels come out with grooming products, so before I tried Ted Bakers face scrub, I was a bit sceptical.
But I actually thought it was good, the smell from the tube was nice, the design was simple and it had a traditional 1960s barbers vibe to it.
The product itself was easy to use and I've been seeing results from it.
It's great value for money.
7/10

Ted Bakers Grooming Room Shave Cream, £8.00 

The packaging for the shaving cream is pretty suave looking - it's stylish, but classy.

The first time I tried it, I didn't have a brush so I couldn't get the full experience of it. So I took it down to my barbers and asked him if he could use it on me.

He told me “how the pump makes it easier to use and the product itself was great.” 

He was also happy to know that brush shaving creams are making their way back on to the high street.

It also showed me how Ted Baker can stand out from the crowd and bring back the Gentleman instead of these “YOLO” generation people, you know the type, (unfortunately).

8/10

Ted Bakers Grooming Room Cream Wax, £6


I'm very picky when it comes to my hair products, I need something that's reliable and easy to use.
With the product itself, it worked perfectly for my hair.
I could style it easily and I didn't have to spend a lot of time to do so and I've seen results fast.
It's great value for money, seeing as the last hair product I bought for styling my hair was round about £20.
I have seen better results with this so for that I'm going to give it a 9/10

For more information and other Ted products, visit www.tedsgroomingroom.com

FIVE THINGS; FOR JUNE

Every month we'll round up five things we like and use and tell you why you should too!

Five things from; Lalita:

 Kiehl's; Aromatic Blends: Vanilla and Cedarwood, 100ml, 
RRP £52

Some may say it's boring, but I absolutely love vanilla. Be it milkshake, cakes, sweets or fragrances and I really like this.

It's not your typically sweet vanilla and mixed in with the cedarwood, it gives the fragrance its aromatic note. It also lasts well on your skin and is an unusual scent, attracting a lot of compliments.

This scent is part of Kiehl's Pure Scents from Around the World range and there's also Fig Leaf & Sage, Nashi Blossom & Pink Grapefruit and Orange Flower & Lychee to try.

ILAH Brow Travel Kit, RRP £29.99

Advertised for the woman on the go who needs glamour in a kit, I couldn't wait to try this out. Colours include brown, black, light brown (for blondes) and a lip and brow balm.

You also get three templates to make it super easy to fill in your brows and it was so easy, even I could do it (that's very easy by the way)

You also get eyeliner and eyeshadow, so effectively, you wouldn't really need anything else if you have to travel very very light.

I loved this kit and my eyebrows loved it too.

Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector, RRP £17

This textured lip gel tastes delicious, like a sweet-chocolaty treat, it's the tastiest lip gloss I've ever used. 

Apart from that, the shade I used - Rosewood Shimmer, suited me very well and the staying power was very impressive. It's a good colour to wear alone or with lipstick for a little extra va va voom. A good handbag item for the summer months.

Skin Shop; Dry Eye Gel, RRP £6.95

A whole number of things can cause dry and red skin around the delicate eye area, in my case it's a rather annoying skin condition called dermatitis.

Usually when I have a flare up, there's nothing for it but to use steroid cream the doctors have prescribed for me, but I am always willing to give other eye creams a go as it would be good to have a much healthier alternative.

This natural eye gel contains key ingredient, cardiospermum - a vine grown mostly in South American regions. Recent UK trials found cardiospermum has medicinal effects on inflammatory conditions such as eczema and dermatitis.

The gel itself is non-greasy and light and was easily absorbed into the delicate eye area. Miraculously  for me, it seems to be working, as the dry skin is slowly healing up. I wouldn't be throwing out my steroid creams any time soon, but I think I may have found something to help prevent breakouts.

Skin Shop Cardiospermum Gel, RRP £9.95

Another product from the cardiospermum range. I used this product on my dry hands and parts of my face prone to dermatitis.

It does work and is light and non-greasy, but like the gel, I wouldn't replace this from my prescription meds, but I think it I caught a break out in time and applied this, it would help prevent it.  

The only problem with this gel is the smell. It's not a very pleasant one, and it lingers on the skin, so I wouldn't wear this before having to go out to something important, but apart from that, it does the job.

IT'S A MAN'S WORLD: LUSH REVIEW

Kieran O'Neill

Welcome back you bunch of sexy people!

Today I have a range of men's products available at Lush to review for Style & Sound...

Ocean Salt Facial Scrub, £6.95

When I opened this tub I expected to be slapped in the face by a fish and have a bucket of cold water throw over me. 

Thankfully I didn't get that. 

What I did get however was a blue-green cream with a very subtle slightly salty smell. This product isn't like most others on the market which consist of soft smooth creams with occasional little granules, which are usually quite useless at exfoliating skin. 

Ocean Salt Facial Scrub is thick and gritty and full of sea salt. There is a small amount of soothing cream containing avocado butter which aims to soften the skin whilst exfoliating, but you are given the feeling that it is only there to bind the salt together. 

when you apply it you are left with a lot of salt bits to exfoliate with. As always, how much you want to exfoliate depends on how strenuous you want to scrub with. Personally I like to scrub vigorously as if attempting to exfoliate down to my skull (I find that the amount I like to scrub is directly proportional to my level of self loathing). 

Results: Honestly, amazing. You never realise just how much dead skin and other krud is on your face, regardless of how often you wash it, until it's all gone. My skin felt fresh and invigorated and smoother than Marvin Gaye's voice. 

One thing I would say though, is that due to the amount of salt in the scrub, it will really dry out your face, so using a moisturiser after is a MUST, which is handy, because the next product I'm reviewing is just that.

Cosmetic Lad Facial Moisturiser, £11.50

This guy's moisturiser contains Lavender, Wheatgrass and Marigold and is pleasantly scented, although it is mild enough that you can still wear aftershave afterwards. 

This product goes perfectly with the facial scrub, as it is intensely moisturising. It isn't as light or as fast absorbing as other creams on the market, but you can forgive this, because of the level to which it re-hydrates your skin, and the fact that you need very little of it to do the job. 

Results: After a few minutes it will have completely absorbed and you'll get the benefits from it. My skin felt soft and smooth but still well-soothed. Lush state that the moisturiser can also be used as a shaving cream, which is great in a pinch. 

Dirty Shaving Cream, £5.25

I only shave every few days, and so when I do there is always a healthy amount of stubble on my general face area. 

I only shave every few days because I have very sensitive skin and shaving always inflames it, so when it comes time I must have a product which will soften the bristles, and soothe the skin as much as possible. That's why I was looking forward to reviewing Lush's Dirty Shaving Cream, because I need to have extremely high standards in shaving products. 

The product itself looks just like a moisturiser, a whitish pleasant smelling cream. Applying the cream caused it to sink deep into the bristles and my skin, leaving a translucent oily skin coating. Only a little is needed, although the first time I reapplied a second coat because I incorrectly thought I hadn't applied enough. 

During use: I was massively impressed, as it softened not only my skin, but especially the stubble, making the razor's job so much easier. As a result I got a much smoother and closer shave, with less tugging on the razor. 

Results: I was definitely impressed with the results, as my face was left soft, smooth and not irritated in the slightest, which is incredibly rare for me. Overall, top marks for the shaving cream! 

Devil's Nightcap, £35

The final product to review is Lush's very own men's fragrance, named Devil's Nightcap from their Gorilla Perfumes range of his and her's smelly stuff. 

This is a true  aromatherapist's fragrance, as it is made almost entirely of pure essential oils blended together. I love the packaging, because it comes in a square glass bottle with a metal screw cap and ye olde print "Devil's Nightcap" (It is inspired by the ancient Agglestone, a megalithic rock in England which is known as the devil's nightcap).  

It looks more like a bottle of moonshine than aftershave, thanks not only to the glass bottle, but also the fragrance's dark brown hue. The ingredients are Oakwood, Oakmoss, Orange Flower and Citronellol. The results are a heavy and musky fragrance which is probably best worn at night. 

When applied it is very strong and gradually dies down, but is still very noticable for many hours afterwards. Because it is so strong you need only use the slightest dab to get the same benefits from a few sprays of a contemporary fragrance. 

I absolutely love this fragrance because it suited me perfectly. The best advice I would give is that you MUST try it on your skin, because when sniffed straight from the bottle, or even on tester card it doesn't smell particularly pleasant or anything special, but as with all essential oil based fragrances, on the skin is when it develops and you get a true sense of the fragrance and if it will suit you, so go into a Lush store and ask to try for yourself. 

So there you have it. A little overview of some men's products at Lush. After trying all these products my skin looked much softer, smoother and younger. It was like many years had been taken off my face. If only it could do the same for the haunted, soulless look in my eyes. 

The Missus was startled at my new complexion, as I made her look like a craggy-faced, centuries-old, weather-beaten grotesque in comparison (note to self: Never let the Missus read this review. Ever.) so bravo Lush. The unfortunate thing about Lush is that it is generally thought of by men as a "girl's shop where you buy girly things like bath bombs etc", where only the most metrosexual guys dare to tread. This is really unfair, because they have an excellent mens range which may be going unnoticed by guys like me looking for good products who walk right past Lush in the high street. 

Perhaps if Lush were to advertise their men's section more, they would reap the rewards their products deserve. 

Kieran x

TALKING SHOP: LUSH

If you thought Lush was just about fancy cake-shaped soaps covered in glitter and scented bath bombs, then think again.

I admit this was the impression Lush also gave me, that was until I was kindly invited to the branch on Sauchiehall Street in Glasgow to make my own Catastrophe Cosmetic Fresh Face Mask from scratch and while there, I was introduced to all the wonderful products Lush have to offer...

Lush's Sauchiehall Street branch in Glasgow City Centre

After being greeted by the signature aroma of the store, we met trainee manager Fiona Gordon and her

Sauchiehall Street Trainee Manager Fiona Gordon

friendly team.

my friend and I were led over to a table with a giant mixing bowl (the type you do baking with) a bowl of fresh REAL blueberries, and an array of other exciting ingredients.

 

Real actual blueberries

“Making a facemask is similar to baking,” said Fiona.

“Different people have their own methods with making the products.

“Lets start by bashing some blueberries, who's got some rage?”

After mushing up the blueberries, we added calamine powder (which is used widely in treatments for chickenpox) 

followed by some fine talc powder, glycerin and almond oil, which we whipped up until it all became a fine chalky mixture. 

“Even though it's chalky, it not drying on the skin,” Fiona explained.

“It's suitable for all skin types, and great for break outs.

“It automatically takes off the top layer of dead skin, so makes the face look brighter and blueberries are natural antioxidants and they help repair the skin.

“If you leave it in the fridge overnight it will turn a bit darker and will be nice and cooling on your skin.”

After our fabulous fresh face masks were boxed up for us to take home, we were given the grand tour of the shop, and I found out there was a lot more to Lush than first meets the eye.

Everything is handmade,” said Fiona.

“We don't sell anything in the shop if it was made over four months ago.

"Our fresh face masks are handmade.

"Everything is vegetarian or vegan, we try to use a lot of fruit or veg rather than chemicals.

"It's more environmentally friendly and kinder to your skin."

Because of all the wonderful colours and smells emanating from the shop, having sensitive and irritated skin, I had always thought Lush products may not agree with me, how wrong I was.

“A lot of people may think they can't use the products due to sensitive skin but a lot of our products are tailored towards eczema and psoriasis and rosacea,” explained Fiona.

“People find it hard to tell me what they like about their skin, it's easier to say what's wrong with it.

I believe everyone has normal skin, because it's normal to them.”

After perusing the shelves for the best part of an hour with Fiona, I left the store with a fresh perspective on the Lush brand, and a bag of goodies I purchased to try at home with my new face mask...

My reviews of the products I tried are below. Why don't you pop into your local branch for a look around today or visit Lush online at www.lush.co.uk

Catastrophe Cosmetic Fresh Face Mask: £5.95

"You know those times when you get one or two spots and it throws you into panic? Well, this mask is here to lend you a bit of perspective, to tell you to calm down, it’s not the end of the world and it’s nothing that can't be sorted. Basically, this is your best mate in a pot."

A smooth and thick paste with some mushy bits here and there due to the blueberry skins. You store it in the fridge and it lasts for about three weeks.

An occasional mask to use for a loving detox, I only had it on for 5 mins and could already feel my face firming up, but without it being drying and tight.  When I washed it off (which took ages!) my skin did feel noticeably smoother and refreshed.

Tiny Hands Solid Hand Cream, £4.15

"Ever wished you had an extra hand? 

Let’s give a big hand for this great performer

We’ve turned a hand cream into a solid bar, to help dry, cracked, overworked hands. 

We start this product by making a decoction of water, sago and safflower petals to repair and calm the skin. Then to this we add an array of moisturising ingredients; cocoa butter, fairtrade shea butter, argan oil and aloe vera extract."

With my ongoing dry hands problem, I was a bit dubious about this product, as all manner of creams don't seem to work that well.

You literally manhandle Tiny Hands as you would a stress ball and it melts with the warmth of your skin. Once melted the liquid butter was a great treat and while it won't replace my prescription creams, it's a great little pick me up. 

I'd be a bit careful about what you use your hands for afterwards though. It's quite emollient so made my keyboard very greasy looking at work.

Ultimate Shine Shampoo Bar, £5.25

"Strip away the dirt and let your true hair shine out.

Gives a mild but thorough cleanse to take away grease, dirt and build up from hair products".

A soap-like bar that's a shampoo is an unusual concept for me, but I'm always willing to give anything a try once. 

This works by rubbing the bar between your hands with water to get a lather, then working into wet hair, before rinsing away.

This left my hair feeling very clean afterwards and not weighed down as some other products can leave it feeling. It had a lovely fresh fragrant smell to it as well. My hair is coloured and Fiona recommended the Ultimate Shine Bar as the one that would be less harsh and stripping.

You do need to store this away in a soap dish afterwards though to save it from dissolving.

I then used  R And B Hair Moisturiser (£10.95) once my hair was dry before I used the straightening irons and it really helped to protect my locks from frazzling. 

Makeup:

I used Feeling Younger Highligher (£12.00) on my cheekbones to give me a “youthful glow.” I didn't really notice it in daylight but it showed up nicely when a pal took a photograph of me later that day...

You can also try Motivation LiquidEyeliner (£14.50) a two-tone peacock blue liquid eyeliner with rose petal infusion, jojoba and almond oil. 

  

FACTS ABOUT LUSH:

·         Lush was set up in 1994 by husband and wife team Mark and Mo Constantine, who opened the first store in Poole.

·         Originally named Cosmetic House Limited, Lush adopted its current name a year later.

·         There are now more than 800 stores in 51 countries.

·         Lush produce and sell a variety of handmade products, including soaps, shower gels, shampoos and hair conditioners, bath bombs, bubble bars, hand and body lotions, face masks and “Toothy Tabs” solid toothpaste tablets.

·         Lush use fruit and vegetables, essential oils, synthetic ingredients, honey and beeswax in their products.

·         Their products are made in factories around the world (including Poole, Dorset and Vancouver, Canada) and are made in small batches based on orders from individual stores to ensure the freshness of the product.

·         They do not use animal fats and are also against animal testing, preferring to test human volunteers.

·         Stores do not sell products older than four months and most products have a total shelf life of approximately 14 months.

·         Lush products are 100% vegetarian, 83% vegan and 60% preservative-free and feature yummy ingredients such as grapefruit juice, vanilla beans, avocado butter, fresh papaya and coconut.

·         They also have a makeup range.

·         They also cater for guys, with a range of toiletries and skincare products.

·         In 2010, Mark and Mo were awarded the OBE in the New Year's Honours list for services to the beauty industry.

What do you think about Lush? What are your favourite Lush products to try? Where else do you like to shop?