Synaesthesia Treatment at Lush Spa Poole.

The definition of Synaesthesia is that of a neurological phenomenon in which stimulation of one sensory or cognitive pathway leads to automatic reaction in a separate sensory outlet. Mark Constantine, Owner and Co-founder of Lush Cosmetics has synaesthesia and he used his experiences to create an eighty minute, personally tailored Spa experience which you can get at any of the Lush Spa locations. I chose to have my treatment at the Spa in Poole because not only is it situated at 29 1/2 High Street which still plays host to the very first Lush shop, but also because Poole is a quiet, little quayside town that I could imagine wanting to step out into after a fully immersive treatment. 

Set to a soundtrack of a 52 piece orchestra accompanied by whirling winds and birdsong, Synaesthesia combines mind, body and soul in such an overlooked way and it works wonderfully. It was also the first treatment ever designed for the venture that became Lush Spa.
When you arrive at the Lush Spa, you’re asked a few basic health questions and then whether you’d like to improve your sense of humour, gain perspective on life’s mysteries, gather the courage to tackle some mountains or some other equally as beautiful concepts. Given my own personal outlook on life at the moment, I thought it would be nice to gain some perspective and see if I could look at things in a bigger picture as opposed to obsessing over the smaller things. 

The word that you choose first matches with the massage bar that your therapist will be using on you, and apparently ‘perspective’ is one of the lesser chosen ones because most people tend to stick to what they think they’re expecting and choose the more basic ‘relax’ or ‘calm’ words from the initial paragraph of choices.
You’re then lead into the most quaint, English cottage style kitchen with a plethora of coloured bottles running along the shelves; without picking up and smelling each bottle, you’re asked to pick out another word that draws you in. 

These words match with the essential oil that your therapist will use during your treatment, in flasks that look like they should be upstairs in the Lush Product Creation lab, overflowing with what looks like dry ice and smoky, scented goodness. Words for the blended oils were things such as relax, be free, laugh, go do, meticulous, sweet, hug and good. I chose the word ‘good’ simply because the tagline was ‘lighter and brighter’ - after gaining a little perspective, who wouldn’t want to feel lighter and brighter in their outlook to life?

I was a little cautious with picking the words because I knew that the words would equate to my scents for the massage; what happened if I got stuck with a scent I hated?
In the end, I chose not to cheat and smell all the blends/words, and I went with my gut. This is my recommendation for anyone who is treated to the Synaesthesia in the future - base your choices on the words and your feelings; it’s the best way to get the full experience from the treatment.
A Lush Spa treatment is nothing like a regular spa experience; it’s much more immersive and tailored - never having had any kind of massages in a spa environment before my Synaesthesia, I can safely say I’ve been spoiled and now I’m not quite sure how other spas will ever match up in comparison. 

I wont talk about the treatment itself too much because I’d like anyone who goes to be just as enamoured with the whole surprise experience as I was. I will say, however, that Tori (my therapist) is a amazing masseuse and really worked hard to embody everything that Lush is trying to do with the Spa locations. While treatments are in progress throughout the Spa, therapists walk around in their socks so as not to disturb guests, they all talk in very hushed, melodic voices, and I’ve never felt more looked after.
The English Countryside feel is carried on throughout the whole Spa, from the treatment rooms, the kitchen and the lounge where you’re encouraged to spend as much or as little time as you’d like after your session, drinking the tea provided for you, laced with an intricate blend of your previous word choices as light flavourings. 

Synaesthesia is a full body massage, so you’re asked to strip down to just your pants (wear big pants to feel more comfortable) although I never felt exposed, or cold, or worried about that element. Tori was sweet and completely understanding that never having had any kind of Spa treatment before, I was a little nervous and hesitant. Your back, neck, arms, legs (front and back) are massaged with your massage bars, along with a choice of hot stone massage or stomach massage before a soothing facial massage at the end of your treatment. 

Feeling a little dozy and utterly pampered from head to toe, I was sleepily surprised when my treatment came to an end. “I feel so relaxed that I could sleep for a thousand years…” I mumbled to Tori in my daze. 

I can’t sing the praises for the staff at Lush Spa Poole, especially Tori, and the staff at Lush Poole, especially Charlotte anymore. They made me feel special, looked after and above all content - which I’ve not felt for a while. It’s almost as if Tori pressed my reset button. I may not have left with an energised spring in my step, but emotionally, I left feeling breezy and definitely with a little more perspective. 

Lush: Skincare Secrets

In the world of blogging and vlogging and hauling along with not only high street hauls but also high end hauls and drug store hauls it’s time to go back to basics. 

As wonderful as I’m sure Liz Earle and Sunday Riley are with their Micellar Water, Hot Cloth Cleansers and various Face Polishes (?) I prefer the basics; basic packaging, basic ingredients with the best results. 

It’s very easy to get lost in all the science talk of collagen this and plumping, rejuvenating, hydrating that but at the end of the day, I find that products that promise too much let me down a lot because they’re too focussed on trying to do everything, they can’t achieve the one thing they’re really meant to. 

In the morning and evening, I clean my face (the best way I know how) with Lush products.
First things first, the make-up comes off. 

Ultrabland Facial Cleanser:
Described as “beautifully simple and very effective” the cream to oil cleanser works wonders for me. This kind of formula is really popular at the moment but Lush sometimes gets overlooked for skincare because of all of the exciting bath products.
“Almond oil, rose water, beeswax and honey” make this product one of the simplest yet also the most highly effective on my skin. Sadly, the beeswax and honey mean it’s a no-go for you Vegans out there. Ultrabland removes dirt without “stripping away the skins natural defences” because almond oil is used as a ‘carrier’; it mimics the skins natural oil; sebum. This makes it easier for the skin to absorb the soothing rose water and moisturising honey.
Although I was initially wary of rubbing oils into my skin, I have never regretted using this cleanser. Because of the skin-clearing, moisture balancing effects of Ultrabland it feels like a high-end cleanser, without the high-end price tag. 

Eau Roma Toner Water:
After the cleansing comes the toning and I’ve chosen Lush’s light and floral toning water for the task. “Rose water to help soothe redness whilst lavender water will balance the skin” and it does exactly what it says on the recycled black plastic bottle. This toner hydrates the skin effectively, whilst soothing at the same time and clears the skin of any leftover traces of cleanser.
Because I have major frustration with any breakouts on my face, I struggle to find the right cleansing routine. Previously, I have over used products that have been too harsh, such as The Body Shop’s Tea Tree Toner because I thought my skin was bad enough to need it; the standard over emotional, over dramatic reaction. The Tea Tree toner from The Body Shop was too strong for me which meant my skin cleared initially and then proceeded to break out far worse than it had before – my mistake.
Eau Roma is gentle enough to look after my skin, whilst the ingredients are effective enough to get the job done. 

Grease Lightening:
After all my make-up has been removed, I like to apply a little Grease Lightening to any breakouts or problem areas. “Nip any breakouts in the bud without upsetting the skin around the area” which, again, is exactly what it does. One thing that I really love about Lush (among many) is that they don’t make any over compensating promises. Their ingredients do the work for them because they are effective; that’s all that matters. This spot treatment is antibacterial and antiseptic with ingredients like rosemary, thyme and tea tree as well as being rich in antioxidants from grape juice and witch hazel (which is also an anti-inflammatory and astringent).
It’s light enough to be applied in your morning cleansing routine, during the day if needed, and at night post-cleanse.
I don’t like products that claim to be the be-all and end-all when it comes to clearing breakouts but I’ve never felt better in my skin than now that I have a stable routine in place. 

Enzymion:
With one whole lemon in each pot (fact, not scientific jargon to confuse you) this facial cream smells lemony fresh without smelling like bleach which some beauty products somehow manage.  Fresh fruit contains enzymes and “alphahydroxy acids to remove dead skin cells” and brighten complexion which is definitely apparent when using Enzymion; one of my biggest moans about my skin, especially in winter, is that I feel like my skin is very dull and almost translucent. Enzymions zesty ingredients brighten my skin and make me feel happier to go about my day. It sinks in really, really well and doesn’t feel heavy on my skin. I tend to have quite an oily T-zone, but the mattifying properties in Enzymion work wonders and I feel just that much more confident. Usually winter calls for a more heavy duty moisturiser but my skin doesn’t call for it. I can imagine that most people would find Enzymion most useful during the summer months.
I don’t tend to heap the cream on, either, a little goes a long way with this cream which makes it even better value for money.
It comes in a standard Lush ‘black pot’ and counts for your ‘5 black pots’ free face mask which is always a winner!

(For those who don’t know – if you bring back 5 CLEAN black pots to your local Lush, you can choose a free fresh face mask to say thank you for recycling!)

It may sound materialistic and vain to go on and on about skincare and how it makes me feel, but for most people the first thing you see in the morning is yourself in the mirror. If you can’t find any good points in the reflection, then it doesn’t start the day as well as it could. It’s nicer to wake up to clearer skin. Clearer skin = happier days.

Overall, taking into consideration the balance of effectiveness with money spent the best product will usually always come out as a Lush product. You can find all the information about the products above by clicking on the links above, or on the Lush website. Also, anything in those sexy little italics, is direct from Lush. 

Here's an article from Lush that you might find interesting too, it's all about their definitive guide to cleansing! I can also give a thumbs up to products mentioned here, especially Mask of Mag, Oatifix and Angels on Bare Skin.

All of the Lush online channels are listed here;
Lush UK Online

Lush Kitchen Online
Lush UK Twitter
Lush UK (Southampton) Twitter
Instagram – LushLTD
Instagram – LushSouthampton

REVIEW: Lush Cosmetics - Celebrate Body Lotion & Golden Wonder Ballistic

Being a resident Lush fan and newly employed Christmas Temp has given me the opportunity to not only be able to afford new Lush products, but to also get to try them earlier – everyone’s a winner.

I’ve got my trusty pot of Karma Kream so I never looked into the other lotions but then I met Celebrate and it was a match made in heaven for days when Karma just isn’t quite what I want.
Of course, even though a limited edition Christmas product, the 225g cream comes in the standard Lush black and white pots. When I’m done with Celebrate, I’ll be adding it to the ever-growing pile of ‘clean-black-pots-to-take-back’ pile. If you’re unaware what I’m rambling about, where have you been?

One of Lush’s many recycling schemes involves customers bringing back five empty, clean black pots – we send them back to the factory for recycling and you, as the customer, get a free fresh face mask out of it. I’ll say it again, everyone’s a winner. 

“A sumptuous body lotion with oranges, almond oil and lime. As it’s Christmas we’ve also added a splash of cognac to put you in the festive mood.”
With generous helpings of the citrus ingredients, this slightly thicker lotion packs a whole zesty punch and is the perfect product for getting jazzed up before heading out to your office Christmas Party – leave the whole room wondering, what on earth is that amazing smell?

This lotion is so bright, it’s a refreshing break from all of the predictable ‘christmas’ scented products from companies across the board at this time of the year.  “Lime and Brazilian Orange bring cheer to the body and mind. Almond oil and cocoa butter will moisturise and soften the skin.” Celebrate is packed full of goodness, particularly in Almond Oil which is high in vitamin E which is so good for your skin, along with Fair Trade Organic Cocoa butter. A fully Vegan-friendly product, this just adds to the Vegan range that Lush has curated – working toward creating a better workplace, creating better products.

“This lotion shares its fragrance with Golden Wonder bath bomb making it a perfect way to layer the uplifting blend of essential oils whilst softening the skin. It’s also self-preserving, giving us true cause to celebrate.”

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Golden Wonder is probably one of, if not, my favourite Ballistic at Lush at the moment. It is a chunky square ballistic, covered in shimmery gold lustre with a cute bow design on top; looks like a little Christmas gift.
If you get the chance to see one in store, give it a shake – you can hear the little secret ballistics inside rattling around.  There are three little different coloured ballistic pebbles, surrounded in a blue ballistic casing, which is then completely covered again in the white and gold ballistic layer, so not only does it smell amazing – it’s awesome to watch, too!  If you’re giving a Golden Wonder as a gift – don’t tell them about all the layers, let it be a surprise! 

Because Golden Wonder is quite big, with such an array of colours and an awesome scent package to boot, this product is perfect for a gift for pretty much anyone - it just keeps on giving.

With the same fragrance as Celebrate body lotion, the uplifting Orange and Lime oils refresh you from spending your days trawling around town doing your Christmas shopping. Or, perhaps you work in retail too and need a break from the world when you get home – if so, this fella is your guy.

Although the original Golden Wonder, retailing at £3.75, does have a cheeky splash of cognac to keep you on your toes, there is an alcohol free version for those inclined. The original should be available in most stores across the UK for sure, and the alcohol-free one I know for sure is available on the Lush Website.

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