When I got invited to the Lush blogger event in Lakeside, I was so excited. My first blogger event where I would meet other bloggers. I got to meet up with a lot of the Essex bloggers massive, which was great.

After a bit of a faff getting ready (power cut, half dried hair, dash to Nans etc etc) I was really rushed and not in the mood, but that soon brightened when I got into Lush’s colourful Lakeside store (next to Primark).

In 1994, Mo and Mark Constantine opened the first Lush store in Poole, which at the time was called Cosmetic and go. Since then, Lush has carved itself out as a lead player in the consumer quest for ethical and vegan cosmetics.

Not happy with simply buying fairly traded ingredients, Lush set up the SLush fund in 2010. As explained in Lush’s in store magazine, 2% of the amount Lush spends on raw materials and packaging is donated to the fund. This, is turn, is used to create sustainable and community projects from scratch in underdeveloped countries. Some people may be happy to buy things to put on their body and face without a clue as to where it comes from or how its sourced, but a quick glance at Lush’s in store mag about all the good they do, and you might just change your mind.They operate an absolute no way policy on animal testing, great for us cat lovers.

The first thing I noticed when we met Guy at Lush, is how passionate he is about the products. Lets face it, shop assistants are no millionaires, and no bribes or freebies in the world could entice someone to be so dedicated. The dedication obviously derives from the fact the products actually work.

Splitting our group into two, my group were invited to make the ‘catastrophe’ fresh facemask. With locally sourced blueberries, chamomile and calamine, it is designed to be calming and soothing. The texture is impeccable and I cant wait to try it. Or eat it. Either way.

Next we were invited to a talk and a few samples from Guy about the various face products. Lush are absolutely on point with facial cleansers. not a lot of people who suffer from bad skin realize, but the worst thing you can do is strip away your natural oils. Among the cleansers we tried, ‘Angels on Bare Skin’ was not only the nicest I tested on my arm in store (none of us tested on faces due to make up/fake tan technical issues), it was also included in my ‘goody bag’. Keen to give it a bash, I used some last night. Unlike other cleansers, which feel abrasive, this cleanser makes you feel fresh and clean without the harshness of certain chemicals. It might have even made the next bit less useful, as your face feels moisturized straight after the cleanser.

The moisturizers, again all lovingly tanned arms, were again heaven. The leader for me was Celestial, which is made from orchids and almond oil, for a calming effect. Again, the skin felt fresh and clear, without excess grease or chemical.

We then got round to the star of the show, the EB or ‘Emotional Brilliance’ colour wheel Using this wheel, a staff member in any Lush store will give you a ‘colour’ consultation, and get you to pick colours based on your emotions and mood. The EB colours come in a wide range of make up, lips, eyes, etc. You can even treat yourself to a couple and go from focus to wise to sophisticated all in one day.

Another thing worth mentioning is the innovative idea of a ‘Lip scrub’ which are all delightful flavours and perfectly edible. I wouldn’t exactly eat a whole pot though, wouldn’t fancy explaining that to the hospital.

We had some shopping time after, and after some more chat with Guy, we all got treated to a seriously generous goody bag (my first one no less). I am currently sitting in my Catastrophe facemask with the ‘H’suan Wen Hua’ hair treatment in, so I’m sure I’ll be letting you all know how that went soon enough too. Something else I was surprised about because I didn’t know, is that Lush also have a few spa’s and do ‘parties’ for £15, £20 and £25 a head depending on how much spends in shop you want.

Lush in Lakeside, Essex, is located on the ground floor next to Primark.

https://www.lush.co.uk/

As well as the many other things Lush get involved with, staff all over Europe have been having themselves ‘Deep Sea Body Painted’, to highlight deep sea destruction just off the British isle. Make sure you sign the petition after looking at all the fabulous pictures http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/gallery/2014/sep/11/deep-sea-body-painting-in-pictures