I'm getting tired just thinking about Lush Sleepy: "Slather on this gorgeous pale purple lotion, breathe in its sweet, comforting lavender and tonka perfume and you'll instantly feel at ease. Glycerin, cocoa butter and almond oil work together to moisturize skin and lock in hydration to keep skin soft, supple and comfortable all day or all night long. Say hello to your new nightly ritual! Zzz..." $9.95 for 95g or $19.95 for 215g.
Earlier this month, Marie Claire did a listicle on 10 Cheap Perfumes Beauty Insiders Love. I have no real objection to their list1 other than the inclusion of a $76 perfume and an $82 body oil — beauty insiders apparently have a different definition of “cheap” than I do, possibly because they don’t have to fork over cash for their beauty products — but I did note on Twitter that I did not love any of their picks. I’ll also add that none of their 10 show up very often in our daily scent of the day polls. So, here is a list of my own. I couldn’t make myself narrow down to fewer than 11, and of course I’ve cheated even more by adding alternatives. As always, do include your own picks in the comments!
Marie Claire included the old standby 4711. I know some of you probably love 4711, and I can’t scoff at it — it’s possibly one of the better fragrances on their list. Still, my old-school drugstore choice would be the venerable spicy carnation, Old Spice…
….or, maybe Lush Whoosh? After all, Lush invented the Shower Jelly. I think. Teen Vogue says so. Anyway, Whoosh: “Our triple-citrus wobbly wash gets you squeaky clean with its invigorating and energizing blend of fresh lemon, lime and grapefruit juices. And just in case your mental faculty is really struggling, we’ve thrown in revitalizing rosemary and balancing geranium to kick-start your senses even more. What are you waiting for? Rise and shine and get in the shower—the world is yours and the day awaits!” $7.95 for 100g or $12.95 for 240g…
More stuff from the Lush Kitchen that I want — Lush, open a US Kitchen already! At left, Calacas Shower Gel ("A hallowed shower with reviving lime and uplifting neroli lathers will rouse your senses back into the mortal realm. Just one encounter will leave your spine tingling...and skin smelling like sweet jelly beans"). Top right, Brightside Solid Perfume ("A little bit of sunshine arrives on the breeze, in the form of bergamot, tangerine and mandarin. All you need is a little dab on wrists, behind ears and knees and you’re set to make the world smile with you"), plus, you can have Brightside in a Body Lotion, double plus, they have Flying Fox Solid Perfume at the moment, along with Grass and Sex Bomb. Bottom right, Uluru Shower Gel ("Take time to escape into the embrace of these Aussie sunset-painted, lemon lathers. Warming sandalwood blends with zesty Brazilian orange and lemon myrtle oils...Smother yourself in sunshine and let it transport you to Uluru at dusk.") Argh.
Lush's Violet Nights Bath Oil has been around for years, and last had a full scale release (that I know of) in 2014. I want it for the name and the color, but it sounds darned good too: "Bask in enchanting baths of sweetly fragrant violet leaf and mystical sandalwood oil. This deep purple bath oil filled with conditioning soya oil provides creamy comfort that leaves skin soft and minds serene. Clouds of cassie oil cast a blackcurranty spell over your mood - sweetly uplifting and nostalgic, while rich Fair Trade vanilla from western Uganda adds exotic notes to the fairytale perfume." Possibly my mood could use a bit of a blackcurranty spell, but unfortunately it's only at the UK Lush Kitchen, where it's about £14 for 245g. (And for anyone else needing a laugh today, they've also got a fresh cleanser called "German Sausage" being sold under the tag line "what's the wurst that could happen?")