Top 3 LUSH Products

November 6, 2016November 20, 2025 ValerieLeave a comment

By Valerie A. Cody

Valerie

After becoming the favorite of many bloggers and vloggers, Lush gained what some would consider a cult following. Their natural products are hand crafted using the freshest ingredients; meaning their products have an actual expiration date. Body balms, shampoos, face masques and more; all so fresh they could literally expire. It is becoming widely accepted that processed foods with a long shelf-life aren’t the best for our health; Lush is applying that concept to our hygiene products.

Lovely scents aside, I can also get on board with their stance on animal testing:

We’ve been fighting against animal testing for decades and believe in only buying ingredients from companies that do not commission tests on animals. We only test our products on human volunteers, and have turned our belief into a company-wide policy.

See below for a quick list of my top 3 favorite Lush products.

Bubblegum Lip Scrub This lip scrub smells amazing, tastes delicious and it’s vegan. Why would you ever want to scrub your lips with any else?
Veganese Hair Conditioner This conditioner is extremely light, which means it delivers massive amounts of volume to your hair. The herbal scent is lemony with an Earthy undertone.
Daddy-O Shampoo Blondes, thank me later. As flaxen-hair babes, we understand the struggle that is brassiness. If you find your blonde strands to be yellowing, get your hands on this shampoo.

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Luscious Locks: A Coconut Oil Hair Masque Recipe

March 27, 2016November 22, 2025 ValerieLeave a comment

By Valerie A. Cody

Valerie

Sunday night is self-care night at the Cody household. Face masques and hair masques for both of us, plus an epsom salt bath for me.

I’ve always had a self-care night. I can remember as far back as middle school; sneaking to steal my mom’s face masques and foot creams.

True girly-girl at heart right here.

If you don’t already have a self-care night, I would recommend you adopt one. It doesn’t have to be Sunday, we choose Sunday because it prepares us for the week ahead. Here are a few additional ideas you may feel compelled to incorporate.

*Read.

*Get a Manicure. (highly recommended for men as well!)

*Get a Pedicure. (highly recommended for men as well!)

*Do a mini-declutter. Recycle three things from your wardrobe that you don’t love or regularly wear.

*Unplug for an hour. Switch everything to airplane mode and free yourself from the constant notifications of social media and email.

*Meditate. Even five minutes is progress.

*Get fifteen minutes of sun exposure. (especially if you’re in a cold climate.)

* Do a Pinterest DIY.

I started using this weekly coconut oil hair masque over a year ago now. Here is the recipe and method for application of my Clary Sage, Lavender, and Coconut Oil Hair Masque.

You will need:

Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil

Essential Oils: Clary Sage and Lavender

Small mixing cup or bowl

Spoon

Hot Water

Hair tie or hair clip

Shower Cap

Coconut oil has a low melting point. If you’re in a warm climate, your oil may already be liquified. If not, simply submerge your jar in hot water. This is the most natural way to melt the oil (compared to microwave or stove top).

Then, using your spoon, fill your mixing bowl with 2-6 tablespoons of oil. This amount will vary depending upon your hair length.

Quickly touch the coconut oil to make sure it is not burning hot. We are about to add the essential oils, which are quite sensitive to high heat. We do not want them to evaporate. Once your coconut oil has cooled (but is still liquid) drip 5-8 droplets of both clary sage and lavender into the mixture.

Next, saturate your hair from root to tip with the mixture. Make sure to apply this when your hair is dry. If your hair is wet, it will repel the oils.

I typically leave this masque on for about 2-3 hours while wearing a shower cap. The cap traps heat onto the scalp which renders this mixture more effective.

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Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas

February 12, 2016November 11, 2025 ValerieLeave a comment

It’s no secret that I take self-care very seriously. I believe we have the obligation to look after ourselves properly so that we are able to present our ‘best self’ to the world. For today’s post, I am showcasing a few of my favorite ways to make sure I look and feel my best — with an added Valentine’s Day theme!

“Animals are not ingredients.” -Barbara Thompson

Starting with one of my favorite cruelty-free and vegan products: LUSH Lip Scrub! LUSH carries many different flavors, but “This Kiss” is the perfect little Valentine’s pick me up. This lip scrub is made of food-grade, delicious vegan ingredients. You simply apply a small amount to clean lips, scrub with small circular motions and lick off the excess.

I’ve recently discovered Valentina’s Home-Brewed Pure Body Care while exploring the beauty section of Whole Foods. These Magickal Mineral Bath Salts are lovely. Run a hot bath, and mix in these salts for a detoxifying and sensual experience. With the scent of chocolate and roses – the True Love variety screams Valentine’s Day.

Roses are a classic gift idea this time of year – why not put an unexpected twist on the idea with 1,000 Roses Body Lotion by Andalou Organics? In their words: This ultimate skin food blends rosehips and argan oils with fair trade shea and cocoa butters to smooth and soften dry skin.

Soothing rosewater, rose stem cells, pomegranate antioxidants, and ultra-hydrating aloe vera effectively protect skin’s moisture barrier and stimulate healthy cell renewal for an all-over body treatment.

Fruit Stem Cell Science renews skin at the cellular level, blending nature and knowledge for visible results.

You can find Andalou Organics at Whole Foods and Earthfare. I also use the 1,000 Roses Eye Revive Contour Gel.

Lastly, you may want to consider this Love Potion elixir by Aura Cacia Essential Oils. This spicy-sweet blend of mandarin orange, lemon, cardamom, sandalwood and other fragrant essential oils are perfect for setting the mood. Place a few drops into an essential oil diffuser and let the magic happen. Find my favorite essential oil diffuser: Here.