BATH | Lush Christmas Collection

It's that time of year where we all stock up on Lush bath goodies and try to imagine all that self-pampering that we plan on doing for the coming year. I used to stock up like CRAZY on bath goodies only to use them a year later because "I never had the time for a bath". I stopped this practice late last year and just started forcing myself to take baths for a few reasons: one to read more as I get bored easily in a bath and reading was the perfect way to pass the time AND two, to start using my bath bomb stock. This turned into a bit of an obsession and then the pandemic came where we all got stuck at home and self-care activities like baths became one of things I really looked forward to in the day. Now, I am a diehard bath bomb addict and cannot wait to hop into the tub with my fizzy friends! 

Press samples

BATH | Lush Easter Collection

I will preface this by saying that it feels strange to be celebratory of anything lately and while I would normally start this post by saying "OMG it's the Lush Easter collection", I do want to acknowledge that whether you still wish to support this brand is up to you based on the recent lay-off that has happened with Lush and many other companies. I am part of the group of people that have been now temporarily laid off and though I hope I will have my job back in a few weeks, I know that it's hard for companies to make guarantees on ANYTHING right now. Promising to take care of people for 2 weeks is very different than 4 weeks and beyond and we are all going to be hurting financially for awhile before things go back to normal or if they even do. I can't say that I'm not scared and full of doubt over the coming weeks and there is only so much self-care I can do until the fear of uncertainty creeps back into my brain. The way I look at my self-care experience now, whether I am masking or using a bath bomb, is that I am trying to fill my day with as many positive thoughts and memories as I can in the hopes that I can look back on this time with a sense of growth and optimism. Now, let's look at some really cute Easter stuff and may each bath bomb be a blast of good energy!

 Both PR gifted and purchased by me. PR gifted is denoted with a "*"

BATH | Lush Mother's Day 2018 Collection

How is it coming up to the middle of May? Once it hits June, it will be the summer and then half a year would have gone by! I STILL have stuff from December that I want to blog about that feels recent...tell me I'm not the only that is still trying to get organized! While I was fumbling my way through filing my taxes last month (filed on April 29th!), I realized that there was something special about May and that was Mother's Day! Lush has again blown it out of the water when it comes to new and sweet-smelling things so let's dive in!

PR samples

EASTER | Lush Limited Edition Easter Goodies!

Honestly, I love writing about Lush collections because it's just so darn easy to be in such a good mood the ENTIRE time I'm writing. Each product smells and looks so cute that you can't help, but feel happy. I say this with every Lush collection, but really THIS ONE is the cutest! I actually have some crazy favourites this year. Like on par with Scrubee favourite! 

HOLIDAY | My Favourites from the Wonderful World of Lush Christmas

Well, Christmas has come and gone and I tried so hard to get this Lush post up and running before the 25th, but I honestly woke up and stayed in a sort of groggy trance the whole day as I was just so exhausted. It was good to take it easy, but I did feel sad not sharing these Lush goodies with you all even though I am sure many of you stocked up leading up to the holiday and then AGAIN during Lush's annual BOGO sale on Boxing Day! I have done the 6am PST shopping trip before and decided this year that I really DO have enough bath products, but maybe some of you picked up these Lush delights that caught my eye when I was in store a few weeks ago!

HALLOWEEN | New Lush Goodies!

I actually tried really hard to get more of the Lush Halloween Collection, but certain things were sold out everytime I went in which just goes to show how popular certain items were! The new Jelly Bombs were sold out and I managed to get the Snow Fairy one for the holidays, but sadly not the Halloween ones. This year, the classics are back (reviews here), but I've also got some new items to share!

GIVEAWAY | Live Clean Fall Beauty (It's Alll the Good Stuff!)

This month has been so busy that I COMPLETELY forgot about my 6 year blog anniversary on October 1st! When I started blogging, it was seen as almost an embarrassing hobby, but now people seem genuinely interested and excited when I tell them all about this "successful hobby" as a friend so adequately put it. I know some get discouraged and jaded with blogging and the politics of PR and bloggers and believe me, I have some very strong opinions, but this will always be my Fortress of Solitude. While I am never extremely personal in my entries, I try to share a piece of normal life with you with every post and I often go back into my archives to see what was going in my life at certain points and reminisce. I like seeing what I enjoyed blogging about leading up to my wedding, when I was having a rough time at work or when I was just about to finish school.

How fitting that in addition to Cosmetic Proof turning 6 that Live Clean has decided to help me and a fellow reader celebrate the arrival of Fall with a Beauty Renew and Repair giveaway! Live Clean has had such a strong presence here because I enjoy their products and their philosophy and with the weather getting drier, my skin has been more itchy than usual after a shower (I love my hot showers that's why) and has been sucking up all body oils and moisturizers so hydration has been my best friend.

BATH & BODY | Crystal Hills Organics - Crystal Infused Skincare!

Last month I had posted on my Instagram stories about a local new-to-me brand that I found interesting, but had a few questions about. Crystal Hills Organics is based in Kelowna, BC in the gorgeous Okanagan Valley (their Instagram will have you wishing you could work your 9-5 job there) with a goal of using the healing power of nature to soothe, cleanse and protect and enhance the body. Crystal Hills has their own organically certified farm for all the grapes, herbs and flowers used in their products and the soil is enriched so that only the freshest and highest quality ingredients are used. Not only was I happy to learn of this, but also that the founder, Andrea Barone, has a background in Biological Science and Occupational Health and Safety. There are so many indie green brands popping up that I tend to gravitate towards the ones that have some scientific process or at the very least surround themselves with people who do. 

BATH & BODY | The New Zoella Beauty Jelly and Gelato Collection!

Zoe Sugg, better known as Zoella, is probably one of the few millennials on YouTube I actually like. Not to bash millennials, but some of the younger girls on YouTube can be a bit high energy for me/fake sounding which is just something I don't identify with. I feel like Zoella is intelligent, entertaining and the British accent definitely helps!

When Zoella came out with her first bath and body collection, I was enamored with the cuteness of it all and the fact that she admitted to buying her own bath fizzies on her video because she loved them so much and wanted them right away that day when she had run out! Whether that story is true or not, I would like to believe it is because her bath products really do smell fantastic in a playful, grown-up type of way. Having used Zoella's new Jelly & Gelato Collection for a couple of weeks now, I am now very tempted to pick up the additional pieces of the collection because I find myself looking forward to actually having a shower just to use these shower gels!

BATH & BODY | Giving Some ATTITUDE with the New Super Leaves Collection

Montreal-based brand ATTITUDE, first caught my eye when I was in the household cleaning aisle of London Drugs trying to find something to clean my bathroom that didn't give me a headache. The bathroom cleaners I was using had such noxious scents that I often felt like every breath I took killed off a few neurons or two. I noticed a citrus-scented bathroom cleaner by ATTITUDE and I was sold. To this day, my bathroom is cleaned with only non-neuron killing products so even though cleaning products excite me (because I'm old), I was like "yeahhhhh!" when I saw the new Super Leaves Collection at my local London Drugs. 

FATHER'S DAY | Lush Treats for Dads, Hubs and Bros

I will be honest that I did not realize it was Father's Day this weekend until Friday night. I had taken these photos 3 weeks ago thinking I had oodles of time to talk about them and then bam, this week I worked four 10 hour days in a row and I found myself falling asleep the minute I came home! Thankfully, both my husband and I have been testing out these Lush Father's Day treats the last couple of weeks because let's face it, what's mine is his and what's his is mine!  

BATH & BODY | Live Clean Spa Therapy Collection Review (More Products!) + Giveaway!

Happy Mother's Day everyone! Last month I raved about a couple of products from the Live Clean Spa Therapy collection (here) and now I am back with the rest of the collection because I needed to experience the rest of this wonderful line! Lemon, aloe vera, ginger and green tea blend together to create one of my favourite scents EVER from Live Clean. Well, other than the Exotic Nectar Argan Oil collection...that scent is pretty amazing too!

BATH & BODY | Treat Mom to Some Lush Mother's Day Goodies!

Some of the most fun posts for me to write are the Lush ones because I feel like a child again just rambling on about bath time, colours and bubbles. There is something liberating about using whimsical bath bombs as an adult like having waffles or ice cream for dinner - it's because you damn well can! This year, Lush's Mother's Day launches seem more appealing to everyone instead of the more floral scents that are typically released. With fun animals, scents and colours, my tub is going to be a psychedelic masterpiece for the next few weeks!

BATH & BODY | Relaxing with Live Clean Spa Therapy

I'm not one of those lucky ones who gets a real weekend thanks to my retail job, but the weekends are still special because my day is shorter and there aren't any pesky things from head office to deal with as no one is open. It really does feel a little more carefree than during the week and with today being Earth Day, I thought what better tribute than with two relaxing products I have been enjoying and will need more of shortly! Live Clean is so much more than any drugstore brand because it is seriously one my favourite green brands with its 98% plant and natural-based ingredients, biodegradable packaging and SLS/sulfate-free cleansing agents. I am so glad that a brand THIS good is so easily available to everyone because being cleaner with your beauty products shouldn't have to cost more or be elusive to find.    

BATH | Easter with Lush!

I hope you all have already gotten a chance to grab a few of these Lush Easter goodies because I didn't get a chance to go to the post office until two days ago and then of course I had to work and could not take pretty photos of product. Lush goodies disappear fast, but I'm still seeing quite a bit of stock left online so you should be good if you can't make it to a store! I don't need to say that this year Lush has added some extra cute things to their Easter line up because they literally do this EVERY year with every collection, but really. THIS year is truly the cutest.

BATH & BODY | Lush Valentine's Day Collection!

Lush is back this year with some old favourites and brand new additions to their Valentine's Day collection! I love that Lush has some great ads celebrating all inclusive love and that when it comes to acceptance, Lush is always one of the first to be proactive about it so yay Lush!

BATH & BODY | The Avon Pampering Chocolate Collection

Chocolate is like a fifth food group for me and I am sure many, if not all you can identify! There is something about satisfying a chocolate craving that literally NOTHING else can satiate! From Halloween in October to Valentine's Day in February, chocolate is in our faces non-stop. December is the time of exceptional gluttony and if anyone else is just as weak when it comes to resisting Ferraro Rocher, Avon's Pampering Chocolate Collection might be a more calorie-friendly way to get your chocolate fix! Sure, you might still need a golden ball or two, but since you can't take them into the shower, why not take a few things that come pretty damn close!

Lush | Halloween 2016 Collection aka That "Other" Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

I don't know about you guys, but as a grown woman in her 30s I cannot WAIT for Lush's Halloween and Christmas collections to come out. Certain products, like the Sparkly Pumpkin and Snow Fairy Shower Gel are becoming a tradition where it just doesn't feel like the holidays until they hit my bathroom. Since Lush comes out with new products every year, I won't share the ones I have already reviewed - just the ones that are new for this year or items that I (you) have to have! 

Clean and Refreshed with Vichy Spa Shower Gels

Why, hello there! A recurring theme here on Cosmetic Proof seems to be that "life is hectic" and though I can't say things have changed, there are a couple of products that make me happy to be home (other than hubby, Hugo and Hemi). I have my showers at night so generally I like to relax and scrub off the stress of the day in order for me to get a good night's sleep. It's also where I brainstorm most of my nail art designs so the shower really is an important place for me!

Even in my pre-blogging days, I always loved buying an insane amount of shower gel. There are so many scents out there and it is something I use every day so I can buy LOTS of it, no? I still have a bit of a problem with hoarding shower gels, but now I am a bit more selective and tend to behave whenever Bath & Body Works has their crazy "Buy 7 for $25"! Lately, I have been focusing on keeping my skin hydrated with some bath and body newness from Vichy! 

BATH & BODY | Experiencing Tranquility with Amayori

I am a terrible morning person. I am definitely a night owl and if I have to get up before 8am, I am generally rushing or looking for shortcuts to look my best without needing too much time. Evenings are when I finally take some time for ME. I am almost always exhausted and looking for ways to relax and forget about the stress of the day and prepare for bed which is why I have my showers at night. It is the only time I feel I can be truly selfish which means this is when I pull out all the stops when it comes to experiencing products. Especially products that encourage me to stop, slow down and relax.