I have a bit of a confession to make. As much as I adore Christmas, I am not a fan of Christmas movies. I prefer movies where the holiday may be taking place in the background, but I don't usually watch films that centre around it. Don't ask me why, but they have never been as big a part of my Christmas as they are for others. But, that doesn't mean I don't have my favourites, and today I thought I would share my five favourite Christmas movies!




GREMLINS



Nothing screams "Christmas" to me more than small, frightening creatures running around a small town causing mayhem and spreading like wildfire. While it may not sound like the most festive film around, Gremlins is an absolute classic that combines everyone's favourite holiday with dark, slapstick humour and a very adorable reminder that pets are for life, not just for Christmas, and there can be severe consequences if you don't look after them properly. It makes me feel a little sad to see Gremlins continually left off of lists of Christmas films because its funny, festive but with a twist, and I adore it.

NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS



Never mind one of my favourite Christmas movies, The Nightmare Before Christmas is one of my favourite films of all time. It successfully combines two of my favourite holidays, and in this socially aware age, has a very good message about attempting to claim the rights to something that is not yours to take. The music is fantastic, and there's not a day goes by in December where I don't quietly sing What's This? to myself, especially when it's snowing. It makes me laugh, cry and freaks me out in equal measure, but it wouldn't be Christmas in my house if I didn't force my family members to watch this with me every year.

LOVE ACTUALLY



Until about two years ago, I had never seen Love Actually, because as well as not liking Christmas films, I also hate rom-coms in any form, but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this film. I even went on to watch it again after I finished it the first time! The all-star cast are fantastic, and I didn't find the paralleling storylines as confusing as I thought I would, and although some of them make me cringe and cry, this film is definitely my guilty Christmas pleasure. 

GRANDMA GOT RUN OVER BY A REINDEER



This is another film I see consistently left off of Christmas film lists, which makes my inner six year old very, very unhappy. One of the most vivid moments of my childhood I can remember is being very unwell after finishing school for the holidays, and being curled under a blanket with my mum, eating soup and watching this film together. It's a funny take on a classic Christmas scenario that everyone is familiar with, and makes me think of how much my own grandparents make Christmas a special experience.

RUDOLPH THE RED NOSED REINDEER



Remember when you were little and when school was coming to a halt for Christmas, your teacher would bring out the TV and put on festive films instead of making you do work? This is the one film I remember watching in school, and it's stuck with me every since. I never see it on TV anymore, which is a huge shame, because I think to values and message are still so important. 

I hope you've enjoyed reading about my favourite festive films! What's your favourite?

Until next time,

Rachel x

*All movie posts and screencaptions have been taken from Google. I do not own the rights to any of the above images.

SHERBET DIP:
This is not one of my favourites from this year's range, as I feel as though it's too plain compared to its festive counterparts. It's much larger than some of the other bath products available, and it leaves the water a sparkling emerald green. However, I find the scent a little too muted, even with the citrus grapefruit and Sicilian lemon oils, so sadly Sherbet Dip doesn't do the trick for me this year.






PLUM SNOW:
Another familiar scent, Plum Snow smells exactly the same as one of my favourite shower gels Plum Rain, so needless to say, this is another of my favourite Christmas bath products. As a larger bubble bar, you can get at least five baths out of this, but I find it very difficult to restrain myself from using the whole thing. It just smells that good! With the soothing and comforting scent of osmanthus, petigrain and mandarin oils, it refreshes and invigorates, but also leaves you smelling incredible for the rest of the day.


MAN IN THE MOON:
I am a huge fan of the scent family this product belongs to, and with lime and neroil it smells almost good enough to eat. With the added cocoa butter, it's also one of the softest bubble bars I have ever used, making it the perfect gift for anyone who needs a little bit of hydration and TLC this winter.








I hope you've discovered some new products from this list and managed to scope out and narrow down your own choices from this year's Christmas range! Thank you so much for reading, and I apologise for the late publication of days four and five of Blogmas.

Until next time,

Rachel x


*This post is in no way affiliated with Lush Cosmetics, and all stock photographs have been taken from their website, apart from my own two that begin and conclude this post, and all links have been hyperlinked in accordance with ASA guidelines. All rights to the original photographers.

Happy December everyone! I hope you're all in the festive mood and excited for Christmas. If you've been reading my blog for a while you may remember the series of Lush reviews I did for Christmas last year, and well, LUSH have done it again! This year their Christmas range is bigger than ever, bringing back some old favourites, redesigned a couple and introduced a huge variety of brand new products. As I'm going to be quite busy working and studying over the festive period, I felt like it would be far more appropriate to do a master-post mini review of every product available this year, (not counting those that were a part of my 12 Days of Lush Christmas review series from last year!) seeing as I've been lucky enough to demo the majority of these products when I've been working in store.

This list is comprised of no particular order, just how they appeared to me on the site! And all products already reviewed will be linked at the end.

FATHER CHRISTMAS BATH BOMB
This adorable bath bomb is one of the most festive products in store this year. Sharing the sweet, Snow Fairy scent that everyone goes mad for, this pale pink bath bomb is a candyfloss feast for anyone who's a fan of that scent. I love the cute little Santa face, even if I've gone off the scent a little this year, it's still one that I'm going to excitedly use before December 24th, and bathe in beautiful emerald green waters.
OVERALL: 6/10





BAKED ALASKA SOAP
Another Lushie favourite, Baked Alaska is one of the most popular soaps and it's easy to see why. Each fluorescent colour is individually moulded and the soap is crafted into an incredible globe-like shape. It's beautiful, but boy is it a pain in the ass to slice! I am a fan of citrus smells, so I love the combination of grapefruit oil and lemon myrtle as I feel really refreshed after using it!
OVERALL: 7/10




SNOW FAIRY SHOWER GEL- REVIEW


GOLDEN WONDER BATH BOMB- REVIEW


THE CHRISTMAS PENGUIN BUBBLE BAR
If there's one product I buy every year, it's this incredibly cute bubble bar. I think the penguin shape is so cute, (even if it's a little poop like!) and he turns the water a gorgeous cloudy sky blue colour. With lots of Sicilian lemon and mandarin oil, this product shares it's scent with The Olive Branch shower gel and is guaranteed to warm you up this winter.
Note: his little jellybean nose is also edible, if you like to eat soapy tasting jelly beans!
OVERALL: 9/10




REINDEER ROCK SOAP
Last year this soap was one of my favourite products. The beautiful blackberry scent was incredible and the design of a huge purple block with lots of silver reindeer carved into it looked wonderful too. This year, Reindeer Rock has had a complete overhaul. The soap now comes in individual pebble shapes, with a gold reindeer shape in the middle as inspired by Scandinavian cave paintings. With lingonberry, floral jasmine, rose and neroli it has more of a delicate than delicious scent. After being such a fan of last year's version, I have to say this years doesn't live up to my expectations even if it is visually creative.
OVERALL: 5.5/10



SANTASAURUS REUSABLE BUBBLE BAR
One of the brand new products this year is this very cute reusable bubble bar. The Santasaurus bubble bar drew inspiration from one of the Mr Bean movies (remember??) and it shares it's scent with another Christmas favourite, Shoot for the Stars bath bomb. Lots of Brazilian orange oil and uplifting bergamot oil means that this sweet, honey-scented product is a great companion to any cold, dreary winter day and turns your bath water a festive green colour. With reusable bubble bars you can get about 5-8 baths out of them (depending on how much you like bubbles!) meaning they are also great value for money!
OVERALL: 8/10




PAPA NOEL FACE WASH JELLY
This is one of the more unique products from this year's Christmas range. If you've ever used the shower jelly's before, then this guy follows the same principle, except you use it on your face instead of your body! Break a little piece of this big white beard off, lather between your hands or just rub it straight onto your face and let the softening carrageenan seaweed extract work it's magic. Papa Noel also contains lots of jojoba oil, lime oil and refreshing tangerine, leaving your skin smelling incredible. If you're not a fan of heavy cleansers and prefer a gentle cleanse, I cannot recommend this product enough. It's one of my favourites and has left my skin feeling so soft and bright, plus it lasts for ages!
OVERALL: 9/10




SNOW FAIRY BODY CONDITIONER
The second of seven Snow Fairy products, this intense moisturiser also has a sweet, candy scent. This product works like an in shower moisturiser, similar to a hair conditioner, you lather it onto wet skin and then wash off! Cocoa butter, avocado butter and mango butter make this thick lotion a must-have to combat harsh winter skin and leave you feeling soft and smelling sweet. This product isn't one of my favourites, as it leaves me feeling a little sticky and I always have some residue left on my skin.
OVERALL: 5/10




SANTAS POSTBOX SOAP
The gift set version of this soap is so cute, with the bright red mini postbox covered in glitter and small enough to take with you on your winter travels. The full size version is just as spectacular, with lots of different colours inside the soap, giving the appearance of letters inside ready to make their way to the North Pole. Not only is this soap really cute, but it smells incredible, with lots of refreshing fresh satsumas, orange flower absolute and mandarin oil to leave you feeling awakened and squeaky clean!
OVERALL: 8/10




LUXURY LUSH PUD BATH BOMB- REVIEW



NEVER MIND THE BALLISTICS BATH BOMB
If you've ever been lucky enough to use the Roller bath bomb that's often available in the Lush Kitchen, then you may already be familiar with the design of this brand new bath bomb. Covered in a layer of cocoa butter, NMTB is an extremely nourishing product and will leave your skin feeling super soft. Lime oil, sweet orange oil and fresh bananas make a wonderful fruit cocktail scent, meaning that this product is one of the most original from this year's Christmas range. It's a beautiful, slow fizzer and leaves an artistic array of yellow, pink and peach in your bath.
OVERALL: 8.5/10




SLEEPY BODY LOTION
Undoubtedly my favourite product from this year's range, Sleepy body lotion lives up to its name. With three different types of relaxing lavender, tonka and benzoin, this sweet and delicious lotion is light on the skin. Oatmeal infusion your skin feeling soft, but makes you feel relaxed enough to fall asleep. Sharing its scent with other products like Luxury Lush Pud bath bomb and Twilight bath bomb, this lotion is the perfect companion to help you through restless winter nights.
OVERALL: 10/10




BUBBLY SHOWER GEL
Another new addition to this year's Christmas range, this indulgent shower gel is based on the festive favourite Bucks Fizz (the drink AND the band). An extra helping of glycerine makes this shower gel much thicker than most others, and lathers onto the skin leaving you feeling refreshed and soft. Fresh grape juice, orange oil and lime oil will help uplift and awaken you on any cold winter morning, and leave you feeling ready to take on a hard day of Christmas shopping.
OVERALL: 8.5/10




SHOOTING STARS SOAP
A unique and colourful product in ths year's Christmas range is this gorgeous Shooting Stars soap. With UV extra and four(!!) different types of plastic free glitter, what better to use to brighten up your day, than a piece of this? Zesty lime and lemon oil are great to leave you feeling bright and happy, ready to spread some Christmas cheer!
OVERALL: 8/10





SNOWCASTLE SOAP
A creamy and softening soap, Snowcastle shares its scent with the Snowcake fragrance family that also includes the Snow Angel bath melt. The gift set version is designed to resemble a tiny soap castle with the 29 High Street logo on it, representing the first ever Lush store, the full-size soap is just a larger version of this. Rose absolute and almond oil give this product a marzipan-like scent, very delicate and not too strong, while benzoin acts as a natural antiseptic. Not my favourite Christmas product, however this soap will be great for anyone who struggles with harsh winter skin.
OVERALL: 6/10




SUGAR PLUM FAIRY LIP SCRUB / TINT
Lip scrubs are one of the most popular Lush products, ever. The caster sugar base is designed to exfoliate and buff away any dead skin and you can just lick off the excess. Jojoba oil and sweet wild orange give this scrub a deliciously sweet berry taste and leaves your lips feeling soft and pampered. The lip tint is a vivid plum colour, with organic coconut oil to moisturise and the same scent as the lip scrub!
OVERALL: 9/10




SANTA BABY LIP SCRUB / TINT
With the same idea as Sugar Plum Fairy, Santa Baby is for those with different tastes. Dates and cherries, lime oil and coconut oil give this scrub a cola bottle taste. The lip tint turns the lips a festive shade of red with stimulating cinnamon and rose hip oil leaving your lips soft and enriched.
OVERALL: 7/10




YOG LOG ROULADE
For all those who are upset that Yog Nog bath bomb and soap have not returned, have no fear! This indulgent shower smoothie evokes the creamy scent of last year's favourites. With sweet ylang ylang and spicy clove bud oil, this creamy roulade also contains coconut oil and cocoa butter to leave your skin feeling soft and moisturised, Just pick up a piece and use it like soap, rubbing it into the skin! I'm personally not a fan of the scent, but other than that I have no opinions on this product.
OVERALL: 6/10




REINDEER AND ROBIN FUN
If you've never used FUN before, it is basically Lush's version of playdough for the bath. Not only is it fun to style into little figures to keep you company, but you can also squish it into soap, use it for bubbles, shaving or even as shampoo! Made with a base of talc and cornflour, Reindeer and Robin also contains lime oil, black pepper oil and aniseed which gives it a fizzy cola bottle scent. Lots of fun for younger children or for yourself! I'm not personally a huge fan of fun myself, but I can appreciate the cuteness of crafting a little reindeer.
OVERALL: 6.5/10




MR SANDMAN DUSTING POWDER
Lavender, chamomile powder and tonka give this relaxing powder a sweet tinge. Gold lustre also provides you with an extra coat of Christmas shimmer. Tapiocha starch and fine sand are blended to absorb any excess moisture on the skin after you apply your lotion. Pair it with Sleepy body lotion to help your drift off on Christmas Eve.
OVERALL: 7/10




SNOW FAIRY FUN
Another sweet candy scented product, with the same principle as the Reindeer and Robin fun, this fun contains three different types of shimmery lustre, making this the idea companion for any young children who want to feel like fairy princes or princesses!
OVERALL: 5.5/10




ELF ON THE SHELF FUN
With vibrant greens and reds, EOTS is definitely the most festive bar of fun. With the same base as the rest, this bar contains cinnamon leaf oil, ginger and grapefruit which also gives it a festive scent too. If you're looking for something along the lines of a traditional Christmas product, look no further!
OVERALL: 6.5/10




SO WHITE BATH BOMB
One of my favourite bath bombs from this year's Christmas range, is this crisp white product. Redesigned from last year's version, this apple-shaped bath bomb looks how it smells. Bergamot oil and rose absolute are calming and refreshing, giving this bath bomb its distinct apple scent. A slow fizzer, the initial purity of the white water is shattered by a blue and yellow core, eventually turning the water a dark, green apple colour. This bath bomb definitely strays from the traditional Christmas scents, and is perfect for someone looking for a product that is fruity but not too sweet.
OVERALL: 9/10




ROSE JAM SHOWER GEL: REVIEW


SHOOT FOR THE STARS BATH BOMB
I previously reviewed this product in last year's Lush reviews, however this year it's had a bit of a redesign too. Retaining the sweet, honey scent of orange and bergamot oil, aesthetically this bath bomb is totally different. With six cocoa butter bath melts, you'll feel super soft and moisturised as you relax in deep blue, glittery water. I definitely had a new fondness for this bath bomb this time around.
OVERALL: 9.5/10




IGLOO SOAP
If you ever get the chance to see this soap in all its glory in store; take it. All stacked up into a huge dome, this soap looks great all together. A delicate floral scent of rose absolute and lemon oil make this a very calming and restorative product, with a little bit of carrageenan extract to help your skin feel soft. A cute soap, but not really a standout product from this year's range.
OVERALL: 7/10




CANDY CANE ROULADE
The same idea as Yog Log, Candy Cane has a more traditional Christmas scent. Invigorating peppermint and woody cedarwood and cypress oil give this a Christmas tree scent with a kick. Soya milk, rapeseed oil and coconut oil leave the skin feeling soft and feeling cool and calm. A great product for dull winter mornings. I prefer this roulade to Yog Log.
OVERALL: 8/10




NORTHERN LIGHTS BATH BOMB
If you've been a fan of Lush for a while you may remember this beautiful bath bomb from a couple of years ago. It was shaped differently, an elongated rectangle with lots of sparkle and pop. However, the fragile shape made it difficult to ship and deliver, so back at LUSH HQ they decided to remodel and master this Christmas favourite into a shorter, thicker shape. A floral scent with ylang ylang and jasmine, this bath bomb is a marvel in the water. The double end of blue and yellow swirl in the water, while the purple core foams and fizzes away to reveal beautiful green waters. If you're a fan f incredible bath art, be sure to pick up one of these this year!
OVERALL: 9.5/10




SNOWIE BUBBLE BAR
A fitting tribute to David Bowie, this snowman shaped bubble bar is full of uplifting grapefruit oil and neroli, giving a sweet, yet floral scent. With a lightening bolt of blue and red, creamy cloud like water and a light dusting of lustre, this bubble bar is perfect for a relaxing Christmas evening spent listening to the Starman himself.
OVERALL: 8.5/10




MISTLETOE BATH BOMB
This product is a real Marmite bath bomb from this year's Christmas range. Sensual jasmine and heady vertivert give a strong, powdery scent while ylang ylang adds a little bit of sweetness. The idea behind this bath bomb is that you give it to someone you love and share in the deep lilac waters. The colours and design are stunning, with magenta and turquoise coming together to make a bright and beautiful bath. The scent isn't for everyone, and although it's not my favourite I don't mind it too much.
OVERALL: 6.5/10




RUBY RED SLIPPERS BUBBLE BAR
A brand new bubble bar based on the film that's always on at Christmas - the Wizard of Oz of course! A floral scent of rose, carnation and uplifting tangerine create a very unique fragrance. Not one of my personal favourites, but still a cute product.
OVERALL: 6.5/10




JESTER REUSABLE BUBBLE BAR
This sweet and zesty bubble bar contains uplifitng tangerine and orange oil with lots fof lovely bergamot. A similar idea to Santasaurus, you can get plenty of colourful baths out of this cute, yet slightly sinister jester bubble bar.
OVERALL: 7.5/10




SANTAS BELLY SHOWER JELLY
Shower jelly's are a solid shower gel, moulded into a little dome shape. Designed to be used just like a soap, you pick up this slippery character and rub onto your skin. Nourishing fresh apple juice, spicy star anise, and rose absolute make this a beautiful scented product, while carrageenan seaweed leave the skin feeling soft. With lots of gold luste and glitter stars inside, this product is good for young children or for yourself, as a festive treat!
OVERALL: 8.5/10




FAIRY DUST DUSTING POWDER
Another Snow Fairy product, this is one that I actually enjoy using. Lots of beautiful lustre make this a great product to use before a night out, to leave you feeling like a glittery princess. The candyfloss scent will keep you feeling sweet all through the night. A finer powder than Mr. Sandman but with the same base, this is a product for those who prefer to sweet to the floral.
OVERALL: 7.5/10




SALT AND PEPPERMINT BARK BODY SCRUB
This American inspired solid body scrub is a Christmas must have. With lots of invigorating peppermint, gently exfoliating sea salt to buff away dead skin and softening cupuacu butter this product is a wonderfully warming product for the winter. It's not too harsh on the skin and leaves you feeling deeply cleansed and soft. 
OVERALL: 8/10



SANTA FUN
The fourth and final fun in this year's Christmas range is based on the jolly old man himself. With jasmine and ylang ylang oil, this sweet and floral scent is delicate and not too overpowering with lots of gold lustre for shimmery bath time fun!
OVERALL: 6/10



THE MAGIC OF CHRISTMAS RESUABLE BUBBLE BAR
One of the most Christmassy products from this year's range is the returning Magic of Christmas bubble bar. As with the other reusable bubble bars I've talked about so far, this one is on a stick; but not just any stick! Cinnamon leaf oil, a cinnamon stick, star anise, cloves and almond oil give this a warm, spicy yet sweet scent, pleasing anyone who likes traditional Christmas scents. With lots of gold and orange lustre, not only is this product shimmery but it is most definitely Christmassy and you can use it again and again through the festive period! Although I'm not a huge fan of typical winter smells, this product isn't too over-powering, as the almond oil keeps the scent light.
OVERALL: 8/10



PEEPING SANTA BUBBLE BAR
This product isn't just cute. With uplifting bergamot and a layer of shea butter, this bubble bar is also enriching for the skin and his little eyes are made with vegan chocolate. It shares its scent with the Yummy Mummy shower gel from the Mother's Day range too! An ever popular Christmas favourite that should be on everyone's list this year.
OVERALL: 8/10



CHRISTINGLE BODY CONDITIONER
A returning product from last year's range, you use this product in the exact same way as it's Snow Fairy counterpart. Instead of sweetness in this product, you get a refreshing burst of mint with peppermint oil and menthol crystals, and a little bit of fruitiness too thanks to citrusy grapefruit oil. This conditioner is gentle on the skin too with lots of murumuru butter and shea butter to help soften. As I prefer a fresher scent, out of Christingle and Snow Fairy I definitely prefer this body conditioner, as it leaves me feeling awake and ready to take on the day!
OVERALL: 8.5/10

STARDUST BATH BOMB
I was really eager to try this bath bomb last year and sadly, never got the opportunity, so I'm really excited that it made a triumphant return this year! Aesthetically appealing, it also smells great with lots of vanilla and rosewood to provide a musky sweetness. Stardust turns the water a beautiful sky blue colour and makes a great display in the bath thanks to the edible stars inside and lots of snowflake lustre!
OVERALL: 8.5/10




BUCHE DE NOEL FACIAL CLEANSER
If you're a fan of the A gels on Bare Skin cleanser, then you'll also appreciate the festive version, Buche de Noel. It has similar ingredients including ground almonds for gentle exfoliation and kaolin to help absorb excess grease, but also includes toning fresh mandarins, dried cranberries and a little bit of brandy for a Christmas kick. To use; take a piece and add a little water and rub together in the palm of your hand (or the lid to avoid mess!) and gentle rub onto the face to help soothe sore winter skin. I love Angels, so I can appreciate this updated winter version.
OVERALL: 9/10



SNOW ANGEL BATH MELT
Sharing the same scent as the previously talked about Snowcastle soap, Snow Angel is a sweet bath melt filled with lots of nourishing cocoa butter and fruity cassie absolute. It's not just a plain old melt through, with lots of gold and white lustre to add some sparkle to your bath. To me the scent is stronger than in soap form, so I like this product a little bit more.
OVERALL: 8/10



SNOWMAN SHOWER JELLY
I'm not a huge fan of this jelly, even though I think it is truly adorable. It has lots of buchu oil which acts as an natural antiseptic and anti-inflammatory so I can appreciate how great it is for the skin, but to me the scent just isn't strong enough. This jelly also contains lots of carrot infusion and lemon oil so it's uplifting and cleansing but the smell just doesn't do it for me.
OVERALL: 6/10



CANDY MOUNTAIN BUBBLE BAR
One of two Snow Fairy scented bubble bars, it's one of the few forms I can actually enjoy. The scent is sweet thanks to the vanilla extract, but not too overpowering and turns the water a lovely glimmering pink colour and I love the shape (as one little girl remarked, it looks like a unicorn poop!)
OVERALL: 7/10



MAGIC WAND REUSABLE BUBBLE BAR
The last Snow Fairy scented product, it's sweet and reusable. What more could you want? It's my favourite out of the Snow Fairy range as you only need to use a little to get a lot out of it.
OVERALL: 7.5/10



BUTTERBEAR BATH BOMB
And finally, the last product in this year's Christmas range is the ever popular Butterbear. A festive companion to the regular line Butterball bath bomb, if you're looking for a product to help out sensitive skin or conditions such as eczema then look no further. This bath bomb has lots of chunks of cocoa butter inside making your bath super creamy and great for the skin. Ylang ylang and cocoa powder give a gentle chocolate scent and the adorable shape of this product is enough to warm the coldest of hearts this winter. I wasn't a huge fan of this product before I started working for the company, and now I can't get enough of this little guy.