On the eighth week of Christmas LUSH limited gave to me......
8 Buffy body butters,
7 Sonic Death Monkeys,
6 Bearded Ladies,
5 CHRISTMAAAAS EEEEEEEEEVES!
4 Ghost shower gels,
3 Hottie bars,
2 Halloween specials,
and a Snow Fairy lip and cheek tint!
Buffy
Requested by and dedicated to Elodie Schneider
Price: £5/90g; £9/200g
Product category: Body Butter (exfoliating)
Contains: Cocoa Butter softens, nourishes and moisturises the skin, leaving it sooth and supple; Shea Butter softens and moisturises the skin and contains vitamin A, which helps maintain and youthful appearance and healthy skin; Ground Rice is a gentle exfoliant, which sloughs away dry skin cells which leaves the skin brightener and looking fresher; Ground Almonds exfoliate and smooth the skin; Ground Aduki Beans remove dead skin cells and absorb excess dirt and oils from the skin. They polish the skin, leaving it healthy and renewed; Lavender Oil for its antiseptic, antibacterial and soothing qualities; Lemon Oil is an excellent cleanser and a powerful antiseptic for the skin.
Other interesting facts:
· During a trip to Brazil, product inventor Rowena was inspired by the beautiful women who rub a mixture of sand and suntan oil on their backsides to improve circulation and reduce cellulite. She came home, mixed together cocoa and shea butters (to soften and moisturize), ground rice, almonds and aduki beans (to exfoliate you to polished perfection) and hey presto, Buffy was born.
· Shea butter is so gentle that it has been traditionally used for baby massage in Africa.
· Lavender is often used to calm the mind, aid restful sleep and as a relaxing oil.
· The word lemon is derived from the Arabic ‘laymun’ and Persian ‘limun’ (generic terms for all citrus fruit).
· The name aduki comes from the Japanese, ‘azuki,’ meaning good health.
· Buffy is a fantastic exfoliator. Exfoliating the skin has considerable benefits in increasing the renewal of cells and hence the youthfulness and health of surface skin and reduce the appearance of cellulite.
How to use:
1. Wash your body with the soap/shower gel of your choice before using Buffy.
2. Grab hold of the bar and give yourself a good scrub down all over your body on damp skin.
NOTE: Buffy is quite a rough scrub so be gentle. You can scrub a harder on your thigh and bum area (your cellulite will thank you for it).
TOP TIP: Keep the bar out of the direct flow of water from the shower (step out from under shower). You'll find it will last much longer.
3. To use in the bath, just stand up (out of the water) and give yourself a good scrub then dunk yourself back in when you're done.
4. Rinse your skin briefly, then step out of the bath or shower and dry yourself off.
Verdict:
Buffy the cellulite slayer (as I call it) “slays unsightly bumps” (LUSH) sums this product up perfectly! I could just leave it as that, but this exfoliating body butter does so much more.
Buffy is one of my favourite ‘all year round’ must have products. Whether you need to get your skin smooth and polished for the beach in summer, or you’re fighting the effects the cold has on your skin in the winter (when your skin needs some extra moisturisation and hydration), Buffy ticks all the boxes. If you’re anything like me in the winter, you’re skin will get covered up and neglected a little. Well I’ve changed my ways since I was introduced to Buffy and come rain or shine; my skin always looks in tip top condition. I really can’t recommend it highly enough.
Comforting shea and cocoa butters are the prominent scents with this product, with very subtle calming notes of lavender (which comes through a little more on the skin once you’ve dried off) and fresh notes of lemon. It’s not an overpowering scent so doesn’t interfere with perfume or other scents you’re using. It kind of reminds me of Ceridwyn’s Cauldron, a very gentle, light, comforting scent.
Buffy is a fantastic product for all over the body. Use it gently until you get used to its scrubby texture, and alter the pressure you use for different parts of your body. Go gently on the arms and upper body and rougher on the thigh and bum area. I can’t believe the genuine difference it’s made to my skin in general and even more impressively, to my lumpy bumpy cellulite on the backs of my thighs and bum. With regular use (3-4 times a week), I’m pretty much cellulite free.
As well as banishing my cellulite, it’s softened and smoothed the slightly rougher skin on the backs of my arms, and drier skin on my knees and elbows. Buffy leaves my skin looking really fresh, healthy, beautifully polished and smooth. It leaves a comforting layer of cocoa and shea butters on the skin which deeply moisturises, softens and conditions. You won’t need to moisturise when you’ve used Buffy, which makes this the perfect product for people who are ‘on the go’.
I was so impressed with the results I dared to bare and sent a pic of my polished backside to Big Harry @LUSH times and it was published in the Christmas edition of LUSH times :)
Some people find the residue Buffy leaves on the skin off putting, though I love spending a few minutes when I’ve dried off massaging the beautiful butters deeply into the skin, and the results are definitely worth it. This leads me nicely onto the Buffy vs. Aqua Mirabilis debate. Personally Buffy wins hands down for me every time and here’s why;
· Buffy lasts so much longer and provides you with many more uses than Aqua Mirabilis.
· Aqua Mirabilis is much more difficult to dry out between uses, and can get a layer of mould like product on the surface (which needs scrapping off) in between uses.
· I much prefer Buffy’s scent as opposed to the digestive/nutty biscuit scent of Aqua Mirabilis.
· Buffy’s effects on cellulite, smoothing and polishing the skin and level of moistuisation are far greater than that of Aqua Mirabilis.
However some people prefer the milkier nature of Aqua Mirabilis to the oilier nature of Buffy. I guess it’s down to personal opinion and preference, but after giving them both a go over a period of time, I’ll always fight Buffy’s corner. Personally I cannot sing it’s praises loud enough. I’ve tried many expensive products in the past claiming to banish cellulite, smooth and hydrate the skin and Buffy is the only product that has actually made a noticeable difference.
Finally I’ll discuss value for money. Getting the larger bar (200g) is definitely worth while as you’ll save some money (to spend on other LUSHie delights), though you’ll need to chop it in half for it to fit into the body butter tin. Just place the palm of your hand on the top of the bar and slice carefully through the middle with a long sharp knife.
Another great tip to make it last even longer, is to make sure you don’t use the bar directly under running water, or submerge it in the bath. I was quite surprised at how long a 90g bar lasts considering I use it 3-4 times a week. Buffy is the most long lasting of all the exfoliating body butters LUSH sell (You Snap the Whip, Aqua Mirabilis).
I’ll get back to you on how many uses/weeks it lasts, when I start a new bar, as I’ve never actually counted, though I think I get at least a month out of a 90g bar? Obviously this will vary upon how long you spend using the product each time, and what areas you cover. I tend to focus using the product mainly on my problem areas (such as my bum and thighs), then quickly and gently apply to the rest of my body. Although you probably don’t need to use it quite as often as I do, I’d say twice a week would be fine, if you spend some time giving your skin a good buff.
In my opinion an absolute must have product to use all year round for noticeably smoother, glowing, polished and deeply nourished skin.
In conjunction with using Buffy here’s some simple top cellulite busting tips I follow (apart from the smoking, tut tut);
· Eat plenty of fruit and leafy greens.
· Avoid excess junk food (treats in moderation are acceptable, lol).
· Avoid toxins like excessive alcohol and cigarettes.
· Drink plenty of water to hydrate your body and flush out toxins. Eight to ten glasses a day are recommended *this is one of the best tips for cellulite busting and improving the skins appearance*
· Dry brush your skin daily, preferably before bathing.
· Finish your daily shower with a cold rinse to tone your skin *not the most pleasant tip and admittedly I don’t do this every day (especially in the winter), brrrrr*
