Lush Cosmetics Preview - Halloween & Christmas 2014

Last night I went along to my local Lush Cosmetics store to have a cheeky sneak-peak at their new products for Winter 2014 before they became available in store today.

I've always been a huge fan of Lush, and when I found out about the event I just jumped at the chance. Nothing screams the arrival of Winter in the beauty world more than sparkly shower gels, cinnamon-scented soaps and the cutest little bath bombs. Both Halloween and Christmas are covered, so there's something for even the grumpiest of scrooges!

It seems a little early for all of this - and I make a point of only celebrating Christmas from December 1st...but who can resist an opportunity like this? I stock up on Christmas goodies every year, so I arrived excited to find a new favourite - and slightly nervous, as it was my first 'event' as a blogger!

I find that treating myself to seasonal products a few months before Christmas can really set the mood. These bath bombs and gels aren't just for Christmas - they're for winter, and we should make the most of them!

My first reaction was joy at seeing some brand new treats amongst old faithfuls. Every year, Lush bring out their most popular seasonal products - such as Snow Fairy shower gel and Cinders bath bomb - but there were plenty of new things to try.

My favourite new product was the Hot Toddy shower gel. A beautiful deep red with golden sparkles, this gel smells of traditional yuletide; cinnamon, cloves, ginger and a hint of lemon. It's not the lightest of scents, but I can imagine it will be very warming on a cold winter's morning. Needless to say a little bottle of this made it's way into my basket instantly - I can't wait to try it!

I loved the range of shower gels; Snow Fairy and So White are both lighter and sweeter - I'll be hoping to try the latter soon - it has a crisp, apple scent which complements the name!

My heart was also lost to their solid soaps. I don't use these very much, as I find shower gels more user-friendly - but I loved Yog Nog and Reindeer Rock. Both are beautifully formed and would look great beside the sink!

Of course, they both smell divine too - Yog Nog was my favourite, with a sweet, creamy gingery scent reminding me of a hot milky drink beside the fire. It contains soya yoghurt, cloves and nutmeg, making if soft and comforting. I couldn't help myself - I had to buy a chunk! The other soaps were also lovely - but I couldn't buy them all, even if I wanted to! Reindeer Rock smelt refreshing and fruity, and was a beautiful deep red, so that's next on my list. I think the solid soaps are often overlooked, and they didn't seem to get much attention last night - but make sure you notice them this Christmas, as they are gorgeous!

When it comes to bath bombs, bubble bars and melts...well, there are just too many to name. Lush have over thirty different products out and the majority of these are bath treats. Stand-out products for me, however, were Holly Golightly, Lord of Misrule, Butterbear, Sparkly Pumpkin, Cinders and The Melting Snowman. It is so hard to choose, however, and I would happily use every single product in the run up to Christmas and Halloween. There is a great mixture of traditional and quirky, and each one of them brings a surprise.

Of course, it wouldn't be a seasonal preview without the glitter! After speaking to one of the assistants, I learnt that the glitter in their products has recently been reformed so that it doesn't get everywhere as much as it used to. This means you can buy these shimmering treats without fear of finding glitter in your bathroom and on your body for weeks after use! I find this appealing - I always worry about the mess that comes with sparkly products such as Holly Golightly and Star Light Star Bright, but now I have no need to.

Personally, I enjoy traditional scents; cinnamon, nutmeg, pine...if it smells like a spiced pudding or a walk in the winter woods, I'll be besotted. Christmas, for me, is about traditions; greens, reds, golds, comfort food, blankets, fires and nature. I'm not normally attracted to sickly sweet products like Snow Fairy or Candy Mountain (as delicious as they are - I won't say no!) - so many of my favourites are spiced scents.

Unfortunately I didn't get to see any of the gifts or cleansers - I think they were brought out after I left - but I will be heading back in store very, very soon, so no doubt I'll pick some up then.

For fear of waffling on and listing products, I'll stop here. But my final thoughts on Lush's Halloween and Christmas products? Halloween unfortunately seemed to get overshadowed by the sheer volume of Christmas stuff - so I would have liked to see a little more of those. There was not one product I disliked, however, and there is so much to choose from - which means that you're bound to find the perfect gift for friends and family in there somewhere!

I loved having a little snoop around before they went on general sale - and I can't wait to try out my Hot Toddy, Melting Snowman and Yog Nog - so watch out for reviews! I can't wait to get my hands on some more of my favourites.

You can find all of Lush's Christmas and Halloween products online and in store now.

Do you have a Lush Halloween or Christmas Favourite?