It all started in Portland, OR on a dreary rainy day (that's every day in Portland for those of you who have never been there). I was in a fog of depression. I felt like my life was falling apart and that I must be the biggest looser in the world. Although I had graduated from a top name school just 5 months prior, I couldn't find work. I trying so hard; I was putting out a resume a day with barely a response back. I had $50 dollars to my name pitted against several thousand in school loans. I had just gone through the most painful break-up of my life with my boyfriend of 3 1/2 years. We had been living together and were practically married, but things weren't quite right. I lost most of my friends in the break-up since they were mutual. I had to move to Portland since I could no longer afford to pay my own rent. I was living on my sister's futon with a shabby sheet divider separating me from the living room and her roommates. I was using boxes filled with my things as furniture. Also, my father's health was failing and he was too far away to afford to visit. Basically, I felt like a mess. I was a Type A personality failing at what I was supposed to be good at: functioning in life. I had nothing but time on my hands to simmer in the gross goo of all my "problems." And although I tried to keep looking on the bright side, I blamed myself for everything.
It was during one of my many depression walks in the rain. I had just crossed through a soppy puddle when I smelled something delicious. Not a bakery scent, not floral, nothing I could truly place, but something just... delicious. The scents were so inviting that I had to lift my head up from staring at the ground. It was coming from a store in front of me called LUSH. The colors inside were bright, the people were cheery, and although I was a grumpy soggy mess, I walked in. I walked around the store, not really knowing what I was looking at, but I was sniffing everything. Everything smelled so good! I walked over to what I would find out later were bath bombs and picked up the one with the most relevant name for what I needed: "The Happy Pill." It was half grapefruit goodness, half bergamot (a natural antidepressant). I also picked up the bath bomb that would later become my favorite of all time: "Butterball." It seemed silly at the time. I knew I shouldn't be buying luxury items, when I couldn't afford much else. But dammit, I needed help pulling myself out of my sad slump, and they smelled soooo good! I figured I've got nothing but time on my hands, so I might as well spend it in the bath feeling a bit better. That bath was amazing.
That was about 3 years ago. Since then, I've been wonderfully employed in my field as a biologist working with lizards, sea lions, and desert tortoises, and I've developed quite a bath and shower habit along the way! (I also managed to pick up a weekend gig working for the Las Vegas LUSH for about 2 years!)
I've tried nearly every LUSH product from 2009-Present and have quite the unruly stash on my hands. But my love of natural, handmade bath and shower products doesn't stop there. I've also expanded into many other wonderful smaller etailers! I tried so many decadent soaps, scrubs, shower gels, lip balms, lotions, etc. that I have plenty of advice on what's good and "natural" out there.
It's about time I share my knowledge and experiences with every one else!
Tip: Happiness comes from within, but a glass of Wine with your Bath can do wonders for your mood! ;)
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