The Sparkler Ballistic


Compared to it's sibling, Northern Lights, this ballistic doesn't look as impressive or sound as interesting on paper. However, avid fans of Rose Jam will know that a new bath bomb that showcases the popular scent is very unlikely to be a disappointment. 

Made to look like a firework, The Sparkler didn't immediately impress me with it's rather plain design. Sporting a full-bodied, yellow attire, this elongated bath bomb doesn't initially make it obvious that it is a Halloween product at all. In fact, it looks more like a Mother's Day or Easter product, if anything. 

However, while the colour of the ballistic seems a slightly odd choice to begin with, once this beauty gets to work in the tub, you come to realise why Lush have chosen such an interesting colour to work alongside the gorgeous, sugary-sweet rose aroma. 

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the Rose Jam fragrance (where have you been?), this gorgeous scent is exactly as it's name suggests; a sticky, sweet floral aroma like no other smell you have ever come across before. There's an abundance of rose oil here to give you that wonderful natural rose smell - a fragrance that is elevated and padded-out slightly by the inclusion of geranium oil.

Where this scent differs from your typical floral smell is the subtle element of lemon that can be detected in the mix. This adds a naturally sweet layer to the ballistic and removes the powdery element that you would normally expect from the rose. To me, this bath bomb smells like freshly made Turkish delight with an added layer of decadence - a rich, fruity and rather sophisticated combination that makes for a very indulgent experience in the bath. 

Together, these ingredients build a scent that steps away from your typical floral fragrance and instead offers a more youthful, playful aroma that may bridge the gap between those who prefer the sweeter smells and those who enjoy floral cosmetics. Those of you who dislike rose-scented cosmetics, may write this off before trying it out. However, I would really recommend that you give it a chance - you may just find that you love it.  

When The Sparkler hits the water, it immediately begins to bubble and froth, producing a thick, silky-soft layer of foam that coats the surface of the water and turns it a vibrant shade of golden-yellow. As the ballistic continues to work it's magic, streams of golden lustre ooze out and create stunning patterns across the surface.

While this is a slow dissolving bath bomb, and a quiet one at that, once it has been working it's magic for a couple of minutes, the popping candy hidden within, sinks to the bottom of the bath and begins to gently crackle and pop - adding a wonderful soundtrack to your bathing experience - it's as close to having a real firework in your bathroom without sustaining an injury. 

Although consumers may be put off with the amount of golden glitter that you can see in my pictures, I can assure you that it wasn't a very messy experience at all. What I loved about the inclusion of the lustre is that you could see the specks swirling under the surface of the water and it just added that element of magic to the whole experience. However, I left the bath with very little on my skin and it was very easy to rinse off the bath afterwards.

While I initially wasn't expecting very much from this ballistic, I fell in love with it very quickly and it's one I'll be stocking up on before the seasonal period is up. It left my skin super-soft and feeling very nourished, so I didn't feel like I needed to moisturise afterwards. It also left it's wonderful smell on my skin for hours after my experience and I only had to top the smell up with some perfume to last me through the whole day. 

It's one that I'd highly recommend everyone try - even if you're not a floral person, or the design doesn't immediately bowl you over. I hope like me, you will be left in awe of what it can do.

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Rose Oil, Egyptian Geranium Oil, Sicilian Lemon Oil, Cream of Tartar, Popping Candy, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Lauryl Betaine, Perfume, Limonene, Coumarin, Citronellol, Geraniol, Colour 47005, Colour 15510, Colour 14700, Gold Glimmer Lustre.