Ring of Roses Buttercream

I cannot say that I had any luck with Lush buttercreams when I first began using them - neither Skinny Dip nor Randy Butter lived up to my expectations, which is part of the reason I haven't gotten around to writing a review for either of them yet. However, once Lush introduced me to both Heavenly Bodies and Almond, I was hooked and couldn't wait to try this one. 

For those unfamiliar with the term buttercream when used in the context of cosmetics, it's a cross between a shower jelly and soap. It's used in the same way as a jelly, but rather than producing lots of lather, it focuses on softening and moisturising our skin like a good soap would instead. 

Ring of Roses Buttercream contains larkspur, honeysuckle, marigold and cornflower plus evening primrose oil to make this a powerhouse of moisturising ingredients. Glycerine and cocoa butter moisturise the skin to help it stay hydrated and supple. Lush also use real rose absolute, which helps to soften hard skin, so it is particularly lovely for dry skin and older bodies. 

Old-school Buttercream

Lush say that the product is designed to create "rosy, soft and pliable skin" and that it should be used "when you need calm for your skin and your mind". I found that, despite it's fiddly application (which I'll get into more in a minute), I did feel some softness on the areas I rubbed it onto. It felt very similar to how their shower smoothies feel during use - perhaps ever so slightly more moisturising. 

What is rather unique about Ring Of Roses is that it comes in two formats - the typical stodgy consistency that you would expect from other Lush buttercreams, and a solid, soap format which is what Lush released in the kitchen. While it looks different, the smell is very much the same and they both work in similar ways with the skin. 

The product is pale pink in colour and smells of a combination of fresh orange juice, lemon cordial and Turkish Delight. This beautiful fragrance is created thanks to the inclusion of sweet orange, lemons and Turkish rose absolute in the ingredients. It's a fresh, sweet, subtle scent that shares it's fragrance with the popular Amandopondo bubble bar, which is thankfully a regular product that is still available to buy. Despite it being quite an old sample, my buttercream still had a nice amount of fragrance, making me think that perhaps this is a fairly poignant product when fresh.

It was when I tried to use the product in the shower, that I had problems. Firstly, the Ring of Roses did not dissolve enough to create any sort of lather on my skin. Secondly, when I tried to rub it on my body, I found that it just slipped through my fingers and was washed down the plughole. Much like Lemslip, I found that this buttercream really needs to be 'worked' in order to be fully functional for the user and when I had time to apply this in the bath, I did find that it lathered up a little better. However, it's not very useful if you're looking for something quick to smother over yourself in the shower. I tend to scoop a desired amount into my hands, where I then mush it up between my fingers until it's slightly softer. Then I apply it to the skin and this seems to make it slightly more user-friendly.

After use, I really didn't feel like it done anything for me, and I ended up using a shower gel to clean myself properly. I did like the smell of the product, which somewhat intensified under the hot water, but once I'd used the shower gel, it overrode the rose scent and I could no longer smell it's presence. Whereas Almond Buttercream left my skin feeling silky-smooth and well-pampered, I didn't feel that this was as moisturising as other buttercreams. 

This is one of those products that I feel just doesn't work if it's too old, and as Lush have had it discontinued for quite some time, I am not going to be able to try a fresh sample. I can imagine this being rather potent when new and I hope I see a reappearance in the Kitchen. I would be tempted to trial some if they were to bring out a fresh batch, just to see whether or not it was age that gave mine it's hardened consistency. It does smell nice so I would definitely like to invest in some of the soap variety, however, as it is, I would not buy this again.

Quantitative Ingredients: Larkspur, Honeysuckle, Marigold and Cornflower Infusion (Delphinium consilida, Lonicera caprifolium, Calendula officinalis and Centaurea cyanus), Glycerine, Sodium Palm Kernelate, Evening Primrose Oil (Oenothera biennis), Cocoa Butter (Theobroma cacao), Sodium Stearate, Perfume, Water (Aqua), Lemon Oil (Citrus limonum), Sweet Orange Oil (Citrus dulcis), Rose Absolute (Rosa centifolia), Sodium Chloride, EDTA, Tetrasoium Editronate, Titanium Dioxide, Limonene, Linalool, Citronellol, Geraniol, Citral, Colour 18050, Rose Petals (Rosa centifolia).

Vegan?: Yes

2016 Price: £5.00 for 100g.

Scent Family:

Amandopondo Bubble Bar
Amandopondo Perfume
Amandopondo Soap
Ring of Roses Buttercream
Ring Of Roses Soap 
Rose Bubble Bar (Mother's Day 2014)

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