When Lush bring out a brand new product, you'd assume that it would build excitement and intrigue for the majority of Lushies across the globe. However, as of late I feel as if these emotions have been replaced with the likes of disappointment and frustration at times. Not to sound overly dramatic, because ultimately they are just cosmetics, but I can relate to the annoyance of knowing your favourite brand has brought out a new product and you're simply unable to access it.
As someone who lives a tube ride away from the flagship store, I am what some consider, among the lucky ones. The mere thought of living too far away to make regular visits, is a horrible thought to endure, and one that I hope I never have to experience. With the sudden release of Plum Rain Shower Gel last week, it just brought home to me how very privileged I am right now.
While nothing has been stated officially from Lush, my guess is that this product is somewhat of a tribute to the late musician, Prince. Sporting a vivid, rich and very sultry shade of purple, this product is stunning through and through, and it just so happens that the fragrance is rather spectacular as well.Interestingly, the ingredient that makes up the base of this shower gel is an umeboshi infusion - a component that hasn't featured in an awful lot of Lush products, and definitely hasn't acted as the key ingredient in any of the company's previous shower gels. This means that Plum Rain stands out as being very different from all of its predecessors, in both scent and texture.
Umeboshi, which translates as 'Japanese Salt Plums', is a popular pickled fruit - one unique in the fact that its taste is both sweet, sour and salty, all at the same time. What makes this ingredient extra special is that its texture, taste and smell sits somewhere in-between a plum and an apricot, and it is this very element that you pick up straight away from the bottle.
From the bottle, the fragrance is very sickly but naturally fruity, and definitely has a strong element of plum to it. When I first sniffed this, it reminded me somewhat of stewed red plums, without the addition of any sugar to mask the natural sour element of the fruit. The more I used the shower gel, the more I recognised the slight resemblance to Welch's Red Grape juice, and I could almost place specific elements of the smell to that of the Capri Sun juice drinks I used to enjoy as a child.In regards to my comparisons above, I will state that Plum Rain is definitely on the plum side as opposed to smelling of grapes. However, for those who have smelled the aforementioned beverage, you should hopefully understand when I describe the drink as being 'dry, fruity and slightly sour on the senses'. This is not a smell that has made its presence known by Lush before - this is a brand new invention, and one that can't really be compared to any other of the company's gels and creams.
How this shower gel also stands out from the crowd is that the consistency is incredibly thick - easily on par with Butterball but more elasticated and far more generous when it comes to its lather. This product needs very little with each use - a factor that makes the Oxford Street exclusive great value for money and one that I reckon will see me through a year before I need to replace.
In the shower, this beauty lathers up a treat - producing a thick, fragrant foam that coats the skin with ease and leaves you feeling beautiful all over. As I stated above, you need very little with each use; I found that an amount the size of a large raisin will easily coat half of my body and leave me feeling clean and refreshed. My only qualm with Plum Rain is that I found the scent didn't cling to the skin like other Lush gels are known to do, and given how beautifully juicy the fragrance is, I would have hoped I could have worn it around for a while after showering.Aside from its wonderful smell, its unique consistency and its utility in the shower, the ingredients featured are also highly beneficial to the skin, making this an all-round great product. Umeboshi is known for its ability to reduce the feelings of fatigue and supports the immune system to rid the body of coughs and colds; mandarin oil uses its citrus powers to brighten the skin and revive your senses, so it's an well-rounded crowd pleaser.
Overall, this shower gel is so different from anything that Lush have brought out before, and is so refreshingly unique that I have fallen head over heels in love with it. The colour, the smell, the productivity - this shower gel is a blanket of warming, fruity smells - perfect to brighten your summer days, yet equally comforting in the colder months.
Quantitative Ingredients: Umeboshi Infusion, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Glycerine, Water, Lauryl Betaine, Perfume, Limonene, Fresh Plum Juice, Osmanthus Absolute, Petitgrain Oil, Sicilian Mandarin Oil, Lactic Acid, Carrageenan Extract, Linalool, Colour 17200, Colour 42090.
Vegan?: Yes.
Year of Original Release: 2016.
2017 Price: £5.50 for 100g, £10.95 for 250g, £18.50 for 500g, £32.95 for 1kg.
Scent Family:
Hedgewitch Soap
Plum Rain Body Spray
Plum Rain Naked Shower Gel
Plum Rain Shower Gel
Plum Snow Bubble Bar
