EuropaFb: Bath Melt

Showing posts with label Bath Melt. Show all posts

Want To Believe Bath Melt

aniseed, Bath, Bath Melt, charcoal, cocoa butter, Discontinued, limited edition, Lush Kitchen, Skin, soya milk, starflower, sugar

Back when I would spend my entire monthly salary on eBay 'bargains', I never filtered what I would and would not invest in. Therefore, I found myself quite quickly building up a collection of, what I can only describe as relics: products that were clearly passed their best, but still excited me enough that I wanted them in my life.

One of those less than perfect items was the interesting-looking Want To Believe Bath Melt - which isn't the most attractive product to begin with, so you can only imagine what they would look like 3-4 years past their best before. To say that they were a royal flop in the bath is an understatement. Having said that, I actually quite enjoyed the unique idea behind the bath melt, and was a little disappointed when I couldn't give it any more than an embarrassing one-bottle rating.

When Lush released them in the Kitchen in late 2016, I was really excited to finally discover how a fresh one would function in the bath, and how the fragrance would fare on the skin. Having already had a lot of positive experiences with products that feature charcoal, I was expecting quite a lot from this item, and I can honestly say that I was impressed with the outcome.

Taken from the idea of naughty children getting coal in their Christmas stockings, this bath melt is for those who haven't quite made Santa's 'nice' list this year. Packed with an array of ingredients to soften and replenish the skin, this seasonal treat is a gift that keeps on giving.

Firstly, the inclusion of charcoal makes this far more effective than most of the other Lush bath melts that I have tried before. Not only is charcoal known for drawing out toxins and bacteria from the skin, it is also great at balancing out oily skin and leaving it looking radiant without any excess grease. Although I have dry skin, I did notice that my complexion looked and felt far more radiant within a short while of being in the bath. In fact, my face felt noticeably smoother and more radiant for a good 24 hours after I had used one of these.

Alongside the charcoal is fennel oil, which is not only one of the key components in the overall smell, but also uses its antiseptic properties in the water to calm and clean the skin while you're bathing. Furthermore, the soya milk softens the water and offers a creamy respite in the tub, while the cocoa butter and starflower oil, which evidently is known for its anti-aging properties, only adds to the experience, and ultimately makes this a feast for the skin.

Described as having a liquorice scent, Want To Believe offers quite a dry, aniseed-like smell. Yes there is the fennel element present, and you get a slight sweetness from the starflower oil. However, the charcoal does play a part at grounding the scent - which is rather gentle to begin with, need I say, and giving it an almost powdery fragrance. In addition, the inclusion of the granulated sugar adds a gentle syrup-like note to the bath melt, which is lovely.

Despite the black attire, this bath melt is a real softy at heart, and I was thrilled to see how much of an impression it made in the water. Within a matter of seconds, the bath melt was dissolving across the tub - sending out both swirls of creamy white foam and glistening flecks of black and silver lustre. It certainly wasn't the most interesting of experiences to watch, but it was something very different, and I appreciated that.

While I used the whole melt in a single bath, this would easily last across two or three, if you wanted to stretch your money a little further. Given how silky-smooth the water was after using an entire one, I can safely say that you'll definitely get the full-body moisturising session you're craving, using only half of this. In fact, if you don't enjoy baths that are too nourishing and silky, you may wish to segment this bad boy to prevent disappointment.

Although no one wants a piece of coal in their Christmas stocking, I would happy to have a handful of these in mine. Despite being very different from the usual fruity bath oils/melts that Lush pride themselves on, I really appreciated how well this worked in the water. It may not have a fragrance that will bowl you over, but it does have enough butters to leave your winter-kissed skin soft and ready to face the day ahead.

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter, PEG–6 Caprylic / Capric Glycerides & PEG-60 Almond Glycerides, White Granulated Sugar, Perfume, Cold Pressed Organic Starflower Oil, Powdered Charcoal, Fennel Oil, Soya Milk, *Limonene, Silver Glimmer Lustre.

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: £5.75 each.

Year Of Original Release: ?

Coming soon!

In The Nude Bath Melt

Almond, Bath, Bath Melt, cocoa butter, Discontinued, lavender, Rare, Rose

A couple of years ago, I managed to find this odd-looking brown bar that called itself In The Nude. Having never used it before, the need to try it at least once compelled me to purchase it, and I soon discovered that my decision was a poor one. The bar was hard, almost scentless and did very little in the bath, aside from sink to the bottom, where it remained until I removed it in replacement of a bath bomb.

After writing a rather negative review of the melt, I made the decision to refrain from publishing my opinion, as I realised that I would be casting an unfair judgement on a predict that was clearly past its 'best before'. This review sat there until I received a couple of fresh ones the other day, and I realise now that I made the right decision to stay hushed until now.

Let's be honest, In the Nude is not a very attractive looking fella. However, Lush have made it to fulfil a purpose, not to put on a show, so it should be forgiven for being rather boring looking from the outside. Packed full of different oils and butters, this bath melt is designed to calm skin that is suffering from dryness or irritation; the main ingredient being cocoa butter, which is a natural ingredient known for its skin softening properties. The product also contains lavender, rose and chamomile oils; all added to help soothe dry or irritated patches on your body.

As well as sharing similar ingredients to the likes of Farmacy and Dream Cream, this block is also supposedly similar in scent. Sporting a gentle, non-offensive aroma, In The Nude offers a soothing layer of chamomile intertwined with a natural, herbal lavender note.These two together offer something very clean smelling and also very gentle. A little drop of rose absolute in there makes reference to a sweet note as well, but nothing overly potent in the slightest.

This level of subtleness means that this bath melt is great for those who want something to soothe and nourish their skin without using anything too over the top. It also means that you could divide this into halves or quarters, and use a piece alongside a bubble bar or bath bomb if you were looking for something a little more colourful.

On the other side, the lack of colour and fragrance also means that by itself it is rather boring in the bath. After using a whole one to see what it would be like, I was left with water that was very slightly cloudy, and not much else. When I used this one again, I chose to add in a Dream On Bath Bomb and a Golden Slumbers, just to elevate those key scents without taking away from the original melt.

When compared to the most recent bath melts and oils to come out from Lush, this one pales in comparison when it comes to design. Having said that, Lush are known for creating a whole array of different melts to suit difference purposes, and this one is definitely for those who just want to add essential oils to their tub, for a smoother, more moistening experience.

On the positive side, In The Nude is not a greasy bath oil at all, and does induce enough essential butters and oils to make a difference in the water. My skin felt really soft afterwards, and it also helped to soothe the areas of my body that were a little red from catching the sun. My only qualm is that I wasn't able to detect the smell at all on my skin afterwards, although I was able to rectify this by using some of my Dream Cream Body Lotion.

Ultimately, In The Nude does exactly what you expect it to: nothing more, nothing less. If you want a non-greasy, non offensive bath melt, this is one you'll want to try out. I might save the ones I have left for the summer and use them on the days that I expose my skin to the sun for long periods of time.

Quantitative Ingredients: Cocoa Butter (Theobroma cacao), Laureth 4, Almond Oil (Prunus dulcis) , Alkanett in Almond Oil (Alkanna tinctoria, Prunus dulcis) , Lavender Oil (Lavandula augustifolia) , Rose Absolute (Rosa damascena) , Chamomile Oil (Anthemis nobilis) , *Geraniol , *Citronellol , *Limonene , *Linalool , Perfume.

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: £4.95 each.

Scent Family:

101 Salvations
Dream Cream Body Lotion
Dream Cream Self-Preserving Body Lotion
Dream On Bath Bomb
Dreamwash Shower Smoothie
Dreamwash Shower Smoothie Roulade
Fresh Farmacy Facial Soap
In The Nude Bath Melt

Oaty Creamy Dreamy Oat Milk Shower Cream

Phoenix Bath Melt

Bath, Bath Melt, cinnamon, clove, limited edition, Lush Kitchen, sandalwood, Skin

When the Lush Kitchen first brought out the Phoenix Bubble Bar, I was so excited that I bought more than I care to say. However, my dreams were dashed when I received the product and discovered that it didn't smell anything like I was expecting it to. To add to insult, it was perhaps one of my least favourite scents in a bath product ever, and I still have a surplus of them lingering around in a box, collecting dust.

For this reason, when I found out that Phoenix Bath Melt was making an appearance in the Lush Kitchen, I wasn't exactly enamoured by the thought of the same scent in a different format. Having said that, I did discover that this

limited edition is definitely different from its sibling, and it made me appreciate how the same ingredients can have very diverse results when presented in different formats.

Containing cinnamon leaf, clove leaf and sandalwood oil, this bath melt has been created to wake you up, warm your spirit and revitalise you; very much like a phoenix rising from the ashes. If you want to know what winter smells like, this bath melt is a good representative of what I envisage, when I think about those key components that make the colder months a little more bearable on the skin and mind.

Much like the bubble bar, the clove leaf oil is definitely the strongest component - lacing with the cinnamon oil to create a strong, dry and very herbal smelling product. There is an element of spice from the cinnamon here, but I found that the undercurrent of sandalwood rounded off the bath melt so the overall aroma wasn't too heated.

Aside from the above ingredients, Phoenix Bath Melt also contains the usual base of cocoa butter and almond oil. These make up a large percentage of the
product, and are not only known for being really nourishing and conditioning on the skin, but melt at the right temperature so you wont be left with any stubborn clumps in the tub.

When you place one of these in the water, it only takes a matter of seconds for Phoenix to begin melting - releasing a puddle of oils and butters across the surface of the water. This puddle tends to accumulate alongside the block while its melting, so you'll need to swish the water around to ensure that the oils are fully dissolved into the water, to reap the full benefits.

The bath melt takes about ten minutes to fully dissolve, by which time there is a gentle aroma floating around the bathroom. As its design suggests, this Phoenix will not alter the colour of the water - neither will it create any sort of colourful show for you to enjoy. However, there was a very subtle glean on the surface of the water from the inclusion of the oils.

In all fairness, I didn't find this bath melt to be especially moisturising - enough to justify the price anyway. As far as bath melt go, it didn't make the water feel any thicker or softer on the skin. While my skin did feel smooth afterwards, it wasn't that different from how I would feel after using a bath bomb or bubble.

Ultimately, Phoenix Bath Melt did not offer me anything new or exciting. In as many words, it's a fairly forgettable product, if I'm going to honest. Although the smell was robust enough to survive being dispersed across an entire bath, the colourless water meant that I had to add in a second product to make it worthwhile.

While I would recommend only using half of one in a bath, I don't think it offers enough to use it by itself, which means that this is quite a hefty investment for a few oils and butters. Despite lingering on my skin for a short while after towelling myself down, I found that I was much happier overriding it with a favourite perfume instead. This is not one that I would want to buy again.

Quantitative Ingredients: Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter, Laureth 4, Almond Oil, Perfume, Cinnamon Leaf Oil, Clove Leaf Oil, Sandalwood Oil, *Benzyl Benzoate, *Cinnamal, *Eugenol, *Limonene, *Linalool.

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: £4.95 each.

Year Of Original Release: 1999.

Road From Damascus Bath Oil

Almond, Bath Melt, bath oil, cocoa butter, coconut, jojoba, limited edition, Lush Kitchen, orange, Rose, shea butter, Violet, volume 4

Since the opening of the Oxford Street store, there has been a huge increase in the number of brand new bath oils and melts that have appeared in both the flagship shop, and released in limited batches as part of the weekly Lush Kitchen menu. Road From Damascus is one of the most recent offerings - boasting a brand new fragrance from the company, and one that looks set to be a big hit in 2017.

Although the bath oil has only made a fleeting visit in the Lush Kitchen so far, fans who were able to attend the Creative Showcase back in September, would have had the opportunity to witness the new fragrance as both a limited edition perfume, and in the form of a new bubble bar called Magic. Despite owning both of these beauties, it was this format that interested me the most.

Described by Lush as a smell intent on 'whisking you away momentarily from this ever changing world', Road From Damascus Bath Oil is a gorgeous, albeit rather small offering, with a rich and very intoxicating aroma to insnare the senses. If you ever wanted to use a melt without the aid of a bath bomb or bubble bar, but worried that it wouldn't fair well without company, this is a product that you need to try out for yourself.

Containing both rose petals and rose absolute, it is little wonder that this popular floral ingredient is one of the strongest notes upon first sniff. Musky and naturally sweet, this component brings about a note that reminds me of petals left to dry and wither between the pages of an old leather-bound book. There is somewhat of an old-fashioned smell about it - like a mature, sophisticated, more interesting version of Imogen Rose.

Alongside this, the violet leaf absolute adds a rich and very prominent floral element that gives this bath melt a very complex aroma to contend with. Much like Kerbside Violet Liquid Perfume, the violet adds subtle grassy tones to the mix, which not only elevates the floral notes, but gives Road From Damascus a very robust fragrance. In simple terms - imagine combining Rose Jam and Kerbside Violet Liquid Perfumes together, and you may get an idea of what this bath melt smells like.

Finally, you can definitely detect hints of the orange flower absolute alongside the other key components. However, I feel as if this ingredients works more at bringing the other elements together and thickening out the floral aroma, than making much of an impression by all by itself.

For a bath oil that weighs a minuscule 20g, there is definitely a lot of fragrance given off from the get-go. This is why I would say that the bath oil could easily be halved and used across two baths. For this reason, the £4 price tag doesn't seem as extortionate as it might originally seem, and I would recommend that you try it out for yourself.

As with all of Lush bath oils, this one works well as part of a cocktail, or by itself if you're looking for something a little simpler. All you have to do is drop it into the tub once your bath has finished running, and let the heat of the liquid melt and dissolve the bath oil into the water. Before climbing in, I would recommend that you swish the water around to help the oils absorb better and ensure that you don't incur a build up around the sides of the tub, which can cause a little staining if left for too long.

What impressed me about Road From Damascus is that I found the scent did not lose any of its potency when in use. Even when I added in a bath bomb afterwards, this bath oil was still very much present throughout, and it was the key component that stayed with me until the very end of my bathing experience.

Furthermore, the various butters and oils used to create this bath oil appeared to be the perfect amount needed. With some bath oils and melts, they can create quite a greasy bath - which can cause problems with certain skin types, and can also be a nuisance if you happen to wet your hair during the experience. However, this bath oil created water that was both velvety-soft and highly nourishing - I could instantly feel the difference on my skin, without it feeling as if I needed to scrub the excess off afterwards.

While it might have only made a fleeting visit so far, I predict that this brand new bath oil will be making many more appearances in the coming months. Fans of both rose and violet smells will definitely appreciate what I consider to be a successful collaboration, and I only hope that the liquid perfume variation is released to enable consumers to try out the fragrance for themselves.

Quantitative Ingredients: Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter, Organic Shea Butter, PEG-6 Caprylic / Capric Glycerides & PEG-60, Almond Glycerides, Perfume, Lauryl Betaine, Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, Organic Jojoba Oil, Dried Rose Petals, Rose Absolute, Orange Flower Absolute, Violet Leaf Absolute, *Limonene, *Linalool, *Farnesol, Geraniol, Citronellol, Titanium Dioxide, Colour 14700, Colour 45410, Colour 17200.

Vegan?: Yes.

2016 Price: £4.00 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2016.

Scent Family:
Magic Bubble Bar
Road From Damascus Bath Oil

Road From Damascus Liquid Perfume

Shark Infested Custard Luxury Bath Oil

Bath, Bath Melt, cocoa butter, jojoba, lush oxford street, shea butter, Skin

As many people have already stated, it's rather overwhelming to be presented with so many brand new Lush products to buy, test out and review for this blog. It's bad enough when the company release a seasonal range with multiple new products to try, let alone bringing out over two hundred exclusive products all at the same time.

Shark Infested Custard is one of almost twenty new bath oils that Lush have designed and crafted for the new Oxford Street Store. Shaped like ping-pong balls, these multicoloured melts are one of the key attractions in the new shop - set up to look a little like an old-fashioned sweet shop so you almost feel as if you're buying pic 'n' mix as opposed to essential oils.

This particular product grabbed my attention because of its name and I must confess that I bought a handful of these on this factor alone. Luckily, I discovered on the way home that this particular bath oil pertains a wonderful scent - a rich, creamy and very relaxing vanillary aroma. While I wouldn't say that it's identical to the popular Lush fragrance family, it's close enough that fans of the perfume and indeed Vanilla Fountain will no doubt love this new addition.

If I was to take a step back for a second and judge Shark Infested Custard on its design, I'll be honest and say that the product doesn't particularly impress me all that much. The uneven surfaces and rather messy, sticky feeling you get after holding this, reminds me more of something that a child would make with a load of plasticine and a bucket of water. However, like many of Lush's naked products, it is the 'makeshift feel' about this that makes them rather endearing.

Sporting a shade of sunflower-yellow, with a black shard sticking out as the fin, this bath oil is filled with an impressive amount of oils and butters to give you the softest, most-nourishing bathing experience that you could ever expect to come from such a small product. Containing cocoa butter to moisturise, coconut oil to clean out your pores and jojoba oil to help the body absorb all of these wonderful oils, this is an impressive design from Lush and one full of more than enough essential oils to offer you a truly satisfying and highly nourishing bath.

Initially, I was really worried that for such a small melt, I might have to use multiple balls to get the desired effect. Furthermore, I was convinced that when the bath oil had fully melted in the water, I would be left with a chalky residue that would do little but stick to the sides and cause a mess I'd have to clean away.

Surprisingly, I found that the oils released from Shark Infested Custard were the perfect consistency to offer a highly moisturising experience that was neither too greasy nor too messy. The size of the product offers the perfect dosage needed for a single bath so you don't have to worry about cutting this in half and leaving the tub covered in oils. Simply throw one in alongside a favourite bath bomb or by itself, and it'll create a haven of fragrance and moisture to leave your skin feeling silky-smooth and smelling delicious to boot.

For £2 a shot, this is definitely not a product that you'd want to use to completely replace your regular bath bombs or bubble bars. I would say that you'd need to use the whole thing in one go so it can prove a little expensive if you're using one as well as a full-sized ballistic. However, it is an essential product if you want an easy way to infuse additional oils into your bathing experience. With so many bath melts to review, it'll take me a while to purchase Shark Infested Custard again, but rest assured that these little balls will be making many appearances in my future baths.

Quantitative Ingredients: Organic Shea Butter (Butyrospermum parkii), Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter (Theobroma cacao), Laureth 4, PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides & PEG-60, Almond Glycerides, Perfume, Extra Virgin Coconut Oil (Cocos nucifera), Organic Jojoba Oil (Simmondsia chinensis), Titanium Dioxide, Colour 19140:1, Colour 47005.

Vegan?: Yes.

2015 Price: £2 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2015.

Scent Family:

Heavanilli Massage Bar

Shark Infested Custard Luxury Bath Oil
Vanilla Dee-Lite Body Lotion
Vanilla Fountain Ballistic
Vanilla Puff Dusting Powder
Vanillary Liquid Perfume
Vanillary Solid Perfume

Shark Infested Custard Luxury Bath Oil

Bath, Bath Melt, cocoa butter, jojoba, lush oxford street, shea butter, Skin

Vegan?: Yes.

2015 Price: £2 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2015.

Scent Family:

Heavanilli Massage Bar

Shark Infested Custard Luxury Bath Oil
Vanilla Dee-Lite Body Lotion
Vanilla Fountain Ballistic
Vanilla Puff Dusting Powder
Vanillary Liquid Perfume
Vanillary Solid Perfume

Something Wicked Bath Melt

Almond, Bath, Bath Melt, cocoa butter, Discontinued, Ginger, Jasmine, limited edition, Lush Kitchen, oakmoss, Skin

As I've mentioned in previous reviews, ginger is my least favourite scent. It is this very reason why I try to avoid any cosmetics that claim to showcase a strong or very defined ginger fragrance. This is why I wasn't particularly over-joyed to be using this bath melt - but as someone who has to try everything at least once, I went ahead nonetheless.

At first glance, everything about Something Wicked Bath Melt isn't quite right. Firstly, the gorgeous and rather playful deep purple colour doesn't match up with the smell it exudes. Then the strong, spicy and slightly sweet floral aroma isn't what you would expect from a product labelled as 'wicked'. It's a product that plays with your initial perceptions - and for once, it's actually surprisingly lovely.

First released in 2005, this bath melt has being brought back in multiple retro releases, most recently making a reappearance in the Lush Kitchen as part of their Halloween range. Released as both a forum special body lotion and liquid perfume as well, it has quite a cult following and I can see why.

As with all of Lush's bath melts, Something Wicked's main purpose is to help moisturise and hydrate your skin, leaving it feeling wonderfully smooth and well-nourished. This bath melt contains a whole host of oils and butters alongside cocoa butter, all rich in antioxidants which help to heal and condition skin.

Almond oil is an unscented but highly nutritious oil with a high vitamin E content. When used in cosmetics, it helps to smoothen the skin and leave it feeling silky soft; ginger oil offers an astringent, antiseptic and warming scent that stimulates and soothes tired muscles. Alongside cocoa butter, which soothes itchy and irritated skin, this luxury bath melt is a powerhouse of ingredients.

Packed full of ginger oil, jasmine and oakmoss absolute, this bath melt offers a comforting, sensual and slightly spicy experience. When it came to my old bar, I could only detect a gentle gingery sweetness in the packet. However, my fresher ones offered me a much stronger, multi-layered fragrance. Once the bar was in action in the tub, a beautiful wave of fragrance came through that lasted for the entire bathing experience and made me feel very devilish indeed.

The ginger and jasmine have been combined perfectly so that neither take the centre stage. The slight heat from the ginger intertwines perfectly with the gentle floral aroma of the jasmine and creates a sensual, well-balanced and rather unique experience. As opposed to the rather pungent scent of Badass Shower Gel, this one is more luxurious and far more enjoyable. It's a sweeter yet slightly more complex aroma.

When placed in hot water, the bath melt begins to melt slowly, dispersing essential oils across the surface and softening the water throughout. As you soak, these oils are moisturising and repairing your body, leaving your skin feeling velvety soft and refreshed. When you exit the bath, you can really feel how smooth and silky your skin is; I love the way that this melt makes my skin feel!

Something Wicked left me feeling relaxed and refreshed - my skin felt wonderfully moisturised and squeaky clean. The scent left a very gentle scent on my body, which didn't stay around for long, but this could have been to do with the age of the melt and not a product fault. While it's not one I would rush to invest in again, it did make for an enjoyable bath and fans of ginger-scents will no doubt find this far more pleasing than many of the other ginger fragrances that Lush have released over the years.

Quantitative Ingredients: Cocoa Butter (Theobroma cacao), Laureth 4, Almond Oil (Prunus dulcis), Perfume, Ginger Oil (Zingiber officinale), Jasmine Absolute (Jasminum officinale), Oakmoss Absolute (Evernia prunastri), Colour 77007, Colour 18050, Colour 61585.

Vegan?: Yes.

2015 Price: £4 for 30g.

2017 Price: £4.25 for 30g.

Scent Family:

Something Wicked Bath Melt
Something Wicked Body Lotion
Something Wicked Liquid Perfume