Snow Fairy Sparkle Jar

As far as ideas go, this new concept is definitely very sweet and quirky, but I’d definitely say it’s more suited as a seasonal gift as opposed to a staple item in your collection. Only time will tell whether or not these jars will leave a lasting impression on Lush fans, although I can imagine this is not the last we will see of them...

Snow Fairy Sparkle Jar is one of two limited edition 'naked boxes' to make themselves known this Christmas. While brand new to the seasonal range, neither of them offer new scents - with this one, not surprisingly, sharing its scent with the popular Snow Fairy Range.

With an astonishing number of new products released in the scent this year, Snow Fairy fans are being spoiled rotten with their sweet, musky seasonal favourite. While this jar is reminiscent of the numerous products in this fragrance, I really liked the fact that this one was a little more powdery and a little less sickly-sweet than the shower gel. Snow Fairy Sparkle Jar is probably closer to Candy Fluff and the Liquid Perfume than anything: it’s a little more reserved and thus more exquisite because of this.

Contain an amalgamation of different butters and oils, the sparkle jars firstly work as massage bars. Simply massage them across your body and the heat will gently melt a thin layer away to moisturise and nourish your skin. I found that this one was a little stubborn to use at first, and I would recommend that you use it immediately after a shower or bath, as the heat will help the jar to be a little less stubborn when releasing those oils. If used when you’re cold, you could find that the product will leave sticky streaks across your skin, and you may need to rinse yourself and start again.  

As well as a massage bar, this product contains a filling of dusting powder - which should be used after you’ve applied the oils, to soften your skin further and leave a layer of sparkle to your skin. Although my picture shows that I severed the lid off to access the powder, you are supposed to pierce the two holes in the top and then sprinkle it into your skin. 

If using Snow Fairy Sparkle Jar, you need to be aware of two important things. Firstly, the massage bar is technically hollow inside, so you cannot apply as much pressure as you might normally do with a regular massage bar. In addtion, you may want to keep your eye on how much powder you have left inside (the more you use the jar), as if the outer layer thins too much after, you could end up with a messy spillage.

Secondly, the dusting power will leave a faint pink ‘glow’ across the areas of skin that you apply it to, and there will be a shimmer of silver lustre as well. For this reason, I would think carefully about when and how you’re using the sparkle jar, as this probably wouldn’t be very appropriate  to use all of the time. Having said that, I’m sure that most people who choose to use this, will probably have made me peace with both of these ideas beforehand.

While the concept was adorable and definitely something I would add to a small gift hamper or stocking, I don’t think this is a product that I would use regularly. Although always one for a Sparkle-fest, I am not overly bowled over by the Snow Fairy scent anymore, and I do had my limits when it comes to how much lustre I want to coat my skin in.

Another aspect that will prevent me from buying another is that I don’t find my skin particularly benefits from the butters and oils, anywhere near to the same standard as a regular massage bar. This is definitely more about the novelty than the nourishment of the skin - something I need to ensure does happen during the colder months.

Ultimately, I love that Lush are trying out new ideas, and this will prove really popular throughout the seasonal months. Snow Fairy fans will appreciate a new product to try their hands at, and handfuls of these will find themselves as gifts for certain. However, I will continue to use my Sparkle Jar every now and then, but I don’t have any interest in buying another one before they disappear.

Quantitative Ingredients: Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter (Theobroma cacao) ,Corn Starch (Zea mays), Sodium Bicarbonate, Magnesium Carbonate, Fragrance, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Titanium Dioxide, Synthetic Musk (Ethylene Brassylate), Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Tin Oxide (Tin oxide), Iron Oxides, *Limonene, *Citral Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Red 7, Red 27, Lake. *Occurs naturally in essential oils.

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: £6.95 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2017.

Scent Family:

Best Washes Wash Card
Bubblegum Lip Scrub
Candy Fluff Ballistic
Candy Fluff Perfume
Candy Fluff Dusting Powder
Fairy Dust Dusting Powder
Father Christmas Bath Bomb
Fluffy Egg Bath Bomb
Godmother Soap
Lush Mechanic Cold-Pressed Soap
Magic Wand Bubble Bar
Melting Marshmallow Moment Bath Oil
Mmmelting Marshmallow Bath Melt
Pink Easter Egg Ballistic
Snow Fairy Body Conditioner
Snow Fairy Body Spray
Snow Fairy Cold-Pressed Soap
Snow Fairy Jelly Bath Bomb
Snow Fairy Lip Tint
Snow Fairy Liquid Perfume
Snow Fairy Naked Body Conditioner
Snow Fairy Naked Shower Gel
Snow Fairy Shower Gel
Snow Fairy Solid Perfume
Snow Fairy Sparkle Jar

Snow Fairy Sparkle Massage Bar

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Happy Happy Joy Joy Naked Hair Conditioner

As most of my reviews showcase, I am a big advocate of solid hair care. In fact, it's probably the area of Lush that I am most passionate about, because of how much the company have helped to improve my unmanageable hair after years of abuse. Whenever anyone approaches me about recommendations, I automatically begin reeling off the solid products that would be best suited - not even fathoming that there are also some truly wonderful liquid variations that also deserve a mention.

When the Lush Kitchen announced that they'd be bringing out both Veganese and Happy Happy Joy Joy in solid form, I was ecstatic. Not only are they the only vegan liquid conditioners that Lush currently offer, but they also happen to be the only two conditioners that I use regularly - along with Avocado Co-wash.

HHJJ was the first in the spotlight, with its bobbly consistency and wonky-shaped head. While it wasn't the most attractive product to look at, I was hoping that this naked version would offer something different from the bottled version.

I'll be honest and say that I find HHJJ to be extremely expensive for what it is. While I recognise that Lush have sourced quite a number of highly-regarded ingredients to create the product, a 100g bottle will set you back £9.99, which is extortionate for something that lasts me between 4-5 washes. Not only that but I wouldn't say that it is anywhere near as moisturising as Lush's other solid and liquid conditioners, and maybe even be less nourishing than most of the shop-bought ones that I have also purchased over the years. 

For this reason, I was intrigued to see that this solid edition was £19.95 - which, if it lasted as long as the naked shower gels did, would work out much cheaper to use than the original liquid version. And I just hoped that the inclusion of the extra oils and butters would make this edition a little more moisturing.

Unfortunately, myself and this naked edition didn’t see eye-to-eye from the start. Firstly, I didn’t find that the fragrance was anywhere near the strength that the original liquid version possesses. Given that it’s a ‘conditioning perfume’, you would expect a scent strong enough to boast that title. Needless to say, HHJJ was very weak comparison to its older sibling. 

What took a bit of getting used to with the liquid conditioner was how quickly the product was absorbed into the hair. With its thin consistency I found that if I applied too much in one area, it would disappear too quickly for me to massage across a different area. For this reason, it was very easy to use twice as much product as you originally planned to, which is why I was always super careful when applying it onto the hair. 

When it came to the naked edition, I found that it was rather stubborn to produce much of a lather when massaged directly into the scalp. While it wasn’t particular generous when stimulated between my hands either, at least I wasn’t at risk of using too much of the Conditioner in any one go. I found that the solid bottle produced a thick, almost paste-like lather, although it did take a lot of effort to create enough product to coat all of my hair.  

Upon application, I immediately noticed a difference in how my hair reacted to the product. Normally, HHJJ makes my hair feel rather thin but it feels silky soft and nourished - it quite literally transforms my locks and removes any tangles without me having to use a comb. With the naked edition, my hair felt rather matted and dry, and this made it very wire-like and thin after I had rinsed it out. Even after multiple uses - some applied with an immediate rinse, and other times left in for over 10 minutes, my hair felt brittle and very UN-moisturised. 

Each and every time I tried to brush my hair, I found that it was both limp and frizzy, and lots of hair would come out in the brush. For someone who’s desperately trying to restore my hair to some form of normality, this is the last thing I wanted to happen. Even when I cut off small chunks and worked it into a paste before applying it, I found that it didn’t make much of a difference. 

Ultimately, Happy Happy Joy Joy is not a naked product that worked for me in any way. In fact, I’m rather interested to know why two products with similar ingredients can cause my hair to have two very different reactions. I hope that perhaps there is a product default with this batch, which is why it hasn’t made a reappearance since its Kitchen release, and that it will come back again at some point and win my hair over.

Quantitative Ingredients: ?

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: £19.95 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2017.

Scent Family:

Frozen Bath Bomb

Frozen Liquid Perfume
Frozen Solid Perfume

Happy Happy Joy Joy Conditioner
Happy Happy Joy Joy Naked Conditioner

Sea Spray Hair Mist

Shine So Bright Hair Balm

Snowie Bubble Bar

Your Mother Should Know Bubble Bar

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Snow Fairy Naked Shower Gel

By now, everyone reading this will no doubt be familiar with the concept of naked products, and will have probably formulated their own opinions on whether or not they appreciate Lush's idea of creating 'zero waste cosmetics' as a way to help the environment. Every single one of the solid versions that I have tried so far have worked well with me, and I definitely wouldn't be opposed to buying them again. However, not one has yet to replicate the regular version completely, although perhaps that is the beauty of using them.

Snow Fairy Naked Shower Gel would probably be the one, out of the entire selection of converted gels, to get the most amount of slack - if any were going to receive such bad press. With it being Lush's biggest selling seasonal Shower gel, and perhaps the one that also boasts the biggest sales across the entire  year, any product that joins the family comes under a lot of scrutiny from die-hard fans.

Coming in at a centimetre or so taller than a 100g bottle, and sporting an almost identical colour to the liquid version, this naked gel already ticks the first box. The fact that the smell radiating from it is as sweet and playful as the original gel, tells me that Lush have been extra careful at insuring this one meets the standards of Snow Fairy lovers everywhere.

Using a basis of synthetic musk, Snow Fairy is an elusive scent - one that originally helped me to fall in love with the company to begin with; but also one that I moved away from when I discovered the impressive array of complex aromas that Lush also offer.  Described as being like a combination of candy floss, raspberry bubblegum and vanilla milkshake, I would say that the former note it what is most present here. 

To me, this naked shower gel encompasses a sweet, musky bubblegum smell, with a delicate and slightly cloudy vanilla note interlaced throughout. For fans who have tried a lot of Snow Fairy-scented products, it reminds me more of Candy Floss Dusting Powder than the shower gel it is trying to replicate; more powdery and vanillary like the Jelly Bath Bomb, than the recently released Body Spray.  

What is impressive about this naked shower gel is that it lathers up just as well, if not better than the original liquid version. This is one of only two solid versions that have achieved this so far, and it's an impressive feat. The fact that it produces lather so easily, means that you don't need to hold this under the running water - which means that it will last you a lot longer. In fact, I have been using both this and a 100g bottle of Snow Fairy for the last 3-4 weeks, and have found that while the naked edition has barely shrunk, the bottled version is almost empty. 

The lather Snow Fairy Naked Shower Gel creates is easy to massage across the body, and my skin felt clean and soft after using this. Unfortunately, I didn't find that the fragrance lingered around for long in the shower, and by the time I have towelled myself down, the scent had all but vanished. This is one reason why I still see the benefits of using the original gel.

When storing this, I found that it dried within a matter of minutes, so you don't need to worry about finding splodges of pink all over your bathroom the next day. It was also really easy to use in the shower and I didn't find that I dropped it at all. Some of Lush's naked gels can be a little slippery when in use, but this one was fine. 

Overall, this is perhaps one of my favourite naked replicates and there are so many benefits for Lush fans to enjoy with this product. Having said that, I still prefer the sickly-sweet scent of the original gel, and the fact that I can smell that edition on my skin after my shower. At the end of the day, Snow Fairy fans should rejoice at the fact that both editions offer many benefits, and they now have two different experiences they can choose from for their winter showers.     

Quantitative Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Propylene Glycol, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Sodium Stearate, Lauryl Betaine, Perfume, Titanium Dioxide, Synthetic Musk, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate. Tin Oxide, *Limonene, Alpha-Isomethyl ionone, Colour 17200, Colour 45410, Colour 45380:3, Black Specerit Wax.

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: £8.75 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2017.

Scent Family:

Best Washes Wash Card
Bubblegum Lip Scrub
Candy Fluff Ballistic
Candy Fluff Perfume
Candy Fluff Dusting Powder
Fairy Dust Dusting Powder
Father Christmas Bath Bomb
Fluffy Egg Bath Bomb
Godmother Soap
Lush Mechanic Cold-Pressed Soap
Magic Wand Bubble Bar
Melting Marshmallow Moment Bath Oil
Mmmelting Marshmallow Bath Melt
Pink Easter Egg Ballistic
Snow Fairy Body Conditioner
Snow Fairy Body Spray
Snow Fairy Cold-Pressed Soap
Snow Fairy Jelly Bath Bomb
Snow Fairy Lip Tint
Snow Fairy Liquid Perfume
Snow Fairy Naked Body Conditioner
Snow Fairy Naked Shower Gel
Snow Fairy Shower Gel
Snow Fairy Solid Perfume
Snow Fairy Sparkle Jar
Snow Fairy Sparkle Massage Bar

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Plantational Cake Solid Shampoo Bar

My vast experience with Lush has told me never to judge a product based on its colour or description. Whereas many people might run the other way upon seeing a brown lump that resembles a mud pie, I relish in experimenting with the company's weirdest and most wonderful of creations. Some of my most favourite products have come about through experiences that I've had in which I was expecting things to go horribly wrong at first.

Plantational Cake is equally brand new and retro at the same time. Based on Lush's old-school liquid shampoo of the same name, this limited edition solid looks no different than one of my firm favourite products from the Kitchen - Reincarnate Solid Shampoo. In fact, this product may appear very different ingredients wise, but the two share many good qualities that puts them both in the firm favourites category.

To look at, this solid shampoo bar looks like a cross between a badly-baked brownie and a lump of solid mud. You might be surprised to learn then that this limited edition doesn't smell like either of those two itmes. In fact, the smell of this surprised me quite a lot when it first came into contact with my nose.

Containing Brazilian orange oil combined with a nettle and rosemary leaf infusion, this shampoo bar presents a distinctive sweet smell that reminds me very much of sultanas. The inclusions of both the red henna and the labdanum resinoid add to this subtle fruity element - giving the solid bar a gentle layer of spice and rounds the aroma off with a dry but rather more-ish fragrance. In many ways, Plantational does smell very similar to Reincarnate, so if you've been fortunate enough to have tried the aforementioned shampoo bar, you'll have a good idea about the fragrance of this one.

As with most solid shampoo bars, this one works by wetting it a little under the running water and massaging it straight into your wet hair for a short time. It only takes a few seconds for the product to produce a light but thick lather, so you don't need to use it for more than that to cover your entire scalp. I would then recommend using both hands to ensure the shampoo is equally distributed across your locks. 

Depending on how long you have in the shower, I would suggest that you leave it on for a good few minutes before rinsing it away and applying your conditioner. What I found with this solid shampoo is that the henna taints the lather slightly, so don't worry when you rinse it away and find that the water presents itself as brown.

What I loved about Plantational is that it was effective from the very first wash. Unlike a large percentage of Lush's solid shampoo bars, this one moisturised and detangled my hair while I was in the shower, and I felt at times that I could almost have gotten away with not using conditioner afterwards - it was that effective. 

Upon drying my hair, I noticed that this bar left a slight bit of residue that seemed to coat my hair like a protective blanket. Don't get me wrong, my hair was neither greasy or oily afterwards, but there was something about the feel and touch of my locks that told me that the shampoo bar was still present on my hair. Until you try it out for yourself, it may be difficult to understand what I mean. However, it was almost as if the product had put up a slight barrier around every strand, so it felt as if my hair had more moisture present, without it looking or feeling weighed down. 

My experience with this one was very different to any of Lush's other shampoos, liquid and solid. I really felt as if this one added in that much-needed moisture that my dry hair needed, and within 2-3 uses my hair was looking and feeling much less frizzy and far more manageable. Furthermore, I found that I didn't need to straighten my hair that much, as the shampoo supported and accentuated my waves, without leaving it looking frizzy or untamed.  

Having said that, I will mention that your hair should be completely dry before attempting to straighten it after using Plantational. If your locks are even so much as damp when you use the straightening irons on them, this blanket of moisture that coats your hair will turn greasy, and I found that I had to use dry shampoo afterwards to try and settle the excess moisture. 

Overall, this solid shampoo bar has been an absolute pleasure to use. Not only has it rejuvenated my hair and made it feel far less parched than it did before, but the inclusion of the henna supported my natural hair colour - accentuating the highlights and bringing out the different shades of browns and reds that I don't often get to see.

This is definitely one that I would buy again, and I would go as far as to say that this would be a staple in my house if it was a regular item. Whatever condition your hair might be in, I have heard nothing but glowing reviews about this wonderful Kitchen exclusive, and my experience only serves to support and verify that this shampoo bar is a royal treat.         

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Lauryl Sulphate, Stearic Acid, Nettle And Rosemary Leaf Infusion, Red Henna, Glyceryl Stearate & PEG 100 Stearate, Soya Lecthin, Brazilian Orange Oil, Labdanum Resinoid, Irish Moss Powder, Limonene, Citral, Perfume.

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: £6.25 for 100g.

Year Of Original Release: 1999

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Smugglers Soul Solid Shampoo Bar

While I usually opt to use the limited edition perfumes that I own, there are a few regular-line ones that I always revert back to on occasions. Smuggler's Soul Liquid Perfume in my number one choice from Lush's extensive fragrance collection, and there has never been a time when I've used the perfume and not felt better afterwards. 

Initially, it was rather disappointing when Lush brought out their exclusive Father's Day range for the first time last year, and I discovered that the solid shampoo bar was labelled as vegetarian only. However, with a slight change of ingredients and an improved formula, 2017 has seen the seasonal product turn vegan, and we are all the better for it.

Described as being both poignant and smoky, Smugglers Soul Solid Shampoo Bar is a royal treat for the hair: a product that not only showcases one of the best smells in this format, but also works far better than a number of the regular bars in store.

Containing a combination of sandalwood, vetivert and tagetes, this limited edition is both sweet and sultry. The lemongrass not only offers the hair a shine that helps to bring out any natural highlights that your locks may possess, but it is also one of the key notes in the overall smell. In fact, it is the lemongrass that compliments the smoky elements of the sandalwood, and what also intertwines with the vetivert to give off a delicately sweet smell.

While I was a little confused at first by the inclusion of the watercress infusion, I have since learned that this ingredient is great for stimulating hair growth, and also helps to give this solid shampoo bar a very moisturising lather that softens, strengthens and repairs hair at the same time. 

You only need to stimulate this for a couple seconds for it to create an abundance of silky-soft lather to massage into your hair. In fact, I found that I only had to wet the product briefly for it to produce enough 'foam' to coat my whole head with. Once applied, I would leave it on for around five minutes before rinsing it out and using conditioner. 

Although I tend to use Avocado Cowash to add in moisture and keep my hair in tip-top condition, there were a few times when I opted to use Smugglers Soul Solid Shampoo by itself, and I found that my hair was just as smooth and manageable as it would have been after using conditioner. Despite there being nothing in the ingredients list that hinted at why this seasonal special was so effective in that manner, it was not something I was going to question.

What I loved about this shampoo was that I was firstly able to enjoy the wonderful smell of Smugglers Soul in the shower, albeit briefly. Although this scent unfortunately didn't seem to last once a conditioner had been applied, nor when used by itself, it was a fleeting luxury that made me wish that Lush would bring out a shower gel or jelly with the same fragrance.

My only qualm with this solid shampoo bar was the fact I felt as if it seemed to shrink a little quicker than other bars of its kind. If left to dry naturally, I noticed that the bar would be smaller the next time I went to wash my hair. For this reason, I would highly recommend that you pat it dry after use, to ensure you get the most out of it. 

Unfortunately, this bar does not stick around to become a regular member of my hair care routine. However, I have bought a few bars to see me through a good many months. For fans of Smugglers Soul, and indeed those who appreciate a good-quality shampoo, I would highly recommend that you give this one a go. I hope, for my hair's sake, that this makes a reappearance next Father's Day.     

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Perfume, Watercress Infusion, Rosewood Oil, Sandalwood Oil,  Vetivert Oil, Tagetes Oil, Lemongrass Oil, Polyquaternium-88, *Benzyl Benzoate, *Citral, *Coumarin, *Limonene, *Linalool, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Colour 15510, Colour 17200, Colour 42090.

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: £7.50 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2017.

Scent Family:
Smuggler's Soul Body Lotion
Smuggler's Soul Body Spray
Smuggler's Soul Facial Scrub
Smuggler's Soul Liquid Perfume
Smuggler's Soul Solid Perfume
Smugglers Soul Solid Shampoo Bar

Veerappen Moustache Wax

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Flying Fox Solid Perfume

Despite the shower gel not being vegan, I have never been particularly interested in trying Flying Fox out all that much. While I am not opposed to jasmine, and certainly don't have an issue with the strength that it holds itself in this scent family, there is just something that I don't find all that desirable about the overall aroma.

Although the differing ingredients lists suggest that Flying Fox Solid Perfume doesn't share the same scent as Lust Solid Perfume, the two are so similar that you'd be hard-pressed to find much of a difference. While I will compare the two products below, for the interest of the consumer, I should probably state that these differences are so minor that many noses will probably not be able to detect these changes.

While Lust contains jasmine, ylang ylang, rose and vanilla, Flying Fox swaps the latter two ingredients for cypress and palmarosa oil - a transformation that surprisingly does very little to the overall smell of the perfume. What I will say is that Flying Fox does have better longevity on the skin - with it lasting almost double the time that Lust offered me, making this a good investment for fans of this scent.

From the tub, this solid fragrance is very much dominated by the jasmine. Heady and rather potent, this sweet and sultry floral component presides over every other ingredient - offering a smell that is intoxicating and sophisticated. As jasmine is an aphrodisiac, this perfume will make you feel rather sexy sporting it on your skin, and as I said in my review of Lust: encourages your primal needs to come to the forefront.

Alongside this are notes of ylang ylang, cypress and palmarosa: the former giving Flying Fox an element of 'green' about it, while still maintaining that sickly-sweet aroma; the cypress oil adding a gentle woody aroma that grounds the fragrance; the palmarosa adding to the sweetness of the jasmine and bringing its own subtle herbaceous element that I think makes this solid perfume rather intoxicating for the wearer.

On the skin, the jasmine settles back a little in the mix, and allows the ylang ylang and the cypress oils to come forward more. The warmth of your body will break apart the different elements here and give you a much lighter, pretty floral aroma. For those who find Lust Liquid Perfume too potent on the senses, but appreciate the use of jasmine, you may find that this solid perfume will work far better for you.  

While it's not one of my favourite fragrances from Lush, I will definitely say that this solid edition is very subtlely superior to Lust. While I don't think there is enough of a difference to warrant buying one, there is minute difference that will draw some Lush fans to invest and see for themselves. Those with a very sensitive nose, who love Flying Fox, might appreciate being able to experience a replica of their favourite shower gel. However, I feel as if the production of this is a little bit of a waste, and I would have been much happier if another fragrance had been chosen to during the voting week.  

Quantitative Ingredients: Organic Jojoba Oil, Organic Castor Oil, Candelilla Wax, Perfume (synthetic), *Linalool, Jasmine Absolute, Ylang Ylang Oil, Cypress Oil, Palmarosa Oil, Benzyl Alcohol, *Benzyl Benzoate, *Benzyl Salicylate, *Citral, *Eugenol, *Farnesol, *Geraniol, *Isoeugenol, *Limonene, Butylphenyl Methylpropional.

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: £9 for 12g.

Year Of Original Release: 2017.

Scent Family:

Floating Flower Bath Ballistic
Flying Fox Body Lotion
Flying Fox Shower Gel
Flying Fox Solid Perfume
Godiva Solid Shampoo Bar
Lust Liquid Perfume 
Lustre Dusting Powder
Lust Solid Perfume
Yes Yes Yes Massage Bar

Youki-Hi Bath Ballistic

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