Christmas Rocker Soap

This soap brings me back to the M&S advert a few years ago, when the company tried to convince everyone that their products were exceptionally better than everyone elses. The ingredients list reads like a dessert, and I cannot help but think: If Lush made dessert, it would be the best dessert that the world has ever seen.

What I find really strange is that this soap has caused quite a lot of controversy regarding what customers are proclaiming it smells like. At the risk of sounding crass, Christmas Rocker supposedly smells like a certain male bodily function - although I’m going to be honest and say that I don’t really experience that at all myself.

Amusingly, a lot of Lush fans are also convinced that the odd fragrance was no mistake at all, and that it’s all an elaborate joke from the powers that be. This stems from the tag line that sits alongside the product on their website, which reads: m ‘Come one...come all’. Whether or not you suspect it’s a deliberate attempt at something far more satire than usual, there is no denying that the evidence points to this conclusion. 

As its name suggests, Christmas Rocker is carved out in the shape of an old-fashioned rocking horse, which fits in nicely with the Victorian theme that the seasonal range is leaning towards this year. Although small and seemingly more expensive than other, chunkier pieces of soap, you’ll be pleased to hear that the product is rather rigid in the shower, and will last you just as long as a piece of a bigger size.

Christmas Rocker Soap is not only the cutest one this year, but it also happens to be the best newcomer (in my humble opinion.) Containing dried apricots, mandarin, tangerine and bergamot oils, this limited edition sounds like a bowl of the most exquisite fruit sorbet, and I for one would be all over that idea. 

While the ingredients list reads like The Brightside, I was happy to discover that it did not share the same scent. Although I love that fragrance more than most, customers have already been treated to a soap in that scent with last year’s Sunrise Soap, so I’m glad we had something different to indulge in.

Firstly, my nose picked up quite a strong, tangy orange aroma - a little like a bitter orange that’s been peeled with the pith still intact. The bergamot is clearly at work here - throwing in a little green note to give it more of a fresh, natural aroma. Alongside this, there is a bitter element, which I think comes from the apricots and the bergamot combined. However, there is also a note of what I can only describe as musk. While I wouldn’t assume the cocoa butter would be potent enough to impact the smell, it does smell like an element of this has bled through into the fragrance.

What I found with Christmas Rocker is that it’s far more pleasant once it has come into contact with warm water. I couldn’t really detect much of the scent while it was sitting on the edge of my bath. However, the second I began massaging it across my skin, I could pick up a far better fruity smell to enjoy. While I wouldn’t say this was a scent that I appreciated that much, it’s definitely not as terrible as people have been saying it is. It’s just a little bit average and forgettable, if anything.

Despite its odd smell, Christmas Rocker worked up a treat - creating a creamy, fragrance lather to massage across my body. It produced a bright orange foam, which you need to be careful about not splashing anywhere while you’re washing yourself, and left my skin feeling rather soft and radiant.

While the scent didn’t stay on my skin afterwards, I was surprised to discover that the inclusion of the butter and oils did make this soap a little gentler on my body, and I wasn’t left with really parched skin - which I often experience after using a lot of soaps. Much like most of Lush’s new gourmet soaps, this one also dissolved rather quickly when I kept it under the running water during use. For this reason, I would suggest you get it damp and then clean yourself out of the way of the running tap. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this soap and don’t really understand why so many people have expressed their dislike of the fragrance. Although I can understand why consumers might reach the conclusion about what the soap might smell like, I think there are far too many other components that make it a nice soap. Having said that, a ‘nice’ soap is not one that will be remembered in a few months time, and I can’t imagine why this would make an appearance again.

Quantitative Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Propylene Glycol, Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter, Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, Dried Apricots, Sodium Hydroxide, Perfume, Mandarin Oil, Tangerine Oil, Bergamot Oil, Gardenia Extract, Glycerine, Titanium Dioxide, Citric Acid, Sodium Bicarbonate, *Limonene, *Linalool, Colour 15510.

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: £4.50 for 100g.

Year Of Original Release: 2017.

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Icon Liquid Perfume

After years of pining, I finally managed to snag myself a bottle of Icon Liquid Perfume - an occasion that should have been marked with happiness and elation. Instead, I found myself rather disappointed when I removed the lid and found that I didn't appreciate the smell that greeted me at all. It was nothing like I remember the soap being, and this was devastating. Even spraying it onto my skin heeded little comfort to me, and I began to question whether I had truly loved the soap as much as I had remembered I had. That was until I left the fragrance to settle and develop on my skin, and discovered that a little patience is all it takes to bring this aroma we very much to life.

Sharing its scent with the soap of the same name, Icon Liquid Perfume is a product that has a lot to live up to, given the nature of its title. Anything less than near-on perfection would be inadequate for a fragrance of its calibre, and luckily it doesn't disappoint.

Much like the soap, what I love about this smell from Lush is that it's so incredibly complex and robust on the skin; it's not a perfume that's merely worn, but instead one used to make a statement. A bold one at that. If you're looking for a signature scent, this fragrance ticks every box and leaves a lasting impression - one that will turn heads and no doubt inspire many a compliment.

Strangely, the ingredients list appears fairly simplistic, and almost boring when compared to the aroma Icon offers. Featuring bergamot, tangerine and mandarin oils as the key ingredients, you'd be mistaken for thinking this is similar to the likes of What Would Love Do? or 1000 Kisses Deep. In fact, the perfume probably wouldn't be too far off either if it wasn't for the inclusion of the myrrh resinoid - a component that I truly believe makes this perfume as special as it is. 

Lush describe the smell of Icon as having 'lots of deep, heavy layers which build up to make the whole sound, with high light notes dancing up above it'. While this description may be rather cryptic about the actual smell of the fragrance, it's a good description of how the perfume works on the skin. For me at least. 

Firstly, much like the soap, I was able to pick out a spicy, mandarin fragrance that gave this perfume a warming, sensual layer to it. This note reminded me a little of crystallised fruit peel (also known as candied peel) and so Icon to me is a very wintery scent because of this reason. There is definitely a delicate spicy element present that teases and tantalises your senses, whilst it is working with the heat of your skin, and offers a very sophisticated twist to the usually quite bitter fruit. 

With the inclusion of both sandalwood and myrrh resinoid in the ingredients, this perfume also has an element of smokiness about it - something you'll either love or hate. Although very subtle in the overall smell of the soap, this pungent, woody, smoky smell definitely dominates the scent as a whole - sitting comfortably as the base note and encouraging that rich, sultry Iconic aroma to captivate the user. In hindsight, it is only through the inclusion of the orange blossom and mandarin oil that stops Icon from being too heavy a scent. These citrus notes give the soap subtle uplifting qualities that help to elevate all of the other ingredients and give them all a chance to shine through.   

From the bottle, the myrrh is far too dominating and over zealous on the skin, and I can imagine many people will be deterred from using it for this reason. However, within five minutes of it being sprayed, that's cloudiness to lifted and you are left with a wholesome, very comforting aroma that is both delicately sweet and wonderfully rich and complex.

As I mentioned above, Icon is one of Lush's most interesting and charismatic fragrances, and one that definitely needs to be tried and tested by anybody who calls themselves a Lush fan. It's truly unforgettable and remains one of my favourite scent families from Lush - if only the company would offer us a shower gel or jelly to divulge in.

Quantitative Ingredients: DRF Alcohol, Perfume, Bergamot Oil, Water, Glycerine, Tangerine Oil, Sicilian Mandarin Oil, Myrrh Resinoid, Orange Flower Absolute, *Citral, *Geraniol, *Farnesol, *Limonene, *Linalool.

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: £39.50 for 30ml.

Year Of Original Release: ?

Scent Family:
Icon Bubble Bar
Icon Dusting Powder
Icon Liquid Perfume

Icon Soap

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Ectoplasm Jelly Bath Bomb

When this mysterious purple and cream jelly bath bomb appeared at the Lush Showcase earlier this year, nobody realised it was the face of something big that Lush had been working on behind the scenes. The fact that it was probably one of the company's most flimsiest bath bombs was irrelevant at the time: everyone was fascinated by the fact that it was innovative and different...and also incredible messy.

Fast forward a few months and the company have re-released a much sturdier, less crumblier Ectoplasm, while still retaining its beautiful scent and product design that initially held my interest in the first place. I'll go as far as to say that out of every single jelly bomb I have tried to date, this is by far my favourite one.

First and foremost, the name itself is a spooky insight into the inspiration behind the very first, original jelly bath bomb. In the supernatural world, an ectoplasm is a 'viscous substance that supposedly exudes from the body of a medium during a spiritualistic trance and forms the material for the manifestation of spirits.' In Lush terms, this transcends into a limited edition bath bomb that likes to expel a goo-like substance across your water and manifests itself into a ten minute scrub after the tub has been drained.

Yes, you heard that correctly. This is yet another of Lush's jelly creations that likes to leave a mess: on you body: across the walls of your tub; and just about anywhere you let it rest while wet. As with most of these jelly bombs, this one does leave smears across your skin that you'll need to ensure are rinsed off, and this one will accumulate a large amount of unmelted jelly at the bottom of your tub, so you will need to clean away the mess afterwards.

Having said that, there is something rather special about the smell of this bath bomb, and it is perhaps my favourite fragrance out of all of the jelly bombs. With tangerine and grapefruit oils as the key ingredients, Ectoplasm is a strong, bright and very zesty aroma. While nothing complex or particularly interesting, if you enjoy your citrusy experiences, this will be one you'll want to try out for yourself.

It's slightly powdery at times, and this almost gives it a richness that other citrus aromas don't necessarily always offer. What is great about it as well, is that the fragrance lingers for a very long time, and I was still able to smell it a good number of hours after I had emptied the tub.

As with most of Lush's jelly bombs, the second you pop this one in the water, it begins to expel an almost florescent shade of green foam across the surface of the tub. As the bath bomb begins to diminish a little, vibrant layers of purple begin to erupt from its core, and you end up with a psychedelic coloured bath water. 

The inclusion of the sodium alginate is what gives this bath bomb its jelly-like consistency, and you'll find that when you run your hands through the water you'll feel a big difference between a regular bath bomb and one such as this. There is no denying that Ectoplasm will leave you skin feeling radiant and silky-smooth, and the effect will last for days.

Despite this, I should warn you that, just like each of the other jelly bombs, this one will leave your bath very slippery, so you should be careful when getting in and out of the bath. In addition, this ballistic will also leave puddles of 'goo' that you'll have to ensure is washed away by the end. 

I found that this jelly bomb didn't leave anywhere near as many smears of gunk across my body, and the majority of the had been rinsed off once I was near finishing. However, there were still a couple of patches that I had to wipe off before towelling myself down, and I still didn't feel comforter washing my hair in the water - for fear of how it would affect my hair. 

Overall, this is my favourite out of all of the jelly bombs. The scent is strong and lingers on your skin for a good hour afterwards; the presentation and colour of the water is unique and one that I recommend that you experience; the results speak for themselves and you will notice a difference when it comes to the condition of your skin. 

I cannot say that I plan on rushing out and buying a handful of these to use, as I am still not convinced that they are as reliable and as clean as the regular bath bombs. Having said this, I would not be opposed to using one of these when I want something a little different from the regular range, or if my body needed a magical boost of moisture to replenish the skin.          

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Sodium Alginate, Tangerine Oil, Grapefruit Oil, Litsea Cubeba Oil, Water (Aqua), Dipropylene, Glycol, *Citral, *Limonene, Perfume, Colour 59040, Colour 45410, Colour 42090.

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: £4.95 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2017.

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Brightside Solid Perfume

 

For those who have read a lot of my reviews on solid perfumes, you'll know that I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with them. While the premise behind their design is one that I stand by, and I love how long a 12g tub lasts when compared to the liquid counterpart. However, I don't think many of the solid perfumes have ever successfully replicated a liquid version of the same scent, and as I love my Lush fragrances, this is rather disappointing.

However, as far as solid perfumes go, Brightside is up there as being one of the best. Not only does it represent the scent of the original bubble bar well, but it has a fragrance that withstands a lot more than most of the other solid perfumes that I have tried. In fact, this is the first solid perfume in a long while that I've actually found myself wearing day in, day out.

What first impressed me about Brightside Solid Perfume is the well-rounded and very robust fragrance that greets you from the tin. Usually, when I sniff most of Lush's solid perfumes, I find that I can detect somewhat of a waxy layer underneath, that ruins the experience for me. Whereas liquid perfumes don't have this issue because of the format they're in, solid perfumes are always going to have to battle with these base-level smells, which is part of the reason that I don't enjoy them as much as their liquid counterparts.

Despite this, Brightside is perhaps one of the most successful solid perfumes to date. Although I wouldn't say that it smells exactly like the bubble bar, there are enough traits here to make it recognisable. Having said that, out of this and the body lotion format, I actually believe that this has a closer connection to the bubble bar scent, and here's why.

Just like the bubble bar, this solid perfume contains mandarin, tangerine and bergamot oils. Upon opening the lid, you can detect all three of these from the start - each layer intertwined with the others to create a warm, fresh and very fruity aroma. 

It is both the mandarin and the tangerine that gives off the strongest threads here - offering a refreshing, juicy burst of citrusy goodness that smells very natural and sweet. The bergamot oil adds a subtle layer of what I can only describe as smelling of 'green', which is the the component that I think is what gives this perfume its longevity on the skin.

As I mentioned above, this solid perfume doesn't smell identical to the bubble bar: I think the format difference doesn't allow it to be as sherbety or as strong.  In fact, there is a small part of my senses that sees a resemblance between this and The Sun Solid Perfume, in some small way. However, I can definitely detect the magic of The Brightside shining through here, and fans of the bubble bar will no doubt appreciate what I mean by this.

What is impressive about this solid perfume is that normally smells of this calibre don't tend to last that long on the skin. Citrusy, fruity aromas tend to disperse fairly quickly, when exposed to the air. However, this one works with the warmth of your skin for a good couple of hours before it has fully faded and needs a top up.

For those unfamiliar with solid perfumes, there are many ways that you can  utilise them, and Brightside is no exception. The primary use is as a perfume - massaging a little into your pulse points and allowing the warmth of your skin to  stimulate the notes and leave you smelling wonderful. Although not as potent as a liquid perfume, solids are great to 'top up' a smell throughout the day, although they can be used by themselves.

Sometimes I even massage a little into the ends of my hair and use them as hair perfumes. I find that the hair tends to hold the smell longer than it does on the skin, and you'll stimulate a burst of fruity goodness every time your hair is caught by a breeze. My hair has even been known to benefit from this practice as the waxes and oils add a little moisture to my split ends and leaves them shiny.

Ultimately, The Brightside is as wonderful as fans of the fragrance would want it to be. While I know it'll be far more successful in liquid format, this is a good product to have until that dream is made a reality. Fruity, fresh and fun: this solid perfume is just in time to see the summer arrive, and Lush fans will be much better for it.  

Quantitative Ingredients: Organic Jojoba Oil, Organic Castor Oil, Candelilla Wax, *Limonene, Perfume (synthetic), Mandarin Oil, Tangerine Oil, Bergamot Oil, *Citral, *Farnesol, *Geraniol, *Linalool.

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: £9 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2017.

Scent Family:
Brightside Body Lotion
Brightside Bubble Bar
Brightside Solid Perfume

Sunrise Soap

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The Brightside Body Lotion

It took me a matter of seconds to fall head over heels in love with The Brightside Bubble Bar for the first time, and a similar time frame to feel a heavy disappointment settling over the fact that it was only going to be available for a limited amount of time. When Lush later announced that it was being made a permanent member of their family, the elation I felt was a little higher than I should probably care to admit.

If there is one thing I love about Lush, it's their ability to turn many of their most lovable scents into an array of different formats: each one offering something a little different to the other products that have come before it, while still retaining the original essence that made you fall in love with the fragrance in the first place.

When Brightside was announced as one of the five body lotions coming out during the 'voted for' week, I was ecstatic. While I was slightly disappointed that a shower gel wasn't heeded from the results, I couldn't deny that the mere thought of having anything new in this format was enough to keep me happy. With summer just around the corner, I felt as if it was the perfect time to bring out something so bright and uplifting to use.

As I was expecting, the lotion sold itself to me immediately from the tub: the familiar collaboration of mandarin, bergamot and tangerine drifting up my nose the second the lid was removed. I won't deny that I spent a good five minutes soaking in the fragrance - my nose so far into the pot that I left multiple imprints on the surface as I was doing so. 

For fans of The Brightside, the scent of this is everything you could ask for. Thick and wholesomely fruity, this lotion is bursting with the bright, uplifting citrusy aromas that you would expect. Perhaps slightly less zesty than the Bubble Bar, this body lotion smells like a fruity yoghurt or a freshly-made orange torte.

The citrus elements of this body lotion are natural-smelling and mouth-wateringly good; the bergamot adding almost a slight 'twang' of green to the aroma as well. This latter component makes itself known a little more on the skin, where it offers something not unlike the tartness you get from the pith of an orange. Furthermore, there is a very subtle hint of cocoa butter, once the lotion has been applied, and this gives Brightside Body Lotion a delicate wholesome appeal when in use.

The product itself is one of Lush's most thickest lotions. A little like Sympathy For The Skin, Brightside has to be really moisturised in, to ensure that you're not left with any residue on the surface. Once applied to the skin, you will need to give the product a good ten to fifteen minutes to be absorbed, as the lotion tends to leave a mild stickiness on the surface for a short while.

On the positive side, this limited edition is really effective at immediately helping your skin to look and feel so much better. My body looked instantly more radiant upon application, and my skin also felt quite plump and full. For someone who forgets to moisturise a lot of the time, this would be a fantastic lotion to use a couple of times a week, to offer the skin a deep, nourishing session and replenish some of the moisture that may have been lost. For this reason, the lotion would be great for the summer months, when the scorching sun can leave your skin needing some serious replenishing.

Given the nature of this lotion however, some people may find that it will be a little too much to use during the hotter days. As the lotion is fairly heavy, sweating while adorning Brightside may leave you feeling even stickier than usual, and so I would suggest that this is a lotion to wear overnight. Having tried this for the last few days, I found that this body lotion really improves the condition of your skin, and helps it to retain moisture throughout the day. However, using it overnight meant that I was able to go without a lotion during the day, while still possessing beautiful, clear, radiant skin. 

As if that wasn't enough, The Brightside also helped to elevate the base tan that I have been working on, and I received a number of compliments from colleagues about the lovely shade of colour I had on my arms.

The only negative aspect that I found about this body lotion was that the scent didn't seem to last that long once on the skin. In fact, unless your nose is highly sensitive, you probably won't be able to detect this much after the first hour of application. This is where a Brightside Liquid Perfume would be the perfect remedy to keep the fragrance going.

Overall, I am very happy that Lush have chosen to bring this out as a limited edition. This is one of my favourite fruity aromas, and I'm always appreciative of new formats in which to experience these smells. I will definitely be buying myself another tub of this in the future, and I can only hope that more cosmetics in this fragrance make an appearance in the near future.

Quantitative Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Almond Oil, Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter, Glycerine, Stearic Acid, Triethanolamine, Mandarin Oil, Tangerine Oil, Bergamot Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, *Citral, Coumarin, *Limonene, *Linalool, Perfume, Methylparaben Propylparaben.

Vegan?: Yes.   

2017 Price: £13.95 for 225g.

Year Of Original Year: 2017.

Scent Family:
Brightside Body Lotion
Brightside Bubble Bar
Brightside Solid Perfume
Sunrise Soap

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Lava Lamp Egg Bath bomb

If we excuse the fact that this limited edition looks like the extended head of an alien creature, we can still appreciate the craftsmanship that went into designing and creating both this season special, and the original Lava Lamp Bath Bomb that first made an appearance back in 2015. 

Appearing as one of the exclusive, limited editions on the opening day of the flagship store on Oxford Street, this gorgeous looking bath bomb was one of the most exciting purchases of the day. That was until I tested it out in the bath for the first time and was horrified to discover that it painted both my skin and my entire tub, and it took a good hour of scrubbing to remove the purple debris that was left behind. 

After a short disappearance, it was back for sale the next year - staining visibly reduced, and in 2017 was tweaked so that it could play a starring role in the Easter egg collection that the company chose to go with for their seasonal range. 

Sporting both the same concept and the same fragrance, this bath bomb is only different in shape, and is also a little heftier in size. Just like the original, Lava Lamp Egg sports an orange facade with three circular, purple discs plotted across the surface. As the name suggests, this bath bomb is designed to replicate a lava lamp, and does so when these blue discs begin to melt in the water and create tiny threads of oils across the surface of the water.

Whereas these oils would once linger around the edges and on your skin - staining near on everything in sight, the oils in this bath bomb don't seem to have the potency anymore, and can sit on your skin before being washed away with ease. However, I will say that if you have any limescale around the outside of your tub, these oils may still cause unwanted smears if precaution isn't taken.

Made from a combination of orange flower absolute, tangerine and mandarin oils, Lava Lamp Egg is a bright, refreshing and highly fruity creation. Immediately upon removing it from its bag, I could smell a beautiful and very sweet orangey aroma. In fact, the fragrance it gives off is almost identical to that of Brazilliant Solid Shampoo - a strong but not overly zesty citrus smell that is reminiscent of the orange starburst sweet.

As soon as you pop this bath bom into the bath, it begins to fizz noisily and sends out a tide of orange colour across the tub. As the bath bomb dissolves, the three purple discs that have been held in place, break away and begin to release streams of oil that writhes and dances on the surface of the water. It doesn't take long for the tub to be filled with a deep orange water that seems instantly warming and inviting. 

Whereas a lot of fruity fragrances can dispel quite quickly once the product has dissolved, I found that Lava Lamp Egg Bath Bomb had much more longevity than I was expecting. Whether the size of the other components used to create this product, I felt as if the water appeared thicker and far more robust, and there was a rounded feel about the scent that I thoroughly enjoyed.

As to be expected with the excess oils used to create the 'lava lamp effect', the bath bomb was extremely moisturising. Yet it was not at a level that I would describe as being too greasy or too oily for most people. Put it this way: I would have happily washed my hair in its waters, and I don't think I would have had any problems in doing this. 

Once in the bath, the fragrance of Lava Lamp Egg remained prominent throughout the entire experience. In fact, I was really impressed with how strong the aroma was and would definitely say that it's one of Lush's longer-lasting bath bombs. Furthermore, the scent remained on my skin for hours after I had left the tub and I could smell the wonderful orange scent every time I walked past the bathroom.

Despite its price, I do think this is worth an investment - if only to try out once before they've been discontinued. For fans of Lava Lamp, you are going to love the fact that this is a bigger, weightier version of your favourite bath bomb. Ultimately, while I wont be rushing out to buy too many more of these any time soon, I will be getting a couple more of these before the season is over. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter, Perfume, Orange Flower Absolute, Tangerine Oil, Sicilian Mandarin Oil, Water (Aqua), Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Organic Castor Oil, PEG-6 Caprylic / Capric Glycerides & PEG-60, Almond Glycerides, *Limonene, Colour 15985, Colour 60725.

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: £5.95 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2017.

Scent Family:

Lava Lamp Bath Bomb

Lava Lamp Egg Bath Bomb

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Mother Earth Bath Bomb

Lush seem to be on a roll with their magnified bath bombs at the moment: 2017 is definitely the year to 'go large' in that respect. Yet, up until now, I have not really had an opportunity to appreciate the full merits of the monstrous releases, if only because my experiences have been limited to extra large versions of bath bombs that I'm not not particularly enamoured with to begin with.

However, my perceptions were immediately altered after trying out Mother Earth for the first time. This seasonal release is a marvel in its bigger format - not only because the design is perfect suited to being made on a much larger scale, but because the fragrance is also one that deserves to be celebrated in a higher dose.

Made primarily of tangerine, pine, cypress and peppermint oils, this limited edition bath bomb is as refreshing as it is relaxing. Sharing the same aroma as World Piece Bath Bomb, this magnified beauty has a wonderful thread of peppermint. This is as crisp and as refreshing as you would expect the mint to be, but it is not as sharp or potent as the likes of Intergalactic. 

Alongside this, there is a wonderfully robust layer of cypress oil - offering a warm, woody element that works at removing the sting of the mint. This component gives the bath bomb a more rounded fragrance, and adds an almost resinous sweetness to it, which makes it that much more wonderful.

Both the pine and the tangerine add their own subtle layers of smell. The latter ingredient works more at elevating the other ingredients, and adds a very gentle but not very pronounced citrus smell; the pine oil brings its own dry, green-like aroma, which only heightens the bath bomb's refreshing qualities and makes it a little more interesting.

Despite its size, Mother Earth is not necessarily as vivid as you expect it to be, to look at. With its pastel green and blue exterior, it's not one that would draw much of a crowd merely because of its design. However, you only have to place this one in the water to experience a display so spectacular that you'd be hard pressed not to want to buy another one straight after using it.

At first, the bath bomb begins to spin violently: projecting waves of white foam across the surface, while bobbing up and down as it makes it way across the tub. This goes on for a good five minutes until you start to notice that the water is turning a beautiful turquoise colour, as streams of pink begin to ooze and froth across the water.

As Mother Earth continues to dissolve, the water slowly darkens until it forms a deep purple colour. On the surface, the multiple colours intensify and begin to pattern the surface with vivid greens and pinks, blues and whites. The whole of the tub is quite literally decorated with colour, and then stays for a short time before dissolving away. In the end, you're left with a beautiful purple bath, and layers of white foam that act a little like a blanket during your experience. In addition, the bath bomb also heeds a little lustre, which floats under the surface and shimmers when you run your hand through the water.

What I loved about this bath bomb was that it was not that much more intense than the normal sized World Piece, which meant that the aroma was far from potent in the bath. Yet this limited edition offered a much more colourful experience than its older sibling, far outweighing what you would get if you used two of the originals (which would match the price of one of these.)

At the same time, the fragrance stayed throughout my entire soak, and I was impressed when I discovered that I could still detect the bath water after using a potent amount of Avoshower Shower Gel alongside it. Having said that, I was a little disappointed to find that I could not detect the fragrance of this at all, once I had towelled myself down. As I said in my review of World Piece, this would be impeccable as a liquid perfume, so any chance for me to wear the smell on my skin would have been a very welcome bonus.

Overall, I think the £7.95 price tag is a bargain. You definitely get much more for your money than if you were to buy two smaller bath bombs. While not my favourite bath product from this year's Mother's Day range, I would highly recommend that you invest in one of these when you can, and I will be buying myself another couple before the season is finished.  

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Cream of Tartar, Water, Siberian Pine Nut Oil, Tangerine Oil, Cypress Oil, Peppermint Oil, *Limonene, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Lauryl Betaine, Perfume, Candy Pink Lustre and Frosty Holly Lustre, Colour 45410, Colour 42090.

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: £7.95 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2017.

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