Showing posts with label Valentines. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Valentines. Show all posts

Le Grand Amour Bath Bomb





While the Valentine's Day season bombards you with the notion that a romantic gesture of love might feature a shared bath between yourself and your partner, the reality is far more comical than they would ever let on. Whenever I envisage how the 'combined soaks' in my last relationship went down, I'm usually rekindled with the famous skit that comedian Lee Evans performed about the turmoils and tribulations of such an occurrence. I cannot say that I found it particularly endearing or romantic to be moaned at for running the bath water too hot, whilst positioning myself over the plughole so that I wouldn't injure myself moving about.


Le Grand Amour Bath Bomb seems like the perfect solution then, to enjoy a bath with a loved one, without actually having a foot in your face and being made to sit upright in order to fit another body into such a confined space. Instead, you can forgo sharing the bath with your partner and instead opt for using a magnified version of Lush's most romantic bath bomb, Tisty Tosty.

First released in 2008 as a celebration of Mark and Mo's thirteen year anniversary, this bath bomb is something of a novelty. Much like The Sexxx Bomb that made its debut appearance a few weeks ago, this giant ballistic is nothing is designed to be either bought as a one-off for a loved one; or for fans of the normal sized one, who just want to treat themselves to something a little more indulgent.

As with all of Lush's bigger bath bombs, in order for them to be utilised in the bath, Lush have to reduce the amount of fragrance that goes into making them. Simply enlarging them whilst keeping the ratios the same would be too potent on the skin and the nose. So that consumers are actually able to bathe with a whole product, the company have to considerably reduce the ingredients that go into making the fragrance. Ultimately, what you get then is a super-sized ballistic that has near enough the same strength as the regular version, but with just more sodium bicarbonate and citric acid to fizzle away in the tub.


Much like its older, smaller sibling, Le Grand Amour features both rose and jasmine absolute, along with a generous helping of geranium and lemon oil as well. Together, these ingredients create a very potent floral smell - one that features the sweet, muskiness of the rose and jasmine; the powdery, cloudy properties of geranium; and a tiny thread of lemon that gives the overall fragrance a little fruity burst.


Aside from the fragrances of these four components, each of the ingredients has also been specifically chosen to improve your physical and mental wellbeing throughout your bath. Rose oil is not only used to repair your skin and help it to feel soft afterwards, but apparently has the ability to soothe broken hearts as well. Whereas lemon oil adds uplifting qualities to the bath bomb, that allow you to feel invigorated and far more positive afterwards. Finally, jasmine is a well-known aphrodisiac, so the inclusion of this in this bath bomb should hopefully set you up with the right frame of mind to enjoy your day and your evening, with your partner.

Just like Tisty Tosty, Le Grand Amour Bath Bomb began to fizz immediately after it came into contact with the water - sending out thin waves of cloudy-white foam that dissolved almost straight away. After a short time, the dried rose buds that adorned the surface and the core of the bath bomb, began to drift out across the tub. While there were more than you would expect in the normal sized version, there were not so many that they made a mess in my tub Furthermore, they certainly wouldn't cause any hassle removing them, if you're someone who dislikes debris in your bath. 

Disappointingly, I found that the bath bomb shrunk very quickly in the water, and had completely disappeared within a couple of minutes. As to be expected, there also wasn't anything extra or spectacular about the bath after it had dissolved, and because it left the water mostly unscathed by any colour or decoration, this just seemed make the bath bomb appear even more pointless than any of the other enlarged ones that I have tried. I think that Lush would have done well to include a colourful centre, just to give this bath bomb an edge over its sibling.

While I did feel soft and refreshed after bathing with this product for a good ninety minutes (you have to get your money's worth, right?), I don't feel that it was any different from using a regular bath bomb, and even then the normal-sized Tisty Tosty is not known for being overly nourishing to begin with. 

Overall, I am glad that I am able to say that I have at least tried Le Grand Amour Bath Bomb now. However, I would definitely not consider buying it again - novelty factor or not. In hindsight, I would rather have invested the money on a smaller bath bomb and a bubble bar, and enjoyed an elaborate, colourful bath cocktail instead. This one is definitely not getting any love from me this year.

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Rose Absolute, Geranium Oil, Lemon Oil, Jasmine Absolute, Rosebuds, Orris Root Powder, Geraniol, Citronellol, Perfume.

2017 Price: £8.25 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2008 

Scent Family:
Le Grand Amour Bath Bomb
Tisty Tosty Bath Bomb
Tisty Tosty Limited Edition Pink





The Ex Factor Bath Bomb




There are certain products from the deepest, darkest crevices of the Lush vaults that capture my interest more than others do - some descriptions that leave me hankering for a bite; some pictures that captivate my imagination and set it into overdrive. For whatever reason it may be, particular items immediately stand out to me as 'must haves', and it's always exciting when I finally get to experience them for the first time in all of their glory. 

The Ex Factor was a bath bomb I first noticed a couple of years ago - back when I was able to browse the internet for recent releases without feeling the need to accumulate them all by any means necessary, like a desperate squirrel nestling her nuts before the winter hits. A regular Valentine's Day release in the US, this limited edition beauty had everything going for it - a gorgeous design, a clever name and a scent description that made the mouth water.

So when it was released in the Lush Kitchen back in February, I jumped at the chance of picking up a handful, and couldn't wait to try them out in the comfort of my own tub. Not only did they make for a relaxing and very comforting addition to my weekend soak, but also helped me to cross another much-desired product off of my 'to find' list.    
Created to celebrate both the affectionate side to Valentine's Day, as well as the darker aspects, this sweet, musky vanilla ballistic is a wonderful addition to anyone's bath tub - whether they be lucky or jaded in love. Sharing its scent with the popular Butterball family, this makes an interesting change from the nondescript white colour that can be found with both the shower gel format, and the many bath bomb renditions that have come out over the years.

What is great about The Ex Factor is that once the ballistic has fully dissolved, you're left with a wonderfully vivid blue bath, which is far brighter and fuller than I was expecting from such a thin bath bomb. Furthermore, I found this to be slightly stronger in scent than both Butterbear and Snowman - meaning I could still smell it on my skin a good couple of hours after exiting the tub, which was lovely.

On the other hand, I was slightly disappointed to discover that the product wasn't quite as nourishing on the skin as I was expecting it to be, given how moisturising the original bath bomb is. Normally when using any of the aforementioned products, you expect to see chunks of cocoa butter expelled from the ballistic. These rest on the surface of the water and work on softening and repairing your skin while you bathe. With Ex Factor, I found that it worked more like a regular bath bomb as opposed to one designed to specifically nourish, and this was probably the only gripe I had with it. Ultimately, this is perhaps the only reason why this didn't score a high five out of six.

Having said that, I really enjoyed using this bath bomb, and appreciated both how vivid the colour was in the tub, and how strong the scent was on my skin afterwards. While there wasn't any cocoa butter to write home about, this bath bomb was by no means drying on the skin, and my body still felt soft and smooth afterwards.
Despite the length and the width of The Ex Factor, I would say that it's best suited to a single bath - just because I don't think you'd get enough of the scent to make using half of it particularly worth it. However, it would also work well as part of a cocktail, and could easily be divided into three or four chunks if used in this way. 

Overall, it's a lovely addition to my bath collection, and one I'll enjoy using again. While The Ex Factor is not a product I would out rush to buy again straight away, it is a lovely, calming ballistic for sure, and one I enjoyed sharing a bath with on my rather uneventful Valentine's Day. It certainly didn't steal my heart, but it made for wonderful company.      

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Synthetic Musk, Ylang Ylang Oil (Cananga odorata), Water (Aqua), Propylene Glycol, Perfume, Colour 42090, Colour 14700, Colour 17200, Colour 45410.

Vegan?: Yes.

2016 Price: £3.50 each.
2016 Price: £3.75 each.




The Ex Factor Bath Bomb




There are certain products from the deepest, darkest crevices of the Lush vaults that capture my interest more than others do - some descriptions that leave me hankering for a bite; some pictures that captivate my imagination and set it into overdrive. For whatever reason it may be, particular items immediately stand out to me as 'must haves', and it's always exciting when I finally get to experience them for the first time in all of their glory. 

The Ex Factor was a bath bomb I first noticed a couple of years ago - back when I was able to browse the internet for recent releases without feeling the need to accumulate them all by any means necessary, like a desperate squirrel nestling her nuts before the winter hits. A regular Valentine's Day release in the US, this limited edition beauty had everything going for it - a gorgeous design, a clever name and a scent description that made the mouth water.

So when it was released in the Lush Kitchen back in February, I jumped at the chance of picking up a handful, and couldn't wait to try them out in the comfort of my own tub. Not only did they make for a relaxing and very comforting addition to my weekend soak, but also helped me to cross another much-desired product off of my 'to find' list.    
Created to celebrate both the affectionate side to Valentine's Day, as well as the darker aspects, this sweet, musky vanilla ballistic is a wonderful addition to anyone's bath tub - whether they be lucky or jaded in love. Sharing its scent with the popular Butterball family, this makes an interesting change from the nondescript white colour that can be found with both the shower gel format, and the many bath bomb renditions that have come out over the years.

What is great about The Ex Factor is that once the ballistic has fully dissolved, you're left with a wonderfully vivid blue bath, which is far brighter and fuller than I was expecting from such a thin bath bomb. Furthermore, I found this to be slightly stronger in scent than both Butterbear and Snowman - meaning I could still smell it on my skin a good couple of hours after exiting the tub, which was lovely.

On the other hand, I was slightly disappointed to discover that the product wasn't quite as nourishing on the skin as I was expecting it to be, given how moisturising the original bath bomb is. Normally when using any of the aforementioned products, you expect to see chunks of cocoa butter expelled from the ballistic. These rest on the surface of the water and work on softening and repairing your skin while you bathe. With Ex Factor, I found that it worked more like a regular bath bomb as opposed to one designed to specifically nourish, and this was probably the only gripe I had with it. Ultimately, this is perhaps the only reason why this didn't score a high five out of six.

Having said that, I really enjoyed using this bath bomb, and appreciated both how vivid the colour was in the tub, and how strong the scent was on my skin afterwards. While there wasn't any cocoa butter to write home about, this bath bomb was by no means drying on the skin, and my body still felt soft and smooth afterwards.
Despite the length and the width of The Ex Factor, I would say that it's best suited to a single bath - just because I don't think you'd get enough of the scent to make using half of it particularly worth it. However, it would also work well as part of a cocktail, and could easily be divided into three or four chunks if used in this way. 

Overall, it's a lovely addition to my bath collection, and one I'll enjoy using again. While The Ex Factor is not a product I would out rush to buy again straight away, it is a lovely, calming ballistic for sure, and one I enjoyed sharing a bath with on my rather uneventful Valentine's Day. It certainly didn't steal my heart, but it made for wonderful company.      

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Synthetic Musk, Ylang Ylang Oil (Cananga odorata), Water (Aqua), Propylene Glycol, Perfume, Colour 42090, Colour 14700, Colour 17200, Colour 45410.

Vegan?: Yes.

2016 Price: £3.50 each.
2016 Price: £3.75 each.




It's A Date Bubble Bar



While this blog should be enough evidence to show that I'm a strong advocate of Lush, there are times when the company outdo themselves and make me love them just that little more. Such is the case with the recent release of their popular It's A Date Bubble Bar. 

This product was first released in 2002 as part of the Valentine's Day range - a stunning fluorescent pink beauty that resides above most of Lush's other bubble bars when it comes to design. Sporting what is probably the brightest demeanour I have ever seen, with only Playdoze offering it any sort of competition, this unique bar isn't just a pretty face - it's a haven of oils and smells that will make even the stubbornest of mouths water.

However, during the production of these beautiful bubble bars, the wrong scent was added to the mix, and the original products that consumers received arrived possessing the Silky Underwear fragrance instead - thus producing a highly sort after 'mistake' if ever there was one. 

Given that I have Lush orders arriving almost daily and piles of products that need reviewing, I didn't noticed Lush's mistake at first. While I recognised the popular jasmine scent, it was only when a note of apology arrived with a box of fresh bubble bars, that I realised I had almost missed out on the gorgeous original scent that the bubble bar should have had. Once in possession of five original-smelling bars, I couldn't wait to try one out in the bath. 

This particular version features sandalwood and tangerine oil - two ingredients that make up the foundations of its smell. Both of these items are equally mixed - producing a gentle woody aroma that works perfectly together. The scent reminds me a little of the orange Starburst sweet, with a complimentary warm and woody undertone that compliments the tangerine perfectly. 
While it's supposed to share it's scent with the popular Sugar Plum Sugar Scrub, I found that the scent is much mellower in the bubble bar format and far more sensual than what the scrub version offers. In Sugar Plum, the benzoin resinoid is more prominent so you get a stronger, far more creamier aroma, but I do appreciate the fact that the bubble bar is centralised more around the fruity side than the sultry one. 

As you can see from my video, it's very easy to crumble this bubble bar and it doesn't take long for the thick, foamy bubbles to form and multiply across the tub. As I was feeling greedy that particular day, I used the whole bubble bar for one extremely luxurious bath - crumbling the soft, fudge bubble bar under the running water. Although, given the amount of bubbles that this bar heeded, you could probably half or even quarter this and use it across four separate baths. 

The water turned a beautiful bright pink and even half of this bubble bar created an amass of silky, soft bubbles, which cocoon you whilst you're in the tub - leaving you feeling incredible. The various oils used here really soften and moisturise your skin whilst you're in the tub, and I found that the sweet, fruity but well-rounded scent remained on my skin for hours after I had exited the bath. 

While the scent of It's A Date wasn't as potent and didn't quite last as long as the factory mix-up version, it still offered a wonderfully wholesome, relaxing experience that made me fall in love with this psychedelic bubble bar. If asked which version I'd rather have, I would honestly say that I couldn't decide; they both have their merits and I would happily invest in a few more or either, if I was given the opportunity to. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Cream of Tartar, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Lauryl Betaine, Date, Perfume, Sandalwood Oil, Tangerine Oil, Benzoin Resinoid, Limonene, Colour 45410.

Vegan?: Yes. 

2015 Price: £3.75 each.

Year Of First Release: 2002.

Scent Family:
It's A Date Bubble Bar
Plum Duff Bath Bomb
Sugar Plum Fairy Sugar Scrub





It's A Date Bubble Bar



While this blog should be enough evidence to show that I'm a strong advocate of Lush, there are times when the company outdo themselves and make me love them just that little more. Such is the case with the recent release of their popular It's A Date Bubble Bar. 

This product was first released in 2002 as part of the Valentine's Day range - a stunning fluorescent pink beauty that resides above most of Lush's other bubble bars when it comes to design. Sporting what is probably the brightest demeanour I have ever seen, with only Playdoze offering it any sort of competition, this unique bar isn't just a pretty face - it's a haven of oils and smells that will make even the stubbornest of mouths water.

However, during the production of these beautiful bubble bars, the wrong scent was added to the mix, and the original products that consumers received arrived possessing the Silky Underwear fragrance instead - thus producing a highly sort after 'mistake' if ever there was one. 

Given that I have Lush orders arriving almost daily and piles of products that need reviewing, I didn't noticed Lush's mistake at first. While I recognised the popular jasmine scent, it was only when a note of apology arrived with a box of fresh bubble bars, that I realised I had almost missed out on the gorgeous original scent that the bubble bar should have had. Once in possession of five original-smelling bars, I couldn't wait to try one out in the bath. 

This particular version features sandalwood and tangerine oil - two ingredients that make up the foundations of its smell. Both of these items are equally mixed - producing a gentle woody aroma that works perfectly together. The scent reminds me a little of the orange Starburst sweet, with a complimentary warm and woody undertone that compliments the tangerine perfectly. 
While it's supposed to share it's scent with the popular Sugar Plum Sugar Scrub, I found that the scent is much mellower in the bubble bar format and far more sensual than what the scrub version offers. In Sugar Plum, the benzoin resinoid is more prominent so you get a stronger, far more creamier aroma, but I do appreciate the fact that the bubble bar is centralised more around the fruity side than the sultry one. 

As you can see from my video, it's very easy to crumble this bubble bar and it doesn't take long for the thick, foamy bubbles to form and multiply across the tub. As I was feeling greedy that particular day, I used the whole bubble bar for one extremely luxurious bath - crumbling the soft, fudge bubble bar under the running water. Although, given the amount of bubbles that this bar heeded, you could probably half or even quarter this and use it across four separate baths. 

The water turned a beautiful bright pink and even half of this bubble bar created an amass of silky, soft bubbles, which cocoon you whilst you're in the tub - leaving you feeling incredible. The various oils used here really soften and moisturise your skin whilst you're in the tub, and I found that the sweet, fruity but well-rounded scent remained on my skin for hours after I had exited the bath. 

While the scent of It's A Date wasn't as potent and didn't quite last as long as the factory mix-up version, it still offered a wonderfully wholesome, relaxing experience that made me fall in love with this psychedelic bubble bar. If asked which version I'd rather have, I would honestly say that I couldn't decide; they both have their merits and I would happily invest in a few more or either, if I was given the opportunity to. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Cream of Tartar, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Lauryl Betaine, Date, Perfume, Sandalwood Oil, Tangerine Oil, Benzoin Resinoid, Limonene, Colour 45410.

Vegan?: Yes. 

2015 Price: £3.75 each.

Year Of First Release: 2002.

Scent Family:
It's A Date Bubble Bar
Plum Duff Bath Bomb
Sugar Plum Fairy Sugar Scrub





Love Birds Soap


While I'm too much of a 'newbie' to appreciate the original reason behind the creation of this soap, I still have a small inkling about what the release of this product meant to a lot of the older Lush fans at the time. Stemming back to the days of Lush's original name, Cosmetics To Go, this soap was produced after fans were devastated at the demise of the original B Never Too Busy To Be Beautiful fragrance, Keep It Fluffy, of which it shares the same scent. 

Made from a blend of vanilla absolute and lemongrass oil, Love Birds Soap sounds like a pudding in soap form, and indeed it smells like one. Initially, you may be a little disappointed to find that the scent of this product is rather subtle, and those of you that prefer stronger, sharper citrus aromas might shy away from trying it out. However, I believe that it is the subtleness of this fragrance that makes it as special as it is. 

The vanilla is definitely the strongest element to this soap, straight out of the packet. However, instead of the tonka-dominated vanilla we are normally used to in the Vanillary range, this vanilla is far gentler and far fresher on the senses. Behind this is the wonderful zesty and slightly grassy lemongrass, which when sitting alongside the beautiful vanilla fragrance makes this soap smell like a freshly made lemon meringue pie. 
Adding to the gorgeous sherbety fragrance that these two notes offer, Love Birds also features ylang ylang oil and jasmine absolute - two ingredients that give this soap a naturally sweet and slightly sensual aroma to round it off. While none of these ingredients jumps out at you and steals the show, all four are very much present in the initial sniff, and I really appreciated how gentle and creamy the smell was. 

In the shower, Love Birds lathers up really well and produces a thick, creamy lather to massage all over your body. The product leaves your skin feeling really clean and soft, although it did dry my hands out a little when I was massaging this between my palms. I focused mostly on using this soap on my legs and found that it worked as a great alternative to shaving cream. It kept my legs moisturised and lubricated but taut enough that I didn't cut myself whilst shaving. 

A 100g block will set you back £4.50, which makes it one of the most expensive soaps you can buy from Lush. However, it's one of those compact soaps that last a lot longer than the softer variations. If you kept this dry between uses, a chunk could easily last you up to two months, which makes it good value for money. 

Despite the subtly of it's fragrance, this soap leaves it's mark on your skin - giving off a lovely sweet and citrusy aroma that stays with you for quite a while after you've showered. It's not strong enough to overpower any body lotion or perfume you may wish to apply afterwards, but it's there to remind you of it's beautiful aroma. 
I would love for Lush to bring out other products in this scent. While I have had a Keep It Fluffy Bath Bomb in the past, it was way past it's best and didn't give me a great representation of what this scent can do. For this reason, I shall be enjoying my two slices of Love Birds until I can get my greedy mitts on other variations of the fragrance. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Glycerine, Rapeseed Oil and Coconut Oil, Sorbitol, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Perfume, Sodium Stearate, Titanium Dioxide, Fair Trade Vanilla Absolute, Ylang Ylang Oil, Jasmine Absolute, Lemongrass Oil, Sodium Chloride, EDTA, Tetrasodium Etidronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Gardenia Extract, Citral, Coumarin, Linalool, Alpha Isomethyl,  Ionone, Hydroxycitronellal, Colour 42090.

Vegan?: Yes. 

2015 Price: £4.50 for 100g. 
2016 Price: £4.25 for 100g. 
2017 Price: £4.50 for 100g. 

Scent Family:
Funny Face Fun Bar
Keep It Fluffy Bath Bomb
Keep It Fluffy Liquid Perfume

Love Birds Soap

Year Of Original Release: 2011


Love Birds Soap


While I'm too much of a 'newbie' to appreciate the original reason behind the creation of this soap, I still have a small inkling about what the release of this product meant to a lot of the older Lush fans at the time. Stemming back to the days of Lush's original name, Cosmetics To Go, this soap was produced after fans were devastated at the demise of the original B Never Too Busy To Be Beautiful fragrance, Keep It Fluffy, of which it shares the same scent. 

Made from a blend of vanilla absolute and lemongrass oil, Love Birds Soap sounds like a pudding in soap form, and indeed it smells like one. Initially, you may be a little disappointed to find that the scent of this product is rather subtle, and those of you that prefer stronger, sharper citrus aromas might shy away from trying it out. However, I believe that it is the subtleness of this fragrance that makes it as special as it is. 

The vanilla is definitely the strongest element to this soap, straight out of the packet. However, instead of the tonka-dominated vanilla we are normally used to in the Vanillary range, this vanilla is far gentler and far fresher on the senses. Behind this is the wonderful zesty and slightly grassy lemongrass, which when sitting alongside the beautiful vanilla fragrance makes this soap smell like a freshly made lemon meringue pie. 
Adding to the gorgeous sherbety fragrance that these two notes offer, Love Birds also features ylang ylang oil and jasmine absolute - two ingredients that give this soap a naturally sweet and slightly sensual aroma to round it off. While none of these ingredients jumps out at you and steals the show, all four are very much present in the initial sniff, and I really appreciated how gentle and creamy the smell was. 

In the shower, Love Birds lathers up really well and produces a thick, creamy lather to massage all over your body. The product leaves your skin feeling really clean and soft, although it did dry my hands out a little when I was massaging this between my palms. I focused mostly on using this soap on my legs and found that it worked as a great alternative to shaving cream. It kept my legs moisturised and lubricated but taut enough that I didn't cut myself whilst shaving. 

A 100g block will set you back £4.50, which makes it one of the most expensive soaps you can buy from Lush. However, it's one of those compact soaps that last a lot longer than the softer variations. If you kept this dry between uses, a chunk could easily last you up to two months, which makes it good value for money. 

Despite the subtly of it's fragrance, this soap leaves it's mark on your skin - giving off a lovely sweet and citrusy aroma that stays with you for quite a while after you've showered. It's not strong enough to overpower any body lotion or perfume you may wish to apply afterwards, but it's there to remind you of it's beautiful aroma. 
I would love for Lush to bring out other products in this scent. While I have had a Keep It Fluffy Bath Bomb in the past, it was way past it's best and didn't give me a great representation of what this scent can do. For this reason, I shall be enjoying my two slices of Love Birds until I can get my greedy mitts on other variations of the fragrance. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Glycerine, Rapeseed Oil and Coconut Oil, Sorbitol, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Perfume, Sodium Stearate, Titanium Dioxide, Fair Trade Vanilla Absolute, Ylang Ylang Oil, Jasmine Absolute, Lemongrass Oil, Sodium Chloride, EDTA, Tetrasodium Etidronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Gardenia Extract, Citral, Coumarin, Linalool, Alpha Isomethyl,  Ionone, Hydroxycitronellal, Colour 42090.

Vegan?: Yes. 

2015 Price: £4.50 for 100g. 
2016 Price: £4.25 for 100g. 
2017 Price: £4.50 for 100g. 

Scent Family:
Funny Face Fun Bar
Keep It Fluffy Bath Bomb
Keep It Fluffy Liquid Perfume

Love Birds Soap

Year Of Original Release: 2011