Snow Fairy Naked Body Conditioner

Last year I fell in love with Snow Fairy Body Conditioner, which I was not expecting to do at all. While I have favourite scents and preferred formats, I am always open to being blown away by any of the new releases that Lush grace our lives with, especially when they're as unexpected as this one was. It is for this very reason that I was rather excited by the prospect of Lush's new naked version this Christmas.

As with all of the shower gels and body conditioners this year, Lush have decided to take the self-preserving one step further and release a range of seasonal products that need zero packaging, and therefore create zero waste. While initially skeptical, I have long since realised that this idea is more than just a novelty, and I am excited at the prospect of more variations in the future.

Snow Fairy Naked Body Conditioner is a tub-shaped creation that appears slightly bigger then one of Lush's standard 100g pots. While I appreciate the sentiment and the usability behind this product, and all of Lush's Naked range, it did take me a while to appreciate the rather boring-looking design. I suppose you can't expect an aesthetically perfect cosmetic if you also want something as environmentally friendly as these guys try to be. However, what did impress me about this product was how vibrant and strong the fragrance was from the very first moment I removed the block from my delivery box. 

Fans of Snow Fairy will be pleased to know that the scent is very intact and 'present' in this format. Although I think the normal body Conditioner is perhaps a little sweeter and a tad fruitier on the nose, the naked edition is up there as being one of the strongest versions of this fragrance. While it shares its scent with the whole range, it is the recent body spray and the shower gel that I think this is closest to, which is great in my eyes.

Described as a combination of raspberry bubblegum, candy floss and vanilla musk, the smell of this is a very playful one - exactly what you'd expect if you know this scent well. Given the generous inclusion of the various oils and butters, there is something slightly silky and rather rich about the different notes here, and I would describe the scent as being a little more sultry than the usual youthful aroma. In as many words, the smell suits this format really well, and gives it more depth than in other products, such as the dusting powder, liquid perfume and Jelly Bath Bomb.  

Just like the other naked body conditioners, the idea is that you massage this across your body, while your skin is still wet, before gently patting yourself down with a towel. The butters and oils will not only offer a thin layer of protection against the cold weather, but they'll get to work at moisturising your skin and leaving it soft, smooth and supple for a good many hours. What I love about all of Lush's body conditioners is that the formulas make it harder for the skin to absorb it as quickly as you would a normal body lotion.  For this reason, you are left with a protective barrier over your skin that offers not only a wonderful radiance to your skin, but keeps it feeling and looking more nourished as well.

With all of Lush's solid editions, it's a good idea to not hold or use this directly under the running water, as it'll melt far quicker this way. I found that as long as my skin was already wet, the body conditioner would glide over any area with ease, and the block would naturally melt under the warmth of my skin. You may wish to cut off a small piece with each use, if you'd prefer to keep the rest dry while in storage, as this can and will leave pink smudges on any surface.

How this differed from the normal body lotion, aside from the slight difference in scent, is that this is perhaps not as generous on the skin. The block was, at times, a little stubborn when in use, and I found that I had to massage the product across my body to allow for even coverage. Futhermore, I found that The layer of oils/butters that were left on my skin wasn't as thick or as long lasting. For those who want a light coverage, you'd probably prefer this version. However, for someone who has very dry skin and needs heavy nourishment, the normal version may be more suited. 

Normally, I use my body conditioners as an alternative for shaving cream, as I find I can get a very close shave with nearly all of Lush's range. They not only help to prevent irritation and possible rashes from forming, but they heed results that last longer than using normal shower gel. With this Naked version, I found that It worked well as a shaving cream. However, it did clog up my razor blade more than the regular conditioner seemed to, and I had to keep tapping the blade throughout my shower to clear the mess away.

As a warning, I should add that you'll need to be careful when using this body conditioner as it can leave pink marks on both your skin or the bath walls, that can be stubborn to remove when dried. Moreover, this needs to be stored somewhere carefully in between uses so that it doesn't decorate the shelf it's resting on.

What I will say is that the results of this Naked version are good enough for me to recommend that you give it a go yourself. While I think the regular body conditioner works better overall, has a better scent, and seems to last on the skin slightly longer than this format, I do appreciate that Snow Fairy Naked Body Conditioner has its merits as well, and I do love the fact that it comes with zero packaging. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter, Cherry Infusion, Fair Trade Shea Butter, Candy Floss Water, Japan Wax, Perfume, Carnauba Wax, Organic Illipe Butter, Organic Jojoba Oil, Avocado Butter, Mango Butter, Almond Oil, Titanium Dioxide, Synthetic Musk, Lauryl Betaine, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate. Tin Oxide, *Limonene, Alpha-Isomethyl ionone, Colour 17200, Colour 45410, Colour 45380:3.

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: £8.25 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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Luck Of The Irish Bath Bomb

There's a famous saying that goes: 'if it's not broke, don't fix it' - a statement that I originally thought was going to be rather fitting for this particular bath bomb. While I always appreciate an unexpected release from Lush, I usually prefer it to be a brand new product - not a slightly different rendition of a preexisting item that I can buy on a regular basis. Yet when I received these bath bombs through the post, I knew I had stumbled upon something pretty marvellous.

As the name suggests, Luck Of The Irish Bath Bomb is a celebration of St. Patrick's day - a bath bomb steeped in vibrancy and beauty. Sharing its scent with the regular Avobath, I knew that it would be a product I was going to enjoy very much. However, I was not expecting to love it as much as it turned out I would.

Featuring lemongrass, bergamot and rosewood, this limited edition bath bomb is extremely zesty - not to mention incredibly bright and uplifting to boot. The lemongrass is definitely at the forefront of the smell: offering up a potent citrusy smell, while subtle notes of both the bergamot and the rosewood give the fragrance a little depth and a little added sweetness, without taking away from the natural grassy elements of the key ingredient.

Comparing ingredients lists, both Avobath and this limited edition rendition seem to possess identical components. Yet surprisingly, I found that there was a clear difference between how both of them worked in the water. While both are fairly quick fizzers, and both turn the water into a wonderful vivid shade of green, there was definitely a noticeable difference between how moisturising this bath bomb was when compared to its older sibling.

Upon contact with the water, Luck Of The Irish burst across the surface of the tub with streams of striking green - the perfect shade of colour for a springtime bath. However, within a matter of seconds, you also notice that there is quite a number of oily streams that pattern the surface and glisten in the light. Once submerged under the water, I found that these extra puddles of butters and oils were so much more moisturising than Avobath, and my skin felt instantly soft and smooth.

While I wouldn't say that this bath bomb is overly greasy, I should probably pre warn those who wish to use one, that the extra moisturising properties could potentially cause a problem for those wanting to wash their hair in the water. Although I didn't find this an issue at all, I know that I have fairly dry hair to begin with, so those extra oils no doubt helped to replenish my hair a little. Whereas someone with greasier hair, may find that this exasperates the condition of theirs a little.

After bathing in its waters for only ten minutes, I found that my skin felt silky-smooth and noticeably supple to the touch. This feeling continued long after I had towelled myself down, and was helped even further by the fact that I could still smell the beautiful notes of lemongrass on both my body and hair afterwards.

Despite being able to buy Avobath on a daily basis, I would definitely be interested in picking up another handful of these when they make a reappearance in the kitchen. For a bath bomb that is seemingly slightly lesser in weight, this one sure packs a punch and makes for a far more enjoyable bath than its older sibling. While Avobath is still a perfect bath bomb in my eyes, Luck Of The Irish is on a whole other level. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Fresh Avocado, Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Lemongrass Oil, Bergamot Oil, Rosewood Oil, Citral, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool, Perfume, Gardenia Extract, Frosty Holly Lustre.

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: £3.95 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2017.

Scent Family:

Avobath Ballistic
Avojelly Shower Jelly
Avowash/Avoshower Shower Gel
Crackersnap Ballistic

Luck Of The Irish Bath Bomb

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Avocado Co-wash

Previous experience with Lush's solid conditioners left me feeling rather apprehensive about using this product to begin with. Despite the fact that it smells incredible and contains my favourite all-time ingredient, the avocado, I was unsure whether or not this product would be worth the price tag or indeed the hassle. 

Avocado Co-wash Solid Conditioner was one of the first products I gravitated towards on my initial visit to the Oxford Street store. Modelled to look like a large wheel of Edam cheese, this pale green exclusive has a thin layer of red wax decorating its shell, which has been used to lock in the moisture of the fresh ingredients and prevent the conditioner from drying out over time. Much like the cheese, this solid hair product is also soft and slightly elasticated to touch - no doubt due to all of the amazing ingredients that go into making this bar. 

Containing cupuacu butter, cocoa butter and fresh avocado, this shampoo/conditioner combo is rich in natural oils and has been designed to cleanse, soften and deeply moisturise your locks from root to tip. This combination of butters and oils have been carefully selected to offer you a very effective conditioner - one that has been designed to lock in your hair's natural moisture and add to it, without stripping your hair of the oils that it needs to remain soft and radiant. 

Cupuacu butter is a natural emollient - meaning its the ingredient that penetrates the locks and helps to leave them looking and feeling silky-soft; olive oil works on strengthening your hair and gently treating the scalp at the same time. Aside from tasting incredible, avocado is rich in natural oils and helps to nourish and hydrate your hair and give it a gorgeous healthy shine. 

Aside from it's conditioning properties, this bar is easily the best smelling haircare product that Lush have ever released. Despite the inclusion of rosemary, olibanum and bergamot, Avocado Co-Wash smells exactly like lime cheesecake - a sweet, creamy, citrus affair unlike anything that Lush have ever released before. 

This incredible aroma is pungent enough that it remains on your hair for the entire day, yet light enough that it's not overpowering or unbearable for the wearer. I couldn't believe just how many compliments I received from random strangers and work colleagues after using this in the morning. The smell of this makes it the perfect summer conditioner: it'll not only leave you with beautiful locks, but will help to perk you up at the same time.

To use this product, I found it easier to use a combination of methods to transfer a lather onto the hair. To begin with, I cupped a small amount of water in-between my hands and then massaged the bar between my fingers before applying the small amount of lather to my hair. Once the bar was wet enough, I then found it easier to rub it directly onto my head - using a circular motion to stimulate the cream and regularly adding water to stop it being too harsh on my locks. 

What I found was that I had to use my judgement on when to stop applying the product because it's a conditioner that doesn't initially make its presence known on the hair. In fact, my hair still felt quite rough even after I had washed the product off under the shower. It wasn't until I had towelled dried my hair and it was drying naturally that I began to notice how soft and shiny it had become.

Once fully dry, my hair looked and felt so amazing - I couldn't believe the transformation. My damaged ends didn't seem to be as depleted of moisture as they had been before, my hair felt fuller but much more manageable and my locks had a wonderful natural shine to it that brought out my natural highlights without weakening the colour of my hair dye. 

My only issue with Avocado Co-wash is that it's rather expensive - coming in at £9.95 for a 100g block. After using it a few times, I noticed that the block  shrunk a lot quicker than any of Lush's other solid hair care products and I can see this piece only lasting me a month with regular use.  

For this reason, I think that this conditioner would be perfect for those who dye their hair regularly and lose a lot of moisture whenever they do so. A few weeks of this every so often, just to replenish the hair of its natural oils, would be a perfect remedy. However, as a regular conditioner, I'm not quite sure if I can justify the price tag.

Having said this, the product itself is flawless when it comes to productivity, smell and design. It's the first and only solid conditioner from Lush that has worked for me so far and one I will definitely buy again. I would highly recommend that you try this out for yourself, and coupled with Odango Solid Shampoo, my hair is shaping up to be in perfect condition for the warmer months ahead.

Quantitative Ingredients: Rosemary Infusion, Cupuacu Butter (Theobroma grandiflorum), Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter (Theobroma cacao), Fresh Avocado, Sodium Laurate Sulfate, Glyceryl Stearate SE, Cetearyl Alcohol, Perfume, Bergamot Oil (Citrus Aurantium bergamia), Litsea Oubeba Oil,  Olibanum Oil (Boswellia carterii), Glycerine, Organic Extra Virgin Oil (Olea europaea), SSD, Cider Vinegar, Guar Gum (Guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride), Gardenia Extract (Gardenia jasminoides), Amyl Cinnamal, Cinnamal, Cinnamyl Alcohol, Limonene, Linalool, Red Wax (Specerit Red).

Vegan?: Yes.

2015 Price: £9.95 for 100g. 

Year Of Original Release: 2015. 

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Avocado Co-wash

Previous experience with Lush's solid conditioners left me feeling rather apprehensive about using this product to begin with. Despite the fact that it smells incredible and contains my favourite all-time ingredient, the avocado, I was unsure whether or not this product would be worth the price tag or indeed the hassle. 

Avocado Co-wash Solid Conditioner was one of the first products I gravitated towards on my initial visit to the Oxford Street store. Modelled to look like a large wheel of Edam cheese, this pale green exclusive has a thin layer of red wax decorating its shell, which has been used to lock in the moisture of the fresh ingredients and prevent the conditioner from drying out over time. Much like the cheese, this solid hair product is also soft and slightly elasticated to touch - no doubt due to all of the amazing ingredients that go into making this bar. 

Containing cupuacu butter, cocoa butter and fresh avocado, this shampoo/conditioner combo is rich in natural oils and has been designed to cleanse, soften and deeply moisturise your locks from root to tip. This combination of butters and oils have been carefully selected to offer you a very effective conditioner - one that has been designed to lock in your hair's natural moisture and add to it, without stripping your hair of the oils that it needs to remain soft and radiant. 

Cupuacu butter is a natural emollient - meaning its the ingredient that penetrates the locks and helps to leave them looking and feeling silky-soft; olive oil works on strengthening your hair and gently treating the scalp at the same time. Aside from tasting incredible, avocado is rich in natural oils and helps to nourish and hydrate your hair and give it a gorgeous healthy shine. 

Aside from it's conditioning properties, this bar is easily the best smelling haircare product that Lush have ever released. Despite the inclusion of rosemary, olibanum and bergamot, Avocado Co-Wash smells exactly like lime cheesecake - a sweet, creamy, citrus affair unlike anything that Lush have ever released before. 

This incredible aroma is pungent enough that it remains on your hair for the entire day, yet light enough that it's not overpowering or unbearable for the wearer. I couldn't believe just how many compliments I received from random strangers and work colleagues after using this in the morning. The smell of this makes it the perfect summer conditioner: it'll not only leave you with beautiful locks, but will help to perk you up at the same time.

To use this product, I found it easier to use a combination of methods to transfer a lather onto the hair. To begin with, I cupped a small amount of water in-between my hands and then massaged the bar between my fingers before applying the small amount of lather to my hair. Once the bar was wet enough, I then found it easier to rub it directly onto my head - using a circular motion to stimulate the cream and regularly adding water to stop it being too harsh on my locks. 

What I found was that I had to use my judgement on when to stop applying the product because it's a conditioner that doesn't initially make its presence known on the hair. In fact, my hair still felt quite rough even after I had washed the product off under the shower. It wasn't until I had towelled dried my hair and it was drying naturally that I began to notice how soft and shiny it had become.

Once fully dry, my hair looked and felt so amazing - I couldn't believe the transformation. My damaged ends didn't seem to be as depleted of moisture as they had been before, my hair felt fuller but much more manageable and my locks had a wonderful natural shine to it that brought out my natural highlights without weakening the colour of my hair dye. 

My only issue with Avocado Co-wash is that it's rather expensive - coming in at £9.95 for a 100g block. After using it a few times, I noticed that the block  shrunk a lot quicker than any of Lush's other solid hair care products and I can see this piece only lasting me a month with regular use.  

For this reason, I think that this conditioner would be perfect for those who dye their hair regularly and lose a lot of moisture whenever they do so. A few weeks of this every so often, just to replenish the hair of its natural oils, would be a perfect remedy. However, as a regular conditioner, I'm not quite sure if I can justify the price tag.

Having said this, the product itself is flawless when it comes to productivity, smell and design. It's the first and only solid conditioner from Lush that has worked for me so far and one I will definitely buy again. I would highly recommend that you try this out for yourself, and coupled with Odango Solid Shampoo, my hair is shaping up to be in perfect condition for the warmer months ahead.

Quantitative Ingredients: Rosemary Infusion, Cupuacu Butter (Theobroma grandiflorum), Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter (Theobroma cacao), Fresh Avocado, Sodium Laurate Sulfate, Glyceryl Stearate SE, Cetearyl Alcohol, Perfume, Bergamot Oil (Citrus Aurantium bergamia), Litsea Oubeba Oil,  Olibanum Oil (Boswellia carterii), Glycerine, Organic Extra Virgin Oil (Olea europaea), SSD, Cider Vinegar, Guar Gum (Guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride), Gardenia Extract (Gardenia jasminoides), Amyl Cinnamal, Cinnamal, Cinnamyl Alcohol, Limonene, Linalool, Red Wax (Specerit Red).

Vegan?: Yes.

2015 Price: £9.95 for 100g. 

Year Of Original Release: 2015. 

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Golden Handshake Hot Hand Mask

While I pamper my face, moisturise my body, scrub my legs and buffer my toes, I rarely do anything to improve the condition of my hands. This is surprising as I would say, like most people, my hands probably get a pretty rough deal when it comes to how much I work them. This lack of love and attention has left me with weak nails and very scaly skin - something I have been desperately trying to rectify over the last few months.  

Golden Handshake Hot Hand Mask was one of the first products that grabbed my attention when I entered the Oxford Street superstore a few weekends ago. While I was intrigued by both the write-up and choice of ingredients used to construct it, I was more interested in the alluring and rather unique design - something I'm sure will make it a very popular seller. 

Shaped to look like a marshmallow about to be roasted, this solid mask is packed full of essential butters and oils to nourish, hydrate, moisturise and rejuvenate over-worked and tired looking hands. Cupuacu butter is one of the main ingredients - known for its emollient consistency that makes it a highly effective moisturiser for the skin. The butter boasts a range of fatty acids that replenish the oils lost in dry skin - helping to condition the hands and leave them feeling velvety-soft and smooth to the touch. 

Murumuru butter is another ingredient that I have noticed features in many of Lush's newer products - working with the cupuacu butter to condition the body while also secreting a thin layer of oil to protect the skin and leave it with a glossy finish. Lush have also included avocado oil which is known to reduce the appearance of scars and help to heal small cuts and abrasions. 

Aside from its moisturising properties, the presence of almond, argan, castor, rosewood and sandalwood oil also gives Golden Handshake a rather strange but pleasant aroma. To me, this solid hand mask gives off a rather soapy fragrance - one that reminds me of expensive but rather generic-smellling soap. It is the latter two oils that make the biggest impression here - offering a slightly floral aroma that has elements of Ghost Shower Gel and Lily Savon Soap to it. While this product does not smell identical to either of these two products, it does have its similarities.  

Lush claim that you should stir this into roughly 200ml of warm water until it has completely dissolved and converted into a thick, white paste. The company then suggest that you should submerge your hands underneath the liquid and allow them to bask in the butters and oils for 10-15 minutes, before rinsing off and patting dry. 

Firstly, I would highly suggest that you use boiling water. When I attempted to dissolve Golden Handshake in warm liquid, it didn't work at all and I ended up with a bowl of murky water decorated with clumps of butters that refused to melt until I microwaved them. 

Secondly, while it is described as being a one-use hand mask, this product easily produces enough paste to see you through two or three separate sessions. As you can see from my picture, I used an awful lot of product on my hands, so you'll still get the full, intense treatment even if you decide to use only part of the bar. 

For this reason, I would suggest that you cut off a small chunk each time and use a normal spoon to stir it in as opposed to using the whole stick in one go. Exposing it to the water will give Golden Handshake less of a shelf-life and I can almost see this deteriorating in between uses, so you want to try and preserve it by keeping it as dry as you can when it is not being used. 

After keeping my hands submerged in the thick, creamy mask for a good 20 minutes, I was really pleased to discover that my hands felt hydrated and looked visibly softer. The areas around my cuticles looked far healthier and less bitten, and the crevices between my fingers were silky-smooth and free of the dry patches that I had been plagued with up until then. 

My only qualm with this product is that I did feel as if I still needed to moisturise my hands afterwards - they felt much smoother and softer, but they didn't feel as conditioned as I was expecting them to do. Having said this, for £2.95, Golden Handshake is incredible value for money and one that I will be using regularly to keep my hands in tip-top condition.     

Quantitative Ingredients: Cetearyl Alcohol & Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Guar Gum (Guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride, Cupuacu Butter (Theobroma grandiflorum), Murumuru Butter (Astrocaryum Murumuru), Sodium Bicarbonate, Almond Oil (Prunus dulcis), Organic Avocado Oil (Perdea gratissima), Citric Acid, Argan Oil (Argania Spinosa), Organic Castor Oil (Ricinus communis), Rosewood Oil (Aniba rosaeodora), Labdanum Resinoid (Cistus Ladaniferus), Sandalwood Oil (Fusanus spicatus), Citral, Coumarin, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool, Perfume.

Vegan?: Yes.

2015 Price: £2.95 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2015. 

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Golden Handshake Hot Hand Mask

While I pamper my face, moisturise my body, scrub my legs and buffer my toes, I rarely do anything to improve the condition of my hands. This is surprising as I would say, like most people, my hands probably get a pretty rough deal when it comes to how much I work them. This lack of love and attention has left me with weak nails and very scaly skin - something I have been desperately trying to rectify over the last few months.  

Golden Handshake Hot Hand Mask was one of the first products that grabbed my attention when I entered the Oxford Street superstore a few weekends ago. While I was intrigued by both the write-up and choice of ingredients used to construct it, I was more interested in the alluring and rather unique design - something I'm sure will make it a very popular seller. 

Shaped to look like a marshmallow about to be roasted, this solid mask is packed full of essential butters and oils to nourish, hydrate, moisturise and rejuvenate over-worked and tired looking hands. Cupuacu butter is one of the main ingredients - known for its emollient consistency that makes it a highly effective moisturiser for the skin. The butter boasts a range of fatty acids that replenish the oils lost in dry skin - helping to condition the hands and leave them feeling velvety-soft and smooth to the touch. 

Murumuru butter is another ingredient that I have noticed features in many of Lush's newer products - working with the cupuacu butter to condition the body while also secreting a thin layer of oil to protect the skin and leave it with a glossy finish. Lush have also included avocado oil which is known to reduce the appearance of scars and help to heal small cuts and abrasions. 

Aside from its moisturising properties, the presence of almond, argan, castor, rosewood and sandalwood oil also gives Golden Handshake a rather strange but pleasant aroma. To me, this solid hand mask gives off a rather soapy fragrance - one that reminds me of expensive but rather generic-smellling soap. It is the latter two oils that make the biggest impression here - offering a slightly floral aroma that has elements of Ghost Shower Gel and Lily Savon Soap to it. While this product does not smell identical to either of these two products, it does have its similarities.  

Lush claim that you should stir this into roughly 200ml of warm water until it has completely dissolved and converted into a thick, white paste. The company then suggest that you should submerge your hands underneath the liquid and allow them to bask in the butters and oils for 10-15 minutes, before rinsing off and patting dry. 

Firstly, I would highly suggest that you use boiling water. When I attempted to dissolve Golden Handshake in warm liquid, it didn't work at all and I ended up with a bowl of murky water decorated with clumps of butters that refused to melt until I microwaved them. 

Secondly, while it is described as being a one-use hand mask, this product easily produces enough paste to see you through two or three separate sessions. As you can see from my picture, I used an awful lot of product on my hands, so you'll still get the full, intense treatment even if you decide to use only part of the bar. 

For this reason, I would suggest that you cut off a small chunk each time and use a normal spoon to stir it in as opposed to using the whole stick in one go. Exposing it to the water will give Golden Handshake less of a shelf-life and I can almost see this deteriorating in between uses, so you want to try and preserve it by keeping it as dry as you can when it is not being used. 

After keeping my hands submerged in the thick, creamy mask for a good 20 minutes, I was really pleased to discover that my hands felt hydrated and looked visibly softer. The areas around my cuticles looked far healthier and less bitten, and the crevices between my fingers were silky-smooth and free of the dry patches that I had been plagued with up until then. 

My only qualm with this product is that I did feel as if I still needed to moisturise my hands afterwards - they felt much smoother and softer, but they didn't feel as conditioned as I was expecting them to do. Having said this, for £2.95, Golden Handshake is incredible value for money and one that I will be using regularly to keep my hands in tip-top condition.     

Quantitative Ingredients: Cetearyl Alcohol & Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Guar Gum (Guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride, Cupuacu Butter (Theobroma grandiflorum), Murumuru Butter (Astrocaryum Murumuru), Sodium Bicarbonate, Almond Oil (Prunus dulcis), Organic Avocado Oil (Perdea gratissima), Citric Acid, Argan Oil (Argania Spinosa), Organic Castor Oil (Ricinus communis), Rosewood Oil (Aniba rosaeodora), Labdanum Resinoid (Cistus Ladaniferus), Sandalwood Oil (Fusanus spicatus), Citral, Coumarin, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool, Perfume.

Vegan?: Yes.

2015 Price: £2.95 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2015. 

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Bon Bomb Bath Bomb

On the surface, this bath bomb didn't excite me that much when I first discovered it was being released in the Lush Kitchen. While I am as much a citrus fan as most people, this ballistic didn't exactly jump out at me as being one that was going to be able to offer a lot in the tub. How wrong could I be...

Bon Bomb Bath Bomb is one of Lush's smaller bath products - coming in at the same size as their regular Butterball Ballistic. Much like the aforementioned ballistic, this one is designed to work as both a bomb and a bath melt, which is why the product is so much smaller than you would usually expect. 

As the name suggests, the design of this bath bomb is based on the traditional  bonbon sweet - a name that in today's terms refers to the rounded fruity toffee candy that is dusted with a sweet sherbet to finish. While they're offered in a variety of different flavours, it is the lemon one that has proven to be the most popular. 

Containing a combination of lime and orange oils, as well as mango and avocado butter, this bath bomb is not only beautifully zesty but is impressively moisturising in the bath. An initial smell revealed a very tart lemon scent - not too far off of the rather amazing Lemslip Buttercream. However, while the buttercream gives off a more moussey/desert type of aroma, Bon Bomb is more like lemon sherbet. 

In the bath, the ballistic immediately began to fizz upon coming into contact with the water and I was disappointed to find that it sunk to the bottom of the tub straight away. If you're hoping for a display of colours or something a little interesting before your bath, you won't find it here.

Once the ballistic had completely dissolved, you're left with a pale yellow water, which isn't exactly the most appealing of colours to want to bathe in. However, not only is the citrus scent strong and heady enough to last for the duration of the bath, but the magic is in the array of butters and oils that you can see floating on the surface of the water. 

In the same way that Butterball works, Bon Bomb is crammed with enough essential butters and oils to leave your skin feeling and looking incredible, and indeed it does. You only have to submerge yourself under the water to feel these nourishing properties immediately getting to work on your body. My skin felt instantly soft and I could feel the condition of it improving while I was bathing. 

The tiny pieces of mango butter, shea butter and organic avocado butter float around the bath for the entire experience, allowing you to really moisturise and replenish your skin. This is a perfect product for those who need to invigorate dry and weathered skin - a bath bomb that will reverse the effect of winter and improve the condition of your skin instantly. 

For such a small bath bomb, this really makes an impact on the user and I plan on saving these for when my skin really needs something special to bring it back to life. While I do love Bon Bomb, I would suggest that you use it alongside another ballistic or bubble bar if you want something a little more attractive in your bath tub. However, it works wonders at improving your skin and offers the user a wonderful burst of citrus to wake themselves up at the same time. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Shea Butter (Butyrospermum parkii), Perfume, Mango Butter (Mangifera indica), Avocado Butter (Persea gratissima), Lime Oil (Citrus aurantifolia), Sweet Orange Oil (Citrus dulcis), Gardenia Extract (Gardenia jasminoides).

Vegan?: Yes.

2015 Price: £3.25 each.

2016 Price: £3.25 each.

2017 Price: £3.50 each.

Bon Bomb (Lemon Sherbet)
Bon Bomb Bath Bomb
Fanfare Ballistic