Fomo Jelly Face Mask

When Lush first showcased the new concept of jelly face masks at the last Summit event, I cannot say that I was overly excited by the idea. While it was innovative and definitely interesting, I couldn't see myself being overly enamoured with the finished products. How wrong could I be?

Fomo is one of five brand new jellies that will change-up your facial routine for the better. Not only are they considerably less messy than their original counterparts, but their shelf life far outlasts that of the fresh alternatives. While there is definitely still something magical and natural about the fresh face masks, and I by no means want them to disappear, the benefits of all five of the new masks make them equally as important. 

Designed for all skin types, Fomo is one for the fans of floral-scented cosmetics. Featuring both calamine powder and rose absolute, this gentle gem gives off a smell that is very similar to Rosy Cheeks. Initially, you can detect a light and slightly powdery rose aroma, while the calamine sits behind this and adds its own delicate burst of coolness. With a mild touch of neroli to bring a little sweetness to the mix, this facial jelly smells just as calming to sniff as it is to apply to the skin.

What I love about all of Lush's new facial jellies is how they can be used in different ways. If you're someone who is a little conservative with your products, you can use Fomo in a similar way to that of any of Lush's other shower jellies. Simply wet your face and the jelly, and then massage it across the skin, where it will leave a gentle layer of product. Simply leave it on for 5-10 minutes and then rinse away. While you wont get a deep cleanse this way, you will notice a difference to your complexion, and this will ensure that a single tub would last you for months on end - even with daily use. 

However, the way in which Lush suggest that you use it is by pinching a small, grape-sized piece from the tub; work into a paste in the palm of your hands, with a little water to do so; and then apply it directly to the face. I found that leaving it on for 15-20 minutes worked best, and my skin felt noticeably different when I rinsed the product away afterwards.

With calamine powder helping to calm the skin, this is a great choice for those who have sensitive skin, or suffer from acne. This ingredient helps to prevent any irritation from occurring, and can even reduce any redness that you may be suffering from at the time. For this reason, Fomo Jelly Face Mask would also be a great choice for the hotter months of the year, as I feel that sunburnt complexions would really benefit from this after a long, hard day in the heat.

The kaolin clay featured here also helps to absorb any excess oil that may be present on oiler skin-types. However, those with drier complexions like myself, should not be put off from giving this facial jelly a chance. I found that my skin felt very clean and smooth afterwards, and the inclusion of the clay didn't leave my face feeling or looking parched. 

Overall, I am really impressed with this new invention - much more so than I expecting to be. You can easily get 6-8 uses out of a single pot, and for the same price as a fresh face mask, this is definitely worth the money. Given that these are not at risk of leaking, don't need to be kept in the fridge, and have a shelf life of a year, Lush's new jelly face masks are a fantastic invention - with Fomo being my favourite one yet.      

Quantitative Ingredients: Water, Calamine Powder, Glycerine, Propylene, Glycol, Kaolin, Carrageenan Extract, Neroli Oil, Rose Absolute, *Linalool.

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: £6.95 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2017.

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Tea And Sympathy Bath Bomb

For someone who considers them self to be fairly intelligent, I don't know why I didn't think about the ingenious concept of bathing alongside a tea bag or two. Known for being incredibly detoxifying and softening on the skin, it's the perfect bathing companion, and one that will be making a reappearance alongside many of the cocktails that I concoct in the future.

Tea And Sympathy Bath Bomb is easily one of the most boring ballistics that Lush have ever produced. However, it doesn't need to be particularly attractive when the name is enough to warrant a good many sales. Add in the unique feature of including a tea bag at its core, and you've already appealed to the British mentality - enough to sell a batch or two without too much of a problem.

What immediately struck my about this bath bomb, when it arrived, was that it smelt very different to what I had envisaged. Described as being 'like white and green tea', I was expecting something very two-dimensional and perhaps a little bitter. However, what I found was that this bath bomb was far sweeter and prettier than I had initially given it credit for.

Containing calamine powder and chamomile oil as the two key components, I expected the bath bomb to be very overpowering and medicinal smelling. Instead I found Tea And Sympathy had all of the refreshing, herbal properties of both ingredients, but with a wonderful musky layer alongside this. The olibanum oil really does work its magic at sweetening the chamomile and offering an almost resinous quality to the bath bomb.

While the clary sage is one of the last ingredients, I could really appreciate the prevalent herbal thread that is featured because of this. Despite the fact that every component works in harmony with each other, you can definitely make out each ingredient individually as well, which makes this one of the prettiest smells that I have experienced from Lush in a while.

Having said this, the bath bomb still wouldn't win any awards in the tub. Upon contact with the water, Tea And Sympathy begins to froth and fizz, and it doesn't take more than a couple of minutes for the product to dissolve completely. While puddles of white froth and bubbles pattern the surface, these disappear very quickly, and you are left with a very boring-looking bath. This bath bomb does not colour the water at all, and if it wasn't for the lovely smell radiating off of the water, and the single tea bag floating across the water, you wouldn't really be able to tell that you've used a product in there at all.

In it's defence, the bath bomb is rather moisturising and softening, without being at all greasy. The inclusion of the tea bag definitely helps to purify and detoxify your skin during bathing, and you'll find that your pores will feel much clearer afterwards. 

Having said that, I found that the fragrance faded during my experience, and after using a couple of stronger products, I was no longer able to detect the smell at all. Furthermore, the aroma didn't permeate my skin enough to leave any sort of impression afterwards either.

Overall, this bath bomb is definitely one you have to try, but perhaps not one you need to rush out and buy. Although its not one that I need to have at all times in my life, I would definitely say that adding a couple of colours to Tea And Sympathy would make it far more appealing, and one that I would be far more inclined to buy.   

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Soya Milk Powder, Calamine Powder, Perfume, Chamomile Blue Oil, Olibanum Oil, Clary Sage Oil, Water (Aqua), Chamomile Tea Bag, *Limonene, *Linalool, Colour 42090, Colour 19140.

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: £4.25 each.

Year Of Original Release: ?

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Princess Dusting Powder

I don't really know what it is about dusting powders that gets me excited, but when I discovered that Lush had four new ones available at the Oxford Street store, I couldn't wait to bag them all and give them each a big sniff. While it's not a product that I use regularly in the winter, I find that I crave them during the warmer weather; where they become an essential handbag filler for all of those times when I find myself a little sweaty and in need of a freshen up. 

Princess Dusting Powder was actually the one that I was least excited about - not because I dislike the smell of Princess Cottongrass Perfume, which shares the same scent, but because it's not the sort of fragrance that I get particularly excited about. While I enjoy floral smells, they certainly wouldn't be the scent I would gravitate towards if I was given a choice. 

Having said that, I found that I really enjoyed this one because not only did the fragrance last for a good few hours on my skin and worked well with the perfume to maintain the scent all day, but also because I found that it gave a slightly different experience than the liquid perfume offered. 

Scanning the ingredients list, it reads very much like the liquid perfume, with neroli, pine, nettle and violet leaf being the key components. Yet what sets this dusting powder apart from the other products, is that it contains calamine powder as one of the key elements as well. This makes Princess distinctively different from its siblings and may even disappoint those who wanted a straight-up replica of the aroma. 

In the bottle, the calamine powder gives off the strongest impression - a fresh, green and almost clinical aroma that is complimented by an element of pine that sits comfortably alongside this. As your nose becomes more accustomed to the smell, you can detect a thin but rather defined thread of violet as well, which pads out the scent and gives it that overall floral element. While the neroli oil is not obvious, it's definitely there to give the product a very subtle sweetness that rounds off the other ingredients nicely. 

Once on the skin, the smells doesn't seem as potent, and disperses into the air leaving behind a gentle, sweet floral scent to enjoy. While Princess does lose most of its fragrance very quickly once it's been applied, there is still a subtle aroma that lingers on the skin for a good couple of hours. 

So what is a dusting powder? According to Lush, it is a product of many talents - one that can be used on both the skin or the hair, depending on your preference. Its main purpose is to be applied after a bath or shower, when your skin is clean but dry. Simply sprinkle some into the palm of your hand and massage into your skin. The ingredients absorb the excess oils on your body and help to soften the skin, giving it a light, sensual fragrance. These dusting powders also work at removing excess sweat so can be carried around and used in the warmer weather. 

Princess, just like all of Lush's other dusting powders, can also be used as a dry shampoo. All you need to do is sprinkle the product into your hands and work throughout your hair to remove unwanted grease. This will tie you over until you can wash your hair thoroughly and works at removing and reducing the appearance of oily hair. I tried this out on a few occasions (although I tend to wash my hair daily) and found that it did make my hair feel softer and look good enough to wear out that day. However, I can't comment on whether this would work with severely oily hair as mine sides more on the drier side. 

What is great about this particular dusting power is that it's packed full of kaolin, which works at softening and healing damaged skin. Therefore it can be applied alongside or after a body lotion and you don't have to worry about it drying out your body. Furthermore, the inclusion of calamine powder means that this product works well at soothing irritated and sensitive skin types - meaning that those who find lotions too heavy or need something that won't clog up their pores, will be able to use this as an alternative. 

For £9.95, this is the most expensive out of the current four available at the Oxford Street store, which may initially put people off trying it out. However, I found solace in applying this before I left to catch the bus home from work, where it gave me that extra burst of fragrance to tied me over until I was able to shower. Although the scent wasn't my favourite, it did the trick at leaving me feeling smooth, clean, dry and smelling rather lovely to boot. A lovely addition to the Lush family. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Talc, Magnesium Carbonate, Calamine Powder, Kaolin, Lycopodium Powder, Perfume, Neroli Oil (Citrus Aurantium amara), Nettle Absolute (Urtica urens), Pine Absolute (Pinus sylvestris), Violet Leaf Absolute (Viola odorata), Benzyl Benzoate, Lilial, Citral, Citronellol, Farnesol, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool, Gold Sparkle Lustre (Potassium Aluminium Silicate, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxide). 

Vegan?: Yes. 

2015 Price: £9.95 for 45g.

Year Of Original Release: 2015. 

Scent Family:  

Princess Cottongrass Body Spray

Princess Cottongrass Liquid Perfume

Princess Dusting Power

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Princess Dusting Powder

I don't really know what it is about dusting powders that gets me excited, but when I discovered that Lush had four new ones available at the Oxford Street store, I couldn't wait to bag them all and give them each a big sniff. While it's not a product that I use regularly in the winter, I find that I crave them during the warmer weather; where they become an essential handbag filler for all of those times when I find myself a little sweaty and in need of a freshen up. 

Princess Dusting Powder was actually the one that I was least excited about - not because I dislike the smell of Princess Cottongrass Perfume, which shares the same scent, but because it's not the sort of fragrance that I get particularly excited about. While I enjoy floral smells, they certainly wouldn't be the scent I would gravitate towards if I was given a choice. 

Having said that, I found that I really enjoyed this one because not only did the fragrance last for a good few hours on my skin and worked well with the perfume to maintain the scent all day, but also because I found that it gave a slightly different experience than the liquid perfume offered. 

Scanning the ingredients list, it reads very much like the liquid perfume, with neroli, pine, nettle and violet leaf being the key components. Yet what sets this dusting powder apart from the other products, is that it contains calamine powder as one of the key elements as well. This makes Princess distinctively different from its siblings and may even disappoint those who wanted a straight-up replica of the aroma. 

In the bottle, the calamine powder gives off the strongest impression - a fresh, green and almost clinical aroma that is complimented by an element of pine that sits comfortably alongside this. As your nose becomes more accustomed to the smell, you can detect a thin but rather defined thread of violet as well, which pads out the scent and gives it that overall floral element. While the neroli oil is not obvious, it's definitely there to give the product a very subtle sweetness that rounds off the other ingredients nicely. 

Once on the skin, the smells doesn't seem as potent, and disperses into the air leaving behind a gentle, sweet floral scent to enjoy. While Princess does lose most of its fragrance very quickly once it's been applied, there is still a subtle aroma that lingers on the skin for a good couple of hours. 

So what is a dusting powder? According to Lush, it is a product of many talents - one that can be used on both the skin or the hair, depending on your preference. Its main purpose is to be applied after a bath or shower, when your skin is clean but dry. Simply sprinkle some into the palm of your hand and massage into your skin. The ingredients absorb the excess oils on your body and help to soften the skin, giving it a light, sensual fragrance. These dusting powders also work at removing excess sweat so can be carried around and used in the warmer weather. 

Princess, just like all of Lush's other dusting powders, can also be used as a dry shampoo. All you need to do is sprinkle the product into your hands and work throughout your hair to remove unwanted grease. This will tie you over until you can wash your hair thoroughly and works at removing and reducing the appearance of oily hair. I tried this out on a few occasions (although I tend to wash my hair daily) and found that it did make my hair feel softer and look good enough to wear out that day. However, I can't comment on whether this would work with severely oily hair as mine sides more on the drier side. 

What is great about this particular dusting power is that it's packed full of kaolin, which works at softening and healing damaged skin. Therefore it can be applied alongside or after a body lotion and you don't have to worry about it drying out your body. Furthermore, the inclusion of calamine powder means that this product works well at soothing irritated and sensitive skin types - meaning that those who find lotions too heavy or need something that won't clog up their pores, will be able to use this as an alternative. 

For £9.95, this is the most expensive out of the current four available at the Oxford Street store, which may initially put people off trying it out. However, I found solace in applying this before I left to catch the bus home from work, where it gave me that extra burst of fragrance to tied me over until I was able to shower. Although the scent wasn't my favourite, it did the trick at leaving me feeling smooth, clean, dry and smelling rather lovely to boot. A lovely addition to the Lush family. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Talc, Magnesium Carbonate, Calamine Powder, Kaolin, Lycopodium Powder, Perfume, Neroli Oil (Citrus Aurantium amara), Nettle Absolute (Urtica urens), Pine Absolute (Pinus sylvestris), Violet Leaf Absolute (Viola odorata), Benzyl Benzoate, Lilial, Citral, Citronellol, Farnesol, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool, Gold Sparkle Lustre (Potassium Aluminium Silicate, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxide). 

Vegan?: Yes. 

2015 Price: £9.95 for 45g.

Year Of Original Release: 2015. 

Scent Family:  

Princess Cottongrass Body Spray

Princess Cottongrass Liquid Perfume

Princess Dusting Power

Read More