Man In The Moon Bubble Bar

Man In The Moon is a dream reimagined and repackaged as a bubble bar - a product that would easily become a best seller if released all year round. In fact, it feels almost criminal to confine this beauty to the restraints of a single season, and I hope that Lush recognise the potential this has as a regular item.

If there is one product that is long overdue in the Lush catalogue, it's a Calacas-scented bubble bar. If nothing else, the popularity of The Enchanter, Monsters' Ball and Calavera will tell you that Lush fans love ourselves a bit of lime, and this is a much-welcome member of the scent family for sure.

Having said that, I have had discussions in the past about Lush releasing a bubble bar with this fragrance, and have always reached the conclusion that the scent wouldn't work in this format. I'm happy to announce that I am ready to eat my words; in fact, I would say that this fragrance might even work better as a bubble bar than a bath bomb.

Containing lime, olibanum and neroli oils, Man In The Moon is a bright, zesty product that will bring some much-needed sunshine into your life, and into your bath tub. Much like every other product in this fragrance, this bubble bar is sweet, fruity and citrusy - smelling like a combination of lime fruit pastilles and edible jelly. 

While it has been proven that citrus smells can dampen and lose their power after a certain amount of time (when presented in any format), you will be pleased to know that this bubble bar makes a solid impression from the get-go, and continues to offer strong bursts of juicy lime goodness throughout the entire experience. In hindsight, I think it is the inclusion of both the olibanum and neroli oils that helps to ground the overall aroma of this bubble bar - thus why it is able to be both strong and robust while also offering an experience that is equally both light and crisp. 

Although the initial price tag may put some people off from giving this one a go, and I won't deny that I think it is a little overpriced for what it is, the bubble bar is not only huge, but powerful enough to see you through at least two different baths if you so choose. Those of you who like to indulge heavily may wish to use the whole product (as I did). However, it can also be used across multiple baths and still smell heavenly and robust.

Its consistency is a little different to most of Lush's other bath bombs, as it appears to be slightly soft and a little squidgy when you try to break a piece off. For this reason, I would recommend that you use a knife to cut it into chunks and ensure that the remaining piece is kept somewhere cool and dry between uses. 

However much you choose to use, Man In The Moon creates a stunning lime-green shade in the tub and is super-soft on the skin as well. The zesty lime fragrance lingered in my bathroom for hours after I had finished, and the smell radiated from my skin for a short while after I had towelled myself down as well.  It would have been wonderful if the aroma had been a little stronger on my skin, so I could indulge in the scent throughout the day. However, my Calacas Body Lotion and Liquid Perfume were able to offer me that experience anyway.

Ultimately, I believe that this is one of the greatest Christmas Bubble Bars that Lush have released so far - it even offers Peeping Santa a little friendly competition. Despite the price, I will be buying a number of these to see me through the winter months and I only hope that it makes an appearance again, at some point in the near future. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Cream of Tartar, Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter, Lauryl Betaine, Perfume, Lime Oil, Olibanum Oil, Neroli Oil, Cornflour, Citric Acid, Titanium Dioxide, Laureth 4, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Iron Oxides, Tin Oxide, *Benzyl Salicylate, *Citral, *Limonene, *Linalool, Alpha-Isomethyl ionone, Hydroxycitronellal, Colour 42090, Colour 19140, Colour 47005, Vegan Dark Chocolate.

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: £4.25 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2017.

Scent Family:

Calacas Body Lotion

Calacas Shower Gel
Calacas Shower Jelly
Calacas/Day of The Dead Perfume

Calavera Ballistic

The Enchanter Bath Bomb

Lady Catrina Soap
Man In The Moon Bubble Bar
Monsters' Ball Bath Bomb

Skullduggery Ballistic

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No Name Bubble Bar

No Name sounds like an odd choice for the name of a bubble bar - almost like Lush just couldn't be bothered to conjure up a name when it came to finalising the product. However, the story behind this limited edition gives its name a rather endearing touch, and it made me appreciate it even more when I discovered the meaning behind it.

As part of the Christmas range a few years ago, Lush brought out this nameless bubble bar and sent it to every store across the country. As each and every culture have their own name for the mythical creatures that feature in their yuletide celebrations, the company decided to let each store come up with their own name for the bubble bar. From classic elf names to down-right obscure results, this seasonal product brought that extra swish of magic to the holiday season.

With two adorable vegan chocolate eyes, No Name resembles the long distant cousin of The Bearded Lady Bubble Bar, although they are very different in scent. Containing lime and neroli as key ingredients, this limited edition is an uplifting, fruity experience - one that is very different from anything else that I have experienced from Lush before.

On the surface, this bubble bar smells like a super sweet glass of old-fashioned soda pop. Imagine the aroma of the jellied cola bottle sweets that you can buy as part of the Pic 'N' Mix range, and you'll be on the right path to imagining how this product smells from the packet. There is something very bright and slightly zesty about the lime. Yet there is almost a sweet, resinous note that rests beneath this, that allows the fruity element to settle. 

Alongside both of these ingredients is the inclusion of the vanilla absolute, which doesn't have a huge impact on the overall smell, but does offer a gentle touch of sweetness to the overall experience. Together, these three components create a very pleasant sweet and fruity aroma, that although different, might interest those people who enjoyed the Reindeer And Robin FUN Bar from last Christmas.

As with most of Lush's bubble bars, this one is easy enough to crumble under the running tap, and creates a generous amount of bubbles that decorate your bath. Given its size, you could easily halve or quarter No Name and use it across multiple baths, although I opted to use the full one for a truly decadent experience.

The bubble bar turns the water a beautiful shade of red, which is both warming and comforting at the same time. Furthermore, the water was lovely and softening the whole way through my experience, so my skin felt nourished and replenished after my bathing. Finally, the scent wasn't excessively strong when in use, but I was able to detect the lime and neroli while I was submerged under the blanket of bubbles, and there were traces of the fragrance in the bathroom for a while afterwards.

Although originally designed as a Christmas product, I really feel as if the scent of this is also very much suited to the warmer months of the year as well. There is never a bad time to enjoy a No Name in the tub, and I will definitely be buying a few more of these if they make an appearance in the near future.

Quantitative Ingredients: Cream of Tartar (Tartaric acid), Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Lauryl Betaine, Perfume, Lime Oil, Neroli Oil, Vanilla Absolute, *Limonene, *Linalool, Cinnamal, Eugenol, Vegan Dark Chocolate.

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: £3.95 each.

Year Of Original Release: ?

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Choccy Egg Bath Bomb

Call it greed, call it being a little compulsive: I don't like not being able to try out certain products. While my veganism is a personal choice, and I could opt to use any of the cosmetics that feature honey, beeswax etc... if I wanted to, my ethics are not something that I willing to sacrifice, just to use a bath bomb. For this reason, I usually have to wear a sad expression at times and just except that there will always be releases that I have to live without.

Choccy Egg Bath Bomb used to be vegetarian, which was why I didn't even consider logging into the Lush Kitchen website on the day of its recent release. It both surprised and frustrated me a few days later then, when I discovered that the ballistic had been altered slightly, and now seemed to be vegan. Luckily, a few kind individuals managed to cough up a couple of spares for me to use and review, and I was gifted with a rather wonderful smelling parcel a few days later.

For its price tag, I was surprised to discover just how small the bath bomb was to begin with. Weighing in at roughly 120g, this product is only slightly bigger than the original Think Pink Bath Bomb, which does make it a little more of an investment than to begin with. In its favour however, it does possess the  longevity to see you through an entire bath.

Made from a combination of vanilla, cocoa and mimosa absolute, Choccy Egg is a decadent offering from Lush, but perhaps one that isn't what you'd expect it to be. From the get-go, I was amazed to discover that the bath bomb was far more floral than I was expecting. In fact, it was also far less 'chocolately' than I had envisioned as well.

I would describe the fragrance of this as a very floral, cocoa aroma. There is something very musky and sweet about the fragrance, which is reference to both the cocoa and vanilla. However, there is a powdery component which I can very much relate to the inclusion of the mimosa. Despite the cocoa absolute and dark chocolate flakes on the outside, I wouldn't describe this as being foody at all, and in fact it is far more rich and decadent than I expected it to be.

In the water, this ballistic begins to dissolve immediately - demonstrating quite an impressively loud fizz for such a small bath bomb. Despite its size, it also happened to captivate the tub, and indeed the bathroom, as I found that the scent was strong enough to last a good fair while in the water. I would say that using any potent-smelling products would probably thwart the aroma of this quite a bit, but it's strong enough to linger vaguely on your skin afterwards.

Disappointingly, this bath bomb does not heed any colour in the water, and the inclusion of the chocolate flakes doesn't make this bath bomb very enticing in the water. I found that a lot of the flakes took a while to dissolve, so there were a good many splodges of chocolate on the base of the tub for the first half of the bath. Once they have dissolve, they create a sort of murky, brown water, which is probably the least attractive colour you could possibly ask for.

Despite this, I did find that the inclusion of the cocoa butter made this a little more moisturising than some of Lush's other bath bombs, and my skin did feel the better for it afterwards. Furthermore, the chocolate didn't stain the outside of the bath tub when the water was drained away, so it wasn't as messy as I initially thought it was going to be.

Overall, I feel as if the scent of this would be rather lovely in other formats, and I would be interested in trying it out in future products. However, the Choccy Egg didn't offer a very appealing bath, and the scent was lost as soon as I began using other products. For this reason, I would probably not purchase this product again, unless I was planning on cocktailing it alongside a bubble bar or bath melt.     

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Vanilla Absolute (Vanilla planifolia), Mimosa Absolute (Mimosa tenuiflora), Cocoa Absolute (Theobroma cacao), Aloe Vera Extract (Aloe barbadensis), Coumarin, Isoeugenol, Perfume, Dark Chocolate Flakes.

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: £3.50 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2009.

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Chocolate Melt Bath Bomb

When I envisage a bath bomb with a name such as this one, I picture something rather squishy and sickly: a product that looks more like a massage bar and acts more like a bath melt. I also imagine the mess said bath bomb would make in the tub - skin decorated in a gloopy mess and a not so wonderful splatter of brown gunk reminiscent in the tub afterwards. 

For this reason, I was surprised to discover that Chocolate Melt Bath Bomb was absolutely nothing like I imagined it would be. In fact, this ballistic is not actually all that chocolate-orientated at all, and I had a far better experience with it than I ever imagined that I would.

Sharing its scent with After 8:30 Massage Bar, this Butterball-sized bath bomb is predominantly more mint then it is chocolate. Sporting a pastel green outer layer, with flecks of dark chocolate scattered across the surface, you'd be forgiven for thinking that the size of this would somehow hinder how strong this product was in the tub. However, what also surprised me about this bath bomb was that it was just as strong as a regular sized ballistic, and would no doubt be far too overpowering if it was made an bigger.

As I mentioned above, it is the spearmint and the galbanum oils that make the biggest impression from the get-go: the former packing a punch immediately and staying prevalent throughout the entire experience. I could smell the spearmint on my skin for quite a while after exiting the tub, and it left me feeling really refreshed.

The galbanum oil is equally as potent in the mix - offering an intense 'green' smell that almost gives this bath bomb a fragrance reminiscent of Mask Of Magnaminty or Green Party Bath Bomb, albeit stronger. If anything, I'd say that the chocolate is probably the least prominent feature of this bath bomb, which is strange given that its name suggests the very opposite. 

In the tub, Chocolate Melt Bath Bomb is a very fast fizzer - disappearing completely in a little under two minutes. While it expels a sea of pastel green across the water, small flecks of dark chocolate also make an appearance - swirling around beneath the surface before settling on the floor of the tub. You would think that these tiny pieces would create a mess on both your skin and the bath. However, I was surprised to find that they dissolved quickly into the water and helped to soften the overall experience. 

What I loved about Chocolate Melt was that the combination of shea butter and cocoa butter made for a really moisturising bath. Yet there was never a moment when I felt like the water was too greasy or oily at all. By the end of the experience, I was left feeling really soft and smooth, while the cooling mint properties left me feeling equally refreshed.

Overall, I would highly recommend that you try this product at least once. It wasn't one that I had any expectations beforehand, and I was actually expecting to dislike this one quite a bit. However, it is the great ballistic to release during springtime, as it's a perfect product to use during the transition between the colder and warmer months. It's comforting, uplifting, and makes for a far healthier alternative to a bowl of mint-chocolate chip ice cream.    

Quantitative Ingredients: Bicarbonate Of Soda, Citric Acid, Dark Chocolate, Cocoa Butter, Perfume, Spearmint Oil, Peppermint Oil, Galbanum Oil, Shea Butter, Gardenia Extract, Colour 61585.

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: £3.50 each.

Year Of Original Release: 1998.  

Scent Family:
After 8:30 Massage Bar (non vegan)
Chocolate Melt Bath Bomb

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Chocolate Easter Egg Soap

It's been many years since I have associated the Easter celebrations with chocolate - this was even before I became vegan and the options for seasonal sweeties was drastically reduced. The truth is that, aside from Christmas, I barely acknowledge other celebrations that occur throughout the year. So this brand new soap is the first time in a while that I've combined such decadence with this time of year.

If I'm going to be honest, Chocolate Easter Egg Soap is a pretty uninspiring name for a product. Lush must have been having a difficult/lazy day in the office when they decided upon giving this limited edition its name. As the company are normally fairly well known for their wittiness and play on words, the simplicity is almost disappointing. However, this isn't really a valid reason for slating a product, and as it turns out, the soap is rather good. 

Sporting a vivid yellow body, with oval red spots and zig-zag green lines, this soap doesn't give you any indication about how it smells from its physical design. In fact, I was almost taken back upon smelling this initially, as it wasn't like anything I was expecting to come from such a bright and colourful product.

Featuring vegan white chocolate as one of the key components, I was hoping this soap would smell good enough to eat, and it didn't take me long in the shower to attempt the little nibble that I'd been possessed to do ever since I smelt the product for the first time. It's easy to recognise the power that the white chocolate has on the aroma, as the soap offers a rich, sickly-sweet fragrance that I associate with the confectionary.

In a small way, this soap reminds me of the Yog Log Roulade that came out last Christmas, albeit less musky smelling and far creamier. The inclusion of the vanilla definitely helps to give Chocolate Easter Egg Soap a rich, sultry smell - one that I would say has an element of caramel to it as well. While it's difficult to make out the grapefruit and lemon oil in the scent, I can appreciate how both of these components no doubt elevate the sultry, foody smell that we're able to appreciate overall. 

I can see why some consumers would be a little disappointed with this product, as I do think that the aroma is rather soft, and not perhaps as strong as you might like if you're into your chocolate. At the same time however, I don't quite know whether or not the smell would be too overpowering and sickly, if it was elevated any more in this format.

What I think works quite well is the fact that the smell is very subtle and gentle - meaning you can really appreciate the richness of the white chocolate and the vanilla in the mix. Much like opening a bar of chocolate, there is enough here to satisfy your tastebuds, without making the scent too overwhelming.

While this is quite stubborn in the shower, it does produce a lovely thick, yellow lather - that smooths over your body with ease and leaves a gentle smell on your skin. This fragrance lingers for a short time after you've towelled yourself down, but tends to fade once you use any other products on your body.

Surprisingly, I did find that my skin felt smooth after using this, although those with dry or sensitive skin may find that this leaves them feeling a little dry afterwards. This worked really well with Formulae Known As, as this discontinued body lotion complimented the chocolate element quite well. 

Overall, this is not a soap that I want to rave about, but it definitely gives chocolate lovers another chance to indulge themselves, especially if they're looking for alternatives that don't involve eating too many easter eggs. Thankfully, this 200g block is really robust and will easily last me until the end of the year, where I can only hope that Lush have released some other decadent products to enjoy until this makes a reappearance the following year. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Glycerine, Rapeseed Oil and Coconut Oil, Sorbitol, Perfume, Vegan White Chocolate, Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, Grapefruit Oil, Sicilian Lemon Oil, Vanilla Absolute, Titanium Dioxide, Sodium Chloride, Citric Acid, EDTA, Tetrasodium Etidronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Bicarbonate, *Limonene, *Linalool, Colour 45350, Colour 14700, Colour 17200, Colour 42090.

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: £4.20 for 100g.

Year Of Original Release: 2017.

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Kisskin Bubble Bar

Aside from the physical design, there is no difference between this product and the original Mumkin Bubble Bar. Yet, you would have assumed that Lush were releasing my most wanted item, given how much fuss I made after the announcement that it would be coming into the Kitchen. Despite pertaining an identical scent and working in exactly the same way in the bath, this cutie is more favoured by myself, and sits comfortably at number two on my 'favourite bubble bar' list.

First released in Japan as part of their White Day celebrations, Kisskin Bubble Bar is known as the 'Mumkin in love', and it certainly works its magic at making the user fall head over heels at the same time. Sporting a range of stunning pastel colours, this limited edition features a pink body, purple headwear and chocolate chip eyes - with an array of candy leaf daisies to garnish its head and make it the most beautiful bubble bar that Lush have ever produced.

Containing a combination of bergamot, lemon and violet, this bubble bar offers a glorious floral arrangement, with a sweet, fruity element to make it both unique and highly sensual. This is easily the greatest floral fragrance that Lush have ever released, if not one of the most incredible aromas that they've produced since the company first began.

While it is a scent that I find quite challenging to describe, Kisskin has always reminded me of freshly pureed raspberries with a sort of 'nettle-like' infusion. It's almost as if the green leaves of the plant have been added into the mix, along with the fruit, so you experience a sort of grassiness to the floral aspect of the product.

Upon first sniff, you can definitely smell the presence of the lemon. Yet it is a lovely sweet, fruity lemon - not in any way zesty or citrusy. It reminds me a little of lemon mousse in the fact that there is something rather rounded and creamy about it. Alongside this, the bergamot not only adds a gentle green element that gives the bubble bar its crisp, refreshing properties, but also induces its own layer of fruitiness which helps to create that 'berry-esque' appeal. Finally, the violet leaf offers a sprinkling of muskiness in the background, and rounds Kisskin off for a perfect finish. 

You only need to use half of this bubble bar to create a haven of smells and a mound of bubbles that'll engulf you with their softness. While the water isn't as impressive as a Mumkin - in that it turns a soft shade of purple, there is something very soothing about the shade that adds to the overall experience. 

Not only is this bubble bar really generous with its bubbles, but it's one of those products that makes the water silky smooth to the touch. You only need to submerge yourself for a few minutes to notice how smooth your body becomes, and once you towel yourself down afterwards, your skin feels super refreshed, hydrated and silky-soft. 

What is just as impressive is the fact that the scent is wonderfully robust while also being crisp and light as well. It offers a perfect level of freshness that makes Kisskin the ultimate Springtime bathing companion. Furthermore, it's one you'll want to use whenever the weather seems far too hot for a bath, as it's light enough not to be too stifling in the tub, while equally being comforting enough to offer a well-rounded experience.

Overall, this bubble bar is superb in every way. It possesses a wonderful and very unique fragrance, it's stunning to look at, hydrates and moisturises the skin, and will give you two or more amazing baths that you'll want to relive again and again. Put it this way: I don't ever want to be in a position where I am Kisskin-less.       

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Cream of Tartar, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Lauryl Betaine, Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, Fair Trade Shea Butter, Perfume, Cornflour, Titanium Dioxide, Bergamot Oil, Sicilian Lemon Oil, Violet Leaf Absolute, *Limonene, *Linalool, Geraniol, Colour 17200, Colour 42090, Vegan Dark Chocolate, Candy Leaf Candy Flowers.

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: £4.25 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2017 In The UK.

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Movie on the Plane and Chocolate Mousse

It started out as an innocent dinner conversation. We were talking about bear maulings and the Montana man who got mauled and then walked 3 miles and then posted on Facebook, because he really wasn't in a hurry to get to the hospital for the 8 hours of stitches he needed...

Then it moved to the movie The Revenant and the bear mauling in that movie. I said I never saw it, it was too gory and sad and I wasn't allowed.

Dave said, "You saw it because I saw it and I don't go to the movie with anyone but you."
"Nope, " I corrected him, "I never saw it."
"You did too see it, we even sat at the very top in the middle."
"Dave," I replied, "We always sit at the very top in the middle.  I didn't see the movie."

Now that would have been fine, him thinking I saw it and me knowing I didn't, but then he had to throw in, "It was last December, and you were so drugged up from your hip surgery you just don't remember."

That got me to second guessing myself. Well crap, maybe I did see it and I just forgot. Could it be? No, I remember movies and I would have remembered that movie. And, if it was so close to my surgery that I was that drugged, Dave wouldn't have taken me to the movie or let me walk up all the stairs to the very top....still...

I sat through the rest of the meal wondering if I had indeed forgotten the whole movie.

And then it hit me.

"You saw it on the airplane." I stated.

The look on his face was priceless. I was right and he knew it, and he knew he had gone just a little too far with the "your were so drugged" comments.

So, while I won't rub his face in it forever, I will for a while. I was right, he was wrong (one in a row) and I didn't see the movie. And I will celebrate with chocolate!

Orange Chocolate Mousse

adapted from Eating Well Jan/Feb 2017

1 Tbsp. Grand Mariner or Triple Sec

1 Tbsp. low fat milk

3/4 tsp. gelatin

3 oz good bittersweet chocolate, chopped

4 large eggs, separated

4 Tbsp. sugar, divided

1/8 tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Whipped cream and chocolate shavings for garnish, optional

Combine Grand Mariner and milk in a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin on top and let stand to soften.

Place chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on hight for 1 minutes.  Stir well, then continue to  heat in 30 second increments on hight until tow-thirds of the chocolate has melted, stirring well after each burst.

Bring 1 inch water to a bare simmer in a medium saucepan.  combine egg yolks, 3 tbsp. sugar and salt in a metal bowl large enough to rest in the pan without touching the water.  Set the bowl over the water and whisk constantly until the sugar dissolves, 1 to 2 minutes.  Add the gelatin mixture and whisk until it dissolves, about 1 minutes.  Remove from heat; whisk in the chocolate and vanilla.  

Beat egg whites in a clean large bowl with and electric mixer on high until soft peaks form  Add the last 1 Tbsp. sugar and continue beating until the mixture holds stiff shiny peaks.

Whisk on-fourth of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture until smooth.  With a rubber spatula, gently fold the remaining egg whites into the chocolate mixture just until incorporated.  Divide among 8 dessert dishes (about 1/2 cup each).

Cover and refrigerate until set, at least 2 hours.  Serve garnished with whipped cream and chocolate shavings, if desired.

(about 115 cals. each)

1 year ago:   Sweet and Spicy Bacon and wanting a Monkey

3 years ago:  Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili and Eating a Soap Ball

5 years ago:  Aztec Chocolate Cake and De-Santa-tizing the House

January 4, 2017  Sunrise 10:49 am  Sunset 3:03 pm  Temp H 17/ L 6˚F

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Chocolate Sugar Lip Scrub

There are some products you can go your whole life without, until you introduce them into your routine and then find that you cannot imagine your life before they existed. Chocolate Sugar Scrub is one of those products - an original limited edition Kitchen release that was unleashed a few weeks ago and now holds a V.I.P pass into any bag that I choose to leave the house with.

At the risk of repeating myself, I have never really been overly invested in lips products despite the fact that they should really be one of my most-prized compartments within the company. The truth of the matter is that I suffer from sore, cracked and dried lips a lot, made worse by the fact that I have a bad habit of picking this dried skin when I'm stressed or anxious. Ultimately, this means that I need a permanent lip balm at the ready to keep that pout as soft and as smooth as possible, and adding a lip scrub to that routine would make all the difference.

If I'm honest, I wasn't as excited about the idea of this product as I would have been if it had the promise of being fruity. While I am more than happy to indulge in a bar chocolate as often as possible, chocolate and most other 'foody' scented products don't sit well with me at all. However, this brand new release has definitely impressed me enough to want to make this a permanent feature in my daily travel kit.

While it wouldn't win any awards for its name, Chocolate Sugar Lip Scrub is the epitome of gorgeous, in every sense of the word. Not only is it small and compact so it can be stored in a pocket or small compartment in almost any bag, it also smells and tastes irresistible. While chocolate scented products from most other companies would be a nasty affair for me, I always know that when it comes to Lush's take on the fragrance, there is going to be something of abetter quality to look forward to.

Containing a combination of dark chocolate, vanilla absolute, cocoa absolute and cocoa powder, this sugar scrub immediately gives off a rich, decadent and very robust chocolately smell. The beautiful buttery layers engorge your senses immediately, with the dark chocolate offering a subtle bitterness that sits under all of the other layers and the cocoa powder that brings a musky, almost chalky element that gives this scrub an intense smell. 

The vanilla absolute is also heavily in the mix, and it is this component that prevents the scrub from being overly rich as it adds a sweet, sugary layer that smooths down the full sharpness of the dark chocolate. Alongside this you also have both tangerine and sweet orange oil - two additions that work perfectly with the aforementioned ingredients to add a note of warm, fruity orange to the aroma. 

On the one hand, it does smell very similar to Sonic Death Monkey (which it's supposed to share its scent with). However, I would describe it as being far closer in scent to Almond Buttercream, albeit more full-bodied and intense. It reminds me almost of Terry's Chocolate Orange segments, although the dark chocolate element does make the smell of this multi-layered and more potent than that.

As with any sugar scrub, the idea is that you use this if and when you have dried lips and want to clear peeling skin, or if you simply want to pamper your puckers before applying a lip balm or lip stick. To use, you rub your finger across the surface of the scrub (or scoop out a little if you find it easier) and then apply the product to your lips - massaging it from side to side to exfoliate and gently remove excess dried skin. Ensure your lips are moist before you do this as it makes it easier to transfer the sugar without it dropping off and making a mess of your floor. Once you've done this, use your tongue and the movement of your mouth to lick off the product, and any excess can be dusted away with a tissue.

Chocolate Sugar Lip Scrub, as with all of Lush's sugar scrubs, is edible and completely safe to digest, and the company make sure that each and every one of these scrubs have a wonderful flavour that you can enjoy alongside with your newly-beautiful lips. Surprisingly, despite the emphasis on the chocolate-led ingredients in this product, this particular scrub had a delicious vanillary taste to it - definitely not what I was expecting from its fragrance.

I found that this scrub worked really well as an exfoliator - I appreciated the fact that I could use as much pressure as I wanted while applying the product and this really helped to remove stubborn skin on my lower lips. My only qualm about the success of using this is that I found it not to be as moisturising or as softening as some of Lush's other lip scrubs. However, as I carry my trusted Buttered Brazils around with me daily, I always have this at hand to give me that instant moisture afterwards.

Overall, this is such a beautiful, rich and very pleasing lip scrub to come from the Lush Kitchen. If you're keen on foody smells, this would be one you'd appreciate and enjoy, and if you're a chocolate fiend, it's one you have to make a permanent feature in your day. This will live in my bag for the remainder of the year and I only hope that it banishes a few of those winter blues - to put a smooth and radiant smile upon my face.  

Quantitative Ingredients: Caster Sugar, Organic Jojoba Oil, Dark Chocolate Flavour, Tangerine Oil, Sweet Orange Oil, Fair Trade Vanilla Absolute, Cocoa Absolute, Cocoa Powder, *Limonene, *Linalool.

Vegan?: Yes.

2016 Price: £5.95 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2016.

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