Santa's Christmas Naked Shower Cream

While I love whenever Lush bring out a new product, this year's seasonal range has given me a whole of work to do - given that nearly every liquid product has been released as a solid edition as well. Although the reason behind this move is one that I support wholeheartedly, I cannot imagine my flat mates will be best pleased that I currently take twice as long in the shower, just so I can demo both versions at the same time. 

Santa's Christmas is one of the first Solid Shower Creams that I ever experienced, so I had no idea what to expect from the bottle-shaped, soap-look-a-like that joined me in the shower one early September morning. While a part of me was excited at the prospect of a solid shower cream, I held slight reservations that it was going to be little more than a soap under a different guise. How wrong could I be?

Firstly, I need to make it clear that not one of Lush's solid shower gels/creams can be compared to a bar of soap. Whereas soaps dry my skin out and leave my hands with a distinctive parched feel about them afterwards, not one of these limited editions has that effect. These exclusives are a different ball game altogether, and it only took me a matter of seconds to realise this in the shower.

Despite my intrigue into how the product worked, I was slightly less enthused by the fragrance of Santa's Christmas. At the risk of repeating myself, I should state that the scent of this product is not in anyway bad at all. However, it's a smell that I would describe as being both nice or pleasant: two adjectives that doesn't exactly inspire the fireworks to ignite. 

A new addition to the company's growing collection of Shower creams, Santa's Christmas is a sweet and creamy fruity concoction of ingredients - as warming as the vibrant shade of red that both the solid and its liquid counterpart sport. While neither editions will stain you or your bathroom, I would recommend that you play it safe with any splashes that may occur during your shower.

With as many ingredients as the liquid version, you would expect the solid cream to offer a strong, complex aroma to contend with. However, I found that the fragrance was disappointingly mild overall, and many of the ingredients didn't make an appearance at all. Featuring cinnamon, black pepper, aniseed and lime oils, as well as fresh orange juice, a coffee infusion and benzin resinoid, Santa's Christmas sounds like a powerhouse of ingredients. Having said that, it is only really the lime, orange and benzin resinoid.

While each of these don't impact the scent of this very much, they each have an important role that helps to make this seasonal special both moisturising and slightly clarifying on the skin as well. From the bottle, you can first smell the lime, orange and benzin resinoid. As many have said before me, this shower gel smells like slightly flat vanilla cola: it's both creamy and fruity, and it's perhaps slightly surprising that there isn't any tonka or vanilla absolute present in the ingredients list, to suggest the sweetness.

There is a very subtle shout out to the cinnamon infusion, but I feel as if it's only really noticeable because you're aware that it features in the ingredients list to begin with. I couldn't detect either the aniseed oil or the coffee infusion at all. Having said that, my skin did feel crisp and refreshed after using this, and I believe it is the latter ingredient that helps to clarify the skin and bring out that radiance and that vibrancy. 

Unlike other shower creams, this one is quite possibly the most difficult to extract from the bottle. It is almost as thick as one of Lush's buttercreams, and so when trying to remove it from the bottle it took a lot of effort to do so. Frustrated by this, I ended up removing the black lid altogether and squeezing it out through the neck of the bottle itself. 

As I was expecting, it wasn't particularly generous when lathering up, and I found that I had to use more than a regular gel to clean my whole body. Furthermore, the cream did have a red tinge to it that worried me a little to begin with, as I was expecting to find splashes of colour on my skin after I had rinsed the lather away. Luckily, there was no staining afterwards, although I did find that my sponge was slightly tarnished by the colour.

Having said that, Santa's Christmas did prove to be just as moisturising as you'd expect a shower cream to be, and this makes it a great winter product to help keep the skin in tip-top condition in the harsher conditions. In

When in comparison with the solid edition, I found that this version had a better fragrance - in that the fruitiness and the vanilla-like notes were more pronounced and more noticeable. In the shower, this version offered a stronger smell overall and I could still detect this on my skin over an hour after I had towelled myself down. 

Both editions were equally moisturising and I was impressed by how soft and smooth my skin felt after using each of them. However, I found that the solid edition was easier to use as it produced more of a foam-like lather, so I was able to use less overall and make the product last longer than the bottled version.

Overall, I'll be honest and say that I would have probably rated this shower cream higher if the scent had impressed me more than it did. Don't get me wrong, it is a lovely smell, but not one with the complexity of originality that I would expect from a Lush fragrance. Having said this, I can envisage that this will be very popular product this Christmas, and it wouldn't surprise me if it made an appearance next year as well.

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Cinnamon Infusion, Coffee Infusion, Sodium Stearate, Lauryl Betaine, Perfume, Almond Oil, Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter, Lime Oil, Aniseed Oil, Black Pepper Oil, Benzoin Resinoid, Fresh Lime Juice, Fresh Orange Juice, Titanium Dioxide, *Citral, *Limonene, Colour 16035, Colour 73360, Black Specerit Wax.

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: £10.75 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2017.

Scent Family:
Santa Baby Lip Tint
Santa Baby Naked Lip Tint
Santa's Christmas Naked Shower Cream

Santa's Christmas Shower Cream

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Santa's Christmas Shower Cream

Lush is about as unpredictable as you can possibly get when it comes to their releases. Products that seem incredibly popular suddenly find themselves being discontinued to the shock of the masses; scents that create an instant buzz seem to fade into the distance, never to be seen or heard from again; fragrances that are rarely spoken about within the community, are suddenly made the focal point of a seasonal release.

I cannot imagine that there would be many people who ever envisaged Santa Baby being made into a Shower Cream, let alone one that would be so prominent in this year's Christmas range. While not in anyway bad, the fragrance is not exactly one that inspires a strong reaction from most people, myself included, and Lush must have had some reason for including it in their collection this year. 

Santa's Christmas is a new addition to the company's ever-growing collection of Shower creams - a sweet and creamy fruity concoction of ingredients that is as impressive as the vibrant shade of red that it offers in the bottle. Featuring both a coffee and a cinnamon infusion; lime, black pepper and aniseed oils, you would expect the scent of this to be very different from the one that greets you from the bottle. 

With so many different components, you would expect a strong, complex aroma to contend with. However, I found that this shower cream was far milder in fragrance than I was expecting, which is perhaps why it hasn't made as much of an impact on my senses as some of the more 'in your face' products.

From the bottle, the initial smell, that both myself and the majority of people who I've spoke to about agree on, is one reminiscent of flat vanilla cola. There is a soft bed of creaminess that makes its presence known straight away - one laced with both lime and vanilla, with a delicate layer of cinnamon underneath to  add a little subtle seasonal spice.

Surprisingly, you will notice that there doesn't appear to be any vanilla in the ingredients list. However, the inclusion of the cocoa butter not only makes this shower cream rather moisturising on the skin, but it also offers a comforting blanket of sweetness that governs the aroma without a doubt. 

Strangely, I wasn't able to detect much of the coffee or the aniseed in the smell, although I would imagine that they do contribute to the overall 'roundedness' of the shower cream. Having said that, I did find that this product did well at cleaning my skin and leaving it feeling really smooth to the touch, and I wonder if both of these ingredients helped to give my skin some much needed clarity, that I did notice I could feel afterwards.

When compared to the naked version of this shower gel, I found that Santa's Christmas was quite hard to lather up, whereas the solid edition did produce some of a standard-looking lather. In regards to this version, I found myself using more than I would with a shower gel, just to ensure that I had enough to clean myself with.

Furthermore, I found it quite ironic, given the fact that Lush have brought out a solid version of this, as Santa's Christmas was perhaps the thickest shower cream I have used from the company to date. You really have to squeeze the bottle hard to get the product out, and it comes out as a thick paste, almost sharing its consistency with that of wasabi.

Despite this, I found that the scent of this version was much stronger and I was able to detect it longer on my skin. Furthermore, there is something rather enjoyable about using a shower cream that temporarily turns your skin the colour red because of how potent the colour is.

This is by far one of my least favourite seasonal shower creams to date, but only because the likes of Yummy Mummy and Prince Charming have set the bar so high in comparison. I will enjoy using my 250g bottle for the foreseeable future, but I don't see this as being one I would want to purchase again, or stock up on before the Christmas season is over.

Quantitative Ingredients: Glycerine, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Water (Aqua), Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter, Almond Oil, Stearic Acid, Coffee Infusion, Cinnamon Infusion, Cetearyl Alcohol, Lauryl Betaine, Perfume, Triethanolamine, Lime Oil, Aniseed Oil, Black Pepper Oil, Benzoin Resinoid, Fresh Lime Juice, Fresh Orange Juice, Titanium Dioxide, *Citral, *Limonene, Colour 16035, Colour 73360.

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: £10.95 for 250g, £17.95 for 500g.

Year Of Original Release: 2017.

Scent Family:
Santa Baby Lip Tint
Santa Baby Naked Lip Tint
Santa's Christmas Naked Shower Cream


Santa's Christmas Shower Cream

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Green Coconut Jelly Bath Bomb

It was during a Lush discussion the other day that I realised that the company don't offer that many coconut-scented products for vegans. Aside from Salted Coconut Hand Scrub and Trichomania Solid Shampoo, there aren't very many other options for those of us who love the uniquely-smelling fruit. When Lush announced that Green Coconut Jelly Bath Bomb was coming to stores as a possible permanent, I was overly-excited to purchase one and try it out as soon as I could.

As with all of Lush's new jelly bomb inventions, this bath bomb features an ingredient called sodium alginate, which is a component taken from a type of brown seaweed found in the ocean. The ingredient, when added to water, reacts by creating a thick, gloopy residue, and it is this process that gives the new range of bath bombs their name.

As the name suggests, Green Coconut Jelly is a warming, musky-smelling bath ballistic, with coconut being the most dominant feature in the overall aroma. Alongside the cinnamon leaf oil, the coconut in this bath bomb is very different from the likes of any other product that Lush have released to date. In fact, what makes this fragrance very different is that it is much gentler and far subtler than other coconut-scented products.

While I didn't think so at first, a discussion with another Lushie highlighted the possibility that this bath bomb has an essence of green Thai curry about it. Although I wouldn't describe Green Coconut as having a 'foodie' smell at all, there is definitely something rather fresh and slightly aromatic about it.

To me, I get a sense of both coconut, and what I can only describe as the grassy element of lemongrass without the citrus component that you would normally expect. It is definitely not anywhere near as potent or spicy as the Asian dish. However, it does hold a resemblance to that of a fresh mix of coconut, kaffir leaves and lemongrass. Having said that, I should once again reiterate that this bath bomb does not have any of the fruity, citrusy components that you would normally expect from lemongrass; it merely has a bamboo-esque sort of aroma.

As with Dark Arts, this bath bomb begins fizzing immediately, and it doesn't take more than a few seconds for the sodium alginate to kick in begin creating that jelly-like coating on the surface. Surprisingly, I discovered that despite the identical structure of the bath bomb, Green Coconut didn't produce as much 'gloopy' overall, and the jelly come across as being quite as imposing in the water.

Once again, I should warn you that the base of the bath tub does become very slippery when you first get in, and those who need support getting into and out of the bath, may need extra help to ensure that they have a good grip before resting their feet on the base of the tub. Even though I had almost slipped over during my experience with Dark Arts, I still lost my footing with this one, and I would worry that others might not be quite as prepared as they need to be when using this bath bomb.

Much like the other jelly bombs, the mineral-rich sodium alginate makes the water super moisturising, and you don't have to be in the bath long to notice the difference the water makes to your skin. Again, this bath bomb might look like a grease-fest waiting to happen, but it is not at all oily. Instead, the balance of oils, the coconut cream, and the sodium alginate, make this a well-balanced and very nourishing bath for the skin. Unfortunately, there was very little remnants of the fragrance on my body afterwards, despite how smooth and radiant my skin felt when getting out of the bath.

Unlike Dark Arts, the jelly layer wasn't so imposing once I had got into the tub, and while I still experienced some of the gunk sticking to my skin for a while, it was a little easier to rinse away. As there was less of it as well, I found that the jelly dissolved a lot quicker into the water, and I was able to wash my hair without worrying about the mess it would collect under the surface. Furthermore, Green Coconut Jelly Bath Bomb didn't leave any unpleasant-looking stains on the tub, and I didn't even need to rinse away any unwanted residue afterwards either. 

Overall, I enjoyed how great my skin felt after using this, and I really appreciated the wonderful spring green colour of the water. While it offers quite a subtle aroma in the water, there is something rather refreshing yet comforting about the fragrance, which makes it great for those cooling summer baths. Although not one I would want to use all of the time, I think this is definitely fitting for this time of year, and I'd be interested to see if Lush bring out anything more in this scent. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Sodium Alginate, Coconut Cream, Perfume, Cinnamon Leaf Oil, Water (Aqua), Dipropylene, Glycol, Lauryl Betaine, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, *Eugenol, Colour 42090, Colour 47005.

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: £4.95 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2017.

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Dark Arts Jelly Bath Bomb

  

Let's be honest: Harry Potter is a series that lends itself well when it comes to cosmetics. There are so many different concepts within both the books and the films that play perfect inspiration for bath bombs and bubble bars, perfumes and much more. In all fairness, I'm a little surprised that it's taken this long for Lush to bring out a product such as Dark Arts.

One of four new 'jelly bombs', this ballistic is inspired by the more sinister side of J.K.Rowling's fictional world. As with the other variations of this new concept, this bath bomb features an active ingredient known as sodium alginate, which is what creates the jelly-like reaction in the bath water. Mineral-rich and known for its moisturising properties, this ingredient gets to work at making your bath one of the most nourishing experiences you could wish for.

Containing a combination of cinnamon, orange and almond oils, this bath bomb is surprisingly gentle in scent. While I would describe it as being a warming, musky cinnamon scent, unlike Cinders Bath Bomb or Taai Taai Shower Gel, the smell featured here is nowhere near as heated or as spicy. Instead, you get a slightly powdery cinnamon smell with a subtle hint of orange. The fruity side of the orange oil is also very dampened in Dark Arts, so don't expect more than a gentle reference; while the almond oil offers an almost burnt-like note that sits alongside the other components and rounds the smell off. 

While I think it's a lovely fragrance to bathe with, I would have quite liked it to have been a little stronger, and I also find it a rather odd choice for a summer release. I see this as being more of a limited edition Christmas or Halloween product, as it would be more suited to that time of year. Not that cinnamon is exclusively a winter scent; just that it would not be a product I would want to reach for in the warmer weather.    

Upon contact with the water, the bath bomb immediately begins to fizz, and sends out waves of thick, gloopy black colour across the surface of the tub. Quite a fast fizzer, it didn't take long for Dark Arts to fully dissolve, and what was left behind resembled that of an oil spillage at sea. There was a thick layer of jelly-like residue that clung to the water, and I found that the second I began to get into the tub, this stuff latched itself to my body and made a mess of my skin. 

Throughout the experience, I found that the jelly did begin to dissolve into the water, and within about fifteen minutes it had fully disappeared. However, during this initial stage, the gloopy mess stuck to most parts of my body and had to be rubbed a number of times to clean it off. Although it certainly didn't stain myself or the tub at any point, it was a little stubborn at removing itself from my skin.

One word of warning that should be heeded is that the base of the tub becomes extremely slippery when you first hoist yourself into the bath - a fact I learnt fairly quickly when I almost slipped over when climbing into the waters of this very bath bomb. 

Once you're submerged in the water, the jelly gets to work at moisturising your skin very effectively, and I was definitely impressed with how soft and shiny my body looked and felt afterwards. Furthermore, it should be noted that I would not describe this experience as being at all oily or greasy in the slightest. While it looks as though it's going to be too overwhelming, there was just enough of the sodium alginate to make an impression on the skin, without drowning your pores. 

Having said that, I did not particularly enjoy the many smudges that appeared around the outside of my bath tub after using one of these. While most of the smudges can be rinsed away easily afterwards, I found that if the bath hadn't been scrubbed clean beforehand, black smudges did make their way to these places. In addition, some of the black residue did remain on the back of my legs, unbeknownst to me, and this transferred onto my towel afterwards, which then had to be cleaned right away.

Although the bath bomb wont stain your skin or the bath permanently, there was something rather messy about this experience that I didn't really enjoy. With the amount of 'gunk' present, I wouldn't feel confident washing my hair in the water, and I didn't feel as refreshed or as clean when I stepped out of the tub, as I would with most other bath bombs. 

Finally, I found that the fragrance of this was a little weaker than I was hoping for. For a bath bomb such as Dark Arts, which makes a big statement with its design and functionality, I was expecting something a little bit bolder and stronger than the aroma that stayed with me in the bath tub. 

While this is a novelty concept, and one that I have enjoyed testing out in my bath, this is not one that will sustain my interest for very long, and definitely not one I would buy regularly. Although I understand the allure of a Harry Potter-inspired bath bomb will no doubt make this a popular seller over the coming months, I cannot see this as being one that'll have much longevity in the great scheme of things.

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Sodium Alginate, Cornflour, Perfume, Almond essential oil, Brazilian Orange Oil, Cinnamon Leaf Oil, Titanium Dioxide, Propylene, Glycol, Laureth 4, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Tin Oxide, *Eugenol, *Cinnamal, *Limonene, Colour 77491, Colour 77266, Colour 17200, Colour 16035, Colour 60725.

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: £4.95 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2017.

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New Hot Hair Oil Treatment

 While the rest of my life has come on in leaps and bounds this year, 2017 has not been a great year for my hair. After removing my extensions and causing some long-term damage in the process, an iron deficiency meant that my locks lost a good amount of their volume at the same time. Although I wanted to try everything in my power to rectify this problem, I also recognised the fact that I didn't want to throw everything at my hair and cause even further issues to arise.

When Lush unveiled their new hot hair oil treatments at their exclusive Summit event last month, I thought this would be the perfect time to really test out their merits, and what better way of doing that than by starting with the very release that boasted scalp stimulation and hair growth.

New Hot Hair Oil Treatment, as its name suggests, shares the same fragrance and characteristics as the best-selling New Solid Shampoo Bar. Designed to target the scalp in particular, the shampoo bar and this latest release features a combination of ingredients that supposedly stimulate the hair follicles and encourage new hair growth.

Cinnamon leaf, bay and clove bud essential oils have been added here, and they are at the forefront of the fragrance. Combined with menthol-rich peppermint and nettle, these ingredients supposedly boost blood flow in the scalp, which in turn stimulates the hair follicles. As a finishing touch, rosemary has been added to calm and protect your scalp and adds a glorious shine to your hair.

With this particular hot oil treatment, Lush have also added in a generous amount of jojoba oil. This not only helps to combine all of the ingredients into the format that it is presented as, but also allows the oils to coat your hair so that it can get to work at strengthening and rehydrating successfully.

To use, fill half an empty 250g Lush pot with boiling water, which probably equates to about 150ml if you wish to measure it out exactly. Immediately begin stirring the New Hot Hair Oil Treatment, keeping it submerged under the water so that the heat will melt down the solid block as quickly as it can. To begin with, you'll find that a few oils will float to the surface and there'll be a separation between the product and the existing water. However, as more of the essential oils dissolve into the water, you'll find that the consistency will thicken, and after about 3-4 minutes the whole block would have fully dissolved and left you with a thick paste. At this stage, you may wish to add a little extra water, if you desire a thinner consistency. However, I would recommend leaving it as thick as it is. This makes it far easier to apply to your scalp and hair, and you won't have any problem with the product dripping off and causing a mess. 

Despite its size, some users may find that they're able to get two uses out of this product. I have medium-length hair and rather consistency, and I found that I was able to cover my whole head with about two-thirds of the pot. Had I melted two of these down together, I reckon I could have probably stretched the treatments out across three uses. However, I should point out that if you do save this for a second application, I would use it up within two weeks and ensure that you store it in the fridge between uses. As there are no preservatives needed in this product in its solid form, adding water will only increase the area that bacteria can grow in, therefore encouraging the treatment to develop mould over time. 

Once you have applied it to your hair, wrap your head in either cling film or a carrier bag. This will generate heat and allow the oils to get to work, penetrating each strand of hair and stimulating the scalp. After 20-30 minutes, you will need to wash the product out of your hair, and you may find that you'll need to wash your hair twice through - the second time with a shampoo to ensure that all of the product has been rinsed out successfully.

What I found was that New Hot Hair Oil Treatment was quite stubborn when it came to rinsing it out, and when I first washed it through with just water, my hair was left with some of the oils still present. Using a solid shampoo bar and washing it a second time removed all of those oils and left me with wonderful, clean locks.

Once my hair had been brushed and left to dry naturally, I found that I could already see some volume that hadn't been there previously. It wasn't enough to cause a revelation, but it definitely made me feel a little better, given how thin my hair currently is. The addition of this did not make my hair fluffy or frizzy either - the treatment just seemed to take what hair I had and bring out the natural wave that often gets flattened down when I brush it a few times.

On the negative side, I don't think this treatment is as deeply moisturising as the likes of Damaged and Tangled. However, my hair did feel wonderfully soft the next day and there was a natural shine to it which I associated with the hot oil. Furthermore, I could also detect remnants of the wonderful cinnamon smell the next day as well, although this wasn't so strong that it couldn't have been banished by using a strong shampoo to wash it off in the first place. 

While I think that Lush still need to reformulate it a little so that it isn't so stubborn when you try to rinse it out, everything else about New Hot Hair Oil Treatment is looking very positive. It would definitely be one that I would buy again, if it was to become a regular product, and I would be interested to see how much of an impact it could make when used over a longer period of time.     

Quantitative Ingredients: Cetearyl Alcohol & Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Organic Jojoba Oil, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Guar Gum, Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate, Fine Sea Salt, Cream of Tartar, Perfume, Citric Acid, Bay Oil, Cinnamon Leaf Oil, Clove Bud Oil, Nettle Absolute, Rosemary Absolute, Nettle leaves, Peppermint leaves, Cinnamon Powder, *Benzyl Benzoate, *Cinnamal, *Eugenol, *Limonene, *Linalool, Colour 73360.

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: £6.50 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2017.

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Phoenix Bath Melt

When the Lush Kitchen first brought out the Phoenix Bubble Bar, I was so excited that I bought more than I care to say. However, my dreams were dashed when I received the product and discovered that it didn't smell anything like I was expecting it to. To add to insult, it was perhaps one of my least favourite scents in a bath product ever, and I still have a surplus of them lingering around in a box, collecting dust.

For this reason, when I found out that Phoenix Bath Melt was making an appearance in the Lush Kitchen, I wasn't exactly enamoured by the thought of the same scent in a different format. Having said that, I did discover that this

limited edition is definitely different from its sibling, and it made me appreciate how the same ingredients can have very diverse results when presented in different formats.

Containing cinnamon leaf, clove leaf and sandalwood oil, this bath melt has been created to wake you up, warm your spirit and revitalise you; very much like a phoenix rising from the ashes. If you want to know what winter smells like, this bath melt is a good representative of what I envisage, when I think about those key components that make the colder months a little more bearable on the skin and mind.

Much like the bubble bar, the clove leaf oil is definitely the strongest component - lacing with the cinnamon oil to create a strong, dry and very herbal smelling product. There is an element of spice from the cinnamon here, but I found that the undercurrent of sandalwood rounded off the bath melt so the overall aroma wasn't too heated. 

Aside from the above ingredients, Phoenix Bath Melt also contains the usual base of cocoa butter and almond oil. These make up a large percentage of the
product, and are not only known for being really nourishing and conditioning on the skin, but melt at the right temperature so you wont be left with any stubborn clumps in the tub. 

When you place one of these in the water, it only takes a matter of seconds for Phoenix to begin melting - releasing a puddle of oils and butters across the surface of the water. This puddle tends to accumulate alongside the block while its melting, so you'll need to swish the water around to ensure that the oils are fully dissolved into the water, to reap the full benefits.

The bath melt takes about ten minutes to fully dissolve, by which time there is a gentle aroma floating around the bathroom. As its design suggests, this Phoenix will not alter the colour of the water - neither will it create any sort of colourful show for you to enjoy. However, there was a very subtle glean on the surface of the water from the inclusion of the oils. 

In all fairness, I didn't find this bath melt to be especially moisturising - enough to justify the price anyway. As far as bath melt go, it didn't make the water feel any thicker or softer on the skin. While my skin did feel smooth afterwards, it wasn't that different from how I would feel after using a bath bomb or bubble. 

Ultimately, Phoenix Bath Melt did not offer me anything new or exciting. In as many words, it's a fairly forgettable product, if I'm going to honest. Although the smell was robust enough to survive being dispersed across an entire bath, the colourless water meant that I had to add in a second product to make it worthwhile.

While I would recommend only using half of one in a bath, I don't think it offers enough to use it by itself, which means that this is quite a hefty investment for a few oils and butters. Despite lingering on my skin for a short while after towelling myself down, I found that I was much happier overriding it with a favourite perfume instead. This is not one that I would want to buy again. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter, Laureth 4, Almond Oil, Perfume, Cinnamon Leaf Oil, Clove Leaf Oil, Sandalwood Oil, *Benzyl Benzoate, *Cinnamal, *Eugenol, *Limonene, *Linalool.

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: £4.95 each.

Year Of Original Release: 1999.

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Fizzbanger Bath Bomb

Fizzbanger, much like So White, is one of those bath bombs that tends to get overlooked because it's not very visually attractive. However, just like So White, it's one of those bath bombs that has a lot to offer.  

Known as the 'Big Friendly Ballistic', this bath bomb is inspired by Roald Dahl's BFG. As the blues and yellows whirl and froth around the tub, and the popping candy adds the sound effects, you cannot help but imagine the wonderful fantasy world of Dahl's best-beloved character - making you instantly fall in love with this product.

The ballistic contains cinnamon leaf oil, Petitgrain oil, ylang ylang oil and gardenia, which meant that I was expecting a spicy, floral scent. However, I was pleasantly surprised when I found that the bath bomb smelt more like lemon green tea than anything else. There's a very refreshing element to the lemon scent here, and sides more with the natural, savoury lemongrass fragrance than the likes of sweet smelling lemon products such as Lemslip Buttercream or Bohemian Soap. 

When I did some research, I also discovered that this bath ballistic shares it's scent with Lush's perfume, Love, which I had on hand to compare. Although I could smell the similarities there, I feel that the perfume has a stronger scent, which means it's not as fresh smelling as the bath bomb but it's equally as beautiful. It also means that the layers of the fragrance are more pronounced in the bath bomb, making it more enjoyable and relaxing for the user. 

Lush claim that the bath bomb has been created with the apple part of the fragrance for the outer layers and cinnamon notes as the inner core. I was impressed then when I popped this bad boy into the water and could detect the different layers of scent as they made themselves known.

When dropped into the water the ballistic begins to dissolve very slowly leaving a trail of yellow foam on the surface of the bath water. This is when I was able to make out the fruity, apple scent - one that differs from So White by having a slightly sour element to it. As it continued to dissolve, mounds of deep blue foam began to spew out of the ballistic and this caused the water to change from a yellow colour into more of a turquoise shade. As the two colours continued to froth across the surface, they created an abundance of magical swirls of vibrant colour across the water, which in turn turned the water into a gorgeous shade of green underneath the foam.

As if that wasn't magical enough, this bath ballistic also features popping candy inside, and while the bath bomb was throwing colour across the tub, you could also hear the crackle and pop of the candy getting to work at the bottom of the tub. Just when I thought the experience was over, Lush surprised me once more by including little pieces of paper with the word 'bang' etched on them, which made their way to the surface to found off the whole magical experience. 

Although some may argue that these little touches are pointless, I think it makes Lush even more endearing and enjoyable for the user, and I really appreciated the gesture.

On the negative side, the scent did seem to fade quite quickly once the bath bomb had fully dissolved and by the end, it was very weak indeed. However, I was in the bath I loooooooong time, so it more than served it's purpose and it could just be because I had become accustomed to the smell that I could no longer detect it, when in fact it might have still been there.

After getting out of the bath, my skin felt really lovely and soft. The scent did linger on my skin for quite a while but it wasn’t really a strong scent and was soon overpowered by my body lotion. It would work in Lush's favour if they were to bring out a cream in the same scent as not only can I see it working really well in that format, but it would also be the perfect accompaniment for this bath bomb.

This is not one of my all-time favourite bath bombs, but it is definitely one I want to indulge myself in again and again. This would be lovely first thing in the morning to perk you up for the day ahead, or in the summer time when you need to revitalise your senses after a hot day.

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Popping Candy, Cream of Tartar, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Water, Cinnamon Leaf Oil, Petitgrain Oil, Ylang Ylang Oil, Cocamide DEA, Lauryl Betaine, Coumarin, *Eugenol, *Linalool, Perfume, Colour 42090, Colour 19140.

Vegan?: Yes

2015 Price: £3.35 each.
2017 Price: £3.95 each.

Scent Family:
Fizzbanger Bath Bomb
Lonely Hearts Bubble Bar
Love Apple Bubble Bar
Love Perfume
Love Potion Massage Bar

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