Polyamorous Bath oil

Polyamorous means the practice of intimacy with more then one partner, in which all involved are aware of, and consent to, the arrangement. With humans being far more open and accepting of different sexualities and practices these days, it is only fitting that Lush have decided to celebrate this freedom and highlight one such different outlook on life.

Polyamorous is a new contender for my favourite Bath Oil, as well as being a new addition to the impressive array of oils and melts already on offer from the company. While I cannot claim that I turn to bath oils all that often, I have definitely found myself craving this one a number of times this last month, and I have enjoyed every single experience.

Shaped like a heart with smaller hearts painted across the surface, this is perhaps the most beautifully designed oils of all the ones currently available. For such a small product - coming in about the 3cm in length and 1.5cm in height - this miniature masterpiece is warming, comforting, and perfect for those who perhaps wish for more company but only have a bath tub to explore. 

Containing a combination of orange, sandalwood and jojoba oils, you would expect Polyamorous to offer a fruity aroma. However, it is the inclusion of the violet leaf absolute that provides the strongest component overall.  

To me, this bath oil has a warm, sweet and slightly musky violet scent - nowhere near as sultry and potent as Tuca Tuca, yet equally not as grassy as Kerbside Violet. In fact, it smells very similar to how I remember Metropolis smelling. The inclusion of the sandalwood grounds the different notes again, and you can detect a very subtle uplifting element that I thinks comes from the orange oil. However, this Bath Oil is predominantly violet with a touch of wordiness to completely to compliment the floral components.

In the water, this bath oil sinks like the majority of Lush oils and melts. This is always disappointing to be because I usually like to indulge in a bath melt or bath bomb whilst I am already in the bath myself. Once submerged, I like to watch the product dissolve across the surface of the water and see the oils become absorbed into the skin. Unfortunately, Polyamorous simply sunk to the bottom of the tub and I ended up melting the product down between my fingers because I didn’t want to find myself sitting on it while I was bathing.

Once fully dissolved, the Bath Oil didn’t really do anything to the water, which was expectation anyway so it wasn’t as if I was disappointed by this. However, I would recommend that you use this along a bath bomb (Ylang Song, Ne Worry Pas) or Bubble Bar (Baa Bar, Bathos) as you’ll end up with a rather disappointing looking bath if you use it by itself.

Another aspect of Polyamorous that I was little disappointed with was the fact that the scent didn’t linger on my skin after I had towelled myself down. Although I expect a lot from my products, and the main purpose of this bath oil is to add extra oils and butter to soften, I would still have liked to have detected a slight musky sweetness on my body. While I can vouch that the scent does make an impression in the water, and I was rather impressed by how much it held itself against other cosmetics I was using at the time, I would have assumed that at least a small note could have made itself known afterwards.

Having said that, my skin did feel lovely and smooth afterwards, and Polyamorous is definitely a bath oil that makes a difference to the softness of the water when it’s fully dissolved. You could probably cut this in half, if you’re rather reserved about using your Lush products. However, I think using the whole product in a single bath will heed the best results, and help you to make the most of this softening little gem.

To conclude I will say that this is a fantastic edition to Lush’s extensive bath melts and oils. It’s wonderful to have a violet-scented Bath Oil available at all times, as I know a lot of consumers love the naturally sweet and floral components of violets. This is definitely one I would buy again - perhaps over most of the other variations currently on offer - and I am equally excited to try the other two new editions to see if they’re equally as impressive.

Quantitative Ingredients: Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter, Sodium Bicarbonate, Laureth 4, Cream of Tartar, Perfume, Alpha-Isomethyl ionone, Organic Shea Butter, Brazilian Orange Oil, Sandalwood Oil,  Violet Leaf Absolute, Organic Jojoba Oil, Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, Titanium Dioxide, *Citral, *Limonene, Colour 17200, Colour 45410.

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: £2.50 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2017.

Coming soon!

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Snowcloud Soap

Sometimes I get the impression that Lush put a great deal of effort into their releases; other times it seems almost as if they’ve not thought things through. When it comes to Snowcloud Soap, this beautiful little seasonal special is sure to be overlooked, when up against the likes of the stunning Golden Pear Soap, and the classic Baked Alaska, that is so potent in smell and colour. However, those that do venture into trying this soap out to size, will hopefully appreciate just how lovely the soap actually is. 

Shaped like a cloud and sporting a rather dull-looking white/grey design, Snowcloud offers a sweet and slightly fruity floral fragrance. Sharing its scent with the non-vegan Orange Blossom Liquid Perfume, I was extremely happy that I was finally able to enjoy this scent, although I would obviously have preferred it if I had a better format in which to do it with. While I was able to briefly appreciate it when I used Elbow Grease for the first time, my guilt at discovering it wasn’t vegan was enough to turn my experience bitter very quickly.

Made from a collaboration of rosewood, ylang ylang, orange flower, sandalwood and neroli, this soap sounded on paper like it was going to offer a very heavy fragrance. Yet, Lush have managed to balance out these components so that you experience something rich and robust; yet something that is also beautifully delicate and feminine. 

The rosewood, ylang ylang and orange flower create a dry, musky and very floral base for this soap - yet one that isn’t particularly heavy on the senses. I think the inclusion of the sandalwood helps these floral notes from being too aggressive, as there is a very subtle wordiness that rounds all four components off perfectly. Alongside this, the inclusion of the neroli adds a delicate sprinkling of citrus, which adds a slight bitterness, but helps to make the aroma slightly refreshing as well.

As with all of Lush’s gourmet soaps, this one features a base of cocoa butter - which means that it is a little more moisturising than their usual soaps. As with most of the seasonal range, I did find that this one was created a thick, slightly oily lather to clean myself with, and there was an abundance of it to use so I didn’t keep having to hold this under the shower to stimulate the ‘foam’. In fact, I would highly recommend that you keep this away from the running water as much as you can, as this soap shrunk really quickly for me, and definitely doesn’t work out good value for money when it’s dissolved away into nothing after only two weeks.

What sets this soap apart from the other seasonal releases, is that this one also features kaolin - an ingredient known for absorbing excess moisture, cleaning out pores and softening the skin. I found that Snowcloud was great to use on my hands after a day out in the freezing cold. Using this straight away helped to elevate the redness and soften my skin at the same time. Having said that, I wouldn’t only use this soap as a hand wash, as it does leave its scent on your skin afterwards, and it seems like a bit of a waste to use it on only one body part. 

Ultimately, Snowcloud is definitely a soap that most likely got overlooked in favour of some of the more vibrant-looking variations - which is a shame given how much this soap offers. I actually really enjoyed using my single piece of this, and I wouldn’t be surprised if this appeared at some point in the near future. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Propylene Glycol, Marshmallow Root Decoction (Althaea Officinalis) (Althaea Officinalis Root Extract), Kaolin, Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter (Theobroma cacao), Extra Virgin Coconut Oil (Cocos nucifera), Water (Aqua), Organic Castor Oil (Ricinus communis), Sodium Hydroxide, Fragrance, Talc, Glycerine, Titanium Dioxide, Neroli Oil (Citrus Aurantium amara), Orange Flower Absolute (Citrus Aurantium amara) (Citrus Aurantium Amara (Orange) Flower Water) Rosewood Oil (Aniba rosaeodora), Sandalwood Oil (Fusanus spicatus), Ylang Ylang Oil (Cananga odorata), Citric Acid, Sodium Bicarbonate, *Linalool, *Limonene, *Hydroxycitronellal, Benzyl Benzoate, Geraniol, Blue 1, Red 4, Red 33.

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: £4.75 for 100g.

Year Of Original Release: 2017.

Scent Family: 
Elbow Grease Moisturising Bar
Mandarin's Tea Party Soap

Orange Blossom Bath Oil (Oxford Street 2015)

Orange Blossom Candle 

Orange Blossom Liquid Perfume (non vegan)

Snowcloud Soap

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Hedgewitch Soap

Too many soaps; too little time I say - my skin is certainly not going to be happy with me when I manage to get through this year's seasonal collection. Yet it is such a shame that my skin doesn't react well to the many variations that Lush offer, as the fragrances that come with them are far superior to their rather pathetic range of shower gels that are currently on show. 

One of two brand new products to feature the Plum Rain fragrance, this limited edition will have you salivating with its collection of different berries - which not only offer a beautiful, fruity scent to indulge in, but also works at cleansing the pores and radiating the skin at the same time.

Based on a witch who creates herbal and plant-based healing concoctions, Hedgewitch claims to put the spring back into your skin. With freeze-dried blackberries and dried mulberries in the ingredients list, Hedgewitch reads more like a dessert than a cosmetic. Both of these components help to clean the pores and work as antioxidants to clean and clear the skin at the same time. The inclusion of the osmanthus absolute adds a sweet but subtly green fragrance to the soap, which along with the mandarin oil gives this seasonal special a light, sweet but very fruity fragrance.

Strangely, the soap features a honeysuckle infusion which is something that neither the body spray or the shower gel feature. However, honeysuckle is known for its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, which is a bonus for those using the soap regularly on your skin. As I use most of my soaps as hand soaps anyway, this extra feature is a welcome bonus for my skin. 

While this soap does have the same fragrance as Plum Rain, it is not an exact replica. The inclusion of both the honeysuckle and the osmanthus add a green, almost floral note to the scent, which sits alongside the fruity components and add a different spin

Unfortunately for me, I ended up being sent a slab that was mostly red, which is a shame given that the whole wheel contains a combination of different colours. However, it did complement the fruity fragrance so I wasn't overly bothered by that fact. I was also hoping to receive a number of pieces of both mulberries and blackberries in both of the pieces I bought, as I was hoping the soap might be a little exfoliating with these under the surface. Unfortunately, these are sparsely added in across the entire wheel, so you may be lucky if you get one or two piece throughout the whole chunk.

Surprisingly, I discovered that this, along with many of the seasonal soaps, features a gourmet base - which I was hoping would mean that Hedgewitch would be far more moisturising than a typical Lush Soap. I did find that the lather it created was super creamy and slightly oily in consistency, although this still didn't perform miracles for my skin.

What I will say is that the soap produces a rich, creamy gel-like foam that massages across your body with ease. You need very little water to stimulate the ingredients in this seasonal special, and those who love fruity fragrances will love how the scent lingers for a short time on the skin afterwards. This 100g block lasted me a good two-to-three months before it was too small to hold under the water. For this reason, it is much better value than the shower gel. 

While in use, I found that my skin looked and felt really radiant, and after I had towelled myself down, my skin appeared quite plump and soft - thanks no doubt to the inclusion of the cocoa butter. However, some areas felt quite taut after a short time, and I did need to apply a body lotion to ensure that my skin stayed as supple as it felt in the shower.

This is a great soap to use in the winter time and I will continue to use my last piece until I run out. As I said above, Hedgewitch is great for fans of Plum Rain, who want something a little brighter, fruiter and slightly greener. However, it's unlikely that a soap will ever be able to replace my love of shower gels, and I will not be buying any more of these before the season is out.

Quantitative Ingredients: Honeysuckle Infusion (Lonicera capifolium), (Lonicera Caprifolium (Honeysuckle) Extract), Propylene Glycol, Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter (Theobroma cacao), Extra Virgin Coconut Oil (Cocos nucifera), Water (Aqua), Organic Castor Oil (Ricinus communis), Sodium Hydroxide, Fragrance, Osmanthus Absolute (Osmanthus fragrance), Petitgrain Oil (Citrus Aurantium amara), Sicilian Mandarin Oil (Citrus nobilis), Freeze Dried Blackberries (Rubus Fruticosus) Dried Mulberries (Morus Alba), Glycerine, Titanium Dioxide, Gardenia Extract (Gardenia jasminoides), Citric Acid, Sodium Bicarbonate, *Citral, *Limonene, *Linalool, Red 4 Yellow 8 Red 28 Red 33 Green 5.

Vegan?: Yes. 

2017 Price: £4.95 for 100g.

Year Of Original Release: 2017.

Scent Family:
Hedgewitch Soap
Plum Rain Body Spray
Plum Rain Naked Shower Gel
Plum Rain Shower Gel
Plum Snow Bubble Bar

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Christingle Naked Body Conditioner

I felt a little sad when I reached for my next naked Body Conditioner and realised that I was down to my last one. While each and every variation has yet to live up to its liquid sibling, I have enjoyed the process of using something that I know is the beginning of the future, in regards to its self-preservation and lack of packaging. These small, colourful blocks may look like something a child has made out of play-doh, but the ethics and concept behind such a move is a pinnacle moment for the future of sustainability. 

In all fairness, I normally save the best to last, just because I like to enjoy the most exciting part of a meal at the end. However, with Christingle Naked Body Conditioner, I actually held off from using it out of fear of how freezing I would feel after using this when the weather is so bitterly cold.

Sharing its scent with both the potted Conditioner and Eskimo Bubble Bar, Christingle has multiple purposes. Firstly, it’s main job is to moisturise and nourish the skin whilst you’re in the shower, in replacement of using a body lotion afterwards. As the product is exposed to the warm temperature of the water, the Conditioner not only melts quickly - making it easier to massage across the body, but the steam also opens up the pores, which encourages more butters to be absorbed. This gives the user a much more intense moisturising session, that lasts far longer than a body lotion would. 

When it comes to Christingle, I could definitely recognise these oils and butters at work. My skin felt instantly revitalised; supple and smooth during and after the Shower; and it came with a radiant glow that stayed with me the whole day. In fact, my partner actually commented on how shiny my legs looked after using this, and I noticed a vast improvement in the condition of my skin after a couple of days. 

What sets Christingle apart from the other body conditioners is that it actually contains menthol crystals as well. This means that one the Body Conditioner has had a few minutes to settle and absorb into the skin, you begin to experience a cooling sensation that continues even after you’ve patted yourself down. While the liquid version was incredibly powerful, and I found myself shivering near on every time I used this in my showers, the naked edition wasn’t as potent. Although I would probably normally see this as a negative trait, I actually preferred the less intense cooling effect that this product offered. 

Much like above, I found the combination of peppermint and spearmint to be a little less intense on the senses as well. While you could still smell the distinctive ‘Christingle’ aroma from the start, and more so in the shower, l really appreciated that it wasn’t as strong as it’s liquid sibling. For this reason, you can enjoy all of the refreshing benefits that Christingle has on offer, but just at a much more tolerable level. 

As with all of the naked and regular body conditioners, I often use these in replacement of a shaving cream. And just like all of the variations I have tried so far, this one was equally as good at offering me a very close shave. The inclusion of the various oils and butters in these conditioners means that the skin is far more supple, meaning that you’re much less likely to cut yourself with your razor. Moreover, you’ll be left with smooth, shiny legs to boot, that won’t need any body lotion applied afterwards (that may irritate the freshly-exposed pores.)

I found that Christingle worked far better in the shower, although I was able to use the product in both environments. Your pores are usually open, when exposed to the hot water of the shower, but they’re not saturated with water, like they would be in a bath. Therefore, the Body Conditioner was easier to massage across the skin, when I wasn’t sitting in water, and I found that more of the product melted onto my skin this way.

Once I had applied the Conditioner, I stepped out of the shower and patted myself down with a towel. This allowed the various butters to continue working on the skin for the next hour, and it kept me feeling cool and refreshed as well. While the scent of this dispersed within the first twenty minutes of exiting the shower, the effects of the menthol kept my body temperature down for a good while afterwards, which is why this would be perfect for the warmer weather.

My only gripe with this, as is with every one of Lush’s naked conditioners, is that it’s far too easy to use the product up within a handful of goes. If like me you enjoy scorching showers, it’d be a good idea to step well away from the water before applying this. Furthermore, I certainly wouldn’t expose it to any water aside from the dampness of your skin. This will help extend its shelf life and make it as good value as its older sibling.

Overall, Christingle has many merits that outweigh the original version, and this would suggest that it’s the best Naked version I have yet to try. Not only will it leave you moisturised and feeling super refreshed, but it’ll make you feel good to know that you’ve done your bit for the environment at the same time. I will definitely be buying another one or two of these before the season is out.

Quantitative Ingredients: Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter (Theobroma cacao) ,Water (Aqua), Murumuru Butter (Astrocaryum Murumuru), Fair Trade Shea Butter (Butyrospermum parkii), Japan Wax (Rhus succedanea), Carnauba Wax (Copernicia Cerifera), Organic Jojoba Oil (Simmondsia chinensis), Peppermint Oil (Mentha piperita), Spearmint Oil (Mentha spicata), Grapefruit Oil (Citrus paradisi), Cassia Oil (Cinnnamomum Cassia) (Cinnamomum Cassia Oil), Menthol Crystals, Lauryl Betaine, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, *Cinnamal, Hydroxycitronellal, *Limonene, *Linalool, Fragrance Blue 1.  

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: £5

Year Of Original Release: 2017.

Scent Family:
Christingle Body Conditioner
Christingle Naked Body Conditioner

Eskimo Bubble Bar

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Snow Fairy Sparkle Jar

As far as ideas go, this new concept is definitely very sweet and quirky, but I’d definitely say it’s more suited as a seasonal gift as opposed to a staple item in your collection. Only time will tell whether or not these jars will leave a lasting impression on Lush fans, although I can imagine this is not the last we will see of them...

Snow Fairy Sparkle Jar is one of two limited edition 'naked boxes' to make themselves known this Christmas. While brand new to the seasonal range, neither of them offer new scents - with this one, not surprisingly, sharing its scent with the popular Snow Fairy Range.

With an astonishing number of new products released in the scent this year, Snow Fairy fans are being spoiled rotten with their sweet, musky seasonal favourite. While this jar is reminiscent of the numerous products in this fragrance, I really liked the fact that this one was a little more powdery and a little less sickly-sweet than the shower gel. Snow Fairy Sparkle Jar is probably closer to Candy Fluff and the Liquid Perfume than anything: it’s a little more reserved and thus more exquisite because of this.

Contain an amalgamation of different butters and oils, the sparkle jars firstly work as massage bars. Simply massage them across your body and the heat will gently melt a thin layer away to moisturise and nourish your skin. I found that this one was a little stubborn to use at first, and I would recommend that you use it immediately after a shower or bath, as the heat will help the jar to be a little less stubborn when releasing those oils. If used when you’re cold, you could find that the product will leave sticky streaks across your skin, and you may need to rinse yourself and start again.  

As well as a massage bar, this product contains a filling of dusting powder - which should be used after you’ve applied the oils, to soften your skin further and leave a layer of sparkle to your skin. Although my picture shows that I severed the lid off to access the powder, you are supposed to pierce the two holes in the top and then sprinkle it into your skin. 

If using Snow Fairy Sparkle Jar, you need to be aware of two important things. Firstly, the massage bar is technically hollow inside, so you cannot apply as much pressure as you might normally do with a regular massage bar. In addtion, you may want to keep your eye on how much powder you have left inside (the more you use the jar), as if the outer layer thins too much after, you could end up with a messy spillage.

Secondly, the dusting power will leave a faint pink ‘glow’ across the areas of skin that you apply it to, and there will be a shimmer of silver lustre as well. For this reason, I would think carefully about when and how you’re using the sparkle jar, as this probably wouldn’t be very appropriate  to use all of the time. Having said that, I’m sure that most people who choose to use this, will probably have made me peace with both of these ideas beforehand.

While the concept was adorable and definitely something I would add to a small gift hamper or stocking, I don’t think this is a product that I would use regularly. Although always one for a Sparkle-fest, I am not overly bowled over by the Snow Fairy scent anymore, and I do had my limits when it comes to how much lustre I want to coat my skin in.

Another aspect that will prevent me from buying another is that I don’t find my skin particularly benefits from the butters and oils, anywhere near to the same standard as a regular massage bar. This is definitely more about the novelty than the nourishment of the skin - something I need to ensure does happen during the colder months.

Ultimately, I love that Lush are trying out new ideas, and this will prove really popular throughout the seasonal months. Snow Fairy fans will appreciate a new product to try their hands at, and handfuls of these will find themselves as gifts for certain. However, I will continue to use my Sparkle Jar every now and then, but I don’t have any interest in buying another one before they disappear.

Quantitative Ingredients: Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter (Theobroma cacao) ,Corn Starch (Zea mays), Sodium Bicarbonate, Magnesium Carbonate, Fragrance, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Titanium Dioxide, Synthetic Musk (Ethylene Brassylate), Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Tin Oxide (Tin oxide), Iron Oxides, *Limonene, *Citral Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Red 7, Red 27, Lake. *Occurs naturally in essential oils.

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: £6.95 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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Want To Believe Bath Melt

Back when I would spend my entire monthly salary on eBay 'bargains', I never filtered what I would and would not invest in. Therefore, I found myself quite quickly building up a collection of, what I can only describe as relics: products that were clearly passed their best, but still excited me enough that I wanted them in my life.

One of those less than perfect items was the interesting-looking Want To Believe Bath Melt - which isn't the most attractive product to begin with, so you can only imagine what they would look like 3-4 years past their best before. To say that they were a royal flop in the bath is an understatement. Having said that, I actually quite enjoyed the unique idea behind the bath melt, and was a little disappointed when I couldn't give it any more than an embarrassing one-bottle rating.

When Lush released them in the Kitchen in late 2016, I was really excited to finally discover how a fresh one would function in the bath, and how the fragrance would fare on the skin. Having already had a lot of positive experiences with products that feature charcoal, I was expecting quite a lot from this item, and I can honestly say that I was impressed with the outcome.  

Taken from the idea of naughty children getting coal in their Christmas stockings, this bath melt is for those who haven't quite made Santa's 'nice' list this year. Packed with an array of ingredients to soften and replenish the skin, this seasonal treat is a gift that keeps on giving.

Firstly, the inclusion of charcoal makes this far more effective than most of the other Lush bath melts that I have tried before. Not only is charcoal known for drawing out toxins and bacteria from the skin, it is also great at balancing out oily skin and leaving it looking radiant without any excess grease. Although I have dry skin, I did notice that my complexion looked and felt far more radiant within a short while of being in the bath. In fact, my face felt noticeably smoother and more radiant for a good 24 hours after I had used one of these. 

Alongside the charcoal is fennel oil, which is not only one of the key components in the overall smell, but also uses its antiseptic properties in the water to calm and clean the skin while you're bathing. Furthermore, the soya milk softens the water and offers a creamy respite in the tub, while the cocoa butter and starflower oil, which evidently is known for its anti-aging properties, only adds to the experience, and ultimately makes this a feast for the skin.    

Described as having a liquorice scent, Want To Believe offers quite a dry, aniseed-like smell. Yes there is the fennel element present, and you get a slight sweetness from the starflower oil. However, the charcoal does play a part at grounding the scent - which is rather gentle to begin with, need I say, and giving it an almost powdery fragrance. In addition, the inclusion of the granulated sugar adds a gentle syrup-like note to the bath melt, which is lovely.

Despite the black attire, this bath melt is a real softy at heart, and I was thrilled to see how much of an impression it made in the water. Within a matter of seconds, the bath melt was dissolving across the tub - sending out both swirls of creamy white foam and glistening flecks of black and silver lustre. It certainly wasn't the most interesting of experiences to watch, but it was something very different, and I appreciated that.

While I used the whole melt in a single bath, this would easily last across two or three, if you wanted to stretch your money a little further. Given how silky-smooth the water was after using an entire one, I can safely say that you'll definitely get the full-body moisturising session you're craving, using only half of this. In fact, if you don't enjoy baths that are too nourishing and silky, you may wish to segment this bad boy to prevent disappointment. 

Although no one wants a piece of coal in their Christmas stocking, I would happy to have a handful of these in mine. Despite being very different from the usual fruity bath oils/melts that Lush pride themselves on, I really appreciated how well this worked in the water. It may not have a fragrance that will bowl you over, but it does have enough butters to leave your winter-kissed skin soft and ready to face the day ahead.

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter, PEG–6 Caprylic / Capric Glycerides & PEG-60 Almond Glycerides, White Granulated Sugar, Perfume, Cold Pressed Organic Starflower Oil, Powdered Charcoal, Fennel Oil, Soya Milk, *Limonene, Silver Glimmer Lustre.

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: £5.75 each.

Year Of Original Release: ?

Coming soon!

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Snow Fairy Cold-Pressed Soap

Sometimes Lush make decisions that confuse me a little - make me think that perhaps I have little understanding of how they work and what goes into creating a seasonal range. When it came to Snow Fairy Cold Pressed Soap, I was initially perplexed about the purpose of its release - only because Lush Mechanic shares the same scent and is available to purchase freely online across the year. However, the more I delved into my thoughts, the more I began to engage with multiple reasons for why the company have done such a thing. 

Firstly, Lush Mechanic is not readily available across the globe, so this seasonal soap is a great opportunity for Snow Fairy Fans to try out something new in the fragrance. Secondly, the soap will be available in stores - not just online, so consumers have better access to it without feeling like they have to invest in a large order. Finally, as there are so many products with the same smell already, this offers an even bigger expanse for consumers who have a sweet tooth.

Being someone who is very much into healthy eating, I was already aware of what cold-pressed meant in terms of the food industry and how this idea might transpire into a soap. Although most companies tend to heat up their oils, melt them down and mix them together before leaving them to set, cold-pressed is when ingredients are pressed, ground down and mixed together while keeping the temperature low at all times (below 49°C to be precise). The lack of heat used throughout this process means that the oils retain all of their flavour, aroma and nutritional value - making them better for consumption as well as for the skin.

While soaps that have been produced in this fashion tend to be harder because the ingredients are quite heavily compressed together, they tend to have a  longer life span than regular soaps because they contain less liquid - liquid that would normally evaporate over time and dry the soap out. To prove this point, I have had all three of Lush's new cold-pressed soaps for near enough three months now and they have not changed in consistency at all during this time.

Snow Fairy Soap contains a base of coconut, almond and castor oil, along with a generous helping of cocoa butter to soften things up. While I don't find Cold Pressed soaps to be as moisturising as gourmet soaps, there is still something appealing about the thick lather that most seem to create in the shower. This one was no exception - creating creamy, florescent pink suds to massage across the skin. What I really liked about this Soap, was that it even lathered up when I ran it across my body, which some soaps don't do. This meant that I was able prevent my hands from becoming too dry after usage, and the consistency gave me a gentle exfoliation at the same time. 

The inclusion of the synthetic musk is what gives this product its famous Snow Fairy fragrance, although it isn't a direct replica of the shower gel. While sweet and musky, I felt as if the smell of this was more like perfume - in that it wasn't so sickly or as fruity. There is something slightly more grounded about this scent that allows it to be a little more warming than your average Snow Fairy product. 

What was impressive about this limited edition was that, even though I used this directly under the running water, it didn't shrink particularly fast as some of Lush's other seasonal specimens. Furthermore, it was relatively fast at drying afterwards, so I would imagine it would last a good six weeks before needing to be replaced.

Unfortunately, I didn't find that this left my skin as desirable as it needs to be in the winter months. I still needed to moisturise daily, which I don't have to do with other Shower gels and jellies. Having said that, regular readers know my skin type by now, and I know that others I have spoken to have said that it's been moisturising for them. What I will say though is that Snow Fairy Cold Pressed Soap did leave my skin feeling clean and smooth, and maybe a generous helping of the Body Conditioner might have worked well in unison to creating velvet-soft skin.

While the scent did linger on my body afterwards, it was very faint on my skin and didn't stay around for particularly long. Had I paired this with the recently released Body Spray, I might have been able to extend this sweet, delicate experience.

Overall, this cold-Pressed Soap will be a favourite with consumers this year, if only because of the fragrance it pertains, and the cute design - which will definitely appeal to those who like bright, playful colours. This is not one I would buy again, although this is more because it doesn't suit my skin type as opposed to the product being at all bad.

Quantitative Ingredients: Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, Water (Aqua), Sodium Bicarbonate, Sodium Hydroxide, Cream of Tartar, Perfume, Almond Oil, Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter, Organic Castor Oil, Glycerine, Tapioca Starch, Citric Acid, Titanium Dioxide, Synthetic Musk, Propylene Glycol, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Tin Oxide, *Limonene, Alpha-Isomethyl ionone, Colour 45410, Colour 73360, Colour 45350, Natural Ingredients, Safe Synthetics.

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: £5.95 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2017.

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