Showing posts with label cypress oil. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cypress oil. Show all posts

Flying Fox Solid Perfume


Despite the shower gel not being vegan, I have never been particularly interested in trying Flying Fox out all that much. While I am not opposed to jasmine, and certainly don't have an issue with the strength that it holds itself in this scent family, there is just something that I don't find all that desirable about the overall aroma.

Although the differing ingredients lists suggest that Flying Fox Solid Perfume doesn't share the same scent as Lust Solid Perfume, the two are so similar that you'd be hard-pressed to find much of a difference. While I will compare the two products below, for the interest of the consumer, I should probably state that these differences are so minor that many noses will probably not be able to detect these changes.

While Lust contains jasmine, ylang ylang, rose and vanilla, Flying Fox swaps the latter two ingredients for cypress and palmarosa oil - a transformation that surprisingly does very little to the overall smell of the perfume. What I will say is that Flying Fox does have better longevity on the skin - with it lasting almost double the time that Lust offered me, making this a good investment for fans of this scent.

From the tub, this solid fragrance is very much dominated by the jasmine. Heady and rather potent, this sweet and sultry floral component presides over every other ingredient - offering a smell that is intoxicating and sophisticated. As jasmine is an aphrodisiac, this perfume will make you feel rather sexy sporting it on your skin, and as I said in my review of Lust: encourages your primal needs to come to the forefront.

Alongside this are notes of ylang ylang, cypress and palmarosa: the former giving Flying Fox an element of 'green' about it, while still maintaining that sickly-sweet aroma; the cypress oil adding a gentle woody aroma that grounds the fragrance; the palmarosa adding to the sweetness of the jasmine and bringing its own subtle herbaceous element that I think makes this solid perfume rather intoxicating for the wearer.

On the skin, the jasmine settles back a little in the mix, and allows the ylang ylang and the cypress oils to come forward more. The warmth of your body will break apart the different elements here and give you a much lighter, pretty floral aroma. For those who find Lust Liquid Perfume too potent on the senses, but appreciate the use of jasmine, you may find that this solid perfume will work far better for you.  

While it's not one of my favourite fragrances from Lush, I will definitely say that this solid edition is very subtlely superior to Lust. While I don't think there is enough of a difference to warrant buying one, there is minute difference that will draw some Lush fans to invest and see for themselves. Those with a very sensitive nose, who love Flying Fox, might appreciate being able to experience a replica of their favourite shower gel. However, I feel as if the production of this is a little bit of a waste, and I would have been much happier if another fragrance had been chosen to during the voting week.  

Quantitative Ingredients: Organic Jojoba Oil, Organic Castor Oil, Candelilla Wax, Perfume (synthetic), *Linalool, Jasmine Absolute, Ylang Ylang Oil, Cypress Oil, Palmarosa Oil, Benzyl Alcohol, *Benzyl Benzoate, *Benzyl Salicylate, *Citral, *Eugenol, *Farnesol, *Geraniol, *Isoeugenol, *Limonene, Butylphenyl Methylpropional.

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: £9 for 12g.

Year Of Original Release: 2017.

Scent Family:
Floating Flower Bath Ballistic
Flying Fox Body Lotion
Flying Fox Shower Gel
Flying Fox Solid Perfume
Godiva Solid Shampoo Bar
Lust Liquid Perfume 
Lustre Dusting Powder
Lust Solid Perfume
Yes Yes Yes Massage Bar

Youki-Hi Bath Ballistic



Flying Fox Body Lotion



I'll be honest when I say that I was rather disappointed when Flying Fox Shower Gel secured a top five position in the Kitchen vote for new products. While I am a big advocate of Floating Flower Bath Bomb, and I enjoy the occasion spray of my dwindling Lust Liquid Perfume, I cannot say that I am a huge fan of the scent family all that much. In fact, I find myself rather indifferent to it most of the time.

As the shower gel contains honey, I have never had the opportunity to try it out for myself. However, my experience with the Lust family is extensive enough that I had a good idea what this body lotion would be like before I'd even received it in the post. As far as estimations go, I was rather accurate.

Flying Fox Body Lotion is for those who don't just like their jasmine, but instead want to drown themselves in a tsunami of the popular floral component. While Lush claim that the product contains ylang ylang, cypress and palmarosa oils as well, it is the jasmine that is at the forefront of the fragrance. And it is this note that makes the biggest impression on the skin as well. 

From the tub, you can immediately detect the strong, sultry floral elements that make up the popular Lust scent. The jasmine offers a very heady and slightly sickly-sweet note - one that is supported by the subtle grassy undertones of the ylang ylang. There is something rather saturated about this aroma that makes it so unique, and I think the addition of the cypress oil also helps to bring forth an almost resinous, floral aroma.

If you are somebody who is opposed to strong scents, I would avoid any products in this scent family: this is definitely more suited to somebody looking for a full-bodied, jasmine experience. And while I think it's a little less in your face' than the likes of Godiva and Lust Liquid Perfume, it is still strong enough to knock you for six.

Interestingly, I found this lotion to be a little thinner than the likes of Calacas and Grass. Given that I assumed they had all been made from the same base ingredients, I was surprised to find that the lotion was not only thinner in consistency, but that it was a little easier to absorb into the skin. Furthermore, I found that this lotion didn't leave any white residue on the surface of the body, and seemed easier to massage across an area than the aforementioned products. 

Once on the skin, I will admit that I didn't like the smell that it left at all. In fact, for the first five minutes, I found that the aroma radiating from my body was far too sweet for my liking. However, once the body lotion had settled down, I was able to appreciate that the floral components were not as potent as they began, and I enjoyed the rounded floral fragrance on my skin. 

What I liked about Flying Fox Body Lotion was that my skin felt really smooth after application, and I didn't get that heavy feeling that I found with the body lotions mentioned above. In addition, I found that the lotion absorbed into the skin within the first ten minutes, so I didn't have to wait too long before I could get dressed and go about my day.

For this reason, this would be a great lotion to use as a 'top up' throughout the day, where you could reapply it if you felt your skin needed replenishing during a summer day. This lotion is also suited to those hotter moments, as the heat stimulates the different notes and brings out the fragrance for you to try over and over again. I was impressed that the scent stayed with me far longer than a lot of other lotions would, and I was still able to detect a faint note of jasmine a couple of hours after the initial application. 

Overall, this body lotion was by no means terrible, but it's definitely not a scent that I would want to wear all of the time. Fans of Lust will no doubt appreciate lathering themselves up with this lotion, and those who fancy a jasmine binge will no doubt do the same. However, this is one I shall only continue using in small doses. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Almond Oil, Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter, Glycerine, Stearic Acid, Triethanolamine, Jasmine Absolute, Ylang Ylang Oil, Cypress Oil, Palmarosa Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Benzyl Alcohol, *Benzyl Benzoate, *Benzyl Salicylate, *Farnesol, *Geraniol, *Limonene, *Linalool, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Perfume (synthetic), Methylparaben Propylparaben.

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: £13.85 for 225g.

Year Of Original Release: 2017.


Scent Family:
Floating Flower Bath Ballistic
Flying Fox Body Lotion
Flying Fox Shower Gel
Flying Fox Solid Perfume
Godiva Solid Shampoo Bar
Lust Liquid Perfume 
Lustre Dusting Powder
Lust Solid Perfume
Yes Yes Yes Massage Bar
Youki-Hi Bath Ballistic


The Comforter Body Conditioner


Unlike Snow Fairy, The Comforter is a scent family that draws you in fairly early on into your Lush career, and seems to be one that keeps you hooked throughout your experience with the company. Even though you will ultimately discover a handful of other amazing and very unique fragrances during your time as a Lush fan, you can always rely on that cassis-dominated aroma to sweeten your life a little.

When the Kitchen announced that The Comforter was one of the five new body conditioners coming out in limited batches, I was very excited. Although I barely use the bubble bar (due to surplus stock) and I'm not that much of a fan of the liquid perfume, I am head over heels in love with the body lotion: I just find the format to be perfectly suited to the fragrance, and it makes me salivate every time I use it. 
It only took a mere five seconds of opening the lid and giving it a sniff, to realise that I had stumbled upon a pot of gold. This is everything you could wish for if you're a Comforter fan, guaranteed. 

Featuring bergamot and cypress oil, as well as a generous helping of cassis absolute, a robust, fruity aroma greets you from the tub. Interestingly, I found that the scent deviated a little from the usual Comforter smell to begin with - there was something rather 'plastic' about the initial smell which I found a little off-putting. However, once I began using it, I found that this wasn't the case at all, and I only had to use it a single time to realise that it smells very different when on the skin and around the hot water. 

In fact, much like the body lotion, the blackcurrant is stronger and far richer in this format, and the aroma is equally as sweet as it is succulent. The smell of this product reminds me of a blackcurrant compote on top of a cheesecake: refreshing and very fruity. Furthermore, the aroma stays on the skin for quite a while afterwards, which is the perfect reward after a long, hard day at work.   

As with most of Lush's products, this one is incredibly versatile, and while the £29.95 price tag may seem a little daunting to those unsure of such a big commitment, it is definitely worth the investment. You can use this as both a body conditioner and a shaving foam, and I've even heard of people using this in replacement of a body lotion. Whichever way you choose to use yours, I can guarantee that you'll not be left disappointed with the results. 

First and foremost, you can use it as Lush intended - as a body conditioner. After using a gel, jelly or soap to clean yourself with, step out of the flow of the water and apply the product across your skin, as you would a body lotion. It wont lather up, and may disappear really quickly, but this is because it is designed to permeate the skin. The heat from the shower will have opened up your pores and made your skin more susceptible to the butters and oils featured in the ingredients list. Once applied, you can either step back under the flow of the water to rinse your body down, or exit the shower immediately and pat yourself down lightly.

Unlike a body lotion, a conditioner creates a barrier of moisture around your skin, which may feel slightly greasy to some, and might prevent you from being able to apply your clothes until you've given it time to absorb into the skin. I can assure you that this will lessen within the first thirty minutes of application, and you'll feel much better afterwards.

As with most of the other conditioners, I found that an amount equal to that of a heaped teaspoon was more than enough to coat an entire leg, so you really don't need to use that much each time to get amazing results. Please also be aware that you wont necessarily be able to see the product when you're massaging it across an area of skin as it does tend to absorb really quickly. However, this does not mean that you should apply any extra and waste the product - the results after you rinse yourself down will speak for themselves.

Secondly, this body conditioner works as an excellent shaving foam. Simply apply a small amount across your legs and shave your legs as usual. You'll be left with super-soft skin, and one of the closest shaves you have ever experienced. While the product may get stuck in your razor blade, a gentle tap and a rinse will alleviate this problem very easily.

Finally, you could also use this as a body lotion, as there doesn't appear to be anything featured that could damage or irritate your skin if left on for long periods of time. The only issue I have with this latter method is that it may leave your body feeling rather greasy, so may only work as an intense moisturiser for those who have incredibly dry skin. I have yet to try this as I have a surplus amount of body lotions I am trying to get through at the moment, but it is something I would like to try out in the future.

As with all of the body conditioners this time around, my skin felt incredibly soft,  supple and plump after using this. Furthermore, my experience showed me just how quickly the skin can be replenished, as I found the dry patches on my legs and hands completely vanished after my first use. In addition, my body pertained a radiant glow about it that remained with me for the entirety of the day and into the night. For this reason, this will be a product I use in the summer months, when I want to keep my skin smooth and hydrated.

Ultimately, it is a shame that this has only made as a limited release to date. Alongside nearly all of the limited edition body conditioners from the Kitchen, this one would make a fantastic (and very popular) addition to Lush's normal range. I do hope that the company bring out other body conditioners in the foreseeable future, and I also wish that they make a few of them, including this one, permanent fixtures. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Water, Organic Jojoba Oil, Glycerine, Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter, Fair Trade Shea Butter, Stearic Acid, Cetearyl Alcohol, Triethanolamine, Bergamot Oil, Cassis Absolute, Cypress Oil, *Limonene, Perfume.

Vegan?: Yes.


2017 Price: £29.95 for 440g.


Year Of Original Release: 2017.



Cherie Ripe Massage Bar
Cherie Ripe Body Lotion




Mother Earth Bath Bomb




Lush seem to be on a roll with their magnified bath bombs at the moment: 2017 is definitely the year to 'go large' in that respect. Yet, up until now, I have not really had an opportunity to appreciate the full merits of the monstrous releases, if only because my experiences have been limited to extra large versions of bath bombs that I'm not not particularly enamoured with to begin with.

However, my perceptions were immediately altered after trying out Mother Earth for the first time. This seasonal release is a marvel in its bigger format - not only because the design is perfect suited to being made on a much larger scale, but because the fragrance is also one that deserves to be celebrated in a higher dose.
Made primarily of tangerine, pine, cypress and peppermint oils, this limited edition bath bomb is as refreshing as it is relaxing. Sharing the same aroma as World Piece Bath Bomb, this magnified beauty has a wonderful thread of peppermint. This is as crisp and as refreshing as you would expect the mint to be, but it is not as sharp or potent as the likes of Intergalactic. 

Alongside this, there is a wonderfully robust layer of cypress oil - offering a warm, woody element that works at removing the sting of the mint. This component gives the bath bomb a more rounded fragrance, and adds an almost resinous sweetness to it, which makes it that much more wonderful.

Both the pine and the tangerine add their own subtle layers of smell. The latter ingredient works more at elevating the other ingredients, and adds a very gentle but not very pronounced citrus smell; the pine oil brings its own dry, green-like aroma, which only heightens the bath bomb's refreshing qualities and makes it a little more interesting.
Despite its size, Mother Earth is not necessarily as vivid as you expect it to be, to look at. With its pastel green and blue exterior, it's not one that would draw much of a crowd merely because of its design. However, you only have to place this one in the water to experience a display so spectacular that you'd be hard pressed not to want to buy another one straight after using it.

At first, the bath bomb begins to spin violently: projecting waves of white foam across the surface, while bobbing up and down as it makes it way across the tub. This goes on for a good five minutes until you start to notice that the water is turning a beautiful turquoise colour, as streams of pink begin to ooze and froth across the water.

As Mother Earth continues to dissolve, the water slowly darkens until it forms a deep purple colour. On the surface, the multiple colours intensify and begin to pattern the surface with vivid greens and pinks, blues and whites. The whole of the tub is quite literally decorated with colour, and then stays for a short time before dissolving away. In the end, you're left with a beautiful purple bath, and layers of white foam that act a little like a blanket during your experience. In addition, the bath bomb also heeds a little lustre, which floats under the surface and shimmers when you run your hand through the water.
What I loved about this bath bomb was that it was not that much more intense than the normal sized World Piece, which meant that the aroma was far from potent in the bath. Yet this limited edition offered a much more colourful experience than its older sibling, far outweighing what you would get if you used two of the originals (which would match the price of one of these.)

At the same time, the fragrance stayed throughout my entire soak, and I was impressed when I discovered that I could still detect the bath water after using a potent amount of Avoshower Shower Gel alongside it. Having said that, I was a little disappointed to find that I could not detect the fragrance of this at all, once I had towelled myself down. As I said in my review of World Piece, this would be impeccable as a liquid perfume, so any chance for me to wear the smell on my skin would have been a very welcome bonus.
Overall, I think the £7.95 price tag is a bargain. You definitely get much more for your money than if you were to buy two smaller bath bombs. While not my favourite bath product from this year's Mother's Day range, I would highly recommend that you invest in one of these when you can, and I will be buying myself another couple before the season is finished.  

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Cream of Tartar, Water, Siberian Pine Nut Oil, Tangerine Oil, Cypress Oil, Peppermint Oil, *Limonene, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Lauryl Betaine, Perfume, Candy Pink Lustre and Frosty Holly Lustre, Colour 45410, Colour 42090.

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: £7.95 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2017.



Assassin Shower Gel


After you've come to terms with the fact that your entire existence is governed by the financial implications of a Lush Kitchen splurge, you begin to accept the fact that you'll probably always have a list as long as your arm, of products you want to see being released in the not so distant future. The next step is to then recognise that this list will no doubt accumulate new items on a regular basis, and that the likelihood of you ever being able to cross off everything, is virtually impossible. 

The worst part for me is knowing that, while I may have tried and tested far more products than the majority of the people I know, there are always releases that will catch me off guard. Before I know it, I have another name added to my ever-expanding inventory and I feel myself even further away from being able to discard the checklist altogether. Such was the case with this recent release.

Assassin Shower Gel was not something that ever made itself known on my radar, despite claiming that shower gels are my shortcoming when it comes to Lush's impressive catalogue of products. For this reason, I was rather taken aback when it was first announced for release, and I even had to carry out a little research beforehand to brief myself on what exactly to expect.

Although multiple interpretations spread like wild fire on what everyone expected this product to smell like, it was the comparison between Tramp Shower Gel and Grass that seemed to be the general consensus among most fans. Upon experiencing it for the first time, I was quick to make that comparison as well. However, having spent the last few days sharing my bathroom with this wonderful product, I have come to realise that it has far more to offer, and I'd be selling it a little short if I simply jumped on this bandwagon. 

Firstly, I will say that I can see why the the aforementioned shower gels have been used to describe Assassin. In all fairness, there is a similarity to both of them, and it is a really effective way of helping others to gage an idea of what to expect when deciding whether or not to make a purchase. However, I happen to think that this shower gel is much BETTER than either of the two items, and doesn't seem so similar when you have all three gels in front of you to compare.

Containing pine, cypress, lemon and patchouli oils, not to mention oakmoss absolute, this shower gel is for fans of fresh, green, natural-smelling cosmetics. It is the former two ingredients that dominate the overall smell of this product - offering two very different sensory experiences. On the one hand, it reminds me of lazing around a freshly trimmed garden in the summer time, when the plants and shrubbery around you has been watered and the heat of the sun radiates notes of chlorophyll into the air, while you bathe. At the same time, it also reminds me of the smell you experience after setting up a freshly-cut Christmas tree in your lounge and allowing the green smell to permeate the room a little. 

While I would say that the pine and cypress oils are equally matched in this combination, my nose gravitates very slightly more towards the pine. This element gives Assassin a crisp, naturally-sweet resinous aroma; while the cypress oil rounds this off with a fresh, woody element that offers just the  slightest hint of evergreen to compliment the pine.


The oakmoss is not as robust as it is in Tramp Shower Gel - instead adding a dry, earthy quality to the shower gel. However, while it does ground the smell a little and give it a level of complexity, it's not as potent as it is in the aforementioned gel. Although you cannot really detect any of the tart, citrusy qualities of the lemon oil, you can appreciate its presence in helping to elevate the overall aroma. This also goes for the patchouli - where you can smell the subtle aromatic elements of the ingredient, but not the spicy components.

Assassin is a celebration of how Lush are able to mimic natural scents, as this truly does smell like they're captured the outdoors and bottled it in gel form. The beautiful shade of green its presented in makes it even more magical, and this would be a perfect accompaniment to a spring-time bath. At the same time, the pine makes it feel very Christmassy as well, and is certainly one of the products I will be taking home to enjoy on the days leading up to Christmas Day.

In the shower, the scent is robust and long-lasting - the heat elevates those individual notes and engulfs the room with a strong but equally light and refreshing aroma. I was not surprised to find that the fragrance stays with you for a good couple of hours after leaving the shower, and the very nature of the scent means that you feel thoroughly clean and uplifted. 

You only need to use a small amount and it goes a long way - lathering up with ease whether I massaged a little between my palms or stimulated the suds by coating my body first. While I wouldn't say it was overly moisturising, it still left my skin as smooth and as soft as most of the other Lush shower gels I have used. 

Overall, I wasn't expecting to be so enamoured with this shower gel, so I am pleasantly surprised to find that I would class it as being a firm favourite of mine, and one that I would buy again if I find myself with a shortage on my hands. Winter, spring or summer, this shower gel assassinates any of Lush's previous attempts to bottle nature, and I would highly recommend that you grab yourself a bottle when the opportunity next arises. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Water, Agar Agar Gel, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Chicory Infusion, Rosemary Infusion, Lauryl Betaine, Propylene Glycol, Perfume, Cypress Oil, Pine Oil, Oakmoss Absolute, Sicilian Lemon Oil, Patchouli Oil, Lactic Acid, Limonene, Linalool, Hexyl Cinnamal, Hydroxycitronellal, Chlorophyllin, Methylparaben  Propylparaben.

Vegan?: Yes.

2016 Price: £11.25 for 250g.
2017 Price: £11.50 for 250g

Year Of Original Release: 2005.




Assassin Shower Gel


After you've come to terms with the fact that your entire existence is governed by the financial implications of a Lush Kitchen splurge, you begin to accept the fact that you'll probably always have a list as long as your arm, of products you want to see being released in the not so distant future. The next step is to then recognise that this list will no doubt accumulate new items on a regular basis, and that the likelihood of you ever being able to cross off everything, is virtually impossible. 

The worst part for me is knowing that, while I may have tried and tested far more products than the majority of the people I know, there are always releases that will catch me off guard. Before I know it, I have another name added to my ever-expanding inventory and I feel myself even further away from being able to discard the checklist altogether. Such was the case with this recent release.

Assassin Shower Gel was not something that ever made itself known on my radar, despite claiming that shower gels are my shortcoming when it comes to Lush's impressive catalogue of products. For this reason, I was rather taken aback when it was first announced for release, and I even had to carry out a little research beforehand to brief myself on what exactly to expect.

Although multiple interpretations spread like wild fire on what everyone expected this product to smell like, it was the comparison between Tramp Shower Gel and Grass that seemed to be the general consensus among most fans. Upon experiencing it for the first time, I was quick to make that comparison as well. However, having spent the last few days sharing my bathroom with this wonderful product, I have come to realise that it has far more to offer, and I'd be selling it a little short if I simply jumped on this bandwagon. 

Firstly, I will say that I can see why the the aforementioned shower gels have been used to describe Assassin. In all fairness, there is a similarity to both of them, and it is a really effective way of helping others to gage an idea of what to expect when deciding whether or not to make a purchase. However, I happen to think that this shower gel is much BETTER than either of the two items, and doesn't seem so similar when you have all three gels in front of you to compare.

Containing pine, cypress, lemon and patchouli oils, not to mention oakmoss absolute, this shower gel is for fans of fresh, green, natural-smelling cosmetics. It is the former two ingredients that dominate the overall smell of this product - offering two very different sensory experiences. On the one hand, it reminds me of lazing around a freshly trimmed garden in the summer time, when the plants and shrubbery around you has been watered and the heat of the sun radiates notes of chlorophyll into the air, while you bathe. At the same time, it also reminds me of the smell you experience after setting up a freshly-cut Christmas tree in your lounge and allowing the green smell to permeate the room a little. 

While I would say that the pine and cypress oils are equally matched in this combination, my nose gravitates very slightly more towards the pine. This element gives Assassin a crisp, naturally-sweet resinous aroma; while the cypress oil rounds this off with a fresh, woody element that offers just the  slightest hint of evergreen to compliment the pine.


The oakmoss is not as robust as it is in Tramp Shower Gel - instead adding a dry, earthy quality to the shower gel. However, while it does ground the smell a little and give it a level of complexity, it's not as potent as it is in the aforementioned gel. Although you cannot really detect any of the tart, citrusy qualities of the lemon oil, you can appreciate its presence in helping to elevate the overall aroma. This also goes for the patchouli - where you can smell the subtle aromatic elements of the ingredient, but not the spicy components.

Assassin is a celebration of how Lush are able to mimic natural scents, as this truly does smell like they're captured the outdoors and bottled it in gel form. The beautiful shade of green its presented in makes it even more magical, and this would be a perfect accompaniment to a spring-time bath. At the same time, the pine makes it feel very Christmassy as well, and is certainly one of the products I will be taking home to enjoy on the days leading up to Christmas Day.

In the shower, the scent is robust and long-lasting - the heat elevates those individual notes and engulfs the room with a strong but equally light and refreshing aroma. I was not surprised to find that the fragrance stays with you for a good couple of hours after leaving the shower, and the very nature of the scent means that you feel thoroughly clean and uplifted. 

You only need to use a small amount and it goes a long way - lathering up with ease whether I massaged a little between my palms or stimulated the suds by coating my body first. While I wouldn't say it was overly moisturising, it still left my skin as smooth and as soft as most of the other Lush shower gels I have used. 

Overall, I wasn't expecting to be so enamoured with this shower gel, so I am pleasantly surprised to find that I would class it as being a firm favourite of mine, and one that I would buy again if I find myself with a shortage on my hands. Winter, spring or summer, this shower gel assassinates any of Lush's previous attempts to bottle nature, and I would highly recommend that you grab yourself a bottle when the opportunity next arises. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Water, Agar Agar Gel, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Chicory Infusion, Rosemary Infusion, Lauryl Betaine, Propylene Glycol, Perfume, Cypress Oil, Pine Oil, Oakmoss Absolute, Sicilian Lemon Oil, Patchouli Oil, Lactic Acid, Limonene, Linalool, Hexyl Cinnamal, Hydroxycitronellal, Chlorophyllin, Methylparaben  Propylparaben.

Vegan?: Yes.

2016 Price: £11.25 for 250g.
2017 Price: £11.50 for 250g

Year Of Original Release: 2005.




Youki Hi Bath Bomb





If there's one thing I enjoy about the weekly releases from the Lush Kitchen, its the process of being able to cross off products that have been on my 'most wanted' list for years. Despite having my firm-favourite choices that I would opt for if I had a say in the matter, this list is merely comprised of everything I have yet to experience from Lush. As you can imagine, this list started out rather hefty and long, but is getting ever smaller thanks to the releases that Lush have been spoiling us to most recently.

Created as homage to the Chinese New Year festivities, Youki Hi Bath Bomb takes it name and inspiration from the very lady who came up with the idea in the first place. This sensual and very visually pleasing ballistic is supposed to represent the beauty behind the carnivals that laden the streets as part of the celebrations.
Made with buckets of jasmine absolute, ylang ylang and palmarosa oil, this product is definitely one to split the audience. For the most part, I can imagine this being one of those bath bombs that you either love or hate. The generous helping of jasmine, which gives Youki Hi the same scent as Flying Fox Shower Gel, is definitely an acquired taste.

This ingredient is so potent in the mix that it bursts out of the packet with its piercingly sweet, heady floral aroma. There is something rather narcotic but equally sensual about the popular flowery ingredient - one that is only made more pungent by the inclusion of the sweet, herbaceous helping of ylang ylang and palmarosa underneath. I found that this bath bomb gave me a bit of a headache straight out of the bag, and it wasn't until I added it to water that I found I could finally breathe again, and it was then that I was able to appreciate the smell a little more.

In its defence, this bath bomb has everything going for it. Not only is its peachy facade delightfully pretty to look at - especially with the sprinkle of golden lustre that paints the surface, but the the ballistic also has a centre piece made up of sea salt that has been coloured bright red to imitate the dragons that make up part of the street parades.
Not only does this latter feature make this bath bomb look exquisite and exciting, but once in the tub the salt helps to soften the water and inject it with restorative properties that cleanse, detox and condition the skin. In its favour, I could really feel how smooth the water felt once I was submerged beneath it, and my skin continued to feel this way for quite some time after I had exited the tub.

A fast fizzer, Youki Hi froths upon impact with the water and sends out waves of peachy-orange colour that make up the basis for the finished experience. As far as scent goes, the jasmine, ylang ylang and palmarosa dampen slightly, so I was able to appreciate the smell a little more without feeling as nauseous as I did when I first caught a whiff of the aroma.

Ultimately, I actually really appreciated how nourishing this bath bomb was on the skin, and I actually preferred the scent of this to the shower gel (which isn't even vegan to begin with). If you appreciate anything in the Lust family, this bath bomb will be right up your alley, and I would highly suggest that you try to grab yourself a few when you next can.

Furthermore, I appreciated the fact that I could still detect a faint hint of the fragrance on my skin afterwards, and this I followed up with a spray or two of the Lust perfume to maintain the smell throughout the day. Not only did this bath bomb offer a soothing, relaxing colour of water to bathe in, but it washed away without any staining and left me feeling pretty happy with myself for investing in another four of them to enjoy.  

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Coarse Sea Salt, Perfume, Jasmine Absolute, Ylang Ylang Oil, Cypress Oil, Palmarosa Oil, Gardenia Extract, Benzyl Alcohol, *Linalool, Gold Glimmer Lustre, Colour 77492, Colour 14700, Amaranth Flowers.

Vegan?: Yes.

2016 Price: £4.10 each.
2017 Price: £4.25 each.

Year Of Original Release: ?

Scent Family:
Floating Flower Bath Ballistic
Flying Fox Body Lotion
Flying Fox Shower Gel
Flying Fox Solid Perfume
Godiva Solid Shampoo Bar
Lust Liquid Perfume 
Lustre Dusting Powder
Lust Solid Perfume
Yes Yes Yes Massage Bar
Youki-Hi Bath Ballistic