EuropaFb: musk

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Snow Fairy Sparkle Jar

Christmas, christmas 2017, cocoa butter, dusting powder, limited edition, Massage Bar, musk, naked, Seasonal, Snow Fairy, Solid, 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

Snow Fairy Body Spray

body spray, limited edition, musk, Perfume, Snow Fairy

The Lush community is always torn around Christmas time: those who relish in everything Snow Fairy, and those that roll their eyes and turn the other cheek. While I used to be the former, I am probably far more like the latter group now - although there are still a few formats that get my heart racing and my mouth salivating.

Snow Fairy Body Spray is a given really, especially with all of the body sprays that have been released this year so far. We've had Twilight; we've been gifted with Rose Jam, so it makes sense that this had to be one of the next ones to rear its head. While many were turn their cheek at this, you cannot deny that £15 for this large bottle of seasonal fragrance is an absolute bargain, and guaranteed to please those fans around the county that have been pining after the perfume for years.

While I was expecting it to replicate the perfume, I found that the fragrance of the spray was actually far closer to the original body conditioner than anything else. Much like the seasonal gel and last year's Body Conditioner, this spray is super sweet and playful, and may be considered far too sickly some people's tastes.

For those who aren't familiar with the scent family, Snow Fairy is supposed to smell like pear drops and bubblegum; cotton candy and vanilla musk. There is something both youthful and slightly synthetic about the fragrance. You can smell a syrup-like fruitiness, which does make it very much like a fresh bag of candy floss to my nose, yet the inclusion of the vanilla absolute gives it musky undertones that are a little the delicate sifting of icing sugar.

Far from being one of Lush's most complex aromas, Snow Fairy Body Spray is still a lovely addition to the family. What I liked about this spray was that it stayed present on my body for a good many hours, and I appreciated the way the warmth of my skin developed the different notes over time. While the initial smell impressed me more than the liquid perfume did, as it was stronger, richer and sweeter, I also liked that the spray matures far better over time. The vanilla and synthetic musk definitely come forward more over the first 30 minutes and create a sweet, warming fragrance that invites short bursts of scent for a good 2-3 hours.

Ultimately, Snow Fairy Body Spray was never going to be a product that I would be overly excited about. However, the fragrance has definitely ignited an interest in the scent family again, and I have been enjoying the shower gel and Body Conditioner alongside this as a result of the spray. Given the pattern of body sprays that have been created so far, it's only a matter of time before Honey I Washed The Kids and The Comforter are created, I'm sure.

Quantitative Ingredients: DRF Alcohol, Water, Perfume, Glycerine, Synthetic Musk, Limonene, Linalool, Alpha-Isomethyl ionone.

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: £15 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2017.

Scent Family:

Snow Fairy Cold-Pressed Soap

Almond, Christmas, christmas 2017, cocoa butter, cold pressed soaps, limited edition, musk, Seasonal, Snow Fairy, 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.

Scent Family:

Snow Fairy Naked Shower Gel

Christmas, christmas 2017, limited edition, musk, naked, naked shower gels, Seasonal, Snow Fairy, Solid

By now, everyone reading this will no doubt be familiar with the concept of naked products, and will have probably formulated their own opinions on whether or not they appreciate Lush's idea of creating 'zero waste cosmetics' as a way to help the environment. Every single one of the solid versions that I have tried so far have worked well with me, and I definitely wouldn't be opposed to buying them again. However, not one has yet to replicate the regular version completely, although perhaps that is the beauty of using them.

Snow Fairy Naked Shower Gel would probably be the one, out of the entire selection of converted gels, to get the most amount of slack - if any were going to receive such bad press. With it being Lush's biggest selling seasonal Shower gel, and perhaps the one that also boasts the biggest sales across the entire year, any product that joins the family comes under a lot of scrutiny from die-hard fans.

Coming in at a centimetre or so taller than a 100g bottle, and sporting an almost identical colour to the liquid version, this naked gel already ticks the first box. The fact that the smell radiating from it is as sweet and playful as the original gel, tells me that Lush have been extra careful at insuring this one meets the standards of Snow Fairy lovers everywhere.

Using a basis of synthetic musk, Snow Fairy is an elusive scent - one that originally helped me to fall in love with the company to begin with; but also one that I moved away from when I discovered the impressive array of complex aromas that Lush also offer. Described as being like a combination of candy floss, raspberry bubblegum and vanilla milkshake, I would say that the former note it what is most present here.

To me, this naked shower gel encompasses a sweet, musky bubblegum smell, with a delicate and slightly cloudy vanilla note interlaced throughout. For fans who have tried a lot of Snow Fairy-scented products, it reminds me more of Candy Floss Dusting Powder than the shower gel it is trying to replicate; more powdery and vanillary like the Jelly Bath Bomb, than the recently released Body Spray.

What is impressive about this naked shower gel is that it lathers up just as well, if not better than the original liquid version. This is one of only two solid versions that have achieved this so far, and it's an impressive feat. The fact that it produces lather so easily, means that you don't need to hold this under the running water - which means that it will last you a lot longer. In fact, I have been using both this and a 100g bottle of Snow Fairy for the last 3-4 weeks, and have found that while the naked edition has barely shrunk, the bottled version is almost empty.

The lather Snow Fairy Naked Shower Gel creates is easy to massage across the body, and my skin felt clean and soft after using this. Unfortunately, I didn't find that the fragrance lingered around for long in the shower, and by the time I have towelled myself down, the scent had all but vanished. This is one reason why I still see the benefits of using the original gel.

When storing this, I found that it dried within a matter of minutes, so you don't need to worry about finding splodges of pink all over your bathroom the next day. It was also really easy to use in the shower and I didn't find that I dropped it at all. Some of Lush's naked gels can be a little slippery when in use, but this one was fine.

Overall, this is perhaps one of my favourite naked replicates and there are so many benefits for Lush fans to enjoy with this product. Having said that, I still prefer the sickly-sweet scent of the original gel, and the fact that I can smell that edition on my skin after my shower. At the end of the day, Snow Fairy fans should rejoice at the fact that both editions offer many benefits, and they now have two different experiences they can choose from for their winter showers.

Quantitative Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Propylene Glycol, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Sodium Stearate, Lauryl Betaine, Perfume, Titanium Dioxide, Synthetic Musk, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate. Tin Oxide, *Limonene, Alpha-Isomethyl ionone, Colour 17200, Colour 45410, Colour 45380:3, Black Specerit Wax.

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: £8.75 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2017.

Scent Family:

Sex Bomb Solid Perfume

clary sage, Jasmine, jojoba, limited edition, Lush Kitchen, musk, Perfume, Solid, ylang ylang

Not a favourite scent of mine, Sex Bomb is only really used in my house when I find one in a gift set I have purchased, and then I only really use it to change things up a little. While I wouldn't say that I find the fragrance at all bad, it doesn't insight any sort of reaction from me either, which is why I wasn't all that excited about it being one of the winning smells in the recent Kitchen voting week.

Although I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the Sex Bomb Body Lotion I think this was because it was a little different from the bath bomb. What I will say is that this limited edition solid perfume is far closer in scent to the original bath bomb, and I can imagine fans would appreciate this gesture very much.

To begin with, given the nature of this scent family, I was expecting Sex Bomb Solid Perfume to be one of the weaker-smelling variations. With some solid perfumes, the smell of the base waxes seep through into the actual fragrance, and it can often be rather off-putting for those who want to enjoy their favourite aromas.

Surprisingly, I found that although the fragrance was far subtler than the likes of Grass and Brightside Solid Perfumes, there was still enough strength present, that prevented me from being able to detect any of the castor oil or candelilla wax in the process. This was true both in the tub and while I was wearing it on my skin.

I believe it is the sweet, floral nature of the jasmine that enables this fragrance to work effectively in this format. From the initial sniff, you can make out the gentle nature of the jasmine - intertwined with the clary sage oil to bring you a slight earthy note, with a bitter twinge at the end. The ylang ylang adds its playful, slightly grassy floral layer; while the synthetic musk rounds all of the notes together with its sweet, almost chalky scent.

While all of these ingredients make their presence known in this perfume, the overall fragrance is a very subtle one. In fact, this is probably one of Lush's most subtlest floral aromas to date. There is nothing offensive about this scent at all, and I cannot imagine anyone being opposed to it.

On the skin, the smell settles wonderfully and you lose that bitterness that you first detect in the tub. In addition, the musk comes through a little more through the warmth of your body, so it's a little sweeter than it initially seems in the tin. Unfortunately, due to the lightness of the smell, I found that this perfume didn't last much past an hour on my body, and it wasn't a fragrance that I could detect much, past pressing my nose to my wrists.

Having said that, I did find that the aroma was a little more present on the ends of my hair - where I massaged it into the tips to carry around with me throughout the day. When used in this way, the scent can still be detected a couple of hours after application, and this is probably how I'll continue to use this product from now on.

For those who love the Sex Bomb Bath Bomb, you'll really enjoy the smell in this format, as it is true to the original ballistic in almost every way. Although slightly less musky, this is due to the base waxes and oils only, and the fact that it's not made up of powdery substances that no doubt add to the aroma of the bath bomb.

While it's not a solid perfume that I would rave about, this is only because I am not very fond of the Sex Bomb scent overall. However, if you enjoy this fragrance, or gentle floral aromas in general, you will probably love this solid perfume and I would recommend that you try it out for yourself.

Quantitative Ingredients: Organic Jojoba Oil, Organic Castor Oil, Candelilla Wax, Perfume (synthetic), Synthetic Musk, Ylang Ylang Oil, Jasmine Absolute, Clary Sage Oil, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, *Benzyl Alcohol, *Benzyl Benzoate, *Benzyl Salicylate, *Citral, *Eugenol, *Farnesol, *Geraniol, *Limonene, *Linalool, Butylphenyl Methylpropional.

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: £9 for 12g.

Year Of Original Release: 2017.

Scent Family:

Bada Bing Bada Boom Shower Jelly
Sex Bomb Bath Bomb
Sex Bomb Body Lotion
Sex Bomb Solid Perfume

Tulip Mum Reusable Bubble Bar