Showing posts with label sugar. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sugar. Show all posts

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!


Australian Igloo Sugar Scrub



A couple of years ago, I was lucky enough to grab a rare Christmas Gift Set on ebay - one that was clearly past its best but came in a gorgeous hat box that I just had to have in my collection. Amongst the dried soaps and crushed bath bombs was a decrepit Australian Igloo, which just happened to possess some of its aroma still. Despite it being far too old to use, I relished in scrubbing my skin and basking in the gentle fragrance that it left behind. If this scrub was amazing some six years out of date, imagine what a fresh one of these would be like, I thought to myself... 

When the Lush Kitchen announced that they would be bringing it back last December, I couldn't wait to secure myself a handful and find out just how much better a fresh one would be as opposed to the poor-excuse of a scrub that was now a pile of mush in my bathroom. As to be expected, the product was everything I could have hoped for and more.

What is great about Australian Igloo Sugar Scrub is that it offers such a warming, sensual aroma, yet it is one of the lightest smelling scrubs that Lush have ever produced. If you want something that is gentle on the nose while offering the best exfoliation of your life, this limited edition is absolute perfection, and should be a regular product for all to buy.

Taking some of Australia's finest fragrances, and fusing it with a name and design that references the Artic, this seasonal scrub will banish the cold from your fingers and toes, and replenish your life with some much-needed sunshine. During a trip to Finland, Simon Constantine ended up being partnered with a crazy Australian tour guide, who forced him to excel in adventures that he had no desire to do. During his exploits, he noticed that the guide would spend all of his free time trying to build igloos with the snow - hence where the original idea for the product came from.

Crammed full of fine sugar, Australian Igloo is one of the most compact sugar scrubs that Lush do. It is not one that will break easily, nor is it one that will dissolve too quickly under running water - making it the perfect solution for someone like me who likes stronger, more harsher exfoliators. 

Ensure that your skin is slightly damp before massaging this bar across your skin in a circular motion. You'll find that you don't have to press very hard at all to receive quite a harsh, scratchy experience. The first time I used this, I came out of the shower quite red from where I had pressed a little too hard. If you're somebody with sensitive skin, I would highly suggest that you crumble this into a tub first and then apply some to the areas you want to exfoliate. This should hopefully give you more control over how hard you wish to apply it, otherwise there's a good chance that you might irritate your skin in keeping it whole.

Containing pine and sandalwood oil, coupled with a large dosage of eucalyptus, this scrub smells like both a dessert and a finely fragranced wood cabin. While the sugar in most of Lush's scrubs are added for texture, this scrub utilises the sugar for its smell and offers a wonderful sweet base for the other components to work from.

Alongside this, you can detect a note of pine, which offers up a refreshing, crisp but equally resinous, woody smell. The sandalwood combines with a gentle note from the coconut oil to give this scrub a creamy, well-rounded warmth; while the eucalyptus makes Australian Igloo appear cooling with gentles references of green.

While all of these elements are normal fairly robust when allowed to, in this format they are all very placid. This works to the advantage of the scrub because what you end up with is something very comforting and beautifully sweet, yet something that is equally as refreshing and light.

Overall, I was really impressed by how quickly I fell in love with this product. Given that this is perhaps the harshest scrub from Lush to date, it not only left me feeling really clean and free of dirt, but the coconut oil ensured that any moisture lost during my exfoliation was replenished back into my skin at the same time. Furthermore, I was impressed to find that it didn't shrink or break apart in the shower, and was fairly easy to pat down after each use. This meant that a single scrub lasted me a good eight to ten full body uses. 

In addition, I loved the fact that the smell permeated my skin for a good couple of hours after I had towelled myself down. Each and every experience convinced me even more than Lush should bring this fragrance out in multiple formats, as I feel it is wasted while it is only appearing as a scrub. This is definitely one that I would buy again, and I can only hope that my three remaining igloos last me until such time arrives.   

Quantitative Ingredients: Sugar, Sodium Bicarbonate, Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, Cream of Tartar, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Dried Rosella ,Siberian Pine Oil ,Eucalyptus Blue ,Sandalwood Oil,Cocamide DEA, Lauryl Betaine, PEG-6 Caprylic / Capric Glycerides, *Citral,*Coumarin, *Limonene,Methyl Ionone, Perfume,Colour 42090.

Vegan?: Yes.

2016 Price: £4.75 for 100g

Year Of Original Release: 2006


Rough With The Smooth Body Scrub

It's common knowledge that some people have a higher pain threshold than others; that some people love fruity smells while others prefer floral. When it comes to body scrubs, I'm definitely someone who 'likes it rough' - in the sense that I enjoy feeling like I'm scraping the very skin off of my bones while I'm exfoliating.

Rough With The Smooth is solely named after the very process it claims to offer - a sugar-packed body scrub that aims to remove uneven, dead and dried skin and leave you feeling silky-smooth to the touch. Sharing it's scent with Lord Of Misrule Bath Bomb and Shower Cream, this Oxford Street Exclusive is a must have for those trying to rid themselves of their scaly skin before the warmer months. 

Giving off a strong but rather sweet rendition of the popular scent, this product contains a variety of oils and butters to make this the most moisturising scrub I have tried from Lush so far. As well as patchouli oil to give this item a wonderful earthy element and vanilla absolute to sweeten the experience, this scrub contains both murumuru butter and castor oil. 

The latter ingredient is known for its healing properties - helping to support the recovery of abrasions, burns and other skin complaints. Murumuru butter works alongside this as an emollient - creating a glossy blanket that coats the skin -  maintaining its radiance and protecting it from the elements. Together, they soften, condition and improve the skin, while the sugar works on ridding the pores of unwanted dirt and debris. 

While Rough With The Smooth is heavier and more compact than Lush's other sugar scrubs, this one also happens to have a longer shelf life. What I mean by this is that it is much sturdier and more resistant to water - an issue that can often plague natural sugar-based cosmetics that don't have ingredients to harden the product. 

While Lush's regular Sugar Scrub tends to dissolve very quickly and I'm only able to get a few uses out of it, this limited edition is much better value for money and will last you a lot longer. I feel as if I can really put pressure on the bar when I'm using it and it won't disintegrate or crumble under the force.  

Simply step away from the direct flow of the water and massage the bar over your body in circular motions. The sugar creates a rough, almost scratchy consistency which removes the dried skin and leaves your body feeling really clean and refreshed. Rinse yourself under the running water to remove any excess sugar and you're ready to exit the shower. 
After the initial use, I noticed that my skin felt noticeably softer and smoother, without feeling taut or dry. I used this on my legs and found that even after I had shaved immediately before use, this scrub didn't irritate my pores or bring my legs out in a rash. Whereas other soaps and scrubs can dry out your skin after use, this scrub made my legs feel as amazing as they do after I've used a body butter or shower smoothie. 

What's even more impressive is that the Lord Of Misrule scent is really strong on your skin afterwards - meaning a little top up from your liquid perfume, if you're lucky enough to own some, and you're all set for a day (or night) of smelling amazing. 

For £4.95, I would say that Rough With The Smooth is one of the better value scrubs that Lush offer and I will definitely need to purchase a few more when my stash of these gets too low. This would make a fantastic permanent member of the family and I would love to see this made a regular product online and in store. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Granulated Sugar, Murumuru Butter (Astrocaryum Murumuru), Sodium Bicarbonate, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Cream Of Tartar (Potassium bitartrate), Organic Castor Oil (Ricinus communis), Perfume, Lauryl Betaine, Black Pepper Oil (Piper nigrum), Patchouli Oil (Pogostemon cablin),  Fair Trade Vanilla Absolute (Vanilla planifolia), Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Benzoate, Citral, Coumarin, Eugenol, Farnesol, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool, Rosie Red Lustre. 

Vegan?: Yes.

2015 Price: £4.95 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2015. 

Scent Family:
Lord Of Misrule Bath Bomb
Lord Of Misrule Body Conditioner
Lord Of Misrule FUN Bar
Lord Of Misrule Liquid Perfume
Lord Of Misrule Shower Cream
Lord Of Misrule Solid Perfume
Monsters and Aliens
Rough With The Smooth Body Scrub

Rough With The Smooth Body Scrub

It's common knowledge that some people have a higher pain threshold than others; that some people love fruity smells while others prefer floral. When it comes to body scrubs, I'm definitely someone who 'likes it rough' - in the sense that I enjoy feeling like I'm scraping the very skin off of my bones while I'm exfoliating.

Rough With The Smooth is solely named after the very process it claims to offer - a sugar-packed body scrub that aims to remove uneven, dead and dried skin and leave you feeling silky-smooth to the touch. Sharing it's scent with Lord Of Misrule Bath Bomb and Shower Cream, this Oxford Street Exclusive is a must have for those trying to rid themselves of their scaly skin before the warmer months. 

Giving off a strong but rather sweet rendition of the popular scent, this product contains a variety of oils and butters to make this the most moisturising scrub I have tried from Lush so far. As well as patchouli oil to give this item a wonderful earthy element and vanilla absolute to sweeten the experience, this scrub contains both murumuru butter and castor oil. 

The latter ingredient is known for its healing properties - helping to support the recovery of abrasions, burns and other skin complaints. Murumuru butter works alongside this as an emollient - creating a glossy blanket that coats the skin -  maintaining its radiance and protecting it from the elements. Together, they soften, condition and improve the skin, while the sugar works on ridding the pores of unwanted dirt and debris. 

While Rough With The Smooth is heavier and more compact than Lush's other sugar scrubs, this one also happens to have a longer shelf life. What I mean by this is that it is much sturdier and more resistant to water - an issue that can often plague natural sugar-based cosmetics that don't have ingredients to harden the product. 

While Lush's regular Sugar Scrub tends to dissolve very quickly and I'm only able to get a few uses out of it, this limited edition is much better value for money and will last you a lot longer. I feel as if I can really put pressure on the bar when I'm using it and it won't disintegrate or crumble under the force.  

Simply step away from the direct flow of the water and massage the bar over your body in circular motions. The sugar creates a rough, almost scratchy consistency which removes the dried skin and leaves your body feeling really clean and refreshed. Rinse yourself under the running water to remove any excess sugar and you're ready to exit the shower. 
After the initial use, I noticed that my skin felt noticeably softer and smoother, without feeling taut or dry. I used this on my legs and found that even after I had shaved immediately before use, this scrub didn't irritate my pores or bring my legs out in a rash. Whereas other soaps and scrubs can dry out your skin after use, this scrub made my legs feel as amazing as they do after I've used a body butter or shower smoothie. 

What's even more impressive is that the Lord Of Misrule scent is really strong on your skin afterwards - meaning a little top up from your liquid perfume, if you're lucky enough to own some, and you're all set for a day (or night) of smelling amazing. 

For £4.95, I would say that Rough With The Smooth is one of the better value scrubs that Lush offer and I will definitely need to purchase a few more when my stash of these gets too low. This would make a fantastic permanent member of the family and I would love to see this made a regular product online and in store. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Granulated Sugar, Murumuru Butter (Astrocaryum Murumuru), Sodium Bicarbonate, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Cream Of Tartar (Potassium bitartrate), Organic Castor Oil (Ricinus communis), Perfume, Lauryl Betaine, Black Pepper Oil (Piper nigrum), Patchouli Oil (Pogostemon cablin),  Fair Trade Vanilla Absolute (Vanilla planifolia), Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Benzoate, Citral, Coumarin, Eugenol, Farnesol, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool, Rosie Red Lustre. 

Vegan?: Yes.

2015 Price: £4.95 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2015. 

Scent Family:
Lord Of Misrule Bath Bomb
Lord Of Misrule Body Conditioner
Lord Of Misrule FUN Bar
Lord Of Misrule Liquid Perfume
Lord Of Misrule Shower Cream
Lord Of Misrule Solid Perfume
Monsters and Aliens
Rough With The Smooth Body Scrub