Almond, Body Lotion, evening primrose, hands, lavender, limited edition, lush creative showcase, peanut, pumpkin, shea butter, Skin, Tonka, twilight, ylang ylang
As I said in my previous review, the Lush Showcase has become an essential part of the community over the last eighteen months, and it's difficult to imagine what life was like before the sneaky teasers and such. Unfortunately, there are some products that make an appearance at the event, only to disappear into obscurity without any rhyme or reason. Sleepy Handcream is perhaps the most perplexing.
Not only does it share its scent with Twilight - perhaps the most sought after fragrance in Lush's catalogue - but it is also the first of its kind. Never before have the company offered a pocket- sized tube of this design, and I for one have revelled in the creative nature of the artist-inspired bottle, and how practical it is for carrying it around in a day bag.
In all fairness, I was rather shocked when this didn't make an immediate appearance in the shops, if only because of how quickly it sold out at the showcase event. Not only did I witness an entire bucket having to be replaced in the few minutes I was standing by one of the stalls, but I was told that the product was sold out very early on into the event, which couldn't be said for any other exclusive.
While I have no doubt enticed you with the promise of a Twilight-scented handcream, I feel I need to state that this is not a direct replica. In fact, some fans may even be slightly disappointed with how this differs from the likes of the shower gel, body lotion and perfume. It is definitely of my favourite interpretation of the fragrance, but I appreciate that there is a clear difference between most of the scent family and this elusive product.
Although the handcream contains the familiar collaboration of Lavender and tonka absolute, there is something far more dry and almost grounded about the smell. It's almost as if the tonka has forgone some of its natural sweetness and the lavender has added in an extra herbal boost, which doesn't make this exclusive as rich or as sultry as the shower gel. I think the inclusion of the different nut butters gives this hand cream a subtle nutty aroma, which overrides the sweetness somewhat and makes it very slightly savoury.
Much like Handy Gurugu, this hand cream is very thick and comes out of the tube much like a typical acrylic paint would. This means that it's very easy to dispense the desired amount and won't leak if left unsealed. Because of its viscosity, you need very little to moisturise both hands, and I found that a blueberry-sized piece was more than enough for both hands.
Containing rose water as the key ingredient, this product is great for those with sensitive skin as the rose helps to soothe any irritation and prevent any possible reactions from occurring. The inclusion of evening primrose oil, which is a fairly new move for the company, contains lots of essential fatty acids that help to rebuild and repair skin. Not only this, but it is known for helping to alleviate firmness or rough areas that may come as a result of strenuous grafting with your hands. As someone who lifts weights, this handcream has helped to replenish the moisture I lose after my workout and soften the rough areas that come about through heavy lifting.
What is good about Sleepy Handcream is that it does seem to replenish the skin within a matter of minutes after applying it. I was able to notice the suppleness of my hands right away and this stayed with me for a good couple of hours after application. For someone who develops dry areas of skin in-between my fingers during the colder months, this hand cream was amazing at banishing this immediately.
Once on, the smell stays with you for a couple of hours as well, so you may need to be warned: sniffing your hands constantly in public may need some strange, and sometimes pitying, stares. Believe me.
Unfortunately, I found that this hand cream takes quite a while to absorb into the skin, and it's rather rigid when massaging it into the hands as well. Let's just say that it doesn't feel as pleasurable as a normal body lotion does to apply, and your hands will be left feeling rather 'clammy' and 'sticky' for a good 30+ minutes until the skin has fully absorbed the oils and butters.
Another issue I found was that the hand cream didn't seem to make much of an impact on my hands over a period of many days. I was hoping that the daily application of the cream would ultimately resolve the dry and rough patches permanently, and I would notice an improvement in the condition of my skin. Instead, Sleepy is definitely more of a quick fix, and not something that is going to transform your life the way that the body lotion will. Perhaps this is why Lush opted to release the aforementioned lotion as opposed to the hand cream.
Ultimately, Sleepy Hand Cream has served me well the last couple of months. As a short- term fix, this will get your hands looking and feeling far more nourished, and you'll carry a wonderful scent with you without having to spray a perfume. However, if it's something more permanent you're after, you may wish to try the well-established Handy Gurugu, which heeds far better results.
Quantitative Ingredients: Rose water, Fair Trade Shea Butter, Glycerine, Stearic Acid, Organic Almond Oil, Fresh Lemon Juice, Lavender Oil, Benzoin Resinoid, Tonka Absolute, Ylang Ylang Oil, Organic Evening Primrose Oil, Tincture Of Benzoin, Organic Peanut Butter, Organic Pumpkin Butter, Organic Cashew Butter, Organic Almond Butter.
Vegan?: Yes.
2017 Price: £4.95 for 35ml, £7.95 for 60ml.
Year Of Original Release: 2017.
body, Body Lotion, Christmas, christmas 2016, cocoa butter, jojoba, lavender, limited edition, Seasonal, Skin, Tonka, twilight, ylang ylang
This year's range has been a struggle to review - not necessarily because there's been a large number of brand new products to get through, but due to the other commitments that have demanded a huge part of my life over the last couple of months. For this reason, this particular review has been almost four months in the making, and I feel as if I've been through one hell of a journey to reach the verdict that I've expressed below.
Sleepy Body Lotion is probably the Christmas product that had me the most intrigued when the seasonal range leaked back in late August. While I'm not as openly obsessed with the Twilight scent as many Lush fans are, it is still up there as one of the favourite fragrances to come from the company. For this reason, the idea of a body lotion that I could lather myself in more than made up for the fact that Celebrate Body Lotion appeared to have been axed from the seasonal collection.
Alongside new addition, Mr Sandman Dusting Powder; my firm-favourite, Luxury Lush Pud Bath Bomb; and Twilight Shower Gel, Sleepy Body Lotion is yet more evidence that this Christmas has been royally dominated by lavender. While it may not be the most festive of fragrances, it is definitely a welcome change from the sweet and spicy offerings that tend to saturate the market place around this time of year.
Containing an oatmeal infusion as the base ingredient, this lotion is perfect for sensitive skin. Normally used as a gentle exfoliator, this ingredient offers an abundance of anti-inflammatory properties that work their magic during use - soothing and softening the body, whilst helping to both reduce and eradicate inflamed and irritated skin at the same time.
As if that wasn't enough, Lush have also combined both lavender water and a lavender flower infusion, alongside a helping of tonka absolute, to give this body lotion a wonderfully warming and well-rounded smell. Both of the former ingredients create a natural but very sweet floral aroma that dominate for the most part, while the latter ingredient rounds the lotion off and gives it a thick, sultry and very malty fragrance.
The inclusion of the various butters and oils: almond, jojoba, illipe, cocoa, ylang ylang and lavender oil, also means that Sleepy is bursting with components to nourish and soften winter-kissed and parched skin. Together these ingredients create a body lotion that is of medium consistency - similar to that of Dream Cream, albeit a little thinner.
The product is easy to apply and works well when massaged in a circular motion across the body. I found that an amount roughly equal to that of a level teaspoon will moisturise each arm, and any more than that can prevent the lotion from absorbing effectively into the skin. Unlike some of Lush's other body lotions, this one doesn't take very long to settle into the skin - I found that I was able to get dressed within 10-15 minutes of applying Sleepy, and my skin wasn't left feeling sticky or clammy at all.
In its favour, I felt as if the body lotion was much more wholesome and beautiful once it was in use - the different notes were very much brought to life by the warmth of the skin and the aroma stayed with me for a good couple of hours after application. This is one of those body lotions that tends to work better in the evening, not only due too the nature of its fragrance, but because it lasts longer when you're tucked up in bed and can smell its wholesomeness on you as you drift off to sleep.
While my pictures don't showcase this, the body lotion comes topped with a little sprinkling of silver lustre, to give it that extra little bit of sparkle and make it even more magical. Having said this, lustre-phobes will be pleased to know that the decoration can be scraped away with ease, if you're completely opposed to using anything that features lustre in it. Although, I found that I hardly noticed much of a sparkle on my skin after use, and if the lustre is combined in the tub with your fingers, it soon dissipates enough that you wont be able to see it at all.
My only qualm about Sleepy is that I found the results were short-lived when compared to other body lotions. At times, my skin can become very dry, and after my recent bout of surgery, I discovered that I had developed patches of peeling skin from where my bandages had restricted a lot of moisture. After using Sleepy, I found that the immediate results were incredible - the dried patches all but disappeared and I was able to wear tight clothing without worrying about it irritating the area throughout the day. However, the dry patches would return the following morning, and this continued for a matter of days before they began to dissipate.
Overall, this is a much appreciated body lotion, and one I can imagine making an appearance in the Lush Kitchen before next year's seasonal range has been announced. For Twilight fans, it's a must-have because it replicates the scent perfectly, and for those who are looking for something to aid their sleep, this is a great addition to have. I will definitely continue to enjoy the three tubs I bought this Christmas, and look forward to purchasing some fresh ones hopefully next year.
Quantitative Ingredients: Oatmeal Infusion, Almond Oil, Lavender Water, Lavender Flower Infusion, Organic Jojoba Oil, Glycerine, Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter, Stearic Acid, Illipe Butter, Triethanolamine, Lavender Oil, Benzoin Resinoid, Tonka Absolute, Ylang Ylang Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, *Benzyl Benzoate, *Benzyl Cinnamate, *Coumarin, *Geraniol, *Limonene, *Linalool, Fragrance, Snowflake Lustre, Red 28, Blue 1.
Vegan?: Yes.
2016 Price: £7.95 for 95g, £13.95 for 215g.
Year Of Original Release: 2016.
Scent Family:
FUN With A TwistLuxury Pud Bath BombSleepy Body LotionTwilight Bath BombTwilight Liquid PerfumeTwilight Shower GelTwilight Shower JellyTwilight Solid Perfume
body, Body Lotion, Christmas, christmas 2016, cocoa butter, jojoba, lavender, limited edition, Seasonal, Skin, Tonka, twilight, ylang ylang
This year's range has been a struggle to review - not necessarily because there's been a large number of brand new products to get through, but due to the other commitments that have demanded a huge part of my life over the last couple of months. For this reason, this particular review has been almost four months in the making, and I feel as if I've been through one hell of a journey to reach the verdict that I've expressed below.
Sleepy Body Lotion is probably the Christmas product that had me the most intrigued when the seasonal range leaked back in late August. While I'm not as openly obsessed with the Twilight scent as many Lush fans are, it is still up there as one of the favourite fragrances to come from the company. For this reason, the idea of a body lotion that I could lather myself in more than made up for the fact that Celebrate Body Lotion appeared to have been axed from the seasonal collection.
Alongside new addition, Mr Sandman Dusting Powder; my firm-favourite, Luxury Lush Pud Bath Bomb; and Twilight Shower Gel, Sleepy Body Lotion is yet more evidence that this Christmas has been royally dominated by lavender. While it may not be the most festive of fragrances, it is definitely a welcome change from the sweet and spicy offerings that tend to saturate the market place around this time of year.
Containing an oatmeal infusion as the base ingredient, this lotion is perfect for sensitive skin. Normally used as a gentle exfoliator, this ingredient offers an abundance of anti-inflammatory properties that work their magic during use - soothing and softening the body, whilst helping to both reduce and eradicate inflamed and irritated skin at the same time.
As if that wasn't enough, Lush have also combined both lavender water and a lavender flower infusion, alongside a helping of tonka absolute, to give this body lotion a wonderfully warming and well-rounded smell. Both of the former ingredients create a natural but very sweet floral aroma that dominate for the most part, while the latter ingredient rounds the lotion off and gives it a thick, sultry and very malty fragrance.
The inclusion of the various butters and oils: almond, jojoba, illipe, cocoa, ylang ylang and lavender oil, also means that Sleepy is bursting with components to nourish and soften winter-kissed and parched skin. Together these ingredients create a body lotion that is of medium consistency - similar to that of Dream Cream, albeit a little thinner.
The product is easy to apply and works well when massaged in a circular motion across the body. I found that an amount roughly equal to that of a level teaspoon will moisturise each arm, and any more than that can prevent the lotion from absorbing effectively into the skin. Unlike some of Lush's other body lotions, this one doesn't take very long to settle into the skin - I found that I was able to get dressed within 10-15 minutes of applying Sleepy, and my skin wasn't left feeling sticky or clammy at all.
In its favour, I felt as if the body lotion was much more wholesome and beautiful once it was in use - the different notes were very much brought to life by the warmth of the skin and the aroma stayed with me for a good couple of hours after application. This is one of those body lotions that tends to work better in the evening, not only due too the nature of its fragrance, but because it lasts longer when you're tucked up in bed and can smell its wholesomeness on you as you drift off to sleep.
While my pictures don't showcase this, the body lotion comes topped with a little sprinkling of silver lustre, to give it that extra little bit of sparkle and make it even more magical. Having said this, lustre-phobes will be pleased to know that the decoration can be scraped away with ease, if you're completely opposed to using anything that features lustre in it. Although, I found that I hardly noticed much of a sparkle on my skin after use, and if the lustre is combined in the tub with your fingers, it soon dissipates enough that you wont be able to see it at all.
My only qualm about Sleepy is that I found the results were short-lived when compared to other body lotions. At times, my skin can become very dry, and after my recent bout of surgery, I discovered that I had developed patches of peeling skin from where my bandages had restricted a lot of moisture. After using Sleepy, I found that the immediate results were incredible - the dried patches all but disappeared and I was able to wear tight clothing without worrying about it irritating the area throughout the day. However, the dry patches would return the following morning, and this continued for a matter of days before they began to dissipate.
Overall, this is a much appreciated body lotion, and one I can imagine making an appearance in the Lush Kitchen before next year's seasonal range has been announced. For Twilight fans, it's a must-have because it replicates the scent perfectly, and for those who are looking for something to aid their sleep, this is a great addition to have. I will definitely continue to enjoy the three tubs I bought this Christmas, and look forward to purchasing some fresh ones hopefully next year.
Quantitative Ingredients: Oatmeal Infusion, Almond Oil, Lavender Water, Lavender Flower Infusion, Organic Jojoba Oil, Glycerine, Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter, Stearic Acid, Illipe Butter, Triethanolamine, Lavender Oil, Benzoin Resinoid, Tonka Absolute, Ylang Ylang Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, *Benzyl Benzoate, *Benzyl Cinnamate, *Coumarin, *Geraniol, *Limonene, *Linalool, Fragrance, Snowflake Lustre, Red 28, Blue 1.
Vegan?: Yes.
2016 Price: £7.95 for 95g, £13.95 for 215g.
Year Of Original Release: 2016.
Scent Family:
FUN With A TwistLuxury Pud Bath BombSleepy Body LotionTwilight Bath BombTwilight Liquid PerfumeTwilight Shower GelTwilight Shower JellyTwilight Solid Perfume
There are certain products that sell whether or not they work all that effectively. I'm not saying that Lush fans will throw their money at anything without an ounce of sense, just that there are particular items that may not be the 'best they can be', but ones where consumers are willing to overlook small product flaws because the item is so sought after.
One example is Roller Bath Bomb - a ballistic that sells out in a matter of minutes every time it appears in the Kitchen, but one that is notorious for splitting, cracking and finally crumbling within a couple of months of them being made. Most Lush fans are not put off by this fact and so the bath bomb continues to be a massive seller.
Twilight Shower Jelly is a limited edition that would sell no matter what colour, size or shape Lush decided to produce it in. Being called Twilight is enough to warrant a cult following that will go to any lengths to secure themselves a tub....or twenty. It is a well known fact that Twilight is one of Lush's most popular scent families - you only have to glance at this year's Christmas releases to know this much is true.
Sharing its scent with both the shower gel and bath bomb of the same name, Twilight Shower Jelly is a feast for the senses. Judging by appearance alone, this shower jelly is perhaps the most beautifully exquisite arrangement of colour that Lush have ever managed to produce and confine to a pot. Made from a collaboration of pastel colours, each and every single tub is formed of unique swirls - combining together to form layers of iridescent purples, pinks and blues that shimmer in the light.
As I expected, there is a difference between the fragrance of the jelly and the gel, although it's not so dissimilar that Twilight fans should be at all worried. In the tub, I find that the jelly has a beautiful, sweet layer of lavender - one that retains its natural aromatic qualities but doesn't have any of the dryness that you'd usually associate with the flower.
Alongside this, the tonka absolute layers the floral notes with a smooth, creamy vanillary aroma. This is what gives Twilight its distinct fragrance and sets it apart from the usual hum-drum of lavender scented cosmetics. How the jelly differs from the gel is that I find the tonka absolute is thicker and more domineering in the gel - it gives the scent a warmth that makes it the sultry experience that we know and love.
Twilight Shower Jelly still has this warm, rounded tonka element but it seems to have stepped back just slightly to allow the lavender to make more of an impression. From this reason, I'd say the jelly is closer to the smell of the bath bomb than the gel. Although as I stated above, the difference isn't so big that fans of the gel will be at all disappointed.
As with all of Lush's shower jellies, you can use them in a number of different ways. You could opt to take the whole piece into the shower with you - massaging it across your skin to produce a lather to clean with. Some fans choose to dissect the piece into smaller, more manageable chunks to do the same with, or to use with a loofah.
You could always opt to blend part or all of the jelly and turn the product back into a thick, gel-like consistency and then use it in the same way you'd use a shower gel. Some fans even use Lush jellies as a replacement for a bubble bar - cutting off a small chunk and holding it in a sieve, underneath the running water to create a surplus of fluffy bubbles to bathe in.
I tend to use jellies in small chunks and I found that Twilight Shower Jelly works better like this, as opposed to using the whole thing at once. Disappointingly, I found that it was fairly difficult to get a huge amount of lather going, even when I did wet the jelly multiple times to try and stimulate that foam. It was easier to create suds from a smaller piece than using the whole thing, but this was the only aspect of the product that I feel let me down a little.
In its defence, the product did leave my skin feeling wonderfully smooth and the fragrance was prominent enough in the shower and on my body to see me through the whole experience. I did find that the aroma didn't linger for too long outside of the bathroom, but this was easily rectified with a spritz of the liquid perfume to keep me going.
Overall, this is a wonderful shower jelly. It smells beautiful, sports the greatest array of colours inside and outside of the tub and leaves your skin feeling as soft as a baby's. The slight variance of aroma means that Twilight Shower Jelly offers something a little different from the gel variety so there is definitely room for this brand new exclusive within the world of Lush. My two tubs may be sitting pretty on my shelf right now, but I doubt if they're going to be around for very long.
Quantitative Ingredients: Glycerine, Dried Lavender Flowers, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Propylene, Glycol, Carrageenan Extract, Perfume, Lavender Oil, Benzoin Resinoid, Tonka Absolute, Ylang Ylang Oil, *Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Cinnamate, *Coumarin, *Limonene, *Linalool, Snowflake Lustre, Colour 42090, Colour 14700, Colour 45410.
Vegan?: Yes.
2016 Price: £8.25 for 240g.2017 Price: £8.25 for 240g.
Year Of Original Release: 2016.
Scent Family:
FUN With A TwistLuxury Pud Bath BombSleepy Body LotionTwilight Bath BombTwilight Liquid PerfumeTwilight Shower GelTwilight Shower JellyTwilight Solid Perfume
There are certain products that sell whether or not they work all that effectively. I'm not saying that Lush fans will throw their money at anything without an ounce of sense, just that there are particular items that may not be the 'best they can be', but ones where consumers are willing to overlook small product flaws because the item is so sought after.
One example is Roller Bath Bomb - a ballistic that sells out in a matter of minutes every time it appears in the Kitchen, but one that is notorious for splitting, cracking and finally crumbling within a couple of months of them being made. Most Lush fans are not put off by this fact and so the bath bomb continues to be a massive seller.
Twilight Shower Jelly is a limited edition that would sell no matter what colour, size or shape Lush decided to produce it in. Being called Twilight is enough to warrant a cult following that will go to any lengths to secure themselves a tub....or twenty. It is a well known fact that Twilight is one of Lush's most popular scent families - you only have to glance at this year's Christmas releases to know this much is true.
Sharing its scent with both the shower gel and bath bomb of the same name, Twilight Shower Jelly is a feast for the senses. Judging by appearance alone, this shower jelly is perhaps the most beautifully exquisite arrangement of colour that Lush have ever managed to produce and confine to a pot. Made from a collaboration of pastel colours, each and every single tub is formed of unique swirls - combining together to form layers of iridescent purples, pinks and blues that shimmer in the light.
As I expected, there is a difference between the fragrance of the jelly and the gel, although it's not so dissimilar that Twilight fans should be at all worried. In the tub, I find that the jelly has a beautiful, sweet layer of lavender - one that retains its natural aromatic qualities but doesn't have any of the dryness that you'd usually associate with the flower.
Alongside this, the tonka absolute layers the floral notes with a smooth, creamy vanillary aroma. This is what gives Twilight its distinct fragrance and sets it apart from the usual hum-drum of lavender scented cosmetics. How the jelly differs from the gel is that I find the tonka absolute is thicker and more domineering in the gel - it gives the scent a warmth that makes it the sultry experience that we know and love.
Twilight Shower Jelly still has this warm, rounded tonka element but it seems to have stepped back just slightly to allow the lavender to make more of an impression. From this reason, I'd say the jelly is closer to the smell of the bath bomb than the gel. Although as I stated above, the difference isn't so big that fans of the gel will be at all disappointed.
As with all of Lush's shower jellies, you can use them in a number of different ways. You could opt to take the whole piece into the shower with you - massaging it across your skin to produce a lather to clean with. Some fans choose to dissect the piece into smaller, more manageable chunks to do the same with, or to use with a loofah.
You could always opt to blend part or all of the jelly and turn the product back into a thick, gel-like consistency and then use it in the same way you'd use a shower gel. Some fans even use Lush jellies as a replacement for a bubble bar - cutting off a small chunk and holding it in a sieve, underneath the running water to create a surplus of fluffy bubbles to bathe in.
I tend to use jellies in small chunks and I found that Twilight Shower Jelly works better like this, as opposed to using the whole thing at once. Disappointingly, I found that it was fairly difficult to get a huge amount of lather going, even when I did wet the jelly multiple times to try and stimulate that foam. It was easier to create suds from a smaller piece than using the whole thing, but this was the only aspect of the product that I feel let me down a little.
In its defence, the product did leave my skin feeling wonderfully smooth and the fragrance was prominent enough in the shower and on my body to see me through the whole experience. I did find that the aroma didn't linger for too long outside of the bathroom, but this was easily rectified with a spritz of the liquid perfume to keep me going.
Overall, this is a wonderful shower jelly. It smells beautiful, sports the greatest array of colours inside and outside of the tub and leaves your skin feeling as soft as a baby's. The slight variance of aroma means that Twilight Shower Jelly offers something a little different from the gel variety so there is definitely room for this brand new exclusive within the world of Lush. My two tubs may be sitting pretty on my shelf right now, but I doubt if they're going to be around for very long.
Quantitative Ingredients: Glycerine, Dried Lavender Flowers, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Propylene, Glycol, Carrageenan Extract, Perfume, Lavender Oil, Benzoin Resinoid, Tonka Absolute, Ylang Ylang Oil, *Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Cinnamate, *Coumarin, *Limonene, *Linalool, Snowflake Lustre, Colour 42090, Colour 14700, Colour 45410.
Vegan?: Yes.
2016 Price: £8.25 for 240g.2017 Price: £8.25 for 240g.
Year Of Original Release: 2016.
Scent Family:
FUN With A TwistLuxury Pud Bath BombSleepy Body LotionTwilight Bath BombTwilight Liquid PerfumeTwilight Shower GelTwilight Shower JellyTwilight Solid Perfume
In all fairness, I was rather shocked when this didn't make an immediate appearance in the shops, if only because of how quickly it sold out at the showcase event. Not only did I witness an entire bucket having to be replaced in the few minutes I was standing by one of the stalls, but I was told that the product was sold out very early on into the event, which couldn't be said for any other exclusive.
Once on, the smell stays with you for a couple of hours as well, so you may need to be warned: sniffing your hands constantly in public may need some strange, and sometimes pitying, stares. Believe me.
