Amelie Mae Fun Bar

Reflecting on the various scented FUN bars that Lush have released over the years, I really wish that they had the incentive to do the same with their shower gels. While I am very much in love with the jellies, gels and creams that the company have brought out over the last five years, there has been some superior choices made in the FUN range - this one being no exception.

To coincide with the global Gorilla Perfume tour, Amelie Mae FUN was released and sold in small batches at the various shows - available alongside most of the Volume 4 perfumes that were featured in the showcase. Sharing its scent with the liquid perfume of the same name, this gorgeous looking bar is exquisite in every way, and may even trump the fragrance itself.   

Created by Simon Constantine for his youngest daughter Amelie Mae, this FUN bar is not only a homage to one of the perfumer's biggest achievements, but it's also rather fitting, given that FUN is primarily designed with children in mind. Sporting bright shades of both green and pink, this limited edition also happens to be one of the most attractive FUN bars to date, and I couldn't wait to rip the wrapper off and use it for myself.

Featuring notes of lavender, ylang ylang and rose, you would expect Amelie Mae to offer a highly floral fragrance. While there is definitely a floral theme running throughout, there is something rather sweet and playful about this scent as well. As I said in my review of the liquid perfume version, if you think you are able to imagine what this smells like from the ingredients list alone, you are most likely going to be proved wrong.

From the wrapper, I get what I can only describe as a juicy rose smell - one that does have traits of the popular Rose Jam family, albeit sweeter and perhaps a little more jam-like. There is also a thread of fruitiness running through, which reminds me a little of raspberry bubblegum, but again I would be underselling it if I said this was all I could detect.

Much like the perfume version, the gentle note of lavender is very subtle in the mix, and almost adds a base that all of the other components rest on. You can definitely smell that the lavender is there, but the other components make much more of an impression on me.

There is something fruity about this FUN bar that makes me salivate when I smell it, and I love that it offers something quite playful and youthful. However, there is also something a little mature about the notes of lavender and violet that make it as delectable as it is sophisticated.

As with all of Lush's FUN bars, you can use this one in replacement of a shower gel, bubble bar or shampoo. To create bubbles in your bath, simply break off the amount that you wish to use and hold it under the running water. If you're using it in the shower, take a small grape-sized piece, add a little water and lather between your hands. 

Although it is not as moisturising as any of the products that you may replace it with, for the price tag it is great value for money. I found that when used across my skin, the scent was really strong and stayed with me for a good hour after I had towelled myself down. In fact, I am now convinced that Lush need to bring out a body lotion version because it would be delicious.

My only warning about this and every one of Lush's FUN bars, is that you have to ensure that the rest of the product is kept both cool and dry in between uses. In addition, you need to ensure that the bar is stored in a container if you wish to keep it in the bathroom. If left exposed, FUN Bars will sweat and melt, and leave a horrible mess all over the counter it's perched on. 

Overall, this may in fact be my favourite FUN Bar to date. It smells exactly like the perfume, although I would even go as far as to say that it may even be slightly stronger than the fragrance itself. I really hope this is made available in the near future - for everyone who loves this scent, or for those who has not had the opportunity to try this out for themselves, as it is truly delicious. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Cornflour, Talc, Glycerine, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Lavendar, Ylang Ylang Oil, Violet Leaf Absolute,

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: £6.95 for 200g.

Year Of Original Release: 2017.

Scent Family:
Amelie Mae FUN Bar

Amelie Mae Liquid Perfume

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Secret Garden Liquid Perfume

When I first tried out all of the Volume 4 perfumes, I was convinced that I still preferred the previous Volume, as there seemed to be more 'staples' in that range. Having spent the last few months religiously using all of the new fragrances, I am now of the opinion that this is easily my favourite collection from Lush. Every fragrance is so very different, and the stories behind each and every one have a poignancy that makes them even more lovable. 

Having said that, there are a couple of week contenders, and Secret Garden is unfortunately one of these. While I wasn't bowled over by Sweet Grandma either, I at least appreciated the meaning behind the creation, which allowed me to see it as rather endearing and 'sweet'. However, the combination of notes in this fragrance, and the rather uninspiring story behind it, leaves me a little uninterested.

As an optimistic gardener, Simon based this combination of osmanthus and immortelle on his struggles to create the perfect, permaculture plot. Unable to muse a collaboration of plants and flowers in the manner that suited him, he decided to turn his hand at creating a perfume that would do the job instead.  The name 'Secret Garden' plays homage not only to the person who taught him all about permaculture in the first place, but to how he imagined his plot would smell like after it had been finished.

Dark in colour, Secret Garden Liquid Perfume at least has an alluring appeal in the bottle. Just like the recently reviewed Road From Damascus, it is also an extremely powerful and rather heavy floral aroma - one that almost saturates your skin with its different components, and stays on your body and clothes for hours on end. 

Unlike the aforementioned fragrance above, this one isn't as playfully sweet: it's far more resinous and smoky, and touches upon more of a wet, exotic floral smell as opposed to a bright and uplifting one. From the bottle, there is something almost aniseed-like about the smell, although I wouldn't claim that this is what the perfume smells like on the skin. However the combination of the ingredients does remind me slightly of liquorice a little - almost like there is a syrupy, resinous note to it.

Once sprayed on the skin, the osmanthus offers a slightly spicy, green-like floral note - the immortelle absolute supporting this with a gentle smoky smell that pads the aroma out. Intertwined is the myrrh resinoid, which not only expands the fragrance out even more, but brings about a rounded warmth, and gives Secret Garden a very unique and very heavy scent. 

Imagine walking through an overgrown garden after a night of rain: with trees drooping above you, wet with dew; and plants and bushes bursting with hundreds of threads of fragrance, and you may begin to understand what this limited edition perfume smells like. It's like nothing that Lush have ever released before, and offers much more of a pessimistic impression than most of Lush's other floral smells.

Despite how unique it is, and how impressed I was that it lasted on my skin for so long, it wasn't a smell that I grew to appreciate all that much. For those who enjoy more exotic floral smells, you will no doubt enjoy how unique this one is. However, I can safely say that this one is my least favourite from the Volume 4 collection.

Quantitative Ingredients: DRF Alcohol, Perfume, Osmanthus Absolute, Everlasting Flower Absolute, Myrrh Resinoid, Linalool, Limonene, Hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde, Citronellol, Benzyl Benzoate, Geraniol, Eugenol, Farnesol, Benzyl Salicylate, Benzyl Alcohol.

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: ?

Year Of Original Release: 2016.

   

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Road From Damascus Liquid Perfume

I say this time and time again: I have never understood how or why Lush work in the way that they do. On the one hand, I understand and agree on their stance for allowing the consumer to promote their products as opposed to them doing it themselves. This incites a level of honesty that most companies try to diminish, which means that promotion from companies other than Lush don't  very often offer a true reflection on the products on sale. However, Lush's 'exclusivity' is both confusing and frustrating, and from an outside perspective I just cannot make sense of it all.

Road From Damascus Liquid Perfume is yet another fragrance from Lush's recent Volume 4 collection that hasn't made it to commercial release. After attending the Gorilla Perfume exhibition in Edinburgh, this is one that I was convinced would be a popular seller, and it left a lasting impression on me: not least because it was the opening act as you walked through the door and into the gallery. 

Inspired by perfumer Simon Constantine's travels into and across Lebanon, this fragrance is a full-bodied and very powerful combination of bitter orange and Damascus rose. During his time in the country, Simon learned the struggles and the dangerous journey that thousands of refugees had to make on a daily basis to flee the neighbouring, war-torn Syria. Witnessing the ordeal of having to cross checkpoints that were guarded at gunpoint, and collecting hundreds of stories from the people around him - fleeing their livelihoods to survive, the harsh reality was enough to inspire him to create a perfume in homage of his ordeal.

For starters, Road From Damascus is a strong, powdery combination of rose, orange and violet. Sharing its scent with both the bath oil that was released last year in the Lush Kitchen, and Magic Bubble Bar that came out at the Lush Summit, this limited edition fragrance is perhaps one of the strongest perfumes from the Volume 4 range. One for floral lovers, for sure.

While I shouldn't really compare this to Rose Jam Liquid Perfume, I will say that the initial burst of smell holds a very small remnant of similarity. There is something very cloudy about the rose smell that gives that impression, although this is quickly diminished when the underlying note of violet leaf steers it away from being 'strictly rose'.

Both of these ingredients create a sweet but equally very powerful floral aroma - one that showcases all three of the key components by themselves, while also working in harmony so that they combine perfectly. The orange absolute not only supports the naturally sweet element of the other two ingredients, but offers a thread of bitterness that comes through the longer it is on the skin.

This latter note sets Road From Damascus apart from other Lush floral perfumes, and it is this gentle tartness that gives this fragrance its poignancy. It's a perfect reminder that while life is and should be sweet, there is always that element of bitterness that makes itself known.

This is one of my favourite perfumes from Volume 4, despite not really being a huge advocate of floral smells. The perfume is strong enough that it lasts for hours on the skin. In fact, I can spray this in the morning before work and still smell remnants of the scent as I'm leaving to go home. Lush would be silly not to celebrate this fragrance in other formats, and I look forward to seeing these releases in the near future.

Quantitative Ingredients: DRF Alcohol, Perfume, Rose Absolute, Orange Flower Absolute, Violet Leaf Absolute, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool, Citronellol, Farnesol, Eugenol, Citral.

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: £50 for 30ml.

Year Of Original Release: 2017.

Scent Family:
Magic Bubble Bar
Road From Damascus Bath Oil
Road From Damascus Liquid Perfume

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Blackcurrant Angel Liquid Angel

For those who have been following my blog for a while, you'll know that blackcurrant is one of my favourite scents from Lush. Like a lot of people, I fell in love with The Comforter Bubble Bar at the very beginning of my Lush journey, and the experience was so incredible that it solidified my faith in the company. Too many times I have come across, what I would term loosely, 'berry-scented' cosmetics, only to find that they're synthetic and far-removed from the natural fruity fragrance that they should be. When it comes to Lush, they know how to do it well. 

Blackcurrant Angel is one of the latest creations from the company - a limited edition from the Volume 4 range that is strangely not part of the general release, and has so far only been made available at specific Gorilla Perfume events across the globe. With it being so exquisite and unique, I do hope that it becomes commercially available at some point in the future: it's one that needs to be experienced. 

As with all of the Volume 4 perfumes, this one is based on the life and workings of Hal Samples - an eccentric and very interesting artist that Lush have chosen to pair up with, to bring you an eclectic and very unique range of fragrances. This particular perfume is inspired by the people that Hal met when he was exploring the streets of Dallas a number of years ago. 

During his exploration, he came across a homeless man who made a big impression on his perception of those souls living on the streets. As the conversation transpired, Hal asked the man what superpower he would opt to have, if he was given a choice. His response was: “I just want the power of visibility. People walk past me all the time and they don’t see me.”

The effect this had on Hal inspired him to begin documenting other homeless people - particularly focusing on their thoughts, dreams and fears. When Lush and Hal began working together, this was one of the stories that had the biggest impressions, and they set about creating a scent that represented what they termed as the 'Blackcurrant Angels'. Thus this perfume was created.

If there is one thing that I should make clear, it's that this scent has no connection to The Comforter, or any product that features in that scent family. This is a completely new fragrance, and there might even be people who appreciate this, even if they're not a fan of the aforementioned staple.

Containing guiacwood oil as the key ingredient, with both osmanthus and blackcurrant absolute supporting underneath, this limited edition is a calm, woody fruity fragrance, with just a subtle hint of spice to give it a beautiful, well-rounded edge. It is light and refreshing, while also offering a grounded base that stays on the skin for a good 4-5 hours.

Initial sprays showcase a sweet, fruity blackcurrant that you could almost describe as being a little like The Comforter. However, almost immediately afterwards you get a resinous hit from the osmanthus, which adds a grassy, floral element and removes some of that fruitiness. On the skin, the guiacwood develops with the heat of the body, and adds a warming, woody note to seal the deal. 

If anything, I think the blackcurrant component takes a back seat slightly, and the other notes are what makes this perfume so special. While there is a fruity element to the fragrance, I would describe this as being more of a sweet, floral aroma - with gentle hints of both wood and green alongside this.

What I do love about Blackcurrant Angels is that it develops and changes over time, and you will notice different notes throughout the day. I found that I only had to spray this twice - once in the morning, and then again about five hours later, and the warming fragrance offered me bursts of beautiful scent all day.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this fragrance, and I just wish that Lush would make it more commercially available. While I don't quite know whether or not this would work in other formats, I would definitely be intrigued if the company did decide to bring other products out in this scent. 

Quantitative Ingredients: DRF Alcohol, Perfume, Water, Glycerine, Guiacwood Oil, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Alcohol, Osmanthus Absolute, Blackcurrant Absolute, Citral, Geraniol, Isoeugenol, Limonene, Linalool.

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: £35 for 30ml.

Year Of Original Release: 2017. 

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Sweet Grandma Liquid Perfume

When I was invited to attend the pop-up Gorilla gallery in Edinburgh, I had no idea what to expect. Aside from knowing that the showcase was created to display and celebrate the finer details of Volume 4, my expectations of what I was going to learn and discover were non existent. What I took away from the experience completely blew my mind. Not only did it rekindle that flame of passion that had be dwindling slightly for the company, but it made me fall deeply in love with every single one of the new fragrances on offer at the event.

Inspired by the life and work of Hal Samples, Sweet Grandma is definitely the most personal perfume in the collection. A homage to the woman he called his 'mother' and 'best friend', this exquisite fragrance is inspired by his Grandma, Mary Ellen, who he says made him feel safe at times in his childhood when he was anything but. 

His memories of his grandma are filled with funny stories and anecdotes that helped to shape him into the person he is today. It was also the support of Mary Ellen and her encouragement to film and document the good times that they shared, that helped Hal to establish and grow as a photographer and an artist. Sweet Grandma is a loving tribute to her life and the memories he holds most dear, and this just makes the fragrance appear even more beautiful to me.

In the bottle you get a wonderful floral sweetness that reminds me a little of Death and Decay, albeit brighter and more pronounced. To me, the rosewood is one of the strongest elements - offering up a delicate and very dainty fragrance that comes alive on the skin, and stays present for a good few hours after you've sprayed yourself. While subtle, the rosewood adds gentle woody notes that intertwine themselves around the rose and jasmine oils, so the three components work in harmony as opposed to standing alone. 

Although not fruity in the usual sense, this fragrance has what I can only describe as a gentle fruity floral undertone. In addition, the jasmine adds a light but noticeable sultry note, and I think it is this layer that gives the perfume its richness, and helps to make it as sensual as it comes across.

I would describe Sweet Grandma as a perfume that sits in between being both youthful and mature. As a homage to Mary Ellen's entire existence, this fragrance offers both the youthful optimism of her early years, as well as the sophistication of her later life. It is both light and refreshing for those who prefer the less cloudy or potent scents; yet it also has an ageless appeal to it that would attract fans of the more classic smells. In as many words, Sweet Grandma is both a modern and yet old-fashioned smell at the time. While it doesn't smell anything like this, fans of Lily Savon will no doubt be able to appreciate this scent for its light feel and delicate touch. 

On the skin, each of the three components interlock with each other and intensify from the heat of your body. I found that although the fragrance wasn't at all what I would call potent, the three ingredients do last for a good while on the skin, and I was able to enjoy bursts of this perfume for a good 4-5 hours before I needed to reapply. 

Overall, while I wouldn't say that this is a favourite scent of mine, there is something rather lovely about it that is comforting to me. As I said to begin with, the stories behind its creation make Sweet Grandma one of Lush's most personal fragrances to date, and I feel incredibly privileged to be able to share that experience while I am wearing the scent.

Quantitative Ingredients: DRF Alcohol, Perfume, Water, Glycerine, Rosewood Oil, Rose Absolute, Jasmine Absolute, Linalool, Geraniol, Limonene, Benzyl Benzoate, Citronellol, Eugenol, Benzyl Alcohol, Citral, Farnesol, Butylphenyl Methylproplonal, Coumarin, Hydroxycitronellal. 

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: £?

Year Of Original Release: 2017.

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Iamesh Liquid Perfume

What makes Lush perfumes so special, aside from the exquisite ingredients, intricate, layered notes, and carefully crafted combinations that weave and change on the wearer over time, is the experiences that inspire the creation of each fragrance to begin with. The way these aromas tell a story; how they're able to incite different memories for different people, is exciting and unique.

Iamesh initially appears quite an odd name for a perfume, and certainly doesn't sound like something that could be bottled and sold through the use of an expensive, pretentious television advertisement full of dead-eyed models.Yet, when you learn about the story that went into creating this beautiful perfume, you'll begin to appreciate its name, and indeed its purpose as part of Lush's new Volume 4 collection.

This brand new perfume is described as being a heady, visceral rush: one inspired by the power of 'serving others by being yourself' - a fragrance that seeks to represent how our every thought and action has a consequence, and that these very consequences become the experiences that will ultimately move and shape us as people.

Crafted from an experience that happened to Hal Samples, one of the pinnacle influences behind the creation of Volume 4, Iamesh tells the tale of when a hernia erupted inside of him and he had to have a mesh inserted to support the healing process. After migrating and erupting a femoral artery, Hal had to go through a further five corrective surgeries to repair the damage caused by the initial introduction of the mesh. 

After waking up from what would be his final surgery, he documented that he felt both invisible and inspired. Finally being free of the pain that had encompassed the large part of a few years, he felt as if he'd been given superpowers and irrepressible energy, thus creating his alias, Iamesh.  

Featuring geranium, sandalwood and cypress oil, this new invention from Lush is a perfume for those who enjoy their strong, powerful floral fragrances. Straight from the bottle, you can smell that familiar sharp, green floral cloud of geranium - a thick, almost powdery haze of smell that has similar traits to rose absolute. It's sweet and alluring, and wraps you in a strong and very distinctive bouquet of green leaves and dried rose petals.

On the skin, the cedarwood and sandalwood are elevated by the wearer's warmth, and offer an aromatic base of sweet, woody notes that help to give this perfume its multi-layered smell. I found that this perfume was one that diversified over time, offering bursts of each of the three main components at different times throughout the day.

What impressed me the most was the longevity of Iamesh. After spraying it on myself before heading out to work at 7am, I found that I could still smell it on my clothes when I arrived back home at 6pm that evening. Adding onto this, I was even complimented on my 'wonderful smell' at the gym an hour after this - cementing this as one of Lush's longest withstanding perfumes to date.

Overall, I wouldn't say that this was one of my favourite scents from Lush, simply because I prefer more earthy and fruity smells overall. However, this is no reflection on the perfume itself, and I can recognise how beautiful this creation is. I can definitely see this being a signature smell for many Lush fans, and I imagine it'll become a pinnacle scent within the world of Lush. 

Quantitative Ingredients: DRF Alcohol, Perfume, Egyptian Geranium Oil, Cypress Oil, Sandalwood Oil, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Cinnamate, Benzyl Salycilate, Cinnamal, Citral, Citronellol, Eugenol, Farnesol, Geraniol, Isoeugenol, Limonene, Linalool.

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: £28 for 30ml.

Year Of Original Release: 2016 (Lush Showcase event only)

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Road From Damascus Bath Oil

Since the opening of the Oxford Street store, there has been a huge increase in the number of brand new bath oils and melts that have appeared in both the flagship shop, and released in limited batches as part of the weekly Lush Kitchen menu. Road From Damascus is one of the most recent offerings - boasting a brand new fragrance from the company, and one that looks set to be a big hit in 2017.

Although the bath oil has only made a fleeting visit in the Lush Kitchen so far, fans who were able to attend the Creative Showcase back in September, would have had the opportunity to witness the new fragrance as both a limited edition perfume, and in the form of a new bubble bar called Magic. Despite owning both of these beauties, it was this format that interested me the most. 

Described by Lush as a smell intent on 'whisking you away momentarily from this ever changing world', Road From Damascus Bath Oil is a gorgeous, albeit rather small offering, with a rich and very intoxicating aroma to insnare the senses. If you ever wanted to use a melt without the aid of a bath bomb or bubble bar, but worried that it wouldn't fair well without company, this is a product that you need to try out for yourself.

Containing both rose petals and rose absolute, it is little wonder that this popular floral ingredient is one of the strongest notes upon first sniff. Musky and  naturally sweet, this component brings about a note that reminds me of petals left to dry and wither between the pages of an old leather-bound book. There is somewhat of an old-fashioned smell about it - like a mature, sophisticated, more interesting version of Imogen Rose. 

Alongside this, the violet leaf absolute adds a rich and very prominent floral element that gives this bath melt a very complex aroma to contend with. Much like Kerbside Violet Liquid Perfume, the violet adds subtle grassy tones to the mix, which not only elevates the floral notes, but gives Road From Damascus a very robust fragrance. In simple terms - imagine combining Rose Jam and Kerbside Violet Liquid Perfumes together, and you may get an idea of what this bath melt smells like.

Finally, you can definitely detect hints of the orange flower absolute alongside the other key components. However, I feel as if this ingredients works more at bringing the other elements together and thickening out the floral aroma, than making much of an impression by all by itself.

For a bath oil that weighs a minuscule 20g, there is definitely a lot of fragrance given off from the get-go. This is why I would say that the bath oil could easily be halved and used across two baths. For this reason, the £4 price tag doesn't seem as extortionate as it might originally seem, and I would recommend that you try it out for yourself.

As with all of Lush bath oils, this one works well as part of a cocktail, or by itself if you're looking for something a little simpler. All you have to do is drop it into the tub once your bath has finished running, and let the heat of the liquid melt and dissolve the bath oil into the water. Before climbing in, I would recommend that you swish the water around to help the oils absorb better and ensure that you don't incur a build up around the sides of the tub, which can cause a little staining if left for too long. 

What impressed me about Road From Damascus is that I found the scent did not lose any of its potency when in use. Even when I added in a bath bomb afterwards, this bath oil was still very much present throughout, and it was the key component that stayed with me until the very end of my bathing experience.

Furthermore, the various butters and oils used to create this bath oil appeared to be the perfect amount needed. With some bath oils and melts, they can create quite a greasy bath - which can cause problems with certain skin types, and can also be a nuisance if you happen to wet your hair during the experience. However, this bath oil created water that was both velvety-soft and highly nourishing - I could instantly feel the difference on my skin, without it feeling as if I needed to scrub the excess off afterwards.

While it might have only made a fleeting visit so far, I predict that this brand new bath oil will be making many more appearances in the coming months. Fans of both rose and violet smells will definitely appreciate what I consider to be a successful collaboration, and I only hope that the liquid perfume variation is released to enable consumers to try out the fragrance for themselves.

Quantitative Ingredients: Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter, Organic Shea Butter, PEG-6 Caprylic / Capric Glycerides & PEG-60, Almond Glycerides, Perfume, Lauryl Betaine, Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, Organic Jojoba Oil, Dried Rose Petals, Rose Absolute, Orange Flower Absolute, Violet Leaf Absolute, *Limonene, *Linalool, *Farnesol, Geraniol, Citronellol, Titanium Dioxide, Colour 14700, Colour 45410, Colour 17200.

Vegan?: Yes.

2016 Price: £4.00 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2016.

Scent Family:
Magic Bubble Bar
Road From Damascus Bath Oil

Road From Damascus Liquid Perfume

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Self Esteem Machine Liquid Perfume

There is a certain level of animosity that comes with the release of new Lush perfumes. While the excitement always outweighs any other emotions that I may be feeling towards a brand new product, there is always a small part of me that wonders how long it'll take me to wear and experience these new fragrances before I am able to write about them afterwards.

Don't get me wrong, I thoroughly love writing reviews and hearing such positive feedback in return for my hard work. However, there are occasions when I feel slightly overwhelmed by the task of blogging extensively and in depth about each of the aromas in turn. Unlike a bath bomb or a soap, fragrances take a while to develop on a person. And what you experience the first time you wear a smell, might be completely different to what you experience the second time, and the third.

This year Lush have tried something a little different with their rumoured new volume of perfumes. As opposed to releasing them all in their Gorilla perfume shop in Islington, the company have instead chosen to trickle them out in various stores, and for a limited time only. This means that although I was able to pick up eight potential Volume 4 fragrances, I've had the luxury of time to acquaint myself with each and every one of them before they make a global release.

Self Esteem Machine Liquid Perfume has been sat untouched on my shelf for a matter of weeks now, and it was only when I was choosing a perfume to see me through the last week of work, that I decided to opt for this limited edition. Made from a combination of mandarin and grapefruit oils, with a sprinkling of vanilla absolute to boot, this is a perfume that'll enhance a good mood and turn all things sour into all things sweet.

In the bottle, my initial reaction was that it offered a very fruity aroma. In a way, the smell reminded me a little of a bottle of crisp, uplifting wine with a citrusy burst for good measure. Both the mandarin and the grapefruit play a part in this dominant note. The former ingredient gives this perfume a slightly soured fruity element with a very subtle hint of greenery, and reminds me a little of The Sun Liquid Perfume, albeit less potent and not as orangey. 

Alongside this, the latter component presents itself as if it were a freshly peeled grapefruit. You can detect the spritzy element as well as the crisp but citrusy tones of the breakfast fruit. In other words, both of the key ingredients offer a note that is very much in line with what a fresh variation of each would smell like.

It is only when Self Esteem Machine has had time to warm and develop on the skin, that the perfume becomes a little sweeter and more rounded. It is then that the vanilla absolute steps forward - intertwining with the other two ingredients to form a bright, fruity fragrance with a warming layer of gentle sweetness to enjoy.

In all honesty, while the perfume is very lovely and I have enjoyed wearing it this week, I wouldn't say that it was one that left a huge impression on me. Fans of 1000 Kisses Deep and Cocktail will probably really enjoy this latest offering from Lush, as while these three fragrances are nothing alike, they all share similar traits that would no doubt appeal to the same sort of consumers. 

This is definitely a perfume that I can see myself wearing during the summer months. While it is long-lasting (it remained on my skin for some 4-5 hours), and very comforting, it's both light enough and uplifting enough to compliment the warmer weather. Having said this, I have thoroughly enjoyed wearing this in the evenings - when the wind is battering at my windows and I'm finding solace in a cup of hot tea.

Quantitative Ingredients: DRF Alcohol, Perfume, Sicilian Mandarin Oil, Grapefruit Oil, Limonene, Vanilla Absolute, Linalool, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Coumarin, Butylphenyl Methylpropional (Lillial), Geraniol, Benzyl Benzoate, Hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde, Anise Alcohol, Benzyl Cinnamate, Citral, Farnesol, Isoeugenol, Benzyl Salicylate, Cinnamal.

Vegan?: Yes.

2016 Price: £36 for 30ml.

Year Of Original Release: 2016.

  

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Self Esteem Machine Liquid Perfume

There is a certain level of animosity that comes with the release of new Lush perfumes. While the excitement always outweighs any other emotions that I may be feeling towards a brand new product, there is always a small part of me that wonders how long it'll take me to wear and experience these new fragrances before I am able to write about them afterwards.

Don't get me wrong, I thoroughly love writing reviews and hearing such positive feedback in return for my hard work. However, there are occasions when I feel slightly overwhelmed by the task of blogging extensively and in depth about each of the aromas in turn. Unlike a bath bomb or a soap, fragrances take a while to develop on a person. And what you experience the first time you wear a smell, might be completely different to what you experience the second time, and the third.

This year Lush have tried something a little different with their rumoured new volume of perfumes. As opposed to releasing them all in their Gorilla perfume shop in Islington, the company have instead chosen to trickle them out in various stores, and for a limited time only. This means that although I was able to pick up eight potential Volume 4 fragrances, I've had the luxury of time to acquaint myself with each and every one of them before they make a global release.

Self Esteem Machine Liquid Perfume has been sat untouched on my shelf for a matter of weeks now, and it was only when I was choosing a perfume to see me through the last week of work, that I decided to opt for this limited edition. Made from a combination of mandarin and grapefruit oils, with a sprinkling of vanilla absolute to boot, this is a perfume that'll enhance a good mood and turn all things sour into all things sweet.

In the bottle, my initial reaction was that it offered a very fruity aroma. In a way, the smell reminded me a little of a bottle of crisp, uplifting wine with a citrusy burst for good measure. Both the mandarin and the grapefruit play a part in this dominant note. The former ingredient gives this perfume a slightly soured fruity element with a very subtle hint of greenery, and reminds me a little of The Sun Liquid Perfume, albeit less potent and not as orangey. 

Alongside this, the latter component presents itself as if it were a freshly peeled grapefruit. You can detect the spritzy element as well as the crisp but citrusy tones of the breakfast fruit. In other words, both of the key ingredients offer a note that is very much in line with what a fresh variation of each would smell like.

It is only when Self Esteem Machine has had time to warm and develop on the skin, that the perfume becomes a little sweeter and more rounded. It is then that the vanilla absolute steps forward - intertwining with the other two ingredients to form a bright, fruity fragrance with a warming layer of gentle sweetness to enjoy.

In all honesty, while the perfume is very lovely and I have enjoyed wearing it this week, I wouldn't say that it was one that left a huge impression on me. Fans of 1000 Kisses Deep and Cocktail will probably really enjoy this latest offering from Lush, as while these three fragrances are nothing alike, they all share similar traits that would no doubt appeal to the same sort of consumers. 

This is definitely a perfume that I can see myself wearing during the summer months. While it is long-lasting (it remained on my skin for some 4-5 hours), and very comforting, it's both light enough and uplifting enough to compliment the warmer weather. Having said this, I have thoroughly enjoyed wearing this in the evenings - when the wind is battering at my windows and I'm finding solace in a cup of hot tea.

Quantitative Ingredients: DRF Alcohol, Perfume, Sicilian Mandarin Oil, Grapefruit Oil, Limonene, Vanilla Absolute, Linalool, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Coumarin, Butylphenyl Methylpropional (Lillial), Geraniol, Benzyl Benzoate, Hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde, Anise Alcohol, Benzyl Cinnamate, Citral, Farnesol, Isoeugenol, Benzyl Salicylate, Cinnamal.

Vegan?: Yes.

2016 Price: £36 for 30ml.

Year Of Original Release: 2016.

  

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