Bombardino Bath Bomb

One of the perks of being a 'Lushie' is that I am able to learn about different cultures and traditions from around the world, some of which I would never have been exposed to otherwise. Often, when Lush release new products, I use this as an excuse to research the meaning behind the names or to extend my knowledge of something in the ingredient list.

When Bombardino first made it's appearance, I was interested in finding out the meaning behind it's name. What I discovered was that the bath bomb is inspired by an apres ski drink traditionally made in the Italian Alps with eggnog, brandy and whipped cream. Normally this concoction would send me running in the opposite direction as I dislike Eggnog and despise spirits. However, I had faith that Lush would be able to use their expertise to turn these ingredients into something wonderful. 

Lush claim that their version of the Bombardino is just as rich and creamy, smelling like a lemon meringue pie. Although I wouldn't say it's scent is reminiscent of the popular Swiss pudding, the mixture of cocoa butter, bergamot oil, sicilian lemon oil and vanilla absolute, does give this bath bomb a distinctively creamy, buttery fragrance. To top it off, the eyes are made from dairy free chocolate drops, meaning this is a vegan-friendly creamy experience as well. 

Although rather small, the Bombardino is impressive when added to the bath tub. As one of Lush's slower fizzers, the bomb froths and fizzes, turning the bath water a light lemon yellow and displacing the water with swirls of creamy white foam. To top it off, the bomb also releases an abundance of golden lustre that swirls on top of the water and leaves the water sparkling and gorgeous.

However, a downside, which is perhaps due to it's size, is that the beautiful buttery scent is somewhat lost when fully dissolved. This is one of those bath bombs that smells stronger when in the packet than it does in use. 

Despite this problem, this bath bomb does wonders for your skin. For such a small product, Lush must really cram it full of cocoa butter as it left me feeling so soft and silky. So much so that I chose not to moisturise afterwards and found that my skin still felt beautiful the next day. 

The buttery, zesty lemon scent also clings to you for ages and I found I could still smell it on my pillow the next morning. I really did adore this smell and would love to see Lush bring it out in a different form, perhaps as a lotion or massage bar.  

For the price tag of £2.50, this is one of the cheaper Christmas products available from Lush this year. Although the scent weakened in the water, it still offers a relaxing, uplifting bathing experience that I'd recommend using during the depressing winter months to come. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Cocoa Butter, Soya Milk Powder, Perfume, Radiant Gold Lustre, Bergamot Oil, Sicilian Lemon Oil, Fair Trade Vanilla Absolute, Cornflour, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Titanium Dioxide, Gardenia Extract, *Limonene, *Linalool, Colour 19140:1, Colour 19140, Snowflake Lustre, Dairy Free Chocolate Drops.

Vegan?: Yes

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Ne Worry Pas Bath Bomb

'Let the sweet smell of violets envelop you as you sink down into the milky white depths of a Ne Worry Pas bath. This much-loved bath bomb has a gorgeous, heady fragrance to calm the mind and ease away your cares. We use soya milk in Ne Worry Pas for the lovely way it soothes the skin and the creamy effect it has on the water, creating a haven of milky softness to ease away stress.'

Well, why not? I thought. There is something mildly alluring about a bath bomb that promises a creamy experience in the tub. Normally, I am the first to try all things fruity and citrusey, but I felt like a change, and as I was starting to get a little bit of a headache, I thought this bath bomb would compliment my mood perfectly.

To look at, Ne Worry Pas is a rather boring looking bath ballistic; it certainly wouldn't win any awards for it's appearance. I'm sure sat next to all of the other bath bombs that Lush have to offer, this one would get overlooked for the prettier, stronger-smelling products. However, I know never to judge a Lush product by it's exterior. 

The entire bomb is a light, beige colour, apart from a small, penny-sized hole on one side, which gives the customer a glimpse of the purple interior. The smell is reminiscent of Parma violets, although it does have a creamy edge brought on by the addition of soya milk in the ingredients list. The scent is surprisingly strong for such a plain-looking bath bomb.

However, the strong scent dissolved once in the water and left a gentle violet fragrance with notes of sandalwood and ylang ylang, which soothed my mind and helped to relax my body. The soya milk not only added a light, sweet fragrance to the ballistic, but helped to soften the water and soothe my skin. The geranium oil and ylang ylang not only add to the wonderful floral fragrance, but also helped to cleanse my skin and rejuvenate my pores. 

Once fully dissolved, the ballistic creates a milky, lilac coloured bath with a slight shimmer from the lustre sparkles that float on the surface. A silky foam rests on top of the water, which when rubbed on your body, leaves it kissably smooth and soft. 

Once out of the bath, my skin felt wonderfully soft and smooth with no greasiness or residue left behind from the product. The fine lustre sparkles did cling to my skin as I removed myself from the tub, but this was more of a fun bonus than a downside to the product. I know that some people dislike the fact that Lush use glitter in some of their products, but the lustre used in this Ne Worry Pas Bath Ballistic is so fine and tiny that it only adds something of a slight shimmer to your skin and can be brushed off easily during your drying off routine. 

The scent of the ballistic, which has already diminished somewhat when dissolved in the water, does linger on your skin for a short time after your bath, but it's not as long-lasting as other bath bombs. This is perhaps a product for those that dislike strong-scented products, or even those that want something light that won't interfere with their lotions and perfumes after use. 

If, like me, you want more of a 'show' in the bathroom, I would highly recommend that you use this bath bomb with a bubble bar such as The Comforter or Creamy Candy, to add more colour to the experience.

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Soya Milk, Titanium Dioxide, Bergamot Oil, Jasmine Absolute, Cedarwood Oil, Limonene, Linalool, Methyl Ionone, Violet Lustre Sparkle.

Vegan?: Yes

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Soot Ball Bath Ballistic

When I first heard that Lush were having a 'Spirited Away' themed Halloween, I didn't know what to expect. I have never seen the film myself, and although I recognise that it has a large cult following, I was more concerned with the scents and designs that would be on offer from my favourite company.

As it happened, when the products went on general sale, I was not initially bowled over by any of the bath bombs aside from Lord of Misrule. Furthermore, having carried out research on all of the Halloween range, I was rather dubious about trying Soot Ball, as there were a lot of complaints made from consumers about various aspects of the product.  

When I first saw Soot Ball, the first thing that concerned me was it's colour. With it's powdery black exterior, reminiscent of coal, it's a rather intimidating ballistic and I was worried about it staining either my bath tub or myself while in use. 

Initially, I was slightly relieved to find that Lush had addressed my concerns in their write-up, stating that the bomb would not turn my bath water black - instead giving me the experience of 'bathing in luxurious liquid gold'. Wow, I thought, this will be definitely be an interesting experience if Lush have pulled this one off. 

However, I was very disappointed to find that my concerns were justified - the bath bomb dissolved in the tub to leave a murky, sewage-green coloured water. Furthermore, after having my bath, I found that the bomb had stained my finger and toe nails and left a grey residue around the edge of my tub, which took quite a while to remove. 

Although Soot Ball released it's golden lustre as it was dissolving, the resulting colour and experience was disappointing and it did absolutely nothing for my skin. In fact, this is probably one of the first bath bombs that has left my skin noticeably dry after use.

Despite this, I cannot fault the scent at all. The addition of olibanum (frankincense) gives the ballistic a balsamic-sweet fragrance, whilst the burnt caramel scent of tonka absolute and earthy sandalwood oil together create a sweet, spicy scent. I do hope that Lush are able to revamp this ballistic and bring it back in another form, as the smell is both unique and exciting. However, I would not recommend anyone trying the bath bomb in this form. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Tonka Absolute, Australian Organic Sandalwood Oil, Fair Trade Columbian Cocoa Butter, Fair Trade Shea Butter, Cream of Tartar, Olibanum Resinoid, Benzoin Resinoid, Gardenia Extract, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Lauryl Betaine, PEG-6 Caprylic / Capric Glycerides, & PEG-60 Almond Glycerides, *Coumarin, *Limonene, Benzyl Benzoate, Perfume, Colour 77499, Colour 15510, Radiant Gold Lustre (Potassium Aluminium Silicate, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides), Paper Eyes.

Vegan?: Yes

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Celestial Facial Moisturiser

A year ago, I wouldn't have ever considered using face masks and facial cleansers and moisturisers. In all fairness to my skin, the only issue I have with my face (apart from the big bags under my tired eyes), is that I occasionally break out in spots after eating too much junk food. And the solution to this? Eat less junk! I certainly wouldn't have thought I would become reliant on £10+ cleansers to smear all over my face.

However, my perfectionism means that not only am I intent on purchasing every Vegan Lush product ever made, but I also have to test them out, creating a situation where I might find products I want to use again! Celestial is one such product. 

Lush describe this moisturiser as 'a heavenly moisturiser to make sensitive skin happy. Although it's true that some perfumes can irritate sensitive skin, like stronger spice oils, others are really good for preventing redness and reactions. Natural vanilla absolute is one of them. We use it in Celestial for its soothing effect and intoxicating scent. The dove orchid is used in Chinese herbalism to prevent inflammation; it is the only orchid with a delicate and delightful scent. Almond milk is also wonderful for calming the skin.

Celestial is a beautiful creamy moisturiser that smells of fresh vanilla and nothing else. If you're someone who doesn't like heavy smells, this is one for you.

If you're worried about lotions clogging up your skin, this is one that might appeal to you. It's a wonderfully light lotion that doesn't feel heavy or greasy on your face. It's been formulated to create a light barrier on the skin to stop the loss of moisture and keep sensitive skin feeling calm. Even though I don't consider my skin to be sensitive, I have noticed that my face definitely feels more moisturised and rejuvenated since using it.

£11.75 might seem like a steep price tag for such a small tub, but having used it daily, a pot still lasts me upwards of six months. It is silky smooth and sinks into your skin without it feeling heavy or clogged and removes all dryness from my skin. I apply it after my 6am shower and I still feel the effects of Celestial when I get home after 7pm.

Although there are many other facial moisturisers that I plan on trialling over the coming months, this is definitely one I'll go back to and use again. I'm definitely interested in hearing about how it works for those of you with dry or sensitive skin.

Quantitative Ingredients: Vanilla Water, Almond Oil, Almond Milk, Glycerine, Cocoa Butter, Fresh Dove Orchid Extract, Cetearyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Triethanolamine, Methylparaben, Propylparaben.

Vegan?: Yes

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Lord Of Misrule Bath Bomb

Even it's name inspires people to shudder in it's midst; Lord of Misrule is a new bath bomb, bought out as a limited product for Lush's 2013 Halloween range. Inspired by the ruler of the Pagan Feast of Fools, Lush claim that the bath bomb brings mischievous revelry to the tub with a spicy herbal blend of patchouli and black pepper oil. 

When I first found out about this product, I was rather intrigued (and slightly excited) to try it out. Knowing how beautiful the patchouli scent helps to make one of my favourite scents, Karma, smell so good, I couldn't imagine disliking this bath bomb. Coupled with the intriguing addition of black pepper oil, I couldn't wait to throw one of these bad boys in my tub and see what it could do. 

When they were first delivered to my door, I was instantly bowled over by it's look; a gorgeous shade of shamrock green, speckled with pieces of pink and white, and it's scent; an incredible aroma of patchouli intertwined with the softness of vanilla absolute and the spiciness of black pepper. To me, the scent is reminiscent of both the Twilight and Luxury Lush Pud bath bombs but with a peppery twist.

As it slowly froths in the water, hypnotic swirling silver luster is released and the deep green exterior soon gives way to a rich, wine-colored center. This stunning red colour permeates the entire bath water and is one of the most stunning shades I have seen come from a Lush bath bomb. 

The scent is even more pronounced when in the water and maintained it's scent throughout my entire bathing experience. The water left my skin feeling wonderfully soft and cleansed and the peppery scent lingered on my body for a long while after. If you're looking for a gentle scent, this isn't it. Lord of Misrule comes at you with all it's got, and leaves a very strong impression on yourself and the environment.  

This has become one of my favourite ever bath bombs from Lush and I feel it would make a wonderful addition to the permanent range. It's unique in smell and look, and is wonderfully decadent. I highly recommend that you grab yourself one (or ten?!?) if you ever get the chance. I really hope that Lush realise how unique and wonderful this scent is and choose to release other products that feature this scent as I would buy them up like they're going out of fashion.

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Popping Candy, Cream of Tartar, Black Pepper Oil, Patchouli Oil, Fair Trade Vanilla Absolute, Lauryl Betaine, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Gardenia Extract, *Limonene, Perfume, Colour 17200, Colour 42090, Colour 19140.

Vegan?: Yes

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Space Girl Bath Bomb

Priced at £2.10, this is by far Lush's cheapest ballistic, so I was slightly surprised when I received a full-sized product in my latest online order. Not only this, but it was immediately clear that this beautiful bath bomb had many things to offer...

As first impressions go, Space Girl nailed it. With a beautiful shade of violet and decorated with flecks of red and gold glitter, this bath bomb is a feast for the eyes. Shaped like a flying saucer (although you could argue that it is also shaped like a planet), this unworldly ballistic gives off a gorgeous fruity, floral scent. 

Containing bergamot, grapefruit and almond oils, this bath bomb possesses a fruity blackcurrant scent that is slightly reminiscent of the Comforter, although there is definitely a floral undertone here, which smells of Parma Violets as well. Space Girl definitely has a multi-layered scent, which gives it a rather mature smell and will appeal to a whole range of different people. 

Although this ballistic possesses a very strong scent at first, this smell quickly disperses once dissolved in water and I found the smell did not stay throughout the full duration of the bath. Neither did it linger on my skin like I was expecting, which was rather disappointing. 

Like Lush's other ballistics, once this bomb hits the water, it's supposed to froth and fizz until it has dispersed. However, I was rather disappointed when mine sunk to the bottom of the bath tub, where it lay until it had been completely dissolved. The bath bomb I used was a couple of months old, but definitely not old enough to be defunct, and I'm only hoping that this was a one off. 

As I've said in previous reviews, products with glitter are not off-putting for me and this ballistic is no exception. The glitter merges with the deep purple water to create a beautiful and enticing bath, and flushes away with ease, once the plug has been pulled. 

Space Girl is also rumoured to contain popping candy, which offers a magical experience if your head is submerged under the water whilst it is dissolving. Unfortunately, I didn't read about this until after I had already used this ballistic, so I cannot comment on this aspect. 

Overall, what started as a promising experience did turn a little sour towards the end. It is a lovely-smelling ballistic that offers value for money and creates a beautiful bathing experience. However, it does need to be used alongside another ballistic/bubble bar (The Comforter, Bathos, Blackberry) if you want a stronger-smelling experience.

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Perfume, Grapefruit Oil, Bergamot Oil, Almond Essential Oil, Colour 17200, Colour 42053, Crimson and Red Golden Glitter, Fizzy Candy, *Limonene, *Linalool, Methyl Ionone.

Vegan?: Yes

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Blackberry Bath Bomb

Blackberry is one of the first bath bombs to ever come from the company that we now know as Lush. And although there were a lot of products created through trial and error in the beginning, Blackberry is one such product that made the cut, and continues to be one of their biggest selling bath bombs to date. 

I think it's popularity is due to a number of different reasons; firstly, it is made up of only eight ingredients, which for those of us who are conscious of what we use on our bodies, this is refreshing to see; secondly, it possesses a gorgeous scent and colour unlike any other bath bomb on the market. 

The Blackberry ballistic is a beautiful shade of deep violet with the word BOMB etched on the top. Featuring both bergamot and frankincense, this bomb lifts your spirits and cleanses your mind, as well as leaving you smelling delicious. 

The scent is subtle so it's not overpowering and the frankincense oil is clearly detectable both before and after adding the bomb to water. This is a positive aspect to the ballistic as frankincense is such a unique and beautiful smell.

What I found is that the scent is less blackberry and more parma violet sweets, which only served to make me love this ballistic even more. It is definitely more floral than it is fruity, but I didn't think this was a bad thing, as there are other Lush bath bombs that will satisfy your fruity cravings if need be. 

When added to water, this bath bomb starts fizzing immediately and it only takes a matter of seconds before your water has turned a beautiful shade of lilac. There is also a little surprise once the bath bomb has fully dissolved, but I will leave this up to you to discover for yourself. The colour does fade somewhat over time, but this is to be expected of most bath bombs, so Blackberry is not unique in doing this. 

Lush say that 'this is a good one to use on days when you are feeling out of sorts, rushed or just can’t think straight. It brings calm and clarity to a busy hectic life.' I definitely agree. 

Sharing the same scent as Sultana of Soap, this is a bath bomb that clears your head, refreshes your mind and leaves you smelling delicious. To top it off, it also leaves your skin feeling silky soft, without the addition of oily substances that may affect those with sensitive skin.

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Perfume, Bergamot Oil, Frankincense Oil, Hexyl Cinnamal, Colour 42053, Colour 17200.

Vegan?: Yes

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Christmas 2013 Range

This is the entire Christmas 2013 range, including a few retro items that I've tagged in as well for good measure. I'm making it my mission to test and review every product available in the seasonal range, although this may take me a while!

You can find out more about each product by clicking on it's name below - I'll update this post each time I try out something different. 

Bath Bombs

Bombardino
Cinders
Father Christmas
Golden Wonder
Luxury Lush Pud
Magic Wand
Secret Santa
Shoot For The Stars
Snowman
So White

Bubble Bars and Bath Melts

Candy Mountain Bubble Bar
Christmas Eve Bubble Bar
The Christmas Penguin Bubble Bar (New)
The Melting Snowman Bath Melt
Star Light Star Bright Bath Melt (New)

Body Lotions

Celebrate (New)
Sikkim Girls (new - non vegan)

Face

Buche De Noel Facial Cleanser
Let The Good Times Roll Facial Cleanser
Rudolph Fresh Face Mask (New)
Santa Baby Lip Tint (New)
Santa's Lip Scrub (new - non vegan)

Shower Gels

Glogg
Rose Jam
Ponche
Snow Fairy

Soaps


Angel's Delight
Mr Punch
Noriko
Orange Jelly (New)
Snowcake
Snow Globe

Random

Gold FUN (New)

Sandy Santa Massage Bar (New)

Snow Fairy Sparkle Bar (New)

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