When I think about the hundreds of cosmetics that Lush have brought out over the years, I'm surprised to realise that there have been very few Strawberry-scented products released. There are some obvious popular candidates that have strawberry as one of their key ingredients; Mrs Whippy Bath Ballistic, Strawberry Feels Forever Massage Bar and Yummy Yummy Yummy shower gel to name but a few. However, in the overall scheme of things, Lush have had many more citrus and vanilla items, than the popular berry.
I only mention this because I was recently carrying out some research on different cosmetic procedures, and learning how a product gets from the 'idea table' to the shops, and I found out that the strawberry fragrance is one of the most popular (and biggest selling) scents in the cosmetics industry.
It seems out of place then that Lush should release a product called the Strawberry Santa, a festive shower jelly that combines strawberry, coconut and vanilla to create a sweet, fruity alternative to shower gel. First released in 2009 and shaped like a Santa Claus, this red shower jelly is a light, simple-scented jelly that smells like nothing else that Lush have released.
Although this jelly has a multilayer of different scents, it is definitely the strawberry that stands out. You can pick up a slight hint of vanilla here, however, the coconut was non-existent to me. Unfortunately, this fragrance is not a fresh, natural smell that you would expect from a Lush product. Instead, what we have here is probably their most generic, synthetic-smelling product that they have released so far; it wouldn't be out of place on the shelf of a cheap cosmetics shop.
As this jelly was rather old when I purchased it (3 years old to be precise), I wonder whether it's scent has somewhat weakened due to it's age, so maybe a fresh one would possess a much stronger, natural and more defined scent. This shower jelly was also rather runny in places so I found myself using a lot more each time due to it's consistency.
There are several ways that you can use any of Lush's shower jellies, and I find that everyone has their own preference, which is completely understandable. Firstly, you can break a small piece of (or select a piece that's been segmented prior to your shower) and rub the block directly onto your skin. The amount of lather this creates differentiates vastly depending on the type of jelly, how old the product is and the size of the piece you're using. While some users find this way works for them, I find that this is fairly ineffective as it does not create much of a lather and the jelly becomes too wet, making it slippery and difficult to hold on to.
Secondly, you can use a shower sponge, puff or exfoliating glove to create a lather before rubbing it all over your body. For me, I found this method far more successful as it helped to break down the jelly properly and create a nice foamy effect to wash your body with. Finally, you can break off slabs of the jelly and use them as you would a bubble bar, placing them underneath a running tap to stimulate bubbles. I tend to use mine for this reason, as I can get 4-5 baths out of one 100g tub, which I consider to be great value for money.
I've awarded this product 3/6 because, after using this, my skin did feel lovely and soft, and there was a trace of the scent on my skin which lasted for a few hours after application. Furthermore, the scent the jelly does possess is in no way a terrible smell - it's just rather generic and boring for my liking.
Overall, Strawberry Santa is a product that would work best with younger children, not adults who are perhaps looking for something a little more complex and mature. The main downside for me, was that mine seemed to have been reduced to liquid somewhat, so a 100g tub only lasted me a handful of times. If it was a more sophisticated and rich fragrant product, I would not begrudge paying that sort of money for a few luxury showers. However, when it smells as bland and uninspiring as Strawberry Santa does, I expect far more product for my money.
If Lush were to bring these out again, I may invest in one just to see whether it was age that left me disappointed, or whether it's the trait of the shower jelly. However, it's definitely not one of Lush's particularly interesting releases, and not one I'm interested in using again.
Quantitative Ingredients: Glycerine, Desiccated Coconut and Vanilla Pod infusion (Cocos nucifera and Vanilla planifolia), Spring Water, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Propylene Glycol, Fresh Strawberries (Fragaria vesca), Perfume, Carrageenan Extract (Chondrus crispus), Benzoin Resinoid (Styrax benzoin), Jasmine Absolute (Jasminum officinale), Geranium Oil (Pelargonium graveolens), *Cinnamal, *Linalool, Colour 14700, Methylparaben, Propylparaben.
Vegan?: Yes.
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