Calacas Shower Gel

One thing I've never understood when it comes to Lush, is how they decide which products are to be made permanent members of their range, and which products are released as 'one-off' specials. Obviously, I'm intelligent enough to recognise that it all boils down to sales and profit, that much I understand. However, when it comes to certain items, these two factors are somewhat blurred and confusing and don't correlate with the popularity of the product. 

Calacas Shower Gel was last released as a limited edition product back in the early part of 2011, and lasted for a single day before it had completely sold out. Prior to this, the shower gel has reared it's head during various other limited edition releases around the world but never been a member of the permanent family. This confuses me greatly. 

To me, this shower gel is the greatest invention that Lush have ever come up with; the best product on the planet; an opinion that seems to be echoed by hundreds, if not thousands of Lushies around the world. 

Pre 2014 version

The shower gel possesses a beautiful uplifting lemon and lime scent - a zesty and slightly tart fragrance that reminds me of jelly beans and fruit pastille sweets. Featuring a blend of neroli essential oils and lime oil, Calacas is a sweet, fruity concoction unlike any other smell to come from Lush. No matter how many different citrus products you've tried in the past, I can guarantee that you've never smelt anything as beautiful as Calacas. 

Despite my bottle being almost three years old, the smell that hit me when opening the lid was stunning. Not only this but it's lime green appearance catches your eye immediately; a super-gorgeous and highly appealing colour that stands out above all other Lush shower gels. 

Fans who have purchased a bottle through the Lush Kitchen, will notice that although the consistency has stayed the same, the colour has changed. This new lighter, yellow-shaded shower gel is due to many fans complaining about the old design turning a funny colour and looking rather unappealing a few months after purchase. Lush have obviously reformulated the product so it won't do this - unfortunately losing the gorgeous colour that it was previously. 

Although initially released as a Halloween product, this shower gel is a perfect companion throughout the entire year. In winter - it's cheery smell awakens the senses and makes those early morning starts a little less painful; in summer, it's zesty aroma gives you a wonderful boost to start the day. 

Calacas is a thick shower gel, very similar in consistency to The Comforter or Ponche, although this one does feel slightly denser in consistency. It doesn't lather up as easily as the aforementioned, however that's not to say it doesn't work fantastically well in the shower. It lathers up nicely on a loofa, sponge or shower puff, so very little needs to be used each time, and leaves your skin feeling wonderfully soft. 

Although not as strong as the jelly of the same name, this product is a wonderful addition to anyone's bathroom and should be made a permanent member of their range. I know that fans are lucky to be able to purchase this through the kitchen, I can only hope that Lush choose to release this shower gel again, at least so I can stock up on a handful of bottles to last me through the year. I cannot rate it high enough. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Aloe Vera Gel(Aloe barbadensis), Sodium LaurethSulfate, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, LaurylBetaine, Propylene Glycol, Perfume, Lime Oil (Citrus aurantifolia), Olibanum Oil (Boswelliacarterii), Neroli Oil (Citrus Aurantiumamara), Lactic Acid, *Citral, *Geraniol, *Limonene, *Linalool, Colour 42090, Colour 45350, Methylparaben, Propylparaben.

Vegan?: Yes.

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Mrs Whippy Ballistic

Sometimes Lush will release a product where the mere mention if it's name conjures up memories so sensual that it'll inspire me to buy up as many of that item as I can, regardless of if I've even considered whether or not I'd like the product. Mrs Whippy is one such item.

Speaking as a vegan of six years, I have never disputed the fact that most meat and dairy tastes wonderful - it wasn't the flavour that inspired me to banish said items from my diet, it was my ethics. So I sometimes still find myself salivating over food that I used to eat and with it being summer, the topic of ice cream has come around many a-time.

Reminiscent of the popular soft-serve ice cream, Mrs Whippy Ballistic is a highly sensual and gorgeously designed bath product that shares it's scent with both Strawberry Feels Forever Massage Bar and Yummy Yummy Yummy Shower Gel. Made from a combination of soya milk powder, tonka absolute and buchu oil, this bath bomb is a sweet and powdery offering that is far richer and less sugary than the above products.

Firstly, this ballistic is one of the strongest scented ones I have come across in a while (aside Tennis Ball) and when left, it's aroma will dominate any room within a matter of hours. 

As I touched upon above, Mrs Whippy is different from the other products in this fragrance line as I feel it's far more sophisticated and perhaps a little too poignant. Although they both have a strawberry scent, Strawberry Feels is more of a gentle, milkshake sort of smell, whereas this ballistic has quite a dominant musky aroma. In fact, it's aroma is nothing like what I was expecting and it's far less girly than I had envisaged it would be. 

I feel as if Lush have overdone it with the tonka absolute here and this gives it a strong vanilla fragrance as opposed to a fruity one. When the ballistic is dry, it's sultry aroma, although very strong, is still really lovely. However, when Mrs Whippy hits the water, the tonka is intensified even more and it gives off a very heady burnt smell which is far less appealing. This overpowering scent reminds me a little of the woody note that you find in both Lush's Breath of God and The Voice Of Reason perfumes. 

On a positive note, this bath bomb is a slow dissolving one - taking close to fifteen minutes to fully dissipate across the water. As it quietly fizzes on the surface, creamy waves of white and baby pink foam make their way into the water and this is thanks to the inclusion of both the soya milk and sodium bicarbonate. Both ingredients help to soften the water, which in turn softens the skin. The inclusion of cocoa absolute and almond oil help to make this a very moisturising bathing experience and my skin felt velvety-soft when I exited the bath. 


In it's defence, Mrs Whippy does retain it's aroma for the duration of the bath and you can detect hints of it's scent on your skin hours after bathing. However once dissolved, this ballistic leaves a rather murky looking bath water so it wouldn't win any awards for that. 

Overall, it is an enjoyable ballistic to use and one that I would choose to buy again. To counteract how strong the scent is, I plan on leaving these in my bath bomb drawer for a few months and then seeing whether or not the fragrance has dispersed slightly. For those who like quite dominating smells, this will be right up your alley. However, if you're expecting a sweet and gentle smell, you may be in for a shock.  

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Soya Milk Powder, Tapioca Flour, Perfume, Cream of Tartar, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sugar, Cocoa Absolute, Tonka Absolute, Almond Essential Oil, Buchu Oil, Titanium Dioxide, Lauryl Betaine, Coumarin, Eugenol, Limonene, Colour 45410, Colour 14700, Colour 17200.

Vegan?: Yes.

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Karma Bath Melt

Aside from The Comforter, Karma is my favourite Lush scent. It's a unique and very beautiful smell unlike anything else I have ever smelt before. It's both sophisticated and simplistic, sweet and citrusy, herbal and floral. As a lover of this scent, I appreciate the fact that there’s a bubble bar, a soap, a body lotion and a fragrance; all regular products I can invest in at anytime in any one of Lush's stores, as well as online. However, I would never argue against new renditions of the scent, which is why I was super excited when I first found out about the Karma Bath Melt. 

To look at, it's stunning; a petite glittery golden pyramid, about the same weight as a You've Been Mangoed Bath Melt. What I find odd about this product, is that there's quite a difference in the weight and size of these bath melts, depending on where you purchased them from. This is very noticeable when you place two next to each other; the picture illustrates how different the specifications of the product can be - with the product on the right weighing almost a third more than the pyramid on the left. Does anyone know why this is?

Aside from it's size, the Karma Melt contains cocoa butter and almond oil to moisturise, as well as patchouli, sweet orange, lemongrass and elemi oils to make up the distinctive Karma scent. To finish off, the bath product is coated with a layer of golden lustre to make it look luxurious and magical. 

Like most Lush bath melts, you are supposed to drop it into a hot bath tub (the hotter, the better), and allow the product to melt away, filling your tub with essential oils to help relax, moisturise and soften your tired skin. When I first placed the Karma Bath Melt into my tub, I found that it didn't take anytime at all for the glitter to begin dispersing across the surface of the water. As you can see from my pictures, I chose to use a whole pyramid for my bath. However, in hindsight, I would suggest that you divide the melt into three and use it for three separate occasions. 

My reasoning for this is because firstly, there is a lot of glitter that comes with this product, and although it doesn't coat you as much as you think it would, it does tend to paint the bath quite a bit. Secondly, this bath melt releases a good amount of oils and butters into the water, so a third of this would still be enough to nourish and soften your skin. 

The longer I left the bath melt in the tub, the more glitter began to disperse across the surface and stick itself to the edge of my bath tub. While this was going on, the oils began to mix in with the water and create silky-soft bathing water. In fact, there are enough oils in Karma Bath Melt to leave little beads on the surface, which can then be lathered directly into your skin. 

When I did get into the tub, I was initially hesitant because of the amount of glitter that decorated the water and sides of the tub. However, you're left surprisingly glitter free when you exit the bath so don't let that aspect of the bath melt put you off. In total, it took a good 5-10 minutes for the pyramid to fully melt so I was able to relax under the water and let the butters get to work on my skin.  

The water did turn a beautiful golden colour and the scent was definitely very present throughout the bathing experience. I could detect the wonderful fragrance on my hair and skin when I exited the bath and it remained with me for hours afterwards. However, to reiterate a previous point, I don't really understand why Lush have chosen to include so much golden glitter in one product. If you slice the melt open, you'll find that the whole bar is made up of glitter and this is just too much, especially as it would no doubt put off even the most avid of Karma fans. In it's defence, you won't end up looking like Ziggy Stardust after use. However, the gold glitter did decorate my scalp a little for some three weeks after I had initially used it, which didn't really bother me all that much, but which I'm sure would annoy many customers. Although it was only a few specks here and there, I know that some people would find this frustrating.

Ultimately, this product is good value for money and is gorgeously presented. The Karma scent is strong enough to see you through the entire bath, whilst not being too overwhelming. It leaves your skin feeling really hydrated and fully moisturised, whilst smelling beautiful at the same time. 

My only concerns lie in the shelf life of such a product. I was able to get my hands on a few of these a couple of years back and found that they lost their scent quite quickly and became quite stubborn in the bath. This picture is of one of these melts and I didn't find it anywhere near as moisturising as the new ones I have purchased from the Kitchen. For this reason, I would suggest that this is one product that shouldn't be stored for too long. 

I have enjoyed using this bath melt and as a novelty product, it's definitely worth investing in a couple. However, I would like Lush to consider removing some of the lustre and including more oils to make this product even more appealing to a wider range of people.

Quantitative Ingredients: Cocoa Butter, Laureth 4, Almond Oil, Perfume, Patchouli Oil, Sweet Orange Oil, Lavandin Oil, Pine Oil, Lemongrass Oil, Elemi Oil, *Citral, *Citronellol, *Limonene, *Linalool, Gardenia Extract.

Vegan?: Yes. 

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Tennis Ball Bath Bomb

This is the first time since Lush announced that they would be bringing out American Cream, The Olive Branch and Tropical Jungle Body Lotion, that I have been as excited as I am about a product. Released back in 2006 as a forum special, this ballistic only made a fleeting visit and has never been seen again. That is, until now...

Tennis Ball Bath Bomb is probably not the most original of names and to look at, doesn't look any different from Lush's best-selling Avobath Ballistic. However, with it's bright green demeanour and gorgeously fruity aroma, this product is a perfect homage to the summer weather, and indeed Wimbledon. 

To me, the most exciting aspect about this bath bomb is it's scent; a vibrant and uplifting rich fruity smell that encompasses tangerine and orange oils to give it it's unique aroma. Sharing it's scent with the seasonal Angel's Delight Soap, Tennis Ball is a very sweet, youthful offering that reminds me a little of the blackcurrant Starburst chew, albeit a little more complex. The scent is very much like a tropical fruit punch - a combination of naturally sugary components that work well together to create a beautiful summery fragrance. 

If you're a fan of the above soap or Lush's regular Miranda Soap, you'll love this bath bomb. Although it's description may make it sound just like the many citrus-scented products that have come out of the Lush Kitchen these last couple of months, I can assure you that this fragrance is something a little more special. 

In the tub, the ballistic is quick to dissolve - immediately beginning to fizz on contact with the water. It spews out threads of fluorescent green foam that disperses quickly across the surface and turns your bath into a beautiful haven of colour. The vibrancy of the water remains as bright throughout your entire bathing experience and helps to make this a very uplifting and enjoyable experience. 

What impressed me about Tennis Ball is that the scent had great staying power and was very much present throughout my entire bath (40+ minutes).  Normally you would expect it to weaken as your senses become accustomed to the fragrance, however I could still detect it on my skin, hair and in the water right up until I climbed out of the tub. Even better was the fact that the scent stayed on my skin for hours afterwards and it was the first thing I could smell when I woke up the next day. 

The inclusion of tangerine and orange oil means that this ballistic softens and moisturises your skin and I could see a slight accumulation of some of these oils on the surface of the water when I first got in. However, it's not any more nourishing than you would expect a Lush bath bomb to be.

Overall, this is definitely one of my favourite bath bombs from Lush and one of the best bathing products to come from the Lush Kitchen. It's colour and fragrance boosts your energy levels and would be a fantastic early morning treat before heading out for the day. I would have liked Tennis Ball to have done a little more in the tub in regards to the 'show' it put on, but it still a really enjoyable experience. To extend this fantastic experience, Lush need to bring out a body lotion with this scent as I can imagine it being incredible.   

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Perfume, Tangerine Oil, Orange Oil, Limonene, Linalool, Gardenia Extract, Colour 59040, Colour 42090, Colour 45350.

Vegan?: Yes.

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Potion Liquid Perfume

Looking back at Lush's Forum Special perfumes over the years, there are some incredible entries that leave me feeling very jealous that I wasn't around to grab myself a bottle or two. Potion was one of the fragrances that taunted me; being released for the first time as part of the 2005 collection, and never being brought out again. 

This ultra rare perfume was sold in a beautiful glass bottle and decorated with a golden ribbon around the neck; a gorgeous package that outshines all of Lush's incredibly boring black-bottle design that they use now. So you can imagine how I felt when I found one of these beautiful perfumes on eBay: I wasn't going to let it go.

Sharing it's scent with the Potion Body Lotion, Potion Liquid Perfume is a wonderful scent comprised from a combination of carnations, roses and tangerines; a rich and sensual floral fragrance with just a sprinkling of sweetness from those fruity oils. This is definitely not your typical floral smell, which is probably why I fell in love with it almost instantaneously. It's unique scent is definitely a modern smell, but it does feature sultry elements, making it appealing to both the younger and older markets. 

This scent is definitely very feminine and mature, but that's not to say that this fragrance would not appeal to consumers of all ages. Whereas a lot of floral and rose-scented cosmetics tend to appeal to a certain niche of perfume lovers, I think Potion's smell is a universal one, meaning that it would suit anyone from about 18 - 80.

The reason why it works so well for such a range of different people, is because it's a fresh and very modern smelling fragrance. The tangerine oil gives the perfume a zesty, uplifting twist that would appeal to the younger audience. However, it also has references to the classic smells of rose and carnation, which would suit an older market.

What I loved about Potion, was that it was one of my longest lasting perfumes I've tried from Lush. The scent stayed with me throughout the entire day, leaving my skin with a rather subtle but sexy light scent that mellowed as the evening progressed. 

Furthermore, I found that this product was ideal to use during both the day and night. Unlike a perfume such as Imogen Rose, the different floral elements are not cloying or overpowering, meaning that you can wear this down the beach without feeling like the scent is too heavy to match the environment. At the same time, the sophistication of both the carnation and rose petal infusions, make Potion a rich and rather indulgent perfume that holds it own on a night out. 

Overall, Potion is a subtle perfume and doesn't come across as either strong or overpowering. It settles down well on your skin and has decent staying power; the wearer being able to smell it 6-8 hours after application. It still smells floral when it settles and that's when I can detect the natural rose oil that it's made with. The Rose Oil smells divine and it's gentle on the skin. 

It's a perfume with an edge of sophistication, yet a light refreshing twist as well. I thoroughly enjoyed using this and was rather gutted when my bottle finished. Having been 9 years since it was last released, I think Lush should consider putting it in for another appearance. I for one, will be stocking up if it happens.

Quantitative ingredients: Rose Petal Infusion (Rosa centifolia), Almond Oil (Prunus dulcis), Fresh Tangerines (Citrus reticulata), Rose Absolute (Rosa centifolia), Carnation Absolute (Dianthus carophyllus), Tangerine Oil (Citrus reticulata).

Vegan?: Yes.

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Karma Dusting Powder

When I found out that Lush were doing a 'Karma-themed' week in the Lush Kitchen, I felt my bank balance immediately buckle under the weight of all of the purchases I would be making. When they announced the shower gel and jelly, I was obviously keen to stock up. However, it wasn't until this product made a reappearance, that I really got myself worked up. 

Karma Dusting Powder is a product of legend. What I mean by this is that I have heard so many people talk about it over the last few years. And when I say 'talk', what I really mean is 'passionately babble on and on about it until they're red in the face'. This is a product that has not made many appearances over the years, yet one that has inspired avid followers all around the world. 

Blessed with the Karma scent, this perfumed powder is made using a combination of patchouli, orange, pine and lemongrass oils. These oils form a wonderfully sweet, complex and highly fruity fragrance. In my shower gel review, I described Karma as an ambient fragrance reminiscent of the sixties, and this it really is.

The orange and patchouli are definitely at the forefront of this smell. Together they offer a warm, spicy but equally zesty aroma. Although I love citrus scents, I often find that some can be very two-dimensional and boring. However, the combination of these smells gives Karma a mature but equally youthful smell. It's one of those products that you have to smell for yourself to really appreciate the beauty of it's scent. 

To use this product, simply shake into the palm of your hand and then rub into your skin. You can also apply it directly onto any areas you wish to, although I found that this can cause a lot of the powder to fall off and get onto your clothes and/or carpet. You only need a small amount to cover your whole body - I found a teaspoon amount was more than enough each time. 

The dusting powder sits beautifully on the body, immediately being absorbed into the skin so you don't have to worry about it rubbing off on any clothes you put on afterwards. The inclusion of cornflour and chickpea flour makes this powder beautifully soft and I was very surprised to discover how instantly smooth it makes your skin. I couldn't stop stroking my arms after I had used this for the first time and I found that the condition of my skin stayed like this for the entirety of the day. 

Unfortunately, the one aspect of this product that doesn't sit well with me, is that the Karma scent tends to fade after 20-30 minutes and I couldn't detect it on my skin at all. While I could top up the smell with my Karma Kream or my Karma Perfume, I was hoping for a little more longevity. Given how strongly the scent comes across in the bottle, I was expecting something with a little more 'bite'.

Despite this, Karma Dusting Powder is a great addition to anyone's handbag and works wonders on your skin when you find yourself a little hot and sweaty whilst outside. Simply apply this to your skin and some of that nasty moisture will be absorbed whilst leaving you feeling refreshed and smelling beautiful.

Although the £9.50 price tag may seem a little expensive for the 140g you receive, I can see a bottle of this lasting me a good 6 months to a year, which is great value for money. I'm glad I bought four bottles of this stuff as I plan to make it one of my summer must-haves.  

Quantitative Ingredients: Chick Pea Flour, Cornflour, Calamine Powder, Magnesium Carbonate, Perfume, Elemi Oil, Lavendin Oil, Pine Oil, Lemongrass Oil, Patchouli Oil, Orange Oil, Citral, Geraniol, Citronellol, Limonene, Linalool.

Vegan?: Yes.

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Summer Pudding Soap

Sometimes I get the Lush 'itch', which I can neither predict or control; sometimes I don't even realise I'm doing it until it's too late. By 'itch', I of course mean spending money, something I seem to do exceedingly well, especially when it comes to Lush products. During one of these expensive moments, I nearly always end up with chunk-upon-chunk of soap, which get thrown into my soap drawer and don't see the light of day for months, if not years later. Such is the case with Summer Pudding Soap.

On paper, this soap sounds incredible; a cherry and almond-scented marvel that first made it's appearance during Lush's 2010 summer collection. Containing almonds, coconut, glacie cherries and lemon oil, the ingredients list reads like a recipe, which is exactly what creator, Noriko, was going for. The scent and the ingredients remind me of freshly-made bake well tart, which definitely feels like a treat first thing in the morning.   

Described as a soap with the fragrance of buchu and citrus, Summer Pudding has many qualities about it. Firstly, Lush have added a combination of ground almonds, softening almond oil, and cleansing lemon oil. The latter two help to give this product it's moisturising qualities, whilst the former creates an abrasive-textured surface, allowing the soap to be used as a body scrub as well as a cleanser.  

What you'll notice about each chunk of this soap, is that there are chunks of smooth pink soap, which creates the lather in the shower. Then these are surrounded with the more gritty part of the product, meaning when you lather this up underwater, you are both cleaning and exfoliating at the same time. When I purchased a fresh piece from the kitchen, I found that the soap isn't as gritty as my older slice and was a lot softer and gentle on the skin. 

Secondly, the aroma of the soap is wonderful, warm and fragrant. Even some four years after it was originally made, this product still smells as fresh as it did in the factory. It has a soft, almost mixed berry-dominated smell, which along with the nutty, savoury scent of the almonds, rounds this off nicely. Fresh out of the packet, the soap's aroma may seem a little overpowering and almost 'plasticky' to some. However, in the shower this synthetic element is rectified and you're left with a rich fragrance to bask in. 

In the shower, Summer Pudding is a little stubborn to lather, and I found that it wasn't as effective at releasing suds as with other Lush soaps. Furthermore, the skin texture of the soap becomes rather slippery in the shower and I found myself having to grapple with it under the water, just so I could clean myself. 

However, the cherry fragrance is wonderful and it lingers on your skin for hours. It's quite a heavy smell, and one that is quite 'stodgy', as you would expect from an actual pudding itself. However, it's a wonderfully luxurious smelling soap; one that's very feminine and surprisingly fresh. It would be perfect coupled with Sin Skin Lotion, a product that is unfortunately unavailable from Lush UK at the moment. Furthermore, once the soap has been rinsed off, it does leave your skin looking and feeling soft and smooth, so you might not have to moisturise after every shower. 

I would recommend this soap but more as a scrub than a cleaner. It does leave your skin smooth, but this is due to the crushed almonds that exfoliate your skin, not the various ingredients that go into making this soap. A nice idea though, and one I would buy again if I got the chance.

Quantitative Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Propylene Glycol, Rapeseed Oil; Coconut Oil (Brassica napus; Cocos nucifera), Ground Almonds (Prunus dulcis), Sodium Stearate, Sodium Lauryl Sulphate,Glace Cherries (Prunus cerasus), Perfume, Almond Oil (Prunus dulcis), Buchu Oil (Barosma betulina), Juniper Berry Oil (Juniperus communis), Lemon Oil (Citrus limonum), Glycerine, Sodium Chloride, EDTA, Tetrasodium Etidronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Titanium Dioxide, Gardenia Extract (Gardenia jasminoides), *Limonene, *Linalool, Colour 17200, Colour 14700.

Vegan?: Yes.

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Ice Blue Shampoo

I cannot claim that I feigned a lot of interest when Lush decided to bring this out in the Lush Kitchen. No matter how fantastic a product may be, mint-scented cosmetics just don't 'float my boat' as much as other items do. However, I am always looking for new shampoos to spoil my hair with, and I was keen to see if this would become one of my new favourites. 

Ice Blue Shampoo has been a regular staple in the US retro selection for quite a while, but has not shown it's face in the UK for a number of years. First created during Mark Constantine's dabbling with The Body Shop, this is one of the oldest Lush products ever. 

Packed full of mint - both peppermint and spearmint, this is a refreshing and highly fragrant hair care product, intent on ridding the hair of excess oil whilst giving your locks a new lease of life. 

Original descriptions state that this shampoo actually has two different types of peppermint present in the ingredients - a combination of oils that not only has a strong, refreshing, mint aroma, but supposedly stimulate blood circulation and helps to boost the look and feel of your hair.

In the bottle, this shampoo has a distinct mint scent - very similar to the likes of Dirty Springwash but perhaps a little more subtle and less 'sharp'. It shares it's smell with the popular Ice Blue Soap and Freeze Shower Gel, and whereas I was expecting the mint to shoot up my nose upon first sniff, it's actually quite a gentle mint fragrance. However, that's not to say that it's in any way weak - this shampoo still packs a punch and offers users a cool, crisp and highly refreshing bathroom companion. The addition of peppermint also brings a gentle underlying herbal aroma, although this does not make itself known until the product is being used. 

Most noticeably is it's colour - a gorgeous navy that makes you envisage clear blue skies and vast oceans - a perfect accompaniment for the summer months. A second aspect that I noticed upon using this for the first time, is that it's the runniest shampoo I have ever tried from Lush. In fact, Ice Blue is almost identical in consistency to the The Olive Branch. For this reason, you have to be really careful when dispensing it from the bottle as it would be very easy to lose a lot of this down the plughole. 

Despite it's thinness, it still lathers up wonderfully and you don't have to work at it to produce a thick, creamy foam that coats your entire head. It washes out easily and leaves a very gentle minty fragrance on your hair - not enough to overpower any perfume you're wearing, but enough that you still get occasional whiffs of the spearmint throughout the day. 

Menthol has an amazing effect on your scalp (it even helps to combat hair loss apparently!). And although I'm lucky enough to have a healthy head of hair, it's great to know that my shampoo is stimulating that extra hair growth whilst cleaning my locks at the same time.

Ice Blue is a great shampoo for when you want to improve the condition of your locks, whilst also looking for something to perk you up in the mornings. It was one of Lush's first ever best selling, brilliant smelling products, and I can see why. Even though mint is one of my least favourite scents, I enjoy using this on my hair whilst mixing it up a citrus shower gel. I would definitely buy this again.

Quantitative Ingredient: Water (Aqua), Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Lauryl Betaine, Perfume, Lactic Acid, Spearmint Oil, Peppermint Oil, Fine Sea Salt, Limonene, Linalool, Colour 14700.

Vegan?: Yes.

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The Sunblock Solid Sunscreen Wash

I am somebody who is very self aware - I think it's a trait that comes with most people who chose to become vegetarian/vegan. To be able to think 'outside the box' and recognise how your words and actions directly effect your immediate and distant environment, is something that not everyone has the power or inclination to address. 

Recently, with the negativity surrounding the Lush Kitchen, I have found myself becoming very pessimistic towards the company, despite not having a bad experience to write about. When Lush first revealed this particular product, I immediately reacted with negativity - how could a solid wash protect you from the sun? Yet, I realised that Lush wouldn't release a product that wasn't thought-out and hadn't been through numerous vigorous testing procedures before making it's way onto the shelf. I needed to have more faith.

The Sunblock Solid Sunscreen is the first of it's kind - a wash-on, rinse-off sunscreen that nourishes the skin whilst protecting it from the sun's rays at the same time. Made with cocoa butter, rose absolute and calamine powder, this unique product is a buttery, fragrant offering, and one that I was very keen to test out. 

According to Lush, one 100g bar should be broken into three parts and used on three different occasions - massaging the bar onto the skin towards the end of your shower and then dabbing down when you're drying yourself off. Initially, I was skeptical that using this in the shower would be effective - surely the sunscreen would just wash off and eradicate the need for this product at all?

However, as soon as I began to apply Sunblock to my skin, I realised that it wasn't going anywhere. The bar creates a thick, oily layer that is very similar to what Buffy and Aqua Mirabilis Body Butters do - coating the skin with a layer of silk that seems impenetrable. Once the product has been applied, water cannot enter the pores as the oil and water cannot mix, so it runs away from the areas where Sunblock has been used and allows the sunscreen to absorb further into the skin. 

What you will find is that your skin will stay rather greasy for a good 30 minutes to an hour, so it's not something you throw on before heading out of the door. Furthermore, I found that I was able to use a sixth of the bar to coat my entire body, so this 100g bar could probably stretch across a few more uses than the company claim.  

The cocoa butter makes this a wonderfully smooth and gentle product, and my skin definitely felt really moisturised after using it. However, this ingredient didn't really add much to the overall scent that I detected. For me, the rose and calamine were the key scents here - giving it a smell that was reminiscent of Fresh Farmacy. 

Although there is no mint here, the overall smell did remind me a lot of mint aero. The calamine is at the forefront and gives a refreshing, almost antiseptic smell and it's inclusion makes it wonderful for those with irritated or sensitive skin; the rose rounds off the smell and removes the astringency of the calamine, chamomile and eucalyptus. 

Aside from it's smell and how well it treats your skin, the most important element of this is how it works in relation to the sun. After using this for the first time, I embarked on a five hour walk in the blazing heat and was pleased to discover that I didn't burn or feel any side effects of going out without applying other sunscreen first.  

The Sunblock really does seem to work, although I am still curious about how long the protection from this would last. I'm heading to Spain for a lovely weeks holiday at the end of July, and I plan on taking this to use with me there. I will report back on what I find and whether this really would last an entire day. 

On the positive side, there are a lot less ingredients in this product than you would expect to find in other sunscreens. This stops your skin from being overexposed to too many preservatives and chemicals that might effect the condition of your pores. However, this is not a product you could reapply throughout the day, meaning you'd have to rely on a second sunscreen to do the job when you're out and about. Coupled with the 3-6 use block setting you back almost £10, this makes The Sunblock a rather expensive investment and one that I cannot see anyone buying on a regular basis.

While I recognise that this works and I love the fact that Lush are experimenting with the way they offer products to the consumers, I don't know if it's one that'll prove overly popular and I cannot see it being around in future years.  

Quantitative Ingredients: Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter, Calamine Powder, Octocrylene, Octylmethoxycinnamate (Ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate), Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Organic Sesame Oil, Magnesium Carbonate, Chamomile Blue Oil, Rose Absolute, Eucalyptus Blue, Limonene.

Vegan?:Yes.

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