Strawberry Boat Fresh Smoothie

If I'm going to be honest, I don't think Lush have yet to perfect the strawberry fragrance. While their use of the fruit in the American Cream, Yummy Yummy Yummy and Strawberry Twin Tub scents have yielded incredibly sexy variations, nothing has yet to come close to the fresh, non-synthetic beauty that is the natural strawberry aroma. 

Strawberry Boat Smoothie was supposed to be the product that blew my theory out of the water. While it didn't achieve this, it did offer me another strawberry-scented product that I could enjoy - one extracted from the Lush vaults of the late 1990s. 

This smoothie was originally designed to scrub, exfoliate and smoothen out lines, creases and the wobbly bits on your body - which is why the product doesn't specifically detail where you should apply this. For this reason, I have used this on both my body and my face, and have yielded great results from both experiments. 

Packed full of strawberries, this magical fruit is rich in antioxidants and minerals which add vibrancy to your skin and leaves it feeling clean, clear and refreshed. This is combined with both fresh ginger root and ginger oil which not only add to the overall smell of the product and gives it a slightly spicy fragrance, but also supports circulation around the body and makes you feel warmer and more relaxed.

Strawberry Boat Fresh Smoothie smells a little like strawberry greek yoghurt - it has a slight sourness to it that I pick up even more when it is on my skin. It also has a gentle powdery fruitiness to it much like Yummy Yummy Yummy has, yet it doesn't share the same strawberry scent. To round it off, there's a sprinkling of ginger, which sort of lingers underneath the strawberry and gives the smoothie a very subtle spiciness. 

Ground rice gives this smoothie a very odd consistency unlike anything else I've yet to try from Lush. The product is rather thick and gritty in consistency - a little like smooth peanut butter mixed with semolina powder. I supposed it compares a little to Cupcake Fresh Face Mask but it's not exactly like this. On top of each smoothie is a decoration of sago - a starch derived from the pith of the sago palm that has been turned into small grains that are similar in look and feel as tapioca. These help to give you a good all-rounded exfoliation without being too aggressive on the skin.   

In the shower, this product does really well at lathering over your skin. It doesn't produce any foam - working like a body butter in this way. However, you only need very little as it coats your body with ease. After it has been washed off, it leaves its gentle fragrance on you for a while. In the shower this scent is a little floury - it smells of strawberries and baked oats. Unfortunately, I found that the scent it leaves on your skin after you've left the sower is reminiscent of soured milk so I didn't enjoy this aspect of the product. In fact, the smell I could pick up off my skin reminded me a little of when I used Coco Lotion, with disastrous effects!

Strawberry Boat leaves you skin feeling really clean and soft. It doesn't feel incredible moisturised like I would expect from buttercreams and body butters,  but the effect it has is not unlike the feeling you get when using a good-quality shower gel. 

This is a lovely product that makes a great addition to your shower experiences. It only needs to be used 2-3 times a week so a 75g pot should last you a while. It does need to be kept in the fridge between uses and it only has a four week shelf life which is a shame as you won't be able to store these before they leave the kitchen. I'm really glad that Lush brought this back for fans to try and I hope to see more of these wonderful products making an appearance soon. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Ground Rice, Almond Oil, Fresh Strawberries, Glycerine, Sago, Fine Sea Salt, Rapeseed Oil and Coconut Oil, Fresh Ginger Root, Ginger Oil, Sodium Chloride, EDTA, Tetrasodium Etidronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Citronellol, Linalool, Perfume.

Vegan?: Yes.

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Almond Buttercream

If it hadn't been for the release of Heavenly Bodies a few months back, I probably wouldn't have been as excited as I was for the release of this. Ever since I experienced the wonders of smearing myself in what smells and looks like cake batter, and feeling how amazingly soft my skin was afterwards, I've never wanted to share a shower with a product more than this one.

Unfortunately for Heavenly Bodies, Almond Buttercream has surpassed my expectations and cemented itself as my favourite buttercream to date. It's the perfect product to become acquainted with during those difficult morning showers - it's gentle on the skin and leaves you wanting to scoop out handfuls and spoon them into your mouth. 

For those unfamiliar with what a buttercream is, it's a combination of soap and shower gel; a softer-style soap that can be used like a shower gel, but contains key ingredients to help soften and repair dry skin. It doesn’t contain as many surfactants as traditional soap, so it won’t lather up like you’re used to, but this does mean it’s especially good for those people who find normal soap can sometimes dry their skin out.

This particular butter cream is jam-packed with essential oils and butters to give you a nourishing and highly moisturising experience. The inclusion of rapeseed and coconut condition the skin - helping to keep moisture from escaping from the skin, which aids in retaining softness and suppleness. The moisturizing properties of almond butter is great for people with delicate or sensitive skin, making it a good choice for dry skin on your face or to relieve itching and soreness from rashes and other skin irritations. The ground almond shells means that this product doesn't waste any of the nut and gives the buttercream a very subtle grittiness, which turns this product into a gentle exfoliator. 

As if Almond Buttercream wasn't luxurious enough, Lush have also included sweet orange, sicilian mandarin, lime and cinnamon leaf oil. Aside from their moisturising and toning properties, these ingredients give this product a beautiful, uplifting and rather sexy aroma.                                                                                                   To me, this buttercream smells rather similar to the aforementioned Heavenly Bodies, but whereas that one is dominated by the lime oil, this one is much lighter, more buttery and slightly less potent with the citrus fragrance. It has a gentle smell of chocolate orange, a subtle nuttiness intertwined with a rich, fudgey-vanilla aroma that's simply irresistible. As I said in my other review, it really needs to be sampled to understand how beautiful the product is - don't blame me if you find yourself poised with a spoon over a tub of the stuff - it really is that good!

Aside from it's scent, Almond Buttercream softens, cleans and replenishes tired and dried-out skin. It's easy to massage over the skin but don't expect it to lather up like a shower gel - it's more like a body butter in this sense. It washes off easily under running water and leaves a beautiful fruity fragrance on your skin. 

It's easy to scoop out of the tub and a small amount goes a long way. Just be careful not to use too much at any one time as it's very easy to get carried away with a product as gorgeous as this. A 250g tub will last you a good 10-20 full body washes, depending on how generous you are with your portions. While it works out more expensive than a shower gel or soap, it's worth the extra price to feel as gorgeously pampered as you do with this buttercream.

This has very quickly established itself as one of my favourite all-time Lush products and I hope they choose to bring this back soon so I can buy a few more tubs. I would definitely recommend that you give this at least one try, and I dare to you to find fault in this incredible product!

Quantitative Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Glycerine, Rapeseed Oil and Coconut Oil, Almond Butter, Sesame Seeds, Perfume, Dried Orange Slices, Aloe Vera Extract, Ground Almond Shells, Fair Trade Organic Aloe Vera Gel, Sweet Orange Oil, Sicilian Mandarin Oil, Lime Oil, Cinnamon Leaf Oil, Sodium Chloride, EDTA, Tetrasodium Etidronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Limonene, Eugenol.

Vegan?: Yes.

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Five O'Clock Whistle Shaving Smoothie

When my flatmates saw the products that were being released from the Kitchen last week, their responses were along the lines of - 'well at least you'll save your money, what use do you have with a beard wash, shaving cream and moustache wax?'. Unfortunately, it doesn't quite work that way in my world. As a wise woman once said, 'I'll damn well grow a beard if it means I am able to use these products'...

While that last quote might have actually come from my own mouth, the ideal still remains. With Lush products being so multifaceted, there is always more ways than one to use a single item; the fun comes in discovering the versatility of each and every product.

Five O'Clock Whistle is a shaving smoothie - the first of it's kind to be released from Lush. While it is predominantly designed to aid men in trimming and removing their facial hair, I didn't see any harm in using it to banish my leg hair either. 

This smoothie is packed with multiple ingredients - all especially included to give you the smoothest, most enjoyable shave of your life. With jojoba, rapeseed and coconut oil to help moisturise and nourish, extra virgin olive oil to condition and strengthen the skin and kaolin clay to cleanse and absorb excess oils, this sounds like the perfect product. 

As well as the above ingredients, this shaving companion also contains a coffee and lavender infusion, which despite being the predominant ingredient, doesn't offer much in the way of scent. It is the inclusion of both fresh lime juice and lime oil that gives this product it's dominating smell. To me, this shaving smoothie smells like a good quality chocolate lime - a strong, zesty citrus aroma that awakens your senses and makes your skin tingle. The coffee and lavender do add a very subtle note in the overall scent, but it's not enough to write home about. 

To use, simply scoop out a handful and massage it across the area you want to shave. I found that I needed a little more than a teaspoon worth for each leg and my male 'testee' needed about the same for his face. Much like most of Lush's other smoothies, this one doesn't produce a very soapy lather but it does create an oily substance that coats your legs nicely.

Five O'Clock Whistle wasn't as effective as Shave The Planet in the fact that I didn't feel as if my legs were taut enough to avoid cutting myself. While it was more effective than regular shower gel or soap, I didn't feel as protected as I normally would with this sort of product. Having said that, my male counterpart commented on how it tightened his facial skin much like a normal shaving gel would do. He was able to shave as per usual and didn't inflict any injuries on himself. 

The shaving smoothie did leave my legs and my flatmate's face feeling squeaky clean, and I was impressed at how the gorgeous lime smell permeated our skin and remained with us for a long time afterwards. However, Five O'Clock Whistle was a little drying on the skin and I felt that my legs weren't as smooth or as soft as other shaving creams have made them. My flatmate experienced the same after shaving his beard and had to moisturise afterwards as his face felt a little on the dry side. 

Overall, I am really happy that there is going to be a permanent shaving smoothie for vegans, as there is next to nothing on the Lush site that can offer the same soft of protection. Furthermore, this smoothie smells delicious and is the perfect accompaniment in those early mornings when you need something vibrant and uplifting to wake you up. However, it isn't the most moisturising product and you'll probably need to use a body lotion afterwards to replace some of the skin's oils that may have been removed. It's definitely a step in the right direction but it's not quite good enough to join my regular 'must haves'. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Coffee and Lavender Infusion, Organic Jojoba Oil, Rapeseed Oil and Coconut Oil, Water (Aqua), Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Almond Oil, Glycerine, Perfume, Fresh Lime Juice, Kaolin, Lime Oil, Aloe Vera Extract, Carrageenan Extract, Sodium Chloride, EDTA, Tetrasodium Etidronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Citral, Limonene.

Vegan?: Yes.

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Kalamazoo Beard And Facial Wash

Kalamazoo was one of the first Lush Kitchen products that I heard about, back when the company's new initiative was first forming. At the time, it wasn't something that immediately appealed to me - partly because it's aimed more towards a male audience and partly because I've already perfected my facial routine. However, I couldn't let it pass without trying it out.

Packed full of skin-enriching ingredients, this beard and facial wash claims to cleanse and soften both skin and hair - leaving you ready to start your day. Almond oil acts as the base here, helping to moisturise and repair broken skin whilst apricot oil helps to nourish and provide a protective layer over the skin - keeping in moisture and giving you a natural glow. 

Pineapple Juice is an excellent anti-inflammatory and boosts your skin's natural radiance - giving your complexion a healthy glow; orange oil is also known for it's skin-healing properties and works with all of the ingredients to support and improve the condition of your skin.

Together these ingredients help to create a beautiful smelling facial wash. You can really detect the orange, pineapple and apricot here, and combined they create an uplifting and highly fruity fragrance. Kalamazoo gives off a wonderfully rich and wholesome citrus smell and is now easily one of my favourite zesty smells from Lush. It's like Sunny Citrus Soap meets The Sun perfume meets Celebrate Body Lotion. In the simplest terms, it's gorgeous.

As strange as it is to say, this product does have a slight masculine smell about it. That's not to say it cannot be enjoyed by all, as I will certainly be buying more of this when it becomes a regular product. However, there is something about it that reminds me a little of men's aftershave. Having said that, I think this would be incredible as a perfume so it's more of a unisex fragrance than anything else. 

In the tub, Kalamazoo's consistency is far thicker than a body lotion - somewhere in between Dirty Hair Cream and Sympathy For The Skin Body Lotion. It's quite condensed in this way so you don't need to use a lot with each use, extending the life of the 110g pot that little bit further.

In the shower, simply scoop about a level teaspoon amount into the palm of your hands and lather across your face or massage into your beard. Leave it for the desired amount of time before rinsing away under the running water. If you're using it on your beard, don't expect any foam - this is more of a moisturiser than a soap in that sense.

Initially, this facial wash made my skin a little rigid - much like when a soap removes some of the natural oils in your skin and leaves your complexion a little parched. My face felt very clean but a little too tight for my liking. However, once I had patted my face down and it was dry, my skin began to feel really soft and I could feel a slight radiance omitting from my cheeks and forehead. I could detect a little of the scent afterwards, but it didn't stay around for long. 

My male test subject commented that his beard did feel clean after he had tried it out, but that it didn't provide an experience any better than when he uses a regular shower gel to clean himself. However, he did notice that the smell stayed in his beard a lot longer than it did on my skin, and he could still smell the wash for many hours after use. 

Having used this across the last few days, I have found that I haven't had to moisturise my face afterwards and the condition of my skin has improved slightly with daily use. It's a lovely product to use first thing in the morning as the smell is highly refreshing and invigorating, and it leaves your skin feeling dirt-free and healthy for the whole day. Now is the perfect time to bring this out as it does a great job at making you feel clean and refreshed, even when you're sweating from the excess heat outside.

For £6.50, I think this is great value for money and works out a lot cheaper than investing in a facial moisturiser. It gets rid of debris build up and gives your skin a healthy glow that stays with you through even the hottest of days. I will be investing in this wash in the future and I only hope that more products with this scent are brought out for Lush fans to enjoy. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Stearic Acid, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Glyceryl Stearate & PEG-100 Stearate, Triethanolamine, Cetearyl Alcohol, Almond Oil, Apricot Kernel Oil, Fresh Pineapple Juice, Perfume, Organic Jojoba Oil, Cupuacu Butter, Methylparaben.

Vegan?: Yes.

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Charity Pot / Formulae Known As Body Lotion

Charity Pot epitomises what I believe Lush to be about - a product that stands for the good causes that Lush represent and educate their consumers on. Having watched the episode of Canada's Undercover Boss a while back, the discussion surrounding this product only furthered my love and understanding of this company.   

As it states on the tub, 100% of the money made from the sale of this lotion goes towards the good causes that are featured on the tubs - causes that change every so often depending on the plights of the thousands that need it. Aside from the small bit of V.A.T that has to go to the government, if Lush only sell 10 pots per store, per day, they've made over £100 for a charity that needs it. This equates to thousands each and every single day, which is incredible if you think about the amount of people who benefit from this little pot of body lotion. But aside from what the product stands for, is it actually any good?

A fact you may not know about this product, is that it was actually revamped a few years ago, and up until then, possessed a completely different fragrance. Back when it was first released, Charity Pot used to possess the Lily Savon scent; a fresh floral and highly lily-scented range of products, which includes both the Ghost Shower Gel and Jelly, and the Lily Savon Soap. However, Lush changed this, probably due to consumer demand and it now possesses a completely different, and dare I say it, better scent.

Charity Pot is described by Lush as an 'all-round body lotion', which is just the sort that I need as I tend to moisturise my entire body once or twice a day. Made with fair trade cocoa butter, almond oil and geranium, this is a product packed with key essential oils to moisturise and tone the skin. Furthermore, Lush have also included ylang ylang, geranium and tagetes, which when mixed with the oils, creates a rich, sweet and floral scent with a chocolately element to die for. 

Normally, I'm not normally keen on chocolate-scented products, but when it comes to Charity Pot, I have to make an exception. To me, this smells of the rose-centred chocolate you used to get as part of the Quality Street range, which also happens to be the same smell that Fry's Turkish Delight is scented with. It's a gorgeous cocoa-orientated aroma with an exquisite rose twist that lingers on your skin all day. I don't think I've gotten more compliments over a body lotion as I have done with this one. It's a rich, generous and highly indulgent fragrance; one that makes you feel like a million dollars after a single use. 

At first, I was worried that, with all of the different oils and butters, this would be a rather heavy body lotion, and one that my skin wouldn't absorb very quickly. However, I found it to be the opposite. After rubbing it across my legs, I was surprised to find that my skin actually absorbed it very quickly and I wasn't left with any oily smears or stickiness.

On opening the pot, you'll notice that it is quite a runny body lotion and not as thick as you would expect from something that contains both cocoa butter and at least 4 different oils. However, the key to Charity Pot's success is in the initial ingredient; water. Lush have carefully crafted an emulsion using both this water and the various oils, to create a thinner lotion so that it's absorbed easier and doesn't leave heavy residue on the surface of your skin. 

Having used it daily for almost a month, I wouldn't say that it's the most hydrating or moisturising of Lush's body lotions. However, it does make your skin feel and smell wonderful, and has that presence that helps you feel really special when you're having a bad day. I tend to use this when I need that added comfort, either from the cold weather or from the stresses of work. The gorgeous chocolate and floral aroma helps me to indulge my senses without indulging in too much vegan chocolate. 

With the recent release of their Self-Preserving Charity Pot, Lush have used this opportunity to update Charity Pot's scent. However, due to the popularity of this particular fragrance, Lush have decided to keep this scented lotion and sell it under it's new name, Formulae Known As. I hope this is a permanent decision, as although it's not my regular body lotion, it is one I would buy regularly. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Water, Almond Oil, Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter, Glycerine, Stearic Acid, Ylang Ylang Oil, Geranium Oil, Tagetes Oil, Triethanolamine, Cetearyl Alcohol, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Salicylate, Amyl Cinnamal, Isoeugenol, Methyl Ionone, Geraniol, Citronellol, Hydroxycitronellal, *Limonene, *Linalool, *Farnesol, Perfume, Gardenia Extract, Methylparaben, Propylparaben.

Vegan?: Yes.

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Creme Anglaise Body Lotion

Creme Anglais was one of Lush's more expensive body lotions, back when the UK stores still stocked it. Unfortunately, it was discontinued a while back, and I wonder whether or not the price had something to do with it.

Lush claim that it's one of their most luxurious lotions ever, blending together sweet orange oil, almond oil, cocoa butter and saffron to produce a homely, sensuous vanilla body cream. It is this latter ingredient, saffron, that hikes the price up as it is the world's most expensive spice. So why include it in here then, you're surely wondering? Well, saffron is known for it's healing properties, possessing anticarcinogenic, and antioxidant benefits that strengthen and detoxify the skin. 

Aside from the herb, this product also contains sweet almond and orange oil, both of which help to add to Creme Anglais' warmly fragrance, and more importantly, creating a deep moisturising lotion that eradicates dry and flaky skin. Vanilla oil intensifies the creamy scent of this lotion, and is known to calm and soothe irritated and sensitive skin.  

The lotion is a gorgeous golden colour and the smell hits you immediately upon opening the tub, smelling of a mixture of vanilla and cocoa butter with just a hint of orange. Creme Anglais is a product that stays with you, permeating your skin and leaving it soft, supple and strongly scented. Anyone who's looking for a subtle-scented body lotion should not attempt to use this one as it does tend to stay with you for a couple of days! 

Furthermore, it's quite a thick lotion, very similar in consistency to Coco Lotion, but one that sinks into the skin very quickly and doesn't leave you feeling greasy.

This body lotion is definitely worth it's price tag in the fact that it's super hydrating and very luxurious on the skin; you don't have to use a lot here as it's very moisturising, so it lasts longer than your average 225g tub of Lush lotion normally would. However, I wasn't overly keen on the smell; it is a little overbearing with it's cocoa butter scent, and I found that, once applied to the skin, the scent that lingered was a little acidic-smelling and not very nice at all. I much prefer the sensual fragrance of both Charity Pot and Vanilla Dee-Lite, and will be relying of these guys in the future.

Quantitative Ingredients: Sweet Almond Infusion (Prunus dulcis), Saffron Infusion (Crocus sativus), Extra Virgin Coconut Oil (Cocos nucifera), Fair Trade Cocoa Butter (Theobroma cacao), Fair Trade Shea Butter (Butyrospermum parkii), Glycerine, Stearic Acid, Almond Oil (Prunus dulcis), Vanilla Absolute (Vanilla planifolia), Myrrh Resinoid (Commiphora myrrha), Sweet Orange Oil (Citrus sinensis), Triethanolamine, Perfume, Cetearyl Alcohol, Benzyl Salicylate, Coumarin, *Eugenol, *Limonene, *Linalool, Methylparaben.

Vegan?: Yes.

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Marzibain Bubble Bar

In all honesty, I've cannot justify why it has taken me so long to use one of these gorgeous bubble bars. It's not even as if I wasn't aware of the scent it possessed, which might have given me a slight pardon for my actions. All I can say, is now that I have finally managed to enjoy one of these, punishment comes in knowing that Lush have discontinued them and I have no opportunity to stock up on them.

Marzibain Bubble Bar is a firm favourite amongst Lushies, old and new, and boasts at being the only Christmas product that Lush have featured all year round. Sharing it's scent with the infamous, limited edition Snow Cake Soap, this bubble bar is a feast for the senses. 

   

To look at, it's nothing special; a cream coloured oval block garnished with an almond in the centre. You can choose to use it for one luxurious bath, or like most of Lush's bubble bars, break it in half for two equally gorgeous experiences. Being the greedy bugger that I am, I always opt to use the whole bar, however the choice is yours. 

To use any of Lush's bubble bars, you can either crumble it under running water, or as I do; hold it directly under the flow of the tap, which I find creates more bubbles. As soon as the water hits the bar, lots of bubbles start to form and disperse throughout the tub. Within a few seconds, the gorgeous fragrance begins to waft around the bathroom and seep into your senses. And what a scent it is!

As the name suggests, this bar smells exactly like marzipan - a yummy, almond-dominated scent with a spicy kick brought to you courtesy of the Benzoin Resinoid. The addition of Cassie and rose absolute oils, means that there is an edge of sophistication which gives this product a lovely, multi-layered fragrance. It's good enough to eat, and I'll admit that I was tempted to have a nibble of Marzibain before I used it in the bath.

I love this bubble bar; it turns the water a milky white colour and leaves my skin feeling moisturised and wickedly pampered. The bubbles are silky soft and encase you in their velvety grip, leaving you feeling and smelling like a queen/king. Many people have complained that this bubble bar harvests very little scent, and many were very dissappointed that it wasn't stronger than it was. However, I didn't find this at all. It was perfectly scented and the fragrance remained with me throughout the entire experience, permeating my skin so that the smell stayed with me for many hours after I had exited the bath.

The only difference I noted between this bubble bar and the shower gel and perfume variations, is that the sweetness of the Cassie absolute wasn't as dominating as it was in both of these products. This didn't make it any less gorgeous though, and only helped in cementing this as one of my all time favourite bubble bars.   

Ultimately, Marzibain Bubble Bar is a highly sensual and rather sophisticated product that makes the water and your body gorgeously soft and fragrant. It's an experience I look forward to when Lush next decide to bring this back again and I'm hoping it will make a reappearance very soon. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Cream of Tartar, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Lauryl Betaine, Perfume, Cocamide DEA, Benzoin Resinoid, Cassie Absolute, Rose Absolute, Whole Almond, Benzyl Benzoate.

Vegan?: Yes.

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Potion Body Lotion

I first brought this body lotion back when I started collecting Lush goodies in 2012. At the time, I tended to bulk buy a lot of products in one go, and Potion happened to be in one of my first orders. Unfortunately, at the same time as buying Potion, I also bought Karma Kream and Sympathy For The Skin, which meant that this lotion was not at the top of my 'to try' list. Fast forward almost two years, and I finally get around to using one of the bottles; I was immediately bowled over. 

Potion is one of Lush's lighter body lotions, very similar in consistency to the likes of Artemis Cream and Vanilla Dee-Lite. Made using a combination of almond oil and cocoa butter, this product is absorbed into the skin very quickly, leaving it ultra smooth and not greasy in the slightest.

It's wonderful scent is made from a combination of carnations, roses and tangerines; a rich and sensual floral fragrance with just a sprinkling of sweetness from those fruit juices. 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. 

The main ingredient in Potion is fresh rose petals, and this is definitely at the forefront of it's scent. Rose is a wonderful ingredient for calming sensitive and irritated skin, and also works as a fantastic coolant for those who've spent a little too long in the sun. Almond oil is the another key ingredient here, and you can definitely pick up the nuttiness of it's scent; a perfect complimentary smell to the carnations.

What I love about Potion, is that it's beautiful fragrance stays on your skin for hours and hours after application, meaning that on days when I use this, I don't have to use any perfume. On the downside, people who dislike potent-smelling cosmetics, may find this a little strong. 

The only other negative aspect about this product, is that it's sold in bottles, not in Lush's usual black tubs. Normally I wouldn't care how a product is presented, I'm more interested in how it works. However, I found it a little difficult to get this lotion out of the bottle without leaving it resting upside down, or shaking it rigorously for a matter of seconds. There is no reason why Potion couldn't be transferred into a tub next time around, and I hope that Lush take this into consideration. 

Although this body lotion shares it's scent with Ruby Red Slippers, I think the scent in Potion is much lighter and far more beautiful than it is in the bubble bar. Furthermore, you don't have to worry about covering yourself in red lustre,  which you would have had to do if you'd used the bubble bar.

This is a wonderfully sophisticated, modern-smelling and highly moisturising body lotion, one that you can rely on to refreshen and soften you skin almost immediately. Despite not being bowled over by most floral smells, this body lotion offers a unique and very modern scented lotion that I hope makes a reappearance very soon.

Quantitative Ingredients: Fresh Rose Petal Infusion, Almond Oil, Cocoa Butter, Glycerine, Stearic Acid, Triethanolamine, Fresh Tangerines, Rose Absolute, Carnation Absolute, Tangerine Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, *Benzyl Salicylate, *Eugenol, *Geraniol, *Farnesol, *Limonene, *Linalool, Perfume, 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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