The Witches' Ball Bubble Bar

The Witches' Ball Bubble Bar was first made for Lush's Christmas 2008 range, and although it's made a reappearance over the years, it is only recently that I've managed to pick myself up a couple to try. It's definitely one of Lush's more quirkier products; it's not something you're likely to find in the typical high street shop, which is probably why I was so intrigued to give it a whirl.

Most often, when I invest in any of Lush's older products, I like to carry out a little research to find out the history of the product alongside the general reaction to said item. With Witches' Ball, I found there was a clear division - it's a product that normally inspires quite strong reactions (both positive and negative), so I was a little unsure what to expect when the strange-looking clump turned up at my door. 

Firstly, it's definitely a unique and strangely beautiful bubble bar. With it's dark violet shell speckled with sprigs of fresh parsley and decorated with a star anise on top, it's an acquired taste. What I love about it, is that it really does conjure up thoughts of medieval witchery and the supernatural. Much like Ceridwan's Cauldron, there's something weirdly alluring about the romanticism of old-fashioned witchcraft and the occult. 

Secondly, I was very intrigued to see what this bubble bar smelt like before and during my bath. Witches' Ball boasts a whole array of different opposing and complementary ingredients; cloves, black currants and cranberries, rosemary, sage, peppermint, frankincense, myrrh, benzoin and of course, fresh parsley. On paper, it's very hard to imagine what this smells like. 

To me, the dominating smell here is the herbs. On first sniff, I can pick out the sage, rosemary and peppermint; the currants and cranberries add a slight sweetness to the mix, which makes the bubble bar smell very odd indeed. In fact, it's one of those products that I feel you need to try for yourself to really appreciate it's fragrance. I didn't mind the smell at all, although it's not a scent I particularly loved either.    

In the bath, this bubble bar is probably one of the weakest at creating bubbles. This is no doubt due to the amount of other objects that have been packed into this average-sized product. Once the bubble bar is dissolving, an array of cloves, star anise and currants are dispersed from the product, where they float down and sit at the bottom of the tub. While you're watching this happen, it all seems quite intriguing. However, once you get into the bath, you realise that these inanimate objects are actually rather annoying. There are so many of them that you can't help but sit on at least one, and it's nearly always the pointed, star-shaped anise, which can be a rather painful experience. 

Annoyingly, when you attempt to remove these from the bath, you end up fighting a losing battle as these irritating clumps of food spin off in all directions and are nearly impossible to grapple with. My suggestion would be to either direct them into one area of the bath and just make sure you don't move for the duration of the experience. Or you could attempt to contain the currants and cloves by popping the bubble bar in a thin sock and tying it under the running tap. The only issue here is that you tend to lose a lot of the scent as this comes from all of the fresh herbs and spices, all of which will be trapped in the sock and not in your bath tub.

Finally, when fully dissolved, Witches' Ball turns the bath water a clear purple colour with a thin layer of bubbles on top. Unfortunately, these bubbles disappear rather quickly which almost makes it pointless calling it a bubble bar to begin with. 

Overall, I wasn't that impressed with this bubble bar. On paper, Witches' Ball is an intriguing and unique product. I'd even say that the inclusion of fresh currants is a marvellous idea. However, Lush need to work on how they can incorporate these sweet, juicy fruits into a product without cluttering the entire bath tub with them. This product is definitely an example of 'style over substance'.

Although the smell was quite pleasant, and it was by no means the worst bath in the world, my skin didn't feel any softer than it did before I had jumped in the tub. Furthermore, the scent was almost completely lost by the time I had dried myself off. This is definitely not a bubble bar I will be buying again. Although, if Lush ever choose to release other products using this fragrance, I would definitely jump at the chance of trying them out.

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Cream of Tartar, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Lauryl Betaine, Dried Cranberries, Dried Currants, Dried Star Anise, Perfume, Peppermint Oil, Rosemary Oil, Sage Oil, Myrrh Gum, Olibanum Gum, Benzoin Gum, Cloves, Dried Parsley, *Limonene, Colour 42090, Colour 45410.

Vegan?: Yes.

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Coco Lotion Body Lotion

It was only a few months after I began collecting Lush products, that this product was discontinued from their regular range. At first, I didn't realise that it had removed. It was only when I went to order myself a tub to try out, that I realised it was no longer available, and I was rather disappointed as my flatmate had been raving about it's 'awesomeness' for quite some time. 

What I find a little confusing about Coco Lotion is that it was marketed as an un-fragranced body lotion, which means it would be very popular for the many people who don't like heavy or overpowering fragrances on their skin. However, when I researched into this lotion a little more, I found that most people who had used it, claimed that it possessed a tropical scent, which almost defeats the point of the lotion altogether.

Lush even stated in their description that the lotion was made up of 'ingredients from the Caribbean', claiming that 'the soft scent comes from the oils and herbs in it: toning fresh mandarins, rejuvenating rosemary and fresh pineapple for its naturally skin-brightening enzymes.'

What I found when I first used this lotion,was that I couldn't detect any of the 'Caribbean' influences that I was expecting; it was completely unfragranced with just a hint of 'something' which stopped it from giving off a plastic scent that Lush lotions sometimes do when they're past their shelf life.  It's consistency was very much like Karma Kream; a thick but light lotion that my skin absorbed almost immediately so I wasn't left greasy.Coco Lotion made my skin feel really refreshed and hydrated, whilst being light on my skin, which was lovely. 

Looking at what's been added to this product, I can see why this lotion works in this way; there are so many key ingredients here to help your skin. Firstly, Lush have included both extra virgin coconut oil and peanut oil which feed your thirsty skin and hydrate your pores. Organic pumpkin seed oil and organic sesame oil are both extra oil additions which make this lotion a rich, hydrating moisturiser. I'm unsure why so many oils have been added here, but given how nice it makes my skin feel, I'm not going to argue. Furthermore, Mandarin and Rosemary infusions as well as fresh pineapple juice are all added as they are rich in antioxidants and help to perk up the complexion and add a natural glow.

On paper, Coco Lotion sounds like it should be a haven a smells, which is partly why I was a little disappointed that I couldn't pick up any of these amazing ingredients in the mix. However, the main reason why this lotion scored so low for me was due to the horrific smell that permeated my skin after application. Immediately after I had moisturised my skin, a strong odour, similar to vomit, radiated from my body, and I had to rinse the product off as quickly as I could, whilst trying not to gag at the same time. It was absolutely vile! 

The lotion was very much in date, and nothing about it's consistency or scent in the plastic tub, suggested that it had 'turned'. When I researched into this problem, I found that a large number of Lush consumers had complained of similar smells coming from newly purchased pots of Coco Lotion, some even occurring days after buying a fresh pot in the shops.

It seems that this must have been a product fault for Coco Lotion, perhaps the reason why Lush ended up discontinuing it last year. It's a shame as this product had a lovely consistency and would have been popular for Lushies who dislike the more potent-smelling products. However, unless I decide that I enjoy the smell of sick on my skin, I won't be going anywhere near this lotion again.

Quantitative Ingredients: Spring Water, Extra Virgin Coconut Oil (Cocos nucifera), Mandarin and Rosemary Infusion (Citrus nobilis and Rosmarinus officinalis), Pimento Berry; Nutmeg & Satr Anise decoction (Pimenta officinalis; Myristica fragrans and Illicium verum), Steric Acid, Peanut Oil (Arachis hypogaea), Triethanolimaine, Fresh Pineapple Juice (Ananas sativus), Oorganic Pumpkinseed Oil (Cucurbita), Sesame Oil (Sesamum indicum), Ceteartyl Alcohol, Methylparaben, Propylparaben.

Vegan?: Yes.

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Grease Lightning Spot Treatment

When you're a teenager, you envisage a time in the future when you'll be spot free and sporting a clear complexion. No one ever tells you that when you grow up, there's not a miracle cure that'll just stop you from breaking out when you eat too much sugar, or when the weather changes etc... Some people are blessed with an inability to get spots; for the rest of us, there's always Grease Lightning.

Grease Lightning is a gentle but powerful spot treatment gel designed to target and eradicate pesky spots, without drying out or effecting your skin in any other way. I remember when I first began 'going through the changes', I relied heavily on various spot treatments to help clear my skin up. However, what I found was that most of these commercial brands completely dried my complexion out, which then caused me to get flaky, easily-irritated patches on my chin and nose.  

Lush's answer to this was to create a gel from carrageenan seaweed, aloe vera and sea water; three ingredients that help to cleanse and moisturise the skin without stripping the skin of it's natural oils. Furthermore, Grease Lightning contains an infusion of rosemary, thyme and tea tree oil to give the gel antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties that help to eradicate pesky spots and stop them from re-appearing. This face gel is tea tree scented but it's quite a light fragrance.

To use, you simply have to squeeze a small amount onto the tip of your finger and apply it to the area you want to target. The clear gel will dry and set on your skin and get to work immediately. What I love about this product, is that it's less wasteful than your average spot treatment. Rather than smearing half a bottle over your entire face, just to target an annoying cluster of spots on your nose, Grease Lightning is only used on the specific areas where it's needed. This means that for £5.95, it's great value for money as it'll last a lot longer than a £6 bottle of *insert generic product name here*.

In addition, this bottle is small and compact enough to fit perfectly in your bag, and can be used without  any cotton wool or a mirror, so can be applied throughout the day, with ease. I tend to apply this in the evenings and before I go to bed, and in the morning, my spots are always less inflamed and smaller. Within a couple of days, the offending spots have all but disappeared. 

I don't tend to use this often, as I'm lucky enough not to break out more than a couple of times a year, but I like to keep a bottle handy as it also works to quicken the healing process on cuts/inflamed areas.

Quantitative Ingredients: Thyme, Rosemary and Tea Tree Infusion, Water, Fair Trade Organic Aloe Vera Gel, Sea Water, Grape Juice, Carrageenan Extract, Lavender Oil, Witch Hazel Extract, *Limonene, Perfume, Methylparaben.

Vegan?: Yes.

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Party On Shower Jelly

A few years ago, I would have been rather confused if someone had presented me with the idea of a shower jelly. However, having used close to 40 pots of the stuff within the last 18 months, I now consider myself to be somewhat of an expert. I don't think I'll ever claim to prefer the solid variation to it's gel counterpart, but it definitely makes for an interesting shower experience. 

To begin with, I disliked how fiddly the jelly could be when in contact with the water, and I would often lose more down the drain than I managed to utilise on my body. However, after a good number of practices, I've finally developed the knack of how how to use the jelly without wasting it. So when I received my rather attractive pot of Party On Shower Jelly from a generous US Lushie, I couldn't wait to put this product to the test. 

One thing that makes the jelly stand out from other showering products, is that it can either be stored at room temperature or frozen to offer the user a cool, refreshing experience during those hot summer months. I opted to try the latter method with this product as I felt it's scent lended itself well to a cooler shower.

  

Lush described this jelly by saying that 'the first whiff of its zippy fragrance will have you reaching into the wardrobe for your posh frock and high heels.' While I don't own any such frock, and I can safely say that I've never owned a pair of high heels, I was intrigued to find out what scent could possess a woman (or man) from doing such a thing. 

With it's almost psychedelic yellow appearance, I was expecting a sharp, sweet, fruity scent, but was surprised to find that the colour of this jelly doesn't relay what it actually smells like at all. Upon extraction of the lid, I was immediately greeted with a strong menthol aroma, which smells exactly like the Vicks Vaporub that I remember using as a child. However, Party On also has a layer of lime oil, which seems to mask the sharpness of the menthol and compliment it perfectly. 

It wasn't until I began using this in the shower, that I was able to pick out the slight mint note that sits well with the menthol, and the very gentle layer of rosemary, which just gives the shower jelly that subtle complexity as a whole. Infused together, these ingredients create a fresh, invigorating and highly-refreshing shower companion - one I found was excellent at awaking my senses first thing in the morning. 

As the name suggests, this jelly has been designed to be used in conjunction with a night on the town; to either revitalise you before a night out, or to be used in the morning to clear away those 'morning after' cobwebs. Either way, Party On lathers up really well and produces a creamy foam that cleans and conditions your skin. The inclusion of menthol means that you can also feel a slight tingling sensation on your body, which in turn creates a cooling effect on your skin - a perfect companion after a long day on the beach!

This is quite a rubbery jelly, in the same league as Big Calm, and only needs a minuscule piece each time to clean your entire body. I find the jelly works best if you massage it into a shower puff as this tends to heed the greatest amount of lather. As I had placed this in the freezer beforehand, I used this directly on my skin and found that it still produced a good amount of lather to work with. 

What is great about Party On, is that the effects of this shower jelly continue after you have exited the shower. Not only did my skin feel revived and refreshed for many hours after use, the menthol kept my body temperature in check so the stuffiness of my house was more bearable. 

Furthermore, the inclusion of lime, rosemary and juniperberry oil helps to not only calm sensitive and irritated skin, but moisturises and softens the body. My skin definitely felt a lot smoother after use and the scent stayed with me for a few hours after I had exited the shower. 

Despite Party On having a strange scent that I wouldn't normally go for, it was an enjoyable experience to try something so refreshing and unique in the shower. As this product was sold in a 250g tub, this pot lasted me a little over a month, which is on par with how long it would normally take me to use between 300-350g of shower gel. Although this isn't my first choice for a shower product, I would be very interested in seeing this made into a shower gel. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Glycerine, Fresh Rosemary Infusion (Rosmariunus officinalis), Fresh Mint (Mentha arvensis), Propylene Glycol, Carrageenan Extract (Chondrus crispus), Perfume, Lime Oil (Citrus aurantifolia), Menthol, Rosemary Oil (Rosmarinus officinalis), Juniperberry Oil (Juniperus communis), *Limonene, D&C Green No. 8, Methylparaben.

Vegan?: Yes.

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The Greeench Deodorant Powder

As you know, it's very rare that I have anything bad to say about Lush: I'd certainly never sugar-coat my opinion about anything just for the sake of being positive. The great thing is that I never normally feel like I need to as I can usually find merits in most of their products. Which is why I was rather disappointed when I began using The Greeench. 

Lush claim it to be 'a highly effective deodorant powder that can be used on the underarms, on feet, or in trainers.' And to sniff it might, at first, make you believe it. 

Firstly, nothing is more effective at neutralising nasty whiffs than tea tree powder and oil, which kills and neutralises the bacteria that cause smells. Lush have included both of these ingredients in here, obviously keen on eradicating any unwanted pongs. There is also powdered sage here which is supposed to help you sweat less, since it’s an astringent and constricts your pores. Finally, the inclusion of Icelandic moss, containing lycopodium powder, steals away perspiration by absorbing it and leaves your arms fresh and dry. 

On paper, The Greeench sounds like the perfect deodorant, yet it did absolutely nothing for me - it didn't remove sweat smells or help to keep my underarms dry. In fact, after a few hours of wearing it, I felt rather vulnerable without my usual roll on. 

Secondly, it was very difficult to apply. It leaves a white powdery layer on my armpitts, which then transferred onto all my tops very quickly and left stains that wouldn't wash out. I also found that a lot of product was lost when trying to get it out of the bottle and onto my armpits; the amount of product that decorated my floor was shocking!

Overall, this is yet another Lush deodorant that is best suited for people who pretty much don't sweat at all, which for someone who works out a lot and has to get through twelve hour days at work, is not the ideal or practical solution. The only positive thing I can say about The Greeench is that the £5.95 price tag is extremely good value for money. I was using it twice a day, for almost a month, and the powder is barely a centimetre away from the top of the bottle.  

Despite this, I didn't have any problem with the smell - it is very pungent and may put people off. However, the tea tree does smell very sanitary and clean, which I didn't mind at all. I may use the rest of bottle to freshen up my much worn shoes as I can imagine it working well in this way.

I know I look for Lush for solutions in all of my cosmetic needs, but as of yet, they have yet to convince me that I should move away from my regular bottle of Nivea.

Quantitative Ingredients: Talc, Sodium Bicarbonate, Magnesium Trisilicate, Lycopodium Powder, Perfume, Water, Tea Tree Oil, Benzoin Resinoid, Powdered Sage, Powdered Tea Tree, Powdered Rosemary, *Limonene, *Linalool, Chlorophyllin.

Vegan?: Yes

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Narcotic Shower Gel

Narcotic, which has also been labelled Narcotick, is a lemon and tea tree scented shower gel that was first released back in 2005. The product claims to work wonders on the scalp and skin, containing cleansing and healing properties that both renew the pores and speed up the healing process. Not only this, but it's supposed to help those with spot-prone skin and even prevent dandruff for those with dry, flaky scalps.

Admittedly, I bought this shower gel not because of any of these claims - I hadn't even heard about them until after I started using it - but because it was another rare shower gel that appeared one day on eBay and begged me to spend my money on it. As they do!

On first sniff, I could definitely smell a multi-layered fragrance that intrigued me and I found myself wanting to find out more about the ingredients used to make this 'wonder' gel.  

The most prominent smell in Narcotic is lemon, which was added in it's most natural juice form, to help brighten the skin. This is coupled with the strongly-scented tea tree oil, an ingredient famous for it's spot-eradicating properties. It is after a few uses that you begin to pick up other, more subtle scents; rose, with it's ability to calm the skin, lavender, to balance the body's natural oil production, rosemary, which helps to restore balance and can help skin to heal, and sage oil, which supports a natural healthy complexion. This is definitely a shower gel with an amazing rostrum of healing ingredients!

Narcotic is a lovely dark blue colour, almost reminiscent of the Dirty Springwash shower gel I reviewed recently, and has a thick, velvety consistency, meaning the small 100g bottle I found lasted me a long time. You only have to squeeze a minute amount out during use and it tends to go a long way. The shower gel lathers up immediately, creating a rich, pale blue foam that spreads wonderfully over your whole body.

An issue I found with this product is it's potency - it's somewhat strong in the bottle, but during usage, the hot water elevated this smell until it was almost unbearable. Whereas I could recognise the different layers of fragrance beforehand, once in the shower, I found I could only smell the acidity of the tea tree oil. 

Aside from it's scent, Lush claim that this shower gel is supposed to work wonders for those who suffer with bad skin conditions such as spots and oily pores. These healing qualities are due to the tea tree oil which is known to combat spots due to its disinfectant qualities. 

What I found was that the gel did make my skin feel cleansed and renewed in the shower. However, once I had used it a few times, I began to notice dry spots on my face and legs that hadn't been there before. Within a couple of days of using another shower gel, the dry spots seemed to vanish, which begs me to believe that Narcotic was actually the cause of this.  

This leads me to believe that if you don't have problematic skin, Narcotic is not a product you should use as it seems the medicinal properties are quiet strong and will dry out most skin types. However, that's not to say that this won't work wonders for your skin!

Overall, Narcotic is not a product I would use again. Whereas some Lush products are versatile, and will be aimed at a particular type of skin but will work for all, this shower gel is really just for oiler, more problematic skin. The scent is also an acquired taste - if you love the scent of tea tree, you'll no doubt love this as it dominates. Normally I don't mind tea tree-scented cosmetics, but only if the oil is subtle, something it is definitely not in Narcotic. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Fair Trade Organic Sesame Oil, Fresh Rose Petal Infusion, Water, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Lavender Water, Fresh Organic Lemon Juice, Propylene Glycol, Fine Sea Salt, Rosemary Oil, Tea Tree Oil, Sage Oil, *Citral, *Geraniol, *Limonene, *Linalool, Perfume, Colour 42090, Colour 17200, Methylparaben.

Vegan?: Yes

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