The Sun Solid Perfume

They say that cosmetics can't change a person, but I know differently. Ever since I began collecting Lush, I find that I get more pleasure out of deciding what to take on holiday with me than the actual holiday itself. On Sunday, I jetted off to beautiful, sunny Spain and I found far more excitement in choosing the products I was going to share my trip with, than that I was going away for the first time in years.

Knowing that it was going to be scorching, I opted to take a perfume that would accentuate the wonderful heat - The Sun. Originally released as a liquid perfume for the Volume 2 range, Lush have recently brought it out in solid form as well.

There are many reasons why solid perfumes are a good investment. Firstly, they are very easily to transport from place to place. They take up very little space and have no way of leaking, so can be stored in pockets, purses and bags and taken near enough anywhere. Secondly, they are great value for money. This one in particular comes in at £5 for a 12g tub, and while the weight in conjunction with the price may seem rather expensive for perfume, it's far more compact than your typical liquid fragrances so you get a lot more bang for your buck.

Finally, and this is more of personal preference, there's just something really wonderful about the packaging and designs of these solid editions. They're a great little collector's item and when bought in conjunction with others, look rather fantastic on your shelf. 

What I like about The Sun Solid Perfume is that it isn't as acidic-smelling as it's liquid counterpart. When I first tested the liquid perfume, I was a little put-off by how strong it was in the bottle. Luckily it mellows out quite a lot and I grew to love it, but the solid addition doesn't have any of those potent acidic smells to begin with.

Made from a combination of orange, sandalwood and jojoba oil, this perfume is a bright, refreshing and very uplifting fragrance. Straight from the tin it reminds me of freshly peeled oranges - it captures the tartness you experience when peeling back the layer of skin and pith from an actual orange. There's nothing synthetic about this citrus smell as all - it's as natural as you can get.

Underneath this, there is a very subtle but equally warming hint of sandalwood. This gives the orange a base on which to stand so it's not as thin and two-dimensional as you can imagine it being. The sandalwood makes more of an appearance on the skin, where it pads out the zesty scent and grounds the overall aroma. It makes the perfume just slightly more sultry and sophisticated, which I love.

To use solid perfumes, all you have to do is massage your finger over the surface of the perfume and then rub it into key areas of the body. It's much more conservative than liquid perfumes as you don't lose any of the product when you're applying it to your skin - a 12g tub would easily outlive a 100ml bottle in that sense. 

Unfortunately, the one downfall with this solid edition is that the scent is very short-lived. I applied quite a lot to both of my wrists and found that within 10-15 minutes, the smell had all but disappeared. My friends did say that they could detect the perfume on me, but they too said it was a very weak one and not something they could pick up without standing almost on top of me.

While solid perfumes are definitely a unique way to enjoy the wonderful smells of Lush, I don't think that this one will prove as enjoyable as it's liquid cousin. While the fragrance itself is flawless, I will be sticking to the liquid edition in future to get my Sun fix. While I have given it a high rating, this is because of the design, the fragrance and the usability - it's the longevity that lets it down. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Organic Jojoba Oil (Simmondsia chinensis), Castor Oil (Ricinus communis), Candelillia Wax (Euphorbia cerifera), Brazilian Orange Oil (Citrus sinensis), Perfume, Sandalwood Oil (Santalum austro-caledonicum vieill), Mimosa Absolute (Acacia decurrens), Limonene,  Linalool, Titanium Dioxide, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Tin Oxide.

Vegan?: Yes.  

Read More

Smuggler's Soul Liquid Perfume

Despite investing in the solid edition of this perfume, I knew I had to experience the liquid version as well - both the compacted perfume and the body spray. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get the latter product in the Gorilla Shop over the weekend but I was happy to get my greedy mitts on a 10ml bottle of the perfume variety.

When I first heard it's name, Smuggler's Soul evoked quite a number of scent-combinations for me, none of which match up with the one that Lush chose to give it. It's quite an odd name for a perfume and comes from the story of Veerappen - a notorious sandalwood smuggler who killed over a hundred people during his time and was later shot in 2004 - following a long struggle between himself and the government. 

When you read the full extent of the situation, you find yourself asking; 'how can you possibly create a scent that goes with this story?'. Yet, Lush have somehow managed to do this - creating a unique, complex and rather beautiful fragrance unlike anything I've have ever smelt before. 

Much like the solid edition, this liquid perfume features two different types of sandalwood, both of which add a strong, smokey note to the fragrance. In the bottle, this element of the scent is somewhat thwarted by the lemongrass which gives the perfume a sickly and slightly sour citrus element. However, once Smuggler's Soul gets onto your skin, it offers a far richer and more complex woody aroma. 

Alongside the smokiness of the wood, there is a definite layer of both vetivert and tagetes, which combined give this perfume a naturally sweet and slightly floral smell. The sandalwood compliments these two ingredients wonderfully - giving the perfume a far deeper and warmer aroma without being too intoxicating. The lemongrass is still very much present on the skin but it isn't as acidic as it is in the bottle, and instead enriches the perfume with it's fresh, uplifting and slightly grassy-green scent.                                                                                                                                                           What I love about Smuggler's Soul is that the scent continues to develop long after you've applied it to the skin. Within twenty minutes or so, I noticed that the woody notes had begun to disperse a little whilst the other layers remained vibrant and very much present. Over time, this allows the perfume to mature and when this happened, it reminded me very slightly of Dear John. 

Lush describe this perfume as being 'deep, dangerous and intoxicating' and claim that it will 'enrapture your heart'. While the fragrance doesn't incite any illegal activity out of me, it has cemented itself as a firm favourite, and here's why; 

Despite the solid variation being a little weak in scent, the liquid version is long-lasting and far more charismatic. It's a wonderfully rich and multi-layered unisex aroma that I can see being signature scents for many people. I found that Smuggler's Soul stayed with me for a good 4-5 hours and continued to offer a light, refreshing yet equally comforting smell that brightened my day up immensely.

This is one of the most expensive Lush perfumes, coming in at £18 for a 10ml bottle. However, you really don't need to use a lot of this each use so it will last you a lot longer than other perfumes. This is a fragrance that just keeps on giving and one you'll want to encase yourself in during those hot, summer days. It's well worth the investment and I will be buying myself an extra-large bottle next time I visit the store.

Quantitative Ingredients: DRF Alcohol, Perfume, Indian Sandalwood Oil (Santalum album), Sandalwood Oil (Santalum austro-caledonicum vieill), Madagascan Vetivert Oil (Vetiveria zizanoides), Tagetes Oil (Tagetes minuta), Lemongrass Oil (Cymbopogon citratus), Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Salicylalte, Citral, Coumarin, Eugenol, Farnesol, Geraniol, Isoeugenol, Limonene, Linalool, Methyl Ionone. 

Vegan?: Yes.

Read More

Tuca Tuca Massage Bar

It wasn't until I accidentally purchased the Tuca Tuca Liquid Perfume one day, that I realised that particular fragrances are interlaced with stories and memories of my childhood. Neither did I realise until I fell in love with the perfume, how much I love and pine for violet-scented products, and how this is probably the most prominent scent of my youth. 

When I found out that Lush would be re-releasing their Tuca-scented massage bar, I could not contain myself and I ended up spending a good ten minutes basking in the aroma of the perfume - imagining what it would be like to smear the violet goodness all over myself. 

When this massage bar arrived, I was a little disappointed to discover that it's a lot smaller than every other massage bar I have tried from Lush so far. It's circumference is probably the same size as a face mask pot, with a depth of about 1.5cm. Needless to say, I was less than impressed, especially given the £7.95 price tag. 

However, my heart was soon won over as I lifted the bar from the Lush box and was greeted by a gorgeous, seductive and seriously sexy aroma. This product smells identical to that of it's perfume counterpart, so if you like Tuca Tuca, you'll need to get your greedy mitts on one (or ten) of these. 

Made from a combination of cassie, vanilla, sandalwood, vetivert, violet leaf and ylang ylang oil, this massage bar is a sensual, sweet and flirty fragrance dominated by the vanilla and violet. It smells exactly like the parma violet sweets I used to eat when I was little, except that this fragrance is far more exquisite and complex than that. Laced throughout the fragrance is the sandalwood to pad out the scent and give it depth, ylang ylang and rose to add subtle elements of floral and vanilla absolute to add a warm, comforting and overall musky aroma.

Much like all of Lush's other massage bars, this one has a ton of wonderful ingredients to give your skin a feast; cocoa butter and shea butter are both present to help moisturise and remove dry, scaly skin; oils such as vetivert and sandalwood alter and improve your mood so you can de-stress whilst using the bar. Lush have then chosen a refined, sexy violet scent that will linger on the body long after your massage has ended, ensuring you feel and smell divine throughout the day. 

What I loved about Tuca Tuca is that it offers a balance between being generous with it's oils but not being wasteful with them either. The bar melts fairly easily, so I found it straightforward to use when massaging across my skin, yet it doesn't produce an abundance of oils at any one time so you don't have to worry that you'll overdo it and waste any of the liquid. 

It disperses into your skin fairly quickly so you won't be left with sticky, greasy skin - yet it leaves your arms feeling really nourished and soft. I couldn't stop marvelling at how smooth and radiant my arms and legs felt after using this massage bar. The icing on the cake was the fact that the gorgeous scent stayed on my skin all day and into the night - I didn't have to top up once.

As the bar was perfectly designed, I found that I used very little each time, so despite it's small size, I can see this lasting me almost as long as a normal size massage bar would. I can see me getting a good 10-12 full body massages out of this product and I think that makes it good value for money.

This is one of my favourite massage bars from Lush (as I thought it would be) and I think the company would benefit from making this a regular product. None of Lush's other bars have a scent close to or like Tuca Tuca and I think their range is crying out to feature a product such as this. I hope I don't have to wait another couple of years for it to show it's face again as this is now one of the staple items in my daily routine. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Cocoa Butter, Shea Butter, Perfume, Fresh Rose Petal Extract, Cassie Absolute, Vanilla Absolute, Sandalwood Oil, Vetivert Oil, Violet Leaf Absolute, Ylang Ylang Oil, Benzyl Salicylate, Cinnamal, Coumarin, Eugenol, Geraniol, Benzyl Benzoate, Farnesol, Limonene, Linalool, Methyl Ionone, Titanium Dioxide, Colour 77019, Colour 77007.

Vegan?: Yes.

Read More

Veerappen Moustache Wax

Despite not owning a moustache (funny that!), I was still intrigued enough by it's description and back-story to purchase one of Lush's newest additions - Veerappen Moustache Wax. Named after an infamous sandalwood smuggler of the same name, this product plays homage to the struggles of buying pure, non-corrupted sources of sandalwood to use in cosmetics.

This is the first of it's kind to come from Lush, but like most of the company's other products, I knew there would be more than one way to use it. Priced at £10 for an 8g tub, this initially seems like a large price tag for such a small product. However, like all of Lush's lip balms and solid perfumes, a tiny tin goes a long way.

What is special about this wax is that it shares it's scent with one of Lush's newest perfumes, Smuggler's Soul. However, I did notice that there was a slight difference between this and both the solid and liquid forms of the aforementioned perfume. Veerappen has a very natural, light woody smell - one that comes alive once the warmth of your fingers have stimulated the different oils. It's a very gentle scent so wearers don't have to be worried that it'll be too overpowering to wear throughout the day.

Packed with beneficial waxes and oils, including castor oil, candelillia wax, Japan wax, rose wax, and two types of sandalwood oil, Veerappen is initially very hard in consistency - it's far more stubborn than other Lush balms so it takes quite an effort to get any from the tin. Whereas the solid perfumes melt underneath the touch of a finger, this moustache wax has more of a rough, sticky feel and it takes a lot of effort to get any out to use.

My male guinea pig tested this out on his facial hair and found that it was very effective at styling his moustache without leaving any greasy residue behind. He commented that once the product had been applied during the styling process, his moustache kept it's shape throughout the whole day. However, he did mention that he found it very difficult to get much of the product out of the tub. He had to rub both his thumb and finger across the surface for a good 40 seconds to retrieve anything, and even then there was barely more than the faintest smear of grease on his finger.

On the positive side, this does mean that the minuscule amount in the tin will last for a very long time - there's no way you could accidentally use too much. It also means that this is very unlikely to melt in your bag, so you can take it on your travels and top up if and when you need to. However, it also means that it can sometimes be a hassle to use, especially if you're short for time.

Lush claim that this wax conditions as well as styles so I decided to use this wax on the few stray hairs that plague the top of my head. Despite my hair being in the best condition of my life, I still have a few short strands that tend to stick up in the heat and cannot be controlled with most other hair products. A tiny massage of this wax on my hair and I found that I was able to tame these annoying strands without covering my entire head in unnecessary wax, mousse or gel. Perfect.

Overall, I think this is a great new product to come from Lush - despite it being one that I wouldn't have immediately thought of if I was asked for ideas - I'm happy to have a more compact and easy to use 'hair tamer' and my male counterpart can style his moustache to his heart's content. Win win all around!

Quantitative Ingredients: Castor Oil, Candelilla Wax, Japan Wax, Carnauba Wax, Stearic Acid, Perfume, Rose Wax, Indian Sandalwood Oil, Sandalwood Oil, Madagascan Vetivert Oil, Tagetes Oil, Lemongrass Oil, Citral, Geraniol, Farnesol, Limonene, Linalool.

Vegan?: Yes.

Read More

Stayin' Alive Liquid Perfume

The name Death, Decay and Renewal is quite a serious-sounding title for a range of perfumes - one that has inspired an array of different reactions from Lushies worldwide. Some claim the name makes them think of festering garbage bags while others envisage the sickly sweet smell of formaldehyde and old-fashioned funeral homes. Whatever you get from the name, I can guarantee the range of perfumes that sit under it are far more diverse and interesting than you could possibly imagine.

Stayin' Alive is probably the most playful sounding perfume - a golden brown coloured liquid incased inside a range of different sized glass bottles. The design sports a fandango-pink background and has the name of the perfume written in 60's-inspired font. 

Made from a combination of vetivert, sandalwood and olibanum oil, this perfume gives off a very smokey, incensey smell. Unlike Breath of God, which I find too overpowering, this perfume has a lovely gentle woody smell - it reminds me a little of burnt rice pudding or that caramelised aroma you get when you torch the top of a creme brûlée. 

The olibanum oil offers a lovely fruity, spicy aroma that intertwines with the woodiness of the sandalwood and makes a wonderfully complex and multi-layered offering. It has a sticky sweet orange aroma with a pinch of lemon that nestles underneath the other ingredients. Alongside the vanilla absolute, these ingredients soften the harsher notes and give this fragrance a warm, comforting sweetness that resonates on the skin.

When I first applied this to my skin, I found that I could detect two completely separate smells. Firstly, the heavy, smokey aromas of the oils made their mark and were initially rather domineering. As well as this, there was also a definite layer of vanilla and sweetness. Over time, the smell of the oils dissipated quite a bit and I was left with a warm, well-rounded sugary, fruity smell. This perfume isn't the most long-lasting one I've tried from Lush, but it does have a few hours worth of wear. 

What I loved about this perfume was that it was not as heavy as I was expecting, especially with three rather dominating oils to contend with. Lush have balanced this perfume nicely so that it's got a distinctively strong aroma, but not one that's going to be too heavy for those of us who enjoy gentle fragrances. 

Stayin' Alive is probably one of my favourite perfumes from Death, Decay and Renewal and one I can see being very popular with other Lush fans. I can see this perfume being the one that bridges the gap between those who like the simpler, lighter scents and those that go for the pungent type. Priced at £25 for a 10ml bottle, this happens to be one of the more expensive ones in the new collection. However, it is a wonderful offering from Lush and one I think is worth the price tag. 

Quantitative Ingredients: DRF Alcohol, Perfume, Madagascan Vetivert Oil (Vetiveria zizanoides), Sandalwood Oil (Santalum austro-caledonicum vieill), Fair Trade Vanilla Absolute (Vanilla planifolia), Olibanum Oil (Boswellia carteri), Anise Alcohol, Citral, Farnesol, Isoeugenol, Limonene.

Vegan: Yes.

Read More

Smuggler's Soul Solid Perfume

I love the fact that Lush are re-releasing all of their perfumes in solid form and reverting the rather boring looking black tubes into these wonderfully quirky silver tins. There's something very alluring about the new designs and you cannot deny that they make a far more beautiful display on the shelf.

Smuggler's Soul was the product to start it all off. Chosen as one of three new Gorilla perfumes to get released through the Lush Kitchen, this exclusive beauty is a unique and very beautiful aromatic addition to the collection. You only have to bare witness to the wonderful green colour of the product to know that you've stumbled onto a winner. 

Described as being 'deep, dangerous and intoxicating', this solid perfume contains an abundance of both sandalwood and jojoba oil. The latter ingredient is an excellent natural moisturiser and this gives the perfume a silky smooth consistency - one that transfers from the tin onto your skin with ease. Despite claiming it contains lustre, I couldn't detect any in the pot or on my skin so don't be put off trying the product because of this reason.  

The sandalwood is what gives this product it's main note of fragrance. It's a very natural, light woody smell - one that thickens when it mixes with the warmth of your skin. Alongside this, the tagetes oil adds a sweet and very comforting aroma - it's almost a sugary smell and reminds me a little of old-fashioned cola. Imagine Karma without the potency and spiciness of the patchouli and you'll begin to understand how integral this ingredient is to the perfume. 

Finally, the lemongrass oil adds a fresh, grassy and rather gentle citrus element to the overall scent - it's not at all dominating in the mix but it compliments the other ingredients and helps to make this an uplifting and very warm fragrance. 

Unfortunately, despite it's beautiful aroma, Smuggler's Soul isn't very long-lasting. After massaging it into my wrists and neck, I found that I couldn't detect the perfume a mere fifteen minutes after it has been applied. I thought that perhaps it was one of those perfumes that's subtle on the wearer but leaves an impression on bystanders. However, neither of my flatmates were able to pick up the scent on me, even when I applied multiple helpings to my skin. 

In the tin, it's a wonderfully complex unisex perfume and one that could easily become a firm favourite in my household. However, it's staying power was shockingly short and I found it to be a bit of a wasted purchase. I only hope that the liquid equivalent of this can offer me more as it's a beautifully complex yet delightfully light aroma - one that could become a best seller for Lush.

Quantitative Ingredients: Organic Jojoba Oil, Castor Oil, Candelilla Wax, Perfume, Indian Sandalwood Oil, Sandalwood Oil, Madagascan Vetivert Oil, Tagetes Oil, Lemongrass Oil, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Salicylate, Citral, Coumarin, Eugenol, Farnesol, Geraniol, Isoeugenol, Limonene, Linalool, Methyl Ionone, Spring Green Lustre.

Vegan?: Yes.

Read More

Geo-Phyzz Bath Bomb

Geo-Phyzz is supposed to represent a luxury spa treatment wrapped up in a ballistic, which sounds promising from the get-go. Lush describe this product as their 'little salt-of-the-earth' bath bomb, and 'salty' it definitely is. Containing both coarse and Hawaiian sea salt, this is a ballistic intent on purifying your pores!

Alongside this mineral-rich condiment, Lush have included a list of exquisite ingredients to make this bath bomb magical; Siberian pine oil, sandalwood and cypress oils have all been combined to moisturise your skin and detoxify the body and mind. Furthermore, seaweed has been thrown in for its anti-inflammatory and soothing properties. It is rich in vitamins and minerals, including vitamin A, C and E, which is great for those with sensitive skin.

This is definitely one of Lush's more natural, earthy scented ballistics. I didn't even have to unwrap this product before I could detect a strong note of pine - it smells exactly like the aroma you get from a Christmas tree - that dry, earthy and very comforting smell that follows you around the room. Alongside this, you can pick out a very distinctive thread of menthol which is due to the addition of cypress oil. This oil is an antiseptic and has a very clean scent - it smells very much like the Vicks Vapour rub you use to clear blocked noses. Both fragrances give Geo-Phyzz that really refreshing quality which, when dissolved in the bath, helps to relax your mind whilst refreshing your senses at the same time. 

When I first experienced this ballistic, I had only managed to acquire a couple of old ones and the bath bombs immediately sunk to the bottom of the tub and turned the water a murky grey colour. I was hoping that a new one might offer me a better experience - fizzing on the surface like you would expect from a fresh product. However, my Geo-Phyzz plummeted to the bottom of the tub and pretty much collapsed into a green mess.

In reflection, this bath bomb is the heaviest one I have ever purchased from Lush, and this is no doubt due to the high percentage of sea salt that is present here. When I supported the product above the water, it fizzed like a normal ballistic and turned the water a relaxing green colour. However, on it's own, it tends to sink immediately and accumulates as a pile of salt at the bottom of the tub. 

As there is so much salt present, some will dissolve on it's own whereas most of it will collect at the bottom of your bath. I only had to run my fingers along the bottom to realise how much salt this ballistic heeds, and it is important to note that you should swish the water around and help the salt to dissolve before climbing in the bath. Getting into the tub before doing so will probably end in you getting an uncomfortable and perhaps rather painful experience of sitting on coarse pieces of salt. 

As Geo-Phyzz is probably made up of 80% salt, it does take a while to fully dissolve in the water. I would suggest waiting until most of it has dispersed into the water before climbing in as again, I'm sure you don't want to accidentally sit on a ball of solid salt. What is impressive about this product is that the strong scent remains with you throughout your entire bathing experience, which really helps to clear your sinuses if like me, you're suffering from a cold.

When I exited the bath, I found that my skin felt cleansed, although there was nothing spectacular about this. I didn't feel anything more than what I would expect from any other Lush bathing product. Furthermore, there was no scent left on my body and I still had to moisturise as usual. In all honesty, I found this bath bomb to be pretty unspectacular, and it would have probably had more of an impact on my skin (and mood), if there had been more of 'it' in the tub.

Geo-Phyzz was created to aid relaxation for those who need relief from achy and overworked muscles. While it did revitalise my senses and make me feel calmer after the experience, it didn't do anything amazing. For this reason, it's not one I have an interest in buying again; I'd much rather have a Big Blue which I feel would do the job better.

Quantitative Ingredients: Coarse Sea Salt, Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Hawaiian Sea Salt, Perfume, Cypress Oil, Pine Absolute, Sandalwood Oil, Seaweed Absolute, *Limonene, *Linalool, Gardenia Extract, Colour 42053.

Vegan?: Yes.

WebRep

currentVote

noRating

noWeight

Read More

Breath of God Liquid Perfume

Breath of God is described by Lush as being a 'critically acclaimed, perfectly balanced perfume.' They go on to claim that this fragrance bridges a gap between masculine and feminine smells; creating one that is universally pleasing to all, and one that develops differently on everyone who wears it so that it moulds to your senses, not yours to it. I suppose, like every opinion, there are going to be those of us who agree with those claims and those who very much disagree. Unfortunately, I am in the latter category. 

The first time I experienced the Breath of God scent was when I tried the toothy tabs of the same name, which I thoroughly enjoyed and have been buying ever since. A few months later, and Lush release Inhale/Exhale, a limited edition bath bomb that also presents the same scent. Again, after initial concerns, I ended up enjoying the experience very much and raved about this unique scent that I just 'had to try more of'. However, when I dared to purchase a bottle of the Breath of God perfume, my reaction was very different to the above.

Described as being a 'thought-provoking fragrance', there are many elements that make up this perfume. There is a mixture of sandalwood, cedarwood, rose, ylang ylang, neroli and benzoin oils, which have all been blended together to create this distinctive smell. Immediately upon smelling this, I can pick up the strong, woody scent of sandalwood alongside the undertones of smoky cedarwood. Then straight after, I also get elements of the lemon and grapefruit oils, which masks the poignancy of the other ingredients somewhat. 

Unfortunately, I did not experience the 'gentle, yet fresh delicious flavour' that Lush describe it as, nor the vanillary, melon-citrus fragrance that other reviewers as described it as being. Instead what I smelt was a mixture of men's aftershave and burnt charcoal - the overwhelming smell you get if someone sprays themselves with too much Lynx and you get a strong whiff up your nose before you have a chance to hold your breath.  

Rather than being able to isolate individual smells and enjoy different layers of scent, I found that Breath of God's fragrance was very domineering and very heavy. To me, it felt as if there were too many ingredients in the mix, which caused them to clash with each other rather than working to create a well-rounded perfume. 

However, like most Lush scents, it quickly fades into a delicate-yet-strong smell that continues to evolve throughout the day. In it's defence, it did remain on me for the entirety of my work day and it did get more bearable when it had mellowed somewhat. However, I still thought that it was a very masculine scent and not something that made me feel uplifted or sensual at all. 

It seems to me that this is very much a 'marmite' type of perfume; you either love it or you hate it. Unfortunately, it didn't match well with my personality and made me feel very boisterous when I had it on. It's too overpowering for my liking and is not one that I'd use again. 

Quantitative Ingredients: DRF Alcohol, Perfume, Cedarwood Oil, Rose Oil, Ylang Ylang Oil, Vetivert Oil, Lemon Oil, Grapefruit Oil, Neroli Oil, Black Pepper Oil, Sandalwood Oil, Cade Oil, *Benzyl Salicylate, *Citral, *Coumarin, *Eugenol, Geraniol, *Citronellol, Benzyl Benzoate, Farnesol, *Limonene, Linalool.

Vegan?: Yes.

WebRep

currentVote

noRating

noWeight

Read More

Lust Liquid Perfume

Before I began buying and collecting Lush products, my interest in scents were particularly limited; I'd always pick the sugary-sweet, synthetic type fragrances that were as generic as the other 500 bottles of perfume on the shelf. I was not interested in trying out any of the interesting more complex scents and would shy away from anything that was particularly strong.

Fast forward two years and I have ordered a bottle of Lush's 'Lust' perfume - a powerfully sensual, dirty jasmine perfume that I never imagined myself enjoying. Although there are other notes in here, such as ylang ylang, vanilla, sandalwood and rose, jasmine is definitely the predominate scent. The sandalwood gives the perfume a wonderful warmth that intensifies on the heat of your skin; the rose adds a sweet, floral kick that gives the perfume a sexy edge. 

This is a perfume that takes no prisoners. It's strong, it's seductive and it'll upstage any other scent that you may be wearing at the time. This is not a subtle perfume in any way, so if you want something simple and gentle, this is not the one for you. This is a perfume that'll empower you when you're wearing it, and it makes you feel confident throughout the entire day. 

Lust comes out as a red-tinted liquid but it does not stain the skin so there's no need to be alarmed by this. Additionally, I would say that you should be rather scrupulous when spraying this perfume as you don't need very much at all. This latter point means that a 30ml bottle should last you a lot longer than most shop-bought varieties, meaning it's create value for money. 

Sharing it's scent with ‘Flying Fox’ shower gel, a product that is unfortunately not vegan, this perfume stays with you, and will let off small bursts of scent throughout the day. I have worn the same scarf to work for the past few months, and I can still smell Lust on there some six+ weeks after last using it. It's a sophisticated, unique fragrance that may be too overpowering for some, but one that will grow on you over time.

I happen to love this scent, and I love it even more knowing that a few years ago, I would have turned my nose up at such a unique and empowering smell. I always get compliments when I wear this, and most people comment on how fresh and natural it smells. It's become a staple perfume in my household now.

Quantitative Ingredients: Organic Jojoba Oil, Castor Oil, Candelilla Wax, Perfume, Jasmine Absolute, Rose Absolute, Ylang Ylang Oil, Fair Trade Vanilla Absolute, Sandalwood Oil, *Benzyl Alcohol, *Benzyl Salicylate, *Cinnamal, *Cinnamyl Alcohol, *Citral, *Coumarin, *Eugenol, *Geraniol, *Isoeugenol, *Benzyl Benzoate, *Citronellol, *Farnesol, *Limonene, *Linalool, Colour 15850.

Vegan?: Yes.

Read More

Floating Island Luxury Bath Melt

As looks go, Floating Island Melt is very boring; it looks like a portion of vanilla pudding that's been left out for too long and has gone a little hard. Even so, Lush don't supply their luxurious bath melts to put on a show like a ballistic, or create a mound of bubbles like a bubble bar; instead they're made to relax your mind and give you a sensual, hydrating and fully moisturising experience in the bath. 

Priced at £4.15 for the 100g wedge, this actually works out as the cheapest bath melt available from the Lush store. However, I consider this, and all of the other melts, to be a product that you buy as a seldom treat for yourself if you want that extra-special bath. I say this because, I wouldn't suggest using any of these bath melts on their own - they're more something you break in half and add to the bath alongside a ballistic, just to make the water a little softer. 

As you can see from my demo, I used the whole of Floating Island in my bath, but this was only to show readers what the product does in the water. Normally, I would halve this and add it in alongside either a Dragon's Egg or an Avobath, to give it that extra sensual touch.  

Floating Island shares it's fragrance with the now discontinued Whitewash Shower Smoothie, a light, sweet sandalwood and cocoa butter scented bath melt. Sandalwood is a really therapeutic ingredient; packed with goodness that helps skin to retain it's moisture as well as counteracting depression by lifting the mood with it's citrus smell. The addition of cocoa butter and almond oil adds to the creaminess of this melt, and helps to soften the water. It's a subtle mellow smell that reminds me a little of the custard powder you can buy in tins. 

You can use this product in one of two ways; As you can see from my video, I choose to drop it into my tub and leave it to gently melt away by itself. This particular melt took almost 10 minutes to fully dissolve, meaning that you can get in while it's doing it's job and relax while it softens the water around you. Secondly, you can choose to crumble this melt under the running water. Either way, Floating Island produces a sea of creamy white foam that rests on the surface and washes away without staining the tub. 

I chose to use the whole bath melt this time around, and was a little disappointed that the fragrance was still very mild in the tub. In fact, unless you made an effort to sniff the water, you could barely smell anything at all. Furthermore, the product didn't leave my water anywhere near as soft and velvety as other bath melts I've tried. There was no drops of cocoa butter or any oils dispersed in the water, so I didn't feel anywhere near as moisturised as I would expect from one of Lush's luxurious bath melts.

Overall, although it smelt nice in the shop, It didn't leave an impression at all in the bath, and I've been moisturised a lot better by most of Lush's regular bubble bars. For the price I paid, I was expecting an amazing experience. Unfortunately, the price tag did not match it's performance, and it's not one I'd buy again.

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Cocoa Butter, Laureth 4, Perfume, Almond Oil, Water, Sandalwood Oil, Lemon Oil, Labdanum Resinoid, *Limonene.

Vegan?: Yes. 

WebRep

currentVote

noRating

noWeight

Read More