Close To You Massage Bar

A couple of months after I began collecting Lush products, I made a very large online order and ended up with 10-12 different massage bars to try. Since then, I've managed to amass a total of 36 different massage bars, only 3-4 of which I've managed to try so far. With my body lotion collection also expanding at an alarming rate, I realised that I had to reduce this amount down dramatically. So I set myself a goal of using 1-2 a month for the next year. 

My plan was somewhat thwarted when I discovered that Lush were releasing not one, but two different massage bars for their Valentine's range. At first, I tried to tell myself that I didn't need to get anymore; there was no way I could use that many up before they started to dry or go 'off'. However, I quickly succumbed to the idea that buying one of each wouldn't be all that terrible, as long as I used them straight away. So I did...

Made with luxurious butters and a delicious vanilla scent, Close to You is a musky, sugary-smelling massage bar - perfect for those of us with a sweet-tooth. Although a new addition to Lush's catalogue, it's not unique in its fragrance - sharing its scent with the popular Rock Star Soap.  

This bar smells of bubblegum and possesses an almost 'powdery' smell much like the pic N Mix sweet, Pink Shrimps, that I used to eat as a child. On top of this, there is a rich, musky vanilla scent, which gives the fragrance a slightly more mature edge.

Inspired by the Jammy Dodger, a British biscuit made of shortbread with raspberry jam in the middle, this massage bar is a baby pink colour with a scrumptious white fondant center. This centre is somewhat softer than the outer shell, meaning you get it a beautiful creamy finish on it's last use. 

With a luxurious blend of butters and oils, including cupuaçu butter, shea butter and olive oil, this rich bar is also made with cornflour to leave your skin silky smooth. What I found with Close To You, is that it melts immediately upon contact with your hands. For this reason, you need to be careful to use it quickly or you'll end up dissolving the entire bar in a single use. 

When applying it to your skin, I would suggest rubbing it between your hands and then massaging on your arms/legs etc... as when I tried to smear it on myself, the bar was very slippery to hold onto. Furthermore, you should aim to apply very little of this each time as it is definitely one of the greasiest massage bars that Lush have released so far. 

However, despite it being rather greasy, it felt very light on my skin and left me feeling super soft and sexy. I would suggest that if, like me, you're planning to use it as an alternative to body lotion, you probably need to give your skin a good 20 minutes after application to absorb the oils, before putting clothing over the top. 

While some users have complained that Close To You can leave smears of pink on your body, I found that, although this is true, it's not a bad thing at all. In fact, I think the slight pink tinge that you get, actually gives the skin a natural looking glow, which for someone as pale as myself, is a blessing. 

Ultimately, it's a beautiful addition to the Lush Valentine 2014 range; one that can be enjoyed by couples or those of us 'boring' people who just want a luxury lotion. If you're planning on using it for the latter reason, this bar lasted me for a good 5-6 uses, so if used as a treat once a week, is great value for money. 

Despite my ploy to cut down on massage bars, I might have to make an exception and grab another one before they go...

Quantitative Ingredients: Organic Shea Butter, Murumuru Butter, Almond Oil, Perfume, Olive Oil, Organic Agave Syrup, Cornflour, Cupuacu Butter, Glycerine, Methyl Ionone, Fair Trade Vanilla Absolute, Colour 77891, Colour 16255, Colour 45430.

Vegan?: Yes

Scent Family:

Bunny Bubble Bar
Candy Cane Bubble Bar
Candy Floss Showder
Candy Mountain Bubble Bar

Candy Mountain Bubble Bar Slice
Close To You Massage Bar
Creamy Candy Bubble Bar
Creamy Candy Liquid Perfume
Rock Star Soap

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