Hot Toddy Shower Gel

As a self-proclaimed shower obsessive, the first thing I am always drawn to when the seasonal products come around is the range of gels and jellies that Lush have to offer. Old favourites such as Rose Jam and Ponche are much appreciated, and I cannot even begin to tell you how much I am annoyed and upset that Ponche is not part of the range this year. 

However, I was equally excited about both of the new shower gels that were showing their faces as part of this year's seasonal range. Although it made a brief appearance many moons ago, back when Lush first began to market themselves under their current guise, Hot Toddy is a brand new product for most current Lush fans. 

Sharing it's scent with the bubble bar of the same name, this shower gel is a guaranteed crowd pleaser. With the colder days lurking just around the corner, consumers are no doubt looking for ways to retain the warmth and comfort that they crave so much during the winter months - this shower gel is the solution.

Boasting an impressive array of ingredients, this shower gel has been designed to moisturise and nourish the body while leaving you smelling good enough to eat. The inclusion of aloe vera means that this shower gel is super soft on the skin - perfect during the harsher months when your skin is at its most vulnerable; Seaweed offers the consumer a product intent on softening the skin whilst gently cleaning away any excess dirt. 

Lush have also included a combination of clove leaf, patchouli and cinnamon leaf oils, which alongside the benzoin resinoid gives this shower gel a wonderful rich, wintery aroma. While I am not a huge fan of ginger, the inclusion of ginger infusion adds a subtle spiciness, which helps to stimulate the blood circulation around the body and warm you up when you most need it.

To finish up, this product features lime and sweet orange oil, not to mention a dash of lemon juice - all of which help to give this shower gel a fruity and well-rounded aroma. Together, all of these ingredients give Hot Toddy a scent that reminds me a little of old-fashioned coca cola with a generous helping of orangey goodness - it really is like Christmas in a bottle. 

In the bottle, the shower gel has quite a mellow fragrance and I was slightly worried that it would be just as weak when being used. However, once the product comes into contact with the heat of your body and the warm water from your shower, the smell comes out in full force and offers a much more rewarding and very luxurious experience. 

Hot Toddy is easy to use and you really don't need much to work up an impressive lather. The shower gel's consistency is quite thick and very similar in consistency to the likes of Rose Jam or Ponche. However, I wouldn't say the lather is as silky or as moisturising as the aforementioned two and instead performs the basic function of getting you clean. 

The shower gel creates a light, airy foam that moves across the skin easily, and while it showcases rather a large amount of golden lustre in the bottle, I didn't find very much came out with each use. While there are those that will be put off by the inclusion of glitter in the ingredients list, I would suggest that you try it out before writing it off - I cannot imagine that you'll end up looking like a glitter ball when using this!                                                                                                                      The only downside to this is that I cannot imagine the scent would be as appealing in the warmer months - this definitely has a very Christmassy/Winter smell about it. So while I will be buying a couple of bottles to see me through until spring, I won't be going overboard with my purchases as I cannot imagine using this in the summer. 

This is one of the star products in this year's Christmas range and I highly recommend that you pick yourself up a bottle and try it out for yourself. If you love the fragrance, I suggest you check out either Holly Golightly Bubble Bar or The Melting Snowman Bath Melt, as both of these seasonal goodies share the same wonderful aroma. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Ginger Infusion, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Fair Trade Aloe Vera Gel, Lauryl Betaine, Propylene Glycol, Fresh Organic Lemon Juice, Fine Sea Salt, Clove Leaf Oil, Patchouli Oil, Lime Oil, Benzoin Resinoid, Cinnamon Leaf Oil, Sweet Orange Oil, Carrageenan Extract, Cinnamal, Eugenol, Limonene, Linalool, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Cinnamate, Coumarin, Hexyl Cinnamal, Perfume, Colour 14700, Colour 17200, Gold Glimmer Lustre, Methylparaben.

Vegan?: Yes.

2016 Price: £11.25 for 250g.

Scent Family:

Christmas Kisses Bubble Bar
Holly Golightly Bubble Bar (Christmas 2014)
Hot Toddy Bubble Bar
Hot Toddy Shower Gel (Christmas 2014)
Melting Snowman Bath Melt (New)