A Gold Star Bubble Bar

Every Christmas, Lush offer their fans a wide range of goodies to satisfy every craving - from the sweet to the savoury, the spicy and the fruity. Alongside the regular, staple seasonal products, there are always a few new ones added in for good measure. In 2008, the company introduced a new bubble bar for the holidays and it made it's mark very quickly. 

A Gold Star is rather pretty to look at - a bright yellow bubble bar with a golden star for decoration on top and sprinkled with a generous helping of golden lustre to leave it sparkling. It's not the neatest looking of bubble bars, neither is it the most attractive, but it's colourful enough to be one that will grab your attention on the shelf. 

With sandalwood, benzoin and frankincense, this product offers a sharp, bittersweet and slightly citrusy aroma with gentle elements of spice and a very subtle floral element underneath. It's a deeply sensual and very relaxing smell - one that has Christmas connotations but which can also be used throughout the year without feeling 'out of season'. Those who like quite sour citrus aromas will love this - it's very lemony and reminds me of peeling a sour orange. I'd say that the only negative aspect about this bubble bar is that the fragrance is very one-dimensional - while I loved it because I love citrus scents, it doesn't offer much more than a strong, tangy smell, so those who like more complex scents, will probably find this rather underwhelming. 

It's quite a strong scent - one with many layers that come through individually when you're relaxing in the bath. The different fragrances work really well at clearing your mind, relaxing your body and allowing you to unburden yourself from the worries and stresses of life. 

My main worry about A Gold Star was that it's colour doesn't aid itself well when it's dissolving in the bath. I conjured up images of me bathing in a rather disgusting-looking yellow colour and it put me off a little. However, what surprised me about this bubble bar is that it actually turns the water an electric, almost fluorescent yellow colour, which is much more inviting and interesting. This colour helped to liven up the experience even more and would really help to shake the shivers out of anyone during the colder weather.

You only need a third of this bar to product an impressive haven of bubbles. I found it works best when the bar is crumbled under the running tap to achieve these fluffy bubbles. A Gold Star creates an impressive amount of bubbles and leaves hundreds of miniature golden stars resting on the bottom of the tub. These extra decorations don't interfere with your bathing experience and wash away when you drain the water. 

The smell remained consistent throughout the entire bathing experience although the bubbles tended to disperse rather quickly. While the bubble bar wasn't all that moisturising, it does leave a gentle aroma on your skin, which helps you to feel well pampered and warm a long time after your bath is over. 

All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this bubble bar and I think it's a fantastic addition to the Christmas range. Unfortunately, Lush haven't released this one for a good many years now, which is a shame as it's something far different than most of the other products they have brought out recently. Perhaps Lush will choose to bring this back through the Kitchen and I for one, will be stocking up if they do.   

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Cream of Tartar, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Lauryl Betaine, Perfume, Gardenia Extract, Limonene, Sandalwood Oil, Frankincense Oil, Benzoin Resinoid, Citral, Farnesol, Colour 59040, Golden Edible Stars, Radiant Gold Lustre, Gold Glimmer Lustre.

Vegan?: Yes.

2014 Price: £3.95 each.