Having recently used up my two old Magic Ballistics, I really couldn't understand the fuss surrounding this particular family of smells. Having found myself familiar with the most popular places for Lushies to congregate, I was surprised to find out that both regular fans and serious collectors, along with those in between, were all raving about the product that is Magic Jelly. This is something that intrigued me, and having searched the web for months on end, I finally managed to get hold of two pots of the stuff.
Immediately upon opening the tub, I was hit with a wave of smell - this is not a product for those who dislike strong smelling cosmetics; this is as potent as you can get! Made from a combination of rose, marjoram, peppermint and basil, this is fresh, floral but equally minty offering unlike any other shower jelly I've had from Lush.
To me, it's the mint that engulfs your senses first - a strong, uplifting peppermint fragrance that dominates most of the smell. However, don't assume that this is going to be like your generic, mint smelling cosmetic. Alongside this peppermint, you get bursts of rose, a fresh but equally poignant floral smell that gives this shower jelly some depth. When used, the heat from the shower helps to bring out the herbal side to this product, and I found that I was then able to pick up elements of the basil and marjoram in this way.
There are several ways that you can use any of Lush's shower jellies, and I find that everyone has their own preference, which is completely understandable. Firstly, you can break a small piece of (or select a piece that's been segmented prior to your shower) and rub the block directly onto your skin. The amount of lather this creates differentiates vastly depending on the type of jelly, how old the product is and the size of the piece you're using. While some users find this way works for them, I find that this is fairly ineffective as it does not create much of a lather and the jelly becomes too wet, making it slippery and difficult to hold on to.
Secondly, you can use a shower sponge, puff or exfoliating glove to create a lather before rubbing it all over your body. For me, I found this method far more successful as it helped to break down the jelly properly and create a nice foamy effect to wash your body with. Finally, you can break off slabs of the jelly and use them as you would a bubble bar, placing them underneath a running tap to stimulate bubbles. I tend to use mine for this reason, as I can get 4-5 baths out of one 100g tub, which I consider to be great value for money.
With Magic, I used my shower puff to lather myself up, and I found that this jelly was great at creating a soft, fragrant foam to wash myself with. The product left my skin really clean and it's fragrance permeated my skin more than any other shower product I have tried from Lush. I could smell this on myself the very next day, and the clothes I changed into after I'd had my shower, held onto the scent for a few days after initial use. To repeat what I said above; this is not a product for those who cannot stand strong smelling products - this is as potent as they come!
Overall, I really enjoyed Magic and hope that Lush bring it back at some point soon. To me, this jelly reminded of a more sophisticated Whoosh, with the bonus factor that it's vegan. It's a refreshing and highly invigorating shower product that will awaken your senses and leave your skin tingling slightly, due to the addition of peppermint oil.
I thoroughly enjoyed using this, and would definitely like to see more products released with this fragrance. I would definitely buy this again if I could.
Quantitative Ingredients: Glycerine, Red rose petal and marjoram infusion, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Proplyene Gycol, Peppermint and Basil infusion, Perfume, Basil Oil, Peppermint Oil, Colour 42090, Colour 17200, Methylparaben, Propylparaden, Cinnalol, Eugenol, Benzyl Benzoate, Limonene, Linalool, Fresh Parsley.
Vegan?: Yes.
2016 Price: £8.25 for 250g.
2017 Price: £8.50 for 250g.
Scent Family:
Magic BallisticMagic Shower Jelly
Do you think the ballistic smells exactly the same as the jelly?
ReplyDeleteHmmm - it's definitely very similar but I think perhaps the jelly is actually a far heavier smell and definitely more 'perfumey'. The ballistic has that nice powdery element that gives it a slight sweetness. The shower jelly is perhaps the strongest scented product I have ever had from Lush and I can see why people might dislike this for this reason. What do you think?
DeleteWell I haven't come across the jelly, but I have the ballistic. I really do not like the smell of the ballistic so I was curious what all the fuss was about. Thanks Jen!
DeleteOut in the Kitchen next Friday! I can't wait to read your updated review!
ReplyDeleteI love Christingle; the mint smell is just wonderful. Does this have a similar scent to Christingle? I want to order on Friday but I'm not sure if it's for me! I love your blog. It helps me so much. Thanks for all the time and effort you have put into it. So many people love it.
ReplyDeleteThank you very much - I'm glad you find this helpful :) As for Magic, it doesn't smell anything like Christingle I'm afraid - the jelly is a very strong herbal and floral smell with just a tiny thread of mint hidden at the bottom. :)
ReplyDeleteHi Jen, I have always gone to your site like it's the Holy Grail of Lush before I buy any new product I'm not familiar with. I read your review and was tantalized by the sound of the strong scent. Generally mint scents are not my favorites but the other ingredients seemed to promise of a nice potent aroma. So I shelled out £20 on ebay for the jelly and the ballistic based on your review--the sound of a scent strong enough to be noticed days later on the clothes seemed intriguing. I had originally won an auction for £10 for the jelly alone which is all I really wanted but the seller cancelled the order--I was quite annoyed---I had it in my mind so much that I splurged and got this one--it was well within date--only months old good for another year, but it was far far far from any level of potency in fact, I would say its in the botton 20 percent of all my sg's in strength of scent. Lathering was also a disappointment. It certainly looked fresh. I just don't know where the clouds of fragrance are? I could see if it was old, but I have years old tubs of jelly that lap this in strength. Anyway, your site has always been wonderful and you do it out of the goodness of your heart--obviously its my fault for relying too much on someone else's experience with a product--I have a very sensitive nose, I figured I would be bowled over, but same with smuggler's soul scrub--you didn't like it--Its one of my desert island faves. I scent it up with a drop of an sg if I want more fragrance. This experience just taught me a good lesson---Thanks for all your time
ReplyDelete