It's A Date Bubble Bar

While this blog should be enough evidence to show that I'm a strong advocate of Lush, there are times when the company outdo themselves and make me love them just that little more. Such is the case with the recent release of their popular It's A Date Bubble Bar. 

This product was first released in 2002 as part of the Valentine's Day range - a stunning fluorescent pink beauty that resides above most of Lush's other bubble bars when it comes to design. Sporting what is probably the brightest demeanour I have ever seen, with only Playdoze offering it any sort of competition, this unique bar isn't just a pretty face - it's a haven of oils and smells that will make even the stubbornest of mouths water.

However, during the production of these beautiful bubble bars, the wrong scent was added to the mix, and the original products that consumers received arrived possessing the Silky Underwear fragrance instead - thus producing a highly sort after 'mistake' if ever there was one. 

Given that I have Lush orders arriving almost daily and piles of products that need reviewing, I didn't noticed Lush's mistake at first. While I recognised the popular jasmine scent, it was only when a note of apology arrived with a box of fresh bubble bars, that I realised I had almost missed out on the gorgeous original scent that the bubble bar should have had. Once in possession of five original-smelling bars, I couldn't wait to try one out in the bath. 

This particular version features sandalwood and tangerine oil - two ingredients that make up the foundations of its smell. Both of these items are equally mixed - producing a gentle woody aroma that works perfectly together. The scent reminds me a little of the orange Starburst sweet, with a complimentary warm and woody undertone that compliments the tangerine perfectly. 

While it's supposed to share it's scent with the popular Sugar Plum Sugar Scrub, I found that the scent is much mellower in the bubble bar format and far more sensual than what the scrub version offers. In Sugar Plum, the benzoin resinoid is more prominent so you get a stronger, far more creamier aroma, but I do appreciate the fact that the bubble bar is centralised more around the fruity side than the sultry one. 

As you can see from my video, it's very easy to crumble this bubble bar and it doesn't take long for the thick, foamy bubbles to form and multiply across the tub. As I was feeling greedy that particular day, I used the whole bubble bar for one extremely luxurious bath - crumbling the soft, fudge bubble bar under the running water. Although, given the amount of bubbles that this bar heeded, you could probably half or even quarter this and use it across four separate baths. 

The water turned a beautiful bright pink and even half of this bubble bar created an amass of silky, soft bubbles, which cocoon you whilst you're in the tub - leaving you feeling incredible. The various oils used here really soften and moisturise your skin whilst you're in the tub, and I found that the sweet, fruity but well-rounded scent remained on my skin for hours after I had exited the bath. 

While the scent of It's A Date wasn't as potent and didn't quite last as long as the factory mix-up version, it still offered a wonderfully wholesome, relaxing experience that made me fall in love with this psychedelic bubble bar. If asked which version I'd rather have, I would honestly say that I couldn't decide; they both have their merits and I would happily invest in a few more or either, if I was given the opportunity to. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Cream of Tartar, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Lauryl Betaine, Date, Perfume, Sandalwood Oil, Tangerine Oil, Benzoin Resinoid, Limonene, Colour 45410.

Vegan?: Yes. 

2015 Price: £3.75 each.

Year Of First Release: 2002.

Scent Family:
It's A Date Bubble Bar
Plum Duff Bath Bomb
Sugar Plum Fairy Sugar Scrub