Ro's Argan Gourmet Soap

I'm one of those people, like most collectors no doubt, that like to get the full set as quickly as possible. I remember when I was younger and a promotion would appear on my favourite cereal box - I would anxiously collect the coupons for months, spurring each box to finish so that I could begin the next one and edge ever so slightly closer to my goal of obtaining the 'free' frisbee, or whatever other useless piece of tat that Kelloggs was offering at the time.

When it comes to Lush products, as you can imagine, I am very much the same. If I know there's a product out there that I've yet to get my hands on, I won't rest until I've secured myself said item. Such is the case with Ro's Argan Gourmet Soap.

As far as the flagship Oxford Street store goes, this was the only vegan product in the store that I had yet to try, and the frustration was all the more intense because I knew it would be a product that I would love and cherish when I finally managed to get my greedy mitts on a small chunk.

Sporting a sort of deep, brown-tinged maroon/rosewood colour, you'd be mistaken for thinking this soap was actually a piece of cake, for it both looks like and feels like a heavy piece of sponge. It's wonderful to experience how soft and squishy Ro's Argan is - when compressed between your fingers, it feels like a piece of fruit loaf or a heavy, sticky date cake. 

While it shares some of the ingredients that the other gourmet soaps has, it is at least very unique when it comes to its texture. As with all of Lush's other gourmet soaps, this one is made from a different base to give it far more moisturising properties. However, Ro's Argan yet again stands apart by being made from a different base to the other soaps in the gourmet collection. 

How gourmet soaps stand apart from regular soaps is partly due to the effort that goes into making them, both physically and ethically. On the one hand, the ingredients used are in themselves the reason why the soaps are so much more beneficial for the skin - the impressive range of oils and butters that are included in all of the soaps work to clean, replenish, nourish and moisturise the skin to a very high standard.

Containing argan oil as the main ingredient, this highly softening oil is not only seen as anti-aging, but gives off a wonderful subtle nutty aroma and helps to make it a really creamy experience when in use. With a combination of lemon, rose and geranium oil also present, fans of Rose Jam will be pleased to know that it replicates the popular fragrance perfectly.

Once out of the packet, you can smell that sweet, sticky rose note - one that is made even more beautiful in this format by the inclusion of the granulated sugar. Alongside this, the rose oil lifts the floral aroma and makes it a little fruitier than usual - something that makes it even more special in my mind. I'd say it's more in keeping with the shower gel than the bubbleroon in that sense.

In the shower, this soap isn't the most generous when it comes to its lather - creating a creamy gel that glides over the skin with ease but takes a bit of work to get working. However, with enough water and a little patience, I found it works best to massage between the hands before applying to the rest of the body.

The inclusion of the sugar gives the lather a certain amount of stickiness, which is really what makes this soap stand out for me - not only because it compliments the name and purpose of the product, but just because it makes it very unique from all of the other soaps that I have tried from Lush. This consistency is still easy enough to rinse off afterwards though, so you don't have to worry about your skin being left feeling like it's coated in treacle!

While I cannot imagine ever finding a soap that is as moisturising as a gel or jelly, Ro's Argan Gourmet Soap is definitely one of the better ones, and I did notice a difference in that my skin felt really smooth and clean afterwards. Not only this, but the scent stayed with me for a short while after towelling myself down, and I chose to top it up with some Rose Jam Liquid Perfume to round off a fantastic experience.

Furthermore, as long as it's kept dry in between uses, the soap doesn't shrink particularly fast in and outside of the shower, and a 100g piece should last you a good 5-6 weeks with daily use. Overall, I highly recommend that you grab yourself if and when you can. As the soap's release is limited, I will be enjoying my piece for as long as it permits me to do so, and I only hope that those reading this will enjoy it as much as I have.  

Quantitative Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Argan Oil (Argania spinosa), Glycerine, Granulated Sugar, Sodium Hydroxide, Lemon Oil (Citrus limonum), Egyptian Geranium Oil (Pelargonium graveolens), Rose Absolute (Rosa damascena), Rose Oil (Rosa damascena), Perfume, Citric Acid, Limonene, Citronellol, Coumarin, Geraniol. 

Vegan?: Yes.

2016 Price: £7.50 for 100g.

Year Of Original Release: 2015.

Scent Family: 
Argan Naked Facial Oil
Black Rose Bath Bomb
Giant Rose Bombshell Bath Bomb
Jason And The Argan Oil Solid Shampoo Bar
Madame Butterfly Reusable Bubble Bar
Pearl Massage Bar
Ro's Argan Body Conditioner
Ro's Argan Gourmet Soap
Ro's Argan Sparkly Naked Body Conditioner
Rose Bombshell Bath Bomb
Rose Jam Bubbleroon 
Rose Jam Liquid Perfume
Rose Jam Naked Shower Gel
Rose Jam Solid Perfume
Rose Jam Shower Gel
Scentenary Soap
The Sparkler Ballistic