Smuggler's Soul Facial Scrub

This review starts off with a big disclaimer - one so important that I debated putting this part of the review in extra large font just to make a point. When I first heard that Smuggler's Soul Facial Scrub was going to be a 'thing', I was ecstatically happy. This is one of my all-time favourite fragrances from Lush - one that I cannot imagine living without now that it's made such a big impression in my life. Ultimately, it's a smell that I want to experience in as many formats as possible.

After learning the heart-breaking news that the solid shampoo bar was not vegan, I put all of my efforts into securing a handful of both the facial scrub and the body lotion from Spain - convinced that I was going to lavish myself in two newly discovered firm favourites. While I fell in love with the latter product very quickly, my mind was a mixture of confusion and disappointment when it came to the scrub. To put it simply - the product was not at all what I was expecting, and if anything, it was disappointing to say the least.

Supposedly sharing its scent with the perfume of the same name, this limited edition is one of three Smuggler's Soul-scented products, released as part of Lush's first ever Fathers' Day range. Alongside the body lotion and the solid shampoo bar, these products were first released in Spain, and then more recently in the UK.

What first struck me about this scrub was that the scent itself was very weak. While I realise that it would be neither conducive nor practical to have a scrub as strong as the fragrance itself, what greeted me upon initial sniff was something that lacked so much presence, that to begin with I felt as if I had been gifted with a faulty product. 

With six tubs of the stuff imported from Spain, I genuinely thought that the scrubs had not travelled well, and began the process of returning the items for a full refund.However, after investing in two pots from the UK site and receiving them in exactly the same condition, I realised very quickly that the scent and the consistency were as they should be.

In my honest opinion, Smuggler's Soul Facial Scrub bares very little resemblance to the fragrance of the same name. And while I could scrimp and scape around, and say that there is a very slight hint of lemongrass and sandalwood in certain batches, overall this comparison is hard to make. 

My impression of the scrub is that it reminds me of what I imagine a Lush lotion to be like, BEFORE the actual fragrance has been added in. Its lack of colour and weak scent bares similarity to what I remember some of my really old Lush lotions used to smell like when they'd lost their fragrance and were on their last legs. It's not exactly a bad smell, but it's not an aroma that leaves any sort of impression one whatsoever.

You can just make out a hint of lemongrass if you concentrate hard enough; you can also detect a slight element of bamboo and a little sandalwood and rosewood if your nose is up to it. However, when named after such a beautiful, strong and unyielding perfume as Smuggler's Soul, it's difficult to imagine something as inadequate as this scrub being related to it in any way.

While this scrub seems to be geared more towards the male market, and most men supposedly prefer lighter fragrances, I'd argue that there is a difference between a scent being gentle and a scent being non-existent, and unfortunately I feel as if this product has an aroma that sides more with the latter description than the former.   

In its defence, this scrub is fairly effective to use. With bamboo granules giving the product an almost grainy consistency for a light exfoliation, it's easy to apply and distribute across the skin. I'd recommend taking an amount equivalent to half a grape and carefully massaging it into the face - leaving it on for around thirty seconds before rinsing it off under warm water. Using any more than this, I found that the scrub was a little hesitant to rinse off immediately, and I would often find traces of it still on my face after I'd exited the shower.

This would definitely work better with oiler complexions, as I found that my face felt quite taut after I'd patted it dry. That's not to say that my face was dry or felt as parched as my hands do after using soap; only that I could tell some moisture had been stripped during application. 

Smuggler's Souls Facial Scrub did give my complexion a slight glow after use, and I feel as if the inclusion of cucumber did give my skin a burst of freshness that stayed with me for a short while after I had exited the bathroom. Furthermore, the lack of fragrance meant that I didn't have to worry about it clashing with whatever else I was using at the time, which was a bonus. 

Overall, I don't think this is a particularly bad product, and I did and still am enjoying using it in the shower on an almost daily basis. Those who prefer light or less offensive smells, might fall in love with this limited edition product, solely on the fact that it's easily the lightest-smelling Lush product I have ever experienced. Yet at the same time, I don't really feel as if represents what a Lush product should be, and while I will get through the eight tubs I now own, it's not a product I would ever consider buying again. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Water, Bamboo Stem Extract, Stearic Acid, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Glyceryl Stearate & PEG-100 Stearate, Glycerine, Triethanolamine Cetearyl Alcohol, Argan Oil, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Organic Rose Hip Oil, Organic Shea Butter, Rosewood Oil, Sandalwood Oil, Madagascan Vetivert Oil, Tagetes Oil, Lemongrass Oil, *Limonene, *Linalool, Alpha Isomethyl Ionone, Perfume, Methylparaben Propylparaben.

Vegan?: Yes.

2016 Price: £8.95 for 100g.

Year Of Original Release: 2016.

Scent Family:
Smuggler's Soul Body Lotion
Smuggler's Soul Body Spray
Smuggler's Soul Facial Scrub
Smuggler's Soul Liquid Perfume
Smuggler's Soul Solid Perfume
Smugglers Soul Solid Shampoo Bar

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