Calavera Bath Bomb

You can never have too many Calacas-scented products in your life, that's for sure. It's one of those fragrance families that inspires somewhat of a cult following, and I am a fully fledged member of that movement - captivated by the very essence of its simple but delectable, mouth-watering lime aroma.

While I have already developed a love affair with the shower gel, jelly, perfume and Enchanter Bath Bomb, I was very excited when the Lush Kitchen announced that they were releasing Calavera Bath Bomb for the first time. One of the products that teased me relentlessly when it was made available as part of the US Retro range, I was so happy to be finally able to try it out for myself. And it didn't disappoint.

Released at part of the 2010 limited edition Halloween range, this is a bath bomb inspired by the Day Of The Dead festivities. Featuring a generous helping of lime and neroli oil, Calavera is a fresh, uplifting fruity bath bomb. While not as sour as the actual fruit, Lush have managed to find the perfect combination of zestiness and sweetness, and while I still stipulate that it reminds me of candy, it still retains a very natural fragrance that I love more and more with each use.

Although the bath bomb doesn't look as bright or as appealing as many of the other products in this range, you only have to pop one in the water to realise that you shouldn't judge a product by its outer shell. Sporting a cream shell with etches of pink, green and blue as light decoration, this bath bomb is far more colourful than may be immediate obvious.

Upon contact with the water, this ballistic begins to foam wildly - bubbling and frothing quietly while sending out waves of white across the tub. At the same time, small pink and yellow bubbles begin to form on the surface of the bath bomb, and as the product starts to get smaller, pockets of yellow and pink begin to ebb into the water. 

Towards the end of the show, vibrant strands of both yellow and blue explode out of the bomb and pattern the surface with swirls of vivid colour. As Calavera divides into two, and more and more colour seeps into the bath tub, the product reveals a number of Marigold petals in its centre - a surprise I was not expecting at all, and one that made the experience all the more magical. 
   
Known as a symbol of death during the Day Of The Dead festivities, these flowers are often sprinkled across graves and alters - used as a way to guide the  deceased back to their loved ones. The attractive scent of the marigold is said to draw them back to earth for the yearly Dia de los Muertos reunion. What I loved about the use of them in this bath bomb, is that the movement of the water made it appear as if the flowers were almost insect-like, and the petals moved and swayed like insect legs, which was a little creepy at first.

Once the bomb had fully dissolved, I was left with a fragrant bath that was coated with an eerie blanket of white foam. The water was a golden yellow-colour and there were swirls of blue painted across the surface in which the marigolds rested like wilted flowers.

While this bath bomb is softer in scent when compared to The Enchanter, Calavera is in no way subtle, and much like Monsters' Ball, offers a slightly more sophisticated take on the Calacas fragrance. It's almost as if the neroli has been given a little more responsibility in this format and the lime has taken the tiniest of steps backwards to allow it so. Furthermore, I actually found that this product softens the water more than the aforementioned bath bomb does, and my skin was beautifully soft and smooth after I had exited the bath. 

As the other Calacas-scented ballistics happen to be two of my all-time favourite bath bombs, I was not expecting this one to be able to stand up next to its competition. However, I feel as if this is a great addition to a fragrance family that I hope they keep extending, and I will definitely be buying a handful of these next time they are available again.  

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Lime Oil (Citrus aurantifolia), Olibanum Resinoid (Boswellia carterii), Neroli Oil (Citrus Aurantium amara), Marigold Petals (Calendula officinalis), Sugar, Cream of Tartar (Potassium bitartrate),Cocamide DEA, Lauryl Betaine, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Benzyl Salicylate, *Citral, *Limonene, *Linalool, Hydroxycitronellal, Perfume, Colour 45350, Colour 45410, Colour 61570, Colour 42090.

Vegan?: Yes.

2016 Price: £4.25 each.
2017 Price: £3.95 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2010 

Scent Family:

Agbogbloshie Bath Bomb

Calacas Body Lotion (2017)

Calacas Body Lotion (2018)

Calacas Body Spray

Calacas Shower Gel
Calacas Shower Jelly
Calacas/Day of The Dead Perfume

Calavera Ballistic

The Enchanter Bath Bomb

Lady Catrina Soap
Man In The Moon Bubble Bar
Monsters' Ball Bath Bomb
Skullduggery Ballistic