Snow Fairy FUN Bar

Needless to say, I don't think the Snow Fairy family really needs any sort of introduction - it's one of those products that most fans either fall into Lush because of, or hear about pretty soon after making their first purchase. Surprisingly, you may be interested to know that while the shower gel is a staple member of every Christmas release, and there hasn't been a year gone by when Lush haven't brought out something different in the same fragrance, it's not a particular favourite of many people high up in the company.

Having said this, Snow Fairy is a fantastic gateway into the vast and rather wonderful world of Lush, and it is the original product that inspired me to invest in their products in the first place. The aroma is very easily accessible to most people, and it also happens to be rather sensually pleasing - especially around Christmas time when a lot of consumers are looking to satisfy their sweet-tooth in ways other than food.

For this reason, I wasn't at all surprised when I discovered that Lush were bring out Snow Fairy FUN as part of the seasonal range this year. Alongside Father Christmas Bath Bomb, Snow Fairy Body Conditioner and Fairy Dust, this latest format is just another reminder of how much demand there is for this scent. Despite not being particularly enamoured with the idea, I bought a couple of bars nonetheless, and found that it was actually more enjoyable than I had original envisaged. 

Sporting a pink, white and gold design, this new release is everything as magical as you would expect Snow Fairy FUN to be. I honestly couldn't think of three better colours to use, and it makes a very pretty addition to anyone's Christmas stocking - male or female. Furthermore, the inclusion of a paper wand and wings to add detail to possible sculptures, means that there are hours of fun to be had from this seasonal item.

Impressively, I only had to remove the outer packaging to establish that this FUN bar smelled near on identical to the original shower gel. As with most products in this scent, the sickly-sweet notes of pear drops and bubblegum and candy floss are often lost somewhat, and I find that the fragrance can be both dampened, and not as rich as it is in the shower gel format. However, much like the body conditioner, I found that Snow Fairy FUN offered the same delicious sugary coma that the gel presents, and this excited me even more to try it out.

As with all FUN bars, this one can be used as a shampoo; as a replacement for a shower gel; or crumbled under a running tap to produce bubbles much like a regular bubble bar would. In the latter circumstance, Snow Fairy FUN produces a light pink water, which is nothing to write home about but works as a great base for a bath cocktail. 

As a shower gel, the item works really well - lathering up with ease and producing a light, fluffy lather to clean yourself with. Despite the vividity of the pink and gold sections on the bar, I found that the lather wasn't as colourful as some of the other FUN bars. This I see as a positive because splatters can occur when using any of the FUN bars, and while it doesn't stain your skin or the bath tub, it has been known to leave marks on my walls and towels if left unnoticed.

In use, this seasonal FUN bar boasts the same strength of smell as the shower gel, and I was able to detect delicate hints of sweetness on my skin for a short while after exiting the shower. However, it was by no means as generous as the gel format is when it came to longevity. Neither was it as moisturising on my body as the original gel, although it would definitely benefit those with sensitive skin, as it's far gentler on the skin due to talcum powder and corn starch base.

Overall, a single bar lasted me around six to eight weeks, which is a few weeks short of how long a 100g bottle of the shower gel would see me through. In addition, it was a little trickier to store without exposing it to unwanted moisture, and I had to make a conscious effort to pat it down after each shower to ensure that it didn't shrink in between uses. 

This is not a product that's going to replace the best-selling shower gel any time soon, although it does offer a lot for what is ultimately a bar of talc and perfume. This would make a great stocking filler and bring a little 'FUN' back into bath time routines for those who have children to comprehend with. However, for those who don't need any encouragement to bathe, Snow Fairy Shower Gel is better value for money and the one that I will turn to the next time I need to fix.   

Quantitative Ingredients: Corn Starch (Zea Mays), Talc, Glycerine, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Synthetic Musk, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Fragrance, Radiant Gold, Snowflake and Soft Pink Glimmer Lustre (Mica, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides).

Vegan?: Yes.

2016 Price: £5.95 for 200g.

Year Of original Release: 2016.