Komorebi Soap

What is great about Lush is their ability to help you learn something new with almost every new product they release. Whether it's about a certain ingredient; an environmental campaign; or a political problem, there is always new information to be had alongside an exciting new cosmetic to try out. When it came to this #lushlabs exclusive, a little helping of culture was on offer whilst I was lathering it up in the shower.   

Translated as meaning 'sunlight streaming through the trees', Komorebi is a Japanese word with a beautiful meaning. In particular, it is seen as a light curtain which is more visible after the rain because of the reflecting light from the water vapour, which makes for some stunning pictures if you were to google the phenomenon. The fragrance of this limited edition soap compliments this concept perfectly, and anyone lucky enough to have snagged one from the last Lush Showcase, or indeed from the recent online release, will no doubt agree.

If I'm being honest, the smell of this soap was hard to place at first but it was the ingredients that finally helped me to find a match. Containing ho wood oil and labdanum resinoid, Komorebi shares the same alluring aroma as Hidden Mountain: a soap that made its debut release last Christmas but which unfortunately didn't bowl me over with how drying it was on my skin.

The notes on offer here produce a rather green floral smell with woody undertones that support and pad out of the overall fragrance. Labdanum has a very rich, resinous smell about it and I see this as the dominant note overall. Alongside this, the oakmoss adds an earthy layer with notes of green that give this fragrance something slightly uplifting about it. 

The ho wood adds a gentle, warming woody note as well, which I think helps to bring all of the elements together and round off the smell. While the lavender is definitely present in the overall aroma, it is by far the most gentlest of smells, and I think a part of me only detects the note because I know it is in there. I get the impression that it just helps to add a slight herbal note as well, which helps to thicken the overall scent.

To me, this soap really smells like walking through a forest after it has snowed - the ferns and woodland plants wet and bleeding that earthy, green phosphorus smell into the air; the shrubbery and fallen branches adding a cloudy and quite saturated woody smell. It's definitely not a scent for the faint-hearted, and when you use this you will find the aroma follows you around for hours later.

While the size and design of this suggests that it's closer to a wash card, this is definitely a soap when you begin using it in the shower. It appears a little more rigid than a regular washcard, and also looks and feels a little thicker, which means it lasts longer. 

It lathers up really easily and produces a light but slightly oily lather to wash yourself with. As I was careful to preserve Komorebi for as long as possible, I tended to wet this soap quickly and then remove it immediately from the running water. I found that I was then able to easily massage this between my palms and create a generous amount of foam to clean myself with. Using it this way as opposed to massaging it directly onto the skin meant that I had more control over how much I used, and it also meant that I was able to protect the delicate soap even better.

Impressively, the fragrance present here was the same strength as a regular soap, and the heat of the water brought out all of the key components a little more, which was lovely. I also enjoyed the fact that the smell stayed on my skin afterwards for an hour or so and this really complimented the warmer weather when I was out and about.

Despite its size meaning that it doesn't have a long shelf life (mine lasted about nine days with daily use), the price tag is not too bad when you consider how versatile this little soap can be. If you're travelling for a short holiday, this would be perfect to take with you rather than a bottle of shower gel. And while it isn't as moisturising, it will leave you feeling clean and refreshed for the day/night ahead. 

I actually hope that Lush bring out more soaps in this manner as I much prefer them to the bigger blocks. While not quote as good value for money, these are a fun way to enjoy your showers in the morning, without you having to invest a number of pounds more for a bigger block. I may not be the most responsive person in the mornings but Komorebi brings a little sunshine to my day.       

Quantitative Ingredients: Maple Water,  Propylene Glycol, Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter, Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, Water (Aqua), Organic Castor Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Perfume, Ho Wood Oil, Labdanum Resinoid, Lavender Oil, Citric Acid, Glycerine, Titanium Dioxide, Sodium Bicarbonate, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, *Coumarin, *Eugenol, Oakmoss Extract, *Linalool, Colour 19140, Colour 42090, Colour 45350.

Vegan?: Yes.

2018 Price: £1.50 for 5g.

Year Of Original Release: 2018.

Scent Family:
Hidden Mountain Soap

Komorebi Soap