Santa's Grotto Bath Bomb

Despite the sun still shining gloriously outside of my window, there was something about the idea of a comforting bath that led me into having one for the first time in months. While self care is incredibly important, I've had neither the mental capacity or the practical means to actually have a bath, even if I wanted to - making this particular experience extremely special. I can honestly say that there is something incredibly magical about this release and I couldn't have asked for a better introduction back into the world of Lush.

Santa’s Grotto is a brand new bath bomb featured in Lush's 2019 Christmas range, and was made available earlier for the select few hundred consumers who were able to buy the company's limited edition advent calendar before it sold out. 

Offering a fragrance that I wouldn't describe as being strictly festive, this limited edition is one of those wonderful bombs designed to compliment the winter weather as opposed to being 'too Christmassy.' However, I should probably point out that the scent of this bomb is definitely more of an acquired taste, and definitely not suitable for anyone who dislikes heady smells. This one will stick to your nose and your bathroom like an overly loyal dog.

Sporting a pastel green design, Santa's Grotto offers beautiful, chunky pieces of sea salt on top, some of which have been coloured a sparkly golden colour to add a beautiful glimmer. Alongside this, little rocks of red popping candy have been embedded in the surface to add an extra feature to marvel.

Featuring a combination of everlasting flower absolute, ylang ylang and tagetes, the scent of this bath bomb is quite difficult to describe, and certainly doesn't do it justice at all when I do so. What I will say is that despite other descriptions, I do detect quite a distinctive floral aroma. It's very powdery and heady and features both a herbal twist that deepens and intensifies the fragrance of the everlasting flower, and a slightly grassy edge that gives it more of a 'green' feel as well.

Despite there being nothing in the ingredients list to suggest where it comes from, there is also something naturally sweet and almost citrus-like about this smell as well. It's almost as if the ylang ylang has been turned up a notch in this bath bomb which clashes slightly with the other components. However, there is something about these different components that just work. 

While my description might seem rather negative, I actually happen to love the scent of Santa's Grotto. It's definitely not the smell you would expect from the name of the product, and I actually think it's shame that the name will prevent it from becoming a permanent feature in shops. Fans of outdoorsy types of smells will probably really appreciate this release.  

As if the design and smell weren't gorgeous enough, this wonderful bath bomb begins to fizz and crackle as soon as it hits the water. Very quickly Santa's Grotto fills the tub with a stunning shade of turquoise colour, with streams of mauve exploding from its centre to offer a wonderful visual display.

Once the bath bomb has fully dissolved, you're left with a gorgeous shade of water that features a light dash of silver lustre sparkling under the surface. Not only this but the inclusion of the salt makes the water extremely moisturising, and it only took a matter of minutes for me to notice a huge difference with the condition of my skin. In addition, the scent lingered throughout the whole experience and stayed on my skin for a good while afterwards. 

This is one of those bath bombs that offers you everything you could want: a strong, robust smell; a beautiful display of colour in the water; and nourishing qualities that will leave you feeling like a new person. While I think this bath bomb will divide the Lush community like Marmite does, I happen to think there is something rather special about this release, and I would love to experience this again before the end of the year.

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Coarse Sea Salt, Extra Large Sea Salt, Popping Candy, Everlasting Flower Absolute, Ylang Ylang Oil, Tagetes Oil, Cream of Tartar, Cornstarch, Titanium Dioxide, Water (Aqua), Sodium Coco Sulfate, Dipropylene Glycol, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Cocamidopropyl, Betaine, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Tin Oxide, Silica Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Amyl Cinnamal, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Salicylate, Citronellol, Geraniol, Hydroxycitronellal, *Limonene, *Linalool, Perfume, Colour 42090:2, Colour 19140:1, Colour 77491, Colour 15850:1, Colour 45410:1, Colour 42090.

Vegan?: Yes.

2019 Price: £?.

Year Of Original Release: 2019.

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