Lush Cocktail: Spring Clean

Janine's 'Spring Clean' Cocktail 

Contains:

1/3rd Mother Superior Bubble Bar

1 Secret Garden Bath Bomb

Lashings Of So White Shower Gel

Video:

Verdict:

As the weather gets warmer and the allure to be outside heightens, Lush fans across the globe will often find themselves packing the bath bombs away and choosing to take showers instead. After a long day at the beach or a sticky, sweaty day at work/school, the last thing you want to do is jump into a tub of hot water - especially when a short shower will suffice. 

While the hardcore fans will still find time for the odd bathe here and there, these occurrences are few and far between. And when we do cave in and run that rare bath, the last thing we want is a bath bomb or bubble bar that's too strong or too heavy on our senses. It is in these times that Spring Clean seems like the perfect cocktail. 

Consisting of only three ingredients, this cocktail is one the cheaper ones I have tried out over the last few months. Unfortunately, it is made up of three seasonal products that are not available for most of the year. For this reason, I highly recommend that you grab and store these when you can; when kept correctly, these will last you for the entire summer and beyond.

To create this cocktail, you must first cut the bubble bar into three pieces and crumble a third under the running tap. Mother Superior gives off a very strong smell of mimosa, jasmine and orange blossom absolute - three ingredients that create a wonderfully light but equally refreshing and uplifting floral smell. 

Not only this, but the product offers an impressive amount of thick, creamy, fragrant bubbles that coat the surface of the water and build a blanket of silk over the bath. Underneath this, the water turns a beautiful, light shade of blue that works well when the skies are clear and the sun is shining outside of the window. 

Next I added in a few generous quirts of So White Shower Gel. This seasonal release has a very naturally-sweet apple scent - it smells exactly like a freshly peeled Granny Smith, and works on adding a light but refreshing fruit aroma on top of the floral smell. A word of advice when using this shower gel, I found that three squirts meant that this overpowered the bubble bar somewhat so I suggest two squeezes of thesis more than enough if you're looking for a balance of fragrance.

Finally, I used the Secret Garden Bath Bomb, which not only offered the best display of colour in the tub - turning the water a very pretty shade of green, but gave the whole bath a deeper, richer floral aroma to enjoy. 

Together, these three ingredients produced a very delicate but equally good-quality bath that was perfect for the warmer weather. The water was incredibly nourishing on the skin and left me with a light floral scent to enjoy for hours afterwards. Yet at the same time, the aroma wasn't at all overpowering and I didn't feel uncomfortable once, despite the sun beating down outside my window. 

I really loved this Lush Cocktail. All three ingredients complimented each other well and for such a cheap collaboration, it sure leaves a great impression on your body and mind. As I have multiples of every one of these three products, I will definitely be using this as my go-to cocktail when I need a little light pampering. 

Vegan?: Yes.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10.

The Carrot Gift Set

Despite its rather delicate design, The Carrot Gift Set is a fun and playful addition to Lush's Easter collection this year. Containing three of the most popular seasonal items, this beautiful offering is a must have, and showcases products that demonstrate how innovative and unique Lush cosmetics really are. 

This gift set includes:

The Carrot Soap

Bunch Of Carrots Reusable Bubble Bar

Golden Egg Bath Bomb

While the soap didn't agree with my skin the first time I tried it, there's no denying that it smells absolutely gorgeous - a sweet, zesty and slightly sour aroma that will wake even the most stubborn of people up. This soap happens to feature actual carrot in its ingredients list as well so its well in-keeping with the theme of this gift set.

Bunch Of Carrots gives off the same citrusy aroma as the soap and can be used across multiple baths, while Golden Egg offers either one or two luxuriously creamy, toffee-esque, Honey I Washed The Kids-fragranced soaks that are to die for. 

For the price tag of £17.50, you're getting a good few weeks worth of baths as well as a soap that'll last you just as long in the shower. Together, these three goodies create a perfect Spring collection to cleanse and enhance your skin as well as boost your mood in time for the summer. 

Fans of sweet scents will love this gift set and the fact that the actual cone itself glows in the dark only adds to the allure of this product overall. This would be a great little collection to give to a child if you're looking for something a little more ethical and healthier than the usual chocolate egg. 

I know I would much prefer to receive this over something to eat and as my inner child is still very much alive, I can envisage how exciting it would be to receive this on Easter Sunday. 

Vegan?: Yes.

2015 Price: £17.50. 

Rainbow Bright Easter Gift Set 2015

I've realised something when it comes to the seasonal ranges - while to works out a few pence more than buying them individually, it's worth me purchasing a few gift sets so I can review the collections as well as the products inside. When I saw Rainbow Bright, I knew this was one I had to invest in. 

Decorated in a beautiful, brightly-coloured piece of wrapping, and finished off with a sparkly-gold ribbon, this small gift set is aimed at those who either don't have a bath or just simply prefer to indulge in the shower. Featuring a couple of Lush's Easter range, this is a collection for those who want to try out two of the company's brand new releases. 

This gift set includes:

Somewhere Over The Rainbow Soap

100g Pot O' Gold Shower Jelly

Priced up at £10.95, this is the perfect gift if you're looking to surprise someone with a little something to cheer them up. As someone who has recently had a few friends go through some quite tough situations, this is something I would be more than happy to purchase to add some colour into their lives. 

About this set, Lush claim that 'a bright and cheerful chunk of the rainbow will wash away your blues' while the 'golden jelly will have you skipping down the yellow brick road.' 

I love the fact that these two products each have very different fragrances so despite there only being two products in the set, the lucky recipient will get to enjoy two completely different experiences. Not only this, but Lush are known for their vast collection of soaps and their unique shower jelly format, so newbies have a chance to experience two of Lush's strongest aspects as a company. 

After using these two products, I can guarantee that you'll be wanting to stock up on these seasonal beauties before they've been discontinued. Not only this, but both the wrapping and ribbon can be re-used to offer a beautiful alternative when wrapping your next birthday present. A lovely little glimpse into the wonderful world that is Lush Easter!

Vegan?: Yes.

2015 Price: £10.95 each.

Hoppity Poppity Bath Ballistic

I really didn't know what to expect when I first picked up a couple of Hoppity Poppity Bath Ballistics in the Regent Street Lush store at the weekend. Given their cute demeanour and pink and white design, I was expecting a sweet, creamy smell - not that far off Butterball to be honest. However, it seems that appearances can be deceiving! 

What greeted me instead was a very heady floral aroma - one that completely overwhelmed everything else in my Lush bag and even made an impression on a few local commuters, who stopped to ask me where the smell was coming from and what it was. For such a small bath bomb, it sure showcases a very strong fragrance.  

This Easter special is made from a combination of violet leaf and lavender absolute - two ingredients that work together perfectly to create a stunning fresh and rather herbal scent - one that I would say isn't for the faint hearted at all. Annoyingly, I recognise the scent of this as being very similar to another of Lush's products; I just can't seem to put my finger on which one it is. 

What I love about this bath bomb is that both of the key ingredients compliment each other perfectly - with neither overwhelming the other. This means that while you can detect both of the smells, there is not one that dominates over the other. While they don't smell alike, fans of Secret Garden would probably appreciate the strength of this scent. 

As soon as Hoppity Poppity hit the water, it immediately got to work - fizzing and oozing out beautiful trails of white that dissipated across the water really quickly. Within seconds, a second trail of pink made itself known and the added popping candy sunk to the bottom of the bath, where it began to crackle and pop under the water. 

As the ballistic is rather light and smaller than your average bath bomb, it wasn't more than a few seconds before the product had all but disappeared. If you're looking for a 'show' in the bathroom, this product is definitely not for you. However, what it lacks in presentation it all but makes up for in different ways. This seasonal product offers a very moisturising and rather relaxing bath - one that gives off a very strong aroma to cocoon yourself within after a long day at work. 

I really appreciate the fact that this bath bomb is nothing like I was expecting it to be and stands apart from all of the sweet/fruity products that have come out as part of the Easter range. I also love the fact that Hoppity Poppity showcases a completely different violet scent - one that is not like Bathos or Ultraviolet or Tuca Tuca or any of the usual wonderful but very predictable violet-dominated scents. 

While it's far from being my favourite ballistic, I did really enjoy using these and I can see them working really well in cocktails. I will definitely be buying a few more to use over the coming weeks, and at £2.50 a pop, they're definitely good value for money. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Popping Candy, Violet Leaf Absolute, Lavender Absolute, Perfume, Limonene, Linalool, Alpha Isomethyl Ionone, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Salicylate, Citronellol, Colour 45410, Colour 14700, Colour 17200, Frosty Holly Lustre. 

Vegan?: Yes.

2015 Price: £2.50 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2015.

Somewhere Over The Rainbow Soap

Most of you who read this blog are probably aware that I don't really use or appreciate soap. I have found very few that don't dry my skin out and even those ones never leave my body feeling as smooth or as moisturised as a shower gel would. Having said that, I still buy every soap that Lush bring out in the hope that one day I'll find one that is right for me. 

When Lush first announced the release of Somewhere Over The Rainbow Soap, both the pictures and the description had me really excited. If there was an award for most attractive Lush soap ever, I would probably say that this would win, with only Northern Lights scraping a close second. Unfortunately, everything else about this product is a little disappointing. 

Made from a combination of neroli and mandarin oils, I was expecting a bright, sweet and rather zesty-smelling soap. Instead, when I first bought this during the 2015 release, I found the soap to possess a very weak fragrance - one that was almost thwarted by the base smell of the soap itself. Much like the aforementioned Northern Lights, there was a very 'soapy' smell to this one and it was something I couldn't seem to shake off in the shower. Having said this, the 2017 edition is definitely a little stronger, and I don't feel as if I have to strain my senses in order to pick out the different components that make up the aroma. 

You can definitely smell both of the key ingredients in the mix - with the rose absolute rounding the smell off with a slightly powdery floral aroma. The neroli is definitely the dominating force behind this soap - offering a slightly woody, slightly smokey green smell. It's an odd one, made even more strange by the almost bitter note of mandarin that sits underneath the other components. I wouldn't describe this soap as being at all fruity - it has more of a naturally sweet note that gives Somewhere Over The Rainbow Soap a little more depth when in use. While all of these ingredients compliment each other well, it's a smell that doesn't leave that much of an impression on me - something that didn't alter either when the product came into contact with the hot water in my shower.

Whether or not Lush did this intentionally I'm unsure, but the combination of scents featured in Somewhere Over The Rainbow gives off a fragrance that is not that unlike B-Electro Shower Gel - a sort of light citrus, soapy smell. However, there is also a sweet, smoky element to it that sets it apart from the aforementioned shower gel. It's definitely not unpleasant by any means - it's just not particularly interesting, and is rather a let down when you see how beautiful the soap is to look at. 

Having said this, in the shower it lathers up nicely, creating light, foamy soap suds that glide over your skin with ease. It's not overly generous on the amount it produces, but this no doubt helps it to last as I can imagine it would. The lather it does offer the user is not really all that fragrant, but it does leave a very faint after-scent on your body; you can smell this for a while after you've exited the shower and can then top up the aroma with B-Scent Liquid Perfume if you're looking for something similar.

Although it claims to contain golden lustre, the only evidence of this is a sprinkling on the surface of the soap, so those who dislike being covered in glitter, will be able to appreciate that there is not enough here to cause any sort of issue. While the soap is stunning to look at, this is one of the first products that has disappointed me in a while, which is a shame it's name and design is one of Lush's better ones.

I can imagine that there will be many people out there that appreciate the simplicity and subtleness of Somewhere Over The Rainbow - perhaps those who prefer gentle smells and ones that have more of a grounded, woody aroma. However, I for one was not bowled over by this seasonal offering from Lush and it's not something that I would purchase again in a hurry.

Quantitative Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Glycerine, Rapeseed Oil and Coconut Oil, Sorbitol, Perfume, Sicilian Mandarin Oil, Neroli Oil, Rose Absolute, Titanium Dioxide, Sodium Chloride, EDTA, Tetrasodium Etidronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Limonene, Hydroxycitronellal, Colour 42090, Colour 15510, Colour 45350, Colour 17200, Colour 59040, Colour 45410, Colour 14700, Snowflake Lustre; Dazzling Gold Lustre.

Vegan?: Yes.

2015 Price: £4.25 for 100g, £10.62 for 250g, £21.25 for 500g.

2016 Price: £4.25 for 100g, £10.62 for 250g, £21.25 for 500g.

2017 Price: £4.25 for 100g.

Year Of Original Release: 2015.

Scent Family:
Somewhere Over The Rainbow Bath Bomb

Somewhere Over The Rainbow Soap