Rudolph Nose Shower Bomb

As part of my healing journey, I have been working very closely with the different fragrances and spices that I consume both internally and externally. With practice, I have been able to both soothe my moods at times, and completely ground myself, simply through the use of a particular essential oil, or a certain spice that I have incorporated into a recipe. It's amazing how simply being aware of what you consume can ultimately support or trigger your emotional and mental health.

When I first read the ingredients list of Rudolph Nose Shower Bomb, I was rather excited about how grounding and soothing the brand new seasonal product sounded on paper. Cedarwood and Ho Wood are two essential oils that I have been using to calm my mind during meditation, and they also both work as an aide to sleep, if you have a busy mind that needs settling.

Upon first sniff, I found that the fragrance of this limited edition happens to be fairly subtle overall, and would definitely get lost if you were trying to gage with the scent in a Lush store. My nose was able to recognise the woodiness of the two ingredients, but also the slightly resinous smokiness of the ho wood oil as well. 

Aside from the aforementioned components, Rudolph Nose also features lemon oil in the ingredients list. I happen to think that this is the key component here, because while the overall aroma has more of a sweet and delicately fruity note, the lemon works at elevating the other fragrances within the shower bomb and offers a fragrance that lasts for a long time on the skin. 

Despite its subtleness, I was able to smell the three ingredients for a good couple of hours after I had towelled myself down, and I can only imagine how much good that did at keeping me feeling calm and grounded throughout the day. 

Having said that, I do think that that this shower bomb would have been more impressive if the fragrance had been stronger in the shower. While the aroma left a lasting impression on my skin afterwards, the smell of the product when it was being used was far less interesting, especially when I was expecting much more of a wholesome scent when the shower bomb hit the hot water.

On the positive side, the shower bomb is super generous when it comes to how easy it is the lather up. In fact, I would highly suggest that you quarter the product beforehand, as you'll end up using far more than you need to if you use this in one go. Unlike some of Lush's other shower bombs, I found that Rudolph Nose didn't react so much to the water, and foam up like I was assuming would happen. Instead, what did come from the shower bomb was a thick, red 'gunk' that was easy to lather across the skin and did produce a little foam, much like a shower gel would offer.

After rinsing away the product, I was impressed to find that my skin felt really smooth and soft, especially around my feet and legs. However, I also noticed that in places there was a slight hint of pink where I think the product may have stained my skin a little. Although it wasn't noticeable enough for anyone to make a comment, it was definitely something that I became wary of when I chose to use the product again the next day.

This latter point is perhaps the main reason why I have given this shower bomb a rating of 3/6, alongside the notion that the fragrance wasn't as powerful in the shower as I felt that it could have been. Having said that, the smell did linger afterwards; my skin was left feeling clean and smooth; and using it before heading to bed no doubt played a part in helping me to unwind a little.

While not a favourite of mine, I did enjoy using Rudolph Nose Shower Bomb and only hope that nobody else experiences the slight tinting that the seasonal product put me though: 'Jennifer the red-bodied human' doesn't quite have the same ring to it as the original Christmas song.

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Cream of Tartar, Citric Acid, Potato Starch, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Calcium Lactate Gluconate, Sodium Alginate, DRF Alcohol, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Cedarwood Oil, Ho Wood Oil, Sicilian Lemon Oil, Almond Essential Oil, Water (Aqua), Titanium Dioxide, Tin Oxide, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, *Citronellol, Coumarin, *Eugenol, *Geraniol, *Limonene, *Linalool, Perfume, Colour 14700, Colour 77491, Colour 15850:1, Colour 45410.

Vegan?: Yes.

2019 Price: £2.95 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2019.

Snowflake Body Lotion

I think it's only fair to start this review by putting many fans of Snowcake out of their misery and state that this brand new limited edition body lotion does not share the same scent as any of the popular products in this scent family. While there are lots of almond qualities about this seasonal release that may remind consumers of the aforementioned seasonal favourite, I happen to think that it is very different from the classic Snowcake fragrance. 

Having said that, when I first gave Snowflake a sniff from the tub, and rubbed a little into my skin, there was definitely something present in this body lotion that reminded me of Snowcake. However, after using it for the past couple of weeks, I can safely say that I have noticed many differences about the smell that makes it unique from anything else that has come out before.

From the tub, the body lotion offers many subtle layers that work in unison with each other. First of all, there is definitely something very creamy and almond-like about the product. Coupled with the cocoa butter, the base layer of this smells very smooth and silky.

Alongside this, both the cedarwood and sandalwood help to intensify this base layer with their own grounded, woody notes. Although you aren't really able to detect either particularly strongly, you can definitely tell that there is 'something' there to thicken out the overall aroma, and add depth to the fragrance overall.

Yet, alongside this there is also quite a pronounced layer of both apricot and rose. While the latter brings about something quite warm and sweet and delicately floral (as you would expect from most of Lush's rose-dominated products) the apricot gives the body lotion almost a sharp fruity element as well. 

In all honesty, there is something about the latter component that spoils this body lotion for me, although luckily the apricot scent disperses after settling on the skin for a while. In a way, I don't think the apricot really suits being here as it's not really able to flourish by itself and offer something super sweet and juicy. Instead, both this and the rose seem to clash a little to my nose, and the combination offers something a little strange and alluring.

Perhaps this was intentional, who knows. But what I appreciate is that it is certainly something very new to the range this year, and definitely doesn't offer an experience that would be limited to a particular season. Unfortunately, I cannot really see this scent working in most other formats so it's a little limited in this way.

What I did appreciate about Snowflake was that both the rose and the creamy notes of almond intensified from the warmth of my skin after I had applied it, and the apricot seemed to disperse quite a fair bit as well. These former two components then remained on my skin for a good couple of hours after application.

While this lotion is slightly on the thinner side, you really don't need an awful lot to cover a large area of your body. However, once the product has been massaged into the skin, it does tend to take a little longer than usual to fully absorb into the body. While you're not left with greasy skin, there is 'something' present on the surface for a good twenty minutes after you've applied the lotion.

After using this for a couple of weeks, I found that my skin began to look and feel healthier - particularly my legs that had began to show signs of being dry following the sudden change in weather. Despite how thin the body lotion was, I really felt as if it covered a thick coverage across the body, which will be vital during the colder months of the year.

As to whether I would buy this again, that would all depend on my mood at the time. It doesn't offer a scent that I particularly relish in, although I'm not by any means saying that the fragrance is at all bad. However, it did improve the condition of my skin, and leave it with a gentle radiance - all in matter of days/weeks - so Snowflake would be a good body lotion to use when the frosty weather begins to take hold. This is a product that does a good job but probably won't be one remembered in future months/years time.

Quantitative Ingredients: Almond Milk, Apricot Kernel Oil, Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter, Rose Water, Glycerine, Organic Illipe Butter, Stearic Acid, Perfume, Fair Trade Almond Oil, Triethanolamine, Cedarwood Oil, Coriander Seed Oil, Sandalwood Oil, Almond essential oil, Tincture of Benzoin, Cetearyl Alcohol, *Citral, *Citronellol, *Farnesol, Geraniol, *Limonene, *Linalool.

Vegan?: Yes.

2019 Price: £10 for 100g, £18 for 225g.

Year Of Original Release: 2019.

Intergalactic Shower Gel

Out of all of the bath bombs I have ever tried from Lush, Intergalactic would definitely make my top ten. Not only does it produce some of the most stunning bath art around, but it also has an aroma that simply gets beneath my skin and elevates my mood in a way that I find hard to explain. If I'm feeling at all stressed or worried, this bath bomb can completely change my mindset, and this is the reason why I simply cannot live without having a regular dose of this classic.

You can imagine then that my expectations for the recently released Intergalactic Shower Gel was going to be pretty high, and I'll be honest when I say that I truly believe Lush have created the best version that they possibly could of this concept. It is not a perfect match between formats, hence the five bottle rating. However, this is due more to the fact of how much more of an experience a bath bomb can offer as opposed to a gel in a bottle.

What I will say is that fans of this bath bomb will no doubt agree with me when I say that this shower gel is spot on when it comes to its fragrance. Upon opening the bottle for the first time, I was initially a little underwhelmed by the smell, only because I associated it with the Dirty Springwash Shower Gel, which doesn't float my boat in quite the same manner. However, I truly believe that this is a product that grows on you over time and becomes far more interesting over the space of a few uses.

From the bottle, Intergalactic offers a strong and very woody combination of peppermint and vetivert. There is something very rich about this collaboration that sits well with my tastebuds. It is almost as if there is a dark cloud hovering over a minty sea and the two components have come together with a huge explosion. To begin with, this scent was very similar to the one I experienced when I began using this shower gel across my skin.

After a few days of using this daily, I began to notice the subtle note of grapefruit in the mix, which served to elevate the fragrance and give it a little more of a 'bite.' It was also during these initial days that I began to detect the woodiness of the cedarwood a little more. By the end of day three, I felt as if I could smell all of the components that featured in the bath bomb, and I honestly couldn't tell much of a difference - aside from the usual format variations.

Out of the bottle, Intergalactic offered a beautifully deep shade of blue that wasn't quite as alluring as the bath bomb but definitely suited the fragrance well. Alongside this, there was the addition of the lustre within the gel, which gave the shower gel a beautiful glimmer whilst it was on your skin. And glitter phobes will be happy to hear that this addition doesn't leave any trace of itself on or across your skin after using it.

What impressed me was that this shower gel was fairly on the thin side and I needed a bare minimum amount to wash my whole body with. Not only this but Intergalactic lathered up really easily and was super fragrant, which meant I was able to wash my body with the smallest amounts whilst still appreciating the wonderful scent. 

Furthermore, the fragrance is power enough that it lingers on your skin and hair for a good couple of hours after towelling yourself dry. And even more impressive was the fact that my body felt soft, smooth and hydrated after using this, which makes it an all-round great product to invest in.

More than just mint, Intergalactic Shower Gel is a must have for fans of the bath bomb and should be tried by anyone who enjoys stronger scents as well. With the delicate herbal and woody notes that are present in this product, there is something very powerful about the fragrance of this that stays with you way longer than many of Lush's shower gels do. I can only hope that they make this a permanent member of the family because I cannot imagine my life without a bottle of this to alter my mindset and my mood.

Quantitative Ingredients: Fresh Mint Infusion, Glycerine, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Lauryl Betaine, Perfume, Lactic Acid, Peppermint Oil, Grapefruit Oil, Vetivert Oil, Cedarwood Oil, Carrageenan Extract, Xanthan Gum, Water (Aqua), Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, *Limonene, *Linalool, Colour 77491, Colour 42090, Colour 42053.

Vegan?: Yes.

2019 Price: £12 for 250g.

Year Of Original Release: 2019.

Dear John Bath Bomb

If I was paid for every time I made a negative judgement based on the aesthetics of a product, only to retract my statement when I realised its true potential, I would not only have a lot of money in the bank, but I'd probably be in possession of one of the weirdest career choices on the planet. However, this is exactly what happened with this limited edition bath bomb and I have been eating my words ever since.

Let's be honest and say that Dear John doesn't exactly inspire much in the way of excitement when it comes to its design. Sporting a white shell decorated with five blue ink spots on the surface, there isn't anything colourful about it that promises to offer consumers the bath art they often look for. In fact, many people would have no doubt avoided this one because of how little they assumed the product would offer in the water. Big mistake!

What I love about this Father's Day limited edition is that it offers so much in the way of scent and colour, that it's almost a crime that some consumers will miss out on this because of their preconceived ideas about what it would or would not offer them in the bath tub. To put it simply: this is one of the best bath bombs I have had from Lush all year.

As it's name suggests, this seasonal special shares its fragrance with the Dear John range, which is a big feature in this year's Father's Day collection. While described by many as being more of a masculine aroma, I happen to think that this smell sits comfortably in the middle and offers something for anyone that enjoys complex and very unique scents. 

Featuring many components that go into building up the overall fragrance, it is the vetivert and cedarwood oils that grip you first. Together, these two ingredients create a warm, woody aroma, with a delicate burnt note that nestles itself underneath the sweet blanket that this aroma offers. Alongside this, there is a delicate touch of clove, that adds an element of spice without being too heavy.

There is something rather creamy and almost musky about the overall smell on offer here, yet this doesn't come from any inclusion of either vanilla and tonka. This element not only draws all of the other ingredients together to create the Dear John fragrance, but also compliments the delicate citrus note that finishes the whole experience off. As someone who has tried this smell in many formats, this bath bomb is definitely one of the better renditions for sure.

Once in the bath, Dear John will continue to float on the surface, sending out waves of deep blue colour that permeated the water very quickly. Within the space of a minute, the entire tub was full of colour: sporting a shade of blue that I feel really needs to be experienced on a firsthand basis, to truly appreciate how stunning your bath water becomes.

What is impressive about this bath bomb is how well it upholds the fragrance in the water and how it leaves you feeling as well. I was able to enjoy the beautiful scent for the whole hour I was submerged beneath the water, and it lingered on my skin afterwards like a delicate kiss from a 1960's romance novel. Paired with the naked shower gel that also features in this current range, my experience was nothing short of beautiful.

Although having a bath will usually help you to unwind, no matter what the product you use, I really felt 'settled' and relaxed more than I usually do after using this bath bomb. Maybe the accumulation of the woody, smoky and slightly earthy notes helped to ground my thoughts a little more noticeably than some of the other bath bombs. 

No matter what caused this feeling, I had perhaps the greatest night's rest after bathing with Dear John, and I'm going to have to seriously stock up on these babies before they make an exit in the coming weeks. Why this bath bomb isn't part of the permanent range, I will never understand.     

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Cedarwood Oil, Vetivert Oil, Coriander Seed Oil, Clove Bud Oil, Water (Aqua), Cream of Tartar, DRF Alcohol, Dipropylene Glycol, Sodium Coco Sulfate, Propylene Glycol, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, *Citral, *Coumarin, *Eugenol, *Limonene, *Linalool, Perfume, Colour 42090, Colour 17200, Colour 42090:2.

Vegan?: Yes.

2019 Price: £4.95 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2019.

coming soon!

St Basil Bath Melt Tablet

While Lush impress me sometimes with how quickly they can turn out a bunch of new products, there are also times where I think they completely devalue themselves by doing so. Such is the case with their range of bath baubles and tablets that came out last year. 

After appearing on one of their European sites, fans became really interested and many, including myself, became super excited to know when the seasonal beauties would be making their way onto the UK site. A few days before Christmas day they appeared; disappearing a couple of days later before resurfacing for a matter of hours as part of the online boxing sale. Given how beautiful some of the designs were, and how good they seemed to work in the tub, I felt that so much more could have been done to build the excitement for this release, as well as give fans across the globe a chance to experience them all across the festive period.

St Basil Bath Melt Tablet was one of six limited tablets - each one designed to be hung either on your Christmas tree, or a festive display in and around your house: offering a beautiful aroma that could be enjoyed again and again, before being popped into your bath for one super moisturising experience.

Sharing its scent with the Jungle range, this tablet showcases a very unique fragrance that many may find a little too potent for their tastebuds. Firstly, the initial note is a very bitter, slightly sour but equally fruity aroma: one that comes from the strangely-naked Kumquat fruit. As most people probably won't have tasted this exotic fruit, it may be hard to imagine what this aroma smells like. However, I would describe it as being one that doesn't exactly sit well on your senses: this is not a 'typical' fruity smell by any means.

All of the Jungle range is dominated by a strange and alluring, but equally soured and strange fruity smell. It's almost like a lemony-piney aroma but with a more rounded citrus edge to it. Alongside this, the inclusion of the cypress oil then gives the tablet a very gentle woody aroma, while the cedarwood adds a little aromatic, earthy, woody scent alongside it. Fans of this popular Lush fragrance will recognise how well the company have replicated the aroma in this format....well at least the handful who were able to grab these during their fleeting visit.

Measuring roughly 5cm wide, 8cm in length and with a thickness little under a centimetre, this is definitely a big bath melt to use in the tub, and there is certainly no need to use the whole tablet at once. In fact, I would go as far as to say that it would be a downright waste to use the entire piece in a single hit, and could possibly turn out to be one slippery mess if you were to do so.

While I chose to use the whole melt for the mere fact of taking some aesthetically pleasing photos for my review, it would be far less messy breaking off smaller pieces  and using it across 3-4 separate baths. Although I found that the melt dried fairly quickly after I pulled it from the water, and I didn't have to worry too much about cleaning up afterwards, I did find myself using the whole thing up within a short time afterwards as I had limited places to store it after it had been melted the first time.

Once in the water, St Basil rested on the surface for a few seconds before sinking to the bottom of the tub. Within a matter of seconds, reluctant streams of creamy oils began to swirl under the surface before resting on top of the water, and I began to feel a change in the consistency of the water.

These oils and butters tend to linger around the product at first, so you have to swish it around with the piece of string to help it dissolve across the whole tub. After using half of this tablet, I found that the water had become silky-soft and super nourishing, and I was able to remove the remaining product to dry off for later.

If you're someone who wants to heed results quicker, you can opt to hold this under the running tap and the pressure will encourage the bauble to melt a lot quicker. However, once the tablet has shrunk a little, it will rest of the surface and slowly ebb out the various oils and butters to moisturise your body with.

While St Basil doesn't offer anything in the way of colour, the fragrance was super strong throughout my experience, and coupled with a bath bomb, would make for an amazing experience for anyone who is a fan of this aroma. What impressed me was that firstly my skin was left feeling incredible smooth and moisturised after bathing in the water for near on an hour. In addition, I found that the fragrance stayed with me throughout my entire bath, and I was able to smell it on my skin afterwards as well.

Although not the most interesting of bath melt tablets to look at, this one did exactly what I was hoping it would, and just made me realise even more how much I would love Lush to release a Jungle-scented bath bomb at some point in the future. I hope that either these, or other variations of this concept, make another appearance this Christmas; except that this time their release is better executed so that many more people can enjoy this wonderful concept.

Quantitative Ingredients: Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter, Cedarwood Oil, Vetivert Oil, Cypress Oil.

Vegan?: Yes.

2019 Price: £4.95 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2018.

Dear John Coffee Shampoo Bar

With the amount of new hair care coming out from Lush, it can be very daunting for fans to know what to invest in, and which ones to avoid altogether. As quickly as they arrive, my hair becomes the testing ground for these new products, which often leaves my locks feeling rather confused and in despair.

After numerous new conditioners and protein shampoos, Dear John Coffee Shampoo Bar came along and completely blew each and every one of them out of the water. This is easily the best shampoo bar that Lush have EVER done. Yes, you heard that right! And if you're not convinced what makes this one shine, please continue reading to find out. 

Firstly, the smell of this bar is simply delicious. If you enjoy Cup O' Coffee Body Mask, you'll love the rich and smoky coffee scent that this limited edition brings to the table. As others have mentioned before me, there is also something slightly woody about the fragrance of this that reminds me a little of Dear John as well.

Having said that, if you're not a fan of coffee, you may be pleased to know that the scent of this doesn't really seem to make itself known when it's being used in the shower. Strangely, despite the robust smell when its dry; when it's wet, the smell almost evaporates a little. If you're worried that the coffee will permeate your locks and leave a smell that follows you around, you may be pleased to know that the aroma all but dissipates when the shampoo is washed out. 

What the inclusion of both the coffee beans and the caffeine powder does do however, is stimulate the scalp and promote healthy growth. If you're like me, that suffers from both rather thin hair, or hair that doesn't seem to want to grow as fast as others do, this shampoo bar will work wonders at helping this process to speed up a little. While it's probably more wishful thinking than actual progress, my hair genuinely feels a little longer since I began using this about 10 days ago.

What I will say is that Dear John Coffee Shampoo Bar lathers up really generously, so you barely need to stimulate it between your hands before you have enough to massage into your hair and scalp. Once you have done this, leaving it on for a couple of minutes before rinsing it away will work wonders at cleaning your whole head of hair.

After using this only once, I was amazed when I noticed how soft my hair felt before I applied my conditioner. I find that a lot of shampoos tends to rely on the conditioning aspect of your routine, to retain that moisture. However, I can safely say that this limited edition could easily be used by itself, and still heed impressive results.

While my hair was drying, I noticed how much softer my locks felt; how much more shine my hair had on offer; and even how much thicker it looked and felt after I had brushed out any tangles. While my ends were still a little frizzy, the rest of my hair sat beautifully down my back, and it's the first time in a long while that I was able to wear my hair down without needing to apply an oil.

Ultimately, I do think that it's a little strange that one of Lush's best ever shampoos has been released only as a limited edition. And it's a shame that it has received less coverage than these other products because of this fact. In my mind, Dear John Coffee Shampoo Bar is my favourite shampoo from Lush, and coupled with the recently released American Cream Pressed Conditioner, makes my hair look and feel like gorgeous.

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Coco Sulfate, Fair Trade Organic Clove Infusion, Perfume, Ground Coffee, Cocoa Powder, Whole Coffee Bean, Cedarwood Oil, Vetivert Oil, Coriander Seed Oil, Clove Bud Oil, Molasses, Aloe Vera Extract, Caffeine Powder, *Citral, *Coumarin, *Eugenol, *Limonene, *Linalool.

Vegan?: Yes.

2019 Price: £7.50 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2019.

V Liquid Perfume

Although my bank account worked itself into a state when it first caught wind of the new perfume release, my heart skipped a beat at the mere thought of experiencing some of Lush’s oldest perfumes. This particular reappearance was easily the one I was most excited about.

First released in 1995, when I was a mere nine years old, V has been described as a perfume for people who don’t use scent. With its light, sweet and rather refreshing floral aroma, I cannot imagine anyone finding this smell at all offensive: yet at the same time I wouldn’t say it’s one with enough character to become a signature scent. 

This exclusive fragrance has been described by Lush as both unsettling and unusual, which I find rather an odd choice of wording, given how rather nondescript this perfume is. I’m not for one second saying that this fragrance is in any way bad, just that it’s quite pretty and gentle - definitely not something that’s all that unsettling or unusual.

From the first spray, this perfume offers up a beautiful collaboration of violet and ylang ylang: a dainty, powdery pairing that reminds of Bathos Bubble Bar very much. It doesn’t contain any of the grassiness that Kerbside Violet does; nor is it as sweet or as sultry as Tuca Tuca.

Alongside these components, the sandalwood adds a very gentle base from which the other notes are able to dance around on; and the clove bud oil offers a burst of warmth that elevates the fragrance even further on the skin.

Once sprayed, all of the above elements work together at replicating the same smell from the very first spritz to the last fading note on your skin. While this does mean that you won’t really experience the perfume maturing at all over time, as you would with many of Lush’s other perfumes, the smell is still very wonderful, and is unlikely to put anyone off appreciating this fragrance in the slightest.

Having said this, V does seem to have a shorter life than some of Lush’s stronger offerings. I found that I could still smell the perfume on my skin, clothes and hair for a good couple of hours after the initial spray, but it’s longevity didn’t stretch much further. As far as Lush perfumes go, this is not particularly impressive, but then the delicate nature of the smell itself is perhaps why this isn’t as powerful as some of the more potent perfumes.

Overall, I really appreciate Lush offering this old-school fragrance to consumers, as not only is it is a chance to appreciate one of Lush’s original ideas, but the smell itself does have a very ‘classic Lush vibe’ about it, which reminds me of the first scents that made me fall in love with the company. While nothing outstanding to my nose, there is something very pretty about V that will make it a very popular fragrance, and one I will continue to use in the coming months.

Quantitative Ingredients: DRF Alcohol, Perfume, Alpha-Isomethyl, Ionone, Cedarwood Oil, Ghanaian Ylang Ylang Oil, Clove Bud Oil, Violet Leaf Absolute, *Benzyl Benzoate, *Benzyl Cinnamate, *Cinnamal, *Cinnamyl Alcohol, *Citral, *Eugenol, *Geraniol, *Linalool.

Vegan?: Yes.

2019 Price: £35 for 30ml.

Year Of Original Release: 2019.

GRL Power Bubble Bar

It's strange to think that I was only nine when the Spice Girls broke out onto the scene, because I still remember so vividly how much they changed my life. Suddenly, I had a project to focus all of my attention on: I had other females who I found myself looking up to and modelling my behaviour on: and I can never forget the buzz that they generated and instilled in my peer groups, for years to come. 

So when I saw GRL Power Bubble Bar featured in this year's Mother's Day range, my immediate reaction was to try and remember what the 90's smelt like to me - a task that proved impossible, given my selective memory. What I will say is that this limited edition bubble bar doesn't hold a fragrance like anything I remember about that period in my life, but it definitely made an impression on me nevertheless. 

Sharing its scent with last year's Princess Bomb Bomb Bath Bomb, this bubble bar is very far removed from the fruity aroma that you may have assumed it would hold given its vivid design. Instead, GRL Power has a delicate and very light floral aroma, with just a touch of woodiness to round the fragrance off.

Similar to the Christmas Eve Bubble Bar from a few years ago, this limited edition is far from offensive, and I honestly cannot imagine anyone saying that they dislike it, aside from perhaps finding it a little boring. This is for consumers who want a gentle scent with their warm water: one that holds a lasting impression in the water, but one that equally doesn't cloud the senses.

The smell to my nose is a wonderfully sweet, floral aroma – one that combines the bergamot, cedarwood and ylang ylang together so delicately and beautifully.  Together, these three components create a fragrance that is slightly powdery, slightly musky, sweet but natural, and one that is subtle yet makes a strong enough impression in the bath tub. What I will say is that I actually preferred the scent of this in the bubble bar format, as I found it a little more robust, as well as being more pronounced in the water, so I was able to appreciate each component more.

It was a little stubborn to crumble under the tap, but once its exposed to water it tends to soften a little. Once you've crumbled all or part of the bubble bar, the aroma engulfs the bathroom for hours, without being at all overbearing. You can detect the scent for the entirety of the time you remain in the tub, and there are even remnants left on your skin and afterwards. Furthermore, the water is beautifully sultry and silky, and left my skin feeling replenished and super healthy afterwards.

Given its size, GRL Power will easily stretch across four separate baths, making it good value for money. Furthermore, the bubble bar will turn the water a gentle shade of translucent purple, although you may wish to add a bath bomb if you want a more vivid colour to bathe in.

After using a piece of this, I enjoyed a very relaxing bath with a wonderfully prolonged scent and a tub of water that left my skin feeling really clean and smooth afterwards. This may not remind me of my Spice Girl days, but it definitely uplifts and empowers me before a long and productive day.

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Cream of Tartar, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Lauryl Betaine, Cornflour, Perfume, Bergamot Oil, Cedarwood Oil, Ylang Ylang Oil, Benzoin Resinoid, Cornstarch, Benzyl Benzoate, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Hydroxycitronellal, *Limonene, *Linalool, Colour 42090:2, Colour 17200, Colour 45410, Colour 14700.

Vegan?: Yes.

2019 Price: £5.95 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2019.