Rudolph Jelly Face Mask

I have experienced a lot of Lush products over the years, many of which have smelled good enough to eat, and some of which I have actually tried to consume because the temptation was far too great. But I have never purchased a Lush product before that has had me doubting whether or not it was actually a cosmetic or a pudding. 

Those who have already experienced Rudolph Jelly Face Mask will know what I mean when I say that this is easily the most frustratingly tasty smelling product on the planet. Never have I wanted to grab a spoon and tuck in more than with this seasonal special. Put it this way: when I was craving chocolate the other day, I used this very jelly mask to curb my cravings as opposed to actually eating anything.

Containing so many amazing skin-worthy ingredients, this gorgeous product is easily my favourite jelly mask that Lush have ever released. It has everything that makes a product great, and then some. Kaolin clay helps this face mask to absorb excess oils on the skin and clean out the pores; carrageenan extra gives Rudolph a boost of skin-softening properties that leave your complexion looking beautiful.

As if that wasn't enough, the fresh orange juice and tangerine oil help to brighten the skin and leave it looking super radiant, while the vanilla and cocoa absolutes give this limited edition its wonderful scent. And if there's one stand out feature about this face mask that needs to be talked about, it's the aroma that greets you from the moment you remove the lid.

Imagine a high-end chef creating a chocolate orange mousse for dessert with the most exquisite of ingredients. This mousse has the richest of cocoa powders, the sweetest of oranges, and the smoothest of textures. This may give you some idea of how delicious Rudolph is to smell and use on your face. To say I didn't at least lick this jelly mask a few times, in the hope that it tasted of pudding, would be a lie. Yes, it really does smell that good.

Fragrance aside, the whole purpose of this product is not to simply wish that it was a pudding. While its consistency is very jelly-like, it was really easy to tear a little piece away (about the size of a penny) and massage it in the palm of my hand, with a little drop of what. What this did was create a thick, mousse-like paste that I could then apply across my face and leave on for twenty minutes to get to work.

What was great about Rudolph was that I didn't find any pieces fell off of my face during this time, which some of Lush's fresh face masks tend to do. In addition, I could also feel it getting to work at tightening my face a little bit, without removing any of the moisture from my face.

After the twenty minutes, I was able to remove the face mask under the running water in the shower, and immediately feel how smooth my complexion felt from using this. There was something very warming about this experience and my face felt slightly plumper and radiant after rinsing off the product. While I knew there was nothing on my skin, my face felt like it was radiating heat: it felt so full of life.

What I did find with Rudolph was that using it on a daily basis didn't heed the same amazing experience every time. This I feel was because my skin became spoilt, and the effects of the powerful ingredients wore off. However, applying it once a week, or even once a fortnight invigorated my complexion so much - to the point that I found myself reliant on using this every Friday night to rid my pores of the working week. 

Overall, this is a really effective jelly mask that is going to sorely missed by both myself and many other members of the community. While I'm not suggesting that Lush would consider making this a permanent product, I do hope that this formula comes back again before next Christmas. Other variations with similar smells and effects would be equally appreciated.

What is great about this jelly mask is that it lasts far longer than the regular fresh face masks, so you could buy a few of these and store them for when the Christmas range disappears from shelves. However, Rudolph would easily be my go-to face mask if it was a regular, and I just know I wouldn't be able to sustain a collection big enough to see me through the whole year.    

Quantitative Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Glycerine, Propylene Glycol, Meadowsweet and Orange Peel Infusion, Talc, Kaolin, Fresh Orange Juice, Cocoa Powder, Fullers Earth, Rhassoul Mud, Carrageenan Extract, Tangerine Oil, Brazilian Orange Oil, Vanilla Absolute, Cocoa Absolute, Titanium Dioxide, Synthetic Tin Oxide, *Limonene, Perfume, Colour 45410, Colour 14700, Colour 15850:1, Colour 77947.

Vegan?: Yes.

2018 Price: £7.95 for 65g.

Year Of Original Release: 2018.

Fomo Jelly Face Mask

When Lush first showcased the new concept of jelly face masks at the last Summit event, I cannot say that I was overly excited by the idea. While it was innovative and definitely interesting, I couldn't see myself being overly enamoured with the finished products. How wrong could I be?

Fomo is one of five brand new jellies that will change-up your facial routine for the better. Not only are they considerably less messy than their original counterparts, but their shelf life far outlasts that of the fresh alternatives. While there is definitely still something magical and natural about the fresh face masks, and I by no means want them to disappear, the benefits of all five of the new masks make them equally as important. 

Designed for all skin types, Fomo is one for the fans of floral-scented cosmetics. Featuring both calamine powder and rose absolute, this gentle gem gives off a smell that is very similar to Rosy Cheeks. Initially, you can detect a light and slightly powdery rose aroma, while the calamine sits behind this and adds its own delicate burst of coolness. With a mild touch of neroli to bring a little sweetness to the mix, this facial jelly smells just as calming to sniff as it is to apply to the skin.

What I love about all of Lush's new facial jellies is how they can be used in different ways. If you're someone who is a little conservative with your products, you can use Fomo in a similar way to that of any of Lush's other shower jellies. Simply wet your face and the jelly, and then massage it across the skin, where it will leave a gentle layer of product. Simply leave it on for 5-10 minutes and then rinse away. While you wont get a deep cleanse this way, you will notice a difference to your complexion, and this will ensure that a single tub would last you for months on end - even with daily use. 

However, the way in which Lush suggest that you use it is by pinching a small, grape-sized piece from the tub; work into a paste in the palm of your hands, with a little water to do so; and then apply it directly to the face. I found that leaving it on for 15-20 minutes worked best, and my skin felt noticeably different when I rinsed the product away afterwards.

With calamine powder helping to calm the skin, this is a great choice for those who have sensitive skin, or suffer from acne. This ingredient helps to prevent any irritation from occurring, and can even reduce any redness that you may be suffering from at the time. For this reason, Fomo Jelly Face Mask would also be a great choice for the hotter months of the year, as I feel that sunburnt complexions would really benefit from this after a long, hard day in the heat.

The kaolin clay featured here also helps to absorb any excess oil that may be present on oiler skin-types. However, those with drier complexions like myself, should not be put off from giving this facial jelly a chance. I found that my skin felt very clean and smooth afterwards, and the inclusion of the clay didn't leave my face feeling or looking parched. 

Overall, I am really impressed with this new invention - much more so than I expecting to be. You can easily get 6-8 uses out of a single pot, and for the same price as a fresh face mask, this is definitely worth the money. Given that these are not at risk of leaking, don't need to be kept in the fridge, and have a shelf life of a year, Lush's new jelly face masks are a fantastic invention - with Fomo being my favourite one yet.      

Quantitative Ingredients: Water, Calamine Powder, Glycerine, Propylene, Glycol, Kaolin, Carrageenan Extract, Neroli Oil, Rose Absolute, *Linalool.

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: £6.95 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2017.