Prince Shower Gel

I was first introduced to this shower gel when I won a small 100g bottle on eBay back at the start of 2013. At the time, it was the oldest product I had ever managed to get my hands on, and with a use by date of March 2005, it almost felt like I had stumbled across an ancient relic. I was so happy that I had found the bottle as I didn't think Lush were very likely to bring this back into circulation. 

Fast forward a little over a year and I was surprised to find that Prince Shower Gel was making a comeback in the Lush Kitchen. Intrigued to see how this product differed from my bottle eight years out of date, I purchased a couple and anxiously waited for their arrival. 

2006 version

Like most of Lush's shower gels, it's incredibly versatile in what it can do; it can be used to wash your body and hair with it, as well as using it to create a sultry bubble bath to get lost in. Although I've never actually used a shower gel on my hair, I would be intrigued to see whether or not it would be as effective as a shampoo. 

According to their 2004 product description, Prince is supposed to make you smell like, er...Prince. Not that I would have any idea what the man smells like, or have any inclination to smell this way in the first place. With a mixture of fresh lemon juice, neroli oil and orange absolute, this shower gel has a supposed fresh, citric fragrance intertwined with an earthy, woody scent.

The first thing I noticed upon receiving my new bottles was the difference in both colour and smell. It was obviously that my old bottle was way past its best and was far-removed from the fresh, gorgeously scented liquid that greeted my senses. 

Prince is a gorgeous shade of deep blue and is thinner in consistency than it's older self. In the shower, it's strong colour means that the foam it creates has a slight blue tinge to it, which worried me at first as I didn't want to exit the bathroom looking like a smurf. However, as to be expected, the foam washed off easily and didn't alter the colour of my skin. 

2014 Colour

As opposed to the weak smell that I detected in the older version, a fresh sample gives off a far nicer aroma. In the bottle, it has quite a gentle scent - a natural mandarin smell and not much else. However, when you begin to use it in the shower, the different smells become more apparent. 

Firstly, the zesty orange fragrance intensifies somewhat and it reminded me very much of the smell you get when peeling a fresh satsuma - that sweet citrus aroma with a slight bitterness from the peel. Next up, you get a faint but wonderful hint of vetivert - an earthy sort of scent that holds the fragrance together and stops this just being another uninspiring citrus gel. Finally, the neroli comes through but again it lingers in the background and just adds depth to the overall smell. 

Much like Happy 4 SAD, this shower gel is one of the gentler smelling ones, so would appeal to those of you who want something light in the shower. Having said this, I wouldn't describe this shower gel as being weak. Although it doesn't immediately jump out at you, it is really uplifting in the shower and I felt invigorated and clean after using it. 

It is rather thin in consistency but you don't need very much - a single drop will lather up very easily between your palms so this 250g bottle will probably last longer than your average shower gel. The foam it does produce is wonderfully light and fluffy and coats your skin very easily, rinsing away to leave you feeling silky-smooth with a light zesty coat that stays with you for a few hours after you've left the bathroom.  

2005 Colour

In the bath, the shower gel dissolved rather quickly and did produce some nice bubbles. However, I found that the smell dispersed very quickly in this way and I had to keep topping it up throughout; meaning I used a lot more shower gel than I was hoping to. Furthermore, the shower gel tends to parch the skin a little as I found that my hands felt very dry after use. For this reason, I wouldn't be happy using this as an alternative to one of my bath bombs.

Overall, Prince was rather pleasant and I'm really glad I chose to purchase a fresh bottle to use. When it was originally released, it was marketed more for men, with the label being designed to attract the male consumer. However, I see no reason why this couldn't be a favourite for women as well. There's nothing particular masculine or feminine about the scent of Prince so it would appeal to anyone who likes a good old fashioned citrus shower gel. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Vetivert Root Infusion (Vetiveria zizanoides), Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Fresh Lemon Juice (Citrus limonum), Perfume, Neroli Oil (Citrus amara), Orange Flower Absolute, (Citrus dulcis), Vetivert Oil (Vetiveria zizanoides), Orange Oil (Citrus dulcis), Mandarin Oil (Citrus nobilis), White Wine Vinegar, Colour 42090, Methylparaben, Propylparaben.

Vegan?: Yes.

2016 Price: £11.25 for 250g.
2017 Price: £11.25 for 250g.

Scent Family:
Prince Body Spray

Prince Shower Gel

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