Honey I Washed The Kids Solid Perfume

Despite having honey in its name, this is one of many Honey I Washed The Kids scented products that doesn't actually contain any animal derivatives - a real bonus for us vegans who love this scent but cannot enjoy the soap on a daily basis. This and the liquid variation are both honey-free, and well worth investing in whenever you get the chance to acquire a bottle. 

Honey I Washed The Kids Solid Perfume is one of many limited edition solid perfumes that have appeared as Forum Specials over the years, only to be discontinued and never seen again. It's a firm favourite amongst Lushies globally and was long overdue a comeback - an opinion that is echoed around the world, before it appeared in the kitchen earlier this month.

Although I've never tried the soap, I have given it a number of sniffs in the shop and I have found that most other HIWTK-scented products tend to be slightly sweeter than the original. Shoot For The Stars Ballistic, Gold FUN, The Mum Reusable Bubble Bar and Ma Bar are just some of the products that possess this wonderful scent, but it is only the latter that I feel plays homage to the original scent perfectly. That's not to say that the other products aren't just as delicious, just that there is a distinctive difference.  

To begin with, this solid perfume is easily one of the sweetest variations of the fragrance - a beautifully sickly-sweet, buttery toffee-esque aroma that gets your mouth watering and your senses tingling. Imagine taking a spoonful of cocoa butter, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a generous squirt of honey, a slab of freshly-set toffee and a dash of orange oil, throwing it all into a large cauldron and soaking up the aroma while it melts down over a low heat. Now imagine the aroma of that dessert sauce condensed into a small metallic tub and you may begin to understand just how beautiful this solid perfume is.   

The orange oil is the most dominating scent - giving a slightly tart top note that carries the other scents. Underneath this is the warm, comforting and rather rich aroma of cocoa butter combined with a sticky, sugary-sweet smell that reminds me of when brown sugar has been heated and is about to caramelise.

In the tub, it's quite a soft, waxy consistency so you really have to work at transferring it to your skin. As with most solid perfumes, I applied it to a single wrist and then rubbed both together to allow the warmth of my skin to bring out a stronger fragrance. It dissolves into your skin very quickly and aroma intensifies because of the heat of your skin.

As well as being one of the strongest solid perfumes in the tub, HIWTK has  impressive longevity on the skin, and I found that I could still detect it 3-4 hours after initial application. While I would expect this from a liquid variation, I don't always find that their solid counterparts last as long, which is why I was excited to find that this rivals some of Lush's liquids.

Overall, this solid perfume is one of Lush's better releases. It has a strong and very multi-layered aroma and will last you throughout the day with very little top-up. I have read somewhere that these solid perfumes can be melted down and added to non-fragranced body lotions to create gorgeous results. I am tempted to try this so I can extend the beautiful aroma of this even further. A wonderful addition to my perfume collection. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Japan Wax, Perfume, Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter (Theobroma cacao), Carnauba Wax (Copernicia cerifera), Benzyl Benzoate, Limonene, Sweet Orange Oil (Citrus sinensis), Bergamot Oil (Citrus Aurantium bergamia), Organic Jojoba Oil (Simmondsia chinensis), Citral, Linalool.

Vegan?: Yes.

2015 Price: £9 for 12g.

Scent Family:
Golden Egg Bath Bomb
Gold FUN
Honey I Washed The Kids Bath Bomb
Honey I Washed The Kids Body Spray
Honey I Washed The Kids Liquid Perfume
Honey I Washed The Kids Solid Perfume
Honey I Washed The Kids Soap
Humpy Dumpty Bath Bomb
Ma Bar Bubble Bar
Noni I Washed The Kids Body Lotion
Santasaurus Reusable Bubble Bar
Shoot For The Stars Bath Bomb (2013)
Shoot For The Stars Bath Bomb (2016)
Sugar Mama Sugar Scrub
The Mum Reusable Bubble Bar

A Blast From The Past - Snow Wonder Gift Set

After my exciting discovery of the Happy Gift Set a few weeks ago on eBay, I was even happier when I found another vintage set available for sale a few days later. While the likelihood of the gift set being usable was rather slim, I was still intrigued enough to make a bid, and was rather ecstatic when I won - even more so when the sealed box arrived shortly afterwards. 

Snow Wonder was released in 2004 - a Christmas collection that while rather colourless, contained enough of a variety of scents to attract anyone serious enough about their baths. Hosting enough rarities to have most Lushies salivating at the mouth nowadays, this collection is a rare and rather wonderful glimpse into a world before the Lush Kitchen, and indeed before the introduction of the retro section.

There are so many hard-to-find ballistics in this collection that it almost saddens me that most of these haven't made an reappearance since this gift set was first available. To almost prove this point, you might be amazed to discover that out of the eight products featured, I have only tried three of them - a predicament that I hope to move away from when Lush choose to bring some of these back in the Kitchen this year.

This set features:

Christmas Carol Bath Ballistic

Christmas Party Bath Bomb

Freeze Shower Gel

Snow Cake Soap

Santa Monica Bath Ballistic

Iridescent Glitterbug Massage Bar

Amandopondo Bubble Bar

Kissletoes Bath Bomb 

While the bath bombs weren't in the best of condition (being over 10 years old gives them somewhat of an excuse), I was surprised to discover that the scent of some of these products was very much intact. The Kissletoe made the strongest impression - a combination of cinnamon and orange to rival that of the current Cinders Bath Bomb. The orange and lime of the Christmas Party revealed itself once the ballistic had been given time to breathe, and a note of carnations and rose made itself known when I had a quick sniff of Santa Monica.

As I mentioned above, this may not be the most exciting collection to look at in terms of colour and condition of the products, but the prospect of owning most of these bath bombs, albeit fresh, is enough to make me wish that they re-release this set in all of its glory.

While most of these bombs are probably unusable at this stage (although the shower gel, soap and bubble bar seem fine), I have enjoyed making the journey into Lush's vast and extensive history. For the sake of myself and other hopeful Lushies, I just hope that history repeats itself, and soon. 

   

Frozen Solid Perfume

While I am still slightly bitter that Respect Your Elders wasn't voted in during this year's perfume release, I was very happy that Frozen was one of the fragrances to make an appearance. Ever since the release of the bath bomb earlier this year at the Oxford Street Flagship store, the scent has become a firm favourite of mine, and I was happy in the knowledge that I would be able to wear the scent around with me all day, and enjoy it time and time again.

Although Frozen Liquid Perfume was unique in being the only brand new fragrance to be released this year, the solid edition was one of four new scents making their debut in this format. And while I am an advocate of liquid perfumes more than the solid editions in most cases, this one is definitely on par with its liquid sibling. 

Containing both grapefruit and neroli oil, this perfume has a beautifully-gentle but equally poignant fragrance. Described by Lush as being 'a little sunshine to melt the iciest of moods', this unique aroma is timeless, and one that'll be loved by consumers of all ages - even if they dislike the film it is inspired by. 

The sweetness of the neroli is the redeeming feature here - offering a refreshingly sweet but beautifully green floral aroma. Coupled with the grapefruit oil, which adds a thin layer of fruity, tangy goodness, this wonderful, fresh floral fragrance is like immersing yourself in a bed of freshly-watered flowers - one that has been given a sprinkling of grapefruit.

True to the bath bomb of the same name, this solid perfume offers an uplifting, fruity layer of grapefruit  on the surface - one that compliments the floral element of the rose and gives Frozen such a relaxing, beautiful fruity smell. The neroli sits underneath the citrus element - emitting a sweetness that blends in with the grapefruit, while releasing a slight grassy note that ties in with the rose.

How this differs from the liquid edition is that there is slightly more emphasis on the floral aspects of the fragrance, once the perfume has been applied to the skin. While the bottled scent has equal notes of neroli and grapefruit, I found that the solid perfume gives a much warmer flowery smell and the fruity element fades a little bit quicker. 

As with most of Lush's other solid perfumes, it melts very easily under your finger and can be applied with ease onto your pulse points. While it does dampen very slightly once it's settled on the skin, and offers a slight waxy element to the smell as you'd expect, the basic premise of Frozen is still very much at the forefront of the product, and it does present the wearer with the very smell that they'd expect to find in this solid perfume.

If you find that the perfume doesn't work for you, you can opt to massage a little onto your fingers and then run these through your hair - giving your locks a burst of wonderful fragrance and offering you the joys of catching a whiff of the scent every time a breeze ruffles your hair.

While it's not my favourite fragrance from the release, and I'd still prefer to use the liquid edition over this version, it definitely replicates the popular scent well and makes an appreciated addition to Lush's perfume range. You may not be looking forward to the upcoming colder months, but after using this beauty, you definitely won't be feeling frozen.

Quantitative Ingredients: Organic Jojoba Oil (Simmondsia chinensis), Castor Oil (Ricinus communis), Candelilla Wax (Euphorbia cerifera), Perfume, Citronellol, Rose Absolute (Rosa damascena), Geranium Oil (Pelargonium graveolens), Rose Oil (Rosa damascena), Sicilian Lemon Oil (Citrus limonium), Benzyl Alcohol, Citral, Eugenol, Farnesol, Limonene, Linalool, Coumarin, Geraniol.   

Vegan?: Yes.

2015 Price: £9 for 12g.

Year Of Original Release: 2015.

Scent Family:

Frozen Bath Bomb

Frozen Liquid Perfume
Frozen Solid Perfume

Happy Happy Joy Joy Conditioner
Happy Happy Joy Joy Naked Conditioner

Sea Spray Hair Mist

Shine So Bright Hair Balm

Snowie Bubble Bar

Your Mother Should Know Bubble Bar

Soap Sod

For someone who barely uses soap, I have amassed rather a large collection of the stuff - mostly due to Lush's insistence on releasing old and reformulated versions in the Lush Kitchen most weeks. And while I try to convince myself that I don't need any more, the allure of trying something new and retro from my favourite company is too strong to resist. Do I even have any willpower? 

Soap Sod is an odd name for a slab of scented glycerine - a soap that immediately entices the senses when it comes to both the fragrance and the design of each block. Presented in an almost fluorescent shade of green, with a generous collection of dried Roman chamomile flowers decorating the surface, this old-school product is beautiful to look at. 

Not only this but the scent is one that leaves an immediate impression on the senses, and whether you appreciate the smell or not, theres no denying that it doesn't grapple with your nose and hold your tastebuds hostage. By no means subtle, its pungent aroma combines the smell of green, leafy plants with the sting of fresh nettles and a heady and rather sweet chamomile note to boot.

Described as smelling like both 'a newly mown lawn' and an 'Alpine meadow as the sun peeks over the mountain tops alter a shower of rain', this old-school soap is one for the natural scent lovers amongst us - a soap that creates a clear divide between Lush fans. While some describe it as smelling like wet grass and stinging nettles, others compare the aroma to decaying shrubbery and gasoline - a contradiction if there ever was one.

To me, Soap Sod smells like freshly mown grass intertwined with dry pressed chamomile and a gentle layer of fresh lavender as a base note. While it is definitely not a horrible smell, it was one that I had to grow accustomed to, and I wouldn't say it's anywhere near as delicate as the likes of Grass Shower Gel, Green Day Bubble Bar and Fox In The Flowers Bath Bomb are.

Despite how stagnant the smell is and how overpowering it is in both the packet and in the shower, there is something rather two-dimensional about it that prevents the different elements from really making their mark on your senses. While it's definitely not a terrible smell, it's one that is needlessly strong and would probably be more enjoyable if it was more subtle, like Pea Green Soap.

Having said this, in the shower, Sod Soap is very easy to lather up - producing a thick and rather cream foam that glides over the skin with ease. The scent is strong enough to overpower anything else you may be using at the time, and you can detect the fragrance on your skin for a while after exiting the bathroom. 

As my chunk was rather soft and squidgy out of the packet, I was expecting this soap to shrink rather rapidly when it came into contact with the water. I was rather surprised then to find that my 100g chunk lasted a good five weeks in the shower - rivalling that of some of the sturdier soaps available from Lush and demonstrating that it didn't bleed out liquid in between uses like I was expecting it to.

While the lather was rather thick and deliciously creamy, and it did leave my skin feeling clean and clear after application, I wasn't overly impressed with the scent that I managed to yield from using this product. For this reason, Sod Soap would not be a soap that I would buy again. Although it is not offensive in any way, I think it's very much an acquired taste, and doesn't quite match up to what I was hoping for.

Quantitative Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Glycerine, Gardenia Extract, Sorbitol, Lavender Absolute, Lavender Absolute, Nettle Absolute, Titanium Dioxide, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Sodium Stearate, Dried Roman Chamomile Flower.

Vegan?: Yes.

2015 Price: £4 for 100g.
2017 Price: £4.25 for 100g.

Year Of Original Release: 2005. 

Fairy Dust Dusting Powder

Much like the abundance of FUN that has come our way this year, consumers might have also noticed that Lush have been rather generous when it comes to the variants of dusting powder that have been made available in both the regular range and the seasonal collections this year. Seeing the release of five brand new titles during their Oxford Street opening, the company have also gone on to release many old favourites in the Kitchen and are obviously intent on continuing this trend throughout the colder months. 

Aside from First Snow that was first offered last Christmas, this winter has seen the release of a further dusting power, which at first glance seems to be a brand new addition to the seasonal range. Despite the aptly named Fairy Dust making its debut in both name and colour this year, this is not the first time that a dusting powder with this scent has seen the light of day. 

Candy Fluff, which incidentally came out in the kitchen earlier this year, is another dusting powder that shares its name with the popular Snow Fairy fragrance family. Yet, while I was initially a little disappointed that this didn't offer a different smell for me to indulge in, I can understand why Lush have brought this out - it'll be popular enough for both seasonal shoppers as well as  long time Lushies that don't necessarily have the funds, patience or interest to buy religiously across the year through the Kitchen.

In its favour, Fairy Dust is a great concept - a 70g bottle of pastel pink powder that'll serve as a treat for those who love the scent of the Snow Fairy Shower Gel. Not only this, but for those non-regular shoppers who help to support Lush's biggest profit-making season, this is a great stocking filler and novelty item; the name, the fragrance and the design all make this the perfect Christmas present.

Much like Candy Fluff, this product gives off a sweet smell reminiscent of raspberry bubblegum, vanilla cupcakes and freshly-spun candy floss. In the bottle, it also reminds me of pear drops - a sugary-sweet and very creamy aroma - one that smells identical to the shower gel it is supposed to be imitating. In fact, I found the strength of this dusting powder to be a lot stronger than its predecessor, which was a welcome bonus. It definitely replicates the shower gel a lot better than Candy Fluff does. 

As with all of Lush's dusting powders, to use you simply shake some into the palm of your hand and then massage it across your skin. You can also apply it directly onto any areas you wish to, although I found that this can cause a lot of the powder to fall off and get onto your clothes and/or carpet if you're not careful. You only need a small amount to cover your whole body - I found a teaspoon amount was more than enough each time - meaning that this small bottle will last your a good six months to a year, depending on how often you use it.

  

While these powders are designed to be used on your skin, you can also sprinkle some onto your bedding before going to sleep - which not only helps to keep your sheets smelling wonderful for days on end, but gives yourself a wonderful scent to cuddle up to at night. There is also the option of using it as a replacement to shake 'n' vac - sprinkling some across your carpet and leaving it for a while before hoovering up.

As with most of Lush's dusting powders, this one sits beautifully on the body so you don't have to worry about it rubbing off onto your clothes. The inclusion of cornflour makes this powder beautifully soft and I was very surprised to discover how instantly smooth it makes your skin. I couldn't stop stroking my arms after I had used this for the first time and I found that the condition of my skin stayed like this for the entirety of the day.

Much like Candy Fluff, this one also contains lustre, and once you apply this across your body, you'll notice a beautiful pearly shimmer settle onto your skin. While those who dislike glitter will want to avoid this at all costs, those who are unsure will be pleased to know that you won't be left coated in the stuff. From a distance, it'll be difficult for anyone to detect the lustre on your skin at all; it's only when it catches the light that you'll notice its presence at all.

Given that Fairy Dust shares its scent with so many products, it'll be a wasted opportunity if you don't use it in conjunction with either the Snow Fairy Perfume or indeed the shower gel (or both if you're feeling particularly greedy!). This dusting powder keeps it smell for a long time after application so you can use it in place of a perfume -  it's perfect for a night out as it will absorb some of your sweat whilst keeping you smelling and feeling clean. 

While I am not one to praise Snow Fairy as much as I used to, I can see this being a popular seller this season and I will definitely be enjoying my two bottles for a long time to come. If you're looking for something sweet and playful, something that'll cheer you up and leave you smelling like a dream, this is definitely a product you should invest in this season.

Quantitative Ingredients: Cornflour, Sodium Bicarbonate, Magnesium Carbonate, Perfume, Synthetic Musk, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Tin Oxide, Citral, Alpha Isomethyl Ionone, Limonene, Snowflake Lustre and Fandango Lustre.

Vegan?: Yes.

2015 Price: £5.95 for 70g. 

Year Of Original Release: 2015.

Scent Family:

Best Washes Wash Card
Bubblegum Lip Scrub
Candy Fluff Ballistic
Candy Fluff Perfume
Candy Fluff Dusting Powder
Fairy Dust Dusting Powder
Father Christmas Bath Bomb
Fluffy Egg Bath Bomb
Godmother Soap
Lush Mechanic Cold-Pressed Soap
Magic Wand Bubble Bar
Melting Marshmallow Moment Bath Oil
Mmmelting Marshmallow Bath Melt
Pink Easter Egg Ballistic
Snow Fairy Body Conditioner
Snow Fairy Body Spray
Snow Fairy Cold-Pressed Soap
Snow Fairy Jelly Bath Bomb
Snow Fairy Lip Tint
Snow Fairy Liquid Perfume
Snow Fairy Naked Body Conditioner
Snow Fairy Naked Shower Gel
Snow Fairy Shower Gel
Snow Fairy Solid Perfume
Snow Fairy Sparkle Jar
Snow Fairy Sparkle Massage Bar

Rose Jam Solid Perfume

Despite its popularity as both a shower gel and a bubbleroon, it's surprising to know that Lush has never released Rose Jam in a solid perfume format. For years, Lush fans have been screaming out for such an invention - a sentiment that was echoed a couple of weeks ago when the product sold out in minutes and left hundreds of fans hugely disappointed that they had missed out on owning such a thing.

While the company can often be a little too 'rose-happy' at times, this particular  fragrance is easily one of their better scents - one that appeals to diehard rose fans as well as those that wouldn't necessarily consider themselves floral fans. Suiting most formats it's presented as, this wonderful and very unique aroma has yet again proven its versatility and cemented itself as one of my all-time favourite fragrances.

Much like the original bubbleroon that this takes its smell from, this solid perfume is all about the rose and lemon notes - a combination that creates a unique and very uplifting floral aroma unlike any other. In the tub it gives off a very potent, musky and rather cloudy rose aroma - one that offers a layer of sweetness underneath to give the rose a 'jammy' element to it, hence the name.

Alongside this is a gentle but very prominent citrus note - a zingy, lemon component that pads out the floral element and gives it a much needed lightness that many rose-dominated fragrances don't offer. These ingredients result in a perfume that has all of the maturity of a strictly floral perfume, but also the playful, refreshing element of a citrus fragrance.

As I said in my review of the liquid perfume, the scent of this perfume is gorgeous. As its name suggests, it's a sticky-sweet smelling rose perfume, but don't assume that it's sweetness means it's not a mature smell; quite the opposite. Rose Jam is a fragrance for those that want to enjoy the natural scent of a rose without the potency that this can sometimes bring. 

While the solid format clearly has the Rose Jam fragrance, it does differ from the liquid format - offering a distinctively lighter version of the scent while showcasing a slightly stronger thread of the lemon to boot. Having said this, once the perfume has settled on the skin, I found that the lemon shied into the background after about 20 minutes and the rose stayed at the forefront for a further couple of hours.

As with most of Lush's other solid perfumes, it melts very easily under your finger and can be applied with ease onto your pulse points. While it does dampen very slightly once it's settled, it still gives off a very robust and well-rounded aroma, and works as a perfect perfume to apply before bed.

If you find that the perfume doesn't work for you, you can always opt to massage a little onto your fingers and then run these through your hair - giving your locks a burst of wonderful fragrance and offering you the joys of catching a whiff of the scent every time a breeze ruffles your hair. In all honesty, I find that this tends to prolong the fragrance even longer and makes it a better investment than as a perfume. 

While I prefer the liquid perfume a little more, I will definitely be carrying this around with me to top up the scent throughout the day. Although I think the lightness of this lends itself to being more of a summer perfume for me, it is nevertheless comforting and heavy enough to withstand the colder months as well. This is a great addition to the Gorilla Perfume range, and one that should be a permanent.

Quantitative Ingredients: Organic Jojoba Oil (Simmondsia chinensis), Castor Oil (Ricinus communis), Candelilla Wax (Euphorbia cerifera), Perfume, Citronellol, Rose Absolute (Rosa damascena), Geranium Oil (Pelargonium graveolens), Rose Oil (Rosa damascena), Sicilian Lemon Oil (Citrus limonium), Benzyl Alcohol, Citral, Eugenol, Farnesol, Limonene, Linalool, Coumarin, Geraniol.   

Vegan?: Yes.

2015 Price: £9 for 12g.

2016 Price: £9 for 12g.

Year Of Original Release: 2015.

Scent Family: 
Argan Naked Facial Oil
Black Rose Bath Bomb
Giant Rose Bombshell Bath Bomb
Jason And The Argan Oil Solid Shampoo Bar
Madame Butterfly Reusable Bubble Bar
Pearl Massage Bar
Ro's Argan Body Conditioner
Ro's Argan Gourmet Soap
Ro's Argan Sparkly Naked Body Conditioner
Rose Bombshell Bath Bomb
Rose Jam Bubbleroon 
Rose Jam Liquid Perfume
Rose Jam Naked Shower Gel
Rose Jam Solid Perfume
Rose Jam Shower Gel
Scentenary Soap
The Sparkler Ballistic