Although the quality of my hair is improving near on every day, I am still very hesitant to put anything new into my hair. The slightest wrong choice and my mane looks and feels like a birds’ nest. It’s fascinating and equally terrifying that the smallest decision can have such a dramatic impact, which is why it has taken me so long to try this product out for size.
Yuge Hot Oil Hair Treatment is one of a select few solid treatments that are currently available to try out in stores. Originally making an appearance at the Lush Summit event in February, this turquoise-looking block proved to be so popular, that the company decided to release it as a global product.
What struck a chord with me is the fact that this particular treatment plays homage to Donald Trump, or more particular - his downright political stupidity. Based on his idea of building a ‘huuuuuuuge wall’ to separate Mexico from the world, this product nourishes your sense of humour as well as your hair. What excited me about Yuge was that it proclaimed to not only nourish and rehydrate your hair, but to give it volume as well - the two aspects of my hair that I struggle with every day.
Firstly, this hot hair treatment contains fine sea salt. Although in large doses this can actually dry out the hair and scalp, this helps to add volume. From experience, I know that this product can have some serious impact on my hair, as Sea Spray has already demonstrated to me in the past.
Yuge also contains hair gum, which is a thickening agent that not only helps to add more volume, but also works at conditioning the hair as well. This works with the agave syrup, to help lick in moisture and give the hair a wonderful shine. Finally, Yuge contains jojoba oil to support the agave syrup in adding vibrancy to your locks, and it truly works.
As the ingredients list suggests, the fragrance of this is created from a combination of spearmint and agave nectar. The mint not only helped to stimulate the hair follicles across my scalp, but offered up a gentle sweet minty smell that was pleasant enough for as long as it lasted.
To use, simply add the stick to an empty mug and pour in some boiling water. In order for you to achieve the consistency of the treatment, you need to fill the mug until it’s about two-thirds of the way full. Stir it around with the wooden stick, until all of the product has melted away from the stick and then leave to cool for about 10 minutes.
I found that a single treatment lasted me for two separate uses, so I then massaged half of the gel across my head, making sure I started from the roots before moving onto the ends of my hair, and then the part in between. You can then carefully wrap some cling film or a plastic bag around your head to allow the moisture to stay warm and stimulate the process a little more, or just relax in a bath until the time comes to rinse it out.
After about 20 minutes you will need to massage your hair under the shower, in order to remove as much of the treatment as possible. Given its consistency, you will find that Yuge is not all that easy to wash out. For this reason, I would then shampoo my hair as per usual, and this usually does the trick at removing any excess product. I wouldn’t recommend that you condition as well as it’ll be too much for your hair, and you may find your ends become rather brittle afterwards.
Once my hair was dry, I found that Yuge did impact my hair in many ways: some good and others not so good. For starters, it did give my hair a lovely shine to it, which came about more once I had brushed it and it was completely dry. As my hair is usually quite frizzy, I also noticed that my locks appeared far more tame. They seemed to have lost their waviness, which was a great aspect for me, but some may not appreciate this so much. Finally, my hair did appear to be volumised a little, although I wouldn’t say it was apparent enough to get too excited.
On the other hand, I didn’t think my hair felt all that moisturised once it was dry. In fact, I had to apply some extra Argan oil on afterwards because the hair felt quite coarse. Secondly, I found that traces of the treatment were still present in my hair, once I had towelled myself down. It appears as if all of Lush’s hot oil treatments are a little stubborn to use, so you will need to double check that your hair is fully exempt before jumping out of the shower.
Finally, I found that the positives of Yuge didn’t last for more than a few days, and within a week my hair felt and looked exactly as it had done before I had used the treatment. While I didn’t expect this treatment to perform miracles, I was expecting it to have a lasting impact, similar to the likes of The Strokes and Jasmine And Henna Fluff-Ease.
Overall, I did feel that my hair benefitted from me using this, although I don’t think it would be too pleased if I used it more regularly than I do. Once every couple of months is more than enough to help revamp my hair a little, and I would be more inclined to used Damaged anyway, as that’s much more suited to my hair type. Although it’s a great thing that Trump’s idea of building a wall lasted little more than the time it took me to apply this to my locks, I would have liked to have seen more longevity in terms of the impact this had on my hair.
Quantitative Ingredients: Cetearyl Alcohol & Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Organic Agave Syrup, Fine Sea Salt, Organic Jojoba Oil, Guar Gum, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate, Coarse Sea Salt, Cream of Tartar, Spearmint Oil, Perfume, Citric Acid, Peppermint Powder, *Benzyl Alcohol, *Limonene, Colour 4209.
Vegan?: Yes.
2017 Price: £6.95 each.
Year Of Original Release: 2017.
As I’ve said before, Lush deodorants are probably the one area that I just cannot commit to fully. While the concept of solid blocks and powders - without any metallic or synthetic nasties sounds like a dream, the reality is that my armpits are just too stubborn to want to use anything else but, what I would call, a ‘normal’ deodorant.
Firstly, I should probably state that a deodorant is different from a antiperspirant, and you need to know how they differ so that you don’t (like me) confuse the two and slate a product based on something that it would never be able to do in the first place.
Lush don’t create antiperspirants because at the moment the technology to create a natural version isn’t there. These products are the ones that contain ingredients that are quite literally used to try and stop you from sweating altogether. Normally they contain components to block your pores, thus the lack of sweat. However, this can obviously lead to health problems, including skin sensitivity, irritation and possible poisoning. Deodorants work by masking and hopefully eradicating any smells that may form during the day, and they can also help you to feel a little drier as you go about your busy schedule.
Aromarant is a rather hard block that used to be sold by the gram in stores. Discontinued a few years back, this was a deodorant that you either loved or loathed - a solid product that divided Lush fans down the middle, and you only have to read reviews online to recognise this for yourself.
Containing sandalwood, witch hazel and oak bark, the smell of this is definitely not something that you’d want to wear as a perfume. However, as far as deodorants go, I really appreciate the smell that this offers: it’s definitely very different from what you’d expect to find in a normal pharmacy or supermarket.
The sandalwood is definitely the strongest note - working alongside the lemon to produce a deep, woody aroma, with warming notes of lemon to make it a little uplifting as well. The inclusion of the cleavers infusion, which I found out was a herb, adds a sweet, gentle honeyed element that definitely rounds the deodorant off and makes its fragrance more pleasing.
While I love the concept of solid deodorants, if there’s one aspect that I dislike about them, it’s trying to apply them effectively. Much like Aromaco, this block was really stubborn if I tried to massage it directly onto the skin. In fact, doing it this way left my skin feeling a little sore and didn’t heed much of a result either.
To make the most out of Aromarant, I found that if I wet my underarm, or added a few drops of water to the bar first, the bar would leave a slight residue (what I can only describe as a paste) on the skin, which would then work well at deodorising my skin for a good many hours before I needed to reapply more. In fact, I was impressed to discover that if you apply it this way, you can get coverage that will last right the way through your working day.
As someone who can sweat a lot, I was impressed to find that I stayed feeling clean and smelling clean for most of my twelve hour day, although the product did struggle a little when it came to my increased sweating in the gym. In these conditions, I found that if I used a powdered deodorant on top of this at the same time, I usually remained dry for the most part of my hour workout.
While a 100g block would easily last you a good twelve months and then some, its longevity is also to its detriment. After a couple of months of using this, I found that, ironically, the moisture was expelled from the block and it was much more difficult to create the paste to apply to the skin. For this reason, I would highly suggest that you wrap this in greaseproof paper and store somewhere dry and cool, in order to retain those oils for as long as possible.
In addition, I should also point out that there will be a very slight odour expressed from the product once it has merged with the heat of your body. This is by no means detrimental in helping you to rid your body of smells. However, you will occasionally get a waft if the sandalwood, and this will be something you’ll have to get used to, if you decide to use it long term.
Overall, I actually really liked this product more than I thought I was going to. While it has not fully converted me over to the land of self-preserving, natural solid deodorants, it’s a step in the right direction, and I shall be using this product as part of my regular routine.
Quantitative Ingredients: Propylene Glycol, Fresh Lemons (Citrus limonum), Sodium Stearate, Cleavers Infusion (Galium aparine), Witch Hazel Infusion (Hamamelis virginiana), Oakbark Infusion (Evernia prunastri), Sodium Bicarbonate, Perfume, Sandalwood Oil (Santalum album).
Vegan?: Yes.
2017 Price: £4.25 for 100g.
Year Of Original Release: 2006.
There are times when products epitomise the very essence of their name - when you can look at the bath bomb or bubble bar and understand how or why Lush have chosen to call it what they have. And then there are odd moments when you wonder what the company were thinking when they decided to gift such a title to something unworthy or just downright odd.
Hollywood Bubble Bar is one such product that stumped me when they first arrived in the post. When I picture Hollywood, I imagine the glamour; the colours; the lights; the excitement - nothing that this plain white bubble bar seemed to epitomise physically. While I understand that the fragrance itself is very reminiscent of the 1950s, and definitely in-keeping with the glamorous theme, I’ve yet to figure out why Lush didn’t throw in some much-needed colour and lustre to give this bubble bar a little more vigour.
Sharing its scent with the Fever range, Hollywood contains a heady combination of rose, jasmine and sandalwood. Potion Body Lotion, Almond Kisses Facial Moisturiser and Ruby Red Slippers are just three of the many products that possess the same smell, although you’ll have to be patient as not one of these are available regularly to buy in stores nowadays.
This is definitely a floral scent with a heavy kick to it, and there is something very old-fashioned about the fragrance that will either entice or deter consumers from loving the combination. The rose absolute offers a strong, musky sweet layer that encompasses the rich, floral fragrance that you can smell immediately upon taking one of these bars out of the packet. The jasmine interlaces itself around the rose and adds to the sweet hit natural cloudy floral aroma; the inclusion of the sandalwood grounds all three note and offers a wholesome but very musty floral aroma.
While the design didn’t exactly immediately bowl me over to look at, I was really impressed by just how soft the bubble bar is to use. I only had to press down gently and the bar crumbled between my fingers. This was a sure sign of what I could expect in the bath because Hollywood created an impressive mound of thick, fluffy bubbles and the water was incredibly soft.
Although the product wouldn’t win any awards for its lack of colour in the water, this is a great bubble bar to use in the winter months - as your skin will feel silky-smooth and velvety after bathing with one of these. Furthermore, the sweet, floral fragrance will linger on your skin for a while afterwards - offering you a winter hug that you’ll want to experience again and again.
As there is an absence of colour with this bubble bar, you may wish to use a Bath Bomb alongside it. Not only will you get a much richer and far more fragrant experience, but the scent of Hollywood is strong enough that it won’t get lost behind another product. To conserve your products, you may also wish to break this Bubble Bar in half and use it across two baths. The aroma is just as strong if you decide to do this, and you don’t lose any of its moisturising properties in the process.
While the bubble bar may not look like it's come from Hollywood, you sure feel like royalty after using one of these. If you love this scent family, you’ll want to get your hands on some of these when the opportunity next arises, and although I wouldn’t rush out to buy any more, any time soon, I will definitely be enjoying the many I have stashed away for the future.
Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Cream Of Tartar, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Lauryl Betaine, Titanium Dioxide, Cocamide DEA, Perfume, Rose absolute, Jasmine absolute, Sandalwood oil, Candy Star.
Vegan?: Yes.
2017 Price: £3.95 each.
Year Of Original Release: 2004.
Celebrate or not celebrate? That is a question that divides the Lush community time and time again. But if there’s one thing we can all agree on, it’s that the introduction of Bubbly Shower Gel last year, and the likes of Bucks Fizz this season, is a blessing worth celebrating, no matter what our noses are telling us.
Sharing its scent with the liquid gel, Bucks Fizz Body Conditioner and Bucks Fizz Naked Conditioner, Bubbly Naked Shower Gel is a product that I simply cannot imagine removing from my bathroom any time soon. While my trusted and very much loved liquid gel is also up there as being a staple, this season’s new addition has won over my heart, despite the differences it shares with its older sibling.
Firstly, it must be noted that the solid edition is perhaps a little less attractive to look at. While similar, there is something rather beautiful about the glistening orange colour you find in the bottle, and the naked edition simply lacks that magic a little. However, I’m not about to write off a product because of the way it looks.
Much like Plum Rain and Snow Fairy, there are some aspects of this naked edition that don’t replicate the beauty of the original gels. Despite this, all three of these offer characteristics that make them worth investing in alongside the originals, yet set them apart enough to offer you an alternative experience as well.
As with all of the naked gels, you treat them as you would a block of soap. Simply expose them to water and then massage them across your skin in a circular motion. Just like a normal shower gel, they will create a fragrant larger to clean and fragrance your skin with; yet unlike a soap, they will not leave your body feeling at all dry or parched.
Just like all of the products with this scent, Bubbly Naked Shower Gel smells like a strong, fruity concoction of oranges and limes - a combination that smells so fresh and juicy, that you’re senses will tingle with pleasure and your tastebuds will be tantalised enough to make you salivate upon first sniff.
The first difference I noticed between the naked and normal gels is that the former version was perhaps a little more zesty than the original bottled edition. The orange made a much stronger impression in the naked format and I really loved how extra sweet and citrusy it was. In a way, it reminded me of fruit sorbet ice creams, which just made it seem more refreshing and fruity in the shower.
Secondly, I loved how much more generous this version was in terms of how much lather it created. While the consistency was far thinner and not as moisturising as the normal gel, the naked version needed very little stimulation to heed an impressive amount of product to clean yourself with. I could easily wash my whole body with the amount of ‘foam’ I was able to create from a few seconds of massaging the bottle between my hands.
What I did find frustrating when using the naked gel was that the bottle tended to ‘bleed’ quite profusely, without much encouragement at all. I only needed to wet the bottle for a split second to create an abundance of watery lather across my hands and body. The fact that this shower gel offers a bright and very messy orange lather doesn’t make the situation any better. If you’re not careful when using this, you may find that you get splatters of Bubbly across every wall and surface within the near vicinity of your shower.
Moreover, even though I tried my best to keep this product out of the way of the running water, I found that it shrunk far quicker than any of the other naked shower gels that I have tried so far. For this reason, a 250g bottle of the original Bubbly would outlast this solid version easily, and I think that’s the only major aspect of the naked edition that lets itself down.
While I couldn’t detect much of a scent on my skin a matter of minutes after towelling myself down, I did find that my skin looked and felt really radiant. Especially after using this to wash my face as well, I found that it worked just as well as using a face mask, and my skin felt smooth to the touch afterwards.
Ultimately, this naked gel only lets itself down by being rather messy during and in between uses. I would highly suggest that you store this in a Lush massage tin when not in use, as it will drip a little before drying. Annoyingly, I found that I had to wipe down the window ledge and sides of bath after using this - as no matter how hard I tried not to make a mess, it’s inevitable with a gel that ebbs so much colour and liquid when in or around whatever.
However, I still think the magical citrusy smell of this naked shower gel, and just how softening it is, makes the mess worth it. If you love Bubbly Shower Gel, you will definitely be able to notice a difference here. Yet, there is something wonderful about the the subtle variations that makes this naked edition equally as enticing.
Quantitative Ingredients: Vine Leaf Infusion (Vitis Vinifera), Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Propylene Glyco,l Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Sodium Stearate, Lauryl Betaine, Fragrance, Sweet Wild Orange Oil (Citrus sinensis), Lime Oil (Citrus aurantifolia), Fresh Grape Juice (Vitis vinifera) (Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Juice), *Citral, Citronellol, *Limonene, *Linalool, Orange 4.
Vegan?: Yes.
2017 Price: £9.75 each.
Year Of Original Release: 2017.
This soap brings me back to the M&S advert a few years ago, when the company tried to convince everyone that their products were exceptionally better than everyone elses. The ingredients list reads like a dessert, and I cannot help but think: If Lush made dessert, it would be the best dessert that the world has ever seen.
What I find really strange is that this soap has caused quite a lot of controversy regarding what customers are proclaiming it smells like. At the risk of sounding crass, Christmas Rocker supposedly smells like a certain male bodily function - although I’m going to be honest and say that I don’t really experience that at all myself.
Amusingly, a lot of Lush fans are also convinced that the odd fragrance was no mistake at all, and that it’s all an elaborate joke from the powers that be. This stems from the tag line that sits alongside the product on their website, which reads: m ‘Come one...come all’. Whether or not you suspect it’s a deliberate attempt at something far more satire than usual, there is no denying that the evidence points to this conclusion.
As its name suggests, Christmas Rocker is carved out in the shape of an old-fashioned rocking horse, which fits in nicely with the Victorian theme that the seasonal range is leaning towards this year. Although small and seemingly more expensive than other, chunkier pieces of soap, you’ll be pleased to hear that the product is rather rigid in the shower, and will last you just as long as a piece of a bigger size.
Christmas Rocker Soap is not only the cutest one this year, but it also happens to be the best newcomer (in my humble opinion.) Containing dried apricots, mandarin, tangerine and bergamot oils, this limited edition sounds like a bowl of the most exquisite fruit sorbet, and I for one would be all over that idea.
While the ingredients list reads like The Brightside, I was happy to discover that it did not share the same scent. Although I love that fragrance more than most, customers have already been treated to a soap in that scent with last year’s Sunrise Soap, so I’m glad we had something different to indulge in.
Firstly, my nose picked up quite a strong, tangy orange aroma - a little like a bitter orange that’s been peeled with the pith still intact. The bergamot is clearly at work here - throwing in a little green note to give it more of a fresh, natural aroma. Alongside this, there is a bitter element, which I think comes from the apricots and the bergamot combined. However, there is also a note of what I can only describe as musk. While I wouldn’t assume the cocoa butter would be potent enough to impact the smell, it does smell like an element of this has bled through into the fragrance.
What I found with Christmas Rocker is that it’s far more pleasant once it has come into contact with warm water. I couldn’t really detect much of the scent while it was sitting on the edge of my bath. However, the second I began massaging it across my skin, I could pick up a far better fruity smell to enjoy. While I wouldn’t say this was a scent that I appreciated that much, it’s definitely not as terrible as people have been saying it is. It’s just a little bit average and forgettable, if anything.
Despite its odd smell, Christmas Rocker worked up a treat - creating a creamy, fragrance lather to massage across my body. It produced a bright orange foam, which you need to be careful about not splashing anywhere while you’re washing yourself, and left my skin feeling rather soft and radiant.
While the scent didn’t stay on my skin afterwards, I was surprised to discover that the inclusion of the butter and oils did make this soap a little gentler on my body, and I wasn’t left with really parched skin - which I often experience after using a lot of soaps. Much like most of Lush’s new gourmet soaps, this one also dissolved rather quickly when I kept it under the running water during use. For this reason, I would suggest you get it damp and then clean yourself out of the way of the running tap.
Overall, I really enjoyed this soap and don’t really understand why so many people have expressed their dislike of the fragrance. Although I can understand why consumers might reach the conclusion about what the soap might smell like, I think there are far too many other components that make it a nice soap. Having said that, a ‘nice’ soap is not one that will be remembered in a few months time, and I can’t imagine why this would make an appearance again.
Quantitative Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Propylene Glycol, Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter, Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, Dried Apricots, Sodium Hydroxide, Perfume, Mandarin Oil, Tangerine Oil, Bergamot Oil, Gardenia Extract, Glycerine, Titanium Dioxide, Citric Acid, Sodium Bicarbonate, *Limonene, *Linalool, Colour 15510.
Vegan?: Yes.
2017 Price: £4.50 for 100g.
Year Of Original Release: 2017.
Polyamorous means the practice of intimacy with more then one partner, in which all involved are aware of, and consent to, the arrangement. With humans being far more open and accepting of different sexualities and practices these days, it is only fitting that Lush have decided to celebrate this freedom and highlight one such different outlook on life.
Polyamorous is a new contender for my favourite Bath Oil, as well as being a new addition to the impressive array of oils and melts already on offer from the company. While I cannot claim that I turn to bath oils all that often, I have definitely found myself craving this one a number of times this last month, and I have enjoyed every single experience.
Shaped like a heart with smaller hearts painted across the surface, this is perhaps the most beautifully designed oils of all the ones currently available. For such a small product - coming in about the 3cm in length and 1.5cm in height - this miniature masterpiece is warming, comforting, and perfect for those who perhaps wish for more company but only have a bath tub to explore.
Containing a combination of orange, sandalwood and jojoba oils, you would expect Polyamorous to offer a fruity aroma. However, it is the inclusion of the violet leaf absolute that provides the strongest component overall.
To me, this bath oil has a warm, sweet and slightly musky violet scent - nowhere near as sultry and potent as Tuca Tuca, yet equally not as grassy as Kerbside Violet. In fact, it smells very similar to how I remember Metropolis smelling. The inclusion of the sandalwood grounds the different notes again, and you can detect a very subtle uplifting element that I thinks comes from the orange oil. However, this Bath Oil is predominantly violet with a touch of wordiness to completely to compliment the floral components.
In the water, this bath oil sinks like the majority of Lush oils and melts. This is always disappointing to be because I usually like to indulge in a bath melt or bath bomb whilst I am already in the bath myself. Once submerged, I like to watch the product dissolve across the surface of the water and see the oils become absorbed into the skin. Unfortunately, Polyamorous simply sunk to the bottom of the tub and I ended up melting the product down between my fingers because I didn’t want to find myself sitting on it while I was bathing.
Once fully dissolved, the Bath Oil didn’t really do anything to the water, which was expectation anyway so it wasn’t as if I was disappointed by this. However, I would recommend that you use this along a bath bomb (Ylang Song, Ne Worry Pas) or Bubble Bar (Baa Bar, Bathos) as you’ll end up with a rather disappointing looking bath if you use it by itself.
Another aspect of Polyamorous that I was little disappointed with was the fact that the scent didn’t linger on my skin after I had towelled myself down. Although I expect a lot from my products, and the main purpose of this bath oil is to add extra oils and butter to soften, I would still have liked to have detected a slight musky sweetness on my body. While I can vouch that the scent does make an impression in the water, and I was rather impressed by how much it held itself against other cosmetics I was using at the time, I would have assumed that at least a small note could have made itself known afterwards.
Having said that, my skin did feel lovely and smooth afterwards, and Polyamorous is definitely a bath oil that makes a difference to the softness of the water when it’s fully dissolved. You could probably cut this in half, if you’re rather reserved about using your Lush products. However, I think using the whole product in a single bath will heed the best results, and help you to make the most of this softening little gem.
To conclude I will say that this is a fantastic edition to Lush’s extensive bath melts and oils. It’s wonderful to have a violet-scented Bath Oil available at all times, as I know a lot of consumers love the naturally sweet and floral components of violets. This is definitely one I would buy again - perhaps over most of the other variations currently on offer - and I am equally excited to try the other two new editions to see if they’re equally as impressive.
Quantitative Ingredients: Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter, Sodium Bicarbonate, Laureth 4, Cream of Tartar, Perfume, Alpha-Isomethyl ionone, Organic Shea Butter, Brazilian Orange Oil, Sandalwood Oil, Violet Leaf Absolute, Organic Jojoba Oil, Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, Titanium Dioxide, *Citral, *Limonene, Colour 17200, Colour 45410.
Vegan?: Yes.
2017 Price: £2.50 each.
Year Of Original Release: 2017.
Coming soon!
For most Lush fans, we all knew that this body spray was being released into the world - it was just a matter of when, and for how long. Furthermore, given the nature of this scent family, it was never a case of wondering whether it would be any good: the question was always, just how great was it actually going to be? The answer: superb!
Lord Of Misrule has established itself as not only my favourite fragrances from Lush, but one that is universally celebrated across the Lush globe. The initial release of the bath bomb, back in 2014, made an immediate rapport within the community, and is perhaps one of the most (if not the most) popular bath bomb to ever grace the Lush shelves each year.
Made using a combination of patchouli, black pepper and tonka absolute, this scent is one both rich and spicy on the senses. The combination is incredibly warming and comforting from the moment the scent hits your skin: the patchouli adds a sweet and exotic; slightly spicy; slightly peppery note; while the black pepper brings a subtle heat to the aroma that creates a perfect, winter blanket to mask yourself behind. Moreover, the tonka offers a thick, musky note of vanilla - that not only creates a wholesome cloud of sweetness to envelop your senses in, but rounds the other notes off perfectly to create a combination so unique and so beautiful that it needs to be experienced to be believed.
When I first sprayed the body spray on my skin, I was amazed by how different it was to the liquid perfume. While the recognised 'Lord Of Misrule' essence was of course there, it was far-removed from the fragrance in many ways. In fact, Lord Of Misrule Body Spray smells very much like the original bath bomb. While the perfume has a strong thread of patchouli on top, with the tonka acting as a thick, sweet base note to round off the fragrance, the body spray sees all three components merging together far better, and the vanilla component is a little less sickly-sweet, and more powdery overall.
You get more of the earthy side to the patchouli in the body spray; it's less heated and not as rich; the black pepper is not as fiery, and offers more of a gentle herbal note to pad out the scent. Overall, the aroma seems better suited for the fans of the original bath bomb, but may be a little disappointing for those who have developed a love for Rough With The Smooth and the limited edition body conditioner.
On the skin, one spray is all it takes to offer a big burst of fragrance that will last you for a good few hours. I found that the body spray lasted a good 3-4 hours before I needed a top up, and even then I could still smell a faint presence of the smell still. While the liquid perfume lasts a good many hours more on the skin, this was something I was expecting, given how compact Lush perfumes normally are.
One thing that some may see as a negative about Lord Of Misrule Body Spray, is that the smell didn't really change or develop overtime on my skin or clothes. Instead, the scent just seemed to diminish slowly over time, with all three of the key components remaining interlocked together. Therefore, every burst of smell contained all three key notes: there was no dominating aspect here.
Overall, this body spray is a must have for Lord Of Misrule fans, and for £20, is an absolute steal. Whether you own the liquid perfume or not, this limited edition offers a much different experience, which means that no collection should be without either. If, like me, you fell in love with the bath bomb from day one, this is the perfect way to bask yourself in your infatuation, without having to hop into the bath every five minutes. I am completely and utterly smitten with this body spray, and only hope it makes another reappearance really soon.
Quantitative Ingredients: DRF Alcohol, Water, Perfume, Glycerine, Patchouli Oil, Black Pepper Oil, Vanilla Absolute, Coumarin, Limonene, Linalool.
Vegan?: Yes.
2017 Price: £20 for 200ml.
Year Of Original Release: 2017.
Scent Family:
Lord Of Misrule Bath Bomb
Lord Of Misrule Body Conditioner
Lord Of Misrule Body Lotion
Lord Of Misrule Body Spray
Lord Of Misrule FUN Bar
Lord Of Misrule Liquid Perfume
Lord Of Misrule Liquid Perfume
Lord Of Misrule Naked Shower Cream
Lord Of Misrule Perfume Oil
Lord Of Misrule Shower Cream
Lord Of Misrule Solid Perfume
Monsters and Aliens
Rough With The Smooth Body Scrub
Witches' Cauldron FUN Bar
Having moved into my new flat two months ago, I have already established myself as the dictator of the bathroom. Within a matter of days I was already governing half of the ledge space with my cosmetics, and now I could probably boast that I take up more that eight per cent of the shelf. I don’t know whether my partner wants to laugh about the fact that he’s met possibly the cleanest person on the planet, or cry about the fact that he has to ask permission to put a single bottle of Shower Gel on HIS window ledge.
With so many solid versions of products released this year, there’s no wonder that I have a good eight to ten products on the go at any one time. Plum Rain Naked Shower Gel has been a prominent feature in my bathroom for a good six weeks now, yet it has taken me this long to finally sit down and write my thoughts on the product.
Released as a one-off a month ago in the Lush Kitchen, Plum Rain is no doubt one that’ll come back as a permanent in the coming months. As the company are clearly trying to move away from unnecessary packaging, this is just one of many naked versions that’ll probably be dominating the shelves in the foreseeable future. It’s only fitting then that it’s currently dominating the bathroom that I reside in on a daily basis.
One of the first aspects that impressed me about this naked version was how generous it was in the shower. While I have found that the naked gels are a mixed bag, the majority of the ones I have used have been a little more stubborn than their liquid counterparts. When it came to Plum Rain, I was surprised that this offered just as much of a lather as it’s liquid sibling.
While it has the same scent as the original shower gel, just like all of the other naked gels I have tried, this one is not a direct replica, and in fact that there is something rather lovely knowing that one of your favourite fragrances has multiple takes on it that you can enjoy.
As the same suggests, Plum Rain smells like fresh, fruity stewed plums - with an emphasis on the inclusion of the mandarin oils. Much like the Body Spray, there is something deliciously mouth-watering about this Naked Gel, and the fruitiness is perhaps what makes it so appetising. Unlike the original, I find that the osmanthus is a little more prominent here, and I can smell a gentle but crisp note of green in the mix, which gives this product an extra layer that doesn’t feature so much in the liquid gel at all.
What I especially loved about this naked version was that the hot water of the shower brings out a bright and very uplifting fruity component, which makes this the perfect accompaniment first thing in the morning - when you’re not feeling your best and would rather not by leaving the house to face the winter weather.
As with all of the naked gels so far, this one was just as moisturising as you’d expect a shower gel to be. It lathered up well across my skin - leaving it feeling radiant and smooth to the touch, and left a gentle scent that stayed for a brief whil on my body. While I know that these naked versions last longer when they’re not exposed to too much water, I have found that Plum Rain Naked Shower Gel lasts a long time, and doesn’t diminish as quickly as some of the other naked gels. In fact, after almost six weeks, I wouldn’t say that my is bottle has even shrunk to under half the size yet, making it great value for money.
Ultimately, this does offer something a little different from the original Gel, but this should be celebrated. The scent is unique in its sweet but slightly green-like notes; the naked version is likely to last longer than a 250g bottle, making it better value for money; and your skin is still blessed with the softness that you would expect a normal gel to offer. If only Lush would release a body lotion with his fragrance: my life would be very much complete if they did.
Quantitative Ingredients: ?
Vegan?: Yes.
2017 Price: £11.25 each.
Year Of Original Release: 2017.
Scent Family:
Hedgewitch Soap
Plum Pudding Bath Melt
Plum Rain Body Spray
Plum Rain Naked Shower Gel
Plum Rain Shower Gel
Plum Snow Bubble Bar
Ticket To Scrub Salt Scrub
Despite it being a regular thing: my lips being chapped, I hardly ever use any of Lush's sugar scrubs to rectify the problem. There's a small part of me that almost forgets that the company even do such a thing, so if i own any they're usually buried away underneath the mountains of other products waiting to be used.
When I first caught a glimpse of the three new naked lip scrubs for this year's Christmas and Halloween ranges, I was immediately bowled over by how pretty the designs were. Aside from the lack of packaging (hence the 'naked' part), the shape and etched surfaces made these limited editions so much more appealing than the boring tubed varieties.
Yet, my very next thought was: how exactly am I supposed to use this and not completely soil the bag/purse I'm carrying it around in? Ultimately, while I have been using the cardboard boxes that they were delivered in, I've still yet to find a more effective way of carrying these lip scrubs around: they certainly don't travel very well naked.
Having said this, all three variations of this year's naked scrubs are exceptional in what they do, and offer a much better experience than the old-style scrubs.
Firstly, the product is much easier to use and less of a hassle to clean up afterwards. Whereas the original lip scrubs would need to be applied with the use of a finger, and you'd often cover yourself in sugar while doing so, these naked versions can be applied in seconds, without the unnecessary mess. Simply massage the block across your lips, applying as much pressure as you want, before either licking away the sugar or rinsing it away with warm water.
Secondly, you can apply more pressure when using these blocks, so you'll find that these naked scrubs are far better at scrubbing away excess skin. Furthermore, you can focus on particular areas of the lips, so if you have a particular stubborn spot, this scrub will do wonders at removing the dried skin.
Thirdly, there is less sugar to contend with, when it comes to the naked blocks. The condensed form means that there won't be as much sugar as there once was, but it also means that you can feel how nourished your lips feel after application, and this leaves your lips soft, smooth and plump. With the original lip scrubs, I sometimes found that you'd be massaging your lips for ages, unable to see exactly which areas needed a little extra buffering. Furthermore, there is an extra generous helping of butters and oils in the ingredients list, to make this a far more moisturising experience overall.
Obviously, the fact that these lip scrubs are naked means that there's zero wastage, which makes them much better for the environment.
What I really liked about Black Rose Naked Lip Scrub was that it was rather robust, and so I found it far easier to buffer away without the fear of it crumbling away. As someone with quite naturally dry skin, I enjoy a coarse scrub to remove excess dried skin and clean out my pores before I moisturise. The strength of this block means that I can apply quite a bit of pressure when I'm scrubbing my lips, without worrying about using too much product, or breaking the lip scrub in the process. Having used this daily, for almost two weeks, I have barely dented the corner of the scrub, and I see this lasting a good 4-5 months before it'll need to be replaced.
Scentwise, this beauty has a scent that reminds me a little of Yummy Mummy Shower Cream. While not identical at all, the combination of mandarin oils, along with the sultry and quite treacle-esque nature of the charcoal give off a fruity smell that is both as rich and as fruity as the aforementioned aroma.
One thing I will say about the Naked Lip Scrub is that the taste you get when licking your lips clean is definitely not the best flavour that Lush have offered, and I cannot imagine anyone wanting to nibble on this when they get a little peckish (which a lot of Lush fans do.) However, it functions incredibly well as a Lip Scrub and will easily last me another twelve months, before it makes a reappearance and I can buy another one.
Quantitative Ingredients: Castor Sugar (Sucrose), Murumuru Butter (Astrocaryum Murumuru), Illipe Butter (Shorea stenoptera), Extra Virgin Coconut Oil (Cocos nucifera), Organic Jojoba Oil (Simmondsia chinensis), Sicilian Mandarin Oil (Citrus nobilis), Spearmint Oil (Mentha Spicata), Ylang Ylang Oil (Cananga odorata), Charcoal (Charcoal Powder), Titanium Dioxide, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Benzyl Benzoate, Flavour (Fragrance), Tin Oxide (Tin oxide) Iron Oxides.
Vegan?: Yes.
2017 Price: £5.75 each.
Year Of Original Release: 2017.
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