Wash Behind The Ears Solid Shampoo Bar

Despite its name, Wash Behind The Ears Solid Shampoo does not share its scent with last year’s Shower Gel of the same name, which is a shame as there was something rather unique and interesting about the fragrance of the gel that would have suited other formats. Having said that, this seasonal shampoo does have a lovely citrusy smell to contend with, so it’s not all bad.

Sporting two rice paper ears and a red Pom Pom made from recycled cotton, this bar didn’t immediately gage me on its merits as a shampoo. While I see the purpose and appeal of gimmicky bath bombs and bubble bars, hair care is a more serious matter in my eyes, and I’d rather go for nondescript over novelty to ensure that I don’t damage my hair. In fact, I wish Lush had forgone the silly decorations altogether to save on resources and reduce waste as they serve no other purpose than to look pretty.

Containing both lemon and carrot oil, it is clear that the intentions of this shampoo bar are to take your tired locks and add a much-needed shine to it. Lemon is known for its ability to not only remove unwanted grease and cleanse the hair thoroughly, but to add a radiance that'll make your hair feel lighter as well as potentially look a little brighter as well. 

Carrot oil has many benefits for the skin and hair, hence why Lush have used it in a number of their products - including the Carrot Soap that also features in this year's Easter range. First and foremost, carrot oil has the ability to help stimulate new hair growth - a bonus for me as I struggle with thin, whispy hair. Secondly, it's a natural source of many vitamins (A and E in particular) so your hair is both nourished and replenished when applied. Finally, carrot oil is also know to provide moisture to dry scalps, so if you suffer from dandruff, this might help you to alleviate the problem. 

While my focus is more on how the product works, I was a little disappointed that the scent of this is rather basic. In as many words, I would describe this as having a strong, bright zesty lemon smell: it's as simple as that. While the carrot oil no doubt elevates the smell even more, and the cider vinegar probably adds to its slight sourness, there is nothing particularly outstanding about the fragrance alone. 

As with all of Lush's shampoo bars, this one lathers with ease and produces a frothy, fragrant lather to massage into your hair. With every shampoo bar, I always recommend that you wet it and then massage it away from the running water as this may cause it to shrink at a lot quicker rate. Then simply pat down and leave somewhere to dry.

As I mentioned above, the pom pom and ears don't do anything to the hair so I would recommend that you remove these before you use the bar. While the pom pom hasn't disintegrated for me yet, so I haven't had to pick out pieces from my hair, I wonder whether this will occur once the bar has been used a few more times. 

Once I had rinsed Wash Behind The Ears out, I found that my hair felt rather dry and parched, so I did need to use a conditioner afterwards. Unlike SOS, I would recommend that you use this in conjunction with a conditioner, as it's not particularly moisturising on the hair. However, I did find that my hair felt a little lighter and appeared more radiant after even a single wash.

I would say that this shampoo bar would suit those with greasier hair, as mine suffered a little when using this by itself. Although a conditioner rectified the situation, I like to know that my shampoo at least plays a small part in nourishing my hair during the process. Those with drier locks may wish to give this one a miss or perhaps use it alongside another shampoo to get the full experience before conditioning. 

Overall, I would say this is another nice shampoo bar from Lush, but not one I would be able to use long term. As a one-off to add a little radiance to your locks, this works really well and is effective immediately. However, if like me you have dry or damaged hair, you may wish to avoid this or pair it with something a little more nourishing.

Quantiative Ingredients: Sodium Lauryl, Sulfate Alfalfa infusion, Lemon Oil, *Limonene, Carrot Oil, Cider vinegar, Rosewood Oil, Organic Lemon Myrtle Oil, *Citral, *Linalool, Perfume, Colour 47005, Wafer Paper Ears, Pom Pom Tail.

Vegan?: Yes.

2018 Price: £6.50 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2018.