During the Lush Summit event last year, I found myself drawn to a rather wonderful looking guitar - perched amongst the Father's Day range as if someone had left it there by accident. It wasn't until I approached the work of art and had a sniff that I realised it was in fact a giant piece of soap, and it was then that the rock star in me began to get excited.
Stairway To Heaven is aptly named after a famous Led Zeppelin song: perhaps one of the most famous rock 'classics' in history. I only have to hum the first three notes of the popular track and I'm already tapping my feet and air guitaring like a crazy person. I was really hoping that this soap would make me feel just as alive in the shower.
Sharing its scent with Daddy-O Shampoo, this gorgeous soap didn't appear to have an ingredients list that matched the fragrance that it gave off. Bergamot, rose and cananga were stated as being the main components at work. However, the aroma that I detected was a sweet, slightly intoxicating violet smell.
What I will say is that the bergamot definitely helped in creating a prominent green note that laced itself around the floral qualities, and the rose elevated the violet aroma somewhat and offer a gentle powdery twist. This is certainly a sweet violet scent but it does have a herbal, green element to it as well.
What was great about Stairway To Heaven was the fact that it lathered up really well, producing a light, fluffy and very fragrant foam to wash yourself with. In the shower, you could definitely detect the fragrance throughout the whole experience, and it linger on both my skin and around my bathroom for a good couple of hours after I had towelled myself down.
The inclusion of the charcoal meant that there was a gentle grittiness to the soap. This is helped to buffer my pores a little while I was massaging it across my body, and I believe this is why my skin appeared to look more fresh and vibrant after my shower. The inclusion of the coconut oil just helped to nourish my skin afterwards, so it wasn't left dry or feeling taut.
I would definitely love to see more products being released in this scent as it is very different from the likes of Tuca Tuca. If you like fragrances such as Kerbside Violet or Bathos, you'll no doubt appreciate this a lot. A lovely new addition to the Father's Day range, but one that can be appreciated by anyone and everyone.
Quantitative Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Glycerine, Rapeseed Oil; Coconut Oil, Sorbitol, Perfume, Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Bergamot Oil, Cananga Oil, Rose Absolute, Star Fruit Puree, Titanium Dioxide, Sodium Chloride, Citric Acid, Charcoal, Sodium Stearate, Sodium Bicarbonate, EDTA, Tetrasodium Etidronate, Sodium Hydroxide, *Limonene, *Linalool, Coumarin, Hexyl Cinnamal Isoeugenol, Antique Silver Lustre, Colour 42090, Colour 45350, Colour 45410, Colour 17200.
Vegan?: Yes.
2017 Price: £4 for 100g.
Year Of Original Release: 2017.
Scent Family:
While I usually opt to use the limited edition perfumes that I own, there are a few regular-line ones that I always revert back to on occasions. Smuggler's Soul Liquid Perfume in my number one choice from Lush's extensive fragrance collection, and there has never been a time when I've used the perfume and not felt better afterwards.
Initially, it was rather disappointing when Lush brought out their exclusive Father's Day range for the first time last year, and I discovered that the solid shampoo bar was labelled as vegetarian only. However, with a slight change of ingredients and an improved formula, 2017 has seen the seasonal product turn vegan, and we are all the better for it.
Described as being both poignant and smoky, Smugglers Soul Solid Shampoo Bar is a royal treat for the hair: a product that not only showcases one of the best smells in this format, but also works far better than a number of the regular bars in store.
Containing a combination of sandalwood, vetivert and tagetes, this limited edition is both sweet and sultry. The lemongrass not only offers the hair a shine that helps to bring out any natural highlights that your locks may possess, but it is also one of the key notes in the overall smell. In fact, it is the lemongrass that compliments the smoky elements of the sandalwood, and what also intertwines with the vetivert to give off a delicately sweet smell.
While I was a little confused at first by the inclusion of the watercress infusion, I have since learned that this ingredient is great for stimulating hair growth, and also helps to give this solid shampoo bar a very moisturising lather that softens, strengthens and repairs hair at the same time.
You only need to stimulate this for a couple seconds for it to create an abundance of silky-soft lather to massage into your hair. In fact, I found that I only had to wet the product briefly for it to produce enough 'foam' to coat my whole head with. Once applied, I would leave it on for around five minutes before rinsing it out and using conditioner.
Although I tend to use Avocado Cowash to add in moisture and keep my hair in tip-top condition, there were a few times when I opted to use Smugglers Soul Solid Shampoo by itself, and I found that my hair was just as smooth and manageable as it would have been after using conditioner. Despite there being nothing in the ingredients list that hinted at why this seasonal special was so effective in that manner, it was not something I was going to question.
What I loved about this shampoo was that I was firstly able to enjoy the wonderful smell of Smugglers Soul in the shower, albeit briefly. Although this scent unfortunately didn't seem to last once a conditioner had been applied, nor when used by itself, it was a fleeting luxury that made me wish that Lush would bring out a shower gel or jelly with the same fragrance.
My only qualm with this solid shampoo bar was the fact I felt as if it seemed to shrink a little quicker than other bars of its kind. If left to dry naturally, I noticed that the bar would be smaller the next time I went to wash my hair. For this reason, I would highly recommend that you pat it dry after use, to ensure you get the most out of it.
Unfortunately, this bar does not stick around to become a regular member of my hair care routine. However, I have bought a few bars to see me through a good many months. For fans of Smugglers Soul, and indeed those who appreciate a good-quality shampoo, I would highly recommend that you give this one a go. I hope, for my hair's sake, that this makes a reappearance next Father's Day.
Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Perfume, Watercress Infusion, Rosewood Oil, Sandalwood Oil, Vetivert Oil, Tagetes Oil, Lemongrass Oil, Polyquaternium-88, *Benzyl Benzoate, *Citral, *Coumarin, *Limonene, *Linalool, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Colour 15510, Colour 17200, Colour 42090.
Vegan?: Yes.
2017 Price: £7.50 each.
Year Of Original Release: 2017.
Scent Family:
Smuggler's Soul Body Lotion
Smuggler's Soul Body Spray
Smuggler's Soul Facial Scrub
Smuggler's Soul Liquid Perfume
Smuggler's Soul Solid Perfume
Smugglers Soul Solid Shampoo Bar
Veerappen Moustache Wax
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Sharing its scent with Daddy-O Shampoo, this gorgeous soap didn't appear to have an ingredients list that matched the fragrance that it gave off. Bergamot, rose and cananga were stated as being the main components at work. However, the aroma that I detected was a sweet, slightly intoxicating violet smell.
