Happy Valentine's Day Gift Set (Valentines's Day 2017)

It's times like this when I'm reminded of a quote from the classic film Seven. In the closing scene, the line 'what's in the box? What's in the box?' is uttered by our main protagonist - a pinnacle moment in the film that will leave viewers on the edge of their seat. While I hope I never discover what he found, in a Lush gift set, his reaction is very much on par with how I react whenever Lush bring out another gift set in a reusable format. 

When I first set my eyes on the Happy Valentine's Day Gift Set, I knew I had to have it no matter what, simply because the box was one of the most beautifully designed sets I have seen in a while. Decorated with golden hearts and finished with a golden bow, this is a box set that epitomises the very essence of the company, and is the perfect gift for any bath lover wanting to sample the selection of seasonal products available this year.   

Priced up at £19.95, this easily steals the show when compared to the other three gift sets available as part of the Valentine's Day collection. Firstly, the price is very reasonable. While you're paying an extra £3-£4 for the packaging on top of the price of the products, the box is reusable and beautiful enough to be stored anywhere throughout the house, at any time of the year.

Secondly, the collection offers a well thought out selection of seasonal and regular products. For new Lush fans, they'll be able to experience some of the best Valentine's Day products available, as well as enjoy one of Lush's biggest-selling regular bath bombs, Sex Bomb. 

This set also boasts an accumulation of very different fragrances, so there is bound to be something here for every mood. If you're unsure what scents a person enjoys, this set has something to suit near enough every person, so you can be safe in the knowledge that your gift will be put to good use.

For those who enjoy finer, delicate scents, Unicorn Horn Bubble Bar offers a sweet, gentle lavender fragrance, with a surplus of light, fluffy bubbles and a beautiful pastel-pink water to bathe in. Sex Bomb combines jasmine, clary sage, ylang ylang and soya milk to offer up a sweet and creamy floral aroma. Rose Bombshell is a robust, dried rose-scented ballistic with subtle elements of lemon to give it uplifting properties, while Lover Lamp is like a powdery, chocolately orange aroma - complete with extra cocoa butter hearts to make it one of the most moisturising bath bombs in the collection. 

Together, you have something here for every mood, and a set that showcases some of the most popular bath products to come out of Lush in the last couple of years. If you're going to buy one gift set this season, make it this one - I guarantee that you'll be very happy with your decision. 

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: £19.95 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2017.     

With Love Gift Set (Valentine's Day 2017)

Despite being in a relationship throughout the entirety of my twenties, I don't think I ever received a Lush gift set as a present from my other half. This wasn't because he was against the commercial aspect of the day, or because he refused to buy me any Lush, as a large percentage of my family still do to this day. It was simply because it wasn't in his nature to purchase gifts for people, unless he'd been instructed to do so. 

It is for this very reason that I tend to indulge myself heavily when a new collection of gift sets make an appearance from Lush, and Valentine's Day is usually one of my favourite releases of the year. Despite being rather pragmatic in my affection towards people, there is something rather beautiful and endearing about the warming colours of the seasonal wrapping; the romantic gestures laced between flowery patterns; the red and pink ribbons sealing each and every box with a beautiful smile.

With Love is a minature gift set with a big heart and a loud message. It's for those who have a lot to express, but want something simplistic and to the point. Featuring just two products inside, this is for consumers looking for something magical whilst within a budget - a present that will give the recipient a little taster of what the company offer, without spoiling them too much.

Containing a large slab of Love You, Love You Lots Soap and a small 45g tub of the self-preserving Ro's Argan Body Conditioner, this is a great gift for someone who is a big fan of rose-dominated cosmetics. While the two products are very different in fragrance, they both share this common characteristic between them. Furthermore, as one of the items is a regular product and the other one a limited edition, With Love offers an opportunity for users to discover something that they can buy again if they wish to, and something that may entice them into trying out other members of the Valentine's Day range.

What is special about this gift set is that large piece of soap featured here is not the regular design that you can buy in any store. In fact, the only way you can own a piece that looks like the one below, is through buying one of the two gift sets that have this soap crafted in this way.

Another benefit of With Love is that both products featured are shower-related items, so this is a great opportunity to indulge someone you know who may not have access to a bath. The mere idea of not being able to enjoy a bath at all is a horrifying thought, and one that should warrant an immediate purchase of this gift set, just as a way of offering your condolences to that friend/family member. 

While £11.95 does seem a little expensive for the size of the gift, and the fact that there are only two products on offer inside, both the soap and the body conditioner will last a generous number of weeks in the shower, and the amount of pampering the recipient's skin will be exposed to because of your generosity more than makes up for it. 

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: £11.95 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2017.

Santa In Space Gift Set

There are just some gift sets that simply sweep me off my feet, and no matter what products are featured inside, I just have to have it. Santa In Space is one such gift set - a product I broke my own rules for when I decided to purchase it on the opening day of the Christmas collection release. 

To put it simply, I never buy gift sets so early on in the season, because I know that I'll have piles of new products to try out during those first few weeks, and it's pointless having excess gifts sitting around, not getting used. However, the design, the products inside, and just about everything else about this collection, told me that I had to own it immediately. And possessing absolutely zero amount of willpower, I relented.

Priced up at £29.95, this is definitely an investment that seems a little on the high end for those with smaller budgets. Adding on to this, I can see why anyone who wants to offer a family or friend an assortment of Christmas goodies, might be deterred by the fact that there are only two seasonal items featured in the line up here.

This is a gift set for those who want to offer someone more of an experience, and something that's far more special than a basic box of bath bombs. This is also the perfect gift for younger Lush fans who would want something they can hold on to, past the point of having a few baths and showers.

Firstly, the outer box is simply stunning. The design is modern; it's colourful, and although the depiction and the wording link this tin to Christmas, it is not overly seasonal-looking, meaning that there is no reason why this tin could not be used throughout the year, as a lunchbox, a carrier or simply for storage. The box is also made of thick, robust metal, and has a clasp to seal it at the top, so it's sturdy enough to withstand being more than just a decoration.  

Secondly, the array of goodies inside make this a really strong, well-rounded collection of products. There are seasonal items, best-selling regulars, and even an exclusive that I know many Lush fans will want to get their hands on. 

This set features:

Intergalactic Bath Bomb

Twilight Shower Gel

Big Bang Bubble Bar

Northern Lights Bath Bomb

Santa FUN

Both bath bombs are some of the most vivid examples of Lush's creativity, so children will love the gentle jasmine fragrance of Northern Lights while they bathe in swirls of purple and yellow and green. The alluring mint aroma of Intergalactic, with its deep royal blue waters and sparkly silver lustre, is guaranteed to be another hit with Lush fans of all ages.

Big Bang is easily one of the company's most beautiful bubble bars to date, and with a gorgeous bright and zesty lemon aroma, not to mention the added bath melt on top, this gorgeous product is simply out of this world. Santa FUN is a rather odd choice to be featured here, although it's no doubt reference to the name of the gift set, and offers versatility in the way it can be used. 

Finally, this gift set features perhaps Lush's most popular shower gel, Twilight, which can only be purchased for a limited time in Lush Oxford Street. Therefore, if you're not able to get into London over the seasonal period, this is one of only a few opportunities for you to be able to get your hands on this product.

Overall, I love the theme going on with this collection and I think it is easily one of the best Christmas sets this year. The price may be a little higher than what you'd expect for a set with only five items, but the quality of the tin, and the whole package and how it's presented, tells me that there will be some very happy Lush fans receiving these on Christmas morning.

Vegan?: Yes.

2016 Price: £29.95 each.

Great Balls Of Bicarb Gift Set

I have to say - the one irritating aspect about Lush's regular Great Balls Of Bicarb tube, is the fact that it's not suitable for vegans. Despite the discontinuation of Honey Bee Bath Bomb, it still remains a feature in this gift set, which means I am not able to buy a handful and use them as storage. As the product design has been specifically made to store bath bombs perfectly, and help to retain their smell and shape, it's a great way to store your favourites safely throughout the year.

When Lush announced that they would be bringing out this Halloween edition in the Lush Kitchen, and that the three products inside would be suitable for me to buy, I was happy that I would be finally able to own at least one tube for future storage. My only grouch is that the tube is a little shorter, due to there being less products - a problem that could have easily been rectified by Lush giving us a few extra items in here, instead of three. Just saying.

As with the Haunted House Gift Set, Lush seem to have chosen three completely different products to feature in this limited edition release. And much like the aforementioned product, the contrasting elements of all three scents is probably one of the reasons why the gift set was still available weeks after it went on sale.

While I'm lucky enough that I have the disposable income to invest in something like this without too many worries, a lot of consumers would not be willing to buy a gift set in which they only really wanted one product. With the Halloween range being so impressive this year, many Lush fans would have opted to head to a shop and pick up a few bombs, rather than taking a risk with this one.

Having said that, if you like your baths, and you're wanting to try some of Lush's most popular Halloween fragrances, this gift set is great because it offers three very opposing scents and three very different experiences.  

This gift set contains:

Jacko Bath Bomb

Magic Bath Bomb

The Enchanter

Each of the bath bombs in this collection offer something different, depending on your mood. If you need a warm blanket to submerge yourself beneath, Jacko Bath Bomb is the one for you. With cardamom, clove and spearmint, this spicy, minty concoction is a great one to warm your body and relax your mind. After a hard day's work, Magic Bath Bomb is a great choice for helping you to wake up a little and refresh those tired senses. Rose, peppermint and an array of different herbs go into making this a potent floral and herbal-driven experience. For those who need a little sunshine in their lives, The Enchanter - with its strong, zesty lime aroma, is a bath bomb that'll brighten, clean and invigorate every part of you.

On the positive side, the design of this gift set is very beautiful, and will be a fantastic addition to my already bulging collection. It would also make a great Christmas present, despite it being the wrong season, as the size and price is perfectly matched to be an affordable gift set for most people.

However, I think the tube would have been much more popular if it had been a tin rather than a cardboard design. Adding a slot in the top would have meant it could have doubled up as a money box at well, making it an even better gift to invest in. Furthermore, the fact that all three products are very contradictory of each other (and this is very evident when you open the tube for the first time and are immediately greeted with a strange collaboration of smells), means that a lot of people would have no doubt have been put-off investing in Great Balls Of Bicarb to begin with.

Vegan?: Yes.

2016 Price: £17.95 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2016.     

Papa Bear Gift Set

While it's definitely not the case, my ego sometimes tries to convince me that Lush are intent on bringing out products that they know I'll want and need to buy. In a fictional world, I envisage meetings that start out like 'So what should we do to ensure that Jen will buy something alongside the individual products this time?'. Brief pause. 'What about making a wooden box to hold one of the gift sets in?'. 'Yes I love it, what else?' 'How about swapping a knot wrap for a thicker knot wrap-sort-of-thing and calling it a scarf?'. 'Perfect'.

The reality of the matter is that Lush are just sometimes a little too innovative for their own good - and while all of these unique cosmetics are exciting for Lush fans, I occasionally feel that the level of new releases doesn't bode well for someone who wants to experience it all. You'd have to be pretty well off to keep on top of everything that Lush bring out - I sometimes find myself tripping over my own tail when it comes to purchasing and reviewing new releases.

When I first noticed the Papa Bear Gift Set online, I was torn. On the one hand I thought I was being clever when I imported the Father's Day range from Spain; intent on not having to buy too much when it came out over here. On the other hand, I was excited to be able to experience the intrigue and excitement of the seasonal release by having a couple of gift sets to try and review.

Upon arrival, I was shocked to find that the gift set was a lot smaller than I had imagined it would be. As far as size goes, it would compare to the boxes that the £8-£10 sets come in - not what I was expecting at all for a £30+ gift set. However, what you have to realise is that the scarf is the key feature in this collection, and almost overshadows the products that come with it. 

Featuring Smuggler's Soul Solid Shampoo Bar, Thanks Dad Soap, and a 50g tub of both Smuggler's Soul Facial Scrub and Smuggler's Soul Multi Purpose Cream, the worth of the products themselves equate to roughly £24, which means that you're paying £10 for the scarf and the privilege of having it all wrapped together and ready to present as a gift.

The scarf itself is definitely very beautiful, although perhaps it's not the best time of year to be offering winter-wear. And while the material is far superior to the usual knot wraps, I'm not quite convinced that it's really worth the money I paid to have the privilege of owning one. Having said that, I do think the scarf is very quirky and unique, and I will definitely be wearing this later in the year, to make the most out of my purchase.

Unfortunately, this product is not vegan as the solid shampoo bar contains lanolin, so while it offers someone the chance to try all of the non-bath items that are part of this years Fathers' Day range, it's not exactly vegan friendly.

Overall, this is definitely something very different to anything that Lush have brought out before, and I am glad that some of their gift sets are as innovate and as unique as the two that have come out with this seasonal range. I only wish the scarf was a little bigger and that there was a fifth item to make it seem better value for money. 

Vegan?: No.

2016 Price: £33.95 each.

Lush Men Wooden Box Gift Set

If like me, you're heavily into Lush and keep up to date with their releases, you'll know that it's normally only a matter of weeks before something new makes an appearance - whether it be in the Kitchen, in a seasonal collection or as a surprise one-off, limited edition must-have. Just when you think that your bank account is safe for a while, something pops up and destroys any hope of a respite, and its usually at the most inopportune times as well.

Obviously, there's a sensible part of me that is able to rationalise that I don't necessarily need to buy everything that Lush churn out, and I also recognise that it would be rather silly of me to bankrupt myself because of a handful of products that I've never tried before. However, when it came to the Lush Men Wooden Box Gift Set, there was just no way that I could let it pass me by.

Ever since I was given a wooden Lush box earlier in the year, I have been pining for Lush to bring out other sets with similar designs. I am near on obsessed with collecting boxes and using them as storage, and a sturdy, wooden version is taking this idea to the next level. 

Priced at £44.95, this limited edition release for fathers' day is by far the most expensive collection you could buy for the man in your life. I would go as far as to say that it isn't the most versatile collection of products on offer either. What I mean by this latter statement is that the handful of goodies inside wouldn't necessarily be the ones that a lot of people would choose to give their father, brother or partner.

Having said this, the products featured inside are definitely very versatile, diverse, and cover a good part of what a regular routine could look like for somebody using this set. With a mask, scrub, smoothie, deodorant and solid shampoo, not to mention a lonesome bath bomb, there is definitely enough here to keep anyone going for a good amount of weeks.

Featuring both the original Ocean Salt Scrub and Mask Of Magnanimity Face Mask, this gift set is not 100% vegan - an issue that I thought was going to prevent me from being able to invest in this collection in the first place. Luckily, my friend buys both of these items regularly, and was willing to chip in and take them off my hands. This meant that I got the wonderful box set and a handful of goodies I wouldn't normally own, without breaking 'vegan-edge' or sulking in the corner because I ain't able to get such a unique box set.

Alongside the two non-vegan products, this collection also boasts Five 'O Clock Whistle Shaving Smoothie, New Solid Shampoo Bar, Lord Of Misrule Shower Cream, The Greeenich Deodorant Powder and Guardians Of The Forest Bath Bomb. Together, they make up some of Lush's biggest sellers, while also offering new Lush customers an interesting and varied range of items to try out for themselves.

What is great about most of Lush's boxes, especially the wooden variation, is that they are reusable, and I'm sure most customers - male or female, would be able to find something to fill the box with afterwards, even if its more Lush stuff like I will be doing myself. The box itself is sturdy and well crafted - decorated with a latch to seal it in between uses, or to mask the hidden gems you choose to store in there afterwards.      

With the price of the items inside coming to roughly just over £30, you're paying a little over £10 for the privilege of the box. While I would dispute this with a normal collection, this extra investment is definitely worth the added cost with this one. My only piece of advice would be to purchase this in store if possible, and check the products inside when you do so. My bath bomb was completely smashed when I opened my box, and while I wasn't overly concerned, I did think that a recipient of such a gift might be slightly disappointed if they were to find green dust covering everything inside the box as I did.

Vegan?: No.

2016 Price: £44.95 each.