Palma Violet Mouthwash Tabs

I think any child that loved the classic Palma Violet sweets grew into an adult knowing very few other people that felt the same. We were a rare bunch of weirdos: glad to take the odd, soapy-tasting sweets that were always discarded at the bottom of the bag. And it's because of these experiences that I feel as if Palma Violet fans are usually pretty obsessed with anything that smells or tastes remotely like the original candy.

Consumers will be very pleased to hear then that Lush's brand new Palma Violet Mouthwash Tabs smell and taste exactly like the original sweets. So much so that it's only a matter of time before someone comes forward proclaiming that they've eaten an entire bottle because of their lack of restraint.

Presented as beautiful little pastel purple diamonds and lightly dusted with silver lustre, these oral tablets are the perfect way to refreshen your breath. Containing both violet leaf absolute and bergamot oil, it is the former that makes the biggest impression. Sweet and powdery, the violet offers a delicate floral aroma with gentle notes of greenery, while the bergamot adds a gentle sweetness that ties it all together.

What I loved about these mouthwash tabs was that they also featured fresh pansies in the ingredients list, which no doubt added to the overall aroma as well as the wonderful taste that Palma Violet Mouthwash Tabs offered me each and every day. Needless to say, if you were never a fan of these classic sweets, I would avoid these tabs like the plague.

As soon as you grind one of these between your teeth and add the water to rinse and swish, the wonderfully musky taste of the violet comes out in full force, whilst still being subtle in the way that it does this. It is here that the bergamot comes out a little more prominently and I enjoyed the delicate grassy taste that I could detect on my tongue after I had spit the mouthwash into the sink.

For those who have never used a mouthwash tab before, you simply crunch the tab between your teeth (I prefer to do this with my front teeth), take a slurp of water and begin swishing as you would a bottled mouthwash. Once you've finished, you spit the water into the sink and you're ready to brace the rest of the day without worrying about smelly breath, or the food from your lunch remaining stuck between your teeth. Lush recommend that you keep the mouthwash swishing around your mouth for a good minute before spitting it out, as this allows the ingredients to get to work at cleaning the mouth and deodorising the tongue so you get the maximum results possible.

As you would expect from Lush, the ingredients that have gone into making Palma Violet have also been carefully crafted and serve a purpose. Firstly, they contain sodium bicarbonate, which is a natural softening ingredient that is also known for its ability to clean and deodorise at the same time. This is a key component that will help to clean your tongue, gums and teeth when you're swishing, and will help to rid your mouth of any strong odours that might be present at the time, freshening your breath in the process.

Each of the mouthwashes also contains xylitol, a natural substance that is found in certain fruits and vegetables and is used in foods and cosmetics as a refined sweetener. This ingredient has been proven to cause none of the harmful effects that sugar can have on the teeth; is perfect for diabetics as it doesn't effect blood sugar levels at all; yet offers the sweetness to help give these tabs their interesting but enjoyable flavours.

Whether you're popping out for a day at the beach; making a weekend trip to see the family; or jet-setting off to somewhere exciting, these 45g bottles can be tucked away with the assurance that you wont arrive at your destination with either soggy luggage, or with the lingering smells of your breakfast still festering on your tongue. Furthermore, they're also alcohol-free so these beauties wont cause you any issues when you're going through customs. No matter the length of your journey, these are handy to use at any time of the day: before you head out on your adventure; after a meal; or anytime you feel you need a little freshen up.

If you haven't guessed already, Palma Violet Mouthwash Tabs are more suited for those who enjoy a delicate cleaning of the palette, and these beauties definitely do that. After rinsing my mouth out, I was able to taste a wonderful but equally gentle sweet taste of violet. This stayed with me for all of my two hour gym session and probably would have lingered even longer if I hadn't eaten.

Having said that, the taste you're left with is very subtle, so if you're someone who enjoys a stronger experience you may wish to try one of Lush's other variations. These won't give you the strongest, freshest breath but they will leave your mouth clean of germs and smells. Not only did these mouthwash tabs give me a wonderful trip down memory lane but they've been my go-to mouthwash tabs for the last few weeks, which tells me that I will be investing in these again.

Quantitative Ingredients: Dicalcium Phosphate Anhydrous, Sodium Bicarbonate, Silica, Citric Acid, Glycerine, Sorbitol, Malic Acid, Stevia, Xylitol, Flavour, Violet leaf Absolute, Bergamot Oil, Menthol Crystals, Fresh Pansies, Titanium Dioxide, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Tin Oxide, Alpha-Isomethyl ionone, Hydroxycitronellal, Limonene, Linalool, Colour 77491, Colour 42090:1, Colour 45430:1.

Vegan?: Yes.

2019 Price: £6.50 for 45g.

Year Of Original Release: 2019.

Fantabulosa Liquid Perfume

With the recent release of the Gold Label perfumes, I really feel as if consumers are being given an incredible opportunity to experience a piece of Lush history: one that I genuinely thought was forever lost in the past. Sometimes it's beneficial to bring a little history into the present moment, and this is one of those such occasions.

When I first heard the name Fantabulosa (originally called Ladyboy) my immediate thought went to the popular fizzy drink. The very thought of a perfume encompassing the sweet, juiciness of fizzy orange soda was enough to make me salivate. In fact, I convinced myself so much that this is what the perfume would smell like that, for those who have experienced this retro scent before, you can imagine my confusion when this little beauty finally found its way into my life. To put it simply, this fragrance couldn't be any farther away from what I initially envisaged.

From the bottle, my first impression was that of a perfume overly consumed by a strong thread of oakmoss. There was something very damp and earthy about the fragrance, which made it a very heavy and overpowering. Coupled with a naturally sweet and slightly grassy violet note, the heaviness of the perfume is definitely not one that would appeal to everyone.

Having said that, when the perfume is given the freedom to breathe on your skin, something magic happens. Firstly, the oakmoss takes a little step back, and while it is still there, it offers more of a base for the other components to perform on. Then a strangely alluring but equally sticky-sweet note of banana comes through, which elevates the fragrance overall and gives it so much character. 

As I mentioned above, the violet leaf continues to deliver its sweet but slightly grassy floral notes, but on the skin it softens a little and creates something very comforting and beautiful. Alongside this, the chamomile offers a calming herbal smell that dances between the other notes and brings the perfume together.

Simply put, Fantabulosa is incredibly complex and interesting: a perfume that stands alone as being a truly incredible experience. This is one of those fragrances that takes you on a powerful journey with every wear, and one that I can never being chosen lightly. I don't think even the world's best wordsmith would be able to do this as much justice as trying it out for yourself would. You need to experience it to truly understand when I say that it's a work of art.

As to be expected, the perfume remained on my skin for ages: eventually wearing off some five hours after I had initially applied it. During this time, I received many compliments from strangers in shops and on the streets, and I felt the power and responsibility that comes with wearing such a signature scent. 

Why this perfume was ever relegated to the darkest vaults of Lush's past, and made to sit there going unnoticed, I will never know. I can only hope old and new Lush fans will now have a chance to make this a regular part of their Lush collection, and I only hope it doesn't disappear before I buy myself another couple of large bottles. 

Quantitative Ingredients: DRF Alcohol, Perfume, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Chamomile Blue Oil, Labdanum Resinoid, Seaweed Absolute, Oakmoss Absolute, Violet Leaf Absolute, Oakmoss Extract, *Limonene.

Vegan?: Yes.

2019 Price: £39 for 30ml.

Year Of Original Release: 2019.

V Liquid Perfume

Although my bank account worked itself into a state when it first caught wind of the new perfume release, my heart skipped a beat at the mere thought of experiencing some of Lush’s oldest perfumes. This particular reappearance was easily the one I was most excited about.

First released in 1995, when I was a mere nine years old, V has been described as a perfume for people who don’t use scent. With its light, sweet and rather refreshing floral aroma, I cannot imagine anyone finding this smell at all offensive: yet at the same time I wouldn’t say it’s one with enough character to become a signature scent. 

This exclusive fragrance has been described by Lush as both unsettling and unusual, which I find rather an odd choice of wording, given how rather nondescript this perfume is. I’m not for one second saying that this fragrance is in any way bad, just that it’s quite pretty and gentle - definitely not something that’s all that unsettling or unusual.

From the first spray, this perfume offers up a beautiful collaboration of violet and ylang ylang: a dainty, powdery pairing that reminds of Bathos Bubble Bar very much. It doesn’t contain any of the grassiness that Kerbside Violet does; nor is it as sweet or as sultry as Tuca Tuca.

Alongside these components, the sandalwood adds a very gentle base from which the other notes are able to dance around on; and the clove bud oil offers a burst of warmth that elevates the fragrance even further on the skin.

Once sprayed, all of the above elements work together at replicating the same smell from the very first spritz to the last fading note on your skin. While this does mean that you won’t really experience the perfume maturing at all over time, as you would with many of Lush’s other perfumes, the smell is still very wonderful, and is unlikely to put anyone off appreciating this fragrance in the slightest.

Having said this, V does seem to have a shorter life than some of Lush’s stronger offerings. I found that I could still smell the perfume on my skin, clothes and hair for a good couple of hours after the initial spray, but it’s longevity didn’t stretch much further. As far as Lush perfumes go, this is not particularly impressive, but then the delicate nature of the smell itself is perhaps why this isn’t as powerful as some of the more potent perfumes.

Overall, I really appreciate Lush offering this old-school fragrance to consumers, as not only is it is a chance to appreciate one of Lush’s original ideas, but the smell itself does have a very ‘classic Lush vibe’ about it, which reminds me of the first scents that made me fall in love with the company. While nothing outstanding to my nose, there is something very pretty about V that will make it a very popular fragrance, and one I will continue to use in the coming months.

Quantitative Ingredients: DRF Alcohol, Perfume, Alpha-Isomethyl, Ionone, Cedarwood Oil, Ghanaian Ylang Ylang Oil, Clove Bud Oil, Violet Leaf Absolute, *Benzyl Benzoate, *Benzyl Cinnamate, *Cinnamal, *Cinnamyl Alcohol, *Citral, *Eugenol, *Geraniol, *Linalool.

Vegan?: Yes.

2019 Price: £35 for 30ml.

Year Of Original Release: 2019.

Fix Vegan Protein Shampoo

During the showcase last year, one of the products I was most drawn to was the 'hair marshmallows': a brand new invention that felt as light as a feather, yet claimed to have all of the ingredients needed to leave your hair looking and feeling superb. After managing to secure the majority of the ones available, it didn't take me very long to realise that Lush were true to their word: these odd-shaped blocks were the perfect remedy to my hard-to-please hair. 

After disappearing from the showcase in a matter of minutes, I assumed that this would be the last I would see of these bars. That was until a couple of months ago, when Lush released four completely different ones through the Lush Labs section of their website.

What I will start by saying is that there is definitely a difference in the consistency of these new designs. Although still as light as a feather, there is something a little more sturdy about both Fix, and the other three variations. After arriving home from the showcase, I was gutted to find nearly all of my marshmallows were in pieces, and it was a nightmare trying to store them between uses. However, these new editions need only be stored in a container and they wont leave a stain, or crumble as soon as the bar makes contact with water.

Out of the four new protein bars, Fix was definitely at the top of my list to try, despite the fact that it had been designed for those with lighter coloured hair - much like Daddy-O, which it appears to share its scent with. It would definitely be interesting to pair this up with the liquid shampoo, as I can imagine it would work wonders if the two were used in unison.

Smell wise, the inclusion of both the violet leaf absolute and rosewood oil gives Fix a naturally sweet violet aroma. A little grassy, yet naturally sweet at the same time, this limited edition is like a tame version of Kerbside Violet. There is something slightly warming and woody about the aroma; but equally there is also a delicate floral aroma that stops this from being overly strong or sickly.

To use, you simply need to wet your hair and then massage the whole bar across your head, very much like you would a bar of soap across your skin. Fix begins to lather up immediately and will coat your hair with a layer of thick, fragrant lather to massage across your head and scalp. You barely need to use this before you'll have enough to cover your hair in its entirety, so it's worth doing this out of the way of the running water so that you can preserve the product for longer.

Once on your hair, you can use your fingers to massage it around, as you would do a normal shampoo, before rinsing it out and using a conditioner as per normal. If, like me, you fancy stepping away from using conditioner for a while, this protein shampoo bar will leave your hair looking and feeling really clean and crisp to the touch. 

While not particularly moisturising, at least not to my hair, I did notice a huge improvement in my split ends after the first few times of using it. There was something about my hair that made it feel stronger, a more resilient, and this was most noticeable when I returned from being in India and found that this was the only shampoo bar that made a difference to my dried-out mess.

What was great about Fix was that the inclusion of the lemon juice really did both leave it feeling soft, and offered up a delicate shine to my hair, which I find really difficult to achieve with most products. Furthermore, I found that I barely had to use any of the protein bar to get the results that I wanted. This meant that a single block, while initially expensive, actually lasts many months - perhaps even a little longer than one of Lush's regular cylindrical shampoo bars.

Overall, I have thoroughly enjoyed using Fix Protein Shampoo and I am definitely glad that I stocked up on a few of these before they disappeared from the website. If these make their way into a store near you, I would highly suggest that you pick up a sample and experience it for yourself: it's a great way to restore and replenish your hair in a new and exciting way.

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Coco Sulfate, Glyceryl Stearate, Aquafaba, Roman Chamomile Flower Extract, Marigold Flower Extract, Propylene Glycol, Water (Aqua), Ethyl Macadamiate, Perfume, Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, Organic Jojoba Oil, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Arginine HCL, Leucine, Fresh Organic Lemon Juice, Guar Gum, Rosewood Oil, Violet Leaf Absolute, Ylang Ylang Oil, Jasmine Absolute, Cetrimonium Chloride, Behentrimonium chloride, Alpha-Isomethyl, Ionone, *Benzyl Benzoate, Citronellol, Geraniol, *Linalool, Colour 60725.

Vegan?: Yes.

2019 Price: £15.95 for 250g.

Year Of Original Release: 2019.

Naughty Elf Bubble Bar

This year a rather naughty elf has snuck into my life to reap havoc in and around my tidy house, and keep the Christmas magic alive for a very special girl in my life. Never before have I indulged in this sort of tomfoolery, and I'm actually finding it a whole lot of creative fun, especially when I see the reacts I get from my stepdaughter. 

Having said that, after the unnamed elf decided to decorate my entire bathroom with toilet roll and leave an utter mess that took a while to rectify, I thought it was time to drown my sorrows in a bath. It was only fitting then that I decided to use my Naughty Elf Bubble Bar...

When this little elf-shaped product arrived at my door, I was genuinely surprised and intrigued by the smell that greeted me. His design and Lush's normally predictable manners meant that I was expecting something either fruity or spicy. When his floral attire flew right up nose however, I was a little taken back. 

Containing violet leaf, jasmine and mango leaf absolute, alongside lemon myrtle oil, this is definitely not what I would describe as a Christmas fragrance. Were you to put the same smell into a regular bath bomb or bubble bar, I would never suggest that this was exclusively seasonal. So this is definitely something very different for consumers who perhaps don't always appreciate the predictability of Christmas scents.

To my nose, the violet leaf is the strongest component, although the jasmine sits underneath this and adds both a natural sweetness and a delicate musky note as well. There is something rather drying about the violet smell in Naughty Elf that I really appreciated, and I think the inclusion of the petitgrain oil adds a gentle green-like element to it that stops it being as sultry as it can be.

Alongside this, the lemon myrtle oil brings a sweet note as well, while also elevating the scent a little so it's a little lighter than violet scents usually are as well. In all fairness, this combination was really lovely and very different to what I was expecting, but there was also something about it that felt unsettled as if the key ingredients were clashing in some small way.

While Naughty Elf is a fairly long bubble bar, I did think he was a little on the tin side, especially given the £5.95 price tag. However, there is enough fragrance and power behind this bar that he can be chopped in half and used across two separate baths: both of which will heed you impressive results.

In the tub, this bubble bar turns the water a vivid shade of red and the bubbles that are created are impressive. In fact, I genuinely believe that this may be the most generous bubble bar of the season. Not only this but the water itself becomes immediately silky soft to the touch and you can see a delicate layer of oils that glimmer on the surface - letting you know that this is going to be a super moisturising bath.

Having said that, you definitely don't need to worry about Naughty Elf being too greasy: there is nothing about this product that will leave your skin anything but beautifully soft. I was still able to see and feel the results of this bubble bar the following day, and the smell followed me around for a good hour afterwards.

I won't deny that the fragrance of this didn't exactly blow me away, although this is more due to my tastebuds than the smell being at all bad in any way. However, Naughty Elf is super moisturising; offers a wonderfully vibrant-looking bath; and leaves your winter-kissed skin smooth, soft and ready to face the day ahead.     

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Cream of Tartar, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Lauryl Betaine, Cornflour, Perfume, Mango Leaf Absolute, Violet Leaf Absolute, Lemon Myrtle Oil, Jasmine Absolute, Petitgrain Oil, Titanium Dioxide, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Tin Oxide, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Benzyl Alcohol, *Citral, *Limonene, *Linalool, Colour 14700, Colour 45410.

Vegan?: Yes. 

2018 Price: £5.95 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2018.

Sunny Day Anti-Static Hair Detangler

After spending a rather large three-figure amount at the Showcase event earlier this year, it took me almost two months to actually get to the bottom of my bags and realise what I'd actually bought. For weeks on end, my shopping sat untouched, begging to be tried and reviewed, but to no avail. There just wasn't enough hours in the day for me to use more than a couple of items at the top of the pile and just hope that I'd reach the end at some point in the near future.

When I finally dug down and discovered Sunny Day Anti-Static Hair Detangler, it took me a few seconds to recognise that I'd actually tried this product before. However, it took me another couple of weeks to realise how that could have been. It was then that I remembered that I had purchased a bottle on the opening day of the Oxford Street store, only to realise that it wasn't vegan and I had to return it.  

Sharing its scent with Ultraviolet Bubble Bar, this exclusive hair detangler is the first of its kind from Lush: designed to curb frizziness and help to keep your locks smooth, soft and manageable throughout the whole day. You simply spray it into your hair and let it work its magic, and strangely it does exactly that.

I cannot work out what the miracle ingredient is that helps it to do its job. However, after spraying perhaps two to three spritzes across the back of my hair, and on the ends as well, my hair feels and looks so much more manageable. Impressively, I am able to run my fingers from my scalp to the ends and there's barely a tangle in sight. 

Obviously, Sunny Days is not going to replace your hairbrush in the long term. However, if you have a bottle of this in you bag, a few squirts throughout the day and you can maintain smooth, frizz-free, beautiful hair. For such a small bottle, this product also happens to go really far. I've been taking it to work for the last month, using it every day, and there's barely a centimetre gone from the bottle top. 

Not only this but the smell is simply incredible and lasts for hours on your locks. Every time I'm out and about, I receive compliments from so many people about the smell of this: it quite easily outlasts most of Lush's perfumes. Much like the aforementioned bubble bar above, the fragrance of this is a strong, grassy violet aroma. Underneath the violet is a combination of sweet jasmine and rosewood: the former of which adds a playful sweetness; and the latter of which grounds the fragrance with its sultry, resinous notes.

While I have stated in many reviews that I don't tend to use hair care products aside from regular shampoo and conditioner, this is definitely one that I will continue to use until the bottle is empty. I can only hope that Lush will being this new-improved vegan version out in shops really soon, so I know that I can grab one every time I use it up.

Quantitative Ingredients: Water, DRF Alcohol, Propylene Glycol, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Perfume, Organic Agave Syrup, Fresh Lemon Juice, Rosewood Oil, Violet Leaf Absolute, Ylang Ylang Oil, Jasmine Absolute, Fair Trade Organic Aloe Vera Powder, Phenoxyethanol, Cetrimonium Chloride, Alphe-Isomethyl ionone, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Silicylate, Citronellol, Eugenol, Farensol, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool.

Vegan?: Yes. 

2018 Price: unsure.

Year Of Original Release: 2018.

Scent Family: 

Kerbside Violet Liquid Perfume

Kerbside Violet Solid Perfume
Sunny Day Anti-Static Hair Detangler

Ultraviolet Bubble Bar

Floral Milk Giant Bombshell

We all remember that one person in school who would eat their dessert first and then chomp through their sandwiches like they were somehow normal in doing so. Perhaps you yourself was that special little soul - not even noticing the bewildered looks on the faces of your friends, as they tried to fathom the carnage that they were witnessing in front of their eyes. EVERYONE knows that you save the best to last, and you were bucking that trend without a care in the world.

Unlike that weird friend, I saved my dessert until the end, and the rewards I reaped were far greater than I could have ever imagined. While I've been on the fence about many aspects of the Giant Bombshells, Floral Milk Giant Bombshell threw all of these aside, and proved to me that Lush still have the capacity to surprise me when I least expect it. 

Sharing its scent with the Daddy-O range, this limited edition, beast-of-a-bath-bomb is packed full of violety goodness like no other bath bomb to come before it. If you want a scent that will blow you away in the water; engulf every one of your senses from start to finish; and linger on your skin and hair for hours afterwards, this is the one for you.

As with most of the other products in this scent family, Floral Milk contains both violet leaf and rose absolute, which both work together in perfect unison. First and foremost, the violet scent this bombshell offers is rich and super sweet but very in keeping with the natural scent of the flower. It's not the same as Tuca Tuca, which has more vanilla-led sultry notes alongside the violet. Instead, the violet here is far stronger, more uplifting and slightly powdery, which is why I associate the smell as an intensified version of the old fashioned Parma Violet sweets.

It is the rose absolute that I believe gives the violet that strength, as the muskiness and the haziness of the floral aroma is very in-keeping with what rose absolute would normally offer by itself. Alongside both of these components, there is also a gentle woodiness underneath, which I just think grounds the whole fragrance a little, and gives it an extra level of warmth to boot. This is definitely stronger than the aforementioned shampoo but the scent is definitely there.

The idea of a 'bombshell' is that it has been customised for you. When purchasing the from the Showcase event, I was asked to choose from a selection fresh of plants, flowers and herbs to go into the centre before the employee sealed the bomb with a piece of natural raffia. The price tag reflects not only the size of the bomb and the fresh Forna that has gone into finishing the product, but the unique experience you go through to create a one-of-a-kind bath bomb.

In my review of Pink Floral Giant Bombshell, I made it clear that the price tag was definitely over budget for most people, and I stand by that for this particular bombshell as well. However, I can see the appeal to a select few consumers who may wish to purchase something unique to them or their loved one, and I'm sure Lush will continue to reformulate their ideas to something a little more affordable in the future.   

In the water, this giant bombshell immediately begins to fizz across the surface - sending thick waves of pastel purples and pinks. Within seconds, the two halves break apart and an incredible show takes place: pinks and purples and blues bubble and fizz and swirl and pop across the water. It's rather intense to watch, and I found it difficult to know where to look because so much was going on at the same time. 

As the bombshell begins to dissolve away, the flowers that had filled the centre float gracefully across the surface, and the water settles as a stunning shade of pastel blue. If this wasn't enough to impress, the water also becomes extremely moisturising on the skin: you can literally feel the oils around your body, getting to work at nourishing and replenishing every pore across your skin. As you sweep your hands across the surface, the water looks and feels like milk - you even get trails of the coconut milk on your skin. It was simply beautiful.

Afterwards, the fragrance followed me around for hours and it made me feel simply beautiful in every way. Not only did it calm me down and give me a sense of clarity after a hectic day, but I felt in a daze - as if I wanted to experience it all over again.

While the price tag would put most people off, and I'm not going to lie: I would find it difficult to justify buying many of these, Floral Milk is definitely something that I would buy again, as a treat. As a gift for someone else, this one certainly offers something unique and amazing for the person in receipt of it. As I have said above: if Lush were to shrink this and remove the flower filling: just making it regular bath bomb, this would probably make it into my top five favourite bath bombs of all time.

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Titanium Dioxide, Coconut Milk Powder, Violet Leaf Absolute, Rose Absolute, Water.

Vegan?: Yes.

2018 Price: £18.95 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2018.

Scent Family: 

Blue Floral Milk Bombshell

Daddy-O Liquid Shampoo

Sugar Daddy-O Solid Conditioner

Purple Loosestrife Soap

Stairway To Heaven

Koyaanisqatsi Shower Bomb

There is something rather magical about the name of this shower bomb: something that stood out to me above the other two variations that arrived in the same package. While the scent didn't make itself known to me until I tried it out for the first time in the shower, there was something about the wonderful about the fragrance that bowled me over, and I would definitely consider buying a few more of these in the near future.

Koyaanisqatsi is one of three brand new shower bombs to make themselves known last month, after being revealed as part of August's Lush Labs release. Shaped like an old fashioned spinning top, this beauty boasts four different kinds of lavender in the ingredients list, and promises to help remove those restless tendencies that cloud the brain and weigh heavy on your mood.

Containing lavender oil, lavender absolute, lavandin absolute and lavandin oil, you'd expect this shower bomb to be overwhelming when it comes to the scent. However, Lush have balanced these four components to offer a gentle, natural lavender scent - with all of the floral and herbal qualities that you would expect from the flower. Alongside this, a dash of ylang ylang adds an extra layer of sweetness, while the vanilla absolute softens the scent and adds a little powdery element to the mix.

While initially I was a little disappointed that the smell of this was both weaker than the other two shower bombs, and not as strong as I was expecting with so many powerful ingredients, Koyaanisqatsi won me over in the end. In fact, it was the subtly of the shower bomb that ultimately ended with me wanting to experience it again and again.

As with all of the shower bombs, you need to hold it under the running water during your shower, where it will immediately begin to expand and create a fragrant foam in your hand. The heat of the water will help to release the different essential oils that have gone into making the bomb, which is supposed to help alter your mood depending on the purpose of the shower bomb. 

In this case, I found that Koyaanisqatsi was really suitable for use at any time of the day. As it focused on clearing the mind, rather than kickstarting it awake or sending it to sleep, it helped to use it right after I began feeling rather overwhelmed with the work I was doing and the deadlines I had to meet. It really did help me to gain some clarity about a few decisions, as well as give me a much-needed break.

Once the shower bomb has began creating its foam, the idea is that you can lather and massage this across the skin much like you would a shower gel. The inclusion of both the potato starch and the sodium alginate allow the bomb to soften and moisture the skin, while the different oils clean out the pores and leave your skin looking and smelling super delicious.

To begin with, I expected the shower bomb to be rather gritty - much like if I was to massage a bath bomb across my skin. However, I quickly realised that the foam from this product really does spread well across the skin, and leaves it feeling instantly soft and smooth: much like a regular shower gel.

As with all of the shower bombs, I found that Koyaanisqatsi lingered on me for a short while afterwards, and the effect that it had on my skin made a lasting impression. Given how powerful this is, and for those looking to be a little more reserved about their Lush products, you could easily cut this product in half and use it across two separate showers.

While not my favourite of the three, I definitely think this holds a place as a regular item. The design as well as the fragrance are two great selling points for potential customers, and I would love to see other products created using the same scent. You might not be able to pronounce it but you definitely won't forget it after you've tried it out for yourself.

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Cream of Tartar, Citric Acid, Potato Starch, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Calcium Lactate, Sodium Alginate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Lavender Oil, Lavender Absolute, Lavandin Absolute, Lavandin Oil, Violet Leaf Absolute, Ylang Ylang Oil, Vanilla Absolute, *Benzyl Benzoate, *Benzyl Salicylate, *Farnesol, *Geraniol, *Linalool, Colour 42090:2.

Vegan?: Yes.

2018 Price: £2.75 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2018.