Love 'Atmosphere' Naked Shower Gel

When my four Atmospheres first arrived, I discovered that one of them had burst and leaked over the other three: not only causing a sticky mess that I then had to clean up, but also thwarting the scents of the other three shower gels, which prevented me from being able to sample each of the other fragrances before using them in shower. Having said that, I knew exactly what Love was going to smell like before I'd even began lathering it across my body.

Sharing its scent with the Love family, this alluringly sweet and floral collaboration is a smell that I both relish at times, and resist at others. With siblings including the Fizzbanger Bath Bomb and Whole Lotta Love Bubbleroon from this year's Valentine's range, Love Atmosphere Shower Gel is a strange combination of smells that shouldn't work, but does. 

Containing a combination of lemongrass and bergamot oil, with lashings of rose absolute, this shower gel is an interesting mix of fruity and floral. On first sniff, you can detect a layer of lemongrass, which offers a fruity but also something slightly green-like about the aroma. Coupled with the bergamot, this shower gel gives off a slightly bitter citrusy scent and you can definitely smell a subtle grassiness underneath. Alongside this, the rose absolute brings a floral component to the table, and the ylang ylang offers its own sweet, grassy flavour to the mix.

All of these elements create an interesting fragrance unlike any other. Having said this, it should be said that I found the scent of this to be weaker than any of the other products in this scent family. Furthermore, I was disappointed to discover that many of these notes disappear under the running water, and Love Shower Gel loses a lot of its character when in use.     

For those out of the loop, Love Naked ‘Atmosphere’ is one of four limited edition shower gels that are supposed to heighten your experience in the shower and create more of an experience than a simple wash tool. Each of the Atmopheres have been crafted 

Encased in a thin ‘plastic coating’ made out of seaweed, these limited editions are Lush's new idea at creating naked products. The idea is that the outer layer will dissolve away in the shower, or can be thrown onto a compost heap afterwards, where it will decompose very quickly and leave nothing behind. While I found that the cases weren't so easy to dissolve in the space of a shower, I was able to add these to my ever-growing compost heap, and I did notice that it had become to break down the last time I checked.

As I mentioned in my review of Joy Shower Gel, these releases are rather expensive at £3 a piece, especially as they're rather difficult to lather, and seem to hold a scent far weaker than that of a regular Lush Shower Gel. Having said that, Love Shower Gel was rather moisturising on the skin, and I found that I didn't have to use a body lotion to moisturise with afterwards. 

To use, simply pinch the atmosphere between your fingers and the pod will tear open. Whether you're choosing to use the whole capsule in one go, or you're being a little more reserved, I would highly suggest that you have a container or some sort to rest to pour the shower gel into. Simply breaking it into your hands will leave you to lose it very quickly, and it'll be difficult for you to both wash your entire body and engage with the scent at the same time.

While Mark Constantine suggests that these are one-use shower gels, I could easily get 3-4 showers out of a single pod. Having said that, I feel as if I could have gotten far more uses if the shower gel had lathered up a little more. Unfortunately, the gel was rather difficult to use, and I ended up using more than usual because I didn't feel as clean as I would with a regular gel. In addition, the lack of strength in the smell meant that I couldn't detect the wonderful fragrance on my skin afterwards.  

Lush state that this one is supposed to guide you to 'indulge your nostalgia and shower yourself in love with this tangy concoction of sugar and spice, cutting right to the core of your desire.' While I enjoyed using this one in the shower, I cannot say that it ultimately inspired that much of a reaction from me. 

While I can see fans of the Love scent wanting to stock up on these, or hoping for a bigger version to appear in the near future, I only hope that Lush are able to tweak the recipe for this one a little more. It would definitely be nice to detect the different layers of smells a little more prominently, and I'd Love it to be rather more generous with its lather, so I don't feel the need to use so much.

Quantitative Ingredients: Glycerine, Water (Aqua), Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Lauryl Betaine, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Calcium Lactate, Fine Sea Salt, Perfume, Lemongrass Oil, Orange Flower Absolute, Rose Absolute, Ylang Ylang Absolute, Ylang Ylang Oil, Xanthan Gum, Titanium Dioxide, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Tin Oxide, *Benzyl Benzoate, *Benzyl Salicylate, *Citral, Coumarin, Oakmoss Extract, *Geraniol, *Limonene, *Linalool, Colour 77491, Colour 15850:1.

Vegan?: Yes.

2018 Price: £3 each (although not currently sold separately)

Year Of Original Release: 2018.

Scent Family:
Fizzbanger Bath Bomb
Lonely Hearts Bubble Bar
Love Apple Bubble Bar
Love 'Atmosphere' Shower Gel
Love Island Body Scrub
Love Perfume
Love Potion Massage Bar
Love Soap
Whole Lotta Love Bubbleroon

Let Go 'Atmosphere' Naked Shower Gel

 

Letting go of physical attachments was one of the easiest things I've been able to achieve recently in my life. However, letting go of human attachments is a struggle that I live with every day. Being able to be completely at one with yourself is a hard task that requires years and years of 'practice', and lots of self love. So I forgive myself for not being as far along in my journey as I'd like to be at 32 years old.

I'm no stranger to physiologically clinging to the stresses of every day life. It's very easy to unconsciously define who you are through the physical and emotional struggles that you go through every day. They key to letting go is quite the art form, and one that I am still striving to better myself in all the time.

Packaged in an experimental naked format, Let Go Atmosphere Shower Gel is supposed to eradicate the need for plastic bottles or tubs. The outer casing is made from an ingredient found in seaweed, which Lush claim can either be washed away as it dissolves under the running water, or thrown onto a compost heap - where it will disintegrate very quickly.

Unfortunately, as I have stated in all four of my reviews, these limited edition gels can only be purchased as a set of four, and will set you back £12 for the privilege, which I find it be rather expensive. Having said that, this is hopefully just an early prototype, and if these gels make an appearance in the near future, I hope that the quantity size won't be so limited, and the price tag will match that of the other shower gels that Lush already sell.

With only lavender oil in the ingredients list, you can no doubt envisage what this shower gel smells like before even buying one. The simplicity of the lavender is definitely one of the strengths of Let Go. It offers a naturally sweet, herbal thread of lavender that intensifies a little in the shower. Furthermore, I found that it definitely altered my mood after using it, and I felt far more chilled out after doing so.    

With all four of the Atmosphere Shower Gels, I found that they didn't lather up as well as any of Lush's other former gels. While the consistency was rather thick and the gel itself was noticeably moisturising, I found that I was unable to create much of a lather at all. However, I found that Let Go was very mildly more successful than the other three variations. 

I found that I was able to gage a little more foaminess than I was expecting, and this meant I was able to use slightly less than I had with the other three Atmospheres. Having said that, I found that I still had to use much more gel than I normally would a regular shower gel, just to feel as though I had cleaned myself thoroughly.

Despite the wonderful fragrance that this product offered me throughout my shower, I was a little disappointed that the scent still wasn't as strong as I would usually expect from a regular Lush shower gel. And while I was able to detect a mild note of lavender on the ends of my hair after use, the scent didn't linger on my skin at all after towelling myself down.

While Mark Constantine suggests that these are one-use shower gels, I could easily get 3-4 showers out of a single pod. Having said that, I feel as if I could have gotten far more uses if the shower gel had lathered up a little more. For £3 a piece, I want to make the most of these shower gels, and so at this stage I'm not willing to divulge it all in a single moment. However, if the gels get tweaked before release; made stronger in scent; and given more lathering power, I'd be happy to invest in this one again, as I did enjoy the fragrance that it offered. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Glycerine, Water (Aqua), Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Lauryl Betaine, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Calcium Lactate, Fine Sea Salt, Lavender Oil, Xanthan Gum, *Limonene, *Linalool, Colour 42090.

Vegan?: Yes.

2018 Price: £3 each (although not currently sold separately)

Year Of Original Release: 2018.

Money 'Atmosphere' Naked Shower Gel

Money cannot buy you happiness but it can certainly help you on your way to achieving such greatness. While the world is corrupted by the greed of those that want ultimate wealth above others, most of us would be happy with simply being content, and that's certainly what I focused on when I tried out Money Atmosphere Shower Gel for the first time the other day.

Designed to 'see yourself enjoying absolute control, becoming master, not servant, to the trappings of wealth' Money is one of four limited edition Atmospheres designed to offer something a little more in the shower. Simply pinch the outer seaweed layer between your fingers and use the shower gel that spills forth between your fingers. You can then throw the 'plastic' shell onto a compost heap and leave it to dissolve away into nothing.

Packaged as a naked product, Money Atmosphere is supposed to eradicate the need for plastic bottles or tubs, and sees Lush creating a different format from the naked bottle-shaped shower gels that they've been releasing for the last year. Unfortunately, these limited editions can only be purchased as a set of four, and will set you back £12 for the privilege, which I find it be rather expensive. Hopefully, this is just an early prototype that can be improved upon and released for a far more reasonable price in the near future.  

With all four of the Atmosphere Shower Gels, I found that they didn't lather up as well as any of Lush's other former gels. While the consistency was rather thick and the gel itself was noticeably moisturising, I found that I was unable to create much of a lather at all. Although the gel worked a little better when I was massaging it between my hands - with the seaweed coating present as well to stimulate a little foam - I found that I had to use much more than I normally would, just to feel as though I had cleaned myself enough.

What was great about Money though was the combination of different ingredients to offer a rather wonderful smelling shower gel. With lime, fennel and cypress oils, you get a rather lovely fruity smell with a warm and very subtly spicy undercurrent. I love the fact that the lime smells so rounded and delicate - like it's zestiness has been removed and replaced with a woody layer that makes it smell so warm and inviting.

Again, I was a little disappointed that the scent wasn't as strong as I would usually expect from a Lush shower gel, but there was enough there for me to enjoy the experience very much in the shower. Furthermore, I was able to detect it slightly on the few strands of hair that I got wet during my experience, although strangely not on my skin after towelling myself down.

While Mark Constantine suggests that these are one-use shower gels, I could easily get 3-4 showers out of a single pod. Having said that, I feel as if I could have gotten far more uses if the shower gel had lathered up a little more. For £3 a piece, I want to make the most of these shower gels. However, I don't quite think that any one of the four that have made an appearance are at a quality ready to be introduced to the public.    

Quantitative Ingredients: Glycerine, Water (Aqua), Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Lauryl Betaine, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Calcium Lactate, Fine Sea Salt, Perfume, Lime Oil, Fennel Oil, Cypress Oil, Orris Oil, Xanthan Gum, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Citral, *Limonene, *Linalool, Colour 47005:1, Colour 42090:2.

Vegan?: Yes.

2018 Price: £3 each (although not currently sold separately)

Year Of Original Release: 2018.

Joy 'Atmosphere' Naked Shower Gel

A few months into Lush’s new #Lushlabs initiative and we’re presented with four limited edition ‘Atmosphere’ Naked Shower Gels: a brand new venture that sees the company experimenting with package-less cosmetics to bring to the masses across the globe.

Ever since Lush introduced the concept of naked products to the world, they’ve been busy experimenting with how to present their ideas to the public. The #lushlabs initiative is the company’s way of releasing their ideas in their unfinished formats: so that they can get feedback from consumers before finalising the designs for the products they release to the mainstream public.

Joy Naked ‘Atmosphere’ is one of four limited edition shower gels that are supposed to heighten your experience in the shower: acting as more than just a simple tool to wash yourself with. Along with Money, Let Go and Love, this naked gel comes encased in a thin ‘plastic coating’ made out of seaweed, which is supposed to dissolve away in the shower or can be thrown onto a compost heap, where it will decompose very quickly and leave nothing behind.

Firstly, I have to state that I found these gels to be rather expensive. £3 for what equates to little more than a dessert spoon amount of gel is a tad overpriced for anyone, even if it is guaranteed to help reduce waste and protect the planet. While I understand that these pods are unlikely to be the final design, and that they're being released in small batches which makes them a little more sought after, I do think that the price tag is a little steep.

Mark Constantine stated that the difference between an Atmosphere and a simple shower gel is that the former has been designed to bring about an experience in the shower. The combination of smells and oils are supposed to alter or elevate your mood whilst you're washing yourself: a fact that I tried to remember when testing out each of the limited editions. Furthermore, he recommended that you use the entire pod in one single shower, to really engage with the sensory side of the product. 

As someone who is not privy to a lot of money at the moment, this latter recommendation was not something I was willing to indulge in with all four of the Atmospheres. However, when it came to Joy, I gave it my best shot. In all fairness, there is enough shower gel in each pod to spread across a good four different showers. And after comparing my experiences when using the whole capsule, and when using only part of one, there is not much of a difference to write about.

To use, simply pinch the atmosphere between your fingers and the pod will tear open. Whether you're choosing to use the whole capsule in one go, or you're being a little more reserved, I would highly suggest that you have a container or some sort to rest to pour the shower gel into. Simply breaking it into your hands will leave you to lose it very quickly, and it'll be difficult for you to both wash your entire body and engage with the scent at the same time. 

With all four of the Atmosphere Shower Gels, I found that they didn't lather up as well as any of Lush's other former gels. While the consistency was rather thick (on par with ), and the gel itself was noticeably moisturising, I found that I was unable to create much of a lather at all. Although the gel worked a little better when I was massaging it between my hands - with the seaweed coating present as well - I found that I had to use much more than I normally would, just to feel as though I had cleaned myself enough.

Lush's product description reads: 'How much nicer would it be if everyone burst into song to express their joy? Unfortunately, this doesn't happen anywhere but the theatres, but this atmosphere is your ticket to happiness. Put on your favourite tunes and shower with a song and dance of bergamot oil and ginger absolute.' 

To me, Joy is by far one of the better gels in the collection. Containing lemon, grapefruit and orange oil, this limited edition smells both fresh and fruity, although the scent is rather mild when compared to many of Lush's other gels. From the box, I can smell both the lemon and grapefruit oils working in unison to great a fresh, fruity combination; while the olibanum oils offers a gentle, woodiness that rounds the fragrance off wonderfully. 

In the shower, the inclusion of the black pepper oil makes itself known: you can actually smell a spicy, warm note of the black pepper as you massage the gel across your skin. This, alongside the clove bud oil, adds a gentle but rather lovely peppery note to the fruity lemon aroma that the shower gel mostly offers.    

I will say that I very much appreciated the smell that Joy Atmosphere Shower Gel offered, even though it wasn't at all complex or particularly strong. In fact, the strength of the shower gel left me pining for more after I had left the shower, and I wasn't able to detect it at all on my skin.

Overall, I would definitely like Lush to reformulate this a little better so I can invest in it once again, but have a much better experience. The shower gel needs to lather better; the scent needs to be a little stronger so that it doesn't disperse in the shower so quickly, or disappear from the skin after towelling yourself down; and the price tag needs to be adjusted so that I feel a little more Joy about the state of my bank account afterwards. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Glycerine, Water (Aqua), Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Lauryl Betaine, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Calcium Lactate, Fine Sea Salt, *Limonene, Bergamot Oil, Black Pepper Oil, Clove Bud Oil, Ginger Absolute, Grapefruit Oil, Lemon Myrtle Oil, Brazilian Orange Oil, Styrax Oil, Olibanum Oil, Xanthan Gum, *Citral, *Eugenol, *Linalool, Colour 19140.

Vegan?: Yes.

2018 Price: £3 each (although not currently sold separately)

Year Of Original Release: 2018.