It has always been a dream of mine to create products for Lush Cosmetics. As someone who loves the arts; has a passion for building and making a variety of crafts; and is in love with every aspect of cooking, the idea of being able to combine different fragrances and manipulate a variety of compound ingredients to create a brand new idea just seems like the ultimate dream. The only downfall would be in not being able to eat it afterwards.
Looking at what has gone into making Scrub Scrub Scrub, it almost reads like a recipe for a high end dessert: blackberry and lime purees, blackcurrant powders and rosemary oil. Yet at the same time, I found it very difficult to decipher what this alluring looking black scrub would actually smell like when it arrived. While rumours circulated about a possible Comforter-scented release, I held out for something a little different, and I was not disappointed.
In the tub, this dark mess of charcoal and oils does have a strong blackcurrant note that continues to shine during usage in the shower. While I can see why people have made the Comforter link, I find this note of blackcurrant stronger and a little more bitter as well: almost like the blackcurrants you find on the top of a cheesecake. The inclusion of the blackberry puree combines with the blackcurrant here and you can recognise that berry-eque note present alongside. Together, they offer a strong fruity note, that by itself would be rather boring. However, there's so much more to this scrub - which is why it's so interesting.
Alongside the fruity notes, you get a strong layer of both pine and rosemary. The latter ingredient offers a strong, herbal note, both inside the pot and when the scrub is being used in the shower. In fact, it is the rosemary that lasts the longest on the skin - staying past when the blackcurrant aroma as long gone. The pine oil also adds a very exquisite green note in the tub, and I think it is this particular ingredient that creates the juxtaposition of smells - and the reason why so many people have found the fragrance a little distasteful once they've brought it home from the shop.
There is a slight part of me that feels that these three elements are almost contradicting each other, and to be begin with the scent sat a little uneasy with me as well. However, very quickly I realised the beauty in such a unique pairing of ingredients, and now I cannot get enough of the scrub.
To me, the scrub reminds me very much of Halls Blackcurrant Soothers: there is something slightly medicinal about the smell that may be a little off-putting to some. I also feel as if you can smell the charcoal a little in the mix, so you get a very eclectic array of notes.
Although the scrub itself appears rather thick in the tub, I found it to be quite light when scooping it out, and it definitely wasn't as coarse as I was expecting it to be. In fact, it wasn't far off being as gentle on the skin as Rub Rub Rub, although there was certainly more of a scrubbier side to the product that set it apart from the aforementioned classic.
In the shower, the scrub massages over your body with ease and you don't need an awful lot to coat every area of your skin. Once applied, exfoliating in a circular motion will gently remove dry skin and dirt, and leave you with super soft skin. Once out of the shower however, only the rosemary lingers on the skin, and this is short-lived as well because I couldn't detect anything without five minutes of drying myself down.
It would have been lovely to still be able to smell the amalgamation of different ingredients after I had exited the shower, but at least I was able to notice that my skin looked and felt really clear and clean. Scrub Scrub Scrub definitely works at clearing out pores without irritating the skin, and it's great for those with oilier complexions because the charcoal will absorb unwanted grease.
The only downfall about this product is that it can make a bit of a mess around your bathroom. So while it won't stain, it would definitely make your life easier if you were a little careful when using this in the shower, and I'd recommend that you rinse the sides/walls afterwards, to ensure no clumps of black are found later on.
While this doesn't reach the same level as Cup 'O Coffee, this is definitely a scrub I would buy again. Although it's not as coarse as the products I'd usually go for, there's enough character in the smell, and enough evidence after use, to tell me that this is one that does the job it's set out to do.
Quantitative Ingredients: Fine Sea Salt, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Blackberry Puree, Lime Puree, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Powdered Charcoal, Propylene, Glycol, Organic Blackcurrant Powder, Blackcurrant Absolute, Buchu Oil, Rosemary Oil, Pine Oil, Lactic Acid, Lauryl Betaine, *Citral, *Limonene, *Linalool, Perfume.
Vegan?: Yes.
2018 Price: £12.95 for 300g, £23.95 for 625g.
Year Of Original Release: 2018.
Too many soaps; too little time I say - my skin is certainly not going to be happy with me when I manage to get through this year's seasonal collection. Yet it is such a shame that my skin doesn't react well to the many variations that Lush offer, as the fragrances that come with them are far superior to their rather pathetic range of shower gels that are currently on show.
One of two brand new products to feature the Plum Rain fragrance, this limited edition will have you salivating with its collection of different berries - which not only offer a beautiful, fruity scent to indulge in, but also works at cleansing the pores and radiating the skin at the same time.
Based on a witch who creates herbal and plant-based healing concoctions, Hedgewitch claims to put the spring back into your skin. With freeze-dried blackberries and dried mulberries in the ingredients list, Hedgewitch reads more like a dessert than a cosmetic. Both of these components help to clean the pores and work as antioxidants to clean and clear the skin at the same time. The inclusion of the osmanthus absolute adds a sweet but subtly green fragrance to the soap, which along with the mandarin oil gives this seasonal special a light, sweet but very fruity fragrance.
Strangely, the soap features a honeysuckle infusion which is something that neither the body spray or the shower gel feature. However, honeysuckle is known for its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, which is a bonus for those using the soap regularly on your skin. As I use most of my soaps as hand soaps anyway, this extra feature is a welcome bonus for my skin.
While this soap does have the same fragrance as Plum Rain, it is not an exact replica. The inclusion of both the honeysuckle and the osmanthus add a green, almost floral note to the scent, which sits alongside the fruity components and add a different spin
Unfortunately for me, I ended up being sent a slab that was mostly red, which is a shame given that the whole wheel contains a combination of different colours. However, it did complement the fruity fragrance so I wasn't overly bothered by that fact. I was also hoping to receive a number of pieces of both mulberries and blackberries in both of the pieces I bought, as I was hoping the soap might be a little exfoliating with these under the surface. Unfortunately, these are sparsely added in across the entire wheel, so you may be lucky if you get one or two piece throughout the whole chunk.
Surprisingly, I discovered that this, along with many of the seasonal soaps, features a gourmet base - which I was hoping would mean that Hedgewitch would be far more moisturising than a typical Lush Soap. I did find that the lather it created was super creamy and slightly oily in consistency, although this still didn't perform miracles for my skin.
What I will say is that the soap produces a rich, creamy gel-like foam that massages across your body with ease. You need very little water to stimulate the ingredients in this seasonal special, and those who love fruity fragrances will love how the scent lingers for a short time on the skin afterwards. This 100g block lasted me a good two-to-three months before it was too small to hold under the water. For this reason, it is much better value than the shower gel.
While in use, I found that my skin looked and felt really radiant, and after I had towelled myself down, my skin appeared quite plump and soft - thanks no doubt to the inclusion of the cocoa butter. However, some areas felt quite taut after a short time, and I did need to apply a body lotion to ensure that my skin stayed as supple as it felt in the shower.
This is a great soap to use in the winter time and I will continue to use my last piece until I run out. As I said above, Hedgewitch is great for fans of Plum Rain, who want something a little brighter, fruiter and slightly greener. However, it's unlikely that a soap will ever be able to replace my love of shower gels, and I will not be buying any more of these before the season is out.
Quantitative Ingredients: Honeysuckle Infusion (Lonicera capifolium), (Lonicera Caprifolium (Honeysuckle) Extract), Propylene Glycol, Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter (Theobroma cacao), Extra Virgin Coconut Oil (Cocos nucifera), Water (Aqua), Organic Castor Oil (Ricinus communis), Sodium Hydroxide, Fragrance, Osmanthus Absolute (Osmanthus fragrance), Petitgrain Oil (Citrus Aurantium amara), Sicilian Mandarin Oil (Citrus nobilis), Freeze Dried Blackberries (Rubus Fruticosus) Dried Mulberries (Morus Alba), Glycerine, Titanium Dioxide, Gardenia Extract (Gardenia jasminoides), Citric Acid, Sodium Bicarbonate, *Citral, *Limonene, *Linalool, Red 4 Yellow 8 Red 28 Red 33 Green 5.
Vegan?: Yes.
2017 Price: £4.95 for 100g.
Year Of Original Release: 2017.
Scent Family:
Hedgewitch Soap
Plum Pudding Bath Melt
Plum Rain Body Spray
Plum Rain Naked Shower Gel
Plum Rain Shower Gel
Plum Snow Bubble Bar
Ticket To Scrub Salt Scrub
UP
Looking at what has gone into making Scrub Scrub Scrub, it almost reads like a recipe for a high end dessert: blackberry and lime purees, blackcurrant powders and rosemary oil. Yet at the same time, I found it very difficult to decipher what this alluring looking black scrub would actually smell like when it arrived. While rumours circulated about a possible Comforter-scented release, I held out for something a little different, and I was not disappointed. 
There is a slight part of me that feels that these three elements are almost contradicting each other, and to be begin with the scent sat a little uneasy with me as well. However, very quickly I realised the beauty in such a unique pairing of ingredients, and now I cannot get enough of the scrub.
It would have been lovely to still be able to smell the amalgamation of different ingredients after I had exited the shower, but at least I was able to notice that my skin looked and felt really clear and clean. Scrub Scrub Scrub definitely works at clearing out pores without irritating the skin, and it's great for those with oilier complexions because the charcoal will absorb unwanted grease.
