Before Eight Toothy Tabs

When my rather intimidating order of toothy and mouthwash tabs first arrived, I was surprised to find a number of different mint flavoured variations. While I completely understand that for some consumers, the transition between paste and tab may be too much to deal with if the flavour goes completely off the scale as well. However, there was a part of me that was genuinely intrigued to see how each release was different enough to be given its own identity. 

Before Eight was actually one of the first bottles I gravitated towards, simply because at the time I had a large hankering for chocolate, and my mind quickly gravitated towards the idea of After Eight mints, which is obviously what these Liverpool exclusives are inspired by.

Containing both peppermint oil and cocoa absolute, the idea behind these limited editions is that they replicate a refreshing yet mildly foody minty smell, with a rich and delicate chocolate aftertaste to seal the deal. However, what I found was that the chocolate element of these are nowhere to be tasted. There is definitely something about these tabs that make them very reminiscent of the famous confectionary but I personally couldn't detect anything that even mildly resembled chocolate: it was straight forward peppermint to my tastebuds.

While some people may suggest that toothy tabs are supposed to be an alternative to mint tooth paste, I happen to think that these are another great starting point for those unsure whether or not to make that leap, and try something more adventurous. Furthermore, they're also far more natural than a lot of the tubed varieties currently available in other shops and are much easier to take with you when travelling: two aspects that make these more appealing than another brand. 

As with all of Lush's new toothy tabs, these particular tabs feature a number of ingredients that I was unsure about and had to research before trying them out for myself - not only to understand how and why Before Eight work, but also to educate others about the benefits they possess. Firstly, these tabs feature  dicalcium phosphate anhydrous - the main component used to help supplement the body's calcium intake, not to mention preventing the build up of tartar in the mouth. Sorbitol is also used - a natural alternative to sugar which allows Lush to add flavour to this product without adding anything that'll rot your teeth; Lauroyl Sarcosine not only helps the product to foam up in the mouth, but is also used to remove unwanted bacteria that may cause problems in the future.

When I popped one of these in my mouth for the first time, there was a part of me that wondered just how potent the peppermint was going to be. However, I found out very quickly that the mint is nowhere near as potent as you would expect it to be, and I do think it is the inclusion of the cocoa absolute that makes it so. However, the latter ingredient works more at blending and smoothing out the minty aroma as opposed to offering anything particularly chocolately to the experience. While some peppermint toothpastes can burn your tongue if you put too much on your brush, you won't get this with these tabs. 

What is great about Before Eight is that the peppermint does clean out your mouth very effectively, leaving you with fresh breath and a set of teeth that feel really squeaky-clean. However, the mint isn't overly strong that it rips the tastebuds right out of your mouth: a positive attribute that makes these little tablets stand above most of the toothpastes that I've tried over the years.

If you're looking for something to replace your late night snacking, you're probably going to be sorely disappointed...and I would also find it a little strange that you'd try to look for it in a toothpaste anyway. However, as an alternative to brush your teeth with, these Liverpool exclusives are definitely a good variation to try out for size.

Quantitative Ingredients: Dicalcium Phosphate Anhydrous, Sodium Bicarbonate, Cream Of Tartar (Potassium bitartrate), Sorbitol, Lauroyl Sarcosine, Xylitol, Flavour, Peppermint Oil, Cocoa Absolute, Stevia, Titanium Dioxide, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Tin Oxide, Limonene, Colour 77491, Colour 19140:1, Colour 42090:2.

Vegan?: Yes. 

2015 Price: £5.95 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2015. 

Quicksand FUN Bar

From an outside perspective, it's sometimes a little confusing when certain products get discontinued and others suddenly make an appearance, especially when you assume that these products are rather popular when they're obviously not selling very well. It confused me quite a lot when Lush took away both the Yuzu And Cocoa Bubbleroon and Shower Cream from their shelves, as I always thought that these were two of their biggest sellers. 

When the company then brought out a Yuzu And Cocoa Liquid Perfume a few months later, and a Yuzu And Cocoa Body Lotion and Shower Jelly not long after, I couldn't for the life of me decide whether or not this product was actually just really popular as an exclusive, or whether Lush had underestimated how much negative feedback they would receive from removing the classic duo from their shops. 

Either way, I was thrilled to learn that Quicksand FUN was scented with the same fragrance as the Yuzu And Cocoa range, and I couldn't wait to try it out for size. Not only did the format, design and fragrance intrigue me, but reading the description also had me interested in how a fun bar with actual sand in the ingredients list would work on my skin.

What I found with Quicksand was that first and foremost the Yuzu And Cocoa scent worked perfectly in this format. Both fruity and creamy, this Liverpool exclusive boasted all of the fruity properties that you would expect from any other product in this range. 

A distinctive and rather difficult ingredient to describe, the yuzu is a Japanese fruit that has a scent not too far off of that of a grapefruit, albeit slightly more exotic and rounded smelling. Coupled with the grapefruit oil itself, these two add a wonderfully sweet fruity smell unlike anything else that Lush have made.

Alongside this, the cocoa absolute then gives that 'chocolate-orange' element that Lush describe: thickening the overall fragrance and adding a rich, creamy depth to the scent. Underneath this is a dash of tonka absolute that pads out the creamy bass note, while the bergamot oil adds a sweetness that compliments the other ingredients and rounds the FUN off beautifully.

Simply put: Quicksand FUN smells absolutely beautiful and very much like the warm, fruity dessert that we've come to recognise this smell as. Everything about the scent of this will have you salivating from the get-go and it's definitely on par with the likes of the bath bomb and the body lotion.

Not only does it smell divine, but it also happens to be super effective in the shower. This bar happens to be a little on the soft side so it definitely should be stored somewhere really cool between uses, and I'd definitely recommend that you only take a tiny piece with you into the shower each time as you really don't need a lot.

Alongside this, Quicksand boasts the addition of sand in the ingredients list, so this beautiful exclusive also offers a gentle exfoliation when it's being used. You can actually feel the little grains of sand getting to work at buffering and cleaning you skin, and you can feel the difference afterwards.

As soon as it comes into contact with the water, it lathers up and creates a thick, fragrant foam that coats your skin and leaves the scent lingering on your body. Much like a soap, the fragrance comes into full force when it reacts to the heat of the water and you really have to fight the urge not to munch on the bar whilst you're using it. I dare say at least one person has probably had a taste of this at some point and been sorely disappointed!

I will go as far as to say that this is even better than a shower cream as it lathers up a treat in the shower and produces a gorgeous, silky-soft mound of suds to clean yourself with. When you massage this across your skin, you can feel how instantly smooth it makes you feel and you can still detect the fragrance on your skin when you exit the bathroom, and for hours afterwards as well. It doesn't dry your skin out at all and the only thing that you may want to be careful with is applying too much at any one go. As it's quite a sticky product, you'll find that using too much at once will just create a messy paste in your hand, which is not a major problem, but does mean that the product is being wasted that this 'mess' will need to be used up instead of being stored for a later date.

Much like every other FUN bar, Quicksand can also be used instead of a bubble bar - held under a running tap to create a surplus amount of bubbles and a beautifully fragrant bath to enjoy. Again, this bar worked well in this way although it didn't produce as many bubbles as some of the other FUN bars have done so, perhaps because of its softer constancy. I cut a slice that probably equated to a sixth of the bar and this gave me more than enough bubbles, so this works out cheaper than a regular bubble bar.

While the product doesn't really create an exciting or colourful bath, the smell more than makes up for it and offers a relaxing and very comforting bath tub experience for all. Having said that, I would recommend that you use this in place of a shower gel as opposed to a bubble bar, as you get a much more rewarding experience this way and the product goes a lot further. Using it as a bubble bar will also leave a mild trace of the sand at the bottom of the tub, which may prove a little prickly to sensitive bottoms.

I'd probably go as far as to say that Quicksand FUN is one of my favourite inventions from Lush in a while, even if the bar itself is super sticky and almost like a sunken cake than a FUN bar. If you're a fan of the Yuzu And Cocoa scent, you will need to get your hands on one of these right away. This needs to be made a permanent for certain, otherwise I'll be trekking up to Liverpool myself, just to grab some of these in the future.

Quantitative Ingredients: Cornflour, Talc, Fine Sea Salt, Glycerine, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sand, Cocoa Absolute, Bergamot Oil, Grapefruit Oil, Tonka Absolute, Cocoa Powder, Aloe Vera Extract, Titanium Dioxide, Gardenia Extract, Coumarin, Limonene, Linalool, Perfume.

Vegan?: Yes.

2019 Price: £3.95 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2019.

Bronze FUN Bar

Back in 2014, Lush brought out a series of limited edition FUN Bars as part of a collection called 'mind the gap.' A few weeks prior they had released a handful of limited edition perfumes that didn't appear to have been filled to the very top,  so the company brought out these FUN Bars by way of apology. One of these limited editions was scented with the Yog Nog fragrance, which completely blew my mind and had me salivating each and every time I used it (sparingly) in the shower.

Fast forward to 2019 and Bronze FUN Bar hits the shelves of the Liverpool superstore as one of their in store exclusives, boasting the same Yog Nog aroma and looking super scrumptious to boot. I just knew I had to get my hands on a bar as soon as it was humanly possible, and thanks to an amazing person this dream came true far earlier than I had imagined it would.

This product is everything you could wish for if you're a fan of this fragrance. Made from a mixture of ylang ylang and clove bud oil, with a sprinkling of cocoa powder, Bronze FUN is a sweet, vanillary aroma intertwined with a delicious fudgy note alongside this. There's also a gentle note of nutmeg and clove, both of which you can detect but neither of which are particularly strong overall.

Simply put: Bronze FUN smells absolutely beautiful and very much like the warm, buttery dessert that we've come to recognise this smell as. Everything about the scent of this will have you salivating from the get-go, and it's definitely on par with the likes of the bath bomb and the body lotion.

Not only does it smell divine, but it also happens to be super effective in the shower. This bar happens to be a little on the soft side so it definitely should be stored somewhere real cool between uses, and I'd definitely recommend that you only take a tiny piece with you into the shower each time as you really don't need a lot.

As soon as it comes into contact with the water, it lathers up and creates a thick, fragrant foam that coats your skin and leaves the scent lingering on your body. Much like the soap, the fragrance comes into full force when it reacts to the heat of the water and you really have to fight the urge not to lick the bar whilst you're using it. I dare say at least one person has probably had a taste of this at some point!

I will go as far as to say that this is even better than a soap or a shower gel - it lathers up a treat in the shower and produces a gorgeous, silky-soft mound of suds to clean yourself with. When you massage this across your skin, you can feel how instantly smooth it makes you feel and you can still detect the fragrance on your skin when you exit the bathroom, and for hours afterwards as well. It doesn't dry your skin out at all and it's easier to use than a hard slab of soap.

Much like every other FUN bar, Yog Nog can also be used instead of a bubble bar - held under a running tap to create a surplus amount of bubbles and a beautifully fragrant bath to enjoy. Again, this bar worked well in this way although it didn't produce as many bubbles as some of the other FUN bars have done so, perhaps because of its softer constancy. I cut a slice that probably equated to a sixth of the bar and this gave me more than enough bubbles, so this works out cheaper than a regular bubble bar.

While the product doesn't really create an exciting or colourful bath, the smell more than makes up for it and offers a relaxing and very comforting bath tub experience for all. Having said that, I would recommend that you use this in place of a shower gel as opposed to a bubble bar, as you get a much more rewarding experience this way and the product goes a lot further.

I'd probably go as far as to say that Bronze FUN may indeed be my favourite FUN Bar from the Liverpool store, and if you're a fan of Yog Nog, you need to get your hands on one of these right away. This needs to be made a permanent for certain otherwise I'll be trekking up to Liverpool myself, just to grab some of these and a few Hercules.

Quantitative Ingredients: Cornflour, Talc, Glycerine, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Clove Bud Oil, Ylang Ylang Oil, Gardenia Extract, Titanium Dioxide, Tin Oxide, Eugenol, Perfume, Colour 77491.

Vegan?: Yes.

2019 Price: £4.50 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2019.

Cookie Dough Body Scrub

Usually I could sit on my high horse and proclaim that it's very seldom that I ever truly indulge in something as decadent as a jar of cookie dough. I could honestly count the number of times I've eaten dessert over the last months, and that's all down to my training diet and focus on building muscle. However, my mental health hasn't been the best over this past week and I've eaten what equates to a whole jar of cookie dough EVERY SINGLE DAY by way of comfort.

To add to this experience, I decided to take Lush's brand new Cookie Dough Body Scrub into the shower with me as well and I found it very challenging not to scoff a large spoonful of that whilst I was washing myself. This is definitely one of Lush's most foodiest products ever, and I can imagine that many consumers have at least dabbled in giving this a little taste: even if they'd never admit it in public. 

Containing a whole array of yummy ingredients, it's no wonder that this smells good enough to eat for many people. Vanilla absolute offers a strong, sweet note at the very top of these components, whilst the large helping of sugar to give the 'scrub' its consistency also adds an even stronger sweetness to the overall smell.

Underneath this, the almond oil, alongside the hazelnut and pistachio oils add a rich, nutty aroma that actually competes against the vanilla and almost overpowers the other notes trying to push through. Both the carob resinoid and the cocoa powder add their own gentle blend of chocolately goodness, whilst the gardenia extract finishes everything off with a subtle floral undertone.

What I should start by saying, as I did in my review of the Cookie Dough Lip Scrub, is that the smell of this doesn't remind me of cookie dough very much at all. Whilst delicious and very pudding-like, there is something a little too heavy about the smell of the toasted hazelnuts that gives this scrub a slightly unpleasant note every time I smell it. While it's not a big deal, there is just something present that doesn't sit well with me at all. 

While it supposedly shares its scent with the aforementioned Lip Scrub, I will say that there are minor differences between the two. To my nose, the lip scrub is far lighter and sweeter overall, whereas the body scrub is much heavier in fragrance, and has quite a harsh scent. This body scrub has more of a thick, dark treacle-like, nutty aroma, whereas the sugar is far more prevalent in the lip scrub.

What I will say is that despite being called a body scrub, I wouldn't actually call his product a scrub at all. Instead, the consistency of the sugar and other key ingredients actually make something that resembles dough, or in the Lush world, we would see this more as being like the consistency of a facial cleanser. 

Cookie Dough is quite sticky and paste-like to touch, and when you scoop a piece out to use across your skin, you'll find that when you massage it across your body, you'll really have to apply pressure in order for it to leave your fingers and transfer onto the body part you're 'scrubbing.' 

Finally, I use the word scrubbing fairly lightly as you don't really get much of an exfoliation at all when using this limited edition product. Even when you work this onto your skin quite rigidly, it doesn't really scrub at all and instead you'll find that you'll gravitate towards kneading it into the skin as opposed to scrubbing to across the body.

Ultimately, once you've applied the product, it may also take a little lathering to remove it under the running water. However, this sticky consistency does mean that the fragrance of Cookie Dough sticks to you quite heavily. You'll be able to smell this product on you for hours, which is very pleasant indeed. Having said that, I cannot really comment on whether the product actually works all that well as a scrub as I don't really notice much of a difference before and after use.

As it lathers up a little when being applied, I have actually began using this more as a replacement for a shower gel, and my skin definitely feels rather clean afterwards. In all fairness, I have found that my bod feels smooth and moisturised after I've done this, so there are definitely merits to using this little treat in the shower or bath.

Overall, I can see why many consumers have fallen in love with this product, as the smell is very pleasant; the texture really does make you think you're enjoying a pudding; and your skin does feel really wonderful afterwards. However, there is still something off-putting to my nose when it comes to Cookie Dough, and it is definitely NOT a scrub by any means.

Quantitative Ingredients: Fine Sea Salt, Cornflour, Talc, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Glycerine, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Granulated Sugar, Vanilla Absolute, Almond essential oil, Balsam Fir Resin, Carob Resinoid, Cocoa Powder, Aloe Vera Extract, Hazelnut Oil, Pistachio Oil, Gardenia Extract, Titanium Dioxide, Lauryl Betaine, *Limonene, Perfume.

Vegan?: Yes.

2019 Price: £13 for 270g.

Year Of Original Release: 2019.

Cookie Dough Lip Scrub

I haven't met a single person who doesn't love the idea of eating cookie dough, and to be honest I couldn't imagine getting on with anybody who disliked it enough so say so. While my sweet tooth is usually satisfied with the daily protein shakes I fuel my body with, finding my willpower to not eat an entire raw batch is harder than squatting my body weight at the gym.

For this reason, I wasn't at all surprised when the Lush community went a little crazy over the Cookie Dough Lip Scrub, when it first made an appearance in the Liverpool Store. I can't deny that I wasn't at least a little intrigued myself to see how close the smell and taste replicated actual cookie dough. Strangely, I found that the fragrance didn't remind me of the sweet treat at all, but that's not to say that it wasn't delicious.

As with every one of Lush's lip scrubs, the key ingredient is caster sugar: a natural exfoliant that not only removes dead skin and debris from the lips, but helps to make the process a little more tasty and enjoyable. Along with a few essential oils, this little scrub will hydrate, soften and plump out your lips, with regular use, and leave them noticeably smoother and healthier.

Alongside the sugar, Cookie Dough contains shea butter, hazelnut oil, vanilla absolute and carob resinoid: a handful of ingredients that go into producing one of the most wonderfully mouth-watering products that the company currently offer. This lip scrub is definitely very dessert-like to my nose, but wouldn't remind me of cookie dough if it hadn't been given that name.

When sniffed up close, there are two prominent notes. Firstly, there's a strong, almost slightly nutty note of the almond oil, which I happen to think is the strongest component of this scrub. Alongside this, there is a sweet and very warming note of vanilla absolute, with just the slightest bitterness of the carob resinoid to finish. 

If I was to compare it to any sort of pudding I've experienced, I would say it is far more in-keeping with the likes of a vanilla and almond sponge; or a bowl of vanilla custard with a cacao and almond sauce over the top. Maybe I've been making my cookie dough a different way all of these years, but none of my batches have ever matched the smell of this lip scrub.

What I will say is that, on the lips, Cookie Dough tastes like a piece of vanilla fudge, and I can see why it would be very easy to eat more than the intended purpose of the product. However, when it comes to the fragrance of the whole scrub, there is something slightly bitter about it that doesn't sit well with me as well as I was expecting it to. Either the hazelnut or the almond oil is a little too strong in the mix, which prevents this scrub from being as yummy as it potentially could have been.

Having said that, Cookie Dough works exactly as you would expect a lip scrub to do, and heeds great results. You simply need to scoop out a tiny amount with your finger - rubbing the scrub all over your lips in a circular motion. The best part is that you then need to use your tongue to lick off the excess sugar, which leaves your lips looking less parched and weathered, and feeling a whole lot better than they did a few seconds beforehand. 


Although this process is completely safe, and the scrub is intended for consumption, I wouldn't suggest that you scoop out masses and eat it by itself (although we've all been tempted!). While a small amount on the lips does taste rather yummy, I can safely say that these scrubs don't work as a replacement for a regular dessert; there is still something 'soapy' about the taste of this, if too much is ingested.

Overall, Cookie Dough Lip Scrub is another great variation from Lush, but one that I wouldn't claim to be my favourite. At the risk of repeating myself, the taste of this is very dessert-like although not at all like the cookie dough I have sampled in my time. As one of these tubs tends to last almost a full year, I don't really have any need to buy another one. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Caster Sugar, Organic Jojoba Oil, Granulated Sugar, Fair Trade Shea Butter, Hazelnut Oil, Fine Sea Salt, Vanilla Absolute, Almond essential oil, Balsam Fir Resin, Carob Resinoid, Gardenia Extract, Pistachio Oil, Cocoa Powder, Titanium Dioxide, *Limonene, Flavour.

Vegan?: Yes.

2019 Price: £2.95 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2019.

Candy Rain Liquid Conditioner

Wait, this Lush product actually contains rain water in the ingredients list? I couldn't quite believe my eyes when I first read what went into making this conditioner: I felt very much like I did the time I discovered that you could buy balls of 'nothing' for a comical price of ten pounds. A part of me thought that perhaps had decided to have their April Fools a month earlier, but then I decided to carry out a little research into why.

Depending on where you live, the water flowing from your tap can be either hard or soft. Hard water is very mineralised and contains limestone and chalk deposits, both rich in calcium carbonate. These minerals can dry up the skin and give volume and lightness to hair, especially fine ones. On the contrary, soft water will help the hair to lie flat, which is great when you’re looking for a smoothing effect. Using this fountain of knowledge, Lush decided to use a generous helping of actual rain water to make this conditioner and crown it the aptly named Candy Rain in the process.

Reading like a vegan dessert or a very exquisite non-dairy milk drink, this limited Candy Rain is easily the greatest smelling liquid conditioner that Lush have ever created. Having said that, if you're not a fan of incredibly potent smells, you may find this far too overbearing for your liking..

Sharing its scent with the Mrs Whippy Bath Bomb, this gorgeous product has an intoxicating blend of tonka absolute and buchu oil. While the latter offers a little blackcurrant fruitiness, the tonka takes over like a pan of burnt caramel and gives the conditioner a rich, smoky sweetness that lingers on your hair for what seems like days. In fact, I've never experienced any Lush hair care product act as strongly on the hair, and it definitely takes a little while to adjust to its potency.

Featuring cashew, macadamia and coconut milk, Candy Rain is super hydrating on your hair, and makes a noticeable difference from the very first use. I found that my hair appeared smoother from the head to the tip, and my locks just looked and felt far more hydrated from the very get-go.

This would easily become a staple for me if Lush chose to bring it out as a permanent product. In fact, having fallen in love with this so much, it made me realise just how crazy it appears that the company continue to release hair care products with such a limited window of time to purchase them. I can only hope that Candy Rain makes enough of a impression to secure a place in the regular range.   

Quantitative Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Cashew Cream, Brazil Nut Milk, Coconut Cream, Macadamia Nut Milk, Cetearyl Alcohol, Perfume, Propylene Glycol, Ethyl Macadamiate, Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, Macadamia Nut Oil, Brazil Nut Oil, Behentrimonium chloride Rain Water, Buchu Oil, Tonka Absolute, Cocoa Absolute, Almond essential oil, Cetrimonium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol Benzyl, Alcohol, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, *Benzyl Benzoate, *Coumarin, Eugenol, *Limonene.

Vegan?: Yes.

2019 Price: £7.95 for 100g, £15.95 for 250g, £26.95 for 500g, £43.95 for 1kg.

Year Of Original Release: 2019.

Scent Family:
Candy Rain Liquid Conditioner
Mrs Whippy Bath Bomb

Cocoa Sugar Scrub Body Scrub

On the first day of my recent adventure in India, I realised how silly I was to have forgotten to pack a decent scrub in my cosmetics bag. It takes visiting a country such as this to truly realise how quickly the human body can get dirty, and indeed how stubborn dirt can be at coming off when you don't have access to a hot shower or two.

After three weeks away, with layers of dust up my nails and my pores clearly stuffed full of debris, I couldn't wait to dive head first into a long pampering session, topped off with toughest exfoliation I could possibly give myself. Cocoa Sugar Scrub was the perfect remedy for this, and I cannot tell you just how grateful I was that I had access to such an amazing scrub. 

Shaped like a bunny rabbit, this chocolate scented Easter release seems at first like an expensive investment. For something that is primarily sugar, the £4.95 price tag seems a little excessive - especially given how quickly some of Lush's previous releases have perished in the shower. However, I can safely say that this scrub appears to be made of steel, as I have used it a good four to five times so far and it has barely shrunk in size at all.

With cocoa powder as one of the key ingredients, the smell of this is a rather generic but equally as lovely musky, chocolately smell. Along with the vanilla and mimosa absolute, a gentle powerful, floral note lingers delicately underneath, creating a smell that reminds me very slightly of the Cupcake Fresh Face Mask. In all honesty, the scent of this is nothing worth writing home about. However, how it functions in the shower is enough to make me want to buy a whole host of these before they disappear.

To use this, you simply need to glide Cocoa Sugar Scrub across the areas that you wish to exfoliate: doing so in a circular motion to rid the skin of excess dirt and debris. Doing this outside the running water from the shower will definitely prolong the number of uses that you can get out of this. As an extra piece of advice for you, I found that if I left the scrub to be exposed to air for a few weeks before using it, the sugar hardened even more and I was able to make this last even longer. Patience definitely pays off!

Once you have massaged it across you skin, you'll need to store this somewhere in between uses, as it does tend to make a sticky mess if simply left on the side. If you 're someone who doesn't like the idea of this, you could opt to cut the scrub into pieces and simply use a smaller piece every time you fancied a scrub. You could also crumble the sugar scrub into a pot and use it this way as well.

What was amazing about Cocoa Sugar Scrub, which may put other consumers off, is that it's such a coarse scrub: one that you can really scratch your skin with without breaking. The inclusion of the aloe vera then helps to soothe and cool your skin as well, so your skin won't be left irritated or red.

After rinsing the product off of my skin, I found that I was able to detect a gentle musky chocolate smell afterwards, although this was thwarted very quickly after I applied my body lotion. What I will say though is that the results stayed with me for a long time afterwards, and I noticed a considerable improvement in the condition of the skin on my arms and legs after only a single use. 

As I left my Cocoa Sugar Scrub to 'sit' for a few weeks, as well as making a conscious effort not use it directly under the running water, I have been able to get a good ten to twelve full body massages out of it, and I could probably have got a few more if I'd tried. This makes the price tag of this Easter special far more understandable, and definitely good value for money. I will definitely be buying a few more of these before the season is out. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Granulated Sugar, Sodium Bicarbonate, Cream of Tartar, Potato Starch, Sodium Coco Sulfate, Cocoa Powder, Perfume, Vanilla Absolute, Mimosa Absolute, Cocoa Absolute, Fair Trade Colombian Cocoa Butter, Aloe Vera Extract, Titanium Dioxide, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Tin Oxide, *Coumarin, Hexyl Cinnamal, Hydroxycitronellal, Isoeugenol, Colour 77491, Colour 15850:1.

Vegan?: Yes.

2019 Price: £4.50 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2019.

Love Island Body Scrub

As someone who watches television on average about once a month, I have never once been sucked into watching the Love Island series. Not only does it hold the same appeal as watching paint dry to me, but I just simply don't have time to commit to any sort of series to begin with. Having said that, I thought that Lush were once again pretty witty with the reference used for this brand new product.

About the size of one half of a bubbleroon, Love Island Body Scrub is initially an anticlimax, and may have some consumers worried about the longevity and usage of something so small. While not overly expensive, £3.50 does seem a stretch for something that looks as if it would fall down the plughole very quickly. However, I can safely say that this little trooper has an impressive amount of life in it, and will serve you a lot longer than you might think.

Sharing its scent with the Love fragrance, this Valentine’s Day special combines bergamot, jasmine, lemongrass and rose together to create a strange but alluring combination of floral, green and fruity properties. The jasmine is definitely the strongest component here: offering a rich, sultry and slightly intoxicating silky-sweet floral aroma.

Alongside this, the lemon and bergamot combine to create something that smells similar to that of soured apple syrup, while a touch of cinnamon laces these components together and adds a sprinkle of warmth underneath. In my opinion, this is definitely one of those fragrances that can inspire a very strong negative reaction. The jasmine is super potent especially, and there are many who cannot stand the aroma for this very reason.

What I will say about this scrub is that this potency remains on your skin long after you've towelled yourself down, and I found that I received a couple of compliments about my 'perfume' a couple of hours after I had used Love Island in the shower. If you enjoy this fragrance, using this is a great way of coating yourself in a blanket of your favourite smell.

What is special about Love Island is that it's made from a combination of sugar, salt and sand. So not only does the inclusion of these three prevent the scrub from being at all fickle or easily breakable, but it also offers more benefits for the skin as well.

If you decide to use this as a whole piece, I would highly recommend that you don't hold it directly under the water, otherwise you'll use a lot more than you probably planning to. Once wet, it will happily rest on a soap dish or in a tub without dismissing or crumbling, and I found that I was able to get four full-body uses out of it this way. Furthermore, using the product this way heeded a very coarse scrub on my skin, which was perfect for me as I love to apply a lot of pressure and really scratch my skin when I scrub. 

If you want something a little less intensive, the best idea is to cut the scrub into four pieces and then crumble each piece whilst your massaging it across your skin. This way you can reserve the rest without it getting wet, and you can be in more control of how hard you exfoliate your skin.

Either way, you'll need to rinse the bath tub briefly afterwards, as the sand tends to remain around the plug hole, and you'll definitely need to moisturise. Whilst Love Island features aloe vera to both cool and calm your skin, the sand, salt and sugar will leave your skin in need of some much needed moisture.

Long term, I would love to see the option of buying pots of this scrub, already crumbled - much like the Life's A Beach Scrub Lush released a few years ago. However, this is definitely a lovely inclusion in this year's Valentine's Day range, and Love fans will no doubt appreciate the sentiment.       

Quantitative Ingredients: Granulated Sugar, Sodium Bicarbonate, Cream of Tartar, Fine Sea Salt, Potato Starch, Sodium Coco Sulfate, Sand, Lemongrass Oil, Bergamot Oil, Jasmine Absolute, Rose Absolute, Ylang Ylang Absolute, Cocoa Powder, Aloe Vera Extract, Gardenia Extract, Titanium Dioxide, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, *Benzyl Benzoate, *Citral, Coumarin, Oakmoss Extract, *Geraniol, *Limonene, *Linalool, Perfume.

Vegan?: Yes.

2019 Price: £3.50 each. 

Year Of Original Release: 2019.

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