Wasabi Shan Kui Liquid Shampo

While I probably eat sushi about once a year, when I do it is usually because I have a hankering for wasabi more than anything else. There is something about that spicy condiment that truly satisfies my tastebuds, even when I overindulge and burn my tongue in the process.

When Wasabi Shan Kui Liquid Shampoo first made an appearance in the Lush liverpool store, complete with its vibrant green exterior, my mind was a-blur with confusing thoughts of how exactly applying horseradish to my hair was going to do anything but cause an unpleasant sting. Priced up at nearly £20 for a 300g bottle was also enough to make me hesitate for a split second: was I really going to spend that much for something I'd usually dip my sushi into?

Within the Lush community, it's very easy to find yourself being ushered into a frenzy when it comes to a product such as this. To begin with, I read a lot of very positive reviews regarding Wasabi, and after a couple of uses I was ready t share that excitement as well. However, when it comes to hair care, I always allow a few weeks of continuous use before I publish a review, simply to ensure that I get a well-rounded experience before I showcase my opinion.

Containing a powerhouse of wasabi, caffeine powder and menthol crystals, this shampoo promises to do many things when it comes to your hair. The former two ingredients work on stimulating your scalp to promote hair growth, which on a longer time scale also looks to add volume and strength to your locks as well.

With a generous helping of both epsom salts and sea salt, this shampoo also offered an immediate boost in thickness across my whole head, which was something I noticed from the very first time I used the shampoo. Alongside the aquafaba, which contains an impressive amount of protein, Wasabi definitely added noticeable volume to my locks and I could feel the difference when I ran my fingers through my hair.

Alongside all of these ingredients, Lush have also included both agave syrup and fresh horseradish, which between them add a combination of antimicrobial and anti-bacterial properties to keep your hair clean and healthy. The latter ingredient is also naturally high in vitamins which serves to keep your hair even healthier after prolonged use.

Lemon, rose and orange oils also play an important role in creating this shampoo. Not only do they leave a big impression on the overall fragrance (which I shall discuss in a moment) but they also work on cleaning and cleansing the hair, whilst adding a natural shine to it afterwards. Finally, the inclusion of the olive oil builds upon that shine as well, whilst inducing the hair with lots of vitamin E and oleic acid to strengthen the hair from root to tip.

With all of these ingredients present, it's probably rather difficult to imagine exactly what Wasabi Shan Kui Shampoo actually smells like. In the bottle, I can smell something that I would describe as being a little sweet and sherbet-like, whilst also holding a gentle note of both wasabi and something that I can only describe as being a little mossy. My first impressions were that it's no way near as offensive as you might assume it would be, given the hefty ingredients list.

Once on your hair, the wasabi is perhaps a little more prominent, although it is combined with both the citrus and the rose oils to sweeten the fragrance and add a subtle cloud of floral underneath. This is definitely not a foody smell by any means, but there is something quite fresh and green-like about it that might still sit uncomfortably for some people's noses. What I will say about this shampoo is that it definitely has a very unique aroma.

What is great about this shampoo is that you don't need much at all to produce a thick, fluffy lather. Half a grape-sized amount is more than sufficient to coat your whole hair with, and you an immediately feel your locks thicken as you massage it across your hair and scalp. Interestingly enough, you can actually feel the little pieces of salt as you lather this up, and within a matter of seconds you can also feel the tingle of the menthol crystals adding a freshness that makes it perfect for the warmer months.

Unfortunately, once I had rinsed the shampoo out of my hair, I could feel that my hair felt very dry and brittle. The ends of my hair were matted and very split, and this condition scared me into thinking that I had truly damaged my hair on a long term basis. While my hair felt really clean overall, the condition wasn't what I was hoping it would be to begin with.

However, once my hair had fully dried, I did notice some improvements. Much like when I first applied it, my hair continued to offer a much more volumised look and feel, and this stayed with me until I washed my hair again some two days later. Furthermore, Wasabi gave my locks a very natural, and equally noticeable, shine to it which made it look as if I had used a conditioner when I in fact not used one at all.

My only concerns with Wasabi Shan Kui is that those consumers with very dry hair may need an extra dosage of moisture to stop their hair going completely offer the scale. As my hair is rather thin and naturally wispy, I did find that this shampoo became a little too intense for my hair, and with bi-daily usage I found that my hair appeared far too messy to wear down by itself. For those reason, I only use this shampoo once a week, and I have found that this is enough to add volume whilst giving enough time for my hair to also receive lots of moisture from other products as well. However, I think that those with hair that is less frizzy than mine will no doubt find many merits in using this as their regular shampoo.

Overall, I have enjoyed using this shampoo, and my little 100g bottle has barely shrunk in size since I have begun doing so. For hair that needs volume and shine, Wasabi is definitely a shampoo that boasts the ability to offer both to all hair types. Having said that, you'll need to consider how you can hydrate your hair alongside using this as that's the only thing that this shampoo doesn't do particularly well.   

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Wasabi Decoction, Epsom Salts, Hand Harvested Sea Salt, Propylene Glycol, Fresh Horseradish, Organic Agave Syrup, Aquafaba, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Fresh Wasabi, Caffeine Powder, Sicilian Lemon Oil, Rose Oil, Organic Sweet Orange Oil, Fresh Lemon Juice, Menthol Crystals, Gardenia Extract, Water (Aqua), Fair Trade Olive Oil, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Bicarbonate, *Citral, *Limonene, *Linalool, Perfume, Chlorophyllin, Colour 19140.

Vegan?: Yes.

2019 Price: £8.95 for 100g, £17.95 for 300g, £29.95 for 500g, £50.95 for 1kg.

Year Of Original Release: 2019.

Willow The Wisp Thickening Serum

There have been times when I’ve truly been tempted to shave off all of my hair and start again. My hair is super sensitive to any change that I put it through, so when a shampoo disagrees with me or a styling product dries my locks out, it’s as if someone has super-glued a bird’s nest to my head and it takes weeks to get it under control again.

Two of the worst traits that my hair possesses is the fact that it’s incredibly thin and it’s super frizzy. Combined, these two factors don’t make it easy to wear my hair down, at least not without a load of product to control the natural wispy nature of my hair. For this reason, when I heard that Lush were bringing out a thickening serum that also promised to control the frizz, I knew I needed it in my life no matter what the cost.

Willow The Wisp is one of Lush’s newest inventions: originally released exclusively for the Liverpool store but recently unveiled as one of May’s Lush Labs exclusives as well. Priced up at £14.95 for a miniature 100g bottle, my initial impression was that this was a rather expensive investment, even if it did exactly what it was supposed to do. Having used it religiously over the past couple of weeks however, and seeing how little of the serum I have actually extracted from the bottle, I can confidently say that this product goes a long long way and is worth every penny, in my opinion.

To use, Lush recommend that you apply a couple of pumps-worth to towel-dried hair and work it through with your fingers. As your hair dries, the high dosage of Epsom salts that have gone into making Willow The Wisp causes your hair to swell, hence giving it a thicker look and temporary volume for a day or two. As salt tends to dry your hair out, there is also a generous helping of extra virgin olive oil to bring that moisture back, along with a dash of lemon juice to add shine and softness.

Firstly, my experience with this thickening serum is that it’s better to brush your hair before applying this. I found that when working into my hair, I was able to create more volume by scrunching my ends and leaving them to dry this way. If I brushed my hair afterwards, it took away a little of this added volume, which is certainly not the look I was going for. 

Once my hair had fully dried, I noticed not only an improvement in the condition of my hair but that my locks appeared and felt noticeably thicker overall. Not only did my hair look and feel shiny, and was far more manageable to the point that I was able to wear it down without adding any other product, but the usual wispy bits at the top of my head had all but disappeared as well. Win win.

The only negative point I will say about this serum is that while my hair did feel softer and smoother overall, I wish there was something a little extra added in to make this super moisturising as well, because my ends still needed a large dose of coconut oil to keep them nourished. However, given the nature of what this product has been designed to do - and how well it does this - this qualm is more of a personal preference as opposed to a product fault.

As if this wasn’t impressive enough, the smell of Willow The Wisp is equally as beautiful, and lingers around for ages like a hair perfume as well. Containing rose absolute, rose oil, rosewood oil, and both lemon and lime oils, this gorgeous serum offers a strong, powdery floral aroma, with a refreshing citrusy after-kick. The rose and rosewood offer a scent not far off of geranium: a musky, naturally sweet and slightly woody cloud of floral; while the fruit ingredients elevate this fragrance and throw in their own uplifting blend of citrus notes.

Obviously, this is only a temporary fix for the condition of my hair and I need to do much more work at building the actual thickness of my locks. However, Willow The Wisp has now become my go-to product whenever I need a little added boost of volume, and I can rely on it to restore my hair as much as it can without the use of magic. This is worth every penny in my eyes and I hope it becomes a part of the permanent range.

Quantitative Ingredients: Silken Tofu, Toothed Wrack Seaweed Gel, Water (Aqua), Propylene Glycol, Epsom Salts, Fine Sea Salt, Perfume, Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), Ethyl Macadamiate, Fresh Lemon Juice, Fresh Lime Juice, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Rose Absolute, Rose Oil, Rosewood Oil, Benzoin Resinoid, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Cetrimonium Chloride, *Benzyl Benzoate, *Benzyl Cinnamate, *Cinnamal, *Citral, Citronellol, *Eugenol, *Farnesol, Geraniol, *Limonene, *Linalool, Colour 42090:2.

Vegan?: Yes.

2019 Price: £15 for 100g.

Year Of Original Release: 2019. 

Magic Crystals Shower Scrub

I was in Thailand when I first heard the news about Magic Crystals Shower Scrub. The unreliable wifi meant that I was only able to get a minute glimpse of what it looked like before the internet failed on me again, for the thousandth time that day. The terrible connection meant that I was also only privy to the odd scraping of rumours regarding what the brand new product would smell like: the latest post telling me that it shared its scent with the now discontinued Magic Bath Bomb. And then the island suffered a power cut for the millionth time.

For this reason, when the tub of beautiful purple gunk arrived on my doorstep some two weeks later, I was confused when a wonderfully fresh scent of mint greeted my nose, as opposed to the overpowering herbal smell I was expecting to receive upon lifting the lid. My surprise led to elation as I realised that I probably wouldn't have enjoyed the scrub all that much, had it truly shared the same fragrance as the aforementioned bath bomb.

With a fresh mint infusion as the key ingredient, and an extra helping of both peppermint and spearmint oils further down, it is these three beauties that make this scrub so wonderfully fresh and uplifting. From the tub and indeed in the shower as well, the cool, minty sensation reminds me very much of Wrigly's chewing gum.

While peppermint can come across as rather potent in certain formats, this scrub lets the spearmint act as the most dominant force: mixing with a little sweetness to soften the harsh kick that mint can something offer. While there's nothing in the ingredients list that suggests where that sweetness comes from, you'll know what I mean when you experience it yourself. There is something slightly rounded out the mint elements that you wouldn't get if it was just mint by itself.

The inclusion of the menthol crystals not only offers a scent that helps to clear your airways under the heat of the warm shower, but also leaves your body feeling super cool and clean. In the shower, you'll feel a gentle tingle of the crystals getting to work on your skin but it won't be anywhere as intense as Christingle Body Conditioner, so you don't need to worry about shivering as you exit the shower during the colder months of the year. 

While there is both sage and rosemary infusions in the mix as well, you don't get very much of a herbal element to the fragrance at all. Although I think that both ingredients do make a minor impression on the senses, I wonder whether this is more because I was expecting there to be something with both of them being so prominent in the creation of this scrub. 

Having said this, both herbal components do their job wonderfully by helping to cleanse and tone the skin with their healing properties. Alongside the gentle buffering of the epsom salts, I found that Magic Crystals left my skin feeling and looking super bright and really refreshed.

A little like Rub Rub Rub, this is far from being a coarse scrub, so those with more sensitive skin will find that this shouldn't irritate your pores or cause any rashes to form. You can buffer as hard as you like with this beauty and you wouldn't do much in the way of damage. For this reason, if you're looking for a scrub that'll remove a thousand layers of dead skin, you'd probably need to look elsewhere.

Once I left the shower, I found that my skin felt noticeably soft and clean, and there was a wonderful fragrance that lingered on my body for a good couple of hours afterwards. In fact, I have enjoyed going to bed most nights after using this and finding remnants of this on my pillow and sheets the next day.

I can see why Magic Crystals has been automatically released as a permanent, and why there is quite a buzz surrounding this scrub. With a product this good, Lush didn't have any qualms about how well this would do. For certain I would purchase this again, and indeed I will. In fact, I think I would miss having a tub of this in my shower if I was ever to run out. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Epsom Salts, Fine Sea Salt, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Perfume, Fresh Mint Infusion, Fresh Rosemary Infusion, Fresh Sage Infusion, Propylene, Glycol, Menthol Crystals, Peppermint Oil, Spearmint Oil, Aniseed Oil, Lactic Acid, Titanium Dioxide, Lauryl Betaine, *Limonene, Colour 17200, Colour 42090:2.

Vegan?: Yes.

2018 Price: £10.95 for 300g, 

Year Of Original Release: 2018.