When I first discovered the table of Lush's new hair care range at the Showcase event, I was rather intimidated by just how many new items there were, and I set about trying to acquire one of each for me to experience, review and share with the online community.
During my manic dashing to grab one of everything, I was told by a member of staff that I wasn't actually allowed to take every one of the hair marshmallows because of how limited they were for stock. Luckily, I had many friends around me who were able to help me get most of them, but I was so close to putting this one back and picking up another. The very thought of not experiencing this one myself almost brings a tear to my eye.
I should probably start by saying that in the beginning Willo the Wisp Hair Marshmallow absolutely stinks - to the point that it overpowered all sixty of the other products in my bag at the time. To my nose, the shampoo smells like a science experiment gone wrong, and I can imagine many consumers will be put off from this enough to never invest furthermore.
This is a shame as the fragrance definitely dampens down quite a bit if it's left to 'rest' for a couple of weeks before use, and then it doesn't ever reach that ridiculously smelly level again. In fact, after a couple of weeks I started to appreciate the smell quite a bit, as the various fruity oil and the lavender came through a lot more. It was then that Willo The Wisp started to offer a rather wonderful but gentle smell.
While at first I simply assumed that Lush's new Hair Marshmallows were just an alternative to the regular shampoo bar - and another naked way to replace the liquid hair care range as well - there was definitely far more than initially met the eye.
Not only are these bricks of ingredients incredibly light - very much like holding a polystyrene block, but you need very little of the product each time you want to wash your hair. Thanks to the inclusion of the aqua faba, which is the high-protein water that beans and chickpeas have been cooked in, these marshmallows create a beautifully light and fluffy foam that not only cleans and softens your hair, but also enriches your locks with that extra protein - which only serves to strength, condition and thicken your hair.
Willo the Wisp in particular has been designed to add volume and thickness to lacklustre locks, while the inclusion of the olive oil helps to strengthen and condition your hair as well. The magnesium sulfate, which is also known as epsom salts, gets to work at plumping and volumizing your hair at the same time, and to say it works is an understatement.
I only had to use this shampoo once to reap the full benefits of what it had to offer. Not only was my hair instantly more manageable, beautifully silky-soft and light to the touch, and with a wonderful shine to boot, but there just seemed to be an extra burst of life about my hair that wasn't there prior to washing it. There are very few times when a product makes such a massive impression on me, in such a short amount of time, but this is up there as being one of my favourite Lush hair care products without a doubt.
Much like the other marshmallows, this block worked really well with a minimal amount of the product, and I was able to heed enough foam to wash my whole head with, with a piece about the size of a small grape. and I could probably have gotten away with using a little less as well. To use, I simply crumbled the piece in my hand; added a little water to start the lather off; and then massaged it between my hands, and then across my whole head, to create a generous amount of silky foam.
After washing it off, my hair felt instantly softer and not as wirey as it had been before, which just made me feel amazing. I continued using this every second or third day, without the need of a conditioner afterwards, and I found that my hair needed very little prep if I wanted to wear it down, which is a rare occurrence when it comes to my mane.
Out of all of the hair marshmallows, this one was 'destined' to be my least favourite, and ended up my favourite. I cannot recommend Willo The Wisp high enough and I only hope that this makes its way into the stores very soon. Without a shadow of a doubt, this would be my permanent shampoo if it ever made it into the regular range.
Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Coco Sulfate, Aquafaba, Cetearyl Alcohol & Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Propylene Glycol, Hand Harvested Sea Salt, Magnesium Sulfate, Citric Acid, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Perfume, Organic Agave Syrup (Agave Tequilana), Lemon Juice (Citrus limonum), Guar Gum (Guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride), Bergamot Oil (Citrus Aurantium bergamia), Lavender Oil (Lavandula angustifolia), Sicilian Lemon Oil (Citrus limonum), Persian Lime Oil (Citrus aurantifolia), Fair Trade Olive Oil (Olea europaea), Leucine, Glycine, Alanine, Isoleucine, Arginine, Threanine, Cocoamidopropyl Betaine, *Citral, *LImonene, *Linalool, Colour 42090, Colour 42090:2.
Vegan?: Yes.
2018 Price: £12 for 100g.
Year Of Original Release: 2018.
Don't Touch My Hair should have been the first hair marshmallow that I decided to use, if only because it shares its scent with the wonderful Avocado Cowash range. This beautiful fragrance is a combination of litsea cubeba, olibanum and bergamot oils, which combine to create a smell that reminds me of freshly made lime cheesecake.
While it is definitely not a zesty or a spritzy smell, there is something warm, succulent and fruity about this Lush fragrance. Every time I come across a new product with the same scent, I find myself craving dessert to the point of insanity - so perhaps not a great shampoo to use when I'm trying to stick to my training diet.
Unfortunately, this hair marshmallow didn't offer me an experiment anywhere near as positive as the likes of The Black Stuff or Mint Condition, as my hair took to it horribly, and it spent a good couple of weeks quite literally trying to wash the effects of this Showcase exclusive out of my locks.
For those unfamiliar with the concept of a hair marshmallow, these odd looking bricks of colour are an alternative to the likes of the regular shampoo bars and liquid hair care. What makes them special is the fact that these limited editions are the lightest product you have ever witnessed coming from Lush's vaults.
As I've said in previous reviews, holding one of these is very much like holding a polystyrene block, and it is thanks to the inclusion of the aqua faba that allows it to be this way. Aqua faba is the name given to the water that various beans and chickpeas have been cooked in - which myself and many other vegan bakers use as a replacement for eggs in our cakes. After a little whisking, aqua faba creates a light, fluffy foam that Lush have managed to adapt and use to create these super airy blocks of shampoo.
The idea is that you crumble a small piece into your hand; add a little water to start the lather off; and then massage it between your palms before transferring it across your whole head. All of the hair marshmallows that I have tried so far have created a thick, fragrant foam that coats and washes the hair with ease.
Don't Touch My Hair has been specially designed to add shine and hydrate your locks at the same time. Containing avocado, capuacu and mango butters, this shampoo bar should moisturise and condition your hair during use, so that you can feel a difference when rinsing the suds away. Lemon juice and cider vinegar then brightens the hair; brings out your natural highlights; and adds a much needed shine.
What I found was that while the shampoo did the latter to my hair, and I was able to see the effects of it for days afterwards, it certainly did not leave my hair feeling all that moisturised. In fact, out of all of the marshmallows, this was one of the only ones that didn't make my hair feel instantly softer whilst I was washing away the foam.
After using this hair marshmallow, my locks were difficult to brush through, my ends felt drier and wispier, and I had to use a variety of oils to try and replenish the moisture that had clearly been removed during use. Whether this was a product fault or just simply a case of this marshmallow not suiting my hair type, I am unsure. However, Don't Touch My Hair is not one that I would consider purchasing again.
Ironically, if this marshmallow was to approach me in person, I really would tell it not to go anywhere near my hair. It took me a good two days of using intensive treatments to revert my locks back to their previous state, and I certainly don't want to have to repeat that any time in the near future.
Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Coco Sulfate, Oats and Banana extracted in Propylene Gycol (Avena sativa: Musa paradisica), Aquafaba, Cetearyl Alcohol & Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, SIlica, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Olea europaea), Organic Jojoba Oil (Simmondsia chinensis), Perfume, Guar Gum (Guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride), Litsea Cubeba Oil, Olibanum Oil (Boswellia carterii), Bergamot Oil (Citrus Aurantium bergamia), Avocado Butter (Persea gratissima), Mango Butter (Mangifera indica), Cupuacu Butter (Theobroma grandiflorum), Organic Cider Vinegar, Lemon Juice (Citrus limonum), Gardenia Extract (Gardenia jasminoides), Cocoamidopropyl Betaine, Cetrimonium Chloride, Amyl Cinnamal, *Citral, *Limonene, *LInalool, Colour 19140.
Vegan?: Yes.
2018 Price: £12 for 100g.
Year Of Original Release: 2018.
Scent Family:
Avocado Cowash Body Spray
Avocado Cowash
Avocado No Wash Body Lotion
Avocado Wash Shower Gel
Don't Touch My Hair Hair Marshmallow
Melusine Bath Bomb
Minamisoma Shower Oil
As I've said time and time again, just when you think Lush cannot possibly come up with anything weirder or more interesting, they go ahead and prove you wrong. Such is the case with these brand new hair marshmallows, that have only currently made an appearance during the Lush Showcase event earlier this year.
The Black Stuff is one of six hair marshmallows to appear in very limited amounts back in September, and it's taken me a good month to get into the swing of using these new concepts in the correct and most effective manner. What I will say in each of these reviews, is that while you get a lot of 'product' for your money, these early renditions are still slightly crumbly, and it may be a problem if you decide that you want to travel with them.
While at first I simply assumed that these were just an alternative to the regular shampoo bars - and another naked way to replace the liquid hair care range - there is far more here than meets the eye. As someone who has always maintained that you should never judge a book by its cover, this can safely be said for these rather messy looking bricks.
When I first picked up The Black Stuff, I couldn't believe just how light the product was: it's very much like holding a polystyrene block. And it's thanks to the inclusion of the aqua faba that allows it to be this way. For those unfamiliar with what this ingredient is, it's just the water that beans and chickpeas have been cooked in - which myself and many other vegan bakers use as a replacement for eggs in our cakes. After a little whisking, aqua faba creates a light, fluffy foam that Lush have managed to adapt and use to create these super airy blocks of shampoo.
Aside from how light the components is, aqua faba is also known for being high in protein, which alongside the inclusion of the hydrolysed wheat protein in The Black Stuff, makes this shampoo super effective at maintaining, strengthening, thickening and generally helping to make your hair even healthier.
The inclusion of the molasses in this limited edition then offers a wonderfully rich supplement to soften your locks, and give it a wonderful shiny to carry with you throughout the day. I was super impressed by just how quickly this product got to work at conditioning my hair, and I didn't even need to use an actual conditioner afterwards.
While this blocks work really well, with minimal amount of product, they are definitely very crumbly, so you'd need to consider how to store these in between uses. Furthermore, left out in the open, the marshmallows tend to turn a little sticky, and this means that you're left trying to scrape the product off the paper. Given that Lush haven't offered anything to hold them in between uses means that you'll have to use your imagination, or simply allow the block to leave sticky marks for you to clean away.
However, after only using a small grape's worth of The Black Stuff, I was able to heed enough foam to washed my whole head with, and I could probably have gotten away with using a little less as well. To use, I simply crumbled the piece in my hand; added a little water to start the lather off; and then massaged it between my hands, and then across my whole head, to create a generous amount of silky foam.
Unlike a lot of shampoos, Lush and otherwise, I found that this one felt really softening when it was in my hair, so I knew straight away that I was going to be left with silky locks afterwards. As if to prove this, I chose my condition my hair at all for the few days I used this and found that my hair still looked and felt really smooth and shiny.
Unfortunately, my hair is rather stubborn when it comes to my attempts to add volume, so I didn't really notice much change in how thick my hair felt over time. However, my dry ends and the rest of my hair did feel more manageable, and certainly appeared more tame, without looking or feeling thin and lifeless.
In terms of the smell of this hair marshmallow, the myrrh and molasses make the biggest impression. The Black Stuff shares its scent with R&B Hair Moisturiser, and offers a prominent sweet smell with subtle balsamic qualities underneath. However, there are also little notes of both the yeast and the stout as well, which aren't exactly pleasant, but definitely isn't strong enough to put many people off using this.
As an estimate, I would probably say that a 100g block of this shampoo would probably last me about three months, which is a little less than that of a regular disc-shaped bar. Given the price tag, it does appear to work out a tad more expensive in the long run. However, I do like how this worked on my hair; how quickly it improved my hair's condition and shine; and I figure that if I can use this without a conditioner, I'm saving money in the long run.
Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Coco Sulfate, Glyceryl Stearate, Propylene Glycol, Aquafaba, Molasses, Perfume, Activated Charcoal, Water (Aqua), Stout, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Organic Balsamic Vinegar, Yeast, Guar Gum, Orange Flower Absolute, Jasmine Absolute, Titanium Dioxide, Cetrimonium Chloride, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Tin Oxide, *Benzyl Benzoate Butyl, Methoxydibenzoylmethane, *Eugenol, *Farnesol, *Geraniol, *Hydroxycitronellal, *Limonene, *Linalool, Colour 77491, Colour 77266, Colour 17200, Colour 42090.
Vegan?: Yes.
2018 Price: £12 for 100g.
2019 Price: £15 for 100g.
Year Of Original Release: 2018 as a Hair Marshmallow; 2019 as a Protein Shampoo.
First there came the solid disks; next we saw the introduction of cheese-like slabs; and now Lush are trying to get us to use marshmallows as a way of cleaning our hair. While this would probably alienate most consumers of other companies, Lush fans are diving straight in to see where this next adventure will take us - myself included.
When I first set my eyes on the odd-looking, colourful bricks of 'haircare' during the Showcase last weekend, I honestly questioned how I would be able to cart home a piece of each, when they each looked like they weighed a tonne. You can imagine my surprise then when I went to pick one up and found that they were as light as a feather.
While super crumbly at times, and perhaps a little too fragile for mainstream release just yet, Lush's new innovative range of hair marshmallows are just a new and unique way to replace the boring bottle of shampoo a lot of us rely on to clean our hair.
How Lush make these so light is by using an ingredient called aqua faba, which is the water that a bean or legume has been cooked in. Bakers have cottoned on very quickly over the last few years, that the water in a can of chickpeas can imitate and replace that of a beaten egg. After a little whisking, aqua faba creates a light, fluffy foam that Lush have then used to create these super airy blocks of shampoo.
Mint Condition Hair Marshmallow first attracted me because of its claims to stimulate hair growth: a problem I've been struggling with for years. With the levels of stress my body goes through at times, and the bad choices I've made in the past regarding my diet, my hair has lost a lot of weight that just doesn't want to come back. Any product that claims to strengthen, lengthen or help the growth of my locks, and I'm all over it like a rash.
Containing both peppermint oil, which stimulates the scalp, and menthol to refresh your whole head, you would expect this limited edition to offer a strong, slightly cooling minty smell. However, I was surprised to find that the smell of this is very subtle. You can definitely smell the mint about anything else, but it's a gentle and slightly sweet minty smell.
While it was a very simplistic smell, I was much more interested in getting to grips with how these marshmallows worked, and whether or not they would actually be successful in washing my hair. What I found was that the blocks themselves are rather crumbly. For this reason, they wouldn't be a good replacement for the circular discs at all. In fact, carrying these anywhere with me whilst I was travelling seemed more like a nightmare when I saw how easy they were to break.
Furthermore, they're rather difficult to store. Left out in the open, the marshmallows tend to turn a little sticky, and this means that you're left trying to scrape the product off the paper. Given that Lush haven't offered anything to hold them in between uses means that you'll have to use your imagination, or simply allow the block to leave sticky marks for you to clean away.
Having said that, Mint Condition was really effective and super impressive. As someone who has medium to long hair, I only needed to use the amount of a small grape each time. To use, I simply crumbled the piece in my hand; added a little water to start the lather off; and then massaged it between my hands, and then across my whole head, to create a generous amount of silky foam.
Unlike a lot of shampoos, Lush and otherwise, I found that this one felt really softening when it was in my hair, so I knew straight away that I was going to be left with silky locks afterwards. As if to prove this, I chose my condition my hair at all for the few days I used this and found that my hair still looked and felt really smooth and shiny.
While I wouldn't claim that it could rival that of an actual conditioner, I was genuinely surprised and impressed to find a shampoo that left my hair in that good condition. Not only did it look far healthier - with a little more life infused into it - but my hair felt as if it had more volume. Obviously, I'm not under the impression that Lush can perform miracles and stimulate hair growth in a few days. But there is something in Mint Condition that does add volume and removes some of that lifelessness that I've been struggling with for a while.
As an estimate, I would probably say that a 100g block of this shampoo would probably last me about three months, which is a little less than that of a regular disc-shaped bar. Given the price tag, it does appear to work out a tad more expensive in the long run. However, I do like the scent of this one, and how much it's changed my hair in such a short space of time, so I would definitely buy this if it became a regular item.
Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Coco Sulfate, Aquafaba, Cetearyl Alcohol & Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Propylene Glycol, Fresh Mint (Mentha piperita), Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Menthol, Silica, Spearmint Oil (Mentha spicata), Lemon Juice (Citrus limonum), Guar Gum (Guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride), Peppermint Oil (Mentha piperita), Caffeine Powder, Gardenia Extract (Gardenia jasminoides), Cetrimonium Chloride, Cocoamidopropyl Betaine, *Limonene, Perfume, Colour 42053, Colour 45350.
Vegan?: Yes.
2018 Price: £12 for 100g.
Year Of Original Release: 2018.
UP
I should probably start by saying that in the beginning Willo the Wisp Hair Marshmallow absolutely stinks - to the point that it overpowered all sixty of the other products in my bag at the time. To my nose, the shampoo smells like a science experiment gone wrong, and I can imagine many consumers will be put off from this enough to never invest furthermore. 
Willo the Wisp in particular has been designed to add volume and thickness to lacklustre locks, while the inclusion of the olive oil helps to strengthen and condition your hair as well. The magnesium sulfate, which is also known as epsom salts, gets to work at plumping and volumizing your hair at the same time, and to say it works is an understatement.
