Groovy Kind Of Love Bath Bomb (2019 Edition)

If there is one thing that appeals to me more than anything else when it comes to my bath bombs, it's the promise of lots of vibrancy and lots of fragrance in the bath tub. Whether or not the bomb is at all moisturising is far less a priority than what the product actually looks like when 'in action.' For this reason, our next bath bomb was definitely high on my list of ones I wanted to try first.

Groovy Kind Of Love is actually not as new as some Lush fans may believe. First released during a showcase event in 2017, this bath bomb has already been made available to lucky fans able to attend the event. Having said that, the scent of the original is very different to the new updated version, and I'll be honest when I say that it took me a while to fully forgive Lush for dropping such an amazing aroma.

Having said that, this brand new edition is equally as scrumptious to look at as much as it is to watch in the water. With the summer fast approaching in the UK, this is definitely a product that I will be buying multiples of for when I'm wanting a refreshing and uplifting experience in the bath.

Firstly, there's no denying that Groovy Kind Of Love is one of the most stunning bath bombs to look at. Sporting an entire rainbow of different colours, this little beauty sends out every colour imaginable when it hits the waters. Puddles of pink and orange, yellow, green and blue foam decorates the surface of the water very quickly, all whilst the bath bomb spins violently under the surface of the water. I can honestly say that I've never seen a bath bomb move so quickly in my bath tub and it was a real joy to watch it go. 

After a short time, Groovy Kind Of Love slows down quite a bit but the colours keep appearing from the core of the bath bomb. Once the product has fully dissolved, you're left with a very beautiful shade of orange to bathe in, which matches the beautiful fruity aroma that lingers alongside this.

As for its new fragrance, this bath bomb offers a collaboration of rosewood, bergamot and ylang ylang, which together create a warm, fruity and very citrusy aroma. The bergamot is definitely the strongest element here, which is why the bath bomb is very bright and almost has what I would say as being slightly juicy, sherbet-like notes to it. Alongside this, the rosewood offers a gentle layer of naturally sweet floral elements, which grounds the smell a little and adds a resinous note underneath.

This is a very refreshing yet equally robust and very warming fragrance, and one that suits the design more than I could have hoped for. What I really appreciated about Groovy Kind Of Love was that the fragrance lingered on throughout my whole experience in the tub, and then onto my skin as I towelled myself down. Although the fruity elements mellowed somewhat, and I found that the rosewood came through a little more during the process, I really enjoyed how settled yet equally refreshed I felt in the bath tub.

While the new fragrance is not as appealing to me as the original was, I still very much appreciate that Groovy Kind Of Love is a bath bomb that is openly available to me at all times. It epitomise the very essence of summer to me and I am so glad I ended up leaving this one to last when trying out all of the 54 new baths bombs.

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Sodium Coco Sulfate, Perfume, Rosewood Oil, Bergamot Oil, Ylang Ylang Oil, Water (Aqua), Propylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Benzyl Alcohol, *Limonene, *Linalool, Colour 47005, Colour 14700, Colour 45410, Colour 45410:1, Colour 42090, Colour 17200, Colour 19140.

Vegan?: Yes.

2019 Price: £6.95 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2019.

coming soon!

Moon Spell Bath Bomb

There are times when I truly believe I have started to conquer the art of adulthood, only to come face-to-face with the reality that a.I really have no idea what I'm doing, and probably never will do; and b. That I wont ever be more than a twelve year old wrapped in an older shell. Having said this, the latter statement is something that I am truly happy to live with, so I shan't endeavour to change that about myself.  

When I heard consumers describing Moon Spell Bath Bomb as being candy-scented, and sweet; like sugar and spice and all things nice, the adolescent in me began to salivate at the thought of those teeth-rotting luxuries that sometimes find myself craving. The mere thought of being able to bathe in such a fragrance was enough to send my mind into overdrive.

Yet, when this bath bomb arrived on my doorstep, I found myself deeply disappointed by the lack of smell that it offered me from the get-go. If you enjoy candy that smells like they forgot to add most of the flavouring, this may well appeal to you. However, unless you're someone who prefers very gentle-scented baths, you may wish to avoid this one altogether.

While Brazilian orange oil appears to be the only key ingredient in this bath bomb, I found that the scent was far more delicate than I was expecting, and pertained a rather powdery sweetness as opposed to a fruitiness. In fact, Moon Spell almost smells like a bath bomb before a fragrance has been added: just a sweet, slightly musky smell.

What sets Moon Spell apart from most of the other bath bombs currently available over on Lush's website is that the design has two interlocking pieces that can be separated and used at two different times. While this is not mandatory by any means, consumers who wish to be more conservative with their bath bombs will no doubt appreciate how the design of this bomb lends itself in this way. However, because of how soft the scent was to begin with, I chose to use the whole thing in one go, and this was the result:

Firstly, I should point out that the blue piece of the bath bomb was an extremely slow fizzer: taking almost twenty minutes to fully dissolve in the water. If there was a record for the slowest-working bath bomb, this would be hailed as the clear winner. The smaller pink then is actually a jelly bomb, with carrageenan extract to add extra nourishment to the water.

If you're someone who is slightly hesitant to use this because of this latter fact, you'll be pleased to know that it doesn't create a sticky mess in and around your tub, and you won't be left covered in goo. In fact, this small piece offers the perfect amount of 'jelly' to add enough moisture without turning your bath into a swamp.

Once fully dissolved, Moon Spell offers a gentle shade of pale lilac in the water, which if my eyes weren't deceiving me, almost turned slightly grey throughout the duration of my bath. While not a colour that will inspire much of a reaction, it did make a change from the more vibrant baths I've been having as of late.

As to be expected, I found that the scent was almost nonexistent in the water and I certainly couldn't smell any traces of it on my skin afterwards. While my body did feel and look noticeably moisturised, my experience wasn't any different to what most of Lush's other bath bombs can offer.

Despite its captivating description, pretty design and skin-softening properties, Moon Spell didn't cast that much of a reaction over me, and I can see this disappearing through lack of sales in the near future. As you would expect, this is definitely not one that interests me enough to buy again, especially given how many other incredible bath bombs are available to buy at any given time.      

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Carrageenan Extract, Brazilian Orange Oil, Water (Aqua), Glycerine, Titanium Dioxide, Dipropylene, Glycol Disodium, Lauryl Sulfosuccinate, Hydroxy propyl methyl cellulose, Sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, *Limonene, Perfume, Colour 45410, Colour 42090, Colour 17200.

Vegan?: Yes.

2019 Price: £5.95 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2019.

coming soon!

Star Spell Bath Bomb

As I come to the end of reviewing all of the products released by Lush to celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of the 'bath bomb', I am finding a few surprises along the way, which always adds a little extra treat to the experience of using each bath bomb to begin with.

When I first gave Star Spell a sniff, squeezed as it was between two of the forty other bath bombs that had arrived on my doorstep that day, I can honestly say that I didn't smell very much at all. In fact, it took a good matter of weeks before the potent fragrance of my order settled enough for me to appreciate them all on an individual basis. This is when I discovered that this beautiful little treat shares its scent with the likes of Snowman Shower Jelly, A Bunch Of Carrots Reusable Bubble Bars and Aster La Vista Soap.

Featuring buchu, lemon and bergamot oils, this bath bomb has a strong - and what I would describe as being a - fizzy, fruity aroma: one that is best suited for those who enjoy uplifting, playful yet rather simplistic smells. Much like how I described the aforementioned products above, this lovely bath bomb offers a fragrance that reminds me of fresh tropical juice with a sherberty twist. 

Yet unlike Aster La Vista and both the Snowman FUN and Jelly, Star Spell is slightly more reserved with its fragrance, and instead has more of a powdery note instead of the zesty top note, which the bath bomb format naturally lends itself to creating. While the aroma is still recognisably from the same scent family, there are some differences between this and the other products in the range.

What sets Star Spell apart from most of the other bath bombs currently available over on Lush's website is that the design has two interlocking pieces that can be separated and used at two different times. While this is not mandatory by any means, consumers who wish to be more conservative with their bath bombs will no doubt appreciate how the design of this bomb lends itself in this way. However, like the greedy minx that I am, I chose to use the whole thing in one go, and this was the result:

Firstly, I should warn you (perhaps a little too excitedly) that I have never heard a louder bath bomb than this one. Packed full of enough popping candy to keep a whole class crackling for a month, Star Spell spits and pops aggressively while the bath bomb is dissolving in the water, and then it continues to crackle gently as you submerge yourself beneath the beautiful orange water.

Once the bath bomb has fully dissolved, the wonderful orange water also offers up a silver sparkle underneath the surface, which doesn't transfer onto your skin at all during your bathing, and washes away with ease after the plug has been pulled. Aside from merely looking pretty, the lustre does also offer a lovely shimmer in the water, which looks absolutely stunning when the sun is shining directly into the bath.

What is great about Star Spell is that it is really moisturising on the skin, even though there is nothing in the ingredients list to suggest what makes it so. The inclusion of the bergamot, buchu and lemon oils also helps to clean out your pores and leaves your skin with a radiant glow afterwards. I was really impressed by how vibrant and beautiful my complexion looked and felt after using this bath bomb.

Interestingly enough, Lush have also included a helping of xanthan gum which supposedly 'makes Star Spell feel cold to the touch.' While the effects of this weren't anywhere near as crisp and cooling as menthol crystals tend to be, there was something rather refreshing about bathing with this one, which made it perfect for the warmer weather at the time.

Unfortunately, the scent of this bath bomb doesn't really make it that far outside of the bath tub and I wasn't able to smell more than the faintest of smells on my skin afterwards. However, it did remain prominent during my time spent in the tub, and it definitely set my mood into a positive one that stayed with me for the rest of the day.

Although not a show-stopper by any means, this bath bomb has 'star' qualities that will make it a popular choice amongst Lushies. Children and adults alike can enjoy this little beauty at any time of the year and this is one that I would definitely consider buying again, at some point in the future.

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Popping Candy, Bergamot Oil, Buchu Oil, Sicilian Lemon Oil, Water (Aqua), Titanium Dioxide, Xanthan Gum, Dipropylene Glycol, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Tin Oxide, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, *Limonene, Perfume, Colour 47005, Colour 14700.

Vegan?: Yes.

2019 Price: £5.95 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2019.

coming soon!

Flower Power Bath Bomb

Flower Power is one of two bath bombs from the recent mass-release that features a muslin cloth wrapped around it. While aesthetically pleasing, the purpose behind these designs is to prevent the many 'bits' from escaping and find their way into the water. As this bomb features a heap of sunflower petals as part of its design, this biodegradable cloth does all of the 'cleaning' so you don't have to.

One of 54 bath bombs brought out for the Harajuku store, this is definitely one for the floral fans to pick up. Containing lime, rose and rosewood oils, this beautiful bath bomb smells like a bouquet of flowers, with a gorgeous woody undertone to give the overall scent a muskiness unlike any other. This latter component helps to give Flower Power a rich, powdery layer that makes this one of the best floral fragrances I have experienced from Lush in a while.

Unfortunately, when this bath bomb was placed in the water, I found out pretty quickly that I wasn't going to get much in the way of bath art at all. While it offered a delightful crackle as it was dissolving, Flower Power produced next to nothing in the way of colour, and my tub was left with only a slightly yellow tinge once it had finished.

When compared to Deep Sleep - the other bath bomb released with the muslin wrapping, I feel as if Lush could have simply added a single colour to the ingredients list, and the bath bomb would have impressed me a whole of a lot more. While colour isn't everything, when I treat myself to a bath, I do expect to see some sort of colour in my water.

There is always the option for you to open the muslin cloth and allow for the sunflower petals to decorate the surface of the water. However, to me that almost defeats the point of this bath bomb having the muslin cloth to begin with, and the mess it would make would probably not counteract the amount of enjoyment I would get out of bathing with petals everywhere. 

What I will say is that Flower Power leaves a lasting impression on the water in terms of moisture. Once it had dissolved, I was able to see a slight glimmer across the water, and my skin felt amazing within minutes of submerging myself beneath the surface. This feeling continued after I had exited the tub, and I didn't need to moisture afterwards either.

Furthermore, the fragrance itself also lingers around during the whole experience, and even leaves a little muskiness on your skin afterwards, which I appreciated. In fact, I would still smell the scent of the sunflowers and the rose on my skin for a good two to three hours after I had towelled myself down. This latter point made me recognise how wonderful this scent would be as a perfume; not that I particularly want Lush to release anything new at the moment.

Ultimately, Flower Power would be so much more impressive if there was some sort of bath art to enjoy when using it. For the price you pay, you should be getting more than just a muslin cloth and a handful of sunflower petals. While the bath bomb has been award four out of six, this is mostly due to its wonderful scent, and how it made my skin feel. However, it only scraped this verdict by the skin of its teeth.

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Honeysuckle, Meadowsweet, Sunflower Petals, Lime Oil, Rose Oil, Rosewood Oil, Dipropylene Glycol, Citronellol, Geraniol, *Limonene, *Linalool, Perfume.

Vegan?: Yes.

2019 Price: £5.95 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2019.

coming soon!

Giant Lavender Bombshell

It's 2019 and it seems to have become a regular occurrence for companies to bring out giant-sized bath bombs for people to indulge in. While there are times I wonder just how consumers justify to themselves while £15 for a bath product is reasonable, I'm over here purchasing them all for myself as well, so I have no leg to stand on.

Yet, over the last six months, Lush have brought out a few limited edition Bombshells that have actually made the large investment worth it, and I will happily admit that I'm now a lot less cynical when it comes to the company's bigger, and more expensive, releases.

Giant Lavender Bombshell is one of four enlarged balls of sodium bicarbonate that are currently available on their website to purchase; and is easily one of my favourite ones to date. While it doesn't looks as colourful or as exciting as some of the others, this one certainly makes up for it when it comes to how it performs in the bath. 

Containing a combination of rose, chamomile, tea tree and lavender, the scent of this is a beautifully gentle, slightly sweet and delicately herbal aroma. To my nose, the latter ingredient offered the most presence but you could also detect hints of the other three ingredients as well. 

While not the strongest of smells, this is actually the point of this bombshell, and the aroma is still robust enough to see you through your whole experience; not to mention on your skin afterwards as well. This is the perfect bomb to use before bed, as it calms you down so much, and I could feel my eyes struggling to stay open before I'd even left the bath.

Easily the most impressive element to Giant Lavender Bombshell is the fact that it features oat flour, which I genuinely believe should be featured in near on every bath bomb that Lush produce. This magical ingredient creates a sort of 'milky froth' when the product is dissolving, and only serves to make the water even softer than your average bath bomb.

Upon hitting the water, this bombshell immediately began to send out a huge wave of creamy, white, bubbly foam across the surface of the tub. Unless you saw it for yourself, you wouldn't quite believe how quickly the bath filled up with this fragrant froth; it was super impressive. 

After a few seconds, the bomb opened up to release not only an entire dried rose head, but a load of sprigs of lavender and dried chamomile flower heads as well. These all floated across the surface during my bathing, and I then had to scoop them out afterwards before pulling the plug. 

What I will say is that these additions do make this bath bomb rather messy; especially the lavender sprigs that tend to break off into little pieces and litter the surface of the water. For those who don't want to be covered in dried plants during their soak; or those who don't want to spend their day unblocking the plug after their bath, I would highly suggest you take these additions out before using the bath bomb.

While I could have heeded my own advice, as I found the bombshell a little too messy for my liking, I also like to try the product exactly as it was intended for, so I can experience the full 'package' before writing my reviews. In this case, it was the 'extra filling' that prevented Giant Lavender Bombshell from achieving full marks from myself.

As to be expected, this extra large bath bomb left my skin feeling incredible, and I certainly didn't need to moisturise afterwards. They key components relaxed me enough that I was able to go to bed without meditating, and get a good, deep sleep. This is a bombshell that I would buy again, but this time I certainly wouldn't allow the dried flowers to share the tub with me.  

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Oat Flour, Titanium Dioxide, Rose Absolute, Chamomile Blue Oil, Tea Tree Oil, Lavender Oil, Dried Roman Chamomile Flower, Dried Lavender Sprigs, Dried Rose, Water (Aqua), Dipropylene Glycol, *Linalool, Perfume.

Vegan?: Yes.

2019 Price: £14.95 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2019.

coming soon!

Blue Skies And Fluffy White Clouds Bath Bomb

There are some staple Lush products that I can return to again and again and know that I'll get an excellent experience no matter what's going on around me. These are the items that keep my heart bound to a company, that I believe occasionally go a bit wayward when it comes to the quality of their releases sometimes.

Blue Skies And Fluffy White Clouds is one such gem: a beautiful bubble bar made from an amalgamation of light blue and white swirls; and pertaining a scent that would soothe even the most savage of beasts. In fact, the scent of this regular-line bubble bar is one of my favourite that Lush have ever produced, and finding out that the company were releasing it in bath bomb format simply filled me with elation. And it didn't disappoint.

As soon as this bath bomb hit the water, it began to fizzle and crackle, sending out foam-like waves of pale blue and white streams across the surface. While a reasonably slow fizzer, this bath bomb did seem to produce a lot of colour in a short amount of time, and before I knew it there was a silky-soft blanket across the water. 

After a couple of minutes, Blue Skies finally subsided: leaving behind a wonderful translucent blue water, with the tiniest hint of silver sparkles under the surface. Yet, what I found most impressive was the fact that the fragrance of this bath bomb was super robust and resistant, and was one of the strongest bath products I have had in a while.

Containing patchouli, frankincense and cinnamon as the three main notes, this bath bomb is perfectly designed to calm your mind and relax your body. The patchouli offers both a spicy, warming note, whilst also grounding the overall fragrance with a touch of earthiness as well. The cinnamon dances with the spicy element of the latter ingredient, and adds its own note to compliment and intensify the aroma.

Finally, the frankincense brings all of the other components together and adds its own sweet, woodiness to seal the deal. Utterly unique in fragrance, this is one of those products that you just simply have to try from Lush to appreciate how unique this creation is. No matter how much of a wordsmith somebody may think they are, they could never fully bring this aroma to life. I needs to be experienced.

As if the scent and performance wasn't enough, frankincense is known for both  rejuvenating the condition of the skin, and helping to soothe and calm the mind as well. And this is exactly what Blue Skies And Fluffy White Clouds did for me. I felt super relaxed and ready for bed after my bath, and my skin felt silky soft and smooth. In fact, I found that I didn't need to moisturise afterwards, which was a welcome bonus.

Overall, I expected this bath bomb to win me over and I am super grateful that it did. If you love the bubble bar, you'll love this rendition as well. Equally, if you're not a fan of this scent family, you'll probably not get much out of using one of these. This bath bomb has one of the calmest, most interesting scents that Lush currently offer, and I hope it sticks around for a long time. I will be buying this again in the future.

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Perfume, Patchouli Oil, Frankincense Resinoid, Cinnamon Leaf Oil, Cream of Tartar, Titanium Dioxide, Water (Aqua), Sodium Coco Sulfate, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Tin Oxide, Amyl Cinnamal, *Eugenol, *Limonene, Colour 42090.

Vegan?: Yes.

2019 Price: £5.95 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2019.

coming soon!