Goth Juice Hair Gel

It was during my first year of High School that I first 'went over to the dark side'. It was midway through year 9 when I was introduced to my first metal band and made it my mission to transform a once average-looking girl into one that wore nothing but black and subjected her hair to so much dye that I'm surprised I have any hair left to talk of.

Back then I had no idea how to look after my hair - I lived by the rule that unless I was going out on a Friday night, there was no reason to clean my locks, which resulted in some pretty nasty results. At the time I had no idea how to tame the bushy mane on top of my head and this meant I used excess amount hair spray, mousse, gel, wax - sometimes all at once, which as you can imagine, didn't exactly help the situation. 

Years later, and with a head of wonderfully conditioned and well looked-after hair, I am a little hesitant to start putting unknown cosmetics in without reading up on them first. Whether it was the name, the colour or the smell, there was something about this product that enticed me intro trying it, and I'm so glad I did. 

Goth Juice is a funky purple-coloured hair gel that claims to 'hold, style, fix and revive' your hair. It's especially designed to calm frizzy hair whilst giving it a natural volume. Containing a whole variety of different ingredients, this product probably boasts the strangest yet most beautiful smell for a haircare item.

With oakmoss absolute, hemp oil and fresh lemon infusion, this gel has a deep, dark and rather herby fragrance. Yet unlike Tramp and Supertramp, the lemon really stands out here and gives it an almost foody aroma. The lemon juice offers quite a fresh but bitter note that sits at the top whilst the hemp oil adds a subtle nuttiness that sets it apart from other 'forest' aromas that Lush offer. 

The gel has quite a smooth, gloopy consistency - it's a little like American Cream Body Lotion but with a more elasticated feel about it. Yet despite this, it's very light when you scoop it into your hands and it feels even lighter when you apply it to your locks. I just wanted to use it on the front part of my hair as it can get a little dishevelled after a long and tiring day's work. I just dipped my fingers into the pot and then ran my fingers through the areas I wanted the gel to sit - rather like a comb would do. 

It is quite sticky once it comes into contact with the hair and I was initially worried that I'd end up with horrible crusty sections where the gel had set and turned my hair to stone. However, once it was in place, you could barely feel it was there. More importantly, it kept my hair kempt and in place for the whole day but was then equally happy to be brushed out once I was home.

The great thing about this product is that it's highly versatile in what you can use it for. As well as using it to tame stray bits, this gel can also be used to style your hair. I really enjoyed scrunching my hair with this on my hands as it gave my hair a nice, natural-looking wave. 

Aside from damaging my hair, I also worry about trying new products in case they strip my hair of my dye. Luckily, I found that after using this most days for a few weeks, Goth Juice didn't strip my hair of it's colour and kept it in as good condition as it was before I began using it.

Last time this product was sold, it came in at £6.95 for a 100g pot. If we're to compare this to other brands of gels and waxes, this actually comes out on top as one of the cheapest. Yet unlike VO5 and other similar brands, this one didn't damage my hair or make it greasy at all. Most importantly, it was easy to wash away and I wasn't worried about the damage that it could do to my locks when the sun was beating down upon my head. 

Although the scent may put a lot of people off trying this, it is a really effective hair gel and one that lasts a really long time. I've been using my tub for over four months and it's only just about halfway full. Lush would do well to bring this back so us ex-goths can relive our teens again, without having to relive the bad-hair-days that went with it. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Fresh Lemon Infusion (Citrus limonum), Acrylates / Lauryl Acrylate / Stearyl Acrylates / Ethylamine Oxide Methacrylate Copolymer, Glycerine, Propylene Glycol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate / Beheneth - 25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Hemp Oil (Cannabis sativa), Flaxseed Oil (Linum usitatissimum), Oakmoss Absolute (Evernia prunastri), Olibanum Resinoid (Boswellia carterii), Limonene, Linalool, Perfume, Colour 60725, Colour 14700, Methylparaben.

Vegan?: Yes.

Brimstone Body Scrub

Just like being back in high school, I heard a cluster of rumours surrounding this product and immediately took it upon myself to build up a level of fear, despite having never seen, smelled or indeed tried the item in question. As weird and wacky as Lush can sometimes be when it comes to their innovation, perhaps the fact that this early rendition of a body scrub hasn't seen the light of day for a good many years, is testament to the fact that I should gave been worried about its arrival.

Yet, like a dog chasing its tail, I never seem to learn - yet again proving that taking on the perspectives of others rather than reaching my own conclusions is never conducive, and often detrimental to my enjoyment of the product itself. I say this because after having used Brimstone Body Scrub for the last couple of days, I've come to the realisation that it is one of my all-time favourite scrubs to come from the company.

For those that aren't familiar with this retro item, the very reason why there is so much negativity surrounding it is because of the inclusion of sulphur powder in the ingredients list. This potent-smelling component not only causes this body scrub to react in rather an alarming way when it comes into contact with water, but to some it gives off the aroma of rotten eggs, which would put many people off wanting to lather this across their body. 

Upon arrival, I found that the scrub had a rather gentle but equally pleasant smell - made up mostly of jasmine with the slightest hint of the lemongrass underneath. This latter element gave Brimstone a slightly acidic smell that reminded me cider vinegar, yet it was subtle enough not to overpower the sweetness of the jasmine. 

Worried about using sulphur directly on my skin, I carried out a little research and discovered that the natural mineral is great at conditioning and repairing skin - used across multiple centuries to elevate, control and and often cure skin conditions such as Acne, Eczema, and Psoriasis. While I am fortunate enough not to suffer from any of the above, it definitely made me feel slightly more relaxed about applying this to my body. 

With kaolin to cleanse the pores, as well as clean and soften the skin, surplus amounts of sea salt to exfoliate and hemp oils to calm the skin afterwards, this body scrub is the perfect remedy to revamp and condition the skin. I will just say though that I wouldn't recommend those with sensitive skin use this - only because the harshness of the sea salt could definitely irritate and damage those that need slightly gentler treatment.

Upon contact with water, Brimstone fizzes very much like a bath bomb - a characteristic that initially worried me because it felt as if I was going to apply acid to my skin. To use, simply massage across the body in a circular motion - preferably outside of the shower as the running water will cause this block to shrink a lot quicker if you do so. While your skin does need to be slightly damp when used, I wouldn't recommend that you expose the scrub to any water directly.    

On the skin, the scrub does froth and fizz, unlike any other Lush body scrub that I have come across, and within a matter of seconds you will begin to feel a warmth that can be a little alarming at first. The first time I used Brimstone, I was convinced that I was going to receive third degree burns, because while the heat wasn't at all uncomfortable or unbearable, it was a strange sensation and one I had to get used to.

After leaving it on for a matter of seconds, rinse off under the running water or slip back into the bath, and you'll immediately feel how clean your skin feels. While most Lush scrubs leave my skin feeling rather wonderful afterwards, this one left me feeling like my pores were clear, my skin was smooth to the touch and unwanted dried skin and lumps and bumps were a thing of the past.

While there is a definitely 'acid' smell on your skin afterwards, I can assure you that it is very subtle and only really makes itself known if you make a point of sniffing yourself - nothing a bit of perfume or a body lotion wouldn't diminish immediately and certainly nothing that anyone else would detect if you were to leave your skin as it is.

What I love about Brimstone is that it is a very harsh scrub - one that scratches and claws away at your skin and ensures that you are left feeling as smooth as a baby; those who prefer a gentler scrub should probably avoid this at all costs. However, if you want something that means business and will exfoliate and clean your skin, this is the product for you.

My only issue is that this body scrub does not do well being stored for a long period of time. I found that after a couple of months of keeping them on my shelf, out of the way of light and heat, the scrub didn't work very well anymore, and it became a sticky, pointless mess in the shower. If you want this at its best, you should definitely use it fresh.

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Fine Sea Salt, Kaolin, Organic Cold Pressed Hemp Oil, Citric Acid, Perfume, Lemongrass Oil, Ylang Ylang Oil, Jasmine Absolute, Sulphur Powder, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Salicylate, Citral, Limonene, Linalool. 

Vegan?: Yes. 

2015 Price: £6.25 for 70g.

2017 Price: £6.25 for 70g.

Year Of Original Release: ?