Seaweed Giant Bombshell

Onto day three of my very expensive bath week, and I find myself being drawn to the Seaweed Giant Bombshell. Whether it be because of the blue theme I have in mind for my Instagram feed, or because of how much it's overpowering every other product in my haul bag, I'm not sure. What I do know is that the second I threw this one in the bath tub, I realised I'd made the right choice.

Seaweed Giant Bombshell is one of five limited edition, extra large bath bombs that made themselves known during Lush's Showcase event at the end of September. The idea behind the bombshell is that it comes as two halves, and you have the luxury of choosing the array of flowers, plants and herbs that an employee will cut and add into the middle of your product.  

However, alongside Fruit Giant Bombshell, this particular one already comes filled with a selection kombo, sea lettuce and toothed wrack seaweed, hence the name. While at first I was little disappointed that I paid the same price for a customised bombshell as I did a pre-filled variation, this feeling soon vanished when I found out how incredible this is in the bath.

Sharing its scent with the incredible Big Shampoo, this bath bomb is easily one of the best smelling bombs ever created. What I will say is that the orange flower absolute plays the biggest part: sending out a warm burst of floral goodness that you'll want to relive time and time again. There is something so sweet and musky about this fragrance, yet there is also a natural freshness that isn't lost from the flower itself. 

Although there is vanilla absolute and mandarin oils in the bombshell as well, I didn't find that either offered anything particularly strong in the way of scent. I feel as if the mandarin just elevated the aroma a little more, and made something slightly refreshing out of it, and the vanilla just complimented the powdery element of the orange flower absolute. Strangely, I found something slightly violet-y about it, although this may just mean that my nose is broken. 

What set this apart from the other bombshells I had used was that this one featured sodium alginate: the ingredient responsible for creating the 'jelly' in jelly bomb. This component is supposed to be super softening on the skin, and with the amount that featured in this particular bath bomb, I can honestly say that this was the most moisturising bomb I have ever experienced from Lush.  

Within seconds of throwing it into the water, Seaweed Giant Bombshell began to create a thick, gel-like coating across the surface, which stayed there for a good few minutes before starting to dissolve into the water. Just like with the other bombshells I have experienced, this one soon opened up and allowed for the surplus amount of seaweed to come out into the water and float around the tub.

Firstly, I was super impressed with how much 'filling' there was in the bombshell. The pieces of seaweed were ginormous, and I have since kept them to use in other baths as there is enough here to make your bath moisturising enough, without the sodium alginate at all.

Given the size of the bomb, this one took a good fifteen to twenty minutes to dissolve, and even then this was helped by me crumbling the bath bomb between my fingers. Even then I was left with lots of jelly and small pieces of the product floating across the surface, which did leave the bath a little messy and I had to rinse myself off afterwards.

What I would say about Seaweed Giant Bombshell is that this should definitely be split and used across two different baths, and perhaps even more if you want to make the most out of the price tag. Either way, what you'll get is a super moisturising experience. I couldn't believe how beautifully silky my skin felt within a matter a seconds of being in the water: I have never known anything like it.

Even more impressive was the fact that the scent was super strong in the bathtub and remained on my skin, and in the bathroom, for hours after I had rinsed away the water. For someone who wishes they still had this Big Liquid Perfume, this is the perfect tribute until I can get my hands on it again.

While I will say that this bath bomb does get a little messy, and you may need to check your body before getting out so that you don't find splodges of the jelly on your skin, the experience you will enjoy whilst using this bombshell is definitely worth it. My skin has not felt this good in a long time, and I would definitely invest in one again, even though it may be deemed as a rather expensive investment.  

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Sodium Alginate, Sicilian Red Mandarin Oil, Vanilla Absolute, Orange Flower Absolute, Water.

Vegan?: Yes.

2018 Price: £18 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2018.

Scent Family:

Big Body Spray

Big Perfume
Big Shampoo
Seaweed Giant Bombshell

coming soon!

Turtle Immersion Jelly Bath Bomb

It's a sad fact that many sea turtles are killed each year due to plastic debris in the ocean. They eat floating plastic bags thinking that they are jellyfish and other small pieces of plastic that get tangled in seagrass. This bath bomb is a small reminder to everyone to not only be conscious of how much plastic they use in their lives, but also to make consumers aware that more needs to be done to reduce our carbon footprints. 

Turtle and Turtle Immersion (originally called Mama and Baby Turtle Jelly Bombs) are two of the same kind, albeit different sizes for those who want to select how intense they want their experience to be. Both sharing their scent with the Geo Phyzz Bath Bomb, this Lush Summit is not only a beauty to look at, but one that smells equally good as well.

Made from a collaboration of cypress, sandalwood and pine, this is definitely one of Lush's more naturally uplifting and clean smelling fragrances. As I stated in my review of Geo Phyzz, it is the pine oil that makes the biggest impression here - offering a dry, green-like aroma that smells like a freshly cut Christmas tree. It's robust and full-bodied and lingers in your bathroom hours after you've drained away the water. 

Alongside the pine oil is the cypress oil, which adds an almost clinical smell that reminds of the Vicks Vapour Rub gel that you might use to clear a blocked nose and help you to breathe better. In a way, this element reminds me very slightly of what menthol crystals do, albeit slightly different in scent.   

There is something very crisp and clean about the smell of these bath bombs - that give you a sense of clarity afterwards and make perfect early morning companions. Using one of these will definitely wake you up and prepare you both mentally and physically for the day ahead.

What sets this bath bomb apart from its older sibling is that it doesn't contain anywhere near the amount of sea salt. This prevents the bath bomb from being as heavy as Geo Phyzz, therefore it is able to float on the surface of the water without sinking to the bottom. Furthermore, as this is a jelly bomb, it has many more moisturising properties than its predecessor, meaning that your experience is far more beneficial for your skin. 

In the water, Mama/Baby Turtle begins to fizz and send out wave after wave of thick, vibrant green and blue froth. As the sodium alginate begins to react with the water, a layer of slimy, jelly-like foam begins to coat the surface and thicken the water around it. Once the bath bomb has fully dissolved, you are left with a very gooey coat of green that takes a good 10-15 minutes to dissipate into the water. 

During this time, you may find that the slime will coat your skin and the edges of the bath tub, and create a mess that some people are put off by about Lush's new jelly bombs. However, once it has fully dissolved in the water, you are simply left with a tub full of very moisturising, silky-soft water to bathe in. While I not that much of a fan of the jelly bombs, I do appreciate how nourished they make my skin feel during and afterwards.

Given the size of these bath bombs, you could definitely divide them into two and use them for multiple bathing experiences, and given how moisturising they are will definitely feel the benefits of using a half or a quarter at a time. Unlike some of Lush's other jelly bombs, these ones also contained agar agar strands (which I found when crushing up a few pieces in the water) and these only intensified how soft the water became.

Ultimately, this is a really effective bath bomb: one that leaves your skin feeling velvety soft and super clean, and smelling very slightly of pine for a short while after your experience. The fragrance was strong enough to stay with me throughout the whole bath and even my hair felt and looked more moisturised because of the exposure to the water.

Luckily, the tub was easy to rinse afterwards and I didn't find that I had to scrub any unwanted grime, despite the fact that I know other consumers have complained about staining and mess after using one of these. I would most certainly buy one of these again and I only hope that they make an appearance in shops across the country really soon.

Quantitiative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Sodium Alginate, Sea Salt, Perfume, Cypress Oil, Sandalwood Oil, Pine Absolute, Seaweed Absolute, Water, Titanium Dioxide, Agar Agar Strands, Dipropylene Glycol, Limonene, Linalool, colour 47005:1, Colour 42090:2, Colour 47005, Colour 59040, Colour 42053. 

Vegan?: Yes.

2018 Price: Baby Turtle: £4.00 each/ Mama Turtle: £5.00 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2018.

Scent Family:
Baby Turtle Jelly Bomb
Geo Phyzz Bath Bomb

Mama Turtle Jelly Bomb

coming soon!

Ectoplasm Jelly Bath Bomb

When this mysterious purple and cream jelly bath bomb appeared at the Lush Showcase earlier this year, nobody realised it was the face of something big that Lush had been working on behind the scenes. The fact that it was probably one of the company's most flimsiest bath bombs was irrelevant at the time: everyone was fascinated by the fact that it was innovative and different...and also incredible messy.

Fast forward a few months and the company have re-released a much sturdier, less crumblier Ectoplasm, while still retaining its beautiful scent and product design that initially held my interest in the first place. I'll go as far as to say that out of every single jelly bomb I have tried to date, this is by far my favourite one.

First and foremost, the name itself is a spooky insight into the inspiration behind the very first, original jelly bath bomb. In the supernatural world, an ectoplasm is a 'viscous substance that supposedly exudes from the body of a medium during a spiritualistic trance and forms the material for the manifestation of spirits.' In Lush terms, this transcends into a limited edition bath bomb that likes to expel a goo-like substance across your water and manifests itself into a ten minute scrub after the tub has been drained.

Yes, you heard that correctly. This is yet another of Lush's jelly creations that likes to leave a mess: on you body: across the walls of your tub; and just about anywhere you let it rest while wet. As with most of these jelly bombs, this one does leave smears across your skin that you'll need to ensure are rinsed off, and this one will accumulate a large amount of unmelted jelly at the bottom of your tub, so you will need to clean away the mess afterwards.

Having said that, there is something rather special about the smell of this bath bomb, and it is perhaps my favourite fragrance out of all of the jelly bombs. With tangerine and grapefruit oils as the key ingredients, Ectoplasm is a strong, bright and very zesty aroma. While nothing complex or particularly interesting, if you enjoy your citrusy experiences, this will be one you'll want to try out for yourself.

It's slightly powdery at times, and this almost gives it a richness that other citrus aromas don't necessarily always offer. What is great about it as well, is that the fragrance lingers for a very long time, and I was still able to smell it a good number of hours after I had emptied the tub.

As with most of Lush's jelly bombs, the second you pop this one in the water, it begins to expel an almost florescent shade of green foam across the surface of the tub. As the bath bomb begins to diminish a little, vibrant layers of purple begin to erupt from its core, and you end up with a psychedelic coloured bath water. 

The inclusion of the sodium alginate is what gives this bath bomb its jelly-like consistency, and you'll find that when you run your hands through the water you'll feel a big difference between a regular bath bomb and one such as this. There is no denying that Ectoplasm will leave you skin feeling radiant and silky-smooth, and the effect will last for days.

Despite this, I should warn you that, just like each of the other jelly bombs, this one will leave your bath very slippery, so you should be careful when getting in and out of the bath. In addition, this ballistic will also leave puddles of 'goo' that you'll have to ensure is washed away by the end. 

I found that this jelly bomb didn't leave anywhere near as many smears of gunk across my body, and the majority of the had been rinsed off once I was near finishing. However, there were still a couple of patches that I had to wipe off before towelling myself down, and I still didn't feel comforter washing my hair in the water - for fear of how it would affect my hair. 

Overall, this is my favourite out of all of the jelly bombs. The scent is strong and lingers on your skin for a good hour afterwards; the presentation and colour of the water is unique and one that I recommend that you experience; the results speak for themselves and you will notice a difference when it comes to the condition of your skin. 

I cannot say that I plan on rushing out and buying a handful of these to use, as I am still not convinced that they are as reliable and as clean as the regular bath bombs. Having said this, I would not be opposed to using one of these when I want something a little different from the regular range, or if my body needed a magical boost of moisture to replenish the skin.          

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Sodium Alginate, Tangerine Oil, Grapefruit Oil, Litsea Cubeba Oil, Water (Aqua), Dipropylene, Glycol, *Citral, *Limonene, Perfume, Colour 59040, Colour 45410, Colour 42090.

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: £4.95 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2017.

Scent Family:
Ectoplasm Jelly Bath Bomb
Ectoplasm Liquid Perfume
Ectoplasm Naked Shower Scream
Ectoplasm Shower Scream
Ectoplasm Solid Perfume


Ectoplasm Washcard

Snow Fairy Jelly Bath Bomb

Here we go again, says the skeptic old-school Lush fan, who may have fallen in love with Snow Fairy back in the beginning, but has since moved on to bigger and better-smelling products. I'm sure there are many consumers who felt the same way as I did when this limited edition jelly bomb was first announced in the Lush Kitchen: disenchanted. 

While I have a very clouded viewpoint on the newly-designed jelly bombs at the moment, I cannot say that I was particularly enamoured with the idea of this one from the start. Neither the scent or the colour leant itself to my personal preferences, and I assumed that this would be one that I would use once and grimace.

Surprisingly, I actually found that Snow Fairy Jelly Bath Bomb was a strong specimen of a product: a ballistic that not only showcased the fragrance truthfully and wonderfully, but one that worked a lot better at impressing me than nearly all of the other variations that I had tried before it.

True to the scent family, this rumoured-to-be Christmas product has a strong, sweet and very musky aroma - one that I can only describe as being like a cloudy bubble of raspberry candy floss, with a sprinkling of musky vanilla cupcakes thrown in for good measure. It's a light, youthful, powdery smell, and resembles the likes of Fairy Dust and Snow Fairy Liquid Perfume very much so.

For those who adore this fragrance, you'll be pleased to hear that it is as robust and as long-lasting as the shower gel, and I could still smell it in my bathroom a full twenty-four hours after I had used it in my tub. Furthermore, the smell is just as strong when you're in the water; it stays with you throughout the entire experience; and it lingers on your skin for a short while after you had towelled yourself down.

As with all of Lush's jelly bombs to date, this one immediately began to fizz as it hit the surface of the water: sending out waves of pastel-pink and white colour that would go on to set the precedence for the finished look. This one takes quite a while to disperse a lot of colour as the outer white layer tends to be the predominant colour to begin with.

Another pattern I'm noticing with the jelly bombs, which this one displayed as well, is that after a good ten minutes the product is still very much active on the surface of the water. In fact, I had to break a lot of the bath bomb down with my own hands as the jelly parts tend to prevent the ballistic from being able to fully dissolve by itself. 

What I was left with was a bath bomb with quite a number of pieces of jelly floating around the tub. While it would have been nice for these to have dissolved by themselves, they didn't really affect the overall experience that much, and I just needed to remember to rinse the rub afterwards to ensure these pieces didn't attach themselves to the base of the bath.

Having said that, I did find that a small number of pieces managed to attach themselves to my legs and back, and I did have massage these from my skin before I exited the tub. Although the water is normally always fairly hot in my baths, I do get the impression that all of Lush's jelly bombs should be exposed to water of a high temperature, to ensure that they dissolve as much as possible beforehand. 

Overall, Snow Fairy Jelly Bath Bomb left my skin feeling really smooth and soft; the fragrance and colour of the water was exceptionally relaxing; and while I am not a huge fan of this smell that much, I really believe that this is a product that does the scent family well. For a bath bomb that I wasn't expecting to like, I would definitely invest in this again if it was to be released as part of the Christmas range. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonat,e Citric Acid, Sodium Alginate, Perfume, Cream of Tartar, Titanium Dioxide, Synthetic Musk, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Lauryl Betaine, Propylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Tin Oxide *Limonene, Colour 14700.

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: £4.95 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2017.

Scent Family:

Best Washes Wash Card
Bubblegum Lip Scrub
Candy Fluff Ballistic
Candy Fluff Perfume
Candy Fluff Dusting Powder
Fairy Dust Dusting Powder
Father Christmas Bath Bomb
Fluffy Egg Bath Bomb
Godmother Soap
Lush Mechanic Cold-Pressed Soap
Magic Wand Bubble Bar
Melting Marshmallow Moment Bath Oil
Mmmelting Marshmallow Bath Melt
Pink Easter Egg Ballistic
Snow Fairy Body Conditioner
Snow Fairy Body Spray
Snow Fairy Cold-Pressed Soap
Snow Fairy Jelly Bath Bomb
Snow Fairy Lip Tint
Snow Fairy Liquid Perfume
Snow Fairy Naked Body Conditioner
Snow Fairy Naked Shower Gel
Snow Fairy Shower Gel
Snow Fairy Solid Perfume
Snow Fairy Sparkle Jar
Snow Fairy Sparkle Massage Bar

Marmalade Jelly Bath Bomb

When it comes to Lush's latest invention: the jelly bomb, there doesn't seem to be any middle ground. With each of the variations I have tried so far, I have either come to appreciate them an awful lot, or relish in the thought of rinsing the water down the drain and never speaking of my experience again. 

Unfortunately, Marmalade isn't one that made a very good impression on me, in any sense of the word. While the description led me to believe that it may well be my favourite of the current four, the reality was far less pleasing, and I doubt if I will invest in another one any time soon.

While I have never been a fan of marmalade as a condiment, the very idea of juicy oranges and lemons being intertwined into a jam-like spread, sounds like an amazing description for a bath bomb. With a combination of grapefruit and orange oils, as well as a slice of actual orange to boot, this bath bomb sounded like a dream. 

Yet when the jelly bombs first arrived, I found myself very confused and slightly bewildered by the scent. Whereas I was expecting something wholesome and fruity, I found that the orange flower absolute seemed to be one of the strongest elements overall. This meant that in the place of what I thought would be a very juicy smelling bath bomb, I found the aroma rather intoxicating and a little 'harsh' on the nose. 

A number of consumers have described this as being very medicinal in fragrance, and I can understand why they have used this word to describe the bomb. To me, it has a very green-like smell, coupled with a bitter orange note. Imagine taking the skin and pith of an orange and extracting the scent from there, and you may begin to envisage what this bath bomb smells like. 

At the same time, there's a musty, powdery element to the smell that gives Marmalade Jelly Bath Bomb a very potent, dry smell. There is definitely no resemblance here between the scent of the bath bomb and the condiment that it is named after. Having said that, I can imagine this jelly bath bomb being good for those looking for something uplifting: something to awaken their senses and get them ready for the day ahead.

In the bath, this bath bomb begins in the same way that its counterparts do: begin fizzing and frothing immediately, and sending out waves of orange and yellow foam across the surface of the water. As the loud fizzer continues to dissolve, a puddle of sticky jelly-like consistency begins to form across the tub.

Unlike most of the other jelly bombs, Marmalade didn't fully dissolve over time, and I was left with chunks of orange bath bomb that seemed even too stubborn to break between my fingers. After I had exited the bath and drained the water, I found a number of these chunks were still lingering by the plughole, and I had to throw them away, which seemed a waste. 

Out of the four regular jelly bombs, this one also appeared to be the slipperiest, and I really had to take care when getting both in and out of the bath. For those who are a little unsteady on your feet, you may find using one of these will become something of a health hazard for you, and I would advise that you seek help if you can do so.

Once in the water, I found that like Dark Arts, the jelly didn't ever fully dissolve into the water. So while the bath was very moisturising on my skin and I finished the experience feeling lovely and smooth, it was rather messy while I was in the tub, and there were multiple times when I had to scrub away accumulations of the jelly from the sides of the bath and from my own body.

When rinsing away the water, I also discovered that parts of my tub were tinged slightly yellow from the experience, and I had to spend a short while afterwards trying to remove these marks with a scrub. Furthermore, because of the 'gunk' that I found myself bathing in, I didn't feel as clean after my bath as I would normally do with any other bath bomb. 

Overall, while the concept of the jelly bombs can be a positive experience, I didn't find that to be the case with this one. Despite what I said above, I will be trying this jelly bomb out one final time (if only to get a few better shots than the ones I originally collected), just to see whether my bath bomb was a faulty one or just the nature of the product.

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Sodium Alginate, Grapefruit Oil, Brazilian Orange Oil, Orange Flower Absolute, Orange Slice, Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol, *Limonene, *Linalool, *Hydroxycitronellal, *Citral, Geraniol, Perfume, Colour 47005, Colour 14700, Colour 45410.

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: £4.95 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2017.

coming soon!

Big Sleep Jelly Bath Bomb

As someone who has chronic insomnia, I am always on the lookout for products that are going to help me drift off, or at the very least stop me from staring at the ceiling all night. While most cosmetics don't make much of an impact on my (not) sleeping patterns, this brand new invention from Lush sure helped me to feel a little more relaxed after using it in the tub.

Big Sleep Jelly Bath Bomb is one of three brand new, innovative inventions from Lush. Containing an ingredient known as sodium alginate, this new invention offers more than just a colourful display in the tub. As soon as this ballistic hits the water, it begins to create a jelly-like substance across the surface, which not only thickens the water overall, but helps to make this bath bomb far more moisturising than the regular editions. 

Containing a blanket of lavender, neroli, tonka and chamomile, this bath bomb has its own unique fragrance. However, there are similarities between this and both the Ickle Baby Devils and Ickle Baby Angels that made an appearance in the Kitchen last year. 

While I was expecting this bath bomb to be far more tonka-led, as I find that the ingredient can often dictate a fragrance with its potency, I was surprised to discover that it was governed more by the inclusion of the chamomile and lavender. 

To me, the aroma is a gentle, powdery concoction of chamomile with a thread of fresh and very natural-smelling lavender. The inclusion of the neroli gives Big Sleep a very subtle sweet but grassy element, while the tonka rounds the whole fragrance off with a gentle sprinkling of sweetness. I should point out that when I say that the neroli brings about a grassy aroma, I don't mean that this is in any way potent, just that it complements the lavender a little and brings out the fresh element a little more.

As to be expected, this bath bomb immediately begins to fizz on contact with the water. However, instead of twisting and turning while it projects out a display of colour, this one tends to bob on the surface and build up a puddle of foam, before dispersing it across the water. As with Green Coconut, I found that this one not only produced less jelly than Dark Arts, but it also didn't fully dissolve. A few pieces of the bath bomb were left floating on the surface and needed to be crumbled to disperse properly into the water.

I was really impressed by the wonderful turquoise colour that the water turned afterwards, and I found that I could detect the subtle notes of chamomile, lavender and tonka while I was submerged under the water. Much like Green Coconut, I also found that the jelly dissolved a lot easier in the water, and I didn't have to scrub myself or the bath afterwards to remove any excess slime.

What impressed me about Big Sleep was that it was incredibly moisturising, and it only took a matter of minutes for me to feel the impact the jelly was having on my skin. Although the smell had almost diminished on my skin when I had towelled myself down, I found that the impact of such a nourishing bath stayed with me for the most part of the day.

As a warning, I should state as I have done with both of the other jelly bombs, that getting into the bath will prove itself to be quite slippery ay first. Having said that, once you are settled into the water, Big Sleep offers a warm coven to lose yourself in, and hopefully allow you to have a restful night afterwards.

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Sodium Alginate, Lavender Oil, Neroli Oil, Tonka Absolute, Chamomile Powder, Cream of Tartar, Dipropylene, Glycol, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Lauryl Betaine, Coumarin, *Limonene, *Linalool, Perfume, Colour 42053, Colour 42090, Colour 59040, Colour 47005.

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: £4.95 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2017.