Get Closer Solid Deodorant

When the Lush Oxford Street store first opened some five years ago, the company brought out so many new dusting powders: one of which was called Get Closer. While not strictly advertised as a deodorant, most of Lush's dusting powders are versatile enough that they can be used in this way, and this is perhaps the reason why this solid rendition appeared at the Showcase event last year.

What I will say about this solid deodorant is that it does a good job at replicating the scent of the original dusting powder, which features neroli oil, jasmine absolute and lemon oil. Alongside an extra dosage of jojoba oil, this naked block of deodorant is very close in scent to the wonderful Happy Happy Joy Joy Hair Conditioner and Frozen Bath Bomb, albeit slightly lighter and not as floral-dominated. Instead, imagine HHJJ with a heap of calamine and kaolin powders thrown on top, and you may begin to understand what this exclusive smells like.

On the skin, you can definitely detect the neroli - a light and slightly bitter citrusy aroma that intertwines with the lemon oil and intensifies the fruity element. To compliment this, the jasmine adds its own soulful floral aroma that gives the deodorant a slight sweetness, making it delectable and utterly refreshing on the senses.

Alongside these elements, Get Closer then offers a strong herbal note of calamine, coupled with a dry and slightly earthy note of the kaolin, which I happen to think is perhaps a little more prominent in this format: more so than it is in the dusting powder. Either way, the smell you get is definitely not as clinical as many of Lush's other deodorants but there is still something very clean-smelling about this fragrance that I think works well.

At risk of repeating myself, I was initially worried about the strength of this solid deodorant, as I imagined it would just crumble when I applied even the slightest amount of pressure: it is definitely not as resilient as the likes of Aromaco Solid Deodorant by any means. However, it is fairly straight forward to use and the product comes away really easily on the skin, so you don't need to apply much in the way of pressure at all.

What was great about this deodorant was the fact that it was far easier to apply as a block as opposed to bottled powder. Trying to apply a powder without spilling it all over the place is a rather tricky task. However, when it came to The Get Closer Solid Deodorant, I found that simply massaging it gently under my armpits was enough to get what I wanted out of the product. While my armpit was left slightly dusty afterwards, it certainly didn't cause me any problems and I certainly didn't develop any stains on my clothes from it being this way.

Like most of Lush's dusting powders and deodorants, this one has a great level of absorbency - thanks to the inclusion of the kaolin - so any sweat that develops on your skin across the day will be absorbed fairly quickly and your armpits will be left fairly dry.

As I have stated in other reviews, this deodorant is not an antiperspirant, so it will not prevent you from sweating at all. Instead, it just helps to absorb the sweat so it doesn't have time to go stale and develop an odour, and if you sweat quite profusely at times, reduce the amount of 'damp' that remains on your skin.

After using it for near on a month, I found that Get Closer definitely worked at eradicating smells that may have accumulated throughout the day, and it was very easy to reapply the product whenever I felt like I needed to. In a typical day, I felt I needed to reapply about 5-6 times, although this may just have been my desire to be super clean: you may be able to reduce this number by half and preserve the life of the deodorant for longer. 

However, what I should point out is that this solid deodorant wasn't very effective both before and after the gym. As I work out most days, I really noticed that I would start to smell my sweat a little more prominently if I used this deodorant over my usual Nivea variation. As I have found with some of Lush's deodorants, this solid product is not as effective when you're someone who sweats a great deal or when used during a time when you're perspiring a lot because of physical activity. In these moments, I had to reply on my regular shop-bought variation to see me through my workouts.

Ultimately, this solid deodorant is actually quite effective at what is does and offers a rather lovely floral aroma to boot. I honestly think that I just need to continue using this for a few more months and I should hopefully notice even more changes in the way that my body responds to this.  

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Cream of Tartar, Cornflour, Magnesium Carbonate, Water (Aqua), Calamine Powder, Kaolin, Organic Jojoba Oil, Perfume, Neroli Oil, Jasmine Absolute, Sicilian Lemon Oil, Lycopodium Powder, Amyl Cinnamal, Benzyl Benzoate, *Cinnamyl Alcohol, *Citral, *Geraniol, Hydroxycitronellal, *Limonene, *Linalool, *Benzyl Cinnamate, *Cinnamal. *Farnesol

Vegan?: Yes.

2019 Price: £8 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2018.

Frostbite Toothy Tabs

Lush amaze me at just how many times they can take a simple ingredient and make a brand new smell out of it. Without needing to count, I already know that the company have produced far more mint-scented products than I could ever have imagined possible, and still they continue to bring out new variations on a regular basis.

This time the company have created a brand new combination using both peppermint and Turkish rose oils, and called this creation Frostbite. While I was initially taken back by the prospect of these two strong-minded ingredients working together, I soon realised that the concept didn't actually sound all the strange. In fact, there's a part of me that almost questioned why it hadn't happened already. 

From the bottle, the smell of the peppermint and rose oils twist and turn around each other: working in perfect unison to create a smell like nothing I'd ever smelt before. The peppermint is cool and sweet-smelling and reminds me of a Christmas candy cane, while the rose threads itself beneath the mint and brings about a rich, sweet floral note that really gives Frostbite Toothy Tabs a gorgeously, mouth-watering fragrance.

There is also the inclusion of lemon oil in these tabs, which you can both taste and smell rather delicately during your experience. This ingredient not only elevates the scent a lot and gives it a crisp, refreshing touch, but it also works with the rose to sweeten the ingredient a little and make it a little more syrup-like overall.

To use them you simply pop a tab into your mouth, crunch down using your front teeth, wet your toothbrush and begin to brush your teeth as normal. The powdery mixture reacts with the water and the cream of tartar creates a foam that freshens your mouth and cleans away any stubborn pieces of food that may be lingering around. Unlike some of Lush's other tabs I have tried, this one melts almost immediately upon contact with moisture and you won't need to crunch these at all.

When it came to Frostbite, I was really impressed to discover that while the toothy tabs were definitely minty, there was nothing too potent about the mint at all. In fact, these tabs offer perhaps the perfect balance of being refreshing, cool but not too strong and overwhelming.

Whilst you're brushing your teeth, you can feel how clean and shiny your teeth and gums are becoming and I found that the impact of these tabs lasted for several hours afterwards. Furthermore, these beauties eradicated any bad smells or tastes that I had in my mouth after dinner and my breath remained fresh and clean for the rest of the evening.  

As with all of Lush's new toothy tabs, these particular tabs feature a number of ingredients that I was unsure about and had to research before trying them out for myself - not only to understand how and why Frostbite work but also to educate others about the benefits they possess. Firstly, these tabs feature  dicalcium phosphate anhydrous - the main component used to help supplement the body's calcium intake, not to mention preventing the build up of tartar in the mouth. Sorbitol is also used - a natural alternative to sugar which allows Lush to add flavour to this product without adding anything that'll rot your teeth; Lauroyl Sarcosine not only helps the product to foam up in the mouth, but is also used to remove unwanted bacteria that may cause problems in the future.

With so many variations of toothy tabs now available from Lush, it can sometimes be rather overwhelming to choose which ones you want to invest in. While not my favourite flavour, I actually happen to really appreciate Frostbite for its fragrance and taste, and I would recommend these ones above many of the others.

If you're looking for something that isn't too strikingly different from your original toothpaste, but perhaps you're interested in enjoying a little twist, these beautiful blue tabs might well be the ones that you want to try first. Frostbite Toothy Tabs are definitely one of the flavours I would buy again.

Quantitative Ingredients: Dicalcium Phosphate Anhydrous, Sodium Bicarbonate, Cream Of Tartar (Potassium bitartrate), Sorbitol, Lauroyl Sarcosine,  Kaolin, Xylitol, Sicilian Lemon Oil, Rose Oil, Peppermint Oil, Menthol Crystals, Stevia, Titanium Dioxide, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Limonene, Geraniol, Citronellol, Alpha-isomethyl ionone, Colour 42090.

Vegan?: Yes. 

2019 Price: £5.95 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2019.

Bubblegum Toothy Tabs

I don't think anyone was at all surprised to learnt that Lush decided to release a Snow Fairy scented/tasting toothy tab. It was only a matter of time before the popular fragrance was incorporated into something that consumers could actually put in their mouth and almost class as 'edible.' It doesn't come as any surprise either that the tabs are sporting a playful shade of pink. 

As one of Lush's biggest selling shower gels, it makes complete sense that the company would have a go at bringing out the idea in as many formats as possible. Fast forward then to Bubblegum: one of ten limited edition toothy tabs that recently arrived on the shelves as exclusives for the Liverpool store.

Described as 'a candy floss flavoured treat', these limited edition tabs feature the amazing ingredient, marshmallow root, which adds a gorgeous sweet and delicious fragrance to many of Lush's other scrumptious aromas. In the case of these toothy tabs, they do an amazing job at not only replicating the smell of Snow Fairy perfectly, but they also help to create a taste that couldn't be any closer to what fans have probably always envisaged their favourite smell to taste like.

From the bottle, the sweet and playful notes of candy floss and raspberry bubblegum jump straight out and up your nose. After sniffing my pot for almost ten minutes, and then comparing it to the small bottle of the shower gel that I still have, I honestly couldn't tell any difference between the two besides from the fact that Bubblegum Toothy Tabs appeared a little powdery to my nose.

When in use, these exclusive tabs created a sweet and gently musky taste that tasted very much like the smell of Snow Fairy. It's an odd way of describing a taste, but those who have the fortunate of trying them out for themselves will no doubt understand what I mean when I say that they taste how the classic scent smells. 

As with most of Lush's other toothy tabs, Bubblegum contain a number of ingredients that work in the same way as regular toothpaste does: dicalcium phosphate anhydrous is the main ingredient in these toothy tabs and is a component used to help supplement the body's calcium intake, not to mention preventing the build up of tartar in the mouth; sorbitol is a natural alternative to sugar, which allows Lush to add flavour to this product without adding anything that'll rot your teeth; Lauroyl Sarcosine not only helps the product to foam up in the mouth but is also used to remove unwanted bacteria that may cause problems in the future.

To use them you simply pop a tab into your mouth, crunch down using your front teeth, wet your toothbrush and begin to brush your teeth as normal. The powdery mixture reacts with the water and the cream of tartar creates a foam that freshens your mouth and cleans away any stubborn pieces of food that may be lingering around. Unlike some of Lush's other tabs I have tried, this one melts almost immediately upon contact with moisture and you won't need to crunch these at all.

What I liked about these tabs was that they produced a rather generous foam when in use, and even when I rinsed my mouth out halfway through, I was still able to stimulate a lot more foam when beginning to brush my teeth again. I found that I could continue brushing my teeth for a good 5 minutes without running out of product and they left my mouth feeling thoroughly clean afterwards. It was just a shame that the taste of these was very mild and therefore the impact they had in my mouth was equally as disappointing.

While these tabs won't leave you with amazingly minty-fresh breath, and this may be something you'll have to get used to, it does leave a pleasant but very gentle taste for a short while afterwards. For those who dislike the heavy taste that mint can leave in your mouth, these would be a great alternative as they'll leave your teeth feeling clean without leaving much of a taste in your mouth afterwards. 

I was actually really impressed to find that the 'taste of Snow Fairy' stayed with me for a good couple of hours after I have initially brushed my teeth. During this time, my mouth felt and tasted super clean and I was confident that my breath was also gently sweet and fruity. Had I eaten within that time, I'm sure that the taste would have dispersed far quicker. However, it goes to show that the effects of these tabs last for quite an impressive amount of time.

Usually I opt for the toothy tabs that have a little more bite. There is something I quite enjoy about using a toothpaste or mouthwash that feels as if I have  burnt my mouth free of any living bacteria. However, these were really pleasant and make a great alternative to those more potent toothy tabs. I'm actually really grateful that Lush have decided to release these. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Dicalcium Phosphate Anhydrous, Sodium Bicarbonate, Cream Of Tartar, Sorbitol, Lauroyl Sarcosine, Kaolin, Flavour, Xylitol, Stevia, Marshmallow Root Powder, Titanium Dioxide, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Tin Oxide, Alpha-Isomethyl ionone, Colour 77491, Colour 45430:1.

Vegan?: Yes.

2019 Price: £5.95 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2019. 

Toothy Fruity Toothy Tabs

Let's be honest when I say that most Lush consumers will no doubt gravitate towards these little rainbow tabs before many of the other ones on display. This is because the child within them is rebelling over the 'you can't eat sweets for breakfast' saga that I'm sure many people have experienced at least once during their childhood. Now they're not only allowed to eat sweets for breakfast but they can seemingly brush their teeth with them as well!

Toothy Fruity is one of ten limited edition toothy tabs that first made an appearance at the Lush Showcase event early this year and was definitely the one that had me the most excited over these new inventions. They have since set up camp solely in the Liverpool store as an exclusive product and I was lucky enough to find someone who was willing to grab a bottle for me to try out for myself.

Sold as little circular green, yellow and pink discs, these tab are described as 'a playful pairing of refreshing lime and juicy orange', which initially sounded really tasty. However, what I discovered upon trying these out for the first time was that these tabs were far from juicy. Although the fruitiness of both ingredients could be tasted when the tabs were in use, there was something rather reserved and boring about the overall experience and they certainly weren't very sweet-like in my eyes.

For somebody who wants a fairly simple-tasting toothy tab without any nasty surprises, this would be one I would recommend. In fact, if you're looking for oral care that you can use on the go and then eat straight after, these would be the perfect remedy. These would also be great as an introduction to young children if you were looking to transition them onto solid oral health care. However, if like me you want something that leaves your breath feeling clean and fresh for at least a couple of hours, these may be ones you wish to avoid. Imagine if sweets had all of the sugar removed and then most of the flavour as well, you may begin to understand how flavourless these ones really are. I'm not saying that they're in any way bad, just that they're pretty nondescript compared to some of the other interesting flavours on offer.


As with most of Lush's other toothy tabs, Toothy Fruity contain a number of ingredients that work in the same way as regular toothpaste does: dicalcium phosphate anhydrous is the main ingredient in these toothy tabs and is a component used to help supplement the body's calcium intake, not to mention preventing the build up of tartar in the mouth; sorbitol is a natural alternative to sugar, which allows Lush to add flavour to this product without adding anything that'll rot your teeth; Lauroyl Sarcosine not only helps the product to foam up in the mouth but is also used to remove unwanted bacteria that may cause problems in the future.

To use them you simply pop a tab into your mouth, crunch down using your front teeth, wet your toothbrush and begin to brush your teeth as normal. The powdery mixture reacts with the water and the cream of tartar creates a foam that freshens your mouth and cleans away any stubborn pieces of food that may be lingering around. Unlike some of Lush's other tabs I have tried, this one melts almost immediately upon contact with moisture and you won't need to crunch these at all.

What I liked about these tabs was that they produced a rather generous foam when in use, and even when I rinsed my mouth out halfway through, I was still able to stimulate a lot more foam when beginning to brush my teeth again. I found that I could continue brushing my teeth for a good 5 minutes without running out of product and they left my mouth feeling thoroughly clean afterwards. It was just a shame that the taste of these was very mild and therefore the impact they had in my mouth was equally as disappointing.

While these tabs won't leave you with amazingly minty-fresh breath, and this may be something you'll have to get used to, it does leave a pleasant but very gentle taste for a short while afterwards. For those who dislike the heavy taste that mint can leave in your mouth, these would be a great alternative as they'll leave your teeth feeling clean without leaving much of a taste in your mouth afterwards.

Containing enough tabs for three months of daily brushing once or twice, this small bottle will last you a long time. And while they may work out a little more expensive than a tub of toothpaste, they're definitely worth the price tag - if only for the novelty of trying a flavour. They may not satisfy my sweet tooth as much as I thought they would, but then they're designed to brush my teeth not act in place of my dessert!

Quantitative Ingredients: Dicalcium Phosphate Anhydrous, Sodium Bicarbonate, Cream Of Tartar, Sorbitol, Lauroyl Sarcosine, Kaolin, Xylitol, Flavour, Lime oil, Brazilian Orange Oil, Almond Essential Oil, Fine Sea Salt, Menthol Crystals, Fine Sea Salt, Stevia, Titanium Dioxide, Gardenia Extract, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Tin Oxide, Citral, Limonene, Linalool, Colour 77491, Colour 45430:1, Colour 19140:1, Colour 42090:2.

Vegan?: Yes.

2019 Price: £5.95 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2019. 

Sleepy Soap

Technically, Lush fans should be incredibly happy that - what looked like the biggest selling Lush shower gel, Twilight - is now a fully-fledged permanent member in stores. Problem solved, right? Except to my nose, and many others, while beautiful in its own right, Sleepy Shower Gel is not a direct replica of the Twilight scent. 

There is something about the inclusion of the oat milk, as with this soap as well, that removes some of the sweetness of the tonka absolute, and gives Sleepy a slightly more reserved fragrance overall. Although still a gorgeous aroma in its own right, I am not as enthused about this scent as I am the original.

When it comes to Sleepy Soap, I actually noticed some key differences that meant that this soap smelled closer to the likes of Dream Cream than it did the Twilight aroma. In fact, I feel as though if you removed the chamomile from the aforementioned body lotion, you might actually discover an aroma that matches the scent of this soap. 

Upon first sniff, I was offered a very rich, creamy combination of the lavender oil and the tonka absolute. The former ingredient brings about a very reserved but equally as beautiful natural herbal smell; imagine dried lavender without the sting of the muskiness, and you may begin to understand what I mean by this. 

Alongside this, the tonka absolute injects its own sweetness, while the ylang ylang sprinkles a little floral sweetness of its own as well: creating a warm, comforting and very creamy fragrance. However, it is the inclusion of the oat milk that has the biggest impact. 

Both before and during use, Sleepy Soap had a very prominent note of nuttiness from the oat milk base, which I think is what sets this apart from the Twilight range. There is something slightly 'biscuity' about the smell of this that sets it apart from its older siblings.

What impressed me about this product was the fact that it was super generous when lathering up. In fact, I did find myself being more conscious of using this soap away from the running water, as I imagined it would have been gone by the end of the month if the hot water was in constant contact with it. Having said that, this soap dried very quickly in my soap dish so I wasn't worried that it would shrink between uses. 

While most soaps tend to leave certain parts of my body feeling a little dry, Sleepy did well at making my skin feel really soft after using it, and I didn't find that my hands needed immediate moisturising afterwards, although the soap wasn't nourishing enough that I could opt to not use a shower oil or body conditioner as well. 

Although I could smell this on my skin when I was drying myself down, the fragrance didn't last all too long, and I had to use my Twilight Body Spray to extend my experience with this aroma. Having said that, I don't find that many soaps hold their scent for very long on the skin, so it's not a bad reflection of this soap at all.

Overall, I really enjoyed using this soap but would prefer to the shower gel version instead. While Sleepy has a gorgeously light and gentle scent, in my household it works better as a hand soap than one I would shower with. Despite this, I would definitely recommend this to those who have more sensitive skin, as the oat milk and lavender oil would definitely calm the skin and reduce the appearance of redness and irritation.

Quantitative Ingredients: Rapeseed Oil; Coconut Oil, Oat Milk, Propylene Glycol, Kaolin, Water (Aqua), Glycerine, Talc, Perfume, Titanium Dioxide, Lavender Oil, Benzoin Resinoid, Tonka Absolute, Ylang Ylang Oil, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide, EDTA, Tetrasodium Etidronate, *Benzyl Benzoate, *Cinnamal, *Coumarin, *Limonene, *Linalool, Colour 17200, Colour 42090, Colour 14700.

Vegan?: Yes.

2019 Price: £4.95 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2019.

On Edge Edging Balm

Out of all of the brand new hair products from Lush, this was the one that confused me more than any other. As somebody who has never heard of an edging balm before, and certainly never used one, I had no idea what to do with this cylindrical piece of blue. If I'm going to be honest, after using it for a couple of weeks, I'm still not 100 per cent sure that I'm using it in the right way.

Simply put, On Edge Edging Balm is a tube made up mostly of waxes, and some oils, that you use to keep the edge of your hairline in check. Usually, this type of product comes as a wax or a putty, and seems to be designed for those with thicker, wavier hair. Women who have cornrows are particularly drawn to edging cosmetics because they can help protect the hair around where the braids have been fixed. 

Using an edging wax, balm or putty can both prevent the drying out of a person's hair, as well as preventing any fraying from occurring due to the pressure of the fixtures. As someone who doesn't have braids, doesn't really tie their hair up at all; and certainly doesn't tie it up tight enough to be worried about breakage, this product wasn't really one designed with me in mind. However, I do have enough frizz to win a few awards so I thought I'd give this one a go anyway.

Firstly, while there was a light fragrance accompanying this product, it was so mild, as well as being thwarted by the smell of the wax, that it came across as rather nondescript. Secondly, the edging balm itself can be quite intimidating for those of us who don't really know what we're doing, as it's very rigid to the touch, and feels more like something you'd want to either melt in a wax burner, or use to seal holes in the bathroom.

To use, you simply take the bar and begin to smooth it around the edges of your hairline, starting from the outside and swiping it backwards as far as you wish to go. On Edge is not the most generous of products so you will have to push considerably hard to transfer the product from the tube to the hair. However, it is evident straight away that some of the wax does make its way onto your hair.  

Then with either your fingers, or Lush suggest a toothbrush, you can smooth the product backwards and across the areas you wish to keep in place. As someone who has frizzy 'horns' on either side of the head, I decided to focus on these two parts, and was impressed when On Edge managed to not only hold my frizzy bits in place, but also seemingly removed the frizzy element completely. 

In all fairness, I wasn't exactly surprised when I saw that my hair now looked (and mildly felt) pinned down to my head. There are some serious strong waxes that have gone into making this product, so it's no surprise that your hairs will stay rooted to the spot after receiving a hit of this product. There's no denying that on the outside, this product works.

After researching quite a lot about these 'edging' products, the one key concern that came up time and time again was how the continual use of such an item could lead to hair damage long-term. While Lush have included a high dosage of organic jojoba oil, shea butter and castor oil to ensure that the hair stays hydrated and conditioned when the product has been applied, the way On Edge felt on my hair led me to believe that the consistency of this product could still cause a few issues in the future.

It took almost two hours for me to not feel the 'wax-like' layer of product across my hairline, and while my locks stayed in place and certainly didn't look like it had the product on there, I was aware of the coating every time I went to run my hands through my hair. After using a lot of hair wax a good few years ago, I distinctly remember how it weakened my hair over time, and I can envisage the same thing happening here as well.

Hold-wise, I found that my hair stayed in place for over six hours, and the wispy bits only started to reappear when I got my hair a little damp in the rain. If I had kept my hair dry, I think that On Edge would have seen me through until the evening. This is definitely impressive when compared to what I've learnt about a lot of other edging products on the market.

However, I feel that this balm might well dry my hair out a little too much to use it regularly (which is sort of the point with most women who use these edging products), and you would definitely need to wash it out in the evenings to ensure that your hair has a breather before application the next day.

Given how many uses I was able to get out of the bar, and seeming how little it changed shape and size, this would definitely rival that of the potted balms, waxes and gels that I have seen. However, On Edge is not really a product that I can see myself using in the future: I would much rather have another bottle of Shield to help me with my frizz. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Hydroxystearic/Linolenic/Oleic Polyglycerides, Murumuru Butter (Astrocaryum murumuru), Water (Aqua), Candelilla Wax (Euphorbia cerifera), Japan Wax (Rhus succedanea), Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), Fair Trade Shea Butter (Butyrospermum parkii), Rapeseed Wax (Brassica napus), Silica, Glycerine, Castor Oil (Ricinus communis), Organic Jojoba Oil (Simmondsia chinensis), Peppermint Oil (Mentha piperita), Kaolin, Cetrimonium Chloride, *Limonene, Perfume, Colour 42090.

Vegan?: Yes. 

2018 Price: unsure.
2019 Price: £8.95 for 45g.

Year Of Original Release: 2018.

Punkawalop Matte Hair Clay

Out of all of Lush's limited edition hair care products from the Showcase event, this was the one I was most nervous about using. After deciding to cut my hair super short, bleach it bright blonde and then style it with wax every day, I know the effects that products such as this can have on the health and condition of your hair over time. Let's just say that I didn't want to repeat the mistakes of my youth some twenty years later.

Punkawalop Matte Hair Clay has been described by Lush as being a product for the rebels, although I don't really see how using this was going to turn a vegan, primary school teacher into somebody that was at risk of receiving an asbo. Jokes aside, this Showcase exclusive was sounded like it meant business, and I was a little worried just how my hair would turn out after using this.

Firstly, I found the scent of this product to be rather strange, as there appeared to be very little to the smell at all. The rose, cardamom and ought oils definitely offer something in the way of the smell. However, it is a very gentle aroma overall: this clay is definitely more about how it works than what it can offer your nose.

The scent you do get is a dry, clay-like smelling rose aroma, with just the added warmth of a little note of cardamom. There smells as if there is a little squeeze of lemon in here as well, although there is nothing in the ingredients list to suggest so. Instead, the strongest smell that I can detect is by far the kaolin and the rose clay itself, which creates a dry and very nondescript fragrance.

The idea is that you take a small amount from the tub: I found that a raisin-sized piece was adequate, and massage this between your fingers to add some warmth. Then you apply this to the areas of your hair that you want to and style as you please. 

I tended to use this hair clay as a way of flattening the frizzy parts on top of my head, and I really appreciated how well Punkawalop worked at doing this. Not only that but the product also added a beautiful shine to my hair that brought out my natural highlights, and just made my hair look even healthier. I chose to wash this out in the evening of the day I first applied it, so I don't know how it would affect your hair the following day. However, my prediction is that it certainly wouldn't leave it the horrible, oily mess that other waxes and clays have left my hair in the past. 

What I will say is that the clay is great at leaving very little in the way of 'product' in your hair. Whereas a lot of waxes and clays can make your hair feel rigid and hard in places, and can also cause a grease build up over a couple of days, I found that this simply wasn't the case with Punkawalop.

However, if you're looking for a clay with serious hold, this wouldn't be one that I would recommend. When I attempted to spike up my hair, no matter how much clay I added, it simply wouldn't hold into place. This is definitely more for those who like to run a little wax through their locks and then just 'mess it up' a bit, as opposed to somebody who wants to really shape their hair.

Ultimately, this isn't a product that I would have any interest in using regularly - not because it isn't a good product, just because I don't feel the need to use this in my hair at all. However, I can recognise its merits in being able to control my hair a little better and keeping it in place after many windy and rainy days at work.

Quantitative Ingredients: Cardamom Seed Infusion (Elettaria cardamomum), Coffee Infusion (Coffea arabica), Japan Wax (Rhus succedanea), Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), Glyceryl Stearate & PEG-100 Stearate, Propylene Glycol, Carnauba Wax (Copernicia Cerifera), Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Olea europaea), Cetearyl Alcohol, Polyquaternium-88, Rapeseed Wax (Brassica Napus), Hydroxystearic/Linolenic/Oleic Polyglycerides, Polyquaternium-81, Cardamom Oil (Elettaria cardamomum), Olive Leaf Absolute (Olea europaea), Rose Oil (Rosa damascena), Colombian Cocoa Absolute (Theobroma cacao), Oudh Oil (Aquilaria agallocha), Kaolin, Rose Clay (Kaolinite), Behentrimonium Chloride, *Anise Alcohol, *Benzyl Alcohol, *Benzyl Benzoate, *Citral, *Citronellol, *Coumarin, *Farnesol, *Geraniol, *Limonene, *Linalool, Perfume.

Vegan?: Yes. 

2018 Price: unsure.
2019 Price: £9.95 for 45 g.

Year Of Original Release: 2018.

Lady Of The Night Brush Strokes Face Mask

Most of the time after using some sort of Lush product, I always feel like I've royally pampered myself as much as I possibly can, which is why I gravitate towards the company time and time again. So when I saw that Lush were offering three face masks in the shade of bronze, silver and gold, I just knew I had to get my greedy little mitts on them. 

Lady Of The Night is the second Brush Strokes Face Mask that I had used so far, and looks absolutely stunning when fresh tub is opened. Sporting a shimmery silver colour, there is something rather playful and magical about using this across your face, and I couldn't wait to see what this new concept had to offer me.

For those as clueless as me about this new creation, Lush have described their Brush Strokes Masks as being similar to that of their regular masks, but one that you apply with a brush to allow for even coverage instead. Alongside this fairly unhelpful description, I still wonder at what point fans who have already invested in these masks will see the release of a brush to go with the product. While the idea is that you can use most make up brushes, I have yet to find one that works as effectively as using my hands. 

Now obviously, there are a few other differences as well, aside from just how you apply the product itself. Firstly, the consistency is actually very different from anything that Lush have done before. As you're likely to apply a lot less when using a brush, these face masks are incredibly thick and almost like clay. Therefore, it would actually be rather challenging to scoop out a large amount and apply it to your skin with your fingers. Secondly, the tub of Lady Of The Night that I received was partially empty, which perhaps explains the intensity of the product itself, and how little is applied every time you use it.

What I have learnt is that these are masks that need to be kept in the fridge and so far I have found that they have a longer life-span than the regular masks. In all fairness, I actually forgot all about Lady Of The Night for a good months after the Showcase, yet it still looked and acted fresh another handful of weeks after this point. As there was no expiry date on my tub, I stopped using mine when it began to look a little dry, and the water separated from the mask, making it harder to apply across my skin.

As the main ingredient here is a jasmine flower absolute, you can imagine how strong this fragrance is. In fact, fans of the Lust scent family may very well notice how similar the smell of this is to many products in that range. Having said that, when I used this face mask in the bath/shower, I found that the fragrance reminded me of a jasmine green tea, which then shocked me when I realised that there was no green tea extract present in the ingredients list.  


This particular mask contains a whole array of ingredients meant to improve the look and feel of your complexion, and add a radiance that'll see you through a good night out. The inclusion of kaolin smoothens out the skin whilst removing any excess dirt and grease; and the agave nectar gives the face a more plumped up appearance and helps to add a gentle shine.

Despite this mild inconvenience, the face mask felt much lighter on my face and I enjoyed not having to worry about pieces falling off as I walked through my house. What I found with Lady Of The Night was that after I had rinsed the product away, my skin did appear to look more radiant, perhaps more so than Goldfinger surprisingly, and it felt super soft as well.

Much like Goldfinger Brush Strokes Face Mask, this one took a little getting used to when applying it with a brush, and in all fairness I gave up fairly quickly and used my fingers instead. As I stated in my review of the aforementioned face mask, this product was much easier to use when I left the mask out of the fridge for half an hour before application, as the mask softened a little from the warmth.

Overall, I really enjoyed using this, although it wasn't moisturising enough to offer the same level of intensive repair as Oatfix usually does for my skin. Having said that, the scent of this was wonderful and my face did appear more radiant and less lifeless each and every time I used thus on my complexion, so it would be one I purchased again If it ever came out in stores. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Talc, Glycerine, Cornflour, Jasmine Flower Infusion, Organic Agave Syrup, Kaolin, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Titanium Dioxide, Jasmine Absolute, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Benzoate, Eugenol, Linalool.

Vegan?: Yes. 

2018 Price: unsure.

Year Of Original Release: 2018.

Goldfinger Brush Strokes Face Mask

Snooping around the Showcase store, I spotted something glistening and glittering in the distance. As I approached with caution, I realised that there was a stall tucked slightly away in the darkness, ladened with an abundance of naked facial cleansers and face masks, and it was here that I first spotted the product reviewed for you below.

Goldfinger Brushstrokes Face Mask looks like the Ferrari of face masks (says the person who knows zilch about those funny shaped metal boxes with wheels.) To look at, you'd assume that a unicorn had left us a little present in a tub; or that a fictional sun had melted a little and somebody had collected its drippings. As the name suggests, this brand new invention is pure gold, although from the tub it looks a little bit more like golden sand than pure gold itself.

For those as clueless as me about this new creation, Lush have described their Brush Strokes Masks as being similar to that of their regular masks, but one that you apply with a brush to allow for even coverage instead. Alongside this fairly unhelpful description, I still wonder at what point fans who have already invested in these masks will see the release of a brush to go with the product.

Now obviously, there are a few other differences as well, aside from just how you apply the product itself. Firstly, the consistency is actually very different from anything that Lush have done before. As you're likely to apply a lot less when using a brush, these face masks are incredibly thick and almost like clay. Therefore, it would actually be rather challenging to scoop out a large amount and apply it to your skin with your fingers. Secondly, the tub of Goldfinger that I received was partially empty, which perhaps explains the intensity of the product itself, and how little is applied every time you use it.


What I have learnt is that these are masks that need to be kept in the fridge and so far I have found that they have a longer life-span than the regular masks. Goldfinger saw me through almost two months before it started to dry and appear different in consistency. As there was no expiry date on my tub, I took this as a sign that it was ready to be finished.

This particular mask contains a whole array of ingredients meant to improve your complexion and replenish your skin for days to come. Rose water soothes the skin, helps to eradicate irritation and acts like a tonic to clear out the pores; kaolin clay does a similar job as well as helping to soften the skin. Carrot seed oil adds a little vibrancy to your complexion, whilst coconut nectar replenishes the skin with natural oils that may be missing.

Scent-wise, Goldfinger smells like a strong, musky rose aroma intertwined with a large dose of both cedarwood and olibanum to add a resinous and slightly woody undertone. There is something rather rich and beautiful about the smell of this, and is very far-removed from the Rose Jam aroma that some consumers may attempt to compare it to. As a few other people have stated, the closest smell to this would be Rosy Cheeks Face Mask. However, this is far more potent and has an extra dosage of sultriness to its fragrance.

What I found was that this face mask took a little getting used to when applying it across my skin. Perhaps I didn't choose the right brush to do the job, but I found it hard to get the product from the tub and onto my face. It was easier if I left the mask out of the fridge for half an hour before application, as the mask softened a little from the warmth. 

Despite this mild inconvenience, the face mask felt much lighter on my face and I enjoyed not having to worry about pieces falling off as I walked through my house. Rinsing it off was also really easy and my skin both looked and felt really radiant afterwards. I don't know whether it was the inclusion of the golden shimmer that convinced me that my face seemed a little more golden and radiant. However, I could see a difference that gave me confidence that this new invention had worked.

Overall, I really enjoyed using this, although it wasn't moisturising enough to offer the same level of intensive repair as Oatfix usually does for my skin. Having said that, the scent of this was wonderful and my face did appear more radiant and less lifeless each and every time I used thus on my complexion, so it would be one I purchased again If it ever came out in stores. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Talc, Glycerine, Rose Water, Coconut Nectar, Kaolin, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Cedarwood Oil, Rose Absolute, Bergamot Oil, Olibanum Oil, Carrot Seed Oil, Palmarosa Oil, Titanium Dioxide, Tin Oxide, Citronellol,*Geraniol, *Limonene, *Linalool.

Vegan?: Yes. 

2018 Price: unsure.

Year Of Original Release: 2018.