Khoomei Mouthwash Tabs

Although it doesn't happen very often, there are moments when my mind goes completely blank when it comes to a familiar scent or taste. Especially when I know that a particular aroma comes from a product outside of Lush, it's near on impossible to narrow down where exactly I might have experienced it before. When it comes to Khoomei Mouthwash Tabs, I have spent near on a month trying to hunt the smell down, but to no avail as of yet...

What I will tell you about these Liverpool exclusives is that the smell they offer is near on identical to that of a regular chewing gum that you can purchase in licensed shops and supermarkets across the UK. They both smell and taste super delicious and are easily one of my favourite flavours from the extensive solid mouthwash range.

Containing lemongrass, cucumber, tea tree and spearmint, these tabs are super crisp and refreshing without being too potent, or indeed too overly minty. From the bottle, you get a sweet combination of lemongrass and spearmint, with the cucumber resting underneath, offering it's fresh and rather cooling aroma alongside the other notes. Interestingly, the lemongrass has lost quite a bit of its 'grassiness' in this format, so the smell of these tabs is a little more fruity than you might initially expect.

Alongside these notes, the inclusion of the coconut oil rounds off the smell with a delicate powdery note - which I think is what makes the fragrance of these mouthwash tabs so wonderful. You cannot actually taste the coconut at all here but its presence is definitely welcomed, and if you get a chance to try them you'll be able to recognise how this ingredient makes an impact.

Unlike many of Lush's minty oral products, Khoomei is not as potent on the senses and doesn't leave your mouth feeling at all scorched. However, what it does do is leave you with clean, fresh breath; wonderful shiny teeth; and a sweet, lemon-esque note that resides in your mouth for a good while after using one of these tabs.

As soon as you grind one of these between your teeth and add the water to rinse and swish, the wonderfully sweet, fruity and delicately minty taste fills your mouth and begins to work immediately. While all of the components I described above come out in the taste of the tab, there is nothing overwhelming about the taste of this mouthwash at all. In fact, there is something rather delicious about these little beauties that will leave you salivating (and perhaps a little hungry) afterwards.

For those who have never used a mouthwash tab before, you simply crunch the tab between your teeth (I prefer to do this with my front teeth), take a slurp of water and begin swishing as you would a bottled mouthwash. Once you've finished, you spit the water into the sink and you're ready to brace the rest of the day without worrying about smelly breath, or the food from your lunch remaining stuck between your teeth. Lush recommend that you keep the mouthwash swishing around your mouth for a good minute before spitting it out, as this allows the ingredients to get to work at cleaning the mouth and deodorising the tongue so you get the maximum results possible.

As you would expect from Lush, the ingredients that have gone into making Khoomei have also been carefully crafted and serve a purpose. Firstly, they contain sodium bicarbonate, which is a natural softening ingredient that is also known for its ability to clean and deodorise at the same time. This is a key component that will help to clean your tongue, gums and teeth when you're swishing, and will help to rid your mouth of any strong odours that might be present at the time, freshening your breath in the process.

Each of the mouthwashes also contains xylitol, a natural substance that is found in certain fruits and vegetables and is used in foods and cosmetics as a refined sweetener. This ingredient has been proven to cause none of the harmful effects that sugar can have on the teeth; is perfect for diabetics as it doesn't effect blood sugar levels at all; yet offers the sweetness to help give these tabs their interesting but enjoyable flavours.

Whether you're popping out for a day at the beach; making a weekend trip to see the family; or jet-setting off to somewhere exciting, these 45g bottles can be tucked away with the assurance that you wont arrive at your destination with either soggy luggage, or with the lingering smells of your breakfast still festering on your tongue. Furthermore, they're also alcohol-free so these beauties wont cause you any issues when you're going through customs. No matter the length of your journey, these are handy to use at any time of the day: before you head out on your adventure; after a meal; or anytime you feel you need a little freshen up.

Ultimately, Khoomei Mouthwash Tabs are one of my favourites from the Lush range so far, and they are definitely a product that I will continue to use on an almost daily basis. These exclusives offer the perfect balance of taste and freshness and they're a genuine pleasure to use. Despite the rather boring demeanour that they offer, Khoomei are easily one of the most vibrant smelling and tasting oral care options from Lush. They step outside the box enough to bring something new to the table, without taking us too far from what we're looking for from a mouthwash.

Quantitative Ingredients: Dicalcium Phosphate Anhydrous, Sodium Bicarbonate, Silica, Citric Acid, Glycerine, Sorbitol, Malic Acid, Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, Stevia, Xylitol, Menthol Crystals, Fine Sea Salt, Tea Tree Oil, Cucumber Extract, Lemongrass Oil, Spearmint Oil, Citral, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool, Flavour. 

Vegan?: Yes.

2019 Price: £6.50 for 45g.

Year Of Original Release: 2019.

Blue Tooth Toothpaste Jelly

Sometimes there isn't a particular reason why you love a product so much; you cannot explain what it is about something that makes you so drawn to its fragrance or its taste. Perhaps because it was the first toothpaste jelly I ever tried, or maybe there's another subconscious reason that I am currently unable to fathom, but this brand new invention ticks every box that needs to be ticked.

While the pun-tastic Blue Tooth Toothpaste Jelly could perhaps be seen as a little odd to outside consumers, Lush fans have always been inundated with lemongrass scented cosmetics, so smelling this for the first time was nothing untoward. In fact, as someone who loves lemongrass tea, this jelly spoke to me like no other.    

With it's blue demeanour, you may be initially fooled into thinking that this jelly is going to offer a simplistic minty taste and aroma. However, the lemongrass is very prevalent in this product and you can smell it as soon as you remove the lid. Although fruity by nature, this ingredient also has a very distinctive grassy layer (hence the name) that sits alongside the slightly citrusy smell. However, that is not the only layer on offer here...

Underneath the lemongrass, you can smell one of two things: a gentle and rather clinical herbal note of eucalyptus, and the refreshing note of peppermint oil for good measure. These three ingredients work in unison to produce something that surprisingly isn't overly powerful, but a fragrance and taste that does exactly what you would want it to do.

Whilst brushing my teeth with Blue Tooth, I found that I could taste all three of the key components in the flavour. In fact, although the lemongrass is perhaps slightly more dominant overall, both the eucalyptus and the peppermint do a good job of thickening the flavour and threading themselves throughout the taste.

As with all of Lush's new toothpaste jellies, the idea is that you simply scoop your toothbrush across the top of the surface of the product and a small amount (or however much you wish to use) will rub off onto the bristles, and this is what you use to brush your teeth with. With all ten of these new jellies, I found that it was very easy to apply only the smallest of amount to my brush: I barely dented the surface at all to begin with, so these little 60g pots will last you a very long time. In fact, I would even say that they may outlast that of a regular-sized 200g tube of toothpaste.

Once I began brushing, I found that it 'lathered up' exactly like a regular toothpaste and at no point did I feel or experience any jelly pieces still in my mouth. The product dissolved very quickly and then worked exactly as you would hope a tooth paste would do so. Furthermore, I was able to spit the paste out multiple times and never once ran out of foam on my toothbrush. These jellies are super generous when it comes to how much foam they produce in your mouth, despite how little product you need to use. Whereas I would normally use a pea-sized amount of toothpaste, I was able to use a piece the size of a grain of rice and yet heed the same results.

What I would say is that as the product is self preserving, it's important to keep your toothbrush fairly dry when you run it across the product. Adding moisture of any kind to these naked cosmetics could reduce the shelf life of the jelly and may open up the possibility of bacteria multiplying over time. For this reason, it's also essential that the lid is left on so as not to attract any unwanted germs. Given that I can imagine one of these pots lasting me a good 3-4 months as a minimum, I certainly wouldn't want the paste exposed to any bacteria, if I can help it.

After using Blue Tooth Toothpaste Jelly, I was really impressed how clean my whole mouth felt, not to mention the rather lovely refreshingly fruity taste I could detect afterwards. The lemongrass works wonders at offering a deliciously fruity taste in your mouth afterwards; the peppermint leaves your teeth and gums feeling refreshed and clean; and the eucalyptus brings about the slightest of tingles on your tongue. 

I found that Blue Tooth was a great toothpaste jelly to use if you wanted moderate coverage after brushing your teeth. What I mean by this is that it left my mouth feeling sparkling clean, without any smells from the food I had eaten previously. However, the aftertaste wasn't so strong that it took away from anything I ate immediately afterwards.

As I will say in all of my toothpaste jelly reviews, it was nice not to have to worry about any annoying lumps that some of Lush's toothy tabs can leave in your mouth during brushing. This little gem simply dissolved as soon as I started brushing and there wasn't any wastage from bits getting stuck in my teeth or falling out when I spat into the sink.

As with most of Lush's new toothpaste jellies, this one contains many key ingredients to actually help this product to act like a toothpaste. Hydrated silica works well as a whitening and teeth cleaning agent: helping to remove the stains from the surface of your teeth without damaging the enamel. Then there is xylitol, which is a natural sweetener that doesn't contain any fructose, so will help to protect your teeth from damage, and will hopefully help to reduce your risk of cavities over time.

The flavour and aroma of Blue Tooth Toothpaste Jelly is by no means original when compared to many of the Lush products that have come before. You only need to look at one of their biggest selling bath bombs: Avobath, to know that lemongrass is a popular ingredient within their ranges. However, this combination is a great alternative to regular toothpaste, and at the same time isn't as strange as the description might initially suggest.

Out of all of the brand new toothpaste jellies, this is the one that I have been using the most...and to be honest I don't really know why. Although it is a highly rated product from me, I have other oral care that has received the same praise as this one. However, my mood compels me to reach for Blue Tooth far more often than some of my other favourites and that suggests to me that this limited edition jelly might actually be pretty damn good.

Quantitative Ingredients: Fresh Lemongrass Infusion (Cymbopogon citratus), Sorbitol, Glycerine, Silica, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Xylitol, Eucalyptus Oil (Eucalyptus globulus), Lemongrass Oil (Cymbopogon citratus), Peppermint Oil (Mentha piperita), Stevia (Stevia Rebaudiana), Agar Agar (Gelidium cartilagineum), Carrageenan Extract (Chondrus crispus), Titanium Dioxide, Water (Aqua), Benzyl Alcohol, *Citral, *Geraniol, Hydroxycitronellal, *Limonene, *Linalool, Flavour, Colour 42090.

Vegan?: Yes. 

2019 Price: £ each.

Year Of Original Release: 2019.

Glow Worm FUN Bar

Avobath Bath Bomb was one of the very first products I ever tried from Lush and many of my earliest memories feature that classic product. It's a scent that reminds me of my journey into the company: when everything was new and exciting and very overwhelming. Since then we have seen an impressive number of products make an appearance in this scent, most recently this limited edition FUN Bar.

Named Glow Worm because it also happens to glow in the dark, this luminescent bar of FUN is exclusive to the Lush Liverpool store. While fairly plain in demeanour, it's definitely worth an investment, and I can only hope that my review will tempt a few people to try it out for themselves.

Featuring a generous helping of lemongrass, bergamot and rosewood, this squid little bar of fun offers a bright, zesty, uplifting lemongrass scent, with a green-like undercurrent, and a little of the rosewood for grounding underneath. If you're for a fragrance that will compliment the warmer weather, I cannot think of anything better than this one.

Much like with each of the limited edition Liverpool FUN bars that have come out with this one, Glow Worm is really easy to use and very generous in the bath and shower. You only need to break off a piece the size of a small grape and this will produce enough suds to last you the entire shower. Simply massage the piece between your palms, allowing a little water to get involved, and the FUN bar produces a mass of silky-soft foam to clean yourself with.

Unlike a lot of FUN Bars, this one happens to be a little on the squishy side to begin with, so I'd highly recommend that you store it somewhere cool between uses, and ensure you only take a small amount into the water with you each time. Otherwise, you're likely to make a sticky mess on the side of the bath if you leave the product there exposed to heat and damp.

I have also tried this in the bath - using it in the same way I would a bubble bar by holding it under a running tap to create a surplus amount of bubbles and a beautifully fragrant bath to enjoy. Again, this bar worked really well in this way and I really enjoyed being able to bathe in the fragrance alongside of Avobath Bath Bomb for extra zest! I cut a slice that probably equated to about a sixth of the bar and this gave me more than enough bubbles, so this works out cheaper than a regular bubble bar for sure.

For those who love this smell, you can also use this in replacement of your regular shampoo, and coupled with the conditioner will leave your locks smelling wonderful. While I haven't tried this in my hair, I've heard from many people that FUN works well in this way and I cannot see why this one would be any different. 

To conclude; I really loved this FUN bar and I think Lush would do well bringing it out for everybody to enjoy at some point in the future. It cleaned and moisturised my skin well and left a wonderful fragrance that lingered on my skin for a good hour after I had towelled myself down. Despite the hefty price tag, the fact that I needed to use a lot less than other FUN Bars made it seem better value for money, and I would certainly buy it again.

Quantitative Ingredients: Cornflour, Talc, Glycerine, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Luminescent Zinc Sulphate, Lemongrass Oil, Bergamot oil, Rosewood Oil, Perume, Citral, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool.

Vegan?: Yes.

2019 Price: £4.95 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2019.

Love Island Body Scrub

As someone who watches television on average about once a month, I have never once been sucked into watching the Love Island series. Not only does it hold the same appeal as watching paint dry to me, but I just simply don't have time to commit to any sort of series to begin with. Having said that, I thought that Lush were once again pretty witty with the reference used for this brand new product.

About the size of one half of a bubbleroon, Love Island Body Scrub is initially an anticlimax, and may have some consumers worried about the longevity and usage of something so small. While not overly expensive, £3.50 does seem a stretch for something that looks as if it would fall down the plughole very quickly. However, I can safely say that this little trooper has an impressive amount of life in it, and will serve you a lot longer than you might think.

Sharing its scent with the Love fragrance, this Valentine’s Day special combines bergamot, jasmine, lemongrass and rose together to create a strange but alluring combination of floral, green and fruity properties. The jasmine is definitely the strongest component here: offering a rich, sultry and slightly intoxicating silky-sweet floral aroma.

Alongside this, the lemon and bergamot combine to create something that smells similar to that of soured apple syrup, while a touch of cinnamon laces these components together and adds a sprinkle of warmth underneath. In my opinion, this is definitely one of those fragrances that can inspire a very strong negative reaction. The jasmine is super potent especially, and there are many who cannot stand the aroma for this very reason.

What I will say about this scrub is that this potency remains on your skin long after you've towelled yourself down, and I found that I received a couple of compliments about my 'perfume' a couple of hours after I had used Love Island in the shower. If you enjoy this fragrance, using this is a great way of coating yourself in a blanket of your favourite smell.

What is special about Love Island is that it's made from a combination of sugar, salt and sand. So not only does the inclusion of these three prevent the scrub from being at all fickle or easily breakable, but it also offers more benefits for the skin as well.

If you decide to use this as a whole piece, I would highly recommend that you don't hold it directly under the water, otherwise you'll use a lot more than you probably planning to. Once wet, it will happily rest on a soap dish or in a tub without dismissing or crumbling, and I found that I was able to get four full-body uses out of it this way. Furthermore, using the product this way heeded a very coarse scrub on my skin, which was perfect for me as I love to apply a lot of pressure and really scratch my skin when I scrub. 

If you want something a little less intensive, the best idea is to cut the scrub into four pieces and then crumble each piece whilst your massaging it across your skin. This way you can reserve the rest without it getting wet, and you can be in more control of how hard you exfoliate your skin.

Either way, you'll need to rinse the bath tub briefly afterwards, as the sand tends to remain around the plug hole, and you'll definitely need to moisturise. Whilst Love Island features aloe vera to both cool and calm your skin, the sand, salt and sugar will leave your skin in need of some much needed moisture.

Long term, I would love to see the option of buying pots of this scrub, already crumbled - much like the Life's A Beach Scrub Lush released a few years ago. However, this is definitely a lovely inclusion in this year's Valentine's Day range, and Love fans will no doubt appreciate the sentiment.       

Quantitative Ingredients: Granulated Sugar, Sodium Bicarbonate, Cream of Tartar, Fine Sea Salt, Potato Starch, Sodium Coco Sulfate, Sand, Lemongrass Oil, Bergamot Oil, Jasmine Absolute, Rose Absolute, Ylang Ylang Absolute, Cocoa Powder, Aloe Vera Extract, Gardenia Extract, Titanium Dioxide, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, *Benzyl Benzoate, *Citral, Coumarin, Oakmoss Extract, *Geraniol, *Limonene, *Linalool, Perfume.

Vegan?: Yes.

2019 Price: £3.50 each. 

Year Of Original Release: 2019.

Scent Family:
Fizzbanger Bath Bomb
Lonely Hearts Bubble Bar
Love Apple Bubble Bar
Love 'Atmosphere' Shower Gel
Love Island Body Scrub
Love Perfume
Love Potion Massage Bar
Love Soap

Whole Lotta Love Bubbleroon

Christmas Cracker Bubble Bar (Christmas 2004 Version)

During the colder months of the year, I always enjoy products that share a combination of fruity and spicy smells. While the former element helps me to feel a little more alive and awake, after the bitterness of the cold weather, the spices warm me up a little faster and act like fragrant cuddle. It's no surprise then that cosmetic companies bring out the wintery scents in their many hundreds of formats - they know where the market is for certain.

When the Lush Kitchen first announced that it was going to bring out Christmas Cracker Bubble Bar, I was super excited because not only was it a product I had been wanting to try for years, but it also boasted cinnamon and orange oil as the two many components. Imagine my surprise then when a handful of these bubble bars turned up on my doorstep, and the scent that greeted me was almost unrecognisable from the descriptions I had read.

While I would initially say that this bubble bar should not be confused with the other Christmas Cracker Bubble Bar that came out during Christmas 2017, this limited edition definitely has far more in common with the newer version than I was expecting it to. Having said that, I should probably point out that the surprise was certainly not something I found at all negative.

Straight from the packet, this Christmas product smells far more like it has a high dosage of lemongrass in the ingredients lists, than it has orange or cinnamon. In fact, if someone had suggested that the bubble bar shared its scent with Avobath Bath Bomb, I wouldn't have argued the case at all, because it actually does smell very similar.

One great aspect about this bubble bar is that you have a choice about how much you use, and what colour you'd ultimately like the bath to be. Using either the red side or the green side by itself will ultimately heed the colour that you've specifically chosen. However, choose a combination of the two and you get a warming shade of orange water to submerge yourself beneath.

No matter what colour variation you decide to go for, this bubble bar is super moisturising and very generous when it comes to creating bubbles in the tub. After crumbling a piece under the running water, the bubbles began to form thick and fast, and floating on the surface like a fragrant winter jumper. As you swish your hands throughout the water, you'll create even more bubbles, and they tend to stick around for a good part of the bath.

The fragrance itself was very robust in the water and I was able to detect it throughout my entire experience. Usually, citrusy scents tend to disperse quite a bit in the water, however this one didn't. The water was incredible moisturising - so much so that I didn't feel the need to use a body lotion afterwards, and the fragrance lingered on my skin for a short while after I had dried myself off.

Overall, this bubble bar is definitely one of the best retro products to make a reappearance in the Lush Kitchen, and I do hope this isn't the last time it makes an appearance for consumers to buy. However, I am interested to know why the smell differs so much from the ingredients that have gone into making it.   

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Cream of Tartar, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Lauryl Betaine, Perfume, Cocamide Dea, Orange Oil, Cinnamon Leaf Oil, Chlorophyllin, Colour, Candy Holly Leaf.

Vegan?: Yes.

2016 Price: £3.95 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2004.

Amazon Primer

When you haven't had something, you cant miss it, and this is what I told myself when I missed out on buying the exclusive naked facial oils that Lush brought out earlier this year. While I did manage to grab Sky 79, I tried not let my disappointment of missing out on the others take away from the privileges I was experiencing through travelling. You can imagine my elation then when I saw the little cuties being displayed, and on sale, at the Showcase event earlier this month. 

While I am not one to wear make-up, Lush have always been known for the versatility of their products. So I was not put off at all by the fact that Amazon Primer was initially created for those who enjoyed the indulgence of wearing make-up. If anything, the fact that I didn't even wear concealer most of the time meant that I would be able to test out the other uses that this limited edition had to offer.

While the name of this primer is taken from the cupuacu and the murumuru butters being sourced from the Amazon jungle, there is a part of me that links Mark Constantine's feud with the billion pound company of the same name. Somehow I don't think the name of this is just a coincidence.

Having said that, these two ingredients do an amazing job of moisturising and conditioning the skin at the same time. After applying this two to three times throughout the day, I could visibly see how hydrated my complexion was beginning to look, and my skin only took a couple of days before there was an element of vibrancy about my complexion that I hadn't seen in a long time.

Alongside these two ingredients is a dosage of arrowroot powder. This not only prevents the product from being too greasy on the skin, but also allows Amazon Primer to offer a more matte during use. After massaging this across my face, it didn't take more than about twenty seconds for it to be absorbed into my skin - which is perfect for those who then wish to apply concealer and foundation without having it run or not set properly. For me, it was a great way to give my face a little more radiance, without putting too many oils and butters into my pores. The lemon oils helped my skin to appear brighter without looking at all shiny, and worked well to cleanse my pores at the same time.

To apply, you can either melt a little between your fingers and then smooth these across you face, or you can apply the little oval block directly onto your skin. I found that the latter way was much more effective because massaging it between your fingers means that you lose some of the product due to it being absorbed into your hand first. And while the shape isn't the most cleverly designed tool for application to reach in the hardest of places, it's not exactly rocket science to use the primer well.

While this wouldn't apply to me due to the nature of my complexion, Amazon Primer features a green pigment that not only colours the product as we can see, but helps to neutralise flushed cheeks and reduce the appearance of redness, so those with irritated skin should find that this compliments there skin very well - with or without make-up being applied afterwards.

While my nose recognises this scent, my brain is yet to get its act together and figure out the familiar aroma that Amazon Primer offers. What I will say is that the orange and the rosewood are very competitive in this format. You can smell a strong, almost bitter orangey aroma, alongside of which the rosewood throws in a heavy amount of woodiness. This is not exactly the prettiest of smells, which is just as well because the fragrance doesn't last on the skin for long. Although there is also tonka absolute in this facial oil, very little of that made its way to my senses.

Overall, this is a great primer for those looking for a matte base, or hoping to smoothen their skin out before applying their make up. For those like myself who are interested in ways to moisturise our complexion, this is far less intense than some of the naked facial oils, and would definitely suit those with more oiler complexions. 

Although the size and the price tag may avert consumers away from the investment, this little oval would most likely last upwards of six months, with family usage. So little is used each time that I reckon I'll be using this for nearly a month before I notice any change in size. This is definitely a winner in my eyes. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Murumuru Butter (Astrocaryum Murumuru), Maranta Fecula (Maranta arundinacea), Lemongrass Infusion (Cymbopogon Citratus), Japanese Wax (Rhus Succedanea), Carnauba Wax (Copernica Cerifera), Cupuaçu Butter (Theobroma Grandiflorum), Tincture Brazil Crescione Alcohol (Spilanthes Oleracea), Rosewood Essential Oil (Aniba Rosaeodora), Andiroba Oil (Carapa Guaianensis), Tonka Absolute Essence (Dipteryx Odorata), Brazilian Orange Essential Oil (Citrus Sinensis), Aqua (Aqua) , Gardenia Extract (Gardenia Jasminoides) * Benzyl Benzoate, * Citral, * Coumarin, * Geraniol, * Limonene, * Linalool, Perfume, Chlorophyllin (CI 75810) * Naturally present in essential oils.

Vegan?: Yes.

2018 Price: £9.95 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2018.

Ghost In The Dark Soap

When I heard about Ghost In The Dark Soap for the first time, I was initially a little reserved about whether or not I would appreciate its merits. For those new to Lush, the company have a 'classic' soap called Demon In The Dark, which is a beautiful looking soap but is comprised of both apple and mint. Unfortunately for myself, those two notes do not go down well together for my nose, and I find it one of the least desirable smells that Lush have ever created. Upon arrival however, I fell in love and was completely in awe of the soap when I realised that it shared its scent with Avobath.

Seen as a staple bath bomb in my house hold, Avobath is a strong and very citrusy combination of lemongrass and bergamot oil. This combination is the perfect solution first thing in the mornings, when you're struggling to prise open your eyes and you just want to slip back under the covers. While I don't use this bath bomb very often, I do tend to pick one up when I know I have a long and tiering day ahead of me. 

What I will say about Ghost In The Dark Soap is that it offers an identical fragrance to that of its sibling bath bomb. Most of the time we can rely upon Lush to mimic a scent well, and this limited edition proves this once again. If you're a fan of Avobath, you'll need to grab a number of these before the season is over.

Immediately, you can smell the strong and very refreshing note of lemongrass, which as I've described in other reviews is both super crisp first thing in the morning, and equally uplifting for those who need an extra boost. This is definitely the most dominating aspect of this soap and it's one of Lush's most robust smells for certain.

What you'll be able to notice about the scent of this soap is that both the fruity element and the grassy element work in perfect unison with each other. While the lemongrass is very natural and potent, the bergamot adds a very subtle note of sweetness behind this, which removes the harshness of the lemongrass and rounds the smell off to a beautiful finish.

Just like the bath bomb, this soap engulfs your senses whilst you're showering, lingers on your skin for a good while after you've towelled yourself down, and leaves a lasting impression is the bathroom as well. I walked continuously back and forward past my bathroom door after using this one morning, and found that I could still smell traces of the soap some three hours after showering.

What is equally as impressive is that it lathers up very quickly so you don't need to massage it continuously to clean yourself with. While it produces suds much more like a shower cream, so it'll coat your skin rather than create lots of foam to massage across your body, the cream you do produce is silky soft and feels beautiful when in use.

So it's no surprise then that Ghost In The Dark proved to be very moisturising indeed, and my skin felt all the better for using it. Although I knew that it contained cocoa butter in the base, there are often times when I don't reap the rewards of that when I'm using a product. However, this is one of those rare soaps that actually felt as if I had used a shower cream instead. My body felt soft to the touch, and I could have easily gone the full day without moisturising at all.  

While I haven't been using this long, the soap does feel as if it could shrink quite quickly under the water, so I would suggest that you massage it between your hands and then move it away from the running shower hose. In addition, I would also suggest that you pat it down in between uses, to remove excess moisture, or at the very least leave it somewhere cool and dry.

While the soap doesn't match the colour of Avobath, what is impressive is that Ghost In The Dark contains luminescent zinc sulfide in the ingredients list. This is what allows the soap to quite literally glow in the dark, and this soap really does keep its promises and do just that. However, there are a few concerns about whether this particular ingredient is safe to use on the skin.

What I have discovered is that luminescent zinc sulfide is the only FDA-approved compound that can be used in cosmetics to create the effect of glowing in the dark. Quite a number of bigger brands tend to include a small amount in their concealers and highlighters to attract the light when the wearer applies it to their face.

However, scientists have stated that products featuring this ingredient should only be used occasionally, as regular use can irritate the skin and could cause further damage. While the amount present in this soap would be incredibly small, and would most likely not cause any reactions at all to take place, it is probably worth noting that this soap should perhaps be used a little cautiously. Although I personally don't believe regular use would cause any harm at all, those with sensitive skin might want to observe any changes to their skin, if they do decide to use this on a regular basis. 

Overall, I am super impressed with how strong the scent of this soap; how easy it lathers in the shower; and how wonderful it leaves my skin feeling. The fact that it glows in the dark is a novelty bonus that I very much approve of, and it just adds to the magic that is Halloween. I will definitely be buying a few more of these before the season is out and I hope this is an indication of the amazing soaps to come this Christmas.

Quantitative Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Propylene, Glycol, Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter, Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, Organic Castor Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Perfume, Lemongrass Oil, Luminescent Zinc Sulfide, Bergamot Oil, Citric Acid, Glycerine, Titanium Dioxide, Sodium Bicarbonate, *Citral, *Geraniol, *Limonene, *Linalool.

Vegan?: Yes.

2018 Price: £ each.

Year Of Original Release: 2018.

Scent Family:

Avobath Ballistic
Avojelly Shower Jelly
Avowash/Avoshower Shower Gel
Crackersnap Ballistic
Ghost In The Dark Soap

Luck Of The Irish Bath Bomb

  

Karma Massage Bar

During my attendance of the Lush Summit event last year, I stumbled upon a demo table that immediately captivated my full attention. The display explained that Lush were soon to bring out a brand new spa treatment completely centred about the Karma fragrance, and my tongue couldn't help but lol out of my mouth while I listened on with glee.

Before leaving, I noticed that the table had a single Karma Massage Bar for fans to demo: a little taste of what you could experience if you were lucky enough to book in for the full treatment upon its release. As I left the stall and headed around the rest of the displays, I couldn't help but wonder how complete my life would feel if I could get my hands on one of those magical massage bars myself.

Fast forward almost a year, and the Lush Kitchen answered my prayers: bringing out the bar as a limited edition release for us all to buy: yet another taster that drew us Karma obsessives in. After using the bar for a straight two weeks, I began wishing I had bought a few more to hold stock until they came back again. Unfortunately, it's unlikely that this dream will ever come true.

While rather plain to look at, Karma Massage Bar smells exactly as you would want and expect it to be. Oozing with patchouli and sweet orange oil, this limited edition offers a delicately fruity but equally as spicy affair. As with most products in the Karma range, this one sends out vibes of the swinging sixties: it's sultry and sexy, yet naughty and fruity at the same time. 

The lemongrass and pine oil yet again revel under the surface: offering short bursts of green without being overly generous. Lush describe it will by stating that Karma 'evokes memories of summer and the heat and spice of India', and you only need to give this bar a sniff to know that this is the perfect description to match the wonderful fragrance.

What I loved about this massage bar was that it was super easy to melt - running over my skin and leaving a delicate layer of oils to massage across my body. The cocoa and shea butters really get to work at softening and hydrating your skin, whilst the orange oil has a radiance and a shine that stays with you as the oils are sinking into your skin. 

While some Karma-scented products can be rather powdery, this one was a little more sultry: a little closer to the soap than it is to the perfume. It's perhaps a slightly more reserved than the perfume, but I think that's what makes it truly special in this format.

As with most massage bars, this can last a long time, depending on how you use it. While I went a little crazy and used it for a couple of weeks straight, this is best used as either - as the name suggests - a tool during a full body massage, or as an intense moisturiser a couple of times a week. As the latter, this bar can last upwards of three to four months - making it great value for money in my eyes. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Cocoa Butter, Shea Butter, Coconut Oil, Patchouli Oil, Pine Oil, Elemi Oil, Lavandin Oil, Lemongrass Oil, Orange Oil.

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: £5.95 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2017.

Scent Family:
Bling Crosby Bubble Bar
Double Fast Luck Emotibomb
Karma Ballistic
Karma Bath Melt
Karma Bubble Bar
Karma Dusting Powder
Karma Komba Solid Shampoo Bar
Karma Kream
Karma Liquid Perfume
Karma Massage Bar
Karma Revamped Bubble Bar
Karma Shower Bomb
Karma Shower Gel
Karma Shower Jelly
Karma Soap
Karma Solid Perfume
Karma Sutra Bath Bomb
Lush Bath Bomb