Supherb Toothy Tabs

Since I was about seven years old, my favourite colour has always been green, and more specifically a forest shade of green. While my initial preference was linked to my obsession with a Power Rangers character, it has since grown on me as the colour that I associate with life and vibrancy and the environment. I seek solace and find comfort in these shades of green and unconsciously gravitate towards them on most occasions. 

When I first read the description of Supherb Toothy Tabs, I assumed that I would love them because of their green design and shoutout to nature. Described as being a wintergreen, pine and parsley concoction, these herbaceous tabs sounded like something so natural and exciting and fresh. And they are. It's just that my tastebuds have yet to forgive me for using these solidly for almost a week. 

I'll start by saying that these are not toothy tabs for the faint-hearted. If you're looking for something sweet and gentle to clean your teeth with, you'll want to avoid these at all costs. Supherb packs a punch that'll leave your teeth shiny; your breath as fresh as a coastal breeze; and your tongue hanging out somewhere near the floor while it tries to escape your mouth. They are STRONG.

Containing more ingredients than any other toothy tab, these Liverpool exclusives are a handful (and a mouthful) of smells and tastes. From the bottle, the smell of wintergreen, peppermint and pine chase up your nose like a rabid dog, clearing your airways immediately with how fresh it smells. There is something so crisp and green about the smell that reminds me of a vibrant, leafy forest that's been doused in mint. The fragrance is dripping with potency and only continues to offer more, the longer you continue to sniff. 

Underneath these three key components, you can make out the herbal element of the parsley, coriander and marjoram, and these tend to come out even more when you begin to brush your teeth. With a slight reference to the lemon and clove bud oils, there is an awful lot going on here, and some consumers might find themselves very overwhelmed by how thick and complex the fragrance is.  

When it comes to how they taste, you probably won't be surprised to learn that Supherb Toothy Tabs are definitely for those who prefer a stronger tasting toothpaste. All of the above elements come together in full force as soon as the tab begins to get to work and you can taste every single component in all of its strength. It's really herbal and minty and pine-like all at the same time, and any smells or germs that may be present in your mouth before brushing certainly don't stand a chance at being there when you have finished.

These toothy tabs will leave you with the freshest breath and a mouth that feels like the cleanest it's ever been. Your tongue will also feel slightly tingly after you've rinsed your mouth out, although this strangely didn't happen every time for me.

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 Supherb 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.

If I'm honest, I couldn't really tell you if I actually liked Supherb Toothy Tabs or not. I am not for one second faulting the product by any means, as they left my teeth and mouth cleaner than most of the other toothy tabs I have been trying as of late. However, I don't think I would describe the smell or taste of these as being anywhere near pleasant. 

Ultimately, oral health care is about looking after your teeth and gums which these toothy tabs will help you to do. And if you're looking for a toothpaste that'll give you fresh breath alongside this, perhaps these are the tabs you've been looking for. However, I do think that I can achieve all of that without feeling as if I've just stuffed my nose and mouth in a vegetable garden so I probably wouldn't use these again.

Quantitative Ingredients: Dicalcium Phosphate Anhydrous, Sodium Bicarbonate, Cream Of Tartar (Potassium bitartrate), Sorbitol, Lauroyl Sarcosine,  Kaolin, Xylitol, Wintergreen Oil, Pine Needles Absolute, Pine Oil, Parsley Seed Oil, Aniseed Oil, Clove Bud Oil, Coriander Seed Oil, Geranium Oil, Sicilian Lemon Oil, Marjoram Oil, Peppermint Oil, Angelica Oil, Nettle Powder, Horsetail Herb Powder, Menthol Crystals, Water, Gardenia Extract, Stevia, Chlorophylin, Citral, Citronellol, Eugenol, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool.

Vegan?: Yes. 

2019 Price: £5.95 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2019.

Plantational Cake Solid Shampoo Bar

My vast experience with Lush has told me never to judge a product based on its colour or description. Whereas many people might run the other way upon seeing a brown lump that resembles a mud pie, I relish in experimenting with the company's weirdest and most wonderful of creations. Some of my most favourite products have come about through experiences that I've had in which I was expecting things to go horribly wrong at first.

Plantational Cake is equally brand new and retro at the same time. Based on Lush's old-school liquid shampoo of the same name, this limited edition solid looks no different than one of my firm favourite products from the Kitchen - Reincarnate Solid Shampoo. In fact, this product may appear very different ingredients wise, but the two share many good qualities that puts them both in the firm favourites category.

To look at, this solid shampoo bar looks like a cross between a badly-baked brownie and a lump of solid mud. You might be surprised to learn then that this limited edition doesn't smell like either of those two itmes. In fact, the smell of this surprised me quite a lot when it first came into contact with my nose.

Containing Brazilian orange oil combined with a nettle and rosemary leaf infusion, this shampoo bar presents a distinctive sweet smell that reminds me very much of sultanas. The inclusions of both the red henna and the labdanum resinoid add to this subtle fruity element - giving the solid bar a gentle layer of spice and rounds the aroma off with a dry but rather more-ish fragrance. In many ways, Plantational does smell very similar to Reincarnate, so if you've been fortunate enough to have tried the aforementioned shampoo bar, you'll have a good idea about the fragrance of this one.

As with most solid shampoo bars, this one works by wetting it a little under the running water and massaging it straight into your wet hair for a short time. It only takes a few seconds for the product to produce a light but thick lather, so you don't need to use it for more than that to cover your entire scalp. I would then recommend using both hands to ensure the shampoo is equally distributed across your locks. 

Depending on how long you have in the shower, I would suggest that you leave it on for a good few minutes before rinsing it away and applying your conditioner. What I found with this solid shampoo is that the henna taints the lather slightly, so don't worry when you rinse it away and find that the water presents itself as brown.

What I loved about Plantational is that it was effective from the very first wash. Unlike a large percentage of Lush's solid shampoo bars, this one moisturised and detangled my hair while I was in the shower, and I felt at times that I could almost have gotten away with not using conditioner afterwards - it was that effective. 

Upon drying my hair, I noticed that this bar left a slight bit of residue that seemed to coat my hair like a protective blanket. Don't get me wrong, my hair was neither greasy or oily afterwards, but there was something about the feel and touch of my locks that told me that the shampoo bar was still present on my hair. Until you try it out for yourself, it may be difficult to understand what I mean. However, it was almost as if the product had put up a slight barrier around every strand, so it felt as if my hair had more moisture present, without it looking or feeling weighed down. 

My experience with this one was very different to any of Lush's other shampoos, liquid and solid. I really felt as if this one added in that much-needed moisture that my dry hair needed, and within 2-3 uses my hair was looking and feeling much less frizzy and far more manageable. Furthermore, I found that I didn't need to straighten my hair that much, as the shampoo supported and accentuated my waves, without leaving it looking frizzy or untamed.  

Having said that, I will mention that your hair should be completely dry before attempting to straighten it after using Plantational. If your locks are even so much as damp when you use the straightening irons on them, this blanket of moisture that coats your hair will turn greasy, and I found that I had to use dry shampoo afterwards to try and settle the excess moisture. 

Overall, this solid shampoo bar has been an absolute pleasure to use. Not only has it rejuvenated my hair and made it feel far less parched than it did before, but the inclusion of the henna supported my natural hair colour - accentuating the highlights and bringing out the different shades of browns and reds that I don't often get to see.

This is definitely one that I would buy again, and I would go as far as to say that this would be a staple in my house if it was a regular item. Whatever condition your hair might be in, I have heard nothing but glowing reviews about this wonderful Kitchen exclusive, and my experience only serves to support and verify that this shampoo bar is a royal treat.         

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Lauryl Sulphate, Stearic Acid, Nettle And Rosemary Leaf Infusion, Red Henna, Glyceryl Stearate & PEG 100 Stearate, Soya Lecthin, Brazilian Orange Oil, Labdanum Resinoid, Irish Moss Powder, Limonene, Citral, Perfume.

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: £6.25 for 100g.

Year Of Original Release: 1999

Dear John Shower Gel

Dear John is a fragrance that I forget how much I appreciate, until I whip out the body spray and fall in love with it all over again. With so many different layers and such an interesting range of ingredients, this is a scent as unique as it is complex. 

When the Lush Kitchen announced that they would be making a shower gel version of this smell, I was equally intrigued and perplexed. On the one hand I was really excited to try a brand new shower gel, as those who follow this blog will know how much I love this format. However, there was a part of me that wondered if such a fragrance would actually work well outside of being a perfume.

Upon first inspection, I was rather pleased to notice the deep, forest green that Dear John Shower Gel sported. Given the design of the perfume bottles and body spray, I was expecting a cream-coloured liquid, so the actual product was definitely an upgrade of the colour I originally envisaged.  

Unfortunately, what I also noticed very quickly was that the shower gel was very thin - offering the same consistency as The Olive Branch. This meant that I found myself using far more than I would normally do so, as the product wasn't as compact in my hands as I would expect from most Lush gels. While the product lathered up really quickly and produced a generous amount of foam to wash myself with, I felt as if I used more that I usually would, just because of how runny it was and how freely it flowed from the bottle.

Supposedly a 'unisex' fragrance, this shower gel is quite complex: featuring layers of vetivert, cedar, clove, coriander, lime, coffee and pine. What I noticed about Dear John from the get-go was that it was the former three ingredients that made the biggest impression. From the bottle you can make out the sweet, smoky characteristics of the vetivert, blended with a gentle layer of woody cedar. Together, these two ingredients create an almost resinous smell, which when combined with a subtle hint of warming clove, makes for the most comforting of fragrances.

How this shower gel differed from other Dear John products, is the fact that the lime was not as noticeable as it is in other formats. While you can definitely detect its fruity presence, it was a little subtler than it is in other formats - meaning that I found this shower gel to be a little less refreshing than the body spray is.

What I also found a little disappointing was the fact that the shower gel was not as moisturising as most other variations available. I felt clean afterwards, and the fragrance lingered around for a short while on my body. However, my skin didn't feel as soft or as nourished as I was expecting it to be. For this reason, I can imagine those with very dry skin may benefit from using a body lotion afterwards to replenish the skin of moisture.  

Fans of Dear John will definitely appreciate this new addition to the family, and I have been enjoying having a bottle to indulge myself with on a daily basis. Having said that, those with a keen nose will notice that there are differences between this and the perfume, and some may not appreciate the subtle changes that have been made. The fact that I am half way through a bottle in just under three weeks, also suggests that this is not necessarily as good value for money as some of Lush's other shower gels. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Rosemary Infusion, Nettle Leaf Infusion, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Perfume, Proplyene Glycol, Fine Sea Salt, Vetivert Oil, Coriander Oil, Clove Bud Oil, Cedarwood Oil, Benzyl Benzoate, Citral, Coumarin, Eugenol, Limonene, Linalool, Colour 42090, Methylparaben.

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: £11.25 for 250g.

Year Of Original Release: ?

Scent Family:
Copperhead Solid Shampoo
Dear John Bubble Bar
Dear John Body Spray
Dear John Liquid Perfume
Dear John Shower Gel
Dear John Solid Perfume

Dear John Soap

New Solid Shampoo

Having just finished up my favourite shampoo, Irresistible Bliss, the shampoo to follow had big shoes to fill. After spending the last three months proclaiming how amazing my hair looked and felt, and realising it has never looked better, I was rather anxious to see how New Solid Shampoo would perform.

Looking almost identical to my favourite bar, albeit a little darker, this shampoo claims to be a 'self-preserving, naked bar with many ingredients that will stimulate the blood flow, helping maintain a healthy scalp.' In all honesty, I brought this merely because it was one of the last shampoo bars I had still to try, and now I wish I had bought it earlier.

For starters, this shampoo bar is like every other solid shampoo that I've tried so far; it's very easy to use. You can either massage it through wet hair, or rub it between your hands and create a lather, which can then be applied to your locks. Either way, you can really tell how much shampoo is compacted into a single bar as it lathers up really easily and it'll take weeks before you notice the bar shrinking in size.

Secondly, and one of the main aspects that I enjoy with all of Lush's solid bars, is that it possesses a very gentle smell. While this is definitely stronger than a lot of the other solid shampoo bars on offer, it's still not something that's going to saturate your hair and stay with you for days on end. This one is made up of different cloves, cinnamon and peppermint, so the smell you can pick up smells exactly like a combination of these three main ingredients. 

As I mentioned above, New Solid Shampoo has been specifically designed to target the scalp and features a combination of ingredients to do just that. Cinnamon leaf, bay and clove bud essential oils have been added here, and they are at the forefront of the fragrance. Combined with menthol-rich peppermint and nettle, these ingredients supposedly boost blood flow in the scalp, which in turn stimulates the hair follicles. As a finishing touch, rosemary has been added to calm and protect your scalp and adds a glorious shine to your hair. 

Within two to three uses, I could really the condition of my hair was almost on par with how it was when I was using Irresistible Bliss. My locks felt really moisturised and healthy, whilst retaining a light, well-conditioned consistency overall. When used daily, New Shampoo didn't dry my hair out or cause my dyed hair to fade, which I appreciated. 

However, after a couple of weeks, I did notice that my hair started to get a little greasy and I had to temporarily stop using it. I found that this shampoo doesn't work well when being used every single day so you might have to alternate between this and another shampoo.

As with all other solid products, these bars are really handy for when you're travelling and need to take the bare minimum. They're compact and light and sit perfectly in one of Lush's clearly designed tins, so can be carted anywhere without fear of spillage or leakages. I would recommend though, that if you wish to store your shampoo in one of these tins, make sure the bar is 100% dry before you do; you may have problems trying to get it out the next time as it's a close fit when the bar is full sized.  

Overall, New Solid Shampoo is another solid hair care product that I'll add to my favourite's list. It's one that I'll use again and one that I recommend that you try, even if like me, you don't have any issues with a dry or flaky scalp. My hair was definitely given a 'new' lease of life after using this bar, and I can see why it is one of Lush's best sellers.

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Nettle and Peppermint Infusion, Perfume, Glycerine, Nettle Absolute, Rosemary Absolute, Bay Oil, Clove Bud Oil, Cinnamon Leaf Oil, Cinnamon Leaf Oil, *Cinnamal, *Eugenol, *Benzyl Benzoate, *Limonene, *Linalool, Colour 73360, Cinnamon Stick.

Vegan?: Yes.

2016 Prices: £5.95 for 55g.

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Soap Sod

For someone who barely uses soap, I have amassed rather a large collection of the stuff - mostly due to Lush's insistence on releasing old and reformulated versions in the Lush Kitchen most weeks. And while I try to convince myself that I don't need any more, the allure of trying something new and retro from my favourite company is too strong to resist. Do I even have any willpower? 

Soap Sod is an odd name for a slab of scented glycerine - a soap that immediately entices the senses when it comes to both the fragrance and the design of each block. Presented in an almost fluorescent shade of green, with a generous collection of dried Roman chamomile flowers decorating the surface, this old-school product is beautiful to look at. 

Not only this but the scent is one that leaves an immediate impression on the senses, and whether you appreciate the smell or not, theres no denying that it doesn't grapple with your nose and hold your tastebuds hostage. By no means subtle, its pungent aroma combines the smell of green, leafy plants with the sting of fresh nettles and a heady and rather sweet chamomile note to boot.

Described as smelling like both 'a newly mown lawn' and an 'Alpine meadow as the sun peeks over the mountain tops alter a shower of rain', this old-school soap is one for the natural scent lovers amongst us - a soap that creates a clear divide between Lush fans. While some describe it as smelling like wet grass and stinging nettles, others compare the aroma to decaying shrubbery and gasoline - a contradiction if there ever was one.

To me, Soap Sod smells like freshly mown grass intertwined with dry pressed chamomile and a gentle layer of fresh lavender as a base note. While it is definitely not a horrible smell, it was one that I had to grow accustomed to, and I wouldn't say it's anywhere near as delicate as the likes of Grass Shower Gel, Green Day Bubble Bar and Fox In The Flowers Bath Bomb are.

Despite how stagnant the smell is and how overpowering it is in both the packet and in the shower, there is something rather two-dimensional about it that prevents the different elements from really making their mark on your senses. While it's definitely not a terrible smell, it's one that is needlessly strong and would probably be more enjoyable if it was more subtle, like Pea Green Soap.

Having said this, in the shower, Sod Soap is very easy to lather up - producing a thick and rather cream foam that glides over the skin with ease. The scent is strong enough to overpower anything else you may be using at the time, and you can detect the fragrance on your skin for a while after exiting the bathroom. 

As my chunk was rather soft and squidgy out of the packet, I was expecting this soap to shrink rather rapidly when it came into contact with the water. I was rather surprised then to find that my 100g chunk lasted a good five weeks in the shower - rivalling that of some of the sturdier soaps available from Lush and demonstrating that it didn't bleed out liquid in between uses like I was expecting it to.

While the lather was rather thick and deliciously creamy, and it did leave my skin feeling clean and clear after application, I wasn't overly impressed with the scent that I managed to yield from using this product. For this reason, Sod Soap would not be a soap that I would buy again. Although it is not offensive in any way, I think it's very much an acquired taste, and doesn't quite match up to what I was hoping for.

Quantitative Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Glycerine, Gardenia Extract, Sorbitol, Lavender Absolute, Lavender Absolute, Nettle Absolute, Titanium Dioxide, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Sodium Stearate, Dried Roman Chamomile Flower.

Vegan?: Yes.

2015 Price: £4 for 100g.
2017 Price: £4.25 for 100g.

Year Of Original Release: 2005. 

Fox In The Flowers Bath Bomb

If you dislike strong aromas or find yourself reacting badly to anything that makes you sneeze or cough or wince, this is not a bath bomb you want to purchase. In fact, if you find yourself in the same room as this very product, I would suggest you throw yourself into the nearest cupboard and hope that the oxygen doesn't run out before someone comes and removes the culprit. 

While I've had some pungent bath bombs in my time, Fox In The Flowers takes the crown for ballistic most likely to suffocate you with its fragrance. While it was not Lush's intent to make it so overpowering, the combination of ingredients featured means that this is one that leaves a lasting impression - on both your senses and your skin...and probably your neighbour's dog its so powerful. 

Designed to replicate 'a magical summer walk through the woods as day breaks, slick with rain and the rich scent of upturned earth', the arrival of this bath bomb was a rather bittersweet moment at first. With the rain pummelling on the windows and my feet neatly tucked under the hem of the oversized cardigan I was draped in, it brought on the reality that summer was slowly disappearing and winter was peeping from behind the curtain.  

Sporting a beautiful pastel-green demeanour - one slightly darker than that of the All That Jas bath bomb, this ballistic is made even more stunning by the inclusion of a dried rose decoration on the surface and chamomile and blue mallow flowers threaded throughout it's middle. While this isn't the messiest of bathing products to come from Lush, this is definitely one that needs a sieve if you hate any sort of debris in your bath. 

While I would describe the scent of this to be a floral one, it's definitely not a typical flowery aroma. In fact, I'd feel as if I was underselling this product by labelling it as so. Made from a unique combination of chamomile and blue mallow flowers, this bath bomb is far deeper and more complex than most other floral aromas that I have tried from Lush. 

To me, the initial note I get from Fox In The Flowers is the smell of freshly cut, damp grass. However, this is immediately followed by an array of different 'green' smells. Firstly, this bath bomb reminded me of walking through the garden of a country house that has recently been watered - the ivy stretching up the walls of the house; the dandelions and nettles intertwined and giving off that chlorophyll-dominated smell you get with leaves; the dry twigs of deceased plants offering a gentle wet woody aroma underneath everything. 

This bath bomb has a really deep and complex floral aroma - one that is complimented by the tiniest dry citrus note that elevates the flowery smell to new levels of beauty. The slightest hint of lavender in the mix makes this mesmerising on the senses, and while I didn't appreciate the abruptness of the fragrance to begin with, I found myself craving another bath with the product after I'd experienced it for the first time.

Lush describe the bath bomb as smelling like 'cut grass, wild flowers, and woodlands', and I couldn't agree more. To make it even more beautiful, when the bomb erupts and fizzes away in the tub, you'll left with a stunning array of mossy-green coloured water and a handful of flowers to make this one of the most gorgeous baths I have had in a while.   

On the positive side, this bath bomb left me feeling really refreshed and 'light on my feet' - with skin that glowed and pertained a little fragrance to see me through a good couple of hours afterwards. Furthermore, while the aroma splayed out a little in the water and wasn't so overbearing as it was in the wrapper, it still offered a very fragrant bathing experience and didn't lose its smell, even though I was in there a good hour.

However, I feel as if Fox In The Flowers is a bath bomb that inspires quite a strong reaction from those who discover it. For some, the scent will be far too potent on the senses and would almost bring about a headache for those more sensitive to smells - while for others, the love affair will be an instant one.

I feel very privileged to have been able to try this out for myself, and although I will say that I really enjoyed using it, it's not one that I would necessarily run out to buy again if they were made available in the future. Most notably, the green stain around the outside of my bath was a little off-putting and definitely put a bit of a downer on the whole experience at the end.

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Perfume, Roman Chamomile Flowers, Rosebuds, Blue Mallow Flowers, Lime Tree Flowers, Lavender Absolute, Nettle Absolute, Lavendin Absolute, Water (Aqua), Chlorophyllin.

Vegan?: Yes.


2015 Price: £3.95 each.

2016 Price: £3.95 each.


Year Of Original Release: 2003.

Lush Gardener Cold-Pressed Soap

Like a kid in a candy shop, I raced through the Oxford Street store - grabbing anything and everything until my basket was piled high with at least half a month's wages worth of cosmetics. If it was new to me, in it went - regardless of price, scent or format. It was only once I had gotten home that I was able to inspect exactly what I had picked up, and this is when the surprises made themselves known. 

Lush Gardener Soap was one of the items that initially intrigued me once I had laid everything out on the table for inspection. One of three new cold-pressed soaps, I was excited by both the scent of the product as well as the science that went behind making it. As a self-confessed 'vegan hippy', the idea behind this product was right up my alley. 

Being someone who is very much into healthy eating, I was already aware of what cold-pressed meant in terms of the food industry and how this idea might transpire into a soap. Although most companies tend to heat up their oils, melt them down and mix them together before leaving them to set, cold-pressed is when ingredients are pressed, ground down and mixed together while keeping the temperature low at all times (below 49°C to be precise). The lack of heat used throughout this process means that the oils retain all of their flavour, aroma and nutritional value - making them better for consumption as well as for the skin.

While soaps that have been produced in this fashion tend to be harder because the ingredients are quite heavily compressed together, they tend to have a  longer life span than regular soaps because they contain less liquid - liquid that would normally evaporate over time and dry the soap out. To prove this point, I have had all three of Lush's new cold-pressed soaps for near enough three months now and they have not changed in consistency at all during this time.

This particular soap features rosemary and a nettle and tea tree infusion - three ingredients that give this product it's main fragrance. Out of the packet, this soap smells like you're walking through a herb garden - offering a strong thread of rosemary and sage that nestle underneath the nettle and tea tree - supporting the aroma without being too overpowering. The sage aroma also helps to deter bugs during the warmer weather so you'll less likely to get bitten after using this; the lemon oil adds an uplifting quality to the soap without making it smell strongly of citrus, and the moringa powder does the same but adding a sweet element to the mix instead.

Although all of the ingredients give it a very distinctive smell, they also help to make this soap really effective in the shower. While the moringa powder acts as a antioxidant - clearing the pores and revamping the skin, the tea tree and eucalyptus calm and soften sensitive skin while reducing the appearance of spots and rashes across the body. 

In the shower, this soap takes quite a bit of work to lather up at first, and this is due to the lack of water in the ingredients list. Once the soap has had enough chance to soften under the running shower nozzle, it becomes a little easier to use and creates an oily, green-tinted lather to smooth across your body. 

What I loved about this soap was that it wasn't as drying as most of Lush's regular soaps can be with my skin, and I did really appreciate the gentle fragrance that stayed on my body once I had exited the shower. Furthermore, because it was quite a solid chunk, I didn't see much of a change in size between uses - meaning that a block would last you a good couple of months and prove good value for money. 

While my skin felt taut after use, it felt really clean and not the sort of 'dry' sensation you find when a soap has removed too much moisture - more of the squeaky clean feeling you get after washing the dishes and exposing your hands to the soap suds for a prolonged amount of time. 

However, it is important to keep Lush Gardener dry in-between uses as it does shrink if left wet and it ends up bleeding out and creating a horrible looking splodge of green on the side of your bath. Unfortunately, while it wasn't as drying as a regular soap, it still didn't prove as moisturising as a regular shower gel.

For these reasons, I will continue to use this chunk and might very well invest in another one at some point in the future. It would be a great product to use in the warmer months so I might very well take this with me when I visit my family during the summer holidays. However, it's not a soap that I would buy on a regular basis. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Rapeseed Oil; Coconut Oil (Brassica napus; Cocos nucifera), Rosemary, Nettle And Tea Tree Infusion (Rosmarinus officinalis; urtica dioica; Melaleuca alternifolia), Almond Oil (Prunus dulcis), Water (Aqua), Moringa Powder (Moringa pterygosperma), Cornstarch (Zea Mays), Sodium Hydroxide, Glycerine, Perfume, Clary Sage Oil (Salvia sclarea), Eucalyptus oil (Ecalyptus globulus), Organic Lemon Myrtle Oil (Backhousia Citriodora), Geranium Oil (Pelargonium graveolens), Gardenia Extract (Gardenia jasminoides), Sodium Chloride, Citric Acid, Sodium Bicarbonate, EDTA, Tetrasodium Etidronate, Citral, Citronellol, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool, Chlorophyllin (CI 75810).

Vegan?: Yes. 

2015 Price: £4.95 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2015. 

Squeaky Green Solid Shampoo

As I've mentioned before, I am now a fully fledged solid shampoo lover - I cannot imagine ever going back to the bottled variation. Not only are they really handy to carry with you whilst travelling, without having to worry about spillages, they're also fantastic value for money. A 50g block costs a little over £5 and will last anywhere from 2-6 months - I'd be hard-pressed to stretch a 500g bottle of liquid shampoo for any more than two months, and you're probably looking at paying triple the price for this privilege. 

The only challenge left for me, is to determine which of the nine (soon to be fourteen) solid shampoo bars on offer from Lush, will be the one I use regularly. Squeaky Green was the next one of my list of ones to try, and I was really excited to test it out, if only for its amazing colour. 

This product is made with freshly cut nettles, rosemary and peppermint herbs - a combination that sounds absolutely beautiful as well as highly natural. Described as the first shampoo bar from Lush to feature noodles in the ingredients list, this solid hair care aims to revive and refresh your locks, whilst banishing dandruff and leaving your hair looking and smelling divine. 

As well as the above elements, Squeaky Green also features rose and vanilla absolute; two ingredients which give the bar a slight subtle sweetness and help to balance and calm irritated scalps. Luckily, I'm not one to suffer from a sensitive scalp, but I didn't think it would hurt my chances to improve the condition of my scalp by using this shampoo.

This product also features powdered tea tree and chamomile essential oil - both of which play an important role in the shampoo's overall scent, as well as allowing it to fully cleanse your hair without leaving it dry or stripped of natural oils. 

Altogether, Squeaky Green shares it's scent with the now-discontinued, Go Green - a fragrance that has been released as a perfume as well as a ballistic amongst other products over the years. Recently, I tried Go Green Solid Perfume and instantly fell in love with it, so I was hoping that this shampoo would win my heart over as well. It's a beautiful light and highly refreshingly-natural fragrance and would be best suited for those of you who enjoy Grass Shampoo. 

For those who are not familiar with Lush's solid shampoo bars, they are different coloured/scented shampoos that have been compacted into 50g rounded chunks. You use them in the same way as you would soap, either rubbing it over your wet hair to create a lather, or massaging it between your palms and applying the lather to your hair. Either way, they work just like a normal shampoo would. 

In addition, these shampoo bars are much better value than their liquid counterparts; firstly, you can get near-enough 80 uses out of a single bar, which works out at just over 7 pence a time. Secondly, the bars don't need to be stored or presented in any packaging so they're environmentally great. Finally, Lush don't have to include any nasty synthetic ingredients to keep them at liquid consistency when at room temperature, making them more natural.  

After using Squeaky Green, my hair was really light and soft and genuinely felt as if it had been given a deep cleanse. Despite feeling quite rough in the shower, once my locks had dried naturally, my hair didn't look dry or greasy - instead I was able to leave it down without straightening it, and it supported my natural wave. 

As someone who dyes their hair on a monthly basis, I always worry that the shampoo I use will strip my hair of colour, or at the very least, cause my colour to fade quicker than it should. After using this solid bar for near on a month, I didn't notice any fading more than the usual wear and tear. 

One thing that I was slightly disappointed by was the strength of the fragrance once it had been applied to the hair. When the product is dry, Squeaky Green has a beautiful scent which reminds me of freshly cut grass - a perfect companion on those hot summer days. However, I could barely smell this in the shower and no remnants of smell stayed on my hair once the conditioner had been applied.

Overall, this shampoo is not the best I have tried but neither is it a terrible shampoo. Having used Gentil Lentil, Irresistible Bliss and Montalbano, and finding that both of these leave my hair looking incredible, they have both set the barrier for the quality of shampoo I expect. 

Squeaky Green cleans your hair wonderfully, without stripping it of colour or natural lubricant. However, it didn't leave my hair as wonderfully soft as others have done, and for this reason, I will keep searching for my ultimate solid saviour. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Perfume, Methyl Ionone, Rosemary, Nettle, Water (Aqua), Tea Tree Powder, Peppermint, Rose Absolute, Chamomile Blue Oil, Fair Trade Vanilla Absolute, Coumarin, Geraniol, Benzyl Benzoate, Limonene, Linalool, Hydroxycitronellal, Chlorophyllin.

Vegan?: Yes. 

2014 Price: £5.75 each.

2017 Price: £6.25 each.

Scent Family:
Go Green Liquid Body Spray
Go Green Solid Perfume
Green Green Bath Of Foam Bubble Bar
Squeaky Green Solid Shampoo