Top Gum Toothy Tabs

When it comes to cinnamon, just like Marmite, you either tend to love it or dislike it a lot. It's very easy to see a clear divide when it comes to Lush fans and their cinnamon-scented products, and I think this latest flavour of oral care might well divide the community in half. If you're not a fan of the sweet spice, I suggest you avoid these little tabs altogether.

Top Gum Toothy Tabs are described as a combination of 'cinnamon and clove bud to leave your gums feeling glorious and your teeth squeaky clean.' Despite the spice being my personal favourite, I was a little skeptical about how these little solid tabs were actually going to taste at the end of a long day, and to be honest I'm still not one hundred per cent sure how I feel about their taste.

From the bottle, you immediately get a strong and very fiery dose a cinnamon: like you're opening a brand new pot of the grounded spice for the first time and pressing your nose against the neck of the bottle to sniff. In fact, if anything I think that the smell of the toothy tabs is perhaps a little stronger than the original spice itself and this is down to the inclusion of the lemon oil that uplifts the cinnamon well.

Alongside this spice, Lush have also included a combination of clove bud and pimento been oils. The former ingredient makes a clear impression by adding a layer of warmth and spice alongside the cinnamon, while the latter ingredient rounds it off with a gentle sweetness to make the tabs a little more edible. There is also a delicate note of both allspice and pepper underneath, which offer a little more dry spice to the aroma and taste.

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.

As soon as you crunch the tab, a strong, dry and rather spicy combination of cinnamon and clove bud fills your mouth and removes any unwanted smells or tastes that you were experiencing a few minutes beforehand. While the taste wasn't strong enough to leave my tongue tingling, it did feel as if my mouth had been completely scrubbed clean, and I could really feel the difference that it made to my teeth as well. After brushing with one of these for two minutes, my teeth felt really shiny and clean and I truly felt a difference.

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 Top Gum 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.

When it comes to Top Gum, the inclusion of the clove bud oil also helps to stimulate and soothe the inside of your mouth, so you can trust that you're getting a very thorough clean when using one of these. However, I found that the taste in my mouth afterwards was not as refreshing and clinical tasting as I usually like, and it didn't take very long before the affects of the tabs disappeared.

As with most of Lush's brand new range of toothy tabs, I did really enjoy using Top Gum for the few weeks that I did. However, aside from being more of a novelty idea (in my mind) I cannot see myself using these ones regular. I wholeheartedly love cinnamon and it's got nothing to do with the taste at all. However, the flavour just didn't feel like one I would want to use all of the time to brush my teeth with.

Quantitative Ingredients: Dicalcium Phosphate Anhydrous, Sodium Bicarbonate, Cream Of Tartar (Potassium bitartrate), Sorbitol, Lauryl Sarcosine,  Kaolin, Xylitol, Clove Bud Oil, Sicilian Lemon Oil, Cinnamon Bark Oil, Pimento Berry Oil, Cinnamon Powder, Stevia, Whole Clove, Grains Of Paradise, Allspice Bernes, Long Pepper, Menthol Crystals, Colour 77491, Cinnamal, Cinnamyl Alcohol, Citral, Eugenol, Limonene, Flavour.

Vegan?: Yes. 

2019 Price: £5.95 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2019.

Mandarin Fireworks Toothy Tabs

Sometimes Lush do things a little too much in excess which isn't exactly a good thing for consumer's wallets. With the recent opening of the new Liverpool superstore, the company chose to bring out ten brand new variations of toothy tabs, as well as ten brand new mouthwash tabs alongside these. While this now means that they have a seriously impressive range to choose from, these additional products don't exactly narrow it down for those of us who want to choose the right one for our tastebuds and our teeth.

To aide consumers with their purchases and help fans to decide which toothy tabs are the ones worth investing in first, I have been trialing them all out by myself so I can offer extensive reviews on all of them throughout this blog. For those still unsure of their choices, I hope that these reviews help you to make the right ones with your money.

Mandarin Fireworks is one of ten limited edition toothy tabs that first made an appearance at the Lush Showcase event early this year. They have since set up camp solely in the Liverpool store as an exclusive product and I was lucky enough to know somebody that was willing to grab a bottle of them for me to try out for myself.

Sold as little circular orange tabs, on the front of the bottle it reads: 'an explosion of Szechuan pepper tingles the tongue while a triple dose of juicy mandarin brings an appeeling flavour.' It probably would have helped me to have read this part first because my experience was a rather strange one that took me quite a while to figure out what exactly was actually happening in my mouth.

Containing three different mandarin oils, it's no surprise then that these toothy tabs both smell and taste very much like a heightened mandarin dessert. From the moment these little gems are placed in your mouth, you can taste the natural sweetness of the citrus oils, and it's very much like brushing your teeth with a rather yummy tasting mandarin sweet. It's tart, fruity, sharp and sweet all at once and it lingers long in your mouth after you've rinsed away the foam.

What is strange about these toothy tabs in that halfway through brushing, you begin to experience a little tingling on your tongue, which intensifies a little and gives a very odd sensation in your mouth. It's almost as if the bitter taste of biting into an unpeeled orange has been placed on the tip of your tongue, whereas the rest of your mouth just tastes of regular mandarin. It's a very odd experience for sure but equally made me recognise just how fresh and clean my mouth felt at particular moment in time.

As with most of Lush's other toothy tabs, Mandarin Fireworks 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. 

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 taste on the palette and provides you with clean-feeling teeth. Although these are the first ones I have tried from the new collection, I thoroughly enjoyed using these and felt that my teeth and breath remained fresh for a good many hours after brushing my teeth in the morning. For those who dislike the heavy taste that mint can leave in your mouth, these would be a great alternative and I have been enjoying using these during my working day to keep my mouth super clean until lunchtime.

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 that is far more interesting than the hum drum of mint that you may be used to. The fact that these are easy to transport on holiday as well only serves to make me appreciate them even more. These are definitely ones I would purchase again.

Quantitative Ingredients: Dicalcium Phosphate Anhydrous, Sodium Bicarbonate, Cream Of Tartar (Potassium bitartrate), Sorbitol, Lauroyl Sarcosine, Red Mandarin Oil, Yellow Mandarin Oil, Green Mandarin Oil, Stevia, Fine Sea Salt, Menthol Crystals, Szechuan Pepper, Oleoresin, Gardenia Extract, Alpha-Isomethylionone, Anise Alcohol, Limonene, Flavour, Colour 15985:1, Colour 19140:1.   

Vegan?: Yes. 

2019 Price: £5.95 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2019. 

Imp-atient Bath Oil

Each and every night before I go to bed, I try my best to either mediate for half an hour, or write any persistent feelings down that have been going through my head. This is so that I can start the next day afresh; encouraging my mind not to take any negative thoughts into a new day. Some days it works, others it's a struggle.

After a rather difficult day, I decided it was time to use my IMP-atient Bath Oil in the hope that this would help to clear my head before I settled down to sleep. Containing rose absolute to restore and renew my senses of balance; white pink pepper to apparently give my bad attitude a kick up the backside; and cocoa absolute to soften the blow when I come back down to earth, I couldn't imagine sharing a bath with a better product right there and then.

What I will say is that IMP-atient is super cute to look at: a little devilish and cheeky but I revel in a little madness so he was right up my alley. His wonky black eyes and grimacing grin only served to spicy up what is ultimately just a bath oil, and add a little something different in the bath water.

In the bath water, this Liverpool exclusive floats quietly across the surface of the water, slowly ebbing oily puddles of pink underneath the water. These then rise to the surface and slowly absorb into the water, leaving a shade of pastel pink in the process. 

Unfortunately, one of the biggest things I noticed about this bath oil was that the fragrance was very subtle to begin with. However, it did intensify somewhat as it dissolved and dispersed throughout the tub. With a delicate note of cistus, rose and pink pepper oil, the scent I got was one that reminded me very slightly of liquorice allsorts. There was something rather sweet and alluring about IMP-atient and it pertained a musky note that the famous Bassetts' sweets offer when you first open the bag. However, once the bath oil is dissolving in the water, there is a little note of pepper that comes through a little more here and it is very pleasant indeed.

While I did find this bath oil to be a little grainy whilst it was dissolving, the water was very soft and moisturising, and the delicate notes really helped me to settle down for an hour and cast away those unsettled thoughts. Having said that, I don't think that this little creature was any where near as moisturising as some of the other bath oils I have tried recently from Lush, and the scent didn't linger at all on my skin afterwards. 

Furthermore, the intensity of the oils weren't such that my skin was left as nourished as an oil like Demons managed to achieve, so I definitely think there is room for improvement with this one. While cute, IMP-atient is definitely not a bath oil that blew me out of the water, and not one that I noticed made an awful lot of difference to my skin afterwards. 

If I was to buy this again, I would probably pair it up with something else to give myself a more well-rounded experience. However, it's more likely that I would invest in bath oil/melt that has made a much bigger impression on my skin, and offered a much stronger fragrance to appreciate.

Quantitative Ingredients: Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter, Sodium Bicarbonate, Cream of Tartar, Laureth 4, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Perfume, Lauryl Betaine, Cistus Oil, Rose Oil, Pink Pepper Oil, Activated Charcoal, Titanium Dioxide, Tin Oxide, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, *Citral, *Citronellol, *Geraniol, *Limonene, *Linalool, Colour 42090, Colour 17200, Colour 77491, Colour 77266, Colour 45410:1.

Vegan?: Yes.

2019 Price: £2.95 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2019.

Poisson D-Avril Bubble Bar

As I’ve been away from the community for a matter of weeks, I’ve missed out on learning about all of the products in the latest seasonal ranges. This has definitely come with many merits, most notably the fact that I have been able to appreciate each and every fragrance and format without any preconceptions, which has also created an extra element of excitement to the process of trying and reviewing everything.

When I first set my eyes of Poisson D-Avril, I not only fell in love with the design immediately but I told myself that I already knew what the bubble bar would smell like. Without even looking at the ingredients list, I conjured up a sweet, fruity, floral fragrance that I just 'knew' would be the scent of this seasonal exclusive. Upon finally being able to sniff the bubble bar when I got home, I was immediately taken back by how far away from the mark I had been.

What happened upon first sniff of Poisson D’Avril Bubble Bar is two things. Firstly, the smell hit my nose and immediately conjured up feelings of familiarly that I just couldn’t shake off. Almost three days later and I was still trying to establish why I knew the scent, without relying on the internet to tell me the answer. Secondly, the confusion I felt at being so wrong about what the product would smell like took me by surprise, and it was a while before I was able to adjust to the actual fragrance on offer.

Harvesting a combination of cinnamon, oakmoss and neroli, this bubble bar shares its scent with Spank Me With Sapling Shower Jelly - a rare, retro release that made a single appearance towards the end of the Lush Kitchen's reign. While not familiar to many, this product was very much a favourite amongst old-school Lush fans, and I'm surprised that more products haven't been released in their fragrance before. 

What is interesting is that this product does not contain lemongrass - a fact that I found hard to contend with as this was my first reaction to smelling the aforementioned shower jelly, and indeed this bubble bar as well. What I will say is that, much like the retro jelly, Poisson D-Avril offers a bright and slightly sharp citrusy aroma. Yet what sets this apart from a lot of the many products that Lush bring out with similar smells, is that this one has both herbal and  earthy notes as well. 

In fact, it is the neroli that offers that slightly soured, citrusy smell - one that gives off subtle elements of grassiness and adds delicate green-like properties to the overall aroma. Alongside this, the oakmoss brings an earthy note that sits underneath the neroli, while the black pepper and the cinnamon bring subtle threads of spice that intertwine with the other components.

Despite the different layers of scent here, it is definitely the neroli that dominates overall. For this reason, I always describe it as being predominantly citrusy, but with various other layers that makes it much more interesting, and perhaps far more natural than other citrus-type smells. 

Given its size, this bubble bar would easily stretch across two to three baths - each one heeding a generous amount of scent and bubbles. Given the greedy minx that I am, I chose to use the whole thing in one go and this gave me a really amazing experience of the product firsthand.

While I found the bubble bar a little stubborn at crumbling, it didn't take too much effort to crumble it under the running tap. As the water filled the tub, so did the number of bubbles multiply, and by the end I was impressed to discover that my whole tub was filled with soft, fragrant bubbles to blanket me during the chilly evening. I would even go as far as saying that choosing to use less than a whole one would be far more conducive and a lot less excessive.

As you would expect, the bubble bar turned the water a wonderful shade of red - very much as intense and as beautiful as the bubble bar to begin with. Given how robust the scent was before use, I was not surprised to find that Poisson D'Avril was just as intense throughout my experience, and I was able to smell it lingering on my skin just slightly after I had towelled myself down. 

As far as bubble bars go, this was equally as moisturising, although not as nourishing as I have found some of the more recent ones to be. Having said that, my skin did feel really soft and smooth afterwards, and I didn't need to moisturise before heading to bed. In the morning, I was surprised to find that I could still smell traces of this on my pillow, which was a nice present to begin the day with.

Ultimately, this bubble bar sports a great design; has a unique fragrance to indulge in; and is great value for money, given that you can get at last two uses out of a single bar. This is definitely one I would buy again, and I'd like to see Lush release a bath bomb in this scent, in the near future. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Cream of Tartar, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Lauryl Betaine, Cornflour, Black Pepper Oil, Cinnamon Leaf Oil, Oakmoss Absolute, Neroli Oil, Titanium Dioxide, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Tin Oxide, *Citral, *Eugenol, *Limonene, *Linalool, Cinnamyl, Alcohol, Geraniol, Perfume, Colour 14700, Colour 17200, Colour 77491, Candy Eye.

Vegan?: Yes.

2018 Price: £5.95 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2018.

Scent Family:
Poisson D-Avril Bubble Bar
Spank Me With Sapling Shower Jelly

Coming soon!

Lord Of Misrule Body Spray

For most Lush fans, we all knew that this body spray was being released into the world - it was just a matter of when, and for how long. Furthermore, given the nature of this scent family, it was never a case of wondering whether it would be any good: the question was always, just how great was it actually going to be? The answer: superb!

Lord Of Misrule has established itself as not only my favourite fragrances from Lush, but one that is universally celebrated across the Lush globe. The initial release of the bath bomb, back in 2014, made an immediate rapport within the community, and is perhaps one of the most (if not the most) popular bath bomb to ever grace the Lush shelves each year. 

Made using a combination of patchouli, black pepper and tonka absolute, this scent is one both rich and spicy on the senses. The combination is incredibly warming and comforting from the moment the scent hits your skin: the patchouli adds a sweet and exotic; slightly spicy; slightly peppery note; while the black pepper brings a subtle heat to the aroma that creates a perfect, winter blanket to mask yourself behind. Moreover, the tonka offers a thick, musky note of vanilla - that not only creates a wholesome cloud of sweetness to envelop your senses in, but rounds the other notes off perfectly to create a combination so unique and so beautiful that it needs to be experienced to be believed.

When I first sprayed the body spray on my skin, I was amazed by how different it was to the liquid perfume. While the recognised 'Lord Of Misrule' essence was of course there, it was far-removed from the fragrance in many ways. In fact, Lord Of Misrule Body Spray smells very much like the original bath bomb. While the perfume has a strong thread of patchouli on top, with the tonka acting as a thick, sweet base note to round off the fragrance, the body spray sees all three components merging together far better, and the vanilla component is a little less sickly-sweet, and more powdery overall. 

You get more of the earthy side to the patchouli in the body spray; it's less heated and not as rich; the black pepper is not as fiery, and offers more of a gentle herbal note to pad out the scent. Overall, the aroma seems better suited for the fans of the original bath bomb, but may be a little disappointing for those who have developed a love for Rough With The Smooth and the limited edition body conditioner. 

On the skin, one spray is all it takes to offer a big burst of fragrance that will last you for a good few hours. I found that the body spray lasted a good 3-4 hours before I needed a top up, and even then I could still smell a faint presence of the smell still. While the liquid perfume lasts a good many hours more on the skin, this was something I was expecting, given how compact Lush perfumes normally are.

One thing that some may see as a negative about Lord Of Misrule Body Spray, is that the smell didn't really change or develop overtime on my skin or clothes. Instead, the scent just seemed to diminish slowly over time, with all three of the key components remaining interlocked together. Therefore, every burst of smell contained all three key notes: there was no dominating aspect here.

Overall, this body spray is a must have for Lord Of Misrule fans, and for £20, is an absolute steal. Whether you own the liquid perfume or not, this limited edition offers a much different experience, which means that no collection should be without either. If, like me, you fell in love with the bath bomb from day one, this is the perfect way to bask yourself in your infatuation, without having to hop into the bath every five minutes. I am completely and utterly smitten with this body spray, and only hope it makes another reappearance really soon. 

Quantitative Ingredients: DRF Alcohol, Water, Perfume, Glycerine, Patchouli Oil, Black Pepper Oil, Vanilla Absolute, Coumarin, Limonene, Linalool.

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: £20 for 200ml.

Year Of Original Release: 2017.

Scent Family:

Lord Of Misrule Bath Bomb
Lord Of Misrule Body Conditioner
Lord Of Misrule Body Lotion
Lord Of Misrule Body Spray
Lord Of Misrule FUN Bar
Lord Of Misrule Liquid Perfume
Lord Of Misrule Liquid Perfume
Lord Of Misrule Naked Shower Cream
Lord Of Misrule Perfume Oil
Lord Of Misrule Shower Cream
Lord Of Misrule Solid Perfume
Monsters and Aliens
Rough With The Smooth Body Scrub

Witches' Cauldron FUN Bar

Santa's Christmas Naked Shower Cream

While I love whenever Lush bring out a new product, this year's seasonal range has given me a whole of work to do - given that nearly every liquid product has been released as a solid edition as well. Although the reason behind this move is one that I support wholeheartedly, I cannot imagine my flat mates will be best pleased that I currently take twice as long in the shower, just so I can demo both versions at the same time. 

Santa's Christmas is one of the first Solid Shower Creams that I ever experienced, so I had no idea what to expect from the bottle-shaped, soap-look-a-like that joined me in the shower one early September morning. While a part of me was excited at the prospect of a solid shower cream, I held slight reservations that it was going to be little more than a soap under a different guise. How wrong could I be?

Firstly, I need to make it clear that not one of Lush's solid shower gels/creams can be compared to a bar of soap. Whereas soaps dry my skin out and leave my hands with a distinctive parched feel about them afterwards, not one of these limited editions has that effect. These exclusives are a different ball game altogether, and it only took me a matter of seconds to realise this in the shower.

Despite my intrigue into how the product worked, I was slightly less enthused by the fragrance of Santa's Christmas. At the risk of repeating myself, I should state that the scent of this product is not in anyway bad at all. However, it's a smell that I would describe as being both nice or pleasant: two adjectives that doesn't exactly inspire the fireworks to ignite. 

A new addition to the company's growing collection of Shower creams, Santa's Christmas is a sweet and creamy fruity concoction of ingredients - as warming as the vibrant shade of red that both the solid and its liquid counterpart sport. While neither editions will stain you or your bathroom, I would recommend that you play it safe with any splashes that may occur during your shower.

With as many ingredients as the liquid version, you would expect the solid cream to offer a strong, complex aroma to contend with. However, I found that the fragrance was disappointingly mild overall, and many of the ingredients didn't make an appearance at all. Featuring cinnamon, black pepper, aniseed and lime oils, as well as fresh orange juice, a coffee infusion and benzin resinoid, Santa's Christmas sounds like a powerhouse of ingredients. Having said that, it is only really the lime, orange and benzin resinoid.

While each of these don't impact the scent of this very much, they each have an important role that helps to make this seasonal special both moisturising and slightly clarifying on the skin as well. From the bottle, you can first smell the lime, orange and benzin resinoid. As many have said before me, this shower gel smells like slightly flat vanilla cola: it's both creamy and fruity, and it's perhaps slightly surprising that there isn't any tonka or vanilla absolute present in the ingredients list, to suggest the sweetness.

There is a very subtle shout out to the cinnamon infusion, but I feel as if it's only really noticeable because you're aware that it features in the ingredients list to begin with. I couldn't detect either the aniseed oil or the coffee infusion at all. Having said that, my skin did feel crisp and refreshed after using this, and I believe it is the latter ingredient that helps to clarify the skin and bring out that radiance and that vibrancy. 

Unlike other shower creams, this one is quite possibly the most difficult to extract from the bottle. It is almost as thick as one of Lush's buttercreams, and so when trying to remove it from the bottle it took a lot of effort to do so. Frustrated by this, I ended up removing the black lid altogether and squeezing it out through the neck of the bottle itself. 

As I was expecting, it wasn't particularly generous when lathering up, and I found that I had to use more than a regular gel to clean my whole body. Furthermore, the cream did have a red tinge to it that worried me a little to begin with, as I was expecting to find splashes of colour on my skin after I had rinsed the lather away. Luckily, there was no staining afterwards, although I did find that my sponge was slightly tarnished by the colour.

Having said that, Santa's Christmas did prove to be just as moisturising as you'd expect a shower cream to be, and this makes it a great winter product to help keep the skin in tip-top condition in the harsher conditions. In

When in comparison with the solid edition, I found that this version had a better fragrance - in that the fruitiness and the vanilla-like notes were more pronounced and more noticeable. In the shower, this version offered a stronger smell overall and I could still detect this on my skin over an hour after I had towelled myself down. 

Both editions were equally moisturising and I was impressed by how soft and smooth my skin felt after using each of them. However, I found that the solid edition was easier to use as it produced more of a foam-like lather, so I was able to use less overall and make the product last longer than the bottled version.

Overall, I'll be honest and say that I would have probably rated this shower cream higher if the scent had impressed me more than it did. Don't get me wrong, it is a lovely smell, but not one with the complexity of originality that I would expect from a Lush fragrance. Having said this, I can envisage that this will be very popular product this Christmas, and it wouldn't surprise me if it made an appearance next year as well.

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Cinnamon Infusion, Coffee Infusion, Sodium Stearate, Lauryl Betaine, Perfume, Almond Oil, Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter, Lime Oil, Aniseed Oil, Black Pepper Oil, Benzoin Resinoid, Fresh Lime Juice, Fresh Orange Juice, Titanium Dioxide, *Citral, *Limonene, Colour 16035, Colour 73360, Black Specerit Wax.

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: £10.75 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2017.

Scent Family:
Santa Baby Lip Tint
Santa Baby Naked Lip Tint
Santa's Christmas Naked Shower Cream

Santa's Christmas Shower Cream

Santa's Christmas Shower Cream

Lush is about as unpredictable as you can possibly get when it comes to their releases. Products that seem incredibly popular suddenly find themselves being discontinued to the shock of the masses; scents that create an instant buzz seem to fade into the distance, never to be seen or heard from again; fragrances that are rarely spoken about within the community, are suddenly made the focal point of a seasonal release.

I cannot imagine that there would be many people who ever envisaged Santa Baby being made into a Shower Cream, let alone one that would be so prominent in this year's Christmas range. While not in anyway bad, the fragrance is not exactly one that inspires a strong reaction from most people, myself included, and Lush must have had some reason for including it in their collection this year. 

Santa's Christmas is a new addition to the company's ever-growing collection of Shower creams - a sweet and creamy fruity concoction of ingredients that is as impressive as the vibrant shade of red that it offers in the bottle. Featuring both a coffee and a cinnamon infusion; lime, black pepper and aniseed oils, you would expect the scent of this to be very different from the one that greets you from the bottle. 

With so many different components, you would expect a strong, complex aroma to contend with. However, I found that this shower cream was far milder in fragrance than I was expecting, which is perhaps why it hasn't made as much of an impact on my senses as some of the more 'in your face' products.

From the bottle, the initial smell, that both myself and the majority of people who I've spoke to about agree on, is one reminiscent of flat vanilla cola. There is a soft bed of creaminess that makes its presence known straight away - one laced with both lime and vanilla, with a delicate layer of cinnamon underneath to  add a little subtle seasonal spice.

Surprisingly, you will notice that there doesn't appear to be any vanilla in the ingredients list. However, the inclusion of the cocoa butter not only makes this shower cream rather moisturising on the skin, but it also offers a comforting blanket of sweetness that governs the aroma without a doubt. 

Strangely, I wasn't able to detect much of the coffee or the aniseed in the smell, although I would imagine that they do contribute to the overall 'roundedness' of the shower cream. Having said that, I did find that this product did well at cleaning my skin and leaving it feeling really smooth to the touch, and I wonder if both of these ingredients helped to give my skin some much needed clarity, that I did notice I could feel afterwards.

When compared to the naked version of this shower gel, I found that Santa's Christmas was quite hard to lather up, whereas the solid edition did produce some of a standard-looking lather. In regards to this version, I found myself using more than I would with a shower gel, just to ensure that I had enough to clean myself with.

Furthermore, I found it quite ironic, given the fact that Lush have brought out a solid version of this, as Santa's Christmas was perhaps the thickest shower cream I have used from the company to date. You really have to squeeze the bottle hard to get the product out, and it comes out as a thick paste, almost sharing its consistency with that of wasabi.

Despite this, I found that the scent of this version was much stronger and I was able to detect it longer on my skin. Furthermore, there is something rather enjoyable about using a shower cream that temporarily turns your skin the colour red because of how potent the colour is.

This is by far one of my least favourite seasonal shower creams to date, but only because the likes of Yummy Mummy and Prince Charming have set the bar so high in comparison. I will enjoy using my 250g bottle for the foreseeable future, but I don't see this as being one I would want to purchase again, or stock up on before the Christmas season is over.

Quantitative Ingredients: Glycerine, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Water (Aqua), Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter, Almond Oil, Stearic Acid, Coffee Infusion, Cinnamon Infusion, Cetearyl Alcohol, Lauryl Betaine, Perfume, Triethanolamine, Lime Oil, Aniseed Oil, Black Pepper Oil, Benzoin Resinoid, Fresh Lime Juice, Fresh Orange Juice, Titanium Dioxide, *Citral, *Limonene, Colour 16035, Colour 73360.

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: £10.95 for 250g, £17.95 for 500g.

Year Of Original Release: 2017.

Scent Family:
Santa Baby Lip Tint
Santa Baby Naked Lip Tint
Santa's Christmas Naked Shower Cream


Santa's Christmas Shower Cream

Lord Of Misrule Body Conditioner

It's fair to say that I didn't even have to use this product to know that it would be one I was going to fall in love with. While there have been an impressive number of new products released over the last couple of years, and many incredible new fragrances to experience, it's safe to say that Lord Of Misrule has made the biggest impression on both myself and the Lush community as a whole.

Ultimately, patchouli is probably my favourite ingredient that Lush use. There is something so spicy and exotic, yet so succulently fruity about the component, that I am immediately captivated by near enough any cosmetic that features it as a key note. When you consider the likes of Karma, Blue Skies And Fluffy White Clouds, and of course our aforementioned fragrance, it's obvious that Lush utilise the properties of this plant so incredibly well. All three of the above smells have, what I would deem as, 'timeless' qualities - aromas that leave a lasting impression both sensually and and mentally.

Although I seldomly use body conditioners in my daily routine, I recognise the merits that the format holds, and ever since this product arrived through my door, it has been a key feature in my morning showers. To say that my skin has benefitted from this is an understatement, and I now cannot imagine how I could survive a day without pampering myself with this liquid gold.

Lord Of Misrule Body Conditioner is as beautiful as it sounds, for those in love with the original bath bomb or shower cream. Offering up a combination of patchouli, black pepper and vanilla, this sensual aroma is as well-rounded as it is indulgent; beautiful as it is unique. 

From the tub, you can immediately detect the dry, earthy components of the patchouli. This gives the product a spicy element, that comes across as both rich and wholesome on the senses. The black pepper can also be detected alongside the patchouli, and it adds a delicate element of heat whilst not being too strong to overpower the other smells.  

Alongside this is the vanilla absolute intertwined with a note of cocoa butter. While you wouldn't normally detect the latter ingredient, due to it not being found in any of the other Lord Of Misrule-scented products, it is very much a part of the scent in this one. Together, these ingredients offer a very creamy, thick and sultry aroma - one that mimics the Lord Of Misrule fragrance family, while also maintaining something a little different about it at the same time. It's a comforting, warming smell, and one that has a musky sweetness to it that makes this body conditioner so incredibly special.

As with most of Lush's products, this one is incredibly versatile, and while the £29.95 price tag may seem a little daunting to those unsure of such a big commitment, it is definitely worth the investment. First and foremost, you can use it as Lush intended - as a body conditioner. 

After using a gel, jelly or soap to clean yourself with, step out of the flow of the water and apply the product across your skin, as you would a body lotion. It wont lather up, and may disappear really quickly, but this is because it is designed to permeate the skin. The heat from the shower will have opened up your pores and made your skin more susceptible to the butters and oils featured in the ingredients list. Once applied, you can either step back under the flow of the water to rinse your body down, or exit the shower immediately and pat yourself down lightly. 

Unlike a body lotion, a conditioner creates a barrier of moisture around your skin, which may feel slightly greasy to some, and might prevent you from being able to apply your clothes until you've given it time to absorb into the skin. I can assure you that this will lessen within the first thirty minutes of application, and you'll feel much better afterwards. 

I found that an amount equal to that of a level dessertspoon was enough to coat an entire leg, so you really don't need to use that much each time to get amazing results. Please also be aware that you wont necessarily be able to see the product when you're massaging it across an area of skin as it does tend to absorb really quickly. There is also the fact that lotion is quite thin in consistency - far thinner and less heavy than African Paradise or Ro's Argan. However, this does not mean that you should apply any extra and waste the product - the results after you rinse yourself down will speak for themselves.     

Secondly, Lord Of Misrule Body Conditioner works as an excellent shaving foam. Simply apply a small amount across your legs and shave your legs as usual. You'll be left with super-soft skin, and one of the closest shaves you have ever experienced. Finally, you could also use this as a body lotion, as there doesn't appear to be anything featured that could damage or irritate your skin if left on for long periods of time. The only issue I have with this latter method is that it may leave your body feeling rather greasy, so may only work as an intense moisturiser for those who have incredibly dry skin.  

While not the strongest impression, this product did leave its scent on my body afterwards, and I was able to top up with my much-loved liquid perfume afterwards. Furthermore, my skin also felt soft, plump and sleek, and pertained a radiant glow about it that remained with me for the entirety of the day and into the night.

Out of all of the current releases in this format, I would say that this is closest to the bath bomb, as they both have a musky, almost powdery element to their fragrance. This is a product that works, and works extremely well. For those who love Lord Of Misrule, this is something that you need to get your hands on - I can honestly say that this is one of the best products to come from the Lush Kitchen, and is now considered a staple member of my bathroom. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Water, Organic Jojoba Oil, Glycerine, Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter, Fair Trade Shea Butter, Stearic Acid, Cetearyl Alcohol, Triethanolamine, Black Pepper Oil, Patchouli Oil, Vanilla Absolute, *Limonene, Perfume.

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: £29.95 for 450g.

Year Of Original Release: 2017.

Scent Family:

Lord Of Misrule Bath Bomb
Lord Of Misrule Body Conditioner
Lord Of Misrule Body Lotion
Lord Of Misrule Body Spray
Lord Of Misrule FUN Bar
Lord Of Misrule Liquid Perfume
Lord Of Misrule Liquid Perfume
Lord Of Misrule Naked Shower Cream
Lord Of Misrule Perfume Oil
Lord Of Misrule Shower Cream
Lord Of Misrule Solid Perfume
Monsters and Aliens
Rough With The Smooth Body Scrub

Witches' Cauldron FUN Bar