Dragon's Temple Bauble Bath Melt

Alongside Iron Harvest, I think that this is perhaps my favourite of the four limited edition bauble bath melts that Lush brought out last Christmas. Not only does it offer a gorgeous vivid pink colour: a shade of pink in fact that I think is the most beautiful shade I have ever seen, but this bath melt also holds a gorgeous fragrance that lasts for hours on both your skin and around the bathroom.

Dragon's Temple Bauble Bath Melt unfortunately saw very little in the way of accolade when it originally came out. Appearing briefly on Instagram and then on a couple of European sites, this limited edition was quick to make an impression amongst the community, and fans couldn't wait to get their chance to purchase one for them to try. Unfortunately, this along with the other nine tablets that came out at the same time, appeared and disappeared on the website, within a matter of hours, and that was the last that we heard about them.

With a circumference roughly 7cm wide and with a thickness a little under a centimetre, this is definitely one of the biggest bath melts that Lush have ever unleashed into the world. While it is definitely a very intense experience to put the whole thing into the tub at once, I would suggest that you cut this into three or four pieces as that would make it much better value for money.

You certainly don't need to use the entire melt in one go and it would be far less messy breaking off pieces whilst its dry than hanging or storing the tablet once it's already been in the water. As the bauble tends to melt quite quickly, there is nothing particularly pretty about hanging a blob of pink butters around your room afterwards. For this reason, dividing this into four pieces would be a much better and slightly less messier way of enjoying this bauble.

Sharing its scent with Delight Bath Oil, Dragon's Temple is a bright and very fruity burst of lime, pine and black pepper: three ingredients that work in unison with each other to produce something very unique and refreshing. To my nose, the lime is the strongest component here, offering a bright but equally slightly soured fruity note. Alongside this, the pine oil brings about a fresh, slightly green-like note that sits directly under the line and intensifies the overall fragrance. 

Along with the black pepper oil, that adds a delicate but noticeable spicy kick to the aroma, the smell of this bauble is a light and very uplifting one, yet it also possesses properties to warm the body and senses at the same time. Used in the summer, the fragrance compliments the warmer weather; used in the winter and it leaves you feeling refreshed and comforted.

As with all of Lush's limited edition baubles, Dragon's Temple rests on the surface and slowly ebbs streams of vivid pink oils under and across the surface. These oils and butters tend to linger around the product at first so you have to swish it around with the piece of string to help it dissolve across the whole tub. However, I really enjoyed watching the oils create thick, colourful patterns on the surface whilst I was bathing, so I was happy to let the butters and oils dissolve in their own time. After using half of one of these baubles, I found that the water turned a wonderful shade of pink, to match the original colour of the bath melt. 

What I will say is that I could definitely detect a change in the consistency of the water and I found that my skin felt smoother and softer within minutes. After towelling myself down, I could really notice how nourished my skin looked and felt and this is something that I felt was perhaps intensified somewhat because of the size of the bath melt I was using.

Another great point about Dragon's Temple was the fact that the fragrance stayed with me throughout my entire bath and I was able to smell it quite prominently on my skin afterwards as well. These lingering notes travelled with me when I went to bed that night and I could still smell them on my pillow the next day.

If you're a fan of the Delight, you will no doubt love this rendition of the bath oil and will in fact be far happier that the scent is very much stronger and more prevalent than it is in the miniature ball. I would even go as far as to say that this bauble was far more moisturising as well, which only served to make me love it all. I would gladly buy this again if it ever became available, although the chances of this are unfortunately rather slim.

Quantitative Ingredients: Organic Shea Butter (Butyrospermum parkii), Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter (Theobroma cacao), Laureth 4, Perfume, Lime Oil (Citrus aurantifolia), Extra Virgin Coconut Oil (Cocos nucifera), Titanium Dioxide, Black Pepper Oil (Piper nigrum), Pine Needle Absolute (Pinus sylvestris), Organic Jojoba Oil (Simmondsia chinensis), *Citral, Coumarin, *Limonene.

Vegan?: Yes.

2019 Price: £6.95 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2018.

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.

Tornado Toothpaste Jelly

Cinnamon is hands-down my favourite spice ever. There is something so warming and rounded and sweet about its aroma that has me salivating every time I even get the slightest of whiffs. I remember with fondness how excited I used to get when I was allowed to spend the evening with a box of Atomic Bomb sweets as a kid, even if the name sounds rather passive aggressive to my adult self.

You can imagine my excitement then when I discovered that Tornado, one of ten brand new innovative toothpaste jellies that Lush have recently brought out, is an explosion of cinnamon like no other. If the mere mention of the 'c' word has you grappling for the exit, you may wish to move house if someone in your neighbourhood even so much as suggests that they may be tempted into buying a pot.

Unfortunately for cinnamon lovers such as myself, these toothpaste jellies are only currently available in Lush's Liverpool (England) and Shinjuku (Japan) stores. However, I do hope that these brand new inventions appear on the website and in all stores in the coming months because it seems a shame that something this good is limited to so few consumers.

Fierce and Fire-y in design, this toothpaste jelly boasts the same heat when it comes to its ingredients list. Both a cinnamon bark infusion and a cinnamon oil have gone into making this unique jelly, which also has a generous helping of both mandarin and pine oils underneath to often the blow a little and add a subtle complexity that I simply adored.

From the tub, Tornado offers a strong burst of cinnamon, which is both dry and spicy at the same time. You can definitely tell that the fragrance has come from the cinnamon bark because you can almost imagine the bark present in front of your nose every time you give it a sniff. The inclusion of the mandarin oil then helps to add a little fruitiness; a little sweetness to the mixture that rounds the aroma off wonderfully. As if this wasn't enough, the inclusion of the pine oil seems to clash a little with the cinnamon and add a gentle note of 'green' that threads itself around the other components.

While I can see the resemblance between this and Cinders Shower Gel, I happen to think that there's far more layers when it comes to the shower gel and this toothpaste jelly is far stronger in heat. As you can imagine, the taste replicates this notion as well...

As soon as I began brushing, I could feel the intensity of the cinnamon around my entire mouth, although it didn't cause any burn or stinging that stronger toothpastes can sometimes arouse. Instead, the cinnamon cleared and refreshened my palette whilst the mandarin served to add a little fruitiness to the overall taste. Having said that, my tongue was left tingling a little after I washed my mouth out and this continued for a good ten minutes before slowly disappearing.

The idea with all of these new tooth jellies 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. 

Once I had finished using Tornado Toothpaste Jelly, I could feel how smooth and shiny my teeth were and my mouth felt super refreshed. While I could still taste the sweet cinnamon in my mouth, it wasn't overpowering at all and I could have happily eaten straight afterwards without any problem. Having said that, there was enough potency to keep my breath fresh for a good while afterwards.

As I will say in all of my toothpaste jelly reviews, it's also nice not to have to prepare myself for annoying lumps of tab when I rinse my mouth out afterwards. Tornado 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.

If you haven't already realised, Tornado is for cinnamon lovers through and through and makes a great alternative to mint-tasting toothpastes. This toothpaste still offers the feeling of a clean, refreshed mouth but with a lovely twist, which I happen to love. This is definitely one of my favourite toothpaste jellies by far.

Quantitative Ingredients: Cinnamon Bark Infusion (Cinnamomum zeylanicum), Sorbitol, Glycerine, Silica, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Xylitol, Flavour, Cinnamon Bark Oil (Cinnamomum zeylanicum), Green Mandarin Oil (Citrus nobilis), Pine Oil (Pinus sylvestris), Water (Aqua), Stevia (Stevia Rebaudiana), Agar Agar (Gelidium cartilagineum), Carrageenan Extract (Chondrus crispus), Titanium Dioxide, Menthol crystals (Menthol), Alpha-Isomethyl ionone, Cinnamal, *Eugenol, *Limonene, Colour 15510.

Vegan?: Yes. 

2019 Price: £ each.

Year Of Original Release: 2019.

Love Token Reusable Bubble Bar

If there's one thing glitter does, it divides the Lush community very quickly, and can sway a consumer within seconds as to whether or not they want to invest in a product. Those who dislike glitter would have probably taken one look of this reusable bubble bar and run screaming from the shop. Although with reactions that adverse, we doubt these people would even have ventured into a Lush store to begin with.

Love Token Reusable Bubble Bar is a lovely idea in theory: a bubble bar with the words 'Thank You' etched onto the surface and coated in a beautiful layer of golden lustre. For all that they do for us, a partner or friend would be grateful to receive one of these as a token of our love for them - unless that person is the aforementioned glitter phob.

To be honest, I wasn't overly excited about the prospect of this bubble bar for the sheer fact that it supposedly shared its scent with the Gingerbread Man Sparkle Jar from the Christmas range. While I really enjoyed the fragrance of said sparkle jar, ginger is one of my least favourite aromas to smear all over my body, and so the idea of bathing it didn't exactly spark my interest.

When I received Love Token, I was actually taken back by how much stronger the smell is to that of the sparkle jar. While the Christmas product was fairly mild and mellowed out on the skin, this Valentine's Day release is much spicer and stronger. 

The ginger is definitely the most prominent element of this smell - offering a dry, spicy and very strong ginger aroma. Combined with the clove bud and guaiacwood oil, the fragrance of this is very spicy with warm woody elements underneath. While this is a Valentine's Day release, this wouldn't go amiss as part of a Christmas release: it's definitely a very comforting smell. 

Despite its size, this little golden token will offer you three rather lovely baths. Simply hold Love Token under the running tap and it will begin to produce wonderful golden yellow water, as well as cover the surface with an array of light, fluffy bubbles. As a disclaimer: if you wish to preserve some of the glitter on the surface for future baths, you may opt to cut this bubble bar into smaller pieces, and just use a single piece at a time. 

While reusable bubble bars are never as moisturising as a regular bubble bar, I was impressed to find that the water felt very sultry and slightly 'thick' across my skin. Although I moisturised after exiting the bath, my skin felt really soft after I had towelled myself down, and it was definitely more nourishing than some of Lush's more recent variations. 

Scent-wise, this reusable bubble bar made a strong impression in the water, and I was able to detect the ginger throughout my whole time in the whole tub. Having said that, I wasn't able to detect any of the aroma on my skin afterwards, which is where Gingerbread Man Sparkle Jar would have come in handy.

While very small and seemingly expensive for its size, Love Token produces the same number of baths as any other reusable bubble bar would. The scent is definitely different from most of Lush's more fruity, citrusy smells, so I did appreciate a change-up in the bath, and it certainly helped me to unwind after a long day at work. Having said that, the fragrance wasn't ever one that was going to blow me away to begin with, and the bath wasn't impressive enough for me to invest in another one.

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Carbonate, Cream of Tartar, Sodium Laureth, Sulfate Glycerine, Lauryl Betaine, Perfume, Ginger Oil, Pine Needle Absolute, Clove Bud Oil, Guaiacwood Oil, Gardenia Extract, Titanium Dioxide, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Tin Oxide, Silica, Benzyl Alcohol, *Benzyl Benzoate, Cinnamal, *Citral, *Eugenol, *Limonene, *Linalool, Colour 19140:1, Colour 77491, Colour 19140, Colour 15510.

Vegan?: Yes.

2019 Price: £4.95 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2019.

Scent Family:
Gingerbread Man Sparkle Jar
Love Token Reusable Bubble Bar

The Black Stuff Vegan Protein Shampoo

As I've said time and time again, just when you think Lush cannot possibly come up with anything weirder or more interesting, they go ahead and prove you wrong. Such is the case with these brand new hair marshmallows, that have only currently made an appearance during the Lush Showcase event earlier this year. 

The Black Stuff is one of six hair marshmallows to appear in very limited amounts back in September, and it's taken me a good month to get into the swing of using these new concepts in the correct and most effective manner. What I will say in each of these reviews, is that while you get a lot of 'product' for your money, these early renditions are still slightly crumbly, and it may be a problem if you decide that you want to travel with them.

While at first I simply assumed that these were just an alternative to the regular shampoo bars - and another naked way to replace the liquid hair care range - there is far more here than meets the eye. As someone who has always maintained that you should never judge a book by its cover, this can safely be said for these rather messy looking bricks.

When I first picked up The Black Stuff, I couldn't believe just how light the product was: it's very much like holding a polystyrene block. And it's thanks to the inclusion of the aqua faba that allows it to be this way. For those unfamiliar with what this ingredient is, it's just the water that beans and chickpeas have been cooked in - which myself and many other vegan bakers use as a replacement for eggs in our cakes. After a little whisking, aqua faba creates a light, fluffy foam that Lush have managed to adapt and use to create these super airy blocks of shampoo.

Aside from how light the components is, aqua faba is also known for being high in protein, which alongside the inclusion of the hydrolysed wheat protein in The Black Stuff, makes this shampoo super effective at maintaining, strengthening, thickening and generally helping to make your hair even healthier.

The inclusion of the molasses in this limited edition then offers a wonderfully rich supplement to soften your locks, and give it a wonderful shiny to carry with you throughout the day. I was super impressed by just how quickly this product got to work at conditioning my hair, and I didn't even need to use an actual conditioner afterwards.

While this blocks work really well, with minimal amount of product, they are definitely very crumbly, so you'd need to consider how to store these in between uses. Furthermore, left out in the open, the marshmallows tend to turn a little sticky, and this means that you're left trying to scrape the product off the paper. Given that Lush haven't offered anything to hold them in between uses means that you'll have to use your imagination, or simply allow the block to leave sticky marks for you to clean away. 

However, after only using a small grape's worth of The Black Stuff, I was able to heed enough foam to washed my whole head with, and I could probably have gotten away with using a little less as well. To use, I simply crumbled the piece in my hand; added a little water to start the lather off; and then massaged it between my hands, and then across my whole head, to create a generous amount of silky foam.

Unlike a lot of shampoos, Lush and otherwise, I found that this one felt really softening when it was in my hair, so I knew straight away that I was going to be left with silky locks afterwards. As if to prove this, I chose my condition my hair at all for the few days I used this and found that my hair still looked and felt really smooth and shiny.

Unfortunately, my hair is rather stubborn when it comes to my attempts to add volume, so I didn't really notice much change in how thick my hair felt over time. However, my dry ends and the rest of my hair did feel more manageable, and certainly appeared more tame, without looking or feeling thin and lifeless.

In terms of the smell of this hair marshmallow, the myrrh and molasses make the biggest impression. The Black Stuff shares its scent with R&B Hair Moisturiser, and offers a prominent sweet smell with subtle balsamic qualities underneath. However, there are also little notes of both the yeast and the stout as well, which aren't exactly pleasant, but definitely isn't strong enough to put many people off using this.

As an estimate, I would probably say that a 100g block of this shampoo would probably last me about three months, which is a little less than that of a regular disc-shaped bar. Given the price tag, it does appear to work out a tad more expensive in the long run. However, I do like how this worked on my hair; how quickly it improved my hair's condition and shine; and I figure that if I can use this without a conditioner, I'm saving money in the long run.

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Coco Sulfate, Glyceryl Stearate, Propylene Glycol, Aquafaba, Molasses, Perfume, Activated Charcoal, Water (Aqua), Stout, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Organic Balsamic Vinegar, Yeast, Guar Gum, Orange Flower Absolute, Jasmine Absolute, Titanium Dioxide, Cetrimonium Chloride, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Tin Oxide, *Benzyl Benzoate Butyl, Methoxydibenzoylmethane, *Eugenol, *Farnesol, *Geraniol, *Hydroxycitronellal, *Limonene, *Linalool, Colour 77491, Colour 77266, Colour 17200, Colour 42090.

Vegan?: Yes. 

2018 Price: £12 for 100g.
2019 Price: £15 for 100g.

Year Of Original Release: 2018 as a Hair Marshmallow; 2019 as a Protein Shampoo.

Gingerbread Man Sparkle Jar

It's only been in the last year or so that I've began to appreciate ginger in its many forms. For the most part of my life, I've always sworn off cosmetics fragranced with this herb, and while I'd always try food that featured it, if it was ginger-heavy, I wouldn't enjoy it all that much. Even the allure of freshly made vegan ginger cake wouldn't have tempted me all that much, because I quite simply just didn't find the taste or the smell of ginger that enjoyable. 

Whether its my partner's obsession with making ginger tea every evening before bed; my few weeks in Thailand that saw ginger being a daily feature in my meals; or simply that my tastebuds have developed somewhat over the years, I'm unsure. What I do know is that when I tried Gingerbread Man Sparkle Jar for the first time, I actually enjoyed it: like really liked it!

Made from a variety of different oils and butters, the outer layer of the sparkle box works in the same way that a massage bar does. Upon contact with the warmth of your body, the box begins to melt slowly and leaves a layer of oily residue on your skin. You can then massage these oils across your body in the same way you would a body lotion. The difference between a cream and the pure oils you get in a massage bar is that the latter is far more nourishing. So if like me you have very dry skin, this will replenish that missing moisture and leave your skin looking and feeling much more hydrated. After using any of Lush’s massage bars, I notice that my skin appears much plumper and feels far suppler than it did before.

Contain an amalgamation of different butters and oils, the sparkle jars firstly work as massage bars. Simply massage them across your body and the heat will gently melt a thin layer away to moisturise and nourish your skin. I found that this one was really easy to use but only if it was used immediately after a shower or bath - as the heat will help the jar to be a little less stubborn when releasing those oils onto the skin. If used when you’re cold, you could find that the product will leave sticky streaks across your skin, and you may need to rinse yourself and start again.

Once you've massaged the oils into your skin, you can piece the button holes with a sharp knife and sprinkle the dusting powder inside across your skin - massaging it in so that it soaks up any remaining oils on the skin and leaves your body smelling amazing and not sticky in the slightest. There is a little sparkle in the dusting powder as well, so you'll notice a subtle shimmer on your skin afterwards.

Scent-wise, Gingerbread Man Sparkle Jar was a gorgeous combination of ginger and cloves, with a generous helping of cocoa butter underneath to add a creamy layer as well. Not at all spicy, the two main ingredients create a smell that reminds me of gingerbread cookies, or one of those scented candles that you can buy during the winter season, albeit not at all synthetic or plastic-smelling. In addition, there is something slightly lemony about the fragrance as well, which is strange as there doesn't appear to be anything in the ingredients list that could suggest where this is from.

As it features ginger, there is bound to be some comparison between this and the Ginger range. While there is definitely a difference, as this product doesn't feature any of the floral elements that the aforementioned family does, fans of the retro fragrance will probably really enjoy this as well. Ultimately, there is nothing strong about this fragrance that would deter any people from liking the smell, unless of course the scent of ginger is something you abhor in every way.

Aside from Gingerbread Man Sparkle Jar being the cutest design that I've seen from Lush in a while, this is a great product to take with you, if you're planning on staying with friends or relatives over the seasonal period. One of these in your cosmetics bag will ensure you have all you need to moisturise your skin, without the worry of a spilt bottle of lotion ruining your journey. Although this is not as moisturising as a lot of Lush's other massage bars, there is enough here to keep your skin pampered over the holidays.

What I loved about the inclusion of this in the seasonal range was the fact that this played a perfect role after a bath, when I simply wanted to wrap myself up warm, enjoy a cup of tea and read a book. Massaging this across my body beforehand meant that I could do all of the above, whilst smelling like a human Christmas cookie at the same time. It was a real treat to indulge in, and this product is definitely one I'll be using in abundance as we get nearer to the festive period. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter, Cornflour, Arrowroot Powder, Magnesium Carbonate, Perfume, Ginger Oil, Pine Needle Absolute, Clove Bud Oil, Guaiacwood Oil, Water (Aqua), Titanium Dioxide, Propylene Glycol, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Tin Oxide, Silica Benzyl Alcohol, *Benzyl Benzoate, *Benzyl Cinnamate, *Cinnamal, *Citral, *Eugenol, *Geraniol, *Limonene, *Linalool, Colour 77491, Colour 45410, Colour 14700, Colour 17200.

Vegan?: Yes.

2018 Price: £8.50 for each.

Year Of Original Release: 2018.

Scent Family:
Gingerbread Man Sparkle Jar

Love Token Reusable Bubble Bar

Scrub Scrub Scrub Body Scrub

It has always been a dream of mine to create products for Lush Cosmetics. As someone who loves the arts; has a passion for building and making a variety of crafts; and is in love with every aspect of cooking, the idea of being able to combine different fragrances and manipulate a variety of compound ingredients to create a brand new idea just seems like the ultimate dream. The only downfall would be in not being able to eat it afterwards.

Looking at what has gone into making Scrub Scrub Scrub, it almost reads like a recipe for a high end dessert: blackberry and lime purees, blackcurrant powders and rosemary oil. Yet at the same time, I found it very difficult to decipher what this alluring looking black scrub would actually smell like when it arrived. While rumours circulated about a possible Comforter-scented release, I held out for something a little different, and I was not disappointed. 

In the tub, this dark mess of charcoal and oils does have a strong blackcurrant note that continues to shine during usage in the shower. While I can see why people have made the Comforter link, I find this note of blackcurrant stronger and a little more bitter as well: almost like the blackcurrants you find on the top of a cheesecake. The inclusion of the blackberry puree combines with the blackcurrant here and you can recognise that berry-eque note present alongside. Together, they offer a strong fruity note, that by itself would be rather boring. However, there's so much more to this scrub - which is why it's so interesting. 

Alongside the fruity notes, you get a strong layer of both pine and rosemary. The latter ingredient offers a strong, herbal note, both inside the pot and when the scrub is being used in the shower. In fact, it is the rosemary that lasts the longest on the skin - staying past when the blackcurrant aroma as long gone. The pine oil also adds a very exquisite green note in the tub, and I think it is this particular ingredient that creates the juxtaposition of smells - and the reason why so many people have found the fragrance a little distasteful once they've brought it home from the shop.

There is a slight part of me that feels that these three elements are almost contradicting each other, and to be begin with the scent sat a little uneasy with me as well. However, very quickly I realised the beauty in such a unique pairing of ingredients, and now I cannot get enough of the scrub.

To me, the scrub reminds me very much of Halls Blackcurrant Soothers: there is something slightly medicinal about the smell that may be a little off-putting to some. I also feel as if you can smell the charcoal a little in the mix, so you get a very eclectic array of notes.

Although the scrub itself appears rather thick in the tub, I found it to be quite light when scooping it out, and it definitely wasn't as coarse as I was expecting it to be. In fact, it wasn't far off being as gentle on the skin as Rub Rub Rub, although there was certainly more of a scrubbier side to the product that set it apart from the aforementioned classic. 

In the shower, the scrub massages over your body with ease and you don't need an awful lot to coat every area of your skin. Once applied, exfoliating in a circular motion will gently remove dry skin and dirt, and leave you with super soft skin. Once out of the shower however, only the rosemary lingers on the skin, and this is short-lived as well because I couldn't detect anything without five minutes of drying myself down. 

It would have been lovely to still be able to smell the amalgamation of different ingredients after I had exited the shower, but at least I was able to notice that my skin looked and felt really clear and clean. Scrub Scrub Scrub definitely works at clearing out pores without irritating the skin, and it's great for those with oilier complexions because the charcoal will absorb unwanted grease.

The only downfall about this product is that it can make a bit of a mess around your bathroom. So while it won't stain, it would definitely make your life easier if you were a little careful when using this in the shower, and I'd recommend that you rinse the sides/walls afterwards, to ensure no clumps of black are found later on. 

While this doesn't reach the same level as Cup 'O Coffee, this is definitely a scrub I would buy again. Although it's not as coarse as the products I'd usually go for, there's enough character in the smell, and enough evidence after use, to tell me that this is one that does the job it's set out to do.           

Quantitative Ingredients: Fine Sea Salt, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Blackberry Puree, Lime Puree, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Powdered Charcoal, Propylene, Glycol, Organic Blackcurrant Powder, Blackcurrant Absolute, Buchu Oil, Rosemary Oil, Pine Oil, Lactic Acid, Lauryl Betaine, *Citral, *Limonene, *Linalool, Perfume.

Vegan?: Yes.

2018 Price: £12.95 for 300g, £23.95 for 625g.

Year Of Original Release: 2018.