Fireball Bath Bomb

As part of my healing and transformation, I've recently began to engage in lots of research about the Ayurvedic way of living. In its simplest terms, this ancient lifestyle follows the theory that there are three different energies that a body can harvest, and depending on the one you most associate with, there are certain choices you can make regarding the foods you eat and the way you conduct your life. 

While it's far more complex than that, my research has led me to the understanding that I can relate to the energy Vata. This not only means that I need to eat wholesome, hearty meals to sustain and nourish my body, but that the spices I should be focused on are the more warming varieties. This means that an abundance of cinnamon is considered extremely beneficial to sustain and improve my mood and a natural balance within my body.

On paper, Fireball Bath Bomb appears to be the perfect remedy after a long day of work. Sharing its scent with the Cinders range, this warm, spice collaboration of cinnamon and orange oil make this one of the most Christmasy fragrances available from the range this year. After a rather frosty day at work, I couldn't wait to share the bath tub with this exclusive beauty.

What I will say is that both the orange and the cinnamon work in perfect unison, with neither one of them stealing the limelight over the other. The former ingredients brings about a warm, fruity note to the mix; whilst the latter adds a little spice to bring back the feeling in those frozen toes. Although not as complex as Cinders Shower Gel from last year's range, this bath bomb is extremely beautiful and a perfect balance of warmth and spice.

Making its debut in the 2019 Christmas range, this bath bomb is simply adorable to look at, and reminds me a little of the classic Mario game I used to play when I was a child. Not only do the vivid shades of yellow, orange and red make it stand out in the rather comprehensive collection this year, but the smell itself is exactly on par with the original Cinder Bath Bomb, which happened to be available during the very first Christmas that I got into Lush. This only served to intensify how excited I was about using this for the first time in the bath.

While a little smaller than the average sized bath bomb, Fireball does exactly as you would expect it to do. Upon contact with the water, the array of fiery colours shoots out across the surface of the tub, as the crackle of the popping candy can be heard alongside this. As the yellows and oranges and reds bubble and swirl around the water, a wonderful shade of orange begins to form underneath - which ultimately represents the colour you are left with. 

Although a little on the smaller side than other bath bombs (but not by much) this bath bomb performed for just as long as a regular version would - probably lasting close to a little under two minutes before it simmered away to nothing. Having said that, the wonderful fragrance didn't dissipate much at all, and I was able to smell the wonderful warming smell of cinnamon and orange throughout the whole experience. 

What I will say is that I wasn't then able to smell the product on my skin once I had towelled myself down. However, what it lacked in lasting smell, it more than made up for in how it left the condition of my skin. As I tend to take less baths now than I once did, I really notice when a bath bomb moisturises my skin more than most, and Fireball certainly did this: leaving my body feeling really soft and smooth to the touch.

As a word of warning, I should point out that there may be a small chance that the bath bomb will stain your tub, but this is only if you allow the water to drain away and forget to give the bath a little rinse down afterwards. I found that some of the yellow colour remained on the base of my tub afterwards, and had I not noticed it, would probably have left a lasting mark for me to scrub the following day. However, a quick rinse and wipe down afterwards and it wasn't a problem at all. 

Overall, this is a wonderful release from Lush and definitely a step up from the already beautiful Cinders, which still holds a place in my heart to this day. This is definitely one you should invest in if you're looking for warming smells, and I can only hope that I manage to get my hands on another one or two before the season is out. This will definitely ignite the fire after a day braving the cold.

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Almond Essential Oil, Brazilian Orange Oil, Cinnamon Leaf Oil, Zeolite Clay, Popping Candy, Water (Aqua), Cream of Tartar, Mustard Powder, Cornstarch, Titanium Dioxide, Dipropylene Glycol, Sodium Coco Sulfate, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Silica, Tin Oxide, *Cinnamal, *Eugenol, *Limonene, Perfume, Colour 47005:1, Colour 15985:1, Colour 19140:1, Colour 14700, Colour 77491.

Vegan?: Yes.

2019 Price: £4.95 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2019.

coming soon!

Pop Art Bath Bomb

Given my current life situation, having baths in the middle of the day is the only reprieve I have from the mess I'm trying to stumble through ninety-nine per cent of the time. Having any bath bombs to 'play' with is always a luxury, but having ones as good quality as Lush's Christmas range makes me extremely grateful to the people who made it possible.

Pop Art is a brand new bath bomb for the 2019 seasonal range and looks and smells exactly as its name suggest: a piece of buttery popcorn. This beauty is definitely for those who have a sweet tooth, especially when you're trying to consume less sugar over the Christmas celebrations. Stick one of these in your bath tub and its very much like having your cake and bathing in it...er...

Supposedly sharing its scent with Let The Good Times Roll Facial Cleanser, this limited edition offers a warm, buttery caramel smell to drool over. While fans of Yog Nog will no doubt appreciate this fragrance as well, this is definitely less cloying and not as heavy smelling as the aforementioned bath bomb, which makes it a wonderful alternative if you're wanting something sweet but gentle as well. There is also something slightly 'dry' about the smell, once it has fully dissolved in the bath, which could be seen as a homage to the popcorn pieces that feature in the original facial cleanser.

What I did enjoy about Pop Art was the amount of popping candy that featured inside the bath bomb. It was a matter of seconds after I placed it in the water that it began to crackle loudly as it bobbed across the surface. This continued for the whole ten or so minutes it took for the product to fully dissolve, and then I could still her remnants of the ingredient underneath the water when I submerged my head.

What sets this apart from most of Lush's bath bombs is that it was a fairly slow fizzer, which meant that for the first couple of minutes it simply bobbed and spun across the surface without producing huge amounts of colour. However, once the water began to reach the centre, streams of bright yellow and orange began to explode out from the sides and paint the water a rich, sultry shade of yellow.

In the past I have always said that yellow is perhaps one of my least favourite colours for a bath, for obvious reasons. And I still stick by this premise. However, my state of mind when bathing with Pop Art allowed me see the yellow as more like a little bout of sunshine, which is something we will be needing more of as the winter season takes over the weather.

The inclusion of the sea salt really makes a difference when using this bath bomb. I was able to feel the difference it made to my skin and the water felt silky-smooth throughout the whole process. Furthermore, a few small wounds I had on my feet seemed to heal up noticeably quicker after bathing with Pop Art, not to mention that its combination of scent and colour elevated my mood a little as well.

The fragrance stayed present throughout the whole of the experience, although it wasn't enough to linger in the bathroom afterwards. However, I was able to detect remnants on my hands, arms and the ends of my hair afterwards, all of which stayed with me for an impressive 4-5 hours. It made me realise how much a body lotion in this scent would be a lovely addition to the range.

Overall, this is a great new release from Lush and one that I hope to be able to use again in the future. Unless you're opposed to yellow-coloured baths, Pop Art is for those who have a seriously sweet tooth and want an alternative to Yog Nog this year. While it is very foody and definitely doesn't have as much character as some of Lush's other seasonal choices, this will certainly be very popular during the Christmas season, and I wouldn't be surprised if it was made permanent at some point in the future.

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Popping Candy, Coarse Sea Salt, Cornflour, Perfume, Titanium Dioxide, Water (Aqua), Sodium Coco Sulfate, Dipropylene Glycol, Colour 47005, Colour 14700, Colour 45350.

Vegan?: Yes.

2019 Price: £?.

Year Of Original Release: 2019.

Scent Family:
Let The Good Times Roll Facial Cleanser
Pop Art Bath Bomb

coming soon!

Santa's Grotto Bath Bomb

Despite the sun still shining gloriously outside of my window, there was something about the idea of a comforting bath that led me into having one for the first time in months. While self care is incredibly important, I've had neither the mental capacity or the practical means to actually have a bath, even if I wanted to - making this particular experience extremely special. I can honestly say that there is something incredibly magical about this release and I couldn't have asked for a better introduction back into the world of Lush.

Santa’s Grotto is a brand new bath bomb featured in Lush's 2019 Christmas range, and was made available earlier for the select few hundred consumers who were able to buy the company's limited edition advent calendar before it sold out. 

Offering a fragrance that I wouldn't describe as being strictly festive, this limited edition is one of those wonderful bombs designed to compliment the winter weather as opposed to being 'too Christmassy.' However, I should probably point out that the scent of this bomb is definitely more of an acquired taste, and definitely not suitable for anyone who dislikes heady smells. This one will stick to your nose and your bathroom like an overly loyal dog.

Sporting a pastel green design, Santa's Grotto offers beautiful, chunky pieces of sea salt on top, some of which have been coloured a sparkly golden colour to add a beautiful glimmer. Alongside this, little rocks of red popping candy have been embedded in the surface to add an extra feature to marvel.

Featuring a combination of everlasting flower absolute, ylang ylang and tagetes, the scent of this bath bomb is quite difficult to describe, and certainly doesn't do it justice at all when I do so. What I will say is that despite other descriptions, I do detect quite a distinctive floral aroma. It's very powdery and heady and features both a herbal twist that deepens and intensifies the fragrance of the everlasting flower, and a slightly grassy edge that gives it more of a 'green' feel as well.

Despite there being nothing in the ingredients list to suggest where it comes from, there is also something naturally sweet and almost citrus-like about this smell as well. It's almost as if the ylang ylang has been turned up a notch in this bath bomb which clashes slightly with the other components. However, there is something about these different components that just work. 

While my description might seem rather negative, I actually happen to love the scent of Santa's Grotto. It's definitely not the smell you would expect from the name of the product, and I actually think it's shame that the name will prevent it from becoming a permanent feature in shops. Fans of outdoorsy types of smells will probably really appreciate this release.  

As if the design and smell weren't gorgeous enough, this wonderful bath bomb begins to fizz and crackle as soon as it hits the water. Very quickly Santa's Grotto fills the tub with a stunning shade of turquoise colour, with streams of mauve exploding from its centre to offer a wonderful visual display.

Once the bath bomb has fully dissolved, you're left with a gorgeous shade of water that features a light dash of silver lustre sparkling under the surface. Not only this but the inclusion of the salt makes the water extremely moisturising, and it only took a matter of minutes for me to notice a huge difference with the condition of my skin. In addition, the scent lingered throughout the whole experience and stayed on my skin for a good while afterwards. 

This is one of those bath bombs that offers you everything you could want: a strong, robust smell; a beautiful display of colour in the water; and nourishing qualities that will leave you feeling like a new person. While I think this bath bomb will divide the Lush community like Marmite does, I happen to think there is something rather special about this release, and I would love to experience this again before the end of the year.

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Coarse Sea Salt, Extra Large Sea Salt, Popping Candy, Everlasting Flower Absolute, Ylang Ylang Oil, Tagetes Oil, Cream of Tartar, Cornstarch, Titanium Dioxide, Water (Aqua), Sodium Coco Sulfate, Dipropylene Glycol, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Cocamidopropyl, Betaine, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Tin Oxide, Silica Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Amyl Cinnamal, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Salicylate, Citronellol, Geraniol, Hydroxycitronellal, *Limonene, *Linalool, Perfume, Colour 42090:2, Colour 19140:1, Colour 77491, Colour 15850:1, Colour 45410:1, Colour 42090.

Vegan?: Yes.

2019 Price: £?.

Year Of Original Release: 2019.

coming soon!

Time Traveller FUN Bar

During the Halloween season last year, Lush unleashed a handful of a brand new FUN Bar called Witches' Cauldron, which was the first of its kind: a beautiful little tube with a normal sized bar of fun and three little miniature bath bombs to use if and as you please. This year Lush have created another rendition called Time Traveller, which has now become an exclusive for the Liverpool store.

Sharing its scent with Calacas, this highly colourful bar of cornflour offers a bright and fruity lime scent, with a wonderful thread of bergamot underneath to give the fragrance a little 'greenery' as well. Fans of the popular smell will appreciate that its transferred well into this format, and smells more of less identical to that of the Calacas Shower Gel.

Much like with Witches' Cauldron, this FUN bar was slightly harder than any of the other bars I had been using at the same time, which made me appreciate how easy this was to break a small piece off with each use, and how well it functioned in the shower as well.

I only needed a piece the size of half a penny to wash my whole body with in the shower, and even then I think I could have got away with using even less. Massaging it between my hands with a little water heeded an impressive amount of light and fragrant bubbly lather, and it was super easy to transfer across to my skin. Upon rinsing the product away, I found that the aroma stayed with my skin for a short while, and the soft feeling that the FUN Bar created lingered around for a good many hours later.

To use in the shower, you simply have to break off a little of the bar, add a little moisture and then massage across your skin. The FUN produces a colourful, soapy foam to wash with and is easy enough to use. Use too much however, and you’ll find large sticky chunks will be littering the floor of your shower, which then needs to be washed away with the water. 

The three little bath bombs that came alongside the FUN bar weren’t exactly the most potent of fragrances to be fair. However, I was not expecting them to be. What they did offer was a bonus little extra fun to be had in either the water or the shower (emotibomb anyone?) and these did nothing but compliment my experience whilst using the Time Traveller FUN Bar. Creative fans amongst us may decide to build objects with this fun, and use these bath bombs as props alongside this. However, my lack of time and patience meant that I decided to use the bombs in just a regular way and enjoyed an extra bath instead of a shower one evening.

Ultimately, this exclusive set appears to be designed with children in mind: a product that will offer them lots of fun in an evening or act as an exciting present that can be used later on that very day. However, that's not to say that adults cannot appreciate the sentiment of this creation either. 

My only concern, as I mentioned in my review of Witches' Cauldron, is that with no separation between the two, the FUN bar does tend to stick to the bath bomb s and over the space of a couple of weeks the moisture affects the bombs a little as well. A simple cardboard disc in between the two would probably rectify most of these problems or consumers just need to remember to buy and use this fresh.

Overall, this is a really lovely product and I’m really happy that I managed to grab a bar from the Liverpool store. This is definitely something that Lush should bring out as a regular product, as it’s a great little set for somebody looking for a simple gift, and will keep children entertained for a good couple of hours before they head to bed. The scent is spot on with the Calacas range, the bar itself lathers up really well; and while the bath bombs aren’t the most impressive, they do work well as a novelty whilst smelling rather lovely in the water as well.

Quantitative Ingredients: Cornflour, Talc, Glycerine, Sodium Bicarbonate, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Citric Acid, Lime Oil, Olibanum Oil, Neroli Oil, Water, Popping Candy, Titanium Dioxide, Dipropylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol, Silica, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Tin Oxide, Alpha-Isomethyl ion one, Benzyl Salicylate, Citral, Limonene, Hydroxycitronellal, Colour 45410, Colour 42090, Colour 77491, Colour 19140:1, Colour 19140, Colour 77007, Colour 45410:1, Colour 17200, Colour 15850:1, Colour 61570. 

Vegan?: Yes.

2019 Price: £7.95 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2019.

Calm A Llama Party Piñata Bath Bomb

Most of the time humans don't actually know what they want, even though they think that they do. This is where Lush come into play. Not only do they seem to know what it is that you want, but they also seem to know what you want even if you don't know what you want yourself to begin with. Confusing much? I hope you get my point nevertheless. 

When Calm A Llama Party Piñata Bath Bomb first made an appearance on the Lush website last month, I never even realised that I had wanted a llama-shaped bath bomb until that very moment. Yet the second I saw it's single eye staring back at me, I just knew I wouldn't be able to rest until I got my hands on one, hence my point about Lush knowing what I don't.

Priced up at £7.95, I will say that this bath bomb is rather on the expensive side. Whereas Cilla Caterpillar came as two separate bath bombs, this one you would quite literally need to piñata the hell out of it to break it into smaller pieces. Perhaps that's the idea behind this one although I wouldn't particularly want to pay close to £10 for a bath bomb that I need to smash up before I can use it. If there's one thing Lush SHOULD know, It's that us consumers want our llamas whole before we drown them...Terrible joke for a vegan, I know.

Sharing its scent with the Calacas family, this oversized bath bomb offers a wonderfully sweet, zesty lime aroma, with a rich and very sultry wood-like note as the base on which the scent intensifies from. What is impressive about the smell of this is that I happen to think it's a little more intense than the likes of Calavera Bath Bomb, yet it's also slightly richer than the fragrances you find in both the shower jelly and gel formats.

What is enjoyable about Calm A Llama is that it produces so much froth when it is floating on the surface of the water. Streams of yellow, pink and orange colour pattern the water with puddles of colour and there is not an inch of water left untouched when the bath bomb is finished. With such vibrant colours decorating the tub, you can submerge yourself beneath the water and enjoy almost ten minutes of 'action' before the bath bomb disappears for good.

My only disappointment with this product was the fact that there didn't seem to be much in the way of anything inside to make it truly piñata-like. I was hoping for something to explode out of the middle during my bath; perhaps even a message or a surprise that I wouldn't have been expecting. Ironically, the fact that there didn't appear to be anything worth noting inside was definitely a surprise and a half in itself.

What I really appreciated about this bath bomb was that the scent lingered in and around the bath tub throughout the whole experience, although there were moments when stronger-smelling items thwarted the smell somewhat. Unfortunately, I didn't find that it lingered on my skin as well, which always makes for a better experience if it does. However, my skin felt soft and smooth afterwards and I didn't need to moisturise until the next day.

As this was a limited release from Lush and only available as part of the party range in the Liverpool store, these may not be available any more for general sale. However, I reckon it's only a matter of time before they make a reappearance, as Calm A Llama Party Piñata Bath Bomb is definitely something worth celebrating.  

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Lime Oil, Neroli Oil, Olibanum Resinoid, Cream of Tartar, Water (Aqua), Cornstarch, Glycerine, Titanium Dioxide, Popping Candy, Sodium Coco Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Dipropylene Glycol, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Hydroxy propyl methyl cellulose, Sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, *Citral, *Limonene, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Benzyl Salicylate, Hydroxycitronellal, Perfume, Colour 45410:1, Colour 15510, Colour 47005, Colour 42090, Colour 16255, Colour 19140, Colour 77492, Colour 14700, Colour 17200, Candy Eyes.

Vegan?: Yes.

2019 Price: £7.95 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2019.

coming soon!

Pop Bubble Bar

As soon as I saw this bubble bar, I just knew it would become one of my firm favourites. For the last six years, Roy Lichtenstein has been my go-to artist when teaching art to my children and every single one of my classes have adored the project of creating their own pop art to finish the year. What better way of celebrating that summer is fast-approaching than by bathing in the concept as well. 

Pop Bubble Bar is not only inspired by the work of a male artist but the reference to the nickname 'pops' is probably how Lush have managed to link this product into the Father's Day range this year. However, while it may definitely pertain references that let it rest, it's definitely the odd one out when it comes to scent and design.

Sharing its scent with the likes of Snowman Shower Jelly and FUN Bar, not to mention the most recently released Star Spell Bath Bomb, this bubble bar offers a fragrance that is incredibly uplifting; bright and super refreshing. If you enjoy smells that are both fruity and zesty at the same time, you will want to grab one of these before they disappear from the shelves.

Featuring buchu, lemon and bergamot oils, this bubble bar has a strong - and what I would describe as being a - fizzy, fruity aroma: one that is best suited for those who enjoy uplifting, playful yet rather simplistic smells. As I have said in many reviews of other products featuring this scent, the main note I pick up from this smell is one of fresh tropical juice but with a sherberty twist. The buchu and lemon combine really well in this format, and the juicy combination offers up something a little different from just the normal citrus-scented creations. 

It's definitely not the worlds most complex aroma by any means. However, with the warmer months approaching fast, this is definitely one I can see myself using either when I want to wake myself up first thing in the morning, or when I want to freshen up after a long day under the sweltering heat. Having said that, the idea that England will offer anything close to sweltering temperatures is even a little too much of wishful thinking to begin with.

As with nearly all of Lush's bubble bars, this one crumbles with ease under the running tap, although I would suggest that you divide this into smaller pieces to conserve the product across two or three baths. Within seconds the water begins to feel softer between my hands; the red and yellow design helped to spread a wonderfully warming shade of orange throughout the water; and the fragrance engulfed the bathroom. There was also a generous amount of silky-soft bubbles to submerge myself beneath, although these tend to disperse within the first fifteen minutes of being in the bath.

After using just under half of the bar, I was really impressed with how incredible my skin felt afterwards. Pop is one of those bath products that can make a huge difference to the quality of your skin, and my body felt so nourished and radiant after I had towelled myself down. Not only this but the smell stayed with me throughout the whole bath, as well as lingering on both my skin and around the bathroom for a good hour or so after the plug had been pulled.

The inclusion of the cocoa butter in this bubble bar meant that I didn't feel the need to moisturise afterwards, yet my skin remained beautify soft and, as I said above, radiant throughout the whole day. Furthermore, my mood was instantly uplifted and I felt able to face the day on minimal hours of sleep.

While it sticks out like a sore thumb in the Father's Day range, it's a very welcome release from me, and I will definitely be stocking up on a few more of these before they disappear from the shelves. Given how moisturising it is, I was even considering breaking this bubble bar into eight very small pieces and just using a little, along with a bath bomb, to infuse those extra butters into the water.

Pop Bubble Bar is a great addition to the Lush family and will certainly be very popular for those who enjoy fruity fragrances. Like the sunrise in the early morning, this limited edition offers you a beautiful, refreshing warming hug to either start your day, or chase away those cobwebs after a long one.

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Cream of Tartar, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Lauryl Betaine, Popping Candy, Perfume, Cornflour, Buchu Oil, Sicilian Lemon Oil, Bergamot Oil, Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, *Limonene, Colour 47005, Colour 14700.

Vegan?: Yes.

2019 Price: £4.95 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2019.