Cinders Shower Gel

Out of all of the new exclusive products that make themselves known each Christmas, it is always the shower gels and shower creams that I gravitate towards first. There is nothing more alluring and exciting to me than a new bottle of coloured scented liquid to lather all over my body. And what is great about Lush is that you just never know what fragrances and ideas they have up their sleeves until the products hit the shelves.

Cinders is one of two brand new, limited edition shower gels to make themselves known for Christmas 2018: a vibrant orange product with an ingredients list that reads like a feast. If you’re looking for something that smells both comforting and warming for the upcoming colder season, you may have just stumbled upon it.

I should probably start by saying that this is supposed to share its scent with the discontinued bath bomb of the same name. However, while there are definitely similarities, Cinders Shower Gel has far more complexity than its older sibling, and for this reason may be appreciated more, for those who found the bath bomb to be too simplistic, or less for someone who wants an exact replica.

What intrigued me initially, when it came to Cinders, was the inclusion of both maple syrup and kaolin clay. Neither ingredients are featured very often within Lush’s whole range, especially the latter of the two - which I associate more with what I drizzle on my pancakes than what I rub across my body. However, both ingredients help to make this shower gel wonderfully moisturising: the kaolin cleansing out the pores and replenishing the skin with some extra minerals; the latter helping to plump up the skin and giving the body a natural glow afterwards as well.

Alongside these two components there is also pumpkin seed, cinnamon and Brazilian orange oils - all of which help to create the beautiful smell that this shower gel offers, and provides even more nourishment when used on the skin every day. Aloe vera extract rounds Cinders off by ensuring that all of the spices included in making this fragrance don’t irritate the skin - providing soothing properties to prevent any outbreaks that could occur with daily use. 

What gives Cinders Shower Gel its wintery fragrance is a combination of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice and clove powders. The former ingredient is what stands out the most - giving off a warm and very slightly spicy cinnamon aroma; while the maple syrup wraps itself around this to give the shower gel a sweetness as well. 

Out of the bottle, the nutmeg, allspice, clove and ginger notes make themselves more prominent: offering a more complex and rather exotic scent on the skin. This is where the comparison between the shower gel and Cinders Bath Bomb get a little confusing to explain, because while you can smell the bath bomb when you sniff the Christmas gel, the shower gel has many more layers; is more rounded overall; and the cinnamon present is less spicy than the bath bomb. Those who love the bath bomb will most likely love this shower gel. However, those who found the bomb to be a little too simplistic may find the complexity of this a little more appealing as well.

What is great about this shower gel is that it’s a very thick gel so you only need the smallest amount to create a rich, thick and very creamy foam. I found that mixing it with a little water, just after I had squirted an amount in my hands, helped to create a generous amount to lather across my body, and I was able to clean my entire body with perhaps the equivalent of a penny-sized amount. 

Also appealing for me was the fact that this shower gel left a lovely warm and rather sweet scent on my skin after towelling myself down. A little of both the nutmeg and the cinnamon fragranced my whole body, including my hair, and while it didn’t last all that long when compared to other Lush shower gels, it was a welcome hug to go to bed with this aroma on my skin. 

In regards to how moisturising this was on the body, I cannot say that I personally noticed a huge improvement in the condition of my skin after regular use. However, my body did feel really smooth after each shower, and my partner did comment on how soft my skin felt to him, so perhaps it worked better than I realised myself. 

What I should warn you is that some of the spices tend to separate from the gel over time, and will sink to the bottom of your bottle. It’s definitely worth giving Cinders a good shake every couple of weeks, just so the consistency and the smell remains as strong as it can. 

Cinders Shower Gel is definitely a very warm and well-rounded product: perfect for the colder months that are set to arrive in the coming weeks. However, I cannot imagine enjoying this as much if I was to use it in the warmer months, as the smell is far more wintery in my eyes. Having said that, this is one that I would buy again, and I will no doubt purchase an extra bottle to use across the year.

A 100g bottle survived four intense weeks of both my partner and I using it 2-3 times every day. This should give you some idea of how long your bottle will last you. This is definitely a welcome addition to Lush’s Christmas range, and I hope we see some more products in this scent, in the near future.

Quantitative Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Glycerine, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Lauryl Betaine, Fine Sea Salt, Perfume, Organic Pumpkinseed Oil, Maple Syrup, Kaolin, Aloe Vera Extract, Paprika Oleoresin, Almond essential oil, Brazilian Orange Oil, Cinnamon Leaf Oil, Fair Trade Organic Cinnamon Powder, Ginger Powder, Nutmeg powder, Allspice Powder, Clove Powder, Carrageenan Extract, Titanium Dioxide, *Eugenol, *Cinnamal, *Limonene, Colour 14700, Colour 19140.

Vegan?: Yes.

2018 Price: £5.50 for 110g, £10.95 for 260g, £18.25 for 520g.

Year Of Original Release: 2018.

Scent Family:

Cinders Bath Bomb
Cinders Liquid Perfume
Cinders Naked Shower Gel

Cinders Shower Gel

Sleepy Hand Cream

As I said in my previous review, the Lush Showcase has become an essential part of the community over the last eighteen months, and it's difficult to imagine what life was like before the sneaky teasers and such. Unfortunately, there are some products that make an appearance at the event, only to disappear into obscurity without any rhyme or reason. Sleepy Handcream is perhaps the most perplexing.

Not only does it share its scent with Twilight - perhaps the most sought after fragrance in Lush's catalogue - but it is also the first of its kind. Never before have the company offered a pocket- sized tube of this design, and I for one have revelled in the creative nature of the artist-inspired bottle, and how practical it is for carrying it around in a day bag. 

In all fairness, I was rather shocked when this didn't make an immediate appearance in the shops, if only because of how quickly it sold out at the showcase event. Not only did I witness an entire bucket having to be replaced in the few minutes I was standing by one of the stalls, but I was told that the product was sold out very early on into the event, which couldn't be said for any other exclusive.

While I have no doubt enticed you with the promise of a Twilight-scented handcream, I feel I need to state that this is not a direct replica. In fact, some fans may even be slightly disappointed with how this differs from the likes of the shower gel, body lotion and perfume. It is definitely of my favourite interpretation of the fragrance, but I appreciate that there is a clear difference between most of the scent family and this elusive product.

Although the handcream contains the familiar collaboration of Lavender and tonka absolute, there is something far more dry and almost grounded about the smell. It's almost as if the tonka has forgone some of its natural sweetness and the lavender has added in an extra herbal boost, which doesn't make this exclusive as rich or as sultry as the shower gel. I think the inclusion of the different nut butters gives this hand cream a subtle nutty aroma, which overrides the sweetness somewhat and makes it very slightly savoury.

Much like Handy Gurugu, this hand cream is very thick and comes out of the tube much like a typical acrylic paint would. This means that it's very easy to dispense the desired amount and won't leak if left unsealed. Because of its viscosity, you need very little to moisturise both hands, and I found that a blueberry-sized piece was more than enough for both hands.

Containing rose water as the key ingredient, this product is great for those with sensitive skin as the rose helps to soothe any irritation and prevent any possible reactions from occurring. The inclusion of evening primrose oil, which is a fairly new move for the company, contains lots of essential fatty acids that help to rebuild and repair skin. Not only this, but it is known for helping to alleviate firmness or rough areas that may come as a result of strenuous grafting with your hands. As someone who lifts weights, this handcream has helped to replenish the moisture I lose after my workout and soften the rough areas that come about through heavy lifting. 

What is good about Sleepy Handcream is that it does seem to replenish the skin within a matter of minutes after applying it. I was able to notice the suppleness of my hands right away and this stayed with me for a good couple of hours after application. For someone who develops dry areas of skin in-between my fingers during the colder months, this hand cream was amazing at banishing this immediately. 

Once on, the smell stays with you for a couple of hours as well, so you may need to be warned: sniffing your hands constantly in public may need some strange, and sometimes pitying, stares. Believe me.

Unfortunately, I found that this hand cream takes quite a while to absorb into the skin, and it's rather rigid when massaging it into the hands as well. Let's just say that it doesn't feel as pleasurable as a normal body lotion does to apply, and your hands will be left feeling rather 'clammy' and 'sticky' for a good 30+ minutes until the skin has fully absorbed the oils and butters. 

Another issue I found was that the hand cream didn't seem to make much of an impact on my hands over a period of many days. I was hoping that the daily application of the cream would ultimately resolve the dry and rough patches permanently, and I would notice an improvement in the condition of my skin. Instead, Sleepy is definitely more of a quick fix, and not something that is going to transform your life the way that the body lotion will. Perhaps this is why Lush opted to release the aforementioned lotion as opposed to the hand cream. 

Ultimately, Sleepy Hand Cream has served me well the last couple of months. As a short- term fix, this will get your hands looking and feeling far more nourished, and you'll carry a wonderful scent with you without having to spray a perfume. However, if it's something more permanent you're after, you may wish to try the well-established Handy Gurugu, which heeds far better results. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Rose water, Fair Trade Shea Butter, Glycerine, Stearic Acid, Organic Almond Oil, Fresh Lemon Juice, Lavender Oil, Benzoin Resinoid, Tonka Absolute, Ylang Ylang Oil, Organic Evening Primrose Oil, Tincture Of Benzoin, Organic Peanut Butter, Organic Pumpkin Butter, Organic Cashew Butter,   Organic Almond Butter.

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: £4.95 for 35ml, £7.95 for 60ml.

Year Of Original Release: 2017.


Scent Family:
FUN With A Twist
Luxury Pud Bath Bomb
Mum In A Spin Bubble Spinner
Sleepy Body Lotion
Sleepy Hand Cream
Sleepy Naked Shower Gel
Sleepy Shower Bomb
Sleepy Shower Gel
Twilight Bath Bomb
Twilight Liquid Perfume
Twilight Shower Gel
Twilight Shower Jelly
Twilight Solid Perfume

Twilight Sparkle Jar

Pumpkin Soap

Halloween is definitely growing in popularity in the UK, and I read recently that it has now become the third biggest celebration in this country after Christmas and Easter. While I love the imagery and excitement that comes with the wintery festival, a small part of me wishes that it had been more prominent when I was growing up so I could have enjoy the magical side of it a little more.

Nevertheless, I was very excited to get my hands on a couple of Pumpkin Soaps when they came out in the Kitchen a couple of weeks ago, and knew instantly that they would be a firm favourite when I experienced the first whiff of them through the box upon their arrival. 

Sharing its scent with Jacko Bath Ballistic, this seasonal edition has changed somewhat since it was first released back in 2008. While this gorgeous looking product was originally scented with mandarin, lime and cinnamon - giving it the same fragrance as Almond Buttercream, the shape and design of the soap has remained the same.

Although I wasn't immediately sold on the description, and given what I already thought about the fragrance of the bath bomb, I wasn't expecting to like this soap as much as I did. However, in my opinion, the scent of this is much more suited to the soap than it is the ballistic. 

Containing fresh orange juice, pumpkin puree, cardamon, clove bud and spearmint oils, Pumpkin is the perfect remedy for a winter shower. It's a warming and very comforting soap - one that not only wraps you in a blanket of fragrance that stays with you for long after you exit the shower, but the inclusion of both rapeseed and coconut oil means that it also leaves your skin ready to face the day, no matter how cold it may be. 

As soon as you remove this beauty from the packet, you can immediately detect three main notes; the clove buds give this soap a very strong, spicy element - one that wakes you up and works with the spearmint to invigorate your senses. Thanks to its stimulating and warming properties, clove bud can be used to help alleviate muscular aches and sprains as well as clear the mind, so its the perfect companion for those unwanted early morning rises.

The inclusion of spearmint oil not only gives Pumpkin a distinctive minty element to it, but also supports the cloves in helping to thwart aches and pains, reduce stress levels as well as refresh and enliven the skin at the same time. The orange juice adds a sweet, citrus element to the overall smell and works on bringing a little radiance to your skin whilst cleaning out your pores.

Altogether, this soap offers a strong and very unique smell - one that shouldn't really work but does. The inclusion of the pumpkin puree really helps to give this product a creamy element, something that I think is what makes it all the more appealing than Jacko.

What is great about the soap is that it's rather soft and slightly sticky to begin with so it lathers up a treat when in contact with water. On the positive side, this means that it's really easy to clean yourself with and it doesn't take a lot of massaging to heed a thick, creamy lather. On the negative side, the ease in which this soap works means that it does tend to shrink a lot quicker than Lush's more robust soaps.

While it's not a soap I would naturally gravitate towards, there is something about Pumpkin that really sits well with me. There is something rather 'autumnal' about it that makes it my go-to product whenever the weather looks as if it's about to dip below zero. A great seasonal release that keeps on giving. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Rapeseed Oil and Coconut Oil, Glycerine, Fresh Orange Juice, Pumpkin Puree, Perfume, Cardamon Oil, Clove Bud Oil, Spearmint Oil, Gardenia Extract, Sodium Chloride, Titanium Dioxide, EDTA, Tetrasodium Etidronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Cinnamon, Eugenol, Limone, Colour 15510.

Vegan?: Yes

2015 Price: £4 for 100g.

Year Of Original Release: 2008.

Scent Family:

Jacko Bath Ballistic

Pumpkin Soap