I learnt a long time ago not to feel disgruntled or perplexed when Lush brought out a product with an existing scent, even when said smell was in the same format as an already existing one. There are many reasons for doing so, not least because it allows for more people to buy and enjoy the smell, as well as giving fans of the older model a chance to enjoy their beloved fragrance in a new light.
For this reason, Monsters' Ball is by no means a 'brand new' product - instead a revamp and reformulated version of an older bath bomb that goes by the name of The Enchanter. Sharing its scent with the Calacas family, this limited edition Halloween bath bomb is the youngest sibling of the aforementioned ballistic, and does an amazing job at offering a very unique and different bathing experience from its older brother.Containing a generous lashing of lime and neroli oil, this bath bomb gives off a bright, zesty lime smell with just a hint of green under this to pad out the aroma a little. I wouldn't say that it is as strong as some of the other Calacas-scented products - perhaps even slightly less fruity on the senses compared to the likes of the shower jelly and perfume. However, it's equally as beautiful and those who appreciate this scent family will no doubt welcome this one with open arms.
What is great about both of these oils, as well as the inclusion of the olibanum oil is that they are all known for how much they improve the condition of the skin. Lime and neroli are both great for cleansing and clearing pores, stimulating radiance and leaving your skin with a natural glow; olibanum softens while also smoothing out lines, healing cracked and scaly skin and reversing dehydrated skin to help you gain back a little vibrancy.
Alongside these two main oils you have both Himalayan rock salt and cocoa butter - two ingredients that I wasn't expecting to find present, but two that make this bath bomb a feast on the body. The Himalayan is great for softening the water and acts as a natural healer to hydrate the skin - ultimately leaving your body feeling well moisturised and refreshed. Cocoa butter restores and locks in moisture and continues to work for a good while after it has been absorbed into the skin. If all of the benefits of this bath bomb are not enough to tempt you, then perhaps the design of Monsters' Ball will capture your interest instead. Not only is it shaped to look like an aluminous pink cyclops, but the colours it produces in the water are stunning and definitely ones that suit the colder months that lie ahead of us.
Upon contact with the water, this bath bomb immediately begins to fizz and froth - sending out streams of pink and blue that decorate the surface of the water and create swirls of colour intertwined with wisps of milky white froth. As the bomb gets smaller, these colours combine and produce a rich, deep purple-coloured water that is similar in shade to that of Twilight Shower Gel.
While the bath bomb is doing this, the centre piece, which is made of cocoa butter, begins to melt at a slow pace and decorate the water with little beads of oil that add moisture to the water. There is definitely not enough here to make you feel greasy, so you don't need to worry about the bath being too oily for your skin. Instead, the oils and butters work in unison to create a well-crafted, all round wonderful experience.Overall, despite my hesitance to consider this as a potential rival to The Enchanter to begin with, its definitely come very close to drawing with its older sibling. My only slight disappointment with this is that I didn't find the smell lingered on my skin for very long after I had exited the bath. And the aroma that was present for a short time was very weak and almost non detectable at times.
However, I happen to love the colour combination that this produces in the water and despite uplifting, zesty smells normally suiting brighter-coloured baths, this one works well with its fragrance. I will definitely be buying a handful of these before they disappear from the shops and I highly recommend that you try this out for yourself in the near future.
Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Himalayan Rock Salt, Fragrance, Lime Oil, Neroli Oil, Olibanum Oil, Cream Of Tartar, Fair Trade Cocoa Butter, Titanium Dioxide, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Lauryl Betaine, PEG-6 Caprylic / Caprylic Glycerides & PEG-80 Almond Glycerides, Propylene Glycol, Citral, Limonene, Linalool, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Benzyl Salicylate, Hydroxycitronellal Blue 1, Red 27, Red 33, Red 28, Vegan Dark Chocolate.
Vegan?: Yes.
2016 Price: £4.25 each.
Year Of Original Release: 2016.
Scent Family:
Calacas Shower GelCalacas Shower Jelly
Calacas/Day of The Dead Perfume
Calavera Ballistic
Lady Catrina SoapMonsters' Ball Bath Bomb
Skullduggery Ballistic
