It was only when I was having a sort out of my Lush collection the other day, that I discovered that I had yet to try (or indeed review) one of the brand new soaps in this year's seasonal range. Surprisingly, this was also one of the products I was privy to seeing during my factory tour earlier in the year, so I felt it only fair that I should host a shower for the sole purpose of trying this out for the first time.
Perhaps the one to receive the least amount of publicity, Igloo Soap is as much an experience as it is a cosmetic. There is something about its fragrance that reminds me of Christmas, without relying on the typical spicy, cinnamon smells to do so. While it may not be a staple in every household, this soap is modelled on a product that features in many sweet bowls over the festive period, and is something that is often overlooked when people discuss their favourite Christmas foods.
Turkish Delight is a family of confections that are created using a gently flavoured, glycerine base. The sweets are often then divided into small cubes and dusted with something like icing sugar to prevent them from congealing together. While most people are only familiar with one variety, the name actually encompasses a whole variety of sweets, featuring ingredients such as chopped dates, pistachios, and hazelnuts. Rosewater, lemon and orange are three of the most popular variations around, and it is usually the former two that are featured in the aisles of your local supermarket during the Christmas period.
As the 'difficult vegan', Turkish Delight was something that my family would always have an abundance of around Christmas time. I have fond memories of the chocolate bowl being passed around the room, while I snacked on the delicate box of goodies my parents had gone out their way to buy for me especially. For this reason, the smell, texture and taste pertains a certain level of nostalgia for me, and I was hoping that Igloo Soap would be able to mimic this. Interestingly, it is not just the scent of this product that is modelled on these exquisite sweets - the design itself also plays homage with its array of different coloured pieces, stacked on top of each other, and the fact that it has an almost sugary outer consistency in line with the edible versions.
Containing rose absolute and rose oil, it's not surprising that this is the first and indeed the strongest note on offer by the soap. However, neither of these components are in any way overpowering. Instead, they provide Igloo with a very sweet and delicate rose aroma that is identical to what you'd expect Turkish Delight to smell like.
Alongside this is the Sicilian lemon oil, which wraps itself around these floral components to offer a light, fruity and rather uplifting second layer. In a small way, this smell of this does remind me of a far more milder Rose Jam, albeit with the addition of a little more powdery sweetness. While I'm not normally one for gentle smells, it's a credit to Lush for creating an aroma very much like the sweet, and with many interesting layers, yet one that is so subtle, you would barely detect its smell in a Lush shop.
Foaming up with ease, this product is very generous when in contact with water, and it only takes a matter of seconds before you have an abundance of lather in which to clean yourself with. I was also rather impressed to find that after a couple of weeks of using this daily, the block hadn't changed very much at all, and I think it is perhaps one of the longer-lasting seasonal soaps from this years range.For those who read my blog regularly, you'll know that my skin has an aversion to most soaps - in that I have found very few that don't dry out my skin and leave it feeling parched. For this reason, I was surprised to find that this soap left my skin feeling well-nourished within a matter of seconds. Furthermore, I was fascinated to discover that Igloo left my hands feeling as if there was a thick blanket of moisture coating them for a good while after I had dried them off. This seemed to dramatically improve the condition of my skin and the weathered areas between my fingers all but vanished from the very first use.
Although I didn't notice such an obvious difference with the rest of my body, I found that I didn't need to always use a body lotion after showering with this. In addition, there were times when I refrained from using a perfume afterwards, and was still able to detect the smell of this very gently on my skin.
While I don't see myself buying too much more of this to see me through until next year, I will continue to use my current chunk on an almost daily basis, using it more as a hand wash than a full body clean. I have definitely enjoyed experiencing this and do think it replicates the confectionary it is influenced by really well. With budgets being cut this Christmas, this will work as a less gluttonous replacement for my well-loved confectionary.
Quantitative Ingredients: Carrageenan Extract in Glycerine, Rapeseed Oil and Coconut Oil, Sorbitol, Fresh Lemon Juice, Water, Perfume, *Limonene, Sicilian Lemon Oil, Rose Absolute, Rose Oil, Glycerine, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Bicarbonate, EDTA, Tetrasodium Etidronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Benzyl Alcohol, *Citral, Citronellol, Geraniol, *Linalool, Colour 45350, Colour 45410, Colour 14700, Colour 42090, Colour 17200.
Vegan?: Yes.
2016 Price: £4.25 for 100g.
Year Of Original Release: 2016.
