When I was in high school, I learnt that my youngest sister was being bullied and tormented quite severely at her school, and that it had been going on for a long while. Growing up, I have always had a very strong protective streak towards my family and friends, and it was this that almost had me marching into the school with my younger brother and taking the matter into our own hands. Thankfully, I considered the repercussions of this before carrying anything out, and the bully was dealt with fairly quickly by the school.
This memory is one of the first to spring to mind when it comes to Lush's latest bubble bar, Lovestruck. Before even purchasing my very own to try and review, I'd received a number of messages from concerned Lush fans, stating how awful the bubble bar was, and there were multiple times when I was warded off from purchasing it altogether.Despite this reaction, I actually really appreciated and relished in these reviews, because it almost felt like a challenge: could I really love something that supposedly smelt of paint stripper and plastic? In a way, I felt protective over the product, merely because it seemed to be receiving such a beating, and it hadn't even hit the shops yet.
Upon arrival, I was pleasantly surprised to find that I couldn't detect, neither could I understand the comparisons made about its fragrance. While it wasn't one that blew me away to begin with, it only took a single bath for me to appreciate that I certainly didn't dislike it. In fact, after pondering in the tub for quite a while, I realised that these feelings I had, even suggested that I may have actually fallen in lust with it. Lovestruck, if you will.
Now I'm going to be honest - design-wise, I wouldn't say that Lovestruck is particularly all that attractive to look at. While both modern and definitely relevant in 2017, I do find the obsession with emojis a little cringeworthy, and this bubble bar doesn't exactly reference something that I have any interest in, in that sense. However, I recognise what Lush have attempted to do, and it will definitely appeal to those who want to add a modern twist to their Valentine's Day this year. Aside from physically, I will say that this product is a little more expensive than you would expect a bar of its size to be. Clearly sculpted from one half of a bath bomb mould, Lovestruck is a little underwhelming in size. Having said that, I was surprised to find that this bar is incredibly generous with both its fragrance and its bubbles, so you could easily divide it into two or three, and harvest enough from each piece to have a full, wholesome bath.
The most interesting feature about this bar is by far its scent. First impressions count for a lot, but in this case I don't think judgements should be made on that alone. This is an aroma that grows on you, and one that smells strangely familiar despite it only just making its debut in the company.
Containing lemon, geranium and petitgrain oil, this bubble bar smells like a long forgotten childhood memory - an old sweet that I cannot quite place, but one that gives me a longing feeling to be ten again and surrounded by the magic of an old-fashioned sweet shop. Without deterring those who dislike the smell of fennel, Lovestruck has an element to it that reminds me a little of sarsaparilla. This wild plant gives off a sweet, almost spicy aromatic fragrance that shares very loose traits with liquorice.
It is the petitgrain that gives the product its scent, as it offers a fairly resinous aroma unlike many other ingredients that Lush use in their products. This, alongside the lemon oil, gives the bar a strong, sweet, fruity smell. In addition, the geranium nestles under both of these elements, and offers a musty, powdery floral component. Whether or not you enjoy its unique smell, there's no denying that this bubble bar greats a really moisturising bath. It's one of those products that leaves the water looking and feeling like silk, and the bubbles glistening because they're so light and creamy. Despite the undesirable shade of yellow that the water turns, you cannot help but feel as if you're bathing in a tub full of sunshine, which is perfect for the upcoming winter months.
Overall, this is a bubble bar that I will definitely want to stock up on before the season is out. It may not have captivated my interests to begin with, but it definitely stole my heart in the end. Lovestruck is well and truly a welcome release in my eyes.
Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Cream of Tartar, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Lauryl Betaine, Perfume, Cornflour, Sicilian Lemon Oil, Geranium Oil, Petitgrain Oil, Titanium Dioxide, *Limonene, *Linalool, *Citral, *Citronellol, *Farnesol, Colour 14700, Colour 45410, Colour 17200, Colour 47005.
Vegan?: Yes.
2016 Price: £4.25 each.
Year Of Original Release: 2017.
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