Snow Fairy Body Conditioner

There will never be a Christmas when Snow Fairy is not in abundance. What started out as the release of an innocent bottle of sickly-sweet shower gel one year has grown into somewhat of an empire. Alongside Honey I Washed The Kids and The Comforter, this scent family has covered near enough every format and continues to grow on a year by year basis.

This year sees two brand new products to try, the body conditioner being perhaps the most interesting of the two. As Lush have only released a handful of body conditioners in their time, this is a somewhat special release and while I don't tend to use body conditioners on a regular basis, this one is everything I'd want and expect to see in such a product. 

You only have to peal back the lid and peer a little closer to unleash the magic of this seasonal beauty - it makes an immediate impression on your senses, and as someone who has fallen away from Snow Fairy in recent years, this initial greeting might have been what I needed to rekindle that appreciation.

Not only does the familiar smell greet you immediately from the pot but its a format that really suits this fragrance, and is perhaps on par with that of the original shower gel. Whereas I find that products such as the bath bomb, bubble bar and perfume offer a slightly weaker and less creamier version of this scent family, both this year's Fairy Dust and the body conditioner allows the beautiful aroma to showcase itself in its best light.

In the tub, Snow Fairy Body Conditioner smells thick and creamy - a pudding of smells that remind me of raspberry bubblegum and pic 'n' mix sweets. Much like the gel, this one has a seriously sweet aroma that smells like fresh cotton candy melted down and made into a thick, custard-like dessert. You'll be hard-pressed not to salivate at the smell. The fact that candy floss water in the ingredients list, tells me that Lush have gone all out on creating the strongest, most beautiful version of Snow Fairy that they possibly can. 

Packed full of avocado butter, mango butter and a cherry infusion, this is a product for when your sweet tooth wont let up and you need a sugar fix to satisfy your cravings. Avocado butter is packed full of natural oils - rich enough that they not only soothe and strengthen the skin, but offers a deep condition that other oils can't boast; mango butter softens the skin even further and works at repairing the skin as well. The cherry infusion not only adds a sweet layer to elevate the wonderful, sweet candy aroma, but also works on clearing out the pores so you can enjoy soft, smooth beautiful skin.

For those unfamiliar with body conditioners, the idea behind them in that you use them just before you hop out of the shower or bath. Simply smother on as little or as much as you want (2-3 dessertspoons tends to be enough to cover my whole body with) and then smear it across the areas you want to moisture, while standing out of the water. Once you've finished, allow the water to rinse a little away but not all of it, and then simply pat yourself down when you exit the bath.

You'll be left feeling a little greasy for a short while, but I can assure you that the oils and butters get to work very quickly and are absorbed into the skin within about 20-30 minutes. This is a product that you could use once a week to give your body a deep moisturising session and then relax on your bed or in an armchair while you allow the conditioner to get to work.

Snow Fairy Body Conditioner not only leaves your skin feeling noticeably different (and I could see and feel a beautiful shine to my skin for a couple of days post application), but the scent is strong enough that it stays with you for the most part of a day. I received compliments the day after using this on my skin and I was still able to smell it when I arrived home from work. 

This is a product that I was expecting to enjoy but not this extent. At the risk of repeating myself, the scent of this really suits the format, the smell has longevity on the skin and when using this in the shower, you really do feel as if you're spoiling yourself and your skin rotten. I even used a little on the ends of my hair because they had become very dry due to the change in weather, and the conditioner worked immediately at banishing these split ends and giving my hair moisture and shine without making it greasy.

While I wont be buying any more than the two tubs I acquired in my initial haul, I will be cherishing these conditioners a lot more than I imagined I would be doing, and I would highly recommend that you invest in a tub yourself because you will not regret it.

Quantitative Ingredients: Glycerine, Water, Almond Oil, Candy Floss Water, Cherry Infusion, Organic Jojoba Oil, Avocado Butter, Stearic Acid, Mango Butter, Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter, Triethanolamine, Synthetic Musk, Titanium Dioxide, Cetearyl Alcohol, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Tin Oxide, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Perfume, Colour 45410. 

Vegan?: Yes.

2016 Price: £13.95 for 225g.

Year Of Original Release: 2016.

Scent Family:

Best Washes Wash Card
Bubblegum Lip Scrub
Candy Fluff Ballistic
Candy Fluff Perfume
Candy Fluff Dusting Powder
Fairy Dust Dusting Powder
Father Christmas Bath Bomb
Fluffy Egg Bath Bomb
Godmother Soap
Lush Mechanic Cold-Pressed Soap
Magic Wand Bubble Bar
Melting Marshmallow Moment Bath Oil
Mmmelting Marshmallow Bath Melt
Pink Easter Egg Ballistic
Snow Fairy Body Conditioner
Snow Fairy Lip Tint
Snow Fairy Liquid Perfume
Snow Fairy Shower Gel
Snow Fairy Solid Perfume

Snow Fairy Sparkle Massage Bar

Goth Fairy Shimmer Bar

Despite describing myself as quite an introverted person, I have been known in the past to show quite a creative flare when it comes to the way that I dress. Growing up, I was a typical 'rebellious' teenager who thought that being different made me far more profound and ambitious than the generation before me. Never was I without my black attire, fishnet tops and unbrushed, badly-dyed hair. I was a state. Yet something that I have in common with the old me, and something that I have maintained throughout the years, is my love of all things glitter.

There is something rather beautiful about the tiny, sparkly decoration - whether it be the memory of crafting Christmas cards at primary school or coating my arms and hair ready for a night out at the local pub with my high school friends. There is something simplistically fun about using the stuff, which is why I was really excited about trying out Lush's brand new shimmer bar when it was released for this year's Halloween range.

Packed with a multitude of different coloured lustres, Lush have gone all out on making Goth Fairy the most shimmery bar to date. Despite it being very small for the price you pay, this bar is both sturdy and long-lasting. Having tested it out by using it as a full body massage bar, I found that it had barely shrunk at all after I had finished, and given that it's not supposed to be used in such excess is enough to convince me that this beautiful seasonal bar would easily last you a good six months of regular use.

Brand new to this year's Halloween range, this shimmer bar was definitely not the product that I gravitated towards when I first saw the whole range in store - nor would I expect many people to place it as their number one priority either. However, when I allowed myself the privilege of testing it out some four days after buying it, I could not believe that I had kept it hidden in a bag for so long.

Sharing its scent with the now-discontinued Space Girl Bath Bomb, this fruity shimmer bar offers such a beautiful fragrance. With grapefruit and bergamot listed as the key ingredients, you'd expect it to offer a citrusy aroma. However, to me it's more of a fizzy, blackcurrant scent with a layer of creaminess underneath that reminds me a little of blackcurrant fromage frais. 

For those who live in the UK, you might recognise the smell as being very similar to the dark pink part of the swizzle lollies you can buy in the sweet section. You can definitely detect the grapefruit in the mix but it's not at all zesty and the smell sides more on the berry side than the citrusy side.

Just like a massage bar, Goth Fairy contains a selection of butters and oils to help it work perfectly on the body. With illipe and cupuacu butters to soften and moisture your skin, and almond oil to add radiance and shine, this bar pairs well with any body lotion to create a perfect finishing result. 

Unlike a massage bar, the idea behind a shimmer bar is that you use it after using a body conditioner or a lotion, and it should not really be used as the sole moisturiser. It adds a beautiful scent to your skin, while gently coating areas with a thin layer of lustre to create an ethereal glow that you can wear long into the night. 

Simply rub the bar over the areas that you wish to add a little sparkle to and allow Goth Fairy to work its magic. The bar will melt slightly under the warmth of your hands and unleash enough product to apply to the skin. You don't have to worry about becoming a sticky mess with this one - it doesn't melt as quickly as a typical massage bar will, and it is far more rigid so you shouldn't have any issues with applying too much at any one time.

This product can be used anywhere so you could use this to add shimmer to your face, as part of your make up routine, as well as all over the body. It's small enough that it can then be popped into your bag for you to reapply throughout the night and it wont melt because it's robust enough to hold its shape.

What I found interesting about this shimmer bar is that, despite what I said above, is can be used as a massage bar, albeit not one that is as moisturising or as oily as you'd expect any of Lush's other bars to be. After massaging it across my body, my skin did feel really smooth and conditioned, yet I didn't have to wait a long while for these butters to be absorbed into my skin because I found that the consistency was far less oily and therefore far less messy. If you like the idea of a massage bar but find Lush's range to be too oily to use regularly, this might be one you want to try out. I should warn you though that the size of this product means that full body applications will see this being used up fairly quickly.

Featuring gold, green, purple and silver lustre means that this shimmer bar means business. After applying this one evening, I still found traces of lustre on my skin some two days later, and my best friend even commented on the fact that I was looking very 'glittery' one evening when we were out. The lustre will remain on your skin for a number of days so you should be prepared to shimmer and shine for a good while after applying this.

Although I don't have much use for a shimmer bar as I tend to spend a lot of my evenings indoors or at the gym, I do really love the scent of this and will use it sparingly as a massage bar for when I need a 'perk me up' at the end of the week. This suits me well because although the wonderfully fun and fruity fragrance does linger on your skin for a few hours after application, it's not something that will withstand strong perfumes being sprayed over the top. For this reason, I'd rather apply before bed and enjoy the sweet, gentle and very creamy aroma as I fall into a peaceful slumber. If I had any more teeth to lose, I'd much rather the Goth Fairy paid me a visit and rewarded me by slipping one of these limited edition bars under my pillow in exchange.

Quantitative Ingredients: Illipe butter, Cupuacu Butter, Perfume, Candelilla Wax, Bergamot Oil, Grapefruit Oil, Almond Oil, Alpha Isomethyl Ionone, Citral, *Limonene, *Linalool, Gold Lustre, Titanium Dioxide, Potassium aluminium silicate, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Tin Oxide, Colour 77007.

Vegan?: Yes.

2016 Price: £5.50 for 35g.

Year Of Original Release: 2016.

Scent Family:
Goth Fairy Shimmer Bar
Space Girl Bath Bomb

Pumpkin Bath Bomb

It's fair to say that I find it rather shocking that a company who are most famous for their bath bombs, and one so prevalent in their yearly Halloween releases, has never once released a proper Pumpkin Bath Bomb. Of course, there's THAT one, but who ever heard of a flat Jack-o-Lantern?

A massive holiday in America, Halloween is not something that England has wholeheartedly embraced as of yet, although the increase in merchandise definitely demonstrates its rising popularity. While I have always been more of a Christmas girl, my involvement with Lush has definitely incited an interest in the spooky season that wasn't there before.

When I initially saw the leaked photos that showcased this year's seasonal products, I was near on ecstatic when I noticed the inclusion of Pumpkin Bath Bomb. I found myself salivating when I read the description and intrigued when it stated that it didn't share its fragrance with the old release; instead containing both vanilla absolute and pimento berry, combined to give off an aroma reminiscent of home-baking and pumpkin pie.

Despite my excitement, I should probably mention the fact that I've never actually tried pumpkin pie, or indeed pumpkin, so there's a small chance that my impressions of this scent are not as accurate as those who indulge in the vegetable regularly. However, I have gorged myself on many members of the squash family and I can safely say that I have a great insight into the smell and taste of many of its siblings. 

Upon arrival, I was near on blown away by the fragrance that greeted me from the packet. Not only was it incredibly strong and robust, but I found that it had multiple layers that gave it a slightly different smell each and every time I sniffed it. It's an aroma that takes a few seconds to showcase its different elements, so I suggest you sit with it for a while and allow yourself time to experience each and every one of the components.

Initially, the smell is quite a fruity one, not something I was expecting from the ingredients listed alongside this. It reminded me a little of Hippy Chick as it's more of a zesty grapefruit smell than an orange, lemon or lime one. It's very spritzy and fizzy, and definitely not something that you'd associate with pumpkins. However, once you indulge a little further, the other elements come to life, and the fruity smell that you smelt to begin with, takes a step back and allows for the other notes to come forward.

Showcasing a different side to what you'd normally expect, both the cinnamon and a dash of vanilla make their presence known at this stage - a collaboration that offers a very rich and sultry fragrance, one that mimics the sweet and spicy smell you'd expect with a pumpkin pie. It it definitely a foody smell, and I agree with Lush when they say it brings about a biscuity fragrance. It's warming and decadent and something I would use as a replacement if I wasn't prepared to bake anything comforting to curb my sweet tooth.

As to be expected, the bath bomb exploded upon impact with the water - fizzing immediately and sending out waves of pumpkin-coloured streams to decorate the bath with. Within seconds the top layer has dissolved, revealing a yellow inner core. I didn't really see the relevance of this colour change until the bath had fully disappeared and then I noticed that the water had swirls of both colours to give the water different depths of colour in places.

What really impressed me was that aroma remained robust throughout the whole experience and I could smell it on my skin for a couple of hours after towelling myself down, although I did feel as if the fruity element thwarted the richness of the cinnamon and vanilla a little and I was hoping for more of these elements to come out in the hot water.

Pumpkin Bath Bomb was not the most moisturising of bath bombs but neither was it at all drying. It left my skin feeling smooth and soft, as do most of Lush's ballistics, but I was expecting a little more for a product that had light swirls of oils on the surface as I was bathing. I was also disappointed that the bomb didn't stay afloat as I prefer ones that put on more of a show in the water. 

Overall, this is a unique and very different smell from anything that Lush have released in the past. It's definitely an improvement on the old Pumpkin Bath Bomb - it smells far nicer and offers a better colour in the bath. However, it's certainly not on par with some of the other Halloween products that have made an appearance this year. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Pimento Berry Oil, Vanilla Absolute, Alpha Isomethyl Ionone, *Cinnamal, *Citral Eugenol, *Geraniol, *Limonene, Perfume, Colour 15510, Colour 45350.

Vegan?: Yes.

2016 Price: £3.95 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2016.

Fireside Soap

To say that this soap is anything but a sensory experience would be a lie, and if it serves as any sort of a lesson, it would be to remember that preconceptions can detour immensely from reality. When it comes to Fireside Soap, everything I imagined and every judgement I made was soon washed away when I held my very first piece and gave it my debut sniff.

When Mark Constantine developed the concept of this seasonal soap, he went through every measure to ensure that the name and the fragrance matched, and while I have never been fortunate enough to share a house with an open fireplace, this product epitomises the very smell that I imagine those who do are able to indulge in during the colder months.

Despite its bright demeanour - one that I originally assumed would be accompanied by a citrusy smell, the aroma is anything but heated. Containing both dried chestnuts and chestnut flour, Fireside is a nutty and naturally sweet soap. It smells very much like a handful of gently roasted, slightly burnt chestnuts encased in a bed of pimento berries and a dusting of vanilla for sweetness. I should point out that when I say burnt, I don't mean that this soap is in any way smoky, just that it has a subtle smell that reminds me of when something 'catches' in the pan and you get an almost caramelised aroma. 

The pimento berry oil is a very unique and rather interesting inclusion as it offers a richly-fragrant scent that smells a little like cinnamon, nutmeg and clove all rolled into one. These components don't really show themselves individually, but they do band together to form a bed of warmth that compliments the chestnuts so well. Not only included for its aroma, pimento berries are also known for their therapeutic properties, and are used to combat stress and depression - making it the perfect ingredient to include in this winter-inspired soap.

Fireside is one of those products where every ingredient gels together really well, so while I have dissected each component to give you a better idea of what this soap smells like, the actual fragrance is very much one single, beautiful, well-rounded burst of warmth. With the above ingredients being most dominant, I should mention that the smell is slightly 'foody' so it may not be to everyone's tastes.

If I'm going to be honest, this was definitely not a soap that bowled me over when I smelt it for the first time in the store. Nor was it one that impressed me when I unwrapped it at home and gave it another sniff. For this reason, I strongly suggest that if you're unsure about the smell, you should still grab a small sample and let it work its magic in the shower.

It was during one of my early morning showers that I fell in love with Fireside - something that I really wasn't expecting to do at all. As the heat traveled around the bathroom, the scent formed a comforting blanket that incased me inside and gave me what can only be described as a warm cuddle of smells - the nuttiness, the sweetness.

The soap went on to impress me by creating a wonderfully thick and fragrant lather, that glided over my body with ease and left my skin feeling really clean and smelling like a jar of chestnut puree or a winter cheesecake. While it didn't help my skin to feel as moisturised as a shower gel would normally do, my body did leave the shower well-cleansed, feeling slightly plumped up and looking rather radiant. 

Overall, this is a soap that may disappoint to begin with, if you associate the brightly-coloured design with the scent you envisage when you see it. However, once you've give Fireside a chance, it turns out to be a very unique and beautifully crafted soap. While it wont replace the Old Father Time Soap that made an appearance last year (and should definitely be made into a perfume), it's still a wonderful product and a fantastic new addition to this year's seasonal selection.       

Quantitative Ingredients: Water, Glycerine, Rapeseed Oil and Coconut Oil, Sorbitol, Perfume, Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, Dried Chestnuts, Clove Bud Oil, Pimento Berry Oil, Vanilla Absolute, Chestnut Flour, Sodium Chloride, Titanium Dioxide, Citric Acid, EDTA, Tetrasodium Etidronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Bicarbonate, *Benzyl Benzoate, *Benzyl Salicylate, *Citral Coumarin, *Eugenol, *Farnesol, *Geraniol, *Limonene, *Linalool, Colour 47005, Colour 45350, Colour 14700, Colour 15510, Colour 17200.

Vegan?: Yes.

2016 Price: £4.25 for 100g.

Year Of Original Release: 2016.

Elf On The Shelf FUN Bar

The last couple of years has seen an explosion in the amount of new FUN bars that Lush have brought out for us, seasonal and regular. It seems that there is something very appealing about those scented tubes of squidgy dough, and the fact that they're great value for money as well as incredibly versatile means that I can envisage the empire of FUN will continue to expand with each and every passing year.

As expected, the seasonal range is no different this year - with three brand new variations to choose from, each with a very different fragrance to enjoy. Whether you're buying for yourself or grabbing a few for stocking stuffers, Elf On The Shelf is definitely one that I would wholeheartedly recommend that you try for yourself.

Sharing its scent with the now discontinued Jilted Elf Shower Jelly, this is the first time that vegans will be able to enjoy this fragrance as the aforementioned product unfortunately contained honey - a fact that has caused me many a heartache during my time as a Lushie. With such a unique smell, this is one that needs to be experienced by anyone in need of a 'pick me up' this winter, and the fact that this product will be readily available across the world fills me with joy.

The fragrance found in this FUN bar is based on a cocktail that the creator came across whilst visiting New York, and although there isn't a trace of vodka in this brand new release, the shower jelly did feature the alcoholic beverage to help replicate the scent of the original drink. Perhaps it is this latter fact that makes Elf On The Shelf so much more appealing to me - I strongly believe that the aroma lends itself better in this format. Perhaps the exclusion of the vodka alongside the honey makes it slightly less potent and more emphasis can be placed on the fruiter side.

Containing grapefruit, cinnamon and ginger oil, the smell of this is rather difficult to describe and it's one you have to experience yourself to fully understand what I mean when I say the following. Firstly, the grapefruit is definitely the overall governing note. However, the fruit is not anywhere near as citrusy or tart as the likes of Happy Hippy or Bom Perignon Bath Bomb. It reminds me more of the grapefruit slices you can buy in tins, where they've lost their sourness and reside in more of a gentle, sweet and very pleasing fruity smell.

Alongside this, both the cinnamon and the ginger thread layers of spice without being too overpowering. You can smell the warmth of both ingredients from get go - they offer a fragrance that almost reminds me of spicy tea, yet neither takes away any of the natural sweetness of the fruit. They remind me slightly of old-school chewy sweets but I cannot for the life of me place the exact sweet it's almost identical to.

What you should consider is the fact that this aroma smells like absolutely nothing else that Lush have ever released before. There is no point me trying to compare the scent to other items - it's as original as they come and this is such a great selling point to me. 

As if the smell wasn't enough, I could not believe just how strong the fragrance was when in use, and even more impressive was how strong it was on the skin and how long it lingered on me afterwards. I found that I could smell traces of this aroma some 4 hours after I had used the bar and this has never happened to me with any of Lush's FUN before.

Whether or not it's because this year's FUN bars are preservative free, but Elf On A Shelf also happens to be the smoothest and most gentlest FUN bar I have ever tried. While some can feel quite starchy and gloopy - two traits I put down to the corn flour and talc, this particular variation was light and soft and lathered up a treat when stimulated with water.

As with any FUN bar, you can hold a small amount under the running water to create a bubble bar, use a smidgen in replacement of your regular shower gel or soap, or even lather a little in your hair to use as an alternative to shampoo. Whichever way you decide to indulge in your FUN, just know that this is easily one of my favourite favourites and definitely a product I am going to want to stock up before the season is out. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Cornflour, Talc, Glycerine, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Cinnamon Leaf Oil, Ginger Oil, Grapefruit Oil, Gardenia Extract, Limonene, Eugenol, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Lillal, Coumarin, Hexyl Cinnamal, Perfume, Rosie Red Lustre, Colour 14700, Colour 42090, Paper Legs.

Vegan?: Yes.

2016 Price: £5 for 200g.

Year Of Original Release: 2016.

Scent Family:
Elf On The Shelf FUN Bar
Jilted Elf Shower Jelly

     

Chocolate Sugar Lip Scrub

There are some products you can go your whole life without, until you introduce them into your routine and then find that you cannot imagine your life before they existed. Chocolate Sugar Scrub is one of those products - an original limited edition Kitchen release that was unleashed a few weeks ago and now holds a V.I.P pass into any bag that I choose to leave the house with.

At the risk of repeating myself, I have never really been overly invested in lips products despite the fact that they should really be one of my most-prized compartments within the company. The truth of the matter is that I suffer from sore, cracked and dried lips a lot, made worse by the fact that I have a bad habit of picking this dried skin when I'm stressed or anxious. Ultimately, this means that I need a permanent lip balm at the ready to keep that pout as soft and as smooth as possible, and adding a lip scrub to that routine would make all the difference.

If I'm honest, I wasn't as excited about the idea of this product as I would have been if it had the promise of being fruity. While I am more than happy to indulge in a bar chocolate as often as possible, chocolate and most other 'foody' scented products don't sit well with me at all. However, this brand new release has definitely impressed me enough to want to make this a permanent feature in my daily travel kit.

While it wouldn't win any awards for its name, Chocolate Sugar Lip Scrub is the epitome of gorgeous, in every sense of the word. Not only is it small and compact so it can be stored in a pocket or small compartment in almost any bag, it also smells and tastes irresistible. While chocolate scented products from most other companies would be a nasty affair for me, I always know that when it comes to Lush's take on the fragrance, there is going to be something of abetter quality to look forward to.

Containing a combination of dark chocolate, vanilla absolute, cocoa absolute and cocoa powder, this sugar scrub immediately gives off a rich, decadent and very robust chocolately smell. The beautiful buttery layers engorge your senses immediately, with the dark chocolate offering a subtle bitterness that sits under all of the other layers and the cocoa powder that brings a musky, almost chalky element that gives this scrub an intense smell. 

The vanilla absolute is also heavily in the mix, and it is this component that prevents the scrub from being overly rich as it adds a sweet, sugary layer that smooths down the full sharpness of the dark chocolate. Alongside this you also have both tangerine and sweet orange oil - two additions that work perfectly with the aforementioned ingredients to add a note of warm, fruity orange to the aroma. 

On the one hand, it does smell very similar to Sonic Death Monkey (which it's supposed to share its scent with). However, I would describe it as being far closer in scent to Almond Buttercream, albeit more full-bodied and intense. It reminds me almost of Terry's Chocolate Orange segments, although the dark chocolate element does make the smell of this multi-layered and more potent than that.

As with any sugar scrub, the idea is that you use this if and when you have dried lips and want to clear peeling skin, or if you simply want to pamper your puckers before applying a lip balm or lip stick. To use, you rub your finger across the surface of the scrub (or scoop out a little if you find it easier) and then apply the product to your lips - massaging it from side to side to exfoliate and gently remove excess dried skin. Ensure your lips are moist before you do this as it makes it easier to transfer the sugar without it dropping off and making a mess of your floor. Once you've done this, use your tongue and the movement of your mouth to lick off the product, and any excess can be dusted away with a tissue.

Chocolate Sugar Lip Scrub, as with all of Lush's sugar scrubs, is edible and completely safe to digest, and the company make sure that each and every one of these scrubs have a wonderful flavour that you can enjoy alongside with your newly-beautiful lips. Surprisingly, despite the emphasis on the chocolate-led ingredients in this product, this particular scrub had a delicious vanillary taste to it - definitely not what I was expecting from its fragrance.

I found that this scrub worked really well as an exfoliator - I appreciated the fact that I could use as much pressure as I wanted while applying the product and this really helped to remove stubborn skin on my lower lips. My only qualm about the success of using this is that I found it not to be as moisturising or as softening as some of Lush's other lip scrubs. However, as I carry my trusted Buttered Brazils around with me daily, I always have this at hand to give me that instant moisture afterwards.

Overall, this is such a beautiful, rich and very pleasing lip scrub to come from the Lush Kitchen. If you're keen on foody smells, this would be one you'd appreciate and enjoy, and if you're a chocolate fiend, it's one you have to make a permanent feature in your day. This will live in my bag for the remainder of the year and I only hope that it banishes a few of those winter blues - to put a smooth and radiant smile upon my face.  

Quantitative Ingredients: Caster Sugar, Organic Jojoba Oil, Dark Chocolate Flavour, Tangerine Oil, Sweet Orange Oil, Fair Trade Vanilla Absolute, Cocoa Absolute, Cocoa Powder, *Limonene, *Linalool.

Vegan?: Yes.

2016 Price: £5.95 each.

Year Of Original Release: 2016.

Monsters' Ball Bath Bomb

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 Gel
Calacas Shower Jelly
Calacas/Day of The Dead Perfume

Calavera Ballistic

The Enchanter Bath Bomb

Lady Catrina Soap
Monsters' Ball Bath Bomb
Skullduggery Ballistic