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.
