The leak of the Christmas products almost two months ago brought about an equal measure of excitement and disappointment. If there is one aspect of any Kitchen or seasonal release that I look forward to the most, it's the introduction of brand new shower gels. They are a pinnacle part of my Lush collection, and outshine the introduction of any new bath bomb or bubble bar.
When I realised that there was only going to be one new bottle featured in this year's Christmas selection, I was initially a little underwhelmed - despite the surplus of other new goodies that were coming out for the first time for me to enjoy. However, after sharing the shower with this brand new Christmas exclusive only once, I realised very quickly that this would more than make up for the lack of other gels and jellies on offer.
Bubbly Shower Gel is the epitome of its name - a bright, fruity and extremely uplifting shower gel that will turn any miserable morning into an optimistic one at the very least. While not an aroma that is in any way exclusively linked to Christmas (or indeed the new year), this product is the perfect remedy to cheer you up during the colder months, and will definitely help to maintain and improve the condition of your skin at a time when it's most needed.
Although there is an ever-expansive debate about whether or not this shares its fragrance with the Celebrate and Snowshowers scent family, what is true is that it has the same bubbly, spritzy qualities that will make a person fall in love with it, just like they would the aforementioned. In fact, I would go as far as to say that this may just thwart any previous attempts from Lush to replicate the Celebrate fragrance.
Modelled on champagne, this shower gel is crammed full of so many fruity layers that I feel as if the celebratory drink pales in comparison. Orange, lime and grape juice make up Bubbly's alluring smell, and although I feel as if all three ingredients are on par with each other for the most part, it is the grape juice that breaks the surface a little more and leads the others.
This shower gel smells exactly like Golden Wonder to me - a bright, light and very smooth fruity smell with a warming undercurrent of orange and a single drop of lime juice for a little zest. It's a comforting blanket of juice and what I would describe as a 'bottle of sunshine'. Simply put, it's utterly beautiful.
Not only is it one of the best-smelling shower gels that Lush have ever done, but the ingredients that have gone into it also help to make this one of the most moisturising. Grape juice is great for replenishing the skin, while lime cleanses the pores of excess dirt and orange oil helps to brighten the skin - adding some much needed radiance to those winter-scorched complexions.
In the bottle, Bubbly is of a medium-to-thick consistency, similar to that of Plum Rain, which means you need very little to utilise a generous lather with. Massaging it across your skin or between your palms creates thick, fragrant, softening suds that glide over and coat your skin with ease, leaving you smelling like a fruity cocktail and lifting your mood ten-fold.
Although this is a Christmas exclusive, this would be equally beautiful at any time of the year, especially during the hotter months - when the collaboration of smells would be very welcoming after a stifling hot day outside. The smell lingers on the skin for a long time after you've towelled yourself down as well, so you'll be followed by bursts of sweet, juicy grape and orange throughout the day.
Being the only new gel this year, it certainly does an incredible job at out-shining anything that has been released for a good number of years. A worthy investment for sure and one that I will be stocking up on before it disappears from the shelf this year. Well done Lush.
Quantitative Ingredients: Vine Leaf Infusion, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Glycerine, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Lauryl Betaine, Perfume, *Limonene, Sweet Wild Orange Oil, Lime Oil, Fresh Grape Juice, Lactic Acid,Carrageenan Extract, *Citral, Citronellol, *Linalool, Colour 15510.
Vegan?: Yes.
2016 Price: £4.95 for 100g, £9.95 for 250g, £16.50 for 500g.
Year Of Original Release: 2016.
Scent Family:
Bridal Bouquet Ballistic
Bubbly Shower Gel
Celebrate Body Lotion
Celebrate FUN Bar
Celebrate Lip Tint
Celebrate Liquid Perfume
Celebrate Shower Gel
Celebrate Solid Perfume
Celebrate FUN Bar
Celebrate Lip Tint
Celebrate Liquid Perfume
Celebrate Shower Gel
Celebrate Solid Perfume