Year in, year out, there are certain seasonal products that you expect to see featured in the collection, no matter what theme the company are going for. While nothing is ever for certain (as we've realised with the recent axing of both Melting Snowman Bath Melt and Christmas Eve Bubble Bar), there are particular products that it would be hard-pressed to imagine a Lush Christmas without. So White Bath Bomb is one of those items.
In all honesty, I have never been enamoured with this ballistic, despite its popularity with nearly all of my friends and family. It is a bath bomb that I buy perhaps one or two of each year, just to ensure that I have tried all of the seasonal products on offer. I never harvest any for later in the year, nor stock up on any during the Boxing Day Sale.When I first glimpsed the new design for this year's release, my initial reaction was to wonder why Lush had bothered to add such a seemingly pointless green leaf onto the outside the design. From the perspective of someone who enjoys the brighter, more exciting-looking bath bombs, this addition did nothing to muster any sort of excitement from me about the bomb. It was only when I used this in the bath for the first time did I eat my words very quickly.
The most obvious difference this year is that So White Bath Bomb has been revamped internally - having its red centre replaced with a beautiful spring-green one instead. While red seems the most fitting colour when you envisage the fictional story that this product plays homage to, and some fans have been been slightly disgruntled with the change, the new design is in much better keeping with the fragrance that the ballistic offers.
Featuring bergamot, orange and neroli oil, this crisp, fruity bath bomb smells like you're biting into a freshly-picked Granny Smith apple. It's a mouth-watering experience that features a touch of rose absolute to give it a gentle muskiness and a note of orange blossom to seal it with the subtlest of floral finishes.Although I have mentioned before that it's not a favourite fragrance of mine, it is definitely not one that I dislike, and this bath bomb is definitely the best format for this scent family. This aroma works perfectly with the colour of the bath water, and even accentuates the smell better so that I was completely overcome by how much I enjoyed So White, compared with my previous experiences.
Upon hitting the water, this bath bomb immediately begins to rock and spin on the surface, sending out frothy waves of white foam that look like clouds as they settle and disperse throughout the tub. Within a matter of seconds, the centre begins to release an explosion of bright yellows and blues. These intersperse throughout the tub, turning the water into a bright, inviting shade of green and finishing with a layer of white that acts almost like a blanket across the surface.
The outer shell continues to dissolve for a good few minutes, and as it's a quiet fizzer, this is where I submerged myself under the water and enjoyed watching the bomb until it had fully disappeared. I loved the fact that the white foam stayed around for quite a while after the bath bomb had finished, as it helped to create beautiful, creamy swirls on the surface.Whether it's the physical design, or Lush tweaking the recipe a little, I found that the scent of So White was much more pleasing this year. Compared to my previous experiences, this revamped edition seemed to come across a little sweeter, like there was an extra helping of bergamot or neroli or something to elevate those notes.
In the bath, I found that this sweetness took away from the slight sourness that prevents me from being able to enjoy Santa's Belly Shower Jelly. The balance of ingredients allowed it to be a little more rounded and far more beautiful. The fact that the bath water was a gorgeous shade of green only helped to elevate this experience even further.
If you enjoy apple-scented products, but have perhaps been put off by the pungency of the above shower jelly, I would highly suggest that you give this bath bomb a chance. It is in no way as potent or as overwhelming as anything else in this scent family.
Furthermore, the fragrance is perfectly balanced to give you a strong, robust burst in the tub; offer a gentle, appley aroma on your skin afterwards; and leave you looking and feeling soft and refreshed. This is definitely a product I would want to use on Christmas morning, when I need something to set me up well for the day ahead. As someone who has now been convinced to nestle a few to enjoy throughout the year, I can safely say that this is a bath bomb that rivals the more visually beautiful seasonal releases. The revamp was a great decision from Lush, despite my initial worries.
Vegan?: Yes,
2016 Price: £3.75 each.
Year Of Original Release: 2016.
Scent Family:
Santa's Belly Jelly
So White Bath Bomb
So White 2016 Edition Bath Bomb
So White Liquid Perfume
So White Shower Gel
