Super Soap Extravaganza!

[nanaya]

OK, this is the first of a new series of archive posts, covering different types of Lush products, including current, Retro, limited edition and otherwise unavailable varieties. We hope to collect opinions and descriptions for future reference, for all Lushies to use and enjoy.

We're starting with soaps. If you have any reviews of these or other soaps, please post them in the community and we'll add them to the archive pages for future reference. Remember to add a mark out of 10 if you can!



Angel's Delight
alextiefling – harmless but the scent wasn't strong enough. Nice but weak. 5/10.
nanaya - I am deeply underwhelmed by this product. I know a lot of people rave about it being like jelly beans, but I didn't think much of its previous incarnation and I can't see much improvement here. It's vaguely sweet, though not sickly, but wholly forgettable. Clear, smooth, outstanding at neither cleansing nor moisturising. Definitely a hand soap in my book. 4/10.

Bob
nanaya – ah, a Christmas classic, once again briefly available in the Retro Christmas range. Bob has always been 'the dark brown sparkly lump', which doesn't look that prepossessing, although newer-style Bob is a bit more visually appealing, with the streaks of differently-coloured patches more obvious. Bob is, in fact, one of the few soaps which seems to have benefited from the Lush design tweaks, and while it also looks more homogenous, that's potentially a good thing. It's a light, smooth soap with minimal texture, which lathers moderately well and leaves little behind. The scent is delicate but delicious, something akin to a Chocolate Orange with a hint more spice. A worthy all-purpose soap which seems to last quite well, this is well worth trying now if you haven't before, as it's a lot more fun than its dull exterior might suggest. 7/10

Bohemian
nanaya - formerly Bohemian Lemon, this has been around for some time, but has never left a strong impression on me despite my using it numerous times. Sadly, it seems to lose its lemon scent fairly quickly when stored, although the fresh scent is indeed cheering. I would use this for hand soap, it has nothing especially remarkable to recommend it for body use IMHO. 5/10

Demon In The Dark
alextiefling – Brisk, minty, very reassuring, extremely calming, which is the best thing about it. 9/10.
nanaya - Slightly too strong for my preferences as I'm less keen on medicinal smells, and this has a slightly 'dark' quality to it, a bit like charcoal - and I don't mean the wax coating. However, it's extremely cleansing in both scent and application and it seems effective at getting dirt off. I'd consider this a hand soap unless one's body was very grubby indeed, but it would be quite good for waking you up during a morning shower. 6/10.

Figs & Leaves
nanaya - does what Porridge should do but doesn't quite manage. This smells properly of figs, quite gently, but its main attraction is that it washes and exfoliates well without scraping or annoying. Very effective on feet, legs and upper arms. A product I'm happy to keep buying, a genuine favourite. 8/10
numberland - For more careful cleaning of particular areas I'm using Figs and Leaves. It's pretty good, leaving skin soft and a nice smell but I'm failing to get really inspired about this so 6/10.

Gavernie
nanaya – I wanted to make sure I got to try this before it went forever. Not as turquoise as it first appears, this is actually an olive-green, clear soap which produces a light, oddly yellow lather. Very smooth and untextured, Gavernie also has only a light smell, somewhat grassy. It's certainly reminiscent of the meadows it is supposed to be inspired by, and makes a likeable choice when looking for something unobtrusive. Not an especially remarkable product but not by any means a bad one, Gavernie is not one of the more highly-scented Lush products for which the brand is better known. Perhaps it was overlooked for this very reason. It's the kind of scent encapsulated by the new perfume The Smell Of The Weather Turning, and good for those who like that kind of thing. Better get in quick if you want some, though, it's going fast. 6/10

The Godmother
alextiefling – sweet but pleasantly reassuring. A little too chemical, 6/10.
nanaya - The year-round Snow Fairy, a little bit less overpowering than SF shower gel, which is probably a good thing for all but the sweetest of tastes. A clear, effective all-rounder but too distinctive for some. May not be the thing to offer guests unless you know they like it already. 5/10, but 9/10 for SF-lovers.

Karma
alextiefling – spicy, relaxing, good lather, 8/10.
nanaya Karma is a fantastic scent and the soap lives up to it by being a good all-rounder. An absolute classic. 9/10.

Lady Catrina
nanaya - a really fabulous, refreshing soap that you should go out of your way to try while you still can. This has the gorgeous fresh lime scent which marked all of this year's Day Of The Dead products. In addition to that, it lathers up beautifully and leaves both hands and body feeling very clean. And it's a deep, beautiful purple. What more do you want? 8.5/10
alextiefling - a bit blackcurranty, v good, 8 or 9/10

Lemslip
alextiefling – smells just right, lemon-scented things should be like that. 8/10.
nanaya - A very lathery, soft soap. I greatly enjoy Lemslip, it does in soap form what Happy Hippy is supposed to do, by putting a smile on your face when you use it. Unless you don't like lemon. If you love lemon, this is definitely for you. Very soft, lathers extremely well and moisturises effectively. Not a vigorous soap, but the lemon is extremely refreshing and leaves a very clean feeling behind. Good for anyone wanting a delicate cleanse without a heavy residue afterwards. Much more of a body soap as it dissolves far too easily in a soap dish - it's classified as a "shower soap" but try not to get it too soaked! Reasonably-priced too.7/10

Mandarin's Tea Party
nanaya - a surprisingly welcome gift I wouldn't otherwise have bought myself. MTP is quite a light soap, lighter than I expected as I thought it'd be both spicier and more frothy. It's actually more of a spring/summer soap in some ways, a gentle and brightening sort of scent which is good to wake up with. Good for everyday use as it doesn't lather too heavily, and it really does smell clearly and distinctively of ripe mandarins, not just of something vaguely orangey. This was a welcome discovery. I'm not sure I'd go to great lengths to get it, but I'd definitely use it again. 7/10
alextiefling - Strong smell of mandarins. Nice but a little bit sickly. Comparable to Lemslip but slightly less soft and heavier. 7/10.

Miranda
nanaya - Actively disappointing. I found this quite soothing, but was also slightly disappointed by how gentle the perfume was. The fruit scent is predominantly kiwi, which is something I enjoy, but it's not a forceful presence at all and could perhaps have done with a boost. Light, reasonably soft, moderate lathering. I'd use it in future, but it's not something I'd go out of my way to get. 5/10
alextiefling - Bland. 4/10.

Noubar
nanaya – One of my very favourite soaps, which I like to alternate with Figs & Leaves for a cleansing but soothing combination which smells good enough to eat. It's a gorgeous green, creamy soap which only lathers very slightly, but is embedded with tiny pieces of nut for exfoliation and general fun. I enjoy poking my fingernails into them. The scent is genuinely enjoyable, far better than I expected, and even smells a bit 'green' (can't explain this, it just does). 8.5/10

Pineapple Grunt
nanaya – a brilliant product, sadly only available online now. If you like your soaps fruity, this is the top of the tree. It's gorgeously refreshing, with bright chunks of embedded pineapple giving it a fantastically fresh, delicious scent and extra texture. Good strong lather which leaves you feeling really clean. This is especially good as a hand soap but is a pretty good all-rounder. Love it. 8.5/10

Porridge
nanaya - a very bold soap with a strong presence, Porridge announces itself immediately. Yes, it does smell extremely edible, although more like a cookie than it's namesake. It's one of the creamier soaps, so it lathers up into a lovely white liquid, but its little bits of grit make it a good exfoliator. This is great if you like the scrubbing + moisturising combination of a body butter but want less of a heavy residue. Porridge is deservedly popular... but there's an undertone in it which just bothers me. Something overly sweet, cloying, almost chemical and a little bilious. Like burnt sugar AFTER you've tried to scrub the pot with a Brillo pad. I want to like Porridge more, but something about it makes me uncomfortable. It's got a dark secret, and not in the sense of good chocolate. 7/10 if you're not bothered by the lingering afternotes, 2/10 if you are.
alextiefling Good, scrubby soap. Mild but pleasant, reassuring & comforting. Scrubby bits not too hard, just right. 7/10.

Quinquereme of Nineveh
nanaya – really sorry this Retro product's on the way out. Quin' is a medium-soft, creamy soap with only a light fragrance, mostly coconut. Almost smooth, with just a hint of coconut texture, it's good at fighting dryness and leaves the skin feeling pleasantly soft afterwards. Quite restorative and good for when one is feeling a bit battered. 8/10

Randy Butter
nanaya - the very best Retro item out right now, IMHO, and only available til Xmas, so what are you waiting for? If there's one thing you can really smell in here, it's the bracing brandy. Booze, glorious booze. Don't try to eat it though. More of a solid body smoothie than a soap, RB is fairly creamy, doesn't really lather much and probably isn't the best choice for heavy dirt, but if it's a moisturising body wash you want, it can't be beat. Its scent lingers beautifully for hours afterwards. I'm in love with this product. One big warning: it gets used up pretty quickly, possibly because the lack of lathering, so if you want to keep it around, order in bulk. 9/10 because of this potential shortcoming.

Rockstar
alextiefling – nice lather, shame about the smell. All wrong. Sickly bubblegum. Lathers well, v. moisturising, hence 5/10, but I don't like the smell at all.
nanaya - I rather liked this, it's sweet but I didn't find it too sickly. Quite a soft scent and a soft soap too, nice to use. Not amazing but I'd use it again. 6.5/10.

Sexy Peel
nanaya - I first got this back in 2005, I think, by collecting stamps for my efficient re-use of Lush's paper bags. At the time, it was a fairly solid sort of soap with quite a thick layer of darker peel on top. That top layer was fairly scrubby in a good, non-scratchy way, but was far more sturdy that the rest of the soap, which wore away much more quickly. The smell was good, a sturdy, full-bodied strain of orange without excess sweetness, but it was workmanlike rather than exotic which made the name a jarring choice, being as how its more friendly than it is sexy. It's interesting to consider how SP has changed over the years: it's now a little softer, presumably as a result of general changes to the soap base. The peel layer, like most of the 'decorative' toppings on the soap range, has been substantially reduced, although some bits remain, and overall it's been tweaked just enough to bring out the best qualities of the original. Very usable, with a likeable and generally inoffensive scent, this has remained popular for good reasons. 6.5/10
alextiefling Mm, I really like this. I think it's better than than the old version, just as strongly scented but not quite as harsh on the skin. Smell very good, genuinely orangey. 8/10

So White
nanaya – apple-scented soap currently only available in the Matryoshka gift. If you really like apple, you may find this underwhelming, as the scent is not too strong and doesn't really last on the skin. Not bad, but the soap itself is also quite average generally. More of a hand soap, I feel; those who want to keep a strong skin scent of apples are better off trying the So White ballistic. 6/10

Sultana Of Soap
alextiefling – Feels nice to use, lather is smooth & pleasant. Citrus component a bit too fierce for me. 6/10.
nanaya - A softer soap which had long been on my list to try but slightly disappointed when used. Fairly smooth, creates a soft silky coating rather than a lather, which moisturises excellently. Only lightly 'bitty' and a welcome gentle option for delicate skin. Perfume slightly lacklustre, does not in fact have a strong sultana, raisin or grape component to the smell at all, which is a shame. Generic 'sweet food' quality rather than anything more distinctive. Otherwise, a good choice as a body soap as it's probably a bit soft for hand soap. 6.5/10

Summer Pudding
alextiefling – very berryish, extremely fruity scent, slightly sickly. Crumbly, interesting texture which is ever so slightly chalky. 6/10.
nanaya - I think the gritty layers are odd – not gritty enough or too gritty, depending on needs. I'm not entirely sure who's meant to be using it, and find it a little mystifying. The embedded berries are a lot of fun, very old-school Lush, but I'm not sure they add a lot to the action rather than the visual appeal of the soap. The smell is nice but lacks depth, too generically 'sweet' while insufficiently reminiscent of real fruit. A curate's egg, this is quite literally good only in parts. 5/10.

Snowcake
nanaya - same as it ever was; some people adore this heavy white almond cream, but I find it unremarkable even though I really like almond. It works fine and smells softly pleasant, but nothing about it stands out to me, and the new recipe doesn't seem that notably different. If you like strong scents, you may well find this bland – I'm afraid I do. You probably already know if you like this; if you're a fan, remember, it's only around til Xmas 4.5/10

Vanilla in the Mist
alextiefling - overwhelmingly coconutty. Not a fan, slimy and sickly-smelling. 3/10.
nanaya - I find the smell of this weird but not in a bad way. The coconut/vanilla/coffee combo is a bit like a coconut curry, sweet and savoury at once. A very soft soap which lathers up strongly, this is a good choice for skin which needs more delicate treatment, but it's a divisive product. If the smell isn't your thing, you may really hate it. 7/10 if you actively like the smell, 4/10 if you don't (it's still quite effective).

Waylander Rhassoul
nanaya - a remaining Retro example of what was once quite a number of rhassoul mud products. This is recommended if you have troubled skin, or get very dirty/sweaty. It's nice to use and has only a hint of smell, but it's thin and wears down very quickly, so it's not great value. Left skin feeling good but not amazing. Would use again, but it's probably best saved for troubled patches rather than rubbing it in everywhere. 6/10

13 (Unlucky For Dirt)
alextiefling I liked this a lot. It's very medicinal, extremely cleansing. It's also invigorating and gets you up, which is sometimes just what I need! 8/10.
nanaya - This was too medicinal for my preferences, as the herbs slightly overpowered the rose in the mix. Lathers quite effectively, clear and bit-free, not particularly scrubby but perhaps tends slightly more towards drying the skin than most other Lush soaps. (NB: This is one of only two current soaps which are not vegan, as it contains honey.) 5/10



We'd particularly love reviews of products not featured here, but if you've got anything to say about any of these, go right ahead!

Comments

[katieastrophe]

I love you so much for alphabetising this, made tagging a lot easier ;)

Thought: if people comment on this with their own thoughts on the same or other soaps, their comments should be merged into the relevant section of the post (with permission) - so if I had to something to say on it you'd add my name, mini-review and score.
(i.e. this becomes the soap archive, managed by you, instead of having many similar posts, and we just link to this post from the community profile.)

Individual posts reviewing a bath/shower experience where soap-and-other-things are used will still be welcome, of course, but this post should be like a review sheet for people to refer to.

(There should maybe be a disclaimer up top that says "this is just what the individual raters think, and soaps might have be different for you depending on your skin chemistry" if we do that, though. Actually, it might be useful to have up there anyway.)

[nanaya]

Yes, I like all of this. It'll be very easy to add reviews in if/when people submit them, and keep this as the archive page, although my intention is that when I get new soaps to review (I do have a couple I haven't done yet), I'll make a new post for them and also link to this one.

I thought about including facial soaps but decided they'd probably be better kept with cleansers & stuff; may add links once those pages are created?

[katieastrophe]

I think I prefer this post being edited with the individual new soaps rather than links, tbh, because:
* it's easier to keep track of where the soaps review posts are if there's only one of them
* I don't have to make a separate post that says "these are all the soaps review posts" and edit it every time someone posts a new one.
* it's less annoying for others if they come to this post expecting all the soap reviews, but then have to click links to "hey, I did some more soaps in this post!" and "yay, more soaps here!"

I understand where you're coming from, I think - that you want to be sure people get to read your comments on the soaps - but you could always have a new cut tag in this post next time that says "Update on dd/mm/yyyy" and then make a new post in the community that links to that cut tag and says "I updated the soaps review post".

(Might be best to limit updating it to about once a month or so, though, so it doesn't clutter things up even more.)

It seems sensible to have a separate post for facial soaps, and leave this one as hand&body/body soaps, yes.