Lush Lists: shower smoothies & emotibombs
Jan. 15th, 2011 03:29 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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lushiesNB: Yesterday's post didn't appear here for some reason so I'm reposting it. I have also decided to include emotibombs in this archive list as well, since there aren't very many of them and they're also shower products. Please feel free to contribute further reviews of these or any other products, and they will be added later; I've already included those reviews I've had so far.
SMOOTHIES
Smoothies are a bit of an odd conceit, a creamy body soap which doesn't really lather much but is very gentle. They aren't the thing if you're really dirty, but they are excellent for those of us who are on the sensitive side. In terms of value for money, they generally don't go nearly as far as soap, but they have additional moisturising benefits to consider. I regard them as more of a treat than an everyday thing. Some people also use them for facial washes, because they're so delicate. They're slightly more suited to showers than to baths, but can be used in either.
(Creamed) Almond & Coconut – a cheering, gentle smoothie which leaves me feeling in a generally good mood, this is also at the affordable end of the scale, relatively speaking. I'm biased here as I like coconut a lot, so I found this to be a very nice experience. Good and soothing, excellent choice for bathing before bed and, of course, works well with coconut hair products such as Coolaulin and the just-discontinued Trichomania (which I rather expect to see back in Retro some time). 7.5/10
numberland - I'm using Almond and Coconut smoothie for areas which would like a more gentle wash. I have to admit to using this for my face as I need to do that in the bath as I can't generally stand and wash my face over the sink for which it's working wonderfully. Also areas prone to eczema. Really gentle and moisturising but it wouldn't go far used over the whole body I think. 8/10
Dreamwash – made with calamine & aloe vera, this is THE smoothie for troubled skin and a partner product with the ever-popular Dream Cream body lotion. I know many people who swear by this for acne, eczema and psoriasis. Unfortunately for me, lavender makes me sneeze, so it's not my best choice. To be fair, the lavender is not overpowering, but it is noticeable. Dreamwash also seems slightly more cleansing than other smoothies, without being drying. 3/10 for me, 7.5/10 generally.
Gumback Express – this is an exfoliating banana smoothie which is now Retro only. Lush has a lot fewer banana products these days, it seems, so GE is a good thing if you're a banana lover. Not the right choice if you want a truly smooth smoothie, this has little bits of ground almond shell in it to scrub away on the tougher parts but also contains almond oil to moisturise. Smells glorious (I'd give the scent alone top marks), nicely vigorous scrub, again good for those who want to buff dry skin without using something as harsh as a sugar scrub. It's always left my skin feeling soft and refreshed, but with less of a heavy grease layer than I'd get from a scrubby body butter like Buffy or Aqua Mirabilis. Perfect for those who have somewhat sensitive skin but also have a few bumps they want to smooth out. Very good, but may be too gentle for those who want really fierce scrubbing. 7.5/10
Lush Lime – I was so disappointed by this! I was expecting it actually to smell of limes, you see, what with the name and all. And it doesn't. It contains all sorts of other delicious things I love, like butternut squash, fresh strawberries, orange flowers and almond & coconut oils, but the overall effect is that they seem to cancel each other out. Ignore the description, it really doesn't have a “citrus blast” at all, more like a vague suggestion that a lime once went near it. The scent is not bad in any way, just generically 'cosmetic', much more so than I usually expect from a Lush product; in fact, without advance knowledge, I'd have had difficulty knowing it was Lush from the smell alone, which usually isn't hard. On a more positive note, it's a very soft, white smoothie, thinner in texture than some of the others (quite different from Turkish Delight, for example, which is more crumbly), and it does leave a really luxurious cream layer on the skin. It's not moisturising in the way that, say, a King of Skin bar is, but it feels quite gorgeous when used. A very good choice for people with dry or delicate skin who don't like strong scents, especially if they don't like lavender and therefore avoid the usual Dreamwash/Dream Cream combo, this would make a worthy partner with the unscented Coco Lotion. Retro only. 5.5/10
Turkish Delight – a rose-lover's dream, but by golly it's expensive! Really softening, leaves your skin feeling lovely, and the scent, though delicate, does linger. This is a good, thick smoothie, not too soft or runny, and a little seems to go a fair way. Don't bother unless you really like the smell of roses; if you like rose but need something more affordable, Ring Of Roses buttercream soap is a more frugal alternative. The price means I really can't give it more than 8/10 though. I know the ingredients don't come cheap either, but that's the way it is.
Dammit Lush, bring back Scrumptious!
EMOTIBOMBS
Also a sui generis Lush conceit, these are meant to be the equivalent of bath ballistics for people who don't have baths. Obviously they don't have the same impact on the skin as a bath product and are mostly perfume, chosen to highlight particular moods. Opinions on emotibombs seem sharply divided; many people regard them as quite pointless, or otherwise disappointing. Others really enjoy them as a sort of shower aromatherapy. Although a single emotibomb is supposed to do for a single shower, they can also, like bath products, be broken up and eked out further if one doesn't want the whole thing at once.
Sex In The Shower - this is the 'sensual' emotibomb, marketed as a passion-prodder and appearing in a lot of the more romantically-themed gift boxes. It should come as no surprise therefore that this is jasmine-scented, with hints of ginger, juniper and rose, since Lush consider jasmine and romance to go together like gin and tonic. Very much aimed at the jasmine-lover, it produces a sweet but energising aura and seems to last better than the other emotibombs - maybe it's the compact shape? 6.5/10
mrs_leroy_brown - I began my shower by breaking a few chunks off a Sex in the Shower emotibomb. Note: this was VERY difficult and I had to use a pestle to smash it! This is because the 'bomb is rather big and my shower cubicle is tiny. Like a bath bomb, it fizzes immediately upon contact with water, and filled the shower with lovely jasmine - not too overpowering that it masked my other products. (note I LOVE jasmine and so this scent was the big feature). Not quite as fun as a bath bomb, but Does What It Says On The Tin (tm) and as I'm able to squeeze a few more showers out of it, I award Sex in the Shower 9/10.
Too Drunk - I really truly cannot ever look at this product without hearing the Dead Kennedy's "Too Drunk To Fuck" in my head, which I suspect may be entirely deliberate on Lush's part since they know their audience alright. As someone who frequently wakes up feeling congested and crappy (and not from booze), I was hoping this would be a good choice for something to help clear my congested sinuses with its peppermint and fennel. I'm afraid it didn't do very much for me at all, which may mean it was simply too weak to tackle how crap I felt, or I just don't feel improved by that kind of thing. Gone very soon (it's quite thin) and I don't really like its slightly unnerving design either. 4/10
Up You Gets - my personal favourite of the emotibombs, and probably the best value for money, this strong mix of citrus scents hits your nose with a gentle but firm punch and for me, it lasts most of a long shower. Very bright fragrance, can be a little overpowering at times, so don't try it if you're feeling delicate or sneezy, but it's just the thing if you're sluggish. 7/10.
There used to be a fourth regular emotibomb, Up The Wooden Hill, which was meant to induce sleepfulness (opposite of the Up You Gets), but that is no longer available. From time to time, there has also been a limited edition special, Double-Fast Luck, which is Karma-scented. It's an unknown quantity at present but has appeared twice, so it could possibly come back again some time. Who knows?
SMOOTHIES
Smoothies are a bit of an odd conceit, a creamy body soap which doesn't really lather much but is very gentle. They aren't the thing if you're really dirty, but they are excellent for those of us who are on the sensitive side. In terms of value for money, they generally don't go nearly as far as soap, but they have additional moisturising benefits to consider. I regard them as more of a treat than an everyday thing. Some people also use them for facial washes, because they're so delicate. They're slightly more suited to showers than to baths, but can be used in either.
(Creamed) Almond & Coconut – a cheering, gentle smoothie which leaves me feeling in a generally good mood, this is also at the affordable end of the scale, relatively speaking. I'm biased here as I like coconut a lot, so I found this to be a very nice experience. Good and soothing, excellent choice for bathing before bed and, of course, works well with coconut hair products such as Coolaulin and the just-discontinued Trichomania (which I rather expect to see back in Retro some time). 7.5/10
numberland - I'm using Almond and Coconut smoothie for areas which would like a more gentle wash. I have to admit to using this for my face as I need to do that in the bath as I can't generally stand and wash my face over the sink for which it's working wonderfully. Also areas prone to eczema. Really gentle and moisturising but it wouldn't go far used over the whole body I think. 8/10Dreamwash – made with calamine & aloe vera, this is THE smoothie for troubled skin and a partner product with the ever-popular Dream Cream body lotion. I know many people who swear by this for acne, eczema and psoriasis. Unfortunately for me, lavender makes me sneeze, so it's not my best choice. To be fair, the lavender is not overpowering, but it is noticeable. Dreamwash also seems slightly more cleansing than other smoothies, without being drying. 3/10 for me, 7.5/10 generally.
Gumback Express – this is an exfoliating banana smoothie which is now Retro only. Lush has a lot fewer banana products these days, it seems, so GE is a good thing if you're a banana lover. Not the right choice if you want a truly smooth smoothie, this has little bits of ground almond shell in it to scrub away on the tougher parts but also contains almond oil to moisturise. Smells glorious (I'd give the scent alone top marks), nicely vigorous scrub, again good for those who want to buff dry skin without using something as harsh as a sugar scrub. It's always left my skin feeling soft and refreshed, but with less of a heavy grease layer than I'd get from a scrubby body butter like Buffy or Aqua Mirabilis. Perfect for those who have somewhat sensitive skin but also have a few bumps they want to smooth out. Very good, but may be too gentle for those who want really fierce scrubbing. 7.5/10
Lush Lime – I was so disappointed by this! I was expecting it actually to smell of limes, you see, what with the name and all. And it doesn't. It contains all sorts of other delicious things I love, like butternut squash, fresh strawberries, orange flowers and almond & coconut oils, but the overall effect is that they seem to cancel each other out. Ignore the description, it really doesn't have a “citrus blast” at all, more like a vague suggestion that a lime once went near it. The scent is not bad in any way, just generically 'cosmetic', much more so than I usually expect from a Lush product; in fact, without advance knowledge, I'd have had difficulty knowing it was Lush from the smell alone, which usually isn't hard. On a more positive note, it's a very soft, white smoothie, thinner in texture than some of the others (quite different from Turkish Delight, for example, which is more crumbly), and it does leave a really luxurious cream layer on the skin. It's not moisturising in the way that, say, a King of Skin bar is, but it feels quite gorgeous when used. A very good choice for people with dry or delicate skin who don't like strong scents, especially if they don't like lavender and therefore avoid the usual Dreamwash/Dream Cream combo, this would make a worthy partner with the unscented Coco Lotion. Retro only. 5.5/10
Turkish Delight – a rose-lover's dream, but by golly it's expensive! Really softening, leaves your skin feeling lovely, and the scent, though delicate, does linger. This is a good, thick smoothie, not too soft or runny, and a little seems to go a fair way. Don't bother unless you really like the smell of roses; if you like rose but need something more affordable, Ring Of Roses buttercream soap is a more frugal alternative. The price means I really can't give it more than 8/10 though. I know the ingredients don't come cheap either, but that's the way it is.
Dammit Lush, bring back Scrumptious!
EMOTIBOMBS
Also a sui generis Lush conceit, these are meant to be the equivalent of bath ballistics for people who don't have baths. Obviously they don't have the same impact on the skin as a bath product and are mostly perfume, chosen to highlight particular moods. Opinions on emotibombs seem sharply divided; many people regard them as quite pointless, or otherwise disappointing. Others really enjoy them as a sort of shower aromatherapy. Although a single emotibomb is supposed to do for a single shower, they can also, like bath products, be broken up and eked out further if one doesn't want the whole thing at once.
Sex In The Shower - this is the 'sensual' emotibomb, marketed as a passion-prodder and appearing in a lot of the more romantically-themed gift boxes. It should come as no surprise therefore that this is jasmine-scented, with hints of ginger, juniper and rose, since Lush consider jasmine and romance to go together like gin and tonic. Very much aimed at the jasmine-lover, it produces a sweet but energising aura and seems to last better than the other emotibombs - maybe it's the compact shape? 6.5/10
mrs_leroy_brown - I began my shower by breaking a few chunks off a Sex in the Shower emotibomb. Note: this was VERY difficult and I had to use a pestle to smash it! This is because the 'bomb is rather big and my shower cubicle is tiny. Like a bath bomb, it fizzes immediately upon contact with water, and filled the shower with lovely jasmine - not too overpowering that it masked my other products. (note I LOVE jasmine and so this scent was the big feature). Not quite as fun as a bath bomb, but Does What It Says On The Tin (tm) and as I'm able to squeeze a few more showers out of it, I award Sex in the Shower 9/10.Too Drunk - I really truly cannot ever look at this product without hearing the Dead Kennedy's "Too Drunk To Fuck" in my head, which I suspect may be entirely deliberate on Lush's part since they know their audience alright. As someone who frequently wakes up feeling congested and crappy (and not from booze), I was hoping this would be a good choice for something to help clear my congested sinuses with its peppermint and fennel. I'm afraid it didn't do very much for me at all, which may mean it was simply too weak to tackle how crap I felt, or I just don't feel improved by that kind of thing. Gone very soon (it's quite thin) and I don't really like its slightly unnerving design either. 4/10
Up You Gets - my personal favourite of the emotibombs, and probably the best value for money, this strong mix of citrus scents hits your nose with a gentle but firm punch and for me, it lasts most of a long shower. Very bright fragrance, can be a little overpowering at times, so don't try it if you're feeling delicate or sneezy, but it's just the thing if you're sluggish. 7/10.
There used to be a fourth regular emotibomb, Up The Wooden Hill, which was meant to induce sleepfulness (opposite of the Up You Gets), but that is no longer available. From time to time, there has also been a limited edition special, Double-Fast Luck, which is Karma-scented. It's an unknown quantity at present but has appeared twice, so it could possibly come back again some time. Who knows?
