(Review) Charity Pot: Something Old, Something New

As someone who has indulged in Mountain Dew for breakfast complimented by a Snickers, I can safely say that I have a slight sugar addiction.  Yeah...I'm not too proud of that.  Mind you, that was back in college, where sleep was a luxury and a meal besides ramen and Lean Cuisines was something whispered and spoken of in myth and legend.  Since then my eating habits have gotten substantially better, but I will still indulge in my favorite sugary treats...mainly Starbucks because it's right across from my shop.  Oh yes...the sweet, sugary slush of a vanilla bean frapp has me salivating, as does a piece of raspberry swirl pound cake.  Two things I've been eating a bit too much of as of late.  So I'm slowly starting to transition my way to sweet smelling things to quell my sugar addiction...one of these being Charity Pot.  One whiff of this stuff and it just makes my mouth water!

Charity Pot is a fantastic hand and body lotion chalk full of fairtrade certified organic cocoa butter, and smells nice and chocolately!  None of that fake chemical chocolate smell...it smells beautiful and natural, because it IS beautiful and natural!  Charity Pot was started in 2007, and every penny you spend on this silky sweet lotion goes to charity! *(minus taxes).  The charities in question are always on the lid of the product, and are grassroots charities that help animals, the environment, and of course, people.  Since its launch in 2007, Charity Pot has raised over $4.8 million dollars for these grassroots charities!  Pretty amazing right?  And starting in September of this year, Charity Pot is being reformulated into a beautiful new floral scent that is self preserving and will better aide LUSH's charitable efforts!  This entry will be comparing the two.

Original formula Charity Pot

The first time I tried Charity Pot, I pulled it out of my stocking at Christmas.  A nice little stocking stuffer from Ol' Saint Nick (a.k.a my mother).  I will admit, I didn't quite love it at first whiff.  The smell was something I found to be a bit odd, seeing as I was so used to heavily perfumed floral and fruity body lotions.  Usually anything that had some type of a food scent was an automatic no for me.  But while this smelled similar to chocolate...it was different somehow.  It didn't have that chemical overlay a lot of baked good scented products have, which was refreshing.  Over time, the scent grew on me, and I decided to put this lotion to good use! 

Fast forward a year or so later, and the news that Charity Pot is being reformulated surfaces.  Being a LUSH employee, I'm fortunate enough to be able to try things out before they are released to the public (a great example of how LUSH gives back to their employees!).  I had an original formula Charity Pot, a new formula Charity Pot, and a LUSH blog that desperately needed a comparison of these two fantastic lotions! 

New self-preserving Charity Pot

Original Charity Pot:  I mainly apply Charity Pot as a nighttime moisturizer, as I find it's a bit too heavy for day wear, especially in the summer where my town gets all muggy and humid.  So after one of my many late night baths, I applied my Charity Pot lotion to my entire body.  While I do love the scent, I find it to be a bit strong at times, and before this little experiment, mainly used it as a hand lotion.  But I was pleased at how the scent toned itself down after sinking in, leaving a pleasant cocoa scent with a hint of coffee on my skin.  It softened me up to the point where I didn't even need lotion the next morning after my shower!  This stuff really sinks in and softens you into a walking stick of butter!

Original Charity Pot contains not only fair trade organic cocoa butter, but almond oil, as well as ylang ylang, geranium, and tagetes oils that give a slight floral note.  I couldn't really pick up on it, but my roommate could.  Overall I was pleased at how Charity Pot held up as a body lotion.  I felt nice and soft all day and the cocoa/coffee scent smelled beautiful! 

New Self Preserving Charity Pot:  Upon cracking open the new Charity Pot, I instantly noticed how much thicker it is than the original formula.  I found the original formula to have a bit of a thinner consistency, and if I turned the pot upside down, it would splat to the floor.  New formula doesn't do that at all.  While the original has a chocolatey smell, the new formula has a beautiful floral smell that isn't stuffy or old ladyish.  It has a sugary sweet note buried beneath it as well that smells so wonderfully decadent I just want to lap it up like buttercream frosting.  But I won't...because it probably wouldn't taste too nice.  Once I slathered this on, I noticed that it felt much lighter than the original Charity Pot.  The cocoa butter in this formula is still there, but there isn't as much of it as the original formula.  Instead, this Charity Pot contains other butters and oils such as fair trade olive oil, organic jojoba oil, moringa oil, fair trade shea butter, and geranium, rosewood, and ylang ylang oils.  The touch of vanilla absolute gives it a hint of sweetness, and the aloe gel contained gives it a nice soothing sensation.  While Charity Pot in both forms is very rich, I found this sunk into my skin much faster than the original Charity Pot did.  The scent became a bit more sweet on my skin (essential oils change with your body chemistry) and left me feeling nice and soft without feeling greasy.  I still found it a bit too heavy for day wear though.  Also, because Charity Pot is self preserving, there are no parabens or preservatives in it whatsoever.  Original Charity Pot has them, but at such a low amount (less than 3%) that legally they don't have to be included on the label.

Overall, I have to say I love both Charity Pots.  But if I had to choose, I would choose the new formula.  I find I'm more drawn to the scent (even though I love both, I like the lighter, fresher scent this one provides) and I find it absorbs better and faster than the original.  I find the new Charity Pot to be a great new spin on an original bestselling lotion.  It takes all of the positives about the original and improves them drastically.  I often tell my customers that buying a pot of this lovely lotion is good for the mind, body, and soul.  You buy a pot of beautiful, natural lotion, you help charities and small businesses, you feel good about helping others, AND your skin is as soft as flower petals.  What more could you want?!



 * Both Charity Pots are certified Vegan
* Pick up the original Charity Pot at your local LUSH store, or purchase online here 
* New Self Preserving Charity Pot will be available worldwide September 2014
 

(Review) Phoenix Rising: Feathers Not Included

"We believe in the right to make mistakes, lose everything, and start again."

Just a small snippet of LUSH's "We Believe" story.  When I read the full statement, that particular line resonated with me quite strongly.  Goodness knows I've made many mistakes during my life, and many of you readers have too.  I feel for any company to admit that they've made mistakes and talk about them at length and detail is a bold move.  It was one of the things that piqued my interest in LUSH, and showed that behind this company were humans with hopes and dreams and feelings like me.  It makes them relatable and it's one of the reasons they're a fantastic company.  Phoenix Rising was a bath bomb designed to pay tribute to that statement.

Phoenix Rising is a royal purple and gold pot shaped bath bomb that packs quite a punch in both color and scent.  It's half bath melt too, so if moisture is what you're looking for, this bath bomb is for you! 

I have to admit, lately I had been feeling a bit down in the dumps.  I'm still wallowing in that post-college lost phase a lot of twenty somethings my age go through.  For the most part I'm fine and dandy, but sometimes I get a little sad and feel a bit lost and lonely.  So Phoenix Rising seemed like it would be a great pick me up.  Plus I'm nuts about cinnamon scented things!

Not only was Phoenix Rising inspired by the We Believe story, but the We Believe story was inspired by LUSH's own story.  Before LUSH became LUSH, they were Cosmetics To Go, a company many U.K residents would be familiar with.  Cosmetics To Go was a popular cosmetics company back in the late 80s-early 90s that had the same goals and morals LUSH has today (i.e. no animal testing, natural ingredients, etc), but ultimately went bankrupt.  For the founders, it was quite a dark time, until they rose from the ashes and formed LUSH in 1994.  And it's been all uphill ever since!

So into the tub Phoenix Rising went.  It immediately plunked to the bottom with a loud "thunk", but soon rose up to the surface, letting loose a beautiful, floral patterned purple froth that smelled warm and cozy.  I could see some oil floating around the surface, which didn't surprise me because of the bath melt interior.  Phoenix Rising contains tons of shea and cocoa butters, which are super moisturizing, as well as bergamot (a known mood lifter and one of my favorite scents), jojoba, and cinnamon leaf oils.  The bomb kind of swam around the surface like a flying saucer, taking it's sweet (and spicy!) time fizzing away, the tub becoming a gradually darker shade of purple.  Soon, flecks of green and shimmer started to appear.

Phoenix Rising's inner bath melt core is a light, seafoam green that doesn't clash with the purple and make it brown.  The green is a frosted holly luster (the same luster that's also in the Avobath bath bomb) and isn't opaque enough to clash.  I stuck my hands into the water and could feel how silky smooth it was, but not greasy.  On the contrary, it felt like a very light oil, not heavy in the slightest.

So into the tub I went, sinking into what felt like silk bedcovers.  The bergamot helped tone down the cinnamon scent so it didn't singe my nostrils and added a lighter note so it wasn't so heavy.  I could see oil deposits outlined in gold shimmer floating around the tub.  I soaked for a good two hours, feeling like royalty in a royal purple bath speckled with gold shimmer.  When I patted myself dry after, I found I didn't need lotion afterwards as the oil was enough to moisturize my skin and leave it lightly scented.  The only downside is that it left a bit of a purple stain in my tub, but it was faint and easily washed off.  I've heard of this bomb staining before, so it had me a bit worried, but it was easily removed with some bath cleaner and some elbow grease.

Overall, Phoenix Rising was a fantastic bath bomb to soothe a sad soul.  The cinnamon was invigorating and a deep purple bath just had me totally psyched.  And it looks like a bath bomb Dumbledore would use...which is of course, awesome.  Was it a miracle worker in terms of mood lifting?  Of course not.  If all of our problems were solved with baths I'd never get out!  But it did help clear my mind and help me focus.  And it did help me forget my troubles for a while, which is always a good thing.  But overall, I was pleased with this bath bomb.  Happy or sad, I'd use it over and over again!

  "It's okay to make mistakes, and it's okay to fall down.  Get up.  Look SICKENING.  And make them EAT IT!"

                                                  - Latrice Royale

** This bath bomb is certified Vegan

** Purchase Phoenix Rising at your local LUSH store, or buy it online here

(Review) Granny Takes a Dip: For Groovy Swirly Baths

So this past week, I woke up like I always do...hissing at the sunlight peeking through the blinds, silently cursing whoever decided to blare talk radio at full blast, beating the snot out of the snooze button and burritoing myself in my fluffy cloud of a comforter, begging the sleep gods for just a few more winks of shut-eye.  Alas, I did eventually get up, as staying in bed all day without reason is just depressing, and was struck by a sudden urge to exercise.  I just needed to get up and move!  So I popped in my favorite aerobics DVD (which you can find on Amazon here) and blasted through it.  Feeling all limber and warmed up, I went about my day with a little more pep in my step.  The next day though, I was creaking like a rusty drawbridge.  I love feeling sore after a workout...it's a great feeling of accomplishment to know that I pushed myself, so I thought a nice, hot bath would soothe my sore, achy muscles.

Enter Granny Takes a Dip, the trippy disc of a bath bomb that will soon be out for the summer.  Named after the song Granny Takes A Trip by The Purple Gang (a surprisingly catchy song) and the clothing boutique of the same name, Granny Takes a Dip was inspired by anything and everything 1960s.  The colors match the jackets the Beatles wore on the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album, and was also inspired by kaleidoscopes.  When I first laid eyes upon this bomb, I was immediately reminded of this jumbo jawbreaker my mom got me when I was 8.  I carried that thing everywhere with me, and got halfway through it before my mom found it and threw it away, claiming it was gross.  I don't think I've ever been that upset over candy in my life.

So to the bathroom I trudged, filling up the tub and snatching up ol' Granny.  Waiting for the tub to fill, I huffed the interesting fragrance.  GTAD is very spicy in scent, being filled with invigorating black pepper and ginger oils, as well as some lemon oil.  Black pepper and ginger oils are also used in the Hottie massage bar, which is renowned for warming and soothing achy muscles.  Hence why I decided to use it in the first place.

 
So into the tub went Granny...who promptly flipped over and sank like a fizzing stone to the bottom.  The pink side is a bit heavy, so I reached in and flipped her over and watched the kaleidoscope form.  The inner layers of red, green, and blue are made to be fast fizzing, but the outer pink layer is coated in a bubble, slow fizzing film.  And there it went, zipping around my bathtub leaving a rainbow of froth in its wake.

Once Granny was completely dissolved, the water was a crystal clear lavender color with a light frothy foam swirling over top.  Into the water I gingerly stepped, and I felt my body sigh in relaxation.  Once completely dissolved, the spicy notes had dulled down a bit and the lemon came to the forefront giving a nice citrusy yet spicy tang that invigorated the mind, body and soul.  This isn't the most moisturizing bath bomb, so if you're looking for something super moisturizing then this isn't the one for you.  But it's great if you're feeling sluggy, groggy, or it's just too hot to function.  I felt invigorated, snacking on watermelon and humming "Age of Aquarius" as I read my book and marinated.  Once I got out I found the scent lingered subtly on my skin, which was nice because I didn't want it to be too overpowering.  It did leave a slight pink ring around my tub, but it was easily cleaned off with some scrubbing bubbles and a warm washcloth. 

Overall, Granny Takes a Dip is a bath bomb I was extremely impressed with.  When I first smelled it, I admit I wasn't too taken with it, but it definitely grew on me.  I was invigorated and my muscles were soothed.  Granny Takes a Dip is something I'll definitely be stocking up on this summer!

*This product is certified Vegan

(Review) Golden Egg: The Goose Didn't Lay this One

I've never been a timely person, hence why I'm reviewing an Easter product in June.  My store wasn't open for Easter, so I didn't get my Easter goodies until later, so I knew that when I got my box of goodies that I had to hold onto this baby for a good while.  But I've heard many things about the coveted Golden Egg.  I remember seeing people online trying to draw up swaps for a Golden Egg, offering any Lush item at all for that shimmery sweet smelling bomb.  People were still asking if we had it long after Easter had ended.  It's a highly sought after item, and after marinating in it for hours, I can definitely see why!

So I got a nice weekend off and the apartment to myself, and that was a special enough occasion for me.  So I busted open the little plastic baggy holding the coveted egg inside and tossed it into the tub.  Obviously if you don't like glitter, this bath bomb isn't for you.  The fine, shimmery coating immediately disperses when it hits the water, and doesn't release as much glitter as you'd think.

Is it just me or does Golden Egg look like a glittery potato?

Golden Egg is different from other bath bombs because it's coated with a bath melt layer.  The inspiration behind such a product was Cadbury Eggs, except with a hard inner layer and a creamy outer layer.  So an inside out Cadbury Egg, except without the chocolate and the urge to vomit after eating a half dozen or so.  It takes a long time to melt through that layer, slowly distributing a pale yellow shimmery oil until it gets to the bomb tucked inside, which promptly starts to fizz and rotate the egg like a spinning top. 

Golden Egg is made up of a bunch of super moisturizing ingredients, mainly olive oil and fair trade cocoa butter.  All of Lush's cocoa butter comes from Columbia, specifically from the Peace community in San Jose.  It's certified organic, fair trade, and deodorized so the scent isn't overpowering.  It's also used in the Therapy and Peace massage bars.  Golden Egg is also scented with the infamous Honey I Washed the Kids fragrance (also used in It's Raining Men shower gel) and I could definitely tell.  The only note that was missing was that salty note that makes HIWTK smell like salted caramel toffee.  So it just smelled like caramel toffee to me, which is fine (and delicious!).  Golden Egg also contains citrus scented oils like sweet wild orange and bergamot to cut through that sweet toffee scent and tone it down.

The melt layer is almost gone, and the bath bomb beneath releases spurts of frothy white foam

 

When the bath bomb had fully melted, I sank into my nice, sweet smelling bath.  Despite being completely frosted in shimmer, I found I wasn't sitting in a tub full of it.  I saw a nice amount of sparkle here and there, but it wasn't overwhelming.  The olive oil contained in the egg was made apparent, as the bath water looked like I was soaking in a tub full of it.  Amongst the glitter and creamy white froth, I saw oil deposits floating along the surface.  I soaked for a good long while, content with reading A Clash of Kings and listening to Futurama blasting in the next room, occasionally contemplating the craziness of Orange Is the New Black (how crazy was the second season?!).

When I got out of the tub, I was coated in oil.  Not heavily so, but enough to where I patted myself dry and rubbed the excess in so I wouldn't want for a moisturizer later on.  All the glitter sank to the bottom of the tub, but was quickly gone and down the drain when I turned the shower on.

Overall, this was a fantastic bath bomb.  I was super moisturized and sweet smelling all night and the morning after.  Honestly I didn't even need a moisturizer this morning after I got out of the shower!  It was THAT intensive.  So if you want a sparkly sweet treat and a tall glass of water for your skin, this is the right bath bomb for you!

So tell me readers...if you could have any LUSH seasonal product be put in the permanent range, which would it be?  Let me know in the comments!  I have anonymous comments enabled, so anyone can comment!  I'd love to hear from you all!

*This product is certified Vegan

2014 Summer Collection: First Impressions!

From top left to bottom right:  Granny Takes a Dip bath bomb, D-Fluff strawberry shaving soap, New Charity Pop hand and body lotion, Zeste medium to strong hair gelly, African Paradise body conditioner, Parsley Porridge face & body soap, Mangnificent bar soap

There it was.  Taunting me.  Giving me that come hither stare.  I wanted it.  I knew it was wrong, but oh my goodness would it be so right.  To take it in my arms and sniff everything. 

Because my boss put a "do not touch" sign on all of the staff boxes, so I was left staring and wanting like a dog stares at his owner's meal.  But when I was about to leave after my shift today, and my boss tossed me a staff box, I was overjoyed and beyond happy!  I'd been seeing so many pictures of the new summer items, and was impatient to receive mine.  My darling readers, that day has finally come!  Seeing as I only got this box hours ago, I haven't tried anything yet, but will be giving you info on the products and my first impressions!

Granny Takes a Dip:  Inspired by the 1960s in a nutshell, Granny Takes a Dip is a flat, disc of a bath bomb whose inner core reminds me of the swirls in an oversized jawbreaker.  The outer pink layer has a bubble mix inside while the inner layers are fast fizzing, creating a kaleidoscope effect in your bath water.  The smell is described as spicy citrus, with plenty of ginger and black pepper to boot.  Upon first whiff I can definitely pick up the black pepper, and a spicy number of what I'm assuming is ginger.  These are the base scents of the Hottie massage bar, so this is great for pepping you up and soothing any sore achey muscles.  Lemon oil also gives the bomb a citrusy bite as well.  Definitely looking forward to this one!  This product is Vegan

D-Fluff Strawberry Shaving Soap:  Strawberries, egg whites, syrup, and cocoa butter.  Sounds like a recipe for Saturday morning pancakes, but it's all in this marshmallow fluff-esque shaving soap!  Palm free and self preserving, D-Fluff reminds me of the marshmallow fluff my mom would eat out of the jar with a spoon when I was younger.  Upon first whiff, I definitely got strawberries, but also a floral note due to the rosehip oil included, so it's not sugary sweet.  This product is Vegetarian

New Charity Pot Hand & Body Lotion:  In my experience, people either love or hate Charity Pot.  That I can understand, because sweet scents like chocolate are an acquired taste (pun not intended).  This new Charity Pot has totally won me over.  The proceeds still go to grassroots charities so that part hasn't changed, but the scent is barely recognizable!  Another self preserving formula, new Charity Pot has a powdery floral scent that reminds me of baby shampoo.  It's gentle and silky and with the inclusion of rosewood and ylang ylang oils, smells divine!  This product is Vegan

Zeste Hair Gelly:  Inspired by punk rockers who used sugar to create their rebellious spiky 'dos, Zeste (the "E" is silent, so it's pronounced "Zest") relies on the natural sugars in orange juice to hold hair in place.  Zeste was also inspired by the shower jellies, hence the jello-esque texture.  Upon first whiff, I definitely could smell the oranges, but there was also a heavier floral aroma behind the citrus that made it deeper and woodsier somehow.  The texture does resemble a shower jelly, but is a bit heavier and thicker.  I'm eager to see how this will work on my mid-back length hair.  This product is Vegan

African Paradise Body Conditioner:  As one who LOVES Ro's Argan, I was super excited to see another body conditioner coming out!  African Paradise is chalk full of ingredients from Africa (hence the name) and was inspired by frangipani flowers.  The scent is described as a spicy carnation, with the inclusions of moringa, ylang ylang, sandalwood, and clove bud oils, as well as fair trade shea butter & aloe vera with baobab oil and kalahari melon.  The smell reminds me of the flowers my dad would give me after my dance recitals as a child, beautiful and floral, but subtle in the best possible way.  VERY eager to use this one.  This product is Vegetarian

Parsley Porridge Face & Body Soap:  Made to replace 13 Unlucky for Dirt, Parsley Porridge soap is a great green bar of antioxidants and antibacterials.  Packed with tea tree oil, parsley, and fine ground oats, Parsley Porridge is great for any troubled or out of whack skin, helping cleanse deeply, as well as provide gentle exfoliation with oats, and soothing properties from the parsley.  I'm not one for parsley (thought most people argue it tastes like nothing, it has a taste and it's gross!) I do love the scent of tea tree oil, and plan on using this in the summer when Michigan summers get too humid and mucky.  This product is Vegan.

Mangnificent Soap:  Mangnificent soap is modeled after Bohemian, the zesty lumpy lemon bar we all know and love.  Modeled with the same look and feel, Mangnificent has a high glycerine content, as well as rapeseed and coconut oils so you won't lose any of that moisture.  The citrusy aroma smells heavenly, and is a great pick me up for when it's too hot to function.  This product is Vegan

 
Overall I'm impressed!  This summer's products seem to be promising indeed!  Lots of fresh, natural ingredients are brought out and shining bright, showing off that Lush does indeed get their ingredients from fair trade, organic (when possible!) small businesses that have an extremely high standard when it comes to quality.  I look forward to using this products in the summer, and I hope you do too!  Keep a lookout for these products, as they will be hitting the store shelves and website soon!

So tell me readers...what summer product are YOU most intrigued by?  Let me know in the comments below!!

(Review) Avobath: Do Re Mi Fa So La Si Fruit

I will readily admit I've been a bit of a grump this week.  Just one of those moods where every little thing annoys you.  That coupled with bad allergies made for a rather pissy week.  Also as of this blog entry, season 2 of Orange is the New Black isn't out yet, and my patience is wearing thin (what will become of our beloved blonde WASP?!).  Nonetheless, my fiery temper was cooled when Sunday approached, and the promise of a new week filled with new opportunities, antihistamines, and my favorite jailhouse dark comedy had me hopeful.  So why not treat yourself with a bath while at it?

This week, I chose to take a walk down memory lane (which actually wasn't too long ago) with my very first bath bomb, Avobath.  Not only is it one of the first ones I used, but it's one of my favorites.  It's citrusy and fruity smelling AND green just so happens to be my favorite color.  So on a bad day, where my normal cheerful demeanor just isn't there and my brain's all fogged over with allergies and bad thoughts, I like to chuck this in my tub and bathe in the clean green goodness.

So let's get this show on the road!

Avobath was inspired by fruit (derr).  Its scent is described as "fruit upon fruit upon fruit," like a big ol' fruit salad in bath bomb form.  It's quite simple in form...a nice pale green ball that smells strangely like fruit loops.  That's one of the ways I get younger kids intrigued by Avobath...I tell them it smells like fruit loops and their eyes light up when they realize it's true.  It's a very cute thing to see. 

So when you drop Avobath in, it sinks right to the bottom and foams up like a geyser about to explode.  Thankfully that doesn't happen (my recently cleaned top to bottom bathroom thanks you for that) and your bath water immediately turns a pale shade of green that grows deeper and brighter the more it dissolves.

Avobath is one of Lush's most moisture intensive bath bombs.  The mashed avocado give Avobath its green color (and name) and avocado is known for its moisturizing properties and ability to make fantastic guacamole.  The inclusion of extra virgin olive oil also adds to the moisture list, most likely adding to the green color a bit since EVOO tends to be greener in color.  Among the scents are lemongrass, bergamot, and rosewood oils.  All three of these oils smell fantastic, and all three are known mood lifters.  Seeing as I've been having a bad case of the summer cranks lately, I was in desperate need of a pick me up.  Plus lemongrass and bergamot are two of my favorite scents in all of Scent-dom, so a bath bomb with my favorite scents AND color was bound to give me a pick me up!

Kinda looks like a booger...but look at how great my nails look!

I would say Avobath is a pretty fast fizzer.  Not as fast as Big Blue (which made like Nicholas Cage and was gone in 60 seconds) but not as slow as Dragon's Egg or Twilight.  It was nice to sit there and watch it fizz up like an emerald green geyser, the scent of lemongrass and citrus wafting through my closet of a bathroom and clearing the air (and my sinuses).

The last remnants of Avobath slowly bubbling away

When Avobath was done dissolving, my cranky butt slid into the warm, fruity green water, grumbling about these darn kids and their rock 'n roll 8 track tapes.  But as I sat and soaked, my mind was soothed, my sinuses cleared, and my bath water the color of the Chicago river at St. Patty's day.  It was a clear as glass green and it smelled just heavenly.  I felt like I was bathing in Sprite!  I noticed there were small speckles of glitter so fine I could barely see them, but they were there and they gave my bath water a very subtle, but noticeable shine.  So not only is Avobath simple in appearance, but also in execution.  No huge fancy frills, no popping candy, no little notes, just a simple green bath to soothe a cloudy mind.  Don't get me wrong, I love the frills, but sometimes simplicity is nice.  I laid back, cracked open my copy of Dangerous Liaisons (one of my favorite pieces of classical literature) and soaked for a good 2 hours.  My skin was so well moisturized that I didn't even need lotion afterwards!

Overall, Avobath was a great bath experience, and the first bath bomb I ever used.  I snagged it during training (this has been hinted at, but I will now confirm that I'm a Lush employee, and have been a devoted customer of Lush years before I was hired) and consider it my "gateway drug" into the world of bath bombs.  It's great for clearing a cloudy mind and soothing a tempered soul.  So calm down and...avo...bath!

...again, ending with an awful joke.  I'm so not sorry!  But I also want to point out that I started a tumblr blog for quick snapshots into my life as a Lushie and a Lush employee.  I urge you to check it out here, and remember to follow me on both sites!  I thank you for your support and for reading my humble little Lush blog!

So tell me readers...what was YOUR first Lush bath bomb?  And how did you like it?  Let me know in the comments!!

**This bath bomb is certified Vegan

**Purchase Avobath at your local LUSH store, or buy it online here