(Review) Guardian of the Forest: Eau Natural

As much as I hate driving in it, there's something so magical about snow.  That majestic white powder that falls from the sky in big, fluffy chunks and seemingly muffles the sound from outside.  It's also nice to watch it fall from the comfort of your home, curled up on the couch with your hot cocoa, smiling to yourself as you await the start of the holiday season!

Well guess what?  The holiday season has come and gone and that noise ain't cute anymore.  Neither is shutting down your shop early due to the mall closing for the safety of their customers & employees.  And while you wade your frozen ass over to your car to dig it out and mentally curse yourself for forgetting your snow gloves at home, you realize that a dream of spring isn't just a book you'll probably be reading when it comes out 60 years from now.  It's a dream of not digging your car out of the frozen tundra that is the midwestern U.S of A.

Guardian of the Forest is a newer, formerly Oxford Street exclusive bath bomb that just appeared on North American shelves a few months back.  Inspired by the Miyazaki classic "Princess Mononoke", Guardian of the Forest is packed with cypress & oakmoss oils with a touch of lime as to not be overly earthy.  Rosewood is also included in the mix as is a beautiful warm lustre.  The appearance of Guardian of the Forest is also different here than it is across the pond.  The entire bomb is a medium forest green dotted with chartreuse leaves & middle, while the U.K version has a dark base with light leaves on one side & a light base with dark leaves on the other.  I actually only noticed this when a coworker pointed it out to me, and neither of us had any idea why the two versions differ.

I've actually tried both versions of Guardian of the Forest (the U.K version that Bossman brought back for me & the N.A version purchased from my own shop) and was honestly wary of it at first.  I've made it no secret that I suffer from very bad outdoor allergies, and I often avoid most grassy smells for fear of clogged sinuses & lots of sneezing, but of course after a cautious whiff, I was pleasantly surprised & happy that there was no reaction, that I really enjoyed the scent!  

One thing about my baths is that I run them extremely hot.  If I'm not literally dripping sweat (gross I know), then my bath water isn't hot enough.  Dropping this guy into my steaming bath water not only amplified the scent, but the humidity of my bathroom made me feel like I was hiking during a misty morning in the Pacific Northwest.  And I've never even been to the Pacific Northwest!  It smelled absolutely beautiful, earthy & natural & the vibrant green water reminded me of my beloved Fizzbanger.  

Guardian of the Forest has quickly become a favorite of mine.  The natural, earthy aroma is extremely grounding, and bathing with this green beauty definitely helps to calm & relax me.  The scent lingered subtly on my skin & my tub wasn't layered with a ton of shimmer afterwards, which is always nice.  Guardian easily makes the list of my top 5 favorite bath bombs in both turnout, scent & how it makes me feel during & after my bath.  So if you haven't tried it out and are anxious for warmer weather, there's no time like the present!