(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!

(Review) So White: Seven Dwarves Optional

As I mentioned in my review of Stardust, I'm a big fan of occasional simplicity.  Most of the time I enjoy the bells and whistles that come with bath bombs and bubble bars, but sometimes I just want something plan.  No muss, no fuss, no thrills, no frills.  Maximum satisfaction with minimal effect and effort.  Sometimes I don't want to wash down my tub from a turbo glittery bath bomb, and sometimes I don't want to bathe in brightly colored water.  Sometimes I just want something nice and simple.  But there's always a fine line.

I feel like there's a fine line between simplicity and boredom.  For me, there always has to be a little something special to keep me interested.  Like if I'm curled up on the couch reading a book.  For one thing, that couch better be really damn comfortable, as there's nothing worse than a rock hard couch or a busted spring poking your buttcheek.  And that book had better being entertaining as well.  Full of plot twists and romance, with just the right amount of action to keep me teetering on the edge of that oh so comfy couch.  Believe it or not, a lot of work goes into something being considered "simple."

With its simplistic, white as snow appearance, So White from what I'd heard in years past was a simple treasure.  Blindingly white and hard as a rock, So White hides within a petal pink core that supposedly melts down into a rose colored bath.  When demoing this at my shop, myself and my coworkers would eagerly gather around and take in a deep breath of the crisp apple fragrance.  Ironic that it would smell so much like the fruit, when not a trace of apple is in So White at all!  Bergamot, rose absolute, neroli, and orange flower absolute are the oils that make up this refreshing fragrance.

I have to say, I'm not one for apple fragrances.  After smelling the same synthetic, sickeningly sweet apple fragrances in everything from lotions to candles to potpourri, I had had enough of anything apple scented (however, apples...granny smiths to be exact, are one of my favorite fruits!).  So White was a breath of fresh air for my nostrils, and smelled just like the joy I feel when I take that first crunchy bite (okay...sounds a little cheesy, but I really like apples, okay?).

The night I chose to use So White was a night smack dab in the middle of the holiday season, where my eyes were so tired they burned and I could hear my body screaming for pillows and blankets.  But I desperately wanted a bath and So White was the closest within reach.

I've heard of people smashing this lovely bomb on the bathtub bottom, much like a snowball, but I chose to just drop it in and watch it fizz.  It didn't take long to get to the baking soda packed, pastel pink center, but my goodness did it take forever to fully dissolve.  I actually timed it and this bath bomb clocked in at a full 20 minutes before the last of it fizzled away!

After peering into my tub after it dissolved, I was surprised and a little disappointed to find that the promised rose colored bath was nothing than a slight rosy tint to my water.  In the bowls at work it was a vibrant pink, and while I knew it was more concentrated in bowls than in tubs, I didn't realize the color difference would be so drastic.  Nonetheless, my bath was nice and cozy warm, and the intoxicating apple scent filled my bathroom for hours afterward.

Overall, my feelings on So White are mixed.  While So White smells absolutely beautiful, the final turnout was something I found to be a bit underwhelming.  To me, So White toed and fell over the line between simplicity and boredom, into boredom.  Even last year I wish they kicked up the color in the middle a bit, and this year I was still disappointed to find it was still such a dull color.  Still, So White is a Christmas favorite and has been coming out every Christmas for the past few years.  While the bath bomb wasn't one of my absolute favorites, it could be that minimal amount of simplicity you've been craving for your bath!

***So White is certified Vegan

(Review) Yog Nog: Sugar & Spice

Whenever I wake up and see the sun shining through my blinds, I always smile and snug a little bit closer to my blankets and pillow.  There's something about a nice, cloudless sunny day that just puts me in a good mood.  My apartment is bright and cheery, I can hear kids outside playing...there's just something about sunshine that makes the days a little bit better.  And then I go outside and am met with the sharp wind at my cheek, the cold air numbing my nose, and the sudden chill creeping through my clothes down to my bones.  And then I remember it's December.  And I live in the midwest.  And winter sucks.

Cold weather is all well and good when you're inside with your blankets, a hot mug of cocoa, and a good book or Netflix marathon to keep you warm, but when you're running around outside and actually have to leave the house, the minutes become hours and the thought of a warm fire and your PJs will never leave your mind.  That, and the sharp, biting cold and wreak havoc on your skin.  I know for sure it's wreaking havoc on mine!

Where I live in the summer is always sticky with humidity and sweat, but a complete 180 happens when the weather turns cold.  From dry skin to chapped lips to nosebleeds on the regular, I dry out from head to toe.  So one lone night when my skin felt as dry and tight as a finely tuned violin string, I decided my nightly post-work bath needed to help remedy this problem.
 

I wasn't surprised in the slightest to see Yog Nog make a return in a different form.  I recall the buttery, cinnamon sprinkled blocks of soap practically vanishing before my eyes last Christmas.  This year I've noticed it's been selling a little more slowly, but I've been seeing the bath bomb of the same name being sold in droves.

Yog Nog bath bomb is essentially a triple threat.  The standard bath bomb formula also contains grated bubble bar mix, which makes for a slower, frothier fizz, and a bath melt tucked in the middle makes this creamy, spicy bath bomb a much needed moisturizing treat!

Watching Yog Nog fizz away in the tub was like watching a cadbury cream egg dissolve.  Even though the Golden Egg bath bomb from Easters past is more inspired by the treat than this one, it looked a lot more like the actual chocolate candy that makes my teeth sting.  The foam was yellow and white, and the bath melt in the middle looked like a pat of butter on toast.

I'm always wary of yellow bath bombs since they tend to look like...well...you know, but I feel like Lush is getting their yellow pigments down so that won't be a problem!  The yellow was more neon rather than earthy toned, and looked bright and vibrant.  Sinking into the tub was a definite treat...like being wrapped in a spicy knit blanket!  And when I popped out, the water beading on my skin was a good indication that I was well moisturized and soft to the touch.

Overall I was pleasantly surprised with Yog Nog and its turnout.  I'm not one for food smells, and spicy cinnamon and clove scents remind me of any and every baked good at Christmas, but this one really took the cake (yes that was a pun and yes I'm very proud of it).  The scent was warming and comforting, and it really moisturized my all over dry, scaly winter-lizard skin.  If you're a fan of the bar soap, you definitely need to get the bath bomb!

***Yog Nog bath bomb is certified Vegan

(Review) Stardust: (née) Ziggy

 It's three days past Thanksgiving in the United States and already Christmas is in full swing!  Walking into work I'm blinded by cascades of twinkling Christmas lights, gigantic Christmas trees, and classic holiday carols assaulting my ears over the loudspeakers.  Shoppers have emerged from their turkey comas and have now begun scouring every store in sight for a sale or discount (because nothing says "I love you and Merry Christmas" like half off last season's merchandise!).  And of course for me, that means long hours working at my store, cough drops from near constant talking, and literal metric tons of caffeine.  While being a retail worker during the holidays pretty much kicks my ass up, down, and side to side, I have to say it's one of my favorite times of the year.

That being said, the ass kicking can take its toll, and when I come home all I want is something hot to eat, a bath, my bed, and Netflix before I drift off to dreamland.  I just recently moved into a new apartment and needed something special to "christen" my new tub so to speak.  Lucky for me, Christmas and holiday products had just been released, so I chose something simple and sweet!

I have to say, I really don't like vanilla scented things.  But something about Lush has gotten me hooked on their vanilla scented products!  There's no synthetic, sugary sweet undertone that other vanilla scented lotions and creams have, but it's just a nice true vanilla that is so hard to find in cosmetics.  Stardust has plenty of fair trade Ugandan vanilla and plenty of rosewood from Lush's own Peruvian rainforest concession.  Bergamot is also present, as is a pale blue mix of sea salt and cornflour to soften your water!  

Sometimes I just want my bath to be nice and simple.  No outrageous glitter or popping candies, no whirling lights and fireworks.  This particular night I was craving simplicity, so I popped Stardust into my awaiting tub and watched the magic happen!

Unlike most of the fairer colored bath bombs Lush offers (Ickle Baby Bot & Butterball for instance) this small guy made my tub look like I had just filled it with a rich heavy cream.  The opaque whiteness had a bit of a blue tint, which makes it look icy and cool toned.  I love my whites bright, and this was a beautiful clean, milky white!

My bath with Stardust was extremely relaxing even though there were no glittery bells and whistles to be had.  I always get customers coming into my store asking for simplicity, and this Christmas season, I'll definitely be steering them in this direction.  My skin felt soft and the vanilla fragrance was subtle on my skin afterwards.  And that true vanilla scent didn't make me feel sick, as if I had just eaten an entire cake by myself.

Overall Stardust was a great success and I will definitely be stocking up on this one when I have those no frills baths!  If sweeter scents and a low key turnout are what you enjoy in your bath, this is definitely for you!

What bath bombs are you loving so far this Christmas?  And if you've tried Stardust, how did you like it?  Let me know in the comments below!

 **Stardust bath bomb is certified Vegan

(Review) Space Girl: Stardate - The Year of the Tiger

"I want it to look like I'm bathing in a GALAXY!"

Oh readers...if I had a dollar for every time I heard a teenage girl come into my store and say that, I could probably buy every single Lush product; discontinued, current, and new thrice over and store them all in my mansion with my pool boy and private gaming theater.  That was the very beginning of the "galaxy bomb" craze that happened right after the madness of Christmas.  I actually remember the first time someone asked me for a galaxy bomb.  A young teen girl, bright eyed and bushy tailed, came up to myself and my coworkers and meekly asked if we had "the galaxy bomb."  My coworkers and I looked at each other and asked her what she meant.  She then vividly described a tweet she saw where a bath bomb was described as a galaxy and the picture was one of the most beautiful things she saw!  Before we could link her to Twilight (the actual "galaxy bomb"), she grabbed a Space Girl, gave it a deep inhale, and skipped her way to the counter while my coworkers and I all stood confused, dumbfounded, and a sense of dread that our post-Christmas chill was about to be interrupted by a tweet gone a-twitter.

From that moment on our tiny shop was flooded with an influx of high school and college aged girls, all clamoring for the beautiful bath bomb that looked like a field of stars.  It turns out (and we all found this out at a staff meeting a few months later) that the "galaxy bomb" tweet was retweeted around 10 million times and that the Kitchen compounders were working 24 hour shifts because of the seemingly overnight demand of bath bombs.  At one point we only had Blackberry and Pink bath bombs in stock, and customers went frantic thinking we were going out of business.  But even though the galaxy bomb was actually Twilight, many mistook it for Space Girl, and ever since, it's been a high demand bath bomb that's hard to keep in stock.

Space Girl is a bath bomb that never really gripped me in the beginning.  I will admit the black currant scent was intoxicating, and smelled like a juicy, fruity hard candy I could pop in my mouth and suck on all day.  Grapefruit, almond oil, and bergamot also make up this scent.  Shaped like Saturn with a splash of burgundy and glitter on the side, I could see why many young girls were being drawn to this particular bath bomb.  So when I heard it was being discontinued, I decided to pick one up and see what all the fuss was about.

I'll also admit that while the scent and presentation didn't initially draw me to Space Girl, the pictures I saw on social media did.  Many pictures of big bathtubs with a maroon center with a red wine splash in the middle graced both my Tumblr and Instagram feeds.  Maybe this bath bomb would surprise me and be fantastic!  So on one unseasonably cold July night, I plopped this guy into the tub and...was sorely underwhelmed.  Unlike the gas giant she's modeled after, Space Girl sank right to the bottom of my tub and halfheartedly fizzed, a trail of bubbles breaking the surface the only sign that she was even in the tub to begin with.  I brought her up to try and pop her on the surface, but she sank like a stone once again (note: is it weird that I'm referring to a bath bomb as "she?").  My bath slowly turned an earthy maroon-dusty plum color and the sweet scent was mouthwatering.  

A little disappointed that the fizzing time was so fast, I plunked into my tub where the black currant scent washed over me like a cleansing steam.  It felt very sweet and cozy, and I could only imagine what using this bath bomb would feel like in winter as opposed to summer.  It was still light though, and didn't bog me down like heavier scented bath bombs like Fizzbanger.  It smelled like sweet summer berries and looked like shimmery wine.

Overall, Space Girl was kind of a meh bath bomb for me.  While it was one of the more fragrant bath bombs I've used, the presentation left a lot to be desired.  Nonetheless, I was still quite surprised that this was being discontinued.  If you had told me Space Girl was leaving six months ago I wouldn't have batted an eye, but since the "galaxy bomb" craze, this has grown quite a lot in popularity.  I've heard rumors of black currant becoming more difficult to source, and while I can't confirm that (haven't heard anything from Bossman or any other Lush employee about that) it's entirely possible.  I know many will be sad to see this go, but rest assured that when a product is discontinued, a new product is usually waiting in the wings, ready to take its place.  I guess you'll just have to stay tuned to find out what new things are in store!

**Space Girl is certified Vegan

(Review) Rose Bombshell: Bombs are the New Bouquets

There's nothing I love more than a pamper day.  Just a simple day off in your pajamas sipping tea, reading a book, and polishing and primping yourself from head to toe.  Back during the holidays and the "Bath Bomb Rush of 'Aught 14" (aka the "galaxy bomb" going viral on Twitter, which REALLY bumped up sales) a pamper day was all I could dream about.  I would sit my sleep deprived self in the back room on my lunch break, hunched up with my microwaved soup squished between mounds of boxes dreaming of my tub, warm and colorful and filled with bubbles, a mask on my face and a treatment in my hair.  I would have an ice cold drink, a snack, and a good book at my side, and oh it would be bliss!  Then one of my coworkers would fling open the back door, hitting either my knee or my back, frantically looking for a box of bath bombs that we most likely didn't have.  And my dream would be squashed and I would be rudely thrown back into my bathless reality.  Oh well, at least I had my soup!

Now that the holidays and the retail rush has passed, and people in the midwest are stumbling out of their houses after a long winter, business has slowed down.  My guess is they're too busy figuring out what the warm yellow ball in the sky is (spoiler alert: it's the sun).  And because business has slowed down, it means I get some down time to focus on me and relax!  So a few days ago, I planned the biggest, most luxurious pamper day in all of pamper-dome!  I'm talking hair treatments, painfully plucking my brows into a sassy arch, manis and pedis to make my hands sparkle and my feet look less atrocious, and of course, a bath.  Because duh...baths.

 

Rose Bombshell is a limited edition bath bomb released just for Mother's Day!  Seeing as Mama Llama doesn't favor baths, I'm keeping this guy all to myself!  The perfume included is a beautiful blend of rosewood, rose oil, and orange flower absolute.  The rose petals included in the middle are hand picked from fresh roses and dried in house, which is something I find pretty cool!  Normally I dislike "stuff" in my bath bombs, but hearing the raves about this bath bomb from my coworkers, I thought I'd give this one a shot.  The soy milk among the floral bouquet gives Rose Bombshell a soothing element while the scoop of sea salt gives it a nice cleansing element.

 

I have to admit that this bath bomb proved to me that opposites can, and will attract.  I'm not one for floral scents, my skin is sensitive to sea salt, I don't like "stuff" in my bath, and soy milk makes my stomach hurt (obviously I wouldn't be drinking it...but I just needed one more thing to add to my grudge list).  However, when I first gave this bomb a sniff, I was intrigued.  It wasn't overly floral and it definitely wasn't a strong scent.  It obviously had a touch of floral to it, but to me it smelled powdery...slightly woodsy too.  I feel like the orange flower absolute gave it more of an earthy tone and took away any strong floral scent.  When I popped this into my tub, it fizzed into a creamy white foam, until a raspberry colored froth appeared followed by a smart line of rose petals marching their way out.  The last time I used a bath bomb with flowers in it, it was one of the most skin crawling, uncomfortable experiences I've had as a bath taker (that's a review for another day though).  So in order to see if the texture was different, I picked up a petal and to my surprise, it was like velvet!  Turns out that the technique they use to dry these petals is meant to have them rehydrate once they hit the water.  It was like literal fresh rose petals were sprinkled in my bath!  I was relieved and now excited to start my bath, which I will say left me super soft and smelling woodsy and powder light.

Overall Rose Bombshell was a pleasant surprise in my bathtub.  From hesitantly opening my staff box and staring at it with unease, to soaking in a pink lemonade colored bath of rose petals with glee, my opinion on this bomb took a total 180 when my toe first hit the steaming hot water.  I'm glad I enjoyed my sprinkled petal soak, because I always tell my customers and anyone interested in Lush to come in with an open mind.  My hatred for jasmine scented products is scathing, but I still will sniff things with jasmine in it on the off chance that I might like it.  I mean most of the time I don't, but it's the principle of the matter.  Keep an open mind and an open sniffer, and you might find something you love that you never thought you'd even like!

***Rose Bombshell is certified Vegan