Hey you guys, I bought things :)
I got my orders from the UK the other day, porn and mini-reviews/first impressions below the cut:
What you're looking at here is the following: Ro's Argan Body Conditioner, Magic Wand Bubble Bar, Australian Igloo Sugar Scrub, Phoenix Rising Ballistic, Golden Wonder Ballistic, Friends With Benefits Massage Bar, Pow Wow Lip Scrub, trial size Charity Pot lotion, Sparkle Toothy Tabs, Celebrate Lip Tint, Three Gold Rings Bubble Bar, Superstars Bubble Bar, Melting Snowman Bath Melt, Abominaball Ballistic, Chocolala Massage Bar, Latte Lip Tint, Chilli Tingle Lip Tint, Cinders Bath Ballistic, Aqua Miribilis Underwater Bath Melt, So White Ballistic, Skullduggery Ballistic, The Jilted Elf Shower Jelly, Sun And Moon Steamer Tab, Rose Queen Ballistic, Green Bubbleroon, Yuzu And Cocoa Bubbleroon, Rose Jam Bubbleroon and Rocketeer Ballistic.
I also bought some stuff from my local store which isn't in the picture (and mostly things I've reviewed here before so I won't bore anyone with them), and some more retros from the UK which aren't here yet - for all those who don't know, there are some limited edition retros on the UK site now, including Magic Ballistics and the Black Magic Massage Bar, which I bought along with some Tramp/Sonic Death Monkey/Karma Bath Melt.
So, reviews! I haven't had a chance to use everything yet, but everything smells utterly amazing :)
*Ro's Argan Body Conditioner: OMG. You guys. YOU GUYS. There are no words to describe how luscious this stuff smells. I seriously can't even right now. When I first saw it on the website I assumed it was moisturiser, but it's actually meant to be used in the bath/shower after you've used soap or shower gel - it's a conditioner for your body, hence the name, I guess (I R smartz sumtimes). I'm not sure whether it actually made my skin softer or not because I have quite soft skin already, but I for shiz don't even care, it just smells that GOOD. It smells like the most heavenly flower stall at the Faerie Market in Neil Gaiman's "Stardust". There's lots of rose in there, but also something sweeter, like a candy kind of scent, I'm guessing the vanilla. The smell lingers all day, and even though I had plans yesterday to use a combination of moisturisers (Vanilla Dee-lite mixed with the Body Shop's Moringa, which smells like fresh honey), I couldn't bring myself to cover this with anything else. You need this in your lives, you guys. Trust me on this.
*Magic Wand: Haven't used it yet, but it's cute as hell and smells like Snow Fairy's raspberry and icing sugar awesomeness, so what's not to love? Apparently instead of breaking a bit off and crumbling it under running water like you do with the other bubble bars, you're supposed to just move it through the water like you're using a magic wand, which I think is fabulous. I'm not sure it will work - I'm pretty sure that will either break it or result in no bubbles, but I don't care - it's pink, it has bells, and I get to jump around the bathroom pretending I'm a Christmas fairy instead of a sensible, 20-something year old with responsibilities. I love this thing :)
*Australian Igloo sugar scrub: I can't decide what I think of this yet, it's kind of minty and fruity all at the same time. I'll report back with more after I've used it, but I have a feeling this one will be good for when I'm feeling congested or have a hangover - Lush seem to have a tradition of making seasonal products that will pick you up when you feel like crap, and while this isn't in the same league as Jingle Spells from a couple of years back, it's interesting nonetheless.
*Phoenix Rising: Again, OMG, YOU GUYS. Lush have done seriously well with their new stuff this time around, and Phoenix Rising is frickin' amazing. I haven't had a chance to use it yet, but I can already tell it's going to look incredible, and the smell is to die for. You know what it smells like? Professor Dumbledore's office. No, seriously, it totally does - I can smell sherbet lemons, cinammon incense, something sweet and smoky like the puffs of magical smoke that would come from all those strange little silver artifacts, and something fresh and green like the forest surrounding the castle. Also, it's a deep, rich purple like a velvet robe, and the gold sparkles on top look like dust that's fallen from the plumage of a beautiful phoenix. I can't wait till this hits Australian stores so I can stock up.
*This is last year's Snowshowers/Christmas Party scent, which for those of you who don't know, is like a bubbly mimosa, all champagne and sweet orange. It's a very refreshing, uplifting scent, and the ballistic rattles when you shake it - apparently there's candy stars inside? Awesome :) I've also heard that it turns the water blue, which I would not have picked considering the colour of the ballistic itself, but I'll be curious to find out :)
*Friends With Benefits: That is a LOT of marigolds they've packed into that little bar! I wouldn't have thought of marigolds and chocolate as being such an awesome combination, but it really works well. It's another of the really melty bars, and leaves skin very soft and smooth.
*Pow Wow : I have three lip scrubs now, and Pow Wow is absolutely my favourite. I think they've tinkered with the formula a bit this time around, because this is much less dry than last year's Lip Dip, and much easier to use. It also smells and tastes like Awesome and Amazing high-fiving in heaven, it's so good. This is lime candy - actual popping candy - for your lips.
*Charity Pot: Hee, fun-size moisturisers! I keep this by my bed to use as handcream. Until last easter when they released a Ballistic with the scent of charity pot, I didn't realise this was meant to be chocolate scented, because all I could smell was exotic florals, but now that I know, it's totally there! White chocolate and heady orchids. Lovely.
*Sparkle Toothy Tabs: Wow, these are cool! They work really well and I like the enviro-friendly aspect, though I've got to say, not haveing a minty aftertaste is taking some getting used to. Instead, these have a warm, lemon-peppery thing going on, which is odd, but in a good way :) I'm not sure if I'd buy toothy tabs again, I think by the time I'm done with this box the novelty will have worn off, but they're a nice change from a boring tube of Colgate.
*Celebrate: This is so lovely. Lush have obviously worked on the formula of their tints this year - remember how Double Choc and It Started With A Kiss were kind of dry? Like, you had to use lip balm along with them or else they'd look cracked and patchy on your lips? This year's offerings have fixed that problem, they're wonderfully moisturising as well as looking/smelling/tasting fantastic. This is a gorgeous pale pink with a delicate golden shimmer, and has a pink champagne scent that conjures up images of barefoot summer weddings on clover lawns. It looks so pretty in the tin it's almost a shame to swirl your finger around it and mess up the gold topping!
*Three Gold Rings: Haven't used this yet either, but it has exactly the same rich, decadent scent as Creme Anglais, so if you love the lotion but find it too pricey, this might be the way to go. Trying to decide what Ballistic to use it with - suggestions?
*Superstars: I assumed this was going to smell like Yummy Yummy Yummy or Strawberry Feels, but it's a much stronger, sharper strawberry, and seems purer. I like that Lush do the occasional summer fruit scent for Christmas, because not all of us are in a winter wonderland at this time of year - us Australian Lushies are going to suffer through some pretty brutal heat and humidity come December, so it's nice to have a refreshing, fruity scent like this. I used a little bit the other night with a Fairy Jasmine Ballistic, and it was absolutely gorgeous (especially when I added some Tramp and Twilight shower gel and a piece of Ceridwen's Cauldron into the mix!).
*Melting Snowman: I'm not a big fan of the Snowcake scent - in fact when I bought a My Fair Lady gift for myself a couple of weeks ago (needed more Olive Branch/Charity Pot/Almond & Coconut Smoothie and the box was too lovely to resist!) I gave the Smitten handcream to my mum because that wedding-cake-icing scent is just too cloying and suffocating for me. However, this little guy was far too cute to pass up, and I don't think the smell will be that strong in the bath anyway - though he's so adorable I might not have the heart to use him!
*Abominaball: This is so cute! I love the name, because I'm a huge Enid Blyton geek, and whenever the St Clare's girls were naughty in their French classes, Mamzelle would scold them by saying "C'est abominable!" so it kind of makes me giggle. Also, maybe it's just because I stored it too close to my Cinders, but this one really smells like Christmas, y'know? He smells like Christmas trees and candy canes :)
*Chocolala: Oh man, this is so gorgeous, and I can't even pinpoint why. It smells like chocolate (obviously), but also violets, and something I can't put my finger on. The scent definitely takes me back to my childhood, but I have no idea why that is - but who cares, this smells awesome! I havent' used it yet, because in my experience with dark coloured massage bars, they tend to leave sheets/clothing tinted, and I've been wearing light colours lately (and as much as I adore this bar, I do NOT want to introduce it to my thousand-thread-count sheets. That would not end well), however, as soon as I know what it's like on skin, I shall let y'all know :)
*Latte: You know, this might just be a new, all-time favourite. A sophisticated, shimmery nude that smells and tastes like a rich, milky coffee, this transports me right back to a little cafe in Vienna where I had the best cafe latte of my life. This is the scent they should have used when they tried to make that vanilla and coffee scented soap, because it is in-freaking-credible. I require lotion, or shower gel, or a massage bar with this scent, stat.
*Chili Tingle: Okay, so have you read the Joanne Harris book "Chocolat"? Or seen the movie? Because if you have, this will make a lot more sense to you - you know how Vianne makes those delectable looking hot chocolates with a pinch of chilli in them? Use a dab of this tint and all of a sudden you're in a quaint chocolaterie in Lansquenet-sous-Tannes, sipping on a mug of rich Mayan hot chocolate while you listen to Armande's naughty stories. The colour is a delicate shade of tangerine, and it's ridiculously moisturising. I am involved with this tint, you guys.
*Cinders & Snow White: I reviewed these last year (I think?) so I won't go there again, except to mention that these are both awesome. And apparently they've made the popping candy more dramatic in Cinders this year, so I'm looking forward to using it!
*Aqua Miribilis melt: This is still wrapped up and it looks crumbly so I don't want to unwrap it until I'm going to use it, which means I can't really tell what it smells like. I mean, I assume it smells like the body butter, kind of nutty and resiny and exotic, but I guess I'll have to wait and see - has anyone used this before?
*Skullduggery: This is the same neroli-and-lime scent as last year's Halloween products, in the shape of a cute little skull with hearts for eyes!
*Jilted Elf: You guys, I am not sure what this smells like. I can't even think of a way to describe it really, because it's awesome, but that doesn't really tell you much, does it? It's kind of like herbal tea, but also juicy, fruity, and almost boozy - apparently it was inspired by a cocktail which combines figs, earl grey tea, tangerine, honey and vodka, so that pretty much sums it up. It's odd, and definitely not for everyone, but I totally love it - besides, it's bright green and sparkly!
*Sun & Moon: As you might be able to tell from the picture, my poor little tab didn't survive the journey from the UK very well, so a replacement is on the way. The crushed little pieces smell pretty damn good, but it's hard to be more informative than that until I've used it.
*Rose Queen: Lush have done wonders with their new rose scented products. Turkish Delight is lovely, but I'm not the biggest fan of Imogen Rose - the baby powder note sort of kills it for me (though luckily it doesn't come through very strongly on my skin, so I still use it from time to time). This is a much more grown-up rose scent, and Rose Queen is a very good name for it, because it really does smell kind of regal!
*Green Bubbleroon: Praise everyone and everything, for this is a Grass scented bubble bar! I'm a total eco-freak, so I love it when Lush make things that smell Green! This is just as fresh and lovely as the shower gel, I've been hanging out for a tree-hugging-hippie scented bubble bar ever since they discontinued my beloved Green Day (though I do still have a tiny piece of this that I'm saving for an uber-special occasion). This would probably be lovely with So White - has anyone tried it with anything yet?
*Yuzu and Cocoa: This is another one I can't put my finger on, but it's so amazing I'm determined to try! It's fruity, chocolatey, fresh, and I kind of want to eat it (I won't though). I haven't used it yet, but it's such a unique scent I can't think of anything to pair it with, so I might see how it travels solo :)
*Rose Jam: This is really similar to Rose Queen, but kind of sharper and fruitier. I'm stupidly excited about using some of this with Rose Queen and some Ro's Argan Body Conditioner, because Lush are on to a serious winner with these new rose scents!
*Rocketeer: I love this! I haven't used it yet, but the vanilla candy scent is absolutely amazing, it smells like the lollies I used to eat when I was little!
Well, that's me done for now - how are you guys enjoying the Christmas products?
What you're looking at here is the following: Ro's Argan Body Conditioner, Magic Wand Bubble Bar, Australian Igloo Sugar Scrub, Phoenix Rising Ballistic, Golden Wonder Ballistic, Friends With Benefits Massage Bar, Pow Wow Lip Scrub, trial size Charity Pot lotion, Sparkle Toothy Tabs, Celebrate Lip Tint, Three Gold Rings Bubble Bar, Superstars Bubble Bar, Melting Snowman Bath Melt, Abominaball Ballistic, Chocolala Massage Bar, Latte Lip Tint, Chilli Tingle Lip Tint, Cinders Bath Ballistic, Aqua Miribilis Underwater Bath Melt, So White Ballistic, Skullduggery Ballistic, The Jilted Elf Shower Jelly, Sun And Moon Steamer Tab, Rose Queen Ballistic, Green Bubbleroon, Yuzu And Cocoa Bubbleroon, Rose Jam Bubbleroon and Rocketeer Ballistic.
I also bought some stuff from my local store which isn't in the picture (and mostly things I've reviewed here before so I won't bore anyone with them), and some more retros from the UK which aren't here yet - for all those who don't know, there are some limited edition retros on the UK site now, including Magic Ballistics and the Black Magic Massage Bar, which I bought along with some Tramp/Sonic Death Monkey/Karma Bath Melt.
So, reviews! I haven't had a chance to use everything yet, but everything smells utterly amazing :)
*Ro's Argan Body Conditioner: OMG. You guys. YOU GUYS. There are no words to describe how luscious this stuff smells. I seriously can't even right now. When I first saw it on the website I assumed it was moisturiser, but it's actually meant to be used in the bath/shower after you've used soap or shower gel - it's a conditioner for your body, hence the name, I guess (I R smartz sumtimes). I'm not sure whether it actually made my skin softer or not because I have quite soft skin already, but I for shiz don't even care, it just smells that GOOD. It smells like the most heavenly flower stall at the Faerie Market in Neil Gaiman's "Stardust". There's lots of rose in there, but also something sweeter, like a candy kind of scent, I'm guessing the vanilla. The smell lingers all day, and even though I had plans yesterday to use a combination of moisturisers (Vanilla Dee-lite mixed with the Body Shop's Moringa, which smells like fresh honey), I couldn't bring myself to cover this with anything else. You need this in your lives, you guys. Trust me on this.
*Magic Wand: Haven't used it yet, but it's cute as hell and smells like Snow Fairy's raspberry and icing sugar awesomeness, so what's not to love? Apparently instead of breaking a bit off and crumbling it under running water like you do with the other bubble bars, you're supposed to just move it through the water like you're using a magic wand, which I think is fabulous. I'm not sure it will work - I'm pretty sure that will either break it or result in no bubbles, but I don't care - it's pink, it has bells, and I get to jump around the bathroom pretending I'm a Christmas fairy instead of a sensible, 20-something year old with responsibilities. I love this thing :)
*Australian Igloo sugar scrub: I can't decide what I think of this yet, it's kind of minty and fruity all at the same time. I'll report back with more after I've used it, but I have a feeling this one will be good for when I'm feeling congested or have a hangover - Lush seem to have a tradition of making seasonal products that will pick you up when you feel like crap, and while this isn't in the same league as Jingle Spells from a couple of years back, it's interesting nonetheless.
*Phoenix Rising: Again, OMG, YOU GUYS. Lush have done seriously well with their new stuff this time around, and Phoenix Rising is frickin' amazing. I haven't had a chance to use it yet, but I can already tell it's going to look incredible, and the smell is to die for. You know what it smells like? Professor Dumbledore's office. No, seriously, it totally does - I can smell sherbet lemons, cinammon incense, something sweet and smoky like the puffs of magical smoke that would come from all those strange little silver artifacts, and something fresh and green like the forest surrounding the castle. Also, it's a deep, rich purple like a velvet robe, and the gold sparkles on top look like dust that's fallen from the plumage of a beautiful phoenix. I can't wait till this hits Australian stores so I can stock up.
*This is last year's Snowshowers/Christmas Party scent, which for those of you who don't know, is like a bubbly mimosa, all champagne and sweet orange. It's a very refreshing, uplifting scent, and the ballistic rattles when you shake it - apparently there's candy stars inside? Awesome :) I've also heard that it turns the water blue, which I would not have picked considering the colour of the ballistic itself, but I'll be curious to find out :)
*Friends With Benefits: That is a LOT of marigolds they've packed into that little bar! I wouldn't have thought of marigolds and chocolate as being such an awesome combination, but it really works well. It's another of the really melty bars, and leaves skin very soft and smooth.
*Pow Wow : I have three lip scrubs now, and Pow Wow is absolutely my favourite. I think they've tinkered with the formula a bit this time around, because this is much less dry than last year's Lip Dip, and much easier to use. It also smells and tastes like Awesome and Amazing high-fiving in heaven, it's so good. This is lime candy - actual popping candy - for your lips.
*Charity Pot: Hee, fun-size moisturisers! I keep this by my bed to use as handcream. Until last easter when they released a Ballistic with the scent of charity pot, I didn't realise this was meant to be chocolate scented, because all I could smell was exotic florals, but now that I know, it's totally there! White chocolate and heady orchids. Lovely.
*Sparkle Toothy Tabs: Wow, these are cool! They work really well and I like the enviro-friendly aspect, though I've got to say, not haveing a minty aftertaste is taking some getting used to. Instead, these have a warm, lemon-peppery thing going on, which is odd, but in a good way :) I'm not sure if I'd buy toothy tabs again, I think by the time I'm done with this box the novelty will have worn off, but they're a nice change from a boring tube of Colgate.
*Celebrate: This is so lovely. Lush have obviously worked on the formula of their tints this year - remember how Double Choc and It Started With A Kiss were kind of dry? Like, you had to use lip balm along with them or else they'd look cracked and patchy on your lips? This year's offerings have fixed that problem, they're wonderfully moisturising as well as looking/smelling/tasting fantastic. This is a gorgeous pale pink with a delicate golden shimmer, and has a pink champagne scent that conjures up images of barefoot summer weddings on clover lawns. It looks so pretty in the tin it's almost a shame to swirl your finger around it and mess up the gold topping!
*Three Gold Rings: Haven't used this yet either, but it has exactly the same rich, decadent scent as Creme Anglais, so if you love the lotion but find it too pricey, this might be the way to go. Trying to decide what Ballistic to use it with - suggestions?
*Superstars: I assumed this was going to smell like Yummy Yummy Yummy or Strawberry Feels, but it's a much stronger, sharper strawberry, and seems purer. I like that Lush do the occasional summer fruit scent for Christmas, because not all of us are in a winter wonderland at this time of year - us Australian Lushies are going to suffer through some pretty brutal heat and humidity come December, so it's nice to have a refreshing, fruity scent like this. I used a little bit the other night with a Fairy Jasmine Ballistic, and it was absolutely gorgeous (especially when I added some Tramp and Twilight shower gel and a piece of Ceridwen's Cauldron into the mix!).
*Melting Snowman: I'm not a big fan of the Snowcake scent - in fact when I bought a My Fair Lady gift for myself a couple of weeks ago (needed more Olive Branch/Charity Pot/Almond & Coconut Smoothie and the box was too lovely to resist!) I gave the Smitten handcream to my mum because that wedding-cake-icing scent is just too cloying and suffocating for me. However, this little guy was far too cute to pass up, and I don't think the smell will be that strong in the bath anyway - though he's so adorable I might not have the heart to use him!
*Abominaball: This is so cute! I love the name, because I'm a huge Enid Blyton geek, and whenever the St Clare's girls were naughty in their French classes, Mamzelle would scold them by saying "C'est abominable!" so it kind of makes me giggle. Also, maybe it's just because I stored it too close to my Cinders, but this one really smells like Christmas, y'know? He smells like Christmas trees and candy canes :)
*Chocolala: Oh man, this is so gorgeous, and I can't even pinpoint why. It smells like chocolate (obviously), but also violets, and something I can't put my finger on. The scent definitely takes me back to my childhood, but I have no idea why that is - but who cares, this smells awesome! I havent' used it yet, because in my experience with dark coloured massage bars, they tend to leave sheets/clothing tinted, and I've been wearing light colours lately (and as much as I adore this bar, I do NOT want to introduce it to my thousand-thread-count sheets. That would not end well), however, as soon as I know what it's like on skin, I shall let y'all know :)
*Latte: You know, this might just be a new, all-time favourite. A sophisticated, shimmery nude that smells and tastes like a rich, milky coffee, this transports me right back to a little cafe in Vienna where I had the best cafe latte of my life. This is the scent they should have used when they tried to make that vanilla and coffee scented soap, because it is in-freaking-credible. I require lotion, or shower gel, or a massage bar with this scent, stat.
*Chili Tingle: Okay, so have you read the Joanne Harris book "Chocolat"? Or seen the movie? Because if you have, this will make a lot more sense to you - you know how Vianne makes those delectable looking hot chocolates with a pinch of chilli in them? Use a dab of this tint and all of a sudden you're in a quaint chocolaterie in Lansquenet-sous-Tannes, sipping on a mug of rich Mayan hot chocolate while you listen to Armande's naughty stories. The colour is a delicate shade of tangerine, and it's ridiculously moisturising. I am involved with this tint, you guys.
*Cinders & Snow White: I reviewed these last year (I think?) so I won't go there again, except to mention that these are both awesome. And apparently they've made the popping candy more dramatic in Cinders this year, so I'm looking forward to using it!
*Aqua Miribilis melt: This is still wrapped up and it looks crumbly so I don't want to unwrap it until I'm going to use it, which means I can't really tell what it smells like. I mean, I assume it smells like the body butter, kind of nutty and resiny and exotic, but I guess I'll have to wait and see - has anyone used this before?
*Skullduggery: This is the same neroli-and-lime scent as last year's Halloween products, in the shape of a cute little skull with hearts for eyes!
*Jilted Elf: You guys, I am not sure what this smells like. I can't even think of a way to describe it really, because it's awesome, but that doesn't really tell you much, does it? It's kind of like herbal tea, but also juicy, fruity, and almost boozy - apparently it was inspired by a cocktail which combines figs, earl grey tea, tangerine, honey and vodka, so that pretty much sums it up. It's odd, and definitely not for everyone, but I totally love it - besides, it's bright green and sparkly!
*Sun & Moon: As you might be able to tell from the picture, my poor little tab didn't survive the journey from the UK very well, so a replacement is on the way. The crushed little pieces smell pretty damn good, but it's hard to be more informative than that until I've used it.
*Rose Queen: Lush have done wonders with their new rose scented products. Turkish Delight is lovely, but I'm not the biggest fan of Imogen Rose - the baby powder note sort of kills it for me (though luckily it doesn't come through very strongly on my skin, so I still use it from time to time). This is a much more grown-up rose scent, and Rose Queen is a very good name for it, because it really does smell kind of regal!
*Green Bubbleroon: Praise everyone and everything, for this is a Grass scented bubble bar! I'm a total eco-freak, so I love it when Lush make things that smell Green! This is just as fresh and lovely as the shower gel, I've been hanging out for a tree-hugging-hippie scented bubble bar ever since they discontinued my beloved Green Day (though I do still have a tiny piece of this that I'm saving for an uber-special occasion). This would probably be lovely with So White - has anyone tried it with anything yet?
*Yuzu and Cocoa: This is another one I can't put my finger on, but it's so amazing I'm determined to try! It's fruity, chocolatey, fresh, and I kind of want to eat it (I won't though). I haven't used it yet, but it's such a unique scent I can't think of anything to pair it with, so I might see how it travels solo :)
*Rose Jam: This is really similar to Rose Queen, but kind of sharper and fruitier. I'm stupidly excited about using some of this with Rose Queen and some Ro's Argan Body Conditioner, because Lush are on to a serious winner with these new rose scents!
*Rocketeer: I love this! I haven't used it yet, but the vanilla candy scent is absolutely amazing, it smells like the lollies I used to eat when I was little!
Well, that's me done for now - how are you guys enjoying the Christmas products?