Temptation soap

I know, right?

For those who don't know, Temptation is Lush's most expensive soap. I think. It's on sale for a whopping £7.00 per 100g in the current Retro range. Before you say it, no, I didn't spend that much on it. I found a girl on the Lush forum who was selling her chunk for one reason or another and I got a good price on it. One I was more willing to pay, anyway.

I'm sure I wasn't the only Lushie to want to know what this soap is like but never wanted to spend so much on a lump of soap, so it always stayed as something on a wish list.

Most apt name for a soap ever.

All I knew of Temptation was that it smelled of apples. I could never figure out why it was so much more expensive per 100g than So White soap (granted, that only made an appearance as part of a gift set) which also smells of apples. I wasn't sure what to expect when it arrived, so I was surprised anyway.

Before I opened the package I could smell it. I couldn't tell what it was as the apple wasn't immediately obvious, but it was very strong and quite pleasant. I pulled it out and it wasn't bubble-wrapped (tisk), and in it's clear plastic bag it actually looked black. My curiosity rose as I couldn't remember what I had ordered that was black and solid. I had to read the label to find out that this was Temptation...

80g of Temptation soap, slightly bumped and beaten.

Out of it's bag and in the light it is unmistakably green. It even has a red bit in it, which I'm sure is meant to be there... right? It's not just someone's missing toe or something?

The scent was even stronger, obviously, and for once I couldn't decide what it actually smelled like. There was definitely the apple notes, but this fragrance has so many more layers. I think it's one of Lush's most elaborate and I think I can see why it costs so much.

It's not just apple, but something that smells like a classic perfume, something that your favourite, wacky aunt might have worn as she sauntered around town in the 70s, bangles clanking on both wrists, earrings that dangle to her shoulders, wearing bright red lipstick with a Beatles track playing in the background.

The only word I could immediately think of to describe it was 'old', but it's so much more than that. It's retro, hippy, free, fruity, kinda sweet, fragrant and very different, while having a little something that's unmistakably familiar. It's a scent that will linger in your nose and catch in your throat long after you've used it.

Which brings me to my next point...

Much like every other semi-transparent soap that Lush does (Ice Blue, Godmother, etc) it's not very moisturising. In fact, just like the others, it dries out my skin. That's more than likely just me, though. It lathers up slightly better than the others of this type do, though, and I should hope so, for that price. It seems to be one that will last quite a while too, but don't quote me on that.

In summary:
By it if you like apples, strong fragrances, 'perfume' notes, unusual scents.
Don't buy it if you have dry skin, don't like strong smells or only like Lush's creamy soaps.

Am I glad I got it? Yes. Is it worth the money? Eh. Will I be buying it again? Probably not, unless I find some cheap again. I say ask for a sample next time you mail order. It's definitely worth that.

PS. My boyfriend said he loved it, and it smells like apple drops (sweets) to him. In a way I guess I agree, but there's a whole other level of fragrance I don't think his nose is picking up on.

Coalface cleanser

I've been searching for about a year for the right Lush facial cleanser for me. I have dry, sensitive skin, don't you know. Fresh Farmacy and Aqua Marina are a bit too drying for me, Angels On Bare Skin gave me a rash, Dark Angels was OK but made so much of  a mess that I didn't buy a replacement pot once I finished my first, Buche De Noel was too greasy. Mask of Magnaminty (which I'll be reviewing at some point too) is great for a weekly mask/scrub but not ideal as a daily cleanser...

In stepped Coalface. This mysterious, dark and handsome fellow always just hovered outside my attention span. Fresh Farmacy's darker, bad-boy twin brother. He was always there, always intriguing but never top of my Want List and so he never got a chance. Poor old Coalface. How could I have been so clueless? You were there all along, just looking for someone to hold you, someone to need you, promising to never make me sad or angry like the others. Oh... Coalface...

Ahem.

Where was I?

This cleanser is like Fresh Farmacy in shape and texture, but it's jet black and smells of charcoal and licorice. He... I mean, 'it' doesn't dry the skin too much, deeply cleanses, and reduce redness, too, which makes it the cleanser I should have tried in the very beginning.

Poor Coalface. Please forgive me? I love you...

Magic Mushroom bubble bar (Ltd. Ed.)

A bubble bar that smells like strawberries and cream, which is super softening and turns the bath water a flirty shade of red. Sounds really good, doesn't it? Most Lushies would agree with you if you said yes and I have to admit, the sound of it was enough to make me go buy two straight off the bat.

However, for me (and I know there are a few people out there that will strangle me when they read this), it wasn't as great as I had hoped.

When you pick it up it does smell absolutely divine and reminds me of that old favourite shower gel, Yummy Yummy Yummy. It's also quite quirky and cute to look at too, more like a "This is what a four year old would make if asked to make a mushroom from play-doh" than an actual mushroom shape, though I actually like that about it. Who wouldn't?

Unfortunately that's where the appeal for me ends.

I used a full one in my bath because I wanted a full-on fruity kick and lots of bubbles. I got the bubbles alright, but the scent pretty much vanished as soon as it went in the water. It wasn't overly softening compared to other Lush bubble bars either. The icing on the 'just satisfactory' cake was when the bubbles died down and I had a mild moment of panic to find the water looked as though someone had bled out in it. Not very attractive at all.

Sorry , Lush, but I like to bathe in a relaxing tub, not one that looks like something straight out of a horror movie!

I will use my other one and hope that it turns out better than the first, but I'm not sure I'll be buying any more. It's one I won't be stocking up on between releases anyway.

The Mushroom made an appearance last year too so don't panic if you miss it this year. You'll probably see it next year anyway.