Lush 50% Off Haul

While I skipped the Boxing Day madness (happily spending the day with a friend and one adorable cavoodle instead), I heard about the 50% off sales Lush was having and made it a mission to get myself to one of their stores the next day. Last year, I purchased the Festive Fiesta tin at half price and was only beginning to tentatively explore the brand. This year, with my fondness for Lush having grown considerably, I went all out. I could barely go shopping anywhere else afterwards because the jumbo paper bag I was carrying weighed a tonne and was laughably oversized.

Lush SNAP!! and Getting Ziggy With It gift set contents

I ended up with two gift sets, a 250g bottle of Rose Jam shower gel and a 100g bottle of Snow Fairy. Inside the SNAP!! box, designed to resemble a giant Christmas cracker, was a Christmas Penguin Bubble Bar (100g), Fizzbanger Bath Ballistic, Mr Punch Soap (100g), Cinders Bath Ballistic, Red Fun (100g) and Shoot for the Stars Bath Ballistic. The 9-piece Getting Ziggy With It set included a Lord of Misrule Bath Bomb, Grass Shower Gel (100g), The Olive Branch Shower Gel (100g), Karma Soap (100g), Ponche Shower Gel (100g), Noriko Soap (100g), Gold Fun (100g), Sunnyside Bubble Bar and Dragon's Egg Bath Ballistic.

I think a large part of the appeal of Lush, at least to me, is that it makes bath time fun for adults. Their inventive and playful products can transform something pedestrian and chore-like as washing yourself every day to an enjoyable exercise. I've never tried a Bath Ballistic or Bubble Bar before, but I'm very much looking forward to testing them out one by one once the colder weather rolls around (though that won't be any time soon, since summer's only started here in Australia). Lush shower gels are always delightfully fragrant but never predictable, with creative and varied concoctions to suit every mood and time of day. They're truly a treat to use, lather well and unlike philosophy shower gels, the scent stays close to the skin after you've stepped out of the shower and dried yourself off.

Not entirely sure what Fun is? I was a little perplexed at first at these soft, Play-Doh like bars. I have the red one (with mandarin and orange essential oils) and gold (a special Christmas Fun that shares the same honey toffee fragrance as the Honey I Washed the Kids soap). These "multipurpose, moldable soaps" can be used on the body in the shower, broken off in the bath, or as shampoo. I'm curious to find out how well they'll dissolve or foam under water, given Musings of a Muse didn't rate them too highly. I've surprisingly enjoyed using the juicy blackcurrant Sweetie Pie Shower Jelly in my hair as shampoo, so hopefully Fun turns out to be another unusual but perfectly functional substitute for my regular, boring Pantene.