It’s rare that I even think about buying a new perfume these days — I have enough to last me and then some — but shower gels are another matter entirely. For one thing, even if I don’t end up loving them, and even if I have too many in my shower already, they will get used up before they spoil. Lush is a favorite, and they launch new products at a steady pace, so it’s not unusual for me to want, say, 4 or 5 or 6 of them at once. My trips to the mall are few and far between, though, and Lush products come and go relatively quickly, which explains why in a fit of panic I recently ordered 5 products unsniffed, lest they sell out before I get my hands on them.
Posh Chocolate Shower Gel was an obvious lemming, since I adore everything about the Posh Chocolate Body Wash except the packaging — it’s kind of amusing to scoop something that looks and smells just like brownie batter out of a tub, but isn’t all that convenient, especially if you do as much product blending as I do. The shower gel is just as amazingly edible-smelling, and as with the body wash, a tiny dab blends well with almost everything: Lush Rose Jam, Lush Sticky Dates, any sort of citrus or fruity shower gel you can think of, etc etc. If they keep making it, it will be a staple. For now, I’ve just got the 100 ml travel size, which I purchased in a gift set that came with…
Posh Chocolate Body Lotion. It’s the same brownie batter smell, just not quite as intense, and at first I was slightly disappointed. But I have come to appreciate that they didn’t go overboard. The shower products don’t last on skin, but the lotion does, and the light waft of milky chocolate batter that lingers on my bathrobe and clothing is just right, and makes it a good base for layering with fragrance. (The gift set, which also includes a Soft Coeur Massage Bar, is $44. At the moment they are not selling the lotion separately. You can buy the shower gel separately, 3 sizes, $12.50 – $40, or a scrub in 2 sizes, $16 – $32.*)
Cherry Pop Shower Gel is an ugly shade of green in the bottle, and yes, as advertised, it turns red when you pour it in your hand, although it stays green on a scrub sponge until it hits skin. In the bottle, it smells pretty much like cherry cough syrup, and it would be perfect for me if it stayed that way. Alas, as it hits water the cherry fades, and I may end up using the whole bottle just trying to figure out what the “dry down” reminds me of…it’s not bad, but it’s not cherry pop or cherry candy or cherry anything to me either, and it’s not quite the almond, lime, balsamic vinegar and cinnamon notes listed on the Lush website either. The reviews there, by the way, are much more positive than mine. I am not hating it at all but I have not found any way to improve it by blending (I tried it with all the other shower gels reviewed here, plus a few others) and I won’t replace it when it’s gone. (Limited edition and already listed as “last chance”; 3 sizes, $12.50 – $40.)
Bananaaa Shower Cream, from the Minions collection, is a bright, almost-alarming yellow, and has a fun banana candy smell that reminds me of a bit of Comptoir Sud Pacifique Vanille Banane, but blended here with lots and lots of coconut. On its own, it smells like a tropical cocktail waiting for its rum float and umbrella; blended with Posh Chocolate, it reminds me somewhat of a Mounds Bar. I like this one quite a bit more than the Cherry Pop, but Lush shower gels are a splurge, so I have to love them if I’m going to replace one after it’s gone. Bananaaa doesn’t quite qualify. (Limited Edition, 3 sizes, $12.50 – $40.)
On the other hand, I had only used Sunrise Shower Gel twice before I went back and ordered three 250 ml bottles (they did not have the larger size in stock and they still don’t): I learned my lesson with Wash Behind Your Ears and Mimosa, both long gone and sorely missed. They’ve captured the cheerful color of SunnyD or some other “orange drink”, and the gel smells like fresh orange juice with a generous twist of lemon peel. It is beautifully zesty and bright, and a big dollop with a little dab of Posh Chocolate* or Sticky Dates or Rose Jam is lovely. It also goes well with Bananaaa, and yes, Sunrise + Bananaaa + Posh Chocolate is pretty enjoyable too. If it were not so expensive (and about to be so rare), it would replace ShiKai Yuzu as my basic blending agent, and if it was added to the regular line up, it would replace Happy Hippy as my must-have-at-all-times shower gel from Lush. (Limited edition and already listed as “last chance”; 2 sizes, $12.50 – $26.)
If you’ve tried any of these, or found any other fun shower gels recently, do comment!
*I should note that Lush also has a Chocolate Orange shower gel at the moment, but it’s a subscription exclusive, plus there’s a Posh White Chocolate and Rose that’s sold in a gel, body wash and scrub.