There are few brands that I truly love with a passion, and if you asked me, the first that would come to mind without hesitation is LUSH. If you’re not familiar already, trust me, you’re missing out! Yes, you can buy them online, but there is nothing *quite* like the experience of visiting a LUSH shop.
My first ever trip? June 2006, I was 14 years old on a foreign exchange trip to England & I wandered into the Covent Garden shop during our group’s visit and thought I’d stumbled upon heaven. Within a minute of walking through the door, a friendly flamboyant man in all black took my hand & escorted me to a sink, scrubbed my hands with a soothing salt scrub, and gave me a hand massage with the most delicious moisturizer. I stayed so long I didn’t get a chance to visit a single other shop & barely caught the group bus back, but I left there the happiest of clams with more bath bombs and samples from the ultra nice salespeople than realistically could fit in my luggage home.
This was my first ever luxury consumer experience (I’d never even had a manicure before that day). Honestly, looking back, it’s probably the spark for my interest in beauty & skincare, so it’s fitting to make it the topic of my first blog posts.
LUSH does a LOT of things well & I will be covering other areas of their product line on the blog, but the thing they are in my mind that they are unequivocally the gold standard for is Bath Bombs. They actually INVENTED the bath bomb! I love me a long bath & I’ve tried a LOT of other bath bomb brands, but nothing quite compares to a LUSH bath bomb.
Not every bath bomb of theirs is a knockout in my book, but no other brand consistently delivers on the three essential elements to me that make a good bath bomb. Those three things are:
- A fragrant & aesthetically beautiful but solid bomb at purchase.
- A showy dissolve that’s fun to watch! I’m so bored by a plain fizzer.
- A moisturizing soak that doesn’t irritate my sensitive skin.
Now, not all of their bombs meet all my requirements, they offer a large variety of experiences & everyone’s skin is going to have different needs – which is why they are lovely!
Their salespeople are great at guiding you towards the right items for you with an insane amount of product knowledge- but if you aren’t close to a store you can still find the right fit online. There is helpful sorting tools on their site, I look for moisturizing oils, citrus scents, & bright colors so I often shop under the #bathart tab!
Here is a list of all my favorite LUSH bombs; their selection varies seasonally & not everything comes back, so I’m sorry if something I love isn’t available. If something you want to try isn’t offered now, it may come again. And if not, you’ll just have to blow this post up so LUSH notices & decides to release a limited edition gift box of all my favorite bombs. (which would literally be a dream!) #lifegoals
It’s easy to see why this one is a favorite. It’s a rainbow bath bomb! Its description says it is “a peaceful, uplifting scent that will surround you in a loving embrace like a crowd at Woodstock.” While I may not have prior Woodstock experience to reference, I feel like it delivers. I love the calming scent of Ylang Ylang, and it’s definitely an fragrance I seek out in a bomb. Bergamot Oil is also a favorite for how it makes my skin feel & glow. I think Rosewood oil makes this unique to the other bombs I like, I don’t think I have tried another bomb with that ingredient & it gives it an earthy vibe. While it’s not the prettiest color once dissolved, it’s a showy dissolve with lots of fun colors in the begining and that is more what I enjoy. I don’t mind if the color isn’t beautiful while I lay there in peace!
To purchase A Groovy Kind of Love, click here.
For years, this was the bomb I compared all other bath bombs to. While it’s no longer the one I look forward to the most in the box, it’s included every single order & my favorite comfort bomb. Aptly named “The Comforter” this bomb feels like putting on your coziest sweater or a warm hug. It is the bath bomb I reach for when I have had the worst day. Pairs well with tears and a pint of Ben & Jerry’s, perfect for breakups. Its scent is as sweet as its color, dissolving into a thick fizzy moisturizing soak I can only describe as delicious. Another one full of Bergamot Oil, but this time paired with Cassis (Blackcurrant) & Cypress Oil. Pair it with the coordinating Comforter Bubble Bar for a truly next-level bathing experience.
To purchase The Comforter, click here.
Youki Hi
This one’s a quiet one, but it’s wonderful. This humble little orange bomb doesn’t put on a show. It just fizzes away slowly (though with a nice spin), letting out the most beautiful fragrance. A little patience, and you’ll see a little spiky pink flower pop up in the water hidden in the center of the bomb. Where this one shines is it’s soak! With Jasmine, Ylang-Ylang, Palmarosa, Gardenia & Cypress, it’s scent is completely unique and wonderful. The water was so soothing & moisturizing I didn’t want to get out of the tub. This one is definitely my quiet hero on the list.
Sadly, it’s not currently available, but we hope LUSH will bring it back soon.
It feels wrong not to include a bomb with a little bit of aphrodisiac action, so we’re adding in Sex Bomb. If you like having Tom Jones stuck in your head while you soak, this bombs for you! All jokes aside, this is a great bomb & a wonderful soak. Nothing too special to watch dissolve, though the little pink flower made of some kind of soap or something is a nice touch of visual interest vaguely reminiscent of the female anatomy. Ylang-Ylang, Jasmine, & Clary Sage together work as the aphrodisiac (or just smell nice) & soy milk provides a lovely light moisturizing effect. It’s the perfect bomb to towel off & head straight to the bedroom, knowing your skin feels amazing to the touch. Pretty sure this one is ALWAYS available!
To purchase Sex Bomb, click here.
This is my go-to when my skin feels absolutely parched! This colorless simple white bomb has absolutely nothing but the essentials, Fair Trade Cocoa Butter & – you guessed it – Ylang-Ylang! This one is perfect if you have sensitive skin or just want a nice soothing soak with no frills. I will also often use this simultaneously with a “showy” bath bomb that I find drying to make it more enjoyable. Reviews mention this leaving a film, & I would agree, this definitely leaves a residue in your tub, it’s the cocoa butter.
To purchase Butterball, click here.
One of my favorites for aesthetics, this bomb features a cocoa butter dipped chrysanthemum on top that provides beautiful decoration as well as moisture. Other ingredients include Lavender & Almond Oil. This bomb is soothing & calming, while providing great moisture. The soak is a dreamy, cloudy blue water that I find lovely to soak in, however the scent is quite delicate & fades quickly, so I like to pair it with some lit candles.
To purchase Floating Flower, click here.
My favorite before bed soak. They mean it when they say deep sleep, the first time I tried this, I felt like I’d slipped into a coma overnight. I slept so soundly & awoke so refreshed! Most of the lavender based bath bombs feature some loose lavender flowers, which I find extremely labor-intensive to clean up. But not to worry, LUSH has enclosed this bomb in a little cloth sachet, so you don’t have to spend your evening picking the little lavender pods out of your jacuzzi jets which I love. Honestly, they should do this on more bombs. There are like 4 different kinds of lavender plus chamomile, so trust me, it’s very soothing. Falling asleep in the tub is a genuine possibility, do not pair with CBD unless you want to drown.
To purchase Deep Sleep, click here.
* but actually ocean something super bomb
I don’t remember the actual name of this item, but it was amazing! LUSH previously offered these giant bombs that were hollow and filled with loose powder & interesting bits like flowers. They are similar to what they offered this past year at Christmas called Wonder Balls but with better stuff inside. I loved them but they were very messy, and had lots of reviews complaining about that, which is probably why they stopped offering it. My favorite was the blue one, full of salt & seaweed. Typically, that is NOT what I would pick out, I tend to avoid the salt heavy ones, but it was the only super bomb in stock when I ordered so I went for it. I went into it expecting to hate it, but it ended up being one of my top 5 bathing experiences. The salt was soothing & not to harsh, the seaweed not too fishy (I hate fish) & surprisingly – the softest thing I’ve ever felt. I loved playing with the seaweed in the water & it felt amazing to rub all over your body. I spent over an hour in the tub living out all my childhood Thirteenth Year fantasies feeling like an actual mermaid. It was discontinued before I got a chance to order another! LUSH, please bring this bomb back. It was hands down the messiest thing I’ve ever had to clean, I was finding little leftover blue bits in baths for the next couple weeks. But it was worth it, and I want it back.
If this sounds amazing to you, while less impressive, their current bomb Big Blue has similar ingredients; click here to purchase. I haven’t tried it yet, but I’m adding it to my cart as we speak!
All images sourced from Lushusa.com
a curated life 