Humango by Sally

About the item:

Humango Bath Bomb
24.59 oz / 700 grams
$14.00 (now discontinued and not for sale)

The official Lush website no longer makes mention of Humango anywhere on their site (in fact, if you search Humango, there will be no results found!). However, I found a description of the item that was originally on the Lush website stored away on Amazon. So, the description says that “Humango bath bomb is four times the weight” of a usual bath bomb, and it is “scented with reviving, You’ve Been Mangoed fragrance of lemongrass, lime and lemon essential oils. It blasts you into wakefulness with a humongous helping of refreshing scents. Inside, you’ve got tiny pieces of You’ve Been Mangoed bath melt to moisturise your skin with nutritious mango butter.” Yum.

As the website no longer makes mention of Humango, I can’t seem to find a complete ingredient list anywhere. I emailed Lush for information on the item, but until I get it, I can only go off of the above listed description for clues as to what is in it.

My Review:

I’ve probably mentioned this before, but I had never thought twice about taking a bath until I met Lush one fateful afternoon in Harvard Square, Boston. Frankly, it seemed like a grand old waste of time (and water– because I insisted on the water being piping hot). Seriously, what a pain in the ass! Walking into the bathroom, assessing the condition of the tub… peeling the long hairs or dog hairs from the sides, and then wondering how the dog hairs even got there… either bleaching or spraying mildew remover accordingly, depending on how scuzzy the tub really is…

Yeah, so my pre-bath routine might be a little different from YOUR pre-bath routine, but whatever. I’m a college student living with four other people who don’t always share the same hygiene standards that I hold myself to. Showering is easy on my OCD; only my feet touch the tub. But a bath? Too much work for not a lot of fun. Well, Humango changed all that. Actually, to be honest with you, Supernova ballistic changed all that, but Humango made me want to stay in my dog-hairy-soap-scummy tub forever.

I received this bath bomb in a group order from the UK a looong time ago, but it came all smashed up. Bummer. I told Lush customer service about it and, peaches that they are, they sent me TWO brand spankin’ new ones. I put them on my shelf on top of all my other bath bombs, perched like the kings of the mountain that they are, and let their aroma fill my room for a few weeks. I couldn’t work up the motivation to actually use one… they’re huge! About four-five times the size of normal bath bombs and weighing in at roughly 1.5 pounds, I didn’t have the heart to break them up but also couldn’t fathom using the entire thing on something as inferior as my college kid, suave infested tub. After all, how could I let something so beautiful witness the treachary of a tub filled with common bath goods from the local CVS? No, no, it just didn’t seem right. So I let it sit in my room, nice and warm, squishing all my other Lush.

And squish it did. Let me reiterate: 1.5 pounds of bath bomb. Lifting this thing to smell it was simultaneously working out my biceps. But I didn’t care, because I couldn’t stop smelling it! It carried a 10 foot aura of lemongrass and citrus everywhere it went, and although the picture correctly depicts the fact that it was colorless, it does NOT accurately demonstrate the speckles of bath bombs contained within it.

Now, if you’ve ever owned a Humango or seen a video of it, I’m curious to know: how many You’ve Been Mango’d bath melt chunks (roughly) were in your bath bomb? Even this video of Humango does NOT do it justice. If I had taken all of the chunks of you’ve been mango’d that were in my Humango and combined them, I likely would have had eight full bath melts. Was I just lucky? Did I get a Humango with an unusual amount of bath melt in it? Now, those bath melts sell for $5-6 a pop– you do the math. When I finally decided to use this, I put the entire thing in because I couldn’t bear to break it and it fizzed for over ten minutes! Huge chunks of bath melt were floating in the tub with me, so I snatched them up to rub on my skin for extra softener. This bath bomb was worth way more than $14.

The cons? Well, it was expensive, like I said. But it was so worth it. I mean, if you’re into bath goods and taking baths, this is the king of all bath bombs. It was incredible. If I lucked out and got a super charged Humango, then I’m not sure you’ll have the same experience as I did. The bath melts REALLY added to this bath bomb and made it ten times more enjoyable than I predict it would have been otherwise. The other big con for me is that it was colorless! So lame! The tub stayed a murky clear-brown weirdness that develops after taking a bath when you’re filthy from a long day of work and general wear-and-tear. I love the colors that bath bombs change the water (it is a big part of the experience for me, in fact), so not seeing beautiful bright colors really saddened me.

To anyone who loves citrus smells, I highly recommend you try to pick one of these up on ebay. I’ve seen a few auctions for them at around $15, which may be well worth it if your little heart is set on trying this. Otherwise, feel free to take a stab at our latest promotion.

Advertise this blog somewhere (on a forum, in a comment on another blog, in your blog… anywhere!) and post a comment with the link to where you advertised, as well as your email so I can contact you, and I’ll enter you in a raffle to get a piece of my shattered Humango. Alex will choose three winners at random. The drawing will occur February 19th, so get your comments posted by February 18th.

Bang-for-your-Buck Rating: $$
Overall Rating: 5

Seanik Solid Shampoo by Alex

About the Item

Seanik Solid Shampoo

1.9 Oz. for $9.95

One size only

The Official Lush Website says that “this little puck of joy buffs and shines like no liquid can. A couple of swipes worked up into a lather to moisturize the scalp, breathe life into the lifeless and shine your hair like a champ. Economical and easy to use, Seanik’s citrus and seaweed combo enriches and enlivens while its fragrance entices all who cross your path. Now proudly SLS-free.”

Sodium Coco-Sulfate, Irish Moss Gel (Chondrus crispus), Perfume, Nori Seaweed (Fucus vesiculosus), Sea Salt (Sodium Chloride), Lemon Oil (Citrus limonum), Mimosa Absolute (Mimosa tenuiflora), Orange Blossom Absolute (Citrus dulcis), Jasmine Absolute (Jasminum officinale), Cocamide DEA, *Limonene, FD&C Blue No.1

My Review:

Like many of my generation, I’ve oft romanticized the bourgeois vagrant lifestyle. Sleeping on couches, getting by on the kindness of others, making friends on the road and carrying everything you’ve got on your back. It’s a very early-American (in a good way) kind of yearning for simple comforts and joyous freedom. Freedom from oppressive institutions that try and keep you in the suburbs, working for the man, squeezing chemical shampoo out of gigantic bottles, happy to be chained to synthetic ultra-shine haircare products. And that’s really what Seanik Solid Shampoo bar is all about. Mobility, sustainability and limited liability (and the award for Best Segue of the Year goes to…)

First and foremost, why should you use a solid shampoo when there are plenty of excellent (debatable) bottled shampoos out there? For one thing, each little cake of this soap is equal to 3 regular sized bottles of shampoo. I’ll say that again, because honestly, it’s amazing. 3 regular bottles worth. I mean, cost effectiveness alone should make this product an instant 5 out of 5. But the hits don’t stop there. Let’s take a walk, shall we?

As I eluded to in the opening paragraph, solid shampoos are incredibly convenient for the traveler, student or anyone who sees portability as a priority. I don’t know how many of you have ever though about this, but liquid shampoos are a huge hassle when you’re trying to pack light. Most come in huge bottles, spill easily and can’t be taken in any sufficient quantity on airplanes. I’ve always just circumvented this problem by leaving shampoo out of my toiletry kit, which means I usually just make do with my regular bar of soap. Of course, this usually leads to tangled, dry, damaged hair and dandruff. I mean, it works in a pinch, but knowing I can just pop this compact little puck into a tin and not have to worry about it is pretty effing sweet.

Okay, so the ‘medium,’ so to speak, is awesome. Let me get down to why this particular solid shampoo kicks ass. The first thing I always notice on a product like this is the smell. Seanik has a rich, mossy scent, a bit floral, a little citrusy with slight smoky undertones. Definitely inspired by the ocean breeze. One of my big qualms with most shampoos is that they smell too synthetic and perfumey and after a few hours your hair just smells like, well, hair. Or at worst, wet marmot. Seanik smells fresh and organic (because it is fresh and organic) and the fragrance stays in your hair all day. Siq.

Seanik definitely makes a good lather, which is impressive because it is SLS-free. For those who don’t know, SLS is a compound normally added to soaps and shampoos to make them lather more and feel thicker and more concentrated. It’s also normally used as a de-greaser and industrial cleaning solution. In other words, not something you want in your hair. A lot of people don’t like Lush shampoos because they don’t leave your hair feeling sleek and smooth afterward, which is essentially because other shampoos leave nasty chemicals in your hair to make them feel artificially smooth. Personally I like knowing and feeling that my hair is clean when I finish washing it. Some people don’t, but they’re dorks and I don’t like them. Just saying.

As for the beauty benefits of the soap, I can’t really say I’ve noticed a huge difference. I have relatively short hair and, well, I’m a boy, so I don’t pay very close attention to the level of shine or volume. Not that gender has much to do with it, but I’m more worried about whether my hair looks stupid than whether it looks good. Nah mean? I’m not saying one way or another whether the seaweed and orange blossoms help with these things, but they definitely don’t hurt the composition of the soap. Bottom line is, it cleans well, it smells amazing and it’s incredibly long lasting. Enough said.

TIP: To make this shampoo last longer, keep it dry! Don’t leave it soaking in your shower. Take it out of your shower after every use, pat it dry with a towel and leave it to dry in a tin or a soap dish.

Bang-for-Your-Buck Rating: $$$

Overall Rating: 4.5

Silky Underwear Dusting Powder by Sally

About the Item

Silky Underwear Dusting Powder

3.5 oz $11.95

One size only

The Official Lush website lists Silky Underwear Dusting Powder asa “light jasmine fragranced powder” that “refreshes and lightly moisturizes skin.” The website also says that “Silky Underwear is refreshing anytime. Cornstarch keeps your skin silky, while tiny grains of cocoa butter lightly moisturize. Apply it as a pick-me-up during the day or after the show to slow down before bed. However you want to use it, Silky’s subtle yet sexy jasmine and vetivert scent leaves you wanting more.”

It contains: Cornstarch (Zea mays), Kaolin, Fair Trade Cocoa Butter (Theobroma cacao), Magnesium Carbonate, Perfume, Jasmine Absolute (Jasminum officinale), Vetivert Oil (Vetiveria zizanoides) and Linalool.

My Review:

I was apprehensive about buying this in stores. I’ve never, ever used powder for anything. Ever. I know some people who dust baby powder on themselves after a shower, and I know some people who put it in their shoes in the summer. I know that some people put it in their babies’ diapers to prevent rash. I know it is odor neutralizing, and has about a million uses.

I also know that most powders are primarily made of Talc, which is terrible for your body. It is one of the causes of lung cancer, skin cancer, and ovarian cancer (it is found in 75% of ovarian tumors!), and causes tumors even in animals. That being said, the Lush Dusting Powders contain NO TALC. Umm, amazing? This is what sold me in the store, even having never used a dusting powder. I figured, well, since I’ve strayed from powders for so long due to Talc, I might as well try the first one I’ve ever seen that doesn’t contain it.

I sniffed it in stores and frankly wasn’t impressed with the smell, but the price was reasonable considering how long I figured it would last. I took it home and didn’t really touch it for about a week, and then decided to pop open the top. First problem: The top is like those Parmesan cheese cans. You have to use your finger to punch it open, then you can spin around the top so that the opening lines up with it the way you want (either to get a lot, or to get a little). Well, I couldn’t punch the bugger open! I eventually got a fork, grabbed it by the teeth, and stabbed my way to freedom– err, to lovely dusting powder. I’ll admit, it took me three or four high speed stabs until this thing finally opened (okay, okay, so I haven’t been to the gym in weeks).

Once I got it open, I turned it upside down to get a “little” out. Bad idea. I started to think, maybe this packaging isn’t brilliant? If you try to turn it on it’s side to get a little shake out, a TON comes out. But it is unfortunately your only option. I thought that was a bummer and wasn’t sure I’d use it frequently, but once I got a whiff of the stuff out of the Lush store (where I could REALLY take in the scent independent of the giant wheels of soap), I LOVED IT! I can’t place my finger on what it is… but it’s like milky coconut (this is probably the cocoa butter) mixed with some flower petals (it isn’t strong enough to remind me of one flower in particular). It is an unbelievably dreamy, soft smell.

(Note: To deal with my packaging issue, I’ve been using a huge body dusting brush from Victoria’s Secret– I press it up against the top of the container, turn it on its side, let some powder out onto the brush, and then dust the powder all over myself with the brush)

I’ve discovered, after weeks of dedicated use, that if I use Potion Lotion over Silky Underwear it locks in the scent ALL day. I’ll put it on in the morning after a shower (9am-ish) and when I go out with friends at 10pm I’ll STILL get compliments on my scent from across the table. I LOVE perfume and I LOVE being fragrant (shampoo, perfume, whatever it may be), but I have never been so noticeably delicious!

My favorite part about this dusting powder is the way it makes my skin feel– no doubt thanks to the cocoa butter. My skin feels AMAZING after. Silky and smooth. I can put it on my legs after not shaving for a week and my legs feel as smooth as if I had JUST shaved (ladies, don’t deny how amazing that is!). I will totally continue to buy a product that promotes my laziness and makes my boyfriend happy. Score!

Bang-For-Your-Buck Rating: $$$

Overall Rating: 4 (minus one point for poor packaging)

UK Forum Party Prices!

Here are the prices for all the items– half off retro AND the Christmas items! See the previous post for pictures and descriptions.

Again, this was lifted off the Lush UK Forum.

Retro

Product / Party PLU / Normal Price / Party Price / Use by Date
Absoloute Delight R20059 £3.00 £1.50 Jun-09
All That Jas R20002 £2.70 £1.35 Jun-09
Antiphilitron R20600 £11.50 £5.75 Jun-09
Bon Bain Bonnard R20025 £2.40 £1.20 Jun-09
Bon Bomb R22136 £2.50 £1.25 Jun-09
Chai R21480 £12.00 £6.00 Jun-09
Elixir R22545 £5.00 £2.50 Jun-09
Fizzy O Therapy R20022 £2.50 £1.25 Jun-09
Flying Saucers R20106 £14.00 £7.00 Jun-09
Forever in Bloom R20614 £11.00 £5.50 Jun-09
Fox in the Flowers R22135 £2.50 £1.25 Jun-09
Ginger Lotion R22214 £11.95 £5.95 Jun-09
Harvey Bunny R22157 £3.00 £1.50 Jun-09
Ibiza Party R20632 £11.00 £5.50 Jun-09
Ice Blue R22553 £10.95 £5.45 Jun-09
Kiss Me Klimpt R20029 £3.00 £1.50 Jun-09
Okra R20641 £11.00 £5.50 Jun-09
Pleasure Dough R22131 £3.50 £1.75 Jun-09
Psychodelic R20136 £2.50 £1.25 Jun-09
Rainbow Worrier R22134 £3.00 £1.50 Jun-09
Softy R20035 £2.75 £1.35 Jun-09
Washday Greens R20606 £12.00 £6.00 Jun-09
World Piece R20040 £2.50 £1.25 Jun-09
Potion R20204 £7.95 £3.95 Jul-09

Ballistics
PLU Code / Product Name / Price
1714 Jingle Spells £2.50
1739 Lush Pud £2.65
2040 Christmas Party £2.60
2041 Mr Butterball £1.95
2430 Twinkle £2.75
2825 Chocolate Santa (NEW!) £3.25
2826 Double Fast Luck – Emotibomb (NEW!) £2.25
2827 Humango (NEW!) £7.50
2828 Magic (NEW!) £3.10
2829 Snowdrop (NEW!) £2.95

Bubble Bars
PLU Code / Product Name / Price
1719 Marzibain £2.50
2046 Candy Cane £2.25
2433 Christmas Kiss £2.25
2436 Ruby Red Slippers £3.25
2831 Christmas Morning (NEW!) £2.95
2832 Frothy The Snowman (NEW!) £2.75
2833 The Gold Star (NEW!) £2.75
2834 The Witches Ball (NEW!) £2.95

Shower Jellies / Gels
PLU Code / Product Name / Price
2425 Snow Fairy Shower Gel 100g £2.95
2426 Snow Fairy Shower Gel 250g £5.95
2427 Snow Fairy Shower Gel 500g £9.95
2440 Champagne Snow Jelly 100g £2.95
2717 Gold Frankincense & Beer Jelly 100g £2.75
2836 Strawberry Santa Jelly 100g (NEW!) £2.95

Soaps (all 100g)
PLU Code / Product Name / Price
2052 Snowcake £2.50
2054 Angels Delight £2.15
2837 Christmas Cake Slice (NEW!) £2.95

Lip Balm
PLU Code / Product Name / Price
2835 Let Them Eat Cake (NEW!) £4.50

Cupcake Face Mask by Alex

About the Item

Cupcake Face Mask

1 Pot (4-8 uses) for 10.95

The official Lush website has this product listed in the Biofresh section, which means that it is too fresh to be mailed and must be purchased at a Lush retail location and refrigerated. The website says the product contains “mint, Rhassoul Mud and absorbent cocoa powder to treat spots, black heads, open pores and oil happy skin in a delicious chocolate mask.”

Ingredients: Rhassoul Mud, Linseed Infusion, glycerin, talc, cocoa powder, cocoa butter, fresh mint, sandalwood oil, vanilla absolute, spearmint oil, peppermint oil (mentha piperita), Limonene Perfume.

My Review:

I’ve got to say, this one was a first. I’ve always liked the idea of using mud to clean pores and using something that smells and feels just like cupcake frosting is practically Through the Looking Glass (or if you’d prefer, Bizarro World) in terms of skin care. How deliciously ironic.

A few logistical things before I get into the review itself. First of all, this product cannot be purchased online because of its fresh ingredients and it must be kept refrigerated. It also has a decreased shelf life of about 14 days for this reason. And before you ask, freezing the mask to increase the shelf life is out of the question. It would kill the helpful enzymes found in the fresh ingredients. I spoke to the Lush employees about this product at the store in Harvard Square, Cambridge and they suggested starting out with a face scrub (I used Herbalism), then applying the mask and leaving it on for about 10-15 minutes. Then rinse with warm water and finish with one of their moisturizers, Enzymion, Imperialis or Gorgeous. Lush face masks are also good for spot treatments and break-outs, but should be used 2-3 times a week maximum.

I must admit, I hadn’t done a whole lot of research on this product before I used it, which I think ultimately gave me a better perspective on the results, as you shall see. So, having washed with Herbalism, I applied the brown, thoroughly cupcake-scented mask, popped in a frozen pizza and sat in on about 10 minutes of Angel with my boy Langer and his lady friend Amanda. I got a few laughs from the pair, mostly because I looked like a caveman with my mud-caked face and crusty beard, or Gene Wilder from that blackface scene in Silver Streak. It was tough not to smile, but I endured the ridicule with a stony face and tried desperately not to smile for fear I’d mess up the mask’s mojo. Anyway, after washing it off, I immediately noticed a difference. My skin felt tight and stretchy, which at first I thought might have just been because it had felt so coarse and brittle from the mask (felt a little like I imagine botox would), but after I put on some moisturizer I could definitely tell something had changed. My skin felt smooth and clean and… bouncy. It’s hard to describe, really. You know how your skin hurts a little sometimes when you stretch it out for a big bight of a sandwich or a huge toothy smile? After using the mask I felt like I could fit a whole horse in my mouth without much trouble. My skin was incredibly elasticy and flexible. I was surprised to find, upon doing some research, that this was more or less the intended effect. Rhassoul Mud, which makes up the base for this mask, comes from Morocco and apart from being anti-microbial, deep cleansing and full of healthy minerals like Calcium, Magnesium and Potassium (properties belonging to most types of volcanic mud) it is known to reduce aging lines and wrinkles by making the skin more elastic and pliable. So I guess there was a little truth to my original claim. The mask also has peppermint and spearmint oils, which help sooth the skin and cleanse pores.

Another huge benefit is that the mask left my face smelling like rich, chocolaty cupcakes. It’s remarkable to me that the people at Lush can make mud seem so appetizing.

I can’t really think of a lot of cons for this product apart from its limited shelf life and perhaps that its not something I would consider a necessity. I am lucky to have been blessed with a relatively acne-free face, nor do I often wish my skin was more flexible, so it’s less of a staple and more of a luxury for me (which is not necessarily a con). Cost wise, It’s about what I would expect to pay for a mask like this. It gets extra bang-for-your-buck points because the ingredients aren’t the kind of things you can easily acquire. I always have a hard time paying for something I could put together my self for the same cost, but I’m not going to go out of my way to import Rhassoul mud from Morocco when Lush can do it for [probably] cheaper. Not to mention, masks like this usually cost $30 or more for one treatment at a spa and although Lush says that you can get about 4 uses out of a pot, I think the average user could easily get 6-8. I’ve also heard that this stuff is good for softening up your whiskers before a shave. Haven’t given it a shot yet, but as a fellow who appreciates just about any product that makes the daily scrape a little more bearable, you can bet I’ll be trying it out as soon as I work up enough scruff to truly put it to the test.

Bang for Your Buck: $$$

Over-all Rating: 4