Pictured - LUSH Advent Calendar 2020
I can't believe we're already at the time of the year where we are talking about advent calendars! I know I get excited for Christmas a little too early, I'm the first one in the office to start talking about getting prepared and getting excited to hang the decorations. This year I feel it has come around so fast this year, considering I've spent the majority of this year in my bedroom.
I'm not surprised that LUSH are releasing another advent calendar this year, last years was a huge success despite the disappointment of the amount available. I think a LUSH advent calendar is an incredible idea, and I love how retro and exclusive items have been included also. I really wish that LUSH had followed through with the FUN calendar that was part of the pre-christmas leaks last year as not only would it have been brilliant, I imagine it would have been much more budget friendly. Priced at £185, this advent calendar really isn't in a lot of peoples budgets and I feel they need a good balance, the FUN calendar would have filled that gap. All that being said, this advent calendar will surely sell out on the first day, if not in the first hour! So if you fancy grabbing one, the 27th of August is the date to set an alarm.
This year the calendar is packed full of seasonal, retro, exclusive and all year round items and in this post I am going to walk you through each item with scent descriptions and any other information I have on the items. The box is also beautifully patterned and can be reused for LUSH storage!
Pictured - Abombinaball bath bomb RETRO
A very exclusive item from last year and a Kitchen item that was constantly requested over and over again, Abombinaball is a fan favourite that I am surprised hasn't made a proper come back for a Christmas launch. Packed with peppermint oil and vanilla absolute, Abombinaball has a gorgeous sweet mint scent that would pair really well with Polar Bear Plunge bubble bar. The bath art is also gorgeous, the shades of blue and white with streaks of yellow, make for gorgeous water. I'd love to see this bath bomb come to all stores for the Christmas range as it would make a wonderful addition.
Pictured - Bombardino bath bomb RETRO
Bombardino is one the retro bath bombs that I have never really been interested in as I usually buy bath bombs purely for the bath art, and never really for the scent. However, the 'zesty, buttery sweetness' tag that LUSH link to Bombardino would persuade me to give it a try, it sounds gorgeous. With Sicilian lemon oil and bergamot oil, the scent is apparently very citrus forward. I feel like this bath bomb must be popular as it just keeps popping up, with the Christmas exclusives. I wouldn't be surprised if this is an option for the Christmas subscription box.
Pictured - Candy Cane lip scrub SEASONAL
As I stated in my previous blog post, I am quite excited for Candy Cane lip scrub, it sounds so tasty! I only wonder how different it will be from Mint Julips, as I really can't see much of a difference in the ingredients list. In fact, Mint Julips contains vanilla which I would have thought would give Candy Cane some sweetness. I think it will be interesting to try.
Pictured - Candy Cane bubble bar SEASONAL
I really don't have anything to say about Candy Cane bubble bar as it's been around for a few years now and I'm confused as to why it keeps coming back. It's one of those products that is always in my bubble bar collection and I will use when I fancy a quick bath with some bubbles, just to get rid of it. I don't think there is anything special about the citrus scent, which again, is a joke that it's not minty.
Pictured - Celebrate body milk EXCLUSIVE
Now this is an item I would be very interested in! I'm excited to try the Yog Nog body milk that is joining the seasonal range this year, and I think a Celebrate version would be just incredible. I have Celebrate body lotion, which is now so old it literally smells like nothing, but I found this to be way too heavy for my liking. I much prefer a lotion that sinks into the skin straight away, rather than a thick butter like lotion which needs time to dry which is why I think a body milk would be perfect! The Celebrate scent is also one of my favourites so naturally, I want everything in this scent too.
Pictured - Christmas Eve bubble bar RETRO
I actually still have some Christmas Eve bubble bars from the last time they were part of the Christmas range, back in 2017. I really enjoy this bubble bar as it shares it's scent with Northern Lights ballistic which is very floral and jasmine heavy, if you like Silky Underwear then you would love this. I really like to use this bubble bar on Christmas Eve, the scent is so calming and perfect to get you ready for an early night, all prepped for the big day. I'd love to see this bubble bar in the subscription box also, it's a really good one.
Pictured - Coconut Snow body lotion EXCLUSIVE
The name Coconut Snow sounds so inviting, but I have learnt that you should never take a LUSH product on names sake and you should always look at the ingredients list, as there may be something in there that can change the entire scent! See this body lotion contains coconut cream and coconut oil, but also fresh pineapple juice, fresh tangerine oil, rose oil, lemongrass oil, caraway oil and geranium oil. As soon as I see geranium and rose, I'm out! I don't think this lotion is going to smell anything like what I imagine.
Pictured - Dream Cream body lotion ALL YEAR ROUND
Dream Cream is a product that I've never been able to get away with. I really understand that Dream Cream is more for what it does for your skin than the scent, which is very unlike LUSH, but that faint scent it does have just doesn't agree with me at all. I have only ever had a couple of tubs, but I've always ended up gifting or selling them on. I feel like sticking an all year round product into an extremely expensive and exclusive item, it a bit of a cop out - but it being Dream Cream just makes it a bit worse.
Pictured - Fresh As 15ml liquid perfume SEASONAL
Even though I know I won't be a fan of Fresh As, I think it's a perfect item for a Christmas advent calendar. Carrying the Needles and Pine scent, this really is a true Christmas scent, unlike the many citrus items we get thrown into the festive releases. I think a cute little 15ml bottle is perfect too, just the right size for your seasonal clutch bag.
Pictured - Golden Pear soap SEASONAL
Golden Pear has fast become one of the staple Christmas scents. The first year that Golden Pear was released, I actually went out of my way to purchase a soap because I'd heard how amazing the scent was. The gorgeous combination of pear puree, cardamon oil and sandalwood oil makes for such a perfect spicy but sweet Christmas scent. I really hope that this scent family is expanded even more, I'd love to see a shower gel, I'm surprised LUSH haven''t released one yet.
Pictured - Golden Wonder bath bomb SEASONAL
Another item that's part of the Celebrate family is the Golden Wonder bath bomb, which has been around forever! I loved the XL size version that was released in 2017, I remember seeing it at the Showcase and my boyfriend looking at me like a deer in headlights because he saw the price tag but also knew I was going to purchase it. I feel like Golden Wonder is a little tired now, she needs a serious make over with more of a rainbow burst in the centre!
Pictured - I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas bath bomb SEASONAL
I'm quite excited to try this new pretty little bath bomb, I love the purple colour and the sprinkle of stars and from photos I have seen, it seems like this is going to be a foamy one! It would appear that I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas is named after a children Christmas song, and I beg you do not listen to it as it will get stuck in your head! I am intrigued by the scent, grapefruit oil, bergamot oil, almond oil and cold pressed raspberry seed oil sounds very fruity with a sweet edge.
Pictured - Kinky Boots bubble bar SEASONAL
I think this bubble bar is super cute with Santa's boots being a bath melt. I don't think this bubble bar is going to be too big, maybe two baths maximum but the bath melt being included will up the price of this one. The ingredients contain jasmine absolute, clary sage oil and ylang ylang oil, so this bubble bar will share it's scent with Sex Bomb. I'm quite keen to try this bubble bar so I hope it formats nicely in a bubble bar.
Pictured - Orange body scrub SEASONAL
Orange body scrub is a product I am really looking forward to trying as I can just imagine how juicy this is going to smell as it is packed with orange in peel, oil and juice formats. I am quite surprised to see that the advent calendar includes a 130g tub, in oppose to the usual 45g to 60g tubs you see in gift sets. I think this will pair wonderfully with some other items in this calendar, like Ponche shower gel and Satsuma Santa bath bomb!
Pictured - Ponche shower gel RETRO
I absolutely adore the Ponche scent and I really wish that LUSH would expand the family and bring back the shower gel to the regular Christmas line that is in stores every year. I was very kindly gifted a 500g bottle from my local store back in 2016 when Ponche was released as an Oxford Street exclusive (back when that was a thing!) and it was impossible to get online on Boxing Day due the the tens of thousands of people waiting in a queue to get online and that was my only way to purchase a bottle that year. This boozy orange and tequila mix, smells delicious! I have the shower gel and the perfume in this scent and I use them both super sparingly as they are two of my favourite items I own.
Pictured - Sakura body lotion EXCLUSIVE
I am so super jealous that a Sakura body lotion is part of the advent calendar as I really love the Sakura scent and would love a body lotion in this fragrance. I exchanged my Let the Good Times Roll body spray for the Sakura one when I returned it as it was giving me migraines, was the best decision I ever made as it's probably my favourite body spray so far. I also really love Rub Rub Rub body scrub and the Mother of Pearl bubbleroon that was released in 2018, this scent is just incredible.
Pictured - Salt and Peppermint Bark shower scrub RETRO
Salt and Peppermint Bark was a really popular product, so I was surprised when it didn't come back last year. I find that these style of naked scrubs are too coarse, and for someone who loves a scrubby scrub, that's saying something. I felt like it wasn't scrubbing my skin, it was scratching it. Saying that, the scent is beautiful so I really wish that LUSH would turn this into a liquid scrub, it would be incredible!
Pictured - Satsumo Santa bath bomb RETRO
Satsumo Santa is another retro item included in this years calendar that I haven't had the chance to try before. This bath bomb sounds like it will smell gorgeous, with Sicilian red mandarin oil, orange flower absolute and bergamot oil. From what I have seen, I don't think Satsumo Santa offers much in the bath art region, but it would make a lovely pairing bath bomb.
Pictured - Shooting Stars soap SEASONAL
Shooting Stars just keeps on coming back each year! As I have mentioned so many times before, I don't use bar soap so this would be a total waste of a product for me. I really need to find someone that I can gift all my bar soap to!
Pictured - Sleepy bubble bar ALL YEAR ROUND
I really enjoy the Sleepy bubble bar, and I think it's also a very beautiful product. This is an all year round product that I wouldn't mind getting in a seasonal gift set. I really need to purchase my next Sleepy bubble bar in store so that I can pick a pretty one, as the one I got when I bought mine online really wasn't very good looking, compared to others I have seen online.
Pictured - Sleepy shower gel ALL YEAR ROUND
A past Christmas item that got to stick around, Sleepy was a replacement for the age old Twilight shower gel which annoyingly enough, I thought was so much better. After the hype of Sleepy body lotion, LUSH released Twilight shower gel for Christmas but I don't think it sold as much as they anticipated because it didn't carry the same name - hence Sleepy being born. Twilight had a better colour and consistency and I liked the older version that was packed full of lustre and actually resembled a night sky.
Pictured - Snow Fairy shampoo bar SEASONAL
As I explained in my LUSH Halloween & Christmas Collections 2020 post, I am super excited about a Snow Fairy shampoo bar as I love using the shower gel as shampoo. Snow Fairy shampoo bar is packed with marshmallow root which will help to soften your hair, sounds like something that I need! I would recommend using American Cream after this shampoo bar as the combination of scents leaves your hair smelling so incredible.
Pictured - Twilight bath bomb ALL YEAR ROUND
Another Sleepy/Twilight scented product available in the calendar this year, is the bath bomb. I believe this is possibly the original Twilight product, it's been around for a long time. I really enjoy Twilight, and I forget how much I love it until I use it again. The pastel colours are perfect, and paired with Sleepy bubble bar, it makes for beautiful water. I must remember to pick one up next time I am in store.
Pictured - Yog Nog shower gel SEASONAL
As pleased as I am to see Yog Nog returning this year, I am quite surprised. I really thought that Yog Nog shower gel would be a one off, and it doesn't quite make sense that the bubble bar, body spray, bath bomb or body conditioner don't seem to be making a reappearance this year. It's a shame really, because the bubble bar was really nice, but luckily I have a few left. The shower gel is really beautiful, a gorgeous butterscotch caramel biscuit scent that literally makes me feel peckish!
So after a look into the products in the advent calendar this year, will you be buying yourself one? I am very tempted, but I think the price tag really isn't justifiable for me. If my boyfriend wasn't coming to visit this month and we weren't planning a couple of days away, I may have been swayed, but I think I'll pass this year. Not buying the advent calendar also means I can buy the whole Halloween collection and I am really excited for some of those products.
If you do want to purchase the advent calendar, remember that it launches on the 27th of August and is priced at £185. I would recommend looking online around 8am as that is the usual release time for LUSH. I'm excited to see photos of the advent calendar once people start receiving it! I don't think I'd be able to wait until the 1st of December to open it, it would be an advent calendar during September!
Make sure to let me know down below if you're treating yourself and what products you're looking forward to the most. I can't wait to hear what you all think of it!
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** Disclaimer: All views and opinions are my own. Photo credit: LUSH Cosmetics**