Philosophy Hot Buttered Rum Shampoo/Shower Gel/Bubble Bath

RRP: £14 for 480ml

--What does the promo say?--

"Cozy up and share a sweet moment with hot buttered rum shampoo, shower gel & bubble bath, as it cleanses and conditions skin and hair."

--Packaging--

The see-through plastic squeezy bottle lets you see the deep translucent brown colour of the gel in all its glory - the picture above really doesn't do justice to the gel's gorgeous caramel colour. This enables you to always see how much is left, and the real recipe for hot buttered rum printed on the front of the bottle in black lettering is also a bonus. My only criticism would be the distinctly un-ergonomic bottle design: at nearly half a litre, it is quite wide, meaning you can't get your hand all the way round and that this leaves you in danger of dropping the bottle in the shower. A more curved shape would therefore be more helpful.

--Application--

Lather up and massage through hair or onto wet skin. Rinse out/off when done. Have not tested in the bath yet as sadly I don't own one. Should have access to one this Christmas, though, so watch this space.

--Appearance--

Dark brown - just like freshly melted caramel. This doesn't leave any residue on the skin, however - the lather itself is white, in any case.

--Scent--

Does not smell distinctly alcoholic, which in some ways is a shame, as I was expecting something more complex and less sweet. However, I can't really complain about smelling like a freshly-made batch of butterscotch every time I shower (even though the scent sadly doesn't linger long). I'm a big baking fan, so this is still a perfect treat for me, making it a wonderful addition to the autumn and winter months.

--Texture and consistency--

The gel itself is runny but not sticky, with just the right amount of viscosity. The lather that builds up is silky and luxuriant, and washes off easily (but not before you're done). This applies to skin and hair.

--Effects on the skin and hair--

I had reservations about using this on my hair, having had poor results from a Philosophy 3-in-1 product in the past. However, this one does exactly as promised: skin is left smooth and soft, while hair is left clean, shiny and with long-lasting volume. Hair did not get greasy as quickly after using this product either, meaning hair looked good for a full extra day after use.

--Value for money--

While the initial outlay seems expensive, remember that you're getting a big bottle of a high-quality 3-in-1 product. I would definitely repurchase - although if you're looking for something with more of an alcoholic tinge to it, the offerings from Alba, Korres and Carolina Herrera all look promising.

perfect partner

Hot Buttered Rum Lip Shine, £10

Lush Dorothy Bubble Bar

--What does the promo say?--

"Somewhere over the rainbow, baths are blue. If you’re not already a friend of Dorothy, isn’t it time you tried it? A blue skies thinking bath that takes you out of the monochrome and into a colourful fantasy, where the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true. This bath smells so great you might want to stay in there quite some time, so take a good book, a glass of wine and something to munchkin."

--Packaging--

Being Lush, they've stuck to one of their trademark paper bags for this one. You can buy a tin if you like, however.

--Usage instructions--

Drop into the bath and watch the bubbles foam up! So simple and fun to use that it's practically child's play.

--Appearance--

The beautiful rainbow combined with bright blue is cheerful and basic, meaning it's enough to provide us with the best of childlike joy. I didn't find that the bathwater went that blue, but the mounds of white bubbles alone were enough to make me happy. No colourful dye or residue was left on the skin after use. The bar also kept its shape and colour even after one half-hour use.

--Scent--

The product uses ylang ylang, gardenia and orange in its formulation, with the ylang ylang perhaps being the most obvious. The scent also fills the bathroom for ages after use, making for an aromatherapeutic experience for you to enjoy long after you've pulled the plug.

--Effects on the skin--

After a bath in this, skin is left feeling smooth and soft until the next morning. A delight.

--Longevity--

I had planned to luxuriate in my bath until the bubbles had long gone, but after half an hour and decidedly prune-like skin, I reluctantly let the water out, even though the vast majority of the bubbles had stayed put. No two ways about it - this is an enthusiastic product from a passionate brand that delivers on what it promises. En plus, the bar itself had nowhere near run out, leaving plenty for another day.

--Value for money--

Curiously, the British RRP is not available on the Lush website at present, but the product is still selling as normal in the US and France, for $6.25 and €5.45 respectively, and there is no sign online of the product being discontinued (there were rumours of this happening in 2010, but all of the whispers on the wind proved to be unfounded). So we can safely assume that the product is being sold somewhere in the region of £4 to £4.50 (based on the exchange rates today for the prices given above). This is clearly in line with other eco-friendly bubble baths, such as those from companies like Earth Friendly, The Eco Bath, and Logona. It's also on a par with novelty bath bubble bottles for children, such as In The Night Garden and Toy Story 3-themed bottles currently being sold, meaning it's neither suspiciously cheap nor outrageously expensive. Fun, natural, and long-lasting - by all accounts I'll definitely be back for more bubble bars from Lush, be it for gifts or an indulgent treat.

perfect partner

Relax...Take A Bath, £12.50

Dreamtime Luxury Bath Melt, £3.15

Twilight Bath Bomb, £3.20

Radox Bath Smoothies

RRP: £2.99/250ml

available in 3 variants: Spirit Booster (pomegranate, yoghurt and elderberry), Soul Soother (cranberry, blackcurrant, camomile), and Tropical Tranquility (myrrh, coconut and almonds)

--What does the promo say?--

"Radox Bath Smoothies Spirit Booster will allow you to relax in the sumptuous bubbles whilst super fruits like natural pomegranate and elderberries, blended with yoghurt, comfort your skin. Packed with berry goodness to leave you feeling totally pampered. Your skin will thank you."

--Packaging--

While clearly distinguished from its squeezy-tube Shower Smoothie counterparts, the "handwritten" effect, Radox logo and sumptuous illustrations all identify the product clearly with its brand. Strangely, the bottle is not in the least impractical, and pours and travels well.

--Application--

Even though no instructions are given on the bottle, it's probably fairly self-explanatory for most: pour a couple of capfuls into a bath until the required bubble quotient is reached. Then just relax! (Can also be used in a shower situation: just rub over wet skin like you would with a normal shower gel, then rinse off.)

--Appearance--

The Spirit Booster variant (kindly sent to me by Radox) is a runny purple creamy liquid that's similar to a blackcurrant or elderberry colour. This froths into fine white bubbles and leaves no residue on the skin.

--Scent--

Very fruity and very natural; it's also a very strong smell that lingers on the skin for hours (unlike that of the Shower Smoothies that came before it). The pomegranate and elderberry are detectable in the scent, while the yoghurt isn't (I'm guessing the latter is there mainly for texture though).

--Texture and consistency--

Very creamy and luxurious - just what Radox is famed for. Its runniness means you obviously have to make sure you don't get too enthusiastic about pouring it out of the bottle, though, but not in any serious though.

--Effects on the skin--

Softens the skin, but no more than any other bath or shower product. Saying this, though, my body skin is normal to oily, so tends to regulate itself pretty well; this means I don't see nourishing effects perhaps as much as some people.

--Value for money--

Surprisingly few companies are offering this quantity of shower gel, for this price, at this level of luxury. The closest companies that come towards filling the gap are Original Source and Dove, but neither of them fulfil the consumer needs that Radox do. In addition, as it's an effective and enjoyable product, I would thoroughly recommend it.

--Other comments--

My complaint with the Shower Smoothies was that they apparently had little in the way of practical function, when what I really like it to combine pampering with practicality. The Bath Smoothie, however, does do both: as well as being a pleasing experience, I can also see how it would nourish, and its strong natural smell has quite an aromatherapeutic effect too. Lovely bubbly.