Lush are notorious for their bath ballistics, and unfortunately many people forget about the bubble bar slices. After falling in love with French Kiss, I have a real love of the bubbly creations offered by this wonderful company.
Funnily enough I have never really paid much attention to Hot Milk? I was given it from a lovely friend on my birthday and couldn’t stop sniffing the packet. I am unsure if it is the patchouli I was drawn to as I have never tried it before.
The bar
Bubble bars often vary slightly in colour and shape. They’re ready to purchase, you cannot pick sizes like the soaps at Lush. I usually pick the biggest one I can find. I can always get two pleasurable baths from one bubble bar which is why I don’t baulk at the price of the bar.
Hot Milk? is a subtle peach colour and doesn’t jump out like the other more bright and colourful bubble bars. Do not walk by the unassuming product without smelling them as you will be pleasantly surprised at what you find.
One of my favourite things about Lush is their commitment to minimising packaging. They blow all other high street competition out of the water in this area. You even have the option to not bother with a label on the Lush recyclable bag into which the bar goes. I often stick these bags into my chest of drawers to add a lovely fresh scent.
You’d think being called Hot Milk? would mean there would be milk featuring in the ingredients. Fear not, this vegan product uses coconut milk powder and though I am not too keen on the smell of coconut this bar smells wonderful. It must be the combination with orange and patchouli oil.
As Lush want to keep their signature, they do have a secret ingredient which appears under the guise of ‘perfume’. I don’t really mind this as I trust Lush’s judgement on combining oils, however this may annoy people with certain allergies and pregnant women. When perfume is listed in green it means that it is made from natural ingredients. When in black ink there are some synthetic ingredients in there. In the case of Hot Milk? the perfume is written in black and I wonder if there is a synthetic musk in there.
The bubbles
There is a definite technique to using bubble bar slices, I break it up into pieces and hold under a running tap. Then swirl your fingers in the bath in circles and you’ll find bubbles growing pretty quickly. This bit is rather fun and builds my anticipation of getting into a nice hot bath.
As I am pretty good at making bubbles, the bath is full and you can barely see the colour of the water.
I like to read in the bath, but don’t bother with this lovely bar. Stick on some relaxing music, have your pyjamas ready for when you get out as you’ll be ready for bed afterwards. I think this is the most relaxing bath I have had, even more than Waving not Drowning. When the lovely scents combine, they create the most soothing mood. I would advise an insomniac to try this bar, even though it doesn’t have any lavender in it. Anyone who has trouble sleeping and dislikes the smell of lavender may also want to try Hot Milk?
After the bath
As well as being totally ready for bed, my skin felt soft and lovely. It wasn’t anywhere near as moisturising as the Bath Ballistics but this is probably because of the bubbles. What I liked best is that the smell was subtle and elegant, and also that I felt like I’d had a big hug. The bath is as comforting and reassuring as a sweet frothy drink.
In terms of needing moisturiser, none of my skin was dry but my feet and elbows could have done with a little extra moisture.
I really like this bubble bar slice, and it is perfect for a pre bedtime treat. I can’t imagine not winding down after such a soothing bubble bath. I had a lovely nights sleep after yoga and then bathing with Hot Milk?
Value
This will cost you £2.06 (in March 2009) for a 100g slice. This is one of the less expensive bubble bar slices and I think it’s pretty good value for two amazingly relaxing baths. I also can use the bubble bar for 5-10 showers by taking a small chunk and lathering it up on exfoliating gloves.
If you want to try this treat, the best place to go is to your nearest Lush store. The staff at Lush are always helpful and will even let you try a small sample on your hands, and you can judge the scent for yourself before buying. Or you can be brave and order from the website. There you can check out the product for yourself, read the full list of ingredients, read customer reviews as well as order online.