Christina Alyce Beauty

The original Karma bubble bar was one of the first bubble bars I ever tried from Lush, and when I first heard that they changed the look of it so drastically, I was a little upset. I really enjoyed the old version, and while it didn’t offer much color, it was a very nice product all around, so why fix what isn’t broken? Well, I decided to just order the new one to give it a try while it was still a UK exclusive, and I was a little sad to see that when it arrived, most of the glitter at the top had worn off, and most of the orange band had crumbled away. I blame this on the UK’s naked shipping method, because while environmentally friendly, it does tend to cause your products to arrive a bit worse for wear.. most of the items from this order ended up with a lot of color transfer. But, of course, there shouldn’t be any issues with product performance even after a bumpy journey, and I’m glad to say that this bubble bar worked beautifully.

I decided to use the entire bar, as I normally do when trying out a smaller bubble bar for the first time. Within moments, my bath was transformed into dark amethyst waters topped with mounds of fluffy bubbles. I really am not exaggerating when I say this is the most richly colored bath product I have ever used from lush, and it’s a very big improvement from the weak orange waters of the old formula. I couldn’t even see my hand when I touched the bottom of the tub, it was that deeply colored. The rich color mixed with the generous amount of bubbles means that this bar could easily be split across two or even more baths,and still leave you with vibrant purple waters and plenty of bubbles. My only complaint, was that the bubbles did disperse fairly quickly.

Another aspect that I found to have improved over the old formula is the scent. While it still smells identical to the classic patchouli Karma fragrance, I did find this to be much stronger than the original bubble bar. I really enjoy the sweet, musky scent of Karma, and the soap is a staple in my stash, so having an even stronger scent in the bath is always a treat.

This version of the bar also improved the condition of the water a great deal, something that I didn’t notice all that much with the old version. I don’t know what ingredients the old bar contained, but the updated bar is filled with moisturizing ingredients like olive oil, cocoa butter, and mango butter. It also contains lemongrass oil which not only tones the skin, but has uplifting and anti-depressive properties. Elemi oil is a product I had never heard of before, but it tones the skin, balances sebum production, and acts as a natural painkiller. Patchouli, pine, lavender, and orange oil combine for an uplifting and soothing aromatic experience.

This was a beautiful bubble bar, much improved from it’s predecessor. It offered water in an unbelievable hue, generous bubbles, and a fragrant, moisturizing soak. The only way I could hope to see this improved would to be a little dash of luster next time, since mine was all but rubbed off.

Rating: 5 out of 5

Price: 

Status: Permanent

Vegan?: Yes

Would I repurchase? Yes

Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Cream of Tartar (Potassium bitartrate), Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Lauryl Betaine, Corn Starch (Zea Mays), Mango Butter (Mangifera indica), Fragrance, Citric Acid, Patchouli Oil (Pogostemon cablin), Sweet Orange Oil (Citrus sinensis), Lavandin Oil (Lavandula Hybrida), Pine Oil (Pinus sylvestris), Lemongrass Oil (Cymbopogon citratus), Elemi Oil (Canarium commune), Deep Purple Lustre (Red 28, Blue 1, Aluminium Potassium Silicate, Titanium Dioxide), Glycerine, Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter (Theobroma Cacao), Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Olea europaea), Laureth 4, *Citral, Hydroxycitronellal, *Limonene, *Linalool, Copper Sheen and Radiant Gold Lustre (Potassium Aluminium Silicate, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides), Gold Glimmer Lustre (Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Iron Oxides, Silica), Yellow 6 Lake. *Occurs naturally in essential oils

Received Cosmetic Lad as a sample from my local store. I had gone in wanting to try Enzymion, but they were all out, so the salesgirl suggested I try Cosmetic Lad instead. This is not a moisturizer I would have chosen for my skin type, and I don’t think I would ever purchase it. I had told the girl that I have dry skin that is prone to breakouts, and I realize now that I should have emphasized my issues with acne a little more clearly, because this really isn’t a first choice for those who struggle with acne. 

I found this to be very greasy, and though I often wake up each morning with a few new breakouts no matter what product I use, I noticed my acne was substantially increased after using this moisturizer, and I had not changed any other aspect of my routine. I believe it was primarily the shea butter and cocoa butter in this product that caused the breakouts, because although these are very hydrating and nourishing ingredients for dry skin, they should be avoided by people with acne prone skin  as they are comedogenic. 

Cosmetic Lad is marketed as a good choice for those who need a product to soothe skin, especially men who suffer from post-shave irritation. There are many ingredients in here that support this claim, such as lavender, honey, aloe vera, linseed, chamomile, and marigold oil. And while it didn’t work for me, I can agree that it was extremely hydrating, not only from the she and cocoa butters, but also almond oil. It boasts antioxidant properties from wheatgrass as well.

Overall, this moisturizer is incredibly luxurious feeling and smooth, and though it feels a touch greasy and can be comedogenic, it has many soothing and healing properties that would make this a great choice for those with sensitive and dry skin. Not to mention, it smells faintly of tangerine ice cream!

Rating: 3 out of 5 Nice, but not for my skin type.

Price: 

Status: Permanent 

Vegan?: No, Contains honey

Would I repurchase? No

Ingredients: Lavender Honey Water, Linseed Mucilage, Fair Trade Organic Aloe Vera Gel, Chickweed, Chamomile and Marigold Petal Extract, Organic Cold Pressed Almond Oil, Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter, Fresh Wheatgrass Juice, Stearic Acid, Glycerine, Cetearyl Alcohol, Shea Butter, African Marigold Oil, Tangerine Oil, Sandalwood Oil, Triethanolamine*, Limonene*, Linalool, Perfume, Methylparaben, Propylparaben