My calorie free bar! (Lush After 8:30 Massage Bar)

Member Name: sweetpea01

Product:	Lush After 8:30 Massage Bar
Date:	18/05/09 (28 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Smells divine & is a great moisturiser

Disadvantages: Melts quickly

I absolutely adore massage bars, I think they are a great product and I am so thankful to Lush for making them! And what a selection they do! Even the retro range is quite impressive! I probably go so far as using using a massage bar atleast twice a week. I have a hard job and like to unwind and relax and massage bars are the perfect way to do this. They are also incredibly ideal for couples to use for a bit of intimate fun.

After trying most of the usual Lush massage bars and by usual I mean the ones you can get in a shop. I decided that as I was ordered som Lush online that I would have a browse through the retro range. After quite a bit of thought I decided to go for After 8.30 Massage Bar. It's tempting description got me really curious!!

After 8.30 was originally discontinued back in 2004 but was then bought back to live on the retro shelves for everyone to carry on enjoying. After 8.30 looks like a bar of chocolate, similar to the Cadburys Dairy Milk (the large bar) with the little pieces that easily break into chunks. The top layer is a thick creamy colour (reminds me of white chocolate) and the thinner brown layer is actually Belgiun chocolate!!

My initial thoughts as soon as I had clicked the confirm order button was whether it would end up being quite a sticky bar due to the chocolate but how wrong was I?! This musky, minty massage bar gives you the feeling of being adventurous and daring without forcing you to take much risk. There is no trace of stickyness whatsoever, if anything it's the apposite, soft and maluable.

Only a thin layer of this bar consists of pure Belgian chocolate and what little chocolate does get on your skin is easily rubbed in and goes entirely unnoticeable. An After 8:30 massage will leave a silky smooth finish without the stickiness that's generally associated with Lush's more chocolate-heavy Massage Bars (such as Chocolate La La) or the greasiness that you often get from some of the faster-melting bars.

I mainly use massage bars when I have gotten out of the shower or bath. They are a perfect solid moisturiser which tend to be quite "hand" friendly, by that I mean they fit your hand easily. However This bar because of its square shape is slightly awkward to hold, so unfortunately I have split mine in half to use it easier. The bar as I said above doesn't melt that quickly, so it's ideal to work around your body (or your partners body!). All the massage bars are solid blocks of cocoa butter which is perfect for softening the skin and After 8.30 is definately no exception, it is quickly absorbed by your skin, without leaving any trace that it's been there whatsoever! Peppermint oil is used generally for digestion and is an antispasmodic medicine, it soothes the muscles in the gut, however in this bar it just gives it the lovely minty smell and thats about it!

Now I did use this bar with my partner and I won't go into the details! But we both said that our skin felt really softened after using the bar a few times. Which is great as we do both suffer with dry skin, me more than him. Fortunately due to the minty scent, this bar is suited for both men and women. The minty scent doesn't stay on the skin for long which doesn't really both me as I don't really want to spend my time smelling of an after 8 mint!!

Besides, it's not just a great massage, it's the massage choice of cultural icons, baby. I mean, hello! Madonna buys this Massage Bar! Well if it is good enough for her then it certainly is good enough for me!

What Lush say:-

Chocolate and peppermint make for delicious after dinner massages
We blend sinfully sweet white chocolate and minty dark chocolate with moisturizing cocoa butter to make this seductively stimulating massage bar. Not to be mistaken for an after dinner mint, this beauty is perfect for stimulating and reviving tired skin before bed. A treat for both your sense of touch and your sense of smell, After 8:30 should be melted in your hands, not in your mouth.

After 8.30 Massage Bar costs £3.43 which is very reasonably priced and I think it's an ideal bar for everyone. It also gives you your sweet treat without having all the calories of an actual After 8! However I did find out that before it was made retro After 8.30 only costs £2.75, Lush have bumped up the price slightly!!

Summary: A great way to top an evening meal off!