Not sure it's even lukewarm! (Lush Hot Java Bath Ballistic)

Member Name: bamamo

Product:	Lush Hot Java Bath Ballistic
Date:	03/11/08 (88 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Really can't see any!

Disadvantages: I didn't like the smell, the bath felt unpleasant with sticks floating around.

So far, my foray into the Retro Lush product range has been disappointing, Pinapple Grunt being a big flop. I had also bought a ballistic from the range of discontinued, but now available online, products so decided to give it a try the other night and see if it would also disappoint.

Hot Java claims to warm you up when you've been out in all weathers and feel like you'll never be warm again, which is down to the cinnamon, ginger, coriander and juniper in the ingredients list. So, after being out feeding the horses in a cold, windy evening, I was hoping it would do the trick.

I'll be honest, when I sniffed this product as it came out of my Lush package, I was less than impresed. In fact, I wondered whether I would actually use it in the bath at all. Despite liking cinammon, I really wasn't struck on the smell at all. As it wouldn't fit in the tin I'd put the rest of my Lush goodies in, it was hanging around my room in its paper bag for about a week, and I suppose I got used to the smell because when I took it out and had a good long sniff, I wasn't overly offended. Still, I definitely wouldn't say the scent has a universal appeal, it smelled a little masculine to me and I much prefer girly, or fruity, scents, this being spicy and earthy.

After running a nice hot bath, I got in and dropped Hot Java into the water. I immediately wished I hadn't. The ballistic went fizzing around, the scent getting slightly stronger but not immensely overpowering, just still not exactly pleasant to my nostrils! As it dissolved, the cinnamon sticks I could see a little evidence of when it was whole started shooting out. I picked some out to look at and to be honest they just look like bits of tree bark. The water went a muddy, cloudy orange.

As you can imagine, muddy orange water and bits of "bark" really conjures the image of bathing in a puddle. I didn't enjoy it at all and didn't have a relaxing bath, I was too busy trying to avoid getting bits stuck in my hair, and couldn't wash it in the bathwater like I usually do.

I didn't really notice any particular warming notions as claimed in the description, but as the bathwater was piping hot anyway, and I was distracted by the general icky feeling the colour and contents of the ballistic added to my bath, I can't definitively say they weren't there. The essential oils included certainly should do something to revive tired, cold, aching muscles.

I actually didn't stay in the bath long at all, despite being so cold beforehand, because I didn't enjoy the smell, the appearance, or the floating extras! I really felt like it was a big waste of money because I couldn't relax at all in the bath, so I felt like it was a waste of a good bath too!

After the bath drained, there was also a particularly disgusting yellow-orange ring around the sides, and I actually noticed this scum on my body when I moved positions in the bath. I know lots of people say they dislike baths because they don't like sitting in their own filth, and while I've never felt this way (as I'm not overly filthy!) I certainly didn't feel as clean as usual after seeing the nasty jaundiced effect! In fact, I ended up having to shower anyway afterwards to wash my hair, so had to have a good scrub then. The water felt a bit softer than it would plain (forgetting the sticks floating around!) but this didn't make my skin feel particulary silky.

This ballistic is only available online, being part of the Retro Lush range, and is priced at £2.50. I wont be buying it again and only recommend it if you're crazy about this type of scent, and don't mind picking bits of crap out of the bath for a while after!

Summary: Certainly not for me!