Smells great but too much hassle (Lush Squeeky Green Shampoo Bar)

Member Name: rrrrachel

Product:	Lush Squeeky Green Shampoo Bar
Date:	14/02/09 (198 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Lovely to use

Disadvantages: Consistency lets it down

I've tried loads of Lush products but had never given their solid shampoos ago until recently, when I thought I'd try Squeeky Green. I was attracted by Lush's claim that it lasts longer than a bottle of liquid shampoo so I thought even though it's £4.40, much more than the usual shampoos I buy, I might get more value for money. I also thought it might be handy to take with me in a wash bag on holiday or to the gym. I have to admit I was also tempted by the cute little tins Lush sell to keep these in, and ended up buying 2 shampoo bars just to get a tin free!

I'm a big fan of 'green' scents and this smelt lovely when I picked it up in the shop. It smells of freshly cut grass with a hint of herbs and patchouli - similar to their Washday Greens shampoo and Tramp shower gel, both of which I love. When I looked at the ingredients list I wasn't surprised that the main ingredients are rosemary, nettles and tea tree, giving it the lovely scent and its vibrant natural green colour. It's a waxy-feeling disc a couple of inches across and about half an inch thick.

When I got this home and gave it a try, I was a bit worried about how to use it. Lush suggest that you wet the bar and then rub it over your head to get a lather going, but I was worried that my hair would get really tangly, as it's quite long and highlighted and gets knotty at the best of times. However it lathered really quickly and the lovely smell enveloped me in the shower as I massaged it into my hair. The shampoo bar felt quite nice on my scalp, as it contains what the Lush website calls 'noodles' - little strands of soapy stuff, as well as bits of twiggy, herby material which I think is rosemary and mint. These hard bits massage your scalp so it's really pleasant to use.

I didn't leave it on and rinsed it out straight away. Unlike some shampoos it rinsed clean really quickly and left my hair immediately 'squeaky clean'. My hair is fine and tends towards lank and greasy, so this is what I want from a shampoo. However if you have dry or naturally 'fluffy' hair, this might not suit you as you might need something more moisturising.
I dried my hair as usual and was happy to notice that I could still smell the gorgeous scent every time I moved my hair. It did leave my hair really clean feeling and full of body once dry - it had a real bounce to it that I struggle to achieve after using other products. This body lasted all day, as did the lovely smell - in fact other people commented on this when they got close to me during the day.

The problems started next day when I went to use the bar again. I'd left it in its cute tin all night and obviously it had dried out a bit, because I couldn't get it out again! It had glued itself firmly inside the tin and I had to rub the whole thing on my head. However as it wore down this didn't really work so I had to prise it out using a ruler. Storing it loose in the shower worked better, but this meant it was constantly getting wet and I think it dissolved away faster as it rapidly got smaller every morning. It also made a bit of a green mess on the shower shelf. In the end I got fed up with this and put it back in the tin and went back to my usual shampoo for a few weeks. Anyway, I came to give it another try a few weeks ago, to use it up and I found it has turned to mush. This sounds bad but is actually better, because I can scoop a fingerful out of the tin and it's much easier to use this time round.

As I love this shampoo it's a shame that the practicalities let it down. If Lush could find a way of storing these that meant it didn't turn rock hard in the tin or dissolve when it got wet then it would be perfect! I probably won't buy it again, but it's a novel idea and I enjoy using it when I can be bothered.

Squeeky Green ingredients:
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Perfume, Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), Nettle (Urtica dioica), Water (Aqua), Tea Tree Powder (Melaleuca alternifolia), Peppermint (Mentha piperita), Rose Absolute (Rosa damascena), Chamomile Blue Oil (Chamomilla recutita), Vanilla Absolute (Vanilla planifolia), *Coumarin, *Geraniol, *Benzyl Benzoate, *Limonene, *Linalool, Hydroxycitronellal, Chlorophyllin (CI75810)
* Occurs naturally in Essential Oils

Thanks for reading!

Summary: Worth a try, but not perfect