14 December 2013

Ghost Shower Gel

Having carried out quite a bit of research before writing this latest entry, I know I am probably in the minority when I write this rather dampening review of Ghost. There seems to be quite an underground fan-base for this product/smell and unfortunately it just didn't sit well with my senses - probably due to the fact that I wouldn't consider myself a big fan of most floral smells to begin with.

Ghost brings with it the haunting aroma of lilies, jasmine, ylang ylang and neroli – the same fragrance that's found in Lush's currently discontinued Lily Savon soap. It’s made with rose water and dove orchid infusion - a beautiful combination that’s mild and gentle on the skin. While the rose water is the first note of scent that I pick up when sniffing this shower gel, it's not so pungent that it overpowers the other ingredients. You can smell the seductive sweetness of the jasmine and the uplifting, grassy aroma of the neroli - two ingredients that give this shower gel it's natural fragrance. 
While I would describe it as having a slightly dried floral scent, it's not as powdery or as overwhelming as something like Tisty Tosty or Potion Lotion. The ingredients are well balanced so that you can detect hints of everything while not being able to decipher one dominating note from the rest. 

Ghost has quite a thin, watery texture, which at first I took to mean that it wasn't going to be very effective in the shower. However, the inclusion of both jojoba oil, to gently moisturise and soften the skin, and neroli oil which helps to tone and smoothen out skin, means that this shower gel is incredibly moisturising and you can feel the difference it makes almost immediately.   

This unique shower gel also contains an ingredient labelled as 'snowflake lustre', which helps to give the gel a really lovely opalescent appearance. Don't worry though - you won't be left looking like a glitter ball as the sparkles wash away under the running water. However, it's viscous consistency does mean that it's not as generous with it's lather as some of Lush's other shower gels - creating more of a silky foam than a soapy one. Despite this, it does smooth very easily onto the skin and leaves it feeling soft and well-nourished, working in a similar way to one of my favourite shower gels, Snowshowers

The bottle says it has the 'haunting scent of lilies' which it certainly does, although there does not appear to be any lilies listed in the ingredients, which is rather odd. I found that Ghost has a very strong floral smell, which you'll either have a love or hate relationship with. Much like Happy Happy Joy Joy Conditioner, it possesses a very potent smell that grabs you immediately upon opening the bottle. The result is a subtle and quite feminine nutty scent that lingers on the skin but is not as potent or over powering as you would expect given the number of floral notes that it contains. 

Unfortunately, unlike the aforementioned conditioner, this particular floral scent was not something that I found myself being overly keen on. Understandably, the lily scent made me think of funerals and old people homes - that old-fashioned smell that conjures up rather damp, depressing memories - ones I would rather forget than relive in the shower. While I can appreciate how well balanced this shower gel is and how light and gentle it is when in use, it would probably suit someone who appreciates the natural smell of lilies more than I do. 

As Ghost is quite thin, be careful when using it in the shower as one squirt from the bottle can produce an impressive amount of liquid. If you're not careful, you'll end up wasting a lot down the plughole, which is a shame given how little of this you actually need to create a good amount of lather. 

The gel cleanses very well and the lovely scent is easily detectable in the shower. Luckily for me, the scent is not one to linger on your skin for too long, so I was able to use it up in the shower while not having to worry about the fragrance following me around all day. 
Overall, I recognise why this scent combination is rather popular amongst fellow Lushies, and aside from the smell, Ghost is a great shower companion. It lathers up wonderfully and moisturises the skin to counteract some of that winter dryness that many of us go through at this time of year. However, it is not one I would rush out to buy again as the fragrance is not to my liking and I feel there are far far better alternatives available.

Quantitative Ingredients: Dove Orchid Infusion, Rose Water, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Fine Sea Salt, Glyceryl Stearate & PEG-100 Stearate, Cocamide MEA, Glycol Cetearate, Perfume, White Wine Vinegar, Propylene Glycol, Lauryl Betaine, Organic Jojoba Oil, Jasmine Absolute, Ylang Ylang Oil, Neroli Oil, Linalool, Hydroxycitronellal, Snowflake Lustre, Methylparaben, Propylparaben.

Vegan?: Yes

2014 Price: £10.95 for 250g.

2015 Price: £10.95 for 250g.
2017 Price: £11.50 for 250g.

Scent Family:
Ghost Shower Gel
Ghost Shower Jelly
Lily Savon Liquid Perfume
Lily Savon Soap
Moon On A Stick Bath Bomb


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  2. There seems to be a small mistake in the ingredients list: I believe this shower gel doesn't contain sodium lauryl sulfate, but sodium alkyl sulfate. Not trying to nitpick here, but for people looking to avoid SLS this might be relevant. SAS is more gentle than SLS. Love your blog, btw, it's such a valuable source of information on all things Lush ��


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