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19 February 2015

Love Potion Massage Bar


It was only a few months ago, that I began using massage bars as an alternative to body lotions. At first, I was a little hesitant to make that switch, as I was unconvinced that a slab of solid oils could properly moisturise my skin in the same way that liquid lotions could. However, the more I've been using these bars recently, the more I've realised that they have perks that outweigh that of a liquid alternative. Just one of the benefits that I can think of, is that there is something rather therapeutic and relaxing about using a massage bar. It really helps to de-stress your entire body and mind, perhaps due to the pressure that you apply to your body when you rub on the oils.    

Love Potion Massage Bar is perfumed with Lush's best-selling Love fragrance; a light, sexy apple scent with citrusy top notes and a strong jasmine undercurrent. Released as a limited edition Valentine's Day product back in 2012, the bar was one of the first to be sold with the addition of cornflour in the ingredients list. As well as the soft, melty cocoa and Shea butters, the flour was added to absorb any excess oils left on your skin after application. This means that you can moisturise and soften your skin without worrying about it being left greasy.

I was lucky enough to win two of these massage bars a few months back, and to begin with I was worried that they would be 'past' their shelf-life. However, I was pleased to discover that they were just as potent smelling and fresh as if they had been newly-bought that day.

The Love Potion is set apart from other massage bars because of it's appearance; a milky-cream coloured bottle shape with a baby-pink shaped heart etched into the middle. Its smell hits you immediately, before you've even began to use it; freshly baked cinnamon and apple scones - a rich, warm and spicy scent with just a hint of citrus tang. There are elements of jasmine here, and of ylang ylang and rose, but these ingredients all play a subtle part in helping to layer and deepen the overall fragrance of the bar. I absolutely loved the smell and found that it lingers on your body for a good few hours after using it. 

To melt the bar you can either rub it between the palms of your hands and then smear the oils onto the areas of your body you wish to moisturise. Or you can run the bar over your skin, after you've had a bath or shower, and then massage the excess liquid into your skin. The combination of different butters and oils helps to leave your skin feeling really smooth and soft after application, although I did find the consistency of Love Potion to be a little stickier than some of the massage bars I've used recently. I would like to point out however, that this latter point could have been caused by the age of the massage bar, and I'd have to try a fresher one to compare it to mine. 

The product shares it scent with Lush's unique Love Perfume, a favourite amongst Lush fans. I happen to own a bottle of the perfume myself, and was able to compare the difference in scents between the massage bar and it's liquid sibling. What I found was that perfume seemed to harvest a much stronger citrus scent, which is somewhat overpowering when it's sprayed onto your skin. Although it's still a lovely smell, I much prefer the scent of the massage bar as it's a lot easier to pick out the different layers of smells that have been used, making it a more homely, comforting fragrance.

Ultimately, this is a product I would love to use again. Although the scents are very different, it reminded me a little of Artemis Cream Body Lotion in the fact that it's a very comforting smell. Love Lotion really did feel less greasy and oily than other massage bars, yet it still moisturised my skin just as throughly. The inclusion of Rose and Jasmine absolute not only helped to padden out the overall fragrance, but added a calming element which helped to reduce both the tension in my muscles and any stress that I was harvesting in my mind at the time. As I mentioned above, it's a very therapeutic experience, and one that I thoroughly enjoyed. I would definitely buy this massage bar if it was released again.

Quantitative Ingredients: Cocoa Butter, Shea Butter, Cornflour, Apple Blossom and Orris Root Infusion, Fair Trade Olive Oil, Kaolin, Perfume, Fresh Carnation, Bergamot Oil, Jasmine Absolute, Lemongrass Oil, Rose Absolute, Ylang Ylang Oil, Magnesium Carbonate, Snowflake Lustre, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Salicylate, Cinnamal, Coumarin, Eugenol, Geraniol, Isoeugenol, Benzyl Benzoate, Citronellol, Famesol, Limonene, Citral, Linalool, Colour 73360.

Vegan?: Yes. 

2015 Price: £7.25 each.
2016 Price: £7.25 each.

Year Of Original Release: ?

Scent Family:
Fizzbanger Bath Bomb
Lonely Hearts Bubble Bar
Love Apple Bubble Bar
Love 'Atmosphere' Shower Gel
Love Island Body Scrub
Love Perfume
Love Potion Massage Bar
Love Soap
Whole Lotta Love Bubbleroon

6 comments

  1. Not really into massage bar (or body lotions tbh) but really going to give them another go after reading this post. I have Tender is the Night massage bar which I found great for massaging somebody else but never used it as a body lotion. I regret not picking up this massage bar now!

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    1. In all honesty, I've never used a massage bar to massage anyone - I've always used them as an intense way to nourish my skin. I tend to use it once a week or once a fortnight (depending on whether my skin needs it or not) and this has really helped to make my skin feel and look more supple and retain the youthful glow that I want.

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  2. These massage bars are awesome! Thanks for properly highlighting this one in particular. It is important that people make a very good distinction between the regular lotions to massage bars, as the latter's health benefits are more well-rounded, whether they are soothing the stresses in your muscles or keeping your skin in great shape.

    William Connors @ The Healing Station

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  3. Oh, oooh, I am confused. I had my mind clear and decided to guet the love spell masage bar. however, now I have read your reviews, I don't know wich one I like the most. Can you help me to choose between love spell, fever and love potion? which one do you recomend if you could only take one?
    Thank you very much

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    Replies
    1. So sorry - I have only just seen this message. Which one did you go for in the end?

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  4. There is an interesting fact that massage can enhance the immune system. Massage helps to release the cells that are our immune systems first defensive lineup against a foreign invader. 파주 출장안마

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