Summer rerun: LUSH(er) Life

If this shows up for my birthday I would be very happy..

This weekend was the Gilmore car show at The Farmer’s Market next to The Grove. For some reason I thought I would go even though that place on a Saturday is a nightmare. For those of you who have never been here, The Grove is a large outdoor mall built by local a developer who is fond of “dancing waters”, piped in 24/7 music, and simulacra of an Ohio town square.

Gotta love a wagon with tailfins..

Now I have done my best never to live in Ohio (sure it’s very nice, but ew, humid) so I don’t feel the need to escape the hustle and bustle of a crowded city by being in.. the hustle and bustle of a crowded mall.

The Grove did something that was pretty clever though. Apart from some restaurants in the mall proper, The Grove uses the old Farmer’s Market as it’s de facto food court. On the one hand it makes sure that the Farmer’s Market will always be viable. on the other hand it also means I will never get a table again.

Staging for the Pride parade in WeHo

It was also Pride weekend which I tend to avoid. I don’t like crowds and they can get up to 1/2 a million people there. So I drove up to Malibu. I bought celery juice at the local Von’s. Because that is what one does.

In any case, I was going to return something to Nordstrom, but passed since Pride fest was between me and the malls and I didn’t want to drive, So I am reprinting my trip to Lush land, where I need to return.

So most of you know that in addition to being nutty about scent I am also a bit nutty about cars. So much so that I have over the years been a correspondent for the Autoextremist (an online publication that is sometimes rather scathingly honest- so much so that we can have issues getting cars to review.) Just this past week I went to Century City at the invitation of Sony/Honda to experience (if not drive) their new vehicle. Or as they put it, their vision of “Mobility as a Creative Entertainment Space”. It has a sign on the front that drivers can program with phrases like “Have a Nice Day!” or “Eat more Kale for Health.” Of were it me, “Is Your Hair on Purpose?” You can read my reaction to it here.

So since I was in Century City I did stop in at LUSH before running back to work. Because, you know. Bath Goo. Now I have pretty much done a 180 on LUSH- having been frightened by one of their bath bombs earlier I had steered well clear, but so many were going on about Rose Jam I had to check it out, and left with a big bottle. Then came (smaller ones) of grass (which was a no-brainer) and sticky dates (which was completely out of character but too yummy to pass up.) The (I suppose I should call them by their correct name) shower gels are very, well, lush: highly scented, richly lathery and will leave both you and your bathroom smelling lovely. The staff is friendly and helpful. perhaps since this Lush is the largest one on the West Coast it has an air handling system that keeps the place pumped full of fresh air so those who were put off by the miasma surrounding other Lush store need not be frightened. Save that for when you have to find where the hell you parked your car..

So I popped for two of the smaller size of the shower gel- there is actually an even smaller size available at the stores that are I think $8 and will give a good week or two of normal use: Perfect for travelling or an in-depth try. I went with the 3.3oz for $12.50 on both.

Dirty Springwash is false advertising. Which, considering this is a shower gel is perhaps no bad thing. There’s nothing dirty, or even drrrty, about this. It’s all about the mint: camphor and peppermint and eucalyptus and maybe even some Wint-O-Green lifesavers ground up as exfoliant. There’s also a little citrus and some thyme in there to add some depth. As a devotee of Dr Bronner’s peppermint liquid soap I am perhaps immune to the zing to the personal areas that I assume those oils should have, or perhaps they have formulated that out. It is refreshing and stimulating_ I used it this AM and it perked me right up.

Posh Chocolate is something that I should have disliked. Chocolate is not my favorite scent in perfumes, having been frightened by Angel and wearers who doused themselves in it like they were soft-serve cones at the dipping station. Especially since at first huff this not only looks exactly like but smells exactly like Kozy Shack chocolate pudding. Which I enjoy eating, but don’t need to bathe in. But in moments this one becomes much more, well, lush. The chocolate becomes cocoa, it gets backed by hazelnut and vanilla that takes it to a different level. At least from pudding pop to patisserie. Note that this one seems not to come in the smallest bottle, at least online.

So have you braved the local mall for any interesting bath stuff lately? Tried these? Loved them? Hated them? Sat in electric car that makes it so you’ll never have to interact with your family again? Let us know in the comments. 

My bottles were purchased from the LUSH Store in Century City

Images: My iPhone, Pexels