Lush Tuca Tuca Massage Bar

Last summer, Lush released a new range of perfumes. The very first perfume to be released was Tuca Tuca, and a massage bar with the same scent was released alongside it. I picked up this massage bar not long ago.

The massage bar is very distinctive and appealing to look at. It is small and round and cream in colour with a purple Tuca Tuca logo in the middle. It smells just like the perfume - overwhelmingly of violets. In fact I'd go as far as to say that the scent smells better in massage bar form than it does in the perfume!

To create the violet scent, the massage bar contains violet leaf absolute. It also contains fresh rose petal extract, which helps to soothe the skin and moisturise. Also included are cassie absolute, vanilla absolute, sandalwood oil, vetivert oil and ylang ylang oil which add to the distinctive scent. The base of the massage bar is made up of cocoa and shea butter, which are both very moisturising.

To use the massage bar, you need to rub it between your hands to melt the oils and then rub them onto your skin. Alternatively you can rub the massage bar straight onto the skin like a solid moisturiser. I do both depending on how much of a hurry I'm in. I tend to use the massage bar as an intensive moisturiser once or twice a week, usually after going to the gym and having a shower, although I've used it during the day before (applying less), as the bar is not oily, unlike some massage bars I have tried. The bar melts easily, but not ridiculously so, and feels very moisturising. I especially like to use it after epilating my legs, as the bar soothes them and helps the redness go down.

After my unfortunate experience with the 'After 8.30' massage bar, in which I ended up covered in brown streaks, I was a bit worried that the Tuca Tuca logo would turn me purple (although I do feel that purple would be preferable to brown). This wasn't the case, however. The logo did leave a slight shimmer on my skin, but this rubbed in easily.

The scent lasts for ages on my skin, and I really like it - it is distinctive, playful, yet somehow relaxing which is great when trying to get to sleep on a work night. It cheers me up to use the massage bar - it's so fresh and sweet-smelling, just like parma violets.

I definitely recommend this massage bar, either to complement the perfume or to use instead of the perfume (as a solid scent perhaps), during the day or at night. It's a versatile and fun product. A bar costs £5 but I've used mine several times already and it's only about half worn-away, so it seems like it will last a good while. You could even take it on holiday with you as a moisturiser - as it's solid it won't be affected by liquid rules affecting hand baggage on planes.

Overall, a great massage bar and one which I would buy again.