Death, Decay and Renewal ... not as dark and morbid as it sounds

With a name like that posh drinks and candles you would be forgiven for thinking this post is going to be sinister, depressing and upsetting...... well lets add some happier words......

not convinced................. How about now??

Nothing Lush could be bad and this post is all about their new, volume 3,  Gorilla Perfume range which (as you may have guessed by now) is called "Death, Decay and Renewal".

I was really excited yesterday to be invited to (ok gatecrashed - thank you Rinica) the :Lush Meadowhall Gorilla Perfume Volume 3 Blogger event where we were greeted with really tasty posh drinks and fruit (I'm rather partial to a Strawberry or 3).

We started off a mingling session with a chance to get to know each other the friendly staff who work in the store whilst having a good look around with our own private shopping experience, before formal introductions.

  

It was great to meet Married to a Geek, A Blokes Eye View and StrikeAPose, please check their inspiring blogs out.

Alex then explained about the Gorilla Perfume range and took us through the first of 3 new fragrances ..... Death and Decay.

What are Gorilla Perfumes?

Lush think of perfumery as a form of art, this is why when the new range was launched it was done so in an Gallery, laid out much like an Art Exhibition - each perfume given its own unique space so guests could experience the scents through synaesthesia (a combination of music, light, sound and smell). It was easy to see how this was reflected in the instore displays and the presentations for each scent.
 
For Mark and Simon Constantine, founders of Lush and designers of all the Gorilla Perfume range they see their fragrances as a form of creative expression and Volume 3 draws on both their personal experiences, having recently encountered a lot of loss in their lives.

The unique thing about Gorilla Perfumes, aside from them being unisex, is that each perfume has a story to tell by the creator, add in the secret ingredient (your skin) and your own memories and you have a fragrance and memories all of your own ..... and this is where we start..... 

Death and Decay

If you are like me you expect dark, potentially woody smells from this scent, if I saw it on the shelf I would stay away assuming it to be unpleasant.  It's not, it has the most amazing sweet scent of lilies.  Almost anyone who has experienced death will recognise the prominence of Lillie's as being a sign on freshness, a beautiful smell that reminds you death doesn't have to be sad and gives you a chance to reflect on the funereal silences, the reverence and a time to remember those who have passed. 

What does Lush say?

"The pure scent of lily mingles with over-ripe tones of indole to give this fragrance a pungent, narcotic headiness. Let it transport you to a serene space where the fullness of beauty and its inevitable decay can be contemplated without fear. The message is one of meditation, acceptance and optimism delivered in a glorious, floral flourish."

What gives it the fragrance?

Ylang Ylang Oil and Tonka give Death and Decay it's sweet, heady and floral notes while Jasmine adds a seductive element to it.  Rose Oil is also included to give it a Balancing and restorative property.

I've been fortunate enough not to have experiences great loss in my life, that I have been old enough to remember, and for me the smell reminded me of baby wipes and evoked memories of when my boys were little.  As the scent settled down and bonded with my own skin the smell of the lilies range through and reminded me of my wedding day.  I can honestly say of the 3 new ones this was my favourite and the one I kept coming back to.

Death and Decay perfume comes in a unique dropper bottle and is priced at £30 for 30ml.

All Good Things

Jess took us on a journey of memories with this fragrance.  The idea being that you associate memories with perfumes, which I find very true.  I often smell someone when they are walking past and think "ohh that reminds me of my nannas house" or "mmm my first boyfriend wore that one".  We were asked to picture someone we loved and hadn't seen in a long time and imagine we would see them the following day, what would we do and where would we go?   The name stems from the fact that All Good Things must come to an end, and whilst they do the memories will always remain.

On the skin All Good Things smells very smokey and, for me, very masculine.  However I smelt it on A Blokes Eye View and there was no smokey notes at all just a pleasant peppery scent. 

What does Lush say?

"Succumb to this rich, sensual and smokey blend of all good things. Both bitter and sweet, representing a parting of ways and celebrating new beginnings. A sweet, boozy stumble down a dark basement staircase will leave you in a blissed out cloud of candyfloss and black pepper"

What gives it the fragrance?

Like Death and Decay Tonka gives  All Good Things it's sweet notes.  Rose Oil allows it's balancing and restorative properties to shine through with the added addition of Cedarwood Oil extenuates this and include a toning nature .  Cade Oil provides the smoky smell as well as providing an antimicrobial and antiseptic element to the perfume.

All Good Things comes in a 10ml spray bottle and is priced at £20 or 30ml for £40.

Kerbside Violets

It was Paige's turn to take us into a world of discovery with this nostalgic fragrance that took me back to childhood and Parma Violets.

The best way to introduce this is the same way she did.... by starting with one of their products, the Ultraviolet Bubble Bar, part of their Mothers Day range.  Without giving too much away (I have a review coming up) it is rainbow bar smelling of violets and jasmine with added glitter.  

   The scents from this bar are well reflected in the Kerbside Violets, as you would expect the key notes are of course a floral violet smell but it's not overpowering and soon mellows out to give the experience of walking through a grassy meadow, very summery and fresh.

What does Lush say?

"Elusive and evocative, sweet violet is captured here in its diminutive glory. Kerbside Violet is inspired by chance encounters and fleeting moments. A breath of serenity allowing you to slow down and notice the tiny revolution growing through the cracks of a concrete jungle near you. "

What gives it the fragrance?

Violet Leaf gives the powerful scent with its fresh, grassy and antibacterial properties teamed up with Jasmine and Ylang Ylang for their floral and sweet notes.  Rosewood Oil has also been added which lends its antiseptic and uplifting elements.

Kerbside Violets comes in a 10ml spray bottle for £18 or 30ml for £36.

It was lovely to have a personal fragrance consultation with Cathy and find my signature scent.... Lust (from one of the earlier volumes).

This one is beautiful, It has Jasmine in which makes it both floral and seductive coupled with Ylang Ylang Oil.  Again Rose has been added to give it balancing and restorative properties while Vanilla gives an extra sweet and comforting depth.

Gorilla perfumes, I am advised, last all day on the skin and change as the day goes on and the chemicals within your own body change, they also small different depending on where you are.   I'm really looking forward to trying mine today when I go out for lunch.   

As with all Lush Products their Gorilla Perfume range is made with natural ingredients that are ethically sources and fairly traded as well as not being tested on animals.

Thank you to the staff at Lush, Meadowhall, for inviting me along and making the evening so friendly and informative.

I my have come away with another couple of exciting products that I will share you with in upcoming posts.....

Let me introduce the Dragons Egg (with a secret centre)............

..... and the Bubblebug (yes they are actually white chocolate buttons for the eyes)

Disclaimer:  I was invited to the Bloggers Launch event at Lush Meadowhall where I received a perfume and bubble bar free of charge.  Thoughts and opinions all remain my own.