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17 November 2014

Once Upon A Time Gift Set


In all fairness, this isn't a product that I should be reviewing on this site, because quite simply, this is not a vegan product. Although I have reviewed gift sets before that have had a non-vegan item in the mix, the ratio of vegan to non-vegan has always been heavily on the 'non' part. However, when my Once Upon A Time Gift Set arrived in the post this morning, I was disappointed to find that the ratio of products I could actually use was 1:3. 

Having already tried and reviewed the Christmas Angel Ballistic, I was really excited to be able to try out a fresh Gingerbread Bubble Bar for the first time. While I already knew that the Fairy Tail Sugar Scrub was only vegetarian, the only parts that I couldn't use were the white chocolate buttons that decorate the top - something that could easily be removed to make it vegan. However, I was rather annoyed when I realised that the bubble bar was labelled as vegetarian, despite there being nothing obvious in the ingredient list that prevented it from being vegan. My only assumption is that the sugar sprinkles that decorate the top contain some sort of milk-based derivative. If anyone can spread any light on this for me, it would be much appreciated. 

Given that I now had the gift set in my vicinity, I thought it was a waste not to review the products for my readers, as I'm sure there are a lot of non-vegan Lushies that would appreciate this review, if only for the pictures! So while I would not normally advocate using a non-vegan product, I will make an exception just this once!

What first attracted me to Once Upon A Time is the strange combination of products inside. While you can normally recognise a theme with each of Lush's gift sets, this one contains three products that are so different from each other. Christmas Angel Ballistic is a minty-chocolate offering while Gingerbread House Bubble Bar is a ginger and lemon concoction; Fairy Tail Sugar Scrub offers a sweet, fruity aroma in the Yummy Yummy Yummy fragrance. 

Yet while on paper these three items sound like they shouldn't go well together, in reality, they strangely compliment each other. So what you get when you open the box for the first time, is a whole series of different smells that entice and equally intrigue you to delve in further. 

While most of these products do not immediately scream 'Christmas' at me, I can see why Lush have chosen to release this so near to the seasonal period.  These are three products that will nourish, moisturise and improve your weathered skin - a great selection of unique products that will warm you up this Christmas. 

The Gingerbread House Bubble Bar is packed full of ginger so will help stimulate the blood flow under your skin, warming your body and banishing those winter chills; the sugar scrub will invigorate and nourish your body whilst also stimulating that warmth that is so needed at this time of the year. Finally, the ballistic will relax your mind whilst releasing any tensions you may have with your muscles, leaving you feeling ready to start the day.

While I won't be buying this product again now that I know it's not very vegan, this is a lovely little gift set that would serve as a great stocking filler - perhaps  to be used Christmas Day Eve after a long day of eating, drinking and being merry.  

Vegan?: Almost!

2014 Price: £14.50.












5 comments

  1. Sad to hear it wasn't a fully vegan set! But that wrapping paper is rather nice, isn't it? I like the stars a lot. I haven't had a chance to try the Haagen bath bomb, but it sounds like that Christmas angel one.

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    1. It is indeed the same as Haagen Bath, which luckily I stocked up on when it came out in the kitchen :)

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  2. well i would think you're right about it being the sprinkles, they contain "Confectioner's Glaze" which i dont believe to be vegan, the main ingredient is also sugar...i know alot of vegan who wont eat sugar because its filtered through bone char! I can only assume this is why they have not labelled it as vegan!

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    1. Thanks for the information - I think that the sugar through bone char thing is something that doesn't happen very often in the UK - it's more of a regular occurrence in the US, but at least I now know what prevents it from being vegan :)

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