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8 January 2015

Black Magic Massage Bar



Black Magic is definitely not your typical massage bar - to look at or to use. First released some eight years ago, Lush describe it as a product 'for inspiring those men who wish women were supplied with an instruction book, the ones who take a rather mechanical approach to everything.' What they mean by this I have no idea, but I was intrigued nonetheless. 

The first stark difference between this and Lush's usual massage bars, is that this is more of a block than a bar. In fact, it reminds me a little of the chocolates you get in gift boxes - those miniature cube-shaped delights you wolf down during Christmas time. I figure, with a name like Black Magic, this product has to have been influenced by the classic chocolate selection box.
Despite its design, you wouldn't immediately assume that there was any chocolate in the ingredients list, as the smell that hits you when you remove the product from the packaging is highly floral. Made from a combination of clary sage, geranium and ylang ylang, the scent that engulfs you from the initial sniff is a dry but potent flowery smell. To me, the geranium dominates its fragrance, and it is bursts of this that linger on your skin all day. 

Lush claim that clary sage is said to 'help bring out deeper responses', whilst the geranium is used 'to inspire warmth and fantasy.' Whatever the reasons for their inclusion, these two radiate and overpower most of the other ingredients, creating a fragrance not unlike the rose scent that you get with Tisty Tosty Ballistic - it's definitely something you have to get used to. However, there is also an element of bitterness from the inclusion of the dark chocolate, and this works alongside the floral components to create a very sharp and very unique fragrance. Black Magic is by far the most potent-smelling massage bar I've yet to come across and it stunk out my room for the entirety of the two weeks I was using it.

As with all other massage bars that Lush offer, there are different reasons for using them as well as different methods to help you make the most out of one. As the name suggests, these bars are predominantly created for the purpose of being used during massages. This means that the masseur has time to melt the oils between their hands and rub into the skin.

With Black Magic, this is definitely the most effective way to use the bar as it didn't work that well as a body lotion. As the massage bar is topped with a layer of dark chocolate, when this bar begins to melt, it makes a bit of a mess; when you rub the cream section, it acts like a normal massage bar and bleeds oils onto you skin. However, when using the chocolate part, your skin ends up being covered in murky, brown looking smears. These then have to be either wiped off with a towel or properly massaged into the skin, which takes a bit of time to do so. Furthermore, these smears will also stain any clothing that comes in contact with your skin, so you have to be extra careful when using it. 
Normally, I would use this massage bar as an alternative to my normal body lotion; I don't often have the time or the 'hands' to use it for its main purpose. However, Black Magic definitely doesn't work well if it's in a rushed situation.  

Although I did enjoy the smell of this massage bar, and it did leave my skin feeling and smelling lovely, I wasn't happy with how much of a mess it left my skin and clothes in, and there are far better massage bars to choose from. 

Quantitative Ingredients: Cocoa Butter, Dark Chocolate, Shea Butter, Ylang Ylang Petal Oil, Geranium Oil, Clary Sage Oil, Benzyl Salicylate, Citral, Eugenol, Geraniol, Benzyl Benzoate, Citronellol, Farnesol, Limonene, Linalool, Perfume. 

Vegan?: Yes.

2017 Price: £8.95 for 95g.



3 comments

  1. I remember this one being messy. I have a few various redundant bars as hubby has a back problem, probably only fit for the bin. Unfortunately I find them a little heavy to use as a moisturizer and can get pimply. I tried adding them to the bath water but again I found them heavy, often leaving a dangerously greasy film. I miss my massages though especially with Amazonian!

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    1. I've never tried an Amazonian! Unfortunately, while I love massage bars, I've never actually had a massage with one - I just use them as an alternative to body lotion about once a week! I agree that this one was really messy - i cannot be dealing with a chocolately mess all over my skin!

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  2. Excellent article. Very interesting to read. I really love to read such a nice article. Thanks! keep rocking. voodoo services

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