Ancienne Ambiance luxury soap collection

The Ancienne Ambiance luxury soap collection which first launched back in 2013 has revealed four new stunning new scents: Adriatica Fig, Ambra Amber, Bacca Berryand Neroli Orange Blossom which I am sharing with you today.

 

I’ve been a fan of Ancienne Ambiance since my introduction to Goddess Floral Water and the Bacca Berry Candle, so I had little doubt these soap bars would be anything other than amazing.

Each one of the four Ancienne Ambiance Soap bars are beautifully imprinted with the iconic Ancienne Ambiance logo and each soap, which is a 100g bar in a rectangular shape is quite possibly the most luxurious looking soap bars I’ve ever seen.  The packaging that these soaps come in is 100% recyclable.

“If you’re new to Ancienne Ambiance I highly recommend trying one of our luxury soap bars. Cleansing and moisturising in one go, it will tell you all you need to know about our brand, craftsmanship and the quality of everything we do.”

As with all Ancienne Ambiance soaps, shea butter brings a skin soothing and smoothing element. Made in France using traditional techniques, the composition is a 100% vegetable oil base, complete with coconut oil, which contains natural glycerine. Showcasing several nourishing vitamins, the formula is created without potentially irritating synthetic SLS in there either. 

The four soaps which have been presented above are Neroli, Ambra, Adriatica and Bacca and whilst I think Neroli is my favourite of the four, they are all absolutely lovely. Alongside the soap is also a little historical story, which I think makes these all the more delightful.

The first soap I am sharing with you is the Neroli, which is my favourite of the four is described as being a luxury orange blossom soap.

The use of Neroli and orange blossom is said to date back to ancient Egypt where they were used in several beauty recipes, not too similar from the uses we have today and the word Neroli is attributed to a French-born Italian princess (Countess of Nerola, c. 1600s) who used orange blossoms in her bathwater.  As fragrance, Neroli is said to have a calming effect for anyone who is anxious or in shock, it is also kind to the skin and can be used to treat headaches and insomnia too.

Ambra, which is the next soap, has a lovely burnt orange colour to it and whilst it isn't my favourite scent,  it is described as being a soft and comforting aromatic fragrance. 

Ambra Amber is inspired by the Ambergris resin favoured by Roman Emperors and it has a sweet earthy fragrance to it which is also said to be a calming scent that soothes the mind and can be used to help aid sleep.

The freshest scent of the four soaps is Adriatica which is described as being a fresh and clean fragrance, Adriatica Fig is said to blend the woody notes of the fig tree with the fruity sweetness of Mediterranean white Adriatic figs. 

Highly prized in antiquity, figs and fig wood are said to be a symbol of rebirth, abundance, enlightenment and prosperity. Figs also happen to be good for the skin because they host anti-inflammatory properties.

Finally we have Bacca, a beautiful red coloured soap which has a fragrance that is very much like the candle I mentioned earlier within this post.

As with the rest of the soaps within this post, this one also has a story to it. Described as being a sophisticated and vibrant fruity blend of redcurrants, blackcurrants alongside an array of freshly picked bursting berries, it is a scent that you notice before it lathers and it is also one which scents the room your are in. The story goes that a seasonal staple for early hunter-gatherers for thousands of years, Bacca (the Latin used for ‘small round fruit’) were also enjoyed by the Romans, Etruscans and Greeks and are thought to have medicinal properties.

Anyone who is familiar with the brand Ancienne Ambiance will know that they are not just any soaps, they are quite something. When they come into contact with the water, they do lather very quickly and are gentle enough to be used on the face and body. On sale now, these soaps are priced at £6 for 100g or as a foursome they are £24 and there is an option to build your own soap set too.

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.

Lush Event - Regent Street

Last Thursday I was so excited to be invited to a Lush event in Regent Street here in London, those of you who read my blog will know that I am a bit more than a fan, I am more like a Lush-a-holic.

The aim of the event was to promote and introduce to us Danger! Cosmetics to Go, a book on the story of the company that preceded Lush which tells the meteoric rise and devastating fall of the the brand in just 6 years.  Written by the beautiful Mira Manga, a musician and writer, she was commissioned to write the book by Mark Constantine OBE, Lush Co-Founder and managing Director.  Mira herself worked for Lush, starting as a Saturday girl in Lush's Carnaby Street Shop (which has since closed).  I was lucky enough to get Mira to sign my copy and for anyone out there, who like me, is a huge fan of Lush, this is a book you should have in your possession because it is a fascinating insight into the world of Lush, the products they have and how they came to be.

As well as meeting Mira, Lush put on a brilliant event with nibbles and drinks to keep those of us present fed and watered and we had exclusive access to the staff to ask as many questions as we wanted, see demonstrations of the products and try out the products that Lush sell.  

All of the staff I spoke to were absolutely brilliant and so knowledgeable in what they knew of each product, some sharing funny stories of mishaps with customers and others giving a real detailed introduction to things I was yet to try and advising on other products that might work well with either my hair, skin or hands.

With Valentines Day not too far away, Lush have their own Valentines Day products out there to grab and my advice is to grab them quick because they are amazing.  I have already taken a shine to the Valentines Shower Gel Prince Charming which smells wonderfully of marshmallows and pomegranate juice.  Then there is the Love Locket Bath Bomb which has three parts to it, not something I am going to ruin for you now, but look out for the review.  There are 11 different products within the Valentines Day range, including three different gift sets, a lip gloss and some soap, all brightly coloured and beautifully packaged.

I had an absolutely brilliant time at this Lush Event and know so much more about the products I liked, loved and swoon over and whats more, I really loved the chance of being able to meet Mira and ask her many questions about the book she has so brilliantly written and it may just feature in its own review.

I was also surprised to get a goody bag and this one was just amazing and below are the contents, each of us was asked to choose Bath or Shower, now for someone who is as indecisive as I am, this was a hard task, but I did choose bath:

Of course I couldn't leave such a fabulous event without something for my beloved hubby could I? Especially when he has his own blog now, so this is what I bought for him:

Ickle Baby Bot was my first choice, designed for children but it is filled with Lavender to help calm and relax before bedtime.  Then there is Dirty Springwash Shower Gel which has the opposite effect to the Bath Bomb and because it is filled with Spearmint and menthol, it leaves you feeling wide awake and alert, ready to tackle the day.

Thank you Lush, the experience and the event was fantastic.