| |
To The Test:
Lush Prince Bubble Bar...
Here is a bar for men who like bubbles and are not afraid to admit it. The white bar is stamped with a blue coronet so that you recognize its status as a superior sort of bath product. We scent it with Prince fragrance, of course, so that you bath becomes even more calming and relaxing. Don't waste this by hopping in and out in a minute; stay there, inhale, let the fragrance permeate your senses. You'll feel a better man for it.
I must confess, I'm a clandestine bubble-bath lover. But, I don't consider myself a connoisseur. I don't know what it is about bubble baths; they're just so relaxing. It doesn't matter what kind of day you manage to dredge through, a bubble bath will relax you and put an end to its misery. Bubble bath products take many forms. Tiny gelatinous balls, thick and gooey liquid, and even bath bars! So just how well does Lush's Prince Bubble Bar fare in the real world?
Bubble Quality
The most important part of the bubble bath is…well…the bubbles. But just what makes a bubble bath a good bubble bath? The secret to a hearty bubble bath lies in the quality of the surfactant. A good surfactant will break the water's surface tension enough to create lots of large bubbles, and do so in low concentrations. Basically, a good bubble bath formula creates lots of bubbles with a minimum of formula. Given the size of the Prince Bubble soap bar, I thought it may have been a bit much. But I was set to review the entire bar, not just half of it. So, I let the water dissolve the entire thing. As the tub was filling, the running water created an enormous mountain of bubbles. This was to be expected. I mean, considering how high the surfactant concentrations would be in such low levels of water, if there had been no bubbles by now there certainly wouldn't be when the tub was full.An important factor to the design of this bar was that it crumbled and dissolved rather quickly. I could feel how thick the solution was as piece after piece broke through and fell between my fingers under the pressure of running water.
Aroma
Another important part of an enjoyable bubble bath is the fragrance of the soap. This bath bar had a very unique scent. It's really a personal preference, really. I can make peace with any sort of scent, just as long as it doesn't assault my nostrils as if I were walking into the perfume section of a local department store.Longevity
How great would a bubble bath be if it only lasted ten minutes? Not very great at all. Prince Bubble lasted about half an hour to forty minutes before significant bubble loss was noticeable.Cost
Well, you don't have to be an actual prince to be able to afford a bubble bath, but you might just have to be if you want to have bubble baths with this bar on a regular basis. At $5.80 USD per 100g bar, you might be better off with 100g of chocolate bars for $1 USD. But then, I'm a poor university student, and tossing two chocolate bars into the tub won't be nearly as relaxing or fun as tossing in Prince Bubble. With that in mind, this bar would much more enjoyable when saved for those really stressful days.Conclusion
Pros: Great bubbles, interesting scent.
Cons: Cost - at $6.50 CDN + tax (a little under $10 CDN) per 100 g bar, it's a great thing to look forward to if you're looking for some pampering. ¤ Bee