Review: Golden Wonder Bath Bomb by Lush

By Alisa Pierce
Blog Content Contributor

Golden Wonder is a Christmas themed bath bomb that Lush releases annually. The bomb is vegan and cruelty-free. Due to its popularity, it is a miracle that I was able to get my hands on one. I was so excited to try it out that I used it a day after I purchased it, which means that its freshness level was higher than some of the other bombs I have tried. I am not sure how large a role the bomb’s freshness played into my experience, but I enjoyed Golden Wonder immensely, only experiencing a few disappointments.

COLORING

Unlike most bath bombs, Golden Wonder is square and has a bow design carved into its shape. This bow, which is creamy white and contrasts with the bomb’s shimmering gold sides, creates a Christmas present design perfect for gift giving. I was intrigued by this design and the sparkles ingrained into the bomb’s sides, which promised an eye catching show. Due to its outward appearance, I was expecting the bomb to seep gold and white into the bath water, but as the bomb melted, I was surprised to find that it emitted a variety of colors which did not reflect its outer shell. As Golden Wonder melted away, a white film floated to the top of the water and a deep teal color began to flow throughout the bath. While the teal coloring took dominance over the natural color of the water, four colorful bits of the bath bomb began to float to the surface. These pieces all had their own distinct colors, which were blue, pink, yellow, and orange. They did not change the color of the water in a way that the rest of the bomb did, and instead offered interesting focal points that almost distracted you from the predominant wave of teal that took over the water. This teal was at first so dark that it almost appeared blue, but as the separate and colorful pieces of the bomb dissolved the turquoise coloration of the water became lighter and lighter. Eventually, the water was a pleasantly clear blue-green color. This was not what I was expecting from a Christmas themed bomb, because the coloration of the water reminded me more of the tropics than a snowy night. However, this did not stop me from enjoying the bomb.

SHIMMER

Golden Wonder’s outer shell was extremely sparkly, and fortunately so was the bath water after it dissolved. As the bomb melted, thousands of gold sparkles were released into the bath. The cerulean color of the water gave the sparkles a nice backdrop that matched surprisingly well with the their gold tint. The bath was delightfully sparkly.

SCENT

The bomb was supposed to make the bath smell like cognac, lime, and orange oil, but I hardly smelled any of the listed scents. At times, I would catch a hint of orange, but I wish the aroma would have been stronger. I think that Golden Wonder would be a great bomb to use for a morning bath, and that orange and lime scent would have made for a wonderful wake up call. Unfortunately, that scent was lacking and so although the bomb was impressive, it lacked an original characteristic that would have brought this seasonal item more personality.

The square shape of the bomb might have set it apart from its spherical counterparts, but I deeply believe that without the promised scents, Golden Wonder did not deliver a different angle than any other Lush bomb. It was wonderful, do not get me wrong, but more often than not, Lush focuses on the color aspect of their bombs and leave the smells they promise out of the equation. Golden Wonder was unfortunately a bomb that, although pretty, lacked a defining smell. Despite this, the bomb was beautiful and did offer a number of surprises when it came to coloration. I believe that if Lush infused more cognac oil, its key ingredient, then Golden Wonder would quickly rise the ranks to become one of the most well-rounded bath bombs the company could offer. I also believe that since the bomb’s only Christmas-y aspect was its bow design, it did not match a certain color or scent palette associated with the holiday season. Due to this, I think that it would be wiser to release it around the spring or early summer times. This might cause Golden Wonder’s popularity to become ever larger, as it would fit a more appropriate format.

If you are into listening to music while you bathe, I suggest listening to the bands: Kings of Leon, OK Go, and Bleachers. Golden Wonder is bright and colorful, which would go well with some positive rock or alternative ballads. If you have tried this Lush bomb, I would love to hear about your experience; feel free to comment below!

Featured image by Alisa Pierce.