‘Luigi has sweet notes of apple’: testing out Lush’s unlikely Super Mario soaps

Animal-friendly cosmetics brand Lush is releasing a range of Mario-themed products - so our reporter tried them, for science

The announcement that cosmetics chain Lush would be running a collaboration with the Super Mario Bros Movie was met with some incredulity in the video game press last week. The animal-friendly brand is not exactly associated with either movie licences or tech tie-ins, so the idea of Mario shower gel or Princess Peach body spray came as a shock.

So, driven by an insatiable desire for journalistic investigation, I acquired some. And, look, it's good stuff: the gloopy red Mario shower gel has a lovely subtle cola tang, while the Luigi has sweet notes of apple and rose and the vibrant green colour and consistency of fluorescent play slime. The gold coin soap uses the brand's popular and giddily candied Honey I Washed the Kids scent, while Bowser's version has a spicy, dare I say it, masculine aroma. Most of those are based on established Lush ingredients, but the Princess Peach body spray is a brand new fragrance, a sugar bomb of peach and pineapple, which I probably shouldn't be wearing but totally am. I smell like a walking sweet shop.