WWhen the Super Mario Bros. movie was released in 2023, a rather unlikely partnership with cosmetics chain Lush’s various skin care and bath products came to fruition. The store, known for its commitment to natural ingredients and support for social justice causes, didn’t seem like an obvious partner for a major video game franchise. Because of this, I thought my relationship with beauty journalism wouldn’t last long and decided to give it a try.
I was wrong. This collection was so successful that Rush later released the Minecraft series. I reviewed it as well, but this time the Super Mario Galaxy series was released in conjunction with a new movie. Somehow I ended up being a rush correspondent for the Guardian newspaper and now I seem to be stuck in a cycle of sweet-smelling video game branded toiletries. I’m sure there are worse fates out there, so I just go along with it.
As a dedicated professional, I have tried most of the affiliated products, including body sprays, shower gels, and lip balms. In the new movie, Mario, Luigi, Yoshi, and Peach fly into space to help space guardian Rosalina escape from the notorious dinosaur criminal Bowser. So, naturally, there are a lot of references to space. The Princess Rosalina Lip Scrub contains tiny edible stars, the Protect the Galaxy Shower Gel has a beautiful shimmer, and the shower jelly has tiny lumas floating within it as if they are floating weightless.
The first thing I tried was jelly. Like scented ectoplasm, it’s a little spooky to use, but it has a strong sweet scent that reminds me of a Woolworths pick-and-mix counter in a good way, but unfortunately that reference is lost on the collection’s target market. Similarly, Princess Rosalina’s body spray has a decidedly ripe blueberry scent, but it immediately reminded me of Parma violets and the giant fruity bubblegum bars you could buy in the 1980s. I didn’t expect this mission to be so nostalgic.
Elsewhere, my wife loved the Princess Peach lip jelly. Thanks to its subtle pink hue and the fact that it’s not sticky like many other lip balms. However, none of us were convinced about it because Princess Rosalina’s lip scrub had a texture and taste like wet sorbet. I ended up eating it. My family’s absolute favorite was the Luma Bubble Bath Star. This one manages to produce bubbles and is filled with tiny stars, even though we live in an area with extremely hard water. But it turned the water a disconcerting yellow color. Finally, the cola-flavored Mario and apple-scented Luigi shower gels are the same as the 2023 collection, but if you love them and end up using them up like I did, you’ll be fine.
One thing I haven’t tried yet is the giant Yoshi’s egg bath bomb. Each egg contains four colored shower gummies. This feature was unintentionally popularized due to the fact that the red one began to leak traces of blood into the bath, scaring some small children. Rush should probably keep this in mind for Halloween, or perhaps a potential tie-in with another video game movie, namely the upcoming sequel Return to Silent Hill.
Are these as great as the original set? I think so. Non-Lush regulars may struggle with arcane products, such as the blueberry-scented balm bar, which must be warmed up in the hands and massaged into the body. However, the shower and bath products are easy to use and if you like sweet and fruity scents, they smell gorgeous while still being an interesting take on the world of Super Mario Galaxy. I’m currently waiting with bated breath for the next Rush toiletry job, and I’m secretly hoping it’s Sonic the Hedgehog 4. Otherwise, Elden Ring. Starscourge Radan shower gel, anyone?
