The Super Mario Bros. Movie And Lush Collaboration Is Worth 120 Stars
If you took a shower this morning and thought to yourself, "This is great, but it would be better if I was lathering up with a bar of soap shaped like a fire flower," then I've got some very wonderful and very specific news for you! The merchandise marketing event of the year has arrived, with "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" joining forces with the handmade cruelty-free cosmetics juggernaut, Lush, to release a product line that'll have you shouting, "Wahoo!"
The line includes Mario and Luigi shower gels; a Princess Peach body spray; Princess Peach and Bowser shower jellies; a variety of soaps shaped like the power-up items found in Question Blocks; and a first-of-its-kind "surprise" mystery Question Block bath bomb with power-up soaps hidden inside. They've managed to capture the anticipatory excitement of an unboxing video with a bath bomb, which is downright brilliant.
"We're thrilled with the Lush x 'The Super Mario Bros. Movie' collaboration," said Stephanie Kraus, SVP of Global Design and Product Development, Universal Products & Experiences in the official press release. "The collection is innovative and iconic with surprise and delight elements inspired by the film, and we can't wait for the reaction from fans."
Fortunately, I'm here to provide a reaction, because this collaboration is as bright and delightful as the video game it's trying to capture. Lush products are already of a higher-caliber quality than most big-name retailers, and this line is no different. It smells nice, it feels nice, and it's a lot of fun to play with. No shade to the NYX Cosmetics x "Avatar: The Way of Water" collaboration, but there's a new promotional cross-over hero in town, and his first and last name is Mario.
Your inner child is about to lose their mind
Full disclosure: Lush sent me some samples, but I did stop in a Lush store to check out the items I didn't get sent so I could provide a well-rounded review of the entire product line, and what makes the product line so exciting is that the items can truly be enjoyed by anyone, with the scents covering a wide range of nodes.
The Bowser shower jelly, for example, has a spicy, cinnamon aroma, but this might be a problem for anyone who has had one too many bad nights after drinking Fireball. There's a real bite to how hard the scent hits, which is perfect for our fave flame turtle. The products inspired by Princess Peach (who we talked to at /Film!) have a sweet and citrusy smell, combining juicy peach and pineapple, but without overwhelming the wearer the way fruity scents tend to do. It's light, refreshing, and spunky, just like the turnip-throwing royal we all love so much.
The Luigi shower gel combines a green apple and rose scent, which is perfect as we head into the spring season, but might be a bit too sweet for some folks. Personally, my heart lies with the Mario shower gel, which combines pomegranate, lime, and black pepper for an almost cola-like scent without reeking like those weird gummy cola candies. The color is pure red, however, so it sort of looks like the bright blood of a Hammer Horror movie when squeezed out of the container. Equally, the Luigi gel is a vibrant, slimy green, which I find to be a lot of fun but might gross some people out.
The Question Box is as cool as it looks
The real winner of the line is the Question Box bath bomb, and the one I got has a bright, citrusy smell. I typically go with more soothing scents for bath bombs because I like a late-night bath with a glass of whiskey, but this energetic scent would make for the perfect start to a Sunday Funday afternoon of self-care.
The fizz power of the Question Block is no joke, immediately filling my tub with bright yellow bubbles. I will admit that once the block stops fizzing, the water turns into a color that can best be described as "instant ramen broth but with glitter," but that doesn't bother me any. Depending on which soap is inside your block, another surprise color of foam will appear. The soaps inside include a gold coin, ice flower, fire flower, mini-mushroom, red mushroom, or a star, which is reportedly the rarest soap to find — just like the game.
Lush
Waiting for the bath bomb to fizz and display the power-up soap was way more fun than I thought it'd be, and was an eye-opening reminder that there are few simple joys left in this world better than discovering a hidden prize. My block came with a surprise blue foam, indicating I was now the proud recipient of a mini-mushroom, which will come in handy when I need to squeeze into smaller warp pipes or run across water.
Any of the critiques I had with these products are nitpicky at best because Lush is delivering exactly what a fan could hope for with this promotional line. You can snag your own products in Lush stores until they sell out or online by clicking here.
"The Super Mario Bros. Movie" hits theaters on April 5, 2023.