Review: Lush Salarium perfume

This blog post has been written by guest blogger T.

Evelien has kindly invited me to post my Lush perfume reviews on her blog, after she saw them on Reddit. I have a passion for fragrances and writing and I am so happy I finally found a way to combine the two!

In my 25 years I have tried roughly 100 Lush perfumes and body sprays. They are so special and unique but also… not the cheapest. This is why I always do my best to give a detailed scent description for each and every one, so you can make an informed purchase-decision.

Our garden is covered in a beautiful blanket of snow, the fireplace is burning and I have a mug of hot tea in front of me – the circumstances don’t get any more perfect for writing a review!

Salarium is the perfume I’d like to talk about today. I’ve had it in my collection for some months now, but hadn’t found the time yet to write about it (same with Superworld Unknown). This has given me the chance to try it multiple times and form a solid opinion of this curious and very unique fragrance.

You can only buy this perfume in a 100 ML bottle size and it costs £150. The blind-buy of a lifetime. I am going to do my very best to help you make an informed purchase decision, if you are thinking about buying this one.

Lush described Salarium as a sublimely smooth floral perfume, worth its salt and an exquisite blend with enticing undertones. It contains Rose Oil, Oudh Oil, Sandalwood Oil, Lebanese Neroli Oil and Oakmoss Absolute. As far as I’m aware, there have never been any other Lush products in the same scent family.

Scent

Time to spray this on. The instance it makes contact with my skin, I firstly detect the subtle and round notes of rose. Salarium is a soft fragrance. The ingredients blend together and do not try to override each other, which can be said for many other Lush fragrances.
So, a smooth floral blend. And as you let it breathe, you will start to understand that ‘worth its salt’ comment more and more. Because this perfume has a distinct saltiness to it in a very natural and non-artificial way. It’s an ocean side sort of smell, and please don’t think of those generic ‘ocean side scented candles’ when I say that. It’s a very subtle briny kind of tang. Something that you would be able to detect in your hair after swimming in the sea all day. And of course Salarium smells a bit salty, because: Sal-arium. What’s in a name?

If you want to understand this salty scent note: smell the (controversial) scrub Ocean Salt and ignore its citrusy side. There you go.

Now after we have explored the rose and salt aspects of this fragrance, it’s time to introduce a third one. The Oudh Oil is so very subtle, but it is there and provides a grounding earthy tone. A resinous amber element. Tree-sap.

And then there is the final note that I want to discuss. It’s an ingredient that is so very well-loved in this community and that is present in many, many Lush fragrances: Neroli. This brightening oil does a great job tying all of these very strange ingredients together and lifting up the blend to something lighter but still mature.

Lasting power

Salarium is never overpowering, but will be noticeable all day to those close around you.

Final thoughts

I have to say it: for £150, you would be taking a big risk, as Salarium seems like a hit-or-miss scent to me. If you enjoy the more unique fragrances that Lush does and aren’t looking for a ‘safe bet’, this might be a hidden gem for you.

If you’re into sweet, youthful, fruity or citrusy scents: skip, skip skip!

If you are curious about that ocean element, but also like something a bit more wearable and sweet: try Big body spray! It has that element in a easier-to-like and (dare I say) slightly more generic way, while also being sweet, floral and fruity.

Warning

Another thing I noticed: I’ve worn Salarium on about 10 different days now and on the very rare occasion there is… another note there that I cannot place and is reasonable unpleasant. I think this might be that ammonia/urine smell that some people detect in some Lush fragrances, like the Comforter. It even made me question whether I should keep this perfume in my collection. It might have something to do with my skin chemistry on those days? Hormones perhaps? Not sure. It happened about 2 out of the 10 times. It did not happen on today, when I was writing this review.

T.