my favourite myths and legends (and bath bombs)

For those of y'all who don't know, I'm completely obsessed with folklore. Just give me a book on Greek gods or European legends and I will be gone for hours, engrossed and absent from the real world. Having recently started university in my favourite country in the world, Wales, I'm pretty damn hyped to spend my time doing modules on Greek and Roman epic and drama and the like, wasting nine grand a year on doodling little Kronos' and Zeus' in textbooks. Strangely enough, at the same time that all this is happening, my dear friend Michelle at Ascent Bath and Body released a new box all based around myths and legends.  The set is completely perfect, and gives me an excuse to rant about some of the best lore around.

El Dorado

Translating to "the gilded one" in Spanish, this bomb is based off of the legend of El Dorado, a presumed myth that drove people mad and caused an awful lot of human sacrifice, suicides, and executions. Initially a place inspiring hope, El Dorado quickly fuelled an insane amount of hatred and death as greed amongst villagers and explorers became more prominent. In the 16th and 17th century, the craving for gold and wealth developed into stories about a place called the "New World" which was rumoured to withhold an abundance of riches. Causing a worldwide search, people would beg to the Gods to show them the way to this mysterious land, sacrificing anything and anyone they could for the hope of some kind of answer. Lakes were drained, forests were hunted, and yet no one was able to find the incredible El Dorado. Even today you'll find tribes and groups of people on the look out for a place filled with gold and enchantment.

Whilst there's still no sign of El Dorado, Ascent has supplied us with the next closest thing - a golden bath bomb made up of glitter and mica that bursts into shades of burnt umber and an array of scents.  With an almond oil base, honey, dark caramel, sweet orange and bergamot all erupt from the bath bomb, making you wonder why anyone could crave anything else at that moment in time. It's insanely gorgeous, and makes you feel like royalty.

Unicorn Dreamer

The epitome of enchantment, the unicorn is one of the most popular myths out there, told to us from childhood. As the legend goes, one would have to be pure of heart (or more often than not, simply just a virgin) in order to gain something from the unicorn - be it health, wealth or love. Once tamed by a maiden, the creature would be able to grant wishes and bring about joy, utterly at the mercy of the lady and any hunters that were lucky enough to capture it. With roots in Chinese mythology, dating back thousands of years to even hold Biblical connections, the tale of the unicorn is one of the oldest alive today.

This bath bomb mirrors the light, dreamy influence of a unicorn by promoting shades of pink, yellow and blue with an array of scents. Violet, raspberry, plum, vanilla, jasmine and freesia are all present, with silver glitter glimmering on your skin when you dry up. Honestly, laying submerged in pastel, glittery water that smells like heaven feels somewhat like riding horned horseback through some kind of enchanted forest. It's gorgeous and I adore it.

Siren Song

When I was little I was intrigued by the tales of sirens - beautiful, enchanting creatures with haunting voices. Of course, as a kid I always thought that the only difference between tales of mermaids and sirens were that sirens had wings instead of tails. I later found out that legends told of dark Greek roots, where sirens were manipulative, dangerous beings who would lure men to their deaths, bewitching them with their voices so they could join them at the bottom of the ocean. Honestly, today I find this version a lot more interesting and entertaining, and so I was intrigued to see what Michelle could come up with in her bath bomb.

Expectedly, it automatically became my favourite, and considering it sprinkled my bath with small turrets of seaweed, I felt like it captured the essence of the tale perfectly. With splashes of bergamot, lemon, orange, pink pepper, amber and some rogue glitter, it's easy to fall completely in love with this bomb. Although not quite in the same way as those tragic sailors, eh?

Avalon

The final bath bomb in this little set is one based off of the ideology of King Arthur - a legend I love pointing out to be that of Welsh origin, before it was taken and retold by the English. The stories of King Arthur's sword and recovery after one of many great battles all took place in this mythical land, rendering it a place full of healing and wish-granting. Some consider Avalon to be interchangeable with 'Annwn', an otherworld of sorts where disease was absent and eternal youth prevailed, being twinned as a Welsh version of a Christian Heaven. This then follows tales such as 'Caer Sidi' and 'Tír na nÓg', enveloping into a whole range of similar legends.

The scents captured in this bath bomb are primarily that of fresh fig and green apple, with notes of  sage, rosemary, and moss. It's an interesting and adventurous blend, but it definitely all comes together to follow the draw of the legend. With splashes of light amber tones and almond oil also, this bomb was a strong finish to a beautiful range of products. 

I love calling out praise for Michelle, as she deserves credit and appreciation and awful lot more than big commercial chains with products far less superior than hers. I thank her for letting me write about her bath bombs, but more so for giving me the opportunity to try them. She's currently working on a range of Christmas scents, and honestly I can already see myself stocking up on them.

Let me know what y'all think in the comments below! 

(and then stalk this other piece I wrote about Ascent a couple months back)