Lush is a natural, eco-friendly, beauty company with all vegetarian beauty products–of which, a whopping 80% are completely vegan. Lush is (in)famous for their protests against animal testing, and goes to what some would call extreme measures–such as having a woman volunteer be subjected to gruesome “animal tests” done in a glass storefront window for ten hours. Lush tests all their products on human volunteers, and does not buy any products from companies commissioning animal tests, which some companies do–even if their label says they don’t test on animals. Lush also donates to multiple charities, and sources their shea butter and cocoa butter through fair trade. In an effort to be more eco friendly, Lush is phasing out the use of sodium palm kernelate in their products.
Most of their ingredients are organic, and all of their ingredients are fresh and ethically sourced. Some ingredients they use are: seaweed, essential oils, flowers, fruits, and vegetables. You can even bring your containers (all made from recycled material!!) back to the store for free products!
One really nice feature of Lush products (besides the above mentioned) is the fact that all of their products are dated when they are made and come with a batch number, which traces back to the individual who made the product. The employees are also nice, friendly, and helpful and you can tell they really are passionate about their jobs. I’m truly blown away by how well they treat their customers, and how knowledgeable they all are, and if you go to a Lush store, please ask their employees for help–they are fantastic!
I was lucky enough to get a bunch of Lush products for Christmas, thanks to my loving family, and they are all really wonderful (family and products 😛 ). Without further ado, here is my lush beauty products review.
Trichomania-Bar Shampoo
First off, the smell of this shampoo is creamy coconut heaven with a lot of bliss thrown in for good measure. My hair has never felt so soft or smelled so deliciously fragrant in my life. It makes my hair radiantly shiny, and feels..dare I say..luscious! This shampoo hydrates my hair without weighing it down, and the fact that it is in bar form actually makes it last longer than other shampoos because you just need enough to work up a lather and you can’t pour out too much and be wasteful. You do need to lather it under the water for about half a minute to a minute, because if there isn’t enough water you end up rubbing the bar on your head to no avail, but with enough water it lathers beautifully. 5/5
Strawberry Feels Forever–Lotion/Massage Bar
This is a lotion bar in the shape of a big strawberry! It is a lovely light pink color and smells so good I’m tempted to take a bite out of it (Hamlet really likes the stuff; he will lick it off me like a madman every time I put it on). Truly a simple concept, you rub the bar on your body and the lotion melts into your skin leaving it shiny and supple, albeit a bit slippery/oily feeling and looking. My only real issue is the fact that you need to keep it in a plastic bag/container of some sort so it doesn’t get everywhere, but I really don’t mind because at Lush they try not to package too many materials due to environmental impact, and I am all for it! 4/5
9-to-5 Cleansing Lotion
I don’t wear facial makeup, but this takes my eye makeup off so easily! It does sting if it gets in your eyes and when I did use this on my face as a facial cleanser it made me break out a little. However, I still use for my eye area and it really does take waterproof mascara off like nobody’s business. It smells clean and fresh and has slightly calming effect when sniffed. 3/5
Skin Drink-Facial Moisturizer
Wow. This stuff is like injecting hydration and smoothness into your skin. The smell is very earthy and makes me think of pottery clay, which I feel neutral about. I went to a Lush store and one of the employees recommended it to me for my dry, winter skin. Every time I put this lotion on, my skin glows and looks amazingly dewy without being left greasy or oily looking. A little goes a very long way with this; it has lasted me almost three months and I still have half the pot left. 5/5
The texture is very thick–great for dry skin.
Eau Roma Water-Toner Water
I only got a small sample of this, but I am hooked on it. It reduces redness (can winter be over?), and really evened out my skin tone on the first application. It smells like roses and lavender, which is no surprise given that it’s made with these two beautiful flowers. It didn’t dry out my skin as I was expecting a toner to, and made me feel hydrated and pampered. 5/5
Of course, beauty products only do so much when skin is concerned. What really matters in skin care is diet, hydration, and adequate sleep. If you aren’t taking good care of your body, it will show up in your skin. Processed white foods like white flour, pasta, and white rice could affect your skin, so try to avoid these foods. Eating a low-fat diet could help people avoid acne, and as always, the more fruits and vegetables you eat, the happier your body will be! The areas where you are prone to acne could also be a tell tale sign of why you are experiencing it! This is a site with an acne map with fantastic information and helpful hints on getting rid of it naturally.
Be good to your body, and it will be good to you!
Related: 9 Easy DIY Acne Treatments
Also by Jessica: Should You Try Kundalini Yoga?
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Photo: Jessica Ferguson
