A Very Lush Life

When I have nothing to talk about, I can always rely on Lush.

LUSH, for those of you who have managed to live without it all this time, is a British cosmetics store that has grown immensely in both product range and location.  It started out as mail order soap company around the 80s and now has stores all over the world, with new ones popping up all the time.

But lest you think Lush is yet another over-expanded soap company with overpriced products and pretensions to ecological friendliness (*coughBodyShopcough*), let me attempt to persuade you otherwise:

• Everything comes in as little packaging as possible.  The image above shows a stack of soaps, you get as much you  want since it’s sold by mass, then it’s wrapped in paper.  They also have solid shampoos, solid bubble baths, solid massage bars, and even solid henna hair dye.  The liquid and cream products are in 100% recycled plastic containers that Lush make themselves.
• Most of the soaps and some of the shampoos now use coconut oil while palm tree oil is slowly phased out.  Lush also uses as many local and homegrown products as possible, and everything has a use-by date (cause otherwise, it wouldn’t be fresh).
• They have an awesome selection of soaps, creams, facial products and almost everything cosmetic under the sun except actual makeup (which you can even get in select stores in England, so Jane – I’m super jealous).  And the flavours!  (Or whatever you call ’em.)  Normal soaps too drying?  Try Honey I Washed the Kids. Your feet need a makeover?  Volcano Foot Mask will blast away the dead stuff.  None of the commercial moisturizers work?  You’ll probably find one here.  They have Vegan products for the vegans, and list every ingredient so you know what you’re getting.  And they’re always coming up with new stuff.

There’s heaps more, but I’ll let you discover it yourself if you haven’t already.  Suffice to say, Lush is one of the most honest companies I’ve come across, and if any sketchy stuff ever came up I’d be devestated.  The pricing is certainly higher than your average supermarket stuff, but by buying Lush, I get out of the shower and don’t have to moisturize.  It smells good.  I don’t use as much plastic.  And I’m helping my local palm tree forest.  The benefits far outweigh the costs.

So the next time you’re walkin’ down the street and you smell something heavenly wafting from around the corner, check it out; it might be Lush.  (Or it might be the local cafe, but that’s okay too.)  The sales reps are knowledgeable, reasonable, and love to see new people – I’ve been to Lush stores in eight countries and four continents, and I’ve never encountered a single exception.  (A special thanks to the guy in Geneva, who gave me a whole bar of soap for being such a devoted Lushie.)

Do you know Lush?  If not, what have your experiences been?

– Jean AAR