Anyone familiar with Lush?

[cerelife]

I was in New Orleans this weekend and stopped by the Lush shop on Decatur. I was lured in by the "all-natural, handmade" claim, and the soaps were so smooth and gorgeous that I couldn't resist buying a few to try out, despite my soap-budget! I figured it was research...and I have to admit that I was a bit jealous that my soap wasn't nearly as smooth and creamy looking as theirs, LOL! I also picked up their catalog to see if they list ingredients, etc.
Ok, so I get home and try it out...not that impressed. The smooth, creamy feel of the soap was still present in the shower, but my skin felt dry after toweling off..not soothed and moisturized as I would expect from a CP soap.
I checked out the catalog and see lots of chemicals in the ingredients (most include Sodium Lauryl Sulfate), but I also see sodium hydroxide. I'm so new to this, I'm just confused!
Is anyone familiar with this company, and is this CP soap? When I see "all-natural, handmade" in terms of soap.. I think CP where you actually create the soap...maybe I need to re-think this??

 

[Northland Naturals]

interested to hear more experienced people's responses. my sister swears by lush and i have seen some of their stuff. i have always been very impressed, but then i don't know as much as many others. one thing i noticed is that all the soaps they had seemed salty in a way, like they had maybe used 25% salt ppo in all their batches. i don't know, thoughts?

 

[xraygrl]

Their soap is not cp, but a Mp base and I don't think it's anything special. Very drying to me too. Not to mention some of their soaps have been known to grow mold with all the big chunk of stuff they put in them. No thanks, I'll pass.

OTOH, I love their dream cream.

 

[tespring]

You know, I was just looking into some of their products also and I was not thrilled with the ingredients either. I have never tried their products because there is no store around here and I think their prices are outrageous from what I have seen online. I am not one to spend 10-20 dollars on a bath or shower though.

 

[Tabitha]

Just because something looks good, and all the popular kids are buying it, doesn't make it well made. IMHO, it is mediocrein quality.

The FDA does not regulate the word natural so it's free for anyone to use and interpret as they desire.

 

[Healinya]

Isn't it nice though, when someoone tells you that they use lush soap and you can comfortably and confidently say "Oh, my stuff is sooo much better"?

 

[Half Caper Farm]

Isn't it nice though, when someoone tells you that they use lush soap and you can comfortably and confidently say "Oh, my stuff is sooo much better"?

Can't say as I've ever seen Lush for sale up here - but then I don't get out much. I can honestly say that my soap is the first product I've ever been able to use on my face without that tight, dry sensation. And it's so much fun to make!

 

[krissy]

i dont like their products because everyone and their mother has had their hands all over it before you, the chunks can and do grow nasties on the soap and my skin hates their MP base. i do love the bath bombs though. i buy one and then smash it and get 3-4 uses out of it.

 

[carebear]

I adore many Lush products, and their fragrances make me swoon.

I do prefer to purchase online, tho.

 

[honor435]

I went to lush to check it out, they said they only use eos, I said how do you get soap to smell like bubble gum, oh well we use safe synthetic fos also. Also they use rapeseed oil which is poisonous to animals, if you google rapeseed you'll see what I mean, maybe good for industrial purposes.

 

[xraygrl]

No they do not use only EO's. they also use fragrances which are listed as "perfum" on the label. Not very honest IMHO. I use both eo's and fo's, and label them accordingly. why call a chicken a duck?

 

[Dragonkaz]

I like there liquid soap and currently have a lovely special edition black one.

I'm not real happy about some of the ingredients they use though ... but there shops look and smell amazing!

 

[Bubbly Buddha]

It is so hard to resist the smell...and the packaging! The whole way the store and the products are presented is very inviting. Never mind that the product is sub-par(at least, to our standards! ), people flock to it.
Kinda like Britney Spears-all flash and marketing, no real talent. :roll:

 

[carebear]

No they do not use only EO's. they also use fragrances which are listed as "perfum" on the label. Not very honest IMHO. I use both eo's and fo's, and label them accordingly. why call a chicken a duck?

I believe that's the INCI (so much for the "I" ) in Europe, or at least how it's commonly referred to. Remember, Lush isn't an American company.

 

[xraygrl]

I believe that's the INCI (so much for the "I" ) in Europe, or at least how it's commonly referred to. Remember, Lush isn't an American company.

Actually they do use some fragrances as well in their products. I was told that when I worked there. For example, they use a Sandalwood fo instead of the EO because the sandalwood trees are endangered. I can't remember off the top of my head what other fo's they might use.

 

[soapbuddy]

I got some of their stuff to try and it grew moldy. I threw it out. They have a great PR team, but the actual products are just mediocre.

 

[carebear]

I believe that's the INCI (so much for the "I" ) in Europe, or at least how it's commonly referred to. Remember, Lush isn't an American company.

Actually they do use some fragrances as well in their products.

Yes, I know - that's exactly what I said. I was referring to the fragrances (synthetic). In the US, the word "fragrance" is used to indicate this; in Europe the word "perfume" or "parfum" is more common.

 

[cerelife]

LOL..now I don't feel quite so bad that my soap isn't as pretty as Lush's!
The store was like a candy-shop...I wanted some of everything, but after using the soap, I'm glad I only spent $20!!
I did learn something useful, however. As soon as I walked in the sales pitch began..."let me show you this"..."what is your skin-type"..."I think you will LOVE this, it's one of our bestsellers", etc. When I mentioned that I was a soapmaker (but left out the total newbie part), she lost interest in me in a hurry...my husband was with me, and he said it was like I had just told her I had leprosy, LOL! Whatever...I was able to check out the rest of the store in peace...worked way better than saying "just browsing"...

 

[Jezzy]

We have a lush outlet (they ship items from there and have a small shop) a few towns away. I have been there a few times for inspiration. The place looked great but I get more inspiration off etsy than there.

I bought a few things the first time I was there but didn't really like it...

 

[Bubbles Galore]

I've been in a lush store once. The smell was fantastic, the prices were outrageous and the soap products looked untidy to me. The Dream Cream was lovely. :wink:

I'd actually like to know what % of EOs and FOs they are using to have such a strong scent in the soap. Just looking at the local website and it was $9.90 for a 100g slice of Karma. :shock:

But yes, clever marketing and they are now everywhere.