My experience with Lush products is fairly limited since we only recently got a store in the mall near us. I remember ordering from their catalog back in the 90's. I got some bath bombs and a shampoo bar which left my hair feeling dirty so I kind of gave up on them at the time. Then last year when our local store opened, we went in around the holidays to buy some soaps for a family member who loves Lush. We spent 45 minutes in there picking out different soaps and when we left my husband had a splitting headache and said he was never setting foot in there again because of the smell (but he says the same thing about Sephora, Yankee Candle, and Bath and Body Works, so I didn't think much of it). Then I bought their Henna hair dye when I was pregnant because I didn't want to use regular chemical hair dye. Oh my gosh! It stunk up the entire house with the most horrible stench, because you have to heat it on the stove (my husband said it smelled "literally like poop") and he said, please, please don't ever buy anything there again.
But then I heard about this body conditioner and so, ignoring the pleas of my darling husband, I ventured into Lush and picked up a tub of it. In the store around all the other scents, it was hard to tell what it smelled like but to me it smelled faintly of roses. OK no problem there.
I got it home and read the instructions:
Next I checked out the ingredient label. The list of all natural ingredients was impressive (click on the photo to enlarge if you can't see it well). Like most Lush products, there is an expiration date, but this one is good until Sept 2015 (it contains parabens as preservatives FYI).
When I opened the cap, it looked like butterscotch pudding and after I was home, I noticed that the scent was much stronger. What smelled mild in the store among all the other scents was a bit overpowering at home. It smells like roses, but there's also a warm element to it...almonds, maybe. Almond Oil is the third ingredient so I'm guessing that's what it is. But I figured, hey, I'm washing this off so if it works well I don't have to smell like it all day.
When I rinsed it off, it felt like there was some residue on my skin, like I had just put on lotion. I was worried about feeling sticky but once I used a towel to pat my skin dry, it took away the excess and I was left with very soft moisturized skin, no additional body lotion needed!
But the scent...oh man. This time it was me, not my husband who felt sort of ill from the scent. Despite rinsing this off in the shower, it stayed with me rather heavily most of the day. I also noticed that my towel smelled like it the next morning. It was OK smelling it in the shower but as the hours wore on, it started to get to me.
So in the end, I had to return it. I love, love the idea of a body conditioner and the product itself was amazingly moisturizing and easy to use! Sadly, there's only one fragrance available and I happen to not like it. But...that doesn't mean you won't! I suggest getting a sample from your local Lush store before you drop any cash on it.
Here are my final ratings:
Formula-
I give it 4 stars because it has some wonderful, all natural ingredients (some fair trade) and makes the skin feel super soft and hydrated. Those with dry skin will love how this makes your skin feel, especially in the colder months. Oily skinned girls may find this too rich though. Also it contains parabens, for those who are concerned.
Packaging-
I'm not a big fan of skincare products packaged in jars. They're messy and prone to growing bacteria from constantly sticking your fingers in them. This one is even worse because it's a shower product, so I'm sticking wet fingers in it and water ends up getting into the jar too. This would be much more convenient and sanitary if it were packaged in a tube or a pump, like hair conditioners are.
Scent-
You know where I stand with this one. Tolorable in the shower but headache inducing breathing it in for a while. That being said, fragrance is a very personal thing so you might like it. This is just my opinion.
Price-
$32.95 plus tax may seem a bit steep for a 7.5oz jar of body conditioner. However, it does have some expensive, all natural ingredients in it, so I guess you get what you pay for. I'll be on the lookout for some cheaper options.
Overall Rating-
I wanted to love this so much but the scent kills it for me. It's still a quality product that works really well and it's something you don't see every day so it's worth getting a sample from your local Lush store to see how it works for your skin (and your nose).
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I love getting comments from you and hearing about your experiences with the products, whether you agree with me or not. It's the best way other readers can get the best information before they buy, so keep the comments coming! :)