Lush and Coalface

Ok, so this is my first official product review.

Aherm.

So, for this most momentous occasion I figured that I'd do a review of a product that has lately consumed me. Well, it'll start out as a review of the company, but I'll get to the product part of it in a bit.







Recently, I discovered Lush. It's a store that recently opened up in the Christiana Mall (the mall nearest to me...most people in the area know of it because Delaware is sales-tax free). Mostly, I would just walk by the store and ignore it. honestly, I don't have time or money to spend on 'miracle' products that are supposed to somehow make my life better by fixing my complexion.

And then one day I got bored. And walked in. And the heavens opened up and sunlight bathed me in a warm glow and the angels sung and...well, you get it.

Ok. So it wasn't exactly like that. But it was pretty damn close. Lush has all their products displayed in a very home-grown sort of way. Tables hold gigantic blocks of soap, which can be cut and weighed to order. Solid bubble bath pieces (that's right, solid bubble bath) lay perfectly arranged on what appears to be cake plates. Mounds of bath bombs lay in containers lining the walls. Everything is handmade by the company in an ecologically friendly way.

In fact, a whole lot about the company is ecologically friendly. They advertise that they don't engage in animal testing, and that they use fresh ingredients.

Hey, I can get behind that. In addition to this, 100% of their products are vegetarian (70% of which are vegan), and the reason that a good majority of their products are solid (they even sell solid shampoo and massage oils) is because they want to try to cut down on packaging.

But are the products worth it? I can hardly be called an expert, but from what I've tried I've liked.
Specifically their Coalface cleanser. It's designed as a solid bar of soap that's made for the face.


And it is FANTASTIC. Seriously. I've fallen in love. My face tends to rebel against me and breakout whenever I switch my cleansers.

This didn't happen with Coalface. At all. It features charcoal in it, which supposedly helps draw out impurities. The company's official statement on Coalface reads thusly:

Removes impurities and tones combination skin
Who would have thought charcoal and liquorice could get along? One is tough and gritty, the other sweet and syrupy. But charcoal and liquorice could just be the odd couple of skin care, teaming up to fight oily, troubled skin in our Coalface cleanser. Powdered charcoal removes impurities and mildly exfoliates while liquorice heals naturally. Sandalwood oil tones the skin (and mediates should charcoal and liquorice disagree about anything).

Ok. So the description is a little cheesy. But results don't lie - I've been using the cleanser for about two weeks now, and my face always feel so nice and smooth and lovely when I get out of the shower, with no sign of dryness. Which makes me giddy. Which makes me start the day off positively.

Huh. Maybe there is something to the whole 'cosmetics = happiness' theory of thought after all.

To visit Lush, go to http://lush.com/

All images were used from Lush's website.