Hello, friends! I hope you all had a great weekend.
A little update in my life, I was pretty busy over the weekend: on Friday I started work at 8am and spent the entire day in the garden for my internship in North York. We’re just finishing up the project we’ve been working on for the last three months, which is really exciting! There’s still some workshops coming up as well as some presentations we’ll be giving, so I’ve still got a bit to do. In addition, on Saturday and Sunday I was at my new job with Life Time Fitness, meeting my coworkers and learning all the important information for running their summer camps successfully. I’m so excited for the camp season to begin. It’s going to be busy, though, but nonetheless I’m still going to try and post at least once a week!In addition, I have a special announcement that I’ll be posting about in the next few days, so stay tuned for that! I’m also trying to shift my web hosting service, so if there are any technical issues with the blog in the next few days I apologize. I’ll try to make the process as smooth as possible! 
Now on to the content for today’s post. As I mentioned some time ago, I am a big fan of LUSH cosmetics and all that they stand for. In this post I will provide you with some background about the company, their mission and values, and then talk about why I love them so much as well as my favourite products. I am not sponsored by LUSH (unfortunately!) but I love what they do so much that I think it’s important to get more people buying their products. With that, let’s get on to the post!
LUSH cosmetics began some time ago, under a completely different name. Actually, LUSH was not the first or even the second natural beauty line its founders tried creating – more on that shortly.
In 1978, Mark and Mo Constantine partnered with their friend, Elizabeth Weir, to create a natural beauty care product line. Mark, a hairdresser and trichologist (someone who studies the health of your skin and scalp) met Liz, a beauty therapist, in a salon in Poole, Dorset, England. The two shared a common interest for natural beauty care, so they decided to team up and develop their own business. They created natural beauty products in their very own kitchens with fresh, local ingredients. They called this business Constantine & Weirs.
In the 1980’s, Mark came across a story in the newspaper about Anita Roddick, the founder of The Body Shop. This well-known beauty product are strong supporters of environmental activism and human rights, so of course the story about Anita and her two store locations caught Mark’s eye. He got in touch with her and sent her a few of the C&W products to sample. Anita loved them and quickly ordered a large amount of the products: £1,200 worth. Keep in mind, this is equivalent to about $2,400 Canadian dollars during the 1980’s. If you take inflation into consideration, that’s now around $5000!
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| Cosmetics to Go advertisement circa 1990. Image from Lush.com. |
From this point, the trio became The Body Shop’s largest supplier for many years, developing products exclusively for the company’s line. As Anita’s company grew, she decided to purchase the rights to all of C&W’s recipes and formulas for Mark, Mo and Liz’s products. Under this new restriction, C&W could not open their own store for five years because their formulas were now officially property of The Body Shop. As you can imagine, the trio did not like this idea. So, in 1988 the trio decided to create all new products and sell them through a mail order business that they called Cosmetics to Go. Despite putting all their effort and money into the project, their success was short lived. They had to close Cosmetics to Go in 1994.
In an effort to pursue their passions, Mark and Mo decided to try again. Kick-starting a new company, the Constantine’s created a competition to name their new project. The name “lush” was among the ones submitted, which means fresh, green, vibrant and verdant. The name stuck with the Constantine’s and evidently was chosen as the winning name. The couple opened their first shop in Poole, selling handmade products prepared in their very own kitchen, using only the freshest ingredients they purchased themselves. Inspired by Neal’s Yard Cheese Shop in London, the Constantine’s took a “deli approach” when planning the company’s look: soap wedges mirroring cheese, dessert-shaped bath bombs and soaps wrapped in a waxy paper similar to cheesecloth. They constructed their wooden tables and displays in their own woodshed, drew their artwork on the walls, and made all their signage by hand. They used blackboards to label their products and record prices to cut down advertising costs and waste produced in store.
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| Mark and Mo Constantine. Image from This is Money. |
Since 1995, the company has taken off and become a worldwide phenomenon for its unique approach to sustainable body care products. The first North American store opened in Vancouver in 1996; the first store in the United States opened in San Francisco in 2003. Opening the Vancouver shop was a moment in history as it was LUSH’s very first international store; Karen and Mark Walverton visited the Poole shop and decided that they wanted to help the company grow. Since then, there are now more than 250 stores in North America, all operating out of two “kitchens,” or factories, in Canada (and one is in Etobicoke!)
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| Image from SBS.com. |
There are many reasons why I support LUSH. For one, they try to make their company as environmentally friendly as possible. Their black pots are all post-consumer recycled, meaning that they are made of previously used pots (don’t worry, they’re cleaned thoroughly before being repurposed). Check out this cool video to see how they recycle their pots. LUSH also has an in-store recycling program where you can bring in five empty, cleaned black pots to get a free fresh face mask! If you want to purchase gift wrapping for a product, they offer only cloth wraps, which all have beautiful designs and can be used afterwards as a handkerchief, scarf, and more. LUSH stores encourage you to bring your own containers when purchasing things like soap and shampoo bars, but also sell their own small tins for only a few dollars each. Their bags are made of recycled materials, and you can easily have your receipt emailed to you instead of printed. As mentioned, their blackboards reduce the amount of waste from advertising, and their handcrafted wooden tables are all made of reclaimed (meaning already used) wood. They started the Naked campaign in 2007 to promote zero-waste products and bring awareness to the impact of excess packaging in the industry. This campaign was quite memorable mainly because the employees at LUSH stores across the nation voluntarily got naked (well, they still wore their employee aprons) in support of the campaign. Their goal was to educate others through with this big shock value, and it worked. LUSH has done so much for the planet already, with more in store for the future. They are one of the few brands I have ever come across that truly provide exceptional service to their clients without compromising the environment while doing so.
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| Image from The Odyssey. |
Another reason that I love LUSH is because they have been against animal testing for more than thirty years. All of their ingredients are purchased from suppliers that don’t test their ingredients on animals; they test all of their products on humans. Some people are hesitant about human testing because “what if the products are dangerous?!” Well, then they shouldn’t be tested on animals, just saying. Anyway, testing products on humans ensures that LUSH is using only the safest, freshest ingredients, no strange chemicals or things you can’t pronounce. There’s an awesome database on the LUSH website that allows you to search up an ingredient that they use in their products. This database explains what the ingredient is, why it’s included in their products, and what other products you can find it in. This is especially helpful for when you are allergic to a specific ingredient and want to avoid it, since you can see every single product that the company makes with it.
LUSH’s products are 100% vegetarian. Although they are more than 80% vegan, some of their products do contain milk, yogurt. However, you can ensure that these ingredients are sourced ethically like the rest of their ingredients.
LUSH is a huge advocate for human rights and social justice movements, as well. They support campaigns aiming to stop pipelines, tar sands, nuclear weapons, the death penalty, as well as partner with organizations helping poverty-stricken communities that face malnourishment and violence all too often. LUSH has been a huge supporter of gay and trans rights for years, often showing their support in their store front advertisements, donating to charities and more. When hiring new employees, they are inclusive to all genders, races, colours, ethnicities. This diversity only adds to their company’s rich culture.
LUSH started a great initiative called the Charity Pot in 2007. The Charity Pot is a skin moisturizer you can buy in-store or online. One-hundred percent of proceeds from every Charity Pot purchased (except for taxes) are donated to a small grassroots organization, which they advertise on the lid of the pot. There are many different pots to choose from, ranging from organizations in environmental protection, animal and human rights. This is one of their most affordable moisturizers, too, making it a great treat for yourself or a gift for someone else, all the while supporting social and environmental sustainability.
So that’s a little bit of information (or a lot, I guess?) about the company. I’ve been buying products from them for a long time, and even before I bought them myself I was using my mother’s LUSH products. I remember getting their shower jellies when I was a tween because they were fun to play with or receiving bath bombs at a present, but I didn’t know much about the company at this time. As I got older and educated myself more on ethical, sustainable consumption, I started purchasing more of my everyday products from them. I’ll admit, there are many other products out there that are cheaper than the LUSH products, BUT what you’re paying for is their fresh, quality ingredients and supporting the company’s sustainability initiatives. Just think, every time you purchase one of their products you are helping the planet become a better place to live for all humans and living things alike. I will gladly spend a few dollars more on a moisturizer or toothpaste knowing that those extra dollars are doing good in our world.
Maybe by now you’re curious to check out your nearest LUSH store if you haven’t already or go shopping on their website. If you’re new to the LUSH brand, you might be unsure of which products to try or where to even start. Not to worry, because the employees at LUSH are some of the friendliest, most helpful people I have ever met. They are very knowledgeable of their products and are always willing to assist you. Their website is also very easy to maneuver, based on what you’re looking for or what ingredients you do/do not want in your product.
Below I have provided you with a list of my favourite products. If any of them interest you I really recommend checking them out. I haven’t been disappointed with a single product from LUSH, which says a lot simply for the number of different products I’ve purchased from them through the years.
Here is a list of my favourite LUSH products:
- Seanik Shampoo Bar: This bright bar is a great substitute for your typical liquid shampoo inside of a plastic bottle. Easy to transport, you simply get your hands and hair wet in the shower, then rub the bar directly into your hair or lather it in your hands. I used to have extremely dry, frizzy hair, but since I’ve purchased Seanik my hair is shinier and smoother. My natural curls also really come out when I use this shampoo, too. I recently recommended the shampoo bars to my friend, and now she’s hooked on them. She said that she’s never had a better shampoo, and I totally agree with her!
- R&B Hair Moisturizer: This is a great product that helps reduce frizz, leaving hair smelling great and prevents your locks from drying out. You can apply this creamy product to dry or wet hair: I apply it along with coconut oil to my damp hair after I wash it, and often in the morning to dry hair when I’m going to be in humid conditions. It works like a charm at preventing frizz and maintains your curls, no matter how curly your hair is (trust me on this one). A friend recommended this to me about a year and a half ago and I’ve been hooked on it ever since.
- Celestial Face Moisturizer: I bought this a few months ago after my moisturizer started breaking me out, which was disappointing because I’d been using this super light cream for years. I did a lot of research on Celestial before I bought it because I have extremely sensitive skin that will flare up at the smallest thing. This gentle moisturizer hasn’t been a problem for me and leaves my skin feeling soft and smooth after every use. It’s quite thick for a face moisturizer so I don’t recommend putting it on in the morning or if you’re going to be working out anytime soon. I put on a tiny bit in the morning if my skin is feeling tight, but I always put it on after my shower in the evening. It has a very subtle almond scent, which is good since strong perfumes can irritate sensitive skin even more.
- I’m Home Solid Perfume: I bought this on a whim a few months ago and I am very happy with this purchase! I’ve never liked spray perfumes because I either put too much on or feel like I lose a lot of product. Those bottles are usually a pain to clean and often not recyclable, not to mention the crazy ingredients included in the cheap perfumes or body mists. I used a roll-on perfume for many years, but even that isn’t very eco-friendly. This solid perfume bar comes in a cute little glass jar, making it another great portable product. All you do is dab a bit on your finger, then put it on your neck, wrists, etc. I’m Home smells like baked goods so I was instantly drawn to it. LUSH has many other scents and also offers their perfumes in different forms (wash cards, sprays). The container is tiny, too, so it’s easy to carry around in your purse or backpack.
- Aqua Marina Face Wash: This is another sensitive skin solution, with soothing calamine, aloe vera and seaweed (the paste is literally wrapped in a piece of seaweed!). Surprise, surprise, a few months ago my skin started getting irritated by my face wash from The Body Shop, so I had to stop using it. I found this face wash, which looks like a pink blob but does wonders. You simply take a tiny bit of said blob in your hands, get a bit of water on it, and rub it in between your fingers to make a smooth paste. You can even use it as a face mask! I haven’t had troubles with this face wash, so I am very happy with it. You can also use it all over your body, but I just want to preserve what I have so I only use it on my face.
- Sleepy Body Lotion: This smooth, purple lotion smells so nice and is a perfect nighttime care product. With lavender, oats and almonds, it soothes the skin and the senses. Although it seems thin for a lotion, I find that if I put it on at night and then work out the next morning it stays with me and causes me to sweat a lot more. I guess that shows how long it lasts!
- Miles of Smiles Toothy Tabs: I was hesitant to try this product, but I’m so glad that I did! An alternative to toothpaste, you simply pop one tablet in your mouth, chew it up, then start brushing as normal. They foam up really well because of the baking soda and leave your mouth feeling squeaky clean. They’re way easier to travel with than a tube of toothpaste, and the PCR bottle is of course recyclable. There’s several different flavours to try out (even a charcoal one!) but I chose the one I did because I like super minty toothpastes. The flavour takes a little bit of getting used to if you’re not familiar with natural toothpastes, but after the first few tries it tastes totally normal.
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| Not pictured: Seanik because I’m down to the last little nub of my bar; Toothy Tabs because our bathroom just got renovated this morning and I don’t know where my mom put them… |
I use so many other great LUSH products, but these are just a few of my favourites for all different parts of the body. I wrote a little bit about some of these products in this post, as well as many other eco-friendly products that I use. I’ll keep saying it, I really do love LUSH and all that they stand for. I think it’s great to see how companies like LUSH started taking environmental and social action so many years ago; LUSH has been a true leader in these movements for decades and will still continue to be long into the future. If one day I have the opportunity to visit one of their factories or even work for them in manufacturing that would be amazing. I almost worked for my local LUSH two years ago, but to my luck I accepted a job just a few hours before I got called for an interview at LUSH! No worries, another opportunity may arise someday. Especially with my first co-op term coming up in the winter, I’m staying positive.
I really encourage you to try out just one of their products, or even visit the store and talk to the employees. You can see, hear and feel the company’s quality-focused approach in everything that they offer. I’m so glad that they are out there making a change in the world, and inspiring other companies to follow their footsteps to lead us into a sustainable future.
Well, that’s all for today. I hope that you enjoyed this post and learned something about an amazing company making change in the world. Have you ever used LUSH products before? What do you think of their initiatives? Let me know in the comments!
I hope that you all enjoy the rest of your week! Remember, I’ll have a special announcement coming out in the next few days, so keep your eyes peeled for that!
Until next time!
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For those who are curious, here is a complete list of the sources I used to gather my information:
A Lush Legacy. (n.d.). Retrieved June 21, 2018, from https://www.lushusa.com/story?cid=article_a-lush-legacy
Ethical Campaign: Naked! (n.d.). Retrieved June 26, 2018, from https://www.lush.ca/en/story?cid=article_ethical-go-naked
Inflation Calculator | Keep Track of Canadian CPI and Inflation. (n.d.). Retrieved June 23, 2018, from http://inflationcalculator.ca/
Lush (company). (2018, June 10). In Wikipedia. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lush_(company)&oldid=845203721
Mckenzie, K. H. & R. (n.d.). BCBusiness. Retrieved June 21, 2018, from https://www.bcbusiness.ca/meet-the-woman-who-made-vancouvers-lush-a-cosmetics-powerhouse
No Nukes. (n.d.). Retrieved June 26, 2018, from https://www.lush.ca/en/story?cid=article_ethical-no-nukes
Our Values – Ethical | Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics CA. (n.d.). Retrieved June 21, 2018, from https://www.lush.ca/en/Page-View?cid=our-values-ethical
Our Values – Handmade | Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics CA. (n.d.). Retrieved June 21, 2018, from https://www.lush.ca/en/Page-View?cid=our-values-handmade
Sites-Lush-Site | Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics US. (n.d.). Retrieved June 21, 2018, from https://www.lushusa.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-Lush-Site/en_US/AboutUs-OurFreshHandmadeStory
Still Fighting Against Animal Testing | Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics CA. (n.d.). Retrieved June 26, 2018, from https://www.lush.ca/en/about-animal-introduction.html
Teather, D. (2007, April 13). Interview: Mark and Mo Constantine, founders of Lush cosmetics. The Guardian. Retrieved from http://www.theguardian.com/business/2007/apr/13/retail2
Trans Rights are Human Rights. (n.d.). Retrieved June 26, 2018, from https://www.lush.ca/en/story?cid=article_trans-rights-are-human-rights
1 comment
Thank you for sharing all your knowledge about beauty products! I’m all about less can be so much better for our health. Thanks again!