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Lush...urghhh

I just wanted to have a little moan about Lush. I purchased for the first time recently and got the free grab bag. Its amazing how they go on about Organiv this Fairtrade that and being natural blah blah blah..

First of all after a good indulge, both my husband and I got loads of spots every weher, faces backs, chest etc yuk

I find it hilarious how they try to sell you every product in the store with "oh this is just the best" "my boyfriend/mother/brother uses this and its worked for them"

Finally. Natural my !!!!!. Second ingredient on lots of the stuff SLS?? A known skin irritant, cause of excema and a harsh chemical, or how about a good dose of parabens

Disgustingly I was even recommended certain products for my 4 year old daughter with v.sensitive skin and the product contained parabens, SLS & Lauryl Betaine

Hardly the image it portrays. My recommendation is to look elsewhere at companies like green people
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Comments

  • ....and, of course, the fact that every one of their stores smells like a tart's boudoir, and makes your teeth itch from twenty paces with the smell.
  • Thats what alot of my friends think.. to be honest I do love the smell and initial feel of their stuff but after a couple of days my body is not impressed!!

    Its a real shame they felt the need to remove SLS from some, but not all of their products. How does that work, oh we have decided that SLS is not uitable for our products, but hey were gonna keep it in some!!
  • Gigervamp
    Gigervamp Posts: 6,583 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    How do you know that it wasn't the essential oils that are in their products that caused the rash? Just because something's *natural* doesn't mean that it won't irritate or cause a reaction. The citrus essential oils are known sensitisers for example.

    However, I do agree that Lush market their products as *natural* when they're far from it, but I would be wary of other companies that also sell so called *natural* cosmetics, especially anything containing water and no preservative.
  • squack
    squack Posts: 633 Forumite
    these companies with their overpowering stench are a cancer on our high streets
    squaaaaaaaaacccckkkkkk!!!! :money:
  • brettcta
    brettcta Posts: 4,693 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    squack wrote: »
    these companies with their overpowering stench are a cancer on our high streets


    that's maybe a bit melodramatic don't you think?
    helpful tips
    it's spelt d-e-f-i-n-i-t-e-l-y
    there - 'in or at that place'
    their - 'owned by them'
    they're - 'they are'
    it's bought not brought (i just bought my chicken a suit from that new shop for £6.34)
  • squack
    squack Posts: 633 Forumite
    brettcta wrote: »
    that's maybe a bit melodramatic don't you think?

    just the way squack sees the world sorry :money:
    squaaaaaaaaacccckkkkkk!!!! :money:
  • brettcta
    brettcta Posts: 4,693 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    talking about yourself in the third person?

    are you ok? or are you a bit squackers?
    helpful tips
    it's spelt d-e-f-i-n-i-t-e-l-y
    there - 'in or at that place'
    their - 'owned by them'
    they're - 'they are'
    it's bought not brought (i just bought my chicken a suit from that new shop for £6.34)
  • cyberbob
    cyberbob Posts: 9,480 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    OnTheUp wrote: »
    product contained parabens, SLS & Lauryl Betaine

    You'll be lucky to find any products without these ingrediants

    Laurel Betaine is a permitted additive in organic products (Soil Association standard 50.5.3).

    Parabens well there has been so many scare stories with very little solid evidence and some very dodgy science. Lush's own site explains it well
    https://www.lush.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=17221:parabens-the-facts

    As for SLS well most companies keep that to a minimum and are searching for replacements

    http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/12/sls-free-lush-shampoo-bars.php

    Many organic and natural ingredients will cause rashes and reactions
  • biscit
    biscit Posts: 1,018 Forumite
    edited 2 February 2010 at 10:02AM
    Gigervamp wrote: »
    How do you know that it wasn't the essential oils that are in their products that caused the rash? Just because something's *natural* doesn't mean that it won't irritate or cause a reaction. The citrus essential oils are known sensitisers for example.

    However, I do agree that Lush market their products as *natural* when they're far from it, but I would be wary of other companies that also sell so called *natural* cosmetics, especially anything containing water and no preservative.

    Oh don't be all pleasant, reasonable and sensible- doesn't win you any friends round here. :D

    I thought Sodium Laureth suphate was the chemical name for soap. It's certainly an organic compound. This has been educating.
  • Gigervamp
    Gigervamp Posts: 6,583 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Thanks for posting that Lush link, I hadn't seen that. For years I've been trying to explain to people why the use of preservatives in cosmetics is necessary and why the scare stories about parabens should be ignored. I'm glad Lush have posted a sensible, intelligent article about it.

    I just wish people wouldn't fall for the greenwash marketing hype without doing some research. And by research, I mean reading peer reviewed scientific studies, not scare stories on sites where they're trying to sell you unsafe cosmetics.

    Synthetic preservatives have been tested thoroughly and are used in tiny amounts. The recommended usage rate for the majority of them is just 0.5-1.5% of the total formulation and they are absolutely needed in any product that contains water, (lotions etc) otherwise it will only be a short while before they become unsafe to use because of the pathogens that have grown in the product.

    If you really don't want to use synthetic ingredients, make your own cosmetics and stick to simple things such as bath bombs (2 or 3 parts bicarb to 1 part citric acid) and body butters (60% hard oil such as shea or mango butter and 40% liquid oil such as sweet almond).
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