Lush - how do they get away with charging so much?

I’m really sad to see the downfall of what used to be such an amazing brand! Twenty years ago, Lush was completely different. It was marketed as a kind of hippy, alternative brand that really cared about animals and the planet. The focus was on simple, earthy products with herbal and floral scents. Many of the early items were made in small batches in Poole.

Some of the heritage products (Buffy and Angels on Bare Skin and lots of amazing soaps) felt genuinely unique at the time. They were fresh, handmade and very much part of that early identity. Now it feels like the brand has moved in a totally different direction. With the beauty market so saturated and competitive, it seems like they’ve tried to pivot towards bright colours, artificial scents and constant collaborations that feel really childish.

They used to be slightly above high street prices, but not massively so, and it felt justified. Now you’re paying far more than the average high street shower product for pretty naff quality bottle of purple gunk.

A lot of the original hero products are being discontinued along the way (Figs and Leaves soap most recently) which is a shame because they were the things that built the brand in the first place. I really do miss the old Lush! I believe they have also been caught up in some controversies as well though I don’t care enough about the brand these days to read into it.

Probably this!

Used to be a huge fan of Lush, great for Birthdays and Christmas, my family and friends loved goodies from there. Haven't spent a penny there since they told me to fuck off.

They market their glitter as plastic free, and make it themselves as a green option afaik. Only it can only be made using very very high temps, lots of energy used which again is hardly green plus I cannot see how, plastic free or otherwise, so much glitter in the waterworks is a good thing. The other prob with the glitter is that it is in so much stuff, even soaps that are designed for facial acne.

I get that it's fun for some products but by putting it and dye in so much of their stuff, they are only really marketed for teens and children.

@FloofBunny
They have bath bombs starting at £3.50
https://www.lush.com/uk/en/c/bath-bombs

Pansy perfume, that was glorious and had so many complements wearing that. And their soaps were amazing and lasted months. Ah, they were a fun company - no flipping glitter anywhere if I recall and never stained any skin, baths or grout.

Happy Hippy showergel is still available from their CTG days, one of the few originals that stuck if that helps?

Just because the ingredients aren't aligned with your values or requirements, it doesn't mean it's a scam.

Lush isn't the only company to charge £21 for a shower gel, strange to target them.

"Get away with.."
Welcome to capitalism where companies are allowed to charge whatever they want, and you get to choose if you want to buy from them.
They're not scamming anyone, you're not forced to buy, there's no crime.

£12 for a bath bomb! That’s crazy! I love their bath bombs buy haven’t used one in a while. Insane!

Yes, me too.

I used to work in Poole where the original Cosmetics to Go shop started so used to shop there but Lush is just yuck.

A very particular customer base and certainly not for me.

The ugliest packaging I have ever seen too. Not stuff I would want on display in my bathroom.

I also detest their stance on trans ideology and offering breast binders to young girls.

Lol, that's actually quite funny to me - my partner was annoyed that I stopped using their stuff some years back and said 'what am I going to get you for Xmas now?!'. Yeah, was an easy, no think option.

They have a very clear demographic when choosing their staff so I assume they must be popular amongst those types of people.

It’s a private business. It’s so odd the way people moan about the cost of non essential commodities. No one needs to spend their hard earned cash on frivolities. However clearly they make money, so folk are buying their products, or they’d go out of business. Don’t forget increased NMW, national insurance and various other taxes, increase in utility bills, and ingredients, hidden costs like insurance, has gone up in the last few years, so their prices will have needed to rise. I’m no fan of Lush, but I don’t get the outrage of ‘luxury’ products being expensive. At least as a UK company they will be paying UK tax, and keeping people in employment.

I used to buy quite a lot of stuff from Cosmetics to Go, the Strandlooper shampoo was the best thing ever and there was a lovely grapefruit shower range, but Lush just never did it for me. Didn't like the shops, didn't like the cloying scent and hate the politicking. I'm surprised they haven't gone bust

They get away with it because people are willing to pay that much, it's as simple as that.

And they can't be doing too badly, they're obviously making a shedload given the number of staff they can afford to employ. Every time I have to go in there to buy something for DPs birthday etc., I get mobbed by about 10 staff asking if they can help, it's nuts!

Is the Mario bath bomb really £12?? I was going to get one for DS as he’s Mario obsessed and loves a bath bomb, but not for that price. A local craft shop to us had some in at Christmas shaped like Mario and Luigi - homemade and they were only £4 each! They smelled lovely, he was thrilled to find them in his stocking. £12 for something that literally dissolves is ridiculous.

I bought stuff from them when they were mail order Cosmetics To Go.

As Lush, they used to be one of the brands that didn't do animal testing, when a lot of brands did. In my mind they were always a place for getting presents and treats rather than every day things. Some of their products are/were really good, the solid shampoo bars, the face creams and thry used to do a lovely soap (rassoul???) .

They need to charge more to ensure a percentage of profit goes to the terror organisations they support.

I like their shower gel, a little goes a long way, but I don't buy it often because of the price, but its a lovely treat. A lot of their glitter is plastic free, so check that before making assumptions and they use a lot of essential oils so its more natural than a lot of products. However, I find the shops very strong smelling and a little overwhelming.

Because they are the easy go to for blokes who suddenly realised they missed their wife's birthday. Not me I get to go because Mrs scarf always and I mean always after 32 years of marriage says 'i don't want anything for my birthday' and gives me no clue what to buy. So they are the default

Because it isn't supposed to be an everyday product. Its a 'luxury' marketed at teens. Its for exactly the circumstances you are in - a gift for a teen who will be delighted to get it. Is it expensive for what it is? Yes. Is it expensive in the grand scheme of things? No.
Thing is, if you are a teen with no financial responsibilities, heading to Lush with your mates and dropping 20 quid on some bath bombs is probably quite exciting. I am fairly surprised they are still around as if they fall out of fashion, they are done for. They have an extremely expensive business model with actual physical stores and tons of staff. So no doubt they will fold soon enough.
In the meantime, but the teen some Lush bits and raise yourself to god-like status!

Because people buy it. If they didn’t, they’d go out of business. I’ve never bought a lush product and never will.

I used to buy their soaps and solid shampoos a long time ago. They used good quality ingredients and were viewed as an ethical company. But over the years the quality dropped. I found out they weren't treating their staff well. And they also started using hard sell tactics in their stores. I haven't shopped there for at least 15 years.

I used to be a big fan about 20 years ago. Then their prices started increasing. The first one I noticed was when they brought out ‘Skins Shangri-La’, IIRC it was about £30-£40, no small amount then. But Crème De La Mer had appeared around the same time and was £200+ so…

I went in just before Christmas as my DN likes Snow Fairy so I got her a gift set. I got a small bubble bar for myself, more for nostalgia than anything else. It was fine, I still have a bath’s worth left. I won’t be in a rush to go back. I use stuff from an independent shop I found or from the Yorkshire Soap Company now.

I went in at Christmas and was stunned by the prices! It was always on the pricey side but they've definitely increased massively. I walked back out again pretty sharpish.

Their shampoo bars and soap bars are good (if you avoid the glitter ones). The rest is shit I agree but I’ve not found better shampoo bars for the price/long lasting

I like their bubble bars so buy a couple every few months.
Dd1 likes their solid soaps and hair masks, a couple of their perfumes and body sprays. Dd2 likes their shower gels and body scrubs.
So we are people choosing to spend our money in Lush. Didn’t think we were especially ‘out there’ tbh, it’s just another high street shop that will appeal to some and not to others.