to think it can't be that difficult to make a Lush massage bar for a fraction of what they charge?

[MaureenMitten]

I adore Lush massage bars (for the uninitiated - it looks like a bar of soap that gives off oil as you rub it on your skin), but they're not cheap - nearly £6 - and look very tiny when they get out of the shop .

Surely it can't be that difficult to make them at home - something oily that sets and some essential oils maybe?

AIBU to think I could make these at home for a fraction of the price? Anyone tried or know what the recipe might be?

im sure theylist all of their ingredients on the website.

I love lush but it is a Christmas sale treat for me because I am poor lol. I think it is a bit over priced.

every year I stock up on their snowglobe soap at Christmas to see me through lol

No yanbu. I haven't tried a massage bar but have started making my own soap. Still experimenting really but followed a good recipe and made various types - lavender, lemongrass honey and oat, christmas spice, sweet orange etc. Cold process soapmaking is the technique - look at the soapmakers/making forum for ideas! (i too love lush massage bars - do you use the powder after?)

Oh and my 'handmade natural soap' worked out at about 50p per bar. Could reduce the cost by bulk buying.

Soapmakingforum.com

When i first tried Aveda (i know nothing about Lush), i researched why it cost so much and found that there is a sliding scale of quality when it comes to essential oil ingredients.

So Arnica, for example isn't just one product, it varies and although it can be listed as an ingredient if included, it doesn't mean that the quality is good enough to be of any value.

Also, obviously is the issue of ethical trading, which costs more.

You can make similar products, though.

Nottalotta

Try used coffee grains, it makes a muddy brown coloured soap, not pretty, but gets the smell or garlic and onions out of your hands.

Never been in a Lush shop because the smells wafting out make me gag. When I first saw smelt the Lush shop in Covent Garden my sister sang in a sing-song voice "Lush Lush it gives you thrush"

I love Lush and think the products are pretty good value because you only use a little and they last ages. They also really suit my skin and hair. I have sometimes thought it should be possible to make your own, but imagine it would take quite a lot of experimenting to get them exactly right - did you see the episode of The Apprentice where they all had to go to the Lush factory and create their own products?

Thank you sashh i have read that but am yet to try it .

Cocoa butter is great for making massage bars, it's solid but melts nicely on contact with skin. I blend it with a softer oil or butter to produce a lotion of sorts but you could blend with essential oils or extracts and pop it in a mould without too much fuss.
You can buy virgin cocoa butter from soap making suppliers and wholesalers.

We made massage bars at rainbows. They are dead easy. Organic shea butter, bee's wax, coconut oil, perfume if you like. All available from eBay.

I made a few things when I visited the factory. IIRC it's down to the expensive essential oils. Some of them were silly money.

There was an article in the business papers a few weeks ago about Lush not evading UK taxes. I daresay that bumps the prices up a fair bit.

Looks pretty easy.. here

Thanks so much all, especially Notta and Daysie.

What is this powder you speak of Notta?

They sold me some sort of dusting powder which goes on over the massage bar to de grease yourself a bit. I used it last night and works a treat! You don't end up all slimy or all powdery

Don't worry about offending lush, they are a bunch of hypocrital twats. They are the same as any other corporate money grabbers, pretend to be green and ethical.. well unless they walk from Poole to the Middle East (actually they use air freight) and unless they pay their employees overseas (including the animal testers in China) the UK minimal wage, they are not what they sell. Plane Stupid, my arse.