To think Lush isn't actually lush at all...

[Brain73]

I really cannot see what the fascination with this shop is. DD age 12 begged to go there today to spend some of her birthday money. The place made me itch as soon as I stepped inside with the sickly overpowering scent.

DD wanted some bath bombs, some of which were over £6! Each! I tried explaining that they were probably no good for her skin with all that artificial colouring and scent added but she really wanted them and as it was her money she bought two.

My shopping bag and her bedroom now reeks of the smell of these things. What are they made of and are the products really as natural as they are made out to be? I was astounded at the price of most of the products and equally astounded that the shop was full with the tills ringing a brisk trade the whole time we were in there. Are the products any good?

Lush stuff gives me a headache and makes my throat sore. It's the smell...the overwhelming, revolting smell. I even bodyswerve when I'm walking past the shop, it's that bad.
Not a fan here either. I did buy their henna once though, just to try, and it was shite.

They openly support the hunt sabs so I support them!

They never ever test on animals.
The products have been amazing for my sensitive skin.

I'm a big fan.

There's some ingredient they use in their scent making that just does not agree with me at all. I think Lidl use the same one for their Cien range of products too. It's underlying but pervasive scent that makes me feel nauseous - I don't know it is, but Lush and Cien both have it, whatever the hell it is.

I love lush stuff - particularly the skincare range which makes a massive difference to my ezcema prone skin.

I also agree with marmalade - it's really obnoxious to criticise your daughter for what she wants to spend her birthday money on. I'm in my 30s and my mother still criticises me for what I choose to buy with my own money and it's incredibly tedious. Everyone likes different things, everyone has different little luxuries they like and spend more on than they are rationally 'worth'. You can always wait outside for your daughter next time.

Obviously some people love Lush and some hate it. Pretty much like any product or service.

But I have to say, OP, why did you put the Lush products in your own shopping bag, knowing how strongly they smelled? I thought most young people prefer to show off their purchases and carry their own bags? You sound a little controlling, tbh.

Never been into the place since my exbf started shagging someone who worked in Lush behind my back 10yrs ago.

I find Lush intriguing but I avoid the stores because I find the smell overpowering. I'm not keen on their website either as there's no facility to find products by skin or hair type, so I have to wade through each one and try and decipher the marketing blurb. Also, trying to find my local store wasn't straightforward either as there wasn't a simple postcode/nearest store facility. Why on earth not, Lush!? Make it as simple as possible for your customers FFS! On the other hand when I emailed them for advice on what products would suit me they were really helpful and sent quite a few samples.

I avoid lush because of Cosmetics to go. I was given a catalogue and saved up for ages to buy some of their stuff, sent off a cheque for my entire life savings of £45 and heard nothing. Chased and heard nothing again, repeat for four months.

I finally had a letter confirming they'd gone into liquidation and wouldn't be fulfilling my order. Of course they'd cashed my cheque on receipt so I gave them £45 to set up their stinky shops and never refund me by doing their perfectly legal but ethically dubious 'recovery'.

Never been into the place since my exbf started shagging someone who worked in Lush behind my back 10yrs ago.

She worked in Lush behind your back? The cheeky cah!

notinagreatplace - slight diversion, but I used to have the same problem with own mother. She was of a make do and mend pragmatic nature and rarely treated herself to anything new. I grew up thinking it was wrong to spend any money on myself unless it was strictly necessary.

If I ever did buy myself something I fancied but didn't officially need, I was frittering my money away and had more money than sense. She often talked about how materialistic I seemed and that money burned a hole in my pocket.

I grew up thinking I had a spending problem because I still sometimes bought the odd treat. I concealed them from her, knowing she'd have something to say about it. I often felt bad about my purchases, seeing them as spoiled self indulgences that I didn't have the sense to resist.

It is only now as an adult I realise I am actually incredibly frugal and always have been.

Yes, and it can be (note I am saying 'can be') quite dangerous to never give young people money or the freedom to spend it. Mine never gave me my own money. They weren't stingy with me but since I never had it I didn't know how to budget with it and I sm still not very good with money.

Anyway, I much preferred Cosmetics to go. Their stuff was fantastic. Lush I find overly scented and over priced.

Totally agree! I used to love the Happy Hippy shower gel and the Strandlooper hair conditioner, just can't get into Lush products at all.

Pictish/Marmalade - totally agree but would also add that I think it's about gradually giving kids more independence and the freedom to make their own mistakes. They might buy something you don't care for but love it. They might buy something and then decide it's poor quality or poor value for money or whatever. They will learn that lesson better if they make the mistake themselves than if their mother hectors them about it.

I still hide receipts when my mother comes to my house because otherwise she will go on and on about what I spend money on.

Quite.

Plus, it's worth remembering that if YOU wouldn't buy something from Lush,that's very probably because you're not a 12 year old girl

She would probably say most of what you spent your money on was rubbish, too!

Smargadine (sp?) was lovely and that green face mask, not to mention ginger, I used to get people (well ok, men) following me to ask what the scent was.

I like Lush and love the smell of the shop although I don't go in very often.
I stock up on Daddy-O shampoo as I love the deep purple colour and the violet scent.

I am in Doha right now in Villagio Mall and have just held my nose to pass Lush. The same people that funded "Plane Stupid" terrorist attacks are here and their filthy stinky hypocritical shite is air freighted in. The shite is not tested on animals in Poole where it is put together but someone who works there told me (I have no proof for this allegation other than from an employee) that the 8 gradients mainly come from China where they have of course been pre tested. I don't want to get sued by them so again am not swearing to it, maybe they could deny this in writing although they don't reply to emails, they make me feel dirty enough just by their shitty hippy dippy corporate image.

Sorry Landmark Mall if it matters, the stink is affecting my brain.

I used to love lush bath bombs and shampoo bars before I got pregnant with DS then I went right off it the smell just made my morning sickness 10 times worse especially considering mu bathroom smelled like my very own branch for a while! I had to bin everything to get rid of the smell. Much to my dismay I never did get over it and still can't stand the smell

Their ultrabland cleanser is amazing!

The smell of the shop is awful yes. But I buy things online and individually certain things aren't that strong. Depends on what you buy.

The hair conditioners are fantastic, so is the dry shampoo. Angels on bare skin is also fantastic.

None of them smell strong.

I love Lush and it's one of DDs favourite shops.

We can spend hours in there. Their Vanishing Cream mixed with a tint is the closest thing I can use to a foundation (can't even use Simple on my face), I should have shares in the company for the amount of 'Honey I washed the kids' bars I have bought , DH has been using the same shampoo bar for a year now and my bathroom always smells beautiful.

I'm happy their stuff is vegan and untested on animals and I can't get excited at their tenuous link to Anti Hunt Sabs.

I'm not a huge lush fan but I like some products. However I do know (or, as close to know as possible without being the one who orders the ingredients) that they don't source ingredients from China, nor do they use pre-tested on animals. There are other areas in which their ethics are murky - wages, and some of the campaigns are imo misguided- but that's not one of them. Likely because they know they'd be stuffed if anyone caught them lying about it.

I use some Lush things but I'm selective about those I choose as they use parabens in many products and most of my family are sensitive to sulphates which for some bizarre reason Lush use in their soap base. I always wonder whether those who claim Lush is 100% natural have actually read any ingredients lists on their website? Lush don't even claim to be natural, they admit they use synthetics. They just happen to use fresh ingredients too.

I recognise several folk around here from the days of old when Lush was a lifestyle and I spent most of my life forumming I always when I see them pop up.