Cherry Pie

In cosmetics, an exfoliator (also called exfoliant or scrub) is a material or a substance that helps remove the dead skin cells from the skin's surface. 

The human skin renews itself regularly, in cycles of 5 to 6 weeks on average (although this changes with age). New cells are created in the deepest layers of the epidermis and work their way to the skin's surface. Even though they usually flake away on their own, they sometimes stick around for too long, clogging the pores and giving a dull and tired appearance. This is when an exfoliant comes in handy. Coarse materials buff and cleanse the skin perfectly. Some substances, like enzymes or natural acids, even have the properties of eating dead skin cells or dissolving what binds them together.

For decades, the cosmetic industry has been using microbeads to scrub the skin. Unfortunately, these are little plastic bits and they are so tiny that they can escape from sewer treatment plants and end up in the rivers, seas and oceans. They have been proven to contribute to global plastic particle water pollution, significantly damaging our planet’s wild aquatic life. Thankfully, microbeads were banned from rinse-off cosmetics in many countries in the late 2010s. Regardless, Lush has always preferred to use natural, biodegradable materials instead of microbeads such as enzyme-rich fruits, ground nuts, shells, bamboo stems or seeds. They are just as effective options!

Refreshes and softens the skin.

Makes the skin look healthier and gives it a glow.

Helps unclog pores.

Can help other ingredients to penetrate the skin better.

Lush use many types of natural scrubs! To find out more about each of them and their suppliers, browse your Lush product’s list of ingredients and click on the ones you are interested in. This should take you to a page full of details.

If you're not sure where to start, here are our selection of body exfoliators and face scrubs. Let’s smooth it all!

A key ingredient in chocolate making, cocoa is also a staple on Lush shelves for its amazing effect on the skin, body and mind.

The cacao tree (Theobroma cacao) grows in warm, humid forests near the Equator. It yields large dark red or yellow pods containing up to 50 seeds each, coated in soft, edible flesh. The seeds, also called cocoa beans, are covered to ferment and then dried. During this process, they lose their acidic taste and develop their familiar chocolate scent. 

To obtain cocoa butter, the prepared beans are cleaned, dried and roasted and then ground into a thick, oily paste called chocolate liquor. The liquor can be used as such for chocolate-making or subjected to high pressure to separate the cocoa powder from the butter. An additional step can be carried out to deodorise the butter. This often happens for its use in cosmetics as it could interfere with the other scents of a product. The powder, which contains almost all of the scent and flavour of cocoa, can be used pure or put through solvent extraction to obtain a fragrant absolute.

The butter is an excellent emollient that moisturises the skin and hair. It also plays an essential role in product formulation, helping to achieve stable blends with longer shelf life or to create solid products that do not require packaging.

The powder gives products a natural tint and a delicious scent and taste.

The absolute delights the senses and uplifts the mood. Cocoa’s scent is also said to be a great aphrodisiac!

In 2017, a new type of chocolate was patented, called ruby cocoa. It has a dark pinkish colour, due to a special variety of cocoa trees that produce ruby-coloured beans.

The sources will vary depending on the ingredient, but we make sure that they never involve child labour. The Lush buying team always tries to make purchases that contribute to the well-being of people and the planet’s regeneration. To find out more about each of the cocoa suppliers, browse your Lush product’s list of ingredients and click on the ones you are interested in. This should take you to a page full of details!

A sweet scent with personality.

Davana is native to India and belongs to the same genus (Artemisia) as famous aromatic plants like absinth and mugwort. It is a small plant that grows to around 60 cm (23 ft) in height and bears silvery-grey to green leaves and many small yellow flowers.

In India, davana is rooted in the folklore and traditions of the country. It is used in Ayurvedic medicine and often decorates Shiva altars, as it's believed to be the god’s favourite flower. It can also flavour food, tobacco, tea and drinks.

Davana has a plum-like, syrupy scent; ideal for boosting other fruity notes in a fragrance, such as peach, apricot or berries. It’s also a nice bridge between fruity and floral.

The oil is used in aromatherapy to calm and balance the mind, bringing a relaxing state that is said to work as an aphrodisiac for some!

Davana is one of those oils that can be difficult to source because its quality highly depends on weather conditions. Each year brings its share of surprises, which compels us to keep a list of different suppliers at hand - but the oil’s origin is always India.

A staple in cosmetics, the tear-shaped almond is beloved for its moisturising oil, soothing properties and comforting scent.

Almonds are the seeds of the almond tree, which belongs to the plum family (Prunus). Its fruits share considerable similarities with those of its relatives, such as apricot and peach. These crops flourish in sunny regions, such as the Mediterranean, California, the Middle East, and North Africa. Hiding deep within the soft flesh of the fruit is a hard pit that reveals a tender almond when broken open.

There are two types of almonds: sweet and bitter. Sweet almonds, which grow on the Prunus dulcis tree, are the ones we eat. Their scent is very faint, if there's any. They can be ground, pressed into oil, or blended with water to produce milk. This explains why almond oil is often called 'sweet' almond oil. On the other side, bitter almonds (Prunus amygdalus amara) are not suitable for consumption, but they can be distilled into a fragrant essential oil, renowned in perfumery.

In general, almond-derived products are soothing and conditioning to the skin and hair, as well as being emollient and packed with vitamin E (an antioxidant).

But the benefits also depend on the type of ingredient, of course. For example:

Almond oil is moisturising.

Ground almonds gently exfoliate the skin.

Almond essential oil has a sweet, cherry-like aroma.

Almond butter is even more moisturising than the oil. 

We use a lot of almond-derived products, so don’t hesitate and browse your Lush product’s list of ingredients to click on the ones you want to know more about. And if you like a good selection, here’s one!

Ground Almonds

Almond Oil

Organic Almond Oil

Fair Trade Almond Oil

If almonds are your thing, you’ll be happy at Lush! We love them too. Why not take a look at our bodycare and skincare ranges to begin with?

Your order will be expertly protected against impact during transit by biodegradable Eco-Pops, compostable packaging nuggets made from potato starch! They're easily dissolvable in water or soil.

Fresh cosmetic ingredients are more effective on skin, hair, and mind than heavily preserved beauty products. 65% of our raw material spend is on natural ingredients.

All of our products are made by hand, fresh, every day, across 6 manufacturing sites all over the world. We believe in happy people making happy soap, putting our faces on our products and making our mums proud.

It's better naked. 66% of products sold each year are packaging-free.