Helping Hands

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?

Humble flowers with super soothing powers.

There are many species of chamomile flowers, and they’re sometimes hard to differentiate from one another - even experts struggle! At Lush, we use two types, easily identifiable and well known in European folk medicine: the German chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla syn. Matricaria recutita) which resembles a daisy, and the Roman chamomile (Anthemis nobilis) that looks like a fuzzy ball of white petals. 

Originally white in colour, the German chamomile flowers release a blue pigment when distilled into an essential oil. This is due to  an anti-inflammatory compound that forms during steam distillation, called chamazulene. Hence the name: chamomile blue oil.

Soothing

Antiseptic

The flowers’ oils are believed to promote calm and restful sleep when inhaled. They’re often coupled with lavender as they share similar properties and complement each other scents.

Chamomile crops are so fragile that Lush buyers always need to have backup suppliers in case our current ones are unable to produce the amount we need. The source will also change depending on the type of ingredient (oil, dried flowers…) and species. To find out more, 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!

Honey is a fragrant, sweet, sticky liquid made by the hard-working honeybees.

The clear honey found in the Lush products that are made in the UK, Germany and Japan comes from Casa Apis, a cooperative in Brazil made up of 28 communities. Bees’ welfare is at the heart of their practice and the cooperative sees beekeeping as a communion with nature, a way to have better lives while helping to increase the bee population and land’s regeneration.

Our Australian and New Zealand markets have their own suppliers. Beechworth Honey supplies Australia. Through their daily work, the creation of an arboretum, charitable donations, and many other projects, they aim to support biodiversity, protect threatened habitats, and advocate for sustainable beekeeping. Cammells Honey, meanwhile, supplies New Zealand. This family-owned business prides itself on selling premium, unadulterated honey collected by experienced beekeepers.

In Lush’s best-selling soap Honey I Washed The Kids, our UK manufacturing site uses two other sources. One honey is from a network of British beekeepers, where all beehives are located on permaculture or wild lands with diverse forage all year round. The other one is Ethiopian, from a supplier committed to protecting the remaining forests of the country.

At Lush, we agree that the modern honey industry treats bees like farmed animals. To ensure their welfare is respected in our supply chain, we work with beekeepers who understand the importance of managing hives with consideration and of working in a minimally invasive way. We do not allow the use of harmful practices such as queen wing clipping or artificial rearing.

Where possible, we aim to work directly with beekeepers, but in any case, we ask for full traceability and adherence to our high standards. We actively encourage and select those who go beyond organic beekeeping and implement regenerative practices that positively impact local wildlife and the hives’ environment.

Humectant

Antimicrobial

Antioxidant

Protective

Conditioning

Nutrient-rich

Because of its remarkable antimicrobial and humectant properties, honey also contributes to the preservation of products’ formulae.

Bees collect nectar from flowers and carry it to their hives where the worker bees convert it into honey. Half a kilogram of honey contains the essence of about two million flowers and the colour, fragrance and properties of honey vary depending on the varieties foraged. Bees need to make thousands of round trips to collect nectar, and a single bee produces only about a teaspoon of honey during its lifetime.

Dreaming of lathering up with as much honey as possible? Here's a buzzing selection of Lush products for you!

Glossy little linseeds do way more than add some crunch to your salad. Behold, ultimate hydration and softness!

Also known as flax (not Holly Flax), the linseed plant is cultivated in most temperate areas of the world for its fibres and seeds. The tall-stemmed herb grows blue flowers from May every year, making beautiful coloured crops during the flowering season.

A moisturising oil, reputed for its soothing and protective effect on the skin. It is also a good carrier, holding and bringing the active compounds from other ingredients right where they need to be.

A soothing mucilage, produced by the seeds when immersed in hot water. A gel-like substance that softens and protects the skin and hair.

We purchase linseed in different forms (oil, brown seeds, golden seeds…) and each of them comes from a different source. The best way to find out more is to 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!

It pays to recycle with us! Return the packaging for this product to any a Lush shop and receive money towards your next purchase. Alternatively, return 5 qualifying items packaging for a free fresh face mask.

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.