Herbalism

A cleansing and invigorating herb for happy skin and scalp.

Native to the Mediterranean, rosemary is an evergreen shrub that can grow to six feet tall. A relative of basil and oregano, it belongs to the Labiatae family and has been cultivated since ancient times for use in medicine.

Rosemary’s aroma complements perfumes well with a very herbaceous yet floral scent, reminiscent of lavender to some.

It is believed to promote hair growth and prevent hair loss when applied to the scalp. It also makes the hair shine!

The plant's antibacterial and antifungal properties combat dandruff, cleanse the skin and help create effective deodorants. 

The oil improves focus when inhaled, relaxes sore muscles in baths, and calms inflammation.

Fresh, dried, powdered, distilled, extracted… we use a lot of different versions of rosemary at Lush, and for each of them we’ll have a different source supplying us. 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!

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?

Clays leave the skin cleansed, soft and mattified like no other.

Clay minerals are tiny soil particles. No other mineral has been used as much in human history as clay. From growing plants to making ceramics, from engineering applications to cosmetics, clays seem to have limitless potential.

Absorbs excess oil (sebum) and water (sweat) into itself.

Makes a gently buffing paste when mixed with water.

Gives a pleasant, smooth texture to body and face masks.

There are many types of clay. Some are completely natural, like kaolin or rhassoul mud; some are mixed with colouring pigments, like rose clay. Some are made from a combination of several sedimentary clays, like fuller’s earth. Although they have common properties, each has its own specificities in terms of absorption power, mineral content, or granularity. Depending on these little differences, Lush inventors will choose one or the other to perfect their products’ formulae.

To learn more about the origin of each clay and their benefits, 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!

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!

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.

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.