Lush Lashes

Waxes give cosmetic products a pleasant texture and feel while protecting the skin and hair.

Initially, wax is a substance that resembles beeswax. It’s usually a thick and oily substance, sometimes solid at room temperature, sometimes spreadable. There are many types of waxes, which can be of animal, mineral or plant origin. Here, we’ll focus on the many vegetable waxes that Lush uses, such as rapeseed, rose, sunflower or candelilla wax, to name a few. 

The processes for obtaining vegetable wax are quite different depending on the plant's species and the desired texture and properties. Here are some examples:

Acids - Candelilla wax is infamous for being extracted from a succulent plant with sulfuric acid, a very dangerous material. Luckily, Lush creative buyers have found a supplier that has pioneered a new technique with the less harmful citric acid.

Hydrogenation - This process is frequently used in the vegetable oil industry, improving textures and shelf life. The transformation can range from the slight thickening of an oil, to its solidification into a wax. Soy wax is a good example of this.

Solvents - Take rose absolute. Like all absolutes, it is produced by soaking the raw material (rose petals) in a solvent such as ethanol. This results in a waxy paste called concrete which is ‘washed’ again with solvents to separate the wax from the fragrant rose oil. The oil is called absolute and is sold separately. The remaining wax has a faint scent and retains some of the plant’s properties, which is ideal for cosmetic use.

Benefits will depend on the type of wax but, as a general rule, they give our products a nice texture and shine. They sit lightly on the skin and hair to protect them, giving lustre and softness. Some waxes will be very fine to the touch and hardly felt, others will provide a strong conditioning sensation.

Each wax has its very own story! 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 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!

The best thing you could bring to a desert island? A coconut tree. It is remarkably helpful and generous.

The coconut palm (Cocos nucifera) is thought to be native to the warm climates of Polynesia, Malaysia and southern Asia. The trees bloom and bear fruit throughout the year, growing a new flower spike nearly every month. This then becomes a cluster of six to twelve fruits. Coconuts are the seeds of these fruits, the largest seed known to the world! 

'Kalpavriksha', the Sanskrit name for the coconut, means 'tree which gives all that is necessary for living' and, indeed, the possibilities seem endless. In Lush products alone, you can find the water, the flesh and the shell of its seed, as well as the nectar of its flower. We can even use the fibres of its fruits to make some of the wrapping papers!

Coconut oil is soothing, moisturising and emollient to the skin. It also conditions and protects the hair.

Coconut yoghurt, milk and cream are full of fats and have effects similar to those of the oil, with the added bonus of a lovely tropical scent!

Coconut wax coats and protects the skin and gives our products a nice, firm texture.

Desiccated coconut makes a gentle exfoliator that releases soft, moisturising milk when mixed with water. 

Ground coconut shells make a strong natural scrub.

Each coconut-derived ingredient we use has its specific benefits and suppliers. Here’s a selection of pages to browse, but feel free to click on any of the ingredients that make our products. That should take you to a page full of details!

Extra Virgin Coconut Oil

Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil

Coconut Flour

Coconut Milk Powder

You say, “Give me that coco!!!” We say, “Here’s something for your hair, your skin, your hands, and your massages, and you bet we’ve got loads more.”