Wasabi Shan Kui

A juicy lemon will always brighten your day - and your skin! 

Oh, we all know what lemon is, surely!? Okay, for those of you who don’t, it’s a fruit that grows on a small, slightly thorny, evergreen tree that belongs to the Rutaceae family. The lemon tree typically grows in Italy, Asia and East India, and produces highly fragrant blossoms and shiny leaves as well as this bright yellow, oval-shaped citrus treat. 

Lemon oil and juice are known for their deeply cleansing and brightening effects on the skin.

A lemon’s natural fruit acids encourage the cuticle of the hair to lie flat, reflecting more light and in turn enhancing shine in the hair.

Lemon oil is often used as a top note in perfumery, adding a refreshing quality to fragrances to directly delight your synapses.

The juice is full of vitamin C which makes your skin glow and helps the complexion.

Since 2005, Lush has sourced bergamot, lemon and mandarin essential oils directly from a family business that have been producing citrus oils for three generations. While the lemons and mandarins thrive under the sun of Sicily, the bergamot fruits are grown in Reggio Calabria, Southern Italy. Grown without pesticides, the lemons are collected by hand and pressed entirely with their peel. The resulting liquid then goes through a centrifugal process that separates the oil from the juice. 

When it comes to fresh lemons and their zest, peel or juice, browse your Lush product’s list of ingredients to find out more. Click on the ingredient you are interested in and it should take you to a page full of details!

When it comes to treating your hair and skin, salt is great in a pinch!

Salt is a natural mineral that forms crystals of different sizes and colours depending on how it’s processed and where it comes from. It is much present in the sea (or saltwater lakes) and can be obtained by evaporating the water. It can also be found as a rock in the ground and mined.

As an exfoliator, salt crystals scrub away dead skin cells and leave the skin refreshed and bright.

It cleanses the skin, not only with exfoliation but its antimicrobial properties, too.

Its astringent effect helps to mattify the skin and slightly tighten pores.

It gives volume to the hair- a bit like when you have a swim in the sea or even just a walk along the beach!

It can serve as a natural preservative and help keep our product blends fresher for longer when used in appropriate quantities.

Sea salt is less processed than conventional table salt and therefore remains full of moisture and the many different minerals and elements from the area where it is harvested. For this reason, it must be tested regularly to ensure that it hasn't been contaminated with pollutants.  

The moisture content of sea salt can be a blessing in a cosmetic product, but also a curse. For instance, it is far too wet for dry, solid products. That's why the types of salt we purchase can vary, as each will have its own specificity and benefits for the formula.

Finally, salt marshes, whether near the coast or on the side of a lake, are generally used by birds as a resting and even nesting place on their migration path. Most of the sea salt suppliers that Lush purchases from have conservation and biodiversity programs in place and are doing a lot to protect their environment.

We have as many suppliers for different types of salt.  Fine, coarse, extra-large, hand-harvested, pearl-like, coloured… We love to put a bit of salt here, there and everywhere. To find out more about each of them, 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!

Calm down, relax, one mineral at a time.

We’re not trying to be dramatic here, but magnesium (Mg) is such an essential mineral that, without it, life as we know it would probably not exist. Indeed, a single magnesium atom is at the heart of each chlorophyll molecule, and chlorophyll is what allows photosynthesis - the very basis of life! 

Magnesium also helps hundreds of enzymes to function in our body. In fact, magnesium deficiency symptoms show how important it is for our health: general weakness and fatigue, muscle cramps, loss of appetite, migraines and many more severe ailments.

Applied externally, it seems that magnesium could facilitate muscle and tissue recovery and improve sleep quality - although some doubts persist about its absorption through the skin, and further studies should be conducted.

People have been bathing in magnesium-rich water for centuries, whether in the Dead Sea or the hot springs of Epsom and Bath, praising their effect on tired bodies. Over the past decades, a few studies and trials attempted to understand why that was. They suggested that magnesium chloride oil could penetrate the skin barrier and enter the bloodstream through topical (applied directly to an area of the skin) or transdermal (soaking in a magnesium-rich bath) applications.

In Lush products, you will come across several forms of magnesium. Magnesium carbonate and trisilicate, for example, are usually found in powdered products. They are anti-caking agents with absorbent qualities, ideal in deodorants, among others.

Magnesium chloride and sulphate are the ones said to have a positive effect on muscle and sleep. Magnesium sulphate (also spelt sulfate) is the scientific name for Epsom salts. These are very often used as bath salts, providing a good moment of deep relaxation. Magnesium chloride can also be used for soaks but is more commonly mixed with a little water to create an oily solution called magnesium oil. This one is great for massages and topical application and is said to have a more substantial effect than Epsom salts.

For details on every ingredient we use, browse your Lush product’s list of ingredients and click on the ones you are interested in!

You can also read more about magnesium here and discover our most restorative and relaxing products there.

Your vegan pals may have told you this goes great in porridge - but did you know agave syrup can also serve your skin?

Agave is a succulent plant native to the Americas and Mexico. It’s characterised by rosettes of pale green fleshy leaves ranging from a few centimetres (inches) up to 2m50 (8 feet) high. The agave's core is called the piña and can be processed into a syrup, also called nectar.

If you create a succulent garden and mix aloe and agave species, your visitors may not be able to distinguish one from the other. Although they appeared and evolved on two different continents and are not even close relatives, the two plants share many similarities.

Agave syrup is often used as a honey substitute, not just in vegan cuisine but in Lush products too. Similarly to honey this ingredient:

Soothes the skin.

Conditions the hair.

Helps retain moisture in the hair and skin.

Has antimicrobial properties.

Sacred to the Aztecs, their mythology states that agave first grew on the tomb of the goddess Mayahuel. Mayahuel was fertile and generous, feeding her four hundred children with her four hundred breasts (beat that, Total Recall!) This metaphorically portrays agave really well, as the plant gives a lot. It is entirely edible – flowers, leaves, stems and sap – but only if cooked or processed in one way or another. Its juice can be fermented and distilled to produce tequila (in the case of the blue agave) and pulque. You can also get syrup from the sap and make rope from the fibres.

To find out more about our agave 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!

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.