Yummy Custard

Milky, soft, soothing… Even when they’re exfoliating the skin, oats are incredibly gentle.

Oats are among the many members of the grass family, which together provide a staple diet for most of the world’s population. Wild oat seeds dating back to 2000BC have been found in Egypt. The oat grain in its natural state takes a long time to cook, so they are usually rolled and flattened into flakes, as this makes them easier to prepare.

When soaked in warm water they become soft, and produce a rich, soothing milk.

They contain polysaccharides which become gelatinous when mixed with water, and leave a protective film on the skin.

They contain avenanthramides, a type of antibiotic which acts as an antioxidant and may contribute to the soothing effect of the grain.

Whole or finely ground, they also make a very gentle exfoliant when applied to the skin.

A moisturising and replenishing oil can be extracted from oat kernels. It contains ceramide, a lipid that can be naturally found in the epidermis, creating a barrier on the skin alongside sebum to protect it and maintain moisture. Applying an oil with ceramide, like oat oil, helps restore and strengthen the skin's natural defence.

At Lush we purchase different types of oat and oat-derived products depending on the effects we want to obtain. 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!

Vanilla is the unmistakable, uplifting and sweet scent we all know and love.

Vanilla beans (pods) are the fruits of the orchid Vanilla planifolia. Centuries ago, one could only purchase vanilla from Mexico, as the flowers required a local bee to pollinate and grow the precious pod. Thanks to the discovery of a hand pollination technique in 1841, orchids can now be cultivated in most tropical areas close to the equator. This step requires specialised know-how and must be carried out a few hours after the flower opens; otherwise, it will wilt.

Each blossom produces a single bean, which is normally harvested after eight or nine months. The beans then pass through a complex curing process before becoming the black-brown fragrant spice we all know. This process usually involves four steps: soaking in hot water, sweating in a warm environment, drying for a few weeks, and conditioning (packing in boxes) to develop flavours.

It has a sweet fragrance with uplifting, de-stressing and aphrodisiac qualities.

The sugars in vanilla act as humectants, which minimise moisture loss.

The spice is soothing, softening and antibacterial for the skin.

Its main aromatic compound, vanillin, is an antioxidant that helps the skin to stay firm and radiant.

Since Madagascar, the world's first vanilla producer, stopped regulating vanilla prices in the 1990s, its trade has seen ups and downs. The latest struggles began in 2012 when very low harvests caused demand for the spice to exceed supply. Since vanilla is a rather rare natural delicacy that cannot be rushed, the situation quickly snowballed into huge price increases (over 100%), poor quality and crime.

In 2016, the situation in Uganda (where we buy our pods) became critical and was reported to us in an article by Lulu, owner of the Ndali farm. Resellers and agents working on commission began buying vanilla that was not even cured properly yet. Vanilla pods must reach maturity and undergo the full curing process to develop all the notes of their wonderful taste and aroma, and to prevent mould. During price crises, crops are sold far too early, and pods can even be stolen from the fields before they're ripe. Farmers try to expand their crops to meet demand, and governments implement drastic measures. Eventually, when things finally calm down, farmers find themselves with too much production and prices drop tragically, as has been the case since 2019.

We love natural vanilla so much that we couldn't stop using it. Thanks to our dedicated team of creative buyers, year after year and month after month, we have found solutions to the market’s turmoil. Find more information on each source in the description of the main vanilla ingredients we use:

Vanilla Extract, combines several ingredients whose comforting scent enhances our perfumes and skin-soothing cosmetics.

Vanilla Pod Powder, which adds vanilla’s signature tiny black dots to our products.

Want to dive straight into our range of vanilla-scented products? They're ready for you.

Aloe is thought to be one of the oldest folk remedies, well known for its healing qualities. 

Aloe is the genus of several succulent plant species that grow well in dry soils and tropical climates. At Lush, we use three different types: Aloe vera (which means ‘true aloe’, syn. Aloe barbadensis), Aloe secundiflora and Aloe ferox. All of them have similar properties and are cultivated for medicinal and ornamental purposes. Clear gel and latex can be extracted from them.

Soothing

Hydrating

Antibacterial

Softening

And if those brilliant things weren’t enough, the cooling sensation you get when applied to the skin is excellent for reducing swelling and calming burns.

Depending on the species and if it’s fresh or dried, the aloe in Lush products can come from many different places in the world - mainly in Africa and North America. 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!

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.