Debby Asks:
Hi Beauty Brains, I love your website. I take a look at it everyday. I have a question for you. I use skincare products from Lush. I love their moisturizer “Gorgeous” but it is rather expensive. Lush claims that this cream is expensive because the ingredients are really expensive. Other companies would sell it at a much higher price. Is this true?
Ingredients:
Olive Oil, Stearic Acid, Cold Pressed Evening Primrose Oil, Cold Pressed Avocado Oil, Glycerine, Coconut Oil, Fresh Lemon Juice, Cold Pressed Wheatgerm Oil, Triethanolamine , Fresh Pineapple Juice, Orange Flower Absolute, Neroli Oil, Myrrh Resinoid, Cetearyl Alcohol, Perfume, Methylparaben, Propylparaben
The Right Brain Responds:
From a Marketing perspective, we agree that Lush is a terrific brand – their products have a cool and funky look and feel that you don’t see anywhere else. It’s hard NOT to love this stuff! However, from a scientific perspective, we don’t think that Lush is doing anything that technically special. Let’s look at the example of the moisturizer you gave us:
Based on the ingredients, this looks like a good, lightweight moisturizer. The Stearic Acid and Triethanolamine combine to form a soap that emulsifies the natural oils and allows them to form a stable mixture with the water.
Speaking of water – where is it? Is this product better because it doesn’t have any water and it’s more concentrated? No, because you couldn’t make a product like this without water. So, Lush has made it with pineapple and lemon juice instead, so water doesn’t show up on the ingredient list. Does this make it a better product? Not really. Pineapple and lemon juice don’t have any specific skin benefits when used in this way.
What about the natural oils? Well, Olive Oil is a good moisturizer (not as good as Petrolatum or dimethicone, but it will work.) Same is true for the Coconut Oil. Primrose Oil does contain natural Essential Fatty Acids which are good for skin, but lots of other products use Primrose Oil too.
The other stuff in the formula, like glycerine and the parabens are pretty much standard ingredients you’d see in any skin moisturizer.
And what about the price? According to Lush, this stuff sells for $72.00 for 1.5 oz. Does the cost come from the ingredients? Based on what we know about the price ingredients, the cost of ingredients for 1.5 oz of a formula like this would be about $1.00. Ok, maybe it’s $2.00. But it couldn’t be much more than that. That doesn’t mean the company is being dishonest, or any thing like that. As with most cosmetic products the ingredients don’t usually cost that much. The majority of the cost of the product is in packaging, shipping, advertising, manufacturing overhead, etc etc. For what it’s worth, Lush’s ingredients are probably a bit more expensive than most other “regular” brands.
The Brain’s Bottom Line:
Lush does a nice job of formulating “natural” products but that doesn’t mean that these products work any better. If you really like the way the products feel on your skin and you can afford them, then they’re probably a good deal for you. But don’t spend more money on Lush just because you think the natural ingredients are superior.
Loading ...
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Why would anyone buy this lush product? It has nothing in that does anything, but maybe moisterize. No real proventative ingredients that will help you stay younger. No retinol, no hydroluric acid, no peptides, no glycolic acid, no AHA, no anti-oxidants (well maybe a few of those),no salicylic acid. All these ingredients can be found in drugstore products. Since they are not in one bottle I use several products to get all the ingredients. The cheaper products are the ones that work. Olay regenerist has peptides, some acne products have salicylic acid, alpha hydrox products have 10% glycolic acid and are cheap but one of the best products on the market, and retinol is everywhere. Neutrogena night cream has hydroluric acid. If you need expensive Retin A works hytroxatone works, and Stri
Vectin-HS and HS only works. But I still would not use any of them just by themselves. If I would have had these products when I was 30 I would never have gotten a wrinkle, pimple or sag. Throw that lush in the garbage. Brenda
Has anyone tried the dermitage to reduce wrinkles, and what was your experience? Also what is the difference between meladerm and skin brightener?