LUSH: Product Reviews

When I moved to Dublin in 2016, I wasn’t aware that I’d succumb to a new addiction– an addiction worse than alcohol or cigarettes.  My name is Zoë and I’m a Lush addict.

You’ve probably heard about LUSH, but if you haven’t, it’s a cosmetic company that sells handmade, 100% vegetarian products which are NOT tested on animals. They also have a black tub recycling program where you can bring in 5 clean black tubs (of any size, as long as it has the sticker saying so) and get a fresh face mask in return.  Not a bad way to promote recycling, right?  And trust me, it is not difficult to collect 5 tubs.

Anyway, I’ve become addicted to these products and the fact that they’re guilt-free since they’re ethically made and very affordable. Since I’ve tried so many of their products, I felt like I should share my opinions on them in case you were wanting to hop on the LUSH train but don’t know where to start.  

1. Mask of Magnaminty

I had to start with Magnaminty, because it is honestly my holy grail. You can get this face mask in several sizes, but I think I’m going to start buying it in the giant tubs from now on because I can’t live without it.  It’s an exfoliating face mask, which zaps away any breakouts you may have or stop the ones trying to creep up on you.  It leaves your skin feeling soft, fresh and oil-free! The 4.4 oz tub is $14.95 and the tub lasts you a very long time (especially the self-preserving formula) because a little goes a long way!

The ingredients in the self-preserving mask include:

Honey , Kaolin , Bentone Gel (Hectorite) , Talc , Glycerine , Ground Aduki Beans (Phaseolus Angularis) , Evening Primrose Seeds (Oenothera biennis) , Peppermint Oil (Mentha piperita) , Tagetes Oil (Tagetes minuta) , Vanilla Absolute (Vanilla planifolia) , *Limonene , Fragrance , Chlorophyllin (Chlorophyllin-Copper Complex)

The ingredients in the original mask include: 

Bentone Gel (Hectorite) , Kaolin , Honey , Talc , Ground Aduki Beans (Phaseolus Angularis) , Glycerine , Evening Primrose Seeds (Oenothera biennis) , Peppermint Oil (Mentha piperita) , Tagetes Oil (Tagetes minuta) , Vanilla Absolute (Vanilla planifolia) , *Limonene , Fragrance , Methylparaben , Chlorophyllin (Chlorophyllin-Copper Complex)


I’ve tried both the self-preserving and the original formulas and both are wonderful.  However, as you can see in the ingredient list, the original formula includes honey.  This makes it much more soothing.  The self-preserving formula does tingle a bit more on the skin, but to me, it’s a nice burn.  It’s like I can feel the mask working!  Therefore, I prefer this one.  If you have more sensitive skin or drier skin but you want to try this mask, use the original formula and only use it every other week!

2. Rosy Cheeks Fresh Face Mask

This mask isn’t something I’d normally reach for.  I’m always going for products which calm down breakouts or balance my oily skin. However, I tried this mask with my friend who was sunburned and wanted to fade the redness in his face. I, also being burnt to a crisp, figured it was worth a shot.  I can definitely say that this mask calms redness! It smells AMAZING– like a bouquet of fresh roses.  It also belongs in the fridge (because it’s a fresh mask) which cools down a sunburn extra well. Since it’s a fresh mask, this means it expires! So if you decide to try this out, make sure you use it up before the use-by date!


Now, I don’t suffer from dry skin, redness or rosacea, but I would assume that this mask would be a great one for you to try out if you do. The 2.1 oz tub is $13.95.

The ingredients include:


Glycerine , Kaolin , Fresh Rose Petals Infusion (Rosa Centifolia) (Rose Petals (Rosa Centifolia)) , Calamine Powder , Rose Clay , Fragrance , Rose Oil (Rosa damascena) , Benzyl Alcohol , Butylphenyl Methylpropional , *Citronellol

I’m unsure if I would buy this product just because of my personal skin needs, but I have zero complaints and it seems to do what it’s supposed to!

3. Aqua Marina Face and Body Cleanser

This was one of my first Lush purchases and honestly, I don’t hate it, but it’s not my favorite.  As mentioned before, I have oily, acne-prone skin.  This face wash is a creamy, moisturizing product, so personally I didn’t get the result that I needed.  I want a face wash that makes me feel SQUEAKY clean.  If you have drier, sensitive skin but also are prone to breakouts, this is probably a better fit for you.


I do have other issues with this product though.  First of all, the smell is not great.  It’s got this clay-like scent as if I’m sticking a handmade vase in the kiln and washing my face at the same time.  It also has large chunks of seaweed in it, which I wasn’t very fond of.  I didn’t think the seaweed did much in the first place, and then the big leafy bits would get stuck to my cheek or forehead and eventually just sit in the bottom of my sink until it eventually clogged my drain. No bueno. The 3.5 oz tub is $13.95.

The ingredients include:


Glycerine , Calamine Powder , Kaolin , Irish Moss Gel (Chondrus crispus) , Organic Aloe Vera Gel (Aloe barbadensis) , Fine Sea Salt (Sodium Chloride) , Nori Seaweed (Algae) , Sweet Wild Orange Oil (Citrus sinensis) , Patchouli Oil (Pogostemon cablin) , Carrageenan Extract (Chondrus Crispus) , Butylphenyl Methylpropional , Hexyl Cinnamal , Fragrance

Overall, I wouldn’t jump to buy this product again.  I wouldn’t totally count it out for everyone, though.  If you think this product would be good for you (say, if you have sensitive, acne-prone skin) I would ask your local LUSH store for a tester. Maybe the smell and seaweed bits won’t bother you!

4. Herbalism Face and Body Cleanser

I don’t want to say that I hated a Lush product, but guys…I hated Herbalism.  This face and body cleanser is marketed toward oily, “troubled” skin and all of the LUSH workers talked it up to me to be the best.  But I mean, it’s on my list of “LUSH worsts.”


This product has a very weird texture, first of all.  It feels almost like wet sand but a tiny bit…creamier? You have to wet your hand, then put the product in your wet hand and work it until it almost turns into a normal consistency for a face wash…but it kind of just dissolves?  I didn’t feel like I was getting any product on my skin, and if I did, it was only in big, sandy clumps.  This also molded over in my shower, which was a bummer since it wasn’t listed as a “fresh” product, but I didn’t care too much because I didn’t want to use it anymore anyway!


The scent is how you would expect something called “Herbalism” to smell: very earthy. It’s not a gross scent per se, but not amazing either. The 3.5 oz tub is $16.95 as well, which is pricey especially since mine grew mold in my shower after maybe a month.

The ingredients include:


Ground Almonds (Prunus dulcis) , Kaolin , Glycerine , Nettle, Rosemary and Rice Vinegar Extract (Urtica dioica, Rosmarinus officinalis) , Rice Bran (Oryza sativa) , Water (Aqua) , Gardenia Extract (Gardenia jasminoides) , Rose Absolute (Rosa damascena) , Chamomile Blue Oil (Matricaria chamomilla) , Sage Oil (Salvia officinalis) , Fragrance , Chlorophyllin (Chlorophyllin-Copper Complex) 

I’m sad to say, but I would not re-buy or recommend this LUSH product. Sorry, Herbalism!

5. Cup O’ Coffee Face and Body Scrub

I love this scrub! It smells like freshly ground coffee– like back in the day when you used to be able to grind your own coffee at Wal-Mart…remember that?? I’ve been recently obsessed with products that help with renewing the glow in your skin or correcting spots in your complexion (acne scars, dark spots, etc).  This product does that!  It’s very invigorating and refreshing and leaves your skin feeling squeaky clean (which, again, is what I look for in a face wash).  It’s also nice for your chest and back if you suffer from body breakouts. The 5.2 oz jar is only $12.95 as well. Talk about a bang for your buck!

The ingredients include:

Organic Agave Syrup (Agave Tequilana) , Kaolin , Glycerine , Coffee Infusion (Coffea arabica) , Talc , Ground Coffee (Coffea arabica) , Bentone (Hectorite) , Fragrance , Vetivert Oil (Vetiveria zizanoides) , Vanilla Absolute (Vanilla planifolia) , Roasted Cocoa Extract (Theobroma cacao) , Coriander Seed Oil (Coriandrum sativum) , Caffeine Powder , *Coumarin , *Limonene , *Linalool 

I will absolutely continue to buy this. However, you’re basically rubbing coffee grounds into your skin, so if your face is sensitive, I’d use with caution!  Otherwise I’m 100% behind you on buying this product!

6. Tea Tree Water

This is simply a toner for oily skin.  I think it’s very refreshing, however I don’t think it’s anything special.  Any toner will do the same thing, but this one is at least natural, cruelty-free and handmade.  So if you want to get the same thing as always but guilt-free,  I’d recommend.  It comes in a spray bottle which is different from most toners, and I feel like you wont over-use the product because of this. The 3.3 oz bottle is $9.95 though, which I admit is a bit steep for a toner.

The ingredients include:

Tea Tree Water (Melaleuca alternifolia) , Grapefruit Water (Citrus paradisi) , Juniperberry Water (Juniperus communis) , *Limonene , Fragrance , Methylparaben

Meh, it’s a toss-up for me on this one.

*–*–*–*–*–*–*–*

I had originally wanted to review every LUSH product I’ve tried here, but since the amount is overwhelming, I decided to only do six.  I hope these reviews help you decide what to buy and what not to buy at LUSH (as well as what to test)! Although there are a couple of negative reviews, I will always stand behind this wonderful company, and you should too!

(All ingredient lists were copied directly from the Lush website).

Zoë CardinalLeave a comment

The Final Girls: Who Are They?

Since cinema began in the early 1900’s, there has been the creation of tropes. Tropes are characters or storylines that are universally understood, oftentimes as a metaphor, and are completely overused. Sometimes tropes can be obvious, clever or even downright annoying. In horror and slasher films specifically, there is the trope of ‘the final girl’. The final girl is just what you think it is: the final surviving girl of the film. The final girl was made popular with films like Halloween (1978) and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974). But what makes a final girl? While there is no clear list of attributes for a final girl, the idea is pretty much unanimous: a girl who makes it through the hellish road of her story to meet with the antagonist in a head-on battle to the end. Are all final girls created equal? Not at all. Let’s take a look into some of the more recent final girl films. 

Housebound (2014)

TW: Gore, violence, mental health
This film is not your normal ‘final girl’ slasher. This dark comedy/thriller out of New Zealand is one of the most underrated films I’ve seen in a long time. Full of twists and turns, this will keep you on the edge of your seat the entire time. While the main character, Kylie, does indeed make it to the end, it’s not exactly in the most traditional way. Kylie, a reforming shitshow, lands under house arrest at her mother’s house, complete with a creepy murderous neighbor, ghosts in the house and supposed hysteria which all create a perfect thriller.
Final Girl Rating: 7/10

The Rezort (2015)

TW: Gore, zombies, violence
A surprisingly new take on zombie films, The Rezort’s storyline is set after a zombie virus outbreak. All zombies have been quarantined to an island that healthy-wealthies can visit freely to hunt them like a safari. Not a big surprise to any; things do not go well for our protagonist group. Final Girl Melanie does not shy away from the violence and helps her team try to survive, while maintaining her humanity throughout. This B-rated British film also takes an interesting look into the dark side of humanitarian crises amongst outbreaks.
Final Girl Rating: 7/10

Revenge (2017)

TW: Rape, violence, domestic violence, graphic injuries, gore, drug usage, abuse
First and foremost, this film is full of realism, graphic injuries and gallons of fake blood – gotta love the french for that! On a tranquil vacation gone wrong, Jen accompanies her married boyfriend on a boys hunting trip to a remote island. Fairly quickly, things start to go downhill. Jen transforms from a naive mistress to scrambling prey to bloodthirsty badass in under two hours. This is truly a revenge plot like the title suggests and it is so satisfying at the end.
Final Girl Rating: 15/10

Ready or Not (2019)

TW: Violence, gore
This dark comedy may not technically fall under the ‘horror’ bucket, but Grace deserves to be a final girl. On her wedding day, Grace is surprised to learn that she must play a game to be initiated into her husband’s family. A simple game of hide and seek turns into a bloodbath for the ages. Overcoming the shock of what is actually taking place, Grace fights back and becomes an unstoppable force, laughing in the face of Satan (no, really).
Final Girl Rating: 8/10

Honorable Mentions:

Darkness Rising (2017)

TW: Cults, possession, violence, gore, supernatural, curse
Teenager Madison and her friends break into her childhood home, which has been condemned and in disrepair since her mother went crazy. This thriller starts out in a normal cadence, but things go off the rails quickly. Little ghosts in the background of shots, a supernatural house, some serious demon energy – what more could you want? While the story is interesting in a ‘what the f**k just happened’ way, Madison’s character is a little two-dimensional. She gets pulled through the story rather than taking an active role in it.
Final Girl Rating: 5/10

Midsommar (2019)

TW: Gore, violence, cults, graphic injuries, sexual acts, drug usage
A fan favorite from director Ari Aster, Midsommar is a fringe mention for final girls. I wanted to include this film mostly because Dani has to overcome a mountain of trauma to become the final girl. This is a poignant, beautifully directed film that leaves the viewer uneasy and disturbed. Dani may not be an overly violent character, but the ending of the film proves that she’s just as cunning and dark as the rest of them.
Final Girl Rating: 7/10

As a viewer, what can we learn from the final girls? Each final girl is able to find the strength to push through any situation – even if they didn’t think they had it in them. Final girls teach us to adapt and survive, to overcome and conquer any obstacle. While they suffer throughout their stories, final girls always make it to the other side stronger, often with new skills or traits. In our day to day lives, we may not find ourselves in a life-or-death situation like a final girl, but we can carry that resolve with us to the end.

Bailey NanceLeave a comment