Christina Alyce Beauty

Before discovering Lush, I never used bar soap. I hated the feeling on my skin, and it was only once I received a sample in an online order that I realized how fantastic a good soap can be. I’m so glad I changed my mind, because otherwise I probably wouldn’t have ever tried this truly magical soap.

Old Father Time was introduced this year as part of the Christmas range, and while it’s doesn’t boast a particularly “Christmassy” smell or look, it is festive nonetheless. In store, you will see it in the form as a giant maroon clock with numbers, cogs, and the gold face of Old Father Time himself. Each piece cut from the clock is unique, mine is gold and maroon with luster covering the outside. 

I have honestly never smelled something like this soap before, and I quickly became enamored with it. My 100g bar, tucked away in my bathroom closet, fragrances the entire bathroom more than any other product, especially soap, that I’ve used from Lush thus far. It fills the air with a sweet, incense smell that is strong, but not sickening or overpowering by any means. This soap is composed of some beautifully aromatic ingredients, such as Myrrh resinoid for a warm amber note, and Opoponax oil for a dash of balsamic, honey scent. Sage and Thyme come together to offer a green note. Rosewood and tuberose add a warm, woody, and slightly floral aspect. Redcurrants are perhaps the most apparent scent in the mix, giving this soap a fruity and sweet fragrance. I love sweet and incencey fragrances, and I find that this is the perfect balance for me.

Using this in the shower did prove to be a bit tricky, because this may just be the most slippery soap I’ve ever encountered. I will admit, I dropped this a number of times trying to lather it! Also, when in contact with water, the soap becomes quite messy, and leaves a burgundy puddle wherever you rest it, which made quite a mess of the side of my tub. Luckily, it does not stain, and the gorgeous lather and fragrance make up for this inconvenience. I just needed to rub this on my netted sponge a couple of times before I had a generous helping of suds to take care of my entire body. And, of course, the beautiful aroma was amplified in the steam of the shower, though it did not linger long on my skin afterwards, or leave my skin particularly hydrated.

Overall I think this is a gorgeous wintertime soap, and I want to stock up on another block or two to see me through the never ending New England winter. This has a beautifully complex scent that I imagine would be enjoyed by many, so this would make a fantastic gift for any soap lover on your list.

Rating: 4.5/5

Price: 

Status: Christmas 2015 Limited Edition

Vegan?: Yes

Would I repurchase?: Yes

Ingredients: Fresh Sage and Thyme Infusion (Salvia officinalis;Thymus vulgaris), Glycerine, Rapeseed Oil; Coconut Oil (Brassica napus;Cocos nucifera), Sorbitol, Water (Aqua), Perfume, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Redcurrants (Ribes rubrum), Myrrh Resinoid (Commiphora myrrha), Opoponax Oil, Rosewood Oil (Aniba rosaeodora), Tuberose Absolute (Polianthes Tuberosa), Sodium Chloride, EDTA, Tetrasodium Etidronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Benzyl Benzoate, Hydroxycitronellal, Linalool, Radiant Gold Lustre; Gold Glimmer Lustre; Glacier Blue Lustre; Yoshi Yellow Lustre     

To say I was unsure about truing a solid facial soap was an understatement. Basically, everything you learn about bar soap in Esthetics school is that it is bad, and you shouldn’t use it on your body, and you most certainly should never use it on your delicate face! Of course, these warnings are aimed more at traditional, harsh soaps with damaging ingredients, that Lush tends to leave out of their products. The composition of Coalface is very far from that which makes up a standard drugstore brand soap- Lush does not use tallow, lye, lauric acid, titanium dioxide, or any other ingredients that are still used in soaps that cause dryness, irritation, and not much benefit. Instead, the majority of ingredients in Coalface are very natural, and boast many benefits that not only cleanse the skin, but improve the overall condition. 

First on the list is liquorice root decoction. Liquorice root is known to be  antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and moisturizing, which means that it is fantastic for treating acne (which is essentially a clogged, infected pore) by killing the bacteria, soothing swelling and redness, as well as keeping your skin from feeling stripped. This soap also contains rosewood oil to act as an additional antiseptic, as well as add an uplifting aroma.  

Rapeseed oil and coconut oil are two oils that are fantastic for moisturizing the skin. Of course, coconut oil is pretty comedogenic for some skin types, so if you are prone to acne, this may prove to be a problem. I have had good luck so far, despite being acne prone, and I have not noticed any increased clogging- but we will get to that in a moment. 

Powdered charcoal is an ingredient that has become increasingly popular in recent years for it’s oil absorbing properties. In this soap, it also lends a slightly rough texture which means you’re also getting a gentle exfoliant along with your cleanse. Sodium Chloride (or salt) also acts as an exfoliant, while cleaning the skin. It’s also used to formulate the soap base.

Of course, Coalface is not 100% natural. It does contain  a few humectants such as sorbitol and glycerin, to give the soap a consistency that spreads easily on the skin. Sodium Hydroxide to react with coconut oil and rapeseed oil to create a soap base, instead of a more traditional combination such as tallow and lye. SLS, while not the best ingredient because it can be drying and irritating, produces a foamy, cleansing lather. EDTA and  Tetrasodium Etidronat safely preserve the color, scent and consistency of the product.

So looking at the ingredients, quite a few jump out to prove this is a good choice for those with oilier or acne prone complexions. While I do not have a particularly oily face, I do suffer from some truly awful hormonal acne, that until now, has been very difficult to improve. I have tried many different cleansers and other skincare products that have claimed to work wonders on acne, but they did not do much for me. Hormonal acne comes from under the skin, so it’s not just as easy as washing your face to get rid of it. Luckily, Coalface is one of few topical products that has actually made a difference in my skin. I started using this facial soap while I was in the middle of one of the worst breakouts I’ve ever had- my jawline and chin was completely covered, I had mountain ranges on both temples, and a smattering of spots on my cheeks and forehead. My skincare at the time was obviously not effective, so I was so glad once my order containing Coalface finally showed up. 

I washed my face with Coalface, and was a little concerned with how stripped my face felt while rinsing, but luckily once I patted myself dry, my skin felt supple again. I spritzed my face with my usual toner and put on my moisturizer, and went to bed. In the morning, I did notice my acne was reduced. Most of my spots had shrunk noticeably, and redness and inflammation was improved. I decided to continue washing with coalface once each day, and over the next week, my skin cleared by about 80%. 

I have been using Coalface for about 3 weeks now, and my skin has not yet returned to the awful mess it was before. My face is not completely clear by any stretch, but I have not broken out once on my forehead since I’ve started using this, and I never have more than 4 or 5 pimples at any given time now. I do not notice my skin becoming any drier, or more oily since I have started using this, so that is fantastic. I am really glad I have introduced this soap into my routine, and I hope it continues to improve my skin.

Rating: 4/5

Price: 

Status: Permanent

Vegan?: Yes

Would I repurchase? Yes

Ingredients: Liquorice Root Decoction, Propylene Glycol, Rapeseed Oil and Coconut Oil, Water, Perfume, Sodium Stearate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Powdered Charcoal, Sandalwood Oil, Rosewood Oil, Glycerine, Sodium Chloride, EDTA, Tetrasodium Etidronate, *Geraniol, *Linalool, Silver Edible Lustre. 

Northern Lights may very well be the brightest soap I have ever seen. It is literally neon green, as you can clearly see in the photos. I haven’t adjusted the color in any way - it really is that bright! The colors are clearly inspired by the Aurora Borealis, otherwise known The Northern Lights, and the soap is a beautiful interpretation of the phenomenon. 

The scent of this soap certainly coordinates beautifully with the color. I found the scent to be a clean, citrusy scent, reminiscent of a citronella candle, but sweeter and much more pleasant. The ingredients include pine needle oil, cypress oil, and lime oil, which all come together to create a bright citrus scent with a hint of pine. This is a lovely scent for summer, but the pine and cypress keep it a little more heavy and perfect for winter too. I find that the smell lingers softly on the skin.

This soap is softer than others, it wouldn’t take much effort at all to bend it. This comes from the rapeseed and coconut oils, which are very moisturizing ingredients. I usually find that bar soaps that contain a lot of oils tend not to lather much, but this soap still provides a very generous lather. After using this soap I feel very clean, but not stripped of natural oils.

Though it is perhaps not my favorite scent, I enjoyed using this soap overall, and would most likely repurchase it. It is beautiful to look at and feels lovely on the skin.

Find more photos and Lush product reviews here

Rating: 4/5

Price: £4.25/100g ($6.43)

Status: Retired Holiday Item, Kitchen Exclusive

Vegan?: Yes

Would I repurchase? Probably

Ingredients:  Water, Rapeseed Oil and Coconut Oil, Glycerine, Perfume, Sodium Stearate, Propylene Glycol, Pine Needle Oil, Cypress Oil, Lime Oil, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Sodium Chloride, EDTA, Tetrasodium Etidronate, Sodium Hydroxide, *Citral, *Linalool, Citronellol, Limonene, Colour 59040, Colour 45410, Colour 17200, Colour 42090.

I had not seen or smelled this soap before ordering, and when it arrived, I was convinced I had been sent the wrong product! It didn’t smell anything like the fruity, kiwi-citrus scent it was described as- to me, it was an overpowering, very green smell, almost like freshly mown grass and I absolutely hated it. I ended up throwing it in my jar of soaps to forget about.

Three months later. I decided to take it out again, and the scent had transformed. The previously bitter, grassy scent had changed to the mellow fruity kiwi I had expected upon ordering. I’m honestly surprised by how much the scent changed. It had previously been one of the worst smelling products I had ever smelled, and now I can confidently say it might be my favorite soap from lush that I’ve tried. The scent is gorgeously light and sweet, perfect for spring or summer, and it lingers for quite a while after your shower.

Aside from the scent, this soap preforms beautifully in the shower. This may be the richest lathering soap I’ve ever tried. Just a few rubs on a damp shower puff, and you are left with mountains of soft, creamy suds. If you decide to use the bar directly on your skin, you may notice that the bar is a little rough. There is some sort of exfoliant throughout the soap, but looking through the ingredients, I can’t tell which component provides this effect. There are also an abundance of Kiwi Seeds on the top of the soap (most of mine had worn off by the time I took my photo) which tend to be more scratchy than exfoliating when they come in contact with the skin. I don’t find these to be too much of an issue because I generally just use this soap with a shower puff.

After using this soap,, my skin was lightly fragranced, and not overly dried. I imagine the rapeseed oil and coconut oil both help to keep the skin moisturized, and kiwi is known for it’s skin toning properties. I really look forward to repurchasing this, and I hope the new formulation is just as good as the one I’ve fallen in love with!

Rating: 5/5

Price: 

Status: Permanent, has been reformulated

Vegan?: Yes

Would I repurchase? Yes

Ingredients: Sodium Chloride , Water (Aqua), Propylene Glycol, Rapeseed Oil, Coconut Oil (Brassica napus; Cocos nucifera), Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Stearate, Fragrance, Fresh Kiwi Fruit (Actinidia chinensis), Ylang Ylang Oil (Cananga odorata), Myrrh Resinoid (Commiphora myrrha), Juniperberry Oil (Juniperus communis), Bergamot Oil (Citrus Aurantium bergamia), Glycerine, Sodium Chloride, Gardenia Extract (Gardenia jasminoides), Titanium Dioxide, EDTA, Tetrasodium Etidronate, Limonene, Linalool, D&C Red No. 33, FD&C Red No. 4, FD&C Blue No. 1, FD&C Yellow No. 5. 

Out of the small fraction of Lush fragrances I have encountered, The Olive Branch has a secure place at the top of the list, right beside Yuzu & Cocoa and The Comforter. The Olive Branch was the very first Lush shower gel I tried, so I had no Idea what to expect. It’s a beautiful orangey amber color, with a thin consistency. I was surprised to discover that despite the watery consistency, just a couple drops on my netted sponge lathered beautifully.

This gel contains bergamot, olive, mandarin, and olive oils, which not only make for a moisturising and brightening wash, but mingle to create a warm and bright scent. The smell is more complex than just citrus, it has a complexity to it that is mature very sultry. This is one of the most glamorous smelling products I have ever smelled, and it’s absolutely stunning. Vine leaf infusion conditions the skin, and sea salt cleanses, leaving you with nourished, clean skin. 

This is an all around beautiful product, the only criticism I have would be that it’s a little too watery, and I know this puts many people off. I personally don’t find that it affects it’s overall performance, and as long as you are mindful of how much you’re using you won’t run out any faster than with thicker gels. This is the first shower gel that I’ve been tempted to order in a 1kg bottle, and that might just be what I ask for for Christmas…

Rating: 5 out of 5

Price: 

Status: Permanent

Vegan?: Yes

Would I repurchase? Yes

Ingredients: Vine Leaf Infusion, Water, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Fresh Mandarin Juice, Fair Trade Olive Oil, Perfume, Propylene Glycol, Bergamot Oil, Lemon Oil, Orange Flower Absolute, Mandarin Oil, Fine Sea Salt, *Limonene, *Linalool, Hydroxycitronellal, Colour 14700, Methylparaben. 

I had received this soap as a sample in my very first Lush order, over a year ago. At the time, I wasn’t too interested in anything other than bath bombs and bubble bars (as it happens with most new Lushies), and I certainly wasn’t an avid user of bar soap. Consequently, I took a sniff, thought it was ok, and stashed it in a drawer, not to be acknowledged again until a year later. While organizing my stash, I rediscovered this little sliver of minty soap and decided to give it a try. After trying Karma from a gift set and ordering Miranda on a whim, I now consider myself a true fan of Lush’s bar soaps and jump on the chance to try anything new.

While (to my dismay) the bar soap is no longer available, there are many other products that share it’s scent- a perfume available in 3 formats, a shower gel (a favorite of my boyfriend’s), shaving cream, styling cream, and quite a few others. It’s a fresh minty fragrance, that does a beautiful job at waking you up in the morning. I found this to be a softer mint scent, while it was undeniably fresh and minty and gave you a slight cooling sensation on the skin, it is a little sweeter, and a touch herbal. I believe the softness comes from the coconut oil, and the herbalness stems from the thyme, though it is very gentle and can easily go unnoticed. It is a very beautiful fragrance that seemed very unisex to me. 

This soap created a velvety lather, with a large amount of very tiny bubbles, making it feel moisturising and luxurious. The coconut and rapeseed oils both contribute to a more moisturizing cleanse. I found that after a shower with this soap, my skin was slightly less stripped feeling than with other bar soaps.

I really enjoyed this soap, and I’m very disappointed it has been discontinued. I hope it makes an appearance in the Kitchen sometime soon, but until then I’l be savoring my lovely little sample.

Rating: 5 out of 5

Would I repurchase?: Yes

Status: Discontinued

Vegan?: Yes.

Price: £4.10 for 100g

Scent Family:

Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Propylene Glycol, Rapeseed Oil and Coconut Oil, Sodium Stearate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Perfume, Glycerine, Spearmint Oil, Thyme Oil, Menthol Crystals, Sodium Chloride, EDTA, Tetrasodium Etidronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Limonene, Linalool, Methyl Ionone, Colour 77499, Colour 61570, Colour 77019, Colour 77891.