As most of you will know, LUSH recently launched a cosmetics range which includes a wide array of eye and lip colours, a mascara, a face powder and skin tints. I was kindly given the opportunity to try a few of the products and I'm keen to share my thoughts. I apologise in advance if this post is a little long but I thought it would be better to review the products together.
First up is the Eyes Right Mascara*. It is priced at £12 and comes in a cute little glass bottle. Unfortunately, the cute bottle is a bit of an issue because it means that the wand is tiny and very, very difficult to use. When I try to use it I end up with lots of mascara on my outer lashes and quite a bit around my eye area.
LUSH did provide a little disposable wand with the mascara but it needs to be washed after every use which is quite inconvenient. I really wish the packaging of this product had been more carefully thought out because I actually quite like the mascara.
Eyes Right is marketed as a mascara that will provide natural looking lashes without irritating sensitive eyes and I think it delivers on those claims. In the picture above I'm wearing two coats of the mascara and as you can see, my lashes don't look very dramatic; just a bit more defined. I have quite sensitive eyes and I can't say I noticed any irritation from this product. When it's on my lashes they feel quite flexible; not dry and brittle. I often struggle with mascaras smudging but didn't experience a lot of that with Eyes Right (although there was an onion chopping incident which definitely wasn't pretty). Overall, I like the product but the packaging really lets it down.
Sophisticated* is one of the cream eyeshadows from the Emotional Brilliance collection. The eyeshadow colours come in the same packaging as the mascara but have a doe foot applicator in place of a wand. I don't find the packaging to be a problem with this product.
Texture-wise Sophisticated is very lightweight which makes it easy to apply. When blended the product is on the sheer side but it is buildable; I like to apply a couple of layers. I've tried this both over an eyeshadow base and on it's own and experienced no creasing whatsoever; which is a bit unusual because cream shadows usually crease on me at some point. I can get about 6-8 hours of wear from this shade. LUSH describe it as a 'shimmering taupe' which is reasonably accurate; I think it's a tiny bit too pink to be a taupe, really. It's not glittery at all and the shimmer is pretty subtle. I think it's a great everyday shade.
The eye and lip colours are all priced at £14.50. I had initially thought that this was on the expensive side but I if you can find one nice neutral shade you like and will wear all the time, they're worth it.
The third product I tested was the Feeling Younger Skin Tint*. It comes packaged in a small glass pot which admittedly isn't the most hygiene friendly option. LUSH are hailing this as a radiance boosting lotion which can be used on the face and décolletage. I would compare it to products like MAC's strobe cream. It is priced at £12.
I tried using it all over my face before applying foundation, mixing it with my foundation and applying it on the high points of my face as a highlight. I didn't care for it as a highlighting product I did like the effect when I mixed it with my foundation. I was pleased that it didn't decrease the wear time of my foundation. It's a nice product but not one I'd rush out and replace if I lost it.
The Emotional Brilliance Translucent Face Powder* is the final product that I've been using and it's actually probably my favourite. I don't like loose powders because they're typically really messy so this isn't something I'd have purchased myself. Again, the packaging could be better. I've been putting a little powder in the cap and swirling a big fluffy brush in it but it's a bit fiddly because the cap is so small. I feel as though I've wasted quite a lot of product, too. I wish it had some sort of sifter.
Packaging aside, I really like this powder. It's so finely milled that it doesn't look powdery or cakey on my skin but still manages to eradicate any shine. The finish it gives isn't totally flat and I feel as though it makes my skin look really smooth. I'm impressed. It is also priced at £12.
Overall, I've been pleasantly surprised by LUSH's latest venture. The biggest issue I've had is with the packaging but if you can deal with that the products themselves are nice. I'll definitely be replacing the translucent powder with it runs out and if they repackaged the mascara, I'd buy that too. Whilst I appreciate the variety of eye and lip colours on offer, I don't feel the need to collect several shades. You can have a look at the collection in stores and online.
Have you tried any of the new cosmetics from LUSH? What did you think?
Stace xx
