How We Test Our Skincare Ingredients
We’re hippies, but even hippies have high standards. That’s why we use cruelty-free and effective testing methods to ensure our products are safe for human use (and never, ever tested on animals).
Age-old, herbal formulas supported by cutting-edge science
For several years now, Lush has been diligently building up a database of tested ingredient safety information through a partnership with XCellR8: the U.K.’s first completely animal-free testing house. Innovative tests on human skin cell models (not “cruelty-free” animal tissues derived from the meat industry) have given us new and more accurate insights into cosmetic ingredients on humans. Not only is it more ethical, but using human cells to test human exposure is simply better science.
So far, Lush’s in-house toxicology team has data on over 500 ingredients. This is ready to be used by our inventors and in-house perfumers as they formulate safe and effective products.
For Lush Co-Founders and Product Inventors Mark Constantine and Helen Ambrosen, it’s the next step in their ambition to make products that will care for you for life. “You should never have an uneasy feeling if you’ve used a product from Lush, ” says Mark. “We are interested in long-term care, not cheap, short-term results. That’s why we are offering products that consider the health of your skin beyond its appearance as a site that has an important immune function.”
Worried about fragrance in our skincare?
Fed up with competitors and influencers claiming that fragrance and physical exfoliators damage the skin (while promoting high-strength ingredients like retinol), Helen recently initiated the testing of finished Lush skincare products with XCellR8. These tests assessed the potential irritancy of the product on the skin as a customer would use it, whether left on like a moisturizer or scrubbed and rinsed like an exfoliator. The results were clear: every tested Lush skincare product was non-irritating or very mild on human skin in realistic use conditions, apart from our most active scrub, Bright And Beautiful, which was ranked as mild to moderate.
“The results we’ve had tell us what we already knew,” she explains, “that we formulate carefully in a way that’s sensitive to the skin. They also tell us that blanket statements about avoiding perfume, essential oils or physical exfoliants don’t ring true—it comes down to expertise in formulation and knowledge of your ingredients.”
Essential oils are an essential part of our products
We source our perfume ingredients meticulously and also make each of our fragrances in-house ourselves, using the finest essential oils—rather than commissioning a fragrance house to do it for us. It gives us complete control over exactly what’s in your product and why it’s there.
Take a look at the ingredients list on our new self-preserving moisturizers and you’ll see that we’re declaring all our fragrance materials. It’s to show you that when Lush uses a “perfume”, it’s not an umbrella term for hundreds of cheap, unpleasant irritants.
Why we prefer our products to be fresh
Helen, Mark and their Lush colleagues are used to not following industry trends. Decades before the microbiome was a buzzword in cosmetics, they were formulating self-preserving products to protect the health of this ecosystem. Where others add packaging to their skincare and years to their shelf life, Lush sells it minimally packaged and fresh. And now, while competitors put harsh active ingredients that were once only available from dermatologists, Lush is working towards making the safest cosmetics in the world.
Discover our safe skincare heroes
Greek physician Galen (129 - 216 CE) invented the rather excellent cold cream nearly 2000 years ago. It was so good, in fact, that his recipe was little changed until cosmetics companies in the 20th century filled it with lanolin and mineral oils to make it easier to manufacture and store. When we got our mitts on it, we drew inspiration from Galen’s original recipe, swapping olive oil for almond for a slightly lighter texture. A delicate blend of beeswax, almond oil and rose water. This is our ultimate product for keeping the skin soft, cleansed and lovely for life.
Natural and timeless, this gentle almond recipe may be medieval, but it'll leave delicate skin feeling good as new. Contains over 30 percent almonds grown using organic practices.
Whether you’re 18 or 80, this softening oat milk and almond blend puts back in what life takes out. Made with Colombian cocoa beans from the Peace Community of San José de Apartadó.
Honey, tea tree, grapes and garlic gently combat trouble areas without stressing out your skin. Organically grown jojoba supports climate resilience in the Peruvian Desert.
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