lush body butter bars

I love a variety of Lush products, but my first product reviews will be my absolute favorite products they carry (or at least that I've tried so far). Each time after I use them I feel like I've come from a spa, and my skin smells and feels more amazing then it ever has.

The Lush Body bar line is a must try. I am a lazy body lotion-er and that may be because with most lotions on the market I've found they will moisturize for a little while and then an hour (or less in some cases), you won't feel moisturized anymore. My favorite lotions are those that include oils, in fact, I've rubbed straight oils on my skin many times to ensure I was actually getting a good moisturizing. (Currently my favorite lotions besides these body bars include Vaseline Instensive Care Healing Serum  and anything in the Hempz line.) 

These products are best used after the shower. They melt with heat, and so if you turn your water off (to keep product waste at a minimum) and then apply them immediately, the oils will repel the water and melt directly into your skin.

Science First

If you are a sceptic, about this theory I'll explain with science. You are probably aware that water and oil don't mix. Your skin produces oil, soap strips these oils (just like when you wash dishes with soap to remove the oil), and those oils need replaced. The layers of your skin are designed to waterproof you, so water-based lotions will not dissolve well in skin. Water doesn't mix with oil, but oil mixes with oil, and so oil-based products will go well on your skin and last for much longer. When I'm talking oil-based products, I'm not talking about greasing yourself up to the point where it's disgusting, in fact, even when I've applied oil directly to my face it's dissolved nicely without a residue.

Here's an image of the top layer of skin (epidermis). All of those layers are for protection, waterproofing, regulating heat, and more!

photo from here

1. Buffy 

Buffy Bar is my favorite product of the two that I'm discussing. It has bits of ground almonds, aduki beans (I don't know what these are), and rice in it. It smells great too, packed with shea butter, lemon oil, and cocoa butter.  When it's used, it scratches off the top layer of dead skin, the oil dissolves on top of that,  and so you're left with a soft and smooth "fresh" skin. You will have to rinse off the ground up rice and almonds but since water and oil repel, you won't rinse the product off.

I wouldn't say this is healthy to use every day, in fact twice a week is probably enough. Just like your face, you don't need to rub off that much dead skin on your body every day. I would call this a "harsh exfoliant", but it doesn't hurt. When used quickly (and kept out of direct water), I managed 9-10 uses of the smaller size 3.3 oz. (a little over a month of use).  I'm assuming I'll get double from the 7.0 oz bar, both sizes are pictured below. 

Some bloggers have mentioned only getting 4 full-body uses out of the small size, but I'm assuming they held it in their hands for a long time (melting in your hands) and/or using it under running water in the shower which also would cause it to melt faster. 

For me, the oils will keep moisture in at least 24 hours. The calming shea and cocoa butter smell will last that long too. If you work out and shower, you are once again stripping your skin of oils, and so you'll have to replenish that again somehow. I've also read a few articles that say it's not necessary to scrub down arms/legs every day and you can keep the moisture in for longer that way.

Bonus, even Jake agreed this product worked wonders on his dry patches. Winter has been cruel to our skin!

2. King of Skin Bar

The King of Skin bar is similar to the Buffy, without the exfoliant part. I just started using the product and so I'm unsure how many uses I'll get from it. I have noticed that it doesn't disappear as fast as the Buffy with one use, so that's a good sign.  

Apparently there are bananas and avocados inside (I can't smell them), and oat milk and lavender. It's packed with Cocoa butter, shea butter, coconut oil, jojoba oil, almond oil, tangerine oil, lavender oil, sandalwood oil, and rose. These all smell great. 

You won't be disappointed with King of Skin either. Since there's no need to use Buffy and King of Skin during the same time period (both will moisturize well), I think I'll be using Buffy 2x a week and this product once a week. 

If you don't want to miss a product review, subscribe by e-mail under my photo on the right and you'll be notified when a new post is up.