





(Discontinued in 2002) – Angelicum is one of Lush's all-time mildest Moisturizers, even milder than Afterlife, which is currently one of
few surviving non-cocoa butter infused Lush Moisturizers. Made for oily skin, Angelicum contains more "liquified" oils, which contribute
to its watery, ultra-light consistency. Softening linseed gel, anti-oxidant rich olive and almond oils, gently healing jojoba, and tropical
coconut oil allow for a smooth, non-greasy finish. With sebum-reductive lavender and detoxifying honey (which is great for keeping
spots at bay), antiseptic pine and violet leaf oils (violet leaf naturally containing salicylic acid), the bulk of your skin care woes become a
thing of the past. And it doesn't hurt that Angelicum's fragrance, which compliments that of Seaweed Sushi Cleanser, is a relaxing
herbal-cum-woodsy concoction that calms both the skin and the mind. (It's great for headaches, as well, thanks to the
aromatherapeutic properties of lavender and violet). Yet despite its unquestionable effectiveness, mega-oily complexions might find
that though Angelicum's gossamer oils offer the perfect dose of moisture during winter months, even these oils aren't always feathery
enough for warmer weather. On the other hand, combination skin will likely have quite a bit of success with Angelicum during summer
months, preferring to opt for Imperialis during winter months. But no matter the season, just remember that though Angelicum
appears to be a weightless cream, a little does indeed go quite a long way, with one pot lasting ages, giving you quite a bit of bang for
your buck. NOTE: Angelicum was discontinued in Summer of 2002 and replaced by Enzymion Moisturizer (which, unlike Angelicum,
does indeed contain cocoa butter. See the review below for more information.)



Being the Italian grease pit that I am, I’ve always been hesitant to try Lush’s rich cocoa-butter based moisturizers. In some ways, I was
right to be suspicious: while my wonderful, tried and true deep-cleansing products (some of which include Lush’s Ocean Salt,
Enzynamite, and Mask of Magnaminty) would immaculately remove trapped oils from my pores while rendering them fairly
unnoticeable, Enzymion's heavier oil base -- despite the effective enzymatic action of papaya, lemons, and limes -- would instantly clog
them again, particularly around my nose and cheeks. I tried everything, including barely there applications, considering a little
Enzymion goes quite a distance. (One pot will easily serve you for the full two years preceding its expiration date.) But I generally had
enlarged pores plus a consistently shiny finish come mid-day, despite my usual topping of Chanel’s oil-gobbling T-Mat. The best I can
come up with for those whose sinfully oily skin responds to Enzymion in a similar fashion is to first douse your face with Tea Tree
Toner, and then while your skin is still wet, immediately apply the teeny-tiniest bit of Enzymion to the skin. This can be helpful because
owed to this toner's water base, you can apply even less than the usual bare minimum of moisturizer as it instantly becomes less
concentrated, more spreadable, and some of the oils are even gobbled up by this Toner's tea tree oil. Short of this accommodating
technique, simply put, for genuinely oily faces, I just do not think that rich, weighty cocoa butter is the best answer.



Gorgeous is the lightest moisturizer that Lush currently sells; it's also the most expensive at $70+ per pot, owed to its containing so
many cold-pressed oils. It's certainly fair enough that by way of ingredient quality Gorgeous is worth the cost to the manufacturer, but
what about to the customer by way of effectiveness? First, let's look at what is generally the first noticed trait: fragrance. Gorgeous is
supposed to possess a primary fragrance of orange flower and euphoria-inducing citrus neroli oil. However, this lovely scent is
generally overpowered by the supreme quality of cold-pressed olive, avocado, and wheatgerm oil -- all of which can strike you as a
guacamole and nachos scent. Not so good, that, and despite the lovely, light, fresh consistency of this moisturizer, that smell alone
can be enough to put you off the idea of wearing it for an entire day and/or night. As for effects on the skin, Gorgeous is one of few
Lush moisturizers that actually is "good for all skin types", just as they claim. The key to Gorgeous is how much you apply, with dry skin
applying this cream as they would any other, and oily skin needing to apply just the tiniest trace amount. (For severely oily skin, you
might wish to avoid applying it to your nose -- this is the only portion of an oily t-zone that I've noticed can get greasy with Gorgeous.)
No matter your skin type, Gorgeous instantly provides a healthy glow to your complexion, yet it really doesn't give your skin a noticeably
soft, smooth texture (which is something the lesser-priced Almond Kisses excels at, especially when applied to drier skin.) So back to
the original question: is Gorgeous worth the cost from a consumer's perspective? The answer is that I would be far more enthusiastic
about recommending the aforementioned Almond Kisses for dry to normal skin, and a decent oil-free moisturizer (like Clarins'
Hydra-Matte) for combination to oily skin, all of which can be purchased for half the price of a pot of Gorgeous.



Sharing its fragrance with Lush's Fever Massage Bar, Mirror Mirror contains a traditional 1950s perfume of classically elegant rose,
delicately livening orange blossom, seductive jasmine, and spicy come hither sandalwood. Let us hope this is an aroma that pleases
you, as Mirror Mirror is so potently perfumed that it actually serves as precisely that: a perfume in its own right. Personally, when it
comes to daily skin care products, I prefer that I not be required to surrender my fragrant freedoms. But there are indeed those who
appreciate a two-in-one product that both conditions the skin and leaves them smelling like a classic Hollywood bombshell. These
people will gladly opt to make this their trademark scent, and due to Mirror Mirror's skin care benefits accruing with regular, repeated
applications, that's a good thing since they ultimately won't have much choice in the matter. Granted, almost instantly, this cream's
healing meadowsweet, softening rose, and anti-aging evening primrose work as a team with a rich cocktail of almond, avocado,
jojoba, and cocoa butter to deeply condition the skin, smoothing the texture of the epidermis. But as for any noticeable "lift" of the skin,
expect to use Mirror Mirror for quite some time before noticing even a minimal difference. Of course, that would be fair enough, but that
I must admit it is rather odd considering that Lush once explained that the original recipe for this lotion was so powerful that it
immediately caused their staff's necks to feel uncomfortably stiff and tight. Hence, they had to ease up on its intensity just enough so
that it would cease to be effective to a fault. Frankly, I wouldn't mind trying that beta version of Mirror Mirror. Because if the current Mirror
Mirror is considered by Lush to be "just right" when it comes to quickly imparting a look and feel of firmed tonicity, then I would
doubtless consider their original effort to be far superior.



(Limited Edition for 2005) – First, allow me to give you a bit of history about “Oops! Almond Kisses”. Lush had wanted to make one
lotion (Just one?!? How dare they!) with the fragrance of sweet almond paste (marzipan), much like their Christmas limited edition
Marzibain bubble bar and Snowcake soap. So, they tried the fragrance with both an almond based facial moisturizer and a hand lotion
and decided which should be granted this delicious scent. In the end, the hand lotion won out (currently sold as “Smitten”). For the
facial moisturizer, they kept the almond oil base, but for a fragrance, they opted to go with the spiced carnation scent of their
discontinued Potion body lotion. HOWEVER, when they ordered their “kitchen” in Poole, England to make their Almond Kisses
moisturizer, one of the “cooks” said “okee-dokee” and accidentally grabbed the other bottle of fragrance for it. Instead of binning it,
(which would have been an utter waste), Lush decided to sell what he’d made anyway, especially considering how much Lushies
lurve the almond scent of Snowcake soap. And so, the limited edition Oops! Almond Kisses was born: same moisturizer as Almond
Kisses, but different fragrance. And for one last bit of trivia, Almond Kisses was actually called Almond Cat at first, indicative of how soft
it makes your skin, like the little tuft of hair on the face of the cat. (But then they changed “Cat” to “Kisses” instead, in part for fear that
dim people like me wouldn't get the joke. And er....I can't speak for others, but they certainly had my number!) And indeed, Almond
Kisses does make your skin feel super soft; it’s rich thanks to almond oil, but it goes on so smooth and its texture feels so comfortable
on your skin. However, while Lush insists that Almond Kisses is excellent for all skin types, I would warn those with oily or combination
skin that it’s ultimately too heavy. Sure, it will feel wonderful on the skin, but as the day goes on, your own natural oils combined with
this moisturizer will lead to a great deal of shine—what starts out as a non-greasy finish can indeed change for the worse. And long
term use can lead to breakouts, especially during the summer when sebaceous glands are their most active. On the other hand,
Almond Kisses is perfect for those with normal to dry skin for increased elasticity, a lovely glow, and of course, all of the
aforementioned strokeable softness sans side effects. Plus, with Oops! Almond Kisses, you subtly smell of sweet marzipan all day
long, effectively keeping your sweet tooth at bay. Lovely faces, slimmer waistlines. What more could you ask for, especially from
something that started out as a simple mistake in production?
