Interview: Get To Know Lush, A Natural Cosmetics Company

Bathtubs full of swirling, iridescent bath bomb explosions and videos of jiggling shower jellies may be what Lush Cosmetics is most recently known for. But there’s so much more to the company than natural cosmetics that just happen to be Instagram-worthy.

“When a new customer walks in, I always like to ask if they know what makes Lush different from other cosmetics brands,” said Skylar Vasquez, West Region Sustainability Steward.

One of the key ways the UK-based company stands apart from other natural cosmetics companies is that Lush believes in making effective handmade products with fresh ingredients, essential oils, and safe synthetics, she said.

“There is something to be said about Lush’s transparency, and it’s something I take pride in as an employee,” she said. “We can tell you who made your product, on what day, and when it’s best used by with face stickers on the side of each pot or bottle.”

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Using ethically sourced ingredients is also essential to Lush, Vasquez said.

Since its inception in 1995, Lush has been fighting against animal testing. All products are vegetarian, and many are vegan.

 “Lush has always made an huge effort to source raw ingredients ethically. However, we take it one step further with our sLUSH fund,” she said.

The sLUSH fund has been around since 2010, and works to form partnerships with the communities that grow the ingredients used for their products. Lush contributes 2% of the money it spends on materials to the fund, then donates that money to sustainable farming and community initiatives.

To date, the fund has collected millions of dollars to support more than 44 projects in 21 countries, Vasquez said.

Next: Discover how Lush is sparking conversations.