Lush Cosmetics prides itself on it’s organic and handmade products. Honestly, I was a bit skeptical at first. I was first introduced to Lush when I was in my early years of high-school. However to be honest I was a student in the hood and when I walked by the store it was full of private school girls mostly caucasian FEENING over the freshly scented ; colorful soaps and bath bombs. Immediately, I felt like it was NOT the place for me .

Just a bit of background into how some of the most popular brands really lack a very important component (RELATABILITY) I was able to find out about a lot of things before any of my peers knew about them. I am so used to finding out about different places, people and things with the help of the internet. But because of the fact that I did not see anybody I could relate to in advertisements and even in the store, I missed out for years!

Now, I was re-introduced to Lush when I was about 18. I’ve always been interested in skin care and I was going through the WORST case of adult acne ever! I was dealing with hormonal acne that turned into cystic acne, I had scars for days and, frankly, I looked like crap. And with my love for makeup growing each and every day, it made things even more difficult. The makeup didn’t exactly cause the acne, however, it definitely did not help. I had been eating Chinese foods and greasy soul food so much, I rarely worked out which means I most definitely put on quite a few pounds — but that’s another article for another day!

During my quest to better skin I decided I was going to try and use products that had less chemicals so I would deal with less irritation and less inflammation. The first product I purchased after careful research was the “Dark Angels ” fresh facial cleanser . The second product was the “Brazen Honey ” facial mask. The Dark Angel’s main ingredient is Rhassoul Mud, and Charcoal … LIFE SAVERS! The properties in the mud and charcoal help clear out acne troubled skin; very similar to a detoxifying process. Something I needed tremendously as opposed to its chemical counterparts (Salicylic and Benzoyl Peroxide creams)

Brazen Honey takes a different approach filled with honey, lemon and spices; by Lush’s explanation it uses Ayurvedic principles. “Fresh free-range eggs and honey soften, lime oil brightens, spices warm the skin and ground almonds exfoliate. Kaolin clay reaches deep down into pores to pull out dirt and impurities, leaving your skin noticeably brighter and fresher.”

Case in point — after applying this mask my skin looks way more bright and just feels extremely balanced.

Now the point I’m trying to make is that… skin is skin! Lush is not just for a certain skin color; it is for all skin types even though on the surface it doesn't seem so. On top of that Lush has other great products , including hair dye that I am definitely looking to try pretty soon. It’s women of color friendly and very affordable especially for it being organic. Follow them on Instagram to stay up to date with new product and sales !

-Kissy <3