I’ve been a long-time fan of Lush, and not just because of the organic ingredients, and also not just because the scents are Ahh-mazing. This is a beauty brand that understand gals like me, who aren’t attracted to the chemical testing that goes into the creation of products. Yep, Lush is a fresh beauty brand that doesn’t test on animals. So naturally, I said, “sign me up!”
For a while now, I’ve been wanting to test out their famed face masks. And when the family got together over Thanksgiving, I thought this would be a really fun opportunity to test the lot. You’ll notice I listed the skin types that tried out each of the masks to show some variety.
If you’re looking to run your own review, Lush will provide you with samples of the masks (those little jars pictured above) to take home.
Rosy Cheeks- Fresh Face
15-min mask
Used on sensitive/dry
Given the cold and dry time of year, this was a top recommendation from the Lush employees. With moisture rebalancing and calming ingredients, this is a winner for taming redness. The application was extremely smooth and was recommended to apply to dry skin. The active rose ingredient causes it to be the dominant fragrance of this mask. This mask won’t dry out while wearing. After rinsing off, skin was left super moisturized and clean.
Ranking: 8/10
Oatfix- Fresh Face
15-min mask
Used on sensitive/dry
OMG. If you use this for nothing else, the smell is amazing! Banana is the fresh ingredient in this one so it makes sense to make sure that you keep this one refrigerated. This was another mask recommended for sensitive and dry skin even though it has ground almonds and bits of oatmeal that act as exfoliants. However, because of the thick texture, it’s best to apply this one to wet skin. Specific ingredients in this mask won’t cause it to dry out while on. After rinsing off, skin was left hydrated, not oily. So, no need to immediately moisturize.
Ranking: 9/10
Catastrophe Cosmetic- Fresh Face
15-min mask
Used on sensitive/combo
Another delicious mask- this one smells like blueberries. The tester of this one has ultra-sensitive skin and is prone to allergic reactions. However, the concoction of antioxidant-rich blueberries, calamine powder, rose, and chamomile immediately soothes redness and irritation. This creamy mask is recommended to apply to dry skin, however, talc is an ingredient that will cause the mask to dry out while wearing. Less wear-time may be better. After rinsing off, immediate moisturizing may be necessary.
Ranking: 9/10
Don’t Look at Me- Fresh Face
15-min mask
Used on sensitive/dry
If you’re looking for a gentle exfoliant and your favorite color happens to be blue, this is the mask for you. The active ingredient, kaolin, works in tandem with itty bitty rice bits to scrub away dry skin and the silken tofu will ensure your skin is left moisturized. Note: kaolin is a clay-based ingredient, which will cause the mask to dry out while wearing. The lemon scent makes this a perfect morning mask. After rinsing off, skin felt tight and would benefit from immediate moisturizing.
Ranking: 8/10
Brazened Honey- Fresh Face
15-min mask
Used on normal
This is a bit more of an abrasive exfoliating mask, so use sparingly and wisely. The deep cleansing feature made this sound pretty enticing, and the array of herbs and spices that seemed so exotic for a face mask. The texture of this one is really thick, so definitely apply to wet skin and rub in to smooth out the clumps. Although ginger is the active ingredient, the tester didn’t feel the posed thermic effects. It will dry out through the wear, so it’s recommended to wear for less than 15 minutes and specifically for oily or combination skin. After rubbing to completely clean off the mask, moisturizing will be necessary.
Ranking: 6/10
Cupcake- Fresh Face
15-min mask
Used on combination (dry/oily)
Another mask that smells so good you could almost eat it. This is a mud-based mask that’s specifically designed for those with slick complexions. Talc is present in this one, so drying while wearing is intentional and also why it was applied to wet skin to smooth it out. Although skin looked brighter and felt lightly exfoliated afterward, rubbing and rinsing were necessary to completely remove the mask and skin was left too dry. Less wear time and moisturizing immediately after would also be recommended.
Ranking: 5/10
BB Seaweed- Fresh Face
15-min mask
Used on sensitive/combo
Because this one is known light exfoliation and gentle ingredients, its best for those sensitive skin types. The active ingredient in this mask is seaweed, which targets toxins that dry out skin. Although it’s pretty textured, it’s also creamy to make application a breeze on dry skin. The mask doesn’t particularly smell the greatest, but it sure does leave the skin glowy and smooth after rinsing off.
Ranking: 7/10
FOMO- Jelly Face
10-min mask
Used on sensitive/dry
This talc-based mask is designed to absorb those pesky impurities that lurk on your skin. Additional ingredients such as calamine and neroli oil will also work to soothe and calm your skin. If you’re not a fan of rose scents, this is definitely not the mask for you. The jelly texture makes this interesting for application though. Pinch off a bit into your hands and work into a lather to apply to wet skin. Despite the clay composition, moisturizing didn’t feel immediately necessary.
Ranking: 8/10