As the Halloween season comes to a close and midterms come to a head, there’s only so many ways to de-stress from the overbearing weight of the semester. For me, the only sure-fire method of alleviating those academically induced worries is making a stop at the Lush in the Loop (746 N. Michigan Ave.) for a face mask, lip scrub or eye cream that will melt my anxieties away.
During my most recent Lush stop, I happened upon the company’s line of seasonal Halloween and fall products like the Pumpkin Spice lip scrub, the Boo! shower slime and the Mercury Retrograde bath bomb. Because I’m a hardworking journalist devoted to uncovering the truth, I knew I had to sample everything. After my thorough, nose-to-the-grindstone research, here’s what I discovered:
- Boo! Cleansing Shower Slime ($18.95)
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My favorite of the five Halloween products I tested, this cleanser left my body scary clean. As I dabbed a dollop of it onto my loofah and scrubbed all over, the bubblegum scent wafted into my nose and took me back to a time of grade school trick-or-treating. Made with bamboo stem extract, it’s a sweet shower indulgence for the season, plus it’s vegan!
- Magic Crystals Body Scrub ($17.95)
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This violet-colored salt scrub both cleanses and exfoliates to remove those negative energies that pile up after a long day. If the eye-grabbing color wasn’t enough to get me addicted already, the soothing texture definitely was. I lathered it on like a body wash as the blend of peppermint, spearmint, rosemary and sage mixed with Epsom while the sea salts scoured my skin for that squeaky-clean feeling.
- Mercury Retrograde Bath Bomb ($7.95)
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Scientists say humans are probably attracted to things that shine because we evolved in the desert and depended on water for survival. If that gives me an excuse to spend money on a sparkly bath bomb, I’ll take it. Mercury Retrograde turned my bathwater a sensual shade of burnt orange and left my skin smelling like the cauldron of an apothecary witch. Cinnamon oils mixed with lemon and gardenia is the perfect way to take the edge off after the craziness of Halloweekend.
- Pumpkin Spice Lip Scrub ($10.95)
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Step aside, PSL, there’s a new addicting pumpkin spice product in town. With its sugary taste and cinnamon smell, this lip scrub is a great selection for any month of fall 一 or month of the year, for that matter. It left my lips sweet, buttery smooth and in peak condition for kissing ghosts, vampires or werewolves, should the occasion arise.
- Punkin Pumpkin Bath Bomb ($6.45)
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Out of all the colors I’ve ever wanted my bathwater to be, bright orange was not at the top of the list. However, it was surprisingly fun and relaxing as the scents of citrus, pumpkin powder and cinnamon leaf oil soothed away the stress of the day. This bomb has a white frothiness like a mysterious potion that’s been specially concocted to wash away worries.
Bonus: Lush also hooked me up with samples of two of their staple makeup removers!
- Ultrabland Facial Cleanser ($18.95)
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Don’t let the name fool you 一 there’s nothing bland about this makeup-removing cleanser. Filled with essential oils, honey and beeswax, this product was formulated to nourish the skin and leave it soft. The wax-like texture was a bit of a turn-off at first, but after a single use of face wash, that feeling was gone, and my skin was left looking supple and oil-free.
- 9 to 5 Cleansing Lotion ($10.95)
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It’s hard not to hum the Dolly Parton tune when using this product. Made with dove orchids, almond oil and everlasting flower resolute, this lotion is gentle and worked well with my sensitive skin, erasing my thick Halloween party makeup with just a little rubbing and wiping.