If you’ve ever walked past a Lush store, you know it’s basically a scented explosion of bath bombs, soaps, and colourful skincare calling your name. But when it comes to their facial moisturizers, are they actually worth slathering on your face… or just overpriced jars that smell nice? In this Lush moisturizer review, I’m going to dig into their most popular formulas, break down what’s in them, and tell you who they’re best for, so you can skip the guesswork (and the buyer’s regret).
About The Brand: Lush
Lush started in the UK back in the ’90s and built its name on handmade, cruelty-free products that look and smell like they belong in a fancy farmer’s market. They’re big on fresh, plant-based ingredients (think butters, natural oils, and extracts you can actually pronounce) and they keep preservatives to a minimum. Sustainability is a huge part of their thing too, so you’ll see plenty of recycled packaging and even “naked” products with no packaging at all. Most people know them for bath bombs, but their skincare range has its own die-hard fans, especially when it comes to moisturizers for every skin type, from lightweight daily creams for oily skin to rich, buttery formulas for seriously dry skin.
Self-Preserving VS Preserved
Some Lush moisturizers actually come in two versions. The self-preserving ones skip the synthetic preservatives and use more butters, oils, and other good stuff to keep them fresh naturally. The preserved ones have a bit of extra help from safe synthetics, which makes them last longer and sometimes feel a little lighter on the skin. Same name on the pot, but they’re not identical, so check the label or you might end up with a texture you weren’t expecting. I personally prefer the preserved version because it lasts longer. I don’t want to buy a moisturiser, forget about it for a few weeks, and find it has gone bad when I need it again!
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Celestial ($33.00)
Celestial is like slapping vanilla custard on your face, in the best way. Thick, creamy, smells like dessert, and just makes your skin instantly stop sulking. It sinks in quick so you’re not walking around shiny, but still leaves you feeling soft and cushy for hours. Not here to fight wrinkles or make you glow like a disco ball. This is pure comfort cream for when your skin’s in a mood. It’s packed with almond milk, almond oil and cocoa butter – basically a buffet of butters and oils. Glycerine pulls in the hydration, vanilla pod extract adds a little antioxidant kick, and the whole thing just feels… soothing. Think less “skincare treatment,” more “cosy blanket for your face.”
Active ingredients: Almond oil and cocoa butter.
Benefits: Super moisturising and soothing.
Cons: Too rich for oily skin and contains fragrance.
Skin type: Dry skin.
Fragrance-free: No.
Cosmetic Lad ($33.00)
Cosmetic Lad is meant for post-shave skin, so it’s light, soaks in quick, and doesn’t leave you shiny. You get a fresh citrusy smell from the tangerine oil and a little lavender from the honey water. It’s got plenty of good stuff (linseed mucilage, aloe vera gel, almond oil, jojoba oil, cocoa butter )that makes skin feel soft and a bit calmer. Easy to throw on and forget about. But it’s not all “gentle.” Those essential oils (tangerine and lavender) can be irritating if your skin’s sensitive or just hates fragrance. If that’s you, skip it. If not, and you just want something light that softens without greasing you up, it’s a decent everyday pick.
Active ingredients: Almond oil and jojoba oil.
Benefits: Moisturising, makes skin softer and smoother.
Cons: Too rich for oily skin and contains fragrance.
Skin type: Dry skin and combination skin.
Fragrance-free: No.
Peace ($35.00)
Peace sounds like it’s going to be this calm, skin-hugging cream, but it’s not exactly the spa day the name promises. Yeah, it’s thick, buttery, and packed with almond oil, oat milk, and a pile of butters (cocoa, illipe, cupuaçu) that leave skin feeling soft and coated for hours. But it’s also got Sicilian lemon oil and ylang ylang oil in there – two essential oils that can be straight-up irritating if your skin’s sensitive. So while it feels rich and cosy, it’s not the gentle moisturizer for easily upset skin you may think it is. If fragrance doesn’t bother you, it can be a nice heavy cream for winter or when your face is bone-dry. But for something called Peace, it definitely has the potential to start a fight with your skin.
Active ingredients: Almond oil and cocoa butter.
Benefits: Moisturising.
Cons: Too rich for oily skin and contains fragrance.
Skin type: Dry skin.
Fragrance-free: No.
Gorgeous ($85.00)
Gorgeous is one of Lush’s priciest moisturizers, and you can tell they’ve crammed in every fancy oil and juice they could find. You’ve got olive, grapeseed, jojoba, avocado, evening primrose, coconut, and wheatgerm oil all working to keep skin soft and smooth. Then there’s fresh fruit juice (pineapple, lemon, orange) meant to give you a bit of brightness. Spoiler alert: it doesn’t. It just irritates skin. It feels lightweight going on but still leaves skin feeling well-fed, and it has that floral-citrus scent from neroli oil and rose absolute. Here’s the thing: between all the fruit juice, essential oils, and natural fragrance components, this is not for sensitive skin. Those citrus juices can sting if your barrier’s compromised, and the neroli and rose make it smell nice but can be irritating. Sensitive skin types, avoid this . For the price tag, I expected better.
Active ingredients: Organic extra virgin olive oil, jojoba oil, and evening primrose oil.
Benefits: Moisturising.
Cons: Too rich for oily skin, doesn’t brightens skin, and is loaded with irritating essential oils.
Skin type: Dry skin.
Fragrance-free: No.
Vanishing Cream ($50.00)
Vanishing Cream is Lush’s idea of a light, fast-absorbing moisturizer, and yeah it does disappear into your skin pretty quick. You get a mix of light oils like grapeseed, jojoba, and camellia so it softens without feeling greasy, plus linseed infusion and honey to calm things down. It’s also got witch hazel, which can help with oil control but might be too much if your skin’s already dry. The catch? It’s full of essential oils (lavender, neroli, geranium, rose, orange flower) so it smells nice, but sensitive skin won’t love it. Lush calls it gentle, but between the fragrance and the witch hazel, it’s not a universal crowd-pleaser. Good for combo skin that can handle fragrance, not so much for anyone whose face throws tantrums over scented products.
Active ingredients: Grapeseed, jojoba, and camellia oils.
Benefits: Moisturising.
Cons: Loaded with irritating essential oils.
Skin type: Combination skin.
Fragrance-free: No.
Skin Drink ($35.00)
Skin Drink moisturiser is thick, rich, and definitely aimed at dry skin that drinks up anything you throw at it. It’s loaded with heavy moisturisers (sesame oil, almond oil, cocoa butter, avocado oil, and even fresh avocado) so it leaves skin feeling coated and protected. There’s also fresh rose petal infusion and aloe to soothe, but make no mistake: this is a heavy cream, and it feels like one. The downside? It’s fragranced with neroli oil and rose absolute, plus all the natural fragrance components that come with them. If your skin’s cool with essential oils, you’ll probably enjoy the dewy, nourished feel. If not, it could be a breakout or redness waiting to happen. Great for super-dry, non-reactive skin. Everyone else, tread carefully.
Active ingredients: Sesame, avocado, and almond oils.
Benefits: Moisturising, makes skin softer and smoother.
Cons: Loaded with irritating essential oils.
Skin type: Dry skin.
Fragrance-free: No.
Enzymion ($40.00)
Enzymion is Lush’s “brighten and balance” moisturizer, and it’s basically a fruit salad for your face. Fresh lemon infusion, lemon juice, lime oil, and papaya juice sound exciting, but here’s the thing: at the tiny amounts used in a leave-on cream, citrus extracts aren’t going to magically brighten or exfoliate your skin. That’s a myth. They might make it smell fresh, but the real work here comes from the light oils (jojoba, avocado, evening primrose_) and a touch of cocoa butter to keep it from feeling too dry. The texture’s light, sinks in quick, and leaves skin more matte than shiny. The downside? All that citrus (lime, tangerine, lemon) plus essential oils can be irritating, especially for sensitive skin. Fresh juice in skincare can also sting if your barrier’s not happy. For the love of your skin, leave this face cream on the shelves!
Active ingredients: Fresh lemon infusion and jojoba oil.
Benefits: Makes skin a little softer and smoother.
Cons: Loaded with irritating essential oils. Doesn’t brighten and doesn’t exfoliate.
Skin type: None.
Fragrance-free: No.
Skin’s Shangri La ($60.00)
Skin’s Shangri La is one of Lush’s heaviest, richest creams: thick, balmy, and loaded with oils and butters. You’ve got almond, jojoba, cocoa butter, wheatgerm, evening primrose, and coconut oil all working to keep skin soft and cushioned. Fresh wheatgrass juice and aloe vera gel are in there for a little soothing and antioxidant kick, but let’s be real: this is a moisture bomb first, everything else second. It’s the kind of cream that leaves a layer on your skin, so it’s great for locking in hydration in cold weather. The catch? It’s fragranced, and not lightly-vanilla absolute, violet leaf absolute, plus natural fragrance components from essential oils. If your skin’s fine with that, it can feel super nourishing and protective. But if you’re sensitive, this is more likely to overwhelm than “nurture.” Despite the name, it’s not some miracle youth potion: it’s just a very rich moisturizer with a nice scent. Works best for dry, non-reactive skin that wants a heavy cream and doesn’t mind a fragrance hit.
Active ingredients: Almond and jojoba oils.
Benefits: Moisturising, heals dry patches.
Cons: Too rich for oily skin and contains fragrance.
Skin type: Dry.
Fragrance-free: No.
Availability
All Lush moisturisers are available at Lush.
The Bottom Line
Lush moisturizers look and feel nice, but most of them are heavy on essential oils and fragrance. Great if your skin can handle it, not so great if it can’t. All the “fresh juice” and “natural” stuff sounds like it’s going to brighten or exfoliate, but it really doesn’t. It’s just for scent and marketing. What they do well is basic hydration, rich textures, and smelling good while you slap them on. If your skin’s tough, you’ll probably find one you like. If it’s sensitive, save yourself the redness and skip it. These aren’t miracle creams. They’re more about the vibe than the results.
About Gio
Hi, I’m Gio. I’m a no-nonsense, tell-it-like-it-is skin coach and writer on a mission to help you achieve your best skin day ever – every day. I bust skincare myths and debunk marketing jargon to help you figure out what’s worth the splurge and what’s best left on the shelf – using science, not hype. I also offer skincare consultations to help you create the best skincare routine for your unique needs.
