I'm a big fan of high street cosmetics store Lush and was keen to finally give its makeup a go, starting with its lengthening mascara.
Lush is famed for its extensive array of fresh, cruelty free products, stocking a staggering range of bath bombs, shower bombs, shower gels, shampoos, body lotions and more. For a lot of us, no Christmas or birthday is complete without receiving at least one Lush product as a gift.
After seven years of renting a tiny flat that only had a shower, my obsession with Lush kicked up a notch when I finally completed on my first home late last September. The house is only marginally bigger than the flat but it does have a bath (what sweet joy) and now, I can't pass by a Lush store without stocking up on a few bath bombs.
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Despite my devotion to its bath products, I'd never tried a single item from Lush's makeup range. In true Lush style, the brand's makeup collection features a selection of cruelty free, sustainable staples, with lipsticks that can be housed in swanky black and gold refillable cases to reduce packaging waste; long lasting vegan skin tints; quirky concealer sticks; luxurious makeup brushes and more.
Lush's mascara caught my eye (no pun intended) and I was keen to see if it could measure up to my favourite by Too Faced. Lush Lashes, which starts from £15.50, is described on the brand's website as a "volumising jet black mascara that harnesses the benefits of low preservative and natural lash conditioning ingredients to deliver long-lasting volume, separation and luscious lengths".
I bought the mascara as part of a set from ASOS that also includes a mini Lush Ultrabland cleanser for £16.50. The mascara wand was full size, which I was glad about, despite the tube of product being relatively small. I would have preferred a more generous amount of product given the price.
Reviews on ASOS' website also bemoan the size of the mascara. One shopper titled their review "soo small" and wrote: "I'm not sure about quality but this product is sooo smalll.. maybe it's my fault and I didn't read about size".
The wand is long and thin and very easy to use and it effortlessly separated my eyelashes and added some much needed length. I wasn't blessed with long, thick lashes and often feel very insecure when I'm not wearing mascara.
Compared to my lashes without mascara, this little beauty made me look like I had lash extensions. Granted, it wouldn't convince any lash extension devotee but if you're after a natural and significant lash boost, Lush definitely ticks the box.
I'm used to products that are much more dramatic than Lush Lashes but I was still impressed with how easy it is to apply and the overall effect it had on my eyelashes. It leaves my lashes looking much longer and darker, though not as volumised as my Too Faced mascara.
One added bonus of Lush's mascara is how buildable it is; adding a few more coats doesn't result in unsightly clumps or the dreaded "spider legs look" commonly associated with most volumising mascaras. It takes a little more time and effort but this mascara creates gorgeous, full looking lashes that look much more natural than a lot of high end alternatives.
Lush's mascara definitely packs a punch and while it doesn't quite achieve the desired thickness my Too Faced mascara does, it still creates longer, darker lashes and it stays put just as well. Lush Lashes also feels very lightweight on my eyes - my eyes don't produce enough water so a lot of products can easily irritate me, but this mascara was a dream to wear.
I will definitely be repurchasing. You can buy Lush's Best Mascara Ever Set from ASOS by clicking here.
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