The Rise and Inevitable Fall of Lush

Lush rose to prominence very obviously off of the back of The Body Shop's fall from grace. And, in fairness, they have done a wonderful job at correcting and improving on the business Anita Roddick created. However, it's so interesting that they seem to be following the same path of fast growth, cause marketing, some early scandals and scepticism in their audience. In fact, it's trajectory has been so close that it seems they are very at risk of the same cause for downfall as The Body Shop, wherein they have placed themselves voluntarily on a pedestal that invites harsher criticism. Is it fair? Probably not, there are companies doing far worse, but now that they are no longer the underdog, they are not protected by the halo effect and that leaves them all too susceptible.
Fashion Channel: / @understitchyt
Patreon: patreon.com/understitch
Unless otherwise obvious, photos in this video are from Getty Images or Alamy under their editorial terms used for non-commercial websites, blogs and social media posts illustrating matters of public interest.

[@taysezz]

I used to love Lush but their prices are so out of touch with consumers. Who wants to pay $10 -15CAD for a minute of bath art that goes down the drain? How they are still in business is mind boggling!

[@MavonEast]

I wholeheartedly agree. I've been in one Lush and it was about six years ago. After ten seconds everythibg smelled the same. I couldn't even justify the then 9 to 12 bucks a bar by saying it smelled nice as I had no idea what I was smelling.

[@underskinYT]

They used to be quite reasonable, on the higher end, but not prohibitively pricey. Now its a turn off for sure

[@taylorslade961]

I was not getting the ROI I was looking for with the bar soaps. None of them ever lasted as long as they should have for the price I paid. I do still have the metal containers for shampoo bars tho.

[@Maialeen]

What's really worth it in Lush to me are their body sprays. If you have some scents you like you get 200ml for a not insane price. It's not insane because the body sprays are as strong as perfume, some as strong as a very strong perfume. They're not typical body sprays at all. It's like getting a gigantic bottle of an eau de parfum. Almost everything else? Absolutely ridiculous.

[@seabreeze4559]

the perfumes are well regarded, or at least used to be, they made all the bottles bland and like tripled the price recently though

[@ygwsgirl5611]

I used to work at lush and it was TERRIBLE. For a brand that claims itself to be so ethical, it has some of the most questionable ethics in terms of employment. They never gave us breaks, made it impossible to work your way up, and worst of all they were very forceful about jumping on customers as soon as they walk in the door along with other aggressive sales tactics. There’s something so uncomfortable about pushing people to buy stuff they have no clue what it is or how to use it. And having employees breath down shoppers necks as they brows was the worst. As a customer I HATE that and since working at lush I make it a point to leave any store that has those kinds of sale tactics when I walk in. I also remember that there was one manager who’d be chomping KFC on her lunch breaks and then pretending to everyone she was vegan on the shop floor. I’m so excited to watch this video

[@MumfordElectric]

I worked there too and exactly the same scenario!

[@OhHoneyBeehave]

I worked at their flagship and same, had a manager who was later moved to a position away from shop employees because of how toxic she was, heavily imply that I was drinking too much water (it was packed that day and very hot) and I was playing dumb to get her to explicitly say what she meant. I know my rights and would reported them straight away. Nasty piece of work. They've fired people I know for daring to get sick and hires bullys, as far as I know they still don't have a proper HR team.

[@underskinYT]

Wow Im so sorry you guys had such awful experiences

[@2stayweird]

100% my experience as well. We were the only store in that city that was "in the black" but we got in trouble because the secret shopper came in and didn't think we were "engaging" enough. Everyone on staff were chill introverts and customers liked that we left them alone... hence why they bought things 😂

[@re7416]

​@underskinYT ⌚️​this space... ● Coz ur excellent 'docco' might have hit a nerve. ● Phrases 🏊🏽‍♀️ b4 my very 👀 include... "Tipping point" | "Thought it was just me" | "Pandora's jar" | "Floodgates" | "An Ellen moment" ● Let's see.....🤔

[@vvitch-mist20]

"We make sure our products are made without animal cruelty" and then they go onto to abuse their workers. Lovely.

[@DancingOnGlass89]

I can see them saying well we said animal cruelty. Not human.

[@dismurrart6648]

Pretty common with vegan companies tbh.

[@suilvengreen]

Workers have autonomy, animals are literally tortured. I don’t see the comparison

[@dismurrart6648]

@@suilvengreen nah.

[@suilvengreen]

@@dismurrart6648 its my thinking process so…

[@gittefeingeist9720]

Having worked for them for nearly a decade in sourcing I can at least confirm that all their packaging, ingredients and raw materials are sourced ethically and oftern in the most uneconomic way from very small communities that are payed beyonf fair. But it just makes the products unaffordable. On the counterside the stuff and team are paid incredibly bad and almost exploited. But we dont talk about it.

[@underskinYT]

Thats good to hear that they enact what they claim to. Is there any reason its not more transparent then? Itd be a real point of proof to be able to maybe simply have that on their website, a meet the factories type thing

[@NaomiDollxoxo]

Oh thank you!!! I make bath and beauty products and I just was commenting this to someone who claims the pricing for ethical shoood be the standard but has no concept of only some countries even care of things are ethical but we still must source from around the world the most ethically as we can which is EXPENSIVE for us all

[@ambrosia1050]

Former lush worker here I work at lush fir 11 months as a floor leader and there is so much wrong with lush from products to there sales techniques it honestly feels like working in a cult

[@underskinYT]

Go onnnnn

[@leefrancis007]

Spill the ethically sourced tea girl ☕

[@Talentedtadpole]

Plz say more 🎉❤

[@Nicole__Natalia]

Girrlll, please don’t stop there😭 we need more!😂

[@rokkysoxx]

@@underskinYT My experience, at least, was v cliquey. People were reprimanded and even fired, on the spot, for “looking like a bitch” or “a sad puppy” which basically means they weren’t constantly embodying the extremely energetic mold Lush demands in their associates. We were expected to sit customers down for “consultations” and mislead them into thinking we had formal cosmetics training (we didn’t). If a customer clearly wanted to shop undisturbed, I was told to bother them anyway. They talked shit about anyone, especially other associates, who only wanted to buy bath bombs and nothing else, because that’s “casual” and meant you weren’t getting fully immersed in the hashtag (cult) LUSH LIFE. You were expected to buy products with your employee discount, but you were also required to spend like $100 minimum if you did so that you wouldn’t “skew the sales average”. Manager cultivated a “girl gang” like culture with no boundaries-for me, she slapped my butt, showed me her nudes, constantly told me to break up with my bf, got genuinely upset at me because I wouldn’t come hang out with her on literal Christmas Day. Bear in mind I was in college and like 15 years younger than her too. You were expected to participate in the 24/7 group chat full of tea spilling, tmi, relationship issues, etc. again, just no boundaries. Someone else mentioned something about them selling about-to-expire products at full price, which I noticed a lot of too. Thats just off the top of my head, and it’s been a minute, so I’ll return if I think of anything else lol

[@Chloe-vi5mb]

I used to love lush but their price points are just so ridiculous especially when it’s just a bath bomb that goes down the drain

[@underskinYT]

But is the price point worth the ethical sourcing?

[@hotmess9640]

@@underskinYTwe shouldn’t have to pay extra for that tbh should be the standard

[@NaomiDollxoxo]

@@hotmess9640ummmm as someone who makes bath and beauty products the ingredients themselves are outrageous then to track and find ethical ingredients is even more expensive. You can’t expect something done in a only parts of the world to be inexpensive when it’s all sourced and priced worldwide

[@NaomiDollxoxo]

@@underskinYTyes. Yes it is

[@maks-zw6ul]

​@@hotmess9640 yet yall will pay niche 150+ $$$ prizes for designer perfumes made off child salvery lol

[@mariahenriquez2988]

I just went to lush this week and it was dead! but the girl working at the store was so sweet and gave me good recommendations. I haven't bought stuff from them since 2016-2017 and I was obsessed with them , spending money constantly. I still buy their products (My fave forever being the line Sleepy , ocean salt , and the mask of magnaminty ) but more so as a treat to myself because the prices have skyrocketed here in America :( the store smells amazing at least and I will say for me I've always had a good experience shopping their too. love love your videos too!!! I love leaning about the fashion/cosmetic industry and always look forward to them 🙆‍♀ xoxo

[@underskinYT]

I think for me, I wonder if they still retain some of those customers because there really isnt an alternative brand. The amount of greenwashing in cosmetics is wild (refillable bottles that are effectively just a case?) so to have a brand go so far to minimal packaging and really pushing that side to customers, theres really nothing like it

[@rhy8336]

literally the worst nightmare for someone with sensitive skin who also loves smells. But their KZbin back in the day showing how they made and how to use their products where very charming and made me want it all. On another note imo their bathbombs were for a time the only worth while comercial bathbomb. The scent and colors were great and they are usually pretty big. All the other companies had weak, underwhelming bathbombs that came wrapped in plastic.

[@underskinYT]

Those bathbombs realy were a great addition to the market in general. They obviously werent the first, but they sure as hell made them very desirable for a new generation

[@FashionRoadman]

Love this one, I remember how huge Lush was when I was younger. People were obsessed with their bath bombs.

[@underskinYT]

I mean, right now globally theyre still so big, Im really curious about the US subsidiary and how that ended up selling tho

[@ZaharaNorth]

I used to absolutely love Lush but I noticed around 2018-2019 and especially after the pandemic the quality went way down and the prices went way up. Thus I stopped buying.

[@underskinYT]

I noticed the prices, but I have to say I didnt notice a quality dip. How did you see that?

[@crinklescat1871]

Definitely dip in quality. I endured going to one a few weeks ago and the whole vibe of the store was different and like I’ve been using their toner for years and dont plan to stop unless I notice a dip in quality but for old times sake I did get a sex bomb and I used it recently(like last week actually), and I can’t describe it like it didn’t make my skin as soft feeling as they used to & It didn’t fizz for as long and the scent was not as strong. I was going in there to buy their infamous expensive cream as part of my birthday(whew 35! 😖) but the sample of it that they had out felt different then when I did have the cream before like years ago. Maybe like three years ago definitely pre-pandemic. I was like OK. Well, I don’t need that then and the eye cream they had was awfu. The last time bought a perfume from them(yes I applied it correctly) it actually stained my clothing, so finally I was like OK well, I’ll just get a jar of sleepy cream. The price has gone up and the cream did not absorb as well and also the texture of it seemed different so I got a massage bar because I do like those and the sex bomb and one bath bomb, I can’t remember which. But it’s not worth the money. I hope my toner stays the same. I was going to get a bar of soap but me and my husband can never stay in the store for too long just because headache. Like the last time I ordered my toner I ended up getting the bath bomb that looks like a bear, like one of their cheaper ones. I ordered like three of those and a bar of soap . They did not put any of the bath bombs in bags/wrap them like they usually do when shipping, so I got a box *filled* with peanuts and 3 very crushed bath bombs(like basically i opened the box and dust proofed onto my face) like they ended up refunding the whole order and sending me different order and was like please don’t send the bath bombs like just send the toner&soap, like that was all I could smell for weeks. Especially in the bedroom because that was where I went to open the package. When I called Lush because honestly, I was angry as hell( I wasn’t rude to the guy or anything) but he says “yeah we are doing that to try and help the environment on packaging “ and I was just like OK. I totally support that but like can I send you pictures because like I mean this is literally just crumbled like dust and it’s everywhere . One of them was like kind of usable (like he was only missing the upper half of his body,) but the rest were just various little pieces or just straight dust around all these Styrofoam peanuts and unwrapped soap . On my next package they sent me however, since I was like, please no no no on the bath bombs they did have it wrapped properly. I don’t know if they do that still now but I haven’t taken a chance. I’m gonna have to get some toner probably in about another month. But the soap that I ordered did not last as long and honestly, it was just different. Like it’s one thing to up your prices, but just don’t dip the quality especially when your stuff is that expensive.

[@NaomiDollxoxo]

I’ll be absolutely honest here as someone who makes bath and beauty products. The ingredients were very far and few and the ones available were EXPENSIVE like extortion level experience. They had to have reformulated several things for the time being like many many others

[@erickaeckles4187]

I remember getting packages from Cosmetics To Go, and the pictures of products from their catalogues that you shared in the video brought back so many happy memories and lovely smells. One of my younger sisters used to order quite a lot from them and they'd always include a little freebie for us in our orders like an eyeshadow or selection of little samples, but the shelf life was pretty short, especially for their fresh products was very short, so we'd all sit around wearing face-masks or hair masks so they'd get used up before they went off. I also remember my dad despairing at us for keeping so many of the products in the fridge.... but just seeing a picture of the violet bath oil has made me imagine I can smell it. Total bliss.

[@underskinYT]

Wow thats so special, Im so glad you had such a good experience. Funny enough the longevity of Marks early products were a problem with the body shop as well, it came up in the exposee, though of course with the blame going to Anita Roddick

[@Talentedtadpole]

It was Hella fun with some great products!

[@cecilmcleod5631]

Also a former Lush employee here. I remember one of the first training videos straight up telling us ‘Lush is a cult’, I thought it was just a cute joke but no. I am definitely not the same person I was when I first applied and I had started talking in my sleep trying to upsell products to my boyfriend. The kicker is winning a best seller competition but still being fired a few weeks later because I’m not forcing myself onto customers enough 🤘🏽

[@OrganicBaddie]

What a toxic place, as a brand owner I would be sad to hear my staff speak like that. I’m glad you left and chose your peace.

[@cecilmcleod5631]

@@OrganicBaddie thank you, the toxic positivity they shoved down our throats was definitely brainwashing me into thinking I lost something good when they fired me. Finally over a year later I’m realizing how horrible that places’ ethics really were, it’s crazy.

[@Polkadotedbow]

The girl in all the videos has weird ass energy

[@katemarlor1816]

I remember my mom coming home to Chicago from a trip to London in 1998 when she discovered Lush. It was the best stuff, nothing like it here. When they opened a store in Toronto, she and my dad made a special vaca/road trip to Toronto and her main goal was Lush. I loved it, my mom loved it, and dad used the Daddy-o shampoo for... 15 years?! Anyone you kind of knew and needed to get a present for, Lush had something. I stopped buying because it was a little pricey, now I know it wasn't just me. Love these vids, so good!

[@underskinYT]

Dont you love it when you find something special like that? An exclusive, shared experience youll have together

[@starling86]

It's consumerism on steroids when a trip from Chicago to Toronto (and back) becomes "mainly" about shampoo :-/

[@katemarlor1816]

@@starling86 No, it was a great trip for them. They got to travel and I got to have the house to myself. Very nice.

[@katemarlor1816]

@@underskinYT They loved it. It's so nice when people can find things and experiences like that.

[@MavonEast]

I went into a Lush once. It was impossible to discern the actual frangrance of any one thing because the whole place smells like everything, everywhere. I gave up and left; haven't gone back.

[@underskinYT]

It is extremely pungent, that is trye

[@lizzi7128]

I loooveeee the smell and literally... Just hold individual items up your nose and sniff them. It's not hard. What do you expect from an often open-front soap and fragrance store. If you found it "impossible" to differentiate that points to some kind of underlying sinus issue or something

[@Talentedtadpole]

Insta headache!

[@izobellle]

@@lizzi7128no need to be catty jesus christ

[@lizzi7128]

@@izobellle you simply perceived it that way, someone being direct. Jesus Christ

[@Ineffaquibble]

Haven't set foot in Lush since a sales assistant swiped lotion up my arm without asking first. To make matters worse, when I complained online I was told "Oh, they're trained to do that!" as if it was a reason why I was being unreasonable. I'm allergic to lemon grass; if it had been a different lotion she could have put me in the hospital.

[@simpleshoes]

The smell emanating from the store at the mall was so overpowering I would get an instant headache and feel nauseous. I had to avoid that whole area of the mall.

[@underskinYT]

When I was younger, I was more prone to the headaches, but I can bear it now

[@martiangentian]

Me too!!!

[@andreabellini6796]

Me too. Horrendous

[@rootsm3]

I enjoyed some of their products but shopping there was so awful. An introvert’s nightmare as the staff were up your ass the entire time. And I’ve heard it was horrible place to work.

[@underskinYT]

I’m sympathetic to it only because I know that the management actively push them to do that, but I definitely don’t need to be pushed in that way just for soap

[@DonnyLim]

Former Lush casual employee here ... the toxicity of working there is so REAL ....

[@underskinYT]

I mean I knew it had a lot of talk online about it, but I didnt expect this amount of comments on it

[@ahumanbeena]

I once tried to apply for a job there & the miserable workers advised me against it

[@underskinYT]

Oh wow thats telling

[@MLGBGermany]

I remember the hype around LUSH when it first came to Germany and Italy - you could smell the store from miles away, everyone wanted their bath bombs, everyone got at least a small piece of their pricey soaps and Karma is still a very popular scent among some of my friends. However, I was never a fan, especially of their skin and haircare and I am so surprised that they still exist. I do remember one thing regarding their custormers: The Body Shop was for the wealthy, over 30, middle class; Lush was for the young and wealthy hipsters.

[@underskinYT]

I think lush may have a transitioninng customer base now tbh, perhaps thats why theyre trying for the younger IP collabs

[@spirit__fox]

Lush went bankrupt in Norway. Then again it is a place where bathtubs are not super common.

[@Meladjusted]

​@@underskinYT Honestly, their skincare has always been overpriced and done nothing for skin that has ANY kind of concerns, lol. If your skin isn't even (not too oily, not too dry), not prone to acne, and non-sensitive-you are out of luck. So, really, their best clientele has always been young teens and preteens-and even years ago, the place was always crammed with them getting their wealthy parents to buy them like 10 different things. My older sister used to buy my niece bunches of bath bombs when she was about 8 and 9 while I was like circling the soap table multiple times, trying to decide which 2 soaps I could afford, lol. They should absolutely target preteens and young teens who don't care about price or quality, just colors and scent.

[@xxvocutaudex3128]

Prices of doubled and I can’t even justify buying it anymore 😭

[@underskinYT]

Its expensive for a high street brand thats true

[@huntress_9441]

Maybe half of the artists I met living in Sydney about a decade ago had worked at the Lush factory in Marrickville. Apparently the smell was unbearable

[@underskinYT]

I cannot imagine being there for a whole day, I think Id just end up with an endless migraine

[@pabloescobarschanclas]

i’ve only been in lush twice. everything was disgustingly expensive and you couldn’t even shop without someone asking you if you’re “still doing okay” every two seconds. it’s insufferable.

[@underskinYT]

Its not for everyone for sure

[@JeffreyBowers-zk3vs]

i used to work at the toronto factory. . i made 1000's of bathbombs a day. all i have to show for it is carpel tunnel LOL

[@underskinYT]

Oh love Im so sorry

[@vinregret]

But did you get one of those stickers on the products with your face on it? Lol

[@blackcoffy83]

Sorry that happened to you. I'm in the GTA, and I was almost going to apply, but it would have conflicted with my full-time job. I guess I dodged a bullet.

[@JeffreyBowers-zk3vs]

@@vinregret only the team leaders got those 😭🙁

[@amaihito]

I used to love lush, but the way that they discontinue products so aggressively is frustrating, especially the ones that helped with my eczema

[@underskinYT]

Consistency is so important to grow trust in retailing in geenral, but so especially in cosmetics where you really rely on the products

[@amaihito]

@@underskinYT and that's the part that is so frustrating Turkish delight from them was the only thing that could keep my skin healthy And since eczema causes chronic pain for a lot of us, it actually was keeping me out of pain And then they decided that they wanted to make it packaging free, and then they just took it away completely And I have not found anything that keeps my skin as healthy as that stuff would Which really made me a lot less interested their company when I previously was spending easily $1,000 a year there

[@alicevira]

Yay so happy to see this video! I agree with you in that most of the campaigns aren't very controversial. But the anti-oil sands/pipeline campaigns were terrible to work in places like Alberta/BC, Canada. The amount of negative comments we got from customers was not worth our pay. Sometimes we felt unsafe. It went beyond the scope of an ordinary retail job in my opinion. Some customers would call/pop into the shop to tell us that they would no longer support Lush, because their livelihood depended on the oil sands. Lush's downfall will ultimately be cause by their mistreatment of staff and out-of-control pricing of their products. They're still riding the waves of their last product to go viral on social media, but what happens when that runs out?

[@underskinYT]

I mean yeah, the whole cause marketing thing is so risky and especially now that people are more empowered to speak their mind it does put workers at risk. You have to wonder if it will get newsworth-ily problematic at some point

[@kashmirichai123]

i appreciate lush for introducing teens to ethical, natural, handmade products.

[@underskinYT]

It defintiey modernised the concept

[@GreatSageSunWukong]

It would be the body shop that did that and they were far better at it until it all went to their heads and the pushed the prices up to stupid level.

[@Talentedtadpole]

​@@underskinYTthe concept but not the reality.

[@user-mu8sy2hb8b]

I can't stand the desperate minsinformed sales assistants, high prices, tacky collabs, the stench, divisive political comments, hypocrisy of sending products to influencers when they claim to have left social media.

[@underskinYT]

Lets all agree thats not the sales assistants fault though, its management

[@ken131]

I don't really notice pricing at Lush because it's treat I only get once or twice a year when I visit an upscale mall. I'm always happy with what I get, but they can't stay open on customers like me.

[@bbfsc123]

Their prices are insane. There’s been a few things I’ve wanted to try but there’s no way I could justify the price

[@traumaqueeen]

I love Lush and still buy their products. Had no clue a downfall is coming 🤔🤔

[@underskinYT]

I think theyll be good for a while as there is truly no direct competitor, but that is bound to change because it always does when one company has total control over a sector, even Lush took that space from the body shop

[@vivienkoles1880]

@@underskinYT Can Rituals... be considered a competitor?

[@re7416]

​@@vivienkoles1880More premium...No...?

[@CatCapsule]

Me either I’ve been obsessed for years, no changes on my end ❤

[@janemarie3231]

I have always had an allergic reaction from Lush’s products 😅

[@erobin93]

Yeah one of their fresh masks with fruit juice in it gives me hives, I’m guessing cause of my seasonal allergies? Natural doesn’t always mean better for you!

[@seresimarta4436]

Me too! And all Lush products make my skin so dry.

[@atomikblondee1]

I can’t afford anything from Lush in this economy

[@underskinYT]

Time to get Irish Spring soap 🤣

[@godislove1602]

@@underskinYToh the itch 😂😂

[@PalmBeachDog]

I love the tooth tabs but hate tactics. “still doing ok?” No. Please call 911. I’m having an anxiety attack from being asked that 3 times. I’ll call you if I have a question.

[@mar_tuuu]

“thank you underskin” we all say in unison

[@underskinYT]

‘No no, thank you’ I say back

[@hotmess9640]

“We don’t test on animals, just *humans*”

[@underskinYT]

🙋🏽‍♂️🧟‍♂️

[@enomissimone599]

I feel like it’s really common to go through a Lush phase. Like, you discover the brand, obsessively shop there for about a year or two and then suddenly, something dissuades you from shopping there. It’s usually the cost in comparison to other products that work just as well if not better. Or maybe it’s just that the novelty wears off?

[@underskinYT]

Yeah, I think you’re right, it’s almost like a gimmick shop in that way

[@Nono28389]

I hate Lush. Whenever I pass by the Lush shop, I immediately get terrible headache. So whenever I smell Lush I run away.

[@leapingdeer7880]

I'm the same with Peter Alexander (a pj shop in Australia) as they aleays have coconut scented candles burning and coconut triggers my migraine disorder so I avoid the stores like the plague.

[@amysourbutts8421]

I'm the same. It's the same with those shops that burn incense.

[@ravanne3746]

I used to love Lush, but I'll agree that the prices are insane. $38 for a 16 ounce bottle of body wash is insane. Though I would choke down that price if they ever brought my beloved Tramp body wash back.

[@underskinYT]

I wonder how they justify that price? I know its obviously all hand made but Id still like to know where are see more transparency with workers rights/wages etc (kind of a la American Apparel, jusy without the scandal)

[@lucym7438]

​@@underskinYTwe were told as staff members that the prices came from the ethical sourcing of the ingredients

[@xpeachx100]

Tramp IS now currently available in the UK xx

[@ravanne3746]

@xpeachx100 Unfortunately I'm in the US. Here's hoping that it will make the trip across the pond.

[@xpeachx100]

Awww I will cross my fingers for you that it makes its way over!! X

[@deathkitten7635]

Worked for lush for a short time. They only care about animals and whatnot as a means to cater to conscious consumers. As far as employee structure its completely left up to the descretion of the manager as long as the store is profitable. Your experience entirely depends on how nice your manager is, which i think is wrong. There should be more regulation.

[@underskinYT]

Its interesting then that theres so many negative experiences. I think youre right that regulation is needed

[@eden-fu1nk]

i used to work in lush manufacturing (i was one of the hundred people who made bath bombs) and the workplace safety there was appalling. chemicals that had to be stored in fireproof containers were just out on the floor, and i got so many chemical burns from working with the raw bath bomb mix

[@JessicaJmoney]

The Karma scent is my favorite forever and for always.

[@underskinYT]

It has such a cult following

[@dearjerome]

Would love to see you do a video essay on Aēsop! ❤

[@enomissimone599]

Yes!!!

[@underskinYT]

I have something really interesting coming for the next video, I think, but I will put it higher on my list

[@keune100]

I just had the strangest experience trying to apply for a job with them. Been with many companies in the beauty world, never had such a strange hiring experience in my 20 professional years…

[@andreaslind6338]

Youve made me curious, how was it different, if you can talk about it?

[@HeyCo_okie]

I worked there for for about three years.... one of most toxic places I've ever seen. I have refused to shop there ever since. Disgusting company.

[@underskinYT]

It seems like that’s a running theme in these comments

[@fipah5817]

Chemist here who focuses on science communication and cosmetic chemistry. 👉🏼 I think part of their downfall could also be growth of science education and higher education among consumers about greenwashing - and the understanding that natural is not better, but actually often times worse for the environment (synthesising vitamin C or menthol in the lab is much "cleaner" and more eco green than growing and watering plants, harvesting them, transporting them in cars that use fuel to factories, extracting them etc). We are not feeding everyone on the planet. We don't have space to grow all cosmetic ingredients.

[@Aristaifly]

They discontinued one of the shampoo bars that actually helped with hair growth (squeaky clean) and that made me not to go there at all. It was/is still expensive to what it is

[@underskinYT]

Theyre usually good at continuong products that sell well, maybe it wasnt making as much as they hoped?

[@saraleo8128]

They constantly discontinued stuff that worked!!! So frustrating! And it was popular stuff too. I used Jungle conditioner for years. Had amaxing hair. Then one day. Gone. Got tired of stuff I liked constantly disappearing.

[@Blowyourtop]

Lush employee here and I have some great news for you - Squeaky Green is available again both online and in select stores (if you're in the UK, not sure about internationally)

[@Aristaifly]

@@Blowyourtop I'm in Canada

[@Aristaifly]

@@underskinYT as you mentioned their bath bombs have huge markup. I won't be surprised if some of the products aren't profitable or just breaking even so the bombs compensate the loss

[@zendoragrey]

I stopped buying Lush when I noticed they were still selling items that were about to expire at full price.

[@underskinYT]

Oof yeah thats not great

[@natashamcdaniel2846]

Employee here. Unfortunately the specific store messed up that one because the company has standards to move that inventory off the shelf.

[@pulidobl]

Unfortunately a LOT of places do…

[@catsrule100]

I love The Body Shop and Lush. I couldn't afford too much from either until i was older due to how much things cost. I think Lush does better than The Body Shop because they are always releasing new items so it keeps customers excited. They even have monthly subscription boxes which is a fun idea too. Their naked products are a really good idea but obviously will cause shops to smell more. It is a shame some staff dont feel valued. I know 2 people who work there and luckily they love their jobs and particularly love the 50% staff discount.

[@underskinYT]

To be fair TBS also endlessly released new products, but their problem was their cause marketing caused their customers to become skeptical. Rn I think Lush is fortunate that there really are no other direct competitors on their scale

[@lovedalot]

For me the body shop is full of nasty chemicals lush isn’t.

[@battlecat6766]

the we believe statement has had 1 addition about freedom of movement. also the flagship store in Liverpool is so different as its so big, its not overpowering and they have some exclusives like the ginger perfume and 'vintage' products. I do feel like you've minimised how innovate they were and still can be, yes call out all of the detrimental and negatives but don't over look that they did invent some great products

[@underskinYT]

The liverpool store is/was the largest in the word, right? There was a big push about it when it opened. Unfortunately their products cannot really be inventive only because they existed in previous iterations. yes, due to mark and liz so still credited to them, but that went in my body shop video as it was more there that they innovated than in Lush

[@battlecat6766]

@@underskinYT they had the patents for things like shampoo bars and bath bombs… They also support communities that supply raw ingredients and invest back in to them. It’s not quite as bleak as I feel you portrayed it. Yes it needs to catch up and products are expensive but they’ve proven they have the following that will keep supporting them. You also missed talking about the hair labs and spa treatments, the fact they focus on old school customer service and a customer journey. You do sound very anti lush, not as impartial as your usual content so I guess I’m just wondering why.

[@katieusbrownius]

As a scouser, I LOVE the liverpool store. It’s massive, there’s space to move, the staff don’t generally jump on you, the spa is amazing, they have a little vegan friendly cafe in there, then at Christmas and Halloween and stuff they have special events on the top floor.

[@battlecat6766]

@@katieusbrownius I love it too

[@grantspins4124]

The involuntary “YESSS” when understitch posts

[@underskinYT]

The happiness I feel when I see these comments 🤍

[@cookiepartyyy]

I’m in the lush Reddit and EVERYONE in there is getting pretty fed up with the product quality as of late…something’s gotta give.

[@twinningintokyo5487]

One of my first jobs as a teen was at the (now gone 😢) flagship Body Shop store in Knightsbridge London for a Christmas. I made £5 an hour when the norm was £3.50 so I felt like a millionaire 😹 they also had 50% off staff discount which was genius as mostly all of my wages went back in the shop 😅. They also had a free massage offer for staff which I forgot to take up before I left. My supervisor was called Bridgette and was lovely. So on that side it was great . Lush actually gives me a headache but I like the “made by……insert random person name” stickers and the expiry dates make it seem Fresh and real ?

[@mwmsjuly19]

No matter what I buy at a Lush, a staffer will inevitably say, "That's my favorite." 🙄

[@underskinYT]

This is my favourite comment, this one right here, none of the others, this is my favourite 🤣

[@Veritasominavincit]

I’m allergic even to going into their stores makes me sneeze but my Mum loves Lush.

[@underskinYT]

Is it the scentsv

[@marcocunha]

In my training at LUSH, they talked so much trash about The Body Shop. They also told me about a soap called Iced Blue (formerly named Ice Blue F**k You), which was made as a diss to The Body Shop. I forget the reason they gave me for that soap but I remember it was about Anita.

[@underskinYT]

It seems a very one-sided fight that they’re fighting, I never read anywhere that the body shop took stabs at lush. I suppose they couldn’t because they would be punching down, but it is strange that Anita never said anything bad about Mark, even in her autobiography, well after he was part of the downfall.

[@jessicahudson8763]

Dude I remember that and how they claim they were the inventors of the bath bomb and they didn’t get a patent before releasing the product which they got robbed lol

[@wilsel1394]

Stinking out High Streets for 3 decades.

[@underskinYT]

Why don’t we have a chocolate store, or a bread store that can smell as pungently?

[@kappleby8503]

I once visited the flagship store in Oxford Street London and it seemed every member of staff came up to me to see if wanted any help. I guess they were bored out of their mind and talking to a customer would help. I have not been back since as I felt it was ridiculous harassment.

[@underskinYT]

It’s a sales tactic unfortunately, that would’ve been part of the training

[@awsinger1]

Glad this got recommended.... I am now addicted to your videos 🤠

[@underskinYT]

That makes me so happy

[@littleblackpistol]

Products are chunks of food with synthetic perfumes and essential oils in them, chunks of god knows what, horrible for skin generally, everything I tried either dried out my skin horribly or gave me acne, which I never normally get. Knew someone who worked in a LUSH store in the north of England in the early 2010s ... he told me about the bully management culture, and I won't forget his tales of the vaunted returned black pots being bagged and put out for the rubbish! People get drawn in by all the usual woke campaigns, but it's just marketing. They don't give a fuck, they just need you to believe they give a fuck so you will buy their inferior childish rubbish instead of going to Boots and buying a decent pharmacy skincare product and a perfume from a decent reputable perfumier. A woman used to wear that Karma perfume at my office, and it remains the ONE perfume of my whole life that made me physically nauseous.

[@underskinYT]

Oh of course it is marketing, it wouldnt be so omnipresent if it wasnt. Its in everything from the font to the packaging to the promotion, theres no way thats a mistake

[@absv444]

Hahahaha I love lush, however I remember being gifted a charcoal bath bomb a few years ago and it completely stained my entire bath tub black for YEARS! I never went back until a few weeks ago to get a scalp scrub. The employee told me that there were so many complaints about the charcoal bath bomb and a few even tried to sue lush because they couldn’t get their security deposit back on rentals with their stained tub

[@underskinYT]

I wonder if the dye was squid ink, because maybe they’re trying to lower the man-made chemicals

[@charlisays]

​@@underskinYTsurely squid ink wouldn't be perceived as vegetarian or ethical?

[@katiwang]

Your deep dives would be great series on Netflix. I wish they tapped youtube for content creators/producers instead of half the stuff they put out. I love these so much!

[@amritagill1680]

What a well researched piece with plenty of primary source material to back your points. I’d love to hear even more if you make a part 2! I am hoping to work with lush one day :)

[@underskinYT]

I might make one if the company closes down for some dramatic reason, but I only release one a month, so it would have to be dramatic 😅

[@WifeMamaArtist]

Nasty company with nasty politics.

[@puddin6260]

I try and want to support Lush, just because the only way to make other companies go in a more sustainable route is to show that it can also be really profitable, but they are way to expensive for what they sell, and sadly it has become the same with a lot of other good companies. I understand that being sustainable is expensive, but a lot of them have just become more expensive to make more money, than they really need, even some of them becoming less sustainable for profit, is a sad thing to witness.

[@underskinYT]

Personally I think TBS did that more effectively because it made consumers more aware of their buying power which led to things like customer demand of vegan products. Most of the push was done by them not really by lush

[@carola-lifeinparis]

I love your videos, you have this great voice that is so easy to listen to. I like Lush, like the smell and experience, I like the attention from sales people and testing products - but I think the last time I went was 2022... I moved so now it's not on my way home anymore but also not something I am planning on going to.

[@underskinYT]

Im so glad you enjoyed the video. I get about why you may not go in if you dont pass by anymore, I mean enticing people into stores is really the main way they retain/introduce new customers in general

[@paolaluftnagle7099]

Their prices make it so that their products are out of reach for me personally but the last time i did splurge for them was their spongebob collab and honestly i would buy it again it smelt so good and left my skin so soft. Great video once again!

[@patrickweyland-smith1023]

Issue for Lush Australia in 2018 with the owed back pay was a scandal. It was due to still relying on paper timesheets for their rostering and payment systems. It was so backward for a company at that time to rely on that type of documentation. I will give them credit. They actually released the story themselves, took accountability and I believe many if not all got back paid by 2020. The Australian director did leave the company shortly after that.

[@patrickweyland-smith1023]

The 2019 manufacturing scandal in Lush Australia though was a cock up and no mistake. No PPE for these workers. bicarb and citric acid consistently inhaled is never fun

[@underskinYT]

Can I ask is lush popular in Australia? I wondered after such major scandals if it would’ve affected the popularity

[@KatieRae_AmidCrisis]

I *loved* CTG! Fab products, great prices - bought loads. That Ginger perfume was truly gorgeous. In contrast, disliked Lush from the outset. Stupid name. Unappealing products. And the shops reek enough to give you a headache. Fun fact: I proof read the very first Lush mail order catalogue. It was relatively modest, and in the format of a newspaper, as I remember. I think I did it for something like £50 worth of products 😆

[@underskinYT]

It really seems CTG was very well loved, such a shame the back end was irreparable tbh, it had so much potential. Also, thats quite the claim to fame! I bet thag £50 of products was more than 4 bars of soap back then 🤣

[@KatieRae_AmidCrisis]

​@@underskinYTyou know what? - now I think about it - I think it must have been the *second* Lush mail order news sheet catalogue thing that I proofread. I contacted them and offered, because the previous sales material they'd sent me - I'm thinking, must have been the first catalogue - was so full of typos! And they took me up on it.

[@Schemilix]

My hometown is Poole. promise that's the only thing going on there.

[@underskinYT]

Hahahahahah

[@sahahahahhahahahahahaha8576]

i wish you had a channel for every topic

[@dangela3039]

I use to love Lush but they use so much fragrance

[@underskinYT]

Its the most definable aspect for sure

[@xBriYeon]

My friend works for them and she hates it. Reckless nepotism, understaffing, when corporate came to visit they DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT "K-BEAUTY" is. Lush is over.

[@underskinYT]

I believe the lush stores in Korea are subsidiaries, which would be why they probably don’t think it’s their job to know what it is. But, obviously it is it’s impacting the whole world of cosmetics.

[@HelenGill2222]

I enjoy my LUSH products. Some of the Body Shop scents lately have been plain awful. Like Moringa and I still have a litre of Mango shower gel which smells sharp. Am happier with the fragrances at Lush.

[@underskinYT]

Im glad youve got something that works so well for you

[@artisticshortcake8417]

I feel like the two biggest things that have turned me away from lush are the prices and the sales tactics. Even a few years ago the prices of things wouldn't be too bad, but they just seem to keep hiking them out without seemingly changing anything other than the packaging. Second, I absolutely HATE going into a LUSH store because you're bombarded by staff as soon as you walk in. Of course I don't blame the employees for this, it's what they're told to do, but I'd rather be able to explore the store and the products by myself. The smell of the shop is overhwleming for my autistic brain without a sales person coming up to me every 5 seconds. I think for Gen Z especially this sales tactic is really counterproductive, I have several friends who actively avoid going into lush, like myself, because the sales people are so aggresive.

[@underskinYT]

What’s interesting about lushis that the way that they have merchandise themselves the way that they have planned the business, they are really set up as a retail store. It’s been hard for them to translate that onto online. So, for them to have bad service in store is a real detriment. Because you would think with the way that they run the business, they would need that more than anything else to get people to continue to come into the store, to have that loyalty

[@martiangentian]

Just walking past a Lush shop used to break out my skin and give me headaches I couldn’t believe people thought it was “natural” 🤣🤣🤣

[@underskinYT]

Depends on how far the term ‘natural’ is stretched 🤷

[@KatieRae_AmidCrisis]

I remember the naming competition! I might have entered - can't remember... It makes sense that they started the new company before closing the original - in that I remember no particular gap/delay between CTG closing down, and Lush commencing to sell. Presumably using the same customer mailing list.

[@underskinYT]

You do?? How did they go about it without a name?? And yeah I agree it makes total sense to overlap them in case the new businss failed. It was very smart

[@KatieRae_AmidCrisis]

​@@underskinYTI guess they spent a while ahead of time getting everything ready, bar the name they were going to trade under...?

[@werg1231234567890]

To me actually since I was obsessed with lush at 12 mostly now that they finally open stores in my country and I earn my own income I can finally buy stuff. Store is always full and i know the workers. I keep replacing my packaging to free face masks and I love their perfumes so much. I love their body oils and soaps as well!

[@underskinYT]

Im so glad you have something you enjoy so much 🩵

[@slloyd2008]

I fully believe I am allergic to everything in that store. The smell alone is too much for me to go in.

[@underskinYT]

I have extremely sensitive skin, and I can tell you from my experience that some of the earlier products were much kinder to my skin than they are now, but sometimes I can stomach a soap as long as it’s in abar form

[@gpeaches]

Lush used to be so cool back in the day. Early 2010s I loved going around their store as a teen. All the colours were so fun. Now, I find the smell of the store gives me a headache, their prices are insane, and so many beauty brands are now "clean" and cruelty free so there are way more options that frankly work better for me (I never really liked their face or hair products). The brand feels gimmicky to me, even though it's clearly been consistent for decades. I also find the employees absolutely hound you when you go in! I haven't shopped at a Lush in over a decade, mostly because I hate when sales staff don't take a hint or are trained to be pushy and linger.

[@underskinYT]

I completely agree that the store is gimmicky, that’s what makes it sell, that’s what makes it so easily recognised. Just because it’s been consistent doesn’t mean it’s less gimmicky. I wonder if that’s how the developments like glitter happened, because it was easier to sell a gimmick than to sell, genuine product

[@OJ_Kjeldsen]

In my country, there is only one Lush store left. We have never had a lot of stores, but at least one each in the big cities and two in the capital. Now there's only one left in the capital, and the web store is down.

[@underskinYT]

Which country is this?

[@sclements1193]

i used to work for lush and i’ve never experienced such gaslighting and terrible ethics at a company (there’s literally no hr department). i’ve also met mark constantine and he’s a wanker lmao

[@underskinYT]

It seems like you’ve had a very common experience for this company, which is obviously unfortunate. Interesting you say that about Mark too

[@user-er6gk1wi8y]

I really don't like Lush stores because just walking triggers my asthma. It's even worse than candle stores, just super super pungent. The only reason I've thought about them recentlyish was the One Piece collab, which was fully out of nowhere but (SORT OF) made sense (pirates, water, baths, sure). Even then, I didn't want to enter the store at all. The only smell I can stand from them is Honey I Washed the Kids.

[@underskinYT]

Did you get anything from the collab?

[@Thatgirlkayyy]

Lush products would irritate my skin so bad 😅😭

[@underskinYT]

Most everything with fragrance gets my skin in a tizzy, but I can manage their soaps and they used to do unscented scrubs that worked for me, but Id be lucky to find that today

[@MsDezB1]

While visiting London in 2005, a friend had taken me to Lush on Kensington High Street. I came back to NY and was a frequent customer of Lush Union Square and the Lush on Lex(ington Ave). A short few years later, while at the Lex location, one of the employees VERY rudely reached his body in front of me while I was looking at bath bombs. No "excuse me." Nothing. That experience was so off-putting and disrespectful, I walked out and never purchased from Lush again.

[@underskinYT]

Customer service is the backbone of retail

[@charleee787]

Fabulous video!

[@andreabellini6796]

All those smells are ridiculously strong. I couldn’t even go in those stores

[@aslprobro]

Great video. Thanks for sharing. Am a Lushie for sure, but the context really helps me feel like I’m making a more informed decision. ❤

[@underskinYT]

Im glad you enjoyed it and Im so happy you have a store you enjoy so much 🩵

[@Incrediblugh]

I used to be so obsessed with lush I used to go every week after getting paid to stock up on bath bombs and yeah it was a treat but it wasn’t unaffordable but with their current prices I cannot at all justify spending that kind of money on something so unnecessary

[@underskinYT]

Do you still get it for yourself, maybe for Christmas or Hanukkah?

[@Incrediblugh]

@@underskinYT very rarely like maybe once a year if that and it’s rarely as a treat it’s usually just for the shampoo bars when I’m travelling

[@ElsieMarina]

I adore lush with my whole heart! I really hope they never fail, I discovered the products on 2008 and I have never ever looked back. Yes the prices went up but the raw materials prices skyrocketed after the pandemic too and my favorite part of their business is that they claim they always practice fair trade with all their suppliers. Also I find that of course the body shop was first and I guess they share some similarities but I’ve always found that lush’s products are incredibly different to anything else in the market, they’re so special! And the scents too I’ve never really smelled anything quite similar and the quality of the products is top notch and I have tried MANY higher end brands but nobody does it like lush IMO

[@huntsman145]

Nobody screws their employees over like Lush, or is hypocritical enough to claim to be green while shipping 3 bathboms across the continent to undercut the idiot who bought a franchise license from them.

[@mymasmith7848]

Back when, some 15-20 years ago, I used to pick up stuff when we were visiting my husband's folks in the UK. In between trips, I might order stuff from their Canadian catalog, as they had not yet expanded to the US. It was a special treat. Now, its just another mall store with smelly bath and body stuff. I have two malls near me, and both have a Lush. If I am going to the mall for bath stuff, I'd rather go to Bath and Body Works with the coupons. I am old enough to remember Crabtree & Evelyn dominating the mall smelly bath store, now I don't think they exist anymore either. Their lime soap and also their rose scents were great.

[@leefrancis007]

Wow applaud the channel for replying to every comment 🙏👌👏

[@underskinYT]

I try very hard to 🩵 But I do really afore the comments, I just dont get notified about all of them which is annoying

[@briannegallant1102]

I remember I worked at a DavidsTea (canadian here!) (was another culty brand selling loose leaf tea on a country level and took a lot of marketing and product inspo from companies like Lush, Lululemon, Starbucks, and The Body Shop). While I was working there part-time, I'd been approached and harrassed by one of the Lush managers in the same mall to come and work for her. I was flattered at first, but I was also a student, so I really only had time for the one job and I told her that, but she just WOULD NOT STOP. If I wanted to shop at Lush, I had to buy online or go to another mall just so I wouldn't have to deal with her. Another time, I went into another Lush that I wasn't familiar with, and within 30 seconds of talking this worker GRABS my arm and starts scrubbing shit on it. Without asking. I was super taken aback. Thankfully, I didn't have any allergies! I left super quickly.

[@fipah5817]

I was SOOO WAITING FOR THIS VIDEO 🤍👀

[@underskinYT]

Glad to provide 🥰

[@miazmiazmia]

I don’t really have any history with lush because they didn’t come to my area until very recently, but PHEW those prices…. Not for me girl

[@underskinYT]

It’s like a birthday gift type place

[@lug358]

Lush opened a store in my city back in 2016 and it was major. I loved it, never seen something like it before. For the next like 2 years, a lot of people went by Lush. But sometime even before the pandemic, the rush of people went down, and after the pandemic...well. Nowadays it is always empty when i walk by. There is rarelly someone looking the products sometimes but it is clear that it is a crisis for the brand. Their prices are unjustifiable, the "natural" products are sometimes allergy producing... i think that even if people want to waste money on skincare and such nowadays, people are not a fan of them. I used some thing in the past and it was mainly because i loved the smell of some products, but i always was hurt about wasting so much money on a hair conditioner.

[@underskinYT]

Repeat purchases are the backbone of cosmetics. Its one of the reasons they are so consistently profitable. If customers are not returning itll be for a good reason

[@NaomiDollxoxo]

I don’t think people really understand how expensive the raw ingredients are and how much MORE expensive the ethical raw ingredients are. I’m seeing a theme in the comments and no it is not going to be the “standard” to be ethical bc that requires the whole word to be ethical and the reality is that is not possible. What is possible is to find the few and far between that choose to do the right thing. Also palm oil is not all bad and there is very so ethical fair trade palm oil

[@paddyolten4031]

I’m still the ‘victim’ of Lush…. I can’t stop myself buying their stuffs especially when I step inside their flagship in Oxford Street…. Although I know the price point is ridiculous but the experience using their products bring me back to my childhood 😢😢😢😢

[@underskinYT]

That’s totally fine, if you have loyalty to a shop, you should want to spend time there and spend your hard earned money there, that is valued 🩵

[@pineandsprucebooks]

My favourite body wash is The Olive Branch. I love how it smells and how it makes me feel. In fairness, Naturium body washes cost around £16-£18 but that's for 500ml. The 275g/ml bottle form Lush costs £17 - almost half the amount of product! It is just not possible to justify putting that amount of money into a body wash. Maybe the ingredients and the ethics actually do make it worth that but salaries aren't made for products like that, at that amount, to cost that much. We're already being bled for money in all directions, we can't be spending that much to clean our bodies too.

[@underskinYT]

Yeah, it’s definitely a high price point for the average Joe, I wonder if they will adapt to that in the future

[@onelove33333]

I LOVE Lush products but I can not justify spending that much money. I think I’ve only shopped there a couple of times. If their prices were more affordable I’d be a regular customer.