Lust Lust: Herbalism, Fresh Farmacy, Coalface, and Ocean Salt

Just a warning, this is more of a negative review for these products. What may not work for me may work for you though, so if you’ve been wanting to try these products, just give them a go.

Also, for reference, I have oily skin that sometimes will get dry patches in the winter. I sampled these products because these cleansers are supposed to be great for skin types like mine, and I was at a point in my life at which I wanted all my products to be Lush, so I got a ton of skincare samples. In the end though, a completely Lush routine isn’t practical.

Herbalism was straight-up horrible for me. First of all, it smells disgusting. It also barely scrubs: it’s just chunks of almond that don’t do anything but wash down the drain. The residue is so bad, that after I washed my face with this, when I ran my nail down the side of my nose, there were green, oily leftovers stuck under my fingernail. I had to wash and scrub the grime off, which completely defeats the purpose. It's also very messy. I wouldn't use it outside of the shower if I were you. There's a Lush cleanser that is worth the mess, but that's a separate review.

Fresh Farmacy also left me with residue issues and breakouts. The only thing I did like about this is that the bar is very creamy, has a nice lather, and dries quickly on the soap dish (no mushy mess), and lasts forever. I didn’t like the smell at first, but I got used to it. Then it broke me out, so I binned my sample. A lot of people swear by this though, so if you want to try this out, go for it. I think that if you liked this, it's true bang for your buck.

Coalface was a miss for me because it left a residue. It didn’t break me out because I just washed my face after to get rid of the residue anyway. Since I have to wash my face after, again, that defeats the purpose of a non-exfoliating cleanser. Again, I did appreciate the bar form, it was long lasting, etc. It also smells so good. A little bit like my beloved Dark Angels: nice and licorice-y. I ended up finishing my sample as a soap for my body.

Ocean Salt is an awesome exfoliator. However, I didn’t like using it on my face at all. It completely dissolves if you use too much water, which wastes product. I’d use this as a scrub only and wash it off with a cleanser, so it’s not like it’s a waste of money if used correctly. I love this stuff for everywhere (especially the hands) but the face, believe me. But it’s hard to take on your face because the smell is so strong, and it is a bit irritating. Salt is also comedogenic apparently. It dries your face out and makes everything harden in your pores, thus clogging them. So I kind of got scared of using this on my face. This also doesn’t last long for the money, because it dries out quickly into a non-usable crust. Dissappointing. 

In the end, as much as I love Lush, these are products that I don’t think I could ever spend my money on. I love Lush products, but I’m not the kind of person now that has to only use Lush things and nothing else. I use Lush stuff because a lot of it is very effective in the end and worth the money because they’re better than other stuff out there. Just make sure you always sample before you buy their skincare!


I do have some positive skin care reviews coming, so look out for those.