SOS - Save Our Skin!

Lush Face Scrub, Toner and Mask Review

 

Hello everyone!

I can't believe it's already June! It feels like it was March and I was at hanami (cherry blossom viewing) with my friends just yesterday. Life is going by so quickly! But it really is June, and that means it's rainy season! I think I am the only person in Japan who actually really likes rainy season. I like the cloudy, cool weather and listening to the sound of the rain hitting the window pane. Maybe it sounds a little strange but I feel more comfortable when it is rainy and I feel more myself. I find it so calming and so relaxing. But what I don't love about rainy season is what it does to my skin!

As with every change of season in Japan, rainy season and the change to summer weather has done a number on my skin. Osaka summers are very humid,  a lot more than Toronto summers! After two years living here my skin has adapted a little bit but not enough that it no longer effects it! 

Japanese is famous for it's skin care goods. Many would say it's second only to Korea in makeup and skin care. Walk into any drug store in Japan and there are shelves and shelves of face washes, toners and masks. Not only Japanese brands but imported Western brands as well. I have used a few different Japanese face washes as well as Western ones (Dove was my go-to for a long time) but I found them just barely keeping my skin clear or that they did the trick for a while but before long I was getting spots here and there again. They definitely did not stand up to the Change of Season challenge. My skin is just so fickle and can be so sensitive it's hard to pin down a good match!

When I was living back in Toronto I purchased Lush's Angels on Bare Skin face scrub and I found it worked really well on my skin. So when I discovered Lush was not only in Japan but that there were several locations near me I was ecstatic! In fact this past winter I once again purchased Angels on Bare Skin and was fairly happy with the results. But as I mentioned summer in Osaka is incredibly humid. Angels on Bare Skin just wasn't giving me the scrub that my skin felt like it needed. After doing some research online, and recalling what the Lush employee back in Toronto told me I decided to try the Dark Angels face scrub. I also decided to pair it with the Eau Roma Water Toner.

My Skin Type: Bipolar. Some days it is oily and other times dry as a bone. It really does depend on the weather. If I had to label it, I would say combination. I find my T-zone gets more oily whereas my cheeks can be dry. My skin is also sensitive and hot tempered. If I don't moisturize my skin I will break out, but if I over moisturize it I will also break out! If my face scrub is too weak I will break out but if I over do it I will pay. You can see how finding the right skincare product for my face can be tricky! 

So let's start with Dark Angels. Now I am not going to lie, the first thing that attracted me to this face
scrub was it's colour - black! Anyone who knows me knows I love black! But after I did some research into the scrub itself I was more than sold. It seemed like a good, solid scrub without any unnecessary frills. A scrub that would do what it was meant to do, give me clear skin! And that is exactly what I got!

Dark Angels is a serious, real exfoliator. Unlike cheaper brands with their micro-beads I could actually feel Dark Angels working as I used it. Dark Angels contains black sugar and charcoal which absorbs all the extra oil on your skin. After spending all day teaching hyperactive children in classrooms without central air conditioning this is exactly what my skin needed! As I mentioned I could actually feel the scrub doing it's job as I worked it in circular motions on my skin. Similarly once you rinse it off you're left with a fresh faced sensation it's almost like you literally washed away an entire layer of gunk off your face! If you're worried about the sugar and the charcoal being too rough the scrub also contains organic avocado oil to hydrate and soften your skin. Finally the rhassoul mud helps prevent any further breakouts. My skin can be quite oily in the summer but it's still sensitive. I was worried that Dark Angels would be too rough. But all the ingredients work together to reduce redness and irritation while still being gentle.

It doesn't smell fruity or anything. After all, it is black and made with charcoal! I find that a plus but if you prefer something fruity or sweet smelling you might want to try another face scrub. I have used this scrub for two weeks and so far I am hooked! My breakouts are gone and my skin has become less red and more matte! I am so incredibly happy with this face scub and will be purchasing it again as soon as I run out!

TIP!

You can totally use these scrubs on your body too! If you notice your skin is doing some weird things thanks to a new lotion, laundry detergent, stress or the change to humid weather I recommend using Dark Angels or Lush's Ocean Salt face and body scrub (omg can we just mention how amazing Ocean Salt smells) on the problem area. It's really effective! 

After washing with Dark Angels I follow up with Eau Roma Water. I am really bad with using toners and actually hadn't really been using any before purchasing Eau Roma Water. I sometimes used this Japanese brand that my boyfriend uses but I wasn't a huge fan of it. The fact that this toner is in a bottle that I can just quickly spray on after washing my face is a plus. The spray contains rose and lavender oil. These oils treat redness, irritation and dryness. Since Osaka summers are so humid my skin doesn't need that much moisture. As such, Eau Roma Water is perfect! It's refreshing, not heavy on the skin, hydrating, it absorbs quickly. The scent is also light and not overwhelming. For summer weather the lightness of the spray is key. I just want to feel fresh faced and clean after a long day in the oppressive heat. I do wonder how this spray will hold up in the winter which is significantly more drier. At least for the warmer weather, I will continue to use this product.

 

I only meant to by a face wash and a toner...I really did...but then the super cute Lush employee asked me if I wanted to try one of their masks on my hand and before I knew it, I was sold! Did I mention the guy who asked was super cute? But I digress...

In all honestly though, the Cupcake face mask felt amazing on my hand and that's what finally convinced me to give it a try. Not only does it smell delicious (seriously, it makes me almost want to eat it!) but it immediately feels so cold and smooth on my skin! The fact that you store it in the fridge may help with the cool factor but it really does feel great, especially after a hot shower!

So far I have used this mask twice (once a week) but I already notice a difference. The mask contains rhassoul mud which will give you that deep cleanse and get rid of excess oil. The cocoa powder that gives the amazing chocolatey scent works with the mud to suck up all the dirt and impurities that can get into our skin throughout our hectic day. The spearmint oil helps provide a cooling sensation and helps tone the skin along with the vanilla. The vanilla also helps reduce redness. Since using this mask along with Dark Angels and Eau Roma Water I have noticed that my skin has gotten notably less red! This has made me extremely happy since I have always been conscious of my red skin. I don't want to look like a tomato! The cocoa butter adds the final touch -  it softens and moisturizes! Not only has my skin become less red but also more matte!

I have used some Japanese face masks in the past, the classic white cloth drenched in liquid kind and while I do enjoy them I think it is safe to say I have been converted to Lush fresh face masks. It just makes my skin feel a hundred times better. Unlike the cheap 100 yen face masks I can actually feel the ingredients in Cupcake working on my skin and making it flawless!

I have even converted my boyfriend! He has combination skin that tends to be oily in the summer but dry in the winter. His skin is also on the sensitive size. He has tried the Cupcake mask twice and after the first time he already felt a difference! However he has told me that the Dark Angels scrub feels a little too rough on his skin and he prefers Angels on Bare Skin. He gets a good scrub but it is more mild for his temperamental skin. So if you find Dark Angels a bit too rough, we both recommend you grab Angels on Bare Skin!

Bonus!

Boyfriend has recently quit smoking (almost one month and no slip ups! Yay!) and as such has been chewing all of the gum in Japan. That, in combination with going from humid weather outside into the dryness of his air conditioned office has resulted in painfully chapped lips. He was using various brands from the drug store but nothing was helping! I picked him up Honey Trap lip balm while at Lush and the change was amazing! Almost overnight his lips improved 100%! The toning sweet orange and cooling peppermint helps heal his cut and chapped lips and the white chocolate and honey keeps them moisturized to prevent any more damage! It makes kisses a little sweeter too!♡~

I know it's hard to believe that I am happy with all these Lush products but I really am! So far my skin has become less irritated, less red and my breakouts have also calmed down. If I do notice that after a while the products just aren't doing it for me anymore I will make sure to let you all know! So if the weather or the stress of everyday life is taking a toll on you too check out Lush! They have many different scrubs so you're sure to find something that will fit you!