Sunday, December 6, 2009

Lush Dark Angels Review

Based on high demand, the first product I'm reviewing from my haul is Lush Dark Angels. Lush has got me hooked already. Although its pricey and not available near me, I think it's well worth it because it's like buying ready-made DIY products. With DIY, sometimes by the time you've bought all the ingredients, the price is already high, and you run the risk of hating the final product. With Lush, its like you're getting the best of both worlds: the ingredients are few and fresh, and you're still getting a well-vetted product.

So onto my thoughts on Dark Angels.


The ingredients: 
  • Charcoal is a very powerful substance that chemically attracts toxins towards it. In fact it is routinely used to save poison victims! When applied topically, charcoal literally draws impurities out of your pores. 
  • Rhassoul mud is a natural anti-bacterial agent. 
  • Sandalwood is used widely in India for treating dry skin, oily skin, sensitive skin, and acne scars. Its fragrance also relieves anxiety and increases concenration. Little wonder then that it is used for nervous brides-to-be!
  • Black Sugar is an excellent exfoliant, with fairly large, coarse bits.
Highly impressive but a bit messy
I used this stuff on a particularly oily-skin day. After taking off my makeup, I took a penny-size amount of what looked like pitch black, sandy Play-doh. I put it in my palm and mixed it with water to make a paste. I put it all over my face, and the earthy smell really refreshed me and make me feel all woodsy. The scrub is intense, so avoid if you have sensitive skin or open blemishes.

After rinsing, I FREAKED OUT because there were tiny black spots around my nose and cheeks. I'd heard of getting a "tattooing effect" from charcoal, so I quickly grabbed my Coastal Scents cleanser brush and scrubbed for dear life, followed by a bit of Biore Cleanser.

Whew, it was all good after that. The second time I used it, I used a bit less, and there was substantially lesser spotting. I just had to follow with cleanser, but no brushing.

Effects: my skin is smoother than a baby's butt. This thing really scrubs the dead cells off your face, and the oil doesn't return for days. It's BY FAR the best exfoliant I have ever used. Although it requires a bit of effort and substantial sink cleanup, its my baby and I love it for who it is!

Another downer, is that it has a short 2 month shelf life. With the recommended usage being 2x a week, I'm afraid I'll not use it all up. I guess that's the downside of buying fresh preservative-free products.


4 stars for performance: It. works. wonders.
1 star removed for the short shelf life, messyness, and ability to spot your skin if you use too much.

Grease Lightning review is up next! Thanks for reading!

13 comments:

Gaby Fauchon said...

Thanks for that review! I've heard good thing about this product, but I've never tried any Lush products. Maybe I should put this on my Christmas wish list? (=

Ashwini said...

Do put it! Note that its a bit messy and a little goes a long way, but I love it. It's very unique. :)

Cynthia Z said...

Hey thanks for the review..n yes Lush stuff do have a short shelf life, which is y I'm always skeptical about buying their products. I recently found a Lush bath bomb I'd forgotten about n it's like 1 n half years old. I put it in the tub but no more fizz :\
Well at least it went the way it was supposed to n not in the trash :)
♥XX♥

Heather said...

I have been thinking of picking this up. Thanks for the review!

Mz. More said...

I may have to pick this up as I am in desperate need of a new intensive exfoliator. Thanks for the review

Palak said...

wow !!
this sound so ME .
will pick it up upon my next visit to LUSH counter !
Thanks :)

Dreams That Glitter xoxo said...

Thanks for such an amazing review. I truly believe it's better than MAC's Volcanic Ash exfoliator!
xoxo

Ashwini said...

@Cynthia: aww that's too bad about the bath bomb. I better get to my whoosh quickly then!

@Heather, Mz. More and streetsmartjunki: glad you all liked the review! I appreciate your comments. :)

Ashwini said...

@Georgie: I'm glad to hear you say that! I avoided MAC because of the price tag and I'm glad I won't miss it!

Tanveer said...

hey! this sounds really good and i wanna try this too.. but am getting worried about the "spotting"... If u don't mind can u pls share how much do u use for exfoliation and how long do u let it stay on?

Also considering that it lasts only for 2 mnths, how much shd one buy, if one were to use it twice a week..

Sorry for pelting u with so many questions, but just felt very inquisitive.

Cheryl♥ said...

This stuff sounds amazing! I think I will have to pick this up next time I'm at LUSH! Thanks for letting me know about your review :)

carmen said...

I use the charcoal cleanser bar. It is a great daily cleanser with a touch of exfoliation.

Unknown said...

This is the best cleanser ever
I also love fresh farmacy when this isn't working for my skin
http://lauracuddles.blogspot.ie/2013/12/lush-dark-angels-facial-cleanser.html

Laura x

Post a Comment