Have you heard of LUSH?

[ChrissyB]

I love the Alkmaar dupe. It's to die for.
Really nice once soaped. The reviews said it accelllerated like a speedy sports car, but I didn't find that, I was ready for it though. I ended up having lots of time.

 

[Saltysteele]

i plan on making the alkmaar. i know it smells wonderful! (just don't remember which one)(that was the sandalwood based one, right )

my sister brought a bunch of her lushes over, but i don't remember which was which lol

just remember the names of the ones i liked

 

[Manchy]

from the business point of view, i think lush made a big favor to everyone who wants to enter the market of handmade soaps. they have lots of money and can afford a big campaign, and so open and wider the market. i think it's much easier to enter once they did the hard job
of course, they keep the large portion, unless another large company enters. so, for a small business it's hardly to say that they're your competition, at least in my opinion. every business has it's own unique qualities, their own customers and niche.

and, just for fun, here's the picture of a lush store in germany:
http://engrishfunny.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/engrish-funny-hand-job1.jpg?w=480&h=360

 

[Healinya]

i just made some liquid crack tonight (rock star dupe). can't wait to see how it turns out. it's a strange smell oob. good.... nice...., but strange.

kinda like a person of the opposite sex you find strange, yet oddly arousing :shock:

That is *exactly* how I described their kazikazi (karma dupe), which has now become my absolute favorite.

 

[madpiano]

from the business point of view, i think lush made a big favor to everyone who wants to enter the market of handmade soaps. they have lots of money and can afford a big campaign, and so open and wider the market. i think it's much easier to enter once they did the hard job
of course, they keep the large portion, unless another large company enters. so, for a small business it's hardly to say that they're your competition, at least in my opinion. every business has it's own unique qualities, their own customers and niche.

and, just for fun, here's the picture of a lush store in germany:
http://engrishfunny.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/engrish-funny-hand-job1.jpg?w=480&h=360

I completley agree with you. And if you read about the guy who founded Lush, it really makes you think and admire them.

He started making cosmetics from his home in the 1980s, very much like us but it wasn't paying the bills. The woman from Body Shop came across his products and placed an order. She was so happy with his stuff that she kept ordering more and more until he became their biggest supplier at which point Body Shop bought his business. (This was at the time when BS was still independant and did the whole natural, no animal testing thing). He used the money to set-up an online cosmetic business which failed spectacularly and he lost everything. He didn't give up though and started Lush with a small shop in Portsmouth and from there he grew to what they are now.

He really is my inspiration (although I could do without the failing on-line business). If he can make it, any of us can as well.

In an interview with one of his sons, he said that mum was always cooking soap in the kitchen and that that everyone who used the shower was always questioned on how they likes the soap. That sounded sooo familiar.

 

[Saltysteele]

i just made some liquid crack tonight (rock star dupe). can't wait to see how it turns out. it's a strange smell oob. good.... nice...., but strange.

kinda like a person of the opposite sex you find strange, yet oddly arousing :shock:

That is *exactly* how I described their kazikazi (karma dupe), which has now become my absolute favorite.

isn't karma patchouli and sweet orange? i just ordered some patchouli and sweet orange to try to emulate it.

 

[carebear]

Anyone know what EDTA is?

(ultra-late) we use EDTA tubes in the veterinary office to keep blood from clotting when doing blood analysis! who knew you could be rubbing that all over your body?

EDTA is a chelating agent, among other things. It binds with the minerals in water to prevent them from then binding with the soap to form soap scum. It also keeps them from promoting oxidation and thus can extend the life of an oil or a soap.

It's very much a magical material, IMO.

 

[carebear]

isn't karma patchouli and sweet orange? i just ordered some patchouli and sweet orange to try to emulate it.

it is, but not these alone. Have you ever smelled the real thing? IFT (now Agilex) has a marvelous dupe, as does Scent Works. But the stuff aint' cheap. I think at Scent Works it's about $48/pound now.

 

[Saltysteele]

yes, i've smelled the real karma, if that's what you're asking. my sister was a lush-head, until she got tired of spending tons of cash there, and now has made her own soap. so, she has a box with like 10-15 different varieties.

i love patchouli (used to care a vial of it everywhere i went), so of course, i was attracted to karma. i figured there were other flavors in there, as well.

48 bucks! dang!

she also had alkmaar, which i dug. the karma was part of a 3 pack, which also contained happy and honey i washed the kids, or whatever their's is called.

i can see how people can get hooked on the stuff! much cheaper and more fun to do it yourself.