LUSH
HISTORY OF LUSH In May of 1995, Lush’s fresh products were officially launched, but the company’s history stretches back far beyond that time. The present creative team has been working together for over twenty years (but they prefer not to get too specific in case anyone thinks they might be getting a bit long in the tooth). Suffice to say that they started working together when they were all very young indeed, developing hair products with natural ingredients, making immensely successful products for the Body Shop, launching their own, ground-breaking, mail order business Cosmetics to Go in the UK then starting all over again.
The Lush name was the result of a competition which ran in the fledgling company’s first handmade newsletter and catalogue. Mrs. Elizabeth Bennett of Edinburgh decided on Lush and curiously, quite independently and at the same time, so did the team. From their home in 29 High Street, Poole, Dorset at the seaside of the south of England, Lush grew into the international company we know and love - still managing to stay friendly and accessible, still hand-making fresh products but now in quite a few different factories around the world.
How do we do this? There are lots of reasons why Lush has grown but kept the feeling of being a small business which stays true to its original aims. We do business with people we like. The company’s directors still create all the products and do not compromise on quality. Mark Constantine and his son Simon create all the fragrances, using the loveliest ingredients in the known universe. We’re probably the only company which uses real jasmine absolute perfume (more expensive than gold) in affordable objects to throw in the bath! All Lush products are still handmade; when we expand we employ more people not machines. We do stay true to our original aims and instead of feeling like one huge business, we’re more like lots of small ones which all work together.
Products may be different shapes in different countries because individuals mould them in their own style. They may be different colours; the oranges available in Italy are different from the ones used in Japan; Australia uses different grapes from the UK. Nevertheless, you will always recognise Lush by the quality of the ingredients, the freshness and the unmistakable scent of hundreds of essential oils.
Today we have over 700 shops in 46 countries across the globe! Because we stick to what we believe in, we hope that Lush will continue to grow but will always keep its heart and soul.
