Lush Sexy Peel Soap, $6.95
It’s been a minute. Life caught up and it had to be the priority. Frankly, it still does, but for the first time in a while I had some inspiration so I wanted to capture it.
TL;DR: I switched soaps to Lush Sexy Peel soap and have been using it for about a year. As I age, my skin seems to be inching closer and closer to pickiness. For some reason, my skin started to be less of a fan of Dove bar soap. This was a disappointment, because it is inexpensive, accessible, clean and neutral smelling. It worked for me for ages! I started down the Lush rabbit hole a few years ago, dipping my toe into bath bomb land but have come to appreciate a few other products of theirs since. It is, in a word, wonderful.
At the end of June 2019, I headed to Lush to treat myself for my then-upcoming birthday. My haul consisted of a few things, most notably Lush Sexy Peel soap. I plucked this unassuming-looking orange-scented one from the shelf and whisked it to the register with me. The friendly Lush employee wrapped it in a piece of thick paper (recyclable, yay), packed it with my other purchases, and sent me on my way.
Assumptions
At the time, it was a frivolous, novel purchase – like basically everything I bought there – and I didn’t have high expectations for the soap. I assumed that as a largely natural product it would not last very long and that. I also assumed that, although it smelled nice, it wouldn’t do much for my skin.
Bzzt, wrong.
Fragrance
Lush Sexy Peel features a slightly sweet, uplifting citrus scent. It isn’t that sharp, “you’ve been backhanded with orange and lemon peels,” that you can occasionally get from products with this fragrance profile. It doesn’t stay potent on the skin, so it won’t clash with any other fragrance you might use – and if you skip fragrance, it holds up lightly and pleasantly on its own. It’s lovely to wake up with if you’re a morning shower sort (I’m generally not, but when I do I am so thankful for it).
My husband remarked once that the smell reminded him of Fruity Pebbles. I think it smells more like orange Pez candy – but, you know, better. It isn’t cloyingly sweet at all.
Longevity
I had that small block of soap for over four months with regular (not daily, sometimes I’d use something else) usage. I’d say that’s about average since I tend to alternate between it and another body cleanser (it has varied over this year). You know how some soaps kinda break down and become, “mushy,” in the shower? This one seems to resist that unfortunate quality. To help prolong its life, I like to keep it on a slatted soap holder like this one:
A little goes a long way! I’d estimate that I get 3-4 months out of the average block with every-other-day usage.
Dat Feel
I can’t use castile soaps like Dr. Bronner’s and the like (don’t @ me) on my body. I know some people love them as a one-size-fits-all, but one-size never really fits all, does it? They strip too much moisture from my skin. Fortunately, Lush Sexy Peel does not. I would not describe this high-vitamin C-content soap (read: brightening!) as particularly moisturizing in and of itself, but it doesn’t strip my skin or irritate it in the slightest, which is important to me as I inch further and further from not, “like twelve.” I usually use lotion or oil after as a matter of course, but I don’t need to every time. I’m simply left feeling clean, not dry, itchy, or irritated.
Price
This is one of two kickers: Sexy Peel isn’t cheap – but then, nothing at Lush is. At $6.95 for 3.5oz, it’s firmly in the, “this is a silly a luxury.” category for me. As a point of comparison, at $6.88, six 3.75oz bars of Dove cost less than that on Amazon or at a big box store. I’m willing to spend on this now for a few reasons:
- It is kind to my skin when my drugstore go-to stopped being
- I’m happy to get away from excess packaging when/where I can
- I’ve reached a point where I am happier to concentrate my beauty and personal care budget into fewer, high-quality products than a veritable smorgasbord
- The employees at my local Lush, when I go, are always flawlessly pleasant and helpful without being overwhelming, and I’d like to support that!
Accessibility
The second kicker is that Lush products are not highly accessible. You have two options: buy them from a Lush store if you are lucky enough to be near one (and, during CoVid-19, it is open and safe to go to) or order from their website. They’ve been OK about free shipping opportunities during these pandemic-stricken times (free shipping at $40+, which is only slightly higher than e-commerce’s average of $35+). That said, a couple FYIs:
- Keeping in mind that Lush products are closer to natural than, say, Dove, and lack the same sort of stabilizers and whatnot, be thoughtful about your orders and the season. I just ordered some more soap last month and it was a bit soft when I unpackaged it from the heat. Nothing bad, nothing damaged or unusable, but more sensitive products (creams, bath oils) may not love the heat they will encounter during shipping in summer.
- Secondarily, be patient: your products may be imported. For example, my shipment hailed from Canada, so it got stuck in customs clearance for a day or two before it could continue in the shipping process.
The Bottom Line
Since I started using this soap last year, I have steadily repurchased it. I would recommend it if you’re looking for a new Lush product to try, something that smells nice but not strong, or are looking for a fancier soap that is a departure from the norm.