All consumer products—and cosmetics in particular—require a certain leap of faith. We hope the claims ("natural," "safe," "effective") aren't misleading (some companies that are technically “cruelty-free," for example, regularly source ingredients from suppliers that conduct animal testing). And as with the foods we buy, we trust that our body lotions, creams, and soaps aren’t packed with more preservatives than needed to ensure a reasonable shelf life (without any preservatives at all, of course, they'd be immediately overrun with bacteria). While it's always advisable to read the ingredient list, unless you're a cosmetics chemist, decoding a long label of material terms and trade names can be daunting. That's why, since 1994, Lush Cosmetics (lush.com) has been dedicated to bringing consumers fresh, straightforward products, and now with almost 400 shops and mail-order businesses worldwide, it's safe to say that consumers have responded.

Because Lush's goodies are handmade when an order is placed, they're as "young" and preservative-free as possible. The company is unusually transparent about both its processes and consumer response (no mysterious proprietary blends, and customers are encouraged to post honest reviews on the brand's website; even the most scathing is published as is). The names are clever and playful, and the packaging is refreshingly clear-cut, consisting of ribbon-tied deli bags stamped with bar codes and Lush's old-school logo. But the biggest draw has always been the formulas themselves—fragrant soaps, creams, bars, and bombs made from fresh flowers, fruit, herbs, and essential oils. We recently sampled Lush's latest collection to see how the new treats stack up to our longstanding favorites.

The spring line includes several yummy and quirky bath products, including the Happy Pill Bath Bomb ($4.95), a colorful two-toned tablet scented with bergamot, lemon, grapefruit, and mandarin essential oils (the aroma is a combination of the brand's popular Happy Hippy and Olive Branch). The scent is subtle but undeniably appealing, and the tablet creates an invigorating, fizz-fabulous bath (the water changes color slightly, but not as dramatically as with some of Lush's more vibrantly hued bombs). Another new bomb, Romance in a Stone ($3.95), is equally, if not more, delicious and features the scent of wild oranges, a welter of rose petals, and even a love poem (it's actually inside, so you need to be careful it doesn't float away in the tub). Made with lemon, orange flower absolute, bergamot, and gardenia essential oils, Pop in the Bath Bubble Bar ($5.50) more closely resembles a flower cookie than a standard cleanser, but it bubbles up in seconds, smells amazing, and cleanses effectively.

Although the White Toothpaste ($5.40), which uses salt as a cleaning agent (don't worry, it smells and tastes like vanilla, not salt), makes a nice change from the typical minty paste, I was taken aback by the Black Tooth Gel ($5.40), which is designed to lighten teeth with the help of charcoal. Apparently, this practice is quite common in some countries, but I can't say my teeth look noticeably brighter after two weeks of use. The collection's standouts, however, are the Lemony Flutter Cuticle Butter ($10.80) and the Mange Too Massage Bar ($7.95). The former, a thick cream for cuticles and dry skin, smells and looks like lemon cake frosting and is a godsend for dry patches (a spoonful a day made our rough elbows amazingly smooth). And Mange Too, a hexagonal massage bar made with white chocolate, honey, bananas, and vanilla, smells like dessert heaven and melts into skin on contact (it contains shea, mango, and cocoa butters). In fact, we were so delighted with Lemony Flutter and Mange Too that we'll be adding them to ourgrowing list of Lush staples, alongside brand classics like the Butterball Bath Bomb ($3.95), Karma Soap ($7.15), and Dream Cream ($18.90). —Tara Mattarazzo

Related Links:
Review: Whish-ful Thinking
Review: Silly Cow
Connect: Skin Care Forum
Connect: Bath and Body Forum

Bath & Body_