LUSH Handmade Cosmetics: Dark Angels Facial Cleanser

During my first trip to LUSH, I focused on getting products for my face. At my age, I still have breakouts, so I really needed to get something to remedy this. I was in the midst of a bad skin day so I purchased Dark Angels Facial Cleanser ($28.95 for the larger size, $12.95 for the smaller).

That night, I added this to my nightly beauty routine. I noticed that the smell was surprisingly pleasant for what it looks like: I detected notes of rose and sandalwood and earthy tones. When I pinched  out a little to use, it was hard to keep together and it kept falling off my face. This is due to the chunky/dry quality because of the charcoal which obviously gives it that signature black color. As a reference, the organic ingredients in this product are: Rhassoul Mud, cold pressed avocado oil, powdered charcoal, black sugar, sandalwood oil, rose oil, and linalool. Sidenote: Linalool is a colorless liquid with a soft, sweet odor. It occurs naturally in many essential oils, such as ho wood oil, tangerine, spearmint, rose, neroli, mandarin, lemon, lime, lavender, cypress, grapefruit, cinnamon, chamomile, palmarossa and ylang ylang.

Here's a video that gives you an idea of how this product  looks and how it is applied:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lGQ5XarU-o#t=27

I was able to get enough onto my face without dropping too much in the sink. As a side note, this product is best used in the shower because it makes a big, black, mess! (The LUSH web site doesn't hide this fact, so extra points for the disclosure.) Don't fear though, it rinses out of the shower easily and it did not stain the tub. 


It took me a little longer to get all of the face scrub off. I noticed that the charcoal was a little stubborn to get off of my hairline and neck. When I rinsed it all off, my face felt oily yet gently exfoliated. I resisted the urge to use my regular acne wash to get rid of the oily feeling, but I left it on to get a true sense of the product. Ultimately, my patience and trust in the product paid off because when my face was patted dry, it felt smooth and soft and not excessively oily. It felt soothed, hydrated, and had a healthy matte finish. I have now used this all week and my face has NOT broken out due to the oil-derived ingredients. In fact, it appears that my skin is hydrated and balanced.


PROS: (7)
Pleasant smell, gently exfoliates, balances skin, reduces redness, helps with breakouts, the product does what is advertised (product integrity), smaller and larger quantities available


CONS: (3)
Messy, awkward application, slightly difficult to wash off


VERDICT: Gotta have it!
Dark Angels is a versatile product that exfoliates, soothes and balances skin tone while providing aromatherapy with its relaxing floral/earthy smell.