Back in June, R29 took a trip to the Lush Labs HQ Swatch Shop in London's Soho, where we learned that the cruelty-free beauty brand would be expanding their makeup range to include an impressive 4o shades of solid foundation, called Slap Stick.
With 14% pigment for all over coverage, a megamix of oils to quench thirsty skin, three undertones to choose from (including cool, warm and neutral to complement all complexions) and 100% vegan credentials – they flew off the shelves when they launched a few days later. But on our trip, there was another product we were sworn to secrecy over: Lush's Glow Stick highlighters, £11.95, launch ing on 20th August. They're on par (if not a little better) than any high-end highlighter we've tried. We're talking butter-like blendability and eco-friendly credentials.
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There are five shades in total, each formulated with a range of skin tones in mind: Rock Dove (an iridescent lilac), Ibis (a bold gold), Lark (a glowy taupe), Robin (a punchy rose) and wildcard Peacock (jade green with a silver gleam, which doubles as an eyeshadow). The best way to apply is to draw the highlighter on to your skin like a crayon and to use your fingertips to blend it in. Note: The shimmer really pops, so if you want a subtle glow, don't press too hard.
Just like the foundation, Lush have sourced their ingredients from projects that support women in work and children in education. Each highlighter is 100% vegan, cruelty-free and made with Argan oil, harvested by a women’s co-operative in Morocco, as well as organic, extra virgin coconut oil sourced from Nias, Indonesia. 10% of profits from the purchase of the coconut oil go directly to support a not-for-profit organisation that funds literacy classes and a dentist on the island of Nias.
In keeping with Lush's environmental policy, which aims to make a positive impact on the planet, the highlighters are formulated without plastic glitter – a substance typically made from tiny particles of reflective plastic, which are an ecological hazard. Instead, each one is filled with synthetic mica made in the Lush lab - it makes up the sparkle in all Lush products, from bath bombs to artisan soap. According to Lush, synthetic mica is purer and brighter than natural mica, looks seamless on skin (that we can vouch for) and doesn't have any rough, irritating edges, which makes it ok to use on sensitive skin.
When we asked co-founder Rowena Bird why she chose to make the highlighter sticks 'naked' like the Slap Stick foundation (there's a wax seal at the base of the product to stop your fingers from getting glittery while you apply), she mentioned that most plastic beauty packaging is often too small to be recycled and this can be problematic for the environment. "We need to look beyond fancy packaging," Rowena told R29. "For Lush it's all about the product. How much do you care about what you're putting onto your lips and on your skin? Come in, have a look and save the planet."
There's a slight catch. Like the solid foundation, Lush's Glow Stick highlighters are limited edition. They're available exclusively through the Lush website for just one month only, from Monday 20th August.