Lush Is Launching 40 Shades Of Foundation – But There's Just One Catch

When Rihanna launched Fenty Beauty with an impressive 40 shades of foundation, she set the bar for any other beauty brand unveiling their own range — or, in some cases, expanding an existing one. So you can only imagine our excitement when Lush announced they would be joining the ranks and coming out with a line of their very own.

Introducing: Lush Slap Sticks Solid Foundations. With 40 shades, three undertones to choose from (cool, warm, and neutral, to complement all complexions), and 100% vegan credentials, they sound pretty great. And after landing an exclusive swatch session at the newly built Lush Labs HQ Swatch Shop, we can confirm that they're even better than we hoped.

Now, Lush obsessives will know that aside from bath bombs and fancy soaps, the brand turned their hand to makeup a few years ago; the Skin Tint and Liquid Eyeliner are just two of the products that we can't imagine our makeup bags without. But this is the first time they've branched out into foundation, let alone launched a product with such an array of shades to choose from.

So what can you expect? Unlike most of the foundations currently lining your dresser, this little egg-shaped number is... solid. In keeping with Lush's fresh philosophy, the ingredients list boasts tons of naturals (you'll see them labeled in green) while preservatives and synthetics are kept to a minimum.

Comprised of 14% pigment, 45% Indonesian coconut oil, and a mix of candelilla, sunflower, and Turkish rose waxes, each bar lends brilliant coverage (we'd even suggest skipping the concealer), satisfying slip (making blending with brushes, sponges, and fingers an absolute dream), and protection against whatever the environment slings at your face on a daily basis, like humidity. In other words, the staying power is on par with any high-end foundation range, and although the ingredients are rich, it doesn't feel at all heavy.

Better still, sourcing raw materials from projects supporting women in work and children in education is a key focus in the formulation of Lush's brand-new makeup, and through the purchase of coconut oil, 10% of profits go towards funding literacy classes and a dentist on the Indonesian island of Nias.

Then there's the packaging. Plastic packaging especially is a huge issue in the beauty industry, and according to Lush cofounder Rowena Bird, a lot of plastic makeup packaging — such as foundation bottles — is too small to be recycled. Lush has a solution, though: Just like their increasingly popular solid shampoo, serum, and moisturizer bars, they decided to make their solid foundations "naked."

Instead of heaps of unnecessary packaging, the foundations are housed in a natural black wax seal. Lush also supplies complimentary recycled boxes to store and transport the bar in. "We need to look beyond fancy packaging," says Bird. "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."

So where can you get your hands on one? Well, about that — the foundation is only launching as a limited-edition UK release right now. If you do so happen to have a trip to London in the books, you can shop the product online for a month (at the relatively affordable price of £16.95, which comes out to roughly $22) starting this Friday, June 29th, or stop by the Lush Swatch Shop in the Soho neighborhood. But if there's one thing we know about Lush, and their history of bringing back old products from the archives by popular demand, it's that they have a way of giving the people what they want... and the people want 40 shades of solid foundation.