Tuesday 13 November 2007

Lush Buffy Body Scrub Bar



RRP: £4.25 for 90g; £8.75 for 200g

--What does the promo say?--
"For larger expanses of skin. You asked and so we granted your wish for an extra large helping of Buffy Bar. It`s not just for large backsides; it`s for several helpings of scrubbery all in one bar! Here`s a bar you can grasp firmly and use to wage war on wobbly bits."

--Ingredients--
Cocoa Butter (Theobroma cacao) , Shea Butter (Butyrospermum parkii) , Ground Rice (Oryza sativa) , Ground Almonds (Prunus dulcis) , Ground Aduki Beans (Phaseolus) , Perfume , Lavender Oil (Lavandula hybrida) , Lemon Oil (Citrus limonum) , *Citral , *Limonene , *Linalool

* Occurs naturally in essential oils.

--Packaging--
A huge perk of Lush products generally is that they are hugely environmentally aware and their products tend to have minimal or no packaging. On the whole, this has no packaging, but if you ask nicely, Lush will wrap it in some paper or a little plastic bag should you so desire. You can also buy body bar tins from Lush which are exactly the right size for any size of Buffy, and can of course be used again for any future body bars that you buy.

--Application--
While in the shower, rub the body bar all over your body, particularly on any stubbornly cellulite-y wobbly bits. When you're done scrubbing, rinse off.

--Appearance--
Buffy is a sandy coloured, squareish block that softens slightly when you rub it on wet skin. On your skin, it leaves grains resembling sand. Any residue left on the skin after rinsing is invisible.

--Scent--
The overwhelming scent is that of lavender.

--Texture--
While you're scrubbing, it feels nice. However, a residue (albeit an invisible one) is left on the skin afterwards, which to me feels oily and seems to take a long time to sink into the skin.

--How does the skin feel?--
I wouldn't say my skin feels any softer than usual after using Buffy. However, if you suffer from dry skin then you may well see an improvement.

--Does it do what it says it will?--
This product probably moisturises very well and I expect that if you have dry skin then it will be a success for you. However, it is pitched as an anti-cellulite product and I didn't find it had any effect on my cellulite. Shame.

--Longevity--
Seeing as it had little/no effect in the first place, I think this part of the review is somewhat redundant. The scent does linger really nicely though.

--Value for money--
Not great. While one bar lasts a long time, there is a lot of wastage as the bar is messy to use: lots of sandy stuff is left in the shower when you're done (so you have to hose down the shower tray after each use) and if any water gets into the tin, it mixes with residue from the bar and solidifies into a waxy layer at the bottom of the tin. It's easily scraped off, but still. It's also quite expensive for what it is. However, there are cheaper body bars available from Lush, so I wouldn't be averse to trying one of those.

--Other comments--
I can appreciate that part of the problem with this product is the fact that it's an exfoliator and thus contributes to the mess accumulated during its use. However, I'd guess that a more moisturising bar such as Schnuggle might be less messy, and I'd definitely be up for trying a cheaper, more moisturising bar that didn't make ludicrous promises about cellulite disappearance. I also like the fact that the body bars are square and thus easier to keep hold of in the shower (the Body Shop does a Buffy equivalent, but it's ovular). When I've tried another body bar, I'll let you know...


Other body bars
Schnuggle - lavender, ginger, sandalwood and jasmine
Aqua Mirabilis - almond, rose and sandalwood
King of Skin - cocoa, shea, coconut, bananas, jojoba, avocado, and oatmeal
Running To The Embassy - spearmint and peppermint
The Soft Touch - coconut, beeswax, cocoa butter and vanilla
You Snap The Whip - blackcurrant and bergamot

* prices vary from those quoted for Buffy.

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