Our Beauty Editor Tried The Viral Vanilla LUSH Beauty Routine—Here’s The Verdict On Every Product

Alice Hartwell

Is it just me or is LUSH kind of back? A quick look over my TikTok FYP would certainly suggest so. For those whose teen years fell in the 2010s, LUSH was one of the OG beauty brands, with trips to pick up a new bath bomb or fresh face mask (remember that chocolate one) feeling like some kind of shopping centre pilgrimage. I think collectively we perhaps all grew up and away from the youthful LUSH vibe, and let’s face it, that signature scent, but I always regarded it fondly. Let’s not forget that they were also one of the first mainstream brands to ride or die for sustainability, before it was cool. So credit where credit is due.

Fast forward to 2024 and word on the street is that a 2010s revival is imminent, and it must be true because influencer beauty routines are becoming LUSH-heavy, specifically filled with sweet and vanilla-scented body products, influenced by the reveal of Love Island USA contestant Leah Kateb’s viral shower routine. The girls want to smell like a cupcake, and who am I to judge them? I did, however, want to judge some of these currently-viral LUSH products, so you don’t have to.

Supermilk – Conditioning Hair Mist

This leave-in hair conditioner is one of LUSH’s bestselling products and has been receiving a lot of love on TikTok lately. In part because for its multipurpose hydrating and protecting properties, but mainly because it’s the sweet-smelling haircare product every vanilla-girl needs, apparently.

I really appreciate the multi-use of this product: it serves as a detangler, conditioner and natural heat protector for styling. It certainly left my hair feeling and smelling good post-wash, with a subtle cut of lemon to keep the scent from being too sickly. I think curly and afro hair that requires regular hits of moisture would feel the greatest benefit from this mist.

Honey I Washed The Kids – Bodywash

HIWTK is a signature LUSH scent that stays fresh in my mind from way back when. Formulated with hydrating honey orange and bergamot, this body wash is far more subtle in scent than its counterparts in this routine. If you prefer delicate fragrances with less payoff, then this might be your pick of the bunch. The HIWTK shower gel has recently gone viral after a creator found a dupe offered in Lidl, the not-so-inconspicuous copycat “Honey I’m Home”. While, granted, this offers a more affordable alternative, it doesn’t guarantee the strict ethical and sustainable codes of conduct that LUSH prides itself on when sourcing ingredients and formulating products.

Scrubee – Exfoliating Body Butter Bar

Another cult classic, the Scrubee exfoliating body butter bar is small yet mighty, and is probably the product I would be the quickest to repurchase. In all honesty, the exfoliating element of this bar is neither here nor there for me; I don’t feel like it achieves too much. But its moisturising properties, well that’s another story. Scrubee is a lazy-girl ally—if you, like me, hate the chore of full-body lotioning post-shower, or are in a rush, a few swipes of this bar essentially eliminates the need to. Stepping out of the bathroom, your skin is left incredibly soft and supple to the touch, with a gentle shea fragrance that lingers, but not in an overpowering way.

Sticky Dates – Body Spray

LUSH’s Sticky Dates fragrance has skyrocketed in popularity after its inclusion within Leah Kateb’s viral beauty routine, so much so that they even launched it within the body spray range. I’ve long heard good things about LUSH’s fragrance collection, and while the packaging is a bit much for my liking, after trialing Sticky Dates, it definitely has some staying power for a body mist.

I sense this particular spray will be a love or hate. To speak literally, it makes you smell like a sticky toffee pudding, which will certainly not be everyone’s vibe. I find that once you let the fragrance sit a little on the skin, it does calm down to more of a musky-sweet aroma, which I’m very fond of. If you want to get your hands on this, it’s currently limited edition so don’t hang about.

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