Lush

Lush is a UK-based cosmetic company, founded by Mark and Mo Constantine. Lush has its roots in the cosmetology industry. Mark Constantine was a trained trichologist (specializing in health of the hair and scalp), and a partnership with beauty therapist Liz Weir led to the formation of the "Herbal Hair and Beauty Clinic" in 1977, for which Constantine and Weir blended their own products. The hand-blended, botanical based products were unlike other commercial products in use at the time and caught the eye of another British beauty entrepreneur, Anita Roddick (founder of The Body Shop.) Constantine and Weir PLC began producing products for fledgling The Body Shop stores, while continuing to focus on their own clinic and business ventures. Constantine and Weir were eventually bought out by Ms. Roddick in 1984. Constantine and Weir established a new venture called Cosmetics to Go in 1987. As a mail-order company, the company marketed its products exclusively through catalogs. This venture was eventually sold to partner Jeff Brown, who had been a fragrance designer for the company. The company we know as Lush today began in 1994, under the name "Cosmetic House." The Lush name (trademarked as LUSH, in capital letters) was adopted in 1995, having been chosen by a customer who entered a contest. Using fresh fruits, vegetables, plants and safe synthetic ingredients, the company began making soaps and body care products and marketing them through a small store in Poole. Daily specials were advertised on a chalk board placed outside the store. The products attracted former customers of Cosmetics to Go and eventually, investors, allowing them to open additional stores in Covent Garden and Kings Road. The first Lush store overseas was opened in Canada, with more stores and Lush factories eventually opening in 40 countries including the US, Japan and across Europe. Lush products are famous for their minimalist, eco-friendly packaging, avoidance of animal ingredients and stance against animal testing, as well as for their beautiful aromas. Lush launched a focused perfume company called B Never Too Busy To Be Beautiful in 2003, with fragrances developed by Mark and and his son, Simon Constantine. B Never was unable to show a profit as a stand-alone company, and the perfumes developed under the brand were absorbed by Lush in 2009. The perfumes are today marketed through the Lush stores and catalogs under the moniker "Gorilla Perfumes." Designer Lush has 168 perfumes in our fragrance base. The earliest edition was created in 1989 and the newest is from 2024. Lush fragrances were made in collaboration with perfumers Mark Constantine, Pia Long, Alina Gliwinska, Simon Constantine, Emma Dick, Jeff Brown and Emma Vincent.