Lush Herbalism face cleanser review, usage tips, photos

Having hit pan with Lush Aqua Marina Face Cleanser which I reviewed here, I picked up Herbalism in my August Lush haul. And yes, I like it much better than Aqua Marina - primarily because Herbalism claims to be a herbal cleanser for oily and problem skin and the quantity of oil produced by my face rivals that of some countries in the Middle East. I have been using Herbalism on alternate evenings since I bought it - with and without the Konjac sponge which I reviewed here - and have almost hit pan.

Here is my review of Lush Herbalism face cleanser.

Packaging of Lush Herbalism:

It comes in rolls, and they pack up 100gm - or more, if you want - in the regular Lush black pot. You return five of these empties and get a Lush Fresh Face Mask (!00gm) free, so I'm gathering up the pots in time for my next Lush haul!

Look, smell and texture of Lush Herbalism:

Argh, the white thing you see there is NOT mold, but the flash! And I can't take pictures now, correcting this, because the product is almost over!
Lush Herbalism looks like ground celery or cilantro, or green dessicated coconut. Or crushed herbs. Olfactory-wise, I'm getting lemon oil and herby - no, not the car. It feels thick and is not runny - crumbly, rather. Since I love my greens, I would sprinkle this over my salad if it were edible.

Ingredients of Lush Herbalism:

There's rosemary, nettle, chamomile, ground rice bran, kaolin clay, ground almonds, glycerine, rice vinegar, gardenia, rose absolute and sage oil. No parabens or preservatives, and it is handmade. Rice vinegar is supposed to be great for acne.

How to use Lush Herbalism:

Since it is a thick mash, you need to make it into a paste before you can cleanse with it. Firstly, there will be no lather, so if you're looking for a foaming cleanser, this isn't the one. I've been using it alongside Brevoxyl Creamy Wash or Etude House Milky You Cleansing Foam, so I get my lather fix. Here's how to use Herbalism:

1. Take a pea-size amount. I've flattened it, as you can see. 
2. Now add about a teaspoonful of water and mix. I add a tablespoon, since I like my cleansers runny. 
3. The right consistency is when the mixture turns milky-green, like a spinach or pistachio smoothie - scrub your face with this. There is some grit, from the ground almonds, but nothing too harsh.
4. You might get green bits in the drain, so I suggest using it in the shower or washbasin rather than the tub!
   

Results and benefits of Lush Herbalism:

This isn't going to remove makeup; so make sure you use a makeup remover first. Nor will it lather or give you the squeaky-clean feeling. But Lush Herbalism certainly helps mattify oily face without making the skin feel tight. There is very good oil control at night. I had terrible acne with Lancome Visionnaire in October, and nothing - despite trying a lot of products and remedies - worked for me until I stopped using Visionnaire, so I can't tell you much about acne control under non-Visionnaire conditions. I haven't had breakouts or blackheads since then (argh, touch wood! I have a trip next week!) but it is unclear whether this is because of my current face regimen or stopping Visionnaire. 
I also use my Konjac sponge over Herbalism, and so get the odd green bit trapped on the sponge, but since I'm anal-retentive about cleaning the sponge, I don't mind. 
Will I repurchase? Yes, though I would love to try other Lush face cleansers first, such as Angels on Bare Skin. I recommend Herbalism to any oily-skinned person looking for a natural exfoliator and blackhead remover.