Like I mentioned here, I was never a big Lush shopper before I started using their bath bombs. The products had gimmicky names and the packaging looked cheap. I think I make better soap, and having tried samples of their soap, I’m pretty firm in that belief.

Something Lush does very well, at least in the two stores I’ve visited, is customer service. I’ve become a bit of a customer service fanatic since I started working in retail again, being firmly convinced that poor customer service is inexcusable. I don’t require fawning, but I do want to be greeted when I enter a store, and I prefer to be approached at least once to make sure I’m finding what I’m looking for. I’m such a sucker that if a salesperson really goes all out with the demos and assistance, I’m likely to buy more than I intended and be happy about it.

Which brings me to the Lush store in Seattle. I was in Seattle for a training (which included a lengthy segment on customer service), and with a co-worker, decided to shop various bath/body/cosmetic stores in the area. After a particularly bad experience, I brought my co-worker to the Lush store (she’d never been). We were immediately greeted by a friendly young man, who asked if we were familiar with Lush. Upon learning I was, he proceeded to demo some products I hadn’t tried, told us about the specials, added on an additional product and closed the sale. I was a happy camper.

I bought the Creamed Almond & Coconut Smoothie I mentioned here after the nice salesguy demo-ed it for me. It is SERIOUSLY yum. He said you can use it to shave your legs too. I can’t wait to try that.

After learning of this special promotion I decided to give the shower gels another sniff. I picked out a big bottle of Flying Fox after being totally entranced by the Honey Jasmine Ylang scent, and got a free Buffy The Backside Slayer. Woohoo! I tried Buffy in my shower today and it’s pretty good (and I like the scent). I’m not sure I’ll buy it again – it’s a little too scrubby, but I like the bit of oil it leaves on my skin. I can skip the lotion step on days when I use Buffy. I am interested in some of Lush’s other body butters, since the concept is worthy. As for the shower gel, Flying Fox is to die for. This one will be a staple.

I picked up a Mange Too massage bar (having lusted after it for a while now) on a whim, and after Nice Salesguy pointed out the Temple Balms at the register, I picked up the Flying Fox balm to match my shower gel. It makes a nice solid perfume. Nice Salesguy says it’s good for thwarting PMS. I say it’s good for seducing husbands…*wink*

The only product that didn’t move me was Ocean Salt. We tried it on our hands, and while it’s a nice scrub, I can’t imagine using it on my face – it’s MUCH too scrubby in my mind. As a body scrub, I’ve tried ones I like just as much that are less expensive.

I still think the black tubs are less than ideal packaging, but it’s their schtick so I’m okay with it. I wish the massage bar and Buffy came with some kind of container, but I’ll work around that too. I do like that the packaging is recyclable and I really can’t complain because I am a proponent of minimal packaging to reduce waste.

Lush, Lush, Lush. You’ve made a fan out of me.