Lush’s new Emotional Brilliance range – vegan eco-friendly make-up

Lush is something like the Marmite of the beauty world – there are those that walk past gagging at that overpowering signature Lush smell, or those that walk past happily rejoicing in that gorgeous signature Lush smell! Lush have previously stuck to the skincare side of the game, specialising in scrumptious bath bombs, face masks and other lotions and potions, but now they’ve taken their first steps into make-up with the new Emotional Brilliance cosmetics range… and good news for those who can’t stand the smell – there’s not a scent in sight!

What I love about Lush is that they have fun with their products, making them in a rainbow of colours, shapes and textures (shower jelly is my current fave!), all with silly catchy names – so it’s no surprise that their make-up comes with a fun twist too. Every Lush store now boasts an Emotional Brilliance colour wheel, where staff invite you to spin the wheel and discover what shades suit your current state of mind. After picking the three colours that stand out the most to you (note: not just your favourites!), they’ll give you a colour reading, telling you what those shades says about your character – definitely more fun than reading your horoscopes!

I picked out Motivation, a turquoise liquid eyeliner that represented my inner strength; Vibrance, a glittering orange liquid lipstick that represented my “subconscious need” (presumably because I was ridiculously tired that day… well, all days really!); and Feeling Secure, a pretty purple eyeliner that represented my talent (hrmmm… may need more analysis on that one!). The Lush girls then gave me a mini makeover in store – don’t worry, Vibrance is a lot less crazy on than it looks in the packaging! – before sending me home with a few other colours to play with.

Left to right: Motivation eyeliner, Feeling Secure eyeliner, Wise eye shadow, Ambition lipstick

My favourite, still several weeks on meaning I must be an extremely motivated person (or at least that’s what I tell myself), is Motivation. It’s a vivid shimmering mermaid turquoise that delivers bright beautiful colour in just one sweep. It’s intended more as a liquid eyeliner (so comes with a thin brush applicator, as opposed to the cream eye shadows, like Wise, which have sponge ones) but you can easily blend and use it as an eye shadow too. Though I loved how vibrant the colour was, I found that it didn’t cope too well with water or sweat – a bit of a problem for humid HK – and didn’t last as long as I’d hope once met with those obstacles.

The liquid lipstick, Ambition, was MUCH more impressive. A true searingly bright red, this was almost more like lip paint – and once it was on, it did not budge! I applied it early morning… and after several meals, drinks and a shower, it was still there come bedtime! Ambition has incredible pigmentation and intensity, plus it wasn’t drying either, so if you are looking for a lippie to last you all day and stay true to colour, this is the one.

All of the lipsticks, eye shadows and eyeliners come in clear glass dropper bottles with applicators inside the lids; in keeping with Lush’s eco-friendly ethos, the glass is designed to be easily recyclable, the black caps are made from Lush’s own recycled plastic pots and the applicators are deliberately shorter than standard size to save on waste (see the biddy mascara one above!). To be honest, I found the brush and sponge applicators a little cheap feeling, but they do the job well enough, and whilst the packaging is more cute than sophisticated, it’s for admirable reasons.

The Emotional Brilliance range also includes a mascara, skin tints (light liquid highlighter/bronzers) and a translucent finishing powder, plus the whole range is 100% vegan-friendly, handmade and cruelty-free – all too rare for cosmetics in Hong Kong.

With the eye shadows, liners and lipsticks coming in a rainbow of 30 different shades and all priced at $199 for a generous 5g of product, the Emotional Brilliance range is a fantastic addition to Lush and the make-up scene in general; it’s great to see more eco-friendly beauty products easily available in Hong Kong, in loads of vibrant bright colours too and not just the normal neutrals. This is make-up that makes you feel good both inside and out… so next time you catch a whiff of that signature Lush smell, pop by and get your colours on!

Lush, Shop No.125, 1/F, Windsor House, 311 Gloucester Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong, 3162 8812; see all other Lush locations in Hong Kong here.

www.lush.com.hk/shop/common/home