Angels on Bare Skin: Looks a hot mess, but it works

I discovered Lush’s Angels on Bare Skin (auf Deutsch: Engel auf nackter Haut) while perusing the items in a friend’s bathroom.

Oh come on, you know you do it too.

At first I thought she was planning some grout work in the shower and this stuff was for spackling. Or perhaps it was some leftover oatmeal. After explaining what this gob of something in a small plastic container was, my friend gave me a sample. After using it once, I decided to test it out for a few weeks.

Yes, upon the initial glance, Angels on Bare Skin can be a tad bit off-putting. But once you get past its looks, you’ll find that it works wonders for exfoliating and cleansing your skin.

What’s in it

According to Lush’s site, Angels on Bare Skin is a semi-soft solid concoction of ground almonds, lavender buds, glycerine, clay, lavender and rose oils and perfume. That last ingredient is bewildering to me. Lush says that the product is “natural,” but I guess natural is relative.

How to use it

The instructions for Angels on Bare Skin say to “blend a pea-sized amount with water,” rub into a paste and then apply to to a damp face using a circular motion. I’ve seen on some sites where folks have had a rough time getting the glob to make a paste: I didn’t, which is surprising since Switzerland has such hard water. Also, it seems that a little goes a long way.

I made the paste and applied it. I found that it wasn’t as abrasive as I thought it would be.

After ever-so-lightly rubbing my face with the stuff (staying clear of the eye area), I took a damp cloth and wiped it off. I didn’t splash my face with water for fear of getting the stuff in my eyes.

The after effects

My skin felt smooth and, for lack of a better word, buffed, after wiping Angels on Bare Skin off. The light scent of lavender stayed behind, which was a treat (I couldn’t detect the rose oil though).

I have combination skin, and I’m using an acne cream, so flakiness + oiliness is a big problem for me. Angels on Bare Skin seemed to exfoliate the flaky spots and calm down the oily patches in my t-zone at the same time without irritation.

I used Angels on Bare Skin once a week. I believe using it more than that may be a tad bit too much, at least for my skin.

In a nutshell

Pros: Nice lavender scent, a little goes a long way, seems to be great for combination skin. Makes a nice paste.

Cons: And this is my major con…the smallest size I could get was 100g. Since this stuff goes a long way and has a shelf life of about four months, I’ll probably have to toss the bulk of it. Also, some may be put off by the sparse packaging. I didn’t have issues with it though since Lush is big into reducing waste.

Click the thumbnails for a closer look.

Cost

CHF 12.90 (100g), US$9.50 (3.5oz)