ALL THAT ZAZZ

By Mary N. DiZazzo

I'm for anything that gets you through the night, be it prayer, tranquilizers, or a bottle of Jack Daniel's

-Frank Sinatra

Ciao bella,

Lush…as grass...someone who has had too much to drink...abundant -- not -- in the cosmetic world!

My first experience with Lush was when my friend Leslie took one of her numerous jaunts to London. She came home with some bars of this marvelous smelling soap as a gift. The scents took me back to memories of my childhood. We certainly need to visit there once in a while.

I envisioned some nana in the bowels of her London flat cooking up batches of this fab soap! Founded in Poole England, with 190 locations all over Europe, I found the winning number through a magazine ad and decided to ring the 800 number in Canada.

It was "heaven-scent." Maybe nana wasn't cooking it but it's hand-made using natural and mostly organic ingredients of herbs, fruit, flowers, and essential oils.

As the tale goes… "Lo and behold" the beauty deli has arrived in Boston. While waiting for the grand opening of the store I had already left for Rome, but I did have the pleasure of visiting my first Lush store in Rome in the Campo de’ Fiori area. A true and totally uplifting experience. Viva il sapone!

The soaps are all cut to order and wrapped in greaseproof paper deli style. They are displayed like exotic slabs of cheese in a European deli.

The first bar of soap I used from Lush was called I Should Coco --looks like a block of coconut ice, a traditional British candy whipped up by the nanas in the UK. The perfumed beauty is divinely scented with coconut to exfoliate, vetivert, coriander and orange oils added to soften your skin and making for a fabulous aroma.

Other flavors (excuse me, I mean scents) are Extra Virgin Olive. Has a fresh green scent and leaves your skin like silk. Banana Moon which contains fresh organic mashed bananas and yogurt --great for dry skin. Honey, I Just Washed the Kids, is a scent I'm running back to Lush today to purchase! Truly delicious and will take you down memory lane!

There's Rock Star -- not that it will make you one. But sure will remind you of the bubble-gum chewing days. I could go on and on. The quantity of soaps is an afternoon experience.

Lush puts out massage bars. After you've finished bathing and skin is wet, apply the Amazonian then rinse. It will leave your skin truly moisturized and perfumed with cocoa butter, shea butter, coconut butter, tangerine oil, yang yang, petal oil, orange blossom, and patchouli oil topped off with a real orchid. Smooth and soft!

Another massage bar called Shimmy Shimmy leaves your skin with a pinky, golden sparkle. Great for a special night out. And you’ll feel like a star then -- exceptional luxury.

I have just mentioned just a tiny patch of product info on Lush. It's a must see store! Don't forget to check out the Bath Bombs! Displayed like apples at the grocers. Sizzle your way to serenity. Lemon Days, Ginger Beer, All that Jas (named after me? No, it’s jasmine scented – divine), and Absolute Delight are just a few of my favs.

It's truly a trip worth taking. Down Boston's fab Newbury Street.

Buona spese!

--Mary.


[Mary DiZazzo is a third-generation cosmetologist and owner/operator of Mary for Nails, etc. natural nailcare salon in Andover, Mass.and may be contacted at (978) 470-8183. She also sees select clients by appointment in Boston at (617) 742-6881.]