The Green Diva

Lush Retread review

Whenever anyone mentions Lush a certain smell wafts into your brain; a combination of far flung fragrances and fruity scents. Well I have found a conditioner that has truly revitalised my luscious locks. And you will either love it or hate it- but I absolutely adore it! Therefore I just had to share my experiences with this conditioner with you all.

The conditioner

Retread is a thick creamy conditioner from Lush which comes in a black plastic tub. Described by Lush as a ‘deluxe, specially enhanced, triple strength conditioner’ Retread rebuilds ‘wrecked hair’ they claim. With such bold assertions I just had to see if they were true. There is a black label bearing the Lush logo around the tub, here on closer inspection you have the all-important ingredients and description of the product. A circular label has a cartoon image of a guy with a Santa hat. The text around the label says the product is made be Gav and has a use-by date of 12/04/10. Because of all the fresh ingredients I was worried it may have a very short lifespan so I’m happy it’ll last for more than a year. The label states “It’s tempting to use a handful, so do it! Shampoo as normal, apply to damp hair then rinse out thoroughly”.

Re-tread is a triple strength conditioner for dry hair that is in need of some TLC. My hair is sometimes straightened so it needs more care to keep it looking nice and shiny. The conditioner is a creamy colour and the consistency of yoghurt. What you notice on opening the tub is a faint pleasant smell, not dissimilar to Parma Violet sweets that I used to gorge myself on as a child. The ingredients include natural yoghurt, soya milk, agar seaweed infusion, fresh cantaloupe melon, and various oils (olive, avocado, jojoba oil, neroli). Surprise ingredients include cetrimonium bromide and Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, although these will cause your hair no harm in minute quantities.

Product in action

Although the tub says the conditioner should be applied to damp hair and then rinsed out thoroughly. I tend to leave it in my hair for ten minutes while having an extremely hot and steamy shower. This opens up the cuticles and absorbs all the good qualities of the ingredients. The only disadvantage I can see with this product is that the tub it comes in is not very shower-friendly. You have to be careful that you don’t get water inside the tub. You could always decant the conditioner into a more suitable container. I actually have my shower, towel dry hair and then apply Retread. I’ll leave it on for twenty minutes.

When applying the conditioner to your hair start at the ends, depending on the condition of your hair you might apply it two the lower 2/3 of your hair. Don’t just massage it in everywhere- the scalp rarely needs conditioner, and it can make your hair appear greasy. It is beneficial to massage the conditioner gently to make sure it is applied smoothly- you can use a wide toothed comb to do this. I always wash the conditioner out with lukewarm water and finish with a splash of cold water to seal in the cuticles.

My hair is naturally very thick and curly, and I do straighten it regularly so it is prone to drying out. In the past I have dreaded washing my hair as it does look dry on the day it is washed. However after using the super Retread my hair is soft and shiny and feels amazing. People are giving me compliments, and touching my hair. I rarely need to use wax or serum to calm it down. This doesn’t really happen to me, so this product is definitely extraordinary.

Value for money

Retread costs £8.07 for a 245g tub. This works out as a little pricey it you use it a lot. However I’ve managed to get around 25 uses out if and it hasn’t finished yet. So if you use it in dollops rather than handfuls it will last you a long time. And I don’t think I’ve been using it sparingly either! So it is a bargain, especially as I no longer need to use additional waxes or serums to tame my hair.

I feel good spending at Lush as they don’t test on animals. If you don’t have a Lush near you- don’t despair, they have a website (www.lush.com). I do like to check it out now and then to keep up to date with their products.

For years I have been looking for a product that makes my hair look as good as the models on TV. Finally Lush have helped me end my search. I even love the smell of the conditioner as it transports me back to my childhood. My hair is now soft, silky and so strokeable.

The fantastic thing about Retread is it actually fixes hair, instead of using chemicals to coat the hair. And unlike many conditioners it doesn’t contain silicone which can aggravate hair problems. If your hair isn’t too dry then you could use Retread as an intensive hair mask every week or so. The one concern I have is that Retread contains Sodium Lauryl Sulphate which I would prefer not to be in my hair products. Please note this is not because of the hoax claims that it causes cancer, it is just a product which doesn’t need to be in a conditioner as it has high foaming qualities.

Overall I would say this is the best conditioner I have tried from Lush and would recommend it to all. It particularly works well with Rehab shampoo. If you are looking for a hair treat or suffer from dry coarse hair give this a go.