This facial scrub is Lush’s newest paste style facial scrub that is aimed at oily skin types. Though Dark Angels often compared to Angels on Bare Skin (Lush’s other squidgy cleanser) it is actually similar in ingredients to my favourite solid facial bar Coalface.
Lush describe the scrub as suitable for ‘young, dark and oily skin’ and claim that: “Nutritious avocado oil softens your skin, glycerine keeps the moisture in and black sugar softly scrubs; rhassoul mud is anti-microbial and cleanses deeply, while sandalwood and rosewood essential oils are soothing, giving you a feeling of smooth, clean freshness that is difficult to beat.” Well with such confident claims who wouldn’t want to give it a go?
The scrub
The facial scrub comes in 100g black tubs made from 100% recycled plastic. It basically looks like a black paste and on close inspection it is rather powdery in comparison to Angels on Bare Skin.
A deep sniff of the scrub reveals the same scent as my beloved Coalface (liquorice and sandalwood). My nose can detect more of the sandalwood and I quite like this, it tempers the liquorice well and creates a pretty inoffensive scent.
How to use
Break off a small piece the size of a big pea, gently wet your face with hot water. Rub the scrub in circles around your face. Look in the mirror and laugh at how you look and then massage the scrub into your skin. Rinse carefully to make sure all of the charcoal is washed off. Be warned this stuff makes a mess!
After washing off the scrub the scent of the facial scrub is soft and inoffensive and I can hardly smell the licorice. Make sure you wash under your fingernails carefully- the scrub does tend to get everywhere.
Dark Angels is brilliant used at the sides of your nose to prevent black heads and dry skin. Don’t scrub too hard though otherwise you will end up with red skin. After using this scrub every week my skin is very clean and smooth. Unfortunately it is far messier than Coalface in use and I actually find it is better to use at the sink than in the shower. The scrub has a tendency to stick to glass and is a pain to clean.
Results
Dark Angels is suitable for oily skin and maybe too harsh on skins that are already dry. I think it is a scrub version of Coalface, and as my skin isn’t very oily I only use it once a week. Currently I alternate Ultrabland cleanser with Coalface every few weeks if my skin gets dry. Dark Angels is used on a Sunday or when skin feels oily.
I have combination skin, with an oily T zone and cheeks that can dry out. From my teens I suffered from odd stubborn spots -probably due to my hormones. Since using Coalface spots are a rarity and they heal up so fast I barely notice them. Dark Angels is like a deeper treatment and the exfoliation it offers is excellent at evening out my T Zone – especially the skin around the sides of my nose. I’m not sure I would recommend this to sensitive skin types as it is quite gritty.
Value
This is where Dark Angels doesn’t match Coalface. The 100g tub costs £5.25 and has an expiry date of approximately three months. If you have oily skin and will use it everyday it may get used up in time; providing better value. However as I am only using it once a week there is likely to be about half a tub left by the time it expires. In comparison a 100g bar of Coalface will last me a year, which at £4.15 is a good deal.
To get the most value out of Dark Angels I will use it on my neck too. Closer to the date of expiry I will also use it on my feet and legs as it exfoliates really well. I would not purchase Dark Angels again purely because of the short expiration date. It is a shame it does not come in smaller pots – a 50g tub would provide far better value.
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