LUSH • coal face soap • Cleansers

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*TOP REVIEWER* Walko on 3/11/2013 8:02:00 AM more reviews by Walko

Age: 56 & Over   Skin: Combination, Medium   Hair: Other   Eyes: Brown    

I bought a small peice of this because even at my age
I've still got an oily T-zone.Maybe it's the wrong cleanser for me but you can't get away from the fact that it is full of irritants.What's coal powder supposed to do for skin?This was horrible, left my face feeling dry and irritated .You shouldn't have to rush for the moisturiser after cleansing. That's not a good sign no matter what skin type. In the long run made my T-zone worse.Sandlewood and rosewood oils wont help either.According to Paula Begoun you'd be as well washing your face in the fireplace(ok a bit dramatic)But what she's trying to say is this stuff is RUBBISH.I don't agree with all her reviews but I'm with her on this one.

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haleyb18 on 3/8/2013 11:58:00 AM more reviews by haleyb18

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Other, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

I bought this on a whim one day when i was at the mall and i'm glad i did! My skin gets oily throughout the day even with a mattifying powder and i can really tell a difference when i don't use this in the morning. Instead of getting oily at 10, i get oily around 2. I've been using this since December and my skin has never looked this good. It really helped clear up my acne and blackheads. The reason i gave it 4 stars was because it makes my skin feel very tight and dry after i use it so make sure to use a moisturizer after washing your face with this.

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windypoint on 2/25/2013 2:45:00 AM more reviews by windypoint

Age: 36-43   Skin: Other   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

25th February 2013 Have been using this for about a week on my middle-aged acne rosacea. Seems to be improving things, but it remains to be seen whether my skin can take the drying effect in the longterm or if it is just an occasional treatment. It works well at calming down cysts and blind zits. I think Coal Face would work very well for teenagers experiencing large amounts of hormonal acne.
21st March 2013 I think for me the best use of Coalface soap is as a treatment once a week. It has been very useful in clearing my skin and I intend to go on using it, but too harsh for daily use.
6th May 2013 Have been using it three times a week recently. My skin has settled down and there are no major cysts, but i stll have flaky red patches which are gradually decreasing in size. I think if my slin became oilier it would stabilise perfectly with use of this soap, but I'm reluctant to use any sort of moisturiser after using this, as anything I have used after this soap seems to clog my pores. Am taking large amounts of fish oil instead to hopefully make my skin oilier.
16th May 2013 Have discovered that in combination with yogurt and honey mask this stuff is incredible. Wash face with coalface, use mask, wash off with coalface. Pores smaller and skin smoother than in years.

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ivoryisis on 2/16/2013 12:51:00 PM more reviews by ivoryisis

Age: 30-35   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Blond, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Green    

This seems to be the best cleanser for my oily, acne-prone skin with small pores. I used to have very bad acne, cystic pimples, whiteheads, blackheads, you name it, and this helped along with my skin regimen to calm it down. It seems to be the best cleanser for my skin and it also has a nice clean finish and a wonderful smell. I would recommend trying this if you have oily or acne-prone skin. One of my friends gave it to me as a sample and they always have samples at the store, so you don't have to by a full-size bar. My skin care regiment includes Coalface soap by Lush, Grease Lightning by Lush, Benzoyl Peroxide 2% (Target brand version of Clean and Clear brand) and Clean and Clear Morning Burst Moisturizer, combined with Acnepril (two pills, twice daily) and the Clarisonic Mia brush used one to two times per day.

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comicbookshop on 2/10/2013 10:45:00 AM more reviews by comicbookshop

Age: 19-24   Skin: Normal, Medium, Warm   Hair: Brown, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I bought this as I was looking for a oil absorber/light exfoliant cleanser for my skin. I've been using this product for 3 weeks and it doesn't "wow" me, it does it job but I didn't expect any miracles. When you rinse this off your skin gets this "clean" feeling. Not like you just stripped everything off that it leaves your face feeling tight. I thought it was expensive at first (for $AU pricing) but you only need so little of this every time you use it. I'm using it once every second day (others use it weekly or daily, depends on your skin) and at this rate I can see it lasting around 6 months, maybe even more. Although I find coalface mediocre I still would buy again.

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aliskey62389 on 2/1/2013 6:06:00 PM more reviews by aliskey62389

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Green    

I received a sample of this in a Christmas purchase and I was totally shocked by the color and the smell which was extremely Earthy and well...coal smelling. After a few washes of this though, I noticed a change in my skin! It wasn't stripping my natural oils off but still managing to cleanse my face. It no longer feels super tight after washing it with harsh chemicals and has helped my acne.

For all the responses about it scratching your face, I would suggest getting a lather on your hands first and then using the lather on your face. This doesn't scratch your face and is actually a better way to cleanse your face!

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crazytlccool on 1/2/2013 9:51:00 PM more reviews by crazytlccool

Age: 19-24   Skin: Oily, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Blue    

Given that this soap is for super oily skin, and is BLACK I figured this was some hardcore soap. Took some home as a sample, and much preferred it over my Fresh Farmacy. I actually consider myself to have sensitive skin, though sensitive soaps barely whisk away my oils. I felt my cleanest skin ever after Coalface. The exfoliants in the bar are quite scratchy, but there's so few it doesn't do damage. And for reference, I consider the St Ives Apricot Scrub to be damaging. I've found Lush to be inconsistent from store to store, so if you're breaking your skin open, try another shop!!

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stavicnic on 10/29/2012 2:28:00 PM more reviews by stavicnic

Age: 19-24   Skin: Oily, Tan   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

Curious if anyone has experienced Skin breakage with this product.
I Love the way it makes my face feel as I am naturally very oily. however, just after i began using the product in my daily regiment I noticed small cuts on my fingers and the went from paper like cuts to small chucks of skin missing in my fingertips and then my face stated to experience similar skin cavities.
Just wondering & hoping if this is caused by something thing else or if anyone else has experienced the same phenomenon with this product?

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NYSuzyq87 on 10/25/2012 11:45:00 AM more reviews by NYSuzyq87

Age: 19-24   Skin: Oily, Dark   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

I can see why people hate the smell but I barely notice it. It's really drying and the "exfoliation" action is really just the soap crumbling under water. It takes makeup off really well but I can do the same thing with a $3 Neutrogena bar. It's nothing special.

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Kremenka on 10/5/2012 7:19:00 AM more reviews by Kremenka

Age: 25-29   Skin: Oily, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

Very, very nice product! A little piece lasts for weeks despite I use it once a day on my face, upper chest and back. It is drying, as someone had written bellow and sometimes I apply a moisturizer. But it does not cause my skin to produce "compensating" oil, which is an absolute miracle and in contradiction with my previous experience with sulfate-based cleansers. My skin tolerates it very well, still in winter I will change it with the Dark angels cleanser. The price is also very good, having in mind that an 9 Euro piece lasts more than 4 mounts (I have not yet finished my piece).

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priscillasdf on 10/5/2012 2:31:00 AM more reviews by priscillasdf

Age: 19-24   Skin: Oily, Medium, Warm   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I use this cleanser in the morning when I do not need a strong cleanser. I love the simplicity of this cleanser. It is basically a bar of soap that removes all the oils I produced overnight but it does not completely strip my face and make it feel tight like a lot of other cleansers do. It has a tiny bit of coal particles which I like. I have issues with acne, but since using this product I have noticed that my acne is improving.

I also like that a little goes a LONG way. I purchased a ~$2.00 sliver the first time I tried it and it has lasted me over 2 months now. I am still working on the same sliver and it is going for 3 months.

There is no packaging for this product. You tell the sales associate how much you want and they cut and wrap it up for you like with their other solid soaps. I purchased a body butter tin a while ago and never repurchased a body butter so I decided to keep my coal face in the tin instead. It works great! The cleanser does not melt everywhere and you have a spiffy storage container for it.

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RedLipsCatEyes on 10/2/2012 10:19:00 AM more reviews by RedLipsCatEyes

Age: 19-24   Skin: Sensitive, Fair-Medium   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Brown    

Great for clearing pores Nd preventing blackheads. Very very drying. Must use with a substantial moisturizer. Otherwise, this can cause skin to peel - it is that drying.

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VK on 9/25/2012 7:53:00 AM more reviews by VK

Age: 25-29   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

I've been using Coalface for about two weeks on and off with ultrabland and my skin has got a lot worse. I have spots on my neck which is a thing I have NEVER had, even when I was a teenager. So the idea that it's getting impurities out (Skin gets worse before getting better) seems wrong to me as I have never had them on my neck. I blame this product for that. I would be very weary when getting it. I have a theory it is something to do with how the skin produces more oil when it is dry perhaps but seriously I am considering going to my doctor for a cure cause I haven't ever had skin like this.

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phoebeweatherfield on 9/23/2012 5:13:00 PM more reviews by phoebeweatherfield

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair, Cool   Hair: Red, Fine   Eyes: Blue    

I say that I wouldn't repurchase because my skin has fairly permanently dried out and this product is now way too harsh for me. However, this soap is great for oily, acne-prone skin. It smells wonderful, and I love the idea of black soap. Back when my skin was oilier, it was a godsend.

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HausOfCanvas on 9/18/2012 2:40:00 PM more reviews by HausOfCanvas

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Brunette, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

I love this product and use it all of the time. I even have my boyfriend using it. It is in bar form so it is convenient for in and out of the shower. I use this with Gorgeous by lush and the 2 go hand in hand. Love this product and will use it over and over again. They only thing that is not good about it is that it does not come with a case. Buy one from the dollar store. Problem solved.

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CCatena on 7/31/2012 11:20:00 PM more reviews by CCatena

Age: 44-55   Skin: Normal, Fair   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Hazel    

I usually love lush stuff but was really disappointed in this product. My 21 year old got this for break outs, but told me it was to drying for her. I tried it for a few days and while I didn't find it drying, it was rough and gritty. Maybe if a guy with beard stubble tried it, it might work, but I ended up throwing it out. One of my few serious disappointments with them.

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Masia927 on 7/28/2012 5:15:00 PM more reviews by Masia927

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

This cleanser is a must have for me. I got a sample after my formerly pimply friend told me his face was so clear thanks to this cleanser. It does an incredible job of clearing up acne. Of all the Lush cleansers I've used this one was the best at clearing up my skin. However, when I moved away from the ocean and to a desert town, I found that it was too drying for my skin. I now use it at night (and herbalism in the daytime) or forgo it altogether if my face is really dry. It is mildly exfoliating as well which helps keep my skin from getting dull. I still always have it at home though because it's also the best thing I've ever used at clearing up body acne. I keep it in a little travel soap dish I got at Walgreens for 99 cents (don't waste your money on Lush's expensive tins). For reference my friend had very oily skin and I have combo skin (oily with dry patches).

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LGrant1995 on 7/26/2012 8:28:00 AM more reviews by LGrant1995

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Oily, Tan, Warm   Hair: Blond, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

Before purchasing this product, I searched the reviews of it in order to simply see if I was wasting my time and money in buying coalface. The reviews I'd seen were rather negative towards the product, however, I decided to give it the benefit of the doubt and use it on my face anyway.
Ironically, the price for coalface was £6.66, I suppose that is a clear indication of the, effectiveness, or coal face...
Before using this product, my skin was normal, not perfect with a few blemishes but rather clear, however, after using this product, I wanted to hide my face away for several weeks...
My face broke out! But they weren't normal spots, they turned into nasty scabs, even now, several months later, I have the scarring caused by this soap! Luckily, I used Benzoyl Peroxide (2.5 strength) and they cleared away in no time! Lucky I had that, goodness knows how long those hideous scabs would have stayed there for...
This is an honest review! The price is expensive, the smell is okay (It's coal, do you expect a miracle?!), there was no packaging (unless you count the paper it came with which fell to pieces after the first use). I recommend asking for a sample of the soap if you're still unsure; don't waste your money buying acne!

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hannah275 on 7/24/2012 6:22:00 PM more reviews by hannah275

Age: 19-24   Skin: Oily, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Blond, Curly, Coarse   Eyes: Green    

Used this cleanser as a morning cleanser to control oil
Pros: Good for controlling oil for a few hours, face feels 'squeaky' clean after using, makes into a good lather
Cons: Can be over drying to certain areas of my face like around my eyes and lips, if you don't like the smell of licorice then you may not like this
I had to stop using this product as it was irritating my eyes and lips making them too dry and wasn't keen on the smell. I moved to using LUSH fresh farmacy instead which I much prefer.

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*TOP REVIEWER* lunalove on 7/18/2012 4:55:00 PM more reviews by lunalove

Age: 25-29   Skin: Acne-prone, Medium, Warm   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

Hmm, I wish this had worked as well for me as it did for so many others here, but it just left my skin too dry and tight and I do not like that feeling. It did make me feel very clean but as I said, too tight. I do have oily acne prone skin, but I just like my skin to feel clean, soft, and not aggravated.
It does smell like charcoal and does have abrasive bits, so I would suggest lathering it up in your hands and then applying to your face, not putting the bar directly on your face.
I used the rest of mine on my chest and shoulders.

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