LUSH Dark Angels

I have very acne prone skin, due to both hormones and extreme sensitivity. I've been breaking out a lot lately and I am also very oily throughout the t-zone area. After just two days, all my acne cleared, redness and swelling completely went away, and my skin felt and looked both brighter and smoother! I found the best way to use this product is by wetting your face with warm water FIRST, then grabbing a dime-sized amount (seriously, the tiniest little bit) with DRY HANDS, then work it over your damp face. It won't get so sticky and it will rinse off much easier. There is a weird scent to it, that's not too bad, but I can't figure out what exactly it is. At $29 for the "large" size, this is extremely excessive, but I will likely repurchase it because it's done wonders, better than any drugstore, name brand, or prescription cleanser I've had, that doesn't make my skin feel right or oily, perfectly balanced! In addition, my makeup wore 1000x better!

I'm so in love with this cleanser! It really absorbs my oil and helps with blackheads tremendously. It's not too gritty and is perfect for my sensitive skin. It is a bit messy but I don't mind it. A little bit goes a long way. My skin feels so smooth and I'm not getting cystic acne anymore. I am obsessed.

I tried several Lush products for my skin including coal face, angels on bare skin, and a few others. I have always been told that the secret to great skin is exfoliation, but I had tried most over the counter/drug store/alternate scrubs, to no avail. I got a sample of the product and LOVED it! The exfoliation, combined with the charcoal drawing out the impurities, made my skin GLOW!! I scrub my face at the beginning of my shower, let it sit on my face for my shower, and then rinse at the end of my shower. My skin glows and is smooth. I am so happy!! Love Love Love Dark Angels!

I almost feel a bit guilty writing this review as a longtime reader of the skincare board, which typically condemns Lush's facial products (I still agree that a lot of their products contain potentially irritating and sun-sensitizing ingredients). Nevertheless, after trying nearly everything you tend to throw caution to the wind. For the past two years I've been dealing with a chronic, pustular rash that waxes and wanes, but never completely goes away (until possibly now -- fingers crossed). I would go through cycles of only having one or two spots, to a week later having 30 or so. Before that I had pretty clear skin with the exception of occasional closed comedones and blackheads. I eventually went to a dermatologist (after trying nearly every Paula's Choice product, Pocketderm, Head and Shoulders Shampoo, and Noble Formula Zinc soap) who determined it was either some form of folliculitis or rosacea subtype 2. Over a nearly 6 month span I tried multiple Rx topicals as well as a round of Diflucan and, later, Doxycycline. Nothing helped. I was then supposed to try Soolantra, but my insurance didn't cover it. The next step was a course of low dose Accutane which I was not very excited about. I also tried finding a gynecologist to see if getting back on birth control would help but, due to my horrendous insurance, the option pool was extremely limited and no one had any new patient appointments until at least 4 months down the road. Talk about a headache.

A couple weeks ago, I learned that a Lush store had just opened in my city (the closest one until then was over 2 hours away) so I browsed the website and decided to go pick up small sizes of Dark Angels and Tea Tree Water Toner just for kicks. I don't know if I've merely experienced a freak, coincidental resolution or if this stuff actually contains what I needed, but after two weeks of use my skin has completely cleared. I won't believe it for real until a couple months go by, but for now this is the first time in two years that my skin hasn't had a single spot which is pretty incredible. Dark Angels does have sugar in it which can be quite exfoliating, so I use a very light touch and don't rub it in much in order to prevent irritation/barrier damage. I also only use it once a day or once every other day. My skin doesn't tolerate chemical exfoliants while mild physical is fine and necessary due to my skin's tendency to be quite flaky. Luckily the fragrance and essential oils have not caused any irritation either. My skin actually looks and feels much calmer after use and not at all tight or dry unlike almost all of the liquid cleansers I've tried. Most nights I can just follow up with Tea Tree Water Toner and some eye cream and be done (my skin is naturally extremely oily and abhors anything emollient or occlusive).

I will be very interested to see if my skin remains clear with continued use and would advise anyone else to be diligent and informed, but also open minded when it comes to skin care as no one product is going to be good or bad for everyone (though I would never put lemon oil/juice on my face and don't think anyone else should either -- "natural" and "safe" are not always the same thing).

I don't hate this product. I've noticed a real difference in my skin since I bought it. I still get minor breakouts but nothing like before. plus, it feels good knowing I'm using a natural product.

BUT. it makes a mess. it's so so messy. and when I rinse my face, I end up with black residue all over my face, which makes me feel like I need ANOTHER cleanser for my already cleansed skin. its just a mess. so while I do like what it does, it's not worth it to me if I have to clean up daily, unecessary messes not only in my sink but on my face, just to wash my face. oye.

This product is totally worth it! I have oily skin and it makes my skin feel amazing after I wash it with cold water. One thing I tried is using it on my body since you can also use it for your body. I noticed my skin was glowing and feels so soft. Most def love this products!!!

Sweet Jesus I love this cleanser. These days, it's the only thing I'll use. I have combination skin, and this does such a wonderful job of sucking out the excess oil and sloughing off any rough patches. It makes you look like a coal miner when you use it, but if that doesn't bother you, it's perfect!

Just got this product three days ago and have used it six times I have to say is quickly becoming a favorite I suffer from a lot of acne scarring and cystic acne and after just when you say look significantly smaller and less irritated the pigmentation is also fading quickly and I do not get any lock or off colored residue left on my face and my skin complexion is super fair and also dry!! it locks in moisture. New fav.

I have sensitive very acne prone skin and was using this as a MASK twice a week for many months. This was keeping my face so clear that I forgot about my skin troubles and had stopped using it for a few weeks. Then I noticed my acne coming back. Will repurchase over and over.. works better than topical prescription acne treatments I have tried in the past!

Tip: Mixi a chunk of this stuff with a little water in a bowl and apply with a clean makeup brush.. it will be a lot less messy

I struggle to find the motivation to use it, as it seems like more trouble than it's worth- what I'm about to say might sound petty, but it's bad.

First of all, I have dry/dehydrated skin, and thought this might be good for removing flakiness. It's not too harsh for my skin type, nor at all stripping, if you're wondering. However, my skin had to be stripped afterwards, as this stuff completely stains my face black, and refuses to move! It doesn't seem to make any difference how I try to remove said stains, I end up having to scrub and use more cleansers on my face. I gave it a go in the shower, but had the same issue, except with a stained shower. It stains sinks, too.

UPDATE: I went into Lush and told a girl about the fact that it stains my skin black. She essentially told me in confidence that she hates it too, and that she has a feeling of dread whenever someone asks her for a demo, as it often does stain skin.