Like A Virgin Cold Cream

After an extensive two months of naked facial care, I've finally reached the end with this rather strange disc of oils and butters. To be honest, the reason why Like A Virgin Cold Cream was pushed to the back of the queue is simple: I had no idea what to do with it. Research led me down dead ends, and discussions resulted in multiple conclusions. The only thing I knew for certain was that it was to be used on the face, and under no circumstance was I supposed to eat it. 

Firstly, I should probably state that this is one of the most 'pathetic' looking products that Lush have ever created. Not only was the disc smaller and less coloured than all of the other naked oils and cleansers that came out alongside it, but it hadn't been in my basket more than an hour at the showcase before it was a sticky, squishy mess. 

For this reason, you're probably thinking that this review is going to be a negative one, and if it were any other company aside from Lush, you'd be right. Only Lush can get away with bringing out something so terrible looking, and still get a glowing review. This is not because I'm unable to bring myself to slate my favourite company, but more because the blimin' product actually works really well: you just need to figure out how to store and carry this product without leaving grease stains wherever you go.

After a little research, I discovered that a cold cream is an emulsion of water in oil and gets it name from the cold feeling you get after you've applied this product to your skin. While most 'classic' cold creams featured beeswax, Lush have modernised this idea by using extra virgin olive and jojoba oils, as well as sunflower and candelilla waxes instead. They've also removed the water so that you get this cream as a solid disc as well.

As with all of Lush's naked facial cleansers, the idea of this one is to massage a little across your face and then wipe it away with a cotton pad or cloth. The oils and waxes replenish your skin whilst also removing excess dirt from your pores. The inclusion of the lemon oil works alongside these to not only cleanse and clear the complexion, but to leave a radiant shine that stays with you for hours afterwards.

Firstly, I suggest that you use your fingers to stimulate a little of the product for your face. You only have to pick it up to know that Like A Virgin is very greasy, and will deposit a sticky mess on any surface it comes into contact with. Applying it directly to your face would probably cause an oily mess that'll do more damage than good. You'd probably lose a lot of product this was as well. 

To use, I merely rubbed it between my fingers and then massaged it across my face in stages. This way I was able to monitor how much I was using, and not waste any of the product by getting it on my hands and on my face at the same time. Once on, I found that this cold cream actually absorbs into the skin pretty quickly, so you'll need to remove it with a cotton pad or damp cloth immediately afterwards.

What I found was that Like A Virgin did an amazing job at leaving my skin feeling soft and shiny, without anything sticky or greasy remaining. After a couple of days of using this, my complexion felt much smoother and cleaner, and I really feel as if it made a difference to my skin. As a side note, I actually experimented by leaving this on my face instead of removing it, and found that it also made a really great, intensive moisturiser. After a few days of doing this, I could really see and feel a difference.

The only issue I have with this cold cream is the storage. It's naturally very sticky so would be a pain to travel with as well. This latter point is a shame as this would have been the perfect companion for me during the Christmas period, but it's just too sticky to tuck into my cosmetics bag. Having said that, I cannot fault how much it's benefitted my skin over such a short space of time, and how long it's lasted me - even when I initially thought it wouldn't see me through two weeks because I thought it would shrink. 

The age old saying 'never judge a book by its cover' is very much true in this instance. Like A Virgin Cold Cream is a refreshingly new idea that Lush should definitely continue working on. It may look like a messy accumulation of butters and waxes (and believe me, it is!) there is more than meets the eye, and I would highly recommend giving this a try for yourself.  

Quantitative Ingredients: Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Olea europaea), Organic Jojoba Oil (Simmondsia chinensis), Sunflower Wax (Helianthus annuus), Candelilla Wax (Euphorbia cerifera), Sicilian Lemon Oil (Citrus limonum), Organic Lemon Myrtle Oil (Backhousia citriodora), Mimosa Wax (Acacia decurrens), *Citral, *Limonene, Perfume.

Vegan?: Yes.

2018 Price: £4.95 for each.

Year Of Original Release: 2018.