Full of Grace is one of two serum bars that Lush released a few years ago, designed specifically to accommodate a certain skin type, and to help counteract any problems that this type of skin might face. Unfortunately, the other bar, Saving Face, didn't last long and was removed from the shelves before I was given a chance to grab one. However, this little beauty has survived the test of time and is currently Lush's only solid facial serum in store.
Designed for sensitive and/or dry skin, Full of Grace is a combination of natural, fresh ingredients that support, protect and enhance your complexion.
Firstly, this bar is solid, meaning that Lush are not required to include any preservatives or chemicals needed to keep the product in a liquid state. Much like Sweet Japanese Girl, Coal Face and Fresh Farmacy, Full Of Grace is as natural as it can possibly be. This is great for those complexions that have perhaps spent years being caked in different make-up and lotions, and who now need something a lot more gentle on the pores.
Containing a combination of rose and chamomile oils, this product is already laced with key ingredients to moisturise and calm the skin; the cupuacu and murumuru butters work wonderfully with the oils, producing a serum that hydrates and lubricates the skin, without making it greasy. The combination of almond oil and tagetes oil has been added to brighten the skin, again without making it look shiny or oily. Finally, and probably the ingredient I was most intrigued by, Lush have included portobello mushrooms, which are supposedly packed with antioxidants and vitamins to bring life to your complexion and leave you feeling beautiful. Although there is sometimes a little confusion as to how to use this product, Lush recommend that you either apply it before you use one of their fresh face masks, just to give your skin a little bit of a moisturise before it experiences it's deep cleanse. Or as I do, apply it gently after exiting the shower, just like you would with any one of their facial moisturisers.
Initially, I was hesitant to purchase Full Of Grace as for it's £8.25 price tag, the bar itself is tiny, weighing in at only 20g. However, what I found when I started using it, is that you only need to apply it gently onto the skin, meaning a single bar lasted me upwards for 5-6 months. This means that, not only is Full of Grace the healthiest moisturiser to use on your face, it also happens to be the most cost effective.
But does it actually work?
Having applied it to you face, I found that, despite what Lush claim, the oils didn't really absorb that well into my skin. After admiring my face some ten minutes after initial application, I could still see a slight shine from where the oils were resting on the surface of my skin. However, I wouldn't say that my complexion looked in anyway greasy, if only just a little shiny.
This solid serum bar melts very easily when exposed to the heat of your skin, so it's worth using it methodically but quickly. If you apply too much pressure to the area, you'll end up with a surplus of oil, which can then make your skin rather greasy.
Much the same as Sweet Japanese Girl Cleanser, this is a product that takes it time to fully absorb into the skin, so I wouldn't recommend it as your daily facial moisturiser. Although, after trialing it out for a couple of weeks, I found that it did improve the health and look of my pores, so noticeable in fact that I received a complement on the quality of my facial skin. Despite this, I wouldn't feel comfortable using this first thing in the morning as I need something refreshing and instantly hydrating, without leaving me with a complexion that smudges or rejects make-up like it did. For this reason, I would suggest that, like me, you apply Full Of Grace just before going to bed, which gives your skin a good 7+ hours to fully absorb it's moisture and benefit from this product, without it affecting your complexion throughout the day. Using a combination of this serum at night, with Enzymion during the day, my skin has vastly improved and I can honestly say, my skin has never looked or felt better.
A lot of consumers have commented on the smell of this serum; something that seems to put a lot of people off from buying Full Of Grace. However, I rather enjoy the smell. To me, it's a rather subtle smell - a mixture of rose and chamomile with just a hint of the various oils and butters that accompany these two main ingredients. It's definitely not the most captivating smell ever, but it's not one that's going to overpower anything else that you wish to use during your daily cosmetics routine. For this reason, I cannot fathom why it would put people off of buying it, especially after the benefits it harvests.
Overall, I think Full Of Grace is excellent value for money and one that definitely suits the drier, more sensitive complexions. If used correctly and regularly, it can bring about about some really fantastic results. Although it leaves my skin a little shiny for a while after application, it does make me feel nourished and replenished after use. It's definitely a product I'll keep on using, and one that I won't have to stock up on regularly as its design means a single bar will last me a good part of the year.
Quantitative Ingredients: Murumuru Butter, Calamine Powder, Cupuacu Butter, Fresh Rose Petal Infusion, Organic Almond Oil, Perfume, Fresh Portobello Mushrooms, Chamomile Blue Oil, Rose Oil, Tagetes Oil, Eugenol, Geraniol, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl, Cinnamate, Citronellol, Farnesol, Limonene, Linalool.
Vegan?: Yes.
2016 Price: £8.25. for 20g.
