Dry Scalp Treatment - Superbalm Scalp Treatment by Lush

My husband suffers from a dry, itchy and flaky scalp so we're always on the lookout for serums or balms that may help alleviate it. We went to LUSH yesterday and I spotted their Superbalm Scalp Treatment and decided to splurge for it (it costs $19.95 for 1.5oz). LUSH is notoriously expensive so we only buy things that we think may be unique products. 

Dandruff can cause your scalp to be itchy and if you continuously scratch it vigorously, you can cause damage to your skin and follicles, so it's important to keep your skin moisturized and hydrated. Although this product seems small, it actually is quite a large amount considering how thick and richly moisturizing it is. You only need an extremely small, less than pea-sized amount to cover your whole scalp. You are meant to rub it into your scalp and leave it on for 20 minutes before showering, I presume this is because your hair can get greasy and it has a strong peppermint scent. This product seems to produce the best results when used daily.

The rationale for the ingredients used in this product, according to the website are as follows:

Chamomile blue oil: soothes irritated scalp, causes the blue tint of the balm

Lavender oil: has relaxing, soothing and cleansing qualities

Salicylic acid: active ingredient that treats skin/scalp and psoriasis to shed dead cells from the top layer by increasing the amount of moisture in the skin and dissolving the substance that makes the cells clump together, thereby decreasing scaling and dryness

Rose wax & essential oils: has natural and soothing properties which soothe very dry skin, it is very lipid rich and hydrates skin cells

Extra Virgin Coconut Oil: can reduce symptoms associated with psoriasis, eczema and helps restore natural balance to the skin - has softening properties due to the extra virgin oil used as a binder

Candelilla wax: substitute to beeswax, acts as a moisture barrier and enhance formula texture

Other ingredients are used for fragrance

So far my husband really likes this product, I think the smell can be considered strong but as long as you're using it at night, it shouldn't be that much of a problem. I'm happy that this is a mostly-natural product with salicylic acid being the active treatment ingredient. If you suffer from a dry scalp you should give this product a try, it has a very high positive response from customers and one container should last you 2-3 months (so if you break it down, it doesn't seem that expensive). 

Let me know if you have any other experiences with this or similar products.

DIY: Make Your Own Lip Scrub

Last weekend, I went into LUSH and impulse-bought a 'Bubblegum Lip Scrub' for $8, which is very pricey considering it really is just a sugar-based product that you scrub your lips with to smooth them out before applying lip balm or lipstick. I'd never tried lip scrubs before so I decided I would purchase this one to see what they should be like. I later noticed that I could make my own very simply so I figured I would save you all the time and money of going to LUSH and purchasing one (or getting one from any other makeup house, to be frank) by teaching you how to make your own.


What you'll need:
- Sugar in the raw (brown sugar but you can use white if you don't like or own brown sugar) - you want the sugar to be very coarse and not finely milled
- olive oil
- vaseline or petroleum jelly
- 100% aloe vera gel (come in container from drugstore or if you have a natural aloe plant you can squeeze it out of the leaves)
- chapstick or flavoring and food coloring of your choice (some people use honey but it is too sticky for my preference but it is always an option)
- clear glass jar (you can use any jar but I think it looks better in a small clear jar that you can easily carry around - small baby food container works very well for this)

You'll want to use about a teaspoon of vaseline, half a teaspoon of aloe vera gel, one quarter teaspoon of olive oil, one third of a chapstick (cut it off the stick) or smaller amounts of your flavoring/coloring agents, and as much sugar as will fill up your container and mix it all together until you get a paste-like consistency and the color/flavor is even throughout your jar. You  may want to mix it all in another bowl and trasfer it into your jar later, I find that this allows you better control over the consistency you're getting. When you are finished, this will be instantly gratifying because you can use it right away, it doesn't need to be stored in the fridge or anything like that, and you can use it as often as you'd like without worrying about how much it cost for you to purchase it because you can remake it anytime!