Ingredient

Vanilla

Vanilla is the unmistakable, uplifting and sweet scent we all know and love.

What is vanilla?

Vanilla beans (pods) are the dried unripe fruits of the orchid Vanilla planifolia. Native to tropical America, it can grow in most tropical areas near the Equator. Every flower is pollinated by hand and pollination must occur within a few hours of the flower's opening. Each blossom produces a single bean that is normally harvested after eight or nine months and then passes through a complex curing process before resembling the black-brown fragrant spice we all know. 

What are the benefits of vanilla?

• It is soothing, brightening, softening and antibacterial for the skin.
• It has a sweet fragrance with uplifting, de-stressing and aphrodisiac qualities.
• The sugars in vanilla act as a humectant, which forms a barrier on the skin and prevents moisture loss. 

Did you know?

Vanillin, the main aromatic compound within vanilla, is an antioxidant and contributes to restoring the skin's brightness and softness. 

Where does Lush source vanilla from?

Sourcing vanilla has been a struggle during the past decades, due to the great demand and price increases which lead to smuggling, quality issues and shortage. But at Lush, we love the beans so much that we couldn't stop using them. We thus had to find solutions, years by years and months by months, thanks to our dedicated team of creative buyers. To find out more about each of our suppliers, browse your Lush product’s list of ingredients and click on the ones you are interested in. This should take you to a page full of details!