Review: Lush Grease Lightning

Lush's Herbalism cleanser continues to work wonders on my oily, acne-prone skin, so I decided to check out another one of their acne products: Grease Lightning. Grease Lightning is an acne spot treatment that contains seaweed gel (keep skin from drying out completely), aloe vera (soothing), seawater (antiseptic), grape juice (cooling and calming), herb infusions (antibacterial properties), witch hazel (astringent and anti-inflammatory) and tea tree oil (antiseptic).

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The product itself is a clear gel dispensed via a pump, to keep everything nice and sanitary. A single pump goes a long way, especially if you use toner on your skin beforehand. I've used Grease Lightning as a spot treatment and as a general preventative measure in areas where I am typically most prone to breakouts (chin and mouth area) and it works like a charm both ways! I use this product once a day--although sometimes twice a day if I'm fighting a particularly stubborn breakout--before bed, as the last step of my nightly skin routine.

I've used benzoyl peroxide spot treatments before and let me tell you, my skin does not like them. I get red, flaky and unbearably itchy around the entire area I used the spot treatment. The itchiness can last up to 24 hours after I first applied the spot treatment and it's one of the main reasons I moved away from benzoyl perozide-based products and opted to try out gentler, more natural alternatives. Grease Lightning doesn't cause any redness or irritation on my skin, which I love! I experience some dryness and tightness in the area where I dabbed some gel on (to be expected), but this is only temporary and does not leave behind any lasting dryness or flaking. Everything feels completely balanced and normal by the time I wake up in the morning. I appreciate that this product is tough on acne, but not on the rest of my skin!

I very rarely get big, cystic pimples (especially since I started using Herbalism), but when I do, Grease Lightning zaps them away quickly. A while ago, I woke up early one morning and could feel one of those swollen, under-skin bastards of a zit starting to emerge on my upper cheek. I dabbled on some Grease Lightning and, since I wasn't feeling well, went back to sleep for a few more hours. When I woke up, the zit already looked and felt a lot better. The zit never surfaced and was completely gone in a day or so! With smaller zits like whiteheads, which is what I struggle with the most, Grease Lightning gets rid of them very quickly--usually by the next morning if I put some on before bed.

If you haven't seen results with benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid spot treatments or if you're in need of a spot treatment that won't completely dry out your skin, you might want to give Grease Lightning a try! It's become one of the key products in my nightly routine and, along with Herbalism, has really helped keep my acne under control and my skin looking clear!