Lush // Million Dollar Moisturiser // My Allergic Reaction

I want to start off by saying that this isn’t going to be a post bashing this product, or Lush, in any way – I'm gutted that my skin didn’t agree with it - I just wanted to write about my experience with this product and perhaps maybe help someone out if they find themselves in the same position I did.

I said in my latest haul video that I had recently bought this, the Million Dollar Moisturiser, from Lush and said in that post that it had brought me out in a horrible allergic reaction – well this is how things went down!...

When I first laid eyes on this moisturiser, I thought it was beautiful. I tested it on the back of my hand (I felt a little tingle at the time but didn’t think anything of it) and it was just stunning; so sheen-y and luminous and it smelt incredible! I was instantly drawn to it.  After hearing from one of the staff at Lush that it's suitable for sensitive skin, its super hydrating and that some of the girls even us it as a primer, I was completely sold!

I must have worn this moisturiser for about 2 days before I notice lots of little bumps around the sides of my lips and on my chin one evening. I wasn’t too sure what they were but I hoped that when I woke up the next morning they would have disappeared – oh I could not have been more wrong! I woke up the next morning with my cheeks covered in hives and a horrible dry, itchy and sore red rash that eventually worked its way up to just under my eyes and around my eyebrows, it was also going down my neck. I was like "what the FUCK is going on"?!

I knew that it had to have been some sort of allergic reaction because of the hives and I knew it had to have been this moisturiser as this was the only new skin care product I had put on my face for a while. I was mortified!

I tried cleansing my face with my normal Elemis cleansing balm and put my normal Clarins serum and moisturiser on but it was just making things worse – the rash on my face became so inflamed (and even more dry) that the bottom half of my face turned a horrible shade of purpley red. I was in tears.

After spending my Saturday morning doing some research online I found out about something called dermatitis which is basically hyper sensitive/eczema/psoriasis like skin condition – which sounded like something I was going through. I found a couple of moisturisers that were supposed to help relive sore dry itchy red skin so thought I would give them a go – these have turned out to be my life savers these past 2 weeks!

Eucerin do an intensive treatment cream that I think has done the best job at making my skin feel normal again.  I put this on the infected areas morning and night - its little oily and thick, but this thing is a miracle worker.

I also picked up the E45 cream which is amazing layered over the top of the Eucerin cream - I needed something gentle to keep the rest of my face moisturised and this really did the trick.

I also decided to start taking antihistamines to try and get rid of the hives – which worked a treat! (I'm currently still using the lotions and taking the antihistamines!)

I did seek a doctor's advice who said that it was definitely an allergic reaction I had to one of the chemicals in the moisturiser and that I was to keep taking the antihistamines and applying the lotions.  He said that it should hopefully clear up within the next 7 days or so – I was just relived I was doing the right thing! (If you want to see pictures of how bad the reaction was, leave me a comment below and I'll add them to the post.)

After tweeting Lush and not getting any response, I called them and explained my situation – I wanted to know whether I could return the moisturiser and perhaps get some sort of refund. They were very sympathetic and the guy I spoke to assured me that I could get a full refund which I was so happy about – hello, lush moisturisers are not cheap! He asked me to send the product back to them and asked me to email them pictures of my skin (which I did). I then heard back from them once they had received the product in the post and was given a full refund over the phone. They even sent me a complimentary tub of their Dream Cream which was supper nice of them – I'm a bit nervous to use it though, although I hear nothing but great things about it.

I know this wasn’t anyone's fault, I mean who can predict an allergic reaction? But just take care when purchasing face products from Lush – do a patch test first if you can or read the list of ingredients so see what they have in them. These products are heavily scented, so if you do have sensitive skin like me, maybe this moisturiser isn’t for you!

I would just like to say though that Lush's customer service (via telephone) was amazing throughout this whole thing! I haven’t let this experience completely put me off Lush, but I'm definitely more careful about what I put on my face now! xo