Buff City and Lush have a similar profile, both offering a nice range of fragrances, makeup, skincare, haircare, etc.). Lush has been around longer than Buff City and seems a lot of people love them.
If you’ve tried Lush and now looking for an alternative, or just wondering if Buff City is good so you can switch since they’re cheaper, this article is for you.
I’ll be doing a general review on both brands by looking at the price, packaging, scent, business practices, and most importantly, which might be better for you.
Without wasting time, let’s get started:
About the Brands
What Exactly Is Buff City All About?
This is a brand that is selling cold press soap and is making waves in the industry. They’re now found almost everywhere.
The brand was established in 2013 and has been growing in bounds and leaps.
They claim their products are free from detergents, animal fats, and harsh chemicals. Instead, filled with plant-based ingredients.
What Exactly Is Lush All About?
Lush is a popular cosmetics retailer, established in 1995. It’s one of the top brands in the cosmetics industry with products ranging from shampoo to soap to facial cleansers.
Basically, everything you’ll need for the bath, body, and shower. As you can see, Lush is far bigger than Buff City in terms of product range and experience in the industry.
Buff City Soap vs Lush: Which Brand Is Better?
Price
In terms of price, Buff City is supposed to be more affordable than Lush, although that may be dependent on the product you’re buying.
To make sure you’re saving money anytime you buy, Buff City also offers sales once a week.
Lush being all-natural with a nice smell and a good track record is more expensive. This is one of the reasons why people are flocking to Buff City.
But is the price the only metric you should be looking at when buying? No, and you will soon see why. Keep reading…
Packaging
Buff City doesn’t use fragrances instead of fresh ingredients. That means it may not smell as good as Lush.
Moreover, their soaps, facial cleansers, etc. are not melt-and-pour. Instead, they follow the cold press method, which means they’ll need a curing period.
The facial cleansers may be drying because of that. Like Lush, Buff City bath bombs are also extremely popular and also very appealing in their designs.
However, they contain oil/moisturizing ingredients, which means they stain more than Lush’s.
Lush has stopped using rash seed oil, but Buff City, being a newer company is still using it. Although it is moisturizing, it’s actually a penetrating oil and can get rancid fast.
Scent
A couple of customers noted that they weren’t satisfied with most of the Lush scents.
Though the scent of Buff City bar soaps might seem not to be there, it’ll come alive once you get water on it.
Some users also stated that they love their laundry soaps as the scent lingers on after laundry.
Some of the scents (from Buff City) that are people’s favorites include pink sugar with a dash of rose or lemongrass. Another one is shower oil and lemongrass rosemary.
As for Lush, they also have a great selection of scents to pick from. In fact, they have a more varied line than Buff City, being that they have been around for longer.
Lush has much more product types and scents than Buff City, so you are likely to find what you like easier with Lush.
Longevity
When you talk about bar soaps, Buff City seems to last longer.
If you’re into bar soap, you may want to go for Buff City instead of Lush as it will save you money in the long run.
Lush, on the other hand, doesn’t last as long as Buff City, which is why many people see themselves buying their products less and less.
One other great thing about Buff City is that the soaps are ready to use. You don’t need to cure it before you can use it.
Shipping
Buff City shipping should be very fast and a few customers have confirmed this while reviewing some of their products.
Also, when you sign up on their website, BC is going to give you a free bar. This is great marketing to get people who like bar soaps to stay with them.
Product Expiry Date
The expiry date of most Buff City soap has a shelf life of 6 months. This is according to the recommendation from the brand.
But since their soaps are made from the cold process, they should be good for years and even the scent should be intact for that long.
Again, Buff City is still a young company, so they may still be sorting out the expiry date on their products.
Popular Products
Buff City’s popular products include bath bombs, bar soap, and facial cleansers. Lush, on the other hand, sells these and many more.
Business Practices
It’s important this is mentioned so buyers beware. From the look of things, it seems that Buff City is built on a franchising operation.
Another problem with Buff City is that they sell their soap when it’s not fully cured yet.
Now, they handcraft soaps daily and are supposed to allow it 4 or 6 weeks to cure before they begin selling. But they don’t do that and sell before that time.
So, you either have to allow that time to pass before using it or use it like that. Would it be safe that way? Yes, but the quality will be extremely low and it won’t last long…
I hate to say it, but there seem to be a lot of negative reviews of the site across the interwebs, which isn’t always a good thing for a brand.
And the reason they’re as popular as Lush now is because they’re cheaper.
As for Lush, they have a few problems as well. Many people claimed they stopped buying from there because of the way the brand treats its staff and customers.
Personal experience may vary though, so it’s always good to try and get your own experience.
Conclusion
Lush has been around for quite a while. Though expensive, they are solid. Many of their products are good with almost no close alternatives.
But if you’re looking for a cheaper alternative, you can try Buff City. They are a close alternative, available for lower a cost.