Lush Dream Cream: A Dream Come True! (Lush Dream Cream)

Member Name: Spudtastic

Product:	Lush Dream Cream
Date:	04/08/08 (315 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Soaks in quickly, soothes and helps to relieve eczema and dry skin, vegan, beautiful consistency.

Disadvantages: Pots are perhaps a little bulky, but nothing to merit not trying this wonderful stuff!

I'm going to make a confession. Before the beginning of this year, I'd only ever set foot in a Lush store once. After which point, I'd decided that everything was too expensive for me. However, that all changed this January. Exams were imminent, and yet the eczema on my hands was so severe that I struggled to grip my pen. I was desperate for something to clear up the problem, and quickly. Someone recommended Lush's 'Dream Cream', so I rushed out to pick up a sample.

I'll admit it. I was sceptical. Like many other eczema and dry skin sufferers, I'd tried many other creams, lotions and potions, but to no avail. The sample was free, in a small, transparent plastic pot and, terrified of making my problem worse just in time for my exams, I tentatively applied the tiniest of amounts. Amazingly, within an hour of applying it, my skin had been soothed considerably and there were visible improvements!

So what IS this seemingly miraculous product? Well, its main ingredients are oat milk, rose water, olive oil and cocoa butter, all of which allegedly possess moisturising capabilities. In terms of smell, Dream Cream certainly doesn't live up to the standards of other Lush products, despite the tea tree oil and lavender oil. However, this isn't something that you buy for its aroma - Lush sell plenty of other wonderfully scented moisturising creams for that - and, whilst it does take a little getting used to, it tends to grow on you and certainly isn't unpleasant. I'm not quite sure how to describe the smell - the website whimsically states that the 'chamomile smells a bit too much like freshly dug flower bed, even with lavender and rose thrown in', and I'm willing to go with that!

Consistency-wise... it's beautifully soft and, whilst not exactly thick, it isn't unmanageably runny - similar to many other skin lotions on the market. What is unlike many other creams, however, is that this also soaks in very quickly, so doesn't leave you with greasy hands that you're reluctant to touch anything with for half an hour! For those concerned about any animal welfare issues surrounding cosmetics, all Lush products are suitable for use by vegetarians, and this particular one is also certified as very much suitable for vegans.

But what about value for money? I've mentioned that I was given a small sample in a tiny plastic pot. I saw this lasting me maybe one or two uses, but I used the cream at least 3 times a day and, even with the severity of the condition of my skin, it lasted me for almost a week - long enough for me to go and buy a pot! I'm not going to deny that the stuff is pricey. At the time, it cost me £8.95 for a 240g pot and shortly after that it rose to its present (at the time of writing) price of £9.95. Some may perhaps be reluctant to pay almost £10 of their hard earned cash for such a small amount, but the size and weight of the pot is pretty deceiving. Using it in excess of 3 times a day (when I was in the house, I also tried to reapply it whenever I washed my hands or they just felt a bit dry), my first pot lasted me from the beginning of January right until April. Bear in mind that when I started using it my eczema was severe, so I used quite a lot more than is probably average, and I think that this is superb value for such welcome rare relief from dry, problematic skin. Honestly, this has really improved the quality of my life (not to mention, I think is safe to assume, the results of my exams!), and so I genuinely feel it's worth much more than £10 a few times a year.

The only *slight* problem I have with this product is the size of the container - it's a bit of a pain to lug around with you, but you will tend to want to take it everywhere! However, it's not particularly heavy, and it certainly doesn't detract from the excellent quality of this product!

This cream probably won't cure eczema (although some claim that, for them, it has). When I stop applying cream to my hands, or am under an unusual amount of stress (particularly during exam periods), it will sometimes begin to rear its ugly head again. But Dream Cream will calm it down greatly, and often remove any visible signs of it. If you just have dry skin, this is great to use, and if you don't... just use it to pamper your skin every once in a while! Go out, get a sample, and see this stuff work its magic for yourself!

Summary: A wonderful product, particularly for those suffering with eczema or dry skin.