Photos: Lush Cosmetics opens overhauled flagship store on Robson Street

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      After a lengthy, seven-month renovation, Lush Cosmetics will officially open the doors to its enlarged downtown Vancouver flagship (1020 Robson Street) this Thursday (August 24).

      Now measuring 2,340 square feet—1,000 square feet larger than previously—the revamped shop features dedicated skincare, bath bomb, and oral care sections, as well as Lush’s first haircare styling bar in Canada. Fitted with a large double-basin sink and a reclaimed-wood vanity complete with a vintage barber’s chair, the hair bar showcases a wide assortment of both bottled and unpackaged—what Lush calls “naked”—shampoos, conditioners, and other products.

      “Vancouverites love their hair care,” Eva Cook, brand and public relations specialist at Lush, tells the Straight during a tour of the store, “so this hair bar was created in response to that to give them more room to come in here, to go over to the big sinks, to play with the different products.”

      Lucy Lau

      Of special note is also the skincare department, which Lush describes as the “heartbeat” of the shop. The area includes a fresh face mask bar, where visitors can see the ingredients that make up each mask, plus a comprehensive selection of cleansers, toners, moisturizers, and more.

      A massive 42-inch concrete sink welcomes visitors at the door, where they’re free to test out bath bombs and get hands on with products. In fact, the entire store has been designed as a “sensory playground”, says Cook, which will encourage shoppers to touch, smell, and sample Lush’s extensive catalogue of handmade body, makeup, and skincare goods.

      Other items available at the overhauled flagship include fragrances, shower gels, mouthwash and toothpaste tabs, and colour cosmetics such as liquid lipsticks and cream eye shadows. There’s also a “knot wrap” area, which is stocked with reusable fabric gift wrap; a soap section modeled after a cheese-and-deli counter that offers blocks of soap by weight; and a space that tells the story of Lush’s Charity Pot, a hand-and-body lotion that benefits various grassroots organizations.

      Lucy Lau

      As an extension of Lush’s commitment to cruelty-free and ethically and sustainably made goods, the flagship will serve as a “campaigning hub” where the company will help forward its various activist efforts. Since its founding in 1995, the company has spearheaded a number of campaigns in support of the environment and civil and animal rights, including partnering with local filmmaker Inder Nirwan to produce a documentary aimed at ending the B.C. trophy hunt.

      Known for its in-house brand of handcrafted body-care, cosmetic, and skincare goods, Lush operates over 250 across North America and a manufacturing facility in Vancouver, where the B.C. locations’ product range is made.

      A grand opening party for the new Robson Street flagship is planned for September and will feature a community bike ride from Kitsilano Beach to the shop, where attendees will be able to enjoy refreshments and engage in various DIY activities like making their own bath bombs.

      Check out the images below for a closer look at Lush’s Robson Street flagship before its launch.

      Lucy Lau
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      Lucy Lau
      Lucy Lau
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      Lucy Lau
      Lucy Lau
      Lucy Lau
      Lucy Lau
      Lucy Lau
      Lucy Lau
      Lucy Lau
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      Follow Lucy Lau on Twitter @lucylau.

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