Lush Says Goodbye To Social Media: ‘Time To Stop Scrolling’
By Kristin Myers on November 25, 2021 at 4:09 PM EST
Cosmetics company Lush is saying goodbye to social media.
The brand, headquartered in the United Kingdom, was founded in 1995 by trichologist Mark Constantine and his wife, Mo Constantine.
The products were a massive hit, and Lush took off, opening 951 stores around the globe.
Lush has won a huge fanbase for its sustainable packaging. According to their website, over 66% of the products they sell each year are “naked,” which is their term for products that don’t include any packaging in order to reduce waste.
The website also mentions the brand’s commitment to fighting animal testing, using 100% recycled packaging, and removing palm oil from its products. They also claim that they strongly support Fair Trade and Community Trade initiatives, which include worker’s rights.
In light of the recent controversy surrounding Facebook, Lush has decided to remove the brand from social media.
Lush Promises To ‘Find New Ways To Connect’
In an email sent out on Thursday afternoon, Lush told its fanbase, “As of today, we’re saying goodbye to Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok until these platforms can provide a safer environment for their users. The serious effects of social media on mental health are being ignored by these platforms.”
The message continued, “We promise to find new ways to connect and to build better channels of communication elsewhere. For now, you can still find us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and YouTube. We’d love to see you there.”
The email included a link to a blog post announcing their social media departure.
“Like so many people have experienced before us, Lush has tried to come off social media, but our FOMO is vast, and our compulsion to use the various platforms means we find ourselves back on there, despite our best intentions,” they began.
“We wouldn’t ask our customers to meet us down a dark and dangerous alleyway – but some social media platforms are beginning to feel like places no one should be encouraged to go,” they added.
Lush Insists That ‘We Can’t Wait’ For Change
“Something has to change,” they continued. “We hope that platforms will introduce strong best practice guidelines, and we hope that international regulation will be passed into law. But we can’t wait. We feel forced to take our own action to shield our customers from the harm and manipulation they may experience whilst trying to connect with us on social media.”
They concluded the message by saying, “We’ve always got a lot to say, but when we climb onto a soapbox, we like it to be safe.”
Although Lush has yet to update their Instagram or Facebook accounts with notice of the change, they have been using their page to promote social justice. On November 17, they issued a statement to support Julius Jones, whose death sentence was commuted by Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt only hours before his execution was scheduled.
“We believe the death penalty is flawed and does not bring justice,” the statement said. “Julius Jones is scheduled to be executed tomorrow for a crime he did not commit. Stand with us and ask Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt to grant Julius clemency.”
