By Stephanie Musso

Solid shampoo bars sound a little sketchy, but if it’s good enough for Julia Roberts, it should certainly be good enough for the rest of us. Lush is a London-based internationally renowned cosmetic shop known for its luxurious handmade products. The products range from fizzy bath balls, soaps, frozen shower gel and even solid shampoo, all moderately priced. Lush opened a store on Newbury Street in October, and with a spa-like smell gushing out of the store, it’s really hard to pass it by.

“This store is so unique. It’s wonderful,” said Maureen Feder, 50, a magazine advertiser who recently visited the Boston Lush. “[It’s the kind of store] you want to visit because it’s not like all the other stores on this street, we have these stores in all the shopping malls.”

This isn’t your average earth-friendly company – Lush’s entire product line is organic and made by hand.

“All of the products are fresh and have the best ingredients … It’s the best quality,” says Lisa Defreitas, 33, a hair stylist. “My favorite thing about the store is the smell that hits you when you walk in, I love it!”

Every Lush soap, lotion, hair product, and bath ball contain all-natural ingredients and perfumes. Products are scented with natural oils, such as rose oil, instead of chemically mixed scents. They also contain such exotic ingredients as mud from the Moroccan Atlas Mountains, Persian red henna, and creamed coconut.

The people behind Lush believe “less is more” when it comes to chemicals in their beauty booty.

“The lower the [amount of] chemicals, the better they are for your skin,” said Jennifer Michos, a Lush employee.

Without chemical preservatives, these natural products can’t last as long as competitor’s, so everything is sure to be fresh. The products are shipped to stores immediately after being manufactured and have a shelf life of 85 days.

The store’s atmosphere is like that of a European deli and bakery. The bath fizzes are stored in fruit crates. The soap is sold in big blocks, cut and sold by the pound, and wrapped and labeled just like cheese from the deli. Solid shampoo looks like a bar of soap but are used on hair.

Lush has plenty of products for image savvy men like “Cosmetic Lad” moisturizer. But guys, you don’t have to be metrosexual to enjoy this stuff, plenty of famous “manly men” buy Lush products too. According to “Lush Times,” A-listers like Jude Law, John Malkovich and Alice Cooper use these products.

“Men really have responded well to the products,” Michos said.

However, some men on campus are apprehensive about setting foot into Lush.

“I’d only go in there if a girl dragged me in there with her,” said Dan Jimerson, a sophomore undecided major.

“I look for fun and interesting products that still compliment my style and are reasonably priced … I love fun beauty stuff but am definitely on a college budget,” said Brenna McCarthy, a sophomore communications major.

The fact that the products are organic and ecologically friendly doesn’t have a sway on whether she would buy them or not, said Stacie Taverne, a sophomore nursing major.

“I don’t really care. It is a plus, but I don’t really think about it when I’m washing my face,” said Taverne.

Business for the Boston store has been great since they opened their doors.

“We had a great holiday season … even the salons along the street are buying and using our products,” Michos said.

One customer is definitely happy Lush made the move to Newbury Street.

“This stuff is incredible, the best. It does what it says it will do,” said Defreitas.

Lush is open seven days a week and located at 166 Newbury St. You can also check out their website at www.lush.com.