Heritage
A house, in its own words
Grassroots belongs to the Gorilla Perfume collection, the in-house fragrance arm of Lush, the British cosmetics retailer founded by Mark and Mo Constantine in Poole, Dorset in 1995. The couple had previously operated a cosmetics mail-order business called Cosmetics to Go before launching their first Lush store. Their background in natural cosmetics and commitment to fresh, handmade products shaped the company's distinct philosophy from the outset. The Gorilla Perfume line emerged as Mark Constantine, who trained as a perfumer, sought to create scents that rejected conventional industry formulas. Unlike typical fragrance houses, Lush approached perfumery as an extension of their body care expertise rather than as a separate artistic discipline. Grassroots arrived during a period when the brand was expanding its fragrance offerings, capitalizing on beloved products from their bath and body range by releasing them as concentrated perfumes. Charity Pot, the hand and body lotion that inspired Grassroots, had already developed a devoted following for its smooth, warming floral character. Translating this into a perfume represented Lush's willingness to blur boundaries between product categories. The Gorilla Perfume line has maintained a distinctive identity, with scents typically housed in minimal black bottles and sold through Lush's retail locations rather than traditional department store fragrance counters. This positioning kept the collection accessible to the brand's existing customer base while introducing fragrance enthusiasts to Lush's unconventional approach. Lush approaches perfumery with a philosophy rooted in transparency, ethics, and the rejection of industry norms. The company built its reputation on hand-made, fresh cosmetic products, and this hands-on ethos extends directly to their fragrance development. Rather than commissioning established perfumers to create commercial scents, Lush developed in-house expertise through Mark Constantine's perfumery training and knowledge gained from decades of formulation work. The Gorilla Perfume collection embodies a belief that fragrance should not rely on the traditional industry infrastructure that Lush has publicly criticized. This includes rejecting conventional animal testing practices that were standard in the fragrance industry for decades. Grassroots exists within this ethical framework, representing a perfume made without the testing compromises that characterized much of the industry historically. Lush has been vocal about transparency in ingredient disclosure, famously publishing full ingredient lists on product packaging when competitors kept formulas secret. For Grassroots, this meant customers could examine every component rather than encountering vague marketing language. The brand's approach also emphasizes sensory experience over luxury positioning. Rather than positioning fragrance as an aspirational luxury good, Lush presents scents as accessible extensions of daily bathing and grooming rituals. Grassroots fits this philosophy by making a popular scent available in perfume form at price points that remained approachable compared to designer or niche fragrances.