Ingredient

Brazilian Coffee; Guayusa Leaf and Yerba Mate Infusion

Coffea robusta; Ilex guayusa; Ilex paraguariensis

Benefits

Stimulating

Two key words for this infusion: caffeine and stimulation. But if you'd like to know a little more, here's a full description.

Coffee and what infusion?

Guayusa and yerba mate (pronounced ma-tay, mate!) are two South American plants of the holly family whose aromatic leaves have very similar uses and benefits. They are rich in caffeine and, once dried, can be infused in hot water to make a stimulating beverage. Ilex guayusa is native to the upper Amazon regions of Ecuador, Peru, and Colombia, while Ilex paraguariensis, or yerba mate, is native to Paraguay.

Did you say stimulation?

You may not like coffee, but chances are you know what it is and what it does—especially if your name is Lorelai. Coffee is rich in caffeine, a super-stimulating substance that effectively wakes us up. Applied on the skin, it's an invigorating tonic, especially when combined with a massage. Coffee isn't the only plant blessed (or cursed?) by caffeine. Many others, such as guayasa leaves and yerba mate, contain significant amounts of it, which is why we've added them to this infusion.

Where does Lush source these three ingredients?

Our sources of yerba mate can vary depending on availability, but we know our coffee supplier well! At Lush UK*, we've been sourcing green coffee beans from the same Brazilian supplier for several years. The coffee trees grow in the shade of other trees, a little forest zone in the most deforested area of ​​the Amazon. The harvested beans are sent to a roaster in Bournemouth, UK, to be processed into a dark, fragrant coffee. To learn more about these two quality suppliers, click here.

Lush UK* also purchases guayusa leaves from the Amazon, but this time from Ecuador. It's an indigenous community business, owned by 103 Kichwa families in the Orellana province. They have combined their long-standing cultural relationship with guayusa and their community pride to create a business that improves livelihoods and conserves the Amazon rainforest.

*With several manufacturing sites across the globe, information may vary depending on where your Lush products were made.