Exercising my green thumb with LUSH Love Lettuce mask

I won't lie, I've been having quite a lot of fun using my latest foray into LUSH skin care products: Love Lettuce Fresh Face Mask.  If you guessed the mask was green, you're exactly right.  The only thing you need to add when using this mask is a few sliced cucumbers over your eyes!  It's perfect for sleepovers, yes, but also as a quick pick-me-up for your skin.  Keep reading to see my thoughts so far.

Masks aren't something I use often, but they're definitely a treat for your skin after a long week.  I've always been curious about LUSH masks- their skin care products in general, really.  I've tried out the limited edition Let The Good Times Roll facial scrub, as well as Aqua Mirabilis and Buffy body butters, so Love Lettuce was a necessary next step in my LUSH investigation.
If you're ordering online and aren't familiar with the products, the LUSH website outlines each one in pretty clear detail so you won't be confused.  However, I recommend going to a counter to find out which mask/product is best for you.  I never would have picked out Love Lettuce on my own doing, but I'm glad it was recommended to me!

As you can see in the pictures above, it contains crushed almond shells and lavender oil as the main ingredients (see the full list for more detail).  It's a rougher exfoliant, but should be gentle enough for more sensitive skin types.  Beware: it goes on green!  Not to worry, though, as it washes off with ease and you won't look like the Hulk when finished.

I love that this works double-duty as a mask and exfoliator, so while you're getting rid of dead skin cells, you're also leaving your skin with a glow!

Love Lettuce is an affordable $6.95 per 2.1oz size, available at most LUSH counters.  Have you tried Love Lettuce, or any other LUSH masks?  I'd love to hear your experiences!

Saving Without Sacrifice: Tips for Affordable Living

I'm all about finding great deals, especially as a college student on a minimal (microscopic) budget.  Sharing tips and tricks for saving money is one of the great things about the blogging community!  If you're a fellow budget-conscious shopper, my friend Morgan is here today to share her (let's face it, pretty fantastic) ideas.  Please welcome her to the blog!

If you’ve ever known the feeling of having too many days left until payday, you can appreciate the importance of money-saving tips. I don’t know anyone who has been able to get through life comfortably without spending money, but I do know a number of tricks that can help limit the amount of money I spend.

When it comes to fashion, I have a tendency to spend a lot of money. Fortunately, there are many ways to acquire the latest trends without breaking the bank.

(Photo Credit)

When I want a fresh look, I often consider new eyewear. While many retailers charge high prices for designer frames, I can always find hot trends and great styles at Warby Parker where prices are considerably lower. Spring is around the corner and I’ve already been scoping out their sunglasses! Low price, great quality and amazing designs---what more could a girl ask for!?

The vintage trend in fashion today gives me great opportunities to save money. Rather than spending a fortune at jewelry and department stores on accessories, I shop with relatives and at secondhand stores for pieces to spice up my wardrobe. One of my favorite ways to do this is by spending an afternoon with one of my elderly aunts, going through her costume jewelry. We have a great time finding pieces to accent some of my favorite outfits.

Beauty products can quickly dry up disposable income, but I’ve found a few ways to put the cap on spending here too. Fortunately, many of my favorite brands have great costumer-loyalty programs. As a member of Sephora’s Beauty Insider program, I get vouchers for free product on my birthday each year. When I shop with Victoria’s Secret, I use the coupons they send me as a part of their costumer-loyalty program.

Ways to save are nearly as prevalent as places to spend. I love taking advantage of online resources to get deals on things I buy. At RetailMeNot.com, I often find deals for both online and retail purchases that I plan to make. Whenever I want a new outfit and know I shouldn’t go shopping, I’ve learned to shop my own closet. This used to be really difficult, but now that I have the Stylebook mobile app, I simply snap photos of wardrobe items and get help working them into fresh looks that I never thought about before.

I, too, am obsessed with Retail Me Not- it's a must if you shop online.  Thanks so much for your lovely guest post, Morgan, and hope you all enjoy!

Morgan Gray is a huge fashion enthusiast that is joining the community that has inspired her over the years.  

Easing into bright, summer lips with Revlon Lip Butter in Wild Watermelon

Bright lips are the thing right now, making the dark, sultry lip colors of winter a thing of the past.  Let me tell you: I'm all about saturated, vivid shades of lipstick.  I think they're fun and fabulous!  My problem is that I don't think they look so fun and fabulous on my own lips.  Being a strong advocate of the idea that "everyone can make a trend work for them," I've been obsessed with the recent sheer-lipstick craze that makes these brighter shades more wearable.  So, in an attempt to separate myself from my favorite wine/berry lip colors, I picked up one of the new shades of Revlon Lip Butters, Wild Watermelon.  

Keep reading for my thoughts and swatches of this perfectly summer-appropriate tinted lip balm!

Wild Watermelon is a sheer-ish cherry red that seems to lean a bit pink in some lights (see my swatch below).  If you've ever tried a Lip Butter from Revlon, you'll know they have more tint than your average tinted lip balm.  This can be a good or bad thing- they pack a pigment punch, but still have that slight translucency that separates them from a regular lipstick.  There you have my reasoning for trying out a "brighter" shade of lip color in the Revlon Lip Butter range.  They're a great pick if you want to go more vivid without the commitment.  Besides, the glossy finish they provide is really pretty.

Applied on lips, they're comfortable- moisturizing and a little bit heavy.  You'll notice the product is there, but from personal experience, I find it a comfortable wear.  As for wear time, I got about two hours of wear from Wild Watermelon before needing to reapply.

Swatches:

Look for all four shades, including Sorbet, Juicy Papaya, Pink Watermelon, and Wild Watermelon at Target (where I found mine!), and other places where Revlon is sold.  I picked mine up for around $7.00.

What's your favorite product to "ease" into brighter shades of lip color?  Have you tried any of the new Lip Butter shades yet?  Thanks for reading!