Crazy for cranberries.

                 tis the season. 
  Scarves, sweaters, eggnog, and gingerbread  Happy December, it is the most wonderful time of the year!


    Cranberries are one of those holiday foods that I really only get excited about in November and December. Whether paired with turkey, mashed potatoes, or a face mask, I am all in! *cranberries are filled with vitamin c, antioxidants, help repair injury to the skin, is brightening and deep cleansing.

     Lush for me is like a candy store. As a kid, I can remember my mother bringing home this mysterious brand of soap that a friend would give her from Sweden, it was not even sold here yet! Lush is reasonably priced for wonderful smelling, cruelty free and ethical ingredients. I love the beautiful soaps, lotions, and bath bombs.

  My favorite Lush products are their fresh face masks. All of them arrive fresh on Thursdays and are to be kept in the fridge. Everything from chocolate, to oatmeal, to clay, and they are made with the finest butters, oils and fruits. I definitely take ideas from them when making mine at home!

    This week, I went with their seasonal "cranberry mask." I was super excited to try this, since it will only be out for a short while and cranberries have all of these great properties. This mask is filled with cranberries, fennel, argan oil, rose clay, and silken tofu. All of these sound wonderful to help combat the harsh, dry air and cleanse from the pollution. 

I have used this four times now, and I still have plenty left. I was listening to The Cranberries while using this, but somehow ended up listening to Sheryl Crow which I don't even like? Weird.

 Anyways, I still am not sure 100% if I like this mask. The texture is great and easy to apply. I am not thrilled with the scent, as it is heavy on the fennel. They are fresh, so it could just be my batch. I leave it on for about 10 minutes every time (you don't want clay to dry on your skin) and rinse it off with warm water. While the mask is sitting, it definitely tingles and feels slightly tightening. I do notice my skin is softer and very clean. Honestly, it does not seem brighter, is slightly pink, and does not feel as nourished as I thought it would. My skin is slightly more sensitive, and perhaps this had a stronger batch of astringents. I will definitely try to recreate the elements of the mask because they are a great marriage of a winter face mask, but I am not rushing to Lush to purchase this. don't worry Lush, I still love ya.

http://www.lushusa.com/Cranberry/06482,en_US,pd.html  $8.95 per jar

**pro tip, save your jars and rinse them off, Lush recycles and you get a free mask with their 5 pot program.