Review: Lush Love Lettuce Face Mask

Another day, another blogpost, another 'Lush Lesson' (...hey, maybe I should make that a series title?!)

This time it's the turn of the Love Lettuce Fresh Face Mask, which I picked up in exchange for 5 empty Lush pots (for those newer to Lush, for every 5 empty tubs you take back, you get one free face mask - their version of 'Back to MAC', if you will!) but you can buy for £5.95 for 75g.

I didn't go in with intent to buy this particular mask - I plan on working my way through every one on offer just to say i've tried them all! - but the lovely girl in the Braehead store recommended it to me when I described my generally normal-but-occasionally-oily-and-a-bit temperamental skin to her (does that make my skin combination?). 

The Lush website describes this mask as a seaweed gel with exfoliating particles through it. Ideal for those who want to clear away dead skin and brighten the face, whilst also gently treating it to softening ingredients.

Luckily I don't tend to judge a book by it's cover, as on first impressions, Love Lettuce is a bit of an ugly duckling, what with the lumpy green texture, herbal smell and somewhat bland name (when I think of exciting, Lettuce does not spring to mind first!). 

The 75g tub is also incredibly deceptive. I always think with these 'wee' tubs that I could get one, two or maybe 3 face mask applications out of them at a push, but i've had at least 4 decently-slathered face masks out of it yet - having one mask every week or so - and still have enough for another one or two - talk about a tardis tub!

Normally I would be very chuffed with this, but as a fresh face mask (and no preservatives) it has a use-by date that (as the term suggests) you are meant to use it up by. Heed this warning, or your product will end up like photo number four, with MOULD! I have previously tried the Ayesha Face Mask and didn't experience any 'growth' then, so opening my pot the other day to be faced with fuzzy blobs was a bit of a shock! Despite being very tempted to chuck the product out there and then, I simply scooped out any dodgy bits and found the rest of the mask to be fully functional, as it were. Bit of penicillin never did anyone any harm, as my dad says...!

But fuzzy bits aside, this mask spreads really easily onto dry skin - a little goes a long way, to cite a very cliched phrase - and is lovely and cooling on the skin. As with most masks it tightens/solidifies after about 10 minutes to a fairly hard paste, and I find it easiest to remove with a flannel soaked in warm water. Removing it in this method might be too much if you have particularly sensitive skin, given that it is a very exfoliating mask to begin with (containing almond shells), so massaging off with just warm water might be a gentler solution - i'm just too impatient! I would also recommend finishing up with a gentle toner (I use rose water) afterwards to ensure all traces of mask are removed.

A number of herbal-based scents are released on removal of the mask (i've not got a very good nose for scents, but I swear I could smell some sort of mint!) , adding a little aromatherapy aspect to the process, but these don't linger once the mask is washed off. 

My skin always feels incredibly refreshed after using this mask and there is a definite 'glowy' after effect, as well a 'lifting'/toning of the skin (albeit a temporary one). The exfoliating almond particles help clean deep down (those annoying 'bumpy' bits I get on my nose are removed) and smooth out the skin to provide an ideal canvas for moisturiser.

I would definitely recommend this if your skin needs a bit of a pick me up/revival, and will definitely consider picking up another pot next time i've got 5 empties to trade in.

Do you recommend any of the other Lush face masks?  Or have you tried Love Lettuce too? 

Let me know what your thoughts are.