Style Lush

A Skincare Update

By Lauren

Several weeks ago I posted about my quest for skincare that would address both my persistent adult acne as well as the light fine lines I'm beginning to see. I received a lot of excellent advice (thank you for that!), and, as suggested, hightailed it to Sephora to see what they recommended.

Turns out, there is a line of products actually formulated to deal with both acne and aging issues. Exactly what I needed! The sales consultant set me up with three products from Murad's Anti-Aging Acne Regimen. She recommended that I use a basic, no-frills cleanser to remove my makeup, then wash with Murad's Time Release Acne Cleanser. I follow up with the Acne and Wrinkle Reducer, then finish with the Anti-Aging Moisturizer (which contains SPF 20).

The whole routine is simple, the products smell pleasant and feel nice, and I'm beginning to notice some really positive changes in my skin. It's only been a couple of weeks, but I think we may have a winner!

If you're facing the stubborn acne and fine lines that I am, I'd recommend giving these Murad products a go. They're a little on the pricey side--$119 for a 90-day supply on Murad's website--but really not much more expensive than some of the higher-priced drugstore anti-aging products I've seen. And, as a friend, recently reminded me, we're not afraid to spend on clothes and accessories, but we wear our skin every day; doesn't it deserve the same investment?

{Image credit: murad.com}

Etsy Wednesday: Leather and Liberty Macaron Coin Purse

by Elizabeth

I'm not really sure how I feel about the whole "macaroons are the new cupcake" vibe I'm getting from the internet lately. Because macaroons are good and all, but I consider my love of cupcakes to be something separate from the latest internet/hipster mustache/bacon/thing, you know? I've loved cupcakes my whole life, and I always will. 

HOWEVER, I am very sure how I feel about this Leather and Liberty Macaron Coin Purse, and that feeling is pro. Super, super pro. It's just so cute and wee and I can totally picture using it to wrangle stray quarters or giving it as a gift, and I love it.  

Isn't it the cutest?  

I want want in every flavor. I mean color. Or whatever. 

{Photocredit: leatherandliberty@Etsy.com}

Shopping at ModCloth: Watch That Return Window

By A'Dell

My brother got married two weeks ago (!) and in January I was feverishly searching for a dress to wear to the wedding. I ended up buying several dresses from several online retailers, returning all but The One. 

I bought two dresses from ModCloth and discovered the hard way they have a super tight return policy. Did you know that? We have featured ModCloth products many times here at Style Lush.

All return packages must be received within 30 days of the date the order shipped from ModCloth. That is, the product must be back in their hands 30 days from the date it shipped out. A ModCloth representative told me it can take up to two weeks for a package to make its way back to ModCloth, using their (free) shipment label. TWO WEEKS! If a package takes 2 or 3 days to get to you in the first place? You'd need to put that puppy back in the box PRONTO to make the deadline. I think it's fair to call it a 10-days-ish return policy, since that's about how long you'd have to sit with the item and make a decision if you wanted to play it super safe with the box arriving back to them.

10 days is not a long time.

Making it even tougher to decipher the true date you need to get it back in the mail, ModCloth doesn't say anywhere on the site, on the shipping label or in the return policy printed on the invoice in the box, that it can take up to two weeks for the package to make its way back to ModCloth. That makes it pretty impossible to figure out when you need to ship it back, to beat the deadline and get your money back. There's also no mention of the policy in the shopping and check-out path. You'd only know this if you clicked on the actual return policy link.

You see where this is going, right?

I missed the window. I missed it by several days, mostly because I hadn't a clue it would take so long to get the package back to them. Most of the places I shop offer at least 30-days shipment date to shipment date return policy or (even better) a policy that allows a return any time for any reason. (Those are my favorite places.) ModCloth's policy REALLY SURPRISED me. Their policy is even a little fuzzy, stating that you can't get a refund at all and then a few lines later that you can get a refund minus a 50% restocking fee. 

Obviously, ModCloth isn't really encouraging you returning their merchandise. I wrote to ModCloth and expressed my disappointment and confusion. ModCloth wrote me back a few days later:

Thanks for writing in and apologies for the belated reply....To help clarify, when an order is sent back to ModCloth with one of our labels, it can take 1-2 weeks to reach us. While this is not the most expeditious method, it is free and facilitates the option to return an item. While there will always be exceptions, our return policy is in-line with most e-retailers and furthermore, we like to make ourselves available 24/7 through various channels of communication, so that if a customer has any concerns he or she may reach out to us. I'm very thankful that you took the time to write a thoughtful letter, voicing your concerns, as we consider this feedback invaluable.

I would also like to thank you for taking the time to read our return policy.

To try and make sure your first ModCloth experience leads to many more, I would be more than happy to note your profile for our returns team, so they may allow a full refund for your returned items. If you have any future questions about ordering, returning or receiving credit/refunds, please feel free to contact me, or any of us, and we would be happy to help.

They gave me my money back (PHEW! IT WAS ABOUT $300!), even though I was out of policy. I should have read every single word of their policy before making a purchase for the first time, but I didn't. I truly appreciate ModCloth making an exception for me. They absolutely didn't have to do that. Their policy isn't in-line with other places I shop (J. Crew offers 60-days and Gap/Banana/Old Navy offer 45-days), but, it's their store and they can make the policy whatever they want. I get it. I just wish they had communicated it to a first-time customer in a better way.

As a result, I don't think I'll be shopping at ModCloth again. A return policy this restrictive makes me edgy and nervous and just doesn't work for me. There are lots of other places to shop that make it SO much easier send back items that don't work and keep my fretting to a minimum.

Trending: Black and Navy walls

by Christina

I have this bathroom that drives me nuts. It's on its third redesign in 5 years and I think, I hope, I finally got what I've been looking for. Midnight blue walls. It's a tiny room with no window but the lower half is white glossy wainscoting. Super high contrast which in hindsight, makes since that I love it because that's how I like to dress. I wont bore you with my missteps I took while trying to play it safe with the room, I'll just show some inspirational eye-candy. )  

These spaces work so well because of the bright white and natural light. I love the high drama and I'm so glad I finally got up the nerve to go bold.

What do you think, are you tempted?

 {Photo credits: Apartment Therapy and Pretty Stuff}

Three Sisters Jewelry

By Tara

Remember that lingerie shower for my sister that I was stressing out about a couple of weeks ago? Well, that was this past weekend, and I found the perfect thing to get for my sister that wasn't too creepy...

...and then I left it sitting on my dining room table in Georgia when I flew to Indiana.

So that was awesome.

However, while I was up there for the party, my sister gifted me with a beautiful I'm-not-having-a-bridesmaid-at-my-wedding-but-if-I-were-it-would-be-you Megan's Navigation necklace from Three Sisters Jewelry.

The necklace is hand stamped with the airport code for the Dominican Republic, as well as the longitude and latitude of the resort where the wedding will be held, which I think is just such a neat idea. There are also tag options for initials, names, and dates, as well as a whole collection of gorgeous bracelets with similar hand stamped charms.

And after spending some time flipping through the options, I think one of those bracelets just might have to hit my wishlist sometime soon. I mean, Mother's Day is right around the corner, after all, and Steve always LOVES when I make gift suggestions for him...

{photo credit: www.threesistersjewelrydesign.com}

Citrus Lane: a monthly subscription for you and your little one

By Sara

We all know how much the Style Lush ladies love their Birchboxes, right? There is some level of consumerism genius behind the development of a monthly subscription service that delivers products right to your door. It's even more exciting when those products are specifically geared to your preferences. Now imagine that concept applied to baby and toddler products and you have Citrus Lane.

The Citrus Lane tagline says it all: Fresh finds. Parent tips. Delivered monthly. For $25 a month, you get a box full of goodies tailored specifically to your baby's age, whether a newborn or a toddling one year old. What I love is that the companies don't pay to be featured in the boxes; the products are parent-tested and tried and true kid favorites.

Take a look at the offerings in the February box with a theme of "Play to Learn":

I received a beautiful 8 x 10 alphabet print by Petite Lemon that will be darling framed in the nursery, a pint-sized "magazine" by Baby Bug, Elizabeth Mitchell's "You Are My Little Bird" CD (completely new to me music that I LOVE), salted caramel popcorn (for mom, of course) and an Oball with Rainstick Rattle (not pictured). The toy is customized to the child's age which is why we received an easy to grasp rattle that improves hand-eye coordination for our five month old. Some of the other boxes for older babies included the Plan Toys fruit (pictured above).

I'm a sucker for baby and kid products so this subscription service suits me perfectly. Citrus Lane also offers gift options as well as the perfect shower gift box for the mom-to-be (includes a Sleep Sheep...we all know those are the best thing ever). For an even better deal, email me at belleplaineliving@gmail.com if you're interested in scoring half off your first month's subscription! (Full disclosure: if I send you an invitation, I'll also receive a credit towards my membership.)

Stuff I Love, Wish-It-Was-Summer Edition

By Rebecca

Sometimes I like to put together these random "stuff I love" posts, epecially when I'm dreaming of summer and can't wait to get out of my boots and onto a sunny patio with a mai tai. Apparently my upcoming trip to Hawaii (squee!!) is influencing my blogging dreams of late. Enjoy!

Essie nail polish in Topless & Barefoot

I am a connoisseur of nude nail polishes. I usually rotate between OPI Bubble Bath (a sheer pinkish shade) and Essie Mademoiselle (almost clear), but recently I developed a hankering for a more opaque nude. After trying a few, I arrived at a new favorite: Essie Topless & Barefoot. It's more opaque, as I mentioned, and is more of a peachy-beige nude rather than pink. It's beautiful and flattering if you are a pale, non-olive-skinned gal like I am.

Dolce Vita "Bagley" sandals

Ohhhh ladies. If I had a spare $150, I'd buy these in a heartbeat. I don't, but aren't they gorgeous? What a beautiful shoe for spring and summer. I'd wear these with some white shorts, after applying approximately seven tons of self-tanner.

Drapey t-shirts

I can't get enough of drapey t-shirts with dolman sleeves, like this simple one from Piperlime. I love the idea of basic colors like black and white paired with colored denim, like the lavender ones the model is wearing in this photo!

(Oops, be right back. Don't mind me, I'm just out wandering the internet in my newfangled obsession with lavender jeans.)

Gauzy scarves

I love lightweight scarves casually thrown around your neck or wrapped around shoulders. This one has stripes, which is an added bonus if you ask me.

What about you -- what do you start dreaming of when you're wishing for summer? 

{Photo credits: essie.com, piperlime.com, gap.com}

 

 

Reusable Shopping Bags

By Jen

A couple of years ago, we bought a batch of reusable shopping bags from JC Penney.  We needed a few extra dollars to round out a spend $20 and get $10 off coupon (or something like that) and I needed some new grocery bags, so I thought it was a good idea.  These bags have turned out to be the perfect reusable grocery bags for me. 

They are much larger than the standard reusable grocery bag that you find by the checkout lane.  They are made out of real fabric (I'd say cotton, but I am not actually sure) so they are washable.  And you definitely need reusable bags to be washable.  They have a thick cardboard bottom that keeps them sturdy and open and this bottom is removable for washing. 

My favorite feature of these bags is that they have long handles.  They are long enough to carry over my shoulder so that I can carry a lot more groceries inside at once.  They also fit a lot of groceries inside at once- three gallons of milk in one bag, so being able to carry them on my shoulder is really helpful. 

{Image credit: Puteri Closet}

They are also a lot prettier than a lot of the reusable shopping bags you see around which is a bonus.  I haven't seen this particular bag at JC Penney lately, but they have different patterns and styles every season. 

Do you have a favorite reusable shopping bag, if you ever manage to remember to take them to the grocery store with you? 

Movies As Design Inspiration

By Jessica

I think we all have them, don't we? Those specific movies/tv programs with houses that we dream of living in or rooms that we can recall in perfect detail because they spoke to us. I know that in my particular twitter circle "Something's Gotta Give" and "It's Complicated" are often mentioned for their fabulous kitchen spaces. 

Did you know their is a website that has a respository of a lot of those glorious spaces in one place? So if you are inspired by Milly's funky living space in "Because I Said So" but can't really remember the exact combination of colors, you can find it right here Hooked on Houses Tv/Movie Houses

Or if you loved Amanda's modern kitchen from The Holiday?

Or maybe a closer look at the Dunphy's, from Modern Family, great room space is more your speed?

All sorts of great inspiration in one easy to use location! It's one of my new favorite time-sinks.

{Photos: Hooked on Houses}

Colored Jeans: Yay or Nay?

By Kate

Colored jeans seem to be everywhere this spring, and I am tempted to think that they're adorable. That said, it seems like it would be almost obscenely easy to cross the line from kicky and colorful to "Aw, I didn't know they still made Garanimals for adults."

 

{photo credits, l-r: Nordstrom, Gap, Nordstrom}

I just like them. They're springy and fun, but is there any way to really wear them beyond adding a white shirt and neutral sandals? What say you, Style Lushers?