Category Archives: Beauty

Jun16

Too Faced Lip Injection Swatch In Filler Up

Posted on June 16, 2024 by lifewithlilred

Hi!!! I am very unadventurous when it comes to makeup. Once I find a brand and shade that I like, I tend to stick with it for the long haul. This past month, I used up my go to lipstick by Bite Beauty in the most lovely mauve shade called Chai. It was no biggie because I needed new mascara from Sephora so I planned on restocking my lipstick too. It turned out to be a HUGE biggie because I learned online that the Chai shade has been discontinued. Just my luck. I spent some time browsing Sephora online for a comparable lipstick but didn’t want to take the plunge in case I didn’t like it. So, I went to shop in store and after a lot of trial and error, ended up with a gorgeous shade by Too Faced called Filler Up. Check it out:

I very rarely shop for new makeup and opt to spend my extra cash on new clothes and shoes. I like to consider myself to be an excellent shopper, but I met my match at Sephora. Who knew something as simple as picking out a new lipstick would be so difficult? NOT ME lol. Shopping brings me inner peace – makeup shopping is a whole different ballgame. Every lipstick looked like it could be good and, then again, every lipstick looked like it might not work. This was so totally overwhelming considering the expansive lippie selection at Sephora!

After swatching, reswatching, and swatching again throughout the store, I was at a complete loss. Then, the tides turned in a major way when I took a closer look at the Lip Injection collection by Too Faced. There was no perfect match to my fallen friend by Bite Beauty, but it was closer than anything I had seen. I ended up choosing a shade called Filler Up which is described as a “muted mauve pink”. Although I still preferred the true mauve of Chai, I knew that Filler Up was the closest I could get and I’m happy with it. I have used matte Too Faced lip products before and love their saturated pigments. However, I find matte products to be a bit too drying now so this cream lippie is just right. Is it my new favorite shade? Who’s to say? But I’ll give it a try. 🙂

Did I have fun during my Sephora shopping trip? Not at all lol so I am so glad I found something “close enough” to my OG lippie so I don’t have to do it again anytime soon! 😀

What is your least favorite thing to shop for? What is your go to lipstick? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun15

Sephora Birthday Haul

Posted on June 15, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!! I have been in dire need of my beloved Better Than Sex mascara by Too Faced for several months now. However, I refused to buy it until recently so that I could cash in my Sephora birthday gift. You all know I live for my freebies! Normally, I shop Sephora online because they run some great promotions like a freebie after spending X amount of money. This time around, though, I went in store because I needed some new lipstick too. Unfortunately, my go to lippie is no longer made so I spent some time browsing the store and swatching different shades as I went. We’ll check out a swatch from my new Too Faced lipstick tomorrow. But, for now, take a look at my birthday haul:

The Haul:

Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara

Too Faced Lip Injection in Filler Up

Youth To The People skin care set with a Superfood Cleanser, Superberry Dream Mask, and Superfood Moisturizer

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it time and time again: The Better Than Sex mascara is, hands down, the best I have ever used. During my time without my favorite mascara, I tried out a few different brands and nothing even came close in comparison. Needless to say, I am very happy to have a new tube and back up one again! I missed my big, bold, look at me lashes so much and consider each twenty-six dollar tube to be worth every penny. I especially find this to be true now after using cheaper brands that did nothing for me. And, hey, sometimes you have to splurge for the good stuff!

During my Sephora shopping trip, I started at the Too Faced department and ended there too during my lipstick search. Although I am not a big makeup girl, I figured it would be pretty easy to find a lippie in a similar shade to the one I used up. WRONG. There were SO. Many. Options. to choose from and it was overwhelming lol. It felt like I totally forgot the color I was even looking for and everything I swatched wasn’t quite right. I was about to give up when I realized I didn’t pay too much attention to the Too Faced Lip Injection collection. This was much more like it and I cannot wait for all of you to see Filler Up. It’s sooo pretty. 🙂

The last order of business was checking out and selecting my free birthday gift. There are several options online for what you can pick out for your prezzie – skin care, hair care, fragrance, or makeup. In the store I went to, however, the choices were limited. But, as luck would have it, the Youth To The People skin care set that I wanted was up for grabs. It’s no secret that I am skin care obsessed so it is always fun to test out higher end products. I am particularly excited about the Air-Whip moisturizer, which promises to be nice and light and perfect for the summertime!

After this trip to Sephora, I came to the conclusion that I don’t know anything about makeup lol. I was definitely jonesing to go to TJMaxx afterwards to get reacquainted with simpler things like shoes and clothes! Either way, I’m happy to have gotten what I needed and next time I need new makeup, I am bringing my sister along for help. 😀

What is your favorite makeup brand? How often do you get new makeup? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun8

New Tangerine & Neon Blue Nails

Posted on June 8, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!! On Tuesday, I spent some time getting some much needed pre birthday pampering at Elysian Nails. I was in desperate need of a fill and I was even more eager to go because my nail tech just did a manicure for my mom last week. Tuesday has become my new go to fill day and I make my way to the salon during a break from work. It is the perfect treat to get me through the day because nothing is better than showing off some fresh new claws! I was ready for some bright, summery colors for this appointment and am loving what I picked out:

Sometimes, I have absolutely no idea what colors I want my nails to be. Other times, inspiration strikes and that was the case for this fill. It has been heating up in Akron, Ohio and I had vivid orange hues on the mind. But paired with what? At the nail polish wall, I made a beeline to a neon tangerine shade and it was exactly what I wanted. I toyed with the idea of purple and neon pink, but an electric blue caught my eye and it was game over. Orange and blue is a combo that screams fun in the sun and we were in business for some poppy, so bright you need shades nails.

During my nail appointments, my tech and I normally catch up on the latest in each other’s lives. This time around, there wasn’t too much to discuss because I literally just saw her four days ago lol. This was totally fine by me because I could just sit back, relax, and go brain dead for a bit before it was back to work! While I zoned out, I swapped between watching HGTV and the magic that was unfolding at my tech’s station. Before this appointment, a few of my nails were definitely lifting and were feeling less than sturdy. In what felt like no time at all, I had a fill so good that it felt like I had a brand new set on. They are sharpened and shaped just the way I like them and just right for ringing in the summer vibes!

This was just Part One to my birthday pampering and I can’t wait for Part Two later this month for a brand new do at the Shear Shop. I am stepping into my thirties in maximum style!

How do you treat yourself for your birthday? What color of nail polish are you rocking? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun6

Manis With Mom

Posted on June 6, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!! There are three places that I find shelter from the storm: Elysian Nails, the Shear Shop, and TJMaxx. They are my happy places and I recommend my two favorite salons to literally everyone in my local area – including my mom! After a delightful outing at Elysian Nails for pedicures for my mom’s birthday, she told me she had a hankering for a manicure a few weeks later. That could be very easily arranged and I set her up with my go to girl for a gel mani as a belated Mother’s Day gift. It was a wonderful time and had me even more eager for my fill appointment a few days later!

I used to frequent a couple nail salons before falling in love with Elysian Nails. Don’t get me wrong, every tech I have been to at other salons are very good. There’s just something about Elysian that hits different, though. The salon is gorgeous and feels so high end, the prices are phenomenal, and I have never had a bad appointment there. That is why I recommend it so highly – because I know everyone who goes is going to have the ultimate pampering experience. My mom definitely did and we were both so impressed with the results.

I have never had an actual manicure at Elysian because of my beloved acrylics. Of course, I had some idea of the process, but it was so much more than both my mom and I expected. My tech is an absolute expert at shaping nails, real or fake. By the time she was done trimming my mom’s cuticles and nails, they were unrecognizable from when she started. They had way more length and looked stronger and healthier too. After snipping and clipping, a lovely light rose gel polish was applied. But wait, there was more! Once the polish was set, a hand massage and hot towel was next to wrap up the appointment. It was the perfect touch to complete the pampering and I loved being able to spoil my mom!

My mom’s nails turned out spectacular and I could tell she enjoyed every minute of her appointment. I can’t wait to go back to the salon together for more mother/daughter pampering in our happy place!

What did you do for Mother’s Day? Do you prefer regular or gel polish? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun2

IZME Rosehip Lip Sleeping Mask Review

Posted on June 2, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!! I am most fond of lip masks and it has become part of my nightly skin care routine to use one. Do I feel like they’re the most effective product in the world? Not necessarily. Do I enjoy the extra pampering ritual? Yes, indeed!! After finally finishing up my lip mask from Trader Joe’s, I was on the market for a new one. I decided to go with a Rosehip Lip Sleeping Mask by IZME during my last skin care haul at TJMaxx and have been using it since I brought it home. It’s not the best, but not the worst lol. Let’s discuss further:

I will be the first to say that TJMaxx was utterly lacking in their lip mask selection. The IZME one that I purchased was the only brand available that was non animal tested. Had that not been the case, I would have picked out something different, but I took what I could get. The IZME lip mask promised nothing else but smoother lips, which is a pretty lackluster pitch. However, it was only four dollars and I needed a new one so into the cart it went.

While using this lip mask, I liked the subtle rose scent and its texture. It felt light and silky like a lip balm, which was nice. Some lip masks can be really thick in its consistency and I hate products that make my skin feel weighed down. Despite these good first impressions, I would definitely call this mask a glorified lip balm lol. Although my lips did feel smooth with every use, it was a short lived sensation and they didn’t feel nourished. In fact, I prefer my daily use lip balm to the mask and find it to be infinitely more effective. Yes, this mask did deliver on what it said for smooth lips but it was missing that extra something that would make me want to buy it again.

I will, of course, be using this lip mask until it’s done because I refuse to not finish a product. Maybe I will like it more as time goes by. Probs not, though, lol and I think this lip mask is one you can all skip on!

What is your favorite lip mask? What do you use for lip products? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May28

May 2024 Finishes

Posted on May 28, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hellooo darlings! We are nearing the end of May and that means that it is time to discuss my beauty empties for the month. It also means three more things: Johnny’s birthday, our wedding anniversary, and my birthday are fast approaching. AKA our birthaversary! Needless to say, it is a banner time to be me and Johnny – even if I am turning the Dirty Thirty lol sigh. Aging is a part of life and yada, yada, yada but here’s to hoping that products like these will help me maintain my youthful glow! Check it out:

Would I Use Again?

Evoluderm Micellar Water: YES

Bath & Body Works Poppy Body Cream: YES

Trader Joe’s Berry Lip Mask: MAYBE

GlobalBeautyCare Retinol & Hyaluronic Acid Moisturizer: YES!!

Why/Why Not?

We already know I love me my micellar water and B&BW body cream so let’s move on to…

Trader Joe’s Lip Mask: In my perfect world, there would be a Trader Joe’s right down the street from me. Unfortunately, that is not the case and the closest one is about forty minutes from chez nous. While I simply refuse to make the drive, my parents will go there from time to time and picked the Berry Lip Mask out for me as a little Valentine’s Day treat. It took me over three months of nightly use to finish the jar and I enjoyed using it. However, I was ready for it to be over if that makes sense? Although I liked how smooth this mask made my lips, it didn’t do much else. If my parents were to get it for me again, I would use it happily. I definitely wouldn’t go forty minutes out of my way to get it myself, though!

GlobalBeautyCare Moisturizer: If you read my recent review for this Retinol and Hyaluronic Acid moisturizer, you will know that I freaking loved it. If you didn’t read my recent review: I freaking loved this moisturizer lol. This was, hands down, the best and most effective moisturizer that I have used in a long time. I noticed a significant difference in the fine lines that I have some concern about and it was amazing to get those results in one month of twice daily use. I also liked how gentle this moisturizer was even though it had retinol because it has caused irritation to my skin in the past. I was disappointed that TJMaxx didn’t have any more GlobalBeautyCare during my last haul (See yesterday’s post), but I will absolutely buy it if I see it again.

And, with that, my May Finishes are complete. I can’t wait to start using products from my last skin care haul and am keeping my fingers crossed that it will contain another diamond in the rough like the GlobalBeautyCare moisturizer!

Which products did you use up this month? What are your thoughts on any of the above products if you have used them before? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May27

TJMaxx Skin Care Haul

Posted on May 27, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello! This past Tuesday, my mom and I enjoyed a fabulous shopping trip at TJMaxx. TJs is our happy place and, although I like to go by myself, it is SO much better with my mom. These shopping outings have been a tradition since I was little (What can I say, I’ve always loved popping tags lol) and I don’t plan on breaking it ever! My main priority at TJs was restocking my skin care hoard because it was getting quite bare. Nothing pleases me more than a skin care haul because I love testing out new products and I got exactly what I wanted. Check it out:

When I am shopping skin care, I like to get a three month supply for my moisturizer, serum, and eye cream. While that may seem a bit impractical, it is one of my money saving techniques. Trust and believe I could go to TJs monthly to restock my skin care, but I would most definitely end up buying more than that! My requirements for which products I pick are pretty simple, they must be non animal tested and they have to have at least one ingredient that I am partial to like hyaluronic acid, Vitamin C, retinol, or collagen. Last time I had a big skin care haul, it was difficult to reach those parameters because the shelves were pretty depleted. This time around, it was smooth sailing and it was awesome!

For my selection, I was able to find some new to me brands like IZMO, AllAboutSkin, Skin Assistant, and Purifect. I am particularly interested in trying the Purifect serum because the packaging is ridiculous and it spoke to me. I already tested out the IZMO lip mask and it is so very nice! I also scored some new to me products from familiar brands like Provence Beauty, Clean Beauty, and Vital Beauty. I guess I am drawn to brands with Beauty in the name lol. In total, this haul costed less than sixty dollars and you just can’t beat that. I don’t even want to know what the grand total would be if I paid full price and, as a full fledged maxxinista, I never have to. 😀

Tune in tomorrow for more skin care as we discuss my May empties and be on the look out for reviews for some of these products coming soon!

What is your favorite skin care brand? Where do you get the best deals on skin care? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May21

GlobalBeautyCare Retinol & Hyaluronic Acid Moisturizer Review

Posted on May 21, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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GlobalBeautyCare Retinol & Hyaluronic Acid Moisturizer Review

Hello!! On June 7th, I am turning the dirty thirty. I definitely don’t feel my age, but I was born in 1994 so you can’t argue with that. I take that back – sometimes I feel my age. I feel like I’m at the point where I injure myself from sleeping weird and have to grunt every time I hoist myself up from the couch! One other thing that I clocked, which is perhaps the worst of all, is the start of some fine lines on my face. We are our own worst critic so what is a glaring issue to me is more than likely unnoticeable to most. That doesn’t mean that I don’t want to fix it, though! Which brings us to this moisturizer review:

Normally when I shop skin care at TJMaxx, I go for anything with Vitamin C or hyaluronic acid. They have both been staples in my beauty routine for years and really agree with my skin. However, the needs of your skin change and I began experimenting with products that have retinol in recent skin care hauls. I can’t say that I was overly impressed with any of the moisturizers I sampled and was okay with that. The world of retinol is a totally new ballgame for me. Then, the retinol and hyaluronic acid moisturizer by GlobalBeautyCare scored a home run in the clutch.

My past experiences with retinol moisturizers was either underwhelming or far too potent for what my skin needed. The GlobalBeautyCare moisturizer was the true definition of “just right”. I used this product twice daily for a month and never felt any discomfort. It felt like using a regular old moisturizer. This wasn’t just a regular old moisturizer, though! I can, without a doubt, say that I noticed visible results from using it. Results so good that I consider this moisturizer to be Botox in a jar. The area that I was particularly concerned about was the fine lines around my mouth. By the time the jar was empty, I could tell that my skin looked plumper and the lines seemed to smooth themselves out. I was amazed by this because it’s not every day that you find a product that is that effective. I was so sad when I finished this moisturizer and am keeping my fingers crossed that I can find it at TJs again!

12/10 highly recommend the retinol and hyaluronic acid moisturizer by GlobalBeautyCare – especially if you are in my age range. This is a perfect introduction to retinol products and your skin will thank you!

How old are you turning this year? Do you feel your age? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May10

New Pink & Deep Purple Nails

Posted on May 10, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!! Three of my houses of worship are TJMaxx, the Shear Shop, and Elysian Nails. They are where I go to find solace, shelter from the storm, and inner peace. I leave each location a transformed woman and always feel much better than I did before! On Tuesday, I had a fantastic fill at Elysian Nails and it turned out beautifully. There is nothing quite like that fresh fill feeling and no one could tell me NOTHIN for the rest of the day! My nail tech got me just right and I am loving this cute color combo:

^^^ Peep those new finger tattoos!

It has felt like summer for the past several weeks in Ohio and I always like to transition to brighter nail polish when it starts warming up. My plan was to go for sunny, poppy hues for this fill but I was feeling very uninspired at the nail polish wall. Every color combination I could think of was something that I had done before and while I have no problem repeating combos I liked, I just wasn’t in the mood for it. After staring at my choices for what felt like forever, a bubblegum pink caught my eye and I could work with that! Rather than continue with summer colors, I decided to expand my horizons and chose a shimmery, deep purple. It was different than anything I have used recently and I can’t believe I haven’t selected it before because it’s so pretty!

When I go in for my Tuesday fill, I am in between shifts and it can be hard for me to fully relax when I know I have to go back to work. But, after I sat down at my nail tech’s station, I could literally feel my stress melting away. My girl is the absolute best and I never realize just how bad my nails are until she goes to work on them. As we chat away, she expertly repairs, fortifies, and sharpens my claws back into their former glory. Once I leave the salon and am on my way back to the grind, I always feel like I’m ready to take on the rest of the day. It’s amazing what some fresh new talons can do for me. 😀

Elysian Nails is, truly, my happy place and I think it is having the same effect on my mom… She has been itching to go back for a mani since we got our toes done and I am SO there for it!

What colors do you like to wear in the summer? Where is your happy place? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr28

April 2024 Finishes

Posted on April 28, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Howdy!!! I don’t know how it happened, but April is almost over and it went by at dizzying speed. This month was a combination of crazy busy with a handful of crazy relaxing days and I am hoping that things slow down in May. Primarily because I don’t want to turn thirty in June lol!! Since we’re wrapping up the month, it’s time to take a look at the beauty products that I finished up. It was basically duds on duds on duds so let’s get to it:

Would I Use Again?

Thayers Witch Hazel: NO

Bath & Body Works Poppy Lotion: YES

Provence Beauty Hyaluronic Acid + Vitamin B5 Serum: NO

Honest Calm & Heal Melting Balm: NO

Why/Why Not?

Thayers Witch Hazel: Way back in January, I had a huge skin care haul at TJMaxx thanks to my holiday gift cards. I got anything and everything, but the one thing missing was my beloved Evoluderm micellar water. As there was not a bottle in sight, I had to scrounge for more toners to use and ended up with a bottle of Thayers witch hazel. It took me about one month of daily use to finish the bottle as a toner and it was perfectly average. Definitely not worth writing home about or buying again!

Provence Beauty Serum: I was most excited to try out this serum, mainly because I thought the bottle was pretty lol. Unfortunately, the Hyaluronic Acid + Vitamin B5 missed the mark big time. Oddly enough, I am using a different serum by the same brand and am loving the results! The finished serum was just okay. It took me one month of twice daily use to finish the bottle. In that time, I noticed no positive differences to my skin’s appearance or texture. This was weird because a hyaluronic acid formula tends to really agree with me. Apparently not this one, SMH.

Honest Balm: This is the second time that I have used the Honest Calm & Heal Melting Balm. Originally, I was pretty impressed with this product and was looking forward to trying it again. This time around, the balm did nothing for me. In fact, the thick formula was almost too much and it felt like it was suffocating my skin. I still think this balm would be excellent for people with extremely dry skin. However, if you have a normal or mildly dry skin tone, I would stick with a more moderate moisturizer. I’m glad I got to reuse this product so I can officially add it to my “won’t use again” list.

Even though my April Empties were lacking in success, I was happy to finish them up. After all of these misses, I am loving the current products I’m using. I think the May Finishes will be much better!

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