Category Archives: Beauty

Aug11

Dr. Paw Paw Overnight Lip Mask Review

Posted on August 11, 2023 by lifewithlilred

Hello! During a TJMaxx Mini Haul in February, I purchased the Dr. Paw Paw Overnight Lip Mask. However, I only started using it in July because I am forever obsessed with my Pacifica lip balms. The packaging for the Dr. Paw Paw mask (lol at the name) promised softening, smoothing, and plumping for lips and I thought that all sounded great. And, it was great, until it wasn’t. Let’s discuss:

When I first started using the lip mask, I was applying it every night before bed and was moderately impressed with the results. I honestly didn’t see any difference in softness or smoothness, but I did notice that my lips looked plumper. Granted, the plumping effect diminished throughout the day but it was definitely there in the morning. I thought that was really cool and I still had my Pacifica balms to assist in the smoothness department.

The Dr. Paw Paw mask quickly became a staple in my nighttime routine, until things took a drastic turn. One morning, I woke up and my lips were on fire. They were burning, highly sensitive, and cracks were forming. I slathered my lips with my balm throughout the day, but nothing eased the pain I was feeling. My lips actually didn’t go back to normal until two or so days later.

I honestly thought that the sensation I was feeling was a fluke because the mask was working so well before. So, I tried it one more time and the exact same thing happened. I haven’t used it since. When I looked up reviews for this product, it was a draw between people raving about it or saying they had similar results to mine. What I find interesting is that there is no disclaimer on the packaging to discontinue use if you are experiencing burning or pain. This seems like something that should be included if people are online writing reviews about it!

In good conscience, I can’t recommend this product because in the words of Napoleon Dynamite: “My lips hurt real bad”. If you try the Dr. Paw Paw Overnight Lip Mask, you might have great results or your lips will be burning. You’ve been warned!

Have you used this product or a similar one before? What did you think about it? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug10

Bath & Body Works July Freebie

Posted on August 10, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello! I have been busy, busy, busy these past few weeks and completely forgot about my July Bath & Body Works Freebie. This was a quick pop in because I really didn’t need anything, but I sure felt like I did. B&BW’s Halloween collection is already out and it is absolutely fabulous! The self constraint that I showed was admirable, but I can’t speak for the purchases that will probably happen when I get my hand soaps soon. 😉 So, I put my blinders on, cashed in my coupon, and got out of dodge lol. Check it out:

I will be the first to admit that I am not a huge fan of B&BW’s hand cream. It’s okay, but I have mentioned in previous posts that I would only use it if I got it for a freebie and I stand by that. Coincidentally, the coupon I had was for a free hand cream specifically so here we are. Told ya I stood by it! Not only was I trying to avoid blowing my paycheck during this trip to B&BW, but I was on a time crunch too. Rather than smell all of my different options, I simply grabbed one and checked out.

I went with the Breathe Deep Eucalyptus & Lavender from the Aroma care line. Not because I like lavender because I don’t, but because the Aroma line hasn’t been available in travel sizes until recently. When I smelled it after the fact, I was surprised that I didn’t completely hate it! It definitely is more eucalyptus than it is lavender. The lavender is almost an afterthought and it’s quite pleasant. And, knock on wood that I don’t get a fall or winter cold, but I could imagine that this would be so nice to slather on when you’re stuffed up.

Although the hand creams from Bath & Body Works aren’t the best, you can’t beat free! Keep it posted for my hand soap haul soon with ALL of the fall scents! 😀

What is your least favorite fragrance? Are you stocking up on fall goodies already? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug9

New Glitter Gold & Sky Blue Nails

Posted on August 9, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!! I have picked up some extra shifts this past month or so and rearranged my schedule to make getting to them more convenient. It has been awesome and the best part is that my new schedule gives me Friday morning off! This has worked nicely for scheduling doctors appointments, getting a little extra shut eye, and getting my nails done of course. This past Friday, I enjoyed a fantastic morning at Elysian Nails getting pampered and I love how my nails turned out! Take a look:

During my last appointment at Elysian, I was feeling very uninspired in choosing a color palette. That wasn’t the case this time around, though, and I was thinking a blue and yellow motif as a final hurrah for summer. Last time, my nail tech helped pick out colors that reminded her of Ariel from The Little Mermaid. I guess I still had Disney princesses on my mind because the glitter gold and sky blue that I selected reminded me so much of Princess Jasmine! I didn’t realize this happy coincidence until my nails were already painted and I was so there for it. 😀

This past year has been nutso in Lil Red’s world and even though I always love getting my nails done, I wasn’t fully enjoying it. There was so much to do and so much on my mind that I was mentally willing time to go faster instead of relaxing. With things vastly improving and my schedule being more accommodating, I was able to get the full salon experience again on Friday. It was great! I had nowhere to be until late morning and all that was left to do was sit back and be pampered. As always, my nail tech knocked it out of the park and I left the salon feeling like a million bucks. ❤

With my nails now in check, I am eagerly anticipating my next salon visit this month to get my hair done. Keep it locked to see my new do coming soon!

What helps you relax? 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

Aug5

July 2023 Finishes

Posted on August 5, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello everyone and welcome to a slightly late beauty finishes post for July! I used up a ton of new to me products this past month so we have a lot of ground to cover. Even more so because I would happily use all of them again and that rarely happens! Let’s get started:

Would I Use Again?

Clinical Works Brightening Vitamin C Facial Cleanser: YES

Bath & Body Works Body Cream: YES

Evoluderm Micellar Water: YES

Pearlessence Brightening Facial Serum: YES

Pacifica Rainbow Watermelon Lip Balm: YES

Farmacy Honey Halo Moisturizer: YES

Lanoline Manuka Honey Eye Cream: YES

Why/Why Not?

Clinical Works Cleanser: I absolutely loved this cleanser!! It had a great citrus scent that was so invigorating in the morning and it was super long lasting. A little dollop went such a long way that I was using it for months. I found my skin to look brighter and healthier after consistent once daily use. Highly recommend!

B&BW Body Cream: The Shea Butter + Hyaluronic Acid Body Cream from Bath & Body Works is the best. It is so much better than their regular lotion and I am always impressed by how soft and hydrated it leaves my skin. The only problem? It’s never enough! Every night before bed, I apply lotion to my arms, chest, and stretch mark areas so I go through the bottle quickly. The travel size ones were used up after about five days and the full size was empty within two weeks. Thankfully, I usually get them for free with coupons or close to free when shopping the semi-annual sale so it’s all good. 😀

Pearlessence Serum: The Brightening serum by Pearlessence was a good one and I wish I had more of it. Although it was quite thin in texture, I still felt like it was highly effective in giving my skin that extra boost of radiance. Sometimes a thin serum makes me feel like it isn’t doing anything at all and that wasn’t the case in the slightest. Three pumps was enough to cover my entire face and neck and it took me close to two months to finish the bottle. Combined with my additional brightening products, my skin has never looked better.

Pacifica Lip Balm: The lip balms by Pacifica are, hands down, the best I have ever used and I will never use anything different. I always have to have one by my bedside, by my computer, and in my purse! What this lip balm does in one application couldn’t be accomplished by a standard balm in ten. The Pacifica balms leave my lips hydrated and supple and I have completely kissed chapped lips goodbye since I started using them regularly.

Farmacy Moisturizer: The Honey Halo moisturizer was part of my birthday gift from Sephora and it was really nice! It smelled exactly like honey and a little of it went a long way – it took almost two weeks of twice daily application to finish the travel size jar. My skin felt so hydrated with each use and looked like peaches and cream perfection. It was my favorite part of the Farmacy gift set I received!

Lanoline Eye Cream: Holy WOW was this eye cream long lasting. It took me FOUR MONTHS of twice daily use to finish the jar! This was just a nice eye cream to use and I noticed big improvements. My under eye designer bags cleared up so much, which was a huge win. The delicate skin around my eyes felt stronger and looked more supple and this was, easily, one of the best eye creams that I have ever used.

Talk about a GREAT SUCCESS for beauty empties, amiright?! If you happen to find any of these products when out and about, they all received the Lil Red Stamp of Approval and I just know you will love them too! 😀

Which products did you use up recently? 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

Jul19

Glossier Cloud Paint Swatches In Storm & Dawn

Posted on July 19, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello everyone!! Yesterday, we took a look at the first two swatches from the Glossier Cloud Paint sample pack I received during my Sephora Birthday Haul. And, today, we will be wrapping things up by checking out the remaining two in Storm and Dawn. Although I’m not overly impressed with any of the colors from the Cloud Paint samples, I will say that I definitely liked Storm and Dawn much better than Eve and Spark! Now, let’s get to it:

Storm:

Dawn:

Out of all of the colors we have swatched, I think I like Storm the best. Would I buy it? No, but it was the only one I didn’t completely dislike! Storm is described as a “warm rose” on Sephora’s website and if it matched that description more on my skin, I would have been there for it. However, this shade had a lot of purple undertones to it and that is what showed through more on me. I love the idea of Storm and it’s really pretty, but it is something that I would never wear myself.

Like Spark, Dawn was bright and poppy with the description of “sunny coral”. Like Storm, this was an almost but not quite color for me. Dawn showed as really orange on my skin and not only do I feel like it would wash me out, but it would also clash against my hair colors. In yesterday’s post, I mentioned that the colors I swatched would look better on a darker complexion and I feel the same about the ones today. The Cloud Paint is so pigmented and that’s awesome, but it would just be too much on me.

Although Storm and Dawn did nothing for me, it is worth mentioning again the ease of use of the Glossier Cloud Paint. I can see why it was reviewed so well on Sephora because the colors are gorgeous and it’s fun to apply! I am sure a tube of the Cloud Paint would last forever because a tiny dab went such a long way. It is not for me, but I am loving them for someone else!

What is your favorite makeup to apply? How long does it take you to complete your makeup routine? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul18

Glossier Cloud Paint Swatches In Eve & Spark

Posted on July 18, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Glossier Cloud Paint Swatches In Eve & Spark

Hello!! During my Sephora Birthday Haul, I wasn’t overly impressed with the free sample selection for my purchase. As per ushe, I opt for skin care as my two free samples of choice and loved the Alpyn Beauty moisturizer I received. The remaining options were makeup, hair care, and fragrance which I usually shy away from as I’m pretty unadventurous in that regard. For swatches’ sake, I went with a sample pack of four Cloud Paint blushes by Glossier. Today, we are going to take a closer look at Eve and Spark. Tune in tomorrow for a peek at Storm and Dawn! Now, let’s get to it:

Eve:

Spark:

When swatching Eve, I put what I thought was a tiny dab on my finger and blended away onto my hand like the instructions said. However, our definitions of a tiny dab were way different! I blended and blended and blended some more and it still applied quite dark. The rich plum color was gorgeous, though, and I resolved to use an even smaller amount when I swatched Spark. Even with the minuscule amount I used, it still showed up really visible in a bold, pure red.

While all of the colors from this sample pack are very pretty, Eve and Spark were too much against my complexion. I suspect the same will be true for Storm and Dawn as well. These blushes would look stunning against a darker skin tone, but it is a definite no from me in terms of ever buying a full size. I will say that the Cloud Paint applied so easily and was soft to the touch. Once it was on, I couldn’t even tell that it was there and that is a high point for these blushes for sure.

I am always curious about what other people think about products that I am sampling and the Glossier Cloud Paint got really good reviews on Sephora for the most part. The resounding comments were in terms of ease of use and the high pigmentation of each shade. Although the colors in my sample pack did nothing for me, I am very curious about Puff, which is a frosty light pink. I might have to treat myself to a full size of that next time I shop Sephora!

Keep it locked tomorrow for the swatches of Storm and Dawn as well as a date night OOTD coming soon!! ❤

What is your favorite blush? Do you prefer a powder or cream blush? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul17

Face Mask Festivities: Farmacy Honey Potion Plus Hydration Mask Edition

Posted on July 17, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Face Mask Festivities: Farmacy Honey Potion Plus Hydration Mask Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Face Mask Festivities!! It has been so long since I tried out a new face mask and I was very much looking forward to testing out one from my recent Sephora Birthday Haul. For my free birthday gift, I selected a skin care set by Farmacy which included the Honey Potion Plus Hydration Mask. I have been most impressed with the moisturizer that I have been using from this gift set so I assumed the Honey Potion Plus would be awesome too. And it was… meh. Let’s discuss further:

I had great first impressions of this mask and absolutely loved the bright yellow color! The texture felt exactly like scooping jelly into my hand and it smelled just like honey. Step one for the Honey Potion Plus was rubbing it into your skin until it formed a white cream. During that time, the mask heated up and it felt fantastic after a long day. I read some reviews about it burning during the heat up process, but I didn’t experience that and the sensation of heat went away as quickly as it had appeared.

Once the mask was applied, it had to sit for between ten and fifteen minutes and rinsed off afterwards. I was eagerly anticipating the rinse off because I thought this mask was going to leave my skin SO soft. I left it on for about twelve minutes as it had dried completely at that point. I rinsed my skin, patted it dry, and… nothing. In fact, I daresay it made my skin feel less hydrated. It didn’t feel tight, more like I didn’t use skin care at all that day.

I completed my nighttime skin care routine and went to bed thinking that I’d feel some results in the morning and… nothing. The reviews I have read for the Honey Potion Plus were hit or miss with some people loving it and others left disappointed. I definitely fell into the “miss” category and my skin felt better with my normal routine than with the mask used at all. I’m sure it works well if you have a really dry complexion, but that’s not the case for me. This mask started out strong and ended in a massive WHOMP WHOMP.

Although this mask did me no favors, it was still pretty fun to use and I liked how it brought the heat. I will finish the sample jar I got because I refuse to let it go to waste. However, it is one that I would never buy a full size of. The Honey Potion Plus was a no for me but a yes for others so if you try it, I would just say to go in with low expectations because you never know what you’re going to get!

Have you used this face mask before? What are your thoughts on it? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul16

New Glitter Bright Pink & Emerald Green Nails

Posted on July 16, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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New Glitter Bright Pink & Emerald Green Nails

Hello! This past Friday, I enjoyed a fill at Elysian Nails and it was just what the doctor ordered. Johnny and I had Val over for a slumber party the night before and I needed some relaxation! I was able to get an appointment first thing in the morning with the wonderful Shelly and, as always, she absolutely slayed. She even pulled through with a celebrity choice for one of my nail colors and she was spot on. I love how they turned out and I am getting all of the Ariel vibes! Check it out:

Normally before a fill, I have an idea of the colors I would like to use before stepping foot in the salon. This time, however, I was feeling very uninspired and even more so once I was at the polish wall. I immediately gravitated towards a bright pink, but I couldn’t figure out for the life of me what color I wanted to go with it. I decided on a shimmer lavender shade after what felt like forever at the polish wall and sat down at Shelly’s station. I can’t say I was particularly thrilled with that choice, though.

As Shelly made quick work of making my nails perfect, I was still thinking that I didn’t like my color selection all that much. And, as I was examining the nail polish bottles, I got called out! Shelly asked if I liked the colors and I said not really and requested that she choose a new polish to replace the lavender for me. While I paid for my pampering, she hit the polish wall and came back with the glitter emerald green to go with the pink. She said it reminded her of The Little Mermaid and I was instantly there for it!

This was the first time that I had one of my nail techs select a color for me and I think I might start making a habit of it. The green was a color that I never would have chose myself and I am obsessed with it. It has been over a week since I got my nails done and I still can’t stop looking at them constantly!

What color of nail polish are you rocking? Do you pick your colors at the salon or does your nail tech? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul13

Sephora Birthday Haul

Posted on July 13, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!!! Before my birthday month wrapped up, I had to make sure that I did a little online shopping with Sephora to cash in my free birthday gift. If you are a Beauty Insider, you are treated to your pick from three or so travel size beauty bundles and I look forward to it every year! It was the perfect time for me to place an order because I was running dangerously low on one of my favorite hair care products – the Mistress Hydrating Hair Balm by IGK. Two bottles of the hair balm were the only things that I paid for and the rest of this haul was completely free! Check it out:

^^^ All of these products are from cruelty free brands!

The Haul:

2 bottles of IGK Mistress Hydrating Hair Balm: $29/bottle

Farmacy Birthday Gift: FREE

Goop Glow Vita-C Eye Cream: FREE with $25 purchase

Alpyn Beauty Melt Moisturizer Sample: FREE with purchase

Glossier Cloud Paint Sample: FREE with purchase

Every time I have an amazing Sephora Haul, I always have to mention the merits of making the purchase online. There is typically free shipping for orders over fifty dollars, you get to pick two free samples with every order, and there is a HUGE selection of free product with purchases over twenty-five dollars. You get so much more bang for your buck and I feel satisfied with the money I spent rather than robbed. Hey, you can never go wrong with free!

For my Sephora birthday gift, I chose the skin care set by Farmacy. Every year, the freebie bundle selection usually follows the same formula, just with different brands. There is one for hair care, makeup, fragrance, and skin care, respectively. As I am pretty inflexible with my makeup and hair care, I pick the skin care sets nine times out of ten. Even if I were more adventurous when it comes to makeup, I would still make the same choice because I can never have enough skin care. 😀

Farmacy is a brand that I have heard of, but never tried and I am looking forward to it! This birthday set includes the Honey Potion Plus Hydrating Mask, a moisturizer, and a cleansing balm. I haven’t used a face mask in months so I am most excited to try the Honey Potion Plus. The cleansing balm is one that I could take or leave, but who knows? Maybe I’ll end up loving it! And, of course, testing new moisturizers is always fun. 🙂

For the remainder of my haul, I got a Goop Glow eye cream as my freebie for spending more than twenty-five dollars. Like Farmacy, this is a brand that I am familiar with but haven’t tried anything by. The brand definitely has a name that I wouldn’t soon forget! A moisturizer and blush were my free samples and I have already used the Alpyn Beauty one – it was lovely and would be especially nice for those with a dryer complexion.

I am so happy with my Birthday Haul from Sephora and can’t wait to use all of the new to me products. Keep it locked for a new Face Mask Festivities and swatches from the Glossier blush coming soon!

Which store offers the best promotions? Do you like to shop Sephora in store or online? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul5

Homemade Rose Oil

Posted on July 5, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!!!! Way back in the day, I used to really enjoy making homemade bath and body care like scrubs, shower gels, and lip balms. It has been SO long since I have done that but it was always a blast! This past week, I decided to revisit one of my old hobbies by making some rose oil with petals from a gorgeous bouquet at my mom and dad’s house. It was insanely easy and, even though I wasn’t too fond of the smell, it was an amazing addition to my bubble bath. No thanks to the bath fizzy from Bath & Body Works that you all read about yesterday! Let’s get to it:

Step By Step:

I made my rose oil by following directions from a surprising source – an article posted by HGTV! Directions for making rose water were also included and I might try that next with the remaining flowers from the bouquet I used. A rose oil concoction went a little something like this:

Step One: Tear or shred your petals. For mine, I took several at a time and tore them in half.

Step Two: Pour a cup of oil into a jar with the petals. Jojoba and grapeseed oil were recommended, but I didn’t have any. However, they mentioned that olive oil would work well too so that is what I used.

Step Three: Bring a few inches of water to a raging boil and remove from heat. Place your jar of oil and petals in afterwards until the water cools.

Step Four: Place your jar in front of a sunny window and let it sit for 24 hours.

Step Five: The next day, remove your petals from the jar and squeeze out all of the oil you can from them. To do this, I started pouring the oil with the lid slightly on into another jar. Once a majority of the oil was removed, I used a spoon to press the petals and store the excess.

Easy peasy, right?! Making homemade rose oil was a quick and fun project and I was really pleased with the results. I poured some of my rose oil in the bath tub and it was so lux and lovely. Yes, it was a freaking pain to clean up the oil slick tub after my soak. BUT my skin felt fantastic and it still does several days later. I have noticed a huge difference in the softness of my skin and it feels nourished and healthy. I can’t wait to use it again during my next bath time self care sesh!

Concocting your own rose oil is a wonderful way to bring a second life to roses from your garden or a bouquet. Once again, you can view the directions that I followed here. Tune in tomorrow on lifewithlilred for more flowery vibes as we take a look at my first watercolor painting I have done in a minute!

What is your favorite flower? Do you like to make any crafts or bath and body care with flowers? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

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