Category Archives: Beauty

Feb25

Sujata Gazder Valinora Serum Review

Posted on February 25, 2023 by lifewithlilred

Hey! One of my favorite things to do is test out new skin and bath and body care products. Nothing pleases me more than scouring the shelves of TJMaxx’s beauty department for a good haul and trying a new product or two is a relatively cheap way for me to treat myself. As a fanatic for all things beauty, I couldn’t wait to receive a goodie box from my dear friend, Sujata, to celebrate the launch of her new website. 😀

During my unboxing, I was ecstatic to find a body bar and a bottle of Valinora serum. So much so, that I did something that I literally never do: I stopped using the serum I was working on halfway through to try out the new one! Of course, I’ll return to it later but not until I finish every last drop of the Valinora serum. It. Is. AMAZING! Let’s discuss:

During my unboxing post, I used the word “nourishing” to describe the Valinora serum based on sight and scent alone. And, after just one use, I patted myself on the back for using the perfect description because this serum is so incredibly nourishing. I have been using the Valinora serum morning and night for the past week and every time I use it, I like it even more than I did before. All of these sentiments are mine alone and are not said because Sujata is my friend… this stuff is just that good.

The first thing you will notice about the Valinora serum is its scent. Sujata effortlessly combined a shopping list of various oils and essential oils to create this botanical serum. I can really smell the hemp and frankincense but everyone is different and will surely be able to pick up on fragrances that don’t stand out to me. At first, I thought the serum’s scent was a bit overpowering. However, after I gave it a chance, I found it to be invigorating in the morning and soothing at night. I love this, because as a permanently sleepy gal, I need all of the extra pick me ups that I can get in the morning!

This serum is actually quite different from what I usually prefer. While the texture is thin, it is jam packed with skin care magic and takes a decent amount of time to fully absorb. This is something that would normally bother me and it surprisingly doesn’t at all. In fact, I like it! As the serum sets, I know that it is working and the way my skin looks confirms it because it has never looked or felt better.

Yes, the Valinora serum is insanely hydrating and that is awesome in itself, but it is so much more than that. I never have considered myself to have an uneven skin tone and I still don’t. Regardless, whatever was going on with my skin is a problem solved now. Using this serum truly allowed my best face to come forward and my complexion really does look much more even than it did before. I also noticed a HUGE decrease in my designer bags – they are essentially gone! To top it off, my skin simply glows with each use. Like, radiant level glowing and you just can’t beat that!

The Valinora serum by Sujata Gazder is, hands down, one of the best that I have ever used and I cannot sing its praises enough. I have never used a product before and experienced such immediate results and I know all of you will love it too. Shop along at Sujata’s new site and treat yourself to the best in skin care and fashion!

What is the best product you have ever used? Do you like trying new products or sticking to what works? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb24

Sujata Gazder Body Bar Review

Posted on February 24, 2023 by lifewithlilred

Standard

Hello!! I had a horrible sinus infection this past weekend and felt pretty worse for the wear for the majority of the week. Once I was feeling a little better, I decided that I definitely needed some pampering because I felt gross lol. My skin felt so dehydrated and I knew that I needed something more to get myself feeling right again. Thankfully, my body bar by Sujata Gazder did the trick and I am BEYOND obsessed with this product. It is a miracle in an adorable heart shape! Let’s discuss:

I received some goodies for the launch of Sujata’s new website and was so excited to find a body bar and serum during my unboxing. The body bar intrigued me because it was something that I never knew could exist! It’s essentially a bar of pure cocoa butter mixed with a litany of essential oils that you simply rub into your skin. After discovering the delightful citrus rose scent during my unboxing, I couldn’t wait to give the body bar a try. Product scents are very important to me and the body bar smelled so light that I knew I could enjoy it without being overpowered by fragrance.

I used my body bar before bedtime so that I could hydrate my skin in my sleep and not have to worry about if it felt greasy (Something that I can’t stand!). Using the body bar was, honestly, so much fun and I definitely preferred its application over normal lotion or body butter. It wasn’t necessary to rub the body bar into the skin so all I had to do was swipe it over my body for quick and easy moisturizing. The process took less than a minute and as soon as I was done, I could instantly feel the cocoa butter and essential oils working their magic.

After using the body bar, Johnny and I watched some TV and I was pleasantly surprised to find that I didn’t mind it on my skin. It didn’t absorb quickly but it didn’t leave me with that residue coated feeling that I get from a full body lotion application. I knew for a fact that I was going to wake up with my skin feeling back to normal and I was right. After my morning shower, my skin felt AMAZING. It was not only soft to the touch but felt hydrated on the deepest level. You know how your skin feels after using a Lush bath bomb? It was like that only a billion times better and I loved that I could still feel the ingredients working even after washing it off.

One full body application used up half of the body bar and I am saving the rest for later this week when I shave. I will be sad when it’s gone, though, because how can you go back to using normal lotion after a product as fabulous as this?! If you are suffering from dry skin or just need a treat, then I cannot recommend the body bar by Sujata Gazder enough. You can shop along at Sujata’s website for all of the best in fashion and skin care. Enjoy and keep it posted for my review of the Valinora serum tomorrow!

What is your favorite product to pamper yourself with? What is your favorite bath and body care scent? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb21

Sujata Gazder Skin Care Unboxing

Posted on February 21, 2023 by lifewithlilred

Standard

Hello!! I met my dear friend, Sujata, seven years ago thanks to lifewithlilred. She was the first person who I ever wrote a guest article for and it featured one of her drop dead gorgeous wedding dresses. We have kept in touch through social media ever since and I always enjoy catching up with her and keeping tabs on her fashion and skin care line. Sujata recently launched her brand’s website and I was lucky enough to be sent some of her skin care products. Check out my unboxing and keep it posted for reviews coming soon:

Receiving my package in the mail from Sujata was like Christmas day all over again and I couldn’t wait to tear it open! My first impression during my unboxing was an important one: The packaging itself. Skin care can be tricky to ship and it is not uncommon for bottles and jars to leak or crack. The products that I received were handled with so much care and wrapped tightly in tissue paper. The box was also filled with extra tissue and crinkle paper for additional padding. I could tell that Sujata wants everything she ships to her customers to be in absolutely perfect condition and it was very appreciated.

In my goodie box, I was so excited to find a body bar and face serum. The body bar came in an adorable individual box, which was a really nice touch! I am eager to try the bar out because I have never seen or used a product like it before. It is essentially cocoa butter with a shopping list of essential oils that you rub into your skin. This seems like the perfect solution to eliminate dry winter skin and it smells lovely. I love the notes of citrus and rose and I like it even more because it isn’t overpowering. Sujata expertly handled the delicate dance of combining fragrances and I was so impressed by how light it smells because products like that have the potential to go either way.

The Valinora face serum was also included in my gift and I can’t wait to use it. So much so that I am willing to put aside the half finished bottle of serum that I’m currently working on, which I never do! This serum targets fine lines and wrinkles and will also help to even out your skin tone. I will admit that when I first took a whiff of the serum, I thought that it was fairly pungent. Then, I kept smelling it and realized how awesome it is! Like the body bar, the ingredients consist primarily of essential oils. I could really pick out the hemp oil and frankincense but I think that this product will smell different to everyone, which is cool! I can already tell how nourishing the Valinora serum is going to be and I am so proud of my friend for creating this magic in a bottle.

If these products look as amazing to you as they do to me, be sure to shop along on Sujata’s brand new website. Stay tuned for reviews and thanks again to Sujata for her generosity! ❤

What is your favorite essential oil? How do you pamper yourself? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb12

Lil Red Says: Check This Out!

Posted on February 12, 2023 by lifewithlilred

Standard

Hello!! Way back in January of 2016, lifewithlilred had been up for a year and a half and opportunities for collaborations and money making were non-existent. So, you could imagine my surprise when the amazing fashion designer, Sujata Gazder, offered me my first go at guest blogging. The goal was to create a modern and edgy look with one of Sujata’s gorgeous wedding dresses and it was so much fun! After the post was published, Sujata and I remained friends across social media and would check in with each other from time to time.

For over seven years, I have enjoyed ogling all of Sujata’s extraordinary designs and am constantly blown away by her talent. I feel so lucky that we kept in touch after our paths crossed and I will always be cheering her on from afar! This past week, Sujata’s official brand website launched and I just had to share it with all of you. You can visit her page here and be sure to enter your email for the newsletter and alerts to receive ten percent off of your first order.

Not only can you browse Sujata’s jaw dropping collections but you will also be able to shop skin care too! The skin care line is the latest endeavor in the Gazder empire and it looks simply divine. I am currently daydreaming about the body bar and cannot wait to use it. Do be sure to keep it posted here on lifewithlilred for a review of that and more updates on Sujata as they come up. I think you will be seeing a lot of her on my page in the near future! ❤

Yet again, I find myself so thankful to lifewithlilred for introducing me to an entire world of new friends. I am thrilled to be able to collaborate with Sujata again at the place where our friendship began: Right here!

What is your favorite thing about blogging? Do you have any close friends that you made on your page? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb9

Clinique All About Clean Facial Soap Review

Posted on February 9, 2023 by lifewithlilred

Standard

Clinique All About Clean Facial Soap Review

Hello! My aunt generously gifted me with an adorable makeup bag filled with skin care samples by Clinique. I was pretty excited to try all of these goodies out because I have used makeup by Clinique before but never their skin care. The samples I tested out were a serum, moisturizer, and eye cream and I can’t say that I was overly impressed with any of them. However, I just started using the All About Clean Facial Soap by Clinique a few days ago and I am loving it! Let’s discuss:

I have used several ultra gentle cleansers in the past and was disappointed by literally every single one. None of them ever lathered well or did anything to make my skin feel cleaner or more nourished in any way shape or form. When I saw the Clinique face wash, I assumed it was going to be another similar situation thanks to the word “mild”. I wasn’t expecting much when I used the facial soap for the first time and ended up being very pleasantly surprised.

Every morning for the past couple of days, I have been using a quarter size dollop of the Clinique cleanser and it is So. Freaking. Nice. It is unscented, which I don’t feel one way or the other about but, most importantly, it lathers like a dream. When using this product for the first time, I couldn’t believe all of the soapy bubbles that formed as I was washing my face. Although the facial soap didn’t make my skin feel moisturized, it made it feel so incredibly clean and that was very refreshing.

The asking price for a full bottle of the Clinique All About Clean Facial Soap is around twenty-four dollars. I would never pay full price for it but this is actually one product that I would consider paying a bit more for at TJMaxx. The Clinique cleanser is definitely not the move to use during the winter because it doesn’t moisturize. BUT, I think that it would be a perfect product to use during the summertime and will be keeping my eyes peeled to see if I can find it on the cheap.

If you are comfortable with the full price and are looking for a milder cleanser, you will love the All About Clean Facial Soap by Clinique. This would also be a good product to start dabbling in skin care with if you do not have a set routine already. I will be upset when I am done with my travel size tester!

Do you like Clinique skin care? How does your skin care routine change with the seasons? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb6

TJMaxx Mini Haul

Posted on February 6, 2023 by lifewithlilred

Standard

Hello!! Thanks to lots of Christmas gift cards to TJMaxx, I have been able to enjoy completely guilt free shopping trips for goodies and necessities. But let’s be honest, gift card or no – I never feel guilty when I’m getting my shop on lol! What is buyer’s remorse, anyways? This past week, I stopped into TJs because I needed a few trash cans and I was on the hunt for a new chapstick for my constantly chapped lips. I ended up walking away with all of the following for only thirty dollars:

The trash can situation for the bathrooms in my apartment was a unique one. We only had one bathroom at our old place and this might be TMI but I ended up ralphing in the trash can we had and threw it out. Rather than invest in a new one, I decided to repurpose the brown paper bags that Giant Eagle used to use to pack up curbside orders. We seriously had a ton and we brought our supply to our new apartment with two bathrooms. The brown paper bag trash can was working well when, suddenly, Giant Eagle quit using them and our collection quickly began to dwindle down. Buying new trash cans was finally in order and I got the two seen above for under twenty dollars. Johnny and I are officially living the high life. 😀

For skin care, I was mainly looking for a new chapstick and ended up walking away with a few extras. For my lip chap, I got the Pacifica Rainbow Watermelon balm and it is really nice! It definitely has a lot more oomph to it than the drugstore brand I’ve been using and it smells exactly like the watermelon Lip Smackers from back in the day as an added bonus. I also decided to give the lip mask by Dr. PawPaw a try partially because the brand name is hilarious and I also never say no to a product that has the potential to soften, smooth, and plump my pout!

Finally, I got an extra serum by Pearlessence to get my skin care hoard back to fully stocked status. I have used a few Pearlessence products before and like the brand well enough and went with their Vitamin C and Ferulic Acid serum. I have no idea what Ferulic Acid is but the sunset coloring of the serum was so pretty that I decided to go for it. Clearly, it doesn’t take much for me to give something my stamp of approval lol.

While this wasn’t the most exciting TJs Haul, I still got everything I needed and then some. I can’t wait to go back when their spring clothes finally hits the racks!

What is your favorite chapstick? What are essential ingredients in your skin care? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb5

New Light Pink & Bright Pink Glitter Nails

Posted on February 5, 2023 by lifewithlilred

Standard

New Light Pink & Bright Pink Glitter Nails

Hello!! Last week, I fell down several of the hardwood stairs at my mom and dad’s house and it was AWFUL. I was battered and bruised everywhere and I hate to brag but the bruise on my hindquarters looked like a galaxy lol. As I was falling and realized what was happening, I assumed the protective position to avoid breaking a nail because you all know where my priorities lie! I was so proud of this accomplishment, so you could imagine how pissed I was the following day when I broke a nail from simply carrying my groceries in!! I was in desperate need of a fill and repairs, and my girl Mary at Elysian Nails delivered with these adorable Valentine’s Day talons:

Normally, I am not one for holiday themed nails. However, I LOVE creating Valentine’s Day OOTDs and I wanted my nails to reflect that. I originally was playing around with a combination incorporating white but I wasn’t feeling red and white and pink and white reminded me of Pepto Bismol haha. So, I decided to go for pretty in pink, instead, and chose a soft light pink and a sassy, glittery bright pink for some sweet/tart fun. I think they turned out great!

Mary expertly replaced my badly broken nail that I had to repair with super glue as well as one that was lifting. She also applied the acrylic thicker than normal to help support the stiletto shape. My nails have seriously never felt better or stronger and I appreciated the time she took to fortify the claws. The last fill I had was done by my friend in my apartment and her acrylic wasn’t the best. I didn’t even notice how flimsy my nails were until I got back into the salon and high quality acrylic was used. While it was so nice to get my nails done from the comfort of my own home, I will definitely be sticking to the salon from now on.

This trip to Elysian Nails was much needed and I am in love with my girly V-Day nails. I can’t wait to show them off in new OOTDs coming soon so keep it posted!!

What color of nail polish are you rocking? What are your thoughts on holiday themed nails? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb4

Bath & Body Works January Freebies

Posted on February 4, 2023 by lifewithlilred

Standard

Hello! I got two freebie coupons from Bath & Body Works last week for a full and travel size item and I couldn’t believe my good luck. Free full size product coupons are a rarity from B&BW and I couldn’t wait to cash them in. Tuesday afternoons are usually when I run errands so I stopped in to pick out some goodies and ended up walking away with twenty-three dollars worth of completely free product. It was awesome! Check it out:

I decided to go for a shower gel for my full size product because I recently bought a few lotions from B&BW on the cheap. I was in the mood to try a new scent out and was instantly drawn to the dreamy packaging for one of their new fragrances called Among The Clouds. I loved the sparkle and sunset colors – it just looked so sweet and girly and I knew that it had to smell good. And it did! Among The Clouds features fragrance notes of wild berry and whipped vanilla and it is divine. It kind of reminds me of the Mixed Berry Lip Smackers from back in the day and I think that it will be a perfect scent for the spring and summer. I highly recommend giving it a shot!

For my travel size item, I chose a hand cream in Gingham, which is one of my favorite B&BW fragrance lines. I have used the Bath & Body Works hand cream before and I can’t say that I was overly impressed by it. Their hand creams are fairly greasy and don’t absorb well. However, you can’t beat free and I suppose it doesn’t matter all that much when I only use it before bed!

As I was driving home with my free mini haul, I was blown away by the coupons from B&BW. In total, Johnny and I probably spend less than one hundred dollars per year at Bath & Body Works for our hand soaps and wallflowers. The rest of the products that I get are free nine times out of ten and I receive a coupon for more at least once per month. A monthly free travel size product coupon results in over one hundred dollars of free per year. Essentially, B&BW matches what I spend with freebies and I am so there for it. 😀

This coupon cash in session was one of my best yet at Bath & Body Works and I was riding the high of twenty plus dollars of free my whole way home. I can’t wait to go back next month because I think that I will definitely be getting more Among The Clouds products!

Which stores offer the best coupons? How do you save money on your must have products? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan31

Lush’s Bubba Lugosi Bubble Bar Review

Posted on January 31, 2023 by lifewithlilred

Standard

Hello! After an insanely long week, I couldn’t wait to sink into a nice, hot bath on Friday evening. It was my motivation since waking up on Monday because I was very eager to use the last of my Christmas Lush haul from my bestie! The final remainder of my gifts was a bubble bar from their Halloween collection called…wait for it… the BUBBA LUGOSI. I had never used a bubble bar from Lush before so I was excited to try it! Although I much prefer a bath bomb, the bubble bar was still a fun-ish product to further enhance bath time bliss. Check it out:

First of all, let’s address how freaking adorable the Bubba Lugosi bubble bar is lol. My heart literally melted when I saw it for the first time and I think that’s why I held onto it for so long – it was too cute to use! After mentally preparing for over a month to part with this precious bubble bar, I was finally ready to let go. Was I disappointed with this product? No. But, I think I hyped it up in my head for so long that it wasn’t what I expected.

I placed the Bubba Lugosi under the running water once my tub was about halfway full. I was hoping for huge, fluffy bubbles as soon as it hit the water and was greeted by a steady stream of not so big bubbles, instead. As the water continued to run, the bubbles spread out evenly across the tub but it wasn’t mind blowing in any way. In fact, I’ve had better bubbles from just using my shower gel.

Another thing that didn’t wow me was how the color of the water changed as the bubble bar broke down. Normally, this would please me immensely. However, the water went from crystal clear to a murky purplish red and it ended up looking swampy rather than soothing. I don’t know about all of you, but the last thing that I want to feel like is the Creature From The Black Lagoon when I am trying to get my bath time mermaid on!

While the presentation was lacking severely for the Bubba Lugosi, I will say that it left my skin feeling very soft and nourished. For this reason, I was satisfied because I love being able to shave and not have to slather myself in lotion afterwards! I am going to rate this bubble bar with a three out of ten stars. I am glad that I used it and will be sticking with the bath bombs from Lush from now on!

What are your thoughts on the Lush bubble bars? What is your favorite Lush product? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan28

The Effects Of Humidity On Your Hair

Posted on January 28, 2023 by lifewithlilred

Standard

Everyone has heard the hair horror stories of someone stepping outside, and the humidity immediately makes their hair frizzy, limp, and unmanageable. But why do some people seem to shrug off the effects of humidity while others are left with a wild mane? Whether you have straight, wavy, curly, or kinky-coils hair, humidity can affect everyone differently:

Causes of Humidity Hair Damage:

The science behind humidity and hair is actually simple. Humidity occurs when moisture in the air combines with heat, resulting in a damp environment. When this happens, the hydrogen bonds that hold your hair together are weakened by the water molecules in the air – thus changing or damaging your hairstyle.

Effects of Humidity on Different Hair Types:

Humidity affects different hair types in different ways. This is because of differences in structure and texture. Here’s how humidity affects each type of hair:

Straight Hair:

Straight-haired folks tend to be the luckiest when it comes to humidity. Since your strands are already fairly smooth and don’t curl easily, you usually don’t have too much trouble when the weather gets humid. Your strands may puff up more than usual on particularly muggy days, though.

Wavy Hair:

If you have wavy hair, chances are you’re not too keen on humid weather, either. Wavy tresses tend to get weighed down by moisture in the air. When this happens, they become flat and limp instead of having their usual body and volume.

Curly Hair:

It’s no surprise that curly-haired folks have the most issues when it comes to humidity. Curls are naturally more prone to frizziness, and when you add moisture into the mix, they can become a giant, unmanageable fluff ball.

Kinky-Coily Hair:

Kinky-coily tresses are made up of tightly coiled curls and struggle even more with moisture in the air than other curls! When kinky-coily strands get wet (from rain or sweat), they become extremely heavy and hard to manage due to their tightly wound structure; this added weight can cause the curls to unravel if not dealt with properly.

Ways to Protect Your Hair from Humidity:

Humidity can be a real challenge when it comes to styling your hair, but there are some things that you can do to help protect your locks from the effects of moisture in the air. Here are a few tips:

Condition your hair: Conditioner helps add weight and density to your strands, which can help protect them from humidity. Use an anti-frizz conditioner that contains natural oils to keep your hair hydrated and moisturized, such as argon, jojoba, or coconut oil.

Use a leave-in conditioner: A leave-in conditioner helps seal the hair cuticle and lock in moisture to keep your locks hydrated and protected from humidity. Look for one that contains glycerin, which acts as a humectant to draw moisture into the hair shaft.

Style with products: Use styling products to help weigh down your hair and keep it from puffing up in humid weather. Look for products that contain beeswax or fatty alcohols to add weight to your tresses and protect them from humidity.

Avoid heat styling tools: Heat styling tools can cause damage to your hair, and they can also make it more susceptible to humidity. Avoid using heated tools such as curling irons, flat irons, and blow dryers in humid weather.

Tame your tresses with the tips above and enjoy great hair in any type of weather!

	oliveunicorn on Labubu Or Lafufu?!
	lifewithlilred on Labubu Or Lafufu?!
	oliveunicorn on Labubu Or Lafufu?!
	lifewithlilred on Bath & Body Works February…
	Dear Quiet on Bath & Body Works February…