Category Archives: Beauty

Jul5

New Navy & Grey Nails

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New Navy & Grey Nails

Helloooo! On Sunday morning, I was able to spend some time being pampered at Elysian Nails for a fill. Some months, my nails grow out and still look alright but, this time around, they were looking SUPER janky so I was happy to get them looking right again. On my way to the salon, I had the idea of navy and grey in mind so I just went with it instead of changing my mind a million times at their polish station. And, I am glad I stuck to my guns because they look great! Check it out:

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I love the nautical vibe of the dove grey with the deep navy. It makes me think of huge, puffy clouds tumbling over a vast ocean and they are simple but really chic. After going back to my usual black nails last month, I was still hankering for a dark color and I figured that navy was my next best bet. My walk on the dark side will satisfy the urge for wanting black nails again in the meantime but I can’t promise that I won’t be selecting my black polish next month! 😀

What color of polish do you have on right now? How do you rock summer themed nails? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun30

June 2019 Finishes

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June 2019 Finishes

Helloooo and happy last day of June to all of my darling readers! This month flew by and, for the most part, I really enjoyed myself despite a shitty break up. But, what can ya do? You blog about it and move on, of course! June is an exciting time because of my birthday on the seventh and I loved being able to celebrate with my friends and family throughout the month. The month of June for finishes was pretty lackluster, though, as I only finished two measly products! Take a look and let’s discuss:

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Would I Use Again?

  • Garnier Micellar Water: YES
  • Alba Botanica Hawaiian facial wash: MAYBE

Why/Why Not?

Micellar Water: As per ushe, I finished my monthly bottle of micellar water that I use as a toner and makeup remover. If it’s not broken, don’t fix it and I will continue to have this product in my arsenal until something better comes along.

Alba Botanica cleanser: This face wash that I got from TJMaxx was fairly average. It smelled awesome compliments of the coconut milk but it was a bit too creamy for my liking. It did make my skin feel nice and hydrated but it wasn’t that great at removing makeup, which is what I like for my cleansers to do. However, this bottle lasted me over two months so it was a good value and if it were available at TJ’s I would consider buying it again.

As you can see, I didn’t have much to show for the month of June as far as empties go so I’m sure that July will be overflowing with finishes to discuss at the end of the month!

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

Jun27

Shaving Secrets

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Shaving Secrets

Hi! During my late birthday outing to a winery with my BFF, she commented on how smooth my legs are. Through BFF telepathy, we both shaved the night before our hang out and my legs were definitely a lot smoother in comparison to hers. She asked for my secrets and also looked through my bathroom once we went to my apartment to see my shaving supplies, lol!

After bequeathing my knowledge onto her, I realized that this would make a great blog post. So, here I am to share my tips for the closest shave ever with you!

Use a men’s razor:

You have not experienced a close shave until you’re using a men’s razor. I swear by the razors by Gilette and refuse to use anything different. Men’s razors are designed to give as close of a shave humanly possible for their face as well as to move around gently on the contours. So, it just makes sense that it would work amazingly for the rest of the body, too!

I feel like women’s razors are made to just go in straight lines on the legs but the human body is not perfectly straight. There’s curves and bumps and muscles and a terrain on the body that doesn’t make it that simple. Men’s razors have a lot more movement to them to get all of those difficult areas effectively. Ditch your women’s razor and see an immediate difference just from that.

Take a soak:

I only will shave after I have had a nice soak in the tub. The warm water relaxes the skin and makes your hair stand up, which makes for an easier shaving experience. I enjoy a weekly bath every Friday night with a glass of wine and my music to help unwind after a long work week. There is just too much room for error if you shave in the shower and a bath time shave lets me know that I haven’t missed any spots. No one likes random hairy patches!

Use an exfoliater:

Instead of using a shaving cream, I treat my legs and any other areas of my body that I shave to an exfoliater. It helps loosen up the hair follicles, removes any dead or dry skin, and really helps prep your body for a shave. I used to love the more gel-like scrubs from The Body Shop but, after using a cream based one, I don’t plan on using anything different. Gels and shaving creams dry the skin out but a rich, creamy scrub moisturizes the skin as you go along and provides a much closer shave.

Lotion up:

And, finally, using lotion after you shave is a must. I will cover my whole body in lotion (I like Jergen’s!) after my bath, put on a long sleeved pajama top and bottoms, and then sleep in it for all night moisturizing. When I wake up, my skin is so silky smooth and I don’t feel any type of prickles growing back. And, on the subject of moisturizing – make sure you use a cream based body wash to avoid your skin from drying out, which doesn’t help the cause of smoothness, either.

With my shaving routine, I don’t see any type of noticeable hair growth on my body until at least day four. And, at that point, my bath night is close enough that I can handle a little prickle until then!

What are your shaving secrets? How do you stay smooth in between shaves? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Featured Image By: Rebel Circus

Jun26

Bath Bomb Blitz: Lush’s Marshmallow World Edition

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Bath Bomb Blitz: Lush’s Marshmallow World Edition

Hi! To conclude my work week this past Friday, I enjoyed a glass of wine, a bath with a Lush bath bomb, and the sixth installment of Saw as I am marathoning the movies. Last week was filled with break up bullshit and I was left feeling pretty down and out, so it was so nice to be able to have an evening just for me filled with things that I like to keep my mind occupied.

I got to use up the last of my bath bomb birthday treats from the darling Kate at Live In The Nautical and I think that I saved the best for last! Marshmallow World was an absolute delight and it certainly offered a jolly good show in my mustard yellow bathtub fresh out of the 1970s, lol. Take a looksee:

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What I really like is when bath bombs have a lot of movement to them and Marshmallow World definitely had that. As soon as I dropped it in the tub, it began shooting all over the place leaving swirling paths of pink and cream in its tracks. And, as the bath bomb got closer to fizzing out, it cracked in half and made the yellow incorporated in it look like two shooting stars. I loved it!

The soft pink, lavender, pale yellow, and cream made for a dreamy palette and the bath water felt rich and moisturizing. It felt so good to take a long soak in the tub, because the colors were really calming. For the first time in all of last week, I actually felt relaxed and somewhat okay and that was a treat in itself.

I would give Marshmallow World an eight out of ten. It was fun to watch, it made me happy to use, and it gave me the R&R that I so desperately needed. This bath bomb would make an awesome gift and I couldn’t imagine anyone not liking it!

How do you unwind after a hard day? Which bath and body products do you use to help you relax? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun23

How To Get Flawless Skin For Summer In Under Ten Minutes

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How To Get Flawless Skin For Summer In Under Ten Minutes

Hello everyone and welcome to a very special guest blog from one of my dearest blogging friends, Carlie, over at Bombshell. Carlie is a pinup queen, artist, and makeup extraordinaire and is here to chat with you today about achieving flawless summer skin. Be sure to check out her page for more good stuff and give it some love. Thanks a million, Carlie! ❤

How To Get Flawless Skin For Summer In Under Ten Minutes

I’m writing this post as yet another collaboration with my girl Sarah AKA Lil Red. If you haven’t seen our past collabs, definitely type in her name into my search bar and check us out. For my new subscribers who may not know this, she was the first girl I met when I started Bombshell and we’ve been great girlfriends since then. And, by the way Sarah, we must Skype again soon so we can plan you coming to visit me. hehe. (YES!!! xoxo LR)

Anyways, Sarah likes getting other bloggers to collab with her for certain topics. For example, this article I’m writing for her and I is about SUMMER, whether it’s makeup tips, the best places to go to the beach, travel, etc. which I think is a great idea and I think I’m going to be doing that more on my sites, too.

My summer topic is how to get flawless skin for summer super quickly. For this, you will need your favorite powder foundations, a Kabuki Brush, a cream concealer, possibly a brightening powder, and a waterproof setting powder. No setting spray this time. I’ll be taking you step by step along with my product recommendations for this look.

OH! ONE MORE THING, this quick way of having flawless skin isn’t only for summer. When I travel and want to do site seeing, I don’t usually want to fuss with wetting a beauty blender and applying liquid foundation and then having to set it before it creases. I save my higher end full face makeup looks for special occasions, like if I have dinner reservations at a fancy restaurant or a night on the town with my hubby.

Okay, here we go:

First step: Is to have your face washed and toned (duh) and apply a nice moisturizer that isn’t too thick and is for the day time.

Second step: Take your kabuki brush and your loose powder foundation. I love Bare Minerals loose original powder, from when Bare Minerals first launched, or their loose Matte Bare Minerals foundation powder. For my Kabuki Brush, my favorite one is also from Bare Minerals but feel free to use whatever one you want. You can find them everywhere. I just like the Bare Minerals one because it holds the powder really well because of its shape so you don’t have to use very much product.

Open the lid to your loose foundation powder, pour a little into the lid, take your kabuki brush and swirl the product onto the brush. Tap any excess and swirl and buff the powder onto your face all over. (Another reason why I like Bare Minerals, especially for summer, is because it has sunscreen in it. So, it keeps your face safe and flawless at the same time!)

Third Step: Take your concealer and touch up any imperfections, like pimples or dark circles by dotting it right on. For this, I recommend Studio Fix Concealer by MAC. After you finish concealing, take your compact or powder puff with the powder foundation and press it into the areas where you applied the concealer. Make sure not to smear the concealer.

You can use your loose foundation powder for more coverage and I recommend Studio Fix Powder Foundation Compact from MAC. After you set the concealer, take your kabuki brush and blend in a tiny bit more of your foundation powder so everything looks seamless. (That’s one of the great benefits of powder foundation, even if you mess up or have to retouch during the day, it’s so much easier than having to remove half of your face or dig through your tote for liquid foundation or setting powder.)

Now, you are done making your skin look flawless for summer! I don’t recommend setting spray with the powders because if you do need to reapply throughout the day, the areas you sprayed can leave creases and that is so not flawless!

Here are some additional tips and tricks that you can add to this routine but it’s optional. If your eyes still have dark circles underneath after you’ve already applied your concealer and powder, you can use a brightening powder for under your eyes. My go to is the “Secret Brightening Powder for Under Eyes,” by Laura Mercier. Also, if you plan on going swimming and want to make sure your easy flawless skin look will last, I recommend the Urban Decay “All Nighter” waterproof setting powder.

Hope you all enjoyed these tips, tricks, and short routine on how to get flawless summer skin in under ten minutes. xoxo Carlie

How do you achieve flawless summer skin? Which products do you swear by? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun21

Bath Bomb Blitz: Lush’s Goldrush Edition

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Bath Bomb Blitz: Lush’s Goldrush Edition

Hellooo everyone! This past week, I enjoyed taking a soak with a bath bomb from Lush called Goldrush. Giving the ultimate mermaid experience with gorgeous turquoise water and glitter for dayz, this bath bomb was a definite hit. Take a look at some pics and let’s discuss:

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Although Goldrush was small, it was a mighty little bath bomb. The blue power ball was really pigmented, which I was so happy about. Sometimes the smaller bath bombs just tint the water and that’s always disappointing. About halfway through the bomb fizzing out, the glitter started coming from the core and it just didn’t stop! It made for a bath that was perfectly lux and oh so pampering.

Goldrush was a very solid bath bomb overall and it would be a great one to gift to someone or just for yourself! I give it a 7.5 out of 10.

Do you prefer bath bombs or bubble bath? What is your favorite color for your bath water? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

PS: Special thanks to Kate from Live In The Nautical for this treat! ❤

PPS: Sorry this post is a bit lackluster – I am writing it with a horrible hangover. #justbeinghonest #whoops

Jun15

Better Than Sex Mascara Annoyance

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Better Than Sex Mascara Annoyance

Yo yo yo. I’m sure when you read the title of the post all of you were like “what?” because I would be nowhere without my Better Than Sex mascara by Too Faced. And, that’s still true. But, oh my god, they must have changed the formula or something because the mascara is SO sticky now and I really just can’t deal. This would all be fine and dandy if it wasn’t for the fact that I wear contacts because it has been causing me a lot of grief. Read on to find out more!

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The first thing that I do once I’m out of the shower and have wiped off my face with my micellar water is put my contacts in. This has been my routine for years and, then, I apply my skin care products and makeup accordingly. But, now the order of operations has been tragically skewed because the fact that my mascara now takes at least a half hour to fully dry has been destroying my contacts left and right.

Within an hour or so of having my mascara on and contacts in, they would be so dry from the Better Than Sex getting on the lenses that I literally couldn’t see anything and would have to take them out. It was getting to the point where I had to wear my glasses with the wrong prescription to go about my day, making my vision nowhere near as sharp as it should be. It was just getting ridiculous.

After going through a box of contacts that should have lasted me three months in a little over one, I said that enough was enough and began putting my contacts in after my mascara had time to dry. Annoying? Totally. But, it worked, and I am no longer changing my one a day contacts twice daily.

On the BTS reviews on Sephora’s website, I saw many people complain about the same issue that I was having so I just had to write a post about switching up my morning routine to accommodate the stickiest mascara ever. And, also to say to Too Faced to get the old formula of Better Than Sex back ASAFP, because this new one is not doing anyone any favors. SMH!

Which mascara do you use? What do you do about sticky mascaras? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun13

Best Facials To Get In The Summertime

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Best Facials To Get In The Summertime

An investment in your skincare can help you to feel confident about your complexion all year long. However, the heat of summer can bring new challenges to your skin, such as sweat or sunburn. It’s important to find the right facial norfolk va to keep your skin moisturized and healthy all summer long. Here are some of the best facials to get in the summertime:

Microdermabrasion:

This facial uses an exfoliation treatment and gives a light peel that helps your skin grow new tissue as it eliminates dead skin cells. This will give your face a fresh start for summertime, helping to avoid clogged pores from sweat. Microdermabrasion uses micro crystals to lightly peel the skin, which encourages the growth of new tissue. The uppermost layer of the skin is gently removed during the treatment, eliminating any dead skin cells, impurities, or debris. This is a noninvasive procedure, as the process does not use chemicals, needles, or lasers, so patients get beautiful skin rejuvenation with virtually no downtime.

Chemical Peels:

A chemical peel treatment is used for mild to serious cosmetic issues and encourages skin rejuvenation and deep skin resurfacing. This is a mild skin rejuvenation and resurfacing procedure that exfoliates and renews the skin on the face, neck, or hands using carefully-selected chemicals. You can get a treatment in a range of levels, from extremely mild with no downtime, to more extensive that will lead to more significant peeling and a longer recovery time. While chemical peels are great for anti aging, it might not be everyone’s cup of tea. To find more options, simply enter a search for “anti-aging treatments in Columbia, MD” (or your local area) to find the right treatment for you.

Dermaplaning:

This treatment is an advanced way to remove dead skin cells and peach fuzz, which reveals glowing skin immediately after the procedure. Dermaplaning is a popular, safe, and effective way to exfoliate facial skin. An experienced esthetician can use this method to remove dead skin cells and peach fuzz to reveal your natural, smooth skin. Unlike microdermabrasion, dermaplaning involves the gentle use of a sharp scalpel to remove the very top layer of the skin, revealing the rejuvenated skin beneath it.

Treat yourself to a facial today to reveal perfect summer ready skin!

Jun12

Sephora Birthday Gift

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Sephora Birthday Gift

Howdy! When it comes to my birthday, I always try to cash in on the freebies that are offered through rewards programs at my favorite stores and eateries. As a Beauty Insider for Sephora, that means I get to pick a freebie birthday gift between two mini gift sets. This year, the choice was between a Kat Von D liquid liner, loose powder, and lipstick samples or a cleanser and moisturizer by Drunk Elephant. Because I don’t use liquid liner or any type of powder, I went with the Drunk Elephant option seen below:

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I have never used any Drunk Elephant products before, but I’ve heard nothing but good things about it so I am looking forward to giving my freebies a try. I can always use moisturizers and cleansers, too, so even if these don’t last me very long it will be a few days of using something that I didn’t actually buy. And, for a frugal gal like me, this is always a plus! Although I wasn’t too thrilled with the birthday gift choices from Sephora this year, free is free, and maybe I will have found a new favorite brand!

What did you choose for your Sephora birthday gift? Have you ever used the Drunk Elephant brand before? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun10

Bath Bomb Blitz: Unknown From Lush Edition

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Bath Bomb Blitz: Unknown From Lush Edition

Howdy! I have made many wonderful friends thanks to lifewithlilred but there’s one lovely lady who holds a very special place in my heart and that’s Kate from Live In The Nautical. A fiery, intelligent beauty with a passion for travel and style, Kate is literally the coolest and it has been such a joy to be her friend. No matter if we talk every day or if it’s been a month, we always seem to pick up right where we left off, which I think is a major testament to our friendship.

Everything about Kate is amazing but her thoughtfulness is what I love the most about her. It always seems like she just knows when I need a little pick me up. For example, when I was in absolute agony from my surgery in December, I receive a Christmas present from her in the mail. And, recently, when we were very close to putting our dog down, a birthday prezzie from my Gemini Twin shows up. Talk about blogging BFF telepathy!

Kate knows that goodies from Lush are the way to my heart and I always feel so spoiled when I get to enjoy a bath bomb from there because I don’t use their products often at all. Recently, I used the little number seen below who’s name I am not sure of because it wasn’t on the website. So, we’ll just go with “Unknown” for now, lol. Check it out:

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Aside from my bath tub at my apartment having a mind of its own and draining whenever it feels like, Unknown was a very pleasant bath bomb experience. It didn’t have much of a smell but it put on a jolly good show of shamrock green and white spirals. It also took a long time to fizz out – at least five minutes, which is always a plus.

When Unknown first started fizzing, I thought it was going to be a jelly bomb because of the thicker green bubble stuff happening. But, that wasn’t the case, which was a little disappointing because I do love me a good jelly bomb. Despite that, I still felt insanely hydrated upon exiting the tub once I finished shaving and I think that’s my favorite part. I always put lotion on post shave but I probably don’t even need to when using the ultra moisturizing Lush bath bombs!

Overall, I’d rate Unknown with a five out of ten. It wasn’t my favorite but it certainly wasn’t the worst, either, and I wouldn’t be mad about using it again.

What is your favorite Lush product? Who is your blogging BFF? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah