Category Archives: Beauty

Jan9

New Matte Navy & Lavender Nails

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New Matte Navy & Lavender Nails

Hiiii everyone! Thanks to a fabulous new salon and nail tech, I had the most wonderful pampering experience after my month of recovery from surgery. It felt so good to get a much needed fill and have some time to get beautiful after feeling awful for such a long time. And, I even experimented with some new colors and a matte top coat. My new nail tech, Sam, did a bang up job and I am nothing short of obsessed. Check it out:

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The new salon that I have been going to is called Elysian Nails, and it is the most gorgeous and luxe salon I’ve ever been to. And, to make things even better, their prices are insanely low, despite such a posh atmosphere. I follow Elysian on Facebook, and I saw a picture of someone’s nails done in indigo matte and it looked so pretty that I just had to give a shade of blue and a matte coat a try.

I love navy blue and lavender together, so I thought that it would be a perfect color combo to go with as I venture away from all black everything on my nails. But, the matte finish looks so good that I told Sam that a black matte mani next fill just has to happen – no ifs, ands, or buts. I can’t wait!

Do you prefer a matte or glossy finish on your nails? What color of nail polish do you have on right now? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan8

Huda Beauty Eyeshadow Swatch In Chocolate Shimmer

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Huda Beauty Eyeshadow Swatch In Chocolate Shimmer

Hello! Today, we are going to take a look at a lovely shade of chocolate brown from the Huda Beauty Emerald Obsessions palette. With the slightest hint of shimmer and a deep, rich hue, this color was a hit for me. Finally! The eyeshadow we are chatting about is in the middle of the bottom row:

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Now, for a closer look:

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^^^ The first heart is the eyeshadow wet and the second one is when it’s dry.

I think that the shades in the brown family are extremely underrated when it comes to eye makeup. It makes for such a rich, warm, and different MOTD and I really like that. You can create such a nice, smokey effect with brown makeup and, in a lot of ways, it’s more striking than your traditional grey smokey eye because it’s not seen as often. I fell in love with a gorgeous shade of brown in my Elf Nude Rose Gold palette and, since then, I’ve learned to never underestimate the power of a delicious shade of chocolate eyeshadow.

I like this Chocolate Shimmer shade from the Emerald Obsessions palette for a few reasons. First, I like that, for the most part, it is a pure shade of brown. As you can see, there is a bit of gold mixed in but, I see it more as a caramel drizzle, as opposed to a tone that overpowers the whole eyeshadow, which is a problem that I had with some of the other colors. I also am happy that the shimmer in this shade is fairly subtle. It’s not too much or too little and it allows for the color to still be sophisticated while still having that extra touch of fun. So pretty!

Which color do you think is underrated when it comes to eye makeup? What is your favorite unexpected shade of makeup to wear? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan7

Huda Beauty Eyeshadow Swatch In Gold Shimmer

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Huda Beauty Eyeshadow Swatch In Gold Shimmer

Hello! We are going to keep trucking through the Emerald Obsessions eyeshadow palette by Huda Beauty because, as a benevolent blogger, I give the people what they want! In today’s post, we are going to be swatching another one of the gold shimmer shades that the palette offers, which you can see in the bottom right corner:

huda1

And, now, let’s take a closer look:

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^^^ The first heart is the eyeshadow wet and the second one is when it’s dry.

I was looking forward to swatching the second gold shimmer shadow in this palette but, unfortunately, it missed the mark for me like the first one. But, unlike the gold shade in the top left corner having the tinge of green to it that I really didn’t care for, this hue is just way too yellow-y for my liking. I thought the color was going to be more saturated but, it ended up applying in a sad, pale yellow both when wet and dry. Whomp whomp.

I don’t plan on using this color, because all it is going to do is wash me out big time. With really pale skin and red hair, my complexion takes to the bold, rich colors. Anything too dull and it just makes me look sunken and blah. Not a good look. Fingers crossed that the swatch in tomorrow’s post makes for a good one, because my batting average of only liking one of the three colors viewed is pretty weak!

Which colors work best with your complexion? Which eyeshadow from this palette should I swatch next? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan6

Huda Beauty Eyeshadow Swatch In Emerald Glitter

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Huda Beauty Eyeshadow Swatch In Emerald Glitter

Hello! As per request of some of my darling fellow bloggers, today we are going to swatch the gorgeous emerald glitter eyeshadow from my Huda Beauty Emerald Obsessions palette. As a little reminder, the palette looks like this:

huda1

And the glitter shade smack dab in the middle of the palette looks like this. Voila!

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^^^ The first heart is the eyeshadow wet and the second one is when it’s dry.

The gold glitter color that we reviewed a few days ago was definitely a miss for me, so I’m glad that this emerald shade knocked it out of the park! Emerald is my favorite hue in the green family and, although the eyeshadow is still pretty dusty when it’s dry, that is no matter, because I normally always wear my shadow wet, anyways. This color when it’s wet is so rich and saturated and I love that it has that little touch of glitter to it but it doesn’t overpower the entire eyeshadow.

I was fairly worried about not liking this palette after such a disastrous first swatch, but this emerald glitter shade set it back on the right track, for sure. I can see myself using this color often and am looking forward to trying it out once it’s not a total pain in the buttinski to do my makeup routine every morning. Friggen surgery, man. -___-

What is your favorite shade in the green family? What is your favorite jewel tone color? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan5

Bath Bomb Blitz: Lush Jelly Bomb In Turtle Edition

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Bath Bomb Blitz: Lush Jelly Bomb In Turtle Edition

Howdy! Today, instead of talking more about the Huda Beauty Emerald Obsessions palette, we are going to review the Turtle Jelly Bomb from Lush that I received for Christmas. I finally felt up to taking a bath a few days ago and taking care of the Woolly Mammoth that I had become, and a bath bomb was an absolute must for the occasion. Take a look at some pics and let’s discuss:

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The reviews that I read on the Lush website for the Turtle Bomb were mixed, because the jelly bombs can be difficult to clean up. However, I love the jelly bombs, because they are ultra hydrating and they are super fun to use. The thick, nourishing jelly that comes from the bath bomb feels like liquid body butter and it is perfect to rub into your skin before you shave to prevent any dryness. So, after an almost month of not shaving during my surgery recovery, the jelly bomb was just what I needed to take care of business. The Turtle Bomb helped give me a smooth shave and it was so moisturizing that I didn’t even need to put on lotion afterwards.

Upon placing the bomb in the tub, it immediately started to fizz and change the bath water to a lovely forest green. It smelled awesome, too. So fresh and outdoorsy – kind of like Irish Springs. I enjoyed using this jelly bomb way more than I anticipated judging by the wishy washy reviews. But, I will agree with the people that said the jelly looked like pond scum because they are definitely right, as you can tell from the up close pictures.

My only other complaint with the Turtle Bomb is that there wasn’t as much jelly in it as I recall other bombs having, so that was kind of disappointing because there wasn’t enough for a full body application. Other than those minor issues, I liked what this jelly bomb did to the water, it smelled great, and it was easy to clean up so I would use it again, for sure! I give it a six and a half out of ten.

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

Jan4

Huda Beauty Eyeshadow Swatch In Gold Glitter

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Huda Beauty Eyeshadow Swatch In Gold Glitter

Hiii everyone and welcome to our first swatch post from the Emerald Obsessions palette by Huda Beauty. For those of you who need a reminder, the palette looks like this:

huda1

Today, we are going to be talking about the gold glitter shade in the top left corner. Take a look at some pics and let’s get to it:

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^^^ The first heart is the eyeshadow wet and the second one is when it’s dry.

I’m going to be honest, my first impression of the quality of this eyeshadow is not the best. I have never used Huda Beauty products before but, when I applied the dry shadow, it was really crumbly and hard to spread. Even when wet, the color just didn’t have the nice, smooth application that should come with putting on an eyeshadow.

Not only that, but taking it off was a major pain in the behind, too. I took a washcloth with micellar water to my swatched hand and the glitter just would not come off. So, my left hand is definitely looking very Edward Cullen a la Twilight right now. All things glitter is fun when it comes to makeup but, it needs to be able to come off just as well as it applies and the Huda Beauty eyeshadow did not have either of these important factors going for it.

And, as far as the color goes, I’m shockingly not very fond of it. I love me a gold shadow more than anything but, it has this really off putting pale green undertone to it, which makes the color look sickly rather than decadent. I get that they wanted this shade to have a hint of green in it, because it is the Emerald Obsessions palette. But, was this really necessary? No, because I can’t see myself using this color and it was initially my favorite one. Whomp whomp.

How does everyone feel about Huda Beauty products? What is your favorite eyeshadow palette? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan3

Huda Beauty Emerald Obsessions Palette

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Huda Beauty Emerald Obsessions Palette

Hi everyone and Happy 2019! Today, we are going to take a closer look at the Emerald Obsessions palette by Huda Beauty that my sister gifted me with this Christmas. It is absolutely gorgeous and filled with matte and glitter gold, green, and brown eyeshadow – perfect for playing up my hazel eyes! Check it out:

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None of these eyeshadows have names, but they sure are spectacular. The glitter gold in the top left corner and the emerald green right in the middle are my favorites and I cannot wait to paint my eyelids with them once I feel up to doing my makeup again. During the next few days on lifewithlilred, we will be going through some of the highlight shades from the Emerald Obsessions palette with swatches so be on the lookout for colors that will make you green with envy!

What is your favorite color from this palette? Which shade would you like to see swatched? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec27

Happy Haulidays: Blogging Bestie Edition

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Happy Haulidays: Blogging Bestie Edition

Hello and welcome to the Happy Haulidays posts here on lifewithlilred! The sweet gifts seen below are compliments of my Blogging Bestie, AKA Kate from Live In The Nautical. The package that came all the way from New York arrived at the exact right time last week, because I had just returned from an absolutely traumatizing appointment at the oral surgeon and a pick me up was much needed. I was so happy and surprised to find a bag full of goodies from Lush waiting for me on the kitchen table and it definitely made me forget about my misery for a few precious moments. Take a look:

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Bath Bomb Blitz:

  • Shoot For The Stars
  • Cheery Christmas
  • Yog Nog Yule Log Bubble Bar

Kate is one of the most thoughtful young ladies that I ever have had the pleasure of knowing. She has this amazing ability of knowing exactly what to gift for me, because it’s always goodies that I would never buy for myself. Kate knows how much I love Lush products and picks me a variety that she knows I will enjoy every time.

Receiving this present was the literal warm hug from a dear friend that I needed when I was in so much pain and I can’t thank my Kate enough for it. Be sure to hop into the sea and visit this real life mermaid on her page and give her all of the lovings! I love you so much, Kate, and can’t wait for some much needed pampering with my treats from Lush! ❤

What are your favorite Lush products? Have you received any surprise gifts during the haulidays? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec26

Bath Bomb Blitz: 5 Below Edition

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Bath Bomb Blitz: 5 Below Edition

Howdy! I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas! Today, we are going to discuss one of the prezzies I got from my BFF in this new edition of Bath Bomb Blitz. Although it was a super thoughtful gift and I love Lea more than life itself, this bath bomb from 5 Below was the worrrrrst. Take a look at some pics and let’s discuss:

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When I think of bath bombs, I think of wonderful little delights that smell awesome and make a show of the bath water before taking a relaxing soak. And, unfortunately, this bomb from 5 Below had none of the above criteria going for it. It smelled like nothing, even though the scent was cotton candy. And, it did nothing to change my bath water other than fizz out. However, I will grant that it did take at least three minutes to dissolve completely, which is pretty good!

I love bargain stores more than the next but, when it comes to bath bombs, I’ll definitely be leaving it to the experts at Lush for the full experience. I am glad to know that the 5 Below bath bombs are not the best, though, so that I know not to gift them for people or give them a try myself! A blessing in disguise! 😀

Which brand makes the best bath bombs? What is your favorite bath bomb from Lush? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec24

December 2018 Finishes

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December 2018 Finishes

Hellooo everyone and welcome to lifewithlilred’s final beauty finishes post of 2018! Can you believe that tomorrow is Christmas and 2019 will be here in mere days?! What even. This past month didn’t bring me too many empties, as I have been too miserable to use a lot of my products thanks to my surgery. In fact, I just recently started doing my skin care routine again, which is so unlike me, but everything just hurt too badly. Luckily, these finishes were all used up prior to my time in Ouch Land and I enjoyed them both thoroughly. Take a look:

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Would I Use Again?

  • The Body Shop Sun Ripened Raspberry body butter: YES
  • Bath & Body Works Happy Vibes shower gel: YES

Why/Why Not?

Body Butter: Aside from my favorite Cocoa and Peach body butter from The Body Shop, Sun Ripened Raspberry is one of my other number ones. This body butter smells like what I would imagine raspberry Lip Smackers would and it is absolutely to die for. Normally, I hate having the scent of lotion on me but, for once, I can’t get enough of this one! I got six full body uses out of one body butter tub.

Shower Gel: This travel sized shower gel in Happy Vibes was one of my many freebies from Bath & Body Works and I really liked it! Not only did it smell nice and vibrant, which was a great way to start my mornings, but I got over three weeks of use out of one tiny bottle. Talk about an amazing value for completely free!

Although December didn’t bring me lots of beauty empties, I still loved using up the products above – especially my body butter. And, I know that January will bring me tons of finishes considering I’m starting to feel well enough to actually participate in my beauty routine again. 🙂

What is your favorite scent from The Body Shop? How about from Bath & Body Works? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah