Category Archives: Beauty

Aug26

August 2018 Finishes

Posted on August 26, 2018 by lifewithlilred

Hellooooo! Can you believe that another month of 2018 is already behind us?! Today, we will be talking about all of the beauty goodies that I finished up this past month. We will learn if these products are worth reusing, the approximate amount of uses you might get out of them, and what effect they had on my face or body. So, take a look at my empties for the month of August and let’s discuss:

Would I Use Again?

Pearberry body spray by Bath & Body Works: YES
Satsuma shower gel by The Body Shop: YES
Charcoal Facial Detox cleanser by Destiny Boutique: YES
Travel sized lotions by Bath & Body Works: YES
Nutriganics eye cream by The Body Shop: YES

Why/Why Not?

Pearberry Body Spray: I LOVE this fragrance by Bath & Body Works and my only regret is that they only had one to buy when they brought it back for the Semi-Annual Sale. It has the sweetness of a crisp pear and the bite of freshly picked berries and it is just delicious. It took me over five months to finish this spray and I would happily by it in abundance next time it makes a come back.

TBS Shower Gel: There is nothing more invigorating than showering with The Body Shop’s Satsuma shower gel in the morning. The sweet/tart orange scent is divine and the gel lathers so well, it just envelops you in freshness. It took me a month and a half to finish this body wash.

Destiny Boutique Cleanser: I LOVE THIS CLEANSER!!! There are no better charcoal products than Destiny Boutique and I will continue using this brand until TJMaxx doesn’t sell it any more! Nothing banishes blackheads better and my skin always feels amazing after each use. It took me over five months to finish this cleanser and at ten dollars it gives a two dollar cost per month. Not bad at all!

B&BW Lotions: Although I wasn’t crazy about any of these scents, which included A Thousand Wishes, Hello Beautiful, and Japanese Cherry Blossom, I will gladly continue to cash in my B&BW freebies. I got about one and a half full body uses out of each travel sized container.

TBS Eye Cream: We all know that The Body Shop’s Nutriganics eye cream will always be my go to brand. No need to discuss it further! It took me six months to finish this product.

August was a very successful month of finishes and I was happy to use up some of the products that take me a long time to get through. I would use all of the above goodies again and I would definitely recommend them to all of you!

Have you used any of the products seen above? What are your thoughts on them? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug25

Face Mask Festivities: Fresh Black Tea Instant Perfecting Mask Edition

Posted on August 25, 2018 by lifewithlilred

Standard

Hi everyone and welcome to a new edition of Face Mask Festivities! Today, we are going to be discussing a mask that I got to test out, compliments of a freebie sample from Sephora. The brand is called Fresh and it is their Black Tea Instant Perfecting Mask. This single use packet was a nice way to see if this product or something similar would be something that I would like to use in the future. But, sadly, it was not. So, take a look at some pics and let’s get to it:

^^^ As you can see from the color of this mask, it went on clear. So, a picture of the mask on wasn’t going to do much good!

If you read the back of the packet where it describes the Fresh mask, you can see that this product wasn’t meant to do much but hydrate the skin. That’s all very well, but I prefer for my masks to have a more detoxifying element to it, because I have plenty of moisturizers and my Vitamin E face mask from The Body Shop to hydrate my face for me. Sticking to these products, instead of buying a face mask, is a cheaper and just as effective way to keep my skin supple and moisturized without adding an additional step to my skin care routine.

Despite the above opinions, I will say that this Fresh mask felt awesome when it was on. It was very invigorating and it made my skin tingle, which was a lot of fun. But, the Black Tea mask was scent and color free which took away some of the enjoyment out of slathering on a face mask after a long day.

Final Verdict: You could live without this mask.

What is your favorite face mask to use? What has been a mask that you’ve used that you’re not crazy about? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug24

Posh Polishes Pt. 2: Londontown Haul

Posted on August 24, 2018 by lifewithlilred

Standard

Hi everyone! I hope that all of you are having a great week and are looking forward to an exciting weekend ahead of you. Londontown is back with a vengeance for their Fall 2019 collection featuring hues that are so rich and vibrant that I promise you’ve never seen anything like it before. And, did I mention that all of their products are vegan and cruelty free so that you can buy their products guilt free? Yeah, I said it! Londontown’s Fall 2019 collection will make you feel so posh and downright sexy, so I better get to showing the shades off before the anticipation drives you mad! Check it out:

Seen from top to bottom:

Vendetta: This deep scarlet shade is so fetching for fall and sticks true to its namesake, because nothing makes me think of a Vendetta more than a striking shade of dark red. Londontown keeps this color cool with blue undertones but, don’t let that fool you, because Vendetta is red hot.

Kissed By Rose Gold: The slogan for Londontown’s Fall 2019 collection is “Back with a vengeance”, and it sure does it sweetly with Kissed By Rose Gold. This gorgeous metallic shade gives you just the right amount of sparkle and edginess, emulating this past year’s “it” color to perfection.

Jane Austen: A true heroine wouldn’t be complete without a signature shade, and that’s where Jane Austen comes in. This light hued lavender gives you romance, but the smokiness to it adds drama and mystery. Long story short, I’m sure Jane Austen would approve!

Iconic: Go ahead and make a statement with Iconic, an electric blue that’s sure to shock! This shade allows you to bring some brightness to a grey fall day in a way that’s chic and fashion forward. Revel in the stares and compliments, because this shade is totally Iconic.

Can’t settle on one shade? Fear not! All of these colors compliment each other well, so feel free to give yourself an accent nail or two!

And, don’t forget your base and top coat:

Londontown’s Nail Hardener & Base Coat gives you such amazing benefits that is almost seems too good to be true. Not only does it improve the appearance of dry, brittle nails but, it also prevents staining and creates a durable surface to bond your polish for extended wear, which gives you the most bang for your buck. This product is a base coat and treatment all in one and is an absolute must when giving yourself a mani.

And, of course, it’s a necessity to finish off your spa night by applying a Protective Top Coat to your nails. Londontown’s top coat will give your manicure the power to be chip resistant, super shiny, and well protected against damaging external elements, which also gives you the most bang for your buck! Need I say more about how this product is also an absolute must?

Stand in your power and enter each room throughout the day with a vengeance, thanks to Londontown’s stunning fall collection. And, if you can’t think of a catchphrase better than “Back with a vengeance”, then it’s totally okay to let your nails do the talking!

What is your favorite color from this post? Who plans on shopping Londontown soon? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug22

New Black & Purple Glitter Nails

Posted on August 22, 2018 by lifewithlilred

Standard

Hello one and all and happy Hump Day! Last week, I was able to enjoy some pampering at Empress Nails for a much needed fill. I headed to the salon right after work and it was so nice to conclude the day with getting my claws taken care of. They are looking very saucy this time around with a glitter grape purple accent nail and a little glitter on my ring finger for good measure. Take a look:

For my accent nail, I originally just had the glitter color picked out. But, my nail tech, Steve, informed me that the shade would be too sheer, even though it had a purple hue to it. So, he picked out the gorgeous grape color seen above. At first, I was iffy about it. But, once the glitter was on, I was so in love. So much so, that I wouldn’t mind getting all of my nails that color! To finish the fill, we added some galaxy style glitter to my ring finger for funsies, which made these nails my favorite that I’ve gotten in a long time. 🙂

What is your favorite shade of nail polish to wear? What color of 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

Aug21

Givenchy Le Rouge Liquide Swatch In Rouge Suedine

Posted on August 21, 2018 by lifewithlilred

Standard

Givenchy Le Rouge Liquide Swatch In Rouge Suedine

Hey everyone and welcome to my last swatch from my sample packet compliments of Givenchy’s Le Rouge Liquide collection! Today, we will be swatching a deep berry color called Rouge Suedine and I am actually lightweight obsessed. Clearly, I saved the best for last, so take a look and let’s discuss:

After actually wearing this color on my lips, I will say that it’s more matte than I anticipated it being but it still felt and had the semi appearance of a gloss. The application of this product was smooth, even with your basic single use wand, so I could imagine that using an actual tube would be even better!

I love a good berry lip for fall, and I enjoyed having blackberry stained lips for the day when I gave it a try. The only disappointment was that I must have reapplied the lippie at least three times between the morning and early afternoon, because the color in the center and corner of my lips faded drastically. Had that not been a factor, I would consider buying Rouge Suedine, because the color really is lovely. I’ve never experimented too heavily with berry lips, so this is a good starting point to find the perfect shade and brand for fall.

What is your favorite shade of berry lipstick? Which brand of lippie do you think is best in terms of all day wear? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug20

Givenchy Le Rouge Liquide Swatch In L’Interdit

Posted on August 20, 2018 by lifewithlilred

Standard

Givenchy Le Rouge Liquide Swatch In L’Interdit

Helloooo! On this wonderful Monday, we are going to chit chat about the next color in my Givenchy Le Rouge Liquide sample pack called L’Interdit. Although this shade of red has more blue undertones than I would care for, it’s still pretty all the same. And, like me, I’m sure that all of you will either like it or you don’t with no inbetweens. Take a look and let’s discuss:

I was actually really excited about this color while it was in its little pod because, before application, it looked like a lovely and bright red. But, unfortunately once it came out of its container, it was way too subdued and, frankly, kind of blah for my liking. I feel like this color is a shade that we’ve all seen before, and there was nothing new or exciting that Givenchy added to the table. A little brightness, for example, would certainly go a long way in making this shade pop.

Tomorrow, we will talk about the last color in my Givenchy sample pack, Rouge Suedine, and hopefully it will wow me, because this has overall been a pretty lackluster swatching experience!

What is your favorite shade of red lipstick? How do you create a perfect pout? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug19

Givenchy Le Rouge Liquide Swatch In Rose Flanelle

Posted on August 19, 2018 by lifewithlilred

Standard

Givenchy Le Rouge Liquide Swatch In Rose Flanelle

Hello everyone! I hope that all of you are having a wonderful weekend so far! Today, we are going to talk about the absolutely awesome free sample that I got from shopping Sephora – three different colored dollops of Givenchy’s Le Rouge Liquide. It even came with its own application wand! As you can tell by its name, this collection is all about shades of red, which is right up my alley. But, we’re going to talk about a more pinky shade today. Take a look at Rose Flanelle and let’s discuss:

The first thing that I will say about this product is that I think that the advertising for it is all wrong. The tagline is “The couture twist for soft matte lips”, but this lippie is a gloss through and through. There really is nothing matte about it. It went on shiny, it stayed shiny, it remained wet after a half hour, and it was slightly sticky to the touch. So, if you are looking for a true matte lip color, then I would not recommend Le Rouge Liquide.

BUT, if you are looking for a really pretty pink gloss, then I would definitely recommend Le Rouge Liquide in Rose Flanelle. Not only does this watermelon pink color look delicious, but it smells it, too! This product smells so sugary sweet and even though its semi sticky, it came off of my hands with one swipe of a towel with water on it, which is super sweet in itself!

Even though I am not the biggest pink or gloss girl in the world, I would be willing to try this color with a more simple eye makeup. A little bit of the color went a long way for this swatch so I will still have a lot more to play with in my sample. So fun! 😀

Are you a matte or gloss girl? Would you still buy this product even though it’s not a true matte as advertised? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug17

Sephora Cream Lipstick Swatch In The Red

Posted on August 17, 2018 by lifewithlilred

Standard

Hi everyone and TGIF! Today we are going to swatch the lippie that I got in my Sephora Play! box, which is by Sephora’s own brand. In this post, we’re just going to swatch the cream lipstick called The Red. But, as per request of some of my readers, there will be a future post with a review on the quality of the product when it’s actually on. I haven’t heard the best things about the Sephora brand products, so we’ll see what happens. And, we all know that I prefer a matte finish so I’ll be dragging my feet to wear it until I’m totally out of post ideas! Lol! But, for now, take a look at some swatch pics and let’s discuss:

My first impression of this lipstick was that it had a really good application. It glided onto my hand smoothly and it washed off easily with some micellar water. My second impression, unfortunately, was that this lippie was not going to look very good on me. The Red seems to have a lot of The Blue undertones to it, which clashes really badly with my hair. My red hair has a distinctive orange undertone to it, so this lippie would look super clown like on me. Not a good look!

Will I give The Red a try solely to satisfy my readers? Of course! Will I be thrilled about it? Naw, that ain’t me, dawg. But, I love you all so much that I’ll do it anyways! ❤ ❤ ❤

What is your favorite shade of lipstick? How do you feel about Sephora brand products? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug16

Too Faced Melted Matte Lip Paint Swatch In Queen B

Posted on August 16, 2018 by lifewithlilred

Standard

Howdy! Today, we are going to be discussing Too Faced’s new line of lip paints called the Melted Matte collection. Melted Matte meaning, that it has an opaque finish but offers moisture via avocado and Vitamin E oil to prevent over drying your lips. I got the shade Queen B FO FREE when I restocked my Better Than Sex mascara. Although the formula doesn’t move me spiritually because it is definitely not budge free, the color is still very pretty. Take a look:

As I said, the deep, dusty rose shade Queen B is lovely. It was also the best color to give as a freebie, because it looks good on literally everyone. However, I’ve never been truly blown away by any of the lip products by Too Faced. It’s crazy, because the mini lip paint that I got by them as my birthday gift from Sephora last year was awesome. The shade was gorgeous and it never ever budged. But, even just grazing my finger over the swatch on my hand when it dried brought significant smudging. Am I mad about it? No. But, I don’t think that I will bother with their lip paints anymore.

Even though my reviews for the Melted Matte style lippie isn’t the best, I’m not going to not use it. I like the color and I’m okay with vigilantly checking for lipstick smudges. But, at the end of the day, you guys already know that I’d take my favorite NYX matte lippies any day of the week!

Have any products disappointed you lately? Which brands do you avoid buying from? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug15

Face Mask Festivities: Origins Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask

Posted on August 15, 2018 by lifewithlilred

Standard

Face Mask Festivities: Origins Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask

Helloo everyone and happy Hump Day! Today, we are going to be talking about the Origins face mask that I got from my Sephora Play! box. I’ve heard really good things about Origins and was looking forward to giving their mask a try. But, it unfortunately missed the mark for me. Take a look at some pics and let’s discuss:

Everyone knows that Lil Red loves a good charcoal product as much as the next guy and it’s good to know that the less costly brands that I use are doing me more justice than pricey Origins. The Clear Improvement mask was your standard charcoal mask. There was nothing special about it that made it different or better than my favorite one from The Body Shop.

This mask had no smell to it and it dried very, very quickly. Because the texture was so thin, the mask became dry and uncomfortably tight on my skin within two minutes. At that point, I might as well have just washed my face, instead. Especially because I didn’t notice any type of difference in my skin except for the fact that it felt dry as a bone afterwards. #disappointing

The beauty of subscription boxes is that you don’t have to be married to the product. It was fun to try something new and I’ll gladly finish my travel sized mask. But, I definitely will not use this mask or Origins products in the future. The drug store brands and The Body Shop reign victorious, once again.

What is your preferred subscription box? What is your favorite charcoal product? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

	lifewithlilred on New Hair, Who Dis?
	Dear Quiet on New Hair, Who Dis?
	lifewithlilred on Wedding Party OOTD
	lifewithlilred on Travel Turmoil In New Orl…
	Chantel Keona on Wedding Party OOTD