Category Archives: Beauty

Dec28

December 2024 Finishes

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December 2024 Finishes

Howdy and holy WOW!! I am here today to discuss the last batch of Beauty Finishes for 2024. It seems hard to believe but I know it to be fact every time I look at the calendar in a state of shock lol. I used up a few new to me products and some old favorites this past month and, as you can imagine, I am SO excited to do my annual post-holiday skin care restock with my TJMaxx gift cards from Christmas. So out with the old in this post and in with the new! Let’s get to it:

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Would I Use Again?

Evoluderm Micellar Water: YES

Bath & Body Works Vanilla Bean Noel Lotion: YES

Vital Beauty Cooling Eye Gel: YES

SheaMoisture Deo Cream: NO

Purifect CEO Of H20 Serum: YES

Why/Why Not?

Vital Beauty Eye Gel: The Cooling Eye Gel by Vital Beauty is one of my go to products. It is one of those things that check all of my boxes when it comes to skin care – longevity and effectiveness. It took me two and a half months of twice daily use to finish the jar and I always notice a nice difference in my skin when using this product. My designer bags significantly reduce in color and puffiness for the wide awake look on a permanently sleepy girl!

SheaMoisture Deo Cream: I got the whole body deo cream by SheaMoisture as a freebie from Target. For my personal preference, I would not use this product again and was eager to go back to my tried and true Ban deodorant. That’s not to say that I don’t see the good in it, though, and I think it would be great for those who need full body coverage. I was very surprised that this travel size bottle took me over a month of once daily use to finish it so you will be getting a bang for your buck.

Purifect Serum: I really, REALLY liked the CEO Of H20 serum by Purifect and its namesake delivered. With every use, my skin felt so hydrated and soft and looked radiant. You can read my full review in the link above, but my one qualm with the serum was that I did use it up quickly. By three weeks of twice daily use, I had to hit up my stockpile for a new serum. I would definitely still use it again, though, and now I know to buy a few extra if I see it again at TJMaxx!

And, with that, the 2024 Finishes are complete and ended on a strong note. Now, get me to TJMaxx to go skin care crazy ASAP!

Which products did you use up this month? 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

Dec20

Bestie Christmas Haul

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Bestie Christmas Haul

Hello!! It has honestly been an exhausting month and I am so completely drained. Can holiday break get here now or?! Despite not feeling holly or jolly in the slightest, I am feeling the slightest bit better thanks to Santa Mail from my A1 best girl, Kate of Live In The Nautical. I was surprised with a heated blanket that is simply the best over the weekend and was greeted to another package when I got to chez mom and dad on Tuesday. Kate spoiled me totally rotten this year and I cannot wait to spoil myself with these goodies from Rusted Acre Soap Co.:

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Kate got me hip to Rusted Acre Soap Co. last Christmas when she gifted me with these amazing horror themed bath bombs. I have to admit, I am a Lush bath bomb snob so I was curious to see how the set would compare with my tried and true favorite. I have used many bath bombs in my day that didn’t hold a candle to my beloved Lush so I was incredibly surprised that the ones by Rusted Acre were comparable, if not better. 1) There’s nothing better than being gifted with something that supports a small business. And 2) Has Lush ever made a Jason Voorhees bath bomb that actually looks like the mask in the water when it dissolves? I think not and I rest my case!

I am completely enamored with my Rusted Acre holiday gift set and I legit felt more relaxed just thinking about taking a bath with these goodies! The love potion is definitely my favorite one… Actually, maybe the skull haha but also how cute is that gingerbread man with a bite taken out of it?! This is just the treat I needed and I know for a fact Kate felt like I needed it too. Which is why she is the best friend/gift giver ever! My favorite thing about Lush bath bombs is how entertaining they are to watch dissolve. There is something about the ones from Rusted Acre that hit different, though, and I can’t wait to see how they perform. They also hit different because they’re from my ride or die. ❤

Being besties with Kate is seriously like Christmas every day because she is an absolute gift. Thank you to my doll for making my day merrier and brighter with this fabulous self care surprise! ❤

What is your favorite small business? Where do you like to holiday shop at? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec14

New Magenta & Gold Glitter Nails

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New Magenta & Gold Glitter Nails

Hello!! Last week, Johnny and I came down with a little forty-eight hour bug that knocked us out. I have to admit, it was freaking awesome having a few sick days. What sucked was having to cancel my standing nail appointment! You all know my talons are my pride and joys so I had to be feeling pretty awful to not get them back to perfection. I was extremely worried that my tech wouldn’t be able to fit me in her schedule because Elysian Nails is absolutely slammed this time of year. Thankfully, she was able to squeeze me in at a random time to get my nails looking right for the holidays. #blessed Check it out:

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I am so not a holiday nail girl and you will never catch me sporting seasonal designs. I think they’re nice for a while, but I can’t commit to a month’s worth of it in between fills. As I pondered what to do about this moral quandary for my color combination, my mind went to gold. I am a huge fan of All Gold Everything (The color AND the Trinidad James song) and knew I could work with that. Gold is ideal for the holidays for my preferences because it’s festive but not in your face about it. For the other color? I had no idea! All I knew was that the magenta glitter polish was calling my name and it was a done deal. Christmasy? Not really. On point with my personal style? Totally.

As per ushie, my amazing nail tech hooked it up and it was so desperately needed considering it had been five weeks since my last fill. Despite how jank they were, my girl breezed through the fill like it was nothing. In fact, she got done so quickly that I actually had time to let my nails dry before running off to my next shift. It. Was. Great. lol. We both agreed that while these are not holiday nails in the slightest, we are legit obsessed with the color combo anyways. That glitter magenta is just fabulous!

My Christmas miracle was my tech being able to fit me into her insane schedule and for that I am thankful. Here’s to no cancelled fills in the New Year!

What color of nail polish are you rocking? Do you like getting seasonal designs? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov30

November 2024 Finishes

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November 2024 Finishes

Hello everyone!!! November is wrapping up and, goodness me, did it go by quick!! Another month is officially in the books, which means that it’s time to discuss my beauty finishes. Were there many? Not really. Are they worth blogging about? Absolutely! There has been a game changer to one of my least favorite Bath & Body Works products and I am SO there for it!! Take a look and let’s get to it:

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Would I Use Again?

Evoluderm Micellar Water: YES

Bath & Body Works Poppy Body Cream: YES

Provence Beauty Hyaluronic Acid Serum: NO

Bath & Body Works Hand Creams: YES!

Why/Why Not?

Provence Beauty Serum: The Hyaluronic Acid Serum by Provence Beauty was nothing to write home about. In fact, I like it even less now after falling in love with another hyaluronic acid serum (Which you read about in yesterday’s post). After twice daily use of the Provence Beauty serum for a month any improvements were unnoticeable. This is in stark comparison to the results I saw in one use of the CEO Of H20 serum! The Provence Beauty one is definitely a product you can skip on.

B&BW Hand Cream: I often get coupons for a free hand cream from Bath & Body Works and, although they aren’t my favorite, free is free! I wouldn’t say the hand creams by B&BW are bad, but they’re just not as good as the traditional lotion or body cream. However, after using my most recent freebies of Platinum and Vanilla Romance, I feel much differently. B&BW must have changed the formula because the hand cream was WAY better than it was before. It was rich, creamy, thicker in texture and my hands/upper body were smooth as silk after each use. I finished both tubes within a week and even if they don’t last very long, I will be happy when I get another freebie coupon in the mail. This was a stellar improvement and they would make great stocking stuffers!

Was this the best month for Beauty Empties? Nope! But Bath & Body Works made my freebie treats even better and that is a GREAT SUCCESS!

Which products did you use up this month? 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

Nov29

Purifect CEO Of H20 Serum Review

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Purifect CEO Of H20 Serum Review

Hello! Nothing pleases me more than a good skin care haul. It just feels like such a treat to browse through the skin care department of TJMaxx and pick out new brands and old favorites. I enjoy my skin care routine every morning and night and it is one of the small ways that I try to incorporate self care into my day. I have been using a lot of new to me products recently and can’t say that any of them have particularly blown me away. However, I started using a serum by Purifect in the past two or so weeks and I cannot get enough of it! Let’s discuss:

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^^^ I just love the picture so much lol

Out of all of the different types of skin care, I probably strike out the most with serums. I have had some tried and true favorites in the past but the ones I have been using in my stockpile have done nothing for me. Upon my first use of the CEO Of H20 serum, I was expecting more of the same lackluster sentiments. To my surprise, I was treated to the best serum I have tried out in recent memory. Even if it wasn’t, it was the best marketing I have seen in recent memory! 😀

When it comes to serums, I am very particular about the consistency. I don’t like when they’re too thin or too thick. They have to be just right! The Purifect serum had a much heavier consistency than my usual preference and it felt more like a gel. In this case, I freaking loved it! I am a huge fan of gel moisturizers and revel in that instant boost of hydration. CEO Of H20 was that exact same feeling but in serum form. It applied like a dream, a dime sized dollop was all I needed, and it still absorbed really fast.

The best part? My skin has been GLOWING. Like seriously glowing. Every time I use it, this permanently tired girl looks like she got twelve hours of beauty sleep. My skin looks so much brighter and supple and I know it’s not good to touch your face but sometimes I can’t help myself. It is WAY softer too!! This is the first serum I can recall that has given me instant effects and I simply can’t recommend it enough.

The CEO Of H20 serum by Purifect is aptly named and you have just got to try it if you are on the hunt for a good serum too. In fact, this is the one product I plan on ordering online in case I don’t find it again at TJMaxx. It is that good!

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

Nov17

Bath & Body Works Holiday Hand Soap Haul

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Bath & Body Works Holiday Hand Soap Haul

Hello!! This past week was nice because I had a little extra wiggle room to run errands and get housework done. One thing that was a must was stopping into Bath & Body Works because we needed a restock of our beloved foaming hand soaps. Armed with coupons in hand, I went to check out the new winter holiday fragrances and walked away with a great haul. Thanks to a twenty-five percent off and FREE full size product coupon, it was only twenty bucks for all of this. Score! Let’s discuss these scents:

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Cookie Butter Truffle: I live for fruity fragrances in the spring and summer. When it gets colder, however, my tastes turn more decadent. I LOVE holiday dessert scents and if you do too, then Cookie Butter Truffle is a must. With fragrance notes of “cookie butter, whipped cream, and vanilla extract” your hands are going to smell good enough to eat! Please don’t, but you get the point. This scent smells exactly like fresh baked cookies with an ooey gooey caramel center. Yum!

Pomegranate Citrus Fizz: Of course, a fruity scent during the winter is okay too! Pomegranate Citrus Fizz is a bubbly delight. Offering notes of “fresh pomegranate, juicy orange, and topped with bubbles” this scent is bright, crisp and one of my favorites from the haul. As I write this, I literally can’t stop smelling it and it gives all the vibes of cracking open a bottle of sparkling cider during a holiday get together.

To All A Goodnight: I am not a fan whatsoever of winter fragrances like pine, balsam, cinnamon, etc. I wasn’t really sure what To All A Goodnight was going to smell like and I was expecting it to be a no go. I ended up liking it a lot, though! This scent’s notes include “a cool winter breeze, sweet lavender dreams, and nestled in a cozy blanket”. I honestly can’t speak for any of that lol but To All A Goodnight smells clean and sweet like freshly laundered clothes. It’s not the most holiday scent, but is neutral enough that I think anyone would like it.

Iced Cinnamon Rolls: If you have ever smelled cinnamon rolls, then you will know what this scent smells like! And I know I just said I don’t like cinnamon, but it’s different in roll form!! 😀

Crushed Candy Cane: If you have ever smelled a peppermint, then you will know what this scent smells like! Lol, I love me a mint scented anything and there are no surprises with Crushed Candy Cane. Just brisk, refreshing minty goodness.

Vanilla Bean Noel: I chose a lotion in Vanilla Bean Noel as my free product because it is one of my all time favorite holiday scents. Like mint, I love anything vanilla scented. Vanilla Bean Noel is such a soft and creamy fragrance and it smells just like opening up a new carton of French Vanilla ice cream. Whether it was in hand soap, lotion, or shower gel form, I just had to snag it!

All of the scents from my haul were extremely straight forward and safe bets for gifting options. My Halloween home decor doesn’t reflect the season at all, but I’ll be damned if my hand soap doesn’t!

What is your favorite B&BW fragrance? What is your favorite holiday scent? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov16

SheaMoisture Whole Body Deo Cream Review

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SheaMoisture Whole Body Deo Cream Review

Hello!! I used to LOVE shopping at Target but I feel like their clothes have left a lot to be desired over the years and it is a rare occasion that I go in for myself. However, every once in a while I will pop in to make a return or pick something up for my mom and I am never mad about it. The Target that I go to always has freebie beauty samples in a basket at customer service! One of the samples I picked up recently was for a Whole Body Deo Cream by SheaMoisture. Deo creams have become increasingly popular as of late and I was interested in giving it a try free of charge. If you are too, read this review!

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I have been a faithful user of Ban Unscented deodorant since I was a teenager and have never strayed from it. I honestly felt like I was cheating on my old faithful when I reached for the SheaMoisture cream as opposed to my new tube of Ban roll on. Curiosity got the best of me, though, and I succumbed. Lol you all know I love trying a new product! I have been using the deo cream for the past week and change and I wouldn’t say it’s bad, but I will be looking forward to when I’m done with the travel size bottle.

Let me start off with what I liked about this brand new deodorant experience… A little of it goes a very long way. The first time I used the SheaMoisture cream, I made the mistake of putting a quarter sized dollop in my hand. This was WAY too much and after a few days of tweaking with the amount, I found that barely a dime size of the cream per armpit is plenty. In fact, the bottle still felt brand new when I used it this morning. And, most importantly, I have been odor free with this product too so it is effective in that regard.

I’m not going to complain about the fact that the deo cream has a scent because beggars can’t be choosers when it comes to freebies. While I much prefer an unscented deodorant, I will say that the Coconut & Hibiscus scent dissipates quickly. I guess my main gripe with the SheaMoisture deo cream is the application. After sixteen years of using a roll on, it just feels weird to be putting deodorant on and rubbing it in with my bare hands lol. I can see why this product would be nice if you need all over odor protection because it does work and offers some moisturizing too. In my case, though, I only need it for my pits and I would still rather use my tried and true roll on.

Even though I wouldn’t use a deo cream again after I finish the two trial sizes I got, I can certainly see it’s value. If you are looking for more of an all over deodorant option, I would definitely recommend it and I think you will like it!

What is your favorite store to shop at? What old favorite stores do you not go to anymore? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov9

New Burnt Orange & Tiffany Blue Nails

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New Burnt Orange & Tiffany Blue Nails

Howdy!! This past Tuesday I enjoyed my monthly break time fill appointment at Elysian Nails. While I absolutely loved my pink and purple nails for my Candy Queen Halloween costume, I was definitely ready to add some fall colors to the mix – especially after getting my hair darkened up for the season. I had a few ideas in my head of what I might like to have for a fall palette. Oddly enough, it was a combination that I live for in the summer… but with a twist, of course! Check it out:

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As soon as the warm weather hits, I instantly want bright blue and orange nails. There is just something about that combo that hits different and it screams fun in the sun. As I contemplated fall nails, I thought about how I wanted something that strayed from the traditional autumnal hues of gold, burgundy, and deep purple. So, I took my go to summer palette and turned it fall. My original plan was to use burnt orange and a deep teal or turquoise. However, none of the shades of blue at the nail polish wall along those parameters spoke to me. In fact, none of the orange ones were either.

When I didn’t have immediate luck, I almost pivoted to an orange and purple motif but that felt too much like Halloween. So, I kept on digging for what I really wanted and ended up finding the perfect shade of burnt orange. The blue hue I was looking for continued to evade me so I threw my hands up, selected a Tiffany blue, and made my way to my tech’s station. My nails were back to their former glory after being expertly repaired, shaped, and sharpened. I still wasn’t sure how the colors were going to turn out, but at least my stilettos were on point!

Happily, these summer inspired fall nails came out even better than I could have hoped. I was slightly worried when the burnt orange applied way darker than what was seen in the bottle. This ended up working out though because the blue was much lighter than what I planned for and added some brightness to the burnt. Now, if only I could find a sweater in that burnt orange shade because I am obsessed!

What are your nails and hair like for the holidays? What is your favorite fall color? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov6

New Hair, Who Dis?

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New Hair, Who Dis?

Hello! At the end of October, I was finally able to get my hair done for fall and I couldn’t wait. I was SO ready to kick my summer colors to the curb and welcome fall with some jewel toned locks. My stylist, Anna, and I were beyond excited to play with the color palette we established beforehand because Pulp Riot came out with some glorious new hues for their fall collection. While I was eager to see our vision come to life, I was most looking forward to getting my beloved navy blue back because I missed it terribly! Check it out:

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^^^ Lol at the blooper shot last picture but you can see all the colors really well! 😀

Pulp Riot Colors Used:

Red: This was a mixture of a new color called Vintage Vegas and Pyro

Melon: Another new color called Eloped

Navy Blue: Nightfall

It can take upwards of five or so hours to get my hair done depending on what colors we are using. In this case, it was a very speedy trip to the Shear Shop indeed. This new do only took about three and a half hours… So speedy-ish lol. The major drop in time had to do with the minimal amount of bleaching that needed to happen to eliminate the remnants of yellow, pink, and red from my summer hair. After the bleach sat for around twenty minutes and was washed, all Anna needed to do was paint the color on. And, despite the relative shortness of my appointment, Anna’s attention to detail never faltered. (As always, she’s the best!)

The first order of business was to paint my roots and its regrowth with the mixture of Vintage Vegas and Pyro. This is not only flattering but highly practical. My natural hair color is medium brown and my regrown roots never look as bad when it is paired next to the deeper red. The next thing Anna did was apply Eloped directly beneath the red on my shorter layers. Eloped is, perhaps, one of our new favorite Pulp Riot colors. We were so enamored by the melon hue and our only regret is that it wasn’t available during the summertime. Finally, Anna finished up the hair dye process by painting the rest of my hair with Nightfall and we let the color sit for fifty minutes.

The cool thing about Pulp Riot colors is that what you see when the dye is on is very true to what you are going to get once it’s washed off. Of course, there is some give or take variance but you’re never going to be completely shocked by the outcome. Anna and I had a very positive inkling as to the results thanks to this preview but there is nothing better than seeing the final product once it is washed, cut, and styled. The deep navy and red were so rich and a fresh spin was put on a fall palette with the pop of melon from Eloped. Before leaving, Anna told me her grand plans for my next appointment and I wish I was back in her chair already to try out some more new colors!

I am unbelievably happy with how my hair turned out and I intend on keeping it dark for the foreseeable future. The regrowth from my summer hair was no joke and so not cute!

What is your favorite fall color? Which brand of hair dye do you use? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct27

October 2024 Finishes

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October 2024 Finishes

Howdy!! Just like that, October is about to draw to a close and that means it’s time to discuss my beauty finishes for the month. This is going to be a short and sweet post as there really isn’t too much to chat about. I used up several long term products last month and am still working away at their replacements. I did, however, try one new thing that I fell in love with so take a look and let’s get to it:

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Would I Use Again?

Bath & Body Works Calypso Clementine Body Cream: YES

Provence Beauty Collagen + Retinol Serum: NO

Jergens Ultra Healing Lotion: YES

Bath & Body Works Lavender & Iris Body Butter: YES!!!

Why/Why Not?

B&BW Body Cream: You already know the Calypso Clementine from Bath & Body Works is a forever use again product. Anyone who is a fan of citrus scents like me will love it! It took me two and a half weeks of once daily use to finish the bottle.

Provence Beauty Serum: It took me one month of twice daily use to finish the Collagen + Retinol serum by Provence Beauty and it was just okay for me. I have used several serums by Provence Beauty and they tend to be hit or miss so this wasn’t too much of a shock. I didn’t notice any difference to my skin one way or the other and will be skipping on it if I ever see it again at TJMaxx.

Jergens Lotion: A really cool thing about one of the Targets in my area is that there is always a basket of free travel size products at customer service. My mom snagged the Jergens lotion for me during her last visit and I was delighted because you can’t go wrong with that brand! My skin was smooth and hydrated as can be with each use and I can’t get enough of the rich, creamy scent.

B&BW Body Butter: While I enjoy lotions and creams, body butter always reigns supreme. The body butter from The Body Shop was my favorite thing to treat myself with and, unfortunately, their products are no longer available in the US. I never bothered with another brand of body butter but decided to try B&BW’s during their Semi-Annual Sale. I’m so glad I did because the Calm Haven Lavender & Iris was divine.

Normally, I am not a lavender girl whatsoever but this body butter really didn’t smell like traditional lavender. The scent was soft, light, and soothing rather than overpowering. The texture of the product was whipped, applied easily, absorbed quickly, and I woke up to puppy fur soft skin every morning. It took me two and a half weeks of once daily use to finish the jar and I would happily use it again!

Even though there wasn’t too much to my October Finishes, my skin was ultra soft from the products that I did use up and that is a huge win during cold weather. I’ll take it!

Which products did you finish up this month? 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