Category Archives: Beauty

Apr16

Nourish Organic Face Cleanser Review

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Nourish Organic Face Cleanser Review

Helloo everyone and happy weekend! I recently started using a new cleanser by Nourish Organic that I snagged from my skin care hoard and I have been nothing but disappointed with it. The worst part? That once I start a product, I completely refuse to not finish it. So now, I’m stuck with using one of the worst cleansers of all time until there’s none left. #FML. I desperately need a vent session about this cleanser so take a look at the packaging and then let’s discuss:

organic

Okay, first things first is the smell. The packaging claims that it’s fragrance free but it seriously smells like rotten sunflower seeds. That in itself completely turned me off from the cleanser because waking up and having to scrub that on your face is seriously hell. I’m okay with a fragrance free product if it truly is fragrance free or close to it but the marketing for the Nourish Organic Face Cleanser is a blatant lie. Not cool.

On top of the faulty marketing that Nourish Organic used, the packaging for it kind of sucks, too. The cleanser is so thin in texture that as soon as you pop the lid, the face wash starts pouring out. The first time I used the cleanser, I ended up with a substantial amount on my shower floor because I wasn’t prepared for the flood gates to burst free as soon as I opened it. Once again, not cool.

And finally, the fact that this cleanser doesn’t lather in the slightest is a major issue. Because the texture of the face wash is so runny, it feels like you’re just rubbing slime on your face. The result? That your face feels tight, dehydrated, and not even clean. Every time I finish using my cleanser, I’m always so thankful that I use an exfoliator afterwards to pick up the slack. I would almost be okay with the horrid smell and the shitty packaging if the product actually made my skin feel good but if anything, it just leaves it feeling worse.

So how do I rate this product, you may ask? I’m so glad you did! I give the Nourish Organic Face Cleanser: negative one million billion stars and I would not recommend it to anyone. All I can hope for now is that I finish this cleanser quickly so I can use something different because anything is an upgrade from this!

So there you have it, my Nourish Organic Face Cleanser Review! Has anyone used a product lately that they’re completely disappointed in? What face wash are you currently using? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr15

You’ve Got Mail

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You’ve Got Mail

Hi everyone and TGIF! This has been the week of treats for Lil Red! Thanks to my previous post, Beauty Bloggers: HELP! Again., I got spoiled with Avon samples from my friend, Angela. But the wealth continued to be shared because yesterday I was surprised with a package of Arbonne samples from the darling Nicole over at wychwoodwayfarer. I don’t get fun stuff like beauty supplies in the mail very often so thanks to Angela and Nicole, this week has me feeling like a kid on Christmas morning!

I had so much fun sorting through my haul of Arbonne samples that Nicole sent me with my mom. We divided the goods because I was sent doubles of some samples and I don’t use a night cream, I prefer masks. My mom was so happy to be included in the beauty festivities and I felt the same way times a billion! This morning I enjoyed using my samples of a cleanser, toner, eye cream, day cream, and serum from Arbonne. They were all simply fantastic. I especially enjoyed using the cleanser because the one I’m using currently sucks. -__-

I can’t thank Nicole enough for shipping such amazing samples to me and it was so nice to be able to try so many new products! I’ve never used or heard of Arbonne before and I think I just found a new favorite skin care line. Again, please be sure to check out Nicole’s page at wychwoodwayfarer and take a look at all of the wonderful Arbonne products that she has for sale! You’re fabulous, Nicole.  ❤

I hope everyone is having a great week so far with many fun things to look forward to this weekend. Has anyone received a surprise gift in the mail lately? Who is a fan of letter writing? (ME!) I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr13

Avon Calling

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Avon Calling

Hi everyone and happy Hump Day! A week or so ago I posted the article Beauty Bloggers: HELP! Again. because I was in search of a new serum to add into my daily beauty routine. I was so blown away by all of the wonderful suggestions and helpful tips that all of you commented. But I want to give my friend, Angela, from dazzelme an extra special shout out because she was kind enough to send me some Avon serum samples in the mail.

Angela was so incredibly sweet and helpful when we communicated via email. It really was such a treat to receive a package in the mail from her with a catalogue stuffed with samples and a handwritten note. I am so excited to test out all of the goodies that she sent me and am so happy to have gained such a fabulous new friend! I encourage all of you to check out her page at dazzelme and be sure to take a look at all of the gorgeous Avon products that Angela has for sale! Thank you again so much, Angela! You’re amazing!  ❤

Apr4

Monday Update: Beauty Blogger Tag Edition

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Monday Update: Beauty Blogger Tag Edition

Hi everyone and happy Monday! I hope all of you had a fabulous weekend! I’m so flattered by all of the awards that lifewithlilred has been nominated for in the past week and this latest tag is no exception. I was so excited when my friend, Aurora, over at hlauroremode nominated me for the Beauty Blogger Tag because I’ve never been before! Every time I see this tag on other posts I get green with envy and wonder when it’s going to be my turn so today’s post is such a treat! Thank you so much for the nomination, Aurora! Everyone please be sure to give her page some loving, too! Now let’s check out the rules for the Beauty Blogger Tag:

The Rules:

  • Tag the blogger that nominated you.
  • Answer the questions you were given.
  • Nominate 10 other beauty blogs of your choice.
  • Choose 10 questions for your nominees to answer.
  • Inform your chosen bloggers that you nominated them.

Q & A:

What is your beauty routine?

I use a cream cleanser and an exfoliater every morning and then use an eye cream, a moisturizer, and a serum afterwards. Once I get my skin ready for the day, I apply my makeup and then straighten my hair with the assistance of Fiji oil.

How often do you exercise?

Never. Unless eating pizza counts.

Do you organize your makeup and nail polish?

I wouldn’t necessarily call my makeup organized but I do know where everything I need is in my bathroom cabinet. I actually don’t really wear nail polish so keeping them organized is never a problem for me since I only wear black polish on occasion!

Can you go out without wearing makeup?

Yep! It took me a long time to be comfortable and confident enough to be able to do it but now I go out makeup free all the time. In fact, I went shopping without my makeup on just last night!

How long does it take to put on your makeup?

It used to take me such a long time to do my makeup but now I’d say that my morning routine (shower, prepping my skin, makeup, hair) takes about forty-five minutes.

How often do you wash your makeup brushes?

Oh jeez, never. That’s something that I definitely need to be better at!

What is your favorite store to buy clothes at?

I love H&M as well as the occasional splurge at Express and American Eagle Outfitters.

How do you keep your skin soft?

At least three or four times out of the week I apply lotion from my hoard all over before bed. I like putting it on before I hit the hay because I know that it’s going to do its thing all night and then I can get the residue and scent washed away in the morning.

What motivates you?

People who are successful because they did things their own way.

What is your “smell good” routine?

That’s an easy one! My Country Apple spray from Bath & Body Works. I LOVE apple fragrances and originally I was using Victoria’s Secret’s Enchanted Apple. Unfortunately, that scent was discontinued so when I found B&BW’s Country Apple during one of their big sales, I stocked up! I seriously don’t know what I’m going to do if they ever stop making that scent because I was legitimately devastated when VS no longer carried their Enchanted Apple.

My Nominees (I’m only doing three):

My Questions For You:

  1. How old were you when you learned how to put on makeup?
  2. Did anyone teach you how to apply makeup or were you self taught?
  3. What is one beauty product that you can’t live without?
  4. What is your favorite beauty product to splurge on?
  5. Favorite fragrance?
  6. Have you used a beauty product recently that didn’t live up to your expectations?
  7. Would you rather not wear makeup for a month or wear the same outfit for a week?
  8. What brand of makeup do you use the most?
  9. What is your favorite beauty or fashion trend for spring?
  10. What is your favorite lipstick or gloss shade?

So there you have it, this week’s Monday Update: Beauty Blogger Tag Edition! Thank you so much again to Aurora at hlauroremode for the nomination! How would you answer some of the questions that Aurora asked her nominees? What about the questions that I asked mine? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr3

Olay Active Botanicals Mask Review

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Olay Active Botanicals Mask Review

Hey everyone and happy Sunday! I hope all of you are having a wonderful weekend! When it comes to my night time beauty routine, I LOVE using masks. I’m always on the hunt for a light but effective moisture mask and I happened to find exactly what I wanted in Olay’s Active Botanicals Mask. It is literally the best mask that I’ve ever used and it makes The Body Shop’s Vitamin E and Drops of Youth Bouncy Mask pale in comparison. This is easily one of my favorite items in my beauty arsenal so I just had to review it! Let’s discuss:

olay1

Olay’s Active Botanicals Mask is complete and total magic. Not only is it an amazing product but it’s a very fair price, too. You can’t beat fifteen bucks for a big container! I think that this mask is a steal and it also passes my perfect product checklist with flying colors, starting with the smell. The best way that I can describe the scent is that it’s like a fresh rainfall. It’s so crisp and clean but it is in no way overpowering. The scent is so invigorating that it leaves me bright eyed and bushy tailed until I fall asleep.

The texture of the Active Botanicals Mask is really nice, as well. It fits snugly into the category of just right. I can’t stand when creams or masks are too heavy or light. I like for my masks to be light enough that they absorb well but still heavy enough to feel like they’re getting the job done. The texture of Olay’s mask is what I could imagine The Body Shop’s Drops of Youth Bouncy Mask would feel like it it were a cream instead of a gel. It feels really aquatic and it only takes one small test of the Botanicals mask on your skin to know that using it is going to be the equivalent of giving your skin a huge gulp of water.

Good smell – check. Nice texture – check. Absorbs well? Check! Olay’s Active Botanicals Mask absorbs right into the skin as quickly as you rub it on. But, all of it doesn’t completely soak in. Every time I use this mask, a fine layer always remains on my face as if it knows that I’ll be needing more in my sleep. As soon as you put the mask on, you can feel it working. Within the first minute my skin feels tingly, bright, and hydrated. The following day my skin feels so supple and my under eye circles always look less severe. The reducing of my less than designer bags under my eyes is always a nice bonus!

There’s no way that I would rate this mask with anything lower than: five stars. It’s such an excellent and truly effective product. Olay’s mask is amazing for bringing dry skin back to life and leaving your face perfectly hydrated. I can’t recommend this mask enough, especially if you are looking to ease chapped skin from winter or for adding an extra dose of moisture into your beauty routine.

So there you have it, my Olay Active Botanicals Mask Review! Has anyone used this product before? What did you think about it? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr2

Beauty Bloggers: HELP! Again.

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Beauty Bloggers: HELP! Again.

Howdy everyone and happy weekend! Once again, I am calling upon all of the fabulous Beauty Bloggers of WordPress for some HELP! I’ve been using The Body Shop’s Vitamin C Skin Boost for as long as I can remember. Although I’ve always found their price of twenty-seven dollars per bottle a little steep, I still shell out the cash when there’s a good sale. However, the price for the Boost is now almost thirty dollars and that doesn’t mesh well with my lifestyle of ballin on a budget.

I’ve been wanting to wean myself off of TBS products for some time now because I truly feel like I can find similar products for a better price elsewhere. Now that one of my favorite items in my daily beauty routine has hiked up in price, I feel like there’s no better time to start browsing the market for a new serum style product. Does anyone who’s familiar with TBS’s Vitamin C Skin Boost have any suggestions on a similar item? I have normal skin and am willing to try anything within reason. Thank you so much! -Sarah

tbs2.jpg

^^^ Old faithful.

Apr1

It’s In The Bag – Lost & Found Edition

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It’s In The Bag – Lost & Found Edition

Hellooo everyone and TGIF! Welcome to a brand new month here on lifewithlilred. A couple of weeks ago, my boyfriend told me that a lady left her makeup bag at his restaurant and that she never came back for it. Apparently, the bag has been sitting in the restaurant’s Lost & Found ever since until my beau came up with an idea. He told me that he’s going to bring me the makeup bag because he thought it would make a great blog post to empty it and see what’s inside. I thought that this was the sweetest thing ever so after I was reassured that the lady wasn’t going to return for her bag, I told him to bring it on over. This post is admittedly kind of strange considering that I’m rummaging through a total stranger’s makeup bag. But it’s all in good fun, so let’s take a peek at what lies inside:

vip2

^^^ Lots of good stuff!

My boyfriend, my sister, and I all took a look through the bag and I must say that my sis and I were very impressed with the contents. Lipsticks and chunky balms. Hand creams and sanitizers as well as the cutest pocket mirror ever! Kristen and I were both ogling over the colors of the lipsticks that the Lost & Found bag contained and had to laugh because I actually have one of the Covergirl matte balms in the bag. So obviously, this little Ipsy makeup purse was meant to fall into my hands.

So the real question is this: Now that I have a bag full of a stranger’s makeup – what exactly do I do with it? I’m totally fine with getting some use out of the creams, sanitizers, and the pocket mirror but what about the rest? What kills me is that some of the lipsticks literally look brand new so I hate to throw them away. I feel bad that this lady is out of her must have makeups for when she’s on the go and the last thing that I want to do is let them go to waste now that they’re in my possession.

What do I do? What should I do? I toyed around with the idea of just slicing off the used parts of the next to new lipsticks but is that even sanitary? Lol, my boyfriend and I never discussed what we would do after the makeup bag was in my hands and some snaps were grabbed of the products inside! So until I figure out this dilemma, I guess that I’ll be stuck with the Lost & Found makeup bag for a little while longer!

So there you have it, the latest segment of It’s In The Bag – Lost & Found Edition! What would you do if you were now stuck with a bag full of a stranger’s makeup? Is there any way to sanitize makeup after it has been used? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar29

March Finishes

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March Finishes

Hey everyone and happy Tuesday! First of all, I hope someone gets the There Will Be Blood reference in my featured image photo. No one? Okay, moving on. As you guys might have seen in a previous Monday Update, I have quite a substantial stockpile of lotions, perfume, and body wash that I’m working diligently on dwindling down. This month, I finished a solid amount of lotion which I’m really happy about! Take a look at my empties from March and then let’s discuss:

finish

^^^ Woohoo!

I admit that I’m not the biggest lotion fan in the world but this month I have definitely noticed that my skin feels a lot softer. My stretch marks (everyone has them) also seem to be less prominent, too, which is a nice bonus. As I mentioned before, a lot of the items in my hoard were either gifts, freebies, or dirt cheap so there are quite a few products in my stash that I wouldn’t use again upon completion. However, there were some items in my March Finishes that I would totally reuse if I had the opportunity. Check out how this month’s finishes fared and find out what products I would want to restock my stash with:

  • The Body Shop’s Amazonian Rain Lily lotion: NO
  • I Love… Strawberries & Milkshake shower gel: YES
  • Bodycology lotions: NO
  • LilaGrace Honey Almond lotion: YES

The Body Shop: I actually really like the Amazonian Rain Lily fragrance from TBS. I have two bottles of the perfume and am a big fan. But in lotion form, this scent was way too potent and I was very eager to finish the bottle. I really don’t care for lotions of fragrances so I’m so happy to be done with it.

I Love…: I wrote about this shower gel before and I like it a lot. I think the scent of it is really nice and the strawberry seeds thrown into the gel are an awesome touch. And you also can’t beat two dollars a bottle at the nearby discount store in my neck of the woods!

Bodycology: These little lotion tubes were a gift and they weren’t bad but they didn’t blow me away, either. Their scents were just a little off and I wouldn’t go out of my way to find and purchase them. I also think the name of the brand is insanely ridiculous!

LilaGrace: This lotion was actually my favorite finish this month and I would totally buy it again if I knew where it came from. My best friend gave this to me for Christmas and it’s just delightful. The scent is so light and subtle and the lotion absorbs quickly which is a must for me. I really enjoyed using this lotion and my only regret is that I didn’t have a bigger bottle of it!

My lotion testing journey as I try to clear away some of my bath and body care hoard has been a lot of fun so far. It’s a treat to get to try new products and my skin is definitely thanking me for it. Next month I know there will be a few makeup empties, as well, so I’m looking forward to breaking out some new makeup products and to continue picking away at the rest of my stash!

So there you have it, my March Finishes! Has anyone used any of the products that I had empties of this month? Does anyone have a beauty stash similar to mine? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar28

Monday Update: MakeSpace Edition

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Monday Update: MakeSpace Edition

Hellooo everyone and happy Monday! Recently, I learned about the super cool storage company, MakeSpace. As we discussed how their service is like one of my favorite movies, Clueless, I knew I just had to write about it. MakeSpace is a service that comes to your place, grabs your stuff, and stores it for you. With the warm spring weather on the horizon, now is the perfect time to store away your winter duds for next year. The best part is, is that when the time comes for you to need your stored away items again, you can consult your virtual closet and MakeSpace will deliver it back to you. Will your virtual closet be as amazing as Cher’s from Clueless? Probably not. But storing with MakeSpace is a great place to start!

Before we begin discussing how I prepare for warm weather as well as my spring time essentials, some music is in order. Take a listen to the late great David Bowie’s “Fashion” featured in Clueless:

^^^ Love it. ❤

When it comes to prepping for spring, keeping an organized closet it a total must for me. That means saying bye bye to cold weather boots, heavy jackets, and thick sweaters to combat frigid Ohio winters. If I stored with MakeSpace, all of these snowy day necessities would be taken away ASAP and replaced with all things spring! We’re talking sweet sun dresses, maxi skirts, light cardigans, and open toed heels – finally!

With my winter clothing stored safely away at MakeSpace, my closet would have ample room to welcome some of my favorite spring time clothing and accessories. I’m really looking forward to putting my knee length gladiator sandals to good use as well as my collection of floral skirts. Shocking, I know, that the girl who boasts about wearing all black constantly has clothes in the most girly pattern ever! BUT, these skirts are special because they were my grandma’s and I love all things vintage!

Despite my tendency to lean towards black clothing, I like to pepper all of my outfits with at least a little splash of color. To keep things relatively springy in my looks, I plan on breaking out one of my favorite purses. A vegan leather turquoise satchel. The Easter bright vibrancy of the bag will be a gorgeous pop of color against my soft tan trench coach and black skinny jeans!

Once all of my spring clothes is runway ready (AKA strutting down the aisles of Target), there are a few final Lil Red spring essentials:

  1. A felt floppy hat in a gauzy color. Maybe mauve, peach, or cream.
  2. Long necklaces for layering. I’m currently obsessed with rosary style necklaces.
  3. A killer pair of shades. I plan on rocking my daisy embellished aviators constantly!

Pair with a sundress, cardi, and kitten heels. Rinse. Repeat. Hello, Spring!

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As we bring this article to a close, I’d like to end with a story which explains just why my family needs MakeSpace in our lives. This past week my beloved mother began readying her spring wardrobe when she realized that she couldn’t find her shorts from last year anywhere. For days I had to hear a litany of “I don’t know where they could be”, “It’s not like they could just walk away”, and of course, “Sarah, can you help me”? It. Was. Torture.

But lucky for my mom, Detective Sarah was on the case. Thanks to my expert snooping work, I found my mom’s shorts crammed in one of the dresser drawers that she never uses. Right in the nick of time, too, considering a few hours later she hopped on a plane to hot and sunny Atlanta, Georgia to visit my brother! Moral of the story: Had we been storing away our clothes according to season with MakeSpace, this incident and future ones to come would never be an issue. Because believe me, this is not the last you’ve heard of my mom and I not being able to find anything!

So there you have it, this week’s Monday Update: MakeSpace Edition! What is your go to spring staple? What would you store away with MakeSpace? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar27

Black Maxi Dress OOTD

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Black Maxi Dress OOTD

Hi everyone and happy Sunday! This month, I have been so pleased to be able to host my guest blogger, Nida, from Shopaholic Blogs here on lifewithlilred. She has done an exceptional job creating ready to wear OOTDs for all of our readers and it was so much fun working with her! Nida’s final post is actually a three for one because she’s going to show you three ways to style the summer staple that is the Black Maxi Dress. Thanks again for all of your hard work, Nida! You’re fabulous. Now, take a look at Nida’s Black Maxi Dress OOTD:

 

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Hello everyone! 💞
Welcome to another OOTD collab post! Before I start talking about today’s look I want to thank Sarah from lifewithlilred for hosting my posts these past few weeks. ✨ It has been a pleasure working with her and she has always been so appreciative of my work that it inspired me to do better each time. I know most people shy away from collabs for a multitude of reasons. But from my own experience, I have found collabs to be a fabulous way to not only interact with other bloggers but to learn from them, too. In addition, it’s a great opportunity for both parties to cross promote their blog and reach more readers. Here’s to a million more great collaborations! ✨
If you want to get in touch with me please feel free to email me at: shopaholicblogs@gmail.com.

 
Now for today’s OOTD! ✨ Sarah very generously let me pick out my own theme this week. With summer approaching fast, dresses and skirts become the forerunners in my wardrobe. 🌞 One piece that I buy every year is the black maxi dress! 😍 I find it to be a versatile item that I can style multiple different ways and it flatters almost all body types, my awkward one included. So here are the three ways that I will be wearing my black dress this summer! Enjoy!

 

✨ Look #1 – Cute & Casual

  • Maxi Dress: Old Navy
  • Denim Vest: American Eagle Outfitters
  • Sneakers: Dr. Scholl
  • Purse: Dooney and Bourke
  • Sunglasses: Coach
  • Bracelet: Fossil

✨ Look #2 – Out & About

  • Scarf: Old Navy
  • Sandals: BCBG
  • Purse: Oryany Tracy
  • Bracelets: Fossil

✨ The second look is perfect for a day around town/shopping/out with the girls! 💖

                                                                                      ✨ Look #3 – Boho Chic     

  • Poncho: American Eagle Outfitters
  • Sandals: BCBG
  • Accessories: H&M

✨ The third and final look is my favorite! 😘 I want to go bohemian this summer and the AE poncho is perfect for a boho look.

✨ Makeup Used

  • Eyeliner: Bare Minerals in Onyx
  • Lip Crayon: Burt’s Bees in Redwood Forest

There you have it loves, my take on styling the Black Maxi Dress. As always, I hope you enjoyed this OOTD!
Until next time xoxo 💋

^^^ Cool looks, Nida! You can see all of Nida’s OOTD posts under the Fashion category on my page and on her site, Shopaholic Blogs. Please be sure to give her page some love! Out of the three looks that Nida created, which one would you wear? What is your go to spring or summer staple? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah