Category Archives: Beauty

Photo Shoot Album (Pt. 1)

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Photo Shoot Album (Pt. 1)

Hey everyone and happy weekend! It’s been a few weeks since my photo shoot with Britta Photography and I’m still obsessed with all of the shots that were taken of yours truly. And now that I know that there’s a handy slideshow tool on here for picture viewing, I figured why not put up the album in its entirety? I wish that I would have known this fun fact sooner! All in all there’s about fifty photos so I thought that I would divide up the pics and post the album in separate parts. Take a look at part one of my Photo Shoot Album and then let’s discuss a little further:

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I love having these pics readily available on Facebook because one of my favorite things is when I catch a glimpse of them and am kind of shocked that it’s actually me in the shots. I would really like to get some prints made of at least some of them but it’s going to be so hard to pick which ones I want! It’s seriously impossible to pick a favorite because I adore all of them equally and differently. If any of you are interested in getting some prints of your favorite Lil Red pics, just let your girl know!

I hope all of you are having a wonderful start to your weekend and make sure you stay on the look out for part two of my Photo Shoot Album! What is your favorite subject to photograph? What is one of your favorite pics in my album? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Garden Party OOTD

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Garden Party OOTD

Hey everyone and happy Sunday! Last week you might have noticed that I had a very special guest blogger on Sunday’s post. Nida from Shopaholic Blogs graced lifewithlilred with her presence and did such a fantastic job that I asked her to come back each Sunday for the month of March. This week I asked Nida if she could create an OOTD perfect for an afternoon Garden Party and she sure didn’t disappoint. Nida came up with a gorgeous look perfect for a day spent lounging in the sun and sipping iced tea with a group of equally glamorous friends! Take a look at how Nida styled her Garden Party OOTD and then be sure to give some love to her page!

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Hello lovely people! 💞
As you all know I have been collaborating with the lovely Sarah from lifewithlilred for guest posts on her awesome blog!
When she came up with the idea of a garden party theme, I was thrilled! 💐
Who doesn’t want to get all dolled up to go to a tea party? 🍰
Lately I’ve been seeing a lot of celebs pair dresses with pants and rocking it so I wanted to give it a try! 🎉. You can make this look your own by swapping out the pants with dark skinny jeans or ditching the pants part totally and showing off those tanned mile long legs.  😘
So here you go ladies, my take on a spring Garden Party OOTD! Frosting anyone? Yum! 🍰
✨ Dress: Garage Lace is so feminine and perfect for spring. 🌹
✨ Pants: Banana Republic – You can wear jeans if you want the look to be a little more causal.
✨ Scarf: Beech Tree – Silk and lace is a match made in garden party heaven. 💐
✨ Shoes: Max Studio – I love that they have a rosette on the front! 🌹
✨ Clutch: J Crew – I adore this sleek clutch! It has a chain strap if you want to go hands free and stuff your face with all of the treats. Hey a girl’s gotta eat!
✨ Earrings: Macy’s – I loved pairing these turquoise earrings with the soft pink and white in my outfit. They bring the perfect pop of color to your face. 😘
✨ Bracelets: Fossil & Tiffany – Lately I’ve been hooked on rose gold and can’t wait to add more pieces to my collection.
✨ Necklace: Fossil – Hearts in rose gold, what’s not to love? 💖
✨ Hat: Forever 21 – This floppy sun hat makes me feel like I should be at the race track placing some winning bets right about now! 💵
✨ Nails: Kinetic Solargel This shade is called Pink Power.
  ✨ Makeup:
  • Moogoo tinted moisturizer in medium.
  • Kat Von D lipstick in Backstage Bambi.
  • It Cosmetics blush in Radiant Rose.
  • Bobbi Brown smokey eye mascara
  • Bobbi Brown gel eyeliner in Caviar Ink.
There you have it, ladies, my take on the spring garden party theme! How do you guys rock a garden party look? Let me and Sarah know right here!
Again many thanks to Sarah for this collab!
Until next time xoxo 💋
^^^ Thank you so much again to Nida from Shopaholic Blogs for creating a Garden Party OOTD for lifewithlilred! Make sure you tune in tomorrow for a brand new Monday Update! Much love. -Sarah

Beauty Bloggers: HELP!!

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Beauty Bloggers: HELP!!

Hello everyone and happy weekend! Once upon a time, I had the longest, fiercest, and sharpest acrylic stiletto nails in the world. I loved them so damn much but unfortunately, the price of upkeep was just getting to be too much. I’ve been without my talons for a solid half a year now and I’m missing them something fierce. But here’s the rub, I really don’t want to pay for acrylics now that I haven’t been shelling moolah out for nail maintenance for six months!

I’ve been trying to grow my nails out to at least get them somewhat lengthy but I’ve been having a really hard time. After the removal of my acrylics, my nails were really brittle and would barely grow. Luckily, I’ve moved past that stage and my nails can and are growing. My nails start out strong in their effort to grow out but then they will reach a certain point and just get flimsy as can be. We’re talking that if I bent them hard enough, they would probably break.

I would really love some suggestions from the beauty gurus on here about how to strengthen and grow out my nails. I’ve been trying to keep my nails hydrated with hand creams like I’ve been told on Facebook. I also recently just applied a hardening base and top coat when I painted my nails over the weekend because my BFF said that that might help. I know that I’ll never get my real nails to be anything like my old claws seen below but I would love to at least have some length to them!

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Beauty Bloggers – I need your Help now more than ever so if you have any tips at all it would be so very appreciated! I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Final Photo Shoot Favorites

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Final Photo Shoot Favorites

Hey everyone and happy Hump Day! I had a photo shoot this past weekend, as you guys know from my previous two posts. I had such a blast being photographed by my darling friend, Britta, who has her own photography business, Britta Photography. Britta did such an amazing job and I’m so in love with all of the pictures that she took. So much so, that I had to stretch all of my favorite pics out into three posts. I’m here today to show you my Final Photo Shoot Favorites out of the many that Britta snapped of me. You can go on to Britta’s website or my personal Facebook page to see the entire album. If you do, be sure to give Britta’s page some love and send a friend request my way!

^^^ Obviously I’m such a fan of all of my cigarette pictures!

I want to thank my dear friend, Britta, so much again for the fantastic photos that she took of me. I am so in love with all of them and I can’t wait for you to shoot me again! And once again, if you would like to view the full album from my photo shoot you can check out Britta’s Facebook page or my personal page! What is your favorite photo that I featured on lifewithlilred? Do you prefer to be behind or in front of the camera? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Photo Shoot Favorites

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Photo Shoot Favorites

Helloooo and welcome to some more of my Photo Shoot Favorites from my weekend photography excursion with my fantastically talented friend, Britta. I selected some more of the pictures that I was totally in love with to share with all of you today, so take a look! And then be sure to give Britta’s photography Facebook page some love and check out some more shots of yours truly. 🙂

Thank you again so much to Britta for doing such an amazing job at making me look good! It was so hard to pick just a few shots to post so be sure to keep tuning in to lifewithlilred and Britta’s photography page for some more Photo Shoot Favorites! What has been your favorite picture posted so far? What is your favorite location to photograph at? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Welcome, Spring! OOTD

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Welcome, Spring! OOTD

Hi everyone and welcome to a very special Sunday post! When I got emailed from Nida at Shopaholic Blogs inquiring about guest blogging here on lifewithlilred, I couldn’t say no. Her blog is just darling and I knew that she would do an excellent job. My hunch was right, because she came up with a fabulous OOTD post to welcome spring weather to share on my page. Take a look at what Nida created special for lifewithlilred and then give her page some love:

If there is one thing I enjoy just as much as shopping it’s getting all dressed up 👗! I love mixing and matching different pieces in my wardrobe and getting the most out of my purchases 💵. Adding accessories like scarves, jewelry, and watches can really make your outfit pop!✨
Here’s one outfit that I put together just for spring 💐. Thanks to Sarah from lifewithlilred for giving me the opportunity to do this OOTD post on her awesome blog 😘!
I like to invest in neutral pieces that I can wear different ways and change up with a few accessories.
This look uses one of my favorite color combos especially for warmer weather.
✨ Top & Pants: Loft Petites
The ivory top is light, drapes beautifully, and goes well with the khaki crop pants.
✨ Scarf: Old Navy
I added my pop of color with a coral scarf that has embroidered flower accents .
✨ Blazer: Hollister
The checkered blazer is my way of adding a pattern to the look and gives my casual outfit a more polished finish. (Plus I am forever feeling cold so I always keep an extra layer with me to combat those chills 🌬)
✨ Shoes: Vince Camuto
I’m a flat shoe girl all the way. These ballet flats are super cushiony and cute.
✨ Handbag: Marc Jacobs
I love my tote bags! This is technically a hobo but carries just as much as a medium tote. Plus it has a cross body strap for those days when you want to be hands free!
✨ Watch: Mistura
This adorable watch has a wooden case and a real gold leaf and flower inlay. Perfect for spring  😘!
✨ Nails: Sally Hansen Extreme Wear in Strobe Light
I’m a sucker for all things glittery and sparkly  😍✨. You need at least 3 to 4 coats to get a real shimmer with this polish.
That’s it peeps! 💞 My spring outfit of the day! Hope you guys like the look and many thanks to Sarah for doing this!
Until next time xoxo 💋!
^^^ Isn’t she amazing?! I enjoyed Nida’s post so much that I invited her back for future Sunday articles. Thank you so much again for your adorable Welcome, Spring! OOTD, Nida! What is your favorite piece from your spring wardrobe? What is your favorite season to dress for? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah
 * And once again, be sure to check out Nida’s page at Shopaholic Blogs!

Trader Joe’s Enrich Moisturizing Face Lotion Review

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Trader Joe’s Enrich Moisturizing Face Lotion Review

Hey everyone and happy weekend! Today I’m going to be discussing my new favorite product, compliments of a Christmas gift from mi madre. I always ask for a supply of my beauty and skin care necessities for Christmas so my mom hooked me up with a new moisturizer from Trader Joe’s. I only recently started using my Trader Joe’s Enrich Moisturizing Face Lotion because I’ve been in the process of finishing a Neutrogena moisturizer since November. Last week I finally finished my Neutrogena and began my TJ’s journey and let me tell you…I’m already hooked. Take a look at their packaging and then let’s discuss:

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I’ve been writing about quite a few fragrance free products lately which is weird but I actually really don’t mind this moisturizers lack of a scent – especially because it has SPF 15 in it. I find that most skin care products that have SPF in it always smell like you’re lathering yourself up to get ready for the beach. My Neutrogena moisturizer had SPF 15 in it, as well, and you could definitely tell by its scent. When it comes to products that have any amount of SPF in it, I would prefer for it to be fragrance free so that’s a major plus for Trader Joe’s Enrich Moisturizing Face Lotion.

When I am browsing the market for a new moisturizer, I’m always very concerned about the texture of it. I can’t stand products that are greasy, oily, or too thick. Lucky for me, none of these issues were a problem with TJ’s face lotion. The texture was so lusciously creamy and it actually was quite thick – I know, I know, I just said that this was a problem. BUT to me, there’s a big difference between a thickness that’s goopy and heavy and one that is nice and rich. Obviously, Trader Joe’s lotion texture was the latter or I would not be using it!

The final “must” for me when it comes to a new moisturizer or lotion is how well it absorbs. I have to say, I was very impressed with how quickly Trader Joe’s lotion absorbed considering that it is a bit thicker than what I normally would use. A quarter sized squeeze sunk into my skin in record time and it left absolutely no residue. My skin felt hydrated and soft and I was amazed at the way my skin looked after using it. My prized super pale epidermis (science!) looked like porcelain. My face looked and felt so supple and I was blown away. I’ve never used a moisturizer before that had such evident results after ONE USE. You can’t beat that!

Of course, I’m going to have to rate Trader Joe’s Enrich Moisturizing Face Lotion with: five stars. I really can’t recommend this product enough, especially for those with a normal to dry skin type. I’m aware that the packaging says that all skin types can use it but I fear that it might be a bit too heavy for problem skin. But, I suppose a thin layer can’t hurt!

So there you have it, my Trader Joe’s Enrich Moisturizing Face Lotion Review! Has anyone used this moisturizer before? What did you think of it? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Garnier Makeup Removing Lotion Cleanser Review

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Garnier Makeup Removing Lotion Cleanser Review

Howdy! Okay, first off let me start by saying that I am a big fan of Garnier’s skin care line. I’ve used one of their cream cleansers and an exfoliater of theirs multiple times and I’ve always been really happy with them. After I finished my cleanser from Simple, I picked out the Garnier Makeup Removing Lotion Cleanser from my hoard drawer and had very high hopes for it. I was really excited to try this cleanser out because I’ve been so pleased with their products that I’ve used before – but unfortunately, this face wash really missed the mark. Review their packaging and then let’s discuss:

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I always start my product reviews out by talking about their smell but this cleanser doesn’t have any! I know a few of you have commented on my reviews before saying that you like when skin care doesn’t have a fragrance. That’s all very well, but that’s one thing that I can never get on board with. When I’m taking my morning showers, I love when a product has a really invigorating aroma because it helps wake me up. I don’t mind too much that Garnier’s cleanser is fragrance free because I use a lovely scented exfoliater in the morning, too. But the lack of smell definitely didn’t give this product any brownie points!

One of the reasons why I didn’t care for the Simple cleanser that I had finished before starting this one is that it barely removed any of my makeup. In fact, the only reason why I grabbed Garnier’s cleanser from the hoard drawer is because it spelled out for me right in its name that it was primarily a makeup remover. I like to think that I don’t wear a ton of makeup. I’m lucky enough that I don’t have to use any type of concealer and the only product that I use heavily is the mascara that I love to pile on so very much – which is also the toughest thing to remove. -_-

I didn’t doubt that Garnier’s face wash would do a good job of removing my makeup but I wasn’t blown away by it. Yes, it did get my eye makeup off BUT I’ve used so many cleansers that have done the exact same thing. In fact, Garnier’s other cream cleanser that I’ve used before removed all of my makeup and that bonus was barely even mentioned on their packaging!

The final thing that I discuss when reviewing a skin care or body wash product is if it lathers well. Nice and big suds while I’m scrubbing away are a must for me – I have a hard time feeling truly “clean” without it. This is where Garnier’s cleanser totally missed the mark. The packaging says that this product is for sensitive skin but that doesn’t mean it can’t lather just a little! The texture of the cleanser was thick and creamy but once you rubbed it on your face it literally just sat there and did nothing.

Every morning when I rinse the cleanser off, I’m always so happy that I have an exfoliater that I can use afterwards because the face wash simply does nothing for me. It doesn’t make my skin feel any cleaner and it certainly isn’t doing anything that another more effective cleanser can’t. I’m really disappointed in this product so I’m going to have to rate it with: no stars. There is absolutely nothing about this cleanser that I liked or that made my skin feel good. Now I’m just annoyed that I refuse to not finish products that I start because I’ll be stuck with this sucker for a long while. -__-

So there you have it, my Garnier Makeup Removing Lotion Cleanser Review. I will continue using Garnier products after I finish this face wash but you couldn’t pay me to use this one again! Have any of you used this product before? What are your thoughts on it? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

PS: Have a new picture of me for your troubles! I love the little wave that my boxer braids from this weekend left me with!

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TJMaxx Haul

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TJMaxx Haul

Heyy everyone and happy Tuesday! Over the weekend my mom and I ventured to one of the bigger TJMaxx stores in our general area for some shopping and scored some amazing deals. My mom and I concluded long ago that a shopping trip to TJs is going to be a hit or a miss and lucky for us, it was a definite hit this time around! We snagged some fabulous products from The Body Shop as a treat which is what I’ll be discussing today! Take a look at our finds:

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Our Purchases:

  • Satsuma body scrub: $5
  • Strawberry body scrub: $5
  • Jumbo Satsuma body butter: $10
  • Jumbo Honeymania body butter: $10
  • Cocoa Butter body butter: $6
  • Vineyard Peach body butter: $6
  • Grand Total: $42
  • Estimated In Store Price: $120+

During our TJs shopping excursion my mom and I spent quite some time in their bath and body care section which we don’t do very often. We rarely shop at the store that we were at, though, and we wanted to explore everything that it had to offer. I’m glad we did because we ended up with the haul of a lifetime thanks to their products from The Body Shop. When we saw all of the body butters, shower gels, and scrubs that were stocking the shelves, we couldn’t not grab a few! Especially when the prices were so amazing!

As an unspoken rule between my mom and myself, we never shop The Body Shop’s bath and body section when we’re in the store. We simply refuse to spend twenty-one dollars on a tub of body butter when we can get a huge jug of lotion at Target for a quarter of the price. Therefore, we only use the skin care and makeup products that TBS has to offer which is all we really need. My mom and I are longtime customers of The Body Shop and I also worked as their Assistant Manager for a while. With our knowledge of their body care prices in mind, we simply couldn’t believe how dirt cheap TJ’s selection was.

We scoured the shelves looking for all of the different scents that were hiding in all of the nooks and crannies and ended up with some of our favorites. I was SO excited because the Vineyard Peach and Cocoa Butter are my two all time favorite scents. We were also surprised to find jumbo body butter tubs so we grabbed a tub of Satsuma and Honeymania. You literally can’t go wrong with Satsuma and my mom loves Honeymania so I was glad I could talk her in to snagging a tub of her favorite for herself. It didn’t take much convincing though!

I rarely use body scrubs but I do have a soft spot in my heart for the Satsuma and Strawberry scrubs that The Body Shop has to offer. On the rare occasion that my sister and I have one of the scrubs at home, we use them to shave our legs. I had leg shaving on my mind when we were shopping (weird) because I planned on having a bath and shaving when we got home. So of course, I had to put a Satsuma and Strawberry scrub in to our pile. One for me and one for my sister.

At this point in our shopping, I had to go and get a cart so we could tote around our finds and browse some more. My mom ended up with a new pair of navy blue Keds to wear when she’s out and about. They’re so cute! We also spent a somewhat unnecessary amount of time in their animal section picking out a water dish for our newly adopted Ollie as well as some toys for him and his Golden Retriever big sister to play with. After inspecting our cart that was bulging full with doggy toys, I came to the conclusion that the time spent squeaking every single one was so necessary.

I can’t believe the stroke of luck that we had finding all of our TBS purchases. It’s going to be such a nice treat to use them because we literally never would buy them for ourselves otherwise. My mom and I already have plans of using up all of our half finished lotion and saving our butters for special occasions and colder weather. There’s nothing better than a good haul – especially when you get your purchases for the right price!

So there you have it, my most recent TJMaxx Haul! I had the best time shopping with my mom and I’m so happy with all of the fabulous treats that we found. What is your favorite beauty product to splurge on? What is your favorite fragrance from The Body Shop? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Vidal Sassoon Runway Red Review

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Vidal Sassoon Runway Red Review

Hi everyone and happy weekend! When it comes to my personal appearance, there is nothing, NOTHING more important to me than my red hair. I’ve had my hair red for quite some time now thanks to my wonderful stylist at the salon but only recently have I started to dye my hair at home. I discovered Vidal Sassoon’s Runway Red box color from their London Luxe collection over a year ago and have been a faithful user ever since. Frankly, I’m shocked that I haven’t reviewed this product before now but there’s no better time than the present so let’s do this:

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Once upon a time when I was paying close to eighty dollars monthly to get my hair colored, I thought that there would never be a box color that was as good as what I was getting at the salon. Honestly, there really wasn’t until Vidal Sassoon came out with their London Luxe collection. I can’t tell you the amount of times that I browsed through the box color section of Target or the grocery store only to find reds that weren’t red enough. Then, one day, I saw a commercial on TV for VS’s new collection. I took one good look at the girl with her hair dyed “Runway Red” and thought to myself, “this is it”.

I’m not really sure what brought on the need for me to stop getting my hair done professionally aside from the fact that I wanted to save money. I had been getting my hair done in the salon for years and I was nervous as hell to make the jump to at home coloring. But the next week, I went to Target with my mom and purchased my very first boxed hair dye, Vidal Sassoon’s Runway Red.

That evening, I would leave the very capable hands of my stylist and into the hands of my mother, who helped me on my first go at coloring my hair from home. We set up shop in the bathroom and my mom gave me the step by step guide on how to get situated. Step 1) Lay down LOTS of towels on the floor and around the sink. 2) Mix your color. 3) Put on your gloves. 4) Apply the color. And most importantly, always wear a top that you don’t have to lift up over your head!

My mom applied my color for me with the seasoned touch of a woman who’s been dying her hair from the comfort of her bathroom for years. Once my roots were completely covered, there was no turning back. That’s when the nerves really started to kick in! Loops of “What have I gotten myself into? Why did I let my mother near by head with hair dye? What happens if it looks ugly?” were running through my head at a hundred miles per minute.

By the time I eased myself out of a semi panic attack, our timer rang and it was time to apply the color to the rest of my hair. Once all of my hair was covered in red muck, my fate was left up to the gods. I waited for the color to set and then when it was time to rinse, I walked to the shower like I was on my way to the gallows. Once more, I thought to myself, “this is it” and placed my head under frigid cold water to wash away the dye.

As I stood in the shower freezing my nads off, I was shocked by how blood red the water was turning. It was so disgusting but kind of awesome! It took a while to get all of the dye washed away and I felt like I had developed hypothermia by the time I got out of the shower. I wrapped myself in a bunch of towels and held my breath as I rubbed away the fog from the mirror to inspect the color. I relaxed a little when I saw that my hair looked exactly the way it did once the dye is washed out at the salon. But I didn’t celebrate quite yet because the real moment of truth would come once my hair was completely dried.

I never blow dry my hair because it takes forever but I ran as fast as my legs could carry me to grab the dryer so I could start the process. I dried, and dried, and dried my hair some more and then took a tentative look in the mirror when I was finally done. Thankfully, the gods were in my favor because the color looked better than I could have ever expected. It was brighter than what I was getting done at the salon, it was bold, and it looked fabulous. See for yourself the power of Runway Red:

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I couldn’t even tell you the amount of time and money that Vidal Sassoon’s box color has saved me. It is the BEST thing that has ever happened to my beauty routine and I’m so thankful to have found a color that’s even better than what I was getting at the salon. Therefore, I rate Vidal Sassoon’s Runway Red with: one million stars, for making me look beautiful without breaking my bank!

So there you have it, my Vidal Sassoon Runway Red Review! Do you dye your hair at the salon or at home? What box color do you swear by? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah