Category Archives: Beauty

Liebster Award #3

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Liebster Award #3

Hi everyone and happy weekend! I hope everyone is having a fabulous day so far. I got nominated for my third Liebster Award by the darling Camille over at mrsshern a couple of days ago and am so totally flattered! Her blog is a real gem so make sure you check it out. It’s always so much fun to participate in these blogging awards and get new people involved! Of course with all of these awards comes a set of rules for those who have been nominated to follow. Read the rules over and then see how I answered the questions that Camille asked to her nominees:

The Rules:

• Tag the person who nominated you and thank them.
• Answer the 10 questions you are given.
• Nominate 10 new bloggers and tag them.
• Give them 10 new questions to answer.
• Notify your nominees.

Q & A:

Describe your blogging style in best FIVE words?

Quirky, witty, sharp, insightful, and interesting (I hope!).

What is the best ONE beauty product you can’t live without? Why?

NYX’s Pure Red matte lipstick because it’s the perfect shade of red, the best matte lipstick I’ve ever used, and it completes the Lil Red look.

If you are to do a makeup look for ONE person for the rest of your life, who would it be and why?

Uhhhh….I don’t really know how to answer that question because I suck at doing makeup for other people. Haha, I guess doing stage makeup would be fun. I used to be really in to acting and I envied everyone who could do their makeup on their own.

What is the ONE best advice you would give your younger self when it comes to beauty? Why?

Let’s see…Probably to learn how to dye my hair at home because it would save you a fortune! The money I’ve saved from dying my hair with boxed color is insane.

If you are not a blogger, what would you be doing right now?

Working a shitty retail job. Blogging has given me an awesome way to earn some extra money while I’m in school full time at Tri-C.

What is ONE funniest beauty horror story you had?

Oh gosh, I don’t know. I don’t think I’ve ever had a real “horror” story when it comes to my makeup. However, last time I got my hair cut my amazing stylist gave me this awesome pompadour with twisted braids on both sides of my head. I was so happy with how it turned out but as soon as my boyfriend and I got home, I changed shirts from the cute one that I was wearing to a comfy t-shirt for lounging. By the time the t-shirt was on, my perfectly styled tower of hair had fallen and all that was left was a crunchy and hair sprayed mess. I was SO so pissed because it was one of those things that I should have seen coming a mile away but naturally I disregarded it!

What is ONE product that you keep inside your every day makeup bag that you don’t really use at all?

Hmmm…I don’t really have anything in my makeup collection that I don’t use. I hate clutter, so I try to be good about throwing away old makeup products or giving the things that I don’t want to my sister.

What is the first thing you do in the morning as soon as you wake up?

I hate saying this…But I check my phone! It’s like the millennials version of reading the newspaper and I hate myself for it!

What is ONE beauty routine you can’t live without?

Washing my face with a really good cleanser. I can’t stand the feeling of my skin being dull or dirty so skin care is a must for me.

What is your main goal as a blogger?

To make a living out of it! I’m so passionate about lifewithlilred and I’m working very hard every day to make it a success.

My Nominees (I’m only doing three):

My Questions For You:

  1. If you could spend a day with anyone in the world, who would it be?
  2. What is your least favorite color?
  3. Would you rather have bad breath or a piece of spinach stuck between your teeth all day?
  4. What is your favorite candy?
  5. What is your favorite store to go shopping at?
  6. What was your favorite toy to play with when you were little?
  7. If you could have one super power what would it be?
  8. Where is one place that you would like to travel to?
  9. What is your favorite fast food restaurant?
  10. What is your favorite thing to write about?

Thank you so much again to my friend, Camile, at mrsshern for the nomination! Liebster Award #3 was a blast to fill out and I am so thrilled to be nominated again! How would you answer some of the questions that I asked my nominees? What is everyone up to this weekend? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Bath & Body Works January Freebie

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Bath & Body Works January Freebie

Hi everyone and TGIF! First things first, before we start to discuss my Bath & Body Works January Freebie, I have to mention my all star student status. I’m writing this as I take a homework break and I had the most terrifying test taking scenario ever that I managed to overcome…

I was taking a timed test and less than half way through, I realized that I really had to go to the bathroom. I mean it was bad. I couldn’t just walk away from the test though, so I did what any normal person would do…squirm around in my seat, speed through the test as quickly as possible, and leave the grade up to fate. Despite this major bathroom set back, your girl still managed to get a 100!! HOLLER. #starstudent #selfcontrol #blessed

ANYWAYS, now that we got that important announcement out of the way, let’s talk freebies! Just about every month, I get a coupon from Bath & Body Works for a free travel sized product to add to my hoard. Thanks to a shopping trip this week with my sister, I scored my January freebie which was a travel sized lotion of their scent A Thousand Wishes.

I always really enjoy my monthly trip to B&BW to snag my freebie and I have to say, I love the scent that I picked out. A Thousand Wishes is a super sweet holiday scent with hints of cranberry and vanilla that I just can’t get enough of. I’ve always been fond of cranberry fragrances – I live for The Body Shop’s seasonal cranberry scent, so I was pleased to find this cranberry infused goodie from B&BW. I like that A Thousand Wishes has an aroma that’s very soft and subtle because if there’s one thing that Lil Red hates, it’s an overpowering fragrance. And can we talk about how cute the packaging is?! LOVE.

Thanks to my B&BW freebie coupons, I’ve been able to have monthly sweet treats for myself and who doesn’t love that? I’ve also been able to avoid the awkwardness of not giving a gift to someone who got me a present this holiday season. I was simply able to put together a little something from my collection and be on my merry way without being labeled as a non-gift giving asshat. Thank you, Bath & Body Works! 😉

To get monthly freebies of your own, simply put in your email address or phone number next time you make a purchase at Bath & Body Works to get some coupons sent your way. You can also do some shopping and enter in your email address on their website! To keep the B&BW coupons coming, make sure you enter your email address or phone number each time you make a purchase or cash in a freebie coupon to keep all of your information up to date. You’ll be glad you did once you have a nice little hoard of your own!

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So there you have it, my Bath & Body Works January Freebie! What stores give away the best coupons or freebie items? What is your favorite B&BW scent? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Perfumania

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Perfumania

Hii everyone and happy Tuesday! I hope you all are having a fabulous week so far. As I tried to clean through some clutter over my winter break, I found that a lot of it lied in the abundance of perfume that I have. Over the last year or two, I’ve refined my taste to just a few specific scents and have found no use for the extra overflow of fragrances in my collection. This has left me with a lot of barely used and brand new perfume that I haven’t the faintest clue what to do with. So I figured, why not post them on the ol’ blog to see if any of my readers are interested in buying some of them. Take a look:

Photo on the left:

  • Victoria’s Secret: Very Sexy Now – over 1/2 bottle left, originally $24
  • Victoria’s Secret: Sunny Brights Sun Blissed – almost brand new, originally $14
  • Victoria’s Secret: Sparkling Citrus Lemon Escape – almost brand new, originally $14
  • Victoria’s Secret: VS In Paradise Ocean Bloom – almost brand new, originally $14

Photo on the top:

  • Harajuku Lovers: Baby – brand new, originally $25
  • Britney Spears: Circus – over 3/4s full, originally $35
  • The Body Shop: Strawberry – almost brand new, originally $12
  • Victoria’s Secret: Sunny Brights Sun Blissed toilette – almost brand new, originally $20
  • Victoria’s Secret: Sparkling Citrus Lemon Escape toilette – almost brand new, originally $20

Photo on the bottom:

  • Juicy Couture: Peace, Love, & Couture – brand new, originally $60
  • Juicy Couture: original fragrance – 1/4 bottle left, originally $60
  • Gwen Stefani: L.A.M.B. – over 1/2 bottle left, originally $65
  • PacSun: Kirra – brand new, originally $20

But wait, there’s more! I also have a container full of high end perfume samples. There are twenty-one samples in all and will be three for a dollar for those who are interested! You also might find some of these added on to your purchase as a freebie treat!

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It really is Perfumania here on lifewithlilred! If you are interested in any of these fragrances or have any questions, feel free to email me at: sarah.mush6794@gmail.com. All of the prices, shipping, etc. will be figured out by me and you! 🙂 What is your favorite fragrance? What is your least favorite scent? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Monday Update: My Second Beauty Blogger Award Edition

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Monday Update: My Second Beauty Blogger Award Edition

Hellooo everyone and happy Monday! I hope all of you had a fabulous weekend! On Friday I got nominated by my friend, Kezzie, at: kezziescorner for the Beauty Blogger Award. I was so flattered to be nominated for the second time by such a fantastic blogger so make sure you check out her page! With all of the fun blogging awards comes rules, of course, so take a look and then see how I answered the questions that Kezzie asked her nominees:

The Rules:

  • Tag and thank who nominated you.
  • Respond to the questions that your nominator gave you.
  • Nominate 10 new beauty/fashion bloggers.
  • Create 10 new questions for these bloggers to answer.
  • Tell the blogger that you nominated them.

Got it? Good! Now let’s take a look at Kezzie’s questions:

Q & A:

Are you studying? If so what?

Yes, I am! I’m currently working towards getting my Associate of Arts degree at Tri-C in Cleveland, Ohio.

What are you reading right now?

I just started The Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll. I’m about one hundred pages in and I really like it so far!

What is your favorite lipstick shade?

That’s easy! I love NYX’s Pure Red matte lipstick. It’s seriously the best matte lipstick I’ve ever used and the shade is perfect for Lil Red!

What is your go to outfit for winter?

During the winter, I like to wear my black skinnies (obviously), with a chunky sweater, my Michael Kors booties, one of my many peacoats, and the super warm gloves my boyfriend got me for Christmas.

What is your favorite all time TV character?

This is also an easy one. Elaine from Seinfeld will always be one of my all time favorite TV characters. I want to be her when I grow up.

Do you have a favorite Youtuber?

Not really, I don’t go on YouTube very often.

What inspires you the most in life?

People who are working their asses off to improve their lives and themselves.

What do you do when you are having a bad day?

Hmmm…Before, when I had a bad day I used to use really unhealthy coping mechanisms. Now that I’m clean from that, I like to take bubble baths, write, and binge watch Netflix in bed when I’m having a bad day…So basically what I do every day. 😉

What is your favorite nail polish shade?

Black. Black. Black. I don’t paint my nails often but when I do I always paint them black. Lol, I sound like the Dos Equis guy! When I used to have my talon like fake nails, they were always black with red for an accent nail and a cross on both of my middle fingers. I miss my fake nails so much but they were a lot of upkeep and not having them is a total money saver. Now every time I do something that definitely would have broken a nail, I breathe a little sigh of relief in knowing that I won’t have to rush to the salon to get it fixed!

What is your favorite makeup store?

I love The Body Shop and a lot of my makeup does come from there but honestly, I’m just as happy getting the last odds and ends of what I need at Target. They have a shockingly wonderful makeup selection and I like to use Covergirl and Rimmel. For a treat, I like to use their Pixie brand!

My Nominees (I’m only doing three):

My Questions For You:

  1. What is your favorite beauty item that you treat yourself with?
  2. What was one of your worst fashion or beauty moments?
  3. If you could raid one celebrity’s wardrobe, who would it be?
  4. Would you rather wear the same outfit every day for a week or not wear makeup for a month?
  5. Bubble baths or long showers?
  6. Did someone teach you how to wear makeup or did you learn how to do it on your own?
  7. What is your favorite makeup or clothing store to score a bargain?
  8. What was your favorite fashion or beauty moment?
  9. How would you describe your style?
  10. Everyone has a color that just looks perfectly awful on them. What color is that for you? What about the color that looks best on you?

So there you have it, this week’s Monday Update: My Second Beauty Blogger Award Edition! Thank you so much again to my friend, Kezzie, at: kezziescorner for the nomination! How was everyone’s weekend? How would you answer some of the questions that I asked my nominees? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sujata Gazder Wedding Look

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Sujata Gazder Wedding Look

Hi everyone and happy Thursday! This past week I was so honored to be asked by the amazing designer, Sujata Gazder, to create a punky cool wedding look with one of her dresses. Usually wedding attire isn’t my forte but I was excited to give it a try. As you read this post, you can shop along at Gazder’s website: sujatagazder and check out her blog at: sujatagazderblog, as well! Now, check out how I would style an edgy and unconventional wedding look:

Ta Da! While I was creating this look, it was important to me that it still looked wedding appropriate. I achieved this by sticking with a gorgeous and somewhat traditional dress and then accessorizing with pieces that you might not see at your every day wedding. Let’s discuss:

The dress: As I browsed through Sujata Gazder’s website, this dress spoke to me. I liked that it definitely looked like a wedding dress but it was unique enough that one could get away with styling it in an edgy fashion. The hand embroidered vine design at the top of the gown eases effortlessly in to the layers of tulle ruffles for a fun and unexpected twist. The beauty of the dress is its versatility. There are so many different ways to style it depending on the bride, which makes the possibilities endless. The impeccable design, flow, and overall look of this dress allowed me to create a cool punk look that was still appropriate for walking down the aisle.

Hats off: I knew right away that I wanted to top the wedding look off with a hat or fascinator. I also knew that I wanted it to be veiled. Originally, I had my heart set on a pill box hat but as I browsed through different options, none of them screamed out at me. After I searched through the world wide web for a while, I finally stumbled upon the fascinator pictured above. I loved how quirky and sweet it was but I knew that when paired with the right accessories, it would still fall under the punk category. The only thing that I would change about this piece would be the length of the veil. In my mind I envisioned the veil to be long enough to completely cover the face and then be able to pull it back after the bride made her way down the aisle.

Black gloves: Nothing says drama more than a pair of elbow length black gloves. I thought that a glove would pair perfectly with the dress, fascinator, and over all feel of the look that I was going for. Long gloves are so chic and sharp and doing them in  jet black is an edgy twist on the traditional white or cream. They’re bold yet so elegant and classy. To really take the gloves over the top, you could also pile on loud rings and chunky bracelets for some bling!

Sparkled & spiked shoes: As I planned this look out, I knew that the shoes had to be completely out of the ordinary. However, every heel or stiletto that I thought might work always ended up falling short of my expectations. They just weren’t bold enough. I wanted something really loud and I also wanted the shoes to be blatantly “punk”. After much pondering and disappointment, I began to think about heel-less heels and stumbled upon the little beauties featured above from aliexpress. I think that these heel-less heels are absolutely to die for and I love how they counterbalance the sweetness of the dress. Spikes and sparkles? Yes, please. Any bride that can stomp down the aisle in these babies is a friend of mine!

Pucker up: Dramatic makeup is a must for this look and nothing does that better than a deep oxblood lip. Every bride needs the perfect pout to complete her look and a sultry dark shade is the best cocktail of sexy, sophisticated, and so so cool. A beautiful bold lip and a smouldering charcoal smokey eye are the finishing touches in achieving a wedding look that is perfectly punk and totally pretty.

So there you have it, my Sujata Gazder Wedding Look! I had such a blast creating this post and please be sure to check out all of the links within the article to do some shopping of your own! What piece would you like to wear from Sujata Gazder’s collection? How would you style a punk wedding look? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Beauty Blogger Award

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Beauty Blogger Award

Hellooo everyone and happy Hump Day! On Monday I was so flattered to be nominated for the Beauty Blogger Award by my sweet friend, Brittany. Make sure you check out her page at spontaneousencouragement! Thank you to everyone who has been nominating me for all of these fun awards lately – it’s much appreciated! With the Beauty Blogger Award comes a set of rules for the person nominated to follow. Check them out and then see my answers to the questions that Brittany asked to her nominees:

The Rules:

  • Tag and thank who nominated you.
  • Respond to the questions that your nominator gave you.
  • Nominate 10 new beauty/fashion bloggers.
  • Create 10 new questions for these bloggers to answer.
  • Tell the blogger that you nominated them.

Q & A:

What is something you are passionate about?

My family, my friends, my education, writing, helping people and animals.

How long have you been blogging?

I’ve been blogging since September of 2014.

What is your go to makeup brand?

For a majority of my makeup needs, I use The Body Shop but I also use Covergirl and Rimmel, as well.

What daily cleansers do you use on your face?

I don’t use a set in stone cleanser, I just buy whatever is on sale. Because my skin doesn’t experience problems such as dryness, acne, or unevenness I can get away with using a pretty basic cleanser. My only requirement is that it can remove my makeup. Right now, I’m using Simple’s cleanser but I don’t care for it too much. I’ll be looking forward to starting a new cleanser soon and I’m always up for suggestions!

Do you have a favorite clothing brand? If so what is it?

I don’t really have a favorite high end clothing brand but I love, love, love H&M! The closest H&M to me is about an hour away so it’s always such a treat when I can shop there.

Does makeup and clothing define your character?

I wouldn’t say it defines my character but I think it definitely enhances it. I’m a quirky girl with an edgy sense of style so I love playing that up with the clothes and makeup that I wear.

What makes you feel confident?

A bold red lip, a pair of heels, my piercings, and a sharp All Black Everything outfit.

How long does it take you to get ready in the morning?

It depends on the day! When I’m tired, I find that I always take much longer to get ready but usually I can be done with my morning routine in forty-five minutes to an hour.

Could you live without mascara?

Hmm…I don’t think so. To me, mascara completes the way that I paint my face so if I couldn’t use it, I think I would feel and look very off.

If you could meet anybody in the world who would it be?

Oh jeez… I have so many people who I would love to meet but if I had to choose just one, it would be Jack White. I love him so much it hurts.

My Nominees (I’m only doing three):

My Questions For You:

  1. Do you prefer a glam or natural makeup look?
  2. How old were you when you started wearing makeup daily?
  3. What is the best beauty advice that you’ve ever received?
  4. Do you buy makeup from the department or the drug store?
  5. Do you have any makeup tricks or hacks that you swear by?
  6. What is your favorite skin care product to use?
  7. Do you have a favorite fragrance?
  8. Do you feel comfortable wearing no makeup out in public?
  9. What is something that you consider a “no no” when it comes to makeup?
  10. Would you rather not style your hair or wear no makeup for two months?

Thank you so much again to my friend, Brittany, at spontaneousencouragement! You’re a doll! I hope all of you are having a fabulous day so far! How would you answer some of my questions for the bloggers that I nominated? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

We’re Almost There! (100 Follower Giveaway)

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Yay for giveaways!!!

rachelmariiie's avatarrachelmariiiebeauty

Hello lovelies!!

I can’t believe I’m almost at 100 followers!!!! We’re less than 20 followers away. I’m so grateful and happy.

I want to do a 100 Followers Giveaway (US only for this first one – I promise to expand for future giveaways!!) for all of you amazing bloggers and friends who have followed me and supported me throughout this new adventure. I’m loving the blog world, and I know that my adventure with beauty blogging is just beginning! So this is to thank you for all of your support. ♥  The giveaway will include mostly beauty and skin care products, but I may add a few random items as well.

To help me get there, please share/reblog this post and help me spread the word! If you share/reblog this post, you will get an extra entry in the giveaway!! (That means reblog on WordPress, reblog on Tumblr, or share…

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Philosophy Spiced Gingerbread Cookie Shower Gel Review

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Philosophy Spiced Gingerbread Cookie Shower Gel Review

Helloooo everyone and TGIF!! This Christmas I was given some Philosophy bath and body care goodies by my boyfriend’s mom. I’ve never tried any of Philosophy’s products before but have always wanted to because the scents sound amazing and I’ve heard many rave reviews. Needless to say, when I received a lotion and my Spiced Gingerbread Cookie shower gel, I was beyond excited! For the most part, I agree with the excellent reviews that I’ve heard, so let’s discuss:

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Philosophy is a brand that I would never buy on my own because to my understanding, it’s quite expensive. Receiving the lotion and shower gel as a gift was so special to me and I couldn’t wait to give the products a try! I stored my lotion in my stockpile because I’m still working on finishing a bottle from The Body Shop. Then, I stowed the gel safely in my shower to enjoy the following morning.

The day after Christmas, I turned the water in my shower on nice and hot and took a deep sniff of the gel as I waited for the water to heat up. The Spiced Gingerbread Cookie scent was to die for! It was the perfect combination of sweet and spicy and it was balanced out impeccably. The fragrance was potent but not so much so that it was overpowering. Had it been too sweet, the smell would have been too sugary and young. Had it been spicier, the scent would be much too pungent. The in between level that was concocted by Philosophy really was wonderful.

Once I was in the shower, I poured a small amount onto my scruffy and lathered up. I was pleasantly surprised at how well a small amount of the gel bubbled. This shower gel was really nice to use because the texture of it once it was lathered was very creamy – it didn’t feel harsh like some gels tend to do. My skin felt soft and smooth after I washed myself rather than dry and tight…I didn’t even feel the need to apply lotion afterwards, which was an added bonus!

My only minor complaint about Philosophy’s product is the bottle that it comes in. I know, I know – I’m such a stickler! But seriously, the plastic that the bottle is made out of is incredibly strong and firm, so squeezing the gel out proved to be quite difficult. I’ve used bottles like this before and once there’s not much gel left it gets even harder to use. I’m really not looking forward to that. I wish the bottle had a pump on it because that would make it a lot easier to get the product out rather than squeezing it for dear life!

All in all, I’m really enjoying my Philosophy Spiced Gingerbread Cookie shower gel and I’m going to rate it with: four stars. There is no question that Philosophy makes excellent products. I don’t plan on buying it for myself once my lotion and shower gel are all used up, however. Despite how nice each of them are, I’m sure I can find similar products elsewhere for a cheaper price!

So there you have it, my Philosophy Spiced Gingerbread Cookie Shower Gel Review! Who uses any of Philosophy’s products? What is your favorite scent by them? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Simple Moisturizing Facial Wash Review

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Simple Moisturizing Facial Wash Review

Helloo everyone and happy Thursday! As many of you know, my mom and I have quite the stockpile of bath and body products – lotions, perfumes, shower gel…You name it. Our hoard also includes skincare products like face washes and moisturizers, as well. To me, a face wash is a dime a dozen but I’ve been quite disappointed with Simple’s Moisturizing Facial Wash. I’ve been using this product as of late and have been less than impressed, so let’s discuss:

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My skin type is completely normal – I don’t get break outs, I don’t experience dryness or oiliness, and my skin tone is even. All I really need in a face wash is something that’s strong enough to remove my makeup when I do my daily cleansing in the shower. Usually, I can get away with whatever cleanser I grab from my stockpile but Simple is just not doing it for me.

I understand that Simple’s products specialize in sensitive skin but the facial wash that I’m using seriously feels like it was made for a baby. The texture of the wash is something in between of a cream and a gel and it doesn’t create any type of a lather to cleanse your face with. The lack of lather is evident to the point that it feels like you’re washing your face with nothing. Not to mention, it makes the removal of makeup nearly impossible.

When I wash my face, my skin can always tell. It feels invigorated, supple, and ready for the day. Unfortunately, with Simple, I don’t feel much of anything – except the desire to cleanse my face with another product. Like I said before, I don’t have “problem” skin in the slightest but Simple’s face wash just doesn’t do what I like my cleansers to do…make my skin feel clean! This product had to have been made for those with the most sensitive of sensitive skin…Babies! So if you like your face washes to do a little something extra than Simple is definitely not for you.

I’m going to finish my tube of cleanser because once I start a product like a face wash or exfoliater, I refuse to not finish it. However, the next face wash that I choose will be either strictly a gel or a cream – not something in between. All in all, I’m going to have to rate this product with: half a star. Simple’s Moisturizing Facial Wash receives this low rating for an all around disappointing product as far as cleansing, the texture of it, and the removal of makeup goes. I would not recommend this and do not plan on using any Simple products in the future.

So there you have it, my review of the Simple Moisturizing Facial Wash. How many of you have used Simple products before? How do you feel about them? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah