Tag Archives: bath and body care

Nov15

Bath & Body Works Holiday Haul

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Bath & Body Works Holiday Haul

Hello! Some of my favorite go to gifts to give are candles and bath and body care. These are things that your friends and family might not splurge on for themselves so they are always sure to please. And, who doesn’t like a little pampering?! To get some of the presents that I needed to purchase for the holidays out of the way, I hit up Bath & Body Works and got some delicious smelling stocking stuffers for all of my favorite lady friends. Check it out:

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It is always exciting to see all of the holiday themed decor and scents available in store. Bath & Body Works is completely filled with wall to wall holiday scented goodies, which made coming to a decision a difficult task. But, I am really happy with the products that I purchased.

I am not too wild about the super sweet holiday scents like snickerdoodle and hot chocolate and I despise the spicy fragrances like cinnamon and nutmeg. The Frosted Cranberry candles, Winter Candy Apple hand soap, and Fresh Sparkling Snow lotions and shower gel all smell appropriate for the holidays without being overpowering. They are also scents that you could get away with using after December 25th, which made them the perfect candidates to purchase.

Some might say that the candle and bath and body care route is an overdone one. BUT I SAY DIFFERENT! Probably because I would love to receive these gifts, myself. I know for a fact that all of the products above will go over well and, although B&BW can be a bit pricey, they were worth every penny. I am slowly but surely checking all of my giftees off the list and am eager to be completely done hopefully come December! 😀

How far along are you in your holiday shopping? 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

Nov7

Londontown Unboxing

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Londontown Unboxing

Hi! As we all know, Lil Red is a nail girl. I would be nowhere without my talon style acrylics and am only in my truest form when they are eye poking sharp! Getting my nails done is such a treat and I look forward to my monthly visit to the salon to get myself right. There is nothing better than taking an hour or two to yourself to get pampered and I always leave my stomping grounds of Elysian Nails feeling like a million bucks.

I am especially excited for my next trip to get a fill because I have some amazing new goodies from Londontown to test out. Boasting a vegan, 9-free formula and a stunning array of colors to choose from, my nails are never going to look better compliments of the products below. Check it out:

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Seen From Top To Bottom:

  • Buckingham Blue polish
  • Summer Fling polish
  • Electric Avenue polish
  • Restorative Nail Cream
  • Nourishing Cuticle Oil

In the next few days, you can see all of my nail care adventures including an outing to the salon and a girls night in with my darling mom to test out the cuticle oil and nail cream. It’s going to be a lot of fun and the end results are sure to be gorgeous so keep it posted on lifewithlilred!

How do you care for your nails? What is your favorite nail polish color from Londontown? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov6

Bath Bomb Blitz: Treat Me Pt. 2 Edition

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Bath Bomb Blitz: Treat Me Pt. 2 Edition

Howdy! Today, we are going to discuss the other bath bomb that I purchased from the Dollar Tree that was equally as disappointing as the first one, lolol. It’s fine, though, because it’s not like I was expecting anything different and my curiosity has been tended to. So, now, I have even more of an excuse to shop at Lush because any other brand is a disgrace! Take a look at some pics and let’s get to it:

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^^^ Whomp whomp.

I selected the bath bomb above because the colors reminded me of the always popular galaxy print and I had a fleeting hope that it would be reminiscent of Lush’s intergalactic style bomb. But, obviously, I was dead wrong. Although the colors of the bath bomb were pretty, all it did was create a murky mauve once it hit the water and that was that.

Now, can any of us say that we’re surprised? Absolutely not. This is a Dollar Tree bath bomb we’re talking about. But, I’m glad that I conducted this little experiment for your viewing pleasure and for my knowledge in the future. I now know that these are not the move for an add on gift or a treat to myself. And, it is also a friendly reminder that sometimes you have to splurge to get a product worth using. So, let’s hit Lush and do some shopping! 😀

What is your favorite Lush bath bomb? How about your favorite Lush product? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct31

October 2019 Finishes

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October 2019 Finishes

Hey there! Welcome to the last day of October here on lifewithlilred and thanks for stopping by. Today, we will be discussing my monthly finishes of skin and bath and body care products. I am pretty happy about this month’s empties, mainly due to the fact that I finally finished the jar of eye cream that I have been working on using up for the past half a year! There is something so satisfying on finishing a product that you have been using for forever and needing new skin care means a shopping trip to TJMaxx for me, so it truly is a win/win all around. Lol, take a look at my empties for this month and let’s get to it:

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Would I Use Again?

Why/Why Not?

Coffee Scrub: For those of you who don’t know, I take shaving very seriously. I have perfected my shaving routine to a science and the Wonder Therapy coffee cream scrub will always be a part of it from now on. First of all, the coffee/lavender/coconut scent was absolutely divine. It was rich without being overpowering and the coffee aroma was invigorating.

And, most importantly, it gave me the best, closest shave of my life. The exfoliating coffee grounds mixed with the moisturizing cream provided the perfect combo for prepping my skin for a shave while protecting it from drying out. My skin has never felt smoother and my shave lasts for at least four days without prickles. Does your favorite scrub do that? One bottle of this miracle product lasted me about two months with weekly, full body use.

Rose Gold Serum: I love me my Azure Lux serum and will always purchase a bottle when it is available at TJMaxx. With pieces of twenty-four karat gold and rose hip mixed in the formula, this serum leaves my skin feeling blinged out and super hydrated with just a thin application. My only qualm with the product is that the consistency of the serum is quite thick, which makes the bottle go quickly as I finished it in under a month. It leaves my skin positively radiant, though, so I’ll deal with it!

Manuka Honey Face Cream: I quite liked this moisturizer by Lanocreme! It was so rich and creamy without feeling greasy and it sat well under my makeup. The light honey scent was delicious and I loved using it in the morning after my shower. I like a thicker moisturizer during the cooler months and I would definitely use it again. It took me a little over one month to finish this product.

Mokita Eye Cream: My mom bestowed this eye cream onto me at the beginning of May and it took me until the end of October to use up. The large jar was completely filled to the brim with product and even daily application didn’t put a dent in it. I’ve never really worried about eye wrinkles because I legit have been using an eye cream since I was fifteen and this Mokita cream helped keep them at bay for a while longer. Although I liked the product, I was very happy to use it up because I love trying new skin care goodies. But, if given the opportunity, I would for sure use it again.

As you can see, October was a very successful month for empties and I would highly recommend all of the reviewed items above. So, hit up TJMaxx and get you some, STAT!

Which products have you used up this month? What are your thoughts on any of my empties 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

Oct29

Bath Bomb Blitz: Treat Me Edition

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Bath Bomb Blitz: Treat Me Edition

Yo yo yo. Yesterday, you all saw my little beauty haul from the Dollar Tree, which included two bath bombs. Obviously, I was not anticipating a Lush quality treat from the bombs that I purchased. But, I also wasn’t expecting it to suck so bad, lol. Either way, I’m glad that I tried it out. The Dollar Tree is one of my favorite places to buy small add ons to holiday and birthday gifts like candles, candy, and coffee mugs. And, now I know (and all of you will, too) that the bath bombs are something that you can take a hard pass on for your stocking stuffers this year. Let’s discuss:

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The rainbow bath bomb is, admittedly, very cute and I thought that it would be a fun one to try out for the ol’ blog. I wouldn’t say that I was excited to give it a shot, I was more curious than anything. So, I filled up my bath tub, dropped the bomb in, and watched as the fizzy spectacle took place. Sadly, that’s all that happened when the bath bomb touched the water. It fizzed for a solid minute or two, turned the water a murky pink, and that was that.

Was I surprised? Definitely not. And, oddly, I was still okay with testing it out to give all of you the details and because it was a whopping one dollar so it didn’t break my bank! I still have one bath bomb by Treat Me left to try and I am not anticipating any bath tub magic a la Lush but, maybe – just maybe, the other one will be better. #wishfulthinking

What is your favorite bath bomb by Lush? How do you do stocking stuffers for the holiday season? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct27

Tiny TJMaxx Beauty Haul

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Tiny TJMaxx Beauty Haul

Howdy! When it comes to beauty products, I am really not picky. I’ve never minded using bath and body care from the grocery store, drugstore makeup brands, and basic skin care. Well, that is, until I started working at The Body Shop several years ago, because that turned me into a skin care freak!

For a while, I was strictly using their products when it came to my skin care routine. I have since branched out and I have TJMaxx to thank for that, because they have such a fantastic beauty section with all kinds of fun new brands and old favorites to try. Now, whenever I run out of anything in my pampering routine, I hit up TJs to restock. Check it out:

serum

When it comes to styling my hair, a good heat protector and leave in conditioner are a must for me. Both help to eliminate any frizz and keep my hair silky and sleek for the perfect pin straight appearance. I had purchased my first bottle of thermal serum by RUSK way back in January and I am just now finishing up the bottle. This is astounding, because I use the product almost every day and, at ten dollars, that makes the cost per wear mere fractions of a cent!

This thermal serum works wonders. It smells awesome, it doesn’t leave my hair greasy, and my hair has never looked healthier even with daily heat styling. My ends aren’t fried and my locks are so smooth to the touch so I was very happy when TJMaxx had another bottle of it available because adding it into my cart was a no brainer.

And, of course, I would be nowhere without a good Vitamin C serum during my skin care routine. I chose a bottle of Provence Beauty’s brightening serum and am looking forward to trying it. It was six dollars for one bottle but it seems to be filled to the brim with product so I am hoping that it will last me a long time. Come cold weather, it is easy for your skin to take on a dull appearance from the lack of sunshine. Thankfully, my Vitamin C products keep me radiant all year long and I completely swear by them.

This was a tiny beauty haul but I did get everything I needed and then some… because, seriously, who goes into TJMaxx for just one thing?! 😉

Which beauty products do you swear by? How do you save money on your beauty routine? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep30

September 2019 Finishes

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September 2019 Finishes

Howdy! We’ve reached the end of another wonderful month here on lifewithlilred and that means it’s time to discuss my monthly empties. I used up some really good stuff this past month. Stuff that I’ve been using for forever, stuff that took me a short amount of time to finish, and just stuff in general! So take a look and let’s get to it:

sept

Would I Use Again:

  • Softsoap Citrus Splash & Berry Fusion body wash: YES
  • Yes To Cotton micellar water: NO
  • IGK Mistress leave in conditioner: YES
  • Clinicals Anti-Aging Vitamin C facial oil: YES

Why/Why Not:

Softsoap Body Wash: As you all know, I am a huge Softsoap fan. The brand is cheap as can be but all of their body washes smell amazing, they lather well, and are always so damn invigorating during my morning shower. The little moisture beads are a nice touch, too! It takes me one month to use one bottle which includes daily use and a weekly bubble bath and at three bucks and change, I can definitely swing that.

Yes To Micellar Water: My mom got this bottle of micellar water for me on sale and I was very unimpressed. I used up the bottle in a month because I wasn’t going to not finish it but I was happy to have been done! It just didn’t make my skin feel as fresh and clean as the Garnier micellar water and it was also not the best at removing all traces of makeup. I’m sure it’s significantly cheaper than the Garnier brand but I have a rule of thumb of not skimping on the good stuff when it comes to my skin care!

IGK Leave In Conditioner: I absolutely love this product by IGK! I have been using it for the past year or so and I honestly don’t think that I could live without it. The Mistress leave in conditioner smells so good, it smooths out all of my frizz, it makes my hair shiny, and it protects my locks from the heat. Does your leave in conditioner do that? Although the price is steep at twenty-nine bucks a tube, it takes me over six months to finish it up and, with all of that in mind, it is worth every penny.

Clinicals Serum: What I love about skin care products with Vitamin C in it is that I can always see noticeable results from it. My skin glows and is radiant without having to break the bank on an expensive treatment. I really enjoyed using the Vitamin C serum by Clinicals. It sat well under makeup and I loved how my skin looked and felt after each use. My only qualm with this product is that the serum was in a spray bottle, which I didn’t like because I felt like I had to use a ton of it to get full coverage on my face and neck. Despite that, it still took me one month to use up the bottle.

With a seventy-five percent success rate, I’d say I did pretty good with my empties for the month of September! I would recommend all of the products that I liked above but definitely stay clear of the Yes To Cotton micellar water!

Which products did you use up this month? What were your thoughts on any of the products above if you have used them? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug31

August 2019 Finishes

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August 2019 Finishes

Yo, yo, yo! Can you believe that it’s the end of August already? Me either! I, for one, am ecstatic about it and have been waiting for summer to be over since it began. I absolutely despise hot weather and would rather experience the bitter cold than extreme heat. So, needless to say, bring on the fall baby! Although it definitely hasn’t been my favorite time of the year, August was good for using up a lot of products that I’ve been working on for a while and we all know how much I love when that happens. Check it out:

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Would I Use Again?

Why/Why Not?

Jergens Lotion: I purchased this big bottle o’ Jergens when I first moved into my apartment in April and I finished it halfway through this month after once weekly full body uses. I like that this lotion wasn’t heavily scented and it felt rich and creamy on my skin without feeling greasy or leaving residue. I used my lotion after my weekly shaving extravaganza and I think it definitely helped my shave last longer and my skin felt really healthy and hydrated after each use.

Softsoap Body Wash: I have never been one to believe in purchasing expensive or fancy body washes. My three dollar bottles of Softsoap suits me just fine, thank you very much. The pomegranate and mango sent was delicious and invigorating in the morning, it lathered well, and it didn’t dry out my skin. One bottle lasted me for one month with daily use and a weekly bubble bath.

TBS Facial Oil: I absolutely love the Oils Of Life serum by The Body Shop. It is so rich and leaves my skin feeling well loved but it somehow manages to absorb quickly and sits perfectly beneath makeup. One bottle lasted me at least three months with daily use and I wish I could use it all of the time throughout the year. I noticed visible differences in the brightness and fine lines on my face and I highly recommend this product!

Garnier Micellar Water: I have been using the Garnier micellar water for well over a year now and have never felt the need to use anything different. I happily shelled out close to seven bucks a pop monthly for a new bottle without complaints. So, you can imagine how excited I was to find an industrial sized bottle of it at Target for ten dollars! The big mama bottle lasted me for THREE MONTHS and I can definitely get down with that! 😀

B&BW Hand Soap: When I moved into my apartment, I utilized the five for twenty three dollar deal that Bath & Body Works was having on their foaming hand soap and I am so happy with that purchase. I freaking love that stuff and the Peach Bellini soap that I just finished up smelled divine. The soap never dried my hands out and really made them feel clean with its foaming goodness.

And, the best part is, one bottle lasted me a long ass time! I have had the same bottle in my bathroom since moving in and finally finished it halfway through August. Even when I was at the final dregs of it, the remainders lasted me for several more days. Highly recommend for your kitchen and bathrooms.

Garnier Cleanser: I am usually a big fan of Garnier products and, although I didn’t hate this cleanser, I don’t plan on using it again. It really was just your standard facial cleanser with nothing special about it. It lasted me about two months and I appreciate that but, I like something really crisp and refreshing in the morning when I’m washing my face and this one didn’t do it for me.

Drunk Elephant Cleanser: The Jelly Cleanser by Drunk Elephant was part of my Sephora birthday gift this year and I wasn’t impressed. And, this just goes to show you that sometimes the more expensive brands aren’t worth the money that you’re dishing out for it. The sample bottle lasted me for a little under two weeks, which was enough time to tell that I wouldn’t be using it again. It had no scent, it didn’t lather well, and my skin felt really tight after using it. No thank you!

Despite two no go’s on my August empties, I used up a lot of products that I am really happy with and would definitely recommend. I would buy all of the finishes that I liked again and I think that all of you would enjoy them too!

Which beauty products did you use up this month? What are your thoughts on any of the products above if you have used them? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul31

July 2019 Finishes

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July 2019 Finishes

Hellooo everyone! July wraps up today and that means it’s time to go over the products I finished up this month. Aside from a body wash that I’m not too crazy about, I enjoyed two new moisturizers that I would definitely recommend to all of you, so take a look at some pics and let’s get started:

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Would I Use Again?

Why/Why Not?

Solimo body wash: Solimo is Amazon’s brand of bath and body care and it works well enough, it’s just not my favorite because it’s kind of boring. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good Shea Butter & Oatmeal scent as much as the next gal, but I’ve been using the same body wash for three or so months now, so I’m pretty over it. However, this product lathers well, smells good, and lasted me over a month for one bottle so it’s not like I hated it – just ready for something new!

Drunk Elephant cream: I chose a Drunk Elephant cream and cleanser as my Sephora birthday gift this year and I absolutely loved this cream. A small amount of it really went a long way and the small tester size lasted me about a week and a half. The cream was rich without being too thick and left my skin feeling so hydrated and protected. It also sat well under makeup, which is a big plus in the summer time.

SkinLab cream: When it comes to moisturizers, the gel kind is my favorite. Using this SkinLab cream was a treat and one jar lasted me well over one month. The aqua bomb like burst of moisture felt invigorating after my morning shower and it was so light, which I love in the summer, because sometimes the cream based moisturizers make my face sweat. Although I loved the Drunk Elephant cream, the SkinLab one is definitely my favorite and I highly recommend it.

July was a really good month for empties for me, because I used up a product that I was eager to finish and got to enjoy two moisturizers that were so lush and effective. Looking forward to seeing what finishes August will bring me!

Which products did you use up this month? What were 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

Jun27

Shaving Secrets

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Shaving Secrets

Hi! During my late birthday outing to a winery with my BFF, she commented on how smooth my legs are. Through BFF telepathy, we both shaved the night before our hang out and my legs were definitely a lot smoother in comparison to hers. She asked for my secrets and also looked through my bathroom once we went to my apartment to see my shaving supplies, lol!

After bequeathing my knowledge onto her, I realized that this would make a great blog post. So, here I am to share my tips for the closest shave ever with you!

Use a men’s razor:

You have not experienced a close shave until you’re using a men’s razor. I swear by the razors by Gilette and refuse to use anything different. Men’s razors are designed to give as close of a shave humanly possible for their face as well as to move around gently on the contours. So, it just makes sense that it would work amazingly for the rest of the body, too!

I feel like women’s razors are made to just go in straight lines on the legs but the human body is not perfectly straight. There’s curves and bumps and muscles and a terrain on the body that doesn’t make it that simple. Men’s razors have a lot more movement to them to get all of those difficult areas effectively. Ditch your women’s razor and see an immediate difference just from that.

Take a soak:

I only will shave after I have had a nice soak in the tub. The warm water relaxes the skin and makes your hair stand up, which makes for an easier shaving experience. I enjoy a weekly bath every Friday night with a glass of wine and my music to help unwind after a long work week. There is just too much room for error if you shave in the shower and a bath time shave lets me know that I haven’t missed any spots. No one likes random hairy patches!

Use an exfoliater:

Instead of using a shaving cream, I treat my legs and any other areas of my body that I shave to an exfoliater. It helps loosen up the hair follicles, removes any dead or dry skin, and really helps prep your body for a shave. I used to love the more gel-like scrubs from The Body Shop but, after using a cream based one, I don’t plan on using anything different. Gels and shaving creams dry the skin out but a rich, creamy scrub moisturizes the skin as you go along and provides a much closer shave.

Lotion up:

And, finally, using lotion after you shave is a must. I will cover my whole body in lotion (I like Jergen’s!) after my bath, put on a long sleeved pajama top and bottoms, and then sleep in it for all night moisturizing. When I wake up, my skin is so silky smooth and I don’t feel any type of prickles growing back. And, on the subject of moisturizing – make sure you use a cream based body wash to avoid your skin from drying out, which doesn’t help the cause of smoothness, either.

With my shaving routine, I don’t see any type of noticeable hair growth on my body until at least day four. And, at that point, my bath night is close enough that I can handle a little prickle until then!

What are your shaving secrets? How do you stay smooth in between shaves? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Featured Image By: Rebel Circus