Tag Archives: beauty

Jul19

Glossier Cloud Paint Swatches In Storm & Dawn

Posted on July 19, 2023 by lifewithlilred

Hello everyone!! Yesterday, we took a look at the first two swatches from the Glossier Cloud Paint sample pack I received during my Sephora Birthday Haul. And, today, we will be wrapping things up by checking out the remaining two in Storm and Dawn. Although I’m not overly impressed with any of the colors from the Cloud Paint samples, I will say that I definitely liked Storm and Dawn much better than Eve and Spark! Now, let’s get to it:

Storm:

Dawn:

Out of all of the colors we have swatched, I think I like Storm the best. Would I buy it? No, but it was the only one I didn’t completely dislike! Storm is described as a “warm rose” on Sephora’s website and if it matched that description more on my skin, I would have been there for it. However, this shade had a lot of purple undertones to it and that is what showed through more on me. I love the idea of Storm and it’s really pretty, but it is something that I would never wear myself.

Like Spark, Dawn was bright and poppy with the description of “sunny coral”. Like Storm, this was an almost but not quite color for me. Dawn showed as really orange on my skin and not only do I feel like it would wash me out, but it would also clash against my hair colors. In yesterday’s post, I mentioned that the colors I swatched would look better on a darker complexion and I feel the same about the ones today. The Cloud Paint is so pigmented and that’s awesome, but it would just be too much on me.

Although Storm and Dawn did nothing for me, it is worth mentioning again the ease of use of the Glossier Cloud Paint. I can see why it was reviewed so well on Sephora because the colors are gorgeous and it’s fun to apply! I am sure a tube of the Cloud Paint would last forever because a tiny dab went such a long way. It is not for me, but I am loving them for someone else!

What is your favorite makeup to apply? How long does it take you to complete your makeup routine? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul18

Glossier Cloud Paint Swatches In Eve & Spark

Posted on July 18, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Glossier Cloud Paint Swatches In Eve & Spark

Hello!! During my Sephora Birthday Haul, I wasn’t overly impressed with the free sample selection for my purchase. As per ushe, I opt for skin care as my two free samples of choice and loved the Alpyn Beauty moisturizer I received. The remaining options were makeup, hair care, and fragrance which I usually shy away from as I’m pretty unadventurous in that regard. For swatches’ sake, I went with a sample pack of four Cloud Paint blushes by Glossier. Today, we are going to take a closer look at Eve and Spark. Tune in tomorrow for a peek at Storm and Dawn! Now, let’s get to it:

Eve:

Spark:

When swatching Eve, I put what I thought was a tiny dab on my finger and blended away onto my hand like the instructions said. However, our definitions of a tiny dab were way different! I blended and blended and blended some more and it still applied quite dark. The rich plum color was gorgeous, though, and I resolved to use an even smaller amount when I swatched Spark. Even with the minuscule amount I used, it still showed up really visible in a bold, pure red.

While all of the colors from this sample pack are very pretty, Eve and Spark were too much against my complexion. I suspect the same will be true for Storm and Dawn as well. These blushes would look stunning against a darker skin tone, but it is a definite no from me in terms of ever buying a full size. I will say that the Cloud Paint applied so easily and was soft to the touch. Once it was on, I couldn’t even tell that it was there and that is a high point for these blushes for sure.

I am always curious about what other people think about products that I am sampling and the Glossier Cloud Paint got really good reviews on Sephora for the most part. The resounding comments were in terms of ease of use and the high pigmentation of each shade. Although the colors in my sample pack did nothing for me, I am very curious about Puff, which is a frosty light pink. I might have to treat myself to a full size of that next time I shop Sephora!

Keep it locked tomorrow for the swatches of Storm and Dawn as well as a date night OOTD coming soon!! ❤

What is your favorite blush? Do you prefer a powder or cream blush? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul17

Face Mask Festivities: Farmacy Honey Potion Plus Hydration Mask Edition

Posted on July 17, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Face Mask Festivities: Farmacy Honey Potion Plus Hydration Mask Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Face Mask Festivities!! It has been so long since I tried out a new face mask and I was very much looking forward to testing out one from my recent Sephora Birthday Haul. For my free birthday gift, I selected a skin care set by Farmacy which included the Honey Potion Plus Hydration Mask. I have been most impressed with the moisturizer that I have been using from this gift set so I assumed the Honey Potion Plus would be awesome too. And it was… meh. Let’s discuss further:

I had great first impressions of this mask and absolutely loved the bright yellow color! The texture felt exactly like scooping jelly into my hand and it smelled just like honey. Step one for the Honey Potion Plus was rubbing it into your skin until it formed a white cream. During that time, the mask heated up and it felt fantastic after a long day. I read some reviews about it burning during the heat up process, but I didn’t experience that and the sensation of heat went away as quickly as it had appeared.

Once the mask was applied, it had to sit for between ten and fifteen minutes and rinsed off afterwards. I was eagerly anticipating the rinse off because I thought this mask was going to leave my skin SO soft. I left it on for about twelve minutes as it had dried completely at that point. I rinsed my skin, patted it dry, and… nothing. In fact, I daresay it made my skin feel less hydrated. It didn’t feel tight, more like I didn’t use skin care at all that day.

I completed my nighttime skin care routine and went to bed thinking that I’d feel some results in the morning and… nothing. The reviews I have read for the Honey Potion Plus were hit or miss with some people loving it and others left disappointed. I definitely fell into the “miss” category and my skin felt better with my normal routine than with the mask used at all. I’m sure it works well if you have a really dry complexion, but that’s not the case for me. This mask started out strong and ended in a massive WHOMP WHOMP.

Although this mask did me no favors, it was still pretty fun to use and I liked how it brought the heat. I will finish the sample jar I got because I refuse to let it go to waste. However, it is one that I would never buy a full size of. The Honey Potion Plus was a no for me but a yes for others so if you try it, I would just say to go in with low expectations because you never know what you’re going to get!

Have you used this face mask before? What are your thoughts on it? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul16

New Glitter Bright Pink & Emerald Green Nails

Posted on July 16, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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New Glitter Bright Pink & Emerald Green Nails

Hello! This past Friday, I enjoyed a fill at Elysian Nails and it was just what the doctor ordered. Johnny and I had Val over for a slumber party the night before and I needed some relaxation! I was able to get an appointment first thing in the morning with the wonderful Shelly and, as always, she absolutely slayed. She even pulled through with a celebrity choice for one of my nail colors and she was spot on. I love how they turned out and I am getting all of the Ariel vibes! Check it out:

Normally before a fill, I have an idea of the colors I would like to use before stepping foot in the salon. This time, however, I was feeling very uninspired and even more so once I was at the polish wall. I immediately gravitated towards a bright pink, but I couldn’t figure out for the life of me what color I wanted to go with it. I decided on a shimmer lavender shade after what felt like forever at the polish wall and sat down at Shelly’s station. I can’t say I was particularly thrilled with that choice, though.

As Shelly made quick work of making my nails perfect, I was still thinking that I didn’t like my color selection all that much. And, as I was examining the nail polish bottles, I got called out! Shelly asked if I liked the colors and I said not really and requested that she choose a new polish to replace the lavender for me. While I paid for my pampering, she hit the polish wall and came back with the glitter emerald green to go with the pink. She said it reminded her of The Little Mermaid and I was instantly there for it!

This was the first time that I had one of my nail techs select a color for me and I think I might start making a habit of it. The green was a color that I never would have chose myself and I am obsessed with it. It has been over a week since I got my nails done and I still can’t stop looking at them constantly!

What color of nail polish are you rocking? Do you pick your colors at the salon or does your nail tech? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul15

Bathing Beauty OOTD Bloopers

Posted on July 15, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello everyone and welcome to the blooper reel from my Bathing Beauty OOTD! The fashion gods smiled on yours truly when I found my new swimsuit at TJMaxx. It’s crazy because even though I’ll only wear it a handful of times this summer, it is probably one of my favorite purchases of 2023. This buy was a decade late and although I plan on holding onto my Victoria’s Secret bikini for when I’m feeling saucy, I am more than okay with retiring it for now! I couldn’t wait to go to the pool to show off in my new suit and, obviously, I was looking my absolute best:

Howdy, partners

Looking terrified and for good reason – your favorite vampire doesn’t venture into the sun too often!

I LOOK GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Please, sir, can I have my phone?

That face you make when you find out you’re out of storage on your phone 😮

The no toe monster is gonna get ya

Johnny always captures my essence beautifully

As most of you know, I have a quirk about me and that is that I refuse to get my hair wet. After about a decade or so of training my hair, I only get it washed when it is being dyed every ten to twelve weeks. The reasoning for this is simple: No washing keeps my hair looking freshly dyed longer and that is a sacrifice that I am more than willing to make. I genuinely can’t remember the last time I actually swam or washed my own hair in the shower.

You guys have no idea how much I would like to take a dip in the pool, but chlorine is something that I am not willing to put my hair through. So, I’m taking a stand. Oh yes, because I plan on buying a shower or swim cap lol. Will it look dorky? Of course. Do I care? Absolutely NOT! If sporting a shower cap is something that will make me feel comfortable taking a real swim, then it is one thousand percent worth it.

Johnny and I have formulated a plan and he is so much like me. We will both be taking a swim – me in my swim cap and him getting his hair wet. His hair needs redyed by his beloved in house stylist and if that weren’t the case, he wouldn’t get his hair wet either. Before I freshen up his box dye black, we will be hitting the pool and I’m excited!! We have never gone swimming together and we have each found a solution to our high maintenance hair attitudes that works for us. Johnny really does get me like no one else! ❤

You can catch me and Johnny at the pool looking fresh to death and I’m sure there will be some pictures so keep it locked. The world isn’t ready for shower cap Bathing Beauty Lil Red!

What is a quirk about you? Do you mind getting your hair wet? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul13

Sephora Birthday Haul

Posted on July 13, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!!! Before my birthday month wrapped up, I had to make sure that I did a little online shopping with Sephora to cash in my free birthday gift. If you are a Beauty Insider, you are treated to your pick from three or so travel size beauty bundles and I look forward to it every year! It was the perfect time for me to place an order because I was running dangerously low on one of my favorite hair care products – the Mistress Hydrating Hair Balm by IGK. Two bottles of the hair balm were the only things that I paid for and the rest of this haul was completely free! Check it out:

^^^ All of these products are from cruelty free brands!

The Haul:

2 bottles of IGK Mistress Hydrating Hair Balm: $29/bottle

Farmacy Birthday Gift: FREE

Goop Glow Vita-C Eye Cream: FREE with $25 purchase

Alpyn Beauty Melt Moisturizer Sample: FREE with purchase

Glossier Cloud Paint Sample: FREE with purchase

Every time I have an amazing Sephora Haul, I always have to mention the merits of making the purchase online. There is typically free shipping for orders over fifty dollars, you get to pick two free samples with every order, and there is a HUGE selection of free product with purchases over twenty-five dollars. You get so much more bang for your buck and I feel satisfied with the money I spent rather than robbed. Hey, you can never go wrong with free!

For my Sephora birthday gift, I chose the skin care set by Farmacy. Every year, the freebie bundle selection usually follows the same formula, just with different brands. There is one for hair care, makeup, fragrance, and skin care, respectively. As I am pretty inflexible with my makeup and hair care, I pick the skin care sets nine times out of ten. Even if I were more adventurous when it comes to makeup, I would still make the same choice because I can never have enough skin care. 😀

Farmacy is a brand that I have heard of, but never tried and I am looking forward to it! This birthday set includes the Honey Potion Plus Hydrating Mask, a moisturizer, and a cleansing balm. I haven’t used a face mask in months so I am most excited to try the Honey Potion Plus. The cleansing balm is one that I could take or leave, but who knows? Maybe I’ll end up loving it! And, of course, testing new moisturizers is always fun. 🙂

For the remainder of my haul, I got a Goop Glow eye cream as my freebie for spending more than twenty-five dollars. Like Farmacy, this is a brand that I am familiar with but haven’t tried anything by. The brand definitely has a name that I wouldn’t soon forget! A moisturizer and blush were my free samples and I have already used the Alpyn Beauty one – it was lovely and would be especially nice for those with a dryer complexion.

I am so happy with my Birthday Haul from Sephora and can’t wait to use all of the new to me products. Keep it locked for a new Face Mask Festivities and swatches from the Glossier blush coming soon!

Which store offers the best promotions? Do you like to shop Sephora in store or online? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul5

Homemade Rose Oil

Posted on July 5, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!!!! Way back in the day, I used to really enjoy making homemade bath and body care like scrubs, shower gels, and lip balms. It has been SO long since I have done that but it was always a blast! This past week, I decided to revisit one of my old hobbies by making some rose oil with petals from a gorgeous bouquet at my mom and dad’s house. It was insanely easy and, even though I wasn’t too fond of the smell, it was an amazing addition to my bubble bath. No thanks to the bath fizzy from Bath & Body Works that you all read about yesterday! Let’s get to it:

Step By Step:

I made my rose oil by following directions from a surprising source – an article posted by HGTV! Directions for making rose water were also included and I might try that next with the remaining flowers from the bouquet I used. A rose oil concoction went a little something like this:

Step One: Tear or shred your petals. For mine, I took several at a time and tore them in half.

Step Two: Pour a cup of oil into a jar with the petals. Jojoba and grapeseed oil were recommended, but I didn’t have any. However, they mentioned that olive oil would work well too so that is what I used.

Step Three: Bring a few inches of water to a raging boil and remove from heat. Place your jar of oil and petals in afterwards until the water cools.

Step Four: Place your jar in front of a sunny window and let it sit for 24 hours.

Step Five: The next day, remove your petals from the jar and squeeze out all of the oil you can from them. To do this, I started pouring the oil with the lid slightly on into another jar. Once a majority of the oil was removed, I used a spoon to press the petals and store the excess.

Easy peasy, right?! Making homemade rose oil was a quick and fun project and I was really pleased with the results. I poured some of my rose oil in the bath tub and it was so lux and lovely. Yes, it was a freaking pain to clean up the oil slick tub after my soak. BUT my skin felt fantastic and it still does several days later. I have noticed a huge difference in the softness of my skin and it feels nourished and healthy. I can’t wait to use it again during my next bath time self care sesh!

Concocting your own rose oil is a wonderful way to bring a second life to roses from your garden or a bouquet. Once again, you can view the directions that I followed here. Tune in tomorrow on lifewithlilred for more flowery vibes as we take a look at my first watercolor painting I have done in a minute!

What is your favorite flower? Do you like to make any crafts or bath and body care with flowers? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul4

Bath Bomb Blitz: Bath & Body Works Confetti Cupcake Fizzy Edition

Posted on July 4, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Bath Bomb Blitz: Bath & Body Works Confetti Cupcake Fizzy Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Bath Bomb Blitz! Today, we are going to be discussing the Confetti Cupcake bath fizzy that I purchased from Bath & Body Works during an April haul. This was definitely an impulse buy because the last fizzy I used from B&BW was very unimpressive – I just thought the cupcake was adorable lol. Unfortunately, the Confetti Cupcake fizzy sucked on ice too and I think B&BW knows it because I haven’t seen them in store in months. Let’s get to it:

My first impression of the scent of this bath fizzy wasn’t a good one. I was expecting more of a cake batter fragrance and it just wasn’t lol. It kind of smelled like the Champagne Toast line, but definitely not as sweet. This wasn’t a huge deal, but it didn’t start the bath time experience off on the strongest note. Then, I dropped the fizzy into the water and it got worse from there!

Once the fizzy was in the water, it started dissolving at a rapid speed. Within about twenty or so seconds, it was completely fizzed out. In that time, all it did was turn my bath water a very murky pale pink, which you can see above. It looked gross! Even if I didn’t know the joys of a bath bomb from Lush, I still would have been like “wtf?”. In fact, my bath time would have been more pleasant if I didn’t use the fizzy at all because who wants to sink into water that looks contaminated?!

I shouldn’t be surprised that the Confetti Cupcake fizzy was disappointing because of my last experience. However, it was still shocking to see a ten dollar product work this poorly. If you happen to see a bath fizzy at B&BW, DON’T BOTHER! It won’t make a good gift for you or someone else and there are countless other wonderful goodies available that you could be spending your money on. Epic. Failure.

The only saving grace of this bath time experience is the fact that I recently made rose oil and put some in the water. That was lovely and you can learn more about the process tomorrow so keep it posted!

What is a disappointing product that you have used recently? What is your favorite thing to use during a bath? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun30

June 2023 Finishes

Posted on June 30, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello everyone and welcome to my beauty finishes for June!! Johnny and I had a fantastic birthaversary month with lots to celebrate. Now that the festivities are over, it is time to focus our attention on the next big thing: Halloween. It’s never too early for us to start thinking about our other favorite time of the year! This past month, I enjoyed lots of great products with only one dud that came as a surprise to me. It was a serum that I had used religiously in the past, but just didn’t hit the same this time around. Let’s discuss further:

Would I Use Again?

Evoluderm Micellar Water: YES

Tree Of Life Vitamin C Serum: NO!!!!!

Bath & Body Works Sun-Ripened Raspberry Body Cream: YES

Honest Beauty Calm & Heal Melting Balm: YES

Why/Why Not?

Tree Of Life Serum: Back in 2021, I was using the Tree Of Life Vitamin C serum regularly for several months until I switched things up. I always thought that it worked well, even if it wasn’t my all time favorite. So, when I saw it available at TJMaxx during a January Haul, I instantly added it to my cart. The first time I used it after almost two years, I was taken aback by how much I didn’t like it. The texture of the serum was thick and a decent amount was needed to cover my full face and neck. It also didn’t absorb as well as I would have liked, either. After only three weeks, I completely used up the bottle and my skin had nothing to show for it in terms of a radiance boost. I was very happy to be done with it and now I know that some past used products are better to be left in the past.

B&BW Lotion: Sun-Ripened Raspberry is one of my favorite old school scents from Bath & Body Works and I always have to buy a few lotions or shower gels during their Semi Annual Sales. I don’t use the Body Creams by B&BW too often because they are more expensive than what a full size freebie coupon covers. However, I am VERY impressed with it whenever I get the chance to use it. The shea butter and Hyaluronic Acid base is so nourishing and my skin feels amazing after every use. Any slightly dry patches on my arms feel like they are gone in an instant and it leaves my skin looking and feeling healthy. It took me over three weeks of nighttime use to finish the bottle.

Honest Balm: The Calm & Heal Melting Balm by Honest Beauty was the first product from that brand I ever tried and it was a home run. You can read more about it in my review above, but it is a moisturizer that I would definitely use again. It took about three and a half weeks of twice daily use to finish the jar and I was so sad when I did – it was that good! Highly, highly recommend – especially if you have a dryer skin type.

Even though the Tree Of Life serum sucked, I got to try a new brand out and use an old favorite so this month’s empties were still a GREAT SUCCESS. I am keeping my eyes peeled for more Honest Beauty products every time I go to TJMaxx!

Have you used an old faithful product after a while and been disappointed by it? What is your favorite Honest Beauty product? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun29

Bath & Body Works June Freebies

Posted on June 29, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!! This past week, I received a few coupon packs from Bath & Body Works in the mail that included a free full and travel size product. I’m always happy to get a free travel size goodie, but there is nothing better than a full size freebie! I chose a bar soap and lotion with my coupons and it totaled to over twenty-seven dollars worth of free product. You just can’t beat that! Check it out:

The last time I cashed in a B&BW coupon, I decided to try their bar soap for the first time in the Coco Paradise scent. I love a good bar soap and the Bath & Body Works kind is probably the best that I have used in a long time. Their bar soap is made with a shea butter base and it is SO insanely hydrating and lathers like a dream. I have been using my soap since I got it at the end of May and I have hardly made a dent in it! Rather than opting for their shower gel, I chose a bar soap in my favorite scent of Gingham instead. If you are a bar soap fan too, then I cannot recommend trying out B&BW’s enough!

As I am pretty well stocked with shower gel and soap, I went with a lotion for my full size freebie in Gingham Gorgeous. I was thrilled when Gingham Vibrant, Gorgeous, and Fresh were released and have the shower gel of Vibrant. I was a bit disappointed that there were no lotions or shower gel in Fresh because I definitely would have gotten that instead of Gorgeous. I wasn’t really feeling any of my other options either, so I settled.

Gingham Gorgeous is pretty, but it isn’t my favorite. The fragrance notes feature Pink Strawberries, Peach Nectar, and Peony Blooms and it is very sweet. I can pick out the peach notes and I like that, but it gets lost in the muddle of overpowering peonies. If I used lotion during the day, I never would have picked it. But, I only apply lotion at night and I don’t really care one way or the other about the scent. If you are a sweet floral fan, then Gingham Gorgeous is for you. If you like something more crisp and fruity, Gingham Vibrant and Fresh are the way to go!

Even though I’m not as fond of Gingham Gorgeous as the other offshoots from Gingham, I am still beyond pleased with my freebies. It is such a treat to go into Bath & Body Works for a pick me up without paying a dime!

What is your favorite Bath & Body Works scent? Which store offers the best coupons and promotions? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

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