Tag Archives: beauty

Jun24

Embracing Change & LOVING It

Posted on June 24, 2020 by lifewithlilred

Hello! One of the unique things about lifewithlilred is my fondness for featuring guest bloggers. I love interacting with the blogging community and this has proven to be an amazing way to do it. In the almost six years since lifewithlilred has been live, I have became very close to many of the lovelies who have starred on my page before.

All of these friendships are very special to me and I am always looking to extend my lifewithlilred family. So, obviously, I was thrilled when the darling Sheryl of Sheryl’s Light reached out to me. I have so enjoyed our exchanges and any gal who can rock purple hair is a friend of mine. Check it out:

Embracing Change & LOVING It

I have been waiting for the perfect guest post for my young friend Sarah AKA Lil Red. I told her when we first met through blogging that she reminded me of myself at her age. They say the proof is in the pudding or the color is in the hair dye and that’s what I did. I dyed my hair purple and I love the color. I’ve been wanting this for a very long time!

When trying to dye my hair a few months ago, I discovered after applying the dye that the look wasn’t what I wanted. Plus, when I went over the directions the hair dye company recommended two boxes for long hair, which I have. Taking a deep breath and pinning a towel around my neck and shoulders, I mixed the dye and applied it to the top part of my hair. The second bottle covered the bottom. I occupied the half-hour with taking photos out of my daughter’s albums for scanning so the time flew. I also love the conditioners that come with hair dye! I didn’t realize this was on my bucket list so check that one off! Remember you are never too old to try something new.

Lifewithlilred is a page that celebrates all of the differences that makes people special. And, I am so proud that it is a place where Sheryl can show off her fabulous new look! You go, girl. ❤

Is anyone planning a personal appearance change? Haircuts and color, tattoos, piercings, etc.? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun21

Milk Makeup Lip + Cheek Stick Swatch In Werk

Posted on June 21, 2020 by lifewithlilred

Standard

Milk Makeup Lip + Cheek Stick Swatch In Werk

Hello! During my last Sephora haul, I ended up with a ton of freebies which included my Beauty Insider birthday gift. This year, there were three options to choose from including some body lotions and hair care. Obviously, I went for the makeup and got a mini Kush mascara and Lip + Cheek stick by Milk Makeup.

I have never used anything by Milk before, but you can never go wrong with a new mascara or a color you haven’t used before for your lips and cheeks. Upon first glance, the Lip + Cheek stick seemed like a color that would be too dark on me. But, after swatching it, I think I will stick to wearing it on my lips instead of the cheeks.

First, take a look at some pics and we’ll discuss further:

After swatching my new Lip + Cheek stick, I realized that I liked the deep apricot hue that it would deliver. I also realized that I just really don’t like stick blushes. I have always been a powder blush girl and this product feels so chapstick-y to me that I really don’t think I have it in me to swipe it over my cheeks! After rubbing it in, the balmy feeling subsided but that initial unpleasantness makes it a no from me, dawg, on anything but my lips.

Is Werk my favorite shade in the world? Hardly. But, it will be nice to keep a mini lip color in my bag for when I feel like I could use a little something something. Do these samples make me more inclined to purchase full sized products by Milk Makeup? Not particularly. At the end of the day, though? You can’t beat free, even if the products are not your favorite!

Which birthday freebie did you get from Sephora? What are your thoughts on Milk Makeup? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun19

Huge Sephora Haul

Posted on June 19, 2020 by lifewithlilred

Standard

Hello! I don’t shop in store with Sephora often, unless I plan on purchasing new makeup. Normally, I just get everything I already know I like online because they have amazing freebie deals and free shipping with a fifty dollar purchase… Which, let’s be honest, is not hard to do!

This past online order, I really needed more of my favorite hair product: IGK’s Mistress Hair Balm and I also was in the mood to order some treats. So, I decided to scour their sale section and ended up with some darling new fake eyelashes, a face mask, a butt mask (lol!), and a whole lot of freebies. Check it out:

Okay, let’s start out by addressing the elephant in the room: THE BUTT MASK. I did not go on Sephora’s website specifically to buy this! I was literally one dollar away from free shipping and didn’t want to make a huge purchase, so I bought the mask on sale for four bucks to get me over the limit. I’d be a liar if I said I wasn’t curious and obviously I’m looking forward to using it. Since when is there a beauty product just for the booty boo?!

Anyways, I planned out this purchase to get the maximum amount of freebies, as you can see. Not only did I get my birthday freebie by Milk Makeup but I also got eleven additional samples with a twenty-five dollar purchase and two extra ones just for online shopping. It was a great deal and I have been enjoying testing out all of the high end skin care I got samples of.

It has already been established that I’m looking forward to trying my face AND butt mask but I think I am the most excited about my new eyelashes. The Museum Of Ice Cream and Sephora collab introduced the world to the most adorable, feather adorned fake eyelashes I have ever seen. Of course, there’s nowhere to flaunt them now but once I get my hair done it’s photo shoot time so be on the lookout to see a super funky and cool MOTD!

How do you get the best deals when shopping Sephora? Which beauty products do you love to treat yourself to? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun18

Bath Bomb Blitz: Da Bomb Galaxy Bomb Edition

Posted on June 18, 2020 by lifewithlilred

Standard

Bath Bomb Blitz: Da Bomb Galaxy Bomb Edition

Hello! For my twenty-sixth birthday, my bestie treated me to some bath and body care goodies including a salt soak, bath bomb, and face mask. This past week, after my long day at work, I returned home to an empty apartment because my boyfriend was at band practice. So, I figured it was the perfect time to treat myself to a nice, cold bath.

Yes, I did say cold! Lol, it has been hot, hot, hot in Ohio. Therefore, it is simply unbearable in my apartment and cold showers and, now baths, have become the norm. It’s funny, because just as one sinks into the steamy bath water, I did the same in the cold and it still felt just as good! The bath bomb just added to the ambiance! Haha, check it out:

Despite being labeled as “Fun Size” on the packaging, this Galaxy Bomb by Da Bomb (Love that name!) packed a huge punch. In under two minutes, my bath water achieved the inky black hue that I love so very much. The amber scent, which I am normally not a fan of, somehow added a touch of warmth into the cold water and taking an evening soak turned out to be one of my biggest treats of the week.

My best friend, Lea, knows me so well. Obviously, I love bath bombs. But, she always knows how to incorporate my favorite color of black into everything, which made it an ideal fun sized surprise. Speaking of surprises, a small prize was added into each bath bomb and I fished out a tiny golden shield from the water after the bath bomb fizzed out. It still smells like amber! 😀

Da Bomb is a company formed by two sisters and I have never heard of it before. But, this bath bomb was definitely one of the better non-Lush ones that I have used and I would recommend it! Overall, I rate this bath bomb with a: six out of ten stars and was really impressed with the color and scent of my bath water. Thanks, Lea! ❤

What is your favorite bath and body care brand? Do you prefer hot or cold showers? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun9

Tooth Glow Gem Kit Review

Posted on June 9, 2020 by lifewithlilred

Standard

Hello! A year or so ago, my cousin applied tooth gems to my pearly whites during a visit to her salon in Pittsburgh. Within a few weeks, one of the two gems fell off. The other one, however, managed to stay on until just about a month or so ago. I absolutely adored my tooth gems and I missed my smile without them so I purchased a few Swarovski crystal kits off of a site called Tooth Glow.

The crystals I picked out were lovely, light pink and a multi colored opal and the application process looked promising, so I was very eager to get my package in the mail. After what seemed like an eternity (AKA over three weeks, lol.), my Tooth Glow kits arrived and I applied them the same night.

Bear in mind, there was still bonding on my teeth when I took the selfie – it looks a lot better now, I swear:

The application process for the tooth gems was really easy. First, I put some petroleum jelly on wax paper and used it to stick a gem to a cotton swab. After that, I mixed up a bonding type of concoction that looked similar to what braces are applied with. Then, I brushed the spot I wanted bedazzled on my tooth heavily with the bonding agent.

Once the bonding was on, it was essential to move quickly and get the gem on before it dried. This was a little stressful and I failed the first time. But, I succeeded the second and third time around and I am really pleased with the outcome! It’s nice to have some sparkly bling back in my smile and I would recommend the Tooth Glow kits, easily.

One tiny qualm, though. I was only given one packet of the bonding agent when I bought two gem kits. I’m a little peeved about that but it is still a purchase that I’m glad I made!

Have you been successful at doing DIY salon treatments? Or not so much? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun4

New Hot Pink & Charcoal Grey Nails

Posted on June 4, 2020 by lifewithlilred

Standard

Hello! After over a month of not wearing acrylics due to the quarantine, I finally made my way back to the salon under guidelines that I was comfortable with. At Elysian Nails, I was able to come in for their very first appointment of the day. To be let inside the building, you had to text upon your arrival, get your temperature taken, and be wearing a mask. Check, check, and double check.

Once I was in the salon, there was only about six people there in total with well over six feet of distance between all of the customers. Plexiglass barriers were placed between the nail tech and client as well as between each station. Although these guidelines may feel over the top to some, I felt very safe with them. In turn, this made me feel like it was okay to treat myself to these beauties:

Despite being in a face mask and Elysian being nowhere near its full capacity, I felt right at home as soon as I walked in. Seeing all of my favorite nail techs, hearing the trendy music, and melting into one of their comfy chairs was just what I needed after working the duration of the coronavirus pandemic. It was amazing to be back and I was proud of all of the measures being taken by the owners to keep their customers and employees safe.

While acrylic-less, I already had the colors I wanted to use planned out – flirty and sassy pink in Summer Fling paired with the edgy and cool charcoal grey in Put The Kettle On. Both of these polishes are by Londontown and I highly recommend checking their page out for more beautiful colors and nourishing products.

My nails turned out exactly how I wanted them and, MAN, did it feel good to type with them! Going acrylic-less for the first time in years wasn’t the fondest time of my life but I got through it. I think I’ll stick to my monthly fills from now on, though. 😉

Have you been to a salon recently? What was it like? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May29

Bath & Body Works Online Haul

Posted on May 29, 2020 by lifewithlilred

Standard

Hi! During the coronavirus pandemic, the foaming hand soap from Bath & Body Works has been a godsend. They leave my hands feeling so clean without being stripped of moisture in any way. And, when you’re washing your hands way more frequently than usual, you have no idea how nice it is to have a soap that won’t turn your hands into bright red lobster claws!

I began purchasing B&BW soaps when I moved into my apartment last year and have not looked back since. My boyfriend, Johnny, loves them too and I love being in charge of which scents we pick out! Like all of these ones, when we had to restock online:

Which Scents?

Sunwashed Citrus
Peach Bellini
Shell Yeah (Peach Passionfruit)
Stay Pawsitive (Iced Vanilla Cookie)
Pineapple Mango
Pomegranate Lemonade

Bath & Body Works was running a six for twenty-four dollar promotion on their hand soaps and you just can’t beat that. Of course, shopping online for scents is hard so I just went with what sounded good to me. I had to grab another Peach Bellini because it’s my favorite but I decided to get all new scents for the other five choices.

I absolutely love the adorable marketing on the Shell Yeah and Stay Pawsitive bottles and they both smell awesome. The Iced Vanilla Cookie one smells so much like the real thing that you just want to eat it, lol. I also am a huge fan of tropical/citrus scents, as is my boyfriend, so the Pineapple Mango and Sunwashed Citrus were easy choices to make.

The only scent that I am not thrilled with is the Pomegranate Lemonade. The lemonade part isn’t noticeable and the pomegranate portion is so overpowering and it just smells… Not great. Very old lady-ish, actually, so I definitely won’t be getting it again. But, five out of six ain’t bad and having clean, smooth hands makes one disappointment one hundred and fifty percent worth it!

What is your favorite Bath & Body Works scent? How do you keep your hands from drying out after a lot of washes? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May28

May 2020 Finishes

Posted on May 28, 2020 by lifewithlilred

Standard

Hello! May is just about over, which means that it’s time for my monthly beauty finishes. Despite being stuck at home pretty much all of May, it went by surprisingly quick and before I know it, my birthday of June 7th will be here in which I am turning the big 2-6. YIKES! I am not particularly thrilled about this increase in age so I’d like to stay in May for a bit longer please and thank you.

Unfortunately, we all know that this isn’t possible so I guess I will just have to really savor these last few posts in May! *Deep breath* The savoring has officially commenced so let’s get to discussing these empties:

Would I Use Again?

Wonder Therapy Vanilla Coconut coffee cream scrub: YES
Bath & Body Works Winter Candy Apple shower gel: YES
Evoluderm micellar water: YES
ValJean Labs Revive day serum: NO
Clinique Moisture Surge face spray: YES

Why/Why Not?

Wonder Therapy Scrub: I got acquainted with the Wonder Therapy brand through TJMaxx and I am obsessed with their coffee scrubs! The Vanilla Coconut scent is delicious and the creamy texture is so rich that I don’t even have to put lotion on after shaving. And, speaking of shaving, I get the closest shave when I use this scrub first to prep my skin… We’re talking crazy smooth and it doesn’t get better than that. Plus, I got at least fifteen uses from one bottle, which is a great value too.

B&BW Shower Gel: Love the Bath & Body Works shower gels, love the apple scent, and love that I got it for about three bucks during their semi-annual sale. One bottle takes me over one month to finish and my skin definitely feels a lot softer and healthier from their moisturizing formula. And, did we mention the apple scent? Yum!

Evoluderm Micellar Water: I also got acquainted with the Evoluderm brand from TJMaxx and their micellar water is literally the best. It beats the Garnier micellar water by a long shot and I always have to snag a few bottles if I find it in the TJ’s beauty aisle. Not only does this micellar water take off my makeup perfectly but it also feels so good to use as a toner before I put my creams on. It took me over one month to finish the travel sized bottle.

ValJean Serum: This day serum by ValJean was a massive disappointment and one of the few times that the TJMaxx beauty aisle did me dirty. It was so strange because the consistency of the serum was thicker, which I like, but it felt like it did nothing every time I applied it. It was just kind of there and I noticed no difference in the feeling or appearance of my skin one way or the other. It took me one month to finish one bottle.

Clinique Face Spray: I received the Clinique Moisture Surge Face Spray as a freebie gift from one of my Sephora online orders. For a while, it just sat there unused in my bathroom cabinet. But, then, I used a super powerful cream that my mom gave me which was definitely intended for more mature skin. It dried my face out completely and, throughout the day, I could feel it becoming more and more parched.

Then, I decided to start taking the Clinique spray with me while I was out and about and couldn’t get cream on immediately. It was such a refreshing… Moisture surge, lol. Seriously, it was like getting a drink of water for my skin every time I used it and I can see myself buying it again this winter when my sensitive skin suffers. It took me two weeks of use to finish the travel sized bottle.

Overall, May was a great month for empties. I finished a lot of the products that I was working on for a while and that is always exciting because it means I can start something new. So, who knows what I’ll have used up next month… Keep it posted! 🙂

Which products did you finish up in May? What are some of your favorite beauty brands? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May14

Amazon Skin Care Haul

Posted on May 14, 2020 by lifewithlilred

Standard

Hello! If I knew the last time that I went to TJMaxx was the last time, I would have bought out their entire skin care selection. But, hindsight is 20/20 as the saying goes. A few weeks ago, I ran completely out of my selection of moisturizers and serums and was running dangerously low on everything else. As the other saying goes… There’s a first time for everything.

Normally, I would go to TJMaxx’s website to order some more skin care but they are not shipping out currently. So, I turned to Amazon and bought all of my necessities in bulk so that running out never happens again. Check out my haul:

The Haul:

2 Garnier micellar waters with a free travel size bottle
3 SkinLab Lift & Firm moisturizers
2 Azure Lux Rose Gold serums
1 Azure Lux 24K Gold serum
2 SkinLab Lift & Firm eye gels
1 SkinLab Hydrate & Replenish hydra eye cream

I know, I know… It’s a lot. But, now I won’t have to worry about replenishing my hoard for a good long while and I feel great about that. What I don’t feel so great about? How much more expensive these products were on Amazon than they normally are at TJs! For example, I paid about eleven dollars for each moisturizer on Amazon when I normally pay six at TJMaxx. That hurt.

You know what else hurts, though? Your skin literally aching to be moisturized after a few days of going without! That was really rough, especially since I’ve been following a strict skin care regimen since I was at least fifteen. I am so thankful that Amazon had brands that I was familiar with so that I didn’t have to spend money on products I potentially might not like. It might have cost a bit more but it was worth every penny.

I would never be a toilet paper hoarder but I have been a proud beauty care hoarder for years now and it is nice to finally have my stockpile sitting pretty again. 😀

What are some beauty products that you stockpile? Which products have you been having a hard time finding in stores? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May7

Bath Bomb Blitz: Bombs & Balms Edition

Posted on May 7, 2020 by lifewithlilred

Standard

Hello! While Ohio’s stay at home order is still in place, I’ve been trying to do a lot of pampering at home until I can get to the salons. This means bubble baths, face masks, and (I can’t believe I’m saying this) but painting my nails with regular old nail polish. Lol, it’s a far cry from acrylics but what can ya do?!

I love a good at home pampering sesh as much as the next but, damn, am I looking forward to leaving it to the professionals! In the meantime, it’s not so bad, especially when bath time involves using wonderful treats from my friend, Annie’s, business of Bombs & Balms. Annie makes amazing bath and body care treats including the Harry Potter themed bath bomb we’re going to discuss today:

Okay, everyone knows I am a Lush snob when it comes to bath bombs. I friggen love them and, I hate to be the one to say it, but some homemade bath bombs just aren’t good. The ones I have used in the past that weren’t from a name brand always ended up being a disappointment, which is why I was so blown away by Annie’s Death Eater inspired bath bomb.

Of course, anything Harry Potter is alright by me so we were already off to a good start. And, as soon as I dropped the bath bomb in the water it was putting in work! Before I knew it, my tub was filled with inky black water but it wasn’t over yet. I kid you not, this bath bomb fizzed for at least seven minutes, and it was still going by the time I just couldn’t wait anymore and had to get in the tub!

Annie’s bath bomb put on a great show and I fancied thinking that I could almost see the Dark Mark from Harry Potter in the water. So cool! I also loved seeing all of the green, gold, and silver glitter twinkling about for a magical touch that felt oh so Slytherin.

Annie’s bath bomb was easily of Lush quality and I would use any of her products again in a heartbeat. In fact, it was one of my favorite bath bombs that I have used in a while! Annie is currently in the process of rebranding her business to now include homemade jewelry and you can shop with her on all of the following platforms:

Facebook
Etsy: BombsAndBalms
Instagram: bombsandbalms

95309135_868980526946483_7691862389309833216_n

Looking for some high quality bath and body care with the perfect touch of fun? Be sure to check all of Annie’s work out today! 🙂

How have you been pampering yourself at home? Which Harry Potter house do you belong to? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

	lifewithlilred on Wedding Party OOTD
	lifewithlilred on Travel Turmoil In New Orl…
	Chantel Keona on Wedding Party OOTD
	Tour Leader on Travel Turmoil In New Orl…
	oliveunicorn on Labubu Or Lafufu?!