Tag Archives: beauty

Apr30

Lil Sephora Haul

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Lil Sephora Haul

Helloooo everyone! Within the past year or so, I have become absolutely addicted with shopping Sephora. Can you believe that there was a point in my life when I didn’t understand why people were so obsessed with it?! I used to think that it was so overpriced but, if you know how to shop their deals online, then you literally make out like a bandit with tons of free goodies and promotions.

Whenever I need a reup on my beloved Better Than Sex mascara, I always turn to Sephora’s website so that I can get some free swag with the things that I needed to purchase anyways. In my most recent haul, I grabbed two more BTS mascaras, my favorite highlighter in Sephora’s Golden Hour collection in Dusk, and three freebies. Take a look:

sephora

The Haul:

  • 2 Better Than Sex mascaras by Too Faced
  • Golden Hour collection highlighter in Dusk by Sephora
  • Laura Mercier lipstick in Classic Red – FREE!
  • Daisy by Marc Jacobs perfume sample – FREE!
  • Jack Black Pure Clean Daily Facial Cleanser sample – FREE!

Although I do love shopping Sephora online, it is sometimes disappointing to receive your package and see that the samples that you ordered were replaced with different ones. I originally chose a face mask and serum sample as my two freebies and got the perfume and cleanser, instead, most likely because the two I wanted were out of stock. It’s fine, but I’m not really a perfume girl and I can never tell if I like a cleanser by just one sample use. This has actually happened the past several times I ordered with Sephora and, believe me, I’m not mad about it. It’s just more annoying than anything.

Another unfortunate instance with this order was that the box for one of my mascaras was completely un-intact, which is a little disconcerting with makeup. I’m not worried about it, but it’s just not a good look to open your box and see one of the rather expensive mascara tubes just hanging out in there instead of in its package. Normally, Sephora’s packaging is on point and this was easily the worst overall order I’ve had since shopping with them.

Despite the hiccups with my freebie samples and the poor packaging, I am excited to try the Classic Red lipstick shade by Laura Mercier, which I got for free with a twenty-five dollar purchase. Be on the lookout for a swatch post for that soon. And, here’s to a better unboxing experience next time!

What is your favorite store to purchase makeup from? Which store offers the best freebies or rewards programs? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr29

April 2019 Finishes

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April 2019 Finishes

Hi! Another fun filled month has passed by on lifewithlilred with a lot of exciting stuff that has happened – namely my big move into my apartment. I thank all of you for being so supportive and offering me advice and encouragement, it has been so appreciated! I really have the best readers in the world. And, with the end of another month comes our usual empties post, so it’s time to go over the measly amount of beauty products that I finished up in April. Take a look and let’s discuss:

april

Would I Use Again?

  • Travel size lotions: MAYBE
  • The Body Shop Nutriganics eye cream: YES

Why/Why Not?

Mini Lotions: In my bath and body care hoard, I have an obscene amount of lotions that have been gifted to me or were freebies including the two above by CeraVe and Eufora. Both of these lotions absorbed quickly without being greasy and, because the CeraVe one was for babies, it was especially gentle which was nice after shaving. I wouldn’t go out of my way to by either of them again but I would use them if given the option.

TBS Eye Cream: We all know that I love me my Nutriganics eye cream and, sadly, it has been discontinued by The Body Shop. I am so upset about this because I’ve been using this cream for what feels like the past decade and the one that I bought from TJMaxx by Lanoline just isn’t cutting it. The Nutriganics eye cream was seriously the best. It was so gentle on the sensitive skin around the eyes but it was effective and sat well under makeup. I wish I could buy a ton in bulk so that I can continue my skin care journey with it, but it looks like that isn’t going to happen. Le sigh. 😦

April was a very underwhelming month for finishes and saying goodbye to an old beauty product companion is never easy. So, here’s to hoping for some fun products to discuss in May that won’t be discontinued in the near future! 😉

Which eye cream do you recommend? What is one of your favorite products that has been discontinued? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr27

Photo Shoot Fun

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Photo Shoot Fun

Hi hi! As I sit in *my* apartment – my apartment! Ahh! I have been able to review the pictures that my friend, Markus, took of me a few weeks ago while enjoying my first cup of coffee from my handy dandy Keurig machine compliments of my mom and dad. You might remember my Life On The Edge OOTD from a couple of weeks ago that featured pictures from the shoot and now I have more to share with you. And, be sure to tune in tomorrow for even more shots of yours truly! Check it out:

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A few of these pictures were taken for Markus’s photography project at Tri-C, which just so happens to be my alma mater. And, then, he was kind enough to take some shots of me specifically for lifewithlilred. For the project, he had to shoot three different looks. One for a business, an emotional one, and one for beauty. And, he had to use lighting to express each one. I’m sure you can guess which ones were for the business style pictures! I’m actually really happy about those, because I’d like to make a webpage at some point for my work as a provider so they will be perfect for that endeavor.

I am so in love with the more blog related photos (And all of them, for that matter!). I especially like the one with the really dark red background because it reminds me so much of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, which is one of my favorite series. The photos with the lighter pink background are just pure bubblegum fun and I had a blast creating these outfits and hanging out with Markus for the afternoon to get them done! Stop by for more tomorrow! 😀

What is your favorite hobby? How do you make time to practice your craft? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr10

Photo Shoot Sneak Peek

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Photo Shoot Sneak Peek

Hi hi hi everyone! This past weekend, I enjoyed hanging out with my dear friend, Markus. He is actually my sister’s boss and has taken up a photography hobby a few years ago. So, when he contacted me to see if I could help him with a project for school, I was all for it. For this project, he had to use lighting to create a look for a business, beauty, and emotional style outfit. He also was able to work in some time to take some pictures for lifewithlilred!

I enjoyed working with Markus so much and it was such a delight to see how much he has improved since he began his photography journey. The featured image photo and the one below is a little sneak peek for all of my darlings. And, be on the lookout for an OOTD post coming soon!

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What is your favorite hobby? How do you make time to practice your craft? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr7

New Light Pink & Gold Glitter Nails

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New Light Pink & Gold Glitter Nails

Hellooo everyone! This past week, I treated myself to a new set of acrylics. The ones that I had been wearing for over a half a year or so were getting pretty flimsy and it feels so good to have some nice, sturdy new nails again. And, did I mention that they’re pretty?! I went with a springy color palette and am in love with the soft pink and shock of glitter that I chose. Check it out:

nails

I recently painted one of my client’s nails with a pale pink similar to the color that I went with and I was obsessed. So, I decided that that shade definitely had to be used once I was able to get my nails done. Light pink is so lovely for spring and it reminds me of one of my favorite flowers – pink hyacinths! The gold accent nail compliments it nicely, too, and is reminiscent of golden foil wrapped chocolate eggs for Easter. 😀

And, as always, Elysian Nails did a wonderful job with my talons. I honestly can’t believe I ever went to a different salon, because this one is the real deal. Amazing techs, gorgeous set up, and fair prices – it can’t be beat and I am so happy to have finally found a salon that I love!

What color of polish do you have on right now? What is your favorite spring flower? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar27

March 2019 Finishes

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March 2019 Finishes

Hiiii! With yet another month of 2019 drawing to a close, it is time to discuss the beauty finishes that I had for March. This month, I finished up a lot of travel sized products, as well as a new and old favorite. Sadly, the new favorite is from TJMaxx and I don’t know if I will ever see it again. So, if any of you have some intel on where I can get it, please leave me a comment! Take a look and let’s discuss:

march

Would I Use Again?

Why/Why Not?

IGK Leave In Conditioner: I sampled this product from a Sephora Play! box that I got over the summer and, within the week or so of using it, I realized that I couldn’t live without it. The Mistress balm by IGK leaves my hair feeling nourished and healthy while looking so shiny and I use it every single day. It sinks completely into your hair, which makes it feel touchable and easy to manage without any stickiness. And, one tube lasted me about six months, making the twenty-nine dollar price tag well worth it.

Evoluderm Micellar Water: I never understood the big deal that French people made over micellar water, until I tried French micellar water. This product by Evoluderm was simply life changing! It somehow felt thicker than the water I normally use by Garnier, if that makes any sense. But, it hydrated my skin so well and it made for such easy makeup removal without scrubbing. The month that I had with this micellar water was not long enough so if anyone knows where I can get more, then PLEASE let me know!

Essano Micellar Water: I was out of micellar water after my Evoluderm success and my dear sweet mother picked this travel sized bottle up for me at TJMaxx, as it was the only micellar water they had. It definitely wasn’t as good as the previous product but it was okay. It took me a little over two weeks to finish the bottle.

Travel Size Lotion: As per ushe, I enjoyed my B&BW lotions and the random Hempz freebie that I had, too. I got a full body and a half use out of each bottle and all of them were so nice to put on post leg shaving. I wasn’t too fond of the B&BW scents of Magic In The Air and Marshmallow Pumpkin Latte, but the Hempz Pomegranate smelled really good. 😀

Danielle LaRoche Moisturizer: This product took me over a month to finish and I liked it a lot. I am a fan of any skin care with gold in it, which made the Danielle LaRoche moisturizer an obvious choice when I was picking it out. I would use it again in a heartbeat, because it was really moisturizing without being too heavy and it sat well under my makeup. It smelled so rich and creamy, too, which I love!

March was a very successful month for all of my finishes and I would happily use all of them again. It felt good to clear out some clutter by finishing up my travel sized products and I love when I can finish up something that I’ve been using for a while, like my IGK hair balm. 10/10 would recommend all of these products.

Have you used any of the beauty care items seen above? What were your thoughts on them? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar25

Lil Red’s Adventures In Microblading: My Touch Up Appointment

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Lil Red’s Adventures In Microblading: My Touch Up Appointment

Helloooo! At the end of February, I took a trip to Pittsburgh to hang out with my fabulous cousin, Laura. She is seriously the coolest person on the planet and she is an absolute microblading genius. Laura microbladed my eyebrows in October and I was finally able to go see her after a few months apart compliments of my surgery. During my visit, Laura touched up my eyebrows and gave me some adorable bling for my teeth. Check it out:

lmbcgems

Laura is the owner of La Marie Brow Club in Lawrenceville, PA and is an esteemed makeup artist. I’m not going to lie, I was ambivalent at first to get microbladed, but I knew that I would be in the best hands with her and was obsessed after my initial appointment. A touch up was definitely needed, though, and I was so happy to finally get it done!

Similar to a touch up session for a tattoo, Laura went over the hair strokes on my eyebrows that might not have taken as well. She also used a darker pigment because I wanted a more bold look after dipping my toes in the water the first time. The nice thing about being microbladed, is that Laura numbs the area before she gets to work, but it did hurt a little more this time around than the first. However, I am also super comfortable with her which, in her words, makes me “squirmier than the average bear”. Lololol.

I am so in love with how my brows look after the touch up session. My first time being microbladed in October really set the ground work for what my brows look like now. And, during the touch up, it all comes together to create a bold but still natural looking brow, which was important to me. Laura listened to what I wanted and executed it perfectly. I feel like these are the eyebrows that I should have had my whole life and never having to apply brow makeup is the best thing ever.

Laura created eyebrows that were just for me and her studio was a safe, clean, and welcoming environment. She also explains the aftercare instructions thoroughly and provides you with her custom made Brow Love to apply after you’ve been microbladed. And, the fun didn’t stop there, because after my touch up, she put my tooth gems on for me which are the cutest. 😀

La Marie Brow Club also offers upper lash line enhancement, freckles, beauty marks, and lip blush for all of your permanent makeup needs. I cannot recommend their services enough so, if you’re in the area, schedule an appointment ASAP!

Would you ever get microbladed? How about any other forms of permanent makeup? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar20

Tiny TJMaxx Haul

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Tiny TJMaxx Haul

Helloo!! Whenever I get a gift card to TJMaxx, I always try to stock up on things that I know I’m going to need in the future. So, despite always wanting new shoes, I normally will purchase my skin care essentials like moisturizer, micellar water, and serums. My neighbor who I dogsit for treated me to a leftover TJs gift card of hers to spend while I was watching her pups and I ended up with two new moisturizers that I’m really looking forward to trying. Check it out:

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^^^ First of all, peep the Cosmo and Wanda green and pink a la the Fairly Odd Parents! 😀

While browsing the beauty section, both of these Skin Lab moisturizers spoke to me. And, it was impossible to just choose one, considering they both have a really different formula but they each look equally as beneficial. I also liked how the packaging fully explained what each ingredient in the moisturizer does so that you feel like you’re taking charge of your skin care routine.

When choosing a moisturizer, texture is one of the most important things that I look for in determining if it will work for me or not. With normal skin, anything too heavy is just too much and doesn’t sit well under makeup. While anything too light leaves my skin feeling thirsty for more hydration. Both of these moisturizers have either a whipped or gel texture, which is exactly what I like. The gel one will be perfect during the warm summer days, while the whipped will be great for the spring, as it can still be chilly and windy.

Another added bonus, is that these two moisturizers together cost me about fifteen bucks, which definitely beats buying one for that price at a drugstore. I can’t wait to try both of these Skin Lab products out and all of you will be the first to know if they are worth trying out for yourself! 😀

What is your favorite store to get a gift card at? Do you have a skin care stockpile at home? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar13

Bubble Bar Blitz: Lush’s Yog Nog Yule Log Pt. 2 Edition

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Bubble Bar Blitz: Lush’s Yog Nog Yule Log Pt. 2 Edition

Hello! A few days ago, we discussed the Yog Nog Yule Log bubble bar from Lush. Sadly, I didn’t use it correctly the first time around and did not experience the bubble bath of my dreams. But, since the bar is reusable, I was able to try again! And, sadly, I still did not experience the bubble bath of my dreams, even though I used the bar properly this time. All I got was a few measly bubbles and pee yellow bath water. Lol, take a look and let’s discuss:

yule1yog

After my unsuccessful first bubble bar bath, I consulted the Lush website and learned that you have to crumble the bar up and hold it under the running water – which I did the second time around. I don’t know what I was expecting, albeit it wasn’t much, but I definitely didn’t anticipate sinking into a bath filled with the water seen above!

Maybe the bubble bars don’t bubble as well the second time around or something but it was very much lacking in that department, to say the least. So, I just took the crumbled up bar pieces that didn’t dissolve and used it on my body to shave with like I did the last time.

yule2

I don’t know if I’ll try a bubble bar again after the two unsuccessful experiences with Yog Nog Yule Log. But, that’s okay, because I’m so partial to the bath bombs that I’d rather use those, anyways. Despite the bar not bubbling the best, it still gave me a really close and smooth shave, which I can definitely appreciate! 😀

What are your thoughts on the Lush bubble bars? Do you have a favorite one? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar11

New Cherry & Cream Nails

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New Cherry & Cream Nails

Hello!! This past Thursday, I enjoyed a much needed fill at my wonderful salon, Elysian Nails. Seriously, I can’t rave enough about that place. It is so posh, the nail techs are brilliant, and the prices are amazing. I always leave there feeling like a million bucks while only spending a fraction of what I used to pay to get my nails did. This time around, I chose a cherry vanilla motif and ended up with these beauties. Take a look:

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For the first time ever, I have red nails and I am so in love! It took long enough to go with nails the color of my namesake, but it was worth the wait because these are fabulous. My talons are nice and sharp and the deep cherry color along with the nude accent nail feels so lux and elegant. This color combination is edgy in a different way. I still feel like the queen of the underworld as I did with my black nails but now I feel like the queen of everything else, too!

Thanks, Elysian Nails! ❤

What color of polish do you have on right now? Which colors should I get next? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah