Tag Archives: beauty

Face Mask Festivities: St. Ives Oatmeal Scrub & Mask

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Face Mask Festivities: St. Ives Oatmeal Scrub & Mask

Helloooo everyone and welcome to the last post in my Face Mask Festivities mini series! Today, we are going to talk about a brand that I love oh so very much – St. Ives. I use St. Ives products every day, whether it be a scrub or body wash, and I always thoroughly enjoy using their skin care and bath and body goodies. The Oatmeal scrub that I’m currently using just so happens to double as a face mask, so I thought that I would finally use a beloved product in a brand new way. Take a look and let’s discuss:

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I was curious to see how this mask would work, because I’ve used it as a scrub countless times but never really bothered to try it differently. I love this St. Ives product as a scrub, but not so much as a mask. The mask instructions read to leave it on for five to seven minutes and I genuinely don’t know how that’s possible. Within about three minutes, this mask felt tight, tight, tight on my face and had already hardened from its dampened form. As you can see by my “after” pic, it left my skin quite irritated and I had to use a heavy moisturizer to get my skin feeling hydrated again.

I will say that this mask smells absolutely delicious. I am a sucker for oatmeal scented products, and this one is no exception. There’s something about the rich, creamy scents that just get me. It makes my skin feel nourished and well taken care of and I really love that. Now, if only this mask made me feel that way, because it left my skin parched for moisture rather than lush and lovely.

The entire time that I had this mask on, although it was short lived, I was thinking about how much I would rather be using The Body Shop’s Honey & Oat Mask, instead. From now on, this St. Ives product is going to stick to its uses as a scrub, because that is where this skin care treat shines.

So there you have it, the last post for this round’s Face Mask Festivities: St. Ives Oatmeal Scrub & Mask Edition! Which mask from this series would you like to try? What are your thoughts on this mask if you have ever used it before? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Featured Image By: Cision

Face Mask Festivities: The Body Shop’s Vitamin E Sleeping Mask Edition

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Face Mask Festivities: The Body Shop’s Vitamin E Sleeping Mask Edition

Hi everyone and Happy Thursday! Today, we’re going to talk about The Body Shop’s Vitamin E Sink-In Moisture Sleeping Mask. Out of all of the wonderful skin care lines that The Body Shop offers, Vitamin E is definitely my favorite. I love the rich, creamy texture, the rich, creamy smell, and the peaches and cream perfection effect that it has on my skin. Take a look at some pics and let’s discuss:

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In the picture above, I had just put on the Vitamin E mask after using the British Rose mask that we chatted about yesterday. My skin felt very tight and dry after using the British Rose mask and the Vitamin E one took care of that in an instant. Within just a few minutes, the rosiness in my cheeks was gone and my skin felt supple and hydrated. Thank gawd, because nothing is worse than dry skin during the winter!

In the intro paragraph, I mentioned how much I love the smell of all of the Vitamin E products and that rings so true with this mask. As soon as you open the jar, it smells like opening a fresh carton of heavy cream and it’s so lush and dreamy. The pillowy soft texture is also another lovely added bonus. As soon as this mask hits the skin, it sinks in and provides instant moisturizing protection. Talk about a tall drink of water for your face!

I always love going to bed with this mask on, because I know that when I wake up my skin will be picture perfect and so soft to the touch. The six dollar price tag from TJMaxx also doesn’t hurt when you want gorgeous skin but are ballin on a budget! I highly recommend this mask and am looking forward to many more uses of it.

So there you have it, another issue of Face Mask Festivities: The Body Shop’s Vitamin E Sleeping Mask Edition! What is your favorite skin care line from The Body Shop? What are your thoughts on this mask if you have used it before? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Face Mask Festivities: The Body Shop’s British Rose Edition

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Face Mask Festivities: The Body Shop’s British Rose Edition

Howdy! This week, I am excited to feature some new Face Mask Festivities on my page – three of them to be exact! Face masks are the it beauty product right now, and I thought that I would start off this mini series by talking about The Body Shop’s British Rose Fresh Plumping Mask. Take a look at some pics and let’s discuss. And don’t judge me too hard for putting this on over makeup because it didn’t say anywhere on the directions on the jar that a clean face was required! 😉

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This mask was interesting, because it was more like a gel in texture. As you can see in my picture with it on, you can barely even tell that I had it on! This was an instant bonus to me, because I knew that it wouldn’t be a pain to clean up in the shower, unlike The Body Shop’s Himalayan Charcoal Mask. But I digress. Despite being a fan of the gel texture for it’s easy clean up, it felt like it was doing a whole lot of nothing. I now know that I prefer thicker face masks that you can actually see when it’s on, because I like to “watch” and feel my masks working.

The scent of this mask was also just okay. For those of you who have smelled The Body Shop’s British Rose line before, it was not as pungent as the body butter – thank goodness! However, it definitely had that freshly cut rose smell to it. This was all fine and well, but I prefer a more minty, citrus, or oat scent to my face masks. But with a name like British Rose, you take what you can get! I’m glad that this mask didn’t smell as…bad…as the body butter, because that would have been ten minutes of pure misery when the mask was on!

Now to the real question: Did this mask “do” anything?

Mmm, I couldn’t really tell. Was it because I wore makeup while using the mask? Maybe. Or maybe you just need to use this mask a few times to get the full effect. But that’s never going to happen because this was a one and done try soooooooo……..

So why did you buy this mask if you hate it?

I didn’t! It came in the Mother’s Day tote bag last year and I didn’t even know that my mom had it!! When she told me how much she enjoyed it, I figured I would start up another Face Mask Festivities mini series by writing about it first. Trust and believe that I would have never bought this for myself, lol.

So there you have it, an albeit a little disappointing start to another Face Mask Festivities mini series with The Body Shop’s British Rose Mask! What is your favorite face mask? What are your thoughts on the British Rose mask if you have used it before? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Estee Lauder “Candy” Lipstick Swatch

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Estee Lauder “Candy” Lipstick Swatch

Howdy! Over Thanksgiving, my sister brought me a lipstick that she didn’t want by Estee Lauder. My sister, Kristen, is far more adventurous than I am with makeup, so it’s always fun when she brings me some of her rejects to try, because I would never buy it for myself. I’m not sure if I would ever use this sparkly, purple-pink shade, but it sure is pretty! Take a look:

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As I’ve mentioned before, I’m not huge on pink lipstick. However, I liked that this shade seemed to have a more purple base to it, which made the pink not so overpowering. And, what girl doesn’t love a bit of sparkle when it comes to makeup? I loved the red L’Oreal lipstick that I got a while back ago with glitter in it, so I figured that it was worth it to give this Candy color a shot, even if it is a bit out of my comfort zone.

This shade is one that I can’t picture myself wearing around on a daily basis. I feel like I need just the right outfit to pull this color off and I can see myself wearing it with something navy blue or even an oversized flannel to glam up a tomboy look. I think that I’m going to test drive it with one of my favorite navy blue peacoats from ModCloth and we’ll see what happens! Fingers crossed!

What is a lipstick color that would push you out of your comfort zone? How would you incorporate this Estee Lauder shade into your makeup routine? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

November 2017 Finishes

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November 2017 Finishes

Hi everyone and happy weekend! I can’t believe that it’s already time for another monthly finishes post as November begins to draw to a close. This month, I happened to love all of the beauty products and bath and body goodies that I finished up so take a look and let’s discuss:

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Would I Use Again?

  • Softsoap Honey Creme & Lavender body wash: YES
  • Dickinson’s Witch Hazel: YES
  • The Body Shop Strawberry scrub: YES
  • The Body Shop Vitamin C Skin Boost: YES
  • The Body Shop Vitamin E body butter: YES
  • Yes To Coconuts moisturizer: YES

Why/Why Not?

Softsoap Body Wash: I absolutely loved this product. IT SMELLS SO GOOD!!! Normally, I’m not a lavender fan in the slightest, but the floral hints are so subtle that it makes for a totally delicious scent combination. The honey creme fragrance is so rich and creamy – it makes showering feel like a luxury. And, because the body wash is a cream instead of a gel, it left my skin feeling silky and hydrated. In my efforts to make my products last longer, it took me two months to finish this body wash. Woah!

Dickinson’s Witch Hazel: Witch Hazel is a must in my beauty routine and I use it religiously every day once I get out of the shower to clean my piercings and then I use it all over as a toner. This wonder product tightens my pores, relieves any redness, and helps remove any leftover makeup that I didn’t get off in the shower. Talk about incredible! And the best part? It took me about five months to finish this product!

TBS Scrub: I got this scrub from TJMaxx for five dollars and it provided me with at least twenty full body uses when I’m shaving during bath time. I love the strawberry scent from The Body Shop and this scrub gives me a close shave and doesn’t dry out my skin in the process. Now, I need to find me a Satsuma scrub at TJs so I can change it up!

TBS Skin Boost: Yes, yes we all know that I love this product. It took me about three months to finish it.

TBS Body Butter: I love all things Vitamin E from TBS and this body butter is no exception. I got it for six bucks at TJMaxx and it provided me with five full body uses, which lasted me one month and one week. I can’t describe the Vitamin E scent in any way but creamy. It just smells so lush and I love being able to wrap my body in a souffle of it. The pretty light pink color is another added bonus!

Yes To Moisturizer: This product cost me six bucks at TJs and I probably got thirty uses of it on my face and neck. I love, love, love this moisturizer. The whipped coconut scent is simply to die for and the ultra moisturizing concoction leaves my skin glowing with peaches and cream perfection.

November was definitely a successful month for finishes and I loved being able to use up so many products that I genuinely enjoy! Which products are you finishing up this month? Have you used any of the above products before? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

The Pre Date Night Frenzy

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The Pre Date Night Frenzy

Going on a date is a serious business, right? We want to look good for our intended beau! However, in the run-up to the big night, logic seems to go out of the window. Partly due to stress, as well as ensuring we are the only girl on the guy’s radar during the evening, we take part in some weird rituals and habits that might seem a little crazy in retrospect. Take a look at what we mean below, and see how many you are familiar with:

Getting ready hours before the date: We want to look our best, so with all of our giddy excitement, we start getting ready hours before we are due to go out. There’s a lot of prep to be done, from choosing the outfit that we are going to wear to working out what makeup will match the look we are going for. We want to impress the guy, not look like something the cat just dragged through the back door, so we make every effort to get things right.

dateeAnd it’s only 9 AM!

We look to Hollywood for advice: You may not be going to the movies on your night out, but you can still pick up a few handy lessons from Hollywood in the day’s leading up to your date. If you want what she’s having, you may pick up some tips from Meg Ryan in ‘When Harry Met Sally,’ and if you want to know what not to do, there’s no better place to learn than from a ‘Bridget Jones’ movie. Of course, Hollywood isn’t reality, so don’t assume all of your Cinderella fantasies will come true. Real life is far more complicated, although watching Bridget make another embarrassing faux pas is going to lighten your mood before you go out.

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We sabotage our good looks: While trying to look good for our date, we stand a greater chance of ruining things for ourselves if we overdo it. Popping zits may seem like a good idea, but it only increases the chances of another outbreak. Hint: Use decent acne cream, instead. Then, when waxing to get rid of body hair, we are in danger of breaking out in unflattering red bumps. Hint: Use these helpful tips to soothe skin after waxing. Hello, silky smooth skin!

We change your mind about the outfit…again: Remember that outfit you picked out at the start of the day? Maybe it’s not the right one after all, so you should probably try something else. You FaceTime your besties and ask (order) them to give you their valued opinion. After listening to their advice for an hour, you hang up on them. They clearly don’t know what they’re talking about. That blue dress with those shoes? Are they mad? In a frenzy, you go back and forth in your mind and body trying on each outfit, trying to preempt your guy’s opinion. In the end, you decide the outfit you chose the first time was the right one after all. Classic.

We become proficient at telling the time: What time is it now? Oh, it’s okay, there’s still hours to go before the date. What time is it now? Oh, it’s only two minutes after the last time you looked. Look, you aren’t going to make time fly by checking your watch every few minutes so relax and give yourself a break. Do something to distract yourself, and you won’t fret as much. Play some music, chat with your friends, watch Bridget Jones for the third time today. What time is it now? AHH, you’re meeting him in five minutes and you still haven’t done your hair. Where did the time go?!

We play the date through in our head…a hundred times: There’s no way that you will know how well the date will go until you actually get there. That doesn’t stop you from going over every eventuality. In your first daydream, you step out of your car door and into your fella’s arms. He whisks you off of your feet and into a ballroom in a scene that is reminiscent of that one part in ‘Beauty and the Beast.’ Only, he’s no beast, he’s absolutely gorgeous, and he proposes to you before the first dance is over. ‘Yes’ you shout out, and everybody applauds as they relish in your celebration. Second daydream: you fall out of your car into a muddy puddle, ruining your dress. The guy doesn’t so much whisk you off of your feet as drag you through the mud as the crowd begins to gather. You stand in the middle of the puddle, just a girl standing in front of a guy, only you are no longer the Julia Roberts in your head, and you have stepped into the cringy world of Bridget Jones. Yikes!

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And then: After going through everything we mentioned, you finally get to your date. He compliments you on how you look and you tell him it was just something you threw together. When he then asks you how your day was, you look at him straight in the eye and say it was fine, just another chilled out day. Of course, you know different. Let’s just hope the date is worth it!

The pre date night frenzy is real and sometimes it can be brutal. Take a deep breath, eat some chocolate, and CHILL OUT! You’re great and it’s going to be a wonderful night!

Elf Touch Of Pink Lipstick

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Elf Touch Of Pink Lipstick

Hey everyone and happy Hump Day! Last week, my sister asked if she could borrow one of my lipsticks and I found a shade that I had totally forgotten to write about in my collection. This Touch Of Pink lipstick actually came with my Nude Rose Gold Palette that I had wrote about a while back ago, so that was a great deal.

BUT WAIT!

I thought you only wore red lipstick!

Good call! Of course, I prefer my bright red lipstick any day of the week. BUT, if I’m in a rush or just don’t feel like painting on my red pout, I normally opt for a nude shade, instead. Nude lipsticks are great when you’re on the go, because any application mistakes aren’t as noticeable – while reds are glaringly obvious! So now that we have this settled, take a look at Elf’s Touch Of Pink lipstick and let’s discuss:

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Whomever named this lipstick really hit the nail on the head, because from the swatch seen above, there really is just a Touch Of Pink in this shade. To me, the color looks more dusty peach, with just the slightest pinch of rose added in for a fresh new take on a nude lip. You will never ever catch me in a Barbie shade pink lip, but I can definitely handle the slightest rosey coloring in this Elf lipstick, for sure!

This lipstick is always a safe bet for work, but for play – best believe that it’s still all about the red lip for yours truly! What is your go to shade of lipstick? Which brand has the best lippie? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Enjoying An At Home Spa Day

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Enjoying An At Home Spa Day

Many of us love the idea of heading to the spa for a day of total relaxation. Slipping on that white fluffy robe and slippers, indulging in a massage, a facial, a manicure, or pedicure. Lounging around on those beds reading a magazine and maybe enjoying a glass of champagne. It can be a girls’ dream day, but it can also be an expensive one. However, there is no reason why you can’t get the same level of relaxation at home from your very own bathroom.

There are simple things that you can change in your bathroom to make it feel more spa-like, and there are certainly bigger investments that you can make to improve how your bathroom looks. But every girl deserves a place to chill, and the throne room can be that little piece of heaven that you crave at the end of the day. Creating an at home spa experience isn’t all that difficult, so let’s discuss how to do just that:

Major Changes (If You Want!):

One of the biggest transformations that you can make to your bathroom, and also the most expensive way to achieve a new look, is to replace the bathroom entirely and fit a new suite. You could use this opportunity to change the layout and even consider something a little different like a free-standing bathtub – companies like Kardiel have a great selection! Whichever way you want to go, replacing your bathroom can be the ideal way to create an at home spa experience. While it can cost you a fair bit to remodel, it can also increase the value of your home, meaning the investment is never truly lost. Talk about a win/win!

Making Simple Updates:

If you don’t want to replace the whole bathroom, you could choose to update it in other ways. Changing the tiling you have on the floor, swapping the basin for a vanity unit, or painting the walls in a more neutral tone could really brighten up the bathroom area and change the way that it looks and feels. You don’t even have to be as extreme as getting the paint brush out, sometimes just investing in some new towels and colorful accessories or prints for the wall can give your bathroom the update that it needs.

Light All The Candles:

One of the great ways a spa can help you relax is because they have a clever use of low lighting, and one way to achieve that is through candle light. Not only do candles set the spa vibes perfectly but they are fun to shop for! Find a cute boutique and shop our wood wick candles to discover the scents that soothe you. You could also consider oil burners, which takes advantage of the light as well as an essential oil scent to help you relax even further. Lavender or eucalyptus are always good ones to consider. Candles also help to relax the mind, so having a nice warm bath by candle light could be the perfect remedy for a stressful day.

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 What’s your favorite candle scent?

Smartphone Savvy:

While you may be thinking that the last thing you want to be doing while relaxing in your bathroom is to be messing around on your phone, please reconsider! There are some great apps that you can download to recreate the sounds of a spa. Mood music or even listening to some guided meditation can be a great way for you to channel your thoughts and enjoy your R&R time.

DIY Treats:

Part of the spa experience is to enjoy a treatment or two, and while a massage might not be in the cards unless you have a willing partner, there are other treatments that you can easily do at home. You could consider putting on a face mask, which is a great way to deep clean your skin and pores, and adding a few slices of cucumber over your eyes might help you feel like you are actually at the spa. You could also give yourself a pedicure or manicure by filing and shaping your nails and adding a splash of color with some vanish. There are some great DIY beauty methods you could also try like coconut oil added to your hair for a conditioning treatment or creating a body scrub from coffee. You can find a ton of articles online full of ideas and recipes!

Pop Some Bottles:

Finally, whether you enjoy a glass of bubbles, your favorite wine or beer, or even just a hot chocolate or a good cup of tea, arm yourself with your favorite drink, put on your best robe, and get ready for a soothing evening in. Enjoy!

Featured Image By: Pixabay

New Silver Glitter & Black Nails

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New Silver Glitter & Black Nails

Hellooooooooo! This past Tuesday, after over ONE WHOLE MONTH of not getting my nails filled, I finally sat my sweet buns down at the salon to cure the jankiness that was on my fingers. I always try my best to wait an entire month to get my nails done, because ballin on a budget, but I’m pretty sure that I waited close to five weeks to get my claws touched up this time around. With the holiday season right around the corner, it’s important to me that I stretch out all of my beauty routines (Hair cut, eyebrow waxing, etc.) for as long as I can so that I can spoil all of my loved ones on Christmas.

I was really pleased with how well my brand new set of nails held up. Although they were grown out, the shape was still how I wanted and none of my nails broke during my no fill marathon. I can’t say that I loved waiting for so long to get a fill but, damnit, if my talons can hold up for that long, then why not? It’s not like anyone other than my nail tech, Steve, was like “Oh my god, your nails look horrible”! Take a look at my new babies and let’s discuss:

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For my “funky finger”, as Steve calls my accent nail, I went with a confetti OPI polish over top of a silver Essie shade. I love using glitter polish on my accent nail and I’m quite impressed with myself for doing a pretty darn good rhinestone cross on my middle fingers. I know that I’ve said this before, but I really need to pick up different colored gems from the craft store so that I can play around with different designs on my other fingers!

As always, Steve did a wonderful job on my fill and someone else thought so, too. While I was waiting for my nails to dry, I got asked for the first time if a picture could be taken of my nails! Lol, I should have told the girl that I was a hand model! These past few weeks have been pretty busy for yours truly so being able to sit down and be pampered for an hour was definitely a nice change of pace. And the nail paparazzi was a fun surprise!

So there you have it, my New Silver Glitter & Black Nails! What color of nail polish do you have on right now? What color should my next accent nail be? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Travel Sizes: Little But Fierce

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Travel Sizes: Little But Fierce

Hi everyone and welcome to the weekend! Because of my Manhattan travels last month for AnkhorRed’s Bloggers Conference, I was finally able to break out one of my many travel sized shower gels from Bath & Body Works, compliments of my freebie coupons. I have to say, I’m nothing short of impressed. Take a look and let’s discuss:

“Though she be but little, she is fierce!” – William Shakespeare

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Do you want to know how long it took to finish this three fluid ounce sized B&BW shower gel? ALMOST THREE WEEKS!!!! Three entire weeks of using a mini shower gel, says the girl who can finish a full sized body wash in a month flat? Yeah, you heard right.

BUT HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?!

I’ve been racking my brains trying to figure out how this could be and I only have two solutions that makes sense. With a normal sized shower gel, I was so convinced that it would never run out that I would use way more than what was necessary. And, also, I really really like taking bubble baths. And when you combine these two factors, it just leads to using the body wash in excess, which causes me to use it up way faster than the average Joe.

HOW WASN’T THE SHOWER GEL FINISHED IN THREE DAYS?!

I’ve been racking my brains trying to figure out how this could be and I only have one solution that makes sense. I honestly just think that I wanted to see how long I could make this itty bitty travel sized gel last. I was able to see clearly how much body wash that I had left, thanks to the clear packaging, and every day that I went without finishing it, I tried to see if I could tack on another. And, the Bath & Body Works gel lathers really nicely, so I still felt squeaky clean without having to use an excess amount.

Using this travel sized product was an extremely eye opening experiment about just how much shower gel I was actually using and how much is truly necessary to use every day. With all of this newfound knowledge in mind, I can’t wait to see how long I can make a full sized SoftSoap or Suave shower gel bottle last!

Travel Sizes have definitely proven to be Little But Fierce in the most amazing way possible, because it’s going to mean saving money on bath and body products in the years to come. Who else has had a similar experience with an abnormally long lasting travel size product? What are your must have products in travel sizes while you’re on vacation? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah