Tag Archives: beauty

Aug27

DIY Rhinestone Nails

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DIY Rhinestone Nails

Hi everyone and happy Sunday! Although I am not the most talented DIY-er in the world, I’m pretty pleased with myself for creating some rhinestone crosses on my acrylic nails. As you guys know, my cross airbrush stencil was lost so I couldn’t get my signature middle finger crosses during my last fill. My nails looked pretty blah without them, so I went to the craft store and snagged some red rhinestones so that I could try my hand at doing some nail art on my own. And, surprise! It turned out alright! Take a look:

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The stoning process was fairly easy, all I needed were tweezers and super glue to apply the gems. First, I put the glue on my nails in a cross shape. Then, I picked up the stones with an old pair of tweezers and applied it one by one.

I’ve only gotten gem stones on my nails once (Because I refuse to pay for them!), and I did it exactly how I remembered the nail tech doing it and I was really happy with how they turned out! Yes, it probably looks a little sloppy and I should have put a top coat on afterwards but that’s just going to be knowledge for next time. I paid a dollar twenty-five for a bag of rhinestones and did what would have costed me five bucks at the salon all by myself. I can definitely swing that, even if it doesn’t look ideal at first. But, hey, practice makes perfect!

Next time I get my nails filled (And excuse how janky they look in the picture above!), I’m going to get different colored rhinestones from the store to try some more designs. I’m excited to get better at stoning my acrylics myself so that it will look like an actual nail tech did them instead of little old me!

So there you have it, my DIY Rhinestone Nails! Who else does their own nail art? What pattern should I try on my nails next time? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug22

Lil Red’s Dream Dressing Room

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Lil Red’s Dream Dressing Room

Hi everyone and happy Monday!! Any fashionista can agree that having a huge walk in closet would be the dream. What would yours include? A wall dedicated to your shoe collection? Display cases full of accessories? A tech system that matches your outfits for you a la Cher in Clueless? An in home Dressing Room where you could escape and be surrounded by pretty things sounds like just what the doctor ordered to me! And since we’re on the subject, mine would look something like this:

Lil Red’s Dream Dressing Room

The Color Palette:

My dressing room would be my goth queen lair so the obvious color choices for my room would be black, red, and white. I’m thinking deep, midnight black walls, one oxblood accent wall, and bright, white display features to pop against such a dark palette.

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You get the idea!

The Fixtures:

As I said before, crisp white shelving is a must in my walk in closet and each wall would have its own purpose:

Wall 1) I would want an entire wall of cubby holes dedicated to my shoe collection (I have over fifty pairs!), along with a gorgeous white wooden ladder on wheels to reach those high up pumps!

Wall 2) The second wall would house shelving for pieces of clothing that need to be folded on one side and accessories on the other like hats and purses.

Wall 3) Wall number three would feature two sturdy white iron bars for clothes that need hanging like jackets, dresses, skirts, and my black skinny jean collection. The sliding ladder from my shoe wall would also come in handy here, since your girl is only 5’1!

Accent Wall 4) Finally, on my oxblood accent wall, I would want a huge and very well lit full length mirror so that I could evaluate my outfit choices and give it the yay or nay. On both sides of the mirror, I would have glass display cases of jewelry so that I could easily add or take away accessories depending on what the outfit needs.

** And, of course, organization on my walls is extremely important. For shoes, I would display them according to their style and my clothes would be organized by season and color.

The Lighting:

Having excellent lighting in my dressing room is crucial, since the color palette on the walls is so dark. Although I do love the smaller pendant lights from Arhaus, my goth lair calls for a gigantic chandelier! I would want three chandeliers hanging from the ceiling at varying lengths with each individual one being black, white, or red. You can shop Arhaus’s lighting page for your own illuminating inspiration and then check out mine, which looks like this:

Miscellaneous Additions:

If I had my Dream Dressing Room, my friends and I would be spending a lot of time in there, so additional extras are very important. My room would definitely need:

  • A mini fridge stocked with wine and Diet Coke at all times.
  • An excellent sound system.
  • A TV to watch rom-coms with the girls.
  • A gorgeous vanity stocked with makeup and hair styling supplies.

Can you say dream hang out, or?!

Obviously, my walk in closet would have to be huge and my budget would have to be even bigger – but it isn’t called Lil Red’s Dream Dressing Room for nothing! What would be in your dream closet? Am I missing anything in mine? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Featured Image By: Giphy

Aug21

Say Yes To The Guest (Appropriate Wedding Attire)

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Say Yes To The Guest (Appropriate Wedding Attire)

Hello hello everyone and happy Monday! With summer drawing to a close, the familiar crisp rush of autumn air comes swooping in with one thing for certain in store: Fall weddings. The autumn season is such a gorgeous time to host a marriage ceremony that can range from whimsical fall fun to a more dark, romantic approach in the style of your big day. Of course, the wedding is all about the bride and the groom but that doesn’t mean that you should be slacking in the style department as a guest.

Being invited to a wedding is and should be held as an esteemed honor. The new couple likes you enough to want you there on their special day – this is a big deal and should be respected as such. This means that a dowdy dress or suit simply won’t do. Let’s take a look at The Black Tux’s wedding guest style guide and then stick around to chat with Lil Red for some more pro tips:

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^^^ Who knew that there were so many different styles of wedding attire?!

The first thing that we’re going to talk about when it comes to dressing as a wedding guest ties into the guide seen above. It is so SO important as a guest to respect the vibe of the wedding. It shouldn’t have to be said, but it is such an obvious DO to accommodate to the dress code if it’s listed.

If there is no dress code on the invitation, then it is in good taste to dress appropriately for the type of wedding that you are attending. Is it an early afternoon church ceremony? A knee length dress for the ladies and a semi-formal suit for the gents will do. Or are we attending a rustic style wedding with outdoor vows? Remember, it’s autumn and there might be a chill in the air. A smart suit set for the ladies with trousers or a skirt with thick tights underneath is a chic take on outdoor wedding style. For the guys, you can get away with a more casual look, as well, with a nice pair of slacks and a suit jacket or blazer on top.

It is always worth mentioning, again, that the weather is subject to change during fall weddings. Be prepared. Being stuck with the sniffles all day because you failed to bring a cardi or a blazer for over your dress is nobody’s fault but your own, because I’m literally warning you right here. Despite this warning, I just know that it will not be heeded by everyone, which gives the rest of us a chance to score some brownie points. Guys, wear a cardigan under your jacket in case you see a damsel in distress with the shivers. Ladies, if you’re wearing a thicker dress or suit set, offer your extra blazer to a gal in need. You’ll be a wedding hero, trust me.

And, finally, if you’re in doubt about what to wear, just ask! It is so much better to shoot a quick text to the bride or groom and get their opinion instead of showing up to the wedding looking like a straight up goon. That suit or dress that you’ve been feeling wishy washy about wearing might work, after all. But, if that isn’t the case, then do be sure to check out The Black Tux’s suit and tuxedo rentals page for all of your gentlemen attire needs. And, as for us girls, I think that we can swing some wedding guest dress shopping with a trip to the mall or an online shopping sesh – Hello, Modcloth!

With The Black Tux’s style guide and Lil Red’s pro tips, you should have no problem Saying Yes To The Guest (Appropriate Wedding Attire)! What is your favorite part about attending a wedding? How do you style a wedding guest appropriate look for fall? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Featured Image By: Giphy

Aug14

Monday Update: Sweet Surprises Edition

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Monday Update: Sweet Surprises Edition

Hello everyone and happy Monday! I hope that all of you had a fabulous weekend and are beginning your week feeling refreshed and ready to go. So, as most of you have gathered by now, I am far from a religious person. This is ironic, considering I spent my years up until high school attending school and church in a Roman Catholic setting. But from as young as five years old, I knew that religion just wasn’t something that I was interested in.

Despite these feelings (which is not what this post is about), I do have a deep appreciation of the beauty of churches as well as religious imagery. Specifically, rosaries. I can remember being really young and loving to wear rosaries and to this day have a special drawing towards them. This has led me to beginning my collection of rosary style jewelry, a la Bono, my U2 front man celebrity crush.

In my collection, I actually have a beautiful black rosary that was blessed by Pope Francis, which was gifted to me by my brother. But the other two in my arsenal are from my beloved mama, who knows my style all too well thanks to hundreds of shopping trips throughout the ages.

My mom knows exactly how to make someone feel special. Whether it be through her kind words, lending an ear to listen to your problems, or picking out a treat just for you when she’s out shopping – my mom does it all. I can’t tell you the amount of times that she’s come home from trips to Target or the grocery store with a box of hair dye for me or a new shade of nail polish for my sister and, of course, a new makeup or polish shade to treat herself with, too.

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Ever since I was little, I can remember mom coming home with her shopping to tell me or one of my siblings that she has a “surprise” in the bag for one of us. As a child, I lived for that. And as a twenty-three year old adult, I still do. Knowing that someone picked something out special for you is a delight that I treasure so deeply. Finding out that someone saw a piece of jewelry or a color that reminded them of you so much as to purchase it for them is a marvel that never gets old to me. Kindness is something that I value beyond all other qualities and, to me, this exudes such divine kindness and generosity.

This past weekend was really rough for yours truly. My mom knew this and saved an afternoon of us running errands last Sunday to tell me that she has a “surprise” for me, which she had been carrying around in her purse. She waited until we were done with our shopping and in the car to leave for home to gift me with the most gorgeous necklace that I’ve ever seen:

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I literally gasped out loud when I opened the small black box that my mom presented me with and saw this amazing rosary necklace sitting inside of it. This Louisa L brand necklace was made in Italy and on the back of the charm with the Blessed Mother features the Italian “Ruega Por Nosotros” or “Pray for us”.

My new rosary necklace has everything that I love – the color, the style, and the thought behind it, which made this the most wonderful gift to receive. My mom had gotten this present days before my unfortunate weekend, but waited until a “rainy day” to give it to me. I am so happy that she did, because it left me feeling infinitely better and so loved. Thank you, mom!! I LOVE YOU! ❤

So there you have it, this week’s Monday Update: Sweet Surprises Edition! What is something that makes you feel better when you’re feeling down? What is the best “just because” present that you have ever received? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug13

Face Mask Festivities: The Body Shop’s Honey & Oat Edition

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Face Mask Festivities: The Body Shop’s Honey & Oat Edition

Helloooo everyone and welcome to the final post in my Face Mask Festivities mini series! Today, we’re going to discuss one of my all time favorite masks – The Body Shop’s Honey & Oat. This mask literally smells good enough to eat and it leaves your skin looking peaches and cream perfection. What’s not to love? Take a looksee and let’s talk more:

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When I think of face masks, The Body Shop’s Honey & Oat is the first thing that comes to mind. This mask is my favorite because it’s so gentle. This is a bit contradictory because I usually tend to go for the more rough masks and exfoliaters because I like to feel it really working. But, I don’t know, when I think face masks I’m thinking about being at a spa and relaxing and the creamy texture of this mask just takes me there.

Not only does this mask feel amazing with its whipped consistency mixed with sudsy oats but the smell is simply to die for. You need only open the lid to catch a whiff of freshly made oatmeal combined with cream and a heaping dollop of honey. It really takes everything in my power to not take a finger full and give it a try. So imagine having to sit with this mask on for ten whole minutes when all you want to do is eat it! IT HURTS SO GOOD.

The best part about The Body Shop’s Honey & Oat mask, though? 1) It is SO easy to wash off. There are some masks that you really have to scrub to get off, but not this one. This mask seems to completely melt away as soon as warm water hits it, which makes for an even more lush experience since you don’t have to claw at your skin to get it off. And 2) Because of said easiness to wash off and the creamy texture of the mask, you’re left with a clean tub, instead of one that’s coated with mask residue. I’ll take it!

Doing this mini series was a lot of fun and, in my opinion, I saved the best for last. I do like the Lush and Charcoal mask from The Body Shop that I featured earlier in the week. However, the game changer with the Honey & Oat mask is the way your face feels after using it. When I washed this mask off, my skin felt nourished. It felt supple and soft rather than tight and dehydrated. The glow that radiated from me was from a mask that worked on my skin from the inside, rather than scrubbing at the surface to remove imperfections. This mask made me feel beautiful and it made me feel like I cared for myself while using it, and you really can’t beat that!

So there you have it, the finale to my Face Mask Festivities mini series with The Body Shop’s Honey & Oat mask! Out of the three masks that I wrote about, which one would you like to try? What do you look for in a face mask? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug12

The Body Shop Bronze Bliss Eyeshadow Swatches

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The Body Shop Bronze Bliss Eyeshadow Swatches

Hi everyone and happy weekend! Today we’re going to discuss my all time favorite eyeshadow shade compliments of The Body Shop, Bronze Bliss. More often than not, although I am trying to step up my makeup game, you will see me sporting this color. Seriously, scroll through my pictures on Facebook for like ten seconds and you’ll see what I mean!

Bronze is such a magical color because it looks good on everyone. From the palest porcelain to the deepest ebony, bronze is a shade that can be pulled off on makeup and clothing with ease. I guess that’s why I’m so drawn to it. I could be wearing any outfit of any color and I know that this eyeshadow will look fantastic with it. That’s kind of why I never bothered with anything else, even though I’m having fun trying out new makeup shades now! Take a looksee at some swatches and let’s discuss:

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^^^ Pretty!

As per ushe, the first heart seen above is Bronze Bliss dry and the second heart is when it’s wet, which is how I prefer wearing it. Normally, I’ll wet my brush and just paint my entire lid with this shadow for a striking metallic hue against my hazel eyes. I love when I wear this eyeshadow because it turns my hazel peepers into an insanely reminiscent of Edward Cullen a la Twilight golden shade. This sounds like a cocky thing to say about oneself BUT I’ve been told this multiple times so I guess it must be true!

The best part about this particular color, though? Oh, that I got it for a whole five dollars when The Body Shop that I live by had their going out of business sale. You definitely can’t beat that! 😀

So there you have it, my Bronze Bliss Eyeshadow Swatches from The Body Shop! What other colors look universally good on the people of Earth? What is your go to color of eyeshadow to wear? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug11

Face Mask Festivities: The Body Shop’s Himalayan Charcoal Edition

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Face Mask Festivities: The Body Shop’s Himalayan Charcoal Edition

Hi everyone and TGIF! Today we’re going to ring in more Face Mask Festivities by discussing The Body Shop’s Himalayan Charcoal Purifying Glow Mask. This is one of the first face masks that I ever used and it holds a special place in my heart for that reason and the fact that it eliminates my pesky nose blackheads like no other. Take a look at some pics and let’s chat about this miracle mask further:

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^^^ So this mask admittedly looks pretty gross in the container and on my MUG, for that matter, but gosh darn it is it effective!

With five nose piercings, my honker is a freaking battleground of blackheads that pop up like landmines around my studs. This isn’t the biggest skin care problem one can have, and I realize that, but I know that they’re there and it really bothers me. Not only does my skin care perfectionism cause me to lightweight freak out over blemishes, but I’d prefer for my pierced up nose to stay clean and clear to prevent irritation and infection.

We all know that charcoal is the “it” thing in the skin care world, especially when it comes to drawing blemishes out and giving your pores a deep clean. That’s what made this mask an obvious choice for purchasing. After ONE USE of my TBS mask, there wasn’t a single blackhead left on my nose. Saying that I was ecstatic about this is an extreme understatement. After countless cleansers and scrubs, I found something that literally eliminated the problem within ten minutes. Amazing much?

My favorite thing about this mask is its smell. I wouldn’t go as far as to say that it smells minty, but when you unscrew the container lid you get an instant waft of brisk freshness. Kind of like opening a new pack of gum but without that overpowering peppermint aroma. This mask feels cool on your skin so that combined with such a crisp scent definitely makes for an invigorating experience.

Despite all of the above rave reviews, there are some things that I dislike about this mask. For one, you really have to be careful about washing this mask off quickly. If you go over the ten minute limit even just slightly, the hydration in your skin seems to slip away in double time, leaving your skin feeling brittle and looking flushed. Not fun.

And, for pettiness’ sake, this mask is a big fat pain in the BOOTASH to clean up. I prefer to wash my masks off in the shower and the chunks of charcoal in the mask simply REFUSE to go down the drain. As soon as I shut the water off, there is face mask residue coating my tub, so you have to use a towel to wipe it all off. God forbid you just leave it there (Which I’ve totes done before – #lazygirlproblems), because the mask will dry and it will be a vicious cycle of the mask getting wet and then drying every time you shower. SMH.

Although there are some annoyances with this mask, I do recommend it for those looking for an effective charcoal product. My skin always seems to thank me for using it (If I’m quick enough to wash it off!) and saying bye-bye to blackheads is a blessing in itself!

So there you have it, the newest issue of Face Mask Festivities: The Body Shop’s Himalayan Charcoal Edition! Be sure to tune in on Sunday as I wrap this mini series up. What is your favorite product from The Body Shop? What is your favorite face mask to use? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug10

Sarah Selfies

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Sarah Selfies

Hi everyone and happy Thursday! Since the last selfies that were seen on my blog featured yours truly with a blue face mask on and a fresh face, I thought I would post some pics that I’m a little more confident with to make up for it. Take a looksee and have a fabulous day! Much love. -Sarah

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^^^ #bluesteel

Aug9

New Black & Sky Blue Nails

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New Black & Sky Blue Nails

Hi everyone and happy Hump Day! This past week I got my beloved talons spruced up with a much needed fill. I’ve been trying to extend the amount of time that I go in between fills to save money so I recently began getting my nails done every four weeks instead of three. I have to say, that it’s freaking torture! BUT, it does end up saving money in the long run so I guess that there’s a silver lining to everything. 😉 Take a looksee at the claws and let’s discuss:

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I’m sure that all of you noticed that there’s something missing on my nails…MY MIDDLE FINGER AIRBRUSHED CROSS. 😦 Unfortunately, my nail tech, Steve, couldn’t find the stencil anywhere, so I had to go cross-less this time around. I can’t say that I’m not disappointed about this because I’ve been getting crosses on my middle fingers ever since I started getting my nails done. I’m definitely mourning the loss of the fallen stencil, but hopefully when I come back in a month’s time, someone will have found it and my nails can be complete again! WHOMP WHOMP.

Despite the disturbing lack of my crosses, I do love my glittery sky blue accent nail. I think that it looks so pretty against the harsh black and sharpened points and it’s a color that I can totally see myself getting again in the future!

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

Aug8

Face Mask Festivities: Lush’s Don’t Look At Me Edition

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Face Mask Festivities: Lush’s Don’t Look At Me Edition

Hi everyone and welcome to the first post of my Face Mask Festivities mini series! Today, I’ll be discussing one of Lush’s face masks called Don’t Look At Me. This is one of the first products that I bought from Lush and I enjoy it well enough. This is also the first beauty product I’ve ever owned that you have to refrigerate! Take a look at some product pics as well as some shots of yours truly and let’s discuss:

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Okay, first things first, just know that the pictures seen of me throughout these series are a rarity. Few pictures of me without makeup exist, let alone pictures of me with a face full of face mask! I always take a minute to admire the lovely people who post pics of themselves in their face masks because I think that it’s incredibly brave. So, I channeled every one of you and just did the damn thing! AYYYY.

Now, let’s talk about this here product made by KEVIN!! My first impression of using Lush’s Don’t Look At Me face mask, aside from the striking teal color, is the smell. This mask smells crisp and lemony and I love that because it’s incredibly invigorating. You know what else is invigorating? Applying a COLD face mask to your face!! Because this product needs to be refrigerated, it was a bit of a shock when it came to putting the mask on. But after a couple of minutes, the coldness dissipated and the fifteen minutes of having the mask on my face were extremely pleasant.

When it comes time to wash face masks off, I always do it in the shower. Washing anything off in the sink just leads to water water everywhere, and I am not about that life. Once the mask if off, I wash my face as usual and then I complete the process by wiping my face with micellar water, cleaning my piercings with witch hazel, and using a moisturizer with a thicker texture. For my moisturizer, I prefer to use Yes To Coconut’s hydrating souffle moisturizer to give my face a special treat after putting it through the skin care ringer.

I thought that this face mask was really refreshing and my skin definitely looked more radiant after using it – even in the not so great bathroom lighting! The initial cold of the refrigerated mask left my skin feeling tingly and fresh for the duration that I had it on. I liked the way that this product smells and I also appreciated how easy it was to get on and off of my skin because with some face masks it’s a total pain in the booty boo. I believe this mask was about twelve dollars, which I think is totally reasonable but I don’t want to get too attached to it because the nearest Lush to me is about forty minutes away. Despite that, I absolutely will be enjoying using up the rest of this face mask!

So there you have it, the first post of my Face Mask Festivities mini series, Lush’s Don’t Look At Me Edition! How do you like to pamper yourself? What is your favorite face mask to use? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah