Tag Archives: blah

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

Mar21

One Of Those Mornings

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One Of Those Mornings

Hellooooooooo! Have you ever had one of those mornings where everything just seems to be so insanely UGH? It starts as soon as you wake up and it doesn’t end until you are caffeinated enough to get your shit together. When I’m tired, I normally suffer from a severe case of the dropsies and there is absolutely no telling where whatever is in my hand might end up. For example:

ugh

Lol, yes that is my heat protecting spray. And, yes, it definitely landed in the toilet. Haha, thank gawd it was nearly empty, anyways! Not only did my hair care make a splash into the throne but so much makeup landed in the trash can and I honestly have no idea how that happened. I guess I’ll blame it on being tired and funnel some more coffee down my mouth? Yeah? Yeah.

All I can hope for all of you, my darlings, is that none of your morning routine essentials end up in the toilet. Because, if that doesn’t happen, then I would say you’re off to a pretty good start for your day! 😀

How does your body react when you are tired? How much sleep do you need to get yourself through another day? 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

Mar9

Lil Red’s Book Club: The Perfect Liar Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: The Perfect Liar Edition

Hello! Reading is one of my favorite hobbies, but it comes and goes in waves. Sometimes, I read ravenously and devour three books in one week. Other times, I can go a month without sinking my teeth into a new book while preferring the background noise of a movie before falling asleep. Right now, I am in a nonstop reading mode and have enjoyed a few page turners which includes The Perfect Liar.

liar

I pretty much exclusively read horror and thriller/mystery books. I love suspense and secrets and a well done who done it. The Perfect Liar definitely fell into the suspense category with the basic plot being the unraveling of big secrets between husband and wife, Max and Susannah, which began to reveal itself after ominous notes were left on their door.

The book shifted in perspective between Max, a self made artist and Susannah, a widow and stay at home mom from her previous marriage. I prefer books that are told from multiple points of view, because it keeps the pages turning as you want to read all different sides to the story once one character reveals something. Despite an uninspired story line in The Perfect Liar, it was an easy read because of the perspective change in each little chapter.

I can’t say that I would recommend this book because I genuinely enjoyed it. However, I would recommend it if you just want something to fill up some free time. I didn’t hate the characters, but I didn’t like them, either. And, in comparison to some of the other family secret based books out there, The Perfect Liar left a lot to be desired. I like when I don’t see the surprise in the book coming and, if you read this one closely enough, you can definitely figure it out on your own without the grand reveal.

I am going to give The Perfect Liar a five out of ten. This is more because I was able to finish it within two afternoons and it was insanely readable. But, if you’re looking for a book with more substance to it, then I would skip over this one, for sure.

What is the last book that you have read? What book are you working on reading now? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb23

Aveeno Positively Radiant Overnight Hydrating Facial Review

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Aveeno Positively Radiant Overnight Hydrating Facial Review

Hellooo everyone! As we all know, Lil Red is a sucker for skin care and is always up for trying new products. So, whenever my mom or sister gets something new, I have to borrow it to 1) Test it out and 2) Put it on the blog. Sometimes, the products are amazing and other times they are ehh… not so much. Unfortunately, the overnight moisturizer by Aveeno that I just tried out missed the mark by a long shot. Take a look at some pics and let’s discuss:

aveenoaveeno1aveeno2

Although I don’t use them as often as I would like, I enjoy a good overnight mask or moisturizer. A product that puts in work while you sleep is the best. And, it’s even better when you wake up and your skin feels awesome and you did literally nothing but catch some Z’s to make it that way. So, of course, I was excited to try this Aveeno moisturizer out, because who doesn’t like overnight results?

Sadly, I could tell that I didn’t like this moisturizer as soon as I put it on. The texture was way too thin and gel like to feel nourishing and, by the time I went to bed, it already seemed to have absorbed into my skin. I woke up the following morning and my face felt tight and so parched for hydration, which is the polar opposite of what any overnight product should do.

I was a bit disappointed, because Aveeno is a good brand and I was looking forward to trying it out. I’m not sure if the reaction my skin had was a fluke or what but, because it left my face feeling so dry, I would not recommend this product based on that alone. At least this was something that I didn’t buy! 😀

What is your favorite overnight product? How do you keep your skin hydrated during the winter? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb19

Bath Bomb Blitz: Lush’s Cheery Christmas Edition

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Bath Bomb Blitz: Lush’s Cheery Christmas Edition

Hi everyone and welcome to a new edition of Bath Bomb Blitz! Thanks to an early evening at work, I got to enjoy using the Cheery Christmas bath bomb from Lush. Yes, I did get it as a Christmas present. But, hey, it’s better using it late than never! And, I happened to use this bath bomb the night before Valentine’s Day so the pink color was pretty and appropriate! Take a look and let’s discuss:

cheery1cheery2cheery3cheery5cheery4

When it comes to the show that Cheery Christmas put on, I was fairly underwhelmed. I really like the bath bombs that completely change the color of the water. And, with a pink bath bomb you never know what you’re going to get. In my experience, they normally tend to change the water to this light pinky/purple shade, which is nice, but definitely not my cup of tea.

However, I did enjoy the snowflake motif that was evident in the water. The bubbles that branched out took on this transparent, snowflake style shape and that was cool. I also liked that halfway through the bath bomb fizzing, a baby blue core was revealed. Despite being smaller than the usual bath bombs from Lush, Cheery Christmas took a LONG time to fizz out completely, which I liked and I didn’t. I like when a bath bomb takes a while to dissolve when a fun show is put on. But, sadly, this bath bomb didn’t really do much so all it did was turn my bath water tepid by the time it was over. Whomp whomp. -__-

Overall, I would give Cheery Christmas a five out of ten. It makes for a good gift because of the cold weather theme. But, it was not my favorite because I like really dark bath bombs that make the water a totally different color. I don’t recommend this bath bomb, but I don’t not recommend it, either!

What is your favorite color of bath bomb to use? What is your favorite Lush product to use? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb18

Feeling Old

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Feeling Old

Okay, stop rolling your eyes at the title because you know I’m twenty-four. Lol, but seriously, I have been feeling So. Freaking. Old. lately! I don’t know if it’s the fact that I’ve been working nonstop since I recovered from surgery or something deeper, but I have been feeling really aged and so not a twenty-something. And, the fact that the big 2-5 is quickly approaching in June isn’t helping, either!

I feel like I have this mindset of work, work, work and I have come to realize that the cool parts of my twenties have been passing me by. The travel, the spontaneity, the sense of adventure. Granted, the road to where I am present day hasn’t been an easy one. But, I feel like all of that time spent on the bullshit and now in the whirlwind of my crazy schedule has let a lot of living be left behind in the dust.

With a grocery list of mental health problems plaguing my adolescence, teenage years, early twenties, and even now when I have things “under control” to major family crises, getting to twenty-four year old me was a never ending struggle. And, I want to celebrate that accomplishment. But, damn, how does one pack up everything and take a week long road trip like all of the memes on Facebook suggest?!

I would love to have a feeling of excitement when I wake up. But, the routine of working my ass off Monday through Friday and recouping from it on the weekends is the definition of monotonous. Of course, I do have things that I look forward to, but they have felt few and far between. And, this is what has left me feeling run down, so blah, and just… old.

Oy, sorry for being such a Debbie Downer today, but I really needed to talk this one out so thanks for listening! Has anyone ever gone through anything similar to this post? How do you pepper in some excitement to your life? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb1

Face Mask Festivities: Glow Recipe Avocado Melt Sleeping Mask Edition

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Face Mask Festivities: Glow Recipe Avocado Melt Sleeping Mask Edition

Hi everyone and welcome to a new issue of Face Mask Festivities! Today, we are going to be chatting about the Glow Recipe Avocado Melt Sleeping Mask that I got FO FREE from my last Sephora Haul. I love me a good sleeping mask, so I was very excited to give this one a try. Glow Recipe is also a Korean beauty brand, and I always enjoy experimenting with that type of skin care – especially since K beauty made ample waves throughout 2018. Take a look at some pics and let’s discuss:

glowglow1glow2glow3

My two favorite sleeping masks are the Vitamin E and Drops Of Youth Bouncy masks from The Body Shop. And, sadly, I can’t add this Glow Recipe one to my list of faves. It was fine, but there was nothing special about it that would warrant a forty-five dollar price tag for a full sized jar.

My main problem with this mask was its texture. I am so used to the super rich Vitamin E and the gel Drops Of Youth masks from TBS, and this mask just didn’t meet those standards. It had a consistency that was slightly thicker than Lubriderm lotion and there was nothing that felt plush or pampering about it. I like when sleeping masks are a thick cream or gel, because I feel like it’s really getting into my skin as I catch some Z’s, as it doesn’t absorb right away. The Glow Recipe mask absorbed within thirty minutes, and I felt like it didn’t do anything during my beauty sleep.

My skin did feel hydrated upon awakening, but it was the hydration that you would feel from a standard moisturizer, not a high end sleep mask. Although any mask is nice to try out, in my opinion, I wouldn’t recommend this one unless you got a sample. The price is far too steep for a product that did not work as well as something that you could get from a drugstore. #notimpressed

What is your favorite brand of K beauty products? What is your favorite sleeping mask to use? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan29

Huda Beauty Emerald Obsessions Eyeshadow Review

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Huda Beauty Emerald Obsessions Eyeshadow Review

Hello! Recently, we swatched the Emerald Obsessions palette by Huda Beauty to take a closer look at all of the colors that you can see below. I finally got around to using the emerald glitter eyeshadow the other day and, sadly, it did not go over too well. I wasn’t expecting much from this palette because, as you can remember, all of my reviews were pretty wishy washy. And, in this case, I hate being right because it was such a thoughtful Christmas gift from my sister! I didn’t take any pictures of my MOTD because I was working all day, but here is a reminder of what the palette and that specific shade of eyeshadow looks like:

huda1emeraldemerald1emerald2

^^^ The first heart is the eyeshadow wet and the second one is when it’s dry.

When it comes to makeup, I really do like to keep things fairly simple. I try not to go overboard because I have a lot of facial piercings and tattoos on my body, so heavy makeup often looks too “much”. So, when I am applying my eye makeup, I either use a colored eyeliner or use an eyeshadow as an eyeliner and leave it at that – and it works! When I decided to use my Huda Beauty palette, I knew that I would be lining my eyes with the shadow and that’s about it. 1) I’m bad at doing makeup on my eyelids in general. 2) If it’s not broken, don’t fix it.

If you can recall, one of the resounding comments that I made as we swatched the Emerald Obsessions eyeshadow was that it was very dusty. Regardless of whether it was wet or dry, the product was flaky and powdery and it didn’t apply well on my hand – so I don’t know why I thought it would apply well on my eyelids! It took many micellar water Q-tips to clear away all of the eyeshadow that fell onto my face and throughout the day I had to continue wiping away little flecks that had fallen.

By the end of the day, the eyeshadow had completely transferred all over my eyelids, which was a far cry from the lining I had originally started with. I hate when this happens more than anything and I do a great job of preventing this by covering my lids with my Blush On Radiance beads from The Body Shop once my eye makeup is on. But, my tried and true technique didn’t stand a change against the Huda Beauty eyeshadow and my eye makeup looked like I spent a long day partying by the time I got home. Not cute.

If this is how all of the HB eyeshadows are, then I wouldn’t recommend it at all. I quite liked the color that I used, but the quality of the shadow was so low and I was left looking like a hot mess instead of a hottie – not a good look! -___-

What are your thoughts on Huda Beauty products? What is your favorite brand of eyeshadow? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan25

Face Mask Festivities: Global Beauty Care Metallics Edition

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Face Mask Festivities: Global Beauty Care Metallics Edition

Helloooo everyone and welcome to a new edition of Face Mask Festivities. In the words of Goldmember from Austin Powers…. I love gooooooooooooooooold. Oh yes, I sure do. Gold jewelry, gold eyeshadow, and now, most recently, gold skin care! My love for all things gold when it comes to my skin looking right began with the Azure Lux Rose Gold Sparkling Serum that I scored from TJMaxx. It is utterly amazing and leaves my skin positively radiant. So, during a recent haul at TJ’s, I needed more – including this Global Beauty Care face mask:

goldgold1gold2gold3

The metallic face mask seen above includes gold, Manuka honey, and royal jelly. All of which work wonders for your skin. The gold firms and tones the skin while reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. The Manuka honey helps your skin lock in moisture for a dewy complexion. And the royal jelly treats dry skin while promoting new skin growth. Talk about a trifecta to combat dull and dehydrated skin – especially during these cold winter months!

I have never used a metallic face mask before and I was really looking forward to putting this Global Beauty Care mask to the test. Usually, my first impression of a product is its smell but, this one is scent free, so we will move onto its appearance and texture. This mask was a bit more runny than I would like, however, I did love the over exaggerated gold color and shimmer so that made up for the thinner texture.

One disappointing thing about this mask, is that it didn’t seem to dry – which is what I like for a face mask to do when I’m using one. It stayed very wet for the ten minute duration that I had it on for and that’s fine, but definitely not what I prefer.

My skin did feel somewhat hydrated after I washed it off but it wasn’t so remarkable that I would rave about it. I also didn’t notice the radiance in my skin that I see instantly with the serum that I’m using, which takes a matter of seconds to apply. This Global Beauty Care mask was fun to use because of the color and shimmer, but I don’t recommend purchasing it because it was overall a bit of a let down. Whomp whompppp.

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