Tag Archives: blah

Jan23

Ulta Beauty Liquid Illuminator Swatch In Northern Lights

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Ulta Beauty Liquid Illuminator Swatch In Northern Lights

Greetings! Today, we are going to take a look at a Liquid Illuminator product by Ulta Beauty in a shade called Northern Lights. I have never tried Ulta’s own brand of makeup and have never felt inclined to, because the reviews that I have seen have always been fairly average. But, this illuminator was handed down to me from my sister, so swatch it we shall. Here we go:

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I have never used a liquid highlighter before, so I don’t know what I was expecting. But, I will say that the texture of this product was really, really thick. Of course, for swatchings sake, I always apply the products more heavily so it can be picked up on the camera. But, regardless of how much I put on, the highlighter felt cakey even when spread across most of the back of my hand.

I actually quite like the idea of this product, and the color and its namesake are kind of fun. But, I don’t think that a liquid illuminator will ever replace a traditional powdered highlighter for me. I can see myself applying this Ulta Beauty illuminator in really small doses around the corner of my eyes, but that’s about it. Anything else would look too unnatural for me, and I don’t like combining something so loud when my favorite thing to rock is a bold lip.

I can’t say that I would recommend the liquid illuminator, but I can see something like this being fun to use in a more costume style approach, so there’s that. Otherwise, I’ll be sticking to regular highlighters!

Would you ever use a product like a liquid illuminator? Do you prefer liquid or traditional makeup? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan7

Huda Beauty Eyeshadow Swatch In Gold Shimmer

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Huda Beauty Eyeshadow Swatch In Gold Shimmer

Hello! We are going to keep trucking through the Emerald Obsessions eyeshadow palette by Huda Beauty because, as a benevolent blogger, I give the people what they want! In today’s post, we are going to be swatching another one of the gold shimmer shades that the palette offers, which you can see in the bottom right corner:

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And, now, let’s take a closer look:

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

I was looking forward to swatching the second gold shimmer shadow in this palette but, unfortunately, it missed the mark for me like the first one. But, unlike the gold shade in the top left corner having the tinge of green to it that I really didn’t care for, this hue is just way too yellow-y for my liking. I thought the color was going to be more saturated but, it ended up applying in a sad, pale yellow both when wet and dry. Whomp whomp.

I don’t plan on using this color, because all it is going to do is wash me out big time. With really pale skin and red hair, my complexion takes to the bold, rich colors. Anything too dull and it just makes me look sunken and blah. Not a good look. Fingers crossed that the swatch in tomorrow’s post makes for a good one, because my batting average of only liking one of the three colors viewed is pretty weak!

Which colors work best with your complexion? Which eyeshadow from this palette should I swatch next? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan4

Huda Beauty Eyeshadow Swatch In Gold Glitter

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Huda Beauty Eyeshadow Swatch In Gold Glitter

Hiii everyone and welcome to our first swatch post from the Emerald Obsessions palette by Huda Beauty. For those of you who need a reminder, the palette looks like this:

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Today, we are going to be talking about the gold glitter shade in the top left corner. Take a look at some pics and let’s get to it:

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

I’m going to be honest, my first impression of the quality of this eyeshadow is not the best. I have never used Huda Beauty products before but, when I applied the dry shadow, it was really crumbly and hard to spread. Even when wet, the color just didn’t have the nice, smooth application that should come with putting on an eyeshadow.

Not only that, but taking it off was a major pain in the behind, too. I took a washcloth with micellar water to my swatched hand and the glitter just would not come off. So, my left hand is definitely looking very Edward Cullen a la Twilight right now. All things glitter is fun when it comes to makeup but, it needs to be able to come off just as well as it applies and the Huda Beauty eyeshadow did not have either of these important factors going for it.

And, as far as the color goes, I’m shockingly not very fond of it. I love me a gold shadow more than anything but, it has this really off putting pale green undertone to it, which makes the color look sickly rather than decadent. I get that they wanted this shade to have a hint of green in it, because it is the Emerald Obsessions palette. But, was this really necessary? No, because I can’t see myself using this color and it was initially my favorite one. Whomp whomp.

How does everyone feel about Huda Beauty products? What is your favorite eyeshadow palette? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec26

Bath Bomb Blitz: 5 Below Edition

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Bath Bomb Blitz: 5 Below Edition

Howdy! I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas! Today, we are going to discuss one of the prezzies I got from my BFF in this new edition of Bath Bomb Blitz. Although it was a super thoughtful gift and I love Lea more than life itself, this bath bomb from 5 Below was the worrrrrst. Take a look at some pics and let’s discuss:

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When I think of bath bombs, I think of wonderful little delights that smell awesome and make a show of the bath water before taking a relaxing soak. And, unfortunately, this bomb from 5 Below had none of the above criteria going for it. It smelled like nothing, even though the scent was cotton candy. And, it did nothing to change my bath water other than fizz out. However, I will grant that it did take at least three minutes to dissolve completely, which is pretty good!

I love bargain stores more than the next but, when it comes to bath bombs, I’ll definitely be leaving it to the experts at Lush for the full experience. I am glad to know that the 5 Below bath bombs are not the best, though, so that I know not to gift them for people or give them a try myself! A blessing in disguise! 😀

Which brand makes the best bath bombs? What is your favorite bath bomb from Lush? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec16

Unpretty

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Unpretty

Hi everyone! Ugh, I’ve got to say, it’s been a really shitty past few weeks. Since my wisdom teeth surgery. I have been in a lot of pain and I just can’t seem to shake it. My sleep schedule has been thrown off completely, as I now wake up multiple times during the night to deal with the constant throbbing, which then results in bathroom breaks, and me not being able to fall asleep again for another hour or so.

And, because I am not sleeping well, I am so damn tired upon awakening that I can’t even get myself ready for an agonizing day at work. Not to mention that it would hurt too bad to try, anyways! I legit haven’t done my hair or makeup in well over a week now and it’s really starting to get to me.

I always pride myself on getting dressed to the nines to go about my day. It makes me feel good to know that I truly put my best face forward and when I’m out and about on the job, the most professional form of myself is out there. So, my self esteem has taken a beating post-op because of my no makeup streak.

Now, don’t get me wrong – I live for my no makeup days during the weekend. It doesn’t get much better than sporting a fresh face after being on the old nine to five grind for the week. But, almost two weeks of being au natural is pretty excessive for me, especially when my face has been bruised and swollen for the majority of it. And, because the pain has been so bad, I’ve been dressing for comfort, which Lil Red never does! Combining all of these circumstances has left me feeling downright Unpretty, and I just want to get back to my normal self.

Reading this, I’m sure it’s easy to say that I’m being too hard on myself. And, I know I am, which is the crazy thing. But, I hate not feeling like myself and this surgery has left me feeling so broken. Even now, I feel like I’m totally rambling but, ugh, I just needed to get all of this off my chest so thanks to all of you so much for listening. ❤

How do you get yourself feeling back to normal after being in the doldrums? What are some of your natural pain relief tips? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov11

New Black & Teal Glitter Nails

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New Black & Teal Glitter Nails

Hello! Ohhhh my god, guys. The things Lil Red will do to save money – because the people at the salon I go to now are SO. F’ING. RUDE! Ugh, why must this salon charge so much less than the one that I used to go to and why, why, WHY must the people that work there be sadists! Yes, this is strictly a complaining post because you and I both know that despite the piss poor attitudes of the employees, I’ll keep going there since the price is right. Sigh, take a look at my new nails at the hands of a meanie and let’s discuss:

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Now, believe me, I get that my nails are a lot of work because I love my length. And, this is why I always schedule an appointment way in advance, tip well, and am happy to pay any upcharge for services on long nails. On top of all of that, I am such a pleasant customer to deal with. I hate to toot my own horn, but it’s the doggone truth. I’m polite, friendly, and really easy going when it comes to my nails.

So, tell me why the person filling my acrylics basically scolded me for how long it was taking him to do them and the length of my nails? He also manhandled me when taking me to the drying table so that my nails wouldn’t smudge and tossed my bag on the vacant seat next to mine. Excuse me? Because I know that he didn’t just do that even though I tipped close to forty percent.

I get it. My nails take a while to complete and I guess I might be a bit frustrated too if their was a shop full of people waiting. But, I was the ONLY person in the salon, so you must have me fucked up. I left after my fill feeling absolutely awful, when I should exit a salon feeling my best after getting my nails done. Oooooo WEEEE mama was pissed.

And, the crazy thing is, is that I would have given glowing reviews in this post had I been treated like an actual human being, because I love how my nails turned out. But, unfortunately, that was not the case. Better luck next time, I guess?

What would you do in a situation like the above scenario? How do you politely tell someone off? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct25

Vacation Shopping… At TJMaxx ;)

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Vacation Shopping… At TJMaxx ;)

Lol, I know. I’m eyerolling at myself for this post, too. BUT, there was a TJMaxx sitting pretty on our way into town from our cabin in North Carolina and I couldn’t not stop in! But don’t worry, I only got two beauty products and one was a total steal so I just couldn’t help myself! Take a look:

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  • The Body Shop Satsuma scrub: $6
  • Garnier Micellar Water + face wash: $4

For ten bucks, I got two of my necessities that would have originally costed me around twenty-five dollars had I bought them in store. How could I possibly pass that up?! At Target, my micellar water comes close to eight dollars with tax for just the bottle. But, this find at TJ’s included a mini face wash, too. Granted, I’ve used it before and it wasn’t the best, but a face wash is a face wash and using the freebie saves me money and prolongs my preferred cleansers. I will definitely be keeping my eyes peeled at my local TJMaxx for more of the Garnier micellar water, because that was close to four dollars in savings, which is about one and a half gallons of gas in my tank.

I was also happy to find a Satsuma scrub from The Body Shop because, sadly, the TJMaxx that I live by has not had a lot of TBS goodies as of late. The scrubs are my favorite to use before shaving and it worked just right while tackling the Woolly Mammoth legs this week! 😉

Besides for my beauty steals, I was pretty unimpressed with the TJMaxx that I shopped at in Hendersonville. It was cramped, the aisle ways were small (Which made browsing through the racks difficult.), and the selection there was average at best. Of course, TJ’s giveth and TJ’s taketh away, so I could have just been there on an off week. It was fun to be at a TJMaxx in a different state, but I’ll be happy to shop at my local one again really soon!

What is your favorite thing to do on vacation? Where did you go on your last trip? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct1

Burnt Out

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Burnt Out

Hi everyone and happy Monday! I hope that all of you had a wonderful weekend! It’s been a long few weeks for Lil Red, thanks to a horrible stint with the flu earlier this month. Because I work for myself in all three of my jobs, I don’t have the luxury of paid time off. So, I had a lot of making up to do because of a week of being totally incapacitated. And, believe me when I say, I am completely burnt out.

When it comes to all of my endeavors in life, I take every precaution to keep them running smoothly. Prewriting blogs specifically for the occasion of being sick, following my calendar to a T to keep myself on time for all of my appointments every day, and even taking time for me to go ice dancing during the week. So, why do I feel so unbelievably exhausted?

Yes, I have been stretching myself too thin for work. But, it was a complete necessity to make up for lost time, especially because I will be out of office for a third of October. I think that an impending family vacation and then some me time with my cousin in Pittsburgh also has something to do with it. It feels so close but so far away, so everything leading up to it just feels like a chore.

What do I do? I could completely burn myself into the ground until it’s time for me to hit the bricks for vacation. Or, I could make sure that I’m still incorporating some R&R in the meantime, because god knows I need it. I think that I’ll be going with Option B! An unfortunate truth of self employment means no PTO but, now I know for future reference that working ten days in a row to make up for it isn’t the right answer, either.

Finding a healthy balance for the workaholic and human in me is difficult. Naturally, I want to be productive during my work days. But, all work and no play makes Lil Red a dull girl, and it’s important for me to work in breaks during the day no matter how small they may be. Even a half hour to enjoy a drink at Starbucks is better than going from task to task without a second to breathe in between!

There’s no denying that I am feeling burnt out in my daily life. But, hopefully taking some time during my day just for me will help improve this sensation until I get to completely let loose on vacation! #poetandididntknowit 😀

What do you do when you are feeling burnt out? How do you carve in time for yourself during a busy day? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep28

Cleveland Aquarium Pics

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Cleveland Aquarium Pics

Hi everyone and happy Friday! I hope all of you had a wonderful week and are looking forward to a fun and relaxing weekend. This past Saturday, I visited the Cleveland Aquarium, and it was mediocre at best for the price of admission. And, we all know that this is no beuno for a gal who balls on a budget! But, I did get some nice pictures of the undersea life that was there so take a look and let’s discuss:

 

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The total cost of admission was twenty dollars as well as a six dollar parking fee and the time spent in the aquarium amounted to barely an hour and a half. This was disappointing to me because, although the displays that were there looked cool, I felt like I wasn’t getting a lot of bang for my buck. The aquarium, in total, was three or four rooms with spaced out displays and, then, two other rooms with full room displays that included a string ray touch tank and the shark tank with a walk in tunnel.

I really enjoyed the shark room and the walk in tunnel was really neat and long in length. However, the other rooms that had spaced out displays featuring aquatic life of different countries left a lot to be desired. There were about three or four tanks per room and that was it. So, it felt more like a large, well decorated pet store than an actual aquarium.

If you are planning a trip to the Cleveland Aquarium, my best advice to you is don’t. You are much better off spending a day at the Cleveland Zoo, which provides you with an excellent value for your money, as it is a whole park rather than just a handful of rooms. It is also cheaper than the Aquarium, too! 😀

What is your favorite activity to do in a big city near you? Who else has a zoo or aquarium close by? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug30

Sephora Brand Lipstick Review In The Red

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Sephora Brand Lipstick Review In The Red

Hey! After unboxing my goodies from one of Sephora’s Play! boxes, a lot of you took interest in the Sephora brand lipstick that I received in The Red. If you can remember from the swatching post, I definitely didn’t care for this color because of its heavy blue undertones. But, I love you all so much that I thought I would give it a try so that I could accurately review it. Here we go:

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My first impression of this lipstick was that the application for it was quite difficult. It didn’t want to work on the corners of my lips at all. It applied well to my top and bottom lip, but when I got to the corners, color wasn’t even getting on them even though I was rubbing it on. So that kind of sucked. The texture of this lippie is also really creamy, so that made the application a little tricky for me, because I’m so used to matte. It glided on well, but it got everywhere outside of my lips, so touch ups were much needed.

Once the lipstick was on, I put it to the ultimate task of eating lunch and seeing what happened. I had cheese and crackers with mustard to dip it in and I made no efforts to eat carefully. I was really hungry so I was ravenous and I figured that the lippie would be all over my face after that feeding frenzy. But, I was pleasantly surprised to see that it didn’t budge at all, and it was very easy to wipe off afterwards.

After having this Sephora brand lipstick on, I still don’t think that I would use it in a color that I like, because I am not a cream lippie girl. And, the difficulty with applying it was definitely a turn off for me. I wouldn’t recommend this product, though, because there are a lot of other brands that are cheaper and do a cream lipstick much better.

Final Verdict: Don’t bother.

Are you a fan of Sephora brand products? What is your favorite cream lipstick? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah