Tag Archives: blah

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

Aug29

Face Mask Festivities: Andalou Naturals Pumpkin Honey Glycolic Brightening Mask Edition

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Face Mask Festivities: Andalou Naturals Pumpkin Honey Glycolic Brightening Mask Edition

Hello! The face mask that we will be discussing today is one that I strongly urge that none of you buy, because it was honestly the worst mask I’ve ever used in my life. Its literal only saving grace was that it smelled like Pumpkin Spice Lattes, but don’t get it twisted, because this mask burned like the DICKENS. Take a look at some pics and let’s get to it:

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^^^ Although the color of this mask looks pumpkin-y, it actually went on clear. So, a picture of it on wasn’t necessary.

I shit you guys not, within one minute of this Andalou Naturals mask being on, I felt a burning in my skin that was so intense that I needed to wash it off immediately. My skin felt red hot and the sensation of my face being on friggen fire made me scrub my skin raw trying to get all of the mask off. And, to think it said leave it on for ten to twenty minutes on the directions! I THINK NOT!!

If you want to feel like a scalding hot Pumpkin Spice Latte just got thrown on your face, then this is definitely the mask for you. But, if not, then don’t go anywhere near this product, because it sucked on ice. And, that’s all I have to say about that. SMH.

Which products have you used that have irritated your skin? What has been the worst face mask that you’ve ever used? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug25

Face Mask Festivities: Fresh Black Tea Instant Perfecting Mask Edition

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Face Mask Festivities: Fresh Black Tea Instant Perfecting Mask Edition

Hi everyone and welcome to a new edition of Face Mask Festivities! Today, we are going to be discussing a mask that I got to test out, compliments of a freebie sample from Sephora. The brand is called Fresh and it is their Black Tea Instant Perfecting Mask. This single use packet was a nice way to see if this product or something similar would be something that I would like to use in the future. But, sadly, it was not. So, take a look at some pics and let’s get to it:

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^^^ As you can see from the color of this mask, it went on clear. So, a picture of the mask on wasn’t going to do much good!

If you read the back of the packet where it describes the Fresh mask, you can see that this product wasn’t meant to do much but hydrate the skin. That’s all very well, but I prefer for my masks to have a more detoxifying element to it, because I have plenty of moisturizers and my Vitamin E face mask from The Body Shop to hydrate my face for me. Sticking to these products, instead of buying a face mask, is a cheaper and just as effective way to keep my skin supple and moisturized without adding an additional step to my skin care routine.

Despite the above opinions, I will say that this Fresh mask felt awesome when it was on. It was very invigorating and it made my skin tingle, which was a lot of fun. But, the Black Tea mask was scent and color free which took away some of the enjoyment out of slathering on a face mask after a long day.

Final Verdict: You could live without this mask.

What is your favorite face mask to use? What has been a mask that you’ve used that you’re not crazy about? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug20

Givenchy Le Rouge Liquide Swatch In L’Interdit

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Givenchy Le Rouge Liquide Swatch In L’Interdit

Helloooo! On this wonderful Monday, we are going to chit chat about the next color in my Givenchy Le Rouge Liquide sample pack called L’Interdit. Although this shade of red has more blue undertones than I would care for, it’s still pretty all the same. And, like me, I’m sure that all of you will either like it or you don’t with no inbetweens. Take a look and let’s discuss:

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I was actually really excited about this color while it was in its little pod because, before application, it looked like a lovely and bright red. But, unfortunately once it came out of its container, it was way too subdued and, frankly, kind of blah for my liking. I feel like this color is a shade that we’ve all seen before, and there was nothing new or exciting that Givenchy added to the table. A little brightness, for example, would certainly go a long way in making this shade pop.

Tomorrow, we will talk about the last color in my Givenchy sample pack, Rouge Suedine, and hopefully it will wow me, because this has overall been a pretty lackluster swatching experience!

What is your favorite shade of red lipstick? How do you create a perfect pout? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug16

Too Faced Melted Matte Lip Paint Swatch In Queen B

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Too Faced Melted Matte Lip Paint Swatch In Queen B

Howdy! Today, we are going to be discussing Too Faced’s new line of lip paints called the Melted Matte collection. Melted Matte meaning, that it has an opaque finish but offers moisture via avocado and Vitamin E oil to prevent over drying your lips. I got the shade Queen B FO FREE when I restocked my Better Than Sex mascara. Although the formula doesn’t move me spiritually because it is definitely not budge free, the color is still very pretty. Take a look:

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As I said, the deep, dusty rose shade Queen B is lovely. It was also the best color to give as a freebie, because it looks good on literally everyone. However, I’ve never been truly blown away by any of the lip products by Too Faced. It’s crazy, because the mini lip paint that I got by them as my birthday gift from Sephora last year was awesome. The shade was gorgeous and it never ever budged. But, even just grazing my finger over the swatch on my hand when it dried brought significant smudging. Am I mad about it? No. But, I don’t think that I will bother with their lip paints anymore.

Even though my reviews for the Melted Matte style lippie isn’t the best, I’m not going to not use it. I like the color and I’m okay with vigilantly checking for lipstick smudges. But, at the end of the day, you guys already know that I’d take my favorite NYX matte lippies any day of the week!

Have any products disappointed you lately? Which brands do you avoid buying from? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug15

Face Mask Festivities: Origins Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask

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Face Mask Festivities: Origins Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask

Helloo everyone and happy Hump Day! Today, we are going to be talking about the Origins face mask that I got from my Sephora Play! box. I’ve heard really good things about Origins and was looking forward to giving their mask a try. But, it unfortunately missed the mark for me. Take a look at some pics and let’s discuss:

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Everyone knows that Lil Red loves a good charcoal product as much as the next guy and it’s good to know that the less costly brands that I use are doing me more justice than pricey Origins. The Clear Improvement mask was your standard charcoal mask. There was nothing special about it that made it different or better than my favorite one from The Body Shop.

This mask had no smell to it and it dried very, very quickly. Because the texture was so thin, the mask became dry and uncomfortably tight on my skin within two minutes. At that point, I might as well have just washed my face, instead. Especially because I didn’t notice any type of difference in my skin except for the fact that it felt dry as a bone afterwards. #disappointing

The beauty of subscription boxes is that you don’t have to be married to the product. It was fun to try something new and I’ll gladly finish my travel sized mask. But, I definitely will not use this mask or Origins products in the future. The drug store brands and The Body Shop reign victorious, once again.

What is your preferred subscription box? What is your favorite charcoal product? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul23

Marilyn Manson Concert At Blossom Music Center

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Marilyn Manson Concert At Blossom Music Center

Hiii everyone and happy Monday! Last week, I got to see Marilyn Manson in concert for the second time in less than one year. Our hometown hero was performing at Blossom Music Center with Rob Zombie for the Twins Of Evil tour. It was not an option to not go, even though Blossom isn’t one of my favorite venues so my sister, Kristen, and I made our happy way to the show and everything started out just fine until…

MY FAVORITE PLATFORMS BROKE WHILE WALKING INTO BLOSSOM!!!

😦

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There is literally nothing worse than looking all kinds of trashy when walking into a concert with bare feet and your tail between your legs, but what can you do? Lol, anyways, because Kristen and I pre-gamed and Ubered to the show, Marilyn Manson began performing moments after we found a good spot to post up at on the lawn.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Blossom, it’s an outdoor venue with a pavilion and a huge lawn as your seating options. Being seated in the pavilion is expensive, but you can see the stage. Meanwhile, the lawn is dirt cheap, but you can’t see shit and taking pictures or videos won’t do you a lick of good. Because Kristen and I were so spoiled with front row spots during the last show we saw Marilyn Manson at, our twenty buck lawn seats were just fine.

In all honesty, the show was quite disappointing. Granted, we couldn’t see anything without the mega screens, but there were some other issues that spoiled the fun, too. First of all, the set list, which will be discussed in a moment was short. We’re talking twelve songs and then off the stage for good short. And second, the crowd was just not feeling it, and that was shocking to me – especially considering that Marilyn Manson’s home town was literally fifteen minutes away from where we were. All of these circumstances together created a really lackluster vibe, and it was a bummer to be in an audience that wasn’t welcoming back Ohio’s finest like the royalty he is.

Now, the set list was okay, but it did leave a lot to be desired. The majority of his picks were crowd pleasers like mOBSCENE, This Is The New Shit, Disposable Teens, Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This), The Beautiful People, and The Dope Show. He also added in fan favorites from his most recent album, Heaven Upside Down, with Kill4Me and Say10. With over seventy-five percent of the set list being made up of his most popular hits, the crowd should have been going nuts, and it just wasn’t happening.

The remaining tracks that he performed was his encore of his new remake of Cry Little Sister, which was fabulous, and Irresponsible Hate Anthem (Which he opened with.), Angel With The Scabbed Wings, and Antichrist Superstar. As I said, there was a lot to be desired.

After Marilyn Manson finished up, Kristen and I decided that we had no desire to see Rob Zombie perform, so we called an Uber and headed home. Overall, it was a fun night and I am so happy to have seen one of my favorite artists for the second time. But, nothing will ever compare to seeing him front and center for the first time at Stage AE!

What concerts have you been to this summer? Do you have a venue similar to Blossom in your area? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah