Tag Archives: colors

New Hair Sneak Peek

Standard
New Hair Sneak Peek

Hello! One of my absolute favorite things in the world is getting my hair done at the Shear Shop. My amazing stylist, Anna, has been doing my hair for over twenty years and we just have so much fun at all of my appointments. While she works her magic, we are nonstop chattering away about our updates, laughing, and daydreaming about what to do with my hair next. Sometimes Anna and I just freestyle what we are going to do the day of my appointment. More often than not, however, we go into it with a plan and then we’ll see what happens. As Anna and I were messaging about my new do at my upcoming appointment, we were both totally on the same wavelength and will be working with this color palette:

This is the time of the year when I ditch summer colors and start delving into the deeper hues of fall. Anna and I have been experimenting with beaucoup blue by Pulp Riot for the warmer weather and I have been loving it. Blue has become a staple in my hair palette and I have been looking forward to using the gorgeous deep navy Nightfall for fall. Then, Anna sent me a picture of a blue jean shade called Asteroid and I just had to go for it instead! It’s not a huge jump from Nightfall but it’s enough for something different and I am never one to shy away from new Pulp Riot colors. I can’t wait to see it and smell it lol because all of their hair dye smells like Sweet Tarts! 😀

With red always being featured in my hair, we also had to decide on a new color for the middle layer. Currently, we have a pretty peach mixture of Desert Sky and Lava and that won’t do for fall. I told Anna I was thinking purple and coincidentally, she was looking at purple options when I suggested it! We considered it fate and will be using a Kelly Osbourne-esque violet called Elixir. I felt very inspired by her hair when she hosted Lego Masters Junior and repeatedly told Johnny how much I liked her color. Elixir is a perfect match and I adore that we read each other’s minds to pick it out. ❤

Red, purple, blue – oh my! Peep my brand new do soon on lifewithlilred!

How often do you get your hair done? Are you changing your hair for fall? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

New Lavender & Plum Nails

Standard
New Lavender & Plum Nails

Hello!! My beloved salon, Elysian Nails, takes a well deserved week long break during the first week of the New Year. I am so happy that they do that because all of the techs work incredibly hard and are incredibly skilled. I could not imagine how exhausted they all are after the big holiday rush! I have to admit, I was very excited for the salon to reopen because mama needed a fill and I was able to get a spot with my go to girl on Tuesday. This made for five weeks in between my last fill and I was surprised at how good my nails were looking until my tech took a better look lol. After some repairs for almost popped off nails, shaping, and sharpening, my talons are back to their former glory. Check it out:

IMG_2374IMG_2376

I’m not sure why, but I was in a very purple mood for my nail polish selection. It probably has to do with the fact that I was with my niece this weekend and she always let’s it be known that purple is her favorite color lol. I was in a rush to get to my appointment so with no time to consider other options, purple it was! I went for a pretty, deep plum that is oh so chic for winter and rather than fiddle around with a compatible combo color, I went with more purple! I thought it would look nice to do a dark and light variation with the plum and lavender. And, I hate to toot my own horn, but TOOT TOOT because I love it!

Once my old polish was off, my tech was properly able to assess the damage of five weeks sans fill. I couldn’t believe how loose three of the acrylics were because they still felt so sturdy to me. A true testament to how amazing she is! As quickly as the worn nails were off, three new ones were placed in what felt like no time at all. Even with this extra step on top of all of the detail work my tech does to keep my stilettos on point, I STILL made it to work on time. My appointments are kind of a mad dash and my tech knows I am in between shifts. No problem with my nails is ever too big to not be handled and I have yet to be back to work late. Once again, I am in the best, most skilled, capable, and speedy hands to boot. ❤

A full set is next on my agenda at Elysian Nails and I am so looking forward to a lengthier, evening appointment so that I can sit back, relax, and enjoy. This fill was an excellent way to treat myself now that it’s back to the grind after the holidays, though!

What are your favorite colors for the winter? How often do you get your nails done? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

New Hair, Who Dis?

Standard
New Hair, Who Dis?

Hello! At the end of October, I was finally able to get my hair done for fall and I couldn’t wait. I was SO ready to kick my summer colors to the curb and welcome fall with some jewel toned locks. My stylist, Anna, and I were beyond excited to play with the color palette we established beforehand because Pulp Riot came out with some glorious new hues for their fall collection. While I was eager to see our vision come to life, I was most looking forward to getting my beloved navy blue back because I missed it terribly! Check it out:

IMG_0188IMG_0705IMG_0699IMG_0562IMG_0717

^^^ Lol at the blooper shot last picture but you can see all the colors really well! 😀

Pulp Riot Colors Used:

Red: This was a mixture of a new color called Vintage Vegas and Pyro

Melon: Another new color called Eloped

Navy Blue: Nightfall

It can take upwards of five or so hours to get my hair done depending on what colors we are using. In this case, it was a very speedy trip to the Shear Shop indeed. This new do only took about three and a half hours… So speedy-ish lol. The major drop in time had to do with the minimal amount of bleaching that needed to happen to eliminate the remnants of yellow, pink, and red from my summer hair. After the bleach sat for around twenty minutes and was washed, all Anna needed to do was paint the color on. And, despite the relative shortness of my appointment, Anna’s attention to detail never faltered. (As always, she’s the best!)

The first order of business was to paint my roots and its regrowth with the mixture of Vintage Vegas and Pyro. This is not only flattering but highly practical. My natural hair color is medium brown and my regrown roots never look as bad when it is paired next to the deeper red. The next thing Anna did was apply Eloped directly beneath the red on my shorter layers. Eloped is, perhaps, one of our new favorite Pulp Riot colors. We were so enamored by the melon hue and our only regret is that it wasn’t available during the summertime. Finally, Anna finished up the hair dye process by painting the rest of my hair with Nightfall and we let the color sit for fifty minutes.

The cool thing about Pulp Riot colors is that what you see when the dye is on is very true to what you are going to get once it’s washed off. Of course, there is some give or take variance but you’re never going to be completely shocked by the outcome. Anna and I had a very positive inkling as to the results thanks to this preview but there is nothing better than seeing the final product once it is washed, cut, and styled. The deep navy and red were so rich and a fresh spin was put on a fall palette with the pop of melon from Eloped. Before leaving, Anna told me her grand plans for my next appointment and I wish I was back in her chair already to try out some more new colors!

I am unbelievably happy with how my hair turned out and I intend on keeping it dark for the foreseeable future. The regrowth from my summer hair was no joke and so not cute!

What is your favorite fall color? Which brand of hair dye do you use? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

New Hair Sneak Peek

Standard
New Hair Sneak Peek

Hello!! My preferred form of self care definitely falls under the “pampering” category. I love getting my hair and nails done, getting dressed up, and shopping for pretty little somethings to spoil myself with. Whenever I am done with any of these treats, I feel like a billion bucks and nobody can tell me NOTHING – especially after getting my hair done. This Friday, I have an appointment at the Shear Shop with my beloved stylist, Anna, to transform my hair. A few weeks before it’s time for me to come in, Anna will message me and we’ll discuss what I would like and she sends me different color options which she orders just for me. I don’t want to speak prematurely, but I think this is going to be one of my favorite hair makeovers yet! Check it out:

Screenshot

^^^ The “10” shades will be more true to what my hair will look like as it is the colors after bleaching!

Anna has been my stylist for over two decades and she knows me and my personal style like the back of her hand. For example, she predicted without me even hinting at it that I wanted to go back to dark hair after my summer colors of red, pink, and yellow. She was so right. I have been itching to get back to darker hues because the regrowth of my natural dark brown hair looks hit with lighter colors. After that matter was settled, she sent me pictures of some gorgeous new Pulp Riot shades. We have been loyal to Pulp Riot ever since the first time Anna used it on my hair. The colors are vibrant, the dye smells like Sweet Tarts, and it creates hair magic without fail every time.

The one color I was particularly entranced with was Eloped, but I wasn’t sure how that would mesh with the shade I had in mind. One of my favorite Pulp Riot colors ever is Nightfall (navy) and I want it back desperately. And, of course, I need some red mixed in there too! I told Anna as such and she fired back with the most stunning color story combining Eloped, Nightfall, and a new red hue called Vintage Vegas. I literally clutched my pearls because it was absolutely perfect. With that, Anna placed the order for my dye and all I have to do is count down the minutes until I can be in her chair to make it happen!

It’s natural to be nervous when you make a drastic change to your hair, but I never am. Anna is a true master of her craft and I know I am in the best, most capable hands. I am on pins and needles to see the outcome with these divine new Pulp Riot colors!

Do you have a close relationship with your hair stylist? How long have you been going to them? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

New Strawberries & Cream Nails

Standard
New Strawberries & Cream Nails

Hello! This past Tuesday I enjoyed a much needed nail appointment at Elysian Nails during my break from work. It had been a fat minute since I got my nails done because I came down with the plague and wasn’t trying to bring that nastiness into one of my favorite houses of worship. Thankfully, I was feeling much better and my time with my go to nail tech couldn’t have come quickly enough. I had two nails that were lifting and must have super glued my fingers together at least three times trying to rectify the situation smh. That is no longer an issue I will have to worry about because my talons are fixed up and better than ever! Check it out:

image_50380801(6)image_50401281(7)

Whenever my adorable mom gets her nails done or paints them at home, she can always count on me to tell her that whatever shade of beige or pale pink she’s using is boring lol. It is said from a place of daughterly love and has been a running joke between us for years. I guess my my mom’s preferences were rubbing off on me because I couldn’t get beige off of my brain while driving to the salon. I am a huge fan of the recent trend of pairing a nude shade with a bright color pop and decided to step into my Jane Era. I found the most gorgeous sepia hued polish among my selections, but I went with a soft pink rather than a neon. It made for a lovely strawberries and cream combo that looked so delicate and pretty!

Once my nail polish was chosen, I was able to go right to my tech’s station and the process ran like a fine tuned machine. While I love to take my time at the salon, my break time visits are very convenient for me and my tech knows that I need to head back to work at a certain time so I’m not late for my next shift. She is so accommodating of my time crunch appointment and never sacrifices the details while speedily shaping, buffing, and filing away. I have never once been late for my following shift and have always left with nails that looked and felt like a million bucks. It is the perfect way to spend a break and it feels so good to return to my long day with a renewed pep in my step.

These strawberries and cream nails are everything and a sweet homage to my darling mom’s favorite colors. I am living for my Jane Era!

What color of nail polish are you currently rocking? Which colors do you tend to avoid in clothing, nail polish, or makeup? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

New Watermelon Nails

Standard
New Watermelon Nails

Hi! This past Tuesday I enjoyed an appointment for a fill at Elysian Nails. It couldn’t have come a moment too soon because my car needed some extensive repairs and, therefore, I needed a little pick me up. I was without the Little Red Love Machine for a day and a half and missed her so much! I truly felt incomplete without my beloved LRLM and a fresh fill was a perfect combatant to the loneliness lol. I wanted something bright and fun and, as always, my tech delivered with these watermelon nails:

image_50394625(2)image_50435329(9)

When I get my nails done, I either know exactly what colors I want or have no idea in the slightest. There is no in between! For this fill, the former was the case and I was in the mood for some watermelon nails. Other than being one of my favorite fruits, watermelon is a true summertime staple. While I try to avoid doing the same color combinations as I have before, I just had to break out the pink and green one time for the one time. I am so glad I did because they look phenomenal and I can’t help but smile every time I see my poppy acrylics clacking away on the computer. 🙂

Normally when I get a fill, it is in between shifts for work and I am more worried about getting to where I need to be on time rather than relaxing. This time around, I actually had the day off and it made the experience so much better. I got to sit and enjoy as opposed to staring at the clock willing the process to go by faster. The piece de resistance, however, had to be allowing the time for my nail polish to dry! Usually once the polish is on, I book it, hop in the car, and crank cool air to let them dry on the way to my next destination. Don’t get me wrong, I always feel pampered after a fill but this one definitely hit different! 😀

I am pleased to report that I was reunited with the Little Red Love Machine a few hours after my nail appointment. There was nothing better than getting back behind the wheel of my car with gorgeous nails to boot!

What is one of your summertime staples? What color of nail polish are you rocking? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Too Faced Lip Injection Swatch In Filler Up

Standard
Too Faced Lip Injection Swatch In Filler Up

Hi!!! I am very unadventurous when it comes to makeup. Once I find a brand and shade that I like, I tend to stick with it for the long haul. This past month, I used up my go to lipstick by Bite Beauty in the most lovely mauve shade called Chai. It was no biggie because I needed new mascara from Sephora so I planned on restocking my lipstick too. It turned out to be a HUGE biggie because I learned online that the Chai shade has been discontinued. Just my luck. I spent some time browsing Sephora online for a comparable lipstick but didn’t want to take the plunge in case I didn’t like it. So, I went to shop in store and after a lot of trial and error, ended up with a gorgeous shade by Too Faced called Filler Up. Check it out:

image_50417409(7)image_50416129(9)image_50365953(2)

I very rarely shop for new makeup and opt to spend my extra cash on new clothes and shoes. I like to consider myself to be an excellent shopper, but I met my match at Sephora. Who knew something as simple as picking out a new lipstick would be so difficult? NOT ME lol. Shopping brings me inner peace – makeup shopping is a whole different ballgame. Every lipstick looked like it could be good and, then again, every lipstick looked like it might not work. This was so totally overwhelming considering the expansive lippie selection at Sephora!

After swatching, reswatching, and swatching again throughout the store, I was at a complete loss. Then, the tides turned in a major way when I took a closer look at the Lip Injection collection by Too Faced. There was no perfect match to my fallen friend by Bite Beauty, but it was closer than anything I had seen. I ended up choosing a shade called Filler Up which is described as a “muted mauve pink”. Although I still preferred the true mauve of Chai, I knew that Filler Up was the closest I could get and I’m happy with it. I have used matte Too Faced lip products before and love their saturated pigments. However, I find matte products to be a bit too drying now so this cream lippie is just right. Is it my new favorite shade? Who’s to say? But I’ll give it a try. 🙂

Did I have fun during my Sephora shopping trip? Not at all lol so I am so glad I found something “close enough” to my OG lippie so I don’t have to do it again anytime soon! 😀

What is your least favorite thing to shop for? What is your go to lipstick? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

 

New Pink & Deep Purple Nails

Standard
New Pink & Deep Purple Nails

Hello!! Three of my houses of worship are TJMaxx, the Shear Shop, and Elysian Nails. They are where I go to find solace, shelter from the storm, and inner peace. I leave each location a transformed woman and always feel much better than I did before! On Tuesday, I had a fantastic fill at Elysian Nails and it turned out beautifully. There is nothing quite like that fresh fill feeling and no one could tell me NOTHIN for the rest of the day! My nail tech got me just right and I am loving this cute color combo:

image_50386689(1)image_50427393(6)

^^^ Peep those new finger tattoos!

It has felt like summer for the past several weeks in Ohio and I always like to transition to brighter nail polish when it starts warming up. My plan was to go for sunny, poppy hues for this fill but I was feeling very uninspired at the nail polish wall. Every color combination I could think of was something that I had done before and while I have no problem repeating combos I liked, I just wasn’t in the mood for it. After staring at my choices for what felt like forever, a bubblegum pink caught my eye and I could work with that! Rather than continue with summer colors, I decided to expand my horizons and chose a shimmery, deep purple. It was different than anything I have used recently and I can’t believe I haven’t selected it before because it’s so pretty!

When I go in for my Tuesday fill, I am in between shifts and it can be hard for me to fully relax when I know I have to go back to work. But, after I sat down at my nail tech’s station, I could literally feel my stress melting away. My girl is the absolute best and I never realize just how bad my nails are until she goes to work on them. As we chat away, she expertly repairs, fortifies, and sharpens my claws back into their former glory. Once I leave the salon and am on my way back to the grind, I always feel like I’m ready to take on the rest of the day. It’s amazing what some fresh new talons can do for me. 😀

Elysian Nails is, truly, my happy place and I think it is having the same effect on my mom… She has been itching to go back for a mani since we got our toes done and I am SO there for it!

What colors do you like to wear in the summer? Where is your happy place? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

New Coral & Lilac Nails

Standard
New Coral & Lilac Nails

Hello! This past Monday, I was able to finally get my nails done after work and it was SO very needed. I was unable to come in during Christmas week because sick and my salon takes a week off after New Years so that was a no go either. After a much deserved break for all of the wonderful employees of Elysian Nails, my appointment for a fill couldn’t have come sooner. My nails were looking awful – they were insanely grown out, dull as dishwater, and there was some lifting too. I couldn’t stand it! Thankfully, a new to me tech got me right and it was one of the best fills I’ve had in months. Check it out:

image_50365185(1)image_50381825(4)

During the grey months of winter, I normally opt for deeper colors for my nails. However, after a not ideal holiday break, I needed some brightness in my life and decided to change things up. I was craving the poppy, fun shades of spring and a coral polish caught my eye as I was scouring my selection. This hue just screamed spring and was like an instant pick me up. To keep with the spring motif, I went with a lovely lilac as my complimentary color and loved how it turned out. I seriously can’t stop staring at my nails as I type this and they are a breath of fresh air to start the new year with.

For such a pretty color palette, I needed pretty nails to match and my tech did an incredible job. I was very impressed with her from the jump because she was so detail oriented. For example, she took the time to really work on my cuticles and that is something that I have never had a tech do before. I didn’t realize how bad mine were until she removed all of the dead skin that was ready to come off. My tech tended to everything wrong with my nails with so much precision and care. By the time she was done, it was like the lifted nails never happened in the first place. My nails felt strong, sturdy, and sharp enough to poke an eye out and that’s exactly how I like it!

One of my favorite things about Elysian Nails is that your hands will always be in the best hands no matter which tech is pampering you. Everyone is so amazingly skilled and even though I couldn’t get an appointment with my go to girl, I was still treated like a long term client by the tech who did my fill. You simply can’t beat that level of customer service! ❤

What color of nail polish are you currently rocking? Are you craving springtime already? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

New Hair, Who Dis?

Standard
New Hair, Who Dis?

Hello!! This past Friday, I spent a wonderful day getting pampered by my amazing stylist, Anna, at the Shear Shop. Last time I got my hair done by Anna, we introduced a gorgeous new Pulp Riot shade called Nightfall which is a navy blue. We both loved it SO much and decided that we needed to see more of it during my next appointment so I couldn’t wait to make that happen. For this look, we used all Pulp Riot colors of Pyro, Fireball, Satire, and Nightfall and it turned out absolutely divine. Check it out:

babes1image_50755585(1)image_50460673(10)

^^^ Keep it locked for a brand new OOTD coming soon! 😀

To create my new do, Anna began by bleaching my roots and we let that sit for around twenty-five or thirty minutes. After washing and drying, it was time to mix up the Pulp Riot dye and, as always, take a commemorative whiff of it. Lol, if you have used Pulp Riot products before, then you will know it smells exactly like Sweet Tarts! 😀

image_50730241(4)

The fun truly begins when Anna starts to dye my hair and brings our vision to life. Although we were using the exact same colors from my previous appointment, changes needed to be made. It was already decided that we needed more navy in our lives and we swapped the yellow I originally had in front for navy instead. This choice was made for aesthetics, sure, but it was also strategic. While we both adore the gorgeous yellow shade of Satire, it looked very unflattering when my dark roots came in against such a bright hue. Anna is a master of her craft and she not only thinks about the immediate result, but what it will look like when it grows out too and that is much appreciated.

To achieve this look, Anna started out by painting my roots with a deep red called Pyro. It makes my regrowth virtually undetectable and is a must every time I get my hair done. Then, she painted my bangs and the hair framing my face with Nightfall as well as creating a navy halo underneath the red. She also left a few strands out that we could paint with Satire, but that was easier said than done. The yellow is very close to the navy and the last thing we wanted was for a funky green shade to pop up. Finally, she pulled through the rest of the back portion of my hair with the brighter red of Fireball and we let the color sit for around fifty minutes.

Once the color was ready to be washed out, Anna proceeded with caution because we didn’t want any of the colors to blend. She used a fabulous color locking shampoo that pretty much eliminated any bleed out and we were most impressed. Afterwards, it was onto conditioner and a treatment to soften my hair and add some shine. That is always much needed after we put my hair through the ringer! My hair felt wonderful after and it was as if we never did anything to it in the first place.

The end result of Anna’s hard work blew us both away and it turned out exactly how we wanted it to. I am obsessed with the navy framing my face and I love how it looks against my complexion. My red was back and brighter than ever and there was no green to be found from colors blending. It’s always a coin toss to do something this bold with your hair, but I know that I am in the best hands with Anna. I can’t wait to see what we do next! 😀

Keep it posted here on lifewithlilred for a brand new OOTD, bloopers, and a bit of a surprise because your girl got a new piercing for the first time in years this past weekend!! It is very cute, if I do say so myself! 🙂

Have you changed your look recently? What is your favorite hair care product? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah