Tag Archives: festivities

Jul23

Face Mask Festivities: Yes To Tomatoes Detoxifying Charcoal Mud Mask Edition

Posted on July 23, 2021 by lifewithlilred

Hi! Recently, my mom surprised me with the Detoxifying Charcoal Mud Mask by Yes To Tomatoes to test out. She is the literal sweetest and knows how much I enjoy doing face masks so every so often when she sees one for a good deal, she will treat me to it. While it wasn’t the best face mask I have ever used, the sentiment behind it was a ten out of ten stars for me! Now, let’s get to it:

I am a huge fan of charcoal skin care products, especially my favorite face bar by Destiny Boutique. I am always eager to test new charcoal products out because they are so effective in clearing the blackheads on my nose. I was expecting two results when using this Yes To Tomatoes mask: Clearing up my problem area as well as giving a nice glow to my skin since my fave face mask by The Body Shop does both. While this mask did clear up a lot of blackheads, it really didn’t do too much else for my skin.

Although I wasn’t overly blown away by the Detoxifying Charcoal Mud Mask, it did apply very easily. This was nice because some mud masks can be so thick. I had this mask on for about twelve minutes while I did some housework but it dried in roughly ten. I would definitely recommend washing it off right at the ten minute mark because it started feeling uncomfortably tight on my skin after just two additional minutes.

The Detoxifying Charcoal Mud Mask by Yes To Tomatoes is one that you could take or leave. However, if you’re like me and enjoy testing face masks just for the sake of trying something new, then it wouldn’t hurt to give this one a try if you find it for a marked down price!

What was the best face mask that you have used? Do you have a favorite ingredient when it comes to skin care? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul20

Face Mask Festivities: LANEIGE Water Sleeping Mask Edition

Posted on July 20, 2021 by lifewithlilred

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Face Mask Festivities: LANEIGE Water Sleeping Mask Edition

Hello! During my last online Sephora Haul, I was able to cash in on my freebie birthday gift right in the nick of time as the month of June was almost over. I went with the LANEIGE gift set which offered a travel sized moisturizer, lip mask, and sleeping mask. Since arriving in the mail, I have used all of these products and can easily say that I would buy a full size of any of them – especially the Lip Sleeping Mask!

This past week, I used the Water Sleeping Mask three days in a row and was blown away by the results every morning. Take a look at some pics and let’s discuss:

When I saw the Water Sleeping Mask by LANEIGE in person, I remembered that I had actually tried it out before. It’s funny, because I was less than impressed in my previous review two years ago. Fast forward to present day and I am freaking obsessed with this mask!

Despite its rich gel texture, the Water Sleeping Mask applies really thin and this is so nice in my hot apartment. It can be unbearable having a thicker product on when I am sweating constantly! A little of it also went a long way and I have barely made a dent in it after three uses.

I was so excited to see the results upon awakening after my first use and when I looked in the mirror, I thought it was a fluke. When I wake up in the morning, I look and feel like the Swamp Creature lol but when I saw myself, my skin was absolutely glowing. It looked so healthy, bright, radiant, and *dare I say* younger! After three uses in a row, I woke up to the same results each morning and couldn’t believe my skin could look that good from just one product.

If you’re looking for instant radiance in the morning, then this nighttime mask is for you! I have no idea how I didn’t experience that during my first test run with the Water Sleeping Mask and am so glad I had the opportunity to try it again. Highly recommend!

Have you used any LANEIGE products before? What are your thoughts on them? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul13

Face Mask Festivities: LANEIGE Berry Lip Sleeping Mask Edition

Posted on July 13, 2021 by lifewithlilred

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Face Mask Festivities: LANEIGE Berry Lip Sleeping Mask Edition

Hello! At the end of June, I had an online Sephora haul just in time to get my birthday freebie. For my gift, I went with a skin care set by LANEIGE because I have always been interested in trying their products. While I can’t wait to test out the moisturizer and sleeping face mask by LANEIGE, I was most looking forward to using the Berry Lip Sleeping Mask. I see their lip masks all the time at TJMaxx but I could never justify the fifteen dollar price tag. After a few uses, however, I will happily be purchasing a full sized jar because I am obsessed! Let’s discuss:

In a world of skin care that revolves around moisturizers, serums, and eye creams, it is a rarity to find a product solely dedicated to the lips. While I do apply moisturizer to my lips, I have never used a treatment specifically for them, which is why I was so eager to test the Berry Lip Sleeping Mask out. I am very prone to chapped lips and after just three uses I have noticed a huge difference in both the hydration and appearance of my lips.

My first impression of the LANEIGE lip mask was how pretty the seashell pink packaging and product was! It also smelled amazing – just like the mixed berry Lip Smackers. The jar I received was, of course, a trial size but just a small swiping of it went such a long way and I have hardly made a dent in it after three uses. The texture of the mask is rich and creamy without feeling thick and I have been applying a small amount after my nighttime skin care routine every other few days.

When I used the Lip Sleeping Mask for the first time, I couldn’t wait to wake up in the morning to see the results! After washing it off, I couldn’t believe what I saw and felt. My lips had never felt so hydrated and cared for before and they looked fuller and healthy. I even think that the natural color of my lips has improved too from the berry tinged mask. The best part? My lips still were highly moisturized and had a supple, color tinted appearance after a handful of days without using it.

The LANEIGE Berry Lip Sleeping Mask is literally everything and I never realized how much I needed a product just for my lips until testing it out. I highly, highly recommend it!

What is a skin care essential for you? What are your thoughts on this mask if you have used it before? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul8

LANEIGE Birthday Gift From Sephora

Posted on July 8, 2021 by lifewithlilred

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Hello! I celebrated my 27th birthday on June 7th, got married on June 4th, and celebrated my husband’s birthday on June 1st. Needless to say, it was a whirlwind of a month! So much so, that I completely forgot about cashing in on birthday freebies from various stores and rewards programs. Thankfully, I remembered my Sephora birthday gift right in the nick of time and was really impressed by their different gift options. In my opinion, the choices were much better than last year!

If you are a member of the Beauty Insider program at Sephora, you could select from a LANEIGE skin care set, a lip balm and bronzer by NARS, hair care from MOROCCANOIL, or two Rare Beauty lipsticks by Selena Gomez. For my freebie, I picked the LANEIGE skin care set because I have always wanted to try their products. TJMaxx usually has their skin care in store and online but I can never justify the fifteen dollar price tag for something that I might not like. Sephora’s birthday gift will allow me to test them out free of charge! Check it out:

While I love a good sleeping mask and moisturizer as much as the next person, I am most excited to try the Lip Sleeping Mask in Berry. While I haven’t used it yet, it smells amazing and has the prettiest ballet slipper pink hue. I am a member of a lot of rewards programs and Sephora definitely takes the cake for the best birthday gift. I also like that Sephora offers a freebie option for each beauty category: makeup, skin care, hair care, and occasionally perfume. And, of course, it’s nice that you don’t have to make a purchase to receive your gift.

I have discovered many a favorite product thanks to Sephora freebies and I have a feeling that I am going to fall in love with my goodies by LANEIGE!

Which birthday gift from Sephora did you select? What are your thoughts on LANEIGE products if you have used them before? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun22

Face Mask Festivities Follow Up: The Body Shop’s Japanese Matcha Tea Pollution Clearing Mask Edition

Posted on June 22, 2021 by lifewithlilred

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Face Mask Festivities Follow Up: The Body Shop’s Japanese Matcha Tea Pollution Clearing Mask Edition

Howdy! When it comes to bath and body care as well as skin care too, I always find myself partial to products from The Body Shop. In my youth, we always had goodies from TBS handy like their bath beads, bar soap, and shower gel. Then, in my teenage years, my mom took me there for one of my very first skin care and makeup hauls.

The Body Shop always hits right in the nostalgia for me and for good reason! So you could imagine how disappointing it was when all of their storefronts in my area closed several years ago. TJMaxx definitely saved the day when they started carrying TBS products in their beauty department and my mom and I were ecstatic to get our favorite lotions and skin care for a fraction of the cost.

A few months ago, my mom surprised me with The Body Shop’s Japanese Matcha Tea Pollution Clearing mask which she found at TJMaxx. It had been a long while since I tested out a new face mask and if you read my original review, you will remember that I felt the mask left a lot to be desired.

While I always enjoy using a new face mask, good or bad, I did find myself a bit disappointed with the Pollution Clearing mask. Yes, my skin felt slightly softer and looked a tad brighter but that was about it and I was very surprised to see so many five star reviews for it on Google. The reviews made me feel like I was missing something and I also refused to believe that The Body Shop could have made such a dud (For a lack of a better word!) of a mask. So, I began using it bi-weekly for about a month and, I have to say, I still don’t get it lol.

There is no denying that using this mask is a pleasurable experience, however, I still don’t see or feel any groundbreaking results after regular usage. Then again, what’s my one negative review among a sea of five star ones?! I still stand by my lackluster opinions but learned from reading user reviews that this mask proves to be highly effective for acne prone skin. My skin type has always been normal so it makes sense that I might not have seen such obvious improvements but it still would have been nice!

Acne prone skin or not, I still wouldn’t recommend paying the full twenty-eight dollar price tag for this mask. But, it is worth a try if you find it at a discount store like TJMaxx. I’m happy that I continued to try this face mask despite little to no results and plan on finishing my jar of it. But I think I will stick to my Himalayan Charcoal Purifying Glow mask from The Body Shop from now on.

Which products have you been unimpressed with recently? What is your favorite product from The Body Shop? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr28

Face Mask Festivities: The Body Shop’s Japanese Matcha Tea Pollution Clearing Mask Edition

Posted on April 28, 2021 by lifewithlilred

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Face Mask Festivities: The Body Shop’s Japanese Matcha Tea Pollution Clearing Mask Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a new edition of Face Mask Festivities! It has been a while since I tried out a new face mask and I feel like I haven’t written a review for one in forever. For a hot minute, I was trying out at least one new sheet mask per week but I fell out of it so I was very excited when my mom surprised me with a face mask from The Body Shop when she was doing some shopping at TJMaxx. It is always such fun for me to try out a new product and, although the Matcha Tea Pollution Clearing Mask left a lot to be desired, I still felt so pampered afterwards all the same. Let’s discuss:

Because there is no Body Shop in my area, I have fallen behind on all of their product lines and didn’t even know their Japanese Matcha Tea line existed. Other than a few random online orders, I pretty much exclusively will get TBS products at TJMaxx and I love when I am able to find their skin and bath and body care for a fraction of the price. My mom was so sweet to get the Pollution Clearing Mask for me and, as always, she is the queen of Sweet Surprises!

Over this past weekend, I tried out my new face mask and my first impression of it when I opened the jar was that it looked like mint chocolate chip ice cream, lol. It also smelled just like a fresh cup of green tea, which was really nice. The mask had a creamy texture, which made its application super easy and I left it on for ten minutes, as recommended.

When using a new face mask, I never expect too much in terms of the results so that I am never disappointed. While I did notice that my skin looked a bit brighter and felt slightly smoother, I was not blown away after washing the mask off. Had this been an actual TBS purchase, this would have been a bigger blow because their face masks are not cheap and I would never recommend paying full price for it. However, if you happen to see it at a discount store like TJs, it wouldn’t hurt to give it a try.

Despite not seeing groundbreaking results, there is something to be said about the wonderful quality of The Body Shop’s products and I did enjoy using the Japanese Matcha Tea mask. I also loved being able to break out my Ralph Lauren robe from my brother and his family for the ultimate spa experience. The Pollution Clearing mask was mild enough that you can use it fairly often throughout the week, which is what I plan on doing, and I will be looking forward to more pampering in my future!

What is your favorite line from The Body Shop? Where do you get the best deals on skin care? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan12

Face Mask Festivities: Formula 10.0.6 Get Your Glow On Edition

Posted on January 12, 2021 by lifewithlilred

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Face Mask Festivities: Formula 10.0.6 Get Your Glow On Edition

Hello! After testing out the Turn Up The Heat self-warming face mask by Formula 10.0.6, I was less than impressed. It’s safe to say that I was expecting another disappointment when I tried their Get Your Glow On skin brightening peel mask but I was dead wrong. Despite one issue, this mask rocked and I am very excited to use it again! Take a look at some pics and let’s discuss:

Similar to the last mask I used by Formula 10.0.6, the Get Your Glow On mask was incredibly difficult to get out of the squeeze bottle. It wasn’t so much the mask as it was the bottle itself, which was stiff and rigid. I have nerve damage in my hands from a car accident and I had a tough go of squeezing enough of the mask to cover my face into my hands. In fact, I had almost given up on using it completely so if you struggle with any type of nerve damage or arthritis in your hands, this mask might be more trouble than its worth even though it worked well.

After finally getting enough product into my hands to apply to my face, it was smooth sailing and the mask smelled great – just like Lip Smackers chapstick! I left the mask on while I took a bath and it was ready to peel off by the time I finished my soak. It took about twenty to twenty-five minutes for the mask to dry, which is quite a bit more time than the directions recommend so be aware of that if you do decide to give the Get Your Glow On mask a try.

The mask peeled off perfectly and I felt like a snake shedding its skin, lol. I just love peel off masks in general and they are fun when they actually work because I’ve used a few in the past that just never dried or peeled. After removing the mask, I really felt like my skin looked brighter. I used this mask first thing in the morning and my skin no longer looked tired but radiant, even, and clear. It also didn’t dry my skin out at all, which is a huge plus because the Turn Up The Heat mask left my skin feeling so tight.

The Get Your Glow On mask was a huge improvement in comparison to my previous experience with Formula 10.0.6 and I would recommend it as long as you’re okay with struggling with the bottle each time you use it. Don’t say I didn’t warn ya!

What is your favorite type of face mask? How do you pamper yourself at home? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan11

Face Mask Festivities: Formula 10.0.6 Turn Up The Heat Edition

Posted on January 11, 2021 by lifewithlilred

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Face Mask Festivities: Formula 10.0.6 Turn Up The Heat Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a new edition of Face Mask Festivities. Today, we are going to be talking about one of the masks that I received in my Holiday Haul by Formula 10.0.6 and, I have to say, I am very glad that this is a mask that I didn’t buy on my own because it was a massive dud. But, hey, they can’t all be winners and it’s still always nice to try something new. Take a look at some pics and let’s discuss:

My first qualm with the Turn Up The Heat face mask was the pump bottle that it came in. If you held it with the pump on top, nothing came out and if you held it with the pump on the bottom, it was still really difficult to get anything out. Also, the amount of face mask that pumped out was minuscule so it took some time to get enough to cover my face and, even then, it was a thin coating at best. A squeeze bottle would have worked so much better!

Despite the issues with simply getting the product out of the bottle, I was still excited to try it because I love a good self-warming mask. But, unfortunately, the mask never heated up on my face. Rather, it got warm in my hands and by the time I applied it to my face, the effect was already gone and that was definitely a disappointment since the self-warming was the whole point of the mask.

Up until I finished washing the mask off, I was still holding on to a slight benefit of the doubt but that quickly dissipated once I realized how tight my skin was afterwards. It felt so dehydrated and I couldn’t get my moisturizer on fast enough. I also noticed no positive changes in my complexion, either. WHOMP WHOMP.

I would not recommend this mask at all as it was lackluster on all fronts. The highly inconvenient packaging was one thing but the Turn Up The Heat mask did not work as described and did nothing for my skin. Don’t bother with this one!

Is there a self-warming mask that you recommend? Have you used any products that were duds lately? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec24

Face Mask Festivities: Dr. Jart Cryo Rubber Brightening Mask Edition

Posted on December 24, 2020 by lifewithlilred

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Face Mask Festivities: Dr. Jart Cryo Rubber Brightening Mask Edition

Hi! Whenever I order online with TJMaxx, I like to purchase a new face mask to try out. They’re fun, relaxing, and inexpensive. I consider ten dollars or under well worth it for a half hour or so of pampering at home! The last time I ordered with TJMaxx, literally all they had in the face mask department were Cryo Rubber masks by Dr. Jart. The packaging is, admittedly, extremely disturbing but the mask in itself was one of the best ones I’ve used as of late. Take a look at some pics and let’s discuss:

The first step to applying this face mask was the pre-treatment as seen in pictures three and four. I loved the texture of it because it was a thick gel but it didn’t make my skin feel sticky at all. Once the pre-treatment was rubbed on, the actual mask could be applied. I wasn’t sure what the mask was going to be so I was surprised to see it was a sheet mask. I originally thought it would be a peel off style mask that dried with a rubber texture. However, those can be kind of a pain to apply and remove so I was happy that I was just dealing with a sheet mask.

Other than the results which we will get to, the best part about this mask was the fact that the sheet was divided into two pieces – one for the top half of your face and one for the bottom. This was SO much better than the one piece sheet masks (That are usually gigantic on me) because you could apply individual pieces in a way that would fit your face best. Other than some slipping and sliding in the beginning, once this mask dried a little it stayed put perfectly for the forty minute duration that it had to sit.

While the mask was on, my skin felt cool and tingly and it actually felt that way the entire evening once it was removed. My skin was so soft after taking the mask off and it still felt just as good the following day. I think it does look a little brighter too – especially around the designer bags under my eyes!

Although the packaging for the Dr. Jart Cryo Rubber Mask was super weird, you can’t judge a book by its cover because I really enjoyed it! There were a couple more of these masks with different focuses like Calming and Moisturizing and if they are still there, then I will definitely order them the next time I shop with TJMaxx. Great success!

What is your favorite kind of face mask to use? How do you pamper yourself at home? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov29

Face Mask Festivities: Julep Triple Quench Sheet Mask Edition

Posted on November 29, 2020 by lifewithlilred

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Face Mask Festivities: Julep Triple Quench Sheet Mask Edition

Hi everyone and welcome to a new edition of Face Mask Festivities! During my last little TJMaxx haul, I ordered an intriguing looking mask by Julep that was not only a sheet mask but also offered a pre and post treatment. I have never used a mask that had multiple treatments in one package so I figured it had to be good. I figured wrong, though, because this mask was definitely nothing to sneeze at. Lol, take a look at some pics and let’s discuss:

Pic 3: Pre-treatment gel
Pic 4: Lol, you know I love sheet mask pictures!
Pic 5: Post-treatment cream

Step one of this Julep mask was to apply a pre-treatment gel for maximum absorption before putting on the sheet mask. The “gel” didn’t have the traditional, sticky texture which was nice and it was easy to put on.

Next, it was time for the sheet mask. I love sheet masks but, sadly, I don’t think they love me because they’re all too damn big! Lol, this sheet mask was huge and it was not the most comfortable to have on for a full fifteen minutes. Despite it slipping and sliding, I powered through by distracting myself with an episode of Trailer Park Boys with Johnny.

Before I knew it, the sheet mask was ready to come off and the post treatment cream came on to help seal in all of the nutrients and hydration. I can’t say that I was impressed with the results once I completed all three steps. My skin didn’t feel super hydrated, either. In fact, it actually felt rather tight and my cheeks were a rosy pink for the entire evening.

I thought that I might see a better outcome the following morning once all of the treatments could soak in but that wasn’t the case. My skin felt a bit softer, yes. However, I feel like I get those results just from my normal nighttime skin care routine of a serum, eye cream, and moisturizer. This is also a three step process but at least I know it to be effective.

I can’t say that I would recommend this mask because it really didn’t do much. I thought that the three step process the Julep sheet mask offered was an inspired idea but the results left a lot to be desired. I haven’t had a lot of luck with sheet masks recently and I’m thinking it might be time to go back to the traditional clay masks, which I think work a little bit better. We’ll see what happens!

Do you recommend any great sheet or clay masks? Have you used any products that were a dud lately? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

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