Tag Archives: festivities

Jan25

Face Mask Festivities: Global Beauty Care Metallics Edition

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Face Mask Festivities: Global Beauty Care Metallics Edition

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Jul24

Face Mask Festivities: Nubian Heritage Mud Mask Edition

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Face Mask Festivities: Nubian Heritage Mud Mask Edition

Hello everyone and a happy Tuesday to all of you! In today’s surprise edition of Face Mask Festivities, we are going to discuss a mud mask by Nubian Heritage. I say surprise, because I wasn’t expecting to have another FMF post for a while but, then, my mom bought this mask ON THE CHEAP at Target! How can you say no to an originally fifteen dollar mask for five bucks?! Lol, take a look at some pics and let’s discuss:

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In all honesty, this mask was not my favorite and I feel disappointed by that, because I LOVED the texture of it. It felt so cool to the touch and the consistency was like BUTTAH! It was so smooth and creamy and it felt amazing when I applied it. And, then, it remained that way on my face for the entire ten minutes that I had it on. It didn’t dry, it didn’t harden, and it felt like it didn’t do NOTHIN. When I washed it off, it felt exactly how it felt when I first put it on my hands, so it left me feeling like it didn’t even work. It was really weird.

I will say, that the blackheads on my nose look a bit better, and the scent of the mask was nice and earthy. BUT, its lack of a change of consistency when the mask was supposedly doing its thing left a lot to be desired. And, now I see why this was marked down to five dollars! #smh

Has anyone else used this Nubian Heritage mask before? How did you feel about it? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul17

Face Mask Festivities: Freeman Avocado & Oatmeal Clay Mask Edition

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Face Mask Festivities: Freeman Avocado & Oatmeal Clay Mask Edition

Hi everyone and happy Tuesday! Until I acquire more face masks, this will be the last Face Mask Festivities post on lifewithlilred for a while. But, it has been a hoot trying out four different masks and I’m looking forward to trying out some of the ones that my wonderful readers have recommended next! To wrap things up, we are going to talk about Freeman’s Avocado & Oatmeal Clay Mask, so take a look at some pics and let’s discuss:

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I am a huge fan of all things avocado and oatmeal when it comes to skin care, and it was nice to use a mask with those ingredients that wasn’t a massive disappointment like the one I tested from CVS in May. This clay mask by Freeman really was just right and it left my skin feeling completely cleansed without being starved for moisture.

I love the way that this avocado and oatmeal mask smells, for starters. It doesn’t have the scent of either of its main ingredients but, rather, smells oh so creamy and rich. The lush, heavy cream aroma went hand in hand with the texture of the mask. It was thick without being too thick and spread perfectly during application.

The best part about this mask, however, was the fact that when it dried, it didn’t leave my skin feeling as dry as the desert along with it. It was easy to wash off and, after applying my moisturizing routine, my skin felt amazing. It had a vaguely cool feeling to it and my pores felt like they were taking a huge sigh of happiness. I would definitely recommend this mask for what it is – a simple product done exceedingly well. 10/10 would use again!

What are your favorite ingredients when it comes to face masks? How do you care for you skin after you wash your mask off? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul16

Face Mask Festivities: Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque Edition

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Face Mask Festivities: Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque Edition

Howdy and welcome to a new edition of Face Mask Festivities! Today, we are going to talk about a lesser liked mask of yours truly – Queen Helene’s Mint Julep Masque. From the very first squeeze out of the tube, I could tell that this wasn’t a mask for me. So, take a look at some pics and let’s discuss:

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My first impression of this mask was how thick the texture was. So much so that squeezing it out of its tube and onto my hand required some serious elbow grease. The mask did smell nice and minty, however, and it applied fairly easily. Unfortunately, that’s really all this Queen Helene product had going for it.

Despite a wash off time of five to ten minutes as listed on the directions, this mask began to dry and tighten on my face literally as soon as it hit my skin. By the time I got to the point in my shower routine to wash it off, it was probably on for seven minutes or so and my skin was left feeling dry as a bone. I was so eager to get my eye cream, serum, and moisturizer on post wash off and my skin still felt parched after hydrating it. Whomp whomp.

I love the idea of an invigorating and minty mask more than the next guy, but all of that doesn’t mean much when it feels like the product vacuum sealed your face. I wouldn’t recommend this mask to my worst enemy (Over dramatic, I know.), and definitely won’t be using it again in the future despite it being in my skin care arsenal.

Have any beauty products disappointed you lately? What has been one of your least favorite face masks? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul12

Face Mask Festivities: Freeman’s Charcoal + Black Sugar Gel Mask & Scrub Edition

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Face Mask Festivities: Freeman’s Charcoal + Black Sugar Gel Mask & Scrub Edition

Hello darlings and welcome to a riveting new edition of Face Mask Festivities! Today, we are going to be discussing another Freeman mask, which consisted of charcoal and black sugar. We all know that I love all charcoal everything, so this gel mask was an obvious hit for me! Take a look and let’s get to it:

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^^^ Peep that freshly dyed hair! 😀

In my humble opinion, charcoal products have been the most major game changer since Vitamin C skin care. It detoxifies, it cleanses, and it leaves the skin simply glowing after all of the gunk that’s been clogging your pores has been rinsed away. And, of course, this Freeman mask did all of that, which left for a really satisfying face mask experience.

The best part about this mask is the texture, because it isn’t your standard clay mask. This Freeman gel mask is a sugar scrub, too, so you got to exfoliate your skin while you were washing it off. And, speaking of texture, this mask literally never over dries. I had my mask on for the entire forty minutes that my hair dye was setting and it stayed the same consistency as when I first applied it until I washed it off. So amazing!

After giving my face a good scrub when rinsing my mask off, my skin felt so good. This Freeman mask gave my face such a deep clean and it was nothing short of invigorating. My pores feel like they can breathe, my blackheads are gone, and I would happily use this mask again.

Who else is a charcoal product fan? How do you keep pesky blackheads at bay? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul8

Face Mask Festivities: Freeman’s Anti-Stress Clay Mask Edition

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Face Mask Festivities: Freeman’s Anti-Stress Clay Mask Edition

Hi everyone and welcome to the newest edition of Face Mask Festivities. Today, we are going to be discussing Freeman’s Anti-Stress Clay Mask. Delightfully reminiscent of Lush’s Don’t Look At Me mask, this blue baby definitely was a hit and was a fraction of the cost at only $3.29. Plus, no refrigerator to keep this mask fresh is required! Check it out:

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If there’s one thing that the ballin on a budget lifestyle has taught me, it’s that drugstore brands are equally, if not better, than name brands. This mask by Freeman’s was essentially the exact same thing as Don’t Look At Me by Lush for so much less. And, this made me enjoy it even more, because I felt so pampered completely guilt free.

Using Freeman’s Anti-Stress Clay Mask was the perfect treat after a long day of working and getting caught in the rain during a hike. I ran a bath, applied the mask, and was instantly transported to Relaxation Station. This mask smells awesome, for one. It is so minty and invigorating with the slightest touch of an ocean breeze, thanks to the dead sea minerals in the formula. It also was the perfect texture. It wasn’t too light or too thick, but right in the middle, and it didn’t over dry when my bath took longer than the wash off time.

Because this mask didn’t over dry, it left my skin feeling amazing after washing it off. My pores felt like they got deep cleaned and all of my blackheads were removed, to boot. Once my face was nice and clean, I applied my Vitamin E Sleep Mask from The Body Shop and drifted off into the Land Of Nod feeling like I just spent my evening at the spa. Except this spa costed me less than ten dollars to enjoy, and I can definitely swing that!

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

Jul4

Hand Mask Hullabaloo: Lush’s Golden Handshake Edition

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Hand Mask Hullabaloo: Lush’s Golden Handshake Edition

Helloooo and happy Hump Day! In this post, we will be talking about my last birthday goodie from Lush, a hand mask called Golden Handshake. Before my darling friend, Kate, gifted me with this, I had no idea that hand masks even existed – but here we are now! I really enjoyed using this product and, what’s even better, is that I got to pamper my mom with it, too. Take a look and let’s discuss:

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To use the Golden Handshake hand mask, you boiled water and then swirled the product around in it until it melted and changed the H2O consistency into rich, creamy lusciousness. I used a baking pan for my concoction, which was a good move because it was big enough for both mine and my mom’s hands. It was initially a long process to get the mask to melt, so we opted to break it apart, which helped speed it up immensely.

From getting Golden Handshake ready for use to applying it and letting it sit was a totally unique and indulgent pampering experience. First, I loved the way that this product smelled. It had a rich, nutty aroma to it, which is one of my favorite scents for bath products. I also thought that the light dusting of gold glitter was a lovely touch! And, most importantly, Golden Handshake felt so soothing on my hands and left them feeling soft and moisturized. They still feel as smooth as ever even after my shower and multiple hand washes.

Another nice thing about this hand mask is that it’s reusable. My mom and I poured the water through a sieve so that we could catch the chunks of product before it went down the drain. We then put the remainders of the mask in a little container and let it harden in the refrigerator so that we can use it again during our next pampering session. I can’t wait!

What is your favorite way to pamper yourself? Have you ever used a hand mask before? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah