Tag Archives: glitter

Jan28

Urban Decay Face Bond Luminizer In Silver Lake Review

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Urban Decay Face Bond Luminizer In Silver Lake Review

Hello! Isn’t it the worst when you run out of a bunch of expensive things at the same time? That was very much the case for me this past weekend and I needed to make a trip to Sephora to rectify it. After fixing my face with an MOTD, I was completely out of my beloved Better Than Sex mascara as well as my favorite highlighter. I was also on the hunt for a replacement for one of my makeup staples – the radiance beads from The Body Shop that I loved so very much but are no longer available. Thanks to the help of an excellent employee, I found everything I needed and am so amped to use two new to me products. You can peep a review of the Rare Beauty highlighter soon but today we are going to chat about the fabulous Face Bond Luminizer in Swan Lake by Urban Decay:

^^^ I also got a few samples of luminizers by Fenty too. We’ll review those soon!

Visit my TikTok for the full video!

I am not a makeup girl whatsoever. I like what I like, I get it on repeat, and that’s that. At Sephora, I was really hoping to find an exact match to the radiance beads I have used for forever. Unfortunately, they didn’t have anything remotely similar so I had to venture into the world of liquid makeup for the very first time. I don’t use concealer or foundation and even just a liquid luminizer was outside of my comfort zone. However, after trying the Urban Decay Face Bond Luminizer more extensively at home, I am pleased to report that it really is the perfect dupe to my favorite fallen product.

The Silver Lake luminizer is oh so pretty and provided exactly what my radiance beads did. It gave an overall glitter and glow. The only difference is that I applied it with my hands rather than a blush brush! A dime sized dollop allowed for full face and neck coverage and it was so lightweight that I genuinely forgot it was even on. That was a huge plus as I never want my makeup to look heavy and that can sometimes be the case with liquid makeup. This luminizer can be worn on its own or to complete the rest of your MOTD. It was a bit pricey at thirty-four dollars so I don’t think I will be wearing it as a stand alone often. Although I wouldn’t say no to it when I am looking (And feeling!) extra tired in the morning for a little radiance pick me up. Highly recommend!

This may not seem like a big purchase but it was very exciting for me. It’s always fun to try something new and I am beyond happy to have found the best possible replacement to my radiance beads!

What is your favorite brand of makeup? Do you shop Sephora often? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan9

New Pink & Blue Glitter Nails

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New Pink & Blue Glitter Nails

Hi! I look forward to my break time fills at Elysian Nails every month. There is nothing better than breaking up the work day with a little pampering! This time around, however, I changed things up to a Friday after work so I could squeeze in an appointment before the salon’s holiday break. So well deserved! I always enjoy my time at Elysian but this was especially nice as I could sit back, relax, and not worry about a time crunch. And my nails look fab to boot! Check it out:

I wouldn’t say I’m a huge fan of the blue and pink combo. All I can think of is “baby boy” or “baby girl” lol! I just couldn’t say no to these gorgeous glitter shades, though. As I consulted the nail polish book, these dazzling hues were close by to each other and I couldn’t stop picturing them together. I attempted to try and find alternatives to combine with just pink or blue and failed. These nail polishes were calling to me and I am so glad that I picked up the phone as it was from an unknown number. Bad joke, SMH. No, I’m glad I picked up because I am obsessed! These vivid polishes are popping, it looks like fairy dust, and it’s just FUN. 🙂

As my talons got sharpened and shaped it was lovely to catch up on the holidays with my go to tech. We chatted away about our hauls, family celebrations, and what’s on the horizon for the New Year. This pampering session was a gift literally and metaphorically. When I walked into Elysian Nails, the owner greeted me and handed me a gift card from Johnny’s aunt who couldn’t be there on Christmas. It was such a sweet surprise and felt like an extra dose of holiday magic in 2026! ❤

I am stepping into the New Year with a fresh fill and am feeling fierce. Bring it on!

How has the start of the New Year been for you? What are you looking forward to this month? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec6

New White & Red Glitter Nails

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New White & Red Glitter Nails

Howdy! I am one of those people that isn’t a fan of seasonal nails because I’d rather my color palette work for a month rather than one day. I went into my pre-Christmas fill at Elysian Nails with that sentiment on my mind and was thinking some gold glitter. A festive touch sans full fledged holly jolly flare. So tell me why I ended up with the most Christmas-y nails ever?! Lol all of my sentiments went out the window when I saw these two colors in the nail polish book. I didn’t even put two and two together until the polish was on SMH! Check it out:

As I browsed the nail polish book, nothing was really screaming out at me until I was seeing red. They don’t call me Lil Red for nothing, I guess! The shade of red I selected is one of my all time favorites and I actually used it for my Halloween nails. I just love that deep shade of garnet and they remind me of Dorothy’s ruby slippers. Gold would have looked nice with this but glitter white hues were directly above the red and I forgot all about it. The white glitter I picked out looks like crushed diamonds and as they are a girl’s best friend I couldn’t say no!

After choosing my colors and sitting down at my tech’s station, I was too focused on chatting it up to reevaluate. My go to girl had the day off during my last fill and we had so much to catch up on! Life, books, TV shows, food, and ALL the things. By the time my nails were drying, I realized that the color palette is Santa suit chic and I just had to laugh. This is not my normal style at all for holiday nails but you know what? I kind of like it! Maybe the glitter has me distracted, maybe it’s just pure fun, or both but I can’t wait to tear into my prezzies with these perfectly Christmas talons. 😀

This fill had unexpected results but delighted me all the same. I think I’ll do gold and silver glitter for New Years so bring on more bling, baby!

Are you getting your hair or nails done for the holidays? What are you planning on getting? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct12

New Black & Red Glitter Nails

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New Black & Red Glitter Nails

Hello! This past Tuesday I was treated to a fabulous break time fill at Elysian Nails. It is always the best little midday pick me up and I was excited to get colors that would match my Halloween costume’s aesthetic. This year, Johnny and I are going to be pirates and recently purchased our costumes. Mine features a heaping dose of sexiness and a red, black, white, and gold motif. I had a general idea in my head for my nails but these colors are FIRE and completely exceeded my expectations! Check it out:

As red and black are my two favorite colors, it’s no surprise that that was the color combo I gravitated towards! The garnet glitter polish for my red selection was everything and reminds me of Dorothy’s ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz. They shimmer and shine like nobody’s business and I seriously can’t stop looking at them! I wanted to compliment the red with some black glitter polish but there was none to be had. So, my nail tech created her own with a gorgeous sparkle top coat. The shine provided was so intense it made me think of crushed diamonds and this combination is going to be absolutely perfect for my pirate costume!

I got a full set during my last appointment so my acrylics were in really good condition. They just needed shaped, sharpened, and a tiny repair or two and my pampering session was complete in forty-five minutes. It was a new record and it gave me time for my nails to fully dry before heading back to work! During my appointments, my tech and I catch up on all of the latest and greatest and love discussing documentaries, books, and anime. I recently started watching Death Note (It is AMAZING!) and was delighted to learn she did too. What are the odds of that?! I can’t wait to come back next month so we can delve further into the series, which will basically be us just fan girling about how good it is. 😀

Stay tuned for a sneak peek of my pirate costume coming soon. You will definitely agree that these fierce acrylics are the perfect match!

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

Sep11

Marc’s Mini Halloween Haul

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Marc’s Mini Halloween Haul

Hello! I love shopping here, there, and everywhere for Halloween goodies and it’s such fun for me to see what all of the different stores have to offer. Whenever spooky season hits, there is one place that I ALWAYS have to visit: Marc’s. For those of you who are not hip, Marc’s is a discount grocery store in Ohio. They have great prices on their products and have a fabulous “closeout section” of random and seasonal decor, children’s toys, clothing, and the list goes on. My parents shop there frequently and when my dad sounded the alarm that their Halloween decorations were out, I just had to swing by the next day for some swag on the cheap. I got all of this for ten dollars and change! Check it out:

^^^ How amazing is that sign?!

I will say that the Halloween selection at Marc’s this time around was not as good as the years prior but that is okay because I still made out like a bandit! The first thing I added to my cart was a pair of spooky leggings that I got for a whole buck fifty which was a total score. I only have one pair of leggings that double for work and pajamas and couldn’t resist snagging a new pair specific to lounging. These babies might not be my size but they are cute as can be and will keep my work leggings for work only. Also I love the dancing pumpkin skeleton. 😀

Next in the cart was one of my favorite things in the whole world: Hair glitter! Glitter hair spray is just pure fun and adds a sweet touch of sparkle to Halloween costumes, concert OOTDs, or every day wear. At Marc’s the hair glitter was only one dolla holla and I got my usuals of gold and silver. I also was so happy to have found a blue hair glitter spray too! Johnny and I plan on being Alice Cooper and Cold Ethyl for Halloween and the blue and silver glitter is going to be perfect on whatever wig I end up picking out. These glitter sprays were definitely a lucky find because I could imagine that one bottle at Spirit Halloween would be at least five dollars or more. Such a steal!

The last of my purchases is easily my favorite and gave me and Johnny a fit of laughter – a five dollar sign proclaiming “give ’em pumpkin to talk about” LOLOL. It’s a freaking HOOT and too cute to boot. I just love that spooky garland at the bottom! This is one of those sayings that I wish I came up with because I think it’s so damn clever and I live for a good play on words. In the past week, I have visited several different stores for Halloween decor and there is no way I would have found something so well made, sizeable, and cheap at any of them. Long live discount stores!!

I balled on a budget during my traditional Marc’s Halloween shopping trip with five items for ten dollars. You simply cannot beat that!

What is your favorite discount store? Where is your favorite place to shop for home decor? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug16

Concert Cutie OOTD

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Concert Cutie OOTD

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! Today, we are going to take a look at what I wore to see Dirty Honey and The Struts at the House Of Blues. This was my birthday gift from Johnny and it was the absolute best time! Both bands were so incredible live and it was a blast to dance the night away with my main squeeze. As these bands are super glam, I had to pull out all of the stops for this OOTD and I LOVE how it turned out! Peep these pics and let’s discuss:

Who? What? Wear?

Kerchief Top: Japna, TJMaxx

Mini Skort: Kyodan, TJMaxx

Union Jack Platforms: Y.R.U., Dolls Kill

Lightening Bolt Earrings: These were actually purchased in a gift shop during a family vacation to Universal Studios!

In the case of this Concert Cutie OOTD, I started styling from the bottom up. I knew damn well that I was going to wear my Union Jack platforms to tip my hat to The Struts as they hail from across the pond. I wanted these amazing boots to have the spotlight so the pieces I chose were meant to accentuate and that meant going for a minimal color palette. I had a semblance of an idea of what I was going to wear, but I decided to go to TJMaxx during my break at work on the day of the concert to see if I could kick things up a notch.

Johnny suggested a mini skirt and I thought that was a fine idea, indeed. My hunt for the perfect mini skirt was futile until I remembered that one of my favorite skirts was not found in the normal clothing departments of TJs. It was from the athleisure department! Just as soon as I had this brain blast, I found the school girl style mini skort by Kyodan and I knew we were in business. In the fitting room, the full outfit came to me in a vision and I couldn’t wait to put it altogether.

For the top, I kept with the muted palette with a darling snakeskin pattern kerchief top by Japna. This little number is SO sassy and sexy and it’s easily one of my favorite styles of tops to wear. Very rarely do I get to show off the tattoos on my back and that’s a shame because they are all so cool (Let’s be real, though, ALL of my tattoos are cool!). Kerchief tops were truly the answer to my prayers and I loved my Japna top paired with the stark white mini skort. It was also a great opportunity to play with texture as the top featured a gorgeous sheen against the more subdued material of the skort. The platforms in their glittery glory introduced a new texture too which allowed for the eyes to dance as much as I danced my ass off that night. ❤

Finally, it was onto shoes and accessories. A little fun fact about these platforms is that they are the reason that Johnny and I went on our first date. I had recently posted pictures of myself wearing them and he shot me a message asking if they were made in a Chelsea style. My heart swooned over the fact that a guy was in my inbox talking fashion instead of initiating a one night stand. We ended up going on a date that very night and have been inseparable ever since! With the boots pre-selected, I popped on a pair of bright purple lightening bolt earrings for a pop of color and was ready for the show!

This OOTD was just as fun to wear as it was to style. A perfect night needs a perfect outfit!

Have you been to any concerts recently? When was the last time you got dolled up? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul14

Bath & Body Works Freebie Haul

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Bath & Body Works Freebie Haul

Hello! On Tuesdays, I have an hour and a half or so break until my last shift of the day. During that time, I will work, read, run errands, have coffee with a friend, or an impromptu shopping date. It’s such a nice little hiatus and I always look forward to it. This past Tuesday, I had a few errands to run before posting up at Starbucks with my Passion Fruit Tea and a good book. I needed bunny supplies and a trip to Bath & Body Works to cash in on all of the freebies. I had a free travel size coupon as well as two free full sized products from their rewards program. It truly couldn’t have come at a better time because they just launched their Halloween line!! Thanks to a helpful employee, I found my new favorite thing and I seriously can’t wait to use it! Check it out:

^^^ You can peep my review for Gingham All-American here!

When it comes to B&BW freebies, I have a system. I always alternate between a shower gel and a lotion so that my stockpile is relatively even Stevens. I had every intention of doing the same with my freebies and that got turned on its head! As soon as I walked in the store, I couldn’t help but share my excitement for the Halloween line with the first employee who talked to me. She asked if I wanted to see her favorite new product and I said ABSOLUTELY. I have been missing the Halloween collection since it left the shelves last year and wanted to see everything B&BW had to offer!

The employee returned with a Shimmer Fizz Body Lotion in my absolute favorite scent of Vampire Blood. When she put some on for me to sample, my mind was blown. This lotion looks like shaving cream when you use it and quite literally fizzes on your skin. It felt like little bubbles dancing and it was the most delightful sensation. Not to mention it was insanely light and hydrating to boot. The piece de resistance, however, was the shimmer. The lotion left behind a sparkly trail of glitter and I was totally and completely sold. So much so that I just had to get another bottle in their newest scent, I Scream Float.

You can check out my Vampire Blood review here, but let’s discuss the brand new addition to the Halloween collection:

I Scream Float: Thanks to Facebook ads, I knew that I Scream Float was going to be hitting the stores and I was SO excited to take a whiff lol. The fragrance notes offered are “fizzing cola, frightful vanilla float, and spooky sugars” and I couldn’t agree more. I Scream Float really does smell like a Coca Cola float with a heaping scoop of vanilla ice cream and sugar crystals on the rim. It is absolutely delicious and speaks to my Diet Coke addicted heart. I never thought I wanted to smell like my favorite bevvie but here we are now and I can’t get enough. And, yes, I feel that way about I Scream Float and my beloved Diet Coke!

The Shimmer Fizz Body Lotion from Bath & Body Works is going to be oh so sweet for summer concerts and complimenting Halloween costumes. I can’t wait to use it with my summer OOTDs! My freebie haul totaled out to forty-seven bucks in product and I am beyond happy with it. So much so, that I actually might pay full price for more Shimmer Fizz. RUN don’t walk to get a bottle for yourself!

What is your favorite holiday collection from B&BW? Have you scored any good freebies recently? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul9

New Plum & Lavender Glitter Nails

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New Plum & Lavender Glitter Nails

Hello! This past Tuesday was a doozy of a day but my nails were looking fierce all the while thanks to my monthly break time fill. It was so nice to have some calm before the storm before running here, there, and everywhere! I was also most excited about this fill because at my last one, I learned that there were brand new colors to choose from but I bypassed it at the time as I already loved what I picked out. This time around, I went straight to the new color book instead of the intimidating nail polish wall and decided on a pretty in purple motif. Check it out:

Normally, I have no problem picking out my new nail polish colors with each fill. My job was much harder at this one because ALL of the new colors were just so fun. There were plenty of sparkly glitter options, punchy and bright summer colors, and the promise of a combination that I’ve never used before. It was intoxicating! Despite all of the poppy summer hues, my eyes were immediately drawn to a rich plum shade. Purple is my niece’s favorite color (Or as she would call it when she was teeny tiny “purdle”) and I knew that she would be obsessed when she saw it! To compliment the plum, I chose a lavender glitter polish that literally shines bright like a diamond (Love you, Rihanna!). With that, I was ready for the pampering to begin!

When I am getting my nails done, there typically comes a point when I just like to sit back and enjoy. However, my tech and I had SO much to catch up on because she wasn’t available to do my fill at my last appointment. I honestly wasn’t even paying attention to my nails because it was a full on gab sesh! When I thought to look down, I was always shocked by the progress made: A repair for a broken nail, the sharpening, and shaping were done as quickly as our conversation was moving. Before I knew it, it was time for polish and it was truly before I knew it because my tech set a new record for herself! It was the absolute best time and I wish I could have stayed at the salon all day. ❤

My work day post fill was crazy but my nails were looking crazy good and it definitely provided the pep in my step I needed to make it through!

What color of nail polish are you rocking? What should I get done next? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun8

New Mermaid Blue & Glitter Burnt Orange Nails

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New Mermaid Blue & Glitter Burnt Orange Nails

Howdy!! This past Tuesday, I enjoyed a lovely pre-birthday fill at Elysian Nails and oh my goodness did it hit the spot. Unfortunately, my go to girl was booked for the day but my former tech was able to squeeze me in and she still remembers just how I like my talons – nice and sharp! In fact, I am typing this shortly after getting them done and I feel like such a lil baddie clacking away with these pretty little things. Check it out:

^^^ Don’t mind the beaucoup glue on the thumb!

Whenever I get my nails done, I tend to just let the nail polish wall speak to me and choose colors on a whim. This time, though, I actually had a plan in mind. After receiving lots of tropical Bath & Body Works scents for my birthday, I had the beach on the brain hard. I was thinking of going with sand and surf vibes with a pretty blue and gold. The only problem was, I had been there done that and wanted to go with a similar idea with a twist. I fell in love with the most gorgeous mermaid blue hue I have ever seen (I am seriously obsessed!) and considered a few different options before landing on a glittery burnt orange. I am so glad I decided to shake things up because this is, easily, one of my favorite combinations in recent memory.

Once my colors were selected, my girl got to WERK and gave me the most fabulous fill. As always, I am on a time crunch when I get my nails done because I need to be back to work immediately after. Of course, my former tech remembered this too and gave me beautifully shaped and dangerously sharp claws in an astoundingly short period of time. Have you ever had a fill that was so good that you ended up feeling like you got a brand spanking new full set? That’s what this fill felt like and it was a glorious sensation. I returned to work exactly on time and feeling like a billion bucks!

I am entering my 31st year with the absolute best nails and if that is any inkling of how this year is going to treat me, I think it’s going to be a banner one!

How do you like to treat yourself? Which color of nail polish should I get next? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr15

New Light Pink & Purple Glitter Nails

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New Light Pink & Purple Glitter Nails

Howdy!! I had a delightful break time fill at Elysian Nails this past Tuesday and it was just what the doctor ordered. My nails were insanely grown out and were in desperate need of some TLC! As always, my nail tech worked wonders and they are back to their former glory and, I daresay, better than ever. This appointment also came with a surprise – brand new colors to pick from! Take a look:

Prior to my appointment, I selected my nail polish colors and waited for my tech at her station. As soon as she saw me, she called me over to the other polish options which I don’t entertain. They are usually all gel and dip and I just go for regular old nail polish. I jokingly asked her if this was her trying to convert me to gel polish and we had a right laugh! Rather, she showed me brand new nail polishes and my original choices went straight out the window. I instantly fell in love with the pale pink and purple glitter shades! They look like fairy tale colors and are so delicate and pretty. My only qualm is that the two colors are more similar than I had anticipated from the sample, making it hard to differentiate them. However, I never say no to trying something brand new and they actually remind me of the Disney princess nail polish that my eldest niece adores. I think she is going to go crazy for this combo!

Of course, I couldn’t wait to get my nails right but I also was chomping at the bit to gossip with my tech. I had SO much scoop to tell her since my last appointment and it’s always fun to update each other on our never ending sagas. After spilling all the tea, we go through our monthly recommendations. From books we read to TV shows we’re binging, we cover it all and I love hearing her reviews. We have very different tastes when it comes to our preferred genres and it’s nice to have new options when I’m in the mood to break free from the norm. By the time my appointment was done, my nails were exquisite, the tea runneth over, and I was ready to return to work feeling like a billion bucks.

These new nail polish shades are perfect for spring and for letting your inner fairy princess go wild. Mine is certainly having a partay!

What kind of polish do you get when you get your nails done? What is your favorite acrylic shape? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah