Tag Archives: hair care

Nov1

Five Below Find

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Five Below Find

Howdy! Something that I’ve grown very fond of as of late are discount stores. Dollar Tree, Dollar General, Five Below – you name it, and I like it. Ballin on a budget is my lifestyle choice and these stores live by my motto of “why pay more if you don’t have to”. From office supplies and snacks to holiday decor for a dollar, sometimes I feel like I’ve hit the jackpot when I stop into a discount shop. Just the other day at Five Below, for example, I walked away with this darling hair bow for three bucks and I’m sure it would have costed at least ten at Claire’s! Take a look:

boww

This beautiful black bow with the long streamers ties in perfectly with my sweet goth aesthetic and I cannot wait to wear it. My hair definitely needs to grow out a bit more and, once it does, I will be pairing it with half up and messy bun styles ASAFP. The beauty of discount stores is that no one needs to know the price that you paid for a good find. For three bucks, I found a new accessory that would have costed me triple the price elsewhere and you just can’t beat that!

What is your favorite discount store to shop at? What is one of your best discount store finds? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Featured Image By: Five Below

Sep4

Small Sephora Shopping

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Small Sephora Shopping

Hello! Literally hours before I fell ill last week, I did a spot of shopping at Sephora to get myself a new highlighter and grab a full sized item that I fell in love with after using a tester in my Play! box. If you remember from my unboxing of the goodie bag, then you will know that the product that I’m talking about is the IGK Hydrating Hair Balm in Mistress. It is absolutely divine and is what we will be talking about in this post, as I will be swatching the highlighter tomorrow. Check it out:

igk

Now, normally, I would never pay TWENTY-NINE DOLLARS for a tube of hair product, but, then, I remembered that it took me three weeks to finish the tester and sometimes I used it twice a day. So, a little obviously goes a long way. I suspect that I will have this product for close to a year and that makes the initial, somewhat expensive investment, well worth it.

And, the fact that this balm kicks ass makes the investment worth it, too. My hair had three weeks of feeling simply lustrous and I would be a monkey’s uncle if I gave that up! The coconut oil in IGK’s leave in conditioner gives it a rich, creamy smell without being too perfumey or overpowering. It leaves your hair with the perfect amount of sleekness and shine but it doesn’t weigh it down, so your locks will still be able to maintain body and volume. Frizzy days are definitely a thing of the past thanks to Mistress, and your hair will look and feel like you got it done at the salon after styling it with each use.

I put a dime size dollop into my hair after my shower and by the time I’m ready to straighten it, the product is locked, loaded, and ready for action. I love the shine that my hair has from using this IGK balm and it feels so silky to the touch all day. It’s like you don’t even have anything in your hair. So consider it our little secret, okay? 🙂

Tomorrow, we’ll swatch my new highlighter from Sephora’s Golden Hour collection called Dusk. But, for now, what is your favorite hair product to use? What is one of your at home remedies for perfect hair? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug14

Sephora Play! Unboxing

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Sephora Play! Unboxing

Hii everyone and welcome to my very first Sephora Play! Unboxing! This subscription box was ordered simply to get me over the free shipping price during my online shopping extravaganza on Sephora. And, I enjoyed all of my goodies from the box so much that I’m definitely considering getting it for the entire year! Check it out:

sephh2sephh3sephh4

Survival Of The Chillest Play! Box:

  • Marc Jacobs Velvet Noir Major Volume Mascara
  • Origins Clear Improvement Active Charoal Mask
  • IGK Mistress Hydrating Hair Balm
  • Sephora Rouge Cream Lipstick in The Red
  • Caudalie Vinoperfect Concentrated Brightening Essence
  • Burberry perfume sample in Blush
  • 50 Beauty Insider points with a purchase at Sephora coupon

I was so completely impressed with my box of travel sized treats from Sephora and I simply adore the Me O’Clock bag that it came in. My sister has an Ipsy subscription and I always eagerly anticipate when she opens her bright pink envelope. But, I daresay, I think that this ten dollar deal from Sephora is even better than Ipsy. The high end products that I get to sample are such a treat and it’s so fun to be able to test out brands that I would never have tried before.

So far, I have used the IGK hair balm and have been loving it. In fact, I want to get it in full sized so that I can continue using it every day! I have also used the Origins face mask, which you can read about on Face Mask Festivities tomorrow and have been mixing my Caudalie essence with my micellar water to make it last. And, as I’m not a huge perfume girl, I gave my mom the Burberry sample and it smells awesome on her! It smelled very floral and powdery on me and it smelled energizing and citrusy on her. Crazy how that works out, huh?

I am looking forward to trying out the Marc Jacobs mascara and will be swatching my Sephora lippie soon, so keep it posted for that. And, definitely be on the lookout for more on the Sephora Play! boxes on lifewithlilred, because I have a feeling that it will become a monthly thing really soon!

Who else gets the Play! boxes from Sephora? Are there any other subscription boxes that I should look into? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul5

Amazon Hair Dye Haul

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Amazon Hair Dye Haul

Helloooo! Is a haul really a haul if you are only buying one item in bulk, lol? Asking for a friend, and by a friend, I mean ME. I have been having the most difficult time finding my beloved Vidal Sassoon Runway Red box color from their London Luxe collection for the past half a year or so now. IT SUCKS, because this miracle in a box has probably saved me over one thousand dollars throughout the years that I’ve been using it, as it gives me the exact same color that I was paying a buttload for at the salon from home.

I have been on a frantic hunt for the past month to reup my stash of hair dye, and literally none of the stores that I’ve purchased from were carrying it anymore. So, I had to resort to the one stop shop of Amazon to provide me with the tools that I need to stay Lil Red. So, for good measure, I bought EIGHT boxes of my Vidal Sassoon hair color to last me into the new year.

runway1

Is buying eight boxes of hair dye the most fun haul ever? No. Well, actually, YES – because it was a necessity. And, in general, I am all about buying in bulk to save time and money in the long run. I am eagerly awaiting for my package of THE GOODS to arrive and am also earnestly begging Vidal Sassoon to get Runway Red back in stores again ASAFP!! *kissy face emoji* 😀

Are there any products that you like to buy in bulk? Has a favorite item of yours ever been discontinued? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun24

June 2018 Finishes

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June 2018 Finishes

Hello! In just a few short days, my birth month will be drawing to a close. And, that can only mean that it’s time to go over my beauty finishes for June! So sit back, take a look at my empties, and let’s discuss:

junee

Would I Use Again?

  • L’oreal Extraordinary Oil hair serum: MAYBE
  • The Body Shop Cocoa Butter: YES
  • The Body Shop Strawberry Body Butter: YES
  • The Body Shop Satsuma Body Butter: YES

Why/Why Not?

L’oreal Hair Serum: Guys, it took me over ONE YEAR to finish this L’oreal serum and, I must say, that it did its job well. I applied two pumps to my hair after my shower every morning, and it left my locks shiny, silky, and frizz free post straightening. And, it smelled awesome! If given the opportunity, I would use this again. But, I’m not married to the product and am looking forward to trying something new.

TBS Cocoa Butter: You all know how much I love me my cocoa butter! I seriously cannot get enough of this stuff and have to buy a tub every time I see it at TJMaxx. I feel spoiled rotten whenever I use it and the rich chocolate scent never gets old. I got six full body uses out of this container.

TBS Strawberry & Satsuma Body Butter: These mini butters were from a Christmas gift, and I finally got around to using both of them up. Granted, it didn’t take long, because I only got a full body and a half use out of each container. But, that’s okay, because they were still nice to use and I love both scents – especially Satsuma!

This month, I enjoyed using lots of body butter and finally finishing my serum from L’oreal. I am really happy with all four products that I used up in June and am looking forward to reviewing more empties come July!

Is there a product that has taken you forever to use up? What is your favorite body butter scent from The Body Shop? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun5

“You Don’t Wash Your Hair?!”

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“You Don’t Wash Your Hair?!”

Hello!! So I have received many a request asking me to write about how I don’t wash my hair, so here it is. Bear in mind, that these are the results for my body. I can’t promise anything for anyone else, so please don’t get mad at me if a similar phenomenon doesn’t happen for your hair! Okay, with that disclaimer out of the way, here we go:

I began dyeing my hair when I was fifteen or so, and even at that age, I was a penny pincher. I would avoid washing my hair for as long as I could to keep the color looking fresh and sleek. But, it wasn’t until red became my staple color that I began thinking about what would happen if I just stopped washing my hair altogether.

Throughout my life, I never had problems with oily or greasy hair and never really experienced dandruff or dryness, either. My hair has always been very healthy, so it made the early stages of my no wash regime easy, because even after a week, my hair still remained nice and fresh. It was awesome.

I think that I was about seventeen when I began dyeing my hair red regularly, and it pissed me off when I would wash my hair and see the color literally washing down the drain. But, still, I was in high school and for fear of people thinking that I was weirder than I already was, I kept with my weekly washing routine. And, all of the while, my hair was just fine. No oil, no grease, no odor, nothing.

I maintained my week or so wash schedule for a while, but then, a new beauty revelation came out about four years ago – dry shampoo. So, you’re telling me, that there’s a product out there specifically made so that you don’t have to wash your hair?? Amazing!! For the next one or two months, dry shampoo became my best friend, and I worked my way up to just not washing my hair, period.

But, then, I noticed a few major character flaws with dry shampoo. It left my hair SO difficult so work with, it looked dusty, and I hated the baby powder smell. I also didn’t see the point in paying for it when my hair was doing fine without any products like that for years. So, I eliminated dry shampoo and washing in one foul swoop.

And, guess what? It was all okay. Even with using product in my hair daily and being a cigarette smoker, my hair has been so used to cleaning itself that it remains oil, grease, and odor free for an entire month. The only time that I get my hair wet now, is when I redye it monthly. And, even then, I only condition my hair because I am so anti shampoo.

I have literally been training my hair for this point in my life for seven years. And now, for a solid four of them, I haven’t been washing my hair at all. My hair is my crowning jewel and its vibrant red summarizes my personality and brand perfectly. And, with a wash free lifestyle, I get to keep my color looking freshly dyed until I need to touch up my roots. It doesn’t get much better than that!

Who else embraces a no wash lifestyle? Who is willing to try out something like that? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Featured Image By: Giphy

May29

100+ Beauty Tag Finale

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100+ Beauty Tag Finale

Hello! Today is the grand finale for the 100+ Beauty Tag as I answer the remaining twenty or so questions left! If you choose to complete the questionnaire, do tag me in your post or comment it to me so that I can see all of your answers. 🙂

Which cream or moisturizer is your favorite? The Vitamin E moisturizer by The Body Shop, and I also like their Vitamin C one a lot, too.

How many times do you use a moisturizer? Just once in the morning. I really should start taking my makeup off and using a night cream, though.

Have you ever tried using natural beauty products? Oh yes, that’s the best way to go.

Which natural beauty product is your favorite? Literally anything from The Body Shop.

Which fashion magazine do you read for styling and beauty tips? I’m not a huge magazine reader, because all of the fashion magazines feature clothing that is so unattainable price wise. And I have all of the beauty tips that I need right there, thanks to all of the amazing beauty bloggers on WordPress!

Which three beauty tips would you recommend? 1) Invest in a lipstick that makes you feel awesome. 2) Style your makeup and clothing in a way that makes YOU feel good. And 3) Try to make a statement with every look that you create.

Do you believe in using anti-ageing creams? Sure. I’m not at that point yet, but I would definitely use them later on down the line.

Do you choose your foundation according to your undertone color? I don’t wear foundation – but isn’t that what you’re supposed to do?

Skincare or makeup? Which is more important? SKIN CARE. You need a clean slate to apply your makeup on and that can only be achieved with good skin care.

What makeup tools do you use while applying makeup? Q-tips, lol.

Which makeup tool is always in your handbag? None.

What was the worst color that you dyed your hair? Black. I used to want the jet black, almost blue hair so badly and my hair just never took to it. It always looked dull and dusty after a few weeks and it was so disappointing.

What is your favorite eyeshadow color? Bronze, gold, and green.

A heavy makeup look or a natural one? I like somewhere in between.

Do you use a pencil eyeliner or liquid? A pencil. I do not have the steady hand for a liquid liner!

What is your experience with pigment eyeshadows? Lol, what is a pigment eyeshadow?

What is your favorite contrast color for eye shades? I love when my hazel eyes choose to be green for the day and I use a purple-ish eye pencil or shadow. It really makes my eyes pop!

Suggest a thing that makeup lovers should never miss? A good sale! 😀

All Done!!

How would you answer some of the above questions? Do you have any other beauty questions for me? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

 

May28

100+ Beauty Tag Part Three

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100+ Beauty Tag Part Three

 

Hello everyone and happy Monday! We are on the final half of the 100+ Beauty Tag that I’ve been working diligently on. I have to tell you, it’s been a hoot and I definitely recommend joining in on the fun by completing it yourself! Here are my answers to questions sixty through ninety:

Define beauty in one sentence? Beauty is feeling confident in your own skin.

Share the funniest makeup memory of yours? Oh jeez… I don’t think that I really have a funny one. But, I used to work as an actor at a haunted house and doing my makeup there was always good fun.

Discounted products or branded? Which do you prefer? Discounted, of course. #ballinonabudget

Do you share your beauty products with anyone? If yes, then whom? HELL NO! My sister used to use my makeup when we were younger and I hated that!!

What’s your favorite nail polish brand? Before I started getting acrylics, I really liked Sally Hanson.

What kind of coverage do you like from a foundation? I don’t wear it, so it doesn’t matter.

A simple nail color or designing? Which do you like? I would love to get designs on my acrylics if it wasn’t so damn expensive. So, simple colors it is, and then I do the rhinestones myself.

What is your favorite high end brand? I like Clinique.

A new makeup purchase or a dinner out. Which do you prefer? Food, food, always food.

What’s your favorite contrast for nail polishes? What does that mean?

Name the person who taught you how to paint your nails: I’m pretty sure it was my grandma.

Do you wear fake eyelashes? No. I have no idea how to apply them, anyways!

Share the worst moment of wearing fake eyelashes? None.

Has anybody praised your eye color while you were wearing contact lenses? I don’t wear colored contacts, but people do praise my natural eye color *hair flip*.

What is your favorite drugstore brand? I like CoverGirl.

Suppose you’re on your way to a party and you realize that you forgot to put on blush. What could be your best possible alternative? Take some of your lipstick and rub it in to your cheeks.

Describe your perfect mascara in one sentence: My perfect mascara is jet black and gives longer than life lashes.

Have you ever put mascara in your eyes on accident? YES. It always gets on my contacts and I have to put in a new pair of my one a days. So annoying.

Do you like a lipstick only or do you use it with a lip gloss? Lipstick only. I’ve never been a big lip gloss girl.

A simple lip gloss or a glittered one? If I did wear lip gloss, a glitter one might be fun!

What is your favorite hair product? Heat protecting spray is a necessity for me, because I flat iron my hair almost every day.

Do you like using different nail polishes at once? I usually do all black except for an accent nail on my pointer finger.

Do you ever consider taking makeup classes? Not really. But, I always am up for trying new things!

Which brand’s lipstick stays on the best while eating? I kid you not, I just ate a full on Mexican dinner the other day and my NYX matte lippie didn’t even budge.

How many times do you use a face wash? I use both a cleansing bar and a face wash during my shower in the morning. I don’t wash my face at night, but I really should.

Which makeup remover do you prefer? Micellar water is okay and cheap.

Name three differences that you feel in yourself with or without makeup? I feel more confident and beautiful in makeup. But, I feel more comfortable without it.

Do you use makeup base for the eyes, as well? Nope.

Do you like to gift makeup kits to your female friends? Not really, I prefer gifting bath and body care because you really can’t go wrong with that.

Name a beauty product that you always want to steal from your mom’s kit? I love my mom’s nude lipsticks and I want to snag her Pixi Glow Tonic so bad!!

How would you answer some of the above questions? How is your Monday going? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

 

May27

100+ Beauty Tag Part Two

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100+ Beauty Tag Part Two

Hello!! Yesterday I answered thirty of the questions from the 100+ Beauty Tag that I found and now I am going to answer thirty more! Here we go:

 

How often do you use contact lenses? Daily. Unless I know that I will be at home all day, then I might wear my glasses.

Which color of contact lenses is your favorite? I’ve never tried any of the colored contacts before, but I would love to give lavender a shot.

Have you ever tried Eastern makeup styles? What does that mean? Lol.

Which country’s makeup is your favorite? I don’t know! I’ve never really thought of it.

Has someone ever made fun of your makeup? Yes. 😦 I experimented with some cool green eyeshadow in fifth grade and evil classmates poked fun of me for that. Assholes.

At what age did you begin to wear makeup? Honestly, I don’t think I regularly wore makeup until I was a sophomore in high school. So fifteen, maybe? But when I was younger, I wore makeup for dance recitals and figure skating competitions, of course.

What was the first beauty product you tried? Technically, it was Lip Smackers. But, my first “real” makeup product was probably a CoverGirl mascara.

Name the celebrity that you hate for their makeup? None! Girls and guys should be able to express themselves however they want without being hated for it.

Have you ever put makeup on someone else? No way. I do not have the steady hand or creativity for that.

Which beauty product do you recommend in the summer? SUNSCREEN!!!!

Which beauty product will you never recommend for summers? Heavy moisturizers or lotions are gross in the summer time.

Which brand has the most attractive packaging? I love the Soap & Glory packaging.

Suppose that there is only one beauty product left in the world. What do you wish it would be? Red lipstick! Preferably matte, please.

How many eye mascara coats do you put on? I put on a healthy five or six.

Black eye mascara or a glittered one? They have glitter kinds?!?!

How much money do you spend on beauty products per month? It depends on what I need. Some months it might be nothing, other months it might be forty or so if I am restocking products.

Only lipstick or with a lip liner. What do you prefer? I used to wear lip liner, but it doesn’t do much for me so I just wear lipstick now.

What’s your favorite bath and body brand? The Body Shop.

Do you like to try different skin products or keep with certain items? Yes and no. I do have my favorite skin care products, but I don’t mind experimenting with them if a good deal or something new comes up.

Name your favorite shop for makeup products? Target!

Have you ever tried a mixed foundation of two different brands? No. I don’t wear foundation – but mixing two of them sounds tricky!

What’s the color of your favorite eye pencil? Black for my under eyes and emerald green for my eyelids.

Kajal or eye mascara? What do you prefer? What is kajal??

If given a chance, what type of cosmetic surgery would you go through? Honest answer? I would love to have another breast reduction.

Have you ever tried a makeup to change your face to resemble your favorite celebrity? Lol, no!

Have you ever followed any Hollywood celebrity makeup and hair styling? No. I just kind of make it up as I go along.

Which hair dye color is your favorite? Vidal Sassoon’s Runway Red from their London Luxe collection.

Which brand’s hair dye do you use? See the above answer. 😉

Hair gloss or highlights. What would you prefer if asked? Neither. I prefer all over color.

Do you have a beauty budget or do you buy whatever you like? As a whole, I don’t really go overboard when buying beauty products, so I don’t have a budget.

How would you answer some of the above questions?? Who else is going to try this tag? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

 

May26

100+ Beauty Tag Part One

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100+ Beauty Tag Part One

Helloooo everyone and happy weekend! I found this super fun ONE HUNDRED PLUS QUESTIONNAIRE that I just had to complete. Mainly because I have no ideas for posts at the moment and also because I really enjoy doing these. Even Lil Red runs out of blog topics sometimes, so I decided to break this tag up into parts and give you my answers on all things beauty! Check it out:

 

What is your most favorite makeup brand? Hmm… I wouldn’t say that I have a favorite, but I will say NYX just because they carry my favorite lipstick. Other than that, I’m not too picky when it comes to brands.

What is your favorite cosmetic? Lipstick, of course. And I’ve grown increasingly fond of the highlighter by Becca that I’m using. And, does hair dye count??

Which brand’s eyeliner do you love the most? I love CoverGirl’s Liquid Blast eyeliner in Black Fire. It’s a pencil, but it has the perfect amount of moisture to it to give you the easiest application ever.

Name the brand that ever caused you a skin allergy: Aquaphor made my skin break out in a really weird bumpy rash when I was using it after getting a tattoo. Needless to say, I stopped using that immediately and switched to Lubriderm.

Which three cosmetics are always in your handbag? None, usually. But if I’m wearing a lippie, then I’ll keep that with me.

A concealer or a foundation? What do you apply first? Neither, because I don’t use them.

An eyeliner or mascara? What is your favorite? BOTH. Lol, I know that’s not an answer, but my makeup look isn’t really complete without either.

Which blush color is your favorite? Maybelline’s Dream Bouncy blush in Fresh Pink.

Name a cosmetic product that you avoid using in summers? None. But I do try and opt for a lighter moisturizer if I have one available.

Name a cosmetic brand that you avoid during winters? None.

Which face wash is your favorite? Destiny Boutique’s charcoal face wash. I love it and use it every day.

Which color of lipstick do you prefer during summers? RED.

Which color of lipstick do you prefer during autumn? RED.

Name the makeup brand that you always want to buy but your pocket does not allow? I wouldn’t say that I have one. If I like something that I know that I will get good use out of, then I will buy it. But, trust and believe that I’ll try to find a drugstore dupe first!

Name your favorite beauty soap? I’ll use whatever bar soap for my body, that doesn’t matter too much to me. But, I love Destiny Boutique’s charcoal bar for my face.

Name your favorite shampoo? I actually don’t wash my hair. I only get my hair wet once a month when I’m redyeing it and I will use a conditioner to wash it out, but that’s it. I gotta keep my red fresh, honey!

A hair straightener or a curler? Straightener! But I do like to try curling my hair every once in a blue moon.

How much time do you often require for a party makeup? Probably the same as my normal makeup, so like thirty-five or forty minutes.

Good clothes or a stylish makeup? What is more difficult to choose? Makeup. I’ve got fashion on lock, but I do need a little help with makeup!

Do you like multi-functional cosmetic products? Not really.

Name the product that without which you can’t leave the house? None.

How many lipsticks do you have right now? I’d say eight to ten but I only actively use three or so.

What is your favorite color of lipstick? RED!!!

Do you remove your makeup before bed? This is so bad, but no. I sleep in my makeup!

Name the body lotion you use: Right now I am using Cocoa Butter from The Body Shop.

Which moisturizer is your favorite? The Body Shop’s Vitamin E moisturizer.

Do you still like using a baby lotion? Lol, no?

Name your three favorite beauty stylists? I don’t have one. But I do love the looks of Kat Von D and Jeffree Star.

Which celebrity do you follow for hair styling? I love Julianne Hough’s shorter hair.

Name your favorite beauty salon: The Shear Shop. The woman who does my hair has been my stylist for well over a decade. I love her!

How would you answer some of the above questions? What kind of post should I do next? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah