Tag Archives: mac

Smile With Confidence

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Smile With Confidence

Are you one of those people who feels too shy to smile with an all out toothy grin? Do you try to hide your teeth behind your own lips out of embarrassment for how they look? There’s something particularly heartbreaking about a person who doesn’t feel able to show the most basic of emotions because of self-consciousness about the state of their teeth. But all is not lost – if your teeth makes you shy, give some of these things a go:

Embrace Imperfections: If you think your teeth are too big, too crooked, or your smile is too gummy, it can be really difficult to grin with abandon. But we are our own worst critics – what we see in the mirror is almost a caricature of ourselves, with bright spotlights focused in on the aspects of our image that make us feel self-conscious. What everyone else sees is an overall picture. They don’t focus in on the spot on our chin or the slightly wonky front tooth like we do.

If the imperfection is having a tremendous impact on your self-confidence, it could be worth speaking to an orthodontist about restorative work. Now, you can straighten teeth with Invisalign so you don’t have to worry about a mouthful of metal. Invisalign is offered as a treatment by most orthodontic practices, so simply search something like “tandreglering göteborg” (Orthodontics Gothenburg) to find an orthodontist near you. If it makes you feel better about smiling, then it’s totally worth it.

Go Bright White: Everywhere we seem to look in the media there are women with huge, bright smiles and pearly white teeth, and it can be difficult not to compare ourselves to them. But those smiles are completely available to everyone with the use of veneers or even home teeth whitening kits, depending on how permanent you want the change and how much cash you have to throw at it. Some women swear by just rubbing baking soda on their teeth regularly to remove staining caused by coffee, wine, or smoking.

Floss: There is nothing more reassuring than knowing you have dental floss in your handbag, especially when you’re going out for a meal. Not being sure if everyone can see the food stuck between your teeth is a surefire way to put you off smiling. When you’re feeling self-conscious, nip off to the restrooms and give yourself a quick tooth checkup. The handbag floss is a lifesaver, especially when you have a huge piece of lettuce lodged between your two front teeth!!!

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I definitely need to floss more -___-

If In Doubt, It’s All About The Lippy: Certain colored lipsticks have an amazing ability to either detract from teeth or to make them seem far brighter and whiter. If you choose a lippy with a more blue-based formula, rather than orange reds, they detract from any yellowness in teeth. In a way which seems more like magic, the blue forces the eye to balance the two colors out, whereas orange colors flag them up like a beacon. According to Elle magazine, MAC Ruby-Woo is the ultimate tooth-flattering lip shade. And it’s a beautiful color and consistency to boot. A must buy!

The key to smiling with confidence is realizing that nobody notices your imperfections quite like you do. But there are also ways to diminish things which you deem to be problem areas, like staining or dull teeth. The most important thing to remember is to hold your head up high, and feel fabulous in who you are. A smile is worth a thousand words, after all.

Featured Image By: Pexels

What’s In My Bag?

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What’s In My Bag?

Hello all and happy Sunday! Today’s post in my fall guest bloggers series is compliments from my friend, Natasha, at Ninjette Natasha. In Natasha’s post, we get the breakdown of all of the goodies that she stores in her most gorgeous Gucci purse! Take a look and try not to drool too much:

What’s In My Bag?

Hey everyone, so I’ve never done a ‘Whats in my bag?’ post before and I absolutely love reading them. So what better opportunity than to do this as a guest blogger on LIFEWITHLILRED’s blog!

To start with I recently got the Gucci Dionysus bag in blue suede which is stunning and so beautiful. You can find the review of the bag over on my blog here. It is very roomy, and has a few compartments to keep things in so you can fit quite a bit in there. The chain is very sturdy and the bag itself is quite heavy. This can be off-putting to some, however I prefer it as I feel it really reflects the quality in the materials used. I bought this bag from a concession in Harrods in Knightsbridge. I couldn’t find a link to the exact bag online but here is a link to the tan version. I’m sure you could go down to your nearest Gucci store and ask them if they have it in stock.

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I always keep my purse with me as it’s a standard handbag essential due to the fact it has all of my cards and money inside of it. I also like to keep my points cards in there, as well. The make of my purse is ‘Floozy’ by Frost French, this brand is exclusively sold in Debenhams. Its made from polyurethane and I’ve had it for around 6 months. It’s held up pretty well and there hasn’t been too much wear and tear apart from the metal branding at the front which has gotten a little scratched.

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I always make sure I have some kind of lipstick or lip product in my bag when I go anywhere, so the lip balm ‘Smooch Operator’ by Soap and Glory is a must have. It makes your lips feel all tingly and plumped up and I love that feeling. It also doesn’t make your lips feel too sticky which is a godsend especially when it’s windy outside. The lip balm is also completely transparent.

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Another lip essential is a trusty lipstick. I have recently ventured back into my MAC collection and have had this old favourite in my bag ever since. ‘Faux’ is a beautiful mauve pink colour and works on any skin tone and with any outfit. I absolutely love it.

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Then I have a whole concoction of different little bits that I keep handy in my bag. Apart from another obvious essential being keys, I also keep a little cat mirror which was bought for me from Tiger as a gift. This is great for applying makeup and for looking at yourself after you’ve eaten a big lunch to make sure you don’t have food on your face!

I also keep a Tokidoki pen which can change colour, just in case I ever need to write anything down. Note – I don’t have a notebook to use said pen, I usually use my hand haha.

Unfortunately I am asthmatic so I keep my inhaler on me just in case I need it. My train pass as I use the train all the time so this is essential for me to get around. Paracetamol for any aches and pains. Gum for after lunch, tissues for…well…to blow my nose. A hair band, specifically the ones that don’t leave kinks in your hair, I use this for when I go to the gym, karate, or if I just want to keep my hair out of my face when it’s windy. Last but not least, my earphones. I got these in Tokyo last year so I’m not sure what brand they are, but I bought them from Tokyu Hands which is a bit like Japan’s version of TK Maxx.

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I really hope you enjoyed reading this post as much as I enjoyed writing it! What would you say is your favourite handbag essential? Let me know in the comment section below.

Ninjette Natasha xx

^^^ Thank you so much to Natasha for such a wonderful post! Once again, please make sure to check out her blog and give her some love! What is the most random thing that you have in your purse? What is one thing that you could not leave your home without? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Fall Beauty Essentials

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Fall Beauty Essentials

Hi everyone and welcome to my friend Carlie’s article for my fall guest bloggers series! You can find Carlie at Bombshell 2016 so please be sure to check out her page. Carlie is a great friend and I am so happy to finally be able to feature her here on lifewithlilred! So without further ado, here is Carlie’s post about her fall beauty must haves:

Fall Beauty Essentials:

   I’m very excited to be a guest blogger on LifewithLilred, and wanted to share some new and fabulous products that I love using and that will get you ready for the Fall:

  1. Lancome Masque Pure Focus: I’m a huge fan of facial masks and love how they make your skin look and feel after using them. I use them about twice a week and was very excited to try this new one out. This one is a mineral mask with white clay and purifies the skin leaving a nice matte finish. The texture is rich and creamy and is gentle but very effective. It only needs to be worn for about five minutes before rinsing. After you use this mask, your face feels baby powder smooth.

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  1. Benefit Moisture Prep Toning Lotion: I’m not usually a big fan of a lot of toners because they tend to dry out my skin and makes my face feel very tight but this toner is the complete opposite. It’s made with aloe to soothe the skin and is more water based than alcohol which is ideal for my skin type. I love using this toner in my daily beauty regimen. The best thing about moisture prep is that you see results and notice a difference in your skin immediately after you start using it.

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  1. Nude’tude Nude Eyeshadow Palette by “The Balm”: I first heard about this product line from a fellow pinup model and friend. It’s a vintage inspired brand based in San Francisco and can be found online. This talc-free palette was the first thing I bought from them. The different eyeshadow shades are beautiful and are perfect colors for the upcoming fall season. The pigments are great and look fantastic with or without wetting your shadow brush. The packaging is also so cute! I have the woman version of this shadow palette but there is also a “ Nude Dude” version which is also awesome.carl6
  1. “Schwing” Liquid Eyeliner by “The Balm”: Another favorite of mine from this fabulous company. This eyeliner goes on nice and smooth and the brush always stays at a perfect point which is a “must-have” for me when it comes to liner. It also dries quickly, never flakes, and stays on all day without touch ups.

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  1. “Styled in Sepia” by MAC: This lip color is perfect for the autumn season and looks great on anyone. The color can look a little dark in the tube but when applied the shade looks very soft and creamy. You can also easily layer it to make it darker if you want to add some drama. My favorite way to wear “Styled in Sepia” is to apply it and then dab a little bit of clear gloss just in the center of your bottom lip.

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  1. Dermablend Smooth Liquid Camo Medium Coverage Foundation and Dermablend Professional Setting Powder: When people think of Dermablend, they usually think that it’s just for covering certain skin conditions and tattoos but this line is so more than that. This particular foundation is a little different from the original. When I first learned about Dermablend and the process of how to apply it, I was very excited to try it. I then got my sample, went home, tried it, and instantly was hooked. It is  dermatologist recommended, gives absolutely wonderful coverage, and stays in place all day in any weather condition, it also won’t cost you an arm and a leg. Plus it is very easy to use. Just apply it to your face, blend it, set it with their loose powder, and you’re good to go. Just remember that when you use Dermablend foundation, you HAVE to use their powder to set it. Other powders won’t set it so don’t bother wasting your other ones. Dermablend’s powder is very inexpensive and a jar will last you a long time. I think that it is well worth the investment.

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  1. Origins Ginzing Refreshing Scrub Cleanser: I have already wrote about how much I love using Origins Ginzing Eye Cream on my blog so I was very excited to try their Ginzing Scrub. Scrubs are perfect to use during the changing seasons and colder weather because of how they exfoliate and get rid of any dead or dry skin. This scrub has ginseng and coffee beans in it and brightens, refreshes, and energizes your skin. It’s also a gentle scrub so it won’t cause irritation especially if you have sensitive skin.

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These are my top picks for fall and I hope you enjoy using them as much as I do.

^^^ Thank you so much again to Carlie from Bombshell 2016 for creating a post that will help all of us get glamorous this fall! What are your fall beauty must haves? What is your favorite fall shade of lipstick to sport? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sephora Surprise

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Sephora Surprise

Hey everyone and happy Tuesday! Last week, my sister and I had a wonderful shopping trip to a nearby mall to get her some cute new outfits for her weekend trip to Chicago. We spent all evening in and out of different stores trying on and modeling new clothes, shoes, and accessories. Our final stop during our shopping outing was Sephora so Kristen could pick up “one thing”. Yeah, right. We spent at least forty-five minutes in the makeup emporium swatching everything from lipsticks and blushes to eyeshadows and foundations. Kristen ended up with a great makeup haul and also surprised me with a gorgeous Clinique treat. Take a look:

Once upon a time four or so years ago, my sister and I took a trip to Chicago. During one of our outings, we went shopping at the Watergate Mall (or whatever it’s called) which is eight stories high (or however many). Our first stop in the mall was at the MAC counter where I found an absolutely beautiful lavender colored blush. I was in love and it quickly became one of my makeup favorites.

I vowed to myself that as soon as I was out of the blush, I would purchase it again. I had every intention of doing so but unfortunately, when that day came, the MAC counter at my mall did not carry the shade. I was crushed. Since then, I have searched high and low for a similar shade but nothing, NOTHING could compare to the MAC blush that I loved so very much. Lucky for me, this all changed last week at Sephora…

I’ll be honest with you guys, I’m really not a big makeup girl. I literally wear the same makeup look every day and I don’t plan on changing it any time soon. My sister, on the other hand, is the polar opposite. She could spend an entire day in Sephora if she could. This is why I answered her testimony of only needing one thing there with an eyeroll because I knew that we would be there for a while.

The beauty must have that Kristen needed was a new blush from Clinique that was called “Melon Pop”. It was a beautiful peachy pink color that was going to look fantastic on her. I wasn’t very interested in any of the high end makeup that I was surrounded by, until I decided to further inspect Clinique’s new blush collection. That’s when I locked eyes on the shade called “Pansy Pop” and a montage of all the good times that I had with my MAC blush flashed before my eyes.

Kristen urged me to have one of the makeup pros that was working apply it for me but I knew that if I were to try it, I would buy it. Normally, I would be fine with this, but I have a hefty stack of textbooks that need purchased for the upcoming fall semester and those aren’t cheap! It made the twenty-two dollar a pop price for the blush seem ridiculous. As I was having a mental debate in my mind of whether to try it on or not, Kristen basically said that if I don’t, she will.

Within seconds, there was an employee, applying the blush… my blush to the apples of my sister’s cheeks. I caved instantly, and asked the worker to do mine next. The blush was divine. It layered perfectly on top of the pink blush that I was already wearing and created the most lovely field of flowers color on top of my pride and joy…my pasty pale skin. 😉

Of course, I wanted the blush badly, but I told my sister and the worker that I would think about it. All the while, I knew darn well that I should not be buying a twenty-two dollar blush at this time. I then made the solemn swear to myself that when I receive my next paycheck, I would come back for it and treat myself. The blush was not brought up for the rest of our Sephora excursion and I was glad because it hurt too much to think about it.

We finished our browsing around the store just at closing time and as far as I knew, Kristen left with two new lipsticks and the “Melon Pop” blush. As we began our walk through the mall to get to my car, Kristen told me, “by the way, I got that blush for you” and my jaw dropped. Instantly, “you really didn’t need to do that” came out of my mouth. She then answered with, “well, I knew you weren’t going to buy it for yourself” and left it at that.

Kristen seriously knows me so well because she was right. Even though I promised myself that I would get the blush soon, the chances of me following through with that were slim to none. I was so blown away by her generosity to her little sister and it just confirmed what I already know – that she is truly the best sister on the planet. Our trip to Sephora felt like I was reliving our time at the MAC counter in Chicago all of those years ago and it was so special to me to reminisce on those memories as well as make a new one.

We are still talking about how much fun we had during our most recent outing and it makes me feel good that she enjoys her time with me just as much as I do with her. Here’s to a great time and the best sisterhood a gal could ask for. I love you, Kristen! Thanks again! ❤

So there you have it, my Sephora Surprise compliments of my fabulous sister! What is your favorite item to splurge on at Sephora? What is one of your most loved makeup products? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

PS: For lots of fun beauty posts, check out my MyLikes page! 🙂

Summer Time MOTD

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Summer Time MOTD

Hi everyone and welcome to a drop dead gorgeous Summer Time MOTD guest blog by my darling friend, Reeva, at Beauty By Reeva. Miss Reeva is the queen of all things beauty and makeup so I am so excited to be able to house her here on lifewithlilred for the day. While emailing back and forth, we decided that her post should be a bright and fun MOTD perfect for a sunny summer day. Obviously, she aced it! Please be sure to give her page some love and enjoy the guest post that she created special for my readers:

Summer Time MOTD

Hey beauties! Summer time is all about fun and colorful MOTDs. It’s time to work that gorgeous summer glow, wind swept hair, and pop of color makeup. Here is my version of a bright makeup look using pinks and blue:

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Makeup Used:

  • Eyes: Sephora Eyeshadow Palette, colors are indicated in the pic
  • Lashes: Eyelure #117
  • Brows: Essence Eyebrow Stylist Set
  • Cheeks: MAC Cosmetics, Warm Soul
  • Highlight: MAC Cosmetics, Global Glow
  • Lips: Inglot #64 mixed with #56 lip paint
  • Body: The Body Shop, Honey Bronze

My face makeup is usually very light as we tend to sweat a bit (gross I know) when the heat is up. I stick to my concoction of mixing one of my favorite concealers, MAC Prolong Wear, with my moisturizer. I’ve been doing this for years as opposed to wearing a heavy, full coverage foundation which will slip and slide off of my face within minutes. This combination gives me a full coverage and bullet proof foundation without the fear of my makeup melting off. I know that I used Clinique’s Dramatically Different Moisturizing Cream but I would recommend a moisturizer that contains SPF.

This look required minimum products because the focus is on the colorful eyeshadow which is what makes it fun. Oh, and don’t forget the highlight which I go a bit heavier on than usual to achieve that fresh, glowing appearance.
Hope you enjoyed this makeup look!
Thank you Sarah for featuring me on your wonderful blog and I hope that you have the best vacation ever!!!
Thanks for stopping by! 😊

^^^ I want to thank Reeva for creating such an amazing post for my vacation guest bloggers series. And can we please talk about how beautiful she looks?! Once again, make sure you check out her page at Beauty By Reeva – you won’t be disappointed! What are your favorite summer makeup trends? What is your favorite bright colored eyeshadow to wear? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah