Tag Archives: may

May31

May 2022 Finishes

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May 2022 Finishes

Hi everyone! It’s the end of May already and that means that it’s time to check out my monthly beauty finishes. While I didn’t use up too much this month, I am super happy about it because I can now finally use more products from a big TJMaxx skin care haul. There’s also nothing more satisfying to me than fully using up a product… I imagine it’s a lot like actually finishing a tube of chapstick lol! Let’s get to it:

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Would I Use Again?

Why/Why Not?

Radiance Serum: Prior to purchasing a bunch of new serums during a TJMaxx haul, I was a faithful user of the Tree Of Life serums. Of course, I would still use those serums again but I was ready to try something different and I really liked the Pearlessence Radiance Perfecting serum. At about five dollars a bottle and a month and a half worth of twice daily use, it was a great value. I also think my skin benefited from it in the brightness department.

If you use this serum, just be careful because it is very thin in texture. You will have to cup your hand just so to prevent it from spilling and a little bit of it will go a long way.

Elf Eye Cream: The Holy Hydration! eye cream by Elf is another product that I have been using for quite some time now. Like the Tree Of Life serums, I would definitely use it again but I figured it wouldn’t hurt to try something new and I am loving the Vital Beauty eye cream that I am currently using. That’s not to say that the Holy Hydration eye cream is a bad product because it has served me well.

The Elf eye cream is an amazing value at around ten bucks a pop and at least three months of twice daily use. It sits well under makeup and helped to decrease puffiness and under eye circles. I would never turn down a jar and still highly recommend it!

Olay Moisturizer: I really liked the Double Action moisturizer by Olay and it served as both a primer and moisturizer. I was amazed at the difference of how my makeup looked when applying it after using this product – it was so much brighter and longer lasting! This moisturizer smelled amazing, was rich and creamy in texture, and absorbed quickly. It took me a little over a month to finish one jar.

After this month of finishes, it is out with the old and in with the new products! While pulling from my stock pile, I have noticed that it is dwindling so be on the lookout for a skin care haul soon. 😀

Which products did you use up this month? What are your thoughts on any of my empties if you have used them? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

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May31

May 2021 Finishes

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May 2021 Finishes

Hello everyone and happy last day of May! Normally, I am a huge fan of the month of May but this year, it couldn’t end soon enough. Not only are both mine and Johnny’s birthdays in June but our wedding is too! We are so incredibly excited and I can’t wait to share our joy with all of you. Before we say farewell to May, let’s discuss my beauty finishes for the month:

Would I Use Again?

Why/Why Not?

Neutrogena/Garnier Moisturizers: I love a good gel moisturizer, especially in the summertime and plan on using both the Neutrogena and Garnier moisturizers all season long. While I am more partial to the Neutrogena Hydro Boost, you just can’t beat the low price of the Garnier and it is a wonderful less expensive alternative. The Hydro Boost moisturizer is fourteen dollars on Amazon and the Moisture Rescue is around seven. To help cut the cost, I alternate between the two and think that my skin looks much brighter, clearer, and supple because of it.

Eclat Serum: The novelty of the Eclat Vitamin C serum still hasn’t worn off on me yet and I love the way my skin looks and feels after each use. I highly recommend this product and if you purchase it for yourself, I would also highly recommend buying more than one bottle. Despite the excellent quality and unbeatable price (Seven dollars!) one bottle alone will not get you through an entire month if you are using it twice daily. I find that I need at least a bottle and a half to last me for a whole month.

SkinLab Eye Gel: SkinLab products were my go to for the longest time because I could get them on the way cheap at TJMaxx. I would pay about eight dollars for the moisturizers and eye creams or gels. However, during the pandemic, I only shopped online and was shocked to see that the SkinLab products were over double what I paid at TJMaxx on Amazon.

I opted for different moisturizers but still would shell out for the Lift & Firm eye gel since one jar lasts me about three months. After a few repurchases of the eye gel on Amazon, I just couldn’t justify the twenty dollar price tag on it any longer. Once I finish the eye cream that I am using from The Body Shop, I will be testing out a seven dollar one by Elf and have my fingers crossed that it will work well!

There! Now we can officially bid adieu to May. 😀

Which products did you use up this month? What are some of your beauty staples? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May14

Bath & Body Works May Freebie

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Bath & Body Works May Freebie

Hi! Since being fully vaccinated, I have been more willing to run small errands and am, finally, able to start utilizing the Bath & Body Works freebie coupons that I get in the mail. This month’s coupons were especially good as I got to pick out a free full size bath and body care item and you know Lil Red always likes to add to her beauty hoard! The coupon would work for any product priced $14.50 or lower and I went with a shower gel in one of my favorite scents, Gingham. Check it out:

This past weekend, Johnny and I hung out with a friend in Kent and drove right by a B&BW on the way so I ran in to get my freebie. I actually chose a travel size shower gel in Gingham last month for my free item and it smells so good that I just had to get it as my full size gift too. I have been obsessed with this scent since Johnny’s mom gifted me with a shower gel of it last Christmas and it is one of my sister’s faves as well.

While Gingham has notes of peach, clementine, and freesia I think it smells just like clean laundry and crisp springtime air. It is so fresh and light and when I smell it, I immediately picture a full clothing line drying and swaying gently in the breeze. Gingham is the perfect fragrance for spring and summer and it has such a specific, lovely scent without being overpowering in any way. Highly recommend for yourself or as a gift because it is sure to please!

What is your favorite Bath & Body Works scent? Which store has the best coupons and promotions? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May28

May 2020 Finishes

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May 2020 Finishes

Hello! May is just about over, which means that it’s time for my monthly beauty finishes. Despite being stuck at home pretty much all of May, it went by surprisingly quick and before I know it, my birthday of June 7th will be here in which I am turning the big 2-6. YIKES! I am not particularly thrilled about this increase in age so I’d like to stay in May for a bit longer please and thank you.

Unfortunately, we all know that this isn’t possible so I guess I will just have to really savor these last few posts in May! *Deep breath* The savoring has officially commenced so let’s get to discussing these empties:

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Would I Use Again?

Why/Why Not?

Wonder Therapy Scrub: I got acquainted with the Wonder Therapy brand through TJMaxx and I am obsessed with their coffee scrubs! The Vanilla Coconut scent is delicious and the creamy texture is so rich that I don’t even have to put lotion on after shaving. And, speaking of shaving, I get the closest shave when I use this scrub first to prep my skin… We’re talking crazy smooth and it doesn’t get better than that. Plus, I got at least fifteen uses from one bottle, which is a great value too.

B&BW Shower Gel: Love the Bath & Body Works shower gels, love the apple scent, and love that I got it for about three bucks during their semi-annual sale. One bottle takes me over one month to finish and my skin definitely feels a lot softer and healthier from their moisturizing formula. And, did we mention the apple scent? Yum!

Evoluderm Micellar Water: I also got acquainted with the Evoluderm brand from TJMaxx and their micellar water is literally the best. It beats the Garnier micellar water by a long shot and I always have to snag a few bottles if I find it in the TJ’s beauty aisle. Not only does this micellar water take off my makeup perfectly but it also feels so good to use as a toner before I put my creams on. It took me over one month to finish the travel sized bottle.

ValJean Serum: This day serum by ValJean was a massive disappointment and one of the few times that the TJMaxx beauty aisle did me dirty. It was so strange because the consistency of the serum was thicker, which I like, but it felt like it did nothing every time I applied it. It was just kind of there and I noticed no difference in the feeling or appearance of my skin one way or the other. It took me one month to finish one bottle.

Clinique Face Spray: I received the Clinique Moisture Surge Face Spray as a freebie gift from one of my Sephora online orders. For a while, it just sat there unused in my bathroom cabinet. But, then, I used a super powerful cream that my mom gave me which was definitely intended for more mature skin. It dried my face out completely and, throughout the day, I could feel it becoming more and more parched.

Then, I decided to start taking the Clinique spray with me while I was out and about and couldn’t get cream on immediately. It was such a refreshing… Moisture surge, lol. Seriously, it was like getting a drink of water for my skin every time I used it and I can see myself buying it again this winter when my sensitive skin suffers. It took me two weeks of use to finish the travel sized bottle.

Overall, May was a great month for empties. I finished a lot of the products that I was working on for a while and that is always exciting because it means I can start something new. So, who knows what I’ll have used up next month… Keep it posted! 🙂

Which products did you finish up in May? What are some of your favorite beauty brands? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May9

May 2020 Funky Time Jams

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May 2020 Funky Time Jams

Hi! We’re just truckin’ along through May and, I’ve gotta tell you, I’m so not feeling it. Lol, I am so physically and mentally exhausted and I could definitely use a day off. But, alas, here I am writing extra early before work so I still get there on time! I guess it’s okay, though. So much of my day is spent being unproductive that sometimes (But not all the times!) it feels good to immerse myself in a day’s work.

An early morning, followed by a long day of work, followed by a long day of quarantine certainly requires the perfect soundtrack and this is what I have been bumping:

^^^ And, as always, I have no rights to these songs or videos.

Nine times out of ten, I leave the house for work feeling blah so I depend on my car ride jams to give me the pick me up I need to be at one hundred percent by the time I get to my client’s front door. Sometimes this will be me playing my favorites on my iPod or I’ll scroll through the radio until I land on something good.

My most recent fave, though? Probably The Weeknd! My boyfriend and I just recently watched the Saturday Night Live that he performed on and I had no idea “Blinding Lights” was one of his songs until he played it. That has been my friggen JAM on the radio and it put me down a Weeknd worm hole that I am so okay with.

Somewhat random, but I have also been playing “My Sweet Lord” by George Harrison constantly. My client and I heard it when we were listening to the radio and I totally forgot how much I love that song until I heard it again. And, of course, you can’t go wrong with The Rolling Stones so if you haven’t checked out their latest “Living In A Ghost Town”, do be sure to check it out!

What are some of your quarantine jams? What do you like to listen to to hype you up for work? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May25

May 2019 Finishes

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May 2019 Finishes

Hellooo! May is drawing to a close and June is coming in hot, which means that very soon I’ll be turning twenty-five. UGH! So with another month and another year in my book coming to an end, it’s about that time to discuss our finishes for May. This month, I actually completed a lot of products so we have much to discuss. Let’s get to it!

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Would I Use Again?

  • Solmo Shea Butter & Oatmeal body wash: MAYBE
  • The Body Shop Pink Grapefruit shower gel: YES
  • Garnier Micellar Water: YES
  • The Body Shop Satsuma scrub: YES
  • The Body Shop Cocoa Butter lotion: NO
  • SkinLab Detox Cloud moisturizer: YES
  • The Body Shop Oils Of Life serum: YES

Why/Why Not?

Solmo Body Wash: I believe that my mom ordered this product off of Amazon and it was fine. It wasn’t the best body wash I’ve ever used but it wasn’t the worst. I have one more bottle left to use but I’d be a liar if I said I wasn’t looking forward to trying something else with a more invigorating scent. However, this Solmo wash leaves my skin feeling really moisturized and it lathers well. It took me one month to finish one bottle.

TBS Shower Gel: I love, love, loved the Pink Grapefruit shower gel by The Body Shop and it took me over two months to finish the bottle. The scent was citrusy and rejuvenating, it lathered well, and it didn’t dry my skin out even though it was a gel. I’m normally not the biggest fan of the Pink Grapefruit scent from TBS for lotion but it worked great for a shower gel and I would definitely use it again.

Garnier Micellar Water: You know the drill. I will continue using this product until I find something else. And, as per ushe, it takes me one month to finish one bottle.

TBS Scrub: And, also as per ushe, I would use the Satsuma scrub from The Body Shop again too! This is one of my favorite products from TBS. It smells amazing, gives me a close shave, and leaves my skin feeling bright and clean. And, as always, I get at least seven full body uses from one bottle.

TBS Lotion: Although the Cocoa Butter from The Body Shop is easily one of my favorite scents, I have a bone to pick with this lotion. The bottle was absolutely impossible to squeeze, making it so hard to get any product out. I had to leave the bottle upside down and then unscrew the cap to use it. But, then, the lotion would come pouring out giving me way too much and getting on everything. So, I definitely won’t be using this one again even though I liked the lotion. I got about six full body uses from one bottle.

SkinLab Moisturizer: I LOVED this moisturizer that I found at TJMaxx. It sat well under makeup, was inexpensive, lightweight, and it left my skin feeling so hydrated. A little bit of the cream went a long way and it took me over a month to finish the jar. Hoping that I can find another one on my next shopping trip!

TBS Serum: Like all of The Body Shop products on here, I got the Oils Of Life serum from TJMaxx, too. It takes me over two months to finish one bottle and I can really tell a difference on my skin when I’m using it. It looks and feels so much more supple and radiant and that’s cool, because I normally never notice any differences on my skin when using a product. Despite the oil being rich, it sits really well under makeup and I am so happy I bought two bottles so I can continue using it.

Overall, May was a great month for finishes. I got to use a lot of products from The Body Shop which was a treat and I would gladly use almost all of them again. Great success!

Which products did you finish up this month? What are your thoughts on any of the above products if you used them? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May12

Happy Mother’s Day!!

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Happy Mother’s Day!!

Hello everyone and happy Sunday! I wanted to extend warm Mother’s Day greetings to all of the wonderful moms in the blogosphere and all over the world today. Whether you are a mom to a beautiful baby or a darling dog, you have lost a child, or want to be a mom really badly – today is for you. I hope you have a beautiful day full of love and flowers and are surrounded by things that make you smile. Happy Mother’s Day from lifewithlilred! ❤

May4

May 2019 Funky Time Jams

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May 2019 Funky Time Jams

Greetings and welcome to another fabulous month here on lifewithlilred! During the past few weeks of working with my newest client, I have been introduced to a ton of new music because he is all about the oldies but goodies. So, we have been listening to a lot of good stuff ranging from the 40’s to the 70’s. All of this music is just pure fun and I can’t get enough of it. Here are a few of my favorites:

^^^ And, as always, I have no rights to these songs or videos!

In this day and age where most songs on the radio are about sex, drugs, violence, or a combination of the three, it’s nice to listen to something more innocent. All of the songs above are such feel good anthems and I get genuinely happy when I listen to them. Singing along to the tunes with my darling client certainly helps the happiness cause, too! I find myself playing the songs above constantly throughout the day now and, no matter how stressed or busy I am, it manages to lift my mood and put a smile on my face. I feel like that’s what these songs are all about!

What are some of your feel good anthems? What is your favorite era of music? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May25

May 2018 Finishes

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May 2018 Finishes

Hello everyone and TGIF! If you can believe it, another month is almost done here on lifewithlilred! And guess what that means – IT’S ALMOST MY BIRTHDAY! I will be turning 24 on June 7th, so do be sure to mark it in your calendars! 😉 But I digress, so let’s get on to viewing this month’s finishes:

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Would I Use Again?

  • Le Petit Marseiliais White Peach & Nectarine shower gel: YES
  • Simple Micellar Cleansing Water: YES
  • The Body Shop Satsuma scrub: YES
  • The Body Shop Vitamin C moisturizer: YES
  • The Body Shop Oils Of Life serum: YES
  • Tarte Amazonian Clay blush: YES

Why/Why Not?

LPM Shower Gel: This shower gel and brand in general is awesome. The White Peach & Nectarine scent was so invigorating every morning and, although this was a gel and not a creme, I was still left feeling moisturized after my shower. I finished this body wash in about two and a half months and I am looking forward to using the two other scents that I have by Le Petit Marseiliais soon!

Simple Micellar Water: Even though I am not a huge fan of micellar water, it is way cheaper than eye makeup remover so I am okay with it! I can’t say much for the Simple brand, because I don’t really like it. BUT, I just purchased a bottle of Garnier cleansing water, so we’ll see if I like that kind better. It took me close to two months to finish this bottle.

TBS Scrub: The scrubs from The Body Shop are a must for me when I am shaving and the Satsuma scent is always amazing! I got this as part of a Christmas gift and I got about seven uses out of one of the mini sized bottles.

TBS Moisturizer: I LOVED the Vitamin C moisturizer from The Body Shop. It lasted me two months, it sat well under makeup, and my skin felt nice and hydrated after each use. I would definitely use this again and I hope that they have it back at TJMaxx soon! 😀

TBS Serum: And, of course, I loved the Oils Of Life Serum from The Body Shop, too. One bottle lasted me for five and a half months of daily use, it sat well under makeup, AND MY SKIN FELT NICE AND HYDRATED AFTER EACH USE!!!!!! I am lucky, because I have one more bottle of this and I know that it will last me for close to another half a year!

Tarte Blush: Normally, I don’t write about makeup finishes, but this Tarte blush is different. I got it for my Sephora birthday freebie last June and I JUST FINISHED IT last week. This was my most used blush for the year. The color was gorgeous and I wish that it wasn’t just a one time birthday color. 😥

May brought me a lot more finishes than normal and it was fun being able to use up all of them – especially since I enjoyed each product so much!

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

May22

Bath & Body Works May Freebie

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Bath & Body Works May Freebie

Hi! So Bath & Body Works finally sent me a freebie coupon after months of not receiving anything, so I was excited to run into the store and grab a travel sized lotion or shower gel. I was in a rush when I was in the store, and their new packaging definitely didn’t help, because I couldn’t tell what the idea was for any of their scents. Take a look and you’ll see what I mean:

gel

I really did like B&BW’s old packaging, because it let you know what the product would smell like without having to flip the lid. Now, you can’t tell what their scent would be like from anything and, frankly, I think the packaging looks cheap. I selected a new scent of theirs called Happy Vibes and it smelled okay. It’s a floral/citrus scent and the only reason why I selected it was because I was in a hurry. The flowers in this gel definitely overpowered any notes of citrus that you could smell, so I am not a huge fun. But, hey, it was free! 😀

How do you feel about B&BW’s new packaging? What is your favorite shower gel fragrance? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah