Tag Archives: meh

Dec2

Face Mask Festivities: St. Ives Oatmeal Scrub & Mask

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Face Mask Festivities: St. Ives Oatmeal Scrub & Mask

Helloooo everyone and welcome to the last post in my Face Mask Festivities mini series! Today, we are going to talk about a brand that I love oh so very much – St. Ives. I use St. Ives products every day, whether it be a scrub or body wash, and I always thoroughly enjoy using their skin care and bath and body goodies. The Oatmeal scrub that I’m currently using just so happens to double as a face mask, so I thought that I would finally use a beloved product in a brand new way. Take a look and let’s discuss:

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I was curious to see how this mask would work, because I’ve used it as a scrub countless times but never really bothered to try it differently. I love this St. Ives product as a scrub, but not so much as a mask. The mask instructions read to leave it on for five to seven minutes and I genuinely don’t know how that’s possible. Within about three minutes, this mask felt tight, tight, tight on my face and had already hardened from its dampened form. As you can see by my “after” pic, it left my skin quite irritated and I had to use a heavy moisturizer to get my skin feeling hydrated again.

I will say that this mask smells absolutely delicious. I am a sucker for oatmeal scented products, and this one is no exception. There’s something about the rich, creamy scents that just get me. It makes my skin feel nourished and well taken care of and I really love that. Now, if only this mask made me feel that way, because it left my skin parched for moisture rather than lush and lovely.

The entire time that I had this mask on, although it was short lived, I was thinking about how much I would rather be using The Body Shop’s Honey & Oat Mask, instead. From now on, this St. Ives product is going to stick to its uses as a scrub, because that is where this skin care treat shines.

So there you have it, the last post for this round’s Face Mask Festivities: St. Ives Oatmeal Scrub & Mask Edition! Which mask from this series would you like to try? What are your thoughts on this mask if you have ever used it before? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Featured Image By: Cision

Nov5

Feeling Blah

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Feeling Blah

Hi everyone and happy Sunday! Is it just me or are any of you guys feeling totally blah lately? I recently started going to therapy at the beginning of October and it has had me in quite a tizzy. That, on top of the changing weather, the darkness that falls in the early evening, and the stressers of daily life has left me feeling completely lackluster.

Now, I get it, life isn’t always sunshine, puppies, and rainbows (I wish!) – but that doesn’t mean that having the blues doesn’t freaking suck! Everything in Lil Red’s world at the moment has just been that step below average. So the not good but closer to bad doldrums have hit me like a ton of bricks. And once those feelings make camp in your head, it’s so hard to shake them.

I try not to be a complainer and god knows I try to just grin and bear it, but boy is it exhausting. I have found solace in Netflix and chilling with myself in between my work schedule but I think that I have become wayyy too comfortable just sinking into the couch and trying to forget my worries in a binge watching session.

So how does one peel themselves off of their futon and start taking life by the horns again? Shit, I don’t know! That’s why I’m asking you guys! Lol, but seriously I need to take a deep breath, get up, and just go. Yes, it’s easier to lose myself in a Saw movie marathon but it would be better to do things that are good for me to clear some of the fog in my head. But, man is it hard sometimes!

What do you do to ease some of the blahs in your brain? How do you get yourself going again after a stint with depression? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Featured Image By: Pinterest

Sep23

The Old College Try

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The Old College Try

Hi everyone and happy weekend! So this past Thursday I decided to give going to see a therapist a shot. Things in Lil Red’s world have been anything but perfect lately, so I thought I would try my hand at going to have a chat with a professional for the first time in years. Don’t get me wrong, I have friends that I can talk to when I’m feeling GLUM, but who wants to spend BFF time rehashing the most depressing stuff ever? Not me.

I saw a therapist all throughout high school and shortly after and it always seemed to help. And, I have to say, that it definitely felt good to be able to unload some major burdens onto someone who doesn’t know myself or my family a couple of days ago. I’ve been feeling incredibly overwhelmed and depressed as of late and I’m over it. I’m stressed out constantly and I need to just be able to vent to someone and then get up and walk away from it until next time.

I felt a little bit better after my first hour long session on Thursday, which is way better than feeling one hundred percent miserable. AND I have my appointments scheduled for the rest of September and all of October to work on getting these blues shaken away. I felt pretty proud of myself for actually attempting to do something instead of just wallowing in my own misery until things start to get better. I am definitely looking forward to next week’s session!

I’m giving therapy The Old College Try again and I’m excited to start making some improvements for myself. How do you deal with the major blahs? Has therapy helped you now or in the past? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Featured Image By: Pinterest

Aug23

Green Day Concert

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Green Day Concert

Hellooo everyone and happy Hump Day! This past Monday, I went to see Green Day at the Blossom Music Center in good ol’ Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. Unfortunately, I was (and still am) feeling pretty under the weather, so I can’t say that I enjoyed myself as much as I would have liked to. I would by no means say that Green Day is one of my favorite bands or anything, but I don’t dislike them at all. I actually like them quite a bit, but their concert really just missed the mark for me. Let’s discuss:

I will say that the set list for the Revolution Radio tour was excellent. They focused on some old and new favorites that really took you through the thirty years of Green Day’s existence. Opening with newer heavy hitters like “Know Your Enemy”, “Bang Bang”, and “Revolution Radio” then transitioned seamlessly into older jams like “Holiday”, “Hitchin’ a Ride”, and “Minority”. Like I said, the set list really was good. BUT…

The major BUT(T) is the pure bullshit that happened throughout the show. Literally after EVERY SONG there was at least five minutes of dicking around that ranged from Billie Joe making strange noises into the microphone, encouraging everyone to get “fucking crazy”, or making the audience repeat “hey-oooooo” back at him for the thousandth time.

At the beginning, this was funny and entertaining. But, rest assured, that it got very old, very very quickly. I kept wondering if I would have had a better time if I wasn’t feeling so poorly, but I genuinely don’t think that I would have. The constant silliness of what was happening between the songs was just too much.

All of the bullshitting took away from how wonderful the band sounded live, and that’s sad that I’m just now bringing up how amazing they sounded. Everything about their playing was just perfect, even better than on the albums, really. BUT(T), their live performance turned into well over two hours of tom foolery peppered with good music. It was a shame.

It actually pains me to write such a poor review because I was looking forward to this concert so much. Don’t get me wrong, I have mad respect for Green Day. Thirty years of making music is something that should be celebrated. And maybe what they were doing during their show on Monday would have worked twenty years ago…but, sadly, it fell incredibly short of the high expectations that I had.

Am I glad that I went? I guess. Would I recommend seeing them live? If you’re a hardcore fan, then sure. But I can’t say that I would want to see them play again in the future. Whomp whomp.

So there you have it, my review of the Green Day Concert! Who of my readers are Green Day fans? Have you ever been to a concert that disappointed you? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

PS: Sorry for the lack of pictures! We were quite far away from the stage, so getting a good quality shot was impossible.

Featured Image By: NME

Jul27

It’s In The Bag: Glorious Gudetama Edition

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It’s In The Bag: Glorious Gudetama Edition

Hello everyone and happy Thursday! So all over the blogosphere I’ve seen posts about this month’s Ipsy bag featuring a special little egg named Gudetama. Long story short, I’m obsessed. I’m not that big of a makeup girl so I’m not subscribed to Ipsy, but lucky for me, my older sister is! As soon as I saw the picture of the bag for the month, I made it clear to Kristen that I desperately wanted it. She wasn’t particularly blown away by the design (lol), so she happily passed it on to me! YES! Take a look:

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Everything about this pouch speaks to me on a spiritual level. The out there design, the “meh” zipper, the colors, Gudetama’s cute little fanny! It’s just perfect. Lol, I am so excited to transplant all of my little odds and ends from purse to pouch. Chapsticks that I never use, lighters, hand sanitizers, the whole nine yards. Who better to be the guardian of all of my random baubles than the laziest egg in the whole world?! I LOVE YOU, GUDETAMA! ❤

And a very special thank you to my beloved sister, Kristen, for parting with this sweet angel. :*) ❤

So there you have it, the newest issue of It’s In The Bag (Or, rather, It’s In The Pouch!): Glorious Gudetama Edition! Who of my readers are Ipsy subscribers? How did you feel about this month’s bag? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Featured Image By: Deviant Art

Jun7

Happy 23rd Birthday To Me!

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Happy 23rd Birthday To Me!

Hi everyone and happy Hump Day but more importantly – HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!! Today is my 23rd birthday, and I’m going to be honest with you: I am so not excited about it. Guyyyys. I feel old. *Let the eye rolling commence*. But seriously, 22 was a good year and I’m not happy about it being over. 23? Oy. That’s half way to 25, which is half way to 30, which makes my heart hurt to think about!

Do I sound like I’m complaining? I swear – it’s not just me! I’ve heard this thought process from SO many of my friends who were super stoked on 21 and 22 and then had the proceeding birthdays feel totally lackluster. So there. BUT, despite not being thrilled about adding another year under my belt, I do love birthdays! Wait…what?

Lol, yeah I love birthdays. The presents, the dinners and drinks out with friends, the overflow of birthday well wishes on Facebook. I love it all! It’s just the aging part that I freaking despise! Honestly, I’m one of those people who celebrate for the entire month and starts saying “it’s my birthday” a week or so before my actual birthday. But, come on. Who doesn’t love having the attention on them from family and friends? And, this year, I really need to embrace the fun side of birthdays to keep me from feeling down about turning the big 2-3. Smh.

So, Happy 23rd Birthday To Me – I guess. -__- I look forward to telling all of you about my birthday celebrations as the month goes on! How did you celebrate your last birthday? What is one of your favorite birthday memories? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar24

Creep

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Creep

Okay, let’s all be honest here. We’ve all social media creeped before. Whether it’s on your ex’s new girlfriend or one of your coworkers, social media outlets like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter have given us free range to snoop to our heart’s content. My girlfriends and I have had many a conversation about our in depth creeping sessions and it always provides us with a laugh fest or heart wrenching girl talks about our findings. But what happens when you feel a little too creeped out by someone’s Facebook creeping?

So, on Wednesday my dad and I went to Dairy Queen to get an ice cream cake for my mom’s birthday. The same Dairy Queen that my best friend worked at well over a year ago. It’s not somewhere that I actively frequent except for the handful of times that I’ve stopped in to see her or went with her to pick up her paychecks. And by a handful of times, I mean like three. My dad and I chose the cake that we wanted and probably exchanged a total of twenty words with the employee who was helping us.

Frankly, I was not trying to socialize with anyone because I was totally bumming it that day. Leggings, hoodie, no makeup, and a beanie was my outfit of choice. All I wanted was to get the cake and go and within five minutes we were in and out. BUT, despite my disheveled outer appearance, I could feel the employee looking at me just a little too closely for my liking. Especially since I was basically in my pajamas. Whatever. We left and I didn’t think anything of it until twenty minutes ago.

Today while I was hanging out, I saw that I had a notification from Facebook messenger and it was a message request. Normally, I don’t look through those but I knew the red message circle wouldn’t disappear if I didn’t so I took a peek. And, guess who it was from? None other than the Dairy Queen employee from two days ago with a message reading “I hope you enjoyed the cake. Facebook creeping at its finest.” Ugh. What?

Don’t get me wrong. I am well aware that I am an easily recognizable person. With bright red hair, pasty pale skin, and five nose piercings it’s hard not to be. But really? You’re going to use the five words that I exchanged with you at your place of employment as an excuse to hunt me down on Facebook and shoot me a message? That’s just so unprofessional, inappropriate, and (to be frank) weird in my opinion.

Believe me. I am used to the odd messages, emails, and comments. And I get that I am recognizable enough and somewhat relevant enough on social media to get unwanted attention in my inboxes. But, I don’t know. There was something about this experience that made me feel weird because the person is in such close proximity to me and because our exchange was so incredibly brief.

I’ve never had anyone actively try and find me on social media like that and I didn’t like it. Am I looking too much into this? Probably. But I still have such an initial grimy feeling that I just had to blog it out. I am not trying to put anyone “on blast”, I’m just trying to not feel weird about this! Is it ever appropriate to try and find someone you met while on the job? How would you react to this situation? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

(And, as always, I have no rights to this video, song, or featured image photo!)

Mar12

I’m NOT Lonely

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I’m NOT Lonely

Hi everyone and happy Sunday! So, I’m not sure if those of you who aren’t my friends on Facebook are aware but my year and a half long relationship ended (by me) a few months ago. And, believe me, I’m fine. Even if I wasn’t the one doing the dumping, I think that I would be fine. But, the absence of someone who you used to talk to every day for the past year and a half is a little bit difficult to deal with.

I was having this conversation over drinks with my sister last night and I swear, I must have emphasized to her that “I’m NOT Lonely” at least five times. Because I’m not. Really. However, a void has definitely now been made in my life from the time that I used to spend hanging out with and talking to my former significant other. It’s not a feeling of loneliness but I’m more left with the feeling of “what do I do now?”.

It’s just freaking annoying. Like, when you have a boy or girlfriend, you have a built in social life from it. Dinners, movies, drinks, or just simply hanging out. But, once the break up happens, you are left to your own devices. I guess this wouldn’t be a problem if I had a buttload of friends but, in all reality, I have like three people that doesn’t include my sister that I like to spend time with.

It’s weird, because everyone thinks I’m this little social butterfly – but I’m so not. I’m actually quite shy when it comes to new people. I’m not the girl who’s going to go strike up a conversation with a stranger and I’m definitely not the girl who’s good at making friends. So, that kind of leaves me floundering around trying to figure out what to do next.

The way I’m feeling right now is really conflicting because I am totally content with my social life. I am able to see my girlfriends at least weekly, which is super nice. I love going to the bar, the mall, movies, or whatever with them and we always end up having a lot of fun. So why do I all of a sudden feel like I need a brand new friend group? After typing this out, I guess I am trying to “fill the void”, so to speak. It seems that now, it’s more of a matter of finding productive things to do to help use up some of this newly gained free time. Blogging, planning my Europe travels, et cetera.

Wow. Okay. Good one sided talk, everyone! Glad we had it. So, to emphasize again, I’M NOT LONELY:

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Lolol, JK. I just need to focus on doing some things that make me happy rather than focusing on such an apparent loss of someone’s company. Yeah? Yeah. How have you dealt with the post break up void? Has anyone ever felt similarly to what was described in this post? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug6

American Horror Story Airing Of Grievances

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American Horror Story Airing Of Grievances

Hey everyone and happy weekend! This week, the teasers for American Horror Story season six have began to surface, leaving everyone to wonder just what the theme is going to be. This usually would be a time when I would start to get very excited for just what lies in store for AHS, but unfortunately, I just can’t get on board for this upcoming season. Take a look at the teaser trailer and then let’s discuss:

If you recall from my posts about last season, AHS: Hotel, I had to quit watching after episode seven or so. I just couldn’t take it. I thought Coven was bad but last season really really sucked with a capital S and a capital UCKED. From the very first episode I could pick out what the problem was and a lot of people will probably disagree with me but that’s okay. My number one issue with AHS: Hotel was…Lady Gaga.

That’s right. I said it. I genuinely believe in my heart of hearts that Lady Gaga was the worst thing to happen to AHS so the fact that she is coming back for an encore in season six instantly turns me off to the show already. Unpopular opinion? Probably – but let me explain!

The major issue with having someone like Lady Gaga cast as the lead is that every. single. scene. has to revolve around her. I just couldn’t take it anymore in Hotel. I was sick of her soft core sex scenes, her dull performance, and the fact that she was now the queen bee of the show when she wasn’t doing much of anything.

Lady Gaga single handedly took away the ensemble effort of what made American Horror Story so special in the first place. When every character was committing to the story in a way that did not directly revolve around one character *cough cough* is when the show was something amazing. But when you take away the ensemble effort, you just end up with a program that isn’t even worth watching.

I feel like every scene was directed in a way that would make all of Gaga’s “little monsters” stick around to watch more and this resulted in a season that was campy, trashy, and an all around hot mess. I stand firmly in my beliefs that 1) The show is nothing without Jessica Lange. 2) They should have went with an unknown to become the new AHS queen bee. 3) OR if seniority and talent were an actual thing being considered, Sarah Paulson should have became the female lead.

So, am I going to tune in to the new season of American Horror Story? Yes, I will because I am curious and because I want lifewithlilred to maintain its status as a one stop shop for all things AHS. Am I thrilled about it? Absolutely not. After this rant, how could I be?! But as always, rest assured that when the new season airs, you can always find the latest AHS scoop here on lifewithlilred!

So there you have it, my American Horror Story Airing Of Grievances! Who has any ideas on what season six’s theme is going to be? Does anyone feel similarly to what I described in this post? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar3

Garnier Makeup Removing Lotion Cleanser Review

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Garnier Makeup Removing Lotion Cleanser Review

Howdy! Okay, first off let me start by saying that I am a big fan of Garnier’s skin care line. I’ve used one of their cream cleansers and an exfoliater of theirs multiple times and I’ve always been really happy with them. After I finished my cleanser from Simple, I picked out the Garnier Makeup Removing Lotion Cleanser from my hoard drawer and had very high hopes for it. I was really excited to try this cleanser out because I’ve been so pleased with their products that I’ve used before – but unfortunately, this face wash really missed the mark. Review their packaging and then let’s discuss:

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I always start my product reviews out by talking about their smell but this cleanser doesn’t have any! I know a few of you have commented on my reviews before saying that you like when skin care doesn’t have a fragrance. That’s all very well, but that’s one thing that I can never get on board with. When I’m taking my morning showers, I love when a product has a really invigorating aroma because it helps wake me up. I don’t mind too much that Garnier’s cleanser is fragrance free because I use a lovely scented exfoliater in the morning, too. But the lack of smell definitely didn’t give this product any brownie points!

One of the reasons why I didn’t care for the Simple cleanser that I had finished before starting this one is that it barely removed any of my makeup. In fact, the only reason why I grabbed Garnier’s cleanser from the hoard drawer is because it spelled out for me right in its name that it was primarily a makeup remover. I like to think that I don’t wear a ton of makeup. I’m lucky enough that I don’t have to use any type of concealer and the only product that I use heavily is the mascara that I love to pile on so very much – which is also the toughest thing to remove. -_-

I didn’t doubt that Garnier’s face wash would do a good job of removing my makeup but I wasn’t blown away by it. Yes, it did get my eye makeup off BUT I’ve used so many cleansers that have done the exact same thing. In fact, Garnier’s other cream cleanser that I’ve used before removed all of my makeup and that bonus was barely even mentioned on their packaging!

The final thing that I discuss when reviewing a skin care or body wash product is if it lathers well. Nice and big suds while I’m scrubbing away are a must for me – I have a hard time feeling truly “clean” without it. This is where Garnier’s cleanser totally missed the mark. The packaging says that this product is for sensitive skin but that doesn’t mean it can’t lather just a little! The texture of the cleanser was thick and creamy but once you rubbed it on your face it literally just sat there and did nothing.

Every morning when I rinse the cleanser off, I’m always so happy that I have an exfoliater that I can use afterwards because the face wash simply does nothing for me. It doesn’t make my skin feel any cleaner and it certainly isn’t doing anything that another more effective cleanser can’t. I’m really disappointed in this product so I’m going to have to rate it with: no stars. There is absolutely nothing about this cleanser that I liked or that made my skin feel good. Now I’m just annoyed that I refuse to not finish products that I start because I’ll be stuck with this sucker for a long while. -__-

So there you have it, my Garnier Makeup Removing Lotion Cleanser Review. I will continue using Garnier products after I finish this face wash but you couldn’t pay me to use this one again! Have any of you used this product before? What are your thoughts on it? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

PS: Have a new picture of me for your troubles! I love the little wave that my boxer braids from this weekend left me with!

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