Tag Archives: pretty

Jan20

Nars Blush Swatches In Behave & Dolce Vita

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Nars Blush Swatches In Behave & Dolce Vita

Hi! Today, we are going to take a look at swatches from the last two blushes in my Nars Basic Instincts 1 palette. These colors are called Behave and Dolce Vita. While they might not be my favorite colors at first glance, I do intend on at least giving them a shot as an attempt to break out of my makeup comfort zone – we’ll see what happens! Now, let’s get to it:

^^^ The fourth picture is the swatch in Behave and the fifth picture is Dolce Vita.

When first looking at Behave, I thought that it might be too dark for my liking so I was pleased to see that it applied as a dusty rose. I think I could work with this blush but it’s not one that I would pick out for myself as I prefer brighter colors on my cheeks. Behave might be a nice shade for fall and winter but it wouldn’t be my go to choice for spring or summer. It is still pretty, though, and I will use it to dip my toes in the water of something other than my favorite shade of bubblegum pink.

On the other hand, we have Dolce Vita and it actually reminds me of the blush that my mom would put on me for skating competitions. Which is probably why I am tentative on it because we all know that competition makeup can be over the top! While the shade is almost identical, I admit that it’s much more subtle lol. I can’t picture myself using Dolce Vita too often but it could be a good look for a date night. In the end, I do think it would be more flattering on someone who isn’t me!

Although I am not head over heels about all of the blushes in the Nars Basic Instincts 1 palette, I am looking forward to using it. I do love the first blush in Orgasm and the other three hues will be ones that I can experiment with. I’m thinking that if I mix them with other preferred shades, I might have a better outcome. Many thanks again to my sister for this gift! ❤

What is your favorite blush? Which colors of makeup push you out of your comfort zone? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan18

Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Lipstick Swatch In Dazed

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Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Lipstick Swatch In Dazed

Howdy! Today, we are going to be swatching the Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Lipstick that I got from my sister for Christmas in a shade called Dazed. I have never used anything by ABH before so I was very excited to receive it as a gift! This ultra pretty pinky maroon hue is a perfect shade for fall and winter and I cannot wait to complete an OOTD with a swiping of it on my lips. Check it out:

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When it comes to makeup, I prefer to stick with my old faithfuls rather than try anything different. It might not make for the most exciting MOTDs, but it’s what I’m comfortable with and capable of applying lol. That is why I am so thankful for my sister because whether it be hand me downs or new makeup as a gift, she always tries to get me out of my comfort zone!

This ABH liquid lippie is definitely a color that I wouldn’t have picked out for myself but, then again, what do I know? I consider my sister to be a makeup guru so if she thinks that it will work, then I trust her. When swatching, I was pleased by how quickly this lipstick dried into a nice, matte hue. I am a matte girl all the way – mainly because you can eat with it on and it won’t budge. 😀

I think that the Dazed shade will look simply charming with a comfy cozy OOTD of a soft cardigan or sweater, skirt with tights, and knee high boots. The deep raspberry color will pop against the grey days of winter and I will be sure to wear it during mine and Johnny’s next date day.

In my opinion, a present that you wouldn’t get for yourself is the best kind so my new Anastasia Beverly Hills lipstick was a wonderful surprise. Thanks again, sis! Be sure to tune in tomorrow for some swatches from my Nars blush palette. ❤

What is your favorite makeup brand? Who do you turn to for makeup inspiration? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec19

New Silver & Holographic Lavender Nails

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New Silver & Holographic Lavender Nails

Hello! These past few weeks of work have been really difficult so I have been absolutely dying to get my nails done at Elysian Nails. As soon as I am in the chair of my nail tech or hair stylist, I can instantly feel my stress melt away as the pampering and wonderful conversation commences. As a total material girl, shopping or time at the salon is basically my cure all for everything! Hey, if it’s not broken don’t fix it, right? 😀

As you all know, I am not a huge fan of themed holiday nails but I wanted to do something wintry to commemorate the holiday season. Instead, I ended up with intergalactic nails that remind me of that old Disney Channel movie, Zenon: Z3 lol. Check it out:

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As you can see, my new nails definitely don’t fit the bill for holiday themed at all but I still love them just the same! Prior to coming to Elysian, I had silver on my mind because it makes me think of freshly fallen snow. Then, at the nail polish wall, I saw the holographic lavender and said “why not?” Reminiscent of winter? No. Still fabulous? For sure!

As always, my nail tech did an amazing job on my nails and shaped them to perfection as well as made the nail I busted a weekend ago good as new. Girl talking and laughing for an hour and a half also helped to cheer me up and I left the salon feeling like a million bucks – as per ushie.

Elysian Nails is my happy place, safe haven, and shelter from the storm. Just like the Shear Shop and TJMaxx, it’s a place where the world makes sense lol. I am so thankful to the wonderful staff for their friendship, care, and treating everyone who comes in like royalty. I hope that they have the happiest of holidays and can’t wait to come back in the new year! ❤

What is your favorite Disney Channel movie (Life Size is mine!)? Where is your happy place? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec11

Should You Decorate With Real Or Fake Garlands This Christmas?

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Should You Decorate With Real Or Fake Garlands This Christmas?

From Christmas trees to mistletoe, there are many different types of traditional decorations that adorn homes all over the world come the festive period, and a Christmas garland is another one of these. There is no doubt that you will have a huge assortment of Christmas garlands to choose from. However, before you can decide on the style that appeals to you the most, your main decision is whether to go for a real or artificial Christmas garland. In this post, we will reveal the reasons why the latter is the best option:

Disadvantages of Real Christmas Garlands:

A lot of people mistakenly believe that the only way to benefit from beautiful Christmas garlands is to purchase fresh versions. However, this is certainly not the case. While it is easy to understand the initial appeal of real Christmas garlands – their smell and their appearance – once purchased, people quickly realize that there are many more disadvantages associated with real garland decorations than meets the eye.

Firstly, you are going to need to replace your garlands every year, and, unfortunately, for some people their garlands do not even make it until Christmas Day. And, if they do, they are assured to have lost a considerable amount of their beauty by then. This is because real flowers deteriorate quite quickly. If you are someone that likes to have their Christmas decorations up for a while before and after the 25th of December, then this is going to be a big problem. The fact that you do not get a lot of use out of your real Christmas garlands shows that this is an expensive route to go down.

Not only are fresh flowers costly to begin with, but they are going to need replacing. You then need to consider the upkeep of these garlands. You are going to have to look after them if you are going to protect their longevity. The needles can go brown and they can drop, and the weather is assured to wreck havoc with your outdoor decorations, especially if you use screws or another type of fixture to hang them.

Advantages of Artificial Christmas Garlands:

On the other hand, you do not need to worry about any maintenance when it comes to an artificial Christmas garland. Instead, you will get many years of use out of them and all they will require is a little bit of dusting when you get them out of the box each Christmas. You will get a better value for money as your purchase is going to last you for a considerable period of time. Moreover, artificial flowers tend to be cheaper than real flowers in many cases.

Of course, the main worry for a lot of people when it comes to artificial Christmas garlands is that they are going to miss out in terms of beauty. While there is no denying that there are some companies that sell cheap artificial flowers, which are obviously fake, there are some great retailers nowadays that craft stunning artificial garlands – so much so that you won’t be able to tell the difference.

If you want to give a modern twist to an old tradition, then artificial garlands are ideal. You will get more bang for your buck and still have a beautifully decorated home for the holidays!

Featured Image By: Unsplash

Oct28

bellapierre Cosmetics Mineral Blush Swatch In Desert Rose

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bellapierre Cosmetics Mineral Blush Swatch In Desert Rose

Hello! We are going to wrap up our swatch posts from my hand me down haul from my sister by discussing a mineral blush by bellapierre Cosmetics in Desert Rose. This loose powder blush is oh so pretty and even has SPF 15 in it which I thought was very cool because I have never had a blush that offered that before. Now, let’s get swatching:

When opening the jar of Desert Rose blush, my initial impression was that it was a bit too dark for my liking because I have such a fair complexion. However, I was pleasantly surprised to see how light it applied and can definitely see myself using it as a nice change of pace from my Body Shop blushes which I have been using since I was a teen! My makeup motto has always been if it’s not broken, then don’t fix it so it will be fun to try something new that I didn’t have to commit to buying.

This bellapierre blush applied so smoothly and I love that it had a pinch of shimmer in it for glowing skin and protection from the sun all in one. None of my blushes have ever had a touch of glitter in it so this blush is full of firsts for me. 😀 When I do my makeup next time I can’t wait to try it out!

Many thanks to my big sis for passing her unwanted makeup onto me – I LOVE YOU!!!!!! ❤

What is your favorite blush? Where do you like to shop for makeup? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct27

Katherine Natural Cosmetics Eyeshadow Swatch In Espresso

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Katherine Natural Cosmetics Eyeshadow Swatch In Espresso

Howdy! Today, we are going to check out an eyeshadow swatch by Katherine Natural Cosmetics in Espresso. This color is from her Coffee Talk palette and I’d like to take some time to reflect on how much I adore that name. I have always been a huge Saturday Night Live fan and enjoy watching both old and new episodes alike. Coffee Talk is one of my favorite sketches and boasts one of my most loved quotes of “Duran Duran is neither a Duran nor a Duran… Discuss”. Lol, but I digress! Let’s get swatching:

This eyeshadow was a hand me down from my big sis and it is one that I can definitely picture myself wearing. With my newest hair change of red, pink, and violet, I have grown especially partial to mauve, brown, purple, and pink hues on my eyes. It always blows my mind how changing my hair completely changes my color palette in both makeup and wardrobe because these are shades that I normally would shy away from before. Not that I didn’t like them but because they didn’t look good with whatever color my hair was!

The Espresso shade of this eyeshadow will look charming in assisting with a purple smokey eye and I plan on at least attempting it even though I am not the best at doing eye makeup. However, the fact that this eyeshadow applied like a dream will certainly help the cause. The eyeshadow’s texture is so soft and creamy and I love its ultra rich pigment. SO pretty. 😀

The talk of Coffee Talk is this beautiful Espresso hue by Katherine Natural Cosmetics. I can’t wait to try it out when I actually feel like doing my makeup lol. Cheers!

Is Duran Duran neither a Duran nor a Duran? What are your tips for the perfect smokey eye? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct26

Meech & Mia Eyeshadow Swatch In Beige

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Meech & Mia Eyeshadow Swatch In Beige

Hi! Today, we are going to get our swatch on with a hand me down Meech & Mia eyeshadow from my big sis in Beige. No longer used products from the makeup guru herself are always a treat and I was delighted when she handed me a Birchbox box full of makeup! 😀 Let’s get started and be on the lookout for more product swatches soon:

This eyeshadow was a bit of an enigma because upon first inspection, it looks burnt orange to me – not beige at all. When on, I still see an orange tint depending on the lighting which reminds me of that dress that everyone freaked out about on social media because they couldn’t tell if it was blue or grey or something? Lol but I digress. This is not to say that the color isn’t lovely, it’s just not what I expected!

I do like this color a lot and it is pillowy soft to the touch. However, I am not a huge fan of loose powder eyeshadow. When it comes to makeup, I am not the best at applying and I feel like this eyeshadow would get everywhere if I tried to use it. In fact, it did get everywhere just from opening the jar.

I can’t say that I would use this as the only eyeshadow on my MOTD because it is not pigmented enough for my liking. But, I think I will try dusting it over the color that I choose for some extra shimmer – it’s way too pretty to not at least give it a shot!

What color does this eyeshadow look to you? Do you prefer a loose powder or more compact eyeshadow? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct20

Cover FX Custom Enhancer Drops In Moonlight Swatch

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Cover FX Custom Enhancer Drops In Moonlight Swatch

Howdy! I am so appreciative to my sister for always giving me her makeup that she no longer wants for the sake of swatching on lifewithlilred. Granted, I haven’t used a majority of her hand me downs because our styles are so different BUT these swatch posts give further insight for people who might be interested in them and that’s all that matters! Today, we are going to be discussing the Custom Enhancer Drops by Cover FX in Moonlight. Let’s get to it:

These drops by Cover FX can be used as a highlighter and I actually like the Moonlight color a lot. However, it is much too intense for my liking! I have never used a liquid highlighter before and much prefer a powder one, myself. But the cool thing about these drops is that you can use as much or as little as you like over or on top of makeup. Did I mention that the color is intense? My swatch consisted of a mere two drops!

I don’t think I would feel comfortable wearing the Custom Enhancer Drops for daily use. Although it could be fun to break out for a New Year’s Eve celebration for an ultra glam look. Cover FX has seven different colors of the drops and I think that I like Glistening Pearl the best. It’s much more toned down than Moonlight and, if given the opportunity, I might be able to get away with wearing it during the day. 😮

Do you prefer a liquid or powder highlighter? How do you achieve a glam makeup look? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep20

Fall Haul: Banana Republic Top Edition

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Fall Haul: Banana Republic Top Edition

Hi! The change of the seasons is prime time to go shopping to give your wardrobe an update. Upgrading your wardrobe for the different weather ahead doesn’t have to mean buying a closet full of clothing, rather, just a handful of pieces to make your old things feel new again. For my Fall Haul from TJMaxx, I had two upgrades in mind: Both my fall and business casual clothes.

Today, we will be discussing a Banana Republic spaghetti strap top. While it isn’t ideal for cold weather in any way shape or form, it will be perfect underneath a cardigan when I’m at work! Check it out:

This past trip to TJMaxx was my first time shopping there with Johnny and it was nothing short of an absolute delight. He is an angel for sitting patiently while I tried clothes on and gave a fashion show…. again, and again, and again lol! After a few trips to the fitting room, I wasn’t completely satisfied with what I had picked out in terms of work appropriate clothing. Luckily, I found this floral patterned Banana Republic top while making my final rounds throughout the store. 😀

Although this cami style top will be the best for play during spring and summer, it will serve me well underneath one of my emerald green or mustard yellow cardigans at work. I have never owned anything by Banana Republic before and I considered this top a steal for just ten dollars! I love the shape because it is fun and flirty without being too revealing. My favorite part, though, is the colors. The primary colors of red, yellow, and blue with sweet pops of pink and green against the white background make for the prettiest palette!

Tops like this are great for creating a unique outfit because there are so many different colors to play with. You could match your cardigan to one of the flower colors as mentioned before. OR you could sport a bold pair of shoes to make the colors pop. Red or yellow heeled booties, anyone? Love it!

Have you had a Fall Haul recently? What did you get? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

 

Sep18

New Wine & Lilac Nails

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New Wine & Lilac Nails

Hello!! This past Monday, I had a pretty difficult day at work and was so happy to have been able to spend some time at Elysian Nails getting pampered afterwards. To me, there is nothing better than sitting back and relaxing at the hair or nail salon and my fill couldn’t have come at a better time. As always, I left Elysian feeling like a million bucks with these pretty in purple nails:

When it comes to clothing and colors in general, I am not a huge fan of purple. Not that I don’t appreciate its beauty – it just doesn’t look good on me lol! However, I was feeling inspired by the oxblood nail polish that my friend, Danielle, gave me and was in the mood to try something different. The first polish that caught my eye was the deep wine color and I said “why not?”. For the accent color, choosing the lilac hue was an easy decision because I knew that it would look good and didn’t feel like thinking any more than I had to!

My favorite nail tech no longer works at Elysian, which makes me so sad but, luckily, I think I found a new go to gal with this past fill. My new tech completed my fill in roughly forty minutes and no sooner than I sat down, it felt like I was already done… It was great! 😀

Even though this was a super fast fill, my nails looked absolutely perfect and I loved the color combination that I selected. In fact, I already plan on going a similar route at my next appointment with a dark and light shade of the same color. I’m thinking a dark and light grey next. ❤

What color of nail polish are you rocking? How do you relax after a difficult day? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah