Tag Archives: products

Aug29

August 2021 Finishes

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August 2021 Finishes

Howdy! August is almost over and that means it’s time to discuss my beauty finishes for the month. Because of the pandemic, I have been online shopping a lot rather than going in store so I haven’t been trying as many new products as I would like. So, this month has a lot of tried and true favorites which you all already know a lot about and a couple of newbies thrown in for good measure. Let’s get to it:

Would I Use Again?

Why/Why Not?

Beyond Belief Lotion: When it comes to lotion, I am really not picky at all because I only use it at night before bed. I can’t say that I have ever used a body lotion that I simply can’t live without so I could take or leave the Beyond Belief Enchanted Berries lotion. I will say that it was nice and moisturizing and it smelled exactly how I could imagine sugar plums do! However, I wouldn’t go out of my way to use it again. It took me a month of daily use on my hands and arms to finish this product.

LANEIGE Mask: Sephora’s birthday gift selection for their Beauty Insiders was fabulous this year and I went with their LANEIGE skin care set. I received a moisturizer, a lip mask, and the Water Sleeping Mask and enjoyed using them all very much. I love me a nighttime face mask so I was incredibly partial to the gel Water Sleeping Mask. It was so light yet insanely moisturizing and my skin was glowing when I would wake up in the morning. A little also went a long way and I got at least seven uses on my face and neck from the tiny test sized pot. I would happily use this mask again!

Pampering myself with skin care and bath and body care is so important to me and I can’t wait for next month because I will be trying out a new eye cream. It’s the little things, right? 😀

Which products did you use up this month? What is your favorite product to pamper yourself with? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug10

Amazon Skin Care Haul

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Amazon Skin Care Haul

Heyyy! It is no secret that Lil Red is an absolute skin care fanatic and I love testing out new products as well as revisiting old favorites. I have a strict morning and nighttime skin care routine that I follow and I always have to keep my beauty hoard well stocked. As soon as I notice that I am running low on a product, I turn to Amazon to replenish it and this is my haul from my most recent restock:

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During the pandemic, it was a rarity for me to wear makeup when I went to work because there was nothing for my clients and I to do but stay at home. Fast forward to this past month, however, and I have been painting my face at least four times a week. Three for my new job in a public setting and four if Johnny and I go out over the weekend.

Wearing makeup means that it must be removed before I begin my nighttime skin care routine and I have been going through Garnier Micellar Water like crazy. It is so gentle but effective in removing my makeup, even my mascara which can sometimes be difficult to wash off. Not only is the micellar water excellent at makeup removal but it also makes my skin feel so clean without having to wash it with a cleanser.

It feels amazing to go to work sporting super cute business casual outfits and having my makeup done because it has been forever since I was able to do that. Having to restock my micellar water more often is just a small price to pay for it!

You might notice something different about this Amazon Skin Care Haul and that is because my usual Eclat Vitamin C Serum was unavailable. Since using the Eclat serum, I have been obsessed and I love the price (seven dollars per bottle) and noticeable difference it has on my skin.

I didn’t want to spend an arm and a leg on a new Vitamin C serum after being so spoiled with the seven dollar Eclat bottles. Some of the serums on Amazon were upwards of twenty dollars and there was nothing cheaper than what I was paying. So, I decided to go with the Vitamin C serum by Tree Of Life. While it was a tad more expensive at ten dollars per bottle, it got great reviews and into the cart it went. I am excited to try it out but I will be purchasing more of my Eclat as soon as it is available again!

Which skin care products can you not live without? What is your morning or nighttime skin care routine like? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug3

Bath & Body Works August 2021 Freebie

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Bath & Body Works August 2021 Freebie

Hello!! I love shopping bath and body care at Bath & Body Works and recently had a huge haul during their semi annual sale. B&BW always runs the best promotions and I love that they send coupon packets every few months for freebies and percentages off your purchase. This month, I ran into Bath & Body Works to pick out my free travel size hand cream and it smells just as good as the name of it sounds! Check it out:

When it comes to freebie coupons, B&BW usually offers a travel size lotion or shower gel. I have never had the option to pick out a hand cream before so I am definitely excited to test this Vanilla Butter Cream scented hand cream out. This product smells exactly how you are probably imagining it smelling right now – a rich, sugary vanilla like a birthday cake. While it does have an absolutely delicious aroma, it is a tad overpowering. I would never wear this hand cream during the day but I’ll be happy to lather some on before bed!

It is also worth noting that the Halloween fragrances are already out at Bath & Body Works and the scents and packaging are divine. It took a lot of self control for me to leave the store without buying multiples of each Halloween themed product. My favorite things to look out for were the spider shaped hand sanitizer holder and the spooky snow globe candle holder. SO. CUTE. 😀

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

Jul31

July 2021 Finishes

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July 2021 Finishes

Hello everyone and welcome to the last post of July 2021 here on lifewithlilred! Today, we are going to discuss my beauty finishes for the month and there are a lot of them so let’s get to it:

Would I Use Again?

Why/Why Not?

LANEIGE Moisturizer: The LANEIGE birthday freebie from Sephora was, hands down, one of the best gifts that they have offered in years. It came with a lip sleeping mask, a sleeping face mask, and the Water Bank moisturizer. This travel size jar gave me a week of twice daily use and I would love to use it again after such a short amount of time. The Water Bank moisturizer left my skin soft, glowing, and oh so hydrated all without feeling heavy during the scorching summer days of July. Highly recommend. 🙂

Unfiltered Salt Soak: Lil Red loves a nice bubble bath and especially enjoys testing out products like bath bombs and salt soaks to enhance the experience even more. Sadly, the Pineapple + Mango salt soak missed the mark for me. The tropical scent smelled amazing in the jar but it didn’t translate to the water at all. It also dissolved really quickly, which eliminated the chance to do some exfoliating. I got four uses out of the jar but, I admit, I definitely poured heavy handed lol!

B&BW Body Wash: I have been using the body washes by Bath & Body Works exclusively for the past handful of years and have never had anything to complain about with them. The body washes lather so well and my skin always feels soft and hydrated every day after my shower. I truly think that my skin is healthier and smoother from consistent use of the washes and you can’t beat the prices if you shop during the semi annual sales!

It took me over a month to finish the Raspberry Tangerine scent and I wish I had another bottle of it because it smelled so good. The tart raspberry mixed with the sweet tangerine made for a perfect fruity scent and I actually just started using their Raspberry Tangerine hand soap a few days ago. Love it. 🙂

TBS Face Wash: While I love experimenting with the different skin care lines from The Body Shop, I don’t use the Tea Tree products often because of my normal skin type. However, I received the sample size of the Tea Tree face wash as part of a Christmas prezzie and beggars can’t be choosers!

I wouldn’t use this face wash in the winter as it would totally dry out my skin but it was a-okay for me for summertime use. It is so hot in my apartment and we have had a plethora of ninety plus degree days in Ohio which left my skin feeling less than its best from sweating constantly. Using the Tea Tree face wash helped get rid of all of the yuck that I felt was clogging my pores every day without making it feel dry or tight. This small bottle also lasted me over one month with daily use which is insane to me!

As you can see, July was a great month for beauty empties and I was thrilled to have used up a ton of products that I enjoyed. It is a rarity for me to have so many finishes for one month which is great because that means I can try out so many new products in their completion. 😀

Which products did you use up this month? What are your thoughts on any of the above 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

 

Jul27

Face Mask Festivities: Korres Pomegranate Ahas & Enzymes Resurfacing Mask Edition

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Face Mask Festivities: Korres Pomegranate Ahas & Enzymes Resurfacing Mask Edition

Hello and welcome to another new edition of Face Mask Festivities compliments of my Sephora Haul! The best part of online shopping with Sephora is all of the freebies and promotions on the site and during my last haul, I received five items FO FREE. This never happens when shopping in store and I feel like I get so much more bang for my buck when I need to restock my beauty must haves.

Today, we are going to be discussing the Pomegranate Ahas & Enzymes Resurfacing Mask by Korres. This mask is made for people with oily or combination skin and, despite having normal to dry skin, I figured it couldn’t hurt to try! Now, let’s get to it:

My first impression of the Korres Resurfacing Mask was how good it smelled! I caught a strong strawberry scent and was reminded even more so of them by the crushed pomegranate seeds. This mask had a sandy texture, applied easily, and dried quickly so if you use it, you do not want to have it on more than the recommended time. I had the mask on for roughly three minutes before washing it off and that was plenty as my skin started feeling slightly tight.

Although I don’t have oily skin, I do sweat a lot in the summer because my apartment is so hot which is why I thought the Resurfacing Mask could still be beneficial. I was right on the money because my skin both looked and felt much better after using it. My skin had a nice glow to it thanks to the exfoliating pomegranate seeds and it didn’t look as shiny, either. Any tightness I felt also dissipated as soon as I put my serum and moisturizer on.

I wouldn’t be able to get away with using the Korres Pomegranate Ahas & Enzymes Resurfacing Mask regularly as it would really dry my skin out. However, I can definitely see how it would be great for people with oily or combination skin and recommend this mask if you have that skin type. It had a wonderful scent, worked quickly, and had instant results. It doesn’t get much better than that!

How would you describe your skin type? Which products benefit your skin the most? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

 

Jul13

Face Mask Festivities: LANEIGE Berry Lip Sleeping Mask Edition

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Face Mask Festivities: LANEIGE Berry Lip Sleeping Mask Edition

Hello! At the end of June, I had an online Sephora haul just in time to get my birthday freebie. For my gift, I went with a skin care set by LANEIGE because I have always been interested in trying their products. While I can’t wait to test out the moisturizer and sleeping face mask by LANEIGE, I was most looking forward to using the Berry Lip Sleeping Mask. I see their lip masks all the time at TJMaxx but I could never justify the fifteen dollar price tag. After a few uses, however, I will happily be purchasing a full sized jar because I am obsessed! Let’s discuss:

In a world of skin care that revolves around moisturizers, serums, and eye creams, it is a rarity to find a product solely dedicated to the lips. While I do apply moisturizer to my lips, I have never used a treatment specifically for them, which is why I was so eager to test the Berry Lip Sleeping Mask out. I am very prone to chapped lips and after just three uses I have noticed a huge difference in both the hydration and appearance of my lips.

My first impression of the LANEIGE lip mask was how pretty the seashell pink packaging and product was! It also smelled amazing – just like the mixed berry Lip Smackers. The jar I received was, of course, a trial size but just a small swiping of it went such a long way and I have hardly made a dent in it after three uses. The texture of the mask is rich and creamy without feeling thick and I have been applying a small amount after my nighttime skin care routine every other few days.

When I used the Lip Sleeping Mask for the first time, I couldn’t wait to wake up in the morning to see the results! After washing it off, I couldn’t believe what I saw and felt. My lips had never felt so hydrated and cared for before and they looked fuller and healthy. I even think that the natural color of my lips has improved too from the berry tinged mask. The best part? My lips still were highly moisturized and had a supple, color tinted appearance after a handful of days without using it.

The LANEIGE Berry Lip Sleeping Mask is literally everything and I never realized how much I needed a product just for my lips until testing it out. I highly, highly recommend it!

What is a skin care essential for you? What are your thoughts on this mask if you have used it before? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul8

LANEIGE Birthday Gift From Sephora

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LANEIGE Birthday Gift From Sephora

Hello! I celebrated my 27th birthday on June 7th, got married on June 4th, and celebrated my husband’s birthday on June 1st. Needless to say, it was a whirlwind of a month! So much so, that I completely forgot about cashing in on birthday freebies from various stores and rewards programs. Thankfully, I remembered my Sephora birthday gift right in the nick of time and was really impressed by their different gift options. In my opinion, the choices were much better than last year! 

If you are a member of the Beauty Insider program at Sephora, you could select from a LANEIGE skin care set, a lip balm and bronzer by NARS, hair care from MOROCCANOIL, or two Rare Beauty lipsticks by Selena Gomez. For my freebie, I picked the LANEIGE skin care set because I have always wanted to try their products. TJMaxx usually has their skin care in store and online but I can never justify the fifteen dollar price tag for something that I might not like. Sephora’s birthday gift will allow me to test them out free of charge! Check it out:

While I love a good sleeping mask and moisturizer as much as the next person, I am most excited to try the Lip Sleeping Mask in Berry. While I haven’t used it yet, it smells amazing and has the prettiest ballet slipper pink hue. I am a member of a lot of rewards programs and Sephora definitely takes the cake for the best birthday gift. I also like that Sephora offers a freebie option for each beauty category: makeup, skin care, hair care, and occasionally perfume. And, of course, it’s nice that you don’t have to make a purchase to receive your gift.

I have discovered many a favorite product thanks to Sephora freebies and I have a feeling that I am going to fall in love with my goodies by LANEIGE!

Which birthday gift from Sephora did you select? What are your thoughts on LANEIGE products if you have used them before? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

 

Jul7

Sephora Haul

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Sephora Haul

Hi! During my birth month of June, I love taking advantage of all of the free birthday gifts from the various rewards programs that I am signed up for. Between mine and Johnny’s double birthdays and our wedding this past month, I had all but forgotten about getting my freebie on until it was almost too late. While I missed out on the day of my birthday freebies, I placed an order with Sephora just in time to receive my gift from them.

I was in desperate need of more Better Than Sex mascara and I also bought two eyeshadow palettes to play around with. The palettes are absolutely fabulous so be on the look out for swatches soon! Equally as fabulous, is the fact that I also got five free items with this order. 😀 Check out my Sephora Haul:

The Haul:

  • 2 Better Than Sex mascaras by Too Faced
  • Le Macaron palette by Violet Voss
  • Rare Beauty palette by Selena Gomez
  • LANEIGE birthday gift set (FREE!)
  • Innisfree Pore Clearing Clay Mask (FREE!)
  • GlamGlow BrightMud exfoliating treatment (FREE!)
  • Volition Snow Mushroom Water Serum sample (FREE!)
  • Korres Pomegranate Resurfacing Mask sample (FREE!)

It took me a while to get hip to Sephora and I could never justify buying anything from there while shopping in store because they never have any promotions. Online shopping, however, is a totally different story! Sephora offers free shipping with purchases over fifty dollars, two free samples per order, and promotional freebies with purchases over twenty-five dollars. I don’t order with Sephora very often but I make the most of it whenever I do, as you can see!

Multiple free items per order make me feel like I am getting way more bang for my buck and I cannot wait to pamper myself with all of my new face masks. I am also very excited to test out my new palettes. After getting my makeup done professionally for my wedding, it inspired me to be more adventurous with my makeup. It will be fun to try colors that are way different than the three that I alternate between (lol) and I know my sister will be proud because she always makes fun of me for that. 😀

Tomorrow, we are going to take a closer look at the LANEIGE birthday gift with three test size products. Then, it will be onto Face Mask Festivities and eyeshadow swatches galore! Keep it posted. ❤

Which store offers the best online promotions or rewards programs? What are your thoughts on any of the products above 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

 

Jul6

TJMaxx Skin Care Haul

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TJMaxx Skin Care Haul

Hellooo! Today we are going to finish up my TJMaxx Haul by discussing some skin care that I couldn’t pass up. I know, I know – I literally just got a bunch of skin care from Amazon but when in Rome… Or in TJMaxx! Despite an overflowing beauty stock pile, I have no issue buying products that I know for a fact I am going to use. So, I ended up purchasing the following old favorites and new to me face washes:

I don’t know about you, but I absolutely love face scrubs and it has been a long while since I used one. I was tickled to find St. Ives scrubs for only three dollars at TJs and I considered it a steal as they are usually around five bucks at full price stores. The Apricot scrub by St. Ives was one of the first skin care products that I can remember trying as a teenager and it always hits right in the nostalgia whenever I use it. The Apricot and Coconut & Coffee scrubs will be great in the summer while the Oatmeal one will be soothing for dry winter skin. You can’t beat three scrubs for under ten dollars!

Pre-pandemic, I was using SkinLab products purchased from TJMaxx exclusively. I have always been highly impressed with their skin care and was paying seven dollars or so for the moisturizers and eye gels. During the pandemic, I didn’t do any in store shopping that wasn’t grocery related and turned to Amazon for my skin care needs. I was so disappointed to see that my SkinLab products were priced at twenty dollars and once I used up the SkinLab brand items I had, I never bought them again.

While TJs didn’t have my favorite SkinLab moisturizers, they did have gel cleansers in the Lift & Firm and Revitalize & Hydrate formulas. This was the first time I saw SkinLab cleansers at TJMaxx and, obviously, I had to give them both a shot since I’m writing about it now! I haven’t tried a new to me product in so long and am eager to test out these cleansers. I have a feeling that they are going to be incredibly refreshing in the morning and I think the colors are so pretty too! 😀

Every TJMaxx trip with my mom is my favorite but the one from this haul is very high in the ranks. We had the best time shopping together and I can’t wait to do it again! ❤

What is your favorite skin care brand? Do you remember the first skin care product you tried? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

 

Jun30

June 2021 Finishes

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June 2021 Finishes

Hi! It’s the end of another month here on lifewithlilred, which means it’s time to discuss my beauty finishes for June. Tomorrow, we will continue on with a super fun clothing haul from TJMaxx and then it’s onto makeup and skin care thanks to a little Sephora shopping. Be sure to keep it posted for all of the latest and greatest! Now, let’s get to it:

Would I Use Again?

Why/Why Not?

TBS Clay Wash: It has been a long while since I have tried out a brand new skin care product because once I find something I like, I tend to stick with it. This clay wash from The Body Shop had been sitting in my stock pile for months and I was so happy to have finally been able to use it! I love TBS products and the Himalayan Charcoal clay wash was part of a Christmas gift from my brother and his family.

TBS skin and bath and body care always makes me feel perfectly pampered and this face wash was no exception. The wash had a thinner consistency than a clay mask and it felt so gentle on my skin while still working effectively. The scent was invigorating and my skin looked bright and fresh after using it every morning. A little of the wash also went such a long way and the bottle lasted me at least a month and a half. I highly recommend this product and would really like to use it again!

Nothing pleases Lil Red more than a bunch of monthly empties and I would recommend each and every one of the products above. There are lots of skin care and Face Mask Festivities posts on the horizon so stay tuned on lifewithlilred for more! ❤

Which products did you use up this month? Which skin care products do you recommend? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah