Tag Archives: recommendations

Mar9

Lil Red’s Book Club: The Perfect Liar Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: The Perfect Liar Edition

Hello! Reading is one of my favorite hobbies, but it comes and goes in waves. Sometimes, I read ravenously and devour three books in one week. Other times, I can go a month without sinking my teeth into a new book while preferring the background noise of a movie before falling asleep. Right now, I am in a nonstop reading mode and have enjoyed a few page turners which includes The Perfect Liar.

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I pretty much exclusively read horror and thriller/mystery books. I love suspense and secrets and a well done who done it. The Perfect Liar definitely fell into the suspense category with the basic plot being the unraveling of big secrets between husband and wife, Max and Susannah, which began to reveal itself after ominous notes were left on their door.

The book shifted in perspective between Max, a self made artist and Susannah, a widow and stay at home mom from her previous marriage. I prefer books that are told from multiple points of view, because it keeps the pages turning as you want to read all different sides to the story once one character reveals something. Despite an uninspired story line in The Perfect Liar, it was an easy read because of the perspective change in each little chapter.

I can’t say that I would recommend this book because I genuinely enjoyed it. However, I would recommend it if you just want something to fill up some free time. I didn’t hate the characters, but I didn’t like them, either. And, in comparison to some of the other family secret based books out there, The Perfect Liar left a lot to be desired. I like when I don’t see the surprise in the book coming and, if you read this one closely enough, you can definitely figure it out on your own without the grand reveal.

I am going to give The Perfect Liar a five out of ten. This is more because I was able to finish it within two afternoons and it was insanely readable. But, if you’re looking for a book with more substance to it, then I would skip over this one, for sure.

What is the last book that you have read? What book are you working on reading now? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar5

Bubble Bar Blitz: Lush’s Yog Nog Yule Log Edition

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Bubble Bar Blitz: Lush’s Yog Nog Yule Log Edition

Hiii! A few days ago I finally finished up the Lush products I got for Christmas by using the tongue twister Yog Nog Yule Log bubble bar. I have never used a bubble bar from Lush before so it probably would have helped to read the instructions of how to use it online. Long story short, my bar didn’t bubble. But, I don’t think it would have even if I used it properly and crumbled it under the running water, because this bar was so compact with what I’m assuming was Shea or cocoa butter. At the very least, it might have foamed.

But, the beauty of the bubble bars is that they are reusable so I can try again next time! High five! Take a look at some pics of my first experience and let’s discuss:

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First things first, let’s address the color of my bath water lol. After giving my body a pre-shave rub down with the bubble bar, it straight up turned the water yellow. This is, admittedly, pretty gross. But, the bubble bar was so soothing and moisturizing that I don’t even care. My skin has been so dry lately because it’s been really windy and damp in the 330. It’s the type of weather that just eats right through you and my skin has suffered big time.

The Yog Nog Yule Log bar felt so good on my chapped skin and it gave me an even smoother shave than when I use my go to exfoliaters from The Body Shop. Yes, it would have been nice to have a genuine bubble bath. But, the on the skin contact was just what I needed to get some hydration back so no harm no foul. Here’s to luscious bubbles or foam next time!

What are your thoughts on the Lush bubble bars? What is your favorite Lush product? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb23

Aveeno Positively Radiant Overnight Hydrating Facial Review

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Aveeno Positively Radiant Overnight Hydrating Facial Review

Hellooo everyone! As we all know, Lil Red is a sucker for skin care and is always up for trying new products. So, whenever my mom or sister gets something new, I have to borrow it to 1) Test it out and 2) Put it on the blog. Sometimes, the products are amazing and other times they are ehh… not so much. Unfortunately, the overnight moisturizer by Aveeno that I just tried out missed the mark by a long shot. Take a look at some pics and let’s discuss:

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Although I don’t use them as often as I would like, I enjoy a good overnight mask or moisturizer. A product that puts in work while you sleep is the best. And, it’s even better when you wake up and your skin feels awesome and you did literally nothing but catch some Z’s to make it that way. So, of course, I was excited to try this Aveeno moisturizer out, because who doesn’t like overnight results?

Sadly, I could tell that I didn’t like this moisturizer as soon as I put it on. The texture was way too thin and gel like to feel nourishing and, by the time I went to bed, it already seemed to have absorbed into my skin. I woke up the following morning and my face felt tight and so parched for hydration, which is the polar opposite of what any overnight product should do.

I was a bit disappointed, because Aveeno is a good brand and I was looking forward to trying it out. I’m not sure if the reaction my skin had was a fluke or what but, because it left my face feeling so dry, I would not recommend this product based on that alone. At least this was something that I didn’t buy! 😀

What is your favorite overnight product? How do you keep your skin hydrated during the winter? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb19

Bath Bomb Blitz: Lush’s Cheery Christmas Edition

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Bath Bomb Blitz: Lush’s Cheery Christmas Edition

Hi everyone and welcome to a new edition of Bath Bomb Blitz! Thanks to an early evening at work, I got to enjoy using the Cheery Christmas bath bomb from Lush. Yes, I did get it as a Christmas present. But, hey, it’s better using it late than never! And, I happened to use this bath bomb the night before Valentine’s Day so the pink color was pretty and appropriate! Take a look and let’s discuss:

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When it comes to the show that Cheery Christmas put on, I was fairly underwhelmed. I really like the bath bombs that completely change the color of the water. And, with a pink bath bomb you never know what you’re going to get. In my experience, they normally tend to change the water to this light pinky/purple shade, which is nice, but definitely not my cup of tea.

However, I did enjoy the snowflake motif that was evident in the water. The bubbles that branched out took on this transparent, snowflake style shape and that was cool. I also liked that halfway through the bath bomb fizzing, a baby blue core was revealed. Despite being smaller than the usual bath bombs from Lush, Cheery Christmas took a LONG time to fizz out completely, which I liked and I didn’t. I like when a bath bomb takes a while to dissolve when a fun show is put on. But, sadly, this bath bomb didn’t really do much so all it did was turn my bath water tepid by the time it was over. Whomp whomp. -__-

Overall, I would give Cheery Christmas a five out of ten. It makes for a good gift because of the cold weather theme. But, it was not my favorite because I like really dark bath bombs that make the water a totally different color. I don’t recommend this bath bomb, but I don’t not recommend it, either!

What is your favorite color of bath bomb to use? What is your favorite Lush product to use? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb6

Additional January 2019 Finishes

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Additional January 2019 Finishes

Howdy! Last month brought me lots of empties, because I was finally able to get back to all of my beauty routines post surgery. It was so nice to feel pampered again and I enjoyed using up the products that were sitting there unused for the entire month of December. All of my posts are prewritten and I managed to finish an additonal handful of empties during the last haul of January, which we will be discussing today. Take a look:

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Would I Use Again?

  • Suave Cocoa Butter & Shea body wash: MAYBE
  • Garnier Micellar Water: YES
  • Bath & Body Works lotions: YES
  • Fresh Soy Face Cleanser: NO!!
  • Glow Recipe Avocado Melt Sleeping Mask: NO!!

Why/Why Not?

Suave Body Wash: Like the other Suave body wash that we chatted about in my January Finishes post, this one is still a maybe for me. I will say that I liked the Cocoa Butter & Shea scent much better than the Almond one. I’m a sucker for anything cocoa butter! But, this body wash didn’t lather very well and I felt like it was drying my skin out. Maybe it would be better to use during the warmer months but, during the middle of winter, it was just not enough to keep my skin hydrated. It took me exactly one month to finish one bottle.

Garnier Micellar Water: We all know I’d use this product again. Thank you, next!

B&BW Lotions: I used up Pretty As A Peach and Orchard Leaves & Blue Sky travel sized lotions from Bath & Body Works after a long soak in the tub and it was nice! I am partial to Pretty As A Peach but, the Orchard Leaves & Blue Sky smelled really good. Its scent was exactly like breathing in crisp autumn air and it was refreshing after the sweeter peach aroma. I got about one and a half full body uses out of one travel sized bottle.

Fresh Cleanser: I received this soy cleanser by Fresh during a huge freebie haul from Sephora and it was disappointing at best. The only positive, was that it smelled like cucumbers and I really liked that! However, the cleanser made my skin feel very tight and it did nothing to remove my makeup. In fact, I don’t think it did anything. It did not lather at all and I would definitely not recommend it.

Glow Recipe Mask: The Avocado Melt Sleeping Mask by Glow Recipe was a freebie during my last Sephora haul. You can read the full review in the Face Mask Festivities post but, just know that this product is not worth the forty five dollar price tag for a full jar in no way shape or form. I have used daily moisturizers that were more nourishing than this sleep mask and I had to use a lot of product to feel like it was doing anything. Not impressed and I would not recommend it.

Although this batch of empties was not the best, I’m still happy to have used them up! There is nothing better than finishing a product and moving on to the next thing that you have been dying to try. 😀

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

Jan11

Bath Bomb Blitz: Lush’s World’s Smallest Disco Edition

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Bath Bomb Blitz: Lush’s World’s Smallest Disco Edition

Hi! This past weekend, I enjoyed a nice, relaxing soak with the World’s Smallest Disco bath bomb from Lush. This was a treat from my sister’s Christmas gifts to me, and, despite a difficult clean up, this bath bomb was a lot of fun. With a name like World’s Smallest Disco, how could it be anything but a total blast?! Check out some pics and let’s discuss:

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It should come as no surprise that I love bath bombs that turn the water either black or really dark blue, so World’s Smallest Disco was the tops for that matter. It transformed the water into a gorgeous, inky blue with tiny galaxies of glitter floating throughout the water. So. Pretty!

So pretty, in fact, that I talked about that first instead of the neon pink, yellow, green, orange, and blue polka dots that erupted from the bath bomb, fizzing out like shooting stars. They also took longer to dissolve than the grey portion of the bath bomb, so the little disco lights stayed in the tub with you until they went away themselves. This product had great movement and it moved itself from one end of the bath tub to the other, leaving bright streams of color throughout the water. It was a spectacular light show and definitely felt like a dance party happening before my eyes.

World’s Smallest Disco also smelled really good, too. Nice and citrusy. It left my skin feeling soft and hydrated after shaving and I loved soaking in the midnight sky bath water. But, this bath bomb was a pain in the ass to clean up. Obviously, the darker colored bath bombs stain the tub in a much more noticeable way than a lighter hue and stain my bath tub, it did. So much so, that the Turtle jelly bomb that I just used was infinitely easier to clean than World’s Smallest Disco. Annoying, yes. But, I still would use this bath bomb again and give it a seven out of ten.

What is your favorite bath product to use? Which store offers the best bath time goodies? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan5

Bath Bomb Blitz: Lush Jelly Bomb In Turtle Edition

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Bath Bomb Blitz: Lush Jelly Bomb In Turtle Edition

Howdy! Today, instead of talking more about the Huda Beauty Emerald Obsessions palette, we are going to review the Turtle Jelly Bomb from Lush that I received for Christmas. I finally felt up to taking a bath a few days ago and taking care of the Woolly Mammoth that I had become, and a bath bomb was an absolute must for the occasion. Take a look at some pics and let’s discuss:

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The reviews that I read on the Lush website for the Turtle Bomb were mixed, because the jelly bombs can be difficult to clean up. However, I love the jelly bombs, because they are ultra hydrating and they are super fun to use. The thick, nourishing jelly that comes from the bath bomb feels like liquid body butter and it is perfect to rub into your skin before you shave to prevent any dryness. So, after an almost month of not shaving during my surgery recovery, the jelly bomb was just what I needed to take care of business. The Turtle Bomb helped give me a smooth shave and it was so moisturizing that I didn’t even need to put on lotion afterwards.

Upon placing the bomb in the tub, it immediately started to fizz and change the bath water to a lovely forest green. It smelled awesome, too. So fresh and outdoorsy – kind of like Irish Springs. I enjoyed using this jelly bomb way more than I anticipated judging by the wishy washy reviews. But, I will agree with the people that said the jelly looked like pond scum because they are definitely right, as you can tell from the up close pictures.

My only other complaint with the Turtle Bomb is that there wasn’t as much jelly in it as I recall other bombs having, so that was kind of disappointing because there wasn’t enough for a full body application. Other than those minor issues, I liked what this jelly bomb did to the water, it smelled great, and it was easy to clean up so I would use it again, for sure! I give it a six and a half out of ten.

What is your favorite product from Lush? What are your thoughts on the Turtle Bomb? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec26

Bath Bomb Blitz: 5 Below Edition

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Bath Bomb Blitz: 5 Below Edition

Howdy! I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas! Today, we are going to discuss one of the prezzies I got from my BFF in this new edition of Bath Bomb Blitz. Although it was a super thoughtful gift and I love Lea more than life itself, this bath bomb from 5 Below was the worrrrrst. Take a look at some pics and let’s discuss:

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When I think of bath bombs, I think of wonderful little delights that smell awesome and make a show of the bath water before taking a relaxing soak. And, unfortunately, this bomb from 5 Below had none of the above criteria going for it. It smelled like nothing, even though the scent was cotton candy. And, it did nothing to change my bath water other than fizz out. However, I will grant that it did take at least three minutes to dissolve completely, which is pretty good!

I love bargain stores more than the next but, when it comes to bath bombs, I’ll definitely be leaving it to the experts at Lush for the full experience. I am glad to know that the 5 Below bath bombs are not the best, though, so that I know not to gift them for people or give them a try myself! A blessing in disguise! 😀

Which brand makes the best bath bombs? What is your favorite bath bomb from Lush? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov25

November 2018 Finishes

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November 2018 Finishes

Howdy! November is on its way out the door and, with that, December is coming in hot to continue ringing in the holiday season. With yet another month drawing to a close at a crazy fast rate, it’s time for lifewithlilred’s monthly finishes post so that we can talk product reviews. Take a look at my empties for November and let’s discuss:

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Would I Use Again?

Why/Why Not?

Micellar Water: I have been using Garnier’s Micellar Water for close to a year, I’d say, and I plan on using it until it becomes discontinued. And, hopefully, it never will! I use this product every day as a toner and eye makeup remover and it lasts me a month and a half or longer, which is a pretty good value. Although I can’t say that I’ve seen major changes in my skin, I still like the Garnier water well enough and it’s way cheaper than any eye makeup remover and toner on the market.

B&BW Shower Gel: I love me my travel size goodies from Bath & Body Works and I love that I get them FO FREE even more! Japanese Cherry Blossom isn’t my favorite scent but, boy, does it bring me back to my grade school years! It takes me three weeks or longer to finish one mini shower gel and you absolutely can’t beat that. So, B&BW, keep those coupons coming!

Vital C Serum: I live for all things Vitamin C when it comes to my skin care and I will always buy the Vital C serum when I see it at TJMaxx. For seven bucks, I get a bottle of magic that lasts me for two months, which is an amazing deal for something that makes my skin so radiant. Seriously, there’s been days where I’ve been tired as THE DICKENS but still manage to have glowing skin thanks to this product. And, a little goes a long way, which is always a plus.

Although I didn’t finish too many products this month, it was still successful because I liked everything that I used up. And, each item that I used was free or really cheap, which speaks to my ballin’ on a budget lifestyle and simply touches my heart. ❤ 😀

What empties do you have this month? What are your thoughts on any of the above products? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov17

Living Microbladed

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Living Microbladed

Helloooo everyone and welcome to one of two follow up posts from Lil Red’s Adventures In Microblading! As you all know, I visited La Marie Brow Club in Pittsburgh in October to have my brows finessed by my cousin, Laura. And, now that my makeup routine has been literally cut back seventy-five percent and I never have to buy an eyebrow pencil again, I simply cannot believe that I didn’t have Laura do my brows when she began her business last year. Take a look at my result pics and let’s discuss:

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Living Microbladed is the best thing that ever could have happened to my face, lol. Seriously, the time that is saved from having perfect brows is second to none. I can sleep in longer or I can get up at my normal time and finish an extraordinary amount of work on my blog before I leave for work because I’m not wasting my time trying to get both eyebrows to look exactly the same with makeup.

My new eyebrows make me feel SO freaking confident. They frame my face in a way that my natural brows never could, with or without makeup, and they make my eyes pop, pop, pop! Even my boyfriend thinks that they make me look “more sophisticated” and I totally agree – I love it!

Laura is going to touch my brows up in mid December and during this session she is going to add any extra hair strokes that she might have missed. I am also going to have her darken them to the color that they were when I first got them done. The color that Laura chose is perfect because it’s the exact same color as the pencil that I was using. But, now that they have lightened to that color, I now know that I prefer them to be a bit darker. I’m excited! 😀

I cannot wait to visit La Marie Brow Club again in December and do be sure to check out my last blog post on my adventures and schedule your appointment with Laura today!

Would you ever get microbladed? What is your eyebrow makeup routine? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah