Tag Archives: review

Mar11

Reanimal Review

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Reanimal Review

Hello! Johnny and I absolutely love playing puzzle solving video games together like Unraveled and Little Nightmares. We were incredibly excited for Little Nightmares III and were thoroughly disappointed by it. Blessedly, shortly after, a new game called Reanimal came on the market and Johnny got it for me for Valentine’s Day. Reanimal was made by the same people who created Little Nightmares I and II and it begs the question of why the heck it wasn’t just Little Nightmares III to begin with. Reanimal completely blew it out of the water!! Let’s discuss:

Reanimal is everything that Johnny and I like. It is a fast paced horror driven puzzle solver revolving around a little boy and girl. Very similar to Little Nightmares! In fact, we lovingly just call our characters “Little Boy” and “Little Girl” which reminds me of Bird Box. In Reanimal, Little Boy and Girl must traverse through a war ravaged world to rescue their friends and defeat an overgrown sheep who is destroying everything in sight that remains. Whether they are hoofing it, traveling by boat, or vehicle there is imminent danger with every second that passes by. Little Boy and Girl are armed with nothing but lanterns, a knife, and a wrench to protect themselves. Combined with their smarts, they might be able to save the world yet!

From start to finish, Reanimal was a wild ride and was jam packed with gorgeous imagery. Like Little Nightmares, it was quite short and Johnny and I beat it in three or so sittings and we plan on playing it again ASAP. It is that good. This world that has been created is terrifying but simply amazing to behold and every moment felt noteworthy. I was especially partial to the first “boss” which definitely felt like a tip of the cap to the first two Little Nightmares. Upon its completion, however, is when things really started to pick up.

About midway through the game, a WWI arc began and that blew our freaking minds. We had to run through trenches, cross No Man’s Land, and inch our way further with puzzles without being shot. These scenes were such a white knuckle moment and any misstep resulted in fatality. While Reanimal was wicked fun to play, part of the delight came with communicating with Johnny. There were countless times when we had to put our heads together, workshop possible solutions, try them out, and alter our course to what we found. It was so interactive and was a game that you simply did not just play but worked through with your teammate. If Little Nightmares III didn’t do it for you, either, then you are going to love Reanimal just as much as we did. Highly recommend!

To me and Johnny both, Reanimal was a ten out of ten star experience. Buckle in and hang on tight because Reanimal is one of the craziest, best games we have ever played!

What was your favorite Little Nightmares game? Do you have a favorite puzzle solving game? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar6

Groovy Movies: Scream 7 Edition

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Groovy Movies: Scream 7 Edition

Hi! As you all know, I am a huge horror movie fan and like to see them in theaters as often as I can. One that I was really looking forward to going to was Scream 7. The Scream franchise is such fun. It’s got the gore and the kills but they are also hilarious and don’t take themselves seriously in the slightest. I have always found that the Scream movies give their viewers exactly what they want to see and fall under the “if it’s not broken then don’t fix it” motto. Unfortunately, I don’t think any of us wanted what Scream 7 had to offer because it was a massive snooze fest. Let’s discuss in a spoiler free setting, as always, but before we begin let me place a trigger warning for graphic violence. Here we go:

^^^ As per ushe, I have no rights to this video!!

Sidney Prescott has made a new life for herself. She is married with children, runs a coffee shop, and is determined to leave her trauma in the past. Of course, her life can never remain normal for long so cue a call from Ghostface. The new killer gives Sidney a buzz at work and requests that they see each other face to face in a video call. Who she sees on her screen is impossible, right? He died years ago but his threat is very real. He is outside her daughter, Tatum’s, school and her and her friends are in big trouble.

Tatum and her mom have a rocky relationship. Sidney keeps her past buried while Tatum wants to learn more which results in blowout fights. Tatum is about to get a crash course in that fateful night that turned Sidney into a living legend and all that can be done now is to survive. With help from her friends, mom, and a few fan favorites – it’s time to hunt Ghostface. However many there are, this ends now. Who is behind the masks this time? Watch Scream 7 to find out!

Scream 7 was a smidge under two hours and it was honestly two of the longest hours of my life. The opening scene set the stage for some classic Scream shenanigans and then it just kept going… and going… and going. In the entirety of the movie, there were only three or so major action scenes. The remainder was a whole lot of nothing – tender moments between mother and daughter, friends freaking out, and snippets of the oddest musical ever. The lackluster plot was followed up by perhaps the most disappointing Ghostface reveal of the franchise and when the movie ended (Thankfully!), all I could say was “oh”.

This movie plugged along at a painfully slow pace and provided jump scares that were few and far between. Maybe I would have liked it more if I cared about the additional cast members but they were hard to get behind. Tatum and her friends were seriously just annoying and Tatum was the whiny, bratty teen to the T. Even when the focus shifted to Sidney and Gale, their scenes felt half-hearted and wasn’t enough to strike my interest in any way shape or form. The only good parts of Scream 7 took place on brief video calls and five minutes isn’t enough to save two hours of straight up boredom. So disappointing!

In a shocking turn of events, I will be awarding Scream 7 with… no stars. This was, hands down, the weakest movie in the franchise and it is not worth your time and money at the theaters!

What is your favorite scary movie? What is your favorite Scream movie? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar2

Lil Red’s Book Club: Ward D By Freida McFadden Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: Ward D By Freida McFadden Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Lil Red’s Book Club! In a spoiler free setting, as always, we will be discussing a thriller by Freida McFadden called Ward D. Freida McFadden’s books have always fell under my “just okay” category. They are quick reads and twisty but are they mind blowing? No. Are they far fetched? Always! However, Ward D was probably one of the best books that I have read by her and landed under my “pretty good” ranking. Honestly, it’s quite a boost! Before we begin our discussion, I will be placing a trigger warning on Ward D for mental health, child abuse, disturbing content, and graphic violence. Now, let’s get to it:

Amy is a medical student and tonight she is scheduled to work and learn in Ward D, the mental health unit of the local hospital. It’s not that she’s nervous or anything. More like terrified. It will be the night shift in a locked ward with people who are potentially dangerous. Her biggest fear, though? Being mistaken for a patient as Amy has had her own share of mental health issues too. It’s safe to say that Amy has no interest in studying psychiatry further, but it’s just for one night. All she needs to do is make it through.

After being buzzed into the locked ward, Amy gets the lay of the land from Dr. Beck and nurse Ramona. It would be a relatively quiet night in Ward D but there is a glaring issue. A dangerous patient is in one of the seclusion rooms and will be transferred to a more secure setting in the morning. All of the other patients are fearful of him and have made this perfectly clear to Amy with claims that he is going to kill all of them this very night. Dr. Beck’s advice? Stay far away.

The atmosphere in Ward D is tense with patients acting out and it only gets worse. There is a ghost of Amy’s past who is also a patient tonight. Her name is Jade and she was Amy’s best friend in the world until the girls turned sixteen. Jade went from a good girl to an absolute wild child in a matter of years and put Amy into a lot of problematic situations. Some would result in a grounding or possibly a suspension from school. Others would put both girls behind bars. Since then, Amy has turned her life around and is fulfilling her dream of becoming a doctor. Jade, on the other hand, has been in and out of mental health wards for the past eight years.

Between the stress of the patients and the fear that Jade might reveal Amy’s darkest secret, her own mental health begins to deteriorate swiftly. Amy begins seeing shadows, hearing animal like noises from the seclusion room, and even seeing blood on the floor. Is she hallucinating or is something far more sinister happening on Ward D? As the night continues, coworkers and patients alike seem to have simply disappeared. Amy no longer has to get through the night but survive it. Will she evade the man in the seclusion room? Or is this just all in her head? Read Ward D to find out!

One of my biggest qualms with Freida McFadden books are their lack of originality. They all read like plots of thriller books that I have read before with sloppy twists that feel like an afterthought. This, combined with the far fetched nature of her plots has always made her books lackluster for me. Ward D, however, actually read like something new and made for an unputdownable experience. I finished the book in a day! Although I figured out all of the twists and turns in Ward D, is was still a refreshing read with a plot that I was actually interested in that took place in a unique setting.

Ward D was definitely a page turner and I really liked that it all transpired in the course of one night shift. It made the situation at hand feel so much more dire because you just knew that something major was going to happen as the hours counted down. This book also flip flopped to eight years prior which gave a chance to learn more about Amy and Jade’s friendship as well as the hallucinations that Amy suffered from. These flashbacks made Amy shift into an unreliable narrator to the point that it was hard to tell what was real at all. I would never call myself a huge McFadden fan but she was onto something with Ward D!

Overall, I am going to rate Ward D with a six out of ten stars. This is the highest I have ranked any of McFadden’s work since reading The Housemaid series and I have no problems with recommending this book!

What is your favorite Frieda McFadden book? What is your favorite thriller novel? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb28

Lil Red’s Book Club: The First Time I Saw Him By Laura Dave Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: The First Time I Saw Him By Laura Dave Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Lil Red’s Book Club! In a spoiler free setting, as always, we are going to be discussing the sequel to Laura Dave’s thriller, The Last Thing He Told Me, called The First Time I Saw Him. I read The Last Thing He Told Me five years ago and I have to admit that I don’t remember much of it. However, I guess I liked it well enough because I gave it an eight out of ten stars in my review! Perhaps I would have liked the sequel more if I had a better recollection of its predecessor because The First Time I Saw Him really missed the mark for me. There is no content in this book that requires a trigger warning so let’s get right to it:

It has been over five years since Hannah’s husband, Owen, has disappeared off of the face of the earth due to providing evidence against a dangerous crime organization. It was all for the safety of Hannah and his daughter Bailey and they have been rebuilding the pieces of their lives since he vanished. Bailey is now a college graduate and Hannah is still making fantastic pieces of hand carved furniture. They have also grown very close to Bailey’s maternal grandfather, Nicholas, who was also part of the crime syndicate that Owen turned against. Nicholas also played an integral role in protecting Hannah and Bailey. After decades of loyalty to the big boss, he left with the promise that as long as Nicholas is alive that no harm would come to those he loves.

Unfortunately, that promise is swiftly broken upon Nicholas’s passing and the crime family wants blood. They still hold a grudge towards Owen for his betrayal and as he is in hiding, the only way to get to him is to get to Hannah and Bailey first. Almost as soon as the death of Nicholas is announced on the news, snatchers from the organization are deployed to Hannah and Bailey’s homes. Luckily, they have prepared for this situation for a long time. They hoped that their plan of escape would never have to happen but they are now thrust into it with both of their lives on the line.

Hannah and Bailey are on the run and the name of the game is to get as far away from their usual haunts as possible. Through back roads, safe houses, and the help of a friend with a private jet, they end up in France. Who they meet upon their arrival is certainly not who they were expecting but their help could provide the protection they need and a way to find Owen again. While Hannah and Bailey prepared and perfected their escape plan for over half a decade, other plans were being made too. Plans for a last ditch effort should the truce between Nicholas and his former employer no longer be honored. Hannah and Bailey have one final go at a normal life with or without Owen. Will the help from an unlikely ally see it through? Or will the family they could be simply vanish? Read The First Time I Saw Him to find out!

The only thing I really remember from The Last Thing He Told Me was essentially a wild goose chase. Hannah and Bailey on the run, their initial poor relationship, plans being made, plans changing, and the ever watchful organization hot on their tail. The First Time I Saw Him was basically the same thing minus Hannah and Bailey being besties now. Regardless of how long it has been since I read the first book, I had the nagging feeling as I read its sequel that I have read it all before. The bones of The First Time I Saw Him were so similar to its predecessor that it felt more like a review than a brand new book.

What I remember liking the most about The Last Thing He Told Me was its sense of urgency that was so palpable on each page. Both Hannah and Bailey had no idea what was happening as they avoided peril and I could feel their anxiety so clearly. That swell of emotion was just not there as I read The First Time I Saw Him because its plot had already been done before. Yes, it was scary that Hannah and Bailey were put in this situation once again but it was also such a crazy story that it felt like a really bold move to rinse and repeat it. While I enjoyed Laura Dave’s writing, the sense of deja vu was much too prominent and The First Time I Saw Him felt like something borrowed over something new. This might sound harsh but it just felt like a lazy effort on Laura Dave’s part and I was happy to be done with the book or, rather, the CliffsNotes of the first one.

Overall, I am going to rate The First Time I Saw Him with a three out of ten stars. It was well written but that didn’t save the repeat plot one bit!

What are you currently reading? What should I read next? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb24

Trader Joe’s Ultra Rich Body Butter Review

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Trader Joe’s Ultra Rich Body Butter Review

Hi! My parents were so sweet to treat me to a few goodies from Trader Joe’s for Valentine’s Day. My prezzies included a yummy new salsa, a frozen dish, and a tub of their Ultra Rich Body Butter. Back in the day, I lived for the body butter from The Body Shop that used to always be available for a song at TJMaxx. Then, they closed down for a while and it was bye bye, body butter. Since I could no longer have the good stuff from The Body Shop, I became fiercely loyal to Bath & Body Works and can’t recall the last time I enjoyed a body butter. I couldn’t wait to dive into the Ultra Rich Body Butter from Trader Joe’s because if it was anything like their amazing lip mask, I knew I was in for bath and body care delight. Spoiler alert: It was fabulous! Check it out:

^^^ I had to take a product picture after using it because is it just me or does that second picture look like a nipple lol

The Ultra Rich Body Butter features a warm vanilla and orchid scent and it is oh so nice. I love all things vanilla and this body butter has a true vanilla fragrance with the slightest hint of floral thrown into the mix. The scent is incredibly light and just right for slathering on before bed. Speaking of incredibly light, the Ultra Rich Body Butter offers a pillowy soft texture verging on being whipped. I don’t mind a harder body butter but this is definitely the texture that I prefer and it was so easy to apply. A couple of quarter sized dollops slicked on with ease for full upper body coverage.

This past winter, I have noticed that my hands were still red and quite dry in the mornings as I only wear lotion at night. Some parts near my wrists were even bordering on scaly. After using this body butter was the first time I have woke up with my normal skin tone on my hands in months! There was no bright red to be found and my hands are the softest they have been since winter began. In fact, my skin still felt really hydrated after my morning shower too. My only regret? That the closest Trader Joe’s is almost an hour away because I think I just found my new favorite body butter!

If you are suffering from dry skin or simply need a treat, I cannot recommend the Trader Joe’s Ultra Rich Body Butter enough. You will notice an amazing difference with just one use!

What is your favorite bath and body care brand? How do you improve dry winter skin? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb16

Lil Red’s Book Club: A Killing Cold By Kate Alice Marshall Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: A Killing Cold By Kate Alice Marshall Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Lil Red’s Book Club! In a spoiler free setting, as always, we are going to be discussing a thriller by Kate Alice Marshall called A Killing Cold. My sister, mom, and I tend to read the same books and this was passed down to me from my big sis once she was done reading it. About halfway through the book, she told me she was enjoying it. Then, upon completion she changed her sentiment as it was far too far fetched for her liking. I agree with this wholeheartedly. It started strong enough but I was SO ready for it to be over when there was about sixty pages left. Before we begin, I will be placing a trigger warning on A Killing Cold for domestic violence, general violence, child abuse, and disturbing content. Now, let’s get to it:

Theo and Connor met at a party and both of them felt like they had seen each other before. But where? And when? Call it fate, but a whirlwind romance began and after six short months they are engaged to be married. Theo came from a troubled background. She has no idea who her real parents are and is permanently estranged from her adoptive family after years of trauma they caused. Connor, on the other hand, lived a life of wealth and privilege. His family, the Daltons, are powerful in ways that regular people would never understand. They protect their own, keep secrets buried, and go through life with the air of those who are untouchable.

Every Christmas, the Daltons spend two weeks in their luxury mountain retreat and it will be Theo’s first time meeting them. As she braces herself for their interrogations, she begins receiving texts that warn her to stay far away from Connor. She chalks it up to a jealous ex or perhaps one of Connor’s siblings looking out for him for moving too fast. Besides, it’s too late to cancel the trip now and she is head over heels for her fiance. To the mountains they go and upon their arrival, Theo can’t help but feel that she has been there before.

Her welcome from her new family is icy, if not frigid. They are sizing her up and appear to have every intention of scaring her away. After all, Theo is a poor girl who now has unimaginable wealth falling into her lap. As much as she would like to turn on her heels and run, she holds firm. Of course, she is there for Connor, but for the first time fragments of memories from her early childhood are returning to her. What used to be dicey images pulled from nightmares are piecing together. Real or imagined, one thing is for sure: The Dalton family has something to hide.

As the days on the mountain drag on, Theo begins to explore. She is particularly drawn to an abandoned cabin that the family no longer has use for. In this cabin, a small semblance of truth is revealed. Theo can remember the small bed with flowers on the sheets. It was hers. And, tucked away, she finds a photo of a little girl with Connor’s late father smiling in the snow. There is no longer any denying it. Theo’s childhood began and ended in the mountains. She remembers fleeting moments of her and her mother pretending they live in an enchanted forest. Until it all came to an abrupt halt because her mother was wearing a blue scarf that turned red. What happened to Theo’s mother? And how far will the Daltons go to keep the truth buried? Read A Killing Cold to find out!

A Killing Cold was a shining example of a disappointing thriller. Sure, it had the twists and turns. Were they any good? Not really lol. When I am reading a novel of suspense, I love when they are just plausible enough to have some truth to it. Alice Kate Marshall spun a story with A Killing Cold but it was a plot that couldn’t stand on solid ground. As I read, all I could think about was the example of a Hallmark movie where a girl ends up with her childhood pen pal. It’s a story, yes, but it is as unlikely as the grass being purple.

As I turned the pages, A Killing Cold became more and more convoluted and there came a point when I just had enough. With a quarter of the book left, I was damn near begging for it to be over. The poorly placed Red Herrings, overplayed dysfunctional family trope, and the constant shifting of blame was just too much. It felt like Kate Alice Marshall threw Every. Single. classic thriller writing tool at the wall to see what stuck. Sadly, few of these attempts helped push the painstakingly slow plot forward and I felt nothing but sheer relief by the time the last page was read. A Killing Cold was a total and complete dud.

In a shocking plot twist of my own, I will be rating A Killing Cold with zero out of ten stars. I understand this book has received a fair amount of hype and I promise you it is not worth it. I wasted my time so you don’t have to waste yours! ❤

What are you currently reading? What should I read next? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb13

Groovy Movies: The Strangers – Chapter 3 Edition

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Groovy Movies: The Strangers – Chapter 3 Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Groovy Movies. In a spoiler free setting, as always, we are going to be discussing The Strangers – Chapter 3. I am an avid fan of The Strangers franchise and thoroughly enjoyed Chapter 2 which came out last September. I was so eager to see the third installment as Chapter 2 ended on a cliffhanger and I was chomping at the bit to see what would happen next. While Chapter 3 tied up several loose ends it was overall very disappointing and honestly begs the question of why this movie was even made lol. They could have tacked on an extra half hour to the second one and it would have made it even better. Before we begin, I will be placing a trigger warning on The Strangers – Chapter 3 for brutal violence, gore, and disturbing content. Now, let’s get to it:

^^^ As always, I have no rights to this video!

The Strangers – Chapter 3 picks up immediately where Chapter 2 left off. Maya is still on the run from The Strangers but their numbers have dwindled down to Scarecrow and Dollface. Despite being down one Stranger, Maya is the only person to survive an encounter with them and they can’t let her get away. As Maya continues her night of terror she is eventually picked up by the sheriff but realizes she might be in more danger with him than without. In a moment of desperation, she steals his car only to end up crashing it and being found by Scarecrow and Dollface. While Maya is held captive, her sister and brother-in-law travel to Venus, Oregon to track her down. The townspeople are less than helpful so they decide to take matters into their own hands by tailing the sheriff, who is surely up to no good. Through his flashbacks, we learn that they were right on the money.

Eventually, Scarecrow and Dollface try to incorporate Maya into their murderous pack as the new Pin-Up Girl. They track their victims and Maya is thrown into a situation of kill or be killed. She takes the opportunity to slaughter one more Stranger until it is down to one on one. This is her last chance to get far away from Venus where the whole town is in on The Strangers or end up as Pin-Up Girl permanently. Will she make her escape? Or become the newest member of The Strangers? Watch Chapter 3 to find out!

The Strangers – Chapter 3 fell flat in every sense of the word and I am genuinely bummed by it. Of course, none of the following installments of The Strangers after the first movie were amazing but they were still fast paced and fun to watch. Chapter 3 was slow moving, had minimal jump scares, and the new information provided could have fit neatly into Chapter 2 without the need for a trilogy. The best parts of this movie actually came from the sheriff’s flashbacks but they were few and far between. Had they explored that story more, I think the movie would have been much better for it as it was messed up and something new. Rather, the song and dance of Maya thwarting The Strangers continued and it made this hour and a half flick feel endless.

Chapter 3 ended with the potential for another movie and all I have to say is: Please don’t lol. I was SO excited to see this movie after Chapter 2 and it was the worst of the entire franchise. I fear that if they continue on with this story, it’s just going to end up getting even more terrible and that’s a shame. I completely agree with those who said The Strangers should have simply been a standalone film. For the most part, however, its predecessors were pretty good until Chapter 3 took this sentiment to a slamming halt. If you see the movie, you will know from the ending exactly what they could do with another one. If we were watching the same movie, I think you will agree to leave well enough alone!

Overall, I am going to rate The Strangers – Chapter 3 with a three out of ten stars. The flashbacks were its only saving grace in an otherwise totally lackluster horror flick.

Are you a fan of The Strangers franchise? What is your favorite movie from the series? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb11

Rare Beauty Positive Light Silky Touch Highlighter In Exhilarate Review

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Rare Beauty Positive Light Silky Touch Highlighter In Exhilarate Review

Hi! A few weeks ago I needed to make a trip to Sephora as I was out of three of my go to makeup products. My shopping list included more Better Than Sex mascara, a new highlighter, and a dupe for my beloved radiance beads. Thanks to the help of a wonderful employee, I was able to check off everything on my list and ended up with two new to me products. The Face Bond Luminizer by Urban Decay and the Positive Light Silky Touch Highlighter by Rare Beauty. They are both phenomenal and it has been fun to try new makeup as this is an area where I like to stay in my comfort zone. I was happy when the Rare Beauty highlighter was recommended because I love my eyeshadow palette from that brand and knew the quality would be excellent. It sure is! Check it out:

*** Note: These pictures were taken prior to putting on the Face Bond Luminizer to soften and blend!

Prior to the Rare Beauty highlighter, I was using a pink shade by Sephora that I liked a lot. My plan was to just buy that again but it had been discontinued so I was out of luck in that department. This ended up being a good thing because my helper at Sephora pointed me towards Rare Beauty next. We took a look at some of the pink highlighters and she also showed me the gold Exhilarate as she said it would look really nice with my complexion. I have rosy undertones and was afraid that the gold would just be too much. What it looked like, however, was sunshine slapping me across the face and I was so not mad about it! I never even would have thought of going for the gold if I didn’t have assistance and it was exciting to see a re-imagined version of my standard MOTD. Even if it wasn’t a major change. 🙂

The Positive Light Silky Touch Highlighter is so aptly named. My old highlighter felt like more of a powder and the Rare Beauty has an almost creamy texture that is oh so soft and applies perfectly with one swipe. While I love the angular looks that can be achieved with a highlighter, I prefer a more natural approach and was able to achieve that by pairing this highlighter with the Face Bond Luminizer. When I apply highlighter, I use it going down my nose, on my chin, the apples of my cheeks to my hairline, and my jawline. After my first use of Exhilarate, I was a bit worried because it looked like a lot. After blending with my radiance beads dupe, it definitely toned down the appearance of the highlighter to an overall glow which is exactly what I like. I have always been curious about other Rare Beauty products since purchasing one of their palettes and I am glad I got the chance to try more. I know it will be the first section I go to next time I visit Sephora!

Although I will never be a huge makeup gal, this Sephora shopping trip was a nice way of dipping my toes into the water. I highly recommend the Rare Beauty highlighters!

What is your favorite brand of makeup? 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

Feb4

January 2026 Finishes

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January 2026 Finishes

Hello everyone and TGIF! And by that I mean thank god it’s February!!! Is it just me or did January feel like it lasted five months? Lol it was cold, grey, and the days dragged on with no end in sight. Prior to this insane temperature drop, I was feeling a-okay about winter but all I have to say is: Is it spring yet? I need sixty and sunny like yesterday! Before January can be kissed goodbye or more like kicked out until next year, let’s discuss my beauty finishes for the month:

Would I Use Again?

Bath & Body Works Vampire Blood Body Cream: YES

Avon Cucumber Melon Body Wash: NO

Bath & Body Works Calypso Clementine Body Lotion: YES

Bath & Body Works Blue Raspberry Burst Body Wash: YES

Garnier Micellar Water: MAYBE

Precision Beauty Vitamin C + Collagen Serum: YES

Why/Why Not?

B&BW Products: I am a Bath & Body Works gal through and through and I had a delightful medley of empties from there in January. I had my favorite Halloween scent of Vampire Blood, enjoyed a burst of summertime citrus with Calypso Clementine, and was LOVING the Blue Raspberry Burst body wash. In my humble opinion, blue flavors are the best but Blue Raspberry reigns supreme. Blue Raspberry Burst smells exactly like an Icee from the movie theater and it is definitely one of my new favorites. It’s different while still smelling delicious and I will be keeping my eyes peeled for more when the B&BW summer lines drop!

Avon Body Wash: In case you haven’t noticed, I am extremely loyal to my B&BW products and use them *almost* exclusively. Minus this Cucumber Melon body wash from Avon! This was gifted to me and I thought I would give it a try. It was okay and basically a smell alike to B&BW’s Cucumber Melon scent. However, I wish that I used this product when the weather gets warmer because it really dried my skin out and the frigid temperatures made it even worse. My skin never feels dry after using B&BW shower gel, rather super nourished and hydrated and I couldn’t wait to use them again after finishing this bottle. It took me one month of daily use to do so.

Garnier Micellar Water: Like my B&BW goodies, I am fiercely loyal to my Evoluderm micellar water. It is simply the best at removing makeup and hydrating my skin and it is a staple in my morning and nighttime beauty routine. Unfortunately, TJMaxx doesn’t carry it all of the time and I had to settle for a bottle of Garnier micellar water, instead. It will continue to be my runner up brand when I can’t get my hands on Evoluderm but it’s not like I love it. The Garnier micellar water just lacks the oomph of Evoluderm. I noticed I had to scrub hard to remove makeup and it still wasn’t completely gone and it pales in comparison to the hydration of my go to brand. Fine in a bind but not my fave!

Precision Beauty Serum: I cannot say enough good things about the Precision Beauty serums and have been using them for the past several months. Each bottle lasts me close to five weeks with twice daily use and I have had nothing but positive results. The Vitamin C + Collagen was especially nice during the dreary days as it provided such a big radiance boost. And, despite collagen being a primary ingredient, it didn’t dry my skin out. In fact, it has never felt better! I have used several different versions of their serums and all of them are great so I highly recommend trying one for yourself. 🙂

And, with that, smell ya later January. Let’s move on to brighter days ahead!

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

Feb2

What Have We Been Watching?

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What Have We Been Watching?

Hi! It has been colder than a MF in the A-K-Rowdy and it’s literally painful to be outside. Snow + single digit temps = me not leaving the house. Wow, I’m great at math! This is the kind of weather to do nothing but stay inside during and I’m honestly so fine with it. I can always get down with hibernating AKA watching TV all day, cuddling in a heated blanket, and only getting up from the couch when I require the bathroom lol. We have definitely been glued to the TV and will dethaw in the spring. Until then, we’ll stay posted up watching the following:

The Traitors:

My blogging bestie and I are not only Gemini Twins but TV Twins too. We love watching the same documentaries, reality shows, and just pure fun shows together then spending all Saturday afternoon discussing them over FaceTime. During our last chat she did the best job that she could have at describing The Traitors to me and the conversation ended with “you just have to watch it”. So we did and we are addicted! I am a huge fan of a good whodoneit and that is The Traitors to the T. A houseful of C-list celebrities with three “traitors” and the remainder being “faithfuls”. It is up to the faithfuls to determine who the traitors are as they “murder” off the housemates one by one. There are challenges, round table detective sessions, and the incomparable Alan Cumming as the host. This show is a complete blast and they are actually casting regular people in the next season. I plan on applying so maybe you’ll see me on there! Hey, it doesn’t hurt to try. 😀

Teen Wolf:

If you follow me on Facebook (Sarah Mushenheim) then you already KNOW that I am obsessed with MTV’s Teen Wolf series. It’s so damn good and I genuinely can’t believe that I haven’t given it the attention it deserves until now. My client got me hooked and I look forward to watching an episode or two every morning. Long story short: Teenage boy gets bitten by werewolf, teenage boy falls in love with girl, girl’s family are werewolf hunters. It might sound like your classic run of the mill show directed to teenagers but it’s very dark and very well done. The actors are also excellent! Hello baby Dylan O’Brien and holy hot-tastic Tyler Hoechlin. On a separate note, I can’t wait to see Dylan O’Brien in Send Help – my mind was blown when I realized it was Stiles!

The Goldbergs:

Before bed Johnny and I will usually put on Superstore, Abbott Elementary, or The Office. We have also enjoyed watching Stumble, Animal Control, and St. Denis Medical. Johnny suggested The Goldbergs as our new pre-bed show and it has just been okay for me. He knows how much I adore Wendi McLendon-Covey in legit everything she does (St. Denis Medical included!) and thought it would be a good match as she plays the Goldberg family matriarch. Despite my deep love for her and Jeff Garlin as the father, there is just something about this show that I can’t get into. Normally, the shows we like to watch have me in stitches no matter how many times I’ve seen each episode. The Goldbergs is lucky to get one chuckle every time we watch it! I am a fan of the parents and, of course, Big Tasty but the rest of the cast leaves a lot to me desired and also the kid that plays Adam annoys me so much lol. Not my favorite and wouldn’t recommend it!

Documentaries:

It’s no surprise that your favorite armchair detective delights every time a new documentary is out and my blogging bestie and I watch them immediately. We recently finished season two of Shiny Happy People, and breezed through the new Elizabeth Smart documentary on Netflix as well as The Cult of The Real Housewife. All of them were great and the perfect bite size documentaries to watch in one sitting as they’re either three episodes long or a little longer than an hour and a half. Unfortunately, we watch the new docs so quickly that we run out and are left with nothing. We would love some recommendations – the dishier the better. 😀

It’s so nice to return home from work, put a show on, and relax the evening away with our beloved TV to keep us company! ❤

What have you been watching lately? Are there any new shows you are looking forward to? (I can’t wait for the America’s Next Top Model documentary!) I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah