Tag Archives: review

Jul31

Face Mask Festivities: Celavi Charcoal Sheet Mask Edition

Posted on July 31, 2020 by lifewithlilred

Hello! I recently ordered a pack of face masks by Celavi off of Amazon during a skin care haul. I got twelve face masks for ten dollars and I figured, successful or not, that’s a cheap way to get some blog content – especially considering I don’t do much of anything anymore! I recently tried the Charcoal sheet mask by Celavi that was supposed to purify and refine and, although it wasn’t the best, it wasn’t too bad. Take a look at some pics and let’s discuss:

As all of you know, I love charcoal skin care products so I was eager to try this mask. After my last face mask experience with Celavi, I wasn’t expecting too much out of the Charcoal one but I figured if it could clear away just some of my blackheads, then I would be happy. And it did. All of the pesky blackheads on my nose were sent packing and my skin felt clean and fresh after removing the mask.

My main qualm with the face masks I purchased is that they are HUGE. They slip and slide on my face, as you can see in the picture above, and the serums in the mask always end up getting in my eyes. Not fun. However, once the mask begins to dry about fifteen minutes in, it holds a lot better and it makes the experience much more pleasant. I typically wear my Celavi masks for twenty minutes and sometimes a little extra if they are still damp.

This Charcoal sheet mask was by no means the best one I’ve ever used but it was a vast improvement from the Honey one by Celavi that I tried because it actually did something. I have four other Celavi masks to try and, after the minor success of the Charcoal mask, I’m kind of looking forward to the other ones. Keep it posted and find out what I think! 🙂

What is your favorite skin care trend? Who else is a charcoal skin care fan? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul30

July 2020 Finishes

Posted on July 30, 2020 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!! July was an insanely hot and busy month and I found that, other than my normal day and night skin care routine, I let any other pampering fall by the wayside. I know what you all are thinking: “That is so not like you, Sarah!” However, Lil Red does not do well in extreme heat (I literally get sick) and it is always extremely hot in my apartment. Not to mention, most of July was in the high eighties and mid nineties in my neck of the woods. Therefore, any movement away from being directly in front of my fan was deemed unnecessary.

I only finished one product that you all haven’t heard of already so we will briefly chat about that. Then, I will provide you with some links to previous beauty themed posts this past month in case you missed them. And, finally, make sure you tune in tomorrow for a new Face Mask Festivities to close out the month. Alright! Let’s get to it:

Would I Use Again:

SkinLab Lift & Firm moisturizer: YES
Azure Lux 24K Gold Sparkling Oil Serum: YES

Why/Why Not?

SkinLab Moisturizer: As you all know, I love my SkinLab Lift & Firm moisturizer and it took me one month to finish one jar. You can read more about it in this post, since it pops up often enough lol. 🙂

Azure Lux Serum: During a recent Amazon haul, I needed to stock up on my skin care. Originally, I was going to stick with my usual and just order a bunch of the Azure Lux Rose Gold serums. I purchased a few but I also decided to give the 24K Gold serum a try, as well. Was it much different than its Rose Gold sister? Not really. But I love the Rose Gold sister so, obviously, I loved the 24K serum too!

My skin feels so bright and radiant whenever I use the Azure Lux serums and they are so nourishing, to boot. I definitely think my skin has become more glowy and fresh since using the Azure Lux products and it takes me one month to finish one bottle.

More To Enjoy:

Be sure to tune in tomorrow for a brand new Face Mask Festivities!

Which products did you use up this month? Which products have you been impressed with lately? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul23

Face Mask Festivities: Celavi Honey Sheet Mask Edition

Posted on July 23, 2020 by lifewithlilred

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Face Mask Festivities: Celavi Honey Sheet Mask Edition

Hello! Within the past week or so, I had a great big skin care haul from Amazon. I purchased all of my necessities for the next three months and I also ordered a set of sheet face masks by Celavi. I received two of the six different kinds of masks in the set, totaling twelve masks for a little over ten dollars. I considered it a steal and the comments on Amazon from previous buyers was encouraging. So, I added it to my cart.

This past weekend, I finally got around to using one of the new sheet masks, opting for the Honey option because whose skin doesn’t need to be cleansed and moisturized? Lol, take a look at some pics and let’s discuss:

When I use a face mask, I never apply it with the thought that it’s going to have a massive affect on my skin. In fact, this is what probably keeps me from being disappointed with some of the duds that I’ve used. Rather, I like to think that I got to spend twenty minutes with a mask on being pampered and that’s how I’m going to think of my time spent using this Celavi mask.

Did I notice a huge or even minor difference in my skin after twenty minutes with this super saturated mask on? Not particularly. Don’t get me wrong, my skin did feel slightly more moisturized. But my skin care routine makes my skin feel insanely hydrated so, in that regard, it didn’t do all that much.

My skin definitely didn’t have that fresh “ahhhh” feeling after removing the mask. I can also confidently say that if I didn’t have one more of the Celavi Honey sheet masks in my hoard, I would not be using it again. But, like I said, no hard feelings and I still enjoyed myself. I took a leap of faith on some cheap masks and they can’t all be winners!

Have you used any beauty duds recently? Do you have a favorite sheet mask? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul22

Lil Red’s Book Club: The Girls In The Garden By Lisa Jewell Edition

Posted on July 22, 2020 by lifewithlilred

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Lil Red’s Book Club: The Girls In The Garden By Lisa Jewell Edition

Hi! As the old saying goes: “when in quarantine, do as those in quarantine do”, which is just Greek for I’ve been reading a lot. Lol, I’ve been devouring books left and right and have been loving every minute that gives my brain a break from the America’s Next Top Model marathons. The most recent book I finished was called The Girls In The Garden by Lisa Jewell. It was… Okay I guess?

Without giving any spoilers away, let’s discuss. But, please be warned that there is some subject matter in The Girls In The Garden that could be very triggering. Now, let’s get to it:

Virginia Park may seem like the perfect, picturesque place to raise a family. Quaint flats, a communal park that stretches close to three acres, and tons of children running about. However, the situation that brought young mother Clare and her two daughters Pip and Grace into the neighborhood was anything but picture perfect.

Clare, who is estranged from her husband, is weak and vulnerable upon their arrival. This, in turn, leaves her twelve year old daughter, Grace, and eleven year old daughter, Pip, free to explore the park and get acquainted with the other kids. Handsome Dylan, frigid Tyler, and the eccentric sisters Willow, Catkin, and Fern. The parents of the three sisters, Adele and Leo, are essentially the “cool parents” and their house is constantly full of kids running in and out.

As the preteens and teenagers hang about the park, cliques begin to form and catty attitudes cause a palpable tension. All the while, the children’s parents aren’t doing much better, shielding dark secrets of their own that span from their childhood. Long buried memories begin to reveal themselves ranging from pervy old men to affairs and, oh yeah, murder.

One fateful summer night, the present mimicked the past after a young, pretty girl is found bloody, unconscious and uncovered in the park. So similar to the death of another young, pretty girl in the park decades prior. Who is responsible for the past and present attacks? And will history try to repeat itself once more? Read The Girls In The Garden to find out more!

Okay, so I know what you guys are thinking: A whodoneit with intertwining stories and secrets. How did Sarah not like it? Believe you me, all of that is very fair and I did enjoy certain aspects of the story line. However, there were a lot of parts that made me just plain uncomfortable to read. This includes some insanely inappropriate displays of affection between a freshly turned thirteen year old girl and her boyfriend.

After that part went down, I really didn’t care what happened next in the book because I just didn’t care anymore. It was such a stomach churning thing and it literally made me feel disgusting after reading it. It’s really too bad too because if the author wasn’t so focused on being “edgy”, she would have had a hell of a book on her hands. Although, I did see the ending coming.

Had a crucial part of this book not made me nauseous, I would have rated The Girls In The Garden much higher. But, that is not the case. So, for the first time in history, Lil Red will be awarding no stars out of ten stars. I really didn’t care for the direction this book took towards the end and I couldn’t look past it. Not sorry about it and I definitely wouldn’t recommend this for your next book club meeting!

Which book is currently on your night stand? Do you have any reading recommendations for me? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul16

Lil Red’s Book Club: Christina McDonald’s Behind Every Lie Edition

Posted on July 16, 2020 by lifewithlilred

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Lil Red’s Book Club: Christina McDonald’s Behind Every Lie Edition

Hello! For a while, I was really into reading the thriller/mystery books with an unstable narrator. I loved the plot twists and the grand reveals and all of the pieces finally coming together that seemed so disjointed throughout the book. Then, after a while, I became bored with the premise of another alcoholic or sleep deprived young woman being accused of murder.

Then, Christina McDonald said “hold my beer” and asked “what if the girl was struck by lightning?”. Lol, without giving any spoilers away, this is Behind Every Lie:

Behind Every Lie is a back and forth thriller that alternates between Eva Hansen and her mother, Kat, every few chapters or so. However, all of Kat’s speaking will be in the past tense because her murder is what our unstable narrator, Eva, is being accused of when she wakes in the hospital after being struck by lightning. The catch? Eva can’t remember a damn thing.

Eva is an artist who lives under a cloud of insecurities and stays under the protective wing of her boyfriend, Liam. Already unstable from past trauma and tensions running high since the lightning strike, Eva’s world as she knows it takes a drastic turn when she realizes not everyone is who she thinks she is… Even herself.

So who is Eva? And who murdered her mom? You’ll have to read the book to find out!

For the most part, I really enjoyed Behind Every Lie. I haven’t read an unstable narrator novel in a while and the premise of this one was so different that I went for it. I’m not going to lie, I loved the story line – especially because I guessed what happened before it was revealed in the book and who doesn’t love that? 😀

However, the characters were not the most likeable and I had a hard time caring about any of them. They were all so closed off in their own ways that it was difficult to form a connection to them until the last few pages when the grand reveal was… revealed. Not to say that it wasn’t worth the read because it was for the story line alone. The characters are just not the ones you are going to remember vividly a year after reading this.

Overall, I did like this book and would definitely read something else by Christina McDonald. I rate Behind Every Lie with six and a half out of ten stars for a unique take on an unstable narrator and an unputdownable plot. Not bad. Not bad, at all.

What have you been reading recently? What is your favorite genre to read? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul10

Face Mask Festivities: BAWDY X Sephora Flaunt It Butt Sheet Mask Edition

Posted on July 10, 2020 by lifewithlilred

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Face Mask Festivities: BAWDY X Sephora Flaunt It Butt Sheet Mask Edition

Hello! During my last online Sephora haul, I was ten measly dollars away from free shipping and I didn’t want to spend a ton of money to get myself over the threshold. So, I hit up the clearance section and decided on a face mask AND a butt mask. I already reviewed the sheet mask for my face and today it is all about the sheet mask for the bootay! Lol, take a look at some pics and let’s discuss:

A butt mask may seem silly to some but, hey, I’m willing to try a new product out to put on the blog for a whole four bucks! And, you know what? I’ve used beauty treatments that have been worse. At the end of the day, I felt pampered and my butt felt firmer so no harm no foul!

My first impression of the mask was that it was adorable, obviously! I wasn’t sure what the butt mask was going to look like but the watermelon slices with “FLAUNT IT!” written across seemed perfect to me. The application was simple and I figured the easiest way to let the mask sit was laying on a towel.

After fifteen minutes of having the mask on, it dried out. I didn’t notice any mind blowing physical changes to my derriere but it genuinely did feel firmer and much more moisturized after using it.

The real question is: Would I use a butt mask again? Probably not. I wasn’t impressed enough with this sheet mask to continue buying them or a similar product. I think I will stick with the masks for my face from now on! 🙂

Has anyone ever used a butt mask before? What did you think of it? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul9

Face Mask Festivities: Que Bella Professional Detoxifying Peel Off Mask Edition

Posted on July 9, 2020 by lifewithlilred

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Face Mask Festivities: Que Bella Professional Detoxifying Peel Off Mask Edition

Hi! For my 26th birthday, my bestie treated me to some amazing skin care products. This past Fourth Of July weekend, I enjoyed using my Que Bella Professional peel off mask instead of being out in the mid ninety degree heat. Yuck! While Johnny had a July Fourth celebration with a few close friends, I had fun hanging out at home, watching America’s Next Top Model and getting a major skin detox. Check it out:

I originally thought that this detoxifying mask was a sheet one so I was so confused when I opened the package and a thick, black tar came oozing out. Then, I realized I was supposed to put this strange substance on my face, let it dry, and it would peel off? Lol, okay. But, in the name of a blog post I did it anyway and I am honestly so glad I did because it was FABULOUS.

It took twenty minutes for this mask to completely dry but I was ambivalent about it so called “peeling off” because I had a hard enough time removing the excess from my hands! But, to my surprise, when I began to remove the mask it came off easily and in one piece. I was totally amazed because I had never used anything like it before and I was even more amazed because I loved the results!

Infused with charcoal powder and Vitamin E, this mask by Que Bella eliminated impurities while still being insanely hydrating. After the mask was off, the black heads on my nose were gone completely and my skin felt smooth and hydrated. I couldn’t get over the moisture boost and I woke up the following morning still in awe of the baby’s bottom results, lol.

Despite not even wanting to use this product at the beginning, I would rate it with the prestigious: ten out of ten stars. The results spoke for itself, the mask removed like it was nothing, and even though the application was messy it was still kind of fun! I would love to use more peel off masks and plan on buying them from Que Bella, so keep it posted!

What is your favorite kind of face mask? What are the best peel off masks? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul6

Slim Chillers Frozen Martinis Review

Posted on July 6, 2020 by lifewithlilred

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Hi! I am constantly seeing Facebook posts filled with recipes for frozen boozy drinks that I will literally never make no matter how delicious they look. Mainly, because lazy. Lol! So, needless to say, I was very excited to find some martini freezer pops when I was out and about. All I needed to do once I was home was stick them in the freezer and wait for a frozen drink of my own – no blender required! Check it out:

I paid twenty dollars for a pack of eight Slim Chillers, which included two of each flavor: Appletini, Watermelon Lemonade, Lemon Drop, and a Cosmopolitan. The first flavor I tried after I got home from work was the Watermelon Lemonade and, I’m not going to lie, it was absolutely disgusting. The freezing process somehow managed to get all of the vodka on top and the flavor at the bottom. This resulted in a solid block of liquor to munch on and syrup that was wayyy too sweet pooling at the bottom. Yuck.

I was feeling less than impressed with my purchase after the first freezer pop, which I didn’t even finish. But, I figured you can’t go wrong with a Lemon Drop and that one was perfect. So was the Appletini! Lil Red loves sweet/tart drinks and both freezer pops tasted like a classic Lemon Drop and Appletini – not like liquor and snow cone syrup. 😀

The jury is still out on the Cosmo, as I have yet to try it. In fact, I’ve never tried a Cosmo in my life so we’ll see what happens. Fingers crossed it’s just as good as my two favorites and, if not, Johnny can drink those! :*)

What is your favorite treat to cool down with? How about your favorite kind of martini? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun30

June 2020 Finishes Pt. 2

Posted on June 30, 2020 by lifewithlilred

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Hello! Yesterday, we discussed a lot of the skin care that I finished up this past month of June. And, if you’re checking back in today, you’ll see we have a few more goodies to chit chat about. With the part one and two finishes combined, it would have been a long ass post. So, why not break it up into two? Let’s get on with my June 2020 Finishes… Part Two:

Would I Use Again?

Evoluderm Micellar Water: YES
Bath & Body Works Champagne Apple & Honey shower gel: YES
Destiny Boutique Charcoal face wash: YES
Azure Lux Rose Gold serum: YES

Why/Why Not?

Evoluderm Micellar Water: It doesn’t really bother me to constantly be using the micellar water by Garnier… Obviously, considering it shows up on almost every empties post! But, whenever given the opportunity at TJMaxx, I just have to grab some of the Evoluderm water if it’s there. I don’t know why it makes Garnier’s micellar water feel like plain old water but the Evoluderm brand feels like magic. I love using it as a toner and makeup remover and one bottle lasts me about a month and a half.

B&BW Shower Gel: Love the B&BW, love anything apple, and love anything champagne! Haha, this shower gel combines a lot of my favorite things and it easily makes the Champagne Apple & Honey scent one of my must haves. It’s sweet and tart and the luscious bubbles make you never want to get out of the shower! One bottle typically lasts me a little over a month.

Destiny Boutique Face Wash: I use a lot of charcoal products when it comes to my skin care and Destiny Boutique has always been one of my go to brands. Their charcoal face wash and face bar have been staples in my skin care routine for years now and I tend to order the goods on Amazon when I can’t find them at TJ’s because the products are that good. Pesky blackheads and blemishes will be a thing of the past and stay that way because one bottle took me over three months to use!

Azure Lux Serum: I was introduced to the Rose Gold serum by Azure Lux a year or so ago and have remained fairly faithful to it since. I just love how radiant the serum makes my skin look and the real flecks of 24K gold makes it feel oh so lush with each use. It takes me one month to finish one bottle and, although I wish it lasted a bit longer, I am never not going to buy it.

June has brought us a ton of empties to discuss and, I can’t believe I’m saying this, but fingers crossed for a lighter finishes haul in July! Lol! 😀

Which products did you finish this month? What are your thoughts on any of my empties 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

Jun29

June 2020 Finishes Pt. 1

Posted on June 29, 2020 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!! I have a theory that June seriously dragged because of my family vacation to look forward to at the end of the month. It made each day feel like a lifetime… Maybe that explains why I have so many empties that I had to break my normal monthly finishes post into a part one and two!

The real reason, however, is that I haven’t been wearing makeup in quarantine. Therefore, I’m using twice as much skin care per month because I have a fresh face to apply a nighttime routine on. I can definitely notice the difference in my skin from the daily double whammies of moisturizers and serums. Now, maybe I’ll be more motivated to take my makeup off at night post quarantine. Maybe!

Lol, let’s take a look at these skin care empties and discuss:

Would I Use Again?

Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair moisturizer: NO
SkinLab Lift & Firm moisturizer: YES
SkinLab Lift & Firm Eye Gel: YES
Biossance Vitamin C & Rose Hip Serum: YES

Why/Why Not?

Neutrogena Moisturizer: My mom gave me this moisturizer when I was running low at home and holy wow is this stuff powerful. Of course, this product was made with more mature skin in mind and at twenty-six, mine just didn’t meet that mark. After a few days of use, my skin was SO dry and red that I had to put olive oil on it just to breathe some lift back into the painful, burning dryness.

Once I realized it was way too strong for my skin, I mixed a bit of it into my normal SkinLab moisturizer and that felt much better. Waste not, want not as the saying goes. I can’t say I recommend this product for anyone in my age range but I think it would be fabulous for those with more mature skin.

SkinLab Moisturizer: My Lift & Firm moisturizer felt like absolute heaven in comparison to the Neutrogena one! So rich and insanely hydrating, my skin was drinking it up after being so dried out. It takes me one month to finish one jar and I always plan on using it again. In fact, I need a restock soon!

SkinLab Eye Gel: And, as you know, I am all about the SkinLab Eye Gel too. It takes me at least three months to finish one tiny jar and I can’t picture my skin care routine without it, either.

Biossance Serum: I received this little vial of serum as a freebie during my last Sephora haul and, if given the opportunity, I would use it again. My skin looked radiant and felt so nourished after each use. My only qualm, though, is that it never fully sank into my skin and it left a somewhat greasy residue. This is not ideal, especially in the hot summer months. It took me a week and a half of twice daily use to finish the sample.

Now you know all about my skin care empties for the month! Do tune in tomorrow to learn more about the rest of my June Finishes. 🙂

Which products have you used up this month? Have you tried out any new skin care recently? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

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