Tag Archives: review

Lil Red’s Book Club: Mike Omer’s In The Darkness Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: Mike Omer’s In The Darkness Edition

Hello and welcome to the latest edition of Lil Red’s Book Club! Before the libraries closed in Ohio, I was lucky enough to have visited one a week or so prior and was able to get two books. One, was Doctor Sleep by Stephen King and the other was called In The Darkness by Mike Omer. Before we begin discussing In The Darkness, I must warn those who might be triggered that this book revolves around the FBI catching sexually deviant serial killers.

Whew! Now that we have that out of the way, let’s get to it without discussing any spoilers:

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In The Darkness follows FBI profiler, Doctor Zoe Bentley, and her partner, Special Agent Tatum Gray, who are sent to San Angelo, Texas on a case that could escalate. The situation? A video stream of a young woman being buried alive, posted from an account only known as Schrodinger and titled “Experiment Number One”.

Doctor Bentley specializes in serial killers and spent her childhood living next door to one. Now, she makes it her livelihood to help the FBI track them down. But, how can you track someone down based on video footage shot in a seemingly random location? And, is finding the potential future victims in the small amount of time before they die even possible?

In The Darkness covers a whirlwind case which begs all of the typical questions of who can be trusted, is sketchy, a red herring, and the serial killer, of course! This detective mystery kept me guessing until the very last page and I can’t wait to read more of Zoe Bentley’s adventures in Mike Omer’s collection.

What I loved about this book, is that it literally read like Law & Order SVU, a show that my boyfriend and I are obsessed with. It was fast paced, the main characters were all flawed but extremely likeable, and the story felt so crazy that it just might happen. Indeed, this book is not for the faint of heart but is one I recommend for those who enjoy a high pressure cat and mouse game between the good of the police force and the evil of the killer on the run.

I am going to rate Mike Omer’s “In The Darkness” with a seven out of ten stars. The story line was interesting and intricate and I was rooting for Zoe and Tatum the entire time. The writing, at times, left a little to be desired. But, other than that, no complaints!

Which book are you currently reading? 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

Bath Bomb Blitz: Bombs & Balms Edition

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Bath Bomb Blitz: Bombs & Balms Edition

Hello! While Ohio’s stay at home order is still in place, I’ve been trying to do a lot of pampering at home until I can get to the salons. This means bubble baths, face masks, and (I can’t believe I’m saying this) but painting my nails with regular old nail polish. Lol, it’s a far cry from acrylics but what can ya do?!

I love a good at home pampering sesh as much as the next but, damn, am I looking forward to leaving it to the professionals! In the meantime, it’s not so bad, especially when bath time involves using wonderful treats from my friend, Annie’s, business of Bombs & Balms. Annie makes amazing bath and body care treats including the Harry Potter themed bath bomb we’re going to discuss today:

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Okay, everyone knows I am a Lush snob when it comes to bath bombs. I friggen love them and, I hate to be the one to say it, but some homemade bath bombs just aren’t good. The ones I have used in the past that weren’t from a name brand always ended up being a disappointment, which is why I was so blown away by Annie’s Death Eater inspired bath bomb.

Of course, anything Harry Potter is alright by me so we were already off to a good start. And, as soon as I dropped the bath bomb in the water it was putting in work! Before I knew it, my tub was filled with inky black water but it wasn’t over yet. I kid you not, this bath bomb fizzed for at least seven minutes, and it was still going by the time I just couldn’t wait anymore and had to get in the tub!

Annie’s bath bomb put on a great show and I fancied thinking that I could almost see the Dark Mark from Harry Potter in the water. So cool! I also loved seeing all of the green, gold, and silver glitter twinkling about for a magical touch that felt oh so Slytherin.

Annie’s bath bomb was easily of Lush quality and I would use any of her products again in a heartbeat. In fact, it was one of my favorite bath bombs that I have used in a while! Annie is currently in the process of rebranding her business to now include homemade jewelry and you can shop with her on all of the following platforms:

  • Facebook
  • Etsy: BombsAndBalms
  • Instagram: bombsandbalms

Looking for some high quality bath and body care with the perfect touch of fun? Be sure to check all of Annie’s work out today! 🙂

How have you been pampering yourself at home? Which Harry Potter house do you belong to? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Lil Red’s Book Club: Stephen King’s Doctor Sleep Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: Stephen King’s Doctor Sleep Edition

Hello! Before Ohio’s stay at home order was put in place, I took my brother to the library to get some books. I ended up picking out Doctor Sleep by Stephen King for myself and, since all of the libraries are closed, it has been sitting in my apartment this whole time. So I read it. And, let me tell you, I am so glad I did because it was EXCELLENT! Let’s get started:

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Doctor Sleep is the sequel to The Shining, which follows the infamous Jack Torrence’s son, Dan. Despite constantly being drunk, Dan still shines and every once in a while, he gets contacted by a little girl named Abra who writes on the chalkboard of his rented room. Fast forward, and Abra grows up into a preteen, Dan gets sober, and becomes a hospice orderly with the nickname of “Doctor Sleep” because he helps people who are close to death pass over.

Everything is looking good, until Abra becomes aware of a wandering group called the True Knot. The True Knot are a vampire like people who feed off of “steam” to help promote their longevity. What is steam? It’s the vapor that comes out of the children who they like to torture that are able to shine. And Abra? She shines a lot. So much so that the True Knot, lead by a beautiful viper women named Rose The Hat, picked up on her and they want her bad.

Will the True Knot continue to prosper from their evilly acquired steam? Or will Abra, Dan, and some unexpected friends along the way be able to finish them off once and for all? Read the book to find out!

Before reading Doctor Sleep, I saw the movie with my sister and boyfriend in theaters and was less than impressed. I loved the story line but, oh my god, did it drag on for what felt like forever. I believe it was just under three hours. So, I wasn’t really sure what to expect from the book because I didn’t want it to be so drawn out that it read like a dryer manual.

Thankfully, it was the movie that was flawed and not the book because it was a wild ride. There was excitement with every turn of the page of Doctor Sleep and I found myself reading it for hours on end without feeling any desire to stop. The “good guy” characters were all just so likeable and I was mentally cheering them on the whole time. As for the bad guys? They were awful. But, I’d be a liar if I didn’t say that I was eager to find out what they were going to do next.

Doctor Sleep was an amazing read and my only regret was that I didn’t start it sooner. I loved it so much that I’m even willing to give the movie another shot! I reward Doctor Sleep with the prestigious ten out of ten stars and I can’t recommend it enough if you are a Stephen King fan!

What book are you currently reading? What did you think of the movie or book of Doctor Sleep? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

April 2020 Finishes Pt. 2

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April 2020 Finishes Pt. 2

Hello! The month of April brought me so many empties that I had to break our normally scheduled discussion into two posts. Ah yes, the stay at home order has been making me go through my products like water. So much so that I had to have a major online order with Amazon to restock, so be on the look out for that later! Now, let’s wrap up April’s finishes with the rest of my reviews:

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Would I Use Again?

  • Bath & Body Works Cactus Blossom shower gel: NO
  • SkinLab Lift & Firm moisturizer: YES
  • Provence Beauty Vitamin C & Ferulic Acid serum: NO
  • SkinLab Lift & Firm serum: MAYBE
  • SkinLab Lift & Firm eye cream: YES

Why/Why Not?

B&BW Shower Gel: I received some mini B&BW products as part of a Christmas gift and I wasn’t a huge fan of the Cactus Blossom fragrance. I am not a floral scent gal in the slightest and much prefer tangy, fruity fragrances and the Cactus Blossom was just a bit too overpowering for me. I will say that I love the convenience of the B&BW travel sizes and I got at least seven full body uses from one little bottle.

SkinLab Moisturizer: I love the SkinLab products and I am sure that you all have seen this brand show up on my posts many times. At twenty-five, I figured it was time to start using skin care with more firming and lifting power and I definitely got in in the SkinLab Lift & Firm line. I have seen a noticeable difference in my skin from using it regularly for the past several months and I can’t wait to get more from Amazon soon. It took me one month to finish one jar.

Provence Beauty Serum: I purchased this serum the last fateful time that I went to TJMaxx and I was less than impressed. First of all, the dripper or whatever you call it was broken so it already wasn’t off to a good start. And, the formula of the serum was just too thin to feel effective. It was a tad thicker than the consistency of water and I like something that feels more substantial when it comes to my skin care. It took me one month to finish one bottle.

SkinLab Serum: Speaking of consistency, I like the SkinLab Lift & Firm serum but it was too thick! Where is my Goldilocks serum that is just right?! I typically finished a bottle of the SkinLab Lift & Firm serum in under a month and that didn’t seem like the best value to me. Therefore, I began playing around with brands like Provence Beauty (But was still disappointed!). I probably wouldn’t use this serum again but I am looking forward to getting more Azure Lux serums from Amazon soon!

SkinLab Eye Cream: Despite not being a huge fan of the Lift & Firm serum by SkinLab, I love the eye cream from the same line. A little bit goes a long way and it takes me at least three months to finish one tiny jar. The sensitive skin around my eyes feels much stronger and any fine lines that were starting to crop up definitely got put in their place. I also can’t get enough of the gel like consistency – love that!

Although I had a few duds during April, all in all it was a very successful month for empties. And, as Ohio continues to follow a stay at home order, I’m sure May will be just as full of finishes too!

Which products did you use up this month? 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

Bath Bomb Blitz: Dove Milk Swirls Vanilla Raspberry Creamsicle Edition

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Bath Bomb Blitz: Dove Milk Swirls Vanilla Raspberry Creamsicle Edition

Hello! This past week, my mom gifted me with a marked down bath bomb by Dove that she got while grocery shopping. I like Dove products well enough and the Vanilla Raspberry Creamsicle scent definitely had me invested so I was looking forward to trying it. Unfortunately, I can totally see why this product was marked down after using it and it instantly fell under the “wouldn’t use again” category. Let’s discuss:

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When I think of a bath bomb that promises a “bath milk” style feature, I always think of the water looking rich and creamy – kind of like half and half, lol. I figured the raspberry hue and fragrance would offer me a really lush bath filled with delicious, light pink, moisturizing water. Instead, I was offered scuzzy lavender pond water with no change in how it felt or smelled at all.

As soon as I put the bath bomb in the water, it began to fizz and I felt hopeful that it would work how I wanted it to. Especially because it initially fizzed very quickly and the water around it was changing. Unfortunately, about halfway through placing the bath bomb in the tub, it stopped working completely and I just broke the rest apart with my hands.

The sudden halt in the bath bomb working left for murky water and a less than impressive experience. But, I should have known that it wasn’t going to be that great from the beginning. Upon taking the bath bomb out of its plastic wrap, I literally couldn’t smell the Vanilla Raspberry Creamsicle scent that I was so excited for at all. Normally, this is a tell tale sign that the bath bomb is going to be A DUD… And it was. Whomp whomp.

What is your favorite bath bomb? Which bath bomb would you not use again? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

L’Oreal Voluminous Mascara Swatch In Deep Burgundy

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L’Oreal Voluminous Mascara Swatch In Deep Burgundy

Hello! As you saw yesterday, the L’Oreal Voluminous Mascara in Cobalt Blue was a bust. And, unfortunately, the mascara sucked in Deep Burgundy, too. Whomp whomp. I can’t say that I was surprised when I gave it a shot and it wasn’t that great but it’s always disappointing to buy a product, test it out, and have it be an epic failure. But, hey, it happens and now you know what not to buy! Let’s get to it:

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Despite not being crazy about the mascara formula, at least the Cobalt Blue shade offered some hint of the color – albeit not much! And that is my main bugaboo about the Deep Burgundy hue. I was expecting something more shocking and ended up with brown lashes. I was hoping to see the deep red more clearly and it did not translate that way at all. It applied brown, it dried brown, and even in natural lighting it didn’t show any of the shade that I thought I bought.

And, of course, it must be said again that the formula for this mascara is far from impressive. My lashes looked stumpy while wearing this product and I can’t deal with that. Lol, the mascara clumped and it stumped and it just wasn’t a good look all around. This begs the question of “what’s the point” because this mascara did the polar opposite of what it should do. No volume, no length, and not even a fun color to appease me. Huge disappointment and I wouldn’t recommend it to my worst enemy… Well, maybe. 😉

Which product have you been disappointed with recently? Which product have you been obsessed with? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

L’Oreal Voluminous Original Mascara Swatch In Cobalt Blue

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L’Oreal Voluminous Original Mascara Swatch In Cobalt Blue

Hi! My skating coach has been rocking burgundy mascara during my last few skates and I am obsessed. I love the pop of color in an unexpected place and was eager to find some of my own the next time I went makeup shopping. I wasn’t expecting to find any funky colors of mascara at the grocery store I was at but I was pleasantly surprised to see a cobalt blue and burgundy shade by L’Oreal and bought them both.

Today, we’ll be taking a closer look at the cobalt blue hue and be sure to tune in tomorrow to talk about the burgundy! Let’s get to it:

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I was really looking forward to trying the cobalt blue mascara because I thought that it would give me a more obvious color pop than the burgundy. Unfortunately, I was pretty disappointed with the results. The color was just not saturated enough for a noticeable effect and I could really only tell that the mascara was blue when I was in natural lighting.

Aside from the pigment of this mascara not being shocking enough, I am not too thrilled with the mascara in itself, either. I am so used to my big, bold, fanned out lashes from religious use of Better Than Sex mascara by Too Faced so anything less than over exaggerated lashes are going to be a no from me, dawg. And, because the cobalt pigment is so dull you can’t even layer it over top of a base coat because it will literally do nothing… Believe me, I tried.

I can’t say that I would recommend this mascara and I plan on trying something a bit more high end when self-isolation is lifted and I can actually go play in Sephora. Maybe the burgundy hue will be a bit better? Find out tomorrow!

What is the best colored mascara? How do you add funky color to your makeup looks? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Covergirl Katy Kat Eyeliner Swatch In Kitty Katdabra

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Covergirl Katy Kat Eyeliner Swatch In Kitty Katdabra

Hi! This past week, I stocked up on some fresh food at the grocery store and couldn’t resist looking at the makeup selection. I haven’t been shopping in store or online in so long and I honestly feel like I’m going through withdrawal. So, I just had to treat myself to some funky colored mascara and a glittery eyeliner from the Covergirl Katy Kat collection in Kitty Katdabra. Check it out:

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I have been running low on my Black Onyx Covergirl liner and, sadly, the store I was at didn’t have the kind I liked. I was a bit disappointed because you can’t go wrong with a solid black liner but I figured that one with a little glitter wouldn’t hurt. And, normally, Lil Red never says no to a little bling!

I was looking forward to giving this new liner a try because it looked really cute. Unfortunately, it just doesn’t apply as harshly as I would like. I was hoping for something deeper with a sprinkling of midnight stars but the base color applied in an almost grey fashion and I don’t love it. I plan on using this color simply because I have it now and I’m not going to return it but I won’t be buying it again in the future.

How do you add some sparkle to your makeup looks? What is your go to brand of eyeliner? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Miracle Skin Care Product: Clean & Clear Persa-gel 10 Edition

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Miracle Skin Care Product: Clean & Clear Persa-gel 10 Edition

Hello! As all of you know, Lil Red takes her skin care seriously. So, I’m sure you can understand how I would be frustrated when I was dealing with a cystic pimple that literally would not go away. No joke, I have been trying to get rid of this thing since September and used every face mask and cleanser you could think of to no avail. Sometimes the swelling would go down but, for the most part, the progress in eliminating it completely was stagnant.

That’s why I am absolutely thrilled with the Clean & Clear Persa-gel 10. After looking up the best treatments for cystic acne, I realized that this product with ten percent benzoyl peroxide was the way to go and the internet definitely wasn’t lying:

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Within two weeks of at least two to three uses per day, the Clean & Clear Persa-gel 10 has made the cystic pimple that I have been struggling with nonexistent. Of course, it has dried out my skin but that is a side effect that I am willing to deal with to finally conquer the problem.

I legitimately have never gotten so much as a pimple before so having one that just wouldn’t go away was a huge blow to my self esteem and I wish that I would have discovered the Persa-gel sooner. I am so thankful to have a blemish free face and plan on using the gel until I can’t feel the bump under my skin anymore. But, for now, the noticeable portion of the problem is gone and I could not be happier.

If you have a tough blemish, then I can’t recommend the Clean & Clear Persa-gel 10 enough and will continue to keep a tube handy at all times for emergencies!

What is one of your favorite miracle beauty products? How do you keep a clear complexion? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Face Mask Festivities: Freeman Watermelon & Aloe Cooling Gel Mask Edition

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Face Mask Festivities: Freeman Watermelon & Aloe Cooling Gel Mask Edition

Hello! Every once in a while I like to treat myself to a new face mask to indulge in during my weekly night of pampering. I never spend too much money on them and, whether I liked the mask or not, I still tried something new and I love testing out different skin care products. At Five Below, they have a wonderful selection of Freeman face masks and I believe I paid four dollars for one of them. You definitely can’t beat that and I ended up purchasing a Watermelon & Aloe Cooling Gel Mask. Read on to find out more:

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I have never been too keen on gel face masks unless they are to be applied before going to bed. But, the Watermelon & Aloe Cooling Gel Mask just seemed way too refreshing to pass up. Not only will something like that feel good after a hot summer day but it will also help soothe my dry skin, compliments of surviving another Ohio winter. So, into the cart it went and I was looking forward to giving it a try.

First of all, this mask smelled amazing. It smelled exactly like the Watermelon Lip Smackers and it instantly perked me up when I took a whiff before my morning shower. The mask also felt cool to the touch immediately once it was squeezed on my hand and, as I applied it on my face and neck I was invigorated by the tingling, cooling sensation that I felt on my skin.

After washing it off in the shower, my skin definitely felt smoother and not as tight in the patches that are experiencing dryness. I was surprised at how well this face mask worked and I daresay that I like it better than the Freeman clay masks that I have tried. This mask didn’t promise miracles on its packaging but everything that it did have was 150% accurate and I can’t wait to use it again!

What is your favorite face mask? How about your favorite Freeman face mask? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah