Tag Archives: samples

Jun19

Huge Sephora Haul

Posted on June 19, 2020 by lifewithlilred

Hello! I don’t shop in store with Sephora often, unless I plan on purchasing new makeup. Normally, I just get everything I already know I like online because they have amazing freebie deals and free shipping with a fifty dollar purchase… Which, let’s be honest, is not hard to do!

This past online order, I really needed more of my favorite hair product: IGK’s Mistress Hair Balm and I also was in the mood to order some treats. So, I decided to scour their sale section and ended up with some darling new fake eyelashes, a face mask, a butt mask (lol!), and a whole lot of freebies. Check it out:

Okay, let’s start out by addressing the elephant in the room: THE BUTT MASK. I did not go on Sephora’s website specifically to buy this! I was literally one dollar away from free shipping and didn’t want to make a huge purchase, so I bought the mask on sale for four bucks to get me over the limit. I’d be a liar if I said I wasn’t curious and obviously I’m looking forward to using it. Since when is there a beauty product just for the booty boo?!

Anyways, I planned out this purchase to get the maximum amount of freebies, as you can see. Not only did I get my birthday freebie by Milk Makeup but I also got eleven additional samples with a twenty-five dollar purchase and two extra ones just for online shopping. It was a great deal and I have been enjoying testing out all of the high end skin care I got samples of.

It has already been established that I’m looking forward to trying my face AND butt mask but I think I am the most excited about my new eyelashes. The Museum Of Ice Cream and Sephora collab introduced the world to the most adorable, feather adorned fake eyelashes I have ever seen. Of course, there’s nowhere to flaunt them now but once I get my hair done it’s photo shoot time so be on the lookout to see a super funky and cool MOTD!

How do you get the best deals when shopping Sephora? Which beauty products do you love to treat yourself to? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar17

Mary Kay Mineral Eye Color Swatch In Moonstone

Posted on March 17, 2020 by lifewithlilred

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Mary Kay Mineral Eye Color Swatch In Moonstone

Hi! At the bridal expo my bestie and I attended they had so many damn vendors I thought we were never going to get through them all. And, of course, it wouldn’t be a bridal expo without your friendly neighborhood Mary Kay representative breathing down your throat. But, they had freebies! In their little goody bags, there was the lip gloss sample you saw yesterday and a single use eyeshadow application that we’ll look more closely at today:

Let me start off by saying, that I have never seen an eyeshadow sample like Mary Kay’s before. The makeup was protected by a thin sheet of plastic and, once peeled off, you could help yourself to the eyeshadow underneath. I thought this was so clever and it’s a great way to test a color out without committing to the purchase. And, god forbid you end up not liking the color you buy!

Having said that, this eyeshadow sucked lol. At first glance, it looks like this pretty pale yellow mixed with fairy dust. Then, on application, it just looked white with a ton of shimmer and I would never wear anything like that… Even when I was a teenager I didn’t wear anything like that! It also wiped off completely with one gentle swipe of a dry paper towel, so do with that info what you will.

Although I wouldn’t wear this as an eyeshadow, I thought it might make for a pretty highlighter. But, that’s what buying a highlighter is for! I give this Mary Kay Mineral Eye Color in Moonstone a big fat WHOMP WHOMP and I can guarantee you that you would have better luck with makeup from the dollar store.

Which brand of makeup do you find overrated? How do you rock a shimmery MOTD? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar16

Mary Kay Nourishine Plus Lip Gloss Swatch In Fancy Nancy

Posted on March 16, 2020 by lifewithlilred

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Mary Kay Nourishine Plus Lip Gloss Swatch In Fancy Nancy

Hello! My best friend, Lea, will be tying the knot in October and I am so honored to be a part of her special day as one of her bridesmaids. From a DIY wine and paint night and bridesmaid dress shopping to attending a bridal expo with Lea and her family, it feels good to bond even closer to my bestie and become friends with the rest of her wedding party.

I didn’t write about the bridal expo we attended but, I’ve gotta tell you, it was really something. Lol and by something I mean it was totally overwhelming. The IX Center in Cleveland was completely packed by vendors and brides to be and it was major sensory overload for me. But, the bagful of free goodies I ended up with from visiting the different vendors made being packed in like sardines somewhat worth it!

I walked away with a reusable tote bag full of candies, chapsticks, BBQ sauce of all things, and some makeup samples including the following by Mary Kay:

My first and only experience with Mary Kay makeup left much to be desired so I wasn’t particularly excited to try out the Nourishine Plus Lip Gloss in Fancy Nancy. However, the rose gold hue shining through the package looked pretty and I was interested in seeing it more closely.

I am not a big lip gloss girl and much prefer smooth matte lipstick over a sticky gloss any day. The Nourishine formula wasn’t “I spilled juice and forgot to clean it up” level sticky but halfway between that and a chapstick. In my opinion, it was still too much for me but it definitely applied smoother than the other glosses I’ve tried.

Despite not loving the texture, I absolutely adore the color and would be willing to try it in a lipstick, for sure. The over the top glitter gives a fresh, summery tangerine shine in the light and I think that it would look so charming for rooftop drinks with the girls come the hot weather. Would I go out of my way to order the Mary Kay brand? No. But I will definitely be keeping my eye out for something similar!

How do you feel about Mary Kay? Have you ever been part of a wedding party? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb10

Kat Von D Studded Kiss Creme Lipstick Swatch In Vampira

Posted on February 10, 2020 by lifewithlilred

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Hello everyone! Today we’re going to check out the last swatch in my makeup hand me down haul from my sister. Recently, we swatched all kinds of good stuff from L’Oreal and Revlon to Kat Von D and we will be checking out the final shade in her sample pack called Vampira in this post. Similar to the other Kat Von D colors that we looked at, I would not wear the shade Vampira. But, it actually is my favorite one of the three so take a look and let’s discuss:

Upon first inspection of the marketing and sample pod, I thought that Vampira was going to be a really dark purple. But, once swatched, I realized it was more of a mulberry with some deep red garnet thrown in for good measure. I absolutely loved the shade once I knew what it actually was and the color reminded me of the stain you get on your lips when you drink way too much red wine!

Despite appreciating the color, I would never wear Vampira. I have only tried lipstick in the purple family one time and ended up looking like a living dead girl and I am definitely not going through that again!

I consider myself an extremely edgy girl but I thought that, for the most part, each Kat Von D shade that I swatched was too bold for my liking. And I literally never say that. I felt like all of the colors were way over the top for my fairly simple makeup routine and I wouldn’t feel like myself if I was wearing one of the lippies.

I think the Kat Von D Studded Kiss collection is great for the makeup risk takers and I commend them for using such shocking shades. But, for gals like me with only a few signature lippie colors, I don’t think I would recommend the collection. The “wow” factor of each hue is just too much to feel comfortable in, no matter how fierce they are!

What is your favorite bold makeup to wear? What is the craziest color of lipstick you own? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov22

Laura Mercier Rouge Essentiel Silky Creme Lipstick Swatch In Nu Prefere

Posted on November 22, 2019 by lifewithlilred

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Laura Mercier Rouge Essentiel Silky Creme Lipstick Swatch In Nu Prefere

Hello everyone and welcome to the last swatch of the Rouge Essentiel Silky Lip Cremes by Laura Mercier. Unfortunately, I saved the worst for last, which was totally unintentional! I honestly thought that I was going to like this nude shade the best but, I daresay, I might like the orange color more than this one. Shocking, I know. Take a look at some pics and I’ll let you decide:

At first glance of Nu Prefere, I thought that I was going to like it a lot. I love a good nude lippie and this shade looked like a pretty dusty pink that I could get down with. Sadly, that just wasn’t the case. If you can recall from the last two Laura Mercier swatches, the pigment was very rich and I don’t know what went wrong with this one but it was definitely lacking in that department. What I really wanted was for the color to be as highly saturated as the others and, as you can see, it just looks like a cheap gloss rather than a lip creme.

My other qualm with this hue is the orangeness once it was applied. It has this really rusty undertone to it, which is less than flattering and a far cry from the swatch on the marketing seen above. Nu Prefere was a huge hell no for me and that’s saying a lot when I like a straight up orange shade better than a nude one! Smh.

Overall, I am unimpressed with the samples I received of Laura Mercier’s Rouge Essentiel lipsticks. The colors were not the best, the price for a full tube is outrageous, and I am confident that you could find a drugstore brand to suit you and your wallet better. Whomp whomp.

What is your favorite nude lipstick? Do you prefer neutral shades or bold colors when it comes to your lippie? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov21

Laura Mercier Rouge Essentiel Silky Creme Lipstick Swatch In Rouge Ultime

Posted on November 21, 2019 by lifewithlilred

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Laura Mercier Rouge Essentiel Silky Creme Lipstick Swatch In Rouge Ultime

Howdy! Today, we are on to our next swatch in the Laura Mercier Rouge Essentiel sample pack that I got from Sephora. This shade in the Silky Creme Lipstick is called Rouge Ultime. But, is it the ultimate red? Lil Red is a little bias because I like to think that I am. Ba dum chhhh! I’ll let you all decide for yourselves, though. Take a look and let’s discuss:

As I’ve mentioned before, I am very picky when it comes to my red lipsticks. Due to my complexion and hair color, only a pure red looks flattering on me. Anything with too blue or orange undertones just misses the mark. I’ve made the mistake before of buying lipstick shades willy nilly and that turned out to be a massive waste of money. So, sticking to my preferred brands and colors is usually what I opt for.

I’ve swatched a lot of lipsticks on my day on lifewithlilred and the Rouge Ultime hue by Laura Mercier isn’t bad! I like the poppy crimson color and, as we discussed yesterday, I really enjoy the creme texture of this lippie. My only qualm with this shade is that it might have a tad too much blue undertones to it for my liking.

Am I upset about it? Absolutely not, because one tube of the lipstick is a whopping THIRTY-TWO DOLLARS!! I will keep using my five dollar tube of NYX, thank you very much. Sephora samples are truly a double edged sword. On one end, it’s nice to be able to test new products out. But, on the other, if you fall head over heels for it, you usually end up thirty bucks in the hole!

Do you prefer high end or drugstore brands? What is a beauty item you splurge on? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov20

Laura Mercier Rouge Essentiel Silky Creme Lipstick Swatch In L’Orange

Posted on November 20, 2019 by lifewithlilred

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Laura Mercier Rouge Essentiel Silky Creme Lipstick Swatch In L’Orange

Hello!! When shopping with Sephora online, you get to pick two samples out of eight or so for free. Normally, I’ll select a perfume tester for my mom because she’s a fragrance gal and, if they’re available, lipstick sample pods for me. I am not the most adventurous when it comes to my lippie colors because I will always prefer my NYX matte red lipstick over anything else.

However, I do like swatching the shades that I get as Sephora freebies on lifewithlilred. During my last haul, I selected the Laura Mercier tester pack to share with all of you. This is the Silky Creme Lipstick in L’Orange:

I have never been an orange lipstick kind of girl. Anything with the faintest orange hue in it appears awfully clown like on me when it is paired against my red hair. This is unfortunate, because I love the idea of peach colored lips in the summertime. I think L’Orange would be a perfect summer or late spring shade but with snow falling consistently in Ohio now, the cheerful shade seems almost inappropriate while it’s so crap lousy out.

Would I be willing to try this shade out on myself? Hell no. Do I think it would be pretty on the right person? I think it would be stunning. But, orange is a really tricky shade to pull off so it would have to be done right. When paired with a simple all white ensemble and a more natural MOTD, a huge statement could be made with one small pop of color.

Now, as far as the consistency of this lippie goes – it really wasn’t bad. Shocking, I know, because Lil Red is a matte girl through and through. Despite L’Orange having a shiny luster to it, it wasn’t a glossy feel at all. It felt heavier than your standard gloss lipstick but not as much as a full on matte lippie. I could get down with this, especially in the colder months when it’s so easy for your lips to get dried out, which can become even worse with a matte lipstick.

Overall, I’m still impressed with this product so far but not in this shade. So, I’ll be looking forward to trying another hue tomorrow!

Do you prefer a matte or glossy lipstick? How do you rock a bold lip color? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov19

Face Mask Festivities: Laneige Water Sleeping Mask Edition

Posted on November 19, 2019 by lifewithlilred

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Face Mask Festivities: Laneige Water Sleeping Mask Edition

Hi! During a recent Sephora haul, I got a ton of free goodies including a sample size of a Water Sleeping Mask by Laneige. I was really excited about this face mask because I absolutely love the jelly style sleep masks – especially the Drops Of Youth and Vitamin E Sleep Masks by The Body Shop. I am always up for trying new skin care products and I look forward to testing different brands out from Sephora because I consider them to be a bit more “high end”.

Unfortunately, an expensive price tag doesn’t always mean a high quality product and the Water Sleeping Mask by Laneige left me feeling no type of way. Let’s discuss:

What I love the most about the Drops Of Youth and Vitamin E masks from The Body Shop is the sensation I get when I wake up. My skin feels so nourished and hydrated and it feels like absolute peaches and cream perfection. I just didn’t get this feeling in the morning with the Laneige mask or even when I first applied it.

I enjoyed the texture of the product because I never say no to a good jelly style moisturizer or mask and the light aquatic scent was also nice. Sadly, that was about it. Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy I got to test this product out for many reasons. 1) I didn’t have to commit to a full size jar. 2) It was free. 3) I get to write about it here. And 4) It served as a reminder that, often times, a “lower end” brand is just as good if not better than something uber expensive.

Obviously, I wouldn’t recommend this mask but it makes me highly recommend the ones I mentioned from The Body Shop even more!

Do you have a favorite face mask? What are your thoughts on the one by Laneige if you have used it? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov17

Sephora Haul

Posted on November 17, 2019 by lifewithlilred

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Hi!! Whenever I need to restock my Better Than Sex mascara by Too Faced, I always shop Sephora online to get the best deals. With free shipping with a fifty dollar purchase (Which isn’t hard to do!), two free samples, and an option for more freebies with a coupon code, it just makes sense to do – especially if you know exactly what you want. And, if I ever did want to play around with new products in store, I would definitely go home and order the goods online to bank in on all of the great promotions! 😀

This time around, I scored an amazing goodie bag filled with trial sized products to try out and I am looking forward to testing them all and sharing my findings with you. Check it out:

The Haul:

2 Better Than Sex mascaras
Laneige Water Sleeping Mask
Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream
Replica perfume
Good Genes Lactic Acid Treatment
Ouai Leave In Conditioner
Bite Beauty Lip Crayon in Glace
Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes Mascara
Laura Mercier Lipstick samples
Atelier Vanilla Incense perfume

For fifty dollars total, I got all of the products seen above and I consider that a steal. There is nothing better than getting a lot of bang for your buck and I feel like I get that every time I shop with Sephora. I also love being able to try out beauty products without having to commit to them and, who knows, maybe I will find a new favorite in the sample sizes.

I wouldn’t be a good sister or daughter if I didn’t share the wealth and have given my mom the perfume samples because she’s a fragrance gal and the Tarte mascara and Bite lippie to my sister. I already have both of those and will not be using either up any time soon. Sharing is caring and it’s nice to be able to enjoy all of this awesome stuff together. Both of those very special ladies in my life always know how to make my day with something as simple as a text message so I take every opportunity I can to treat them, too!

How do you score the best deals at Sephora? What did you get in your most recent beauty haul? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul27

AmorePacific Treatment Enzyme Peel Cleansing Powder Review

Posted on July 27, 2019 by lifewithlilred

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AmorePacific Treatment Enzyme Peel Cleansing Powder Review

Greetings! During my last Sephora haul, one of the two free samples I chose with my order was the AmorePacific Treatment Enzyme Peel Cleansing Powder. Woo, that is a mouthful! I tested this product out a few days ago and I’m not sure how to feel about it. Of course, it’s always nice to try something new. But, just one tester sample isn’t exactly enough to give you a full idea of how the product works. We’ll get into that further in a sec but, first, take a look at some pics:

My impression from reading the reviews for the peel on Sephora’s website is that it is viewed as a miracle product by its users. The reviews boasted of how well it exfoliates and that after using it, their skin was perfect. But, I have a hard time seeing how that was possible during my tester run with the powder to foam product.

After adding a few drops of water to the powder seen above, any attempt at “lathering” it onto my skin was in vain because it dried almost instantly. While some reviewers said that the peel tightened their pores, my skin was only left feeling dry and dehydrated. The name of this AmorePacific peel is all very confusing because the reviewers claim that it’s an exfoliater and not a peel. Meanwhile, I didn’t think it was much of anything!

If you have the option to sample this product with your online Sephora purchase, I wouldn’t recommend it. This exfoliater/peel/whatever it is is something that needs to be used several times before you can form an opinion on it and the amount that I was given really wasn’t enough to do anything for me. And, maybe this product is a holy grail one – but, I just wasn’t seeing it.

Has anyone used the AmorePacific peel before? What were your thoughts on it? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

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