Tag Archives: sephora

Jul11

Selena Gomez Rare Beauty Palette Swatches (Elevate & Trust)

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Selena Gomez Rare Beauty Palette Swatches (Elevate & Trust)

Hello! Today we are going to conclude our swatches for my new palette by Selena Gomez called Rare Beauty. I am so pleased with this purchase – everything from the colors and quality to the packaging and price (A mere twenty-five dollars!) made this the perfect beginner palette for me. I am not a huge makeup gal and didn’t want a palette with an overwhelming amount of colors. However, a little variety would be nice and I found it with Rare Beauty. Check out my final swatches and tune in tomorrow to see my turquoise and orange acrylics!

^^^ The silver eyeshadow is called Elevate, which makes the pink one Trust!

Originally, I thought I was going to really like the silver shade in Elevate because I assumed that it was going to be a pure silver metallic. Swatching it was an entirely different story, though, as it appeared very yellow on my skin. Because of this, I can’t see myself wearing just Elevate as an eyeshadow. But this is not to say that I won’t use it! I plan on applying Elevate to my tear duct and waterline for a little extra sparkle. I actually used to do this all the time with a similar shade but never repurchased it once I ran out so Elevate will work just fine.

Upon first sight of Trust, I also felt like I was going to love it and my instincts were right! The metallic watermelon pink is oh so sweet and I think it is an ideal summer eyeshadow shade. While I wasn’t crazy about Elevate, I thought it looked awesome paired with Trust. This palette purchase is all about being able to experiment and I can definitely see myself attempting a combination of the two in the future. Will it look good? Maybe. But I’ll never know if I don’t try!

Despite a few misses in terms of color (And that is just my opinion!), I still highly recommend the Rare Beauty palette by Selena Gomez. It will not break your bank and will give you the opportunity to play around with the different shades as they all pair well together, for the most part. The quality and pigment of these colors for the price is excellent too!

What is your favorite eyeshadow palette? How do you learn different makeup techniques? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul10

Selena Gomez Rare Beauty Palette Swatches (Gutsy & Strong)

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Selena Gomez Rare Beauty Palette Swatches (Gutsy & Strong)

Hello! During my recent Sephora Haul, I purchased my first eyeshadow palettes. Today, we are going to continue discussing Selena Gomez’s Rare Beauty palette with swatches in Gutsy and Strong and will finish up with the remaining two shades tomorrow. Be sure to keep it posted because there are still many a swatches to come from the Le Macaron palette by Violet Voss too! Now, let’s get to it:

^^^ The bronze shade is called Gutsy, which makes the gold one Strong!

As you all know, Lil Red loves a gold metallic eyeshadow and it is the main color that I use in my three shade rotation lol. I have been running low on my gold eyeshadow from The Body Shop so it was a must for whichever palette I chose to have a gold option that I could get behind. Don’t tell TBS, but I think I like Selena Gomez’s gold more! When I use eyeshadow, I apply it wet to get a deeper pigment. It simply blows my mind that the Rare Beauty shadows provide such a high quality of color with a mere swipe of my finger – no water needed.

Ever since I began experimenting with makeup as a teenager, I have always liked metallic eyeshadows the best. Metallic hues offer a great pop of color and you don’t have to do much to make it look good, either, which makes it the perfect choice for me. So, of course, I am loving the bronze shade in Gutsy too. I haven’t worn bronze eyeshadow in a while because the ones I have in my makeup collection are ancient so I know I am going to get a lot of use out of Gutsy, as well.

Purchasing the Rare Beauty palette by Selena Gomez was an easy decision to make as it has some of my Old Faithful shades and new favorites too. I absolutely adore the chartreuse shadow and am happy to have higher quality gold and bronze hues. Tune in tomorrow for the conclusion of the Rare Beauty palette with swatches in the silver and pink (Elevate and Trust)!

What is your favorite color from this palette? What is your go to eyeshadow shade? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul9

Selena Gomez Rare Beauty Palette Swatches (Boost & Will-Power)

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Selena Gomez Rare Beauty Palette Swatches (Boost & Will-Power)

Hi! Ever since getting my makeup professionally done for my wedding, I have become more interested in experimenting with makeup. Shocking, I know, considering all I do is alternate between three different eyeshadow colors lol! I have never bought an eyeshadow palette before and, at twenty-seven years old, it’s better late than never. While online shopping with Sephora, I purchased two eyeshadow palettes in lovely metallic hues: Le Macaron by Violet Voss and Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez.

The Rare Beauty palette boasts six beautiful and highly pigmented shades and we are going to be discussing two per day, starting with Boost and Will-Power. Check it out:

^^^ The chartreuse eyeshadow is called Boost, which makes the sparkling sapphire Will-Power.

While browsing through the palettes on Sephora’s website, I was immediately attracted to the Boost color. I absolutely love to wear green and now that my convertible hair has cooler undertones, I thought that the chartreuse shade would look striking. When my hair had ultra warm undertones, I could never get away with a color so light as it would wash me out!

I can’t say that I have ever worn blue eyeshadow before and, to be honest, I don’t plan on using the Will-Power shade often, if at all. It is just a bit too loud for my liking. However, Boost and Will-Power together make for the ultimate mermaid combination which might be fun to try. This palette purchase was all about experimenting, after all.

The Rare Beauty palette by Selena Gomez seemed like the perfect one to try for a beginner. Most of the colors would pair well together, eliminating the guess work out of finding the best combination. This palette was very reasonably priced at twenty-five dollars, which made me a bit nervous for the quality. I am glad I took the risk, though, because these shades are incredibly pigmented. I hardly needed any eyeshadow to make the swatches on my hand and the texture was rich and creamy, providing for easy application.

Although we are only two swatches into the Rare Beauty palette, I can already say that I completely recommend it. I know that I will be using each color but Will-Power and that makes the purchase well worth it. Tune back in tomorrow for more swatches in Gutsy and Strong!

What is your favorite eyeshadow palette? How do you learn new makeup application techniques? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul8

LANEIGE Birthday Gift From Sephora

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LANEIGE Birthday Gift From Sephora

Hello! I celebrated my 27th birthday on June 7th, got married on June 4th, and celebrated my husband’s birthday on June 1st. Needless to say, it was a whirlwind of a month! So much so, that I completely forgot about cashing in on birthday freebies from various stores and rewards programs. Thankfully, I remembered my Sephora birthday gift right in the nick of time and was really impressed by their different gift options. In my opinion, the choices were much better than last year! 

If you are a member of the Beauty Insider program at Sephora, you could select from a LANEIGE skin care set, a lip balm and bronzer by NARS, hair care from MOROCCANOIL, or two Rare Beauty lipsticks by Selena Gomez. For my freebie, I picked the LANEIGE skin care set because I have always wanted to try their products. TJMaxx usually has their skin care in store and online but I can never justify the fifteen dollar price tag for something that I might not like. Sephora’s birthday gift will allow me to test them out free of charge! Check it out:

While I love a good sleeping mask and moisturizer as much as the next person, I am most excited to try the Lip Sleeping Mask in Berry. While I haven’t used it yet, it smells amazing and has the prettiest ballet slipper pink hue. I am a member of a lot of rewards programs and Sephora definitely takes the cake for the best birthday gift. I also like that Sephora offers a freebie option for each beauty category: makeup, skin care, hair care, and occasionally perfume. And, of course, it’s nice that you don’t have to make a purchase to receive your gift.

I have discovered many a favorite product thanks to Sephora freebies and I have a feeling that I am going to fall in love with my goodies by LANEIGE!

Which birthday gift from Sephora did you select? What are your thoughts on LANEIGE 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

 

Jul7

Sephora Haul

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Sephora Haul

Hi! During my birth month of June, I love taking advantage of all of the free birthday gifts from the various rewards programs that I am signed up for. Between mine and Johnny’s double birthdays and our wedding this past month, I had all but forgotten about getting my freebie on until it was almost too late. While I missed out on the day of my birthday freebies, I placed an order with Sephora just in time to receive my gift from them.

I was in desperate need of more Better Than Sex mascara and I also bought two eyeshadow palettes to play around with. The palettes are absolutely fabulous so be on the look out for swatches soon! Equally as fabulous, is the fact that I also got five free items with this order. 😀 Check out my Sephora Haul:

The Haul:

  • 2 Better Than Sex mascaras by Too Faced
  • Le Macaron palette by Violet Voss
  • Rare Beauty palette by Selena Gomez
  • LANEIGE birthday gift set (FREE!)
  • Innisfree Pore Clearing Clay Mask (FREE!)
  • GlamGlow BrightMud exfoliating treatment (FREE!)
  • Volition Snow Mushroom Water Serum sample (FREE!)
  • Korres Pomegranate Resurfacing Mask sample (FREE!)

It took me a while to get hip to Sephora and I could never justify buying anything from there while shopping in store because they never have any promotions. Online shopping, however, is a totally different story! Sephora offers free shipping with purchases over fifty dollars, two free samples per order, and promotional freebies with purchases over twenty-five dollars. I don’t order with Sephora very often but I make the most of it whenever I do, as you can see!

Multiple free items per order make me feel like I am getting way more bang for my buck and I cannot wait to pamper myself with all of my new face masks. I am also very excited to test out my new palettes. After getting my makeup done professionally for my wedding, it inspired me to be more adventurous with my makeup. It will be fun to try colors that are way different than the three that I alternate between (lol) and I know my sister will be proud because she always makes fun of me for that. 😀

Tomorrow, we are going to take a closer look at the LANEIGE birthday gift with three test size products. Then, it will be onto Face Mask Festivities and eyeshadow swatches galore! Keep it posted. ❤

Which store offers the best online promotions or rewards programs? 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

 

Aug7

Museum Of Ice Cream X Sephora Fake Eyelashes Review

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Museum Of Ice Cream X Sephora Fake Eyelashes Review

Hi! As you saw from my last OOTD on lifewithlilred, I was sporting some pretty funky fake eyelashes. In case you haven’t seen it, take a look at some pics and let’s discuss:

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I purchased the Museum Of Ice Cream X Sephora lashes during my last online Sephora haul and considered them a steal for only seven bucks. So much so, in fact, that I ordered two sets! I have never been a fake eyelashes girl and have always preferred heavily applying my Better Than Sex mascara. However, that all changed last year when I rocked some crazy red lashes for Halloween and I realized that fake lashes were AWESOME!

Before experimenting with fake lashes, I had always assumed that I would have a difficult time putting them on. Happily, I found that wasn’t the case and when I wear fake lashes they last all day. I will say that the MOIC lashes were a bit harder to apply than your traditional fake lashes because there were tufts of feathers on the lash line, which is where your lash glue goes.

Speaking of lash glue, just know if you purchase this set for yourself that it comes without glue. SO I had to apply these huge ass heavy lashes with Dollar Tree lash glue. I had to use a lot and some of it did get in the feathers but that was just unavoidable. I had a few problems with the inner corner lifting so I would put lash glue on a Q Tip and pat the area until they decided to stick around for awhile.

After the initial application process and minor issues, the MOIC lashes stayed on until I removed them around nine thirty at night! Color me impressed. These lashes were rather heavy, which definitely took some getting used to but it’s not like they were ever uncomfortable. And, I loved how they looked!

I would not wear these lashes on the daily but they are such a fun way to spice up my same old same old makeup routine. Not only did they look fabulous in my pictures but they were a unique and cheap purchase that I am really pleased with. Highly recommend!

Where do you purchase funky fake lashes? How do you rock unique makeup? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug2

In Summer, We Wear Black OOTD

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In Summer, We Wear Black OOTD

Howdy! Something I really miss doing while I continue to keep my distance amidst the coronavirus pandemic is having photo shoots for lifewithlilred. I loved doing my makeup, styling the perfect outfit, and feeling like America’s Next Top Model for the day. This past month, I felt comfortable enough to schedule a social distance photo shoot with my usual photographer. But, unfortunately, he had to cancel due to a COVID case at his work (All has since been resolved!).

After that, I decided that I would have my mom take my pictures for me over the weekend – just like she used to when lifewithlilred first started! Now, sweet JANE has no photography experience at all but, unlike my dad, she knows how to take pictures on my iPod. This makes it very easy for me because I can set up the shot, have her stand exactly where I want her to, and she can snap away.

After ten or so shots, I usually take a look at what we have, evaluate what I liked and didn’t like, and then continue the process until I’m satisfied. JANE was a rock star, as per ushe, and I was very happy with the following shots for this All Black Everything OOTD:

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Who? What? Wear?

Nine times out of ten in the summertime, you can find me posted up in my normal uniform of all black. Ten times out of ten, you will hear me complaining about how hot it is. Be that as it may, I never “outgrew” my emo phase. It has turned into a lifestyle at this point so I can’t just stop dressing in a way that I’m almost always prepared for a funeral for a little thing like the sun, lol. Besides, the feathery fake lashes I was rocking were enough of a neon pop to make up for the, otherwise, bleak color palette.

I have become a huge fan of fake eyelashes lately and when I saw the funky pair I’m sporting in the pics while online shopping Sephora, I couldn’t pass them up. I knew that I wanted them to make a major statement in my pictures because they are so unique, so my all black OOTD only enhanced it. It also made the beautiful flowers in my dad’s garden pop, which was another goal I had in mind when preparing this shoot.

When it comes to my personal style, I love having a lot of essential pieces that have an extra something to them. The skort is such a fun take on traditional shorts and they also give the illusion of a romper when styled properly (Which is great for me because I look awful in real rompers!). With a playsuit vibe in mind, I opted for one of my favorite tops to wear tucked in and the end result was an, in my opinion, more modern take on an actual romper or shorts and T-shirt combo.

After the initial outfit was styled, it was all about accessories. I chose one of my smaller brimmed hats for this shoot because I didn’t want a huge floppy one taking away from the eyelashes. Wearing Johnny’s sunglasses was another easy choice because they’re relatively plain and it definitely popped nicely against the black.

Bat wing embellished platforms helped complete this chic goth in the sun OOTD. In fact, I know they did because one of the neighborhood kids said they looked vampire-y. Great success! And, finally, I am extra enough to carry a parasol. Enough said.

I am not exaggerating when I say to you all that I felt like a million bucks in these pictures. It was a hot day but my outfit kept me nice and cool and I felt freaking sexy in it. Lol, since coronavirus, I have not put the most effort into my personal appearance and it felt amazing to both feel and look good. I definitely spammed Facebook with pictures of myself but, damn, I couldn’t help it! Your girl was feeling herself!!

This wasn’t exactly the fancy shmancy photo shoot that I had in mind but it was easily one of my favorites. I loved being able to spend time with my mom and I got a HUGE boost of self-confidence. Some new content on the blog is nothing to sneeze at, either. 😉 Keep it posted for more pics this week!

When do you feel confident? Which color do you wear the most often? 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

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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:

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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

Jun29

June 2020 Finishes Pt. 1

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June 2020 Finishes Pt. 1

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:

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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

Jun25

Face Mask Festivities: Sephora’s The Bubble Mask Edition

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Face Mask Festivities: Sephora’s The Bubble Mask Edition

Hi! There is nothing that Lil Red loves more than when I can apply a face mask during my free time in the evening. During my last Sephora haul, I purchased a bubble sheet mask to help me get over the fifty dollar free shipping threshold. The baby blue packaging and the description all looked and sounded so nice and I am happy I bought it because it WAS nice! Take a look at some pics and let’s discuss:

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Alright, let’s start off this post by saying that sheet face masks are, admittedly, extremely creepy. The creepier part? I had the intention of putting this face mask on all day and was looking forward to it at work. So, naturally, I had to apply the mask anyways while my boyfriend and I were watching Hannibal. There is something about wearing a sheet mask while watching a show about Hannibal Lector that seems so wrong and we were in stitches when I walked out of the bathroom with the mask on my face. But, hey, limited free time means pampering oneself while… one can? Lol!

Despite feeling like a total CREEPER, Sephora’s Bubble Mask was amazing! As soon as I put it on, I could feel the bubbling effect begin to take place. And, within minutes, my face was being treated with luscious, sudsy bubbles popping and fizzing away. This mask was refreshing and it was so cool to feel it actually working instead of just sitting there like a clay mask.

My only qualm with this product is that the sheet mask was SO saturated with the treatment that it would slide down my face. This was not great because the liquid would get in my eyes and it burned. In fact, I couldn’t even leave the mask on for the full fifteen minutes, as much as I would have liked to, because it hurt too bad. Had this not been a problem, I honestly would have rated this mask with a ten out of ten.

Although there was the problem with the eye irritation, I cannot even tell you how shocked I was with the results once I removed the mask. My skin looked SO fresh, it was almost as if I spent all day getting beauty sleep instead of working. It looked radiant and bright and I definitely plan on purchasing it again if I need a little extra something to get me free shipping when I shop online with Sephora. But, next time? No watching Hannibal during my relaxation time! 😀

Do you prefer sheet or traditional face masks? What is your favorite face mask? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah