Tag Archives: september

Sep30

September 2022 Finishes

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September 2022 Finishes

Hello everyone!! It’s the end of the month and you all know what that means… It’s time to discuss all of the beauty products that I finished up! September was a wildly successful month for empties and I used up lots of products that I would happily use again. One serum in particular really blew my mind and I NEED more. Today, we’ll be talking about the new to me finishes so you can peep previous reviews in other posts. Now, let’s get to it:

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Would I Use Again?

Why/Why Not?

Pearlessence Serum: I decided to take a break from Vitamin C serums for a spell and moved onto my current obsession of hyaluronic acid. When I saw the Dewy Glow serum at TJMaxx during a previous haul, I couldn’t not try it and I was in love with the very pleasing color of the bottle lol. I am SO glad that I did because this serum is AMAZING! It promised a “dewy glow” and it delivered a thousandfold. After just one use, I was blown away by how fresh my skin looked and felt and it stayed that way all day. After the month it took me to finish it, my skin looked brighter and felt softer. It also paired so well with the Pearlessence moisturizer that I tried. Highly recommend!

Vital Beauty Eye Gel: The Vital Beauty Cooling Eye Gel was another TJs purchase and it was a great value. It costed about six dollars and it took me roughly four months to finish it with morning and night use. I’m happy that I bought two of them because this product was another winner. A little of it went such a long way and I was so impressed by how untired it made me look. I have been perpetually exhausted for the past month and a half but it definitely didn’t show! The delicate skin around my eyes felt healthy and strong and always looked like I got excellent beauty sleep even though that was far from the case. Loved it!

Pearlessence Gel Moisturizer: As you all know, I freaking love me a gel moisturizer. I think that they are so refreshing and love how quickly it absorbs as well as the non-greasy feeling. The Pearlessence moisturizer was really nice and Johnny liked it too for his chronically dry forehead lol. This product was so light but effective and the double dose of hyaluronic acid from the serum made a noticeable difference. I feel like my skin has never looked better or more perfectly moisturized thanks to this pairing. It took me a month of twice daily use to finish one jar.

As you can see, September was a wonderful month for finishes. I found a new favorite skin care brand and used up products that I have been working on for a while. You can’t beat that and do check out Pearlessence next time you need to restock your skin care… I think you’ll like it!

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

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Oct1

Bath & Body Works September Freebie

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Bath & Body Works September Freebie

Hello! This past weekend, I had a much needed girl’s day at the mall with my friend Danielle to scope out new clothes for fall. I got there early because I needed to pick up a few quick odds and ends including a freebie from Bath & Body Works. This month, they really upped their freebie game with an $8.50 limit so it included hand creams and body sprays!

Thanks to shopping B&BW’s semi annual sales as well as doing huge hand soap hauls, my beauty stock pile has been overflowing. But that doesn’t mean I can’t use more and cashed in my coupon for a body spray in one of my favorite scents, Gingham:

Johnny’s mom gifted me with a Gingham body wash during our first Christmas together two years ago and I have been a huge fan ever since. In fact, I am currently using a Gingham body wash right now compliments of another free coupon! While I usually prefer fruity scents when it comes to bath and body care, I can’t get enough of how fresh and clean Gingham smells and it reminds me of having a picnic on a slightly brisk spring day.

In all of the years that I have been receiving coupons in the mail from Bath & Body Works, they have never offered a free mini body spray before so this was a treat! Although it is about a third of the size of a full sized body spray, it is sure to last a good while because it takes me over six months to finish the full size.

Once I finish my Country Apple spray, I can’t wait to use Gingham and know that I’ll be purchasing more of it during their next big sale! 😀

What is your favorite Bath & Body Works scent? Which store offers the best deals? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep28

September 2021 Finishes

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September 2021 Finishes

Howdy! September was a super exciting time for Lil Red as I completed my 1,000 day streak of writing! It was also a hugely successful month for product empties because I got to finish up a lot of the skin and bath and body care that I had been using for a while. Some of these products were new to me too, which is always fun! Take a look at my empties and let’s discuss:

Would I Use Again?

Why/Why Not?

B&BW Body Wash: Other than apple, vanilla is one of my favorite scents and I was really eager to try Bath & Body Works interpretation of Vanilla Bean. It definitely didn’t disappoint and this is actually one of my favorite scents that I have tried from them. While I love vanilla, I hate when it is scented too strongly or too sweet. B&BW’s Vanilla Bean was nice and light and wasn’t sugary in the slightest. It took me a month and a half to finish one bottle.

Tree Of Life Serum: For some reason, Amazon has stopped selling the Eclat Vitamin C serum that I was using and I was so disappointed! The Eclat serum had an unbeatable price (seven dollars) and my skin had never looked better when I was using it. The Tree Of Life Vitamin C serum was the next cheapest alternative (ten dollars) that still had good ratings so I gave it a shot.

This serum is much thicker than the Eclat one, which is nice because you don’t need to use as much of it. Most importantly, it worked well on my skin and gives an extra boost of brightness and radiance. My main qualm with this product isn’t so much the product itself as it is with the dropper. It is so short that by the time you finish two thirds of the bottle, you have to start tipping it out into your hands because it can’t reach the rest. Annoying? Totally. Deal breaker? No.

LANEIGE Mask: I so enjoyed using the Berry Lip Sleeping Mask by LANEIGE, which you can read about more in the linked post. It took me almost four months to complete the tiny sample sized jar!

TBS Mask: The Japanese Matcha Tea Pollution Clearing Mask was, easily, one of the worst products that I have used by The Body Shop. That is really saying something because I have a deep love for most of their products. After twelve or so uses of this mask, I still didn’t notice any type of difference in my skin afterwards. Whomp Whomp.

TBS Eye Cream: On the contrary, the Vitamin E eye cream from The Body Shop is the absolute best! My favorite thing about this eye cream is that it literally lasts for forever and it took me about three months of morning and night uses to complete the tube. This eye cream makes the delicate skin around my eyes feel so moisturized and stronger too. It also does wonders in decreasing the designer bags under my eyes which isn’t so bad, either. 😀

Like I mentioned before, I finished a lot of products this September and almost all of them were a success. Here’s to pampering products for all in October!

Which products did you finish up this month? What is your favorite eye cream? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep6

Bath & Body Works September Freebie

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Bath & Body Works September Freebie

Hi! Treating myself to my favorite bath and body care is one of my favorite things to do, which is why I love shopping with Bath & Body Works. When you shop their sales or their amazing semi annual sale, you can score the best deals and I always look forward to replenishing my beauty care hoard with them. What’s more, they are constantly sending coupons in the mail for freebies and percentages off your purchase. This past week, I picked up this super handy September freebie:

Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, there is no better freebie than a pocket sized hand sanitizer! When it came to picking out which scent I wanted for my hand sani, it was important to me to find one with a fairly neutral scent. The last hand sanitizer by B&BW that I picked out years ago was a fall fragrance but it was so overly pungent that I never wanted to use it. While there were more exciting scents to choose from, I ended up with Be A Good Human, which is a simple citrus fragrance.

This pocket sized hand sanitizer is ideal for being on the go since it fits so comfortably on your person or in your purse. Although it was an inexpensive freebie, I was so happy with it and thought that it was a great idea on B&BW’s part. I will definitely be using my Be A Good Human sanitizer often and plan on purchasing it again once I run out!

What is your favorite Bath & Body Works scent? Which store offers the best freebies and promotions? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep1

Our Two Year Anniversary!

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Our Two Year Anniversary!

Hello!!! Today is a special, happy day because it is mine and Johnny’s two year anniversary of couplehood! We are also fast approaching three months of being married. 🙂 Two years ago today, Johnny and I made our relationship “Facebook official” and we have been together almost every day since. It has been the best adventure of my life and every day I am excited for what is in store for us next. In these next few weeks, I predict it will be lots of LEGO building thanks to our anniversary gifts! 😀

Now, let’s go down memory lane with some of my favorite pictures of us:

^^^ I could go on forever!

Although Johnny and I agree that being married doesn’t feel any different than our relationship felt before, we both freaking love being married! We truly have never left the “honeymoon phase” from when we first started dating and it makes each moment spent with him special. In fact, I still get butterflies whenever I see him and it is the best thing to come home to him every day after work.

While I love our date days more than I can say, my favorite times are spent in our apartment enjoying each other’s company. There is nothing better than sitting down with him after cooking dinner, tuning into our “programs”, and spending the evening talking and laughing. And, believe you me, we never are hurting for things to laugh about because we could bring up a quote from a show that we watched when we first started dating and are instantly in stitches… Much to everyone else’s annoyance! 😀

Being married to Johnny makes every day a good one and I never take that for granted. It always feels like a sunshiney day with him no matter what weather Ohio serves to us in the given hour lol! Here’s to our permanent honeymoon phase and a lifetime of happiness. ❤

Are you celebrating anything special this month? What are you looking forward to? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep27

September 2020 Finishes

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September 2020 Finishes

Hi! So it’s already the end of September, which is mind blowing to me. I know all of you think I’m crazy for starting Christmas shopping so early but, damn, the countdown feels on now! We’re coming in hot to 2021 and all I can hope with each passing month is that things get a little better, lol.

Because times are so stressful, it is very important to me to continue doing all of the things I love to pamper myself. I revel in my bubble baths and face masks and still stick to a strict skin care regimen. These empties are the fruits of my labor to keep me from going insane and I’d say they served their purpose well. Check it out:

Would I Use Again?

  • Bath & Body Works Champagne Apple & Honey shower gel: YES
  • SkinLab Lift & Firm moisturizer: YES
  • Azure Lux Rose Gold serum: YES
  • Azure Lux 24K Gold serum: YES

As you can see, these are my “usual” finishes for the month and you can read more about them by clicking the link. For more of the best beauty on lifewithlilred, how about checking out the following?

It’s easy to feel down and out about everything from COVID to the election and all of the craziness of daily life. It’s also easy to take some time just for you to help sooth your nerves and relax. Soak your feet, paint your nails, or get dressed up for the first time in forever. Or maybe use up that bubble bath that has just been taking up space so you can have some empties too. 🙂

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

Sep30

September 2019 Finishes

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September 2019 Finishes

Howdy! We’ve reached the end of another wonderful month here on lifewithlilred and that means it’s time to discuss my monthly empties. I used up some really good stuff this past month. Stuff that I’ve been using for forever, stuff that took me a short amount of time to finish, and just stuff in general! So take a look and let’s get to it:

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Would I Use Again:

  • Softsoap Citrus Splash & Berry Fusion body wash: YES
  • Yes To Cotton micellar water: NO
  • IGK Mistress leave in conditioner: YES
  • Clinicals Anti-Aging Vitamin C facial oil: YES

Why/Why Not:

Softsoap Body Wash: As you all know, I am a huge Softsoap fan. The brand is cheap as can be but all of their body washes smell amazing, they lather well, and are always so damn invigorating during my morning shower. The little moisture beads are a nice touch, too! It takes me one month to use one bottle which includes daily use and a weekly bubble bath and at three bucks and change, I can definitely swing that.

Yes To Micellar Water: My mom got this bottle of micellar water for me on sale and I was very unimpressed. I used up the bottle in a month because I wasn’t going to not finish it but I was happy to have been done! It just didn’t make my skin feel as fresh and clean as the Garnier micellar water and it was also not the best at removing all traces of makeup. I’m sure it’s significantly cheaper than the Garnier brand but I have a rule of thumb of not skimping on the good stuff when it comes to my skin care!

IGK Leave In Conditioner: I absolutely love this product by IGK! I have been using it for the past year or so and I honestly don’t think that I could live without it. The Mistress leave in conditioner smells so good, it smooths out all of my frizz, it makes my hair shiny, and it protects my locks from the heat. Does your leave in conditioner do that? Although the price is steep at twenty-nine bucks a tube, it takes me over six months to finish it up and, with all of that in mind, it is worth every penny.

Clinicals Serum: What I love about skin care products with Vitamin C in it is that I can always see noticeable results from it. My skin glows and is radiant without having to break the bank on an expensive treatment. I really enjoyed using the Vitamin C serum by Clinicals. It sat well under makeup and I loved how my skin looked and felt after each use. My only qualm with this product is that the serum was in a spray bottle, which I didn’t like because I felt like I had to use a ton of it to get full coverage on my face and neck. Despite that, it still took me one month to use up the bottle.

With a seventy-five percent success rate, I’d say I did pretty good with my empties for the month of September! I would recommend all of the products that I liked above but definitely stay clear of the Yes To Cotton micellar water!

Which products did you use up this month? What were 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

Sep16

September 2019 Funky Time Jams

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September 2019 Funky Time Jams

Hello everyone! September is always a happy month for me because I know that fall is just around the corner and that means my favorite season will commence. It is also when my family normally takes our annual vacation, which all of you will be reading the highlights of very soon! So, this month’s funky time jams is all about my go to road trip music because my dad refuses to fly anywhere, lol. Take a listen:

^^^ And, as always, I have no rights to these songs or videos!

When it comes to road trip music for me, it is all about the songs that I can sing along to. These are the ones that entertain me the most and help the time seem to go faster during grueling double digit hours of driving. I have been on a HUGE girl power kick lately with a lot of Christina Aguilera, Rihanna, Madonna, Lizzo, and, of course, none other than Britney Spears. Nothing makes a drive more fun than dancing along to your favorite girl power anthems that make you feel like a strong, independent woman who don’t need NO man!

Road trips also give me time to revisit old favorites, which usually includes listening to every album by The White Stripes ever as well as U2, Modest Mouse, Wolf Parade, Arcade Fire, and Los Campesinos. It’s so easy to get lost in a marathon of some of your tried and true go to’s and, before you know it, another hour has passed by. 😀

What is your favorite road trip music? What is your preferred method of travel? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep25

September 2018 Finishes

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September 2018 Finishes

Hello everyone and happy Tuesday! With September nearing an end, it is time to discuss all of my empties from the past month. There are actually quite a few of them this time around, so let’s get to it:

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Would I Use Again?

  • Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water: YES
  • Kind Natured Shea & Macadamia scrub: NO
  • St. Ives Coconut & Coffee scrub: YES
  • The Body Shop Strawberry shower gel: YES
  • Garnier Micellar Foaming Gel Cleanser: NO
  • Aveeno Ultra Calming Gel Cleanser: NO
  • Vital C Vitamin C serum: YES
  • The Body Shop Vitamin E mask: YES

Why/Why Not?

Garnier Micellar Water: Although I am not the biggest fan of micellar water, I will say that it is much cheaper than eye makeup remover and, for that, I will continue to use it. At six dollars a bottle and about a month and a half of use per purchase, I feel like I am getting an excellent value for my money. The micellar water also makes a great toner and I like to clean my piercings with it, so I will definitely keep this product around.

Kind Natured Scrub: It’s funny, because I have never gotten a smoother shave than with this scrub. It also left my legs feeling amazingly soft without using any lotion. BUT, this product was so hard to squeeze out of the bottle. In fact, a lot of product is still in there, but I can’t get it out. So, it is not a good value, even though it worked well and I will not be using it again.

St. Ives Scrub: I loved using the St. Ives Coconut & Coffee scrub every morning! It smelled delicious, it was tough on blackheads, and it was totally invigorating. I got a little over a month’s use out of one four dollar bottle and I enjoyed using it daily.

TBS Shower Gel: I always like using shower gels from The Body Shop, because they lather so well. The insane amount of bubbles makes me feel extra clean and the strawberry scent is so sweet and yummy. I got a month and a half’s use out of this bottle and it was a Christmas gift, so I’m happy I finally got around to using it!

Garnier Gel Cleanser: This mini cleanser came for free with a purchase of a bottle of micellar water, and I was so not impressed. It didn’t remove my makeup whatsoever, it didn’t lather well, and my face felt tight after each use. I wouldn’t recommend this product and would never consider buying it in full size, no matter how good of a sale there is! 😡

Aveeno Gel Cleanser: I got this mini cleanser from a Walgreen’s freebie bag and enjoyed using it more than the Garnier cleanser. This cleanser removed my makeup well and it lathered nicely. But, a lot of cleansers do that and I can get one for a lot cheaper than Aveeno’s prices. So, it’s a no from me, dawg.

Vital C Serum: I love, love, love my Vitamin C serum! I put this on every morning before my eye cream and moisturizer and it feels divine. It absorbs quickly and sits well under my makeup, and I love knowing that I’m using a product that will keep my skin glowing. One bottle of serum costs me eight dollars and it takes me over two months to finish it. Much better than the double digit prices I was paying at The Body Shop for a similar product!

TBS Mask: I always enjoy using The Body Shop’s Vitamin E mask at night time, and was lucky enough to score it at TJMaxx for about five bucks. I get over twenty uses out of one jar and it always leaves my skin feeling soft, hydrated, and peaches and cream perfection in the morning. Here’s to hoping that I can find another one on the cheap at TJs soon! 😀

Although there were some no go’s for me in this month’s empties, I am happy that I got to finish them up. It always feels good to use up a freebie or a gift to maximize savings in the beauty department. A worthwhile product or no, you can’t beat that!

Have you used any of the products listed above? What were your thoughts on them? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep11

September 2018 Funky Time Jams

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September 2018 Funky Time Jams

Helloooooo! This month, I have still been enjoying listening to my iPod on shuffle when I’m driving or getting myself ready in the morning. Variety is the spice of life, as they say, so things have been quite spicy in my music world if you know what I mean! 😉 😀 Playing my music on shuffle has helped rekindle the flames of some old favorites, and I’ve discovered music that I didn’t even know was on there to begin with! Like some of the following:

(And, as always, I have no rights to these songs or videos!)

Back in the good old days when I used to work at PacSun, my fondness for all things indie and alternative increased tenfold, because that was the type of music that was played there. This little sampler playlist definitely has some favorites of mine from when I spent over four years as a retail goddess and it’s nice to know that those songs literally never get old, because they never cease to put me in a good mood!

I also had to include two of my favorite songs from the Baby Driver soundtrack on here, which is a must see if you haven’t already. My mom made me put the album on my iTunes because it’s one of her favorites, so it has been showing up when I play my music on shuffle. I am looking forward to exploring more from T.Rex and The Damned so, who knows, maybe some of their other songs will be on next month’s music post! 😀

What songs have you been listening to lately? What is your favorite movie soundtrack? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah