Tag Archives: skin care

Dec13

Face Mask Festivities: Avatara Drink Up Sheet Mask Edition

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Face Mask Festivities: Avatara Drink Up Sheet Mask Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a new edition of Face Mask Festivities! I have been diligently working through the face masks that I got during a recent Target haul and, today, we will be discussing the Drink Up sheet mask by Avatara. This sheet mask was about four dollars and it was pretty good – not the best but definitely not the worst. Take a look at some pics and let’s get to it:

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^^^ Lol, you guys know I love my sheet mask pictures! So silly smh. 😀

I decided to test this mask out after a long day at work for some much needed relaxation. I was exhausted and freaking freezing all day so I was very much looking forward to getting home, putting on my PJs, and slipping into the Avatara sheet mask. Like all sheet masks, this one was kind of a pain to put on. However, it stayed put much better than any that I have tried recently, which was nice.

As soon as I put a sheet mask on, Johnny and I are in hysterics because it just looks so funny. Then, we always end up quoting Silence Of The Lambs and laughing even more lol. For the twenty plus minutes that this sheet mask was on, we probably cracked up over ten times! It might not have been the most relaxing time while my mask sat but it certainly was one of the most humorous. 🙂

After my twenty minutes was up and the mask was off, I was pleased enough with the results. My skin felt invigorated and smooth but it was no Que Bella gel mask, that’s for sure. I can’t say that my face felt super hydrated, which was the whole point of the mask so, in that regard, it was a bit disappointing.

The Avatara Drink Up sheet mask is one that you should skip on during your next Target run. For its price, it wasn’t bad, but there are definitely better inexpensive face masks on the market to get more bang for your buck. Whomp whomppp!

How do you unwind after a day at work? What type of face mask do you prefer? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec9

Face Mask Festivities: Que Bella Recharge & Restore Gel Mask Edition

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Face Mask Festivities: Que Bella Recharge & Restore Gel Mask Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a new edition of Face Mask Festivities! Today, we are going to be discussing a gel mask by Que Bella that I definitely plan on purchasing again. I so enjoyed using this mask for a multitude of reasons and consider it a steal for four dollars. Let’s get to it:

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This Que Bella Recharge & Restore gel mask had it all. First and foremost, it was pretty! I love, love, loved the glitter and the deep purple color and even if the mask didn’t work very well, it still would have earned brownie points for that reason alone. For fifteen minutes, I felt like the weirdest looking fairy princess ever with all that sparkle! 😀

Not only was this mask obviously really visually pleasing to me but it worked great too lol. I used it when I woke up in the morning and could tell that it had caffeine in it because I felt wide awake after washing it off! My skin looked and felt rejuvenated and also tingly in the best way possible. The charcoal powder also eliminated the blackheads near my piercings which is always nice.

I wasn’t expecting much out of this mask for its price and was so pleasantly surprised by it. I would happily use it again and plan on buying other Que Bella masks on my next Target run. I highly recommend it and the masks would also make great stocking stuffers! *Hint hint* 🙂

How do you like to relax? What is your favorite drugstore product? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec8

Face Mask Festivities: BioRepublic Lip Mask Edition

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Face Mask Festivities: BioRepublic Lip Mask Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a new edition of Face Mask Festivities! Today, we are going to be discussing a lip mask by BioRepublic that I purchased during a recent Target run. I was very much looking forward to trying this mask because my lips have been SO dry since winter began. Unfortunately, though, it missed the mark big time. Let’s get to it:

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While I liked the idea of this lip mask, its execution left a lot to be desired. Like most sheet style masks, this one was a huge struggle to keep on as it was slipping and sliding off constantly. If this were a five minute mask it wouldn’t have been a huge deal, however, it was so saturated with the serum that I left it on for close to a half hour. In that time, I had to adjust the mask at least ten times. This definitely made for an annoying experience rather than relaxing.

Despite the mask refusing to stay put, I still had high hopes that my lips would feel some type of relief once I took it off. When I removed the mask, my lips felt slightly better but it wasn’t the improvement I was hoping for. In fact, when I woke up the following morning, my lips felt dryer than usual which I didn’t think was possible! WHOMP WHOMP.

At three or so dollars, this mask was cheap enough that I wasn’t disappointed by the outcome. However, that is three or so bucks that you will be saving because I do not recommend it!

What do you use for dry lips? What is your favorite type of face mask? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec6

Face Mask Haul

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Face Mask Haul

Hello! One of my favorite ways to relax in my free time is by trying out new face masks. Whether they’re good or bad, it doesn’t matter all that much to me because I’m spending some me time pampering myself. It has been a while since I had a big face mask haul so when I was at Target, I just had to pick up a variety to enjoy on those snowy nights in. Check it out:

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I don’t venture to my favorite stores very often anymore, which is so sad to me. In fact, the last time I went actual shopping at TJMaxx was months ago! So, I was surprised by the huge variety of face masks that Target had to offer. Originally, I thought that I would just purchase one or two but I ended up with six and if I didn’t contain myself, it probably would have been more like ten lol!

Since it’s winter, I picked out a couple of masks specifically to hydrate and combat dry skin, which will be most useful. And, of course, I never say no to a brightening or charcoal mask, either! While all of these masks will be fun to use, especially the glitter gel mask, I am most excited to try out the lip mask. My lips have been SO dry as of late and nothing that I do seems to help. Fingers crossed that the BioRepublic lip mask will perfect my pout so I’m not feeling like Napoleon Dynamite all winter long. 😀

Be on the lookout for lots of new Face Mask Festivities posts these next few weeks, starting off with the much anticipated lip mask!

Which products do you like for dry lips? 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

Nov28

November 2021 Finishes

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November 2021 Finishes

Hey everyone!! It’s about that time to discuss my product empties for the month because we are almost done with November! I swear, the days seem to fly by in double time during the holiday season and before we know it, we will be in 2022. This month, I finished a ton of products which included a few that I have been working on for forever and that is always exciting for me… It’s the little things lol! Let’s take a look:

Would I Use Again?

Why/Why Not?

B&BW Lotion: After what seemed like FOREVER of using the Portofino Pink Prosecco lotion, I am finally done with it! For about three months, I have been using this lotion on my hands before bed every night so it was a welcome change to switch to a new lotion that I have been loving. Of course, I always enjoy my B&BW products but I will be the first to admit that the boozy scent of this one definitely got old lol. If given the opportunity, I would use it again because I never say no to B&BW but I think a new scent will be in order during my next semi annual sale haul.

B&BW Shower Gel: Gingham from Bath & Body Works is one of my favorite scents and I finished this shower gel in two months. It was also a freebie, which is nice since it’s a full size product! This scent reminds me of a picnic on a warm spring day, which is a great thing to manifest during my morning showers in the cold winter months.

Now that I’m done with this shower gel, I have moved onto one of the bars of soap that I got when I was on vacation. While I always prefer shower gels, I love me a bar soap every once in a while so the ultra moisturizing soaps by Our Own Candle Company will do the trick for dry winter skin just fine.

Hyaluronic Acid Serum: This serum by Tree Of Life was the “dud” of the multi pack that I purchased and if it wasn’t such a darn good deal, I wouldn’t use this product again. I was looking forward to trying the Hyaluronic Acid serum out because it’s a wonderful ingredient to incorporate into your skin care routine. However, after completing a bottle with morning and night use, I noticed no difference in how my skin looked or felt. #notimpressed

Summer Fridays Mask: I got the Jet Lag face mask by Summer Fridays as a freebie during my last Sephora haul and it left a lot to be desired. I got about eight uses out of the tube and I did like the way my skin felt but I would never pay forty-five dollars for a full size of it. As a freebie, this was a nice mask to try out. However, my skin feels equally as good, if not better, when completing my normal skin care routine with mostly drugstore products.

November brought me so many finishes and I am glad for it! There is nothing better to me than completing a product that I have been using for a while and I can’t wait to see which empties I’ll have in December for our last finishes post of 2021. 😀

Which products did you use up this month? What did you think of the products above if you have used any of them? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov21

Tree Of Life Serum Multi Pack Review

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Tree Of Life Serum Multi Pack Review

Hey! A couple of months ago, I ordered a set of three Tree Of Life serums on Amazon thinking that I was getting three of their Vitamin C serums. The price equaled out to be a deal of buy two get one free and I thought that it was a steal so I ordered two sets. When my package shipped, I was surprised to see that I had actually ordered a multi pack of serums which included a bottle of Vitamin C, Retinol, and Hyaluronic Acid serum.

Today, we are going to review each serum and I’ll let you know which ones where a hit as well as what you can skip on. Let’s get to it:

From Favorite To Least:

  • Vitamin C
  • Retinol
  • Hyaluronic Acid

Vitamin C Serum:

In terms of how my skin looked and felt after using each Tree Of Life serum, the Vitamin C definitely takes the cake. Not only did my skin feel extra hydrated by this serum but it looked much brighter too. The Vitamin C serum is an amazing pick me up to use in the morning when you’re looking and feeling tired because the extra boost of radiance will fool everyone into thinking that you got a restful night’s sleep!

Retinol Serum:

I have not used many Retinol products before and from using this serum, I now know that it is a delicate dance to keep your skin hydrated. My skin felt incredibly dry after the first few uses of the Retinol serum and had lots of unsightly red patches too. For damage control, I have been using a hefty amount of moisturizer which I don’t love to do but it sure helps. While my skin might not feel the best as far as hydration goes with this product, it does feel tighter and I love that. 😀

Hyaluronic Acid Serum:

The Hyaluronic Acid serum was my least favorite of the set. What I liked about both the Vitamin C and Retinol serums is that there were noticeable differences to my skin after using them and I just didn’t see that from the Hyaluronic Acid one. My skin felt average at best with each use and this just doesn’t cut it in comparison to the other two. The Hyaluronic Acid is one that you can skip on for individual purchases but it is still a good deal in the multi pack.

While the multi pack set of Tree Of Life serums had a “not so much” product included, I will be purchasing it again because you can’t beat the price! You might not be pleased with each serum but I still recommend this set.

Where do you get the best deals on skin care? What kind of serum do you use? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov20

A La Maison Hand & Body Lotion Review

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A La Maison Hand & Body Lotion Review

Hello! Today, we are going to do a review of a hand and body lotion that my mom so sweetly surprised me with that I am fricken obsessed with. While I do love my Bath & Body Works lotion, I have never used one better than A La Maison’s so I just had to share it with all of you. To help combat dry winter skin, I can’t recommend this product enough:

I have been using this lotion for the past several nights before bed and I have never had such wonderful results before. During the winter months, my hands tend to get really red no matter how much lotion I use. Although my hands aren’t super dry, red belongs on my hair and not on my hands and it can be a bit unsightly. Within three uses of A La Maison, my hands have returned to their normal shade of pale and I was simply amazed.

I love the way that this lotion feels when applying it because it is like a cold cream and I can literally feel my hands getting hydrated as soon as I rub it in. This product absorbs so quickly and I truly don’t think that my hands have ever felt or looked better. I can’t say that I am particularly fond of the Wildflower scent because it is really powdery but that is a small price to pay for beautifully soft hands all winter long. 🙂

If you suffer from dry hands during the winter, then look no further than A La Maison. I cannot sing its praises enough and am already looking forward to buying more! 😀

What is your favorite cream or lotion? How do you combat dry skin? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov6

Face Mask Festivities: Summer Fridays Jet Lag Mask Edition

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Face Mask Festivities: Summer Fridays Jet Lag Mask Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a new edition of Face Mask Festivities! Today, we are going to discuss the Summer Fridays Jet Lag mask that I got as a freebie during my last Sephora haul. There are some things that I like about this mask and others that I don’t so let’s get to it and you can decide if it’s worth the buy or not:

I have been using this mask morning and night for the past several days and, as you can see, it is fairly thick in texture. Despite that, it applies so easily which I wasn’t expecting at all. In fact, I don’t think that I have ever used a skin care product that applies and absorbs into your skin in one go. One sweep on my face of this mask and I was done. This was definitely a novelty that I enjoyed and was pleasantly surprised by.

Although these were all good things, the buck stopped there. I expected this mask to be ultra hydrating and that just wasn’t there. After continued use, I noticed no real differences in the way my skin looked or felt. Rather, my normal skin care routine provided everything that I wanted this mask to do and more. And, at almost fifty dollars for a full sized tube, I think that I will be sticking to my drugstore brands, thank you very much.

While I love trying out new products compliments of Sephora freebies, I am always pleased to see that my cheaper brands tend to work better than anything with an expensive price tag. If you are looking for a new face mask to try, I would say to skip on the Jet Lag one by Summer Fridays. You’d be surprised at how much more bang for your buck you can get at your local drugstore or the skin care section of TJMaxx!

Have you ever used this face 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

Oct30

October 2021 Finishes

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October 2021 Finishes

Hello! Sadly, official spooky season is drawing to a close which means that it’s time to discuss my beauty finishes for the month. It also commences spooky season all year round for Johnny and I lol! Last month, we had a ton of beauty finishes to discuss while today we only have a mere three so this will be a short and sweet post. Also, make sure you tune in tomorrow to see some Halloween accessories that I purchased when Johnny and I went costume shopping. 😀 Now, lets get to it:

Would I Use Again?

Why/Why Not?

e.l.f. Eye Cream: Prior to the pandemic, I was loyal to the SkinLab products and loved their gel eye cream that I could purchase at TJMaxx. Unfortunately, my monthly TJs trips ended due to COVID and I turned to Amazon for my beauty products. I was surprised to see the gel eye cream that I would normally buy for seven dollars was selling for twenty and I couldn’t bring myself to make the purchase. So, I began searching for cheaper but effective eye creams, instead, and ended up with the Holy Hydration! cream by e.l.f..

I bought this eye cream because it received great reviews on Amazon and was only six dollars. Despite the almost five star rating, I would be a liar if I said I wasn’t a little wary of just how cheap this eye cream was which is why I was pleasantly surprised when I fell in love with it. The Holy Hydration! eye cream lasted me close to two months and in that time, I noticed that the sensitive skin around my eyes felt smoother and oh so hydrated and my designer bags were decreased too. 😀

For the price, you just can’t beat this eye cream and I highly recommend it. This just goes to show that you don’t need to spend an arm and a leg for your skin care! If you would like to read about my other finishes that have already been discussed, be sure to check out the linked posts. ❤

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

Oct16

Lil Red’s Must Have Beauty Products

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Lil Red’s Must Have Beauty Products

Hi! I consider myself to be a skin care fanatic. I have had a full fledged skin care routine since I was fifteen and I love testing out new products and revisiting old favorites. So, when my dear friend Libby over at Goddess Attainable emailed me about her upcoming post about her must have products, I just had to participate too! Today, we are going to look at some of my go to’s when it comes to skin and hair care. Let’s get to it:

IGK Mistress Hydrating Hair Balm:

I received this product in a Sephora Play! box and it became an instant staple in my beauty routine when I straighten my hair. The IGK Mistress Hydrating Hair Balm offers heat protection, decreases frizziness, and leaves my hair feeling silky smooth. The hair balm receives top marks from me because I don’t wash my hair at all and it never makes my hair oily or greasy, which is a huge necessity.

Ban Deodorant:

Who remembers Teen Spirit deodorant back in the day lol? As soon as I outgrew that sickeningly sweet deodorant, it was all about the unscented Ban roll on! Now, normally, I am a huge scent girl but I just can’t do it when it comes to deodorant. I have been using the Ban deodorant since my teens because it keeps me fresh all day long and doesn’t dry out my skin, either. Who wants dry armpits? Not me!

Bath & Body Works Lotion:

Wrapping up my nighttime skin care routine is not complete without a healthy dose of lotion afterwards. I cannot stand wearing lotion during the day time due to the texture and overpowering scents so I only wear it at night. I am currently working on the Portofino Pink Prosecco scent from Bath & Body Works, which I purchased during a semi-annual sale haul. This is one that you wouldn’t want to wear during the day, anyways, because it smells super boozy!

Garnier Micellar Water:

The Garnier Micellar Water has been a staple in my beauty hoard for the past several years. I use it as a makeup remover, toner, and clean my nose piercings with it too. I always keep several bottles handy at home and might have to restock more often! I have been trying to do Johnny’s makeup since our vacation and it has not gone very well so we have been going through a lot of micellar water. Practice makes perfect, though, and I’m confident that he’ll be rocking guyliner with the best of them soon!

Tree Of Life Vitamin C Serum:

Vitamin C serum has been an essential in my skin care routine since I was a teenager and I have just recently started using the Tree Of Life serum. I love Vitamin C serum because it makes my skin luminous and bright even on days when I feel dead tired. Both my morning and nighttime skin care routine has started with a Vitamin C serum for so long and I often wonder what my skin would look like without being such a dedicated user for over a decade.

e.l.f. Holy Hydration! Eye Cream:

More often that not, you can catch Lil Red using drugstore brands as you can see from several items on this list. I am nothing if not frugal when it comes to skin care and don’t believe in paying an arm and a leg for it. At about six dollars per jar, the e.l.f. Holy Hydration! Eye Cream is a true testament to that. This is the first time I have used this product and I plan on rebuying it again. At two months plus, I am still using the same jar. It is so gentle on the sensitive skin that it targets and I feel like my designer eye bags have decreased too. 😀

Garnier SkinActive Moisture Rescue Gel Cream:

I have been using the Garnier SkinActive moisturizers since the beginning of the pandemic and I don’t plan on stopping any time soon. You simply cannot beat the price at eight or so dollars per jar for such an effective product. The Moisture Rescue gel cream absorbs quickly, sits well under makeup, and leaves my skin feeling so nourished and soft. With twice daily use, I typically finish one jar per month which is also a great value.

Thank you so much again to Libby from Goddess Attainable for inviting me to join in on her beauty post. And, keep it posted, because we will be talking makeup must haves soon on lifewithlilred! ❤

What are some of your beauty staples? What is your favorite skin care brand? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah