Tag Archives: skin care

Sep27

Face Mask Festivities: Trader Joe’s Honey Hydration Edition

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Face Mask Festivities: Trader Joe’s Honey Hydration Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Face Mask Festivities! I love me some skin care from Trader Joe’s and my mom is so sweet to always pick me out a treat when her and my dad make the trip to go shopping there. Unfortunately, the closest Trader Joe’s to us is close to an hour away which is a major bummer. I would do ALL of my grocery shopping there if it wasn’t such a trek! A week or so ago, my mom got me the Honey Hydration Face Mask from Trader Joe’s and it is just as fabulous as it sounds. It has been a while since I used a good face mask and it was so nice to pamper myself! Let’s discuss:

^^^ This product is cruelty free!!

Spoiling myself with pampering is my absolute favorite form of self care. It doesn’t matter if it’s at the nail or hair salon or my own bathroom – I savor every second. After a particularly rough week, I couldn’t wait to test out the Honey Hydration mask and have been using it as often as I can since. It is fantastic! This mask isn’t particularly pungent but it has the faintest scent of honey. It also offers a honey like consistency in a gel texture that isn’t as sticky or goopy as the real thing. However, when the scent and consistency are paired together, I feel like I just rubbed a honeycomb on my face and it’s definitely not a bad thing lol. 😀

As soon as this mask is applied, you can literally feel it working and I live for that sensation. After putting it on, it transforms from gel into a bubbly foam which remains that way until washing it off ten to fifteen minutes later. I knew my skin was going to be soft once it came off but I didn’t expect it to be soft AF. With every use, my skin feels so smooth that I legit can’t stop touching my face. It looks radiant and supple and I swear I can still feel it working even after it has been removed. This is the perfect mask for any skin type but will be particularly nice for those with dry skin or to soothe after combating the winter cold. I just used it again this morning and I seriously can’t wait to use it again and again!

If you have a Trader Joe’s in your neck of the woods, I cannot recommend treating yourself to the Honey Hydration mask enough. Your skin will thank you and you can thank me later! ❤

Where is your favorite place to shop for skin care? 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

Sep6

August 2025 Finishes

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August 2025 Finishes

Howdy!! September is here and I am feeling so fabulously fall and LOVING every second of it! However, we will have to time travel a bit because we have yet to discuss my beauty finishes from August. In July, I had beaucoup empties and some were total and complete duds. This time around was a GREAT SUCCESS and I would happily use each product I completed again. Particularly one of my new favorite serums! Take a look and let’s get to it:

Would I Use Again?

Evoluderm Micellar Water: YES!!

Bath & Body Works Poppy Lotion: YES

Bath & Body Works Gingham All-American Shower Gel: YES

Precision Beauty Vitamin C + Collagen Serum: YES!!

Why/Why Not?

Evoluderm Micellar Water: As you all know, I am incredibly loyal to my preferred brand of micellar water and have been using it for years. In all of that time, I have never seen the jumbo bottles at TJMaxx before and jumped on buying a few of them. You just can’t beat seven dollars for that size when the smaller size was being sold for five! The mega bottle has lasted me over two months as opposed to one and I have another one on standby. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that TJMaxx continues to have the XL bottle available because it is a steal and the epitome on ballin’ on a budget for great skin care.

B&BW Products: The products from Bath & Body Works just make me happy and Poppy is one of my favorite older scents while Gingham All-American has stood out as a new favorite. When you think of a scent called Poppy, you think floral, but that is not what it is in the slightest. If it was, I would hate it because I am so not a flowery fragrance girl! Rather, Poppy smells like a delicious strawberry/pear combo and I simply adore it. It is soft, sweet, and packs a delightfully fruity punch. If you are a fan of berry fragrances like me, you will also love Gingham All-American which invokes the scent of a big summer fruit salad. Strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries combine to make a scent perfect for the season and, honestly, whenever you want!

Precision Beauty Serum: I have been partial to the Precision Beauty serums for the past several months and have been loving them. They are long lasting and it takes me over five weeks of twice daily use to finish a bottle. I also like that they are thicker in texture, leaving my skin feeling so nourished after each application. The Vitamin C + Collagen serum certainly delivered on its promises. My skin looked radiantly sun kissed and I could literally feel the tightening properties of the collagen and there is nothing better than actually feeling a product work. Highly recommend!

This batch of empties was small but mighty and were wonderful additions to my beauty routines. I can’t wait to see what September brings!

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

Aug11

Trader Joe’s Watermelon Lip Mask Review

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Trader Joe’s Watermelon Lip Mask Review

Howdy! I loves me a good lip mask and haven’t used one in a while. When I shop for skin care at TJMaxx, I am browsing for the core four: Micellar water, moisturizer, eye cream, and serum. Then, I’ll use a chapstick during my nighttime beauty routine to wrap things up. While lip masks are nice, they aren’t a necessity for me but are a treat. And it was the nicest treat of all that my mom picked me up a Watermelon Lip Mask from Trader Joe’s when her and my dad went on a grocery shopping trip! I have been using it for the past week and a half or so and it has been SO fabulous:

Using this lip mask is such a pleasing experience from start to finish. The color of the balm and packaging is just so pretty and as soon as you open the jar, you are greeted by the watermelon scent. If you have ever used the Watermelon Lip Smackers back in the day, then you know exactly what this lip mask smells like! It’s such a fun trip down memory lane with every use. 🙂

The lip mask from Trader Joe’s is an incredibly simple one. It offers no bells and whistles, just the promise of intense hydrating and moisturizing and it fully delivers. One small swab across your lips is all that is needed for this mask to do its thing and I love that you can literally feel it working the second it’s applied. Every morning I wake up with lips that are soft and smooth and the effects are long lasting. During the day, I feel like I am putting on chapstick constantly and I have noticed that I am reapplying it far less than usual. It’s a small thing but I’ll take it!

Trader Joe’s always boasts really great skin care and I highly recommend giving this lip mask a shot. You will love it!

Do you have a favorite lip mask or chapstick? Where is your favorite place to shop skin care? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug3

July 2025 Finishes

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July 2025 Finishes

Howdy everyone and welcome to a brand new month here on lifewithlilred! We can’t let the beginning of August pass us by without going back in time to July to discuss all things beauty finishes. This past month provided beaucoup empties and while some were great, others missed the mark completely and I was SO happy to be done with them! Let’s take a look at some of the must have highlights as well as the ones that you can thank me later for skipping on:

Would I Use Again?

Bath & Body Works Twisted Peppermint Lotion: YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Precision Beauty Brightening Serum: NO

Bath & Body Works Gingham All-American Body Cream: YES

Bath & Body Works Always & Forever Body Cream: HARD NO

Bath & Body Works Sweet Pea Shower Gel: YES

Azure Collagen & Hyaluronic Acid Moisturizer: NO

Why/Why Not?

B&BW Twisted Peppermint Lotion: Do you enjoy the scent of Thin Mint cookies? If so, you are going to freaking LOVE Twisted Peppermint. This is easily one of my favorite scents from the holiday collection and I was so sad when I used up this lotion after three or so weeks of daily use. It served all of the Christmas in July vibes and I can’t wait to get a re-up on my Twisted Peppermint fix as soon as the holiday season hits!

Precision Beauty Serum: This brightening serum by Precision Beauty was a major disappointment for me. First and foremost, I didn’t notice any differences in my skin’s radiance. Equally as important, this serum was not a great value either. I needed several pumps of the serum to achieve full coverage on my face and neck. It took me a little less than three weeks of twice daily use to finish the bottle. In stark contrast, the serum I have been using since I finished this serum in mid July is not even halfway done yet. This is definitely a product you can bypass.

B&BW Gingham All-American Body Cream: Do you enjoy the scent of Rocket Pops? Or perhaps a juicy bowl of red berries? Then you are going to freaking LOVE Gingham All-American! I am a HUGE fan of all things Gingham from B&BW and their newest addition is pure summer fun. Sweet strawberries and tart raspberries do all of the talking and All-American is high up on my list of favorite Gingham expansions. Don’t get me wrong, nothing will ever beat the OG but All-American is a fabulous all around effort.

B&BW Always & Forever Body Cream: Sometimes when I have a freebie coupon for B&BW, I go fully random. I’ll grab the first travel size item I see, check out, and see what happens later lol. Honestly, I should have given Always & Forever a sniff test because I never would have gotten it! If you are a fan of smelling like an old lady, then go for it obvi. However, if you don’t want to smell like a lace doily, stay clear of Always & Forever for always and forever!

Azure Moisturizer: There were a lot of things that I liked about this moisturizer. The texture was nice and light, which is perfect for summer. It absorbed quickly and sat well under makeup. This moisturizer was also very long lasting and took me over a month of twice daily use to complete the jar. These are all important to me but unfortunately mean nothing because this moisturizer was not it. It made literally no difference to my skin’s appearance after extended use and didn’t provide the tightening sensation that I love in a collagen based product. In theory, this was a good moisturizer. In practice, not so much.

I finished up lots of goodies in July and for the most part, it was a pretty damn successful month on the empties front. I can’t wait to break out new skin care and smell goods all August long! 😀

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

Jun30

June 2025 Finishes

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June 2025 Finishes

Hello everyone! June is drawing to a close which means bye bye birthaversary month and hello to more summer fun in July! It also means that it’s about that time to discuss my beauty empties. This month, I finished up two long term products. Normally, I am excited about that because I always look forward to trying more new to me bath and body and skin care. This time around, however, I am royally bummed out because these products were easily two of the best that I have used in recent memory. Take a look and let’s discuss:

Would I Use Again?

Evoluderm Micellar Water: YES

Provence Beauty Hyaluronic Acid + Retinol Eye Cream: YES!!

AllAboutSkin Hyaluronic Acid Night Cream: YES!!

Why/Why Not?

Provence Beauty Eye Cream: I began using this eye cream in April and after almost three months of use, I am so sad to see it go. Usually, I don’t find myself getting attached to products but this one was so good that it was hard not to! This eye cream was a fantastic water gel texture. It was cooling, incredibly light, and I could feel optimum nourishment with the tiniest dab. While using this eye cream, my under eye designer bags decreased significantly and I definitely noticed fine lines getting tighter too. It is an excellent year round product but would be especially nice during the summer because it is so lightweight. I cannot recommend it enough and am keeping my fingers crossed to find another jar or ten at TJMaxx!

AllAboutSkin Moisturizer: Despite the AllAboutSkin Hyaluronic Acid moisturizer being technically a “night cream”, I considered it my all day moisturizer and applied it morning and night. I started using this jar in mid April and literally just finished it. I have never had a moisturizer last me that long before which was, in itself, very impressive for the value of my money alone. Like the eye cream, a super small amount of this moisturizer went a very long way – I used a nickel sized dollop with every use. This was just the right amount because this moisturizer is a bit heavier in texture. Regardless of that, it absorbed really quickly and achieved maximum hydration. My skin felt and looked soft and smooth and transformed into the prettiest peaches and cream complexion. This is the moisturizer to have and I highly recommend it!

Parting was such sweet sorrow with my two new favorite products and I will be keeping my eyes peeled high and low to find them again. How do you say goodbye to the best?!

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

Jun2

May 2025 Finishes

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May 2025 Finishes

Hello everyone! Holy moly! We’re in June already and haven’t discussed my beauty finishes for May so let’s get right on that today. The entirety of May was dreary and cold but the products that I used up were red hot and highly successful. I loved using several new to me goodies and cannot wait to visit TJMaxx soon for a skin and bath and body care restock. I don’t want to speak too soon, but I have a feeling I will be getting beaucoup gift cards for my upcoming thirty-first (Ahhh!) birthday! Rather than ruminate on another year older, let’s talk products instead:

Would I Use Again?

Evoluderm Micellar Water: YES

Bath & Body Works Gingham Fragrance Spray: YES

ValJean Labs Hyaluronic Acid + Micellar Water Foaming Cleanser: YES!!!!

Bath & Body Works Pretty As A Peach Lotion: YES

Precision Beauty Glow Up Vitamin C Serum: YES!

Why/Why Not?

B&BW Fragrance Spray: Gingham is one of my all time favorite scents by Bath & Body Works. It is crisp, clean, and just smells fresh. It’s the perfect mixture of fruity and floral and I have used my body spray religiously until the last drop. I couldn’t even tell you how long it took me to finish this bottle because I feel like I have been using it for forever lol. While I am sad to be done with it, I am excited to try a new scent considering it has probably been close to a year of going Gingham! Is the scent from B&BW fragrance sprays long lasting? Hard no. Will I continue to use them? Absolutely.

ValJean Labs Cleanser: This Hyaluronic Acid + Micellar Water Foaming Cleanser by ValJean Labs is, easily, one of the best ones I have used in recent memory. It took well over three months to finish the bottle and I am hoping to find more at TJMaxx because I will be buying the lot. This cleanser is so delightfully reminiscent of the Aloe Foaming Cleanser by The Body Shop and a little of it went such a long way. With every use, my skin felt so clean, soft, and refreshed. It is a phenomenal any time cleanser and I think it would be so great during the hot summer months. If you have a normal or sensitive skin type, I cannot recommend this cleanser enough!!

B&BW Lotion: When it comes to fruity scents, I am ALL about apple and peach. Apple will always reign supreme but peach is a close second and I just love my Pretty As A Peach from B&BW. This scent is just pure, peachy goodness with no bells and whistles. If you, too, are a fan – then go for this fragrance because you will be just as obsessed as I am! It took me one month of daily use to finish the bottle.

Precision Beauty Serum: I had been striking out with serums recently and this Vitamin C gem by Precision Beauty was a game changer. I needed a serum win and this one delivered in a big way! While it was a tad thicker in consistency than what I prefer, it made a big difference in the radiance and glow department. My skin looked so bright, refreshed, and alert even though I am always half asleep lol. Because this serum was fairly thick, half of the dropper was all I needed for full coverage and it took me one month of twice daily use to complete it. I would definitely buy it again!

This month introduced me to two new favorite products and no duds. You can’t beat that!! Stay tuned for more product reviews so we can decide what’s a hit and miss together!

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

May15

ValJean Labs Radiant Glow Face Scrub Review

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ValJean Labs Radiant Glow Face Scrub Review

Howdy!! I love shopping skin care at TJMaxx because it is such a fun and inexpensive way to try new brands and revisit old favorites. While I do have a few tried and true products that I get whenever they’re available, I will just wing it for the rest and go for whatever sounds good and is cruelty free. A new brand I discovered was ValJean Labs and I have been obsessed with their foaming cleanser. It’s easily one of the best face washes I have used in recent memory! I was so excited to have found a Vitamin C + Hyaluronic Acid Scrub of the same brand at TJs and have been using it daily for the past several weeks. Like the cleanser, this scrub is one of the best I have used in a while:

I don’t use scrubs very often but when I do, I need something that’s extremely gentle. While I enjoy a gritty scrub, my skin type is very normal and the harsher exfoliants can be too much. This ValJean Labs scrub is exactly what I need! It is so rich and creamy in texture and the grit factor is minimal but it still feels like I am getting a deep clean. It is gentle enough to use every day and I follow up by washing my face with the foaming cleanser afterwards. It’s the perfect combination and my skin feels smooth and looks soft and fresh.

Not only is this scrub gentle and effective to the T, but it smells great too! It has the lightest citrus scent which is one of my favorites and always perks me up during my morning shower. A little of this scrub also goes a long way, making it an awesome value because a nickle sized dollop will do just fine. I will say that this scrub is a bit of a pain in the butt to wash off fully. I wouldn’t call it “sticky” but it does cling to the skin and takes longer than you would expect for it to gone completely. I learned this after the first few uses when my micellar water cloth was coming back with the remnants! This is no harm no foul, though, just something to be aware of if you try it too. 🙂

The ValJean Labs Vitamin C + Hyaluronic Acid Scrub is a must if you are on the hunt for a new one. It is an excellent year round product and I will definitely be buying it again if it graces TJMaxx’s skin care department!

Do you use facial scrubs? Which one is your favorite? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr30

April 2025 Finishes

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April 2025 Finishes

Howdy!! Just like that, April is drawing to a close and it went by in the blink of an eye. Honestly, I’m sad to see it go because April was a pretty good month for me. In its entirety, I got to bask in the glow of being, blessedly, way less busy and enjoying all of the fun that comes with it. It has been a gift to make plans, keep them, and genuinely look forward to what’s next. Speaking of looking forward to what’s next, I can’t wait to test out lots more skin and bath and body care goodies. This past month was nothing exciting in that regard which typically means that May will be the month to finish long term products and try something new. Take a look at these empties and let’s discuss:

Would I Use Again?

Bath & Body Works Costa Rica Pink Pineapple Sunrise: YES!!!!

Bath & Body Works Vanilla Bean Noel Lotion: Yes

Pearlessence Argan + Vitamin E Facial Oil: No

Why/Why Not?

B&BW Shower Gel: Johnny is a huge fan of tropical scents. Me? Not so much. However, I absolutely love the scent of pineapple and the Costa Rica Pink Pineapple Sunrise from B&BW was the bomb.com! This fragrance was incredibly straight forward and if you love the smell of fresh pineapple too, then this scent is for you. This shower gel gave me a heaping dose of sunshine even on the greyest April days and I enjoyed using it daily for the whole month.

Pearlessence Facial Oil: I decided to experiment with facial oils this winter and the lesson I learned is that I don’t like it at all lol. The initial test product by CleanBeauty was an instant no from me but I still had the Argan + Vitamin E oil by Pearlessence and wanted to just get it over with. I will say that this was a fair bit lighter as far as facial oils go and while I appreciated that, it was still much too heavy for my liking. If you have very dry skin, the Pearlessence oil could be a good option for you. If not, this is a product you can definitely skip on. It took me about five weeks of twice daily use to finish the bottle and I was so happy to be done with it!

Like I said, this wasn’t a very exciting product roundup so let’s wrap it up and I will see all of you darlings in May! ❤

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

Mar31

March 2025 Finishes

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March 2025 Finishes

Oh hey! It’s the last day of March and, I’ve got to say, it has been a pretty good month for your favorite lil blogger. And the fact that spring is… springing makes everything that much better! Before we dive head first into April showers to bring May flowers, it’s time to discuss my beauty finishes for the month. I’ve also got to say, they were pretty good too! Check it out:

Would I Use Again?

Evoluderm Vitamin C Micellar Water: NO

Envy Hyaluronic Acid & Ceramides Cleanser: NO

Bath & Body Works Winter Candy Apple Lotion: YES

Vital Beauty Cooling Eye Gel: YES

Clinical Works Hyaluronic Acid Face Cream: YES!!

Why/Why Not?

Evoluderm Micellar Water: During a TJMaxx skin care haul, I purchased a full bottle and travel size pack of the Evoluderm Vitamin C micellar water. I used up the travel size one last month, didn’t care for it, and completing the full size bottle solidified my “whomp whomp” sentiments. I noticed no positive changes in my skin with the different formula and makeup removal was more difficult. I have tried countless variations of traditional micellar water and always find myself wanting to return to my old standby. I am glad I can get back to the classic Evoluderm micellar water now that this dud is done!

Envy Cleanser: I have been using the Hyaluronic Acid & Ceramides cleanser by Envy every day for the past three months and change. I am SO happy to be done with it because I was less than impressed. Despite the fact that is lathered well and there was a lot of bang for the buck since a little went a long way, the results just weren’t there. It also had more of a cream texture which, in my opinion, is far less refreshing than my go to foaming cleansers. This is definitely a product that can be skipped on.

Clinical Works Moisturizer: Now, this Hyaluronic Acid moisturizer by Clinical Works was a winner and I so wish I had more! It took me five weeks of twice daily use to finish the big jar and I could absolutely see a difference in my skin. It looked bright, dewy, and was simply glowing. My skin felt soft and smooth and it looked it, too. This pleasing somewhere in between a gel and cream texture would be perfect for late spring and summer use and I am keeping my fingers, toes, and eyes crossed that I can find more at TJMaxx. Highly recommend!

Even though there were a few losers in the mix, this batch of empties was a GREAT SUCCESS because I truly couldn’t wait to be done with some of these long term products. I hope I have better luck with their replacements!

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

Mar13

Pearlessence Argan + Vitamin E Facial Oil Review

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Pearlessence Argan + Vitamin E Facial Oil Review

Hello! This past winter, I decided to dabble in facial oils when shopping skin care. Ohio winters are absolutely frigid and I figured some extra hydration to combat dry skin couldn’t hurt. The first facial oil I tried was by CleanBeauty and it was not it, whatsoever. It was incredibly heavy and literally just sat on my face all day. I was so happy when I completed the bottle! After that epic failure, I just wanted to use the other facial oil that I purchased, one by Pearlessence, and be done with it. I am currently using their Argan + Vitamin E Facial Oil and it’s actually not so bad! Let’s discuss:

In comparison to the last facial oil I used, the Pearlessence one is nowhere near as heavy. Yes, it still feels like an oil lol but it doesn’t feel suffocating on the skin. And, with a thin enough layer, it absorbs somewhat and that is another huge plus. My skin definitely feels nourished after using it and looks bright and awake. The question is, would I use a facial oil again after this one? The answer: HARD NO!

Trying facial oils was something that sounded like a great idea at the time and it made sense as I prepped my skin care supply for winter. Despite the Pearlessence oil being significantly lighter than its predecessor, I still can’t stand the way it feels lol. At the end of the day, it only absorbs somewhat and I despise the greasy feeling of something like that on my skin. That’s exactly why I only put lotion on before I’m about to fall asleep! The moral of the story? If you aren’t experiencing significant dryness, stick to your normal serum instead. Regardless of the freezing winter temperatures and biting wind, my skin just wasn’t at a level that would benefit from a facial oil. I can’t wait to start using regular serums again. 😀

If you are on the market for a less intense facial oil, the Pearlessence Argan + Vitamin E is pretty good. But, if you’re not – this is certainly a product you can skip on!

Do you change your skin care with the seasons? What kind of skin care do you use for warm weather? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah