Tag Archives: skin care

Jul4

Monday Update: June Finishes Edition

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Monday Update: June Finishes Edition

Hello everyone and happy Monday! With July now upon us, it’s time to talk about the beauty product empties that I had for the month of June! I was able to complete some products that I liked a lot and others that kind of sucked which balanced out to a great month for beauty product finishes. Take a look at my June Finishes:

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Would I Use It Again?

Why/Why Not?

Suave Body Wash: I absolutely love the scent of this shower gel. It’s floral-y and bright without being too overpowering and it lathers so well. It is the perfect fragrance to wake up to in the morning and I think it’s an overall excellent value. It took me about a month and a half to finish it.

Tone Body Wash: I would use this body wash again solely for the fact that it was only two dollars at my local discount store. The scent was very citrus-y which I liked but it didn’t lather anywhere near as well as the Suave body wash, for example. It took me about a month and a half to finish it.

Olay Cleanser: I would absolutely one hundred and fifty percent use this amazing cleanser again! Olay’s Bead Me Up cleanser has been hands down one of the best beauty products that I’ve used in months. You can read about it further by clicking the link that takes you to my review about it but just know that I enjoyed every single day of using it. It took me over four months to finish it, too – talk about a great value!

TBS Skin Boost: This product is one of my tried and true old faithfuls so of course I would use it again! Now if only the price for it would dwindle down some! It took me about three months to finish.

Nourish Organic Cleanser: I would never ever EVER use this cleanser again. You can read more about it in my review which I provided the link to but this was easily the worst beauty product that I have ever used. You could not pay me to ever use it again. It took me about two and a half months to finish this cleanser and every day that I used it was absolutely miserable.

VS Lotion: I liked the Deep Berry scent of this Victoria’s Secret lotion a lot, however, there was nothing special about the product and I wouldn’t go out of my way to buy it again. I finished this lotion in four uses.

Overall, June was a good month for finishes. I was left with only two products that I wouldn’t use again so I would definitely call that a success! I am also so happy that June was the month that I could finally finish the Nourish Organic cleanser. Yuck. -_-

So there you have it, this week’s Monday Update: June Finishes Edition! What beauty products did you have empties for this past month? What skin or body care products are you using now? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun25

Summer Glow Self Tanning Tips

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Summer Glow Self Tanning Tips

Hi everyone and welcome to a guest post here on lifewithlilred by my friend, Bob Gorman. Bob is a fantastic freelance writer who offered to give my readers the 411 on how to achieve the perfect DIY tan sans the sun. “Why is Sarah posting about tanning? She’s the most pasty pale person I know.” Yeah, yeah – I get it. BUT, just because I avoid getting tan at all costs doesn’t mean that I don’t believe in doing it safely for people who are into that! So take a look at these Self Tanning Tips to help you bronze goddesses achieve that perfect Summer Glow:

Summer Glow Self Tanning Tips:

Self-tanning is a great way to get that beautiful bronze glow. You’ll look like you just came back from a tropical vacation, even if you’re not able to take off work for as long as you’d like. Self-tanning can also even your skin tone and make you look a little more youthful, which is always a plus.

Tanning has a number of cultural implications, and society has viewed tanning in various ways throughout the years. In the Middle Ages, a tan was a sign of poverty, since people with sun-kissed skin were likely outside performing manual labor for extended hours. As time progressed, tanned skin was an indication of being well-traveled and spending time on luxurious beaches or yachts. However, there are still some areas of the world, such as China and India, where light skin is generally preferred. People often use skin lightening products to preserve a fair complexion or to significantly lighten their skin. In the United States and Europe, however, tanned skin is seen as healthy and more attractive. Australians prefer a tanned complexion as well, but use indoor tanning services often, which increases the risk of melanoma.

Self-tanning can be a safe and effective way to get the bronze glow you want. You won’t have to spend extended amounts of time in the sun, which reduces your risk of UVA and UVB overexposure. DIY tanning also eliminates your need for visiting the tanning booth and putting your skin in direct contact with artificial UV lighting.

Here are some tips to keep in mind during the self-tanning process:

Prep Your Skin: You should use a gentle exfoliator on your skin before applying self-tanner. Exfoliation removes dead skin cells to reveal your true complexion. Exfoliation will also help the self-tanner to go on smoothly, and prevents the tanner from settling on various parts of your skin and creating dark spots. Just make sure the exfoliator you’re using doesn’t contain oil, because the tanner can leave streaks. It’s also a good idea to wax or shave your legs and arms or touch up your hair color before you self-tan. Shaving cream, waxes and hair dyes can remove self-tanner or decrease the effects of the tanner, so be sure to take care of all your other beauty treatments first.

Use Skin Softener: If you’re showering before applying the self-tanner, be sure to use a cleanser that contains Vitamins A or E to thoroughly moisturize the skin. You should also wait 5-10 minutes after getting out of the shower to ensure that your skin is completely dry before you apply the tanner. Apply a lightweight moisturizer to your face if you’re putting tanner there, and use a lotion that contains shea or cocoa butter on the rest of your body to prep your skin for the tanner.

Select the Right Product: Be sure to choose a self-tanner that matches your actual skin tone. Don’t select a product based on your desired result. A tanner that matches your complexion will give you the healthy, natural glow that you want. If you have olive skin tones, use a dark tanner, and choose a light or medium tanner if your complexion is fair. If you choose a gradual self-tanner, it may take up to four applications for you to get the sun-kissed look you want. There are separate tanning products for face and body, so select a gentle formula for your face to reduce the chances of skin irritation.

Apply the Tanner Properly: Apply your self-tanner from the bottom up to make sure it sets on your skin evenly. This also lessens the chances that you’ll forget the hard to reach places on your body. Mousses are easy to apply, but spray self-tanner is ideal if you have a hard time reaching places like the backs of your knees or the small of your back. Start from your ankles and work your way up to your shoulders and neck.

Once you get to your face, use a self-tanner that is formulated for facial skin. While you shouldn’t use too much tanner on any part of your body, you should be especially careful not to overdo it on the self-tanner when it comes to your face. Too much tanner could give you an orange appearance.

It may take a little practice to get your self-tanner just the way you want it. However, after an application or two, you’ll be looking your best this summer, whether you’re heading to the beach or staying indoors.

^^^ Thank you so much to Bob for creating such an informative and excellent article for my readers! If you are interested in contacting Mr. Gorman, you can reach him at: bob.gorman@go8.com.au!

Jun4

Summer Time MOTD

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Summer Time MOTD

Hi everyone and welcome to a drop dead gorgeous Summer Time MOTD guest blog by my darling friend, Reeva, at Beauty By Reeva. Miss Reeva is the queen of all things beauty and makeup so I am so excited to be able to house her here on lifewithlilred for the day. While emailing back and forth, we decided that her post should be a bright and fun MOTD perfect for a sunny summer day. Obviously, she aced it! Please be sure to give her page some love and enjoy the guest post that she created special for my readers:

Summer Time MOTD

Hey beauties! Summer time is all about fun and colorful MOTDs. It’s time to work that gorgeous summer glow, wind swept hair, and pop of color makeup. Here is my version of a bright makeup look using pinks and blue:

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Makeup Used:

  • Eyes: Sephora Eyeshadow Palette, colors are indicated in the pic
  • Lashes: Eyelure #117
  • Brows: Essence Eyebrow Stylist Set
  • Cheeks: MAC Cosmetics, Warm Soul
  • Highlight: MAC Cosmetics, Global Glow
  • Lips: Inglot #64 mixed with #56 lip paint
  • Body: The Body Shop, Honey Bronze

My face makeup is usually very light as we tend to sweat a bit (gross I know) when the heat is up. I stick to my concoction of mixing one of my favorite concealers, MAC Prolong Wear, with my moisturizer. I’ve been doing this for years as opposed to wearing a heavy, full coverage foundation which will slip and slide off of my face within minutes. This combination gives me a full coverage and bullet proof foundation without the fear of my makeup melting off. I know that I used Clinique’s Dramatically Different Moisturizing Cream but I would recommend a moisturizer that contains SPF.

This look required minimum products because the focus is on the colorful eyeshadow which is what makes it fun. Oh, and don’t forget the highlight which I go a bit heavier on than usual to achieve that fresh, glowing appearance.
Hope you enjoyed this makeup look!
Thank you Sarah for featuring me on your wonderful blog and I hope that you have the best vacation ever!!!
Thanks for stopping by! 😊

^^^ I want to thank Reeva for creating such an amazing post for my vacation guest bloggers series. And can we please talk about how beautiful she looks?! Once again, make sure you check out her page at Beauty By Reeva – you won’t be disappointed! What are your favorite summer makeup trends? What is your favorite bright colored eyeshadow to wear? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May28

May Finishes

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May Finishes

Hi everyone and happy weekend! Welcome to my May Finishes post where I let you know what I was thinking about my completed items for the month. Some were great and some I would never use again if you paid me! All in all, it was a pretty successful month of product finishes and I was left with a lot of items that I definitely want to use again. Take a look at my empties and then let’s discuss:

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Would I Use Them Again?

Why/Why Not?

Trader Joe’s Moisturizer: If you read my review for this product then you’ll know that I absolutely loved it. If you didn’t read my review for this product then know that I absolutely loved it. This moisturizer lasted me two months.

Suave Body Wash: I really like the Suave shower gels. They lather so well and they always smell amazing! This body wash lasted me close to a month and a half.

B&BW Fragrance: Of course I would use this again! I have three safely tucked away in my back stock as we speak! I love all things apple scented and this spray from Bath & Body Works is one of my all time favorites. This perfume lasted me about five to six months.

VS Lotion: I wasn’t a big fan of the Pear Glace lotion. The scent didn’t exactly win me over and there was nothing special about the lotion that made it different than anything else I’ve tried. I wouldn’t go out of the way to buy this again. I finished this bottle of lotion in two weeks.

Secret Deodorant: I got this product for testing purposes from Influenster and I would never have used it if it didn’t get sent to me. I don’t like stick deodorants and I didn’t like the scent that this antiperspirant had. It was much too floral-y and I hated that I could smell it during the day. From now on I will stick to my unscented Ban roll on deodorant, thank you very much. I finished this product in one month.

Beauty Bath Products: These items came from a gift set that my sister didn’t want that I figured I would take off her hands. I hate lavender scented anything but hey, free is free. The bubble bath didn’t lather at all, the bath salts did nothing, and the lotion didn’t move me. I finished the bubble bath and bath salts after three uses and the lotion after two.

Olay Mask: This mask was excellent, as my review for it mentioned! I would love to have another jar added to my skin care supplies like, yesterday. This mask lasted both my mom and I about two months.

Covergirl Mascara: The Flamed Out Mascara is one of my all time favorites. I need to restock this makeup item ASAP because I’ve been using it for years and don’t plan on stopping now! This mascara lasted me close to four months.

Overall, I was pleased with all of my empties this month, despite some obvious losers. I like being able to narrow down what I like and what I don’t so I never make the mistake of buying my least loved products again!

So there you have it, my May Finishes! What products were in your empties pile this month? Have you used any of the items that I mentioned above? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May22

Summer Beauty Essentials

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Summer Beauty Essentials

Hi everyone and welcome to an amazing summer time guest post thanks to Rachel from A Girl Recommends. This month, I asked all of the guest bloggers that I’ve featured on my page to come up with a beauty, fashion, or lifestyle post themed around sweet summer time. After emailing back and forth with the lovely Rachel, we decided on a post all about the beauty must haves that summer calls for. I was blown away by the quality and content of Rachel’s post and I’m sure that all of you will be too. Thanks a million, beautiful! Take a look at the Summer Beauty Essentials post that Rachel made special for my readers here on lifewithlilred:

Summer Beauty Essentials

Today I’m going to run you through my beauty must haves for summer time! In the UK we are slowly heading into this time of year, so I will definitely be bringing out my bright lips, colorful nails, and light weight foundations!

Hair:

There are a few products that I’d recommend for your hair in the summer time. The first one is Batiste Dry Shampoo. I have mine in the scent ‘Fruity & Cheeky Cherry’. It  doesn’t matter which scent you go for, this stuff works wonders and it’s super affordable. Although your hair feels pretty gross after using this, it looks ten times better than before with added volume. You can even buy mini cans to take to festivals/on holiday/by the beach!

I definitely like to combine dry shampoo with my trusty Tangle Teezer. I bought mine a couple of years back and it’s still going strong! I have mine in a super bright summery shade with an orange top and yellow comb. These are great for throwing in your handbag (they have special compact ones for this purpose) and taking them to the park, beach, or wherever you just need a quick brush through your windswept locks!

To touch up my color and make it brighter than ever I like to use the Scott Cornwall Color Restore Iced Platinum Hair Toner. This stuff is great for my dyed blonde hair and helps get rid of those yellowy brassy tones and freshen up my barnet. You can get these toners in a variety of different shades and add some candy colors into your hair just in time for summer!

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Nails:

My all time favorite nail polishes are definitely from Barry M. The quality is fantastic, they are a bargain, and I’m obsessed with the finish that the Gelly Hi-Shine varnishes give you. My favorite shades for the summer time are Blueberry, Passion-fruit, and Kiwi.

Skincare:

I’ve got a couple of skincare favorites to share with you. The first is the benefit Triple Performing Facial Emulsion. It hydrates, protects, and comforts your skin whilst giving you sun protection with SPF 15. This is perfect for day time use. I then like to fully moisturize and re-hydrate my skin in the evening with the Vichy Lift Activ Supreme.

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Makeup:

My foundation favorite is the Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation. This is lightweight, oil free, and hydrating with a silky texture. It’s perfect for summer because you can build up the coverage if you desire, but it doesn’t leave you with a heavy feeling on your face and you don’t feel like you’re wearing foundation. I like to set this with either the MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural (Light) or the L’Oreal Nude Magique BB Powder (drugstore alternative). Both of these powders are really natural, light coverage, and non drying.

My choice of bronzer is the Benefit Hoola Bronzer Powder which gives you a healthy and natural looking tan. I love this product all year round but you can add a bit of extra glow in the summer time. I follow this with either my Ted Baker Lip and Cheek Tint for a shimmery glow or my Giorgio Armani Cheek Fabric Blush (305) for a pop of natural color.

Products with staying power are definitely your best friend at this time of the year. You basically have to glue your makeup on to your face so your eyebrows don’t finish the day on your chin. My favorite drugstore setting spray is the Maybelline Superstay 24hr Setting Spray. Now, I can’t say that I’ve tested the 24 hr theory but it definitely helps my makeup stay in place all day!

It’s crucial to use a waterproof mascara in the summer time to avoid having the dreaded panda eyes. I love the Maybelline Lash Sensational Waterproof Mascara. It’s cheap and gives you dramatic volume without clumpy lashes!

I think having a brow gel is key for all year round but is especially important in the summer time. A perfect face can be easily let down by messy brows. Rimmel Brow This Way Styling Gel does the trick for me and it’s an absolute bargain at £3.99.

I would be lost without my Urban Decay Primer Potion, however, I have recently been trying out the Benefit Air Patrol Eye Primer and I’m LOVING it. It’s a perfect base for eye shadows, especially if you get oily lids throughout the summer. This primer allows you to have intense color and a lasting eye shadow look all day.

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Lips:

Summer is your time to shine with bright lips. Say goodbye to your berry tones and hello to your corals and fuchsias. I like to prep my lips with the Nivea Sun Protect Lip Care (there is nothing worse than burnt lips – ouch!) and then apply my favorite bright lip colors. I’ve chosen two to share with you today. I have the Bourjois Paris Colour Boost Lip Crayon (Red Sunrise) and the YSL Rouge Volupte (13 – Peach Passion). The Colour Boosts are lovely and moisturizing with a bright pop of color, whereas the Rogue Volupte leaves a velvety smooth finish with a high pigmentation.

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Fragrance:

My love for the Marc Jacobs perfumes shines bright in the summer. Out comes Dot (“A signature floral heart signed by beautiful jasmine and the elegant base of vanilla with musk, leaving an addictive trail”) and Honey (“The fragrance opens with a fresh fruity hook, and melts to a beautiful floral honey heart for a long lasting and sunny signature fragrance”). These fragrances are absolutely perfect for the summer time and they remind me of so many great memories. I can’t help but smile every time I wear these scents.

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That’s all for my summer beauty must haves. What are your essentials for this time of the year? – Rx

^^^ Wasn’t this post fabulous?! Thank you so much, again, to the superbly talented, Rachel, from A Girl Recommends for such a terrific guest post. Everyone please check out her page and give it some love! What beauty product can you not live without in the summer? Which recommendations from Rachel’s post are you going to use? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr30

April Finishes

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April Finishes

Hi everyone and happy weekend! The end of the month brings us to another post about all of the beauty products that I used up in April. I emptied out a solid amount of lotions, skin care, and makeup so take a look at my finishes and then let’s discuss:

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Would I Use Them Again?

  • St. Ives Nourish & Smooth Body Wash: YES
  • Victoria’s Secret Rockin’ Body Cream: NO
  • Bath & Body Works Vanilla Brown Sugar Shimmer Cream: NO
  • The Body Shop Vitamin C Skin Boost: YES
  • Garnier Makeup Removing Cleanser: NO
  • The Body Shop Mango Whip Lotion: NO
  • Maybelline Falsies Pushup Drama Mascara: NO

Why/Why Not?

St. Ives Body Wash: St. Ives is one of my all time favorite skin care brands and I love everything from their scrubs to their body washes. The jumbo sized body wash bottle is a great value and it leaves you feeling clean and hydrated after every use. It took me about a month and a half to finish this body wash.

VS Cream: This month, I tried to finish up all of the shimmer lotions that my sister left behind when she moved to her apartment. I would never use this product again simply because I despise shimmer lotions and this particular VS cream didn’t do the best job of moisturizing, either. It also didn’t make me look 5X Sexier, as the marketing claimed. 😦

B&BW Cream: Same goes for this Bath & Body works number. I love the Vanilla Brown Sugar scent, I hate the cup full of glitter that they dumped into the bottle.

TBS Skin Boost: This is my old faithful serum that I’ve been using for years. I am trying to find a less expensive serum but until I find just the right one, I’ll be sticking with this bad boy.

Garnier Cleanser: This was one of the worst cleansers that I’ve ever used. You can read my full review here but if not, just know that I hate it.

TBS Lotion: As I’ve mentioned countless times, I love all of the bath and body care products from The Body Shop. However, I can’t stand their Mango scent. It seriously smells like rotten fruit to me and I was so happy to finally be done with it because it took me for friggen ever to finish.

Maybelline Mascara: I read so many reviews on how amazing this mascara was but I just wasn’t a fan. The Falsies Pushup Drama Mascara was so clumpy that I had to rake through my lashes after I applied it to get them separated. I was thrilled when I finished this number and am currently using Covergirl’s special edition Star Wars mascara and loving it!

Unfortunately, I wasn’t too successful as far as liking all of my finished products go this month. But that’s okay, because I still have an entire under the sink cabinet filled with beauty products to try during the month of May. As of now, I’m using Victoria’s Secret’s Pear Glace lotion, a cocoa butter body wash from Suave, a shameful cleanser from Nourish Organic, and a fabulous exfoliator from Olay. I can’t wait to give some new products a try and kick the finished ones to the curb so be sure to join me next month so we can discuss what I finished in May!

So there you have it, my April Finishes! Has anyone used any of the products that I emptied this month? What did you think of them? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr29

Beauty Blogger Award #3

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Beauty Blogger Award #3

Hey everyone and TGIF! On Wednesday I was nominated by my blogging BFF, Nida, over at Shopaholic Blogs for my third Beauty Blogger Award. Nida is one of my literal favorite people who I haven’t met yet so please be sure to check out her page because I know you’ll adore her as much as I do! And be sure to tune in to lifewithlilred on Sunday for a special guest blog from Nida! Now, onto the rules for the Beauty Blogger Award:

The Rules:

  • Acknowledge the blogger who nominated you.
  • Answer the questions assigned to you.
  • Nominate your own makeup/lifestyle/fashion bloggers.
  • Frame 10 questions for your nominees.
  • Inform the nominees about their award nomination.

Q & A:

Your favorite thing to eat?

Taco Bell! Always and forever.

List five beauty products you use everyday.

My moisturizer from Trader Joe’s, Nutriganics eye cream from The Body Shop, Vitamin C Skin Boost from The Body Shop, some type of cream cleanser (I’m not picky), an exfoliator, and usually a St. Ives body wash. (That was six but I could have named twenty!)

One tip for writing a great blog post.

Write as if you were talking to your best friend.

If you could buy five things for free from Sephora what would you choose and why?

Uh oh…I’m going to sound like the worst girl ever but I’ve never purchased anything from Sephora before! I’m the queen of drugstore makeup so I never really bothered with getting sucked into the hype of high end beauty products. I suppose if I could try anything, though, I would love to give some of the Kat Von D lipsticks a try – I hear they’re amazing!

Perfume or body mist?

Body mist all day every day!! Country Apple from Bath & Body Works is my mist of choice and I have four extra bottles of it in my hoard just in case they ever discontinue the scent!

One tip for making your makeup last through the day?

I would say to stick with makeup that you know works. I have a very set in stone makeup regimen that I don’t often steer from so if you were in a situation where a makeup melt down would be disastrous (a wedding or a hot summer day) then it’s best not to be ballsy with trying something new. I like to stay within the brands that I love and know that work best for me because I’d hate to waste money on a product that doesn’t last/work well!

Straightening iron or hair dryer and why?

Straightening iron because I’m not patient enough for the hair dryer! I also prefer my hair to be pin straight and that’s something that I can never achieve on the rare occasion that I blow dry my hair.

How have you improved as a blogger over time?

I would say that my posts are way cleaner from when I first started out a year and a half ago. I’m a big grammar and run on sentence stickler so I’ve been trying to eliminate those faux pas from my writing and I think I’m doing alright so far!

Liquid eyeliner or pencil? Which do you choose? State your favorite brand and why you love it.

Definitely a pencil! I use Covergirl’s Liquiline Blast eye pencils and they’re so awesome. I don’t like the super hard pencils and the Liquiline Blast is so smooth and creamy, it makes applying it such a breeze. I also don’t have the steady hand for liquid eyeliner!

A makeup product you wouldn’t use even if you got it for free.

Lol, that’s easy! The brand, Nourish Organic, has the literal worst cleanser I’ve used in my life. You couldn’t pay me to ever buy it again.

My Nominees (I’m only doing three):

My Questions For You:

  1. What is your favorite beauty product to splurge on?
  2. What drugstore makeup brand do you swear by?
  3. What is your favorite fragrance?
  4. Your favorite junk food?
  5. How long does it take you to get ready in the morning?
  6. How do you usually style your hair?
  7. What is your go to nail polish color?
  8. What makeup shades look best on you?
  9. How about colors that just look awful?
  10. What is your favorite shade of lipstick?

So there you have it, my Beauty Blogger Award #3! Thank you so much again to Nida at Shopaholic Blogs for the nomination! Nida is the epitome of beauty inside and out so please give her page some love! How would you answer some of the questions that Nida asked her nominees? How about some of the questions that I asked mine? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr28

Birthday Beauty Wish List

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Birthday Beauty Wish List

Hi everyone and happy Thursday! The month of April is a time when I get really excited about my upcoming birthday on June 7th. Three birthdays fall in succession in my family – my mom’s on March 22nd, followed by my dad’s on April 6th, and my sister’s on April 8th. So needless to say, birthday fever has got a hold on me like you couldn’t believe. I love birthdays. I love giving gifts to friends and family and of course, I. LOVE. PRESENTS!!!

True story, all my boyfriend had to do this weekend was mention that he ordered some of my birthday presents and it turned into forty-eight hours straight of poor Kyle having to listen to me ask twenty-one questions about my gifts. I hate surprises and I hate waiting so the fact that I have to wait over a whole month to see my birthday gifts killed me! If there’s one thing that soothes my birthday fever though, it’s making a list and checking it twice. Therefore, I created my Birthday Beauty Wish List to hang proudly on my refrigerator to give all of my family members a not so subtle hint on what to get me. Check it out:

Beautiful Sarah’s Birthday Wish List:

(^^^ Lol that’s how I labeled it!)

  • Cash money
  • Good but cheap cleansers
  • Good but cheap moisturizers
  • St. Ives tea tree, apricot, oatmeal, and pink mandarin and lemon scrubs
  • The Body Shop Vitamin C Skin Boost
  • The Body Shop Brush on Radiance, Ref. #63691
  • The Body Shop blushes, shades 05 Bubblegum and 01 Macaroon
  • Covergirl mascaras in the darkest shade possible
  • Covergirl Liquiline Blast eyeliner in the darkest shade possible
  • Maybeline Dream Bouncy blush shade 05 Fresh Pink
  • Wet n’ Wild eyebrow pencil shade 604A A Taupe Of The Mornin’
  • Vidal Sassoon’s Runway Red hair dye

On my birthday and Christmas, I almost always ask for a restock of all of my must have beauty products. To me, there is nothing better than receiving a box full of beauty goodies because then I don’t have to buy my most loved products by myself! It’s a win/win because I know exactly what I want so it makes gift giving to yours truly an easy and relatively painless process!

For my birthday, I’d love to have a garden style party because I have a really big backyard. My family has badminton, croquet, and bocci ball set up and I feel like those are some of the perfect ingredients to having a super classy and fun birthday bash. I picture cute little appetizer food, teas, and mimosas for the menu as well as a big fruit salad for dessert. I also would love to have some type of water activity like water balloons or squirt guns in case it’s really hot out. Hopefully I have enough friends to make it a success. 😉

So there you have it, my Birthday Beauty Wish List! How would you throw a perfect garden party? What are some must haves for my possible birthday bash? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr20

TJMaxx Trip

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TJMaxx Trip

Hi everyone and happy Hump Day! Over the weekend my mom and I had our monthly TJMaxx Trip and returned home with a huge bath and body care haul. Let’s be honest, when you’re out shopping, sometimes it’s much easier to just browse through the things that you don’t have to try on. My mom and I were both feeling ambivalent about clothes shopping so when we stumbled upon the shelf of marked down bath and body care goods, we just couldn’t tear ourselves away. Take a look at some of our new goodies:

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The Haul:

  • Pure & Basic Creme Brulee scented lotion: $6
  • The Body Shop Honeymania shower gel: $8
  • The Body Shop Argon Oil shower gel: $8
  • The Body Shop Olive shower gel: $8
  • The Body Shop Pink Grapefruit jumbo body butter: $10
  • The Body Shop Smoky Poppy body butter: $4.50

In Store Value:

  • Approximately $130!!!!

For less than fifty dollars at TJs, my mom and I scored a major haul full of goodies from The Body Shop. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I love the bath and body care goods from TBS. However, I would never ever pay thirty dollars for a jumbo sized body butter. Or twenty bucks for their mega shower gel. It all just seems so ridiculous to me. I do use their skin care products, which I am willing to shell out the cash for. But to pay so much for lotions and body wash seems like pure insanity. Having said that, I have absolutely no problem buying them super marked down at TJs…Obviously.

The great thing about this TJs haul is that it gave me the opportunity to try new TBS scents. The only product that we got that I’ve used before was the Pink Grapefruit butter so I’m looking forward to giving the Smoky Poppy, Honeymania, and Argon Oil a go. The Olive scent is a good fragrance for men so we got that shower gel to spoil my dad and brother a little! I also can’t wait to try out the super delicious smelling Creme Brulee lotion from Pure & Basic. It seriously smells like a rich vanilla and caramel cake so I’m kind of obsessed!

When you’re in a slump and don’t feel like clothes shopping you literally can’t go wrong with browsing the shoes, bath and body care, and home goods sections of TJMaxx. My mom and I walked away with new towels, makeup, shower gels, lotions, and a new pot and bird feeder for our garden. Our April TJMaxx Trip was an obvious success and I can’t wait to do it again in May!

So there you have it, my latest TJMaxx Trip! What is the best item that you’ve scored at a discount store? What was one of your favorite finds at TJMaxx? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr16

Nourish Organic Face Cleanser Review

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Nourish Organic Face Cleanser Review

Helloo everyone and happy weekend! I recently started using a new cleanser by Nourish Organic that I snagged from my skin care hoard and I have been nothing but disappointed with it. The worst part? That once I start a product, I completely refuse to not finish it. So now, I’m stuck with using one of the worst cleansers of all time until there’s none left. #FML. I desperately need a vent session about this cleanser so take a look at the packaging and then let’s discuss:

organic

Okay, first things first is the smell. The packaging claims that it’s fragrance free but it seriously smells like rotten sunflower seeds. That in itself completely turned me off from the cleanser because waking up and having to scrub that on your face is seriously hell. I’m okay with a fragrance free product if it truly is fragrance free or close to it but the marketing for the Nourish Organic Face Cleanser is a blatant lie. Not cool.

On top of the faulty marketing that Nourish Organic used, the packaging for it kind of sucks, too. The cleanser is so thin in texture that as soon as you pop the lid, the face wash starts pouring out. The first time I used the cleanser, I ended up with a substantial amount on my shower floor because I wasn’t prepared for the flood gates to burst free as soon as I opened it. Once again, not cool.

And finally, the fact that this cleanser doesn’t lather in the slightest is a major issue. Because the texture of the face wash is so runny, it feels like you’re just rubbing slime on your face. The result? That your face feels tight, dehydrated, and not even clean. Every time I finish using my cleanser, I’m always so thankful that I use an exfoliator afterwards to pick up the slack. I would almost be okay with the horrid smell and the shitty packaging if the product actually made my skin feel good but if anything, it just leaves it feeling worse.

So how do I rate this product, you may ask? I’m so glad you did! I give the Nourish Organic Face Cleanser: negative one million billion stars and I would not recommend it to anyone. All I can hope for now is that I finish this cleanser quickly so I can use something different because anything is an upgrade from this!

So there you have it, my Nourish Organic Face Cleanser Review! Has anyone used a product lately that they’re completely disappointed in? What face wash are you currently using? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah