Tag Archives: style

May19

Liebster Award #6

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Liebster Award #6

Hi everyone and happy Thursday! I hope everyone’s week is going just swimmingly so far. Mine is going fine, thanks for asking. I am so excited to be nominated for my sixth Liebster Award here on lifewithlilred by my friend, Camille, over at Camille Shern! Her blog is a lot of fun so please be sure to check it out and give it some love! As you guys know, with all of these blogging awards comes a set of rules so check them out and then see how I answered the questions asked by the lovely Camille. Take a look:

The Rules:

  • Tag the person who nominated you and thank them.
  • Answer the ten questions you are given.
  • Nominate ten new bloggers and tag them.
  • Give them ten new questions to answer.
  • Notify your nominees.

Q & A:

1. Describe your blogging style in FIVE words?

Unique, humorous, engaging, fun, and quirky.

2. What is ONE beauty product you can’t live without? Why?

Red lipstick. Particularly the shade Pure Red from NYX. The bold red lip is my signature look and it makes me feel confident and beautiful every time I wear it.

3. If you were to do a makeup look for ONE person for the rest of your life, who would it be and why?

No one. I suck at doing makeup for other people. I can barely do my own makeup! 😉

4. What is ONE piece of advice you would give your younger self when it comes to beauty? Why?

That beauty is more about being confident and comfortable in your own skin than what your makeup or hair looks like. I think every younger person is always trying to fit in with the trends and what’s popular but it’s important to stay true to what you like so your own unique, personal style can be developed.

5. If you were not a blogger, what would you be doing right now?

I would be doing what I’m usually doing! Going to school, working, and being a baller.

6. What is ONE funny beauty horror story you had?

Every time I dye my hair with my trademark Runway Red by Vidal Sassoon is a horror story. Whenever I wash the dye out, it looks like the Texas Chainsaw Massacre was committed in my shower.

7. What is ONE product that you keep inside your every day makeup bag that you don’t really use at all?

Hmm… I don’t think I have an answer to this one. I’m not one to go makeup crazy at the store so everything that I have in my makeup stash is what I use as part of my daily routine.

8. What is the first thing you do in the morning as soon as you wake up?

Ugh, I hate saying this but I check my phone and Facebook! Such a millennial. -_-

9. What is ONE beauty routine you can’t live without?

Bubble baths!!!!

10. What is your main goal as a blogger?

To reach a wide variety of people and make new friends.

My Nominees (I’m only doing three):

My Questions For You:

  1. What was your favorite childhood toy?
  2. What is your favorite article of clothing to shop for?
  3. How about your least favorite?
  4. What is one of your guilty pleasures?
  5. Favorite TV show to binge watch?
  6. Favorite fragrance?
  7. Favorite candy?
  8. How do you like to spend your free time?
  9. Are you going on an upcoming summer vacation?
  10. Where is one place that you would like to travel to?

So there you have it, lifewithlilred’s Liebster Award #6! Thanks again to Camille at Camille Shern for the nomination! How would you answer some of the questions that Camille asked her nominees? How about some of the questions that I asked of mine? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May18

A Short Story

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A Short Story

Hey everyone and happy Hump Day! I hope you all are having a wonderful week so far. As you guys know, I have had an insanely difficult time finding shorts for the summer. It seems like every pair of shorts that I’ve encountered during multiple shopping trips is high waisted and that’s one trend that I just won’t stand for. All I wanted was a few simple pairs of normal rise shorts. After too many shopping excursions to count that ended only in disappointment, I began to think that my simple request would never be fulfilled.

However, a weekend trip to TJMaxx gave my Short Story a happy ending because I left with two pairs of shorts and a beautiful Nine West purse, which you can read about in yesterday’s post. Take a look at the cute new shorties that I added to my wardrobe:

What & Wear?

  • Olive Bermuda Shorts: American Eagle Outfitters, $12.99
  • Black Shorts: Hollister, $12.99
  • Grand Total: Approximately $26
  • In Store Value: Approximately $70-80

I’ll admit that I wasn’t expecting to find shorts during my last TJs trip. Past outings there were unsuccessful during my hunt for the perfect shorts so I didn’t think that my weekend excursion would be any different. But boy, was I wrong! TJMaxx had an abundance of shorts from too many brands to recall, Hollister and AEO included. I scrounged the racks of clothing and went to the fitting room with five pairs of shorts in hand. However, my heart was already dead set on wanting the pairs that I purchased desperately.

I tried on three pairs prior to my favorites and rejected them for reasons in regards to the fit and colors. I have to say, by the time I got to trying on my top two pairs, I was very nervous. I didn’t want them to end up in the reject pile and I didn’t want my high hopes for these pairs to be crushed because they were soaring sky high. I slipped on the Hollister shorts first and right away I knew that they would work perfectly. They were low rise, which I liked and they fit well without being too short or revealing. And, of course, I loved that they were black and the zippers were a nice touch!

I was pleased to have found just one pair and after a little celebration, my nerves began to skyrocket again because I really freakin liked the AEO pair. What made me antsy was that they were hung on a hanger that said size three. When I grabbed the pair from the rack, I didn’t think much of it but then I began to think “Well, shit. What if they don’t fit?” Just in the nick of time, though, I remembered that AEO has even sizes instead of odd and that the bermudas were, indeed, a size four.

Once the mystery of the size was solved, I pulled the pair on in record timing because I knew that they would fit well since I wear a four in AEO jeans. I love saying this…I was right! The shorts fit like a glove and they were like nothing that I’ve had before. I loved that they were a skinny fit which was so flattering and the color was out of this world. It was funny, because I was telling my mom on the car ride to the store that if I can’t find any shorts, I would have to resort to going to the mall and going to AE. I wasn’t exactly thrilled with this idea, though, because I really wasn’t trying to drop forty to fifty dollars on one pair of shorts.

I was so incredibly happy with my findings during this past weekend’s TJs trip because I ended up getting two pairs of shorts and a Nine West purse for under sixty dollars. The shorts were about twenty-six dollars in total which was less than what I would have spent on one pair at the mall. I now have three pairs of shorts to wear this summer and on my upcoming vacation so I can breathe easy for a while about not having any to wear. I wouldn’t mind one more pair but I’m just thankful I was able to find TWO pairs in one evening that were perfect for me. Thanks, TJMaxx!! ❤

So there you have it, A Short Story on my newest editions to my wardrobe! What is one piece of clothing that you hate shopping for? Has anyone had as much trouble as I have for finding shorts that work? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May17

It’s In The Bag – Nine West Edition

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It’s In The Bag – Nine West Edition

Hi everyone and happy Tuesday! First of all, I want to wish a very happy birthday to my older brother, Andrew! I love you! Second of all, I want to talk to all of you about the most gorgeous purse that I added to my collection this weekend. My mom and I had a gift card from TJMaxx (shocker) so we decided to pop into the store and take a look around. I ended up with two pairs of shorts which you can see on Wednesday’s post “A Short Story” and a beautiful Nine West tote bag. Take a look:

9w

^^^ IT’S SO PRETTY!!!!

I admit that I am not an animal print fan in the slightest. I don’t do leopard, nor cheetah, zebra, or any other print that you can think of. However, I freaking LOVE snakeskin…Fake snakeskin, of course. I think that snakeskin is the most edgy, cool, and rocker chic pattern on the planet. It screams luxury mixed with rebellion and I can’t get enough. So it shouldn’t surprise you when I tell you that as soon as I laid eyes on my new beauty that it was love at first sight.

I took a tentative glance at the price tag and was astounded to see that it was only thirty dollars in contrast to the Nine West tag that was still attached and boasting a ninety dollar original price. Once I saw that the bag was reasonably priced, I plucked it from its hanger and slung it over my arm. Usually I don’t like carrying big bags but this one was different. It was made so narrowly that it didn’t look bulky but rather sleek and slinky. I loved that it fit comfortably between my arm and body and of course, the color palette was pure Lil Red perfection.

Although I was so enamored with the Nine West purse, I had a hard time justifying buying a new one since I had just recently got one from Kohl’s. For the entire shopping trip I debated on if it was worth it to bite the bullet and make the purchase. Despite how much I loved the bag, I decided that it wasn’t something that I absolutely needed. But my beloved mother wasn’t having that.

Because my birthday is right around the corner she offered it as an early birthday gift from her and I just couldn’t say no! It was just so perfect and the fact that the price of it was the exact amount of our gift card made it seem like it was meant to be. I love my new purse so much and I can’t wait to use it for work, school, and my internship. Thank you so much, mom! And happy early birthday to me! 😀

So there you have it, the latest issue of It’s In The Bag – Nine West Edition! Has anyone done some shopping recently? What has been your latest purchase? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr24

Black Leather Jacket OOTD

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Black Leather Jacket OOTD

Hi everyone and welcome to a very special post here on lifewithlilred thanks to the fabulous Tara from venuslaughing. When Tara initially approached me for the possibility of guest blogging I was a little ambivalent because I still was unsure of how I wanted to go about doing guest posts on my page. However, after looking over her AMAZING blog, I just couldn’t say no. Tara is so creative, talented, and just lovely as can be and I am so incredibly lucky to have her on my page. I asked Tara if she could create some OOTDs involving a Black Leather Jacket (or pleather which is what I prefer!) and her post and photos blew me away. So without further ado, here is Tara’s guest post created special for my lifewithlilred readers. Enjoy:

Hello! Today I am thrilled to get to share with you one of my favorite wardrobe essentials that can be worn any season: the black leather jacket. I have been drooling over leather jackets for the past two years. Finally, my budget has allowed for this fantasy to become a reality! After a couple hours of careful perusing, I found an Etsy shop in California called The Industry that had a style I loved: vintage 1980s, black, short length, with patina and fringe! I’m so happy this treasure now lives in my closet.
Leather jackets communicate being secure in your own skin, marching to the beat of your own drum, and being in tune with your wildish nature. Also, wearing animal skin is a reminder of our primal connection to the earth itself, which modern society tends to be so out of synch with! And of course, buying vintage/used leather is smart for eco-sustainable and ethical reasons.

A leather jacket can pair with so many things! Here are a few of my favorite looks:
 
A Pop Of Color:
The inspiration for this look came from a beautiful bag my mom surprised me with one day, purchased at a local fair trade store called Just Creations. I had this idea to do my hair up in a kind of Bridget Bardot-esque look. The leopard booties (ASOS) might be too much, but they’re fun! Cut your mesh tights into socks and roll your skinny jeans over them for this look!

Romantic:

The inspiration for the romantic look was this floral summer dress, AKA the “Nashville dress”. It reminds me of a trip my sister and I took to Nashville once to try busking on the street (we made a whopping nine dollars!). Also, a beautiful book called Paris Street Style by Isabelle Thomas and Frederique Veysset, given to me for Christmas by my sister. It has a selection on leather jackets and dresses!
 
 Tips & Pics:
  • Mix it with something frilly, lacey, floral, romantic, or soft.
  • Pair it with white.
  • Bring a pop of color to it with earrings or shoes.
  • Put your hair in an updo to soften the look (Pro Tip: Use hair powder!).
  • Wear a bright colored lipstick.
  • And remember, above all else, have fun! The best fashion breaks rules. Do what feels good!

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Thank you so much to the beautiful Tara for such a wonderful guest post! Once again, please be sure to check out her page at venuslaughing! What is your favorite look that Tara created? How would you style a Black Leather Jacket OOTD? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr12

It’s In The Bag – Sonoma Edition

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It’s In The Bag – Sonoma Edition

Hello everyone and happy Tuesday! Last week, I had to run into Kohl’s for my mom to return a few things before I had to pick up my brother from work nearby. I was running a bit early so I had some time to browse the store before I left and found the most darling canvas purse on the planet. As soon as I laid eyes on it, I fell in love. I envisioned myself toting it around to my internship this summer and packing it full of necessities to use as an overnight bag on vacation.

Despite my daydreams, the purse didn’t come home with me because I didn’t have any Kohl’s coupons with me and I was certain that they would send some in the mail within the week. In the meantime, I told my mom about the bag in vivid detail and raved about how cute it was. Over the weekend, I decided that I still really wanted the purse so my mom and I ventured off to Kohl’s to make the purchase. By the time we returned, there was only one of the bags left so I quickly plucked it off of the hook and into my loving arms. Take a look at my newest little beauty:

purse

^^^ I LOVE IT!!

The best part about this sweet tote? It was marked down from thirty dollars to fourteen which was a total steal. AND, my mom was kind enough to purchase it for me as a congratulations gift for the internship I landed this summer. I’m so happy with my latest addition to my accessory collection especially considering that I couldn’t stop thinking about it after I saw it and there was only one left when I made my way back to the store. That’s how you know that you and a clothing item or accessory were meant to be!

So there you have it, the latest segment of It’s In The Bag – Sonoma Edition! I can’t wait to incorporate my new favorite purse into my spring and summer wardrobe and I am so totally obsessed! Has anyone scored any good deals while out shopping recently? What warm weather item are you looking forward to wearing? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr11

Monday Update: This Or That Edition

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Monday Update: This Or That Edition

Howdy everyone and happy Monday! I hope all of you had a fabulous weekend! I’ve needed to go to the eye doctor for quite some time now and finally managed to get an appointment this past Friday. After I got a new prescription for my contacts, I spent some time looking for new glasses because I’ve seriously had the same pair since I was fifteen. I found a few pairs that really spoke to me so I went home and then returned later in the day with my mom to get her opinion.

I tried on tons of different frames but I ended up returning to the two pairs that I was daydreaming about all afternoon. Two remarkably different but amazingly cute frames. A pair of red, black, and white Kliik Denmarks and a circular black and grey pair of Dolce & Gabbanas. My mom and I were really struggling to figure out which pair was the one and began to grow increasingly aware of the time crunch that we were working with as the office was closing soon.

Lucky for me, I was allowed to take both frames home for the weekend so that I could decide which one I like the best. All weekend I’ve been flip flopping between the two quirky cool pairs and I think I’ve made a decision…But I want to hear what the general public thinks, first. I’m so aware that the following selfies kind of suck but they get the job done. So take a look and then help me decide which pair I should go with:

^^^ Why must I love them both? WHY?!

So there you have it, this week’s Monday Update: This Or That Edition! What pair of glasses do you like the best? Has anyone struggled with a glasses situation similar to mine? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr5

TJ’s Trip

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TJ’s Trip

Hi everyone and happy Tuesday! As you guys know, I freaking LOVE TJMaxx. I live for all of the fabulous but affordable finds there and always enjoy a TJ’s shopping trip even if I leave empty handed. My mom and I go to TJ’s once or twice a month to see what’s new and we had one of our excursions this past weekend. We left with a scarf for both of us, a new toy for both of our dogs, and a little “Ollie sized” food dish for our most recently adopted pup. I’m seriously so in love with my BCBGeneration scarf that I can’t even handle it so take a look at the darling new addition to my wardrobe:

^^^ So cute!

Usually when my mom and I shop at TJ’s, we breeze by their selection of scarves because we don’t wear them often. However, my mom said that she would like a new and lighter one for spring so we took our time and thumbed through the many scarves that TJ’s had on display. I found my mom a lovely black, grey, and white striped scarf that looked so adorable on her so we decided to go with that one and continue scouring the store.

As we were walking away to go check out the shoes, I took one last survey of the scarves and found the only Popsicle print square scarf that was hanging up. I was instantly enamored by the whimsical pattern, creamy colors, and vintage feel of the silky BCBGeneration scarf. I knew right away that I wanted it. The scarf was the perfect amount of cute and quirky that I love and it was at just the right price of eight bucks. How can you say no to that?!

As soon as I saw the scarf, I began thinking of all of the different ways that I could wear it this spring and summer. Tied in a bow around my neck, Parisian style, as a turban, as a hair wrap, casually flung over my shoulders – the possibilities were endless! I love pieces that are versatile and can be worn during all or most seasons. This sweet little square scarf passed that requirement with flying colors!

The best part about this scarf is the pure luxury of it for such an amazing price. The rich cream, mauve, and baby blue palette just screams vintage chic and the silky material feels so fabulous to the touch. I adore the BCBGeneration brand, too, so the fact that my scarf came from their collection was another added bonus. I’m so excited to sport my quirky and sweet new scarf this season and I’m so beyond happy with my latest TJMaxx find!

My mom and I’s latest TJ’s Trip was an obvious success and I live for our monthly shopping excursions together! What is your favorite way to wear a scarf? What was the latest purchase you made while out shopping? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar28

Monday Update: MakeSpace Edition

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Monday Update: MakeSpace Edition

Hellooo everyone and happy Monday! Recently, I learned about the super cool storage company, MakeSpace. As we discussed how their service is like one of my favorite movies, Clueless, I knew I just had to write about it. MakeSpace is a service that comes to your place, grabs your stuff, and stores it for you. With the warm spring weather on the horizon, now is the perfect time to store away your winter duds for next year. The best part is, is that when the time comes for you to need your stored away items again, you can consult your virtual closet and MakeSpace will deliver it back to you. Will your virtual closet be as amazing as Cher’s from Clueless? Probably not. But storing with MakeSpace is a great place to start!

Before we begin discussing how I prepare for warm weather as well as my spring time essentials, some music is in order. Take a listen to the late great David Bowie’s “Fashion” featured in Clueless:

^^^ Love it. ❤

When it comes to prepping for spring, keeping an organized closet it a total must for me. That means saying bye bye to cold weather boots, heavy jackets, and thick sweaters to combat frigid Ohio winters. If I stored with MakeSpace, all of these snowy day necessities would be taken away ASAP and replaced with all things spring! We’re talking sweet sun dresses, maxi skirts, light cardigans, and open toed heels – finally!

With my winter clothing stored safely away at MakeSpace, my closet would have ample room to welcome some of my favorite spring time clothing and accessories. I’m really looking forward to putting my knee length gladiator sandals to good use as well as my collection of floral skirts. Shocking, I know, that the girl who boasts about wearing all black constantly has clothes in the most girly pattern ever! BUT, these skirts are special because they were my grandma’s and I love all things vintage!

Despite my tendency to lean towards black clothing, I like to pepper all of my outfits with at least a little splash of color. To keep things relatively springy in my looks, I plan on breaking out one of my favorite purses. A vegan leather turquoise satchel. The Easter bright vibrancy of the bag will be a gorgeous pop of color against my soft tan trench coach and black skinny jeans!

Once all of my spring clothes is runway ready (AKA strutting down the aisles of Target), there are a few final Lil Red spring essentials:

  1. A felt floppy hat in a gauzy color. Maybe mauve, peach, or cream.
  2. Long necklaces for layering. I’m currently obsessed with rosary style necklaces.
  3. A killer pair of shades. I plan on rocking my daisy embellished aviators constantly!

Pair with a sundress, cardi, and kitten heels. Rinse. Repeat. Hello, Spring!

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As we bring this article to a close, I’d like to end with a story which explains just why my family needs MakeSpace in our lives. This past week my beloved mother began readying her spring wardrobe when she realized that she couldn’t find her shorts from last year anywhere. For days I had to hear a litany of “I don’t know where they could be”, “It’s not like they could just walk away”, and of course, “Sarah, can you help me”? It. Was. Torture.

But lucky for my mom, Detective Sarah was on the case. Thanks to my expert snooping work, I found my mom’s shorts crammed in one of the dresser drawers that she never uses. Right in the nick of time, too, considering a few hours later she hopped on a plane to hot and sunny Atlanta, Georgia to visit my brother! Moral of the story: Had we been storing away our clothes according to season with MakeSpace, this incident and future ones to come would never be an issue. Because believe me, this is not the last you’ve heard of my mom and I not being able to find anything!

So there you have it, this week’s Monday Update: MakeSpace Edition! What is your go to spring staple? What would you store away with MakeSpace? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar27

Black Maxi Dress OOTD

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Black Maxi Dress OOTD

Hi everyone and happy Sunday! This month, I have been so pleased to be able to host my guest blogger, Nida, from Shopaholic Blogs here on lifewithlilred. She has done an exceptional job creating ready to wear OOTDs for all of our readers and it was so much fun working with her! Nida’s final post is actually a three for one because she’s going to show you three ways to style the summer staple that is the Black Maxi Dress. Thanks again for all of your hard work, Nida! You’re fabulous. Now, take a look at Nida’s Black Maxi Dress OOTD:

 

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Hello everyone! 💞
Welcome to another OOTD collab post! Before I start talking about today’s look I want to thank Sarah from lifewithlilred for hosting my posts these past few weeks. ✨ It has been a pleasure working with her and she has always been so appreciative of my work that it inspired me to do better each time. I know most people shy away from collabs for a multitude of reasons. But from my own experience, I have found collabs to be a fabulous way to not only interact with other bloggers but to learn from them, too. In addition, it’s a great opportunity for both parties to cross promote their blog and reach more readers. Here’s to a million more great collaborations! ✨
If you want to get in touch with me please feel free to email me at: shopaholicblogs@gmail.com.

 
Now for today’s OOTD! ✨ Sarah very generously let me pick out my own theme this week. With summer approaching fast, dresses and skirts become the forerunners in my wardrobe. 🌞 One piece that I buy every year is the black maxi dress! 😍 I find it to be a versatile item that I can style multiple different ways and it flatters almost all body types, my awkward one included. So here are the three ways that I will be wearing my black dress this summer! Enjoy!

 

✨ Look #1 – Cute & Casual

  • Maxi Dress: Old Navy
  • Denim Vest: American Eagle Outfitters
  • Sneakers: Dr. Scholl
  • Purse: Dooney and Bourke
  • Sunglasses: Coach
  • Bracelet: Fossil

✨ Look #2 – Out & About

  • Scarf: Old Navy
  • Sandals: BCBG
  • Purse: Oryany Tracy
  • Bracelets: Fossil

✨ The second look is perfect for a day around town/shopping/out with the girls! 💖

                                                                                      ✨ Look #3 – Boho Chic     

  • Poncho: American Eagle Outfitters
  • Sandals: BCBG
  • Accessories: H&M

✨ The third and final look is my favorite! 😘 I want to go bohemian this summer and the AE poncho is perfect for a boho look.

✨ Makeup Used

  • Eyeliner: Bare Minerals in Onyx
  • Lip Crayon: Burt’s Bees in Redwood Forest

There you have it loves, my take on styling the Black Maxi Dress. As always, I hope you enjoyed this OOTD!
Until next time xoxo 💋

^^^ Cool looks, Nida! You can see all of Nida’s OOTD posts under the Fashion category on my page and on her site, Shopaholic Blogs. Please be sure to give her page some love! Out of the three looks that Nida created, which one would you wear? What is your go to spring or summer staple? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar26

New NYX Lipsticks

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New NYX Lipsticks

Hellooo everyone and happy weekend! I absolutely love the makeup brand, NYX, and I recently restocked my favorite shade of their matte lipstick and purchased a color in their new Liquid Suede cream lipstick, too. NYX has the literal best matte lipstick that I’ve ever used in my life and I swear by my go to color, Pure Red. In almost every single picture of me that I have posted on lifewithlilred, chances are that I’m wearing my favorite shade. I was running low on my lipstick so I had to snag another tube from Target and also ended up with their Liquid Suede lipstick in Stone Fox. Take a look at the packaging and my skin swatches and then let’s discuss:

Before I began using NYX’s matte lipstick, I was using Covergirl and blow drying the bejeezus out of my lips to give it the perfect matte finish. At the time, there really was no reputable matte lipsticks out in any brand so I thought that I would be stuck blow drying my lippies until they fall off. Then, one day, I stumbled upon NYX’s matte lipstick at the grocery store and was so impressed by the ones that I tested that I bought at least five different shades that day. Of course, Pure Red ended up being my favorite and I’ve been a faithful user ever since.

As soon as I saw that I was running low on my Pure Red, it was vital that I got a new tube ASAP. Thankfully, a trip to Target remedied my restocking needs and I had a brand new matte lippy stored safely in my basket. During that shopping trip, I had the insatiable urge to try something new, as well. I’ll be frank, I’m not keen on the super colorful lipstick trend. I don’t care for the blues, greens, and purples that have been flooding my Facebook and WordPress newsfeed as of late. However, I was very interested in trying to find a grey or a black lipstick to try.

I knew that NYX had recently come out with their Liquid Suede line that boasted a wide variation of colors so I was really happy to see that Target had the new collection fully stocked. They had your classic reds and pinks as well as the funky crayon box colors, too. But at the very end of their color spectrum, they had a deep grey shade called Stone Fox. It was exactly what I wanted but I was very nervous to buy it without testing it in case it looked fucking miserable. So I did what any self respecting asshole of a shopper would do…I removed the plastic wrapping on the lipstick, went to the nearest mirror in the clothing section, and gave it a try…

It. Looked. Horrible. The dark grey was just too much and I looked like a total freak. I panicked, because I didn’t know how I was going to get the color off because it was clinging to my lips for dear life. Then, I had an idea. I dug into my purse and grabbed one of my berry flavored tinted chapsticks to see if I could coax the color off by applying some moisture. I smudged on the chapstick and rubbed my lips together like I was trying to start a fire and then I examined the results in the mirror…

Not bad. Not bad at all. The Liquid Suede/chapstick combo resulted in a smokey pink with the most subtle hint of lavender and it looked so cool! I showed my mom the shade that I concocted and she loved it, too. I asked her what color she thought it was and she was dumbfounded when I told her that my custom color was born from a lipstick shade that looked like I had smeared car grease onto my mouth.

After achieving a unique kind of success with the Liquid Suede shade, I couldn’t not buy it…Especially considering I had already opened it. I tested my Berry Smokey color around my best friend and boyfriend and it was the first thing that they complimented me on when they saw me. I was so pleasantly surprised when my boyfriend noticed because makeup isn’t his forte in the slightest! Honestly, makeup really isn’t my strong point either so I was so happy that I was able to turn a totally dreadful color into something edgy and cool all on my own.

So after reading the tale of my small lipstick victory, the real question is, would I recommend the products that I purchased? If you are a fan of red lipstick, I would without a doubt recommend NYX’s Pure Red matte lipstick. It’s the most gorgeous shade of red that I have ever seen and if you don’t believe me – check out all of my pics from yesterday’s photo shoot post!

As far as NYX’s Liquid Suede cream lipstick in Stone Fox goes, I’m kind of wishy washy about it. If you want to look like you fell face first into wet tar, then yes, totally buy this product. If you want to create your own smokey shade by mixing it with another lipstick or balm, then yes, totally buy this product. However, if you’re looking for a subtle way to rock a dark lipstick shade, then this cream lipstick is not for you. Wearing the deep grey color alone was too much, even for me, and that’s really saying something considering I’m the queen of all things edgy and quirky. So, yes, I suppose I do recommend this product, too, but just know what you’re getting yourself into before you buy it.

All in all, I’m really pleased with my New NYX Lipsticks and I’m so happy that I found such a reliable brand to suit all of my makeup needs. What is your favorite NYX product? How do you feel about the lipsticks that I wrote about today if you use either? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah