Tag Archives: trader joe’s

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

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

May28

May 2024 Finishes

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May 2024 Finishes

Hellooo darlings! We are nearing the end of May and that means that it is time to discuss my beauty empties for the month. It also means three more things: Johnny’s birthday, our wedding anniversary, and my birthday are fast approaching. AKA our birthaversary! Needless to say, it is a banner time to be me and Johnny – even if I am turning the Dirty Thirty lol sigh. Aging is a part of life and yada, yada, yada but here’s to hoping that products like these will help me maintain my youthful glow! Check it out:

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Would I Use Again?

Evoluderm Micellar Water: YES

Bath & Body Works Poppy Body Cream: YES

Trader Joe’s Berry Lip Mask: MAYBE

GlobalBeautyCare Retinol & Hyaluronic Acid Moisturizer: YES!!

Why/Why Not?

We already know I love me my micellar water and B&BW body cream so let’s move on to…

Trader Joe’s Lip Mask: In my perfect world, there would be a Trader Joe’s right down the street from me. Unfortunately, that is not the case and the closest one is about forty minutes from chez nous. While I simply refuse to make the drive, my parents will go there from time to time and picked the Berry Lip Mask out for me as a little Valentine’s Day treat. It took me over three months of nightly use to finish the jar and I enjoyed using it. However, I was ready for it to be over if that makes sense? Although I liked how smooth this mask made my lips, it didn’t do much else. If my parents were to get it for me again, I would use it happily. I definitely wouldn’t go forty minutes out of my way to get it myself, though!

GlobalBeautyCare Moisturizer: If you read my recent review for this Retinol and Hyaluronic Acid moisturizer, you will know that I freaking loved it. If you didn’t read my recent review: I freaking loved this moisturizer lol. This was, hands down, the best and most effective moisturizer that I have used in a long time. I noticed a significant difference in the fine lines that I have some concern about and it was amazing to get those results in one month of twice daily use. I also liked how gentle this moisturizer was even though it had retinol because it has caused irritation to my skin in the past. I was disappointed that TJMaxx didn’t have any more GlobalBeautyCare during my last haul (See yesterday’s post), but I will absolutely buy it if I see it again.

And, with that, my May Finishes are complete. I can’t wait to start using products from my last skin care haul and am keeping my fingers crossed that it will contain another diamond in the rough like the GlobalBeautyCare moisturizer!

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

Feb25

Trader Joe’s Berry Lip Mask Review

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Trader Joe’s Berry Lip Mask Review

Hello! My family absolutely loves Trader Joe’s. Unfortunately, the nearest one to us is about a forty or so minute trek, making it a highly inconvenient place to go to do grocery shopping. Every once in a while, however, my parents will make the trip to TJs (Trader Joe’s, not TJMaxx for once!) and did so a few weeks ago. As a Valentine’s Day treat, my mom surprised my sister and me with a Berry scented lip mask from their skin care department. I have been using it since I got it and I love it so very, berry much! Check it out:

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I love the idea of a lip mask, but have never found one that works just right for me. I have tested quite a few and they were mainly ineffective. The best one that I have probably used was one by Laneige that I got as a freebie from Sephora. Then, I realized it wasn’t cruelty free (I HATE when that happens) and pretty much gave up on my hunt for a good lip mask. I opted for Pacifica lip balms, instead, and although they are amazing throughout the day, it just isn’t the same as a lip mask at night.

Because of my lack of luck for a decent lip mask, I was a bit ambivalent about the one from Trader Joe’s. Then, I opened it up and realized that even if it sucked, it still smelled fabulous lol. This mask smells exactly like Raspberry LipSmackers and works so much better! A little dollop of this product to cover my lips is all I need and I have woken up every morning since with a pretty pout. Not only do my lips feel insanely moisturized, but I think they look somewhat fuller too. It is truly the cruelty free compromise to Laneige lip masks and I am thrilled with this Sweet Surprise from my mom! ❤

If you are lucky enough to have a Trader Joe’s close to you, then I cannot recommend their lip mask enough. Who knew you could get such awesome skin care at a grocery store?!

What was your favorite LipSmacker scent? Have you found a lip mask that works for you? 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

Mar5

Trader Joe’s Enrich Moisturizing Face Lotion Review

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Trader Joe’s Enrich Moisturizing Face Lotion Review

Hey everyone and happy weekend! Today I’m going to be discussing my new favorite product, compliments of a Christmas gift from mi madre. I always ask for a supply of my beauty and skin care necessities for Christmas so my mom hooked me up with a new moisturizer from Trader Joe’s. I only recently started using my Trader Joe’s Enrich Moisturizing Face Lotion because I’ve been in the process of finishing a Neutrogena moisturizer since November. Last week I finally finished my Neutrogena and began my TJ’s journey and let me tell you…I’m already hooked. Take a look at their packaging and then let’s discuss:

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I’ve been writing about quite a few fragrance free products lately which is weird but I actually really don’t mind this moisturizers lack of a scent – especially because it has SPF 15 in it. I find that most skin care products that have SPF in it always smell like you’re lathering yourself up to get ready for the beach. My Neutrogena moisturizer had SPF 15 in it, as well, and you could definitely tell by its scent. When it comes to products that have any amount of SPF in it, I would prefer for it to be fragrance free so that’s a major plus for Trader Joe’s Enrich Moisturizing Face Lotion.

When I am browsing the market for a new moisturizer, I’m always very concerned about the texture of it. I can’t stand products that are greasy, oily, or too thick. Lucky for me, none of these issues were a problem with TJ’s face lotion. The texture was so lusciously creamy and it actually was quite thick – I know, I know, I just said that this was a problem. BUT to me, there’s a big difference between a thickness that’s goopy and heavy and one that is nice and rich. Obviously, Trader Joe’s lotion texture was the latter or I would not be using it!

The final “must” for me when it comes to a new moisturizer or lotion is how well it absorbs. I have to say, I was very impressed with how quickly Trader Joe’s lotion absorbed considering that it is a bit thicker than what I normally would use. A quarter sized squeeze sunk into my skin in record time and it left absolutely no residue. My skin felt hydrated and soft and I was amazed at the way my skin looked after using it. My prized super pale epidermis (science!) looked like porcelain. My face looked and felt so supple and I was blown away. I’ve never used a moisturizer before that had such evident results after ONE USE. You can’t beat that!

Of course, I’m going to have to rate Trader Joe’s Enrich Moisturizing Face Lotion with: five stars. I really can’t recommend this product enough, especially for those with a normal to dry skin type. I’m aware that the packaging says that all skin types can use it but I fear that it might be a bit too heavy for problem skin. But, I suppose a thin layer can’t hurt!

So there you have it, my Trader Joe’s Enrich Moisturizing Face Lotion Review! Has anyone used this moisturizer before? What did you think of it? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb26

February Finishes

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February Finishes

Hiii everyone and TGIF! I don’t know about you guys, but when I’m in the home stretch of finally finishing a beauty product, I get really antsy! I love to try new products so the anticipation of what I will be using next seriously kills me. In the month of February I finished three beauty products – a cleanser, moisturizer, and a shower gel. Frankly, I’m happy to be rid of all of them so let’s say “BYE Felicia” to my February empties as I send them to their new home in the recycling bin:

All of these products lasted me for a good long while which I was quite impressed with. Here’s how all of them fared:

I linked all of my reviews for each product listed above and now it’s time for the real question… Would I use any of these again? Here’s my verdict:

  • Neutrogena: Yes
  • I Love…: Maybe
  • Simple: No

So what products am I using now? I began using a moisturizer from Trader Joe’s that I got as a Christmas gift today and was pleased with my first use. For my shower gel, I’m using SoftSoap’s Sweet Honeysuckle and Orange Peel which smells delicious. And for my face wash, I started a new makeup removing cream cleanser from Garnier today, as well. I wasn’t very impressed with it this morning, so we’ll see how I feel after a few uses. I’ll be reviewing these products soon so be on the lookout! 🙂

So there you have it, my February Finishes! What beauty products did you use up this month? Have you started any new products recently? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec28

Monday Update: Holiday Haul Edition

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Monday Update: Holiday Haul Edition

Hello everyone and happy Monday! Welcome to this week’s Update: Holiday Haul Edition! Lil Red made out like a bandit this Christmas and it’s still not over! I still have presents to receive from my sister and my best friend later this week. But so far, the loot has been fantastic. I feel so spoiled because I’ve never had a boyfriend during the holiday season and Kyle and his mom were nice enough to give me some amazing presents. Take a look at what I received on Christmas according to each person:

My parents:

I am SO in love with the gorgeous coat that my mom and dad got me. I’ve been eyeing this jacket from Target for over two months now and I’m so happy that it’s finally mine! My mom got it for me the day after I tried it on in front of her in October and has been hiding it for my surprise ever since. What a lady! I also received a generous donation to the Lil Red Foundation as well as a fresh supply of my favorite beauty products from The Body Shop and Trader Joe’s. Thanks, mom and dad!

My brother and sister-in-law:

From Peter and Megan I received my first Adult Coloring Book, complete with colored pencils and a sharpener. My sister and I have been interested in these for a while so I’m so excited to unleash my inner child and crack open the coloring book with her. I also got a Groupon for two free admissions to a Paint Nite. In Ohio, there are certain bars that offer a night of drinking and canvas painting and I’ve heard that they’re so much fun! It will be the perfect date night for me and Kyle!

The most special gift I got this Christmas, however, was the rosary that Peter and Megan brought home for me from their honeymoon in Italy. It’s my favorite color and it is also blessed by Pope Francis from when they had the honor of meeting him. How cool is that?!

My other brother:

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From my second oldest brother, Andrew, I received another generous donation to the Lil Red Foundation. You can’t go wrong with cold hard cash!

My boyfriend:

My darling Kyle spoiled me rotten this year with some of the most fantastic gifts ever!! He gave me an entire family of stuffed animals from Despicable Me – one of our favorite movies. I also got a stuffed Moogle from Final Fantasy, which I’m pretty stoked about! To continue with the Minion theme, Kyle got me the most comfy pair of Minion patterned fleece pajama pants, which were unfortunately in the washing machine while I was taking my haul photos! Rest assured, they’re cute. 🙂

Kyle did a wonderful job of picking me out some beautiful accessories as well. I was so surprised when I opened the boxes of gorgeous jewelry, which included two stunning bracelets and a necklace. Kyle also knocked it out of the park with a burgundy and grey infinity scarf (Which I’m wearing right now!) and burgundy and black trimmed gloves. I can’t wait to wear my new scarf with all of my favorite sweaters and pair my gloves with my new coat from my parents! Thanks, babe – I love you! ❤

My boyfriend’s mom:

I was so humbled by the lovely gifts that my boyfriend’s mom treated me to. She got me the absolute cutest ornament for my tree of a little penguin ice skating. I made sure to put it right by my human skater, which I got at a figure skating competition in New York. Mrs. Kyle’s Mom also gifted me with some luscious bath and body products from Philosophy. I’ve never used their products before but have always wanted to so I was SO excited to try both of them out! Spoiler alert: They’re amazing and they smell heavenly!

As much as I enjoyed receiving all of these beautiful presents, I enjoyed giving everyone the gifts I picked out special for them even more! I am so thankful for all of the goodies that I was gifted with but would have been just fine with only having the quality time with my family and loved ones. My Christmas this year was one of the best ever and I can’t wait to continue the celebrations this week with my sister and darling best friend!

So there you have it, this week’s Monday Update: Holiday Haul Edition! How was everyone’s holiday? What was your favorite gift that you received or gave? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah