Author Archives: lifewithlilred

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About lifewithlilred

Just your average gal blogging an average blog!
Jun29

Bath & Body Works Foaming Hand Soap Haul

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Bath & Body Works Foaming Hand Soap Haul

Hi! You recently saw my Bath & Body Works Semi Annual Sale haul and it was a mighty fine one, indeed. I don’t know how much better it gets than nineteen products for sixty something bucks! Score! B&BW products are a staple at chez moi and it was so nice to restock all of our smell good supplies for a song by simply clicking “confirm order”. While I love my shower gels, lotions, and wall plugins, my favorite product of all time from B&BW are their foaming hand soaps. My bathroom simply wouldn’t be the same without them lol. I did purchase more of my must have soap in May but I couldn’t resist adding a few more to my cart during my Semi Annual Sale shopping. Check it out and let’s discuss these scents further:

Cotton Candy Grape: Grape scents can be hit or miss but I decided to go for Cotton Candy Grape anyways because the cotton candy aspect intrigued me. This scent was either going to be good or bad and, unfortunately, it is a no from me. Cotton Candy Grape features notes of “juicy grapes, fluffy cotton candy, and sugared citrus”. Individually, this all sounds great. Together, however, created a fragrance that smells straight up medicinal. In fact, I think it smells just like children’s cough medicine. This is definitely a fragrance line that you can skip on!

Gingham Gorgeous: I am a Gingham girl through and through and my haul included a body cream of the OG Gingham and a shower gel of Gingham Love. I snagged Gingham Gorgeous as a foaming hand soap just because and I wish I didn’t because this is, without a doubt, my least favorite from the Gingham line. Gingham Gorgeous offers notes of “pink strawberries, peach nectar, and peony blooms”. I can vaguely smell a hint of peach but, make no mistake, this is a floral scent through and through and I am so not a floral fan. So far we are striking out with these sniff tests but that’s the hazard of online shopping for fragrances so what can ya do lol.

Cucumber Melon: Thank goodness for Cucumber Melon because I knew I was going to like this one! The B&BW classic Cucumber Melon is just the best with notes of “crisp cucumber, watery honeydew, and juicy cantaloupe”. I actually hate honeydew and cantaloupe but I can’t get enough of this nostalgic scent! Cucumber Melon is summery, fresh, and brings me back to my early teens when I had a fragrance spray of this scent. It smells exactly as I remember it which is a true testament to if it’s not broken, don’t fix it!

Churro Cinnamon Bun: Mmmmmmm! “Fresh baked churros, cinnamon sugar, and a drizzle of icing”, this scent smells just as delicious as the scent description promises. Churro Cinnamon Bun is exactly what you think it is – a whiff of fresh baked, piping hot cinnamon rolls and it really smells good enough to eat. It is early morning as I write this and it seriously made me hungry when I did the sniff test lol. I would happily buy this one again and happily take a break to eat some breakfast soon. 😀

This haul was half duds and half winners but at least I know what not to get next time and so do you!

Did you shop the B&BW Semi Annual Sale? How many products did you get? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun28

Matching Set Magic OOTD

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Matching Set Magic OOTD

Hi everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! This past Friday was a whirlwind day of awesome. I got my hair done AND I got to see The Strokes at Blossom Music Center with my main squeeze. I couldn’t wait to get home after my hair appointment to put together a cute little outfit, take some pics, and hit the town with Johnny for an amazing concert. The OOTD I put together required zero think work because it was a matching set. All I had to do was put it on, accessorize, and go! We were on a slight time crunch so it couldn’t have worked out better and I spent the evening at the show feeling like a star. Check it out:

Who? What? Wear?

Matching Set: Altar’d State

Platforms: Olivia Miller, Walmart

The earrings were purchased on a family vacation to Universal Studios!

This matching set has been worn in a previous OOTD post but I just had to run it back because it is that good! This little lilac loveliness is simply the cutest and screams fun in the sun. That pretty pastel with the sweet as can be daisy pattern is all things sugar with the spice of a bodycon skirt and crop top. It is such a sweet tart vibe and I cannot get enough! This matching set from Altar’d State complimented my new do so perfectly and I like it so much that I will let the overwhelming amount of jesus in the store slide lol. This is one of the only purchases I made at that store for that reason and I ended my shopping at Altar’d State on the hosanna in the highest note. See what I did there?!

Shoes and accessories were all that was needed before I was concert ready and the obvious choice was my lilac platforms by Olivia Miller. I got these for a whopping five bucks at Walmart and am still not over that online shopping victory. Not only were these platforms a match made in heaven with the matching set but they are comfy AF to boot. We had to walk a lot from our car to the concert venue and I didn’t even break a sweat. In fact, I could have kept on going! Finally, I put on some purple lightening bolt earrings to amp up this look for a rock show. With that, I was ready to cross The Strokes off of my concert bucket list after wanting to see them live for so long. Best. Night. EVER! ❤

From the outfit to the post, this Matching Set Magic OOTD was short and sweet. Stay tuned for the Blooper Reel coming soon for the skinny on all of our concert antics!

Are you going to any concerts this summer? Which artists are on your concert bucket list? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun27

Bath & Body Works Semi Annual Sale Haul

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Bath & Body Works Semi Annual Sale Haul

Hi! In early June I am always on the lookout for mail from Bath & Body Works to alert me to the Semi Annual Sale start date. I mark the date on the calendar as soon as it arrives and count down the days until I can shop till I drop! The B&BW Semi Annual Sale is just the best and I love stocking up on products for myself and Johnny for a fraction of the price. You simply can’t beat getting an eighteen dollar shower gel for three bucks and it’s so fun to spoil myself with old favorites and new to me scents. I scored nineteen products in this haul for about sixty-five dollars and I think we will be pretty well set on smell goods for a while! Check it out:

Did I go a little product crazy? Maybe! But, honestly, no I didn’t lol. This is me fully and completely justifying this purchase because it’s just too good of a deal to pass up. And it’s not like these products are sitting on a shelf to never be used – B&BW smell goods are used daily and constantly at my apartment. Why not get them for dirt cheap?! And, before anyone asks, the answer is: YES. I am, in fact, already looking forward to the winter Semi Annual Sale. Lol, what can I say? It’s my time to shine!

Stay tuned for a review on the hand soaps as they are all new to me scents. Today, let’s take a closer look at the shower gels so we can talk about my favorite discontinued scent of all…PEARBERRY!!!! 😀

After Dark: A little something for the fellas! After Dark features fragrance notes of “spiced bergamot, amber, and smooth tonka”.
All of this is a fancy way to say that it smells like Old Spice! This scent basically smells like every scent ever made in men’s products and I’m not saying it’s not nice. After Dark actually smells really good! However, if you don’t want to pay sixteen dollars for a bottle of this shower gel, Old Spice is definitely the way to go. I wouldn’t buy this shower gel at full price which is why I got it for three bucks instead. 🙂

Gingham Love: The OG Gingham is one of my all time favorite B&BW scents and I always have the fragrance in some form at chez moi. Gingham Love comes in a very close second, though! This scent provides the breezy, freshly laundered crispness of Gingham that I love with a very berry twist. Gingham Love offers notes of “sugared red berries, blushing freesia, and rose meringue” and it is heavenly. With one whiff I am in raspberry heaven and I was so happy to score this shower gel on the cheap!

Pearberry: It wouldn’t be a Semi Annual Sale without Pearberry and I wish that B&BW would come to their senses and just bring it back for good. Until then, I have to stock up when I get the chance! This blast of throwback nostalgia has a ton of different notes like “anjou pear, wild berries, apple blossom, golden freesia, and blonde woods”. All of this is meaningless lol. Have you ever smelled a pear? Have you ever smelled berries? That is Pearberry in a nutshell! Juicy and soft pear, tart raspberries, and a hint of strawberry, this is a fruit salad scent to the T and it is absolutely delicious. I love it SO. Damn. Much!!!!! ❤

Stick around for the last of the reviews from this haul and a concert OOTD coming soon!

Which stores offer the best deals? Did you shop the B&BW Semi Annual Sale? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun26

Supergoop! Triple Prep Moisturizer Review

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Supergoop! Triple Prep Moisturizer Review

Howdy! I finished up one of the best moisturizers I have ever used in May and was sad to see it go but eager to try something new. As I browsed through my skin care stash, I decided to go for the jar of Supergoop! Triple Prep Moisturizer as it has SPF 40 to help protect my skin from the summer sun. The Supergoop! brand is brand new to me and, honestly, I think I got it from TJMaxx more for the name than anything else lol. While the brand name is an absolute hoot, the moisturizer leaves a lot to be desired. So much so, that I even considered not using it altogether. However, you all know that I refuse to not finish a product I started so here I am venting in this lackluster review:

In theory, the Triple Prep moisturizer should be exactly what I like: A light product for normal skin types with the added bonus of SPF. In practice, this moisturizer is just not it and I’m not sure if the problem is the product itself or the combination of skin care that I’m using. My skin care routine is tried and true: Cleanse, tone with micellar water, serum, eye cream, moisturizer. Wham, bam, thank you ma’am. Every morning and night, the last step of the routine with moisturizer comes to a grinding halt because when I apply and blend with the Supergoop! it turns gritty. Like I can literally feel it flaking off as I rub it in and that can’t be normal! Interestingly, this moisturizer has gotten stellar reviews but there are a handful of people who share the same sentiment as me so we must be part of the unlucky few.

Not only does this moisturizer not apply or blend well but it also clogged my pores like a mother and that never happens. For the first five or so days of use, my skin had a lot of unsightly bumps that almost looked like whiteheads and I just had to let it run its course. Now, I use barely a dime size amount which seems to have solved the clogged pores problem but it still peels during application. I just can’t win with this moisturizer! The Supergoop! Triple Prep is going for close to fifty dollars on Ulta and I am SO glad I got it for a TJMaxx price because I would be livid if I spent that much on a dud. Use at your own discretion!

For all of the excellent reviews of the Supergoop! Triple Prep Moisturizer, I am one of the naysayers. Just be warned that you really don’t know what you’re going to get if you give this product a try!

Have you used the Supergoop! brand before? Did you enjoy their products? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun25

The Strokes Concert

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The Strokes Concert

Hi! Mine and Johnny’s birthaversary this year brought us the gifts of video games and concert tickets. We each got each other a new game for the Switch 2 as well as tickets to Blossom Music Center to see The Strokes, Josh Groban, and Billy Idol this summer. The first up in our concert lineup was The Strokes and I could not have been more excited. I have been a huge fan of them since the early 2Ks (Not aging myself whatsoever!) and they have always been a band on my concert bucket list. I genuinely couldn’t believe it when I saw they were playing in little old Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio and purchased our tickets immediately. They were worth every penny and then some!

After tailgating a bit in the parking lot of Blossom, Johnny and I made our way into the venue just as the first opener, Hamilton Leithauser, was wrapping up. At the time, I didn’t recognize the name, however, I definitely recognize it now and regret not seeing his full performance. We used to play him ALL the time when I worked at PacSun back in the day and I really enjoyed his music. Hindsight is 20/20 and after he left the stage shortly after we took our seats, we made friends with the people sitting behind us while we waited for the next opener, Thundercat, to play.

Thundercat came on shortly afterwards and it was neither here nor there. I didn’t love it or hate it – it was just a very average band with very average songs. I will say that the sound quality when Thundercat performed wasn’t great and that might have improved my lackluster review. However, I don’t think I would go out of my way to listen to them again either way it panned out. I was there for The Strokes and The Strokes alone and it was kind of painful waiting around with all of that anticipation while a subpar band played!

Finally, around nine o’clock, The Strokes took the stage and opened with Ize of the World and all was right in my world. Their performance was a true celebration of their impressive discography and was filled with nonstop bangers and lesser known favorites. I was simply thrilled to hear so many of my alt kid anthems like Juicebox, Hard to Explain, Take It or Leave It, Heart in a Cage, and You Only Live Once. It took me back to evenings spent in the basement with my siblings playing video games and listening to The Strokes’ early albums on repeat. It was a blast of nostalgia from over twenty years ago that made my modern self so happy. ❤

Seeing The Strokes live was an absolute whirlwind. The light show was awesome, they sounded incredible, and the atmosphere couldn’t be beat. It was one big party where we were singing and dancing our hearts out in unison and it was so beautiful to experience. Going into the show, Johnny had only heard a handful of songs by The Strokes and was there for me. By the end of it, he was a super fan too and said he never realized how good they were. I could have told him that years ago but I’m glad he came to the realization now. I would have been worried if he hadn’t because this was one of the best live shows I have ever seen. Best night EVER!

On a totally opposite note from The Strokes, we are seeing Josh Groban next and I cannot wait for more summer nights at Blossom with my main squeeze!

What is your favorite song by The Strokes? Who is one of your favorite early alt bands? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun24

New Hair, Who Dis?

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New Hair, Who Dis?

Hi! I had an absolutely fabulous day this past Friday! I spent my morning and afternoon getting my hair right at the Shear Shop by my amazing stylist, Anna, and then went to Blossom Music Center in the evening to see The Strokes. I have wanted to see them live for forever and it was the most wonderful post birthaversary treat. Further amplified by the fact that I simply cannot get over my new hair and was the textbook definition of “feeling myself”! Our inspo for this look was 1970s with a modern twist and, as always, Anna delivered with this hair magic:

Pulp Riot Colors Used:

Top: Shag Rug

Bottom Left: Velvet

Bottom Right: Pyro

The last picture is their instant toner in Golden Shimmer!

The process for getting my hair done doesn’t start when I’m in Anna’s chair. It starts at my last appointment when we discuss what we want to do next! The last time I got my hair done, we experimented with the orangey copper Shag Rug and I was in love with its retro vibes and knew I wanted to see more of that. Then, a week or so later the Calico hair trend came in hot and I was very intrigued by it but didn’t want to work with primarily natural colors. I sent a few pics to Anna and we decided to do Calico our way with deep purple, orange, and gold streaks.

To prepare my hair, I spent the week before my appointment washing as much of my old colors out as I could to speed up the bleaching process. By the time Friday rolled around, my hair was a swampy hodge podge of yuck and I couldn’t wait for Anna to strip it clean and start fresh! We began the day with bleach and let that sit for about twenty minutes with heat and five minutes without. Once the timer rang, my hair was ready to be washed and a perfect canvas of light blonde hair was achieved for the fun part: Painting on the colors!

After my hair was dried, Anna began mixing our pseudo Calico palette of Shag Rug, Velvet, and Pyro. She expertly placed the groovy hues in chunky highlight style strips while also leaving some areas blank. The instant toner in Golden Shimmer was only to be applied for the last fifteen minutes of processing. We had never used the Pulp Riot toners and were curious to see what would happen. It didn’t work exactly how we wanted it to but that was okay because it turned out even better! All that was left to do was play Pokopia while the timer counted down, wash the Sweet/Tart scented dye out, and check out the grand reveal.

When my hair was washed we were surprised to see no gold at all but peachy pink strips compliments of the toner. It was like Pulp Riot knew that I wanted a non-natural Calico palette and Anna and I were so not mad about it because all of the colors together were everything! That deep but vibrant purple, copper, and fairy tale pink with the slightest hint of gold screamed of decade’s past while skyrocketing into 2026. The retro hues were further enhanced by the coolest shag cut that I have been growing my hair out for. This was such an amazing makeover and, I know I say this every time, but I really do think it might be one of my favorite hair transformations yet!

Stay tuned for a brand new OOTD showing off my new hair as well as a concert review coming soon!

How often do you get your hair done? How long has your stylist been doing your hair? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun23

Cute In Crochet OOTD

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Cute In Crochet OOTD

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! Johnny and I went on a little date night on the Friday after my birthday and had the best time. We bought the new Mario Kart for the Switch 2, hit up the dispensary for some weed treats, and had a delicious dinner out at Boss ChickNBeer. It was so nice to have an extra birthday celebration with my main squeeze and I just had to put together something cute to step out in. This simple summer look was perfect for being out and about in the hot AF weather and is very easy to recreate! Check it out:

Who? What? Wear?

Crochet Top: Bozzolo, TJMaxx

Jean Shorts: American Eagle Outfitters

Platforms: Sbicca, ModCloth

The earrings are Lucky Brand and were a gift from my mom!

The cuff bracelets are both from American Eagle Outfitters.

I am one of those people who just doesn’t do well in the heat. I have a very low tolerance for it and the medications that I’m on make hot days feel like I’m in hell lol. For this reason, dressing for summer bores me because I only have one thing on my mind: Staying as cool as humanly possible. This means that what I can wear comfortably in my wardrobe decreases exponentially and I’m basically left with a variety of shorts and crop or tank tops. But, I work with what I’ve got and came up with this look to beat the heat in.

I am a sucker for all things crochet when it comes to tops and selected a cutie crochet crop by Bozzolo. This little number is so sweet, made me sweat minimally (lol), and how adorbs are those wooden buttons going smack dab down the middle?! While the crochet is sweet, this top still serves so much sass and was just right when paired with some AEO short shorts. This combo gave classic summer vibes but still felt so unique with my tattoos out on full display. They really are the best accessories!

Speaking of accessories, with lots of open real estate I slipped on some cuff bracelets as well as one of my favorite pairs of earrings. I just love my turquoise cross Lucky Brand babes and my mom absolutely crushed when she gifted me with them! That pretty dose of blue definitely popped against the creamy shade of the crop top. For shoes, I kept with the blue motif and opted for a darling pair of platforms by Sbicca. That light denim blue with the tan flower embroidery is *chef’s kiss* and tied this look together from head to toe. With that, I was ready to hit the town with my Johnny!

Stay tuned for the Blooper Reel from this look and more fashion fun all summer long. lifewithlilred is the place to be!

How do you do in extreme heat? What are some of your tips for keeping cool? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun22

A Little Update

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A Little Update

Hello! About a year or so ago I went to my annual appointment with my gynecologist and learned that the results of my pap smear had some abnormalities due to having HPV. I have had to get cervical biopsies every half a year since and recently had another one done in mid June. A few days ago I got a call from my gyno to tell me that there were some mild changes in the results and the next best step would be discussing surgery options to remove these problematic cells. I will be having an appointment to do so in early July. I’d be a liar if I said I wasn’t slightly nervous!

After receiving that call, I was a bit bummed out but not really surprised. I wouldn’t have had several biopsies if there wasn’t something not so great brewing. However, after the initial five minute pity party I was more thankful than anything. Yes, there are abnormalities BUT it was caught and expertly monitored early. Therefore, any procedures that follow won’t be as invasive. And, as a bonus, I might even be able to get my tubes tied when that cell removal happens. It’s kind of a win/win. This problem could have been resolved itself OR there would be a procedure that would resolve it. I just have to keep reminding myself that this is a best case scenario even if the idea of surgery is scary.

This is all to say that if you are a person with female anatomy, then please be sure you are going to the gynecologist for your annual appointments! If I didn’t attend mine, these abnormalities that were found would continue to change and more major surgery would be required. When these issues are found early, you will be able to have a best case scenario too. The risk of not getting screened regularly far outweighs any reward and it’s so important to take control of your health. I’m proud of myself for facing this issue head on and so grateful to be in the excellent care of my gyno. I might be a smidge worried but I know everything will be a-okay. ❤

In conclusion, stay on top of your health and your doctor’s appointments and stay tuned for updates on my health journey. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

Have you had surgery before? How do you feel about attending medical appointments? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun21

Happy Father’s Day!

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Happy Father’s Day!

Hello everyone and Happy Father’s Day! This is an extra special shout out to all of the dads out there and the best dad in the whole world – mine! My dad is my bestie pal and I so love hanging out with him. Whether we are out in the garden or just chatting away, it is nonstop laughter and the most fun! As a little Father’s Day treat, I couldn’t resist purchasing a silly but sentimental gift for all of the dads in my life that deserve the world. And, yes, Johnny did get one too as a proud bunny dad! 🙂 Lol, check out the prezzie that I can’t wait to see everyone rocking this holiday season:

Johnny and I were watching Daddy’s Home 2 a few weeks ago and were in stitches over the funny family comedy starring Will Ferrell. The movie is set during Christmastime and one of the sweaters that was worn featured the phrase “Feliz Navi Dad”. With Father’s Day right around the corner, I knew what must be done: Put in an order on Amazon ASAP! Although the sweater I bought wasn’t the exact same as the one in the movie, it’s close enough and I just freaking love it. It makes me so happy to think about my dad, Johnny, brother, and brother in law wearing them altogether on Christmas. I am seriously on pins and needles to take their pictures! 😀

In all seriousness, I am in awe of the dads that are in my life. They work so hard, are the apple of their children’s eyes, and are the dictionary definition of family men. Family gatherings and visits are always so special because it’s just nice to see the dads be dads. Goofing off with the kiddos, expertly disposing of piles of discarded wrapping paper, and the pride for their families that simply radiates. It is absolutely beautiful! We have lots of fun summer plans in store and I know the dads in my crew will be dadding out on all of our adventures. We’re going to have a ball! ❤

Here’s to all of the dads out there that do their best every single day – it does not go unnoticed or unappreciated. Happy Father’s Day!!!

Jun20

TJMaxx Skin Care Haul

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TJMaxx Skin Care Haul

Hi! When I went on my TJMaxx birthday gift card shopping spree with my mom I had two goals: 1) Find a new pair of sneakers. And 2) Restock my skin care. Everything else that was purchased was just the cherry on top! For my birthday and Christmas, I am often blessed with beaucoup bucks to TJs and like doing my semi annual skin care restock with those funds. It’s so nice to get everything I need for my skin care routine without paying a dime and I always enjoy trying out new to me brands and revisiting old favorites. I think this gift card haul will definitely tide me over for a while! Check it out:

My skin care routine goes a little something like this. Step 1) Wash my face with a scrub and then use a foaming cleanser. Step 2) Apply micellar water. Step 3: Serum, eye cream, and moisturizer. This is the setup that best works for me and I have never strayed from it. All I need are the products to make it happen! When it comes to shopping for skin care, I don’t really care what brand I’m using as long as it’s cruelty free. I have a very normal skin type so I can get away with dabbling in different formulas and product outcomes. It makes visiting the skin care department in TJMaxx exciting because I truly never know what I am going to end up with!

In this haul, I walked away with more of my beloved Evoluderm micellar water which I always need as well as a few new serums, moisturizers, a cleanser, and eye cream. I am particularly looking forward to trying the ValJean Labs serum because I have never seen them at TJs before and am crazy about their cleansers. If this serum is half as nice as the foaming cleanser that I use every morning then I know I am in for a treat. I also can’t wait to try the new to me Goodness brand for the moisturizer and eye cream. Part of it is for the experience, of course, but a bigger part of it is making a review for all of you. I will be finishing up my current moisturizer in the next few days so be on the lookout for a brand new product review coming soon!

I came, I saw, I shopped and had the best afternoon on the town with my mom. There is nothing better than being in our happy place together! ❤

How often do you restock your skin care? Does your skin care routine change in the summer? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah