Author Archives: lifewithlilred

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About lifewithlilred

Just your average gal blogging an average blog!

Birthday Freebies

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Birthday Freebies

Helloooo everyone! As you all know, Lil Red is all about free stuff. But, I didn’t want to say stuff, I wanted to say SHIT. So, yes, Lil Red is all about free shit. I am a member of a lot of different rewards programs that are always very generous when a birthday rolls around and I spend the month of June cashing in on it. So, if you have any of the following stores or eateries in your area, be sure to sign up for their rewards programs so you can be treated on your birthday, too!

  • Sephora Beauty Insider Kat Von D or Drunk Elephant mini gift set
  • Free burrito from Moe’s
  • Free small smoothie from Robek’s
  • Free beverage of any size from Dunkin’ Donuts
  • Free cinnamon sticks from Pizza Hut
  • Free beverage from Starbucks
  • Free Grand Slam breakfast from Denny’s
  • Free dessert from Olive Garden

Altogether, these birthday freebies total out to at least forty dollars, making the sometimes annoyingness of signing up for an app or reward card completely worth it.

Happy savings!

Which other stores or restaurants offer freebies or deals on your birthday? Which rewards program do you use the most? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Better Than Sex Mascara Annoyance

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Better Than Sex Mascara Annoyance

Yo yo yo. I’m sure when you read the title of the post all of you were like “what?” because I would be nowhere without my Better Than Sex mascara by Too Faced. And, that’s still true. But, oh my god, they must have changed the formula or something because the mascara is SO sticky now and I really just can’t deal. This would all be fine and dandy if it wasn’t for the fact that I wear contacts because it has been causing me a lot of grief. Read on to find out more!

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The first thing that I do once I’m out of the shower and have wiped off my face with my micellar water is put my contacts in. This has been my routine for years and, then, I apply my skin care products and makeup accordingly. But, now the order of operations has been tragically skewed because the fact that my mascara now takes at least a half hour to fully dry has been destroying my contacts left and right.

Within an hour or so of having my mascara on and contacts in, they would be so dry from the Better Than Sex getting on the lenses that I literally couldn’t see anything and would have to take them out. It was getting to the point where I had to wear my glasses with the wrong prescription to go about my day, making my vision nowhere near as sharp as it should be. It was just getting ridiculous.

After going through a box of contacts that should have lasted me three months in a little over one, I said that enough was enough and began putting my contacts in after my mascara had time to dry. Annoying? Totally. But, it worked, and I am no longer changing my one a day contacts twice daily.

On the BTS reviews on Sephora’s website, I saw many people complain about the same issue that I was having so I just had to write a post about switching up my morning routine to accommodate the stickiest mascara ever. And, also to say to Too Faced to get the old formula of Better Than Sex back ASAFP, because this new one is not doing anyone any favors. SMH!

Which mascara do you use? What do you do about sticky mascaras? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Birthday Fun!

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Birthday Fun!

Hellooooo!! My June 7th birthday came and went and I am now twenty-five years of age. How about that! I had a wonderful birthday weekend and the celebrations are not over, as I have belated tom foolery scheduled with some of my girlfriends. During my birthday weekend, I enjoyed eleven hours of being tattooed, a subpar Mexican dinner with my family, and a lovely hang out with my boyfriend. Despite the Margaritas being weak AF and my dinner being cold, it was a definite success!

I received many beautiful gifts from everyone who celebrated with me. But, what I’m most excited about is the tickets that I got from my parents to see The Raconteurs at Stage AE in Pittsburgh this August. This will be my second time seeing Jack White in the past two years and they are playing at one of my favorite venues so, needless to say, I am beyond excited. 😀 #bestgiftever

Although I am not thrilled about being twenty-five, I had a great time quietly celebrating my birthday and thank you to everyone for the well wishes, which made my day even more special! ❤

How did you celebrate your birthday this year? How did you celebrate your twenty-fifth birthday? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Best Facials To Get In The Summertime

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Best Facials To Get In The Summertime

An investment in your skincare can help you to feel confident about your complexion all year long. However, the heat of summer can bring new challenges to your skin, such as sweat or sunburn. It’s important to find the right facial norfolk va to keep your skin moisturized and healthy all summer long. Here are some of the best facials to get in the summertime:

Microdermabrasion:

This facial uses an exfoliation treatment and gives a light peel that helps your skin grow new tissue as it eliminates dead skin cells. This will give your face a fresh start for summertime, helping to avoid clogged pores from sweat. Microdermabrasion uses micro crystals to lightly peel the skin, which encourages the growth of new tissue. The uppermost layer of the skin is gently removed during the treatment, eliminating any dead skin cells, impurities, or debris. This is a noninvasive procedure, as the process does not use chemicals, needles, or lasers, so patients get beautiful skin rejuvenation with virtually no downtime.

Chemical Peels:

A chemical peel treatment is used for mild to serious cosmetic issues and encourages skin rejuvenation and deep skin resurfacing. This is a mild skin rejuvenation and resurfacing procedure that exfoliates and renews the skin on the face, neck, or hands using carefully-selected chemicals. You can get a treatment in a range of levels, from extremely mild with no downtime, to more extensive that will lead to more significant peeling and a longer recovery time. While chemical peels are great for anti aging, it might not be everyone’s cup of tea. To find more options, simply enter a search for “anti-aging treatments in Columbia, MD” (or your local area) to find the right treatment for you.

Dermaplaning:

This treatment is an advanced way to remove dead skin cells and peach fuzz, which reveals glowing skin immediately after the procedure. Dermaplaning is a popular, safe, and effective way to exfoliate facial skin. An experienced esthetician can use this method to remove dead skin cells and peach fuzz to reveal your natural, smooth skin. Unlike microdermabrasion, dermaplaning involves the gentle use of a sharp scalpel to remove the very top layer of the skin, revealing the rejuvenated skin beneath it.

Treat yourself to a facial today to reveal perfect summer ready skin!

If The Shoe Fits: Dolce Vita Edition

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If The Shoe Fits: Dolce Vita Edition

Hiii everyone and welcome to a new edition of If The Shoe Fits! Today, we’re going to be discussing a gorgeous pair of faux snakeskin stiletto mules by Dolce Vita that my mom got me for my birthday. I have grown increasingly fond of cheetah print over the past year or so but snakeskin has always been my preferred animal print. I think that it is so chic, edgy, and sexy and I am especially drawn to it when it comes to accessories like purses and shoes. So, when my mom offered me this pair that she saw on TJMaxx’s website for my birthday, I was, obviously, all about it. Take a look:

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As we all know, Lil Red is a shoe girl through and through. So, it may come as a surprise to some that I only have about two pairs of heels with a stiletto on them. I have always liked the chunky wedge or platform style heels and have never been too impressed with stilettos on me. I think this might be because I have very muscular legs from figure skating so the thicker heels go better with my body type.

But, I just couldn’t say no to these Dolce Vita beauties! My new mules use my favorite snakeskin hue of grey, black, and taupe and I really do love the shape of them. The pointed toe, skinny heel, and almost full foot coverage. Ugh, forget about it! These mules are going to look SO fierce with jet black skinnies and a cardi during a warmer fall day and I am one hundred percent there for it!

What is your favorite animal print? How would you style these mules? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sephora Birthday Gift

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Sephora Birthday Gift

Howdy! When it comes to my birthday, I always try to cash in on the freebies that are offered through rewards programs at my favorite stores and eateries. As a Beauty Insider for Sephora, that means I get to pick a freebie birthday gift between two mini gift sets. This year, the choice was between a Kat Von D liquid liner, loose powder, and lipstick samples or a cleanser and moisturizer by Drunk Elephant. Because I don’t use liquid liner or any type of powder, I went with the Drunk Elephant option seen below:

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I have never used any Drunk Elephant products before, but I’ve heard nothing but good things about it so I am looking forward to giving my freebies a try. I can always use moisturizers and cleansers, too, so even if these don’t last me very long it will be a few days of using something that I didn’t actually buy. And, for a frugal gal like me, this is always a plus! Although I wasn’t too thrilled with the birthday gift choices from Sephora this year, free is free, and maybe I will have found a new favorite brand!

What did you choose for your Sephora birthday gift? Have you ever used the Drunk Elephant brand before? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Alternatives To Running: Cardio Workouts That You Can Do Indoors

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Alternatives To Running: Cardio Workouts That You Can Do Indoors

Running is undoubtedly the cardio workout of choice for most people and it’s for a good reason: Running at a six-mile per hour pace lets you burn up to 557 calories an hour, while jogging lets you burn up to 398 calories an hour. It is also a form of stress relief for some, especially outdoors when the weather is pleasant. It becomes tricky to stick to a regular running routine during the rainy months, so it is always best to consider workout alternatives that you can do indoors. Here are some cardio workouts that burn as many calories as running:

Jump rope:

There’s a reason why jump rope is essential in boxing training: It enhances footwork, strengthens your shoulders, improves your coordination, and stimulates sprinting. Also, it lets you burn 500 calories in just 30 minutes. To make the most of this indoor workout, do intervals of fast and slow jumps. Or you can jump as fast as you can for a minute then rest for 20-30 seconds.

Boxing:

This improves your strength, speed, agility, hand-eye coordination, endurance, and power while getting you in great shape. It combines the muscle building advantages of strength training with the calorie burn of a cardio workout, so it helps you get a full body experience. It also enables you to achieve better body composition. Thus, you don’t just lose weight; you build muscle as well and get a toned, fit body as a bonus. It burns about 600 calories an hour and, even if you’re not sparring or throwing punches with boxing gloves, you still burn fat through the other components, such as jump rope, shadow boxing, and calisthenics.

If you are serious about going further with your boxing workouts, you will definitely need the proper equipment as you advance. Like any sport, you don’t need to dive into purchasing top of the line items right away. However, Fight Gear like gloves, boots, and protective gear is not just going to help you improve but it is a safety precaution as well. Boxing can be dangerous and you will want the right equipment to keep you protected while enjoying your exercise.

Zumba:

Dance exercises have gained popularity in recent years not only because they are an effective cardio workout but also because they are fun. Going to a Zumba class, for example, is like going to a dance party. It combines fast and slow rhythms that tone and sculpt the body, adapted from aerobic principles to help you tone your muscles and improve cardiovascular health. It is often done to the beat of Latin dance music. An hour of Zumba lets you burn between 350 and 650 calories per hour depending on the intensity.

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Swimming:

If sweating is not your thing, then you should consider swimming to burn calories. It is a total body workout that lets you strengthen your body even if you are treading water. Fighting gravity makes your muscles work extra hard to keep you afloat. To make the most out of this workout, make sure to do a few laps using different strokes, then have a water-treading interval. A minute of fast swimming can burn up to 14 calories, so doing it for an hour lets you burn as much as 840 calories.

No swimming pool? Most residential buildings and sports hubs near Eastwood City have pools you can use for free! Perhaps you would like something more permanent if you are serious about swimming. One option you could consider is getting a temporary pool you can erect when the weather’s nice. A pool in the backyard is most people’s dream, after all! However, if you’re looking for something that’s not only much bigger but can also add value to your property, then you can research in-ground pool builders near you on sites like https://pinnaclepoolsandspas.com/pool-builders/ to get your project started.

If you are considering an in-ground pool installation, be sure to choose a reputable and well reviewed company. There is a lot more work that goes into having a pool than you might have thought! A good rule of thumb is to call several different companies with the questions you might have. Do they offer cleaning services? Do they specialize in saltwater pool conversion? If so, are they offering sound advice for issues like corrosion that may arise? The expertise of the company you choose is so important as you will want to fully enjoy your investment.

When you’re using swimming as a work out, always remember safety. It can be exhausting exercise so pay attention to how you’re feeling throughout your swim. Outdoor pools should also have fencing around them to protect those using the pool area. Whether it’s a residential or commercial pool, if the pool or fences are new, they’ll need someone like these pool fence inspectors melbourne to come and check things out and, if things aren’t quite as they should be, advise on what needs to be done in order to bring them up to the necessary standard.

The rain should never keep you from staying on track with your fitness goals. With these workouts, you can stay in shape regardless of the weather.

Exporting 101: Tips For Small Businesses

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Exporting 101: Tips For Small Businesses

Depending on your line of business and the products you’re selling, there’s a chance that you’ll need to export your products for customers, business partners, or resellers abroad even if you’re still just operating as a small-scale enterprise. Global trade is quite competitive, so when there’s a demand for your product to be shipped to another country, you want to do it right and profit as much as possible. With this in mind, as well as the tips below, you may wish to access site of someone like 3G and invest in shipping software that can help you streamline your processes and enable you to keep tabs on your shipments so that you can be sure they will arrive safely at their destination. 

Here are a few things to remember when exporting your products as a small scale business:

Know the Law and Restrictions:

Before you export your products, you’ll want to know if the product is legal or complies with any regulations and restrictions in the country it’ll be exported to. So, do your research before contacting a logistics company or upping your production to meet the demand in your target country.

Get Partners:

When talking about exporting your products as a small business, you might be thinking about sending your products directly and individually to your clients. However, this can be quite costly in terms of shipping and would take a lot of time and effort to track individually. As such, the best way for you to sell your products abroad is to find partners who are willing to buy and sell the product for you in their country.

This way, you’d be able to send products via air freight or whatever method you choose in bulk, which is cheaper and more convenient for you. Having partners would also mean that you’d be able to sell your products and have you earn more consistently. Your partners may even be willing to process and pay for the shipping for you. But it’s also important that you do your research regarding your partners to know that they’re legitimate and could be trusted to avoid risk.

Packaging:

You may also want to have different packaging for your exported products; perhaps with better packaging or provide a translation of your product’s manual and other information (such as ingredients and nutritional value). It is so important for your product to be accessible to all future customers and translations are a huge part of it. Whether it’s a small recipe book or wine bottles labels with unique logos and phrases, it is a great idea to print them in the most spoken language of each country you ship to. It could make the difference between someone purchasing it or not.

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Decide on the Pricing:

Another thing you’d also want to consider when exporting your products is the pricing. Your pricing would depend on whether you’re selling directly to a customer or a partner, as well as various other factors that make up your transportøkonomi (transport economy). When selling to a business partner, you’d have to consider your bulk pricing and should also include all the costs related to shipping, customs, and logistics, as well as the cost of labor. The price should be agreed upon by you and your business partner in a way that you’re both able to profit while your business partners can still sell it at a competitive and reasonable price in their respective countries.

Exporting products can be expensive, but there are software solutions that can help with cost control, economic freight analysis, and more. These solutions will be tailor made to your company to help ensure best results.

Choose a Good Logistics Company:

You’d be sending valuable products to your partners or customers in another country that’s miles away, so it’s important that you find a company to ship it safely and make sure that it arrives on time to its intended destination without any hitch. As such, you will want to choose a licensed customs broker that would be able to store, handle, and deliver your products on time and also handle all of the necessary legal paperwork and customs clearances. The bottom line, is that you want to ship your products safely, legally, and on time.

Utilizing the best technology can ensure that your products are always ending up in your customer’s hands. Freight Management Software can be a huge assistance in this as it handles the management of shipments, manifests, and customers. It can also include label printing, least cost routing, and real time quotes. A service like this can save you a lot of extra time and money so look into the best fit for your company. A happy customer is one with the product they purchased arriving in a timely, safe manner.

Knowing how to export your product properly can be the key to turning your small business into a huge enterprise. As such, it’s important to keep these pointers in mind when you’re shipping your products abroad.

The Secrets To A Thinner Face

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The Secrets To A Thinner Face

It’s a sad fact, but even with rigorous training and exercise, it’s hard to get rid of facial fat. You might have observed that some people, even though a lot bigger than you, have leaner facial features than you do. However, this does not mean that you are overweight at all.

There are actually two reasons why faces appear fuller: one is a high body fat percentage and two is genetics. The first reason is pretty much obvious. As we all know, body fat does not just get stored in the belly area. Some of it goes to the arms, legs, thighs, and for others, the face.

On that note, people with subtle facial features are most likely to have faces appear rounder. This doesn’t mean, however, that you have a concentrated amount of body fat that’s too high to lose. Sometimes, it just means that your facial features are too subtle and it’s easier for body fat to mask it; hence, the formation of double chins and rounded cheeks. For these kinds of people, a thinner face can be achieved by reducing body fat percentage to 10% to 15%.

The second reason, however, does not have anything to do with body fat and how much you exercise. Often, having a round face results from your genes, especially if it is pretty dominant in your family’s genetic structure. Nevertheless, a thinner face can be achieved through various means. For some, they opt for clinical solutions like RF face slimming in the Philippines. But for others, they simply stick to traditional ways of reducing facial fat like some of the following:

Facial Exercises:

You read that right. There is actually an exercise routine for your face. Usually, this is done to improve facial features and enhance muscles in the face. This involves stimulating facial expressions, such as holding a smile and clenching your teeth for several seconds. Massaging your cheeks and jaws are good ways to do this, as well.

While there are a few studies that prove the effectiveness of facial exercises, most of them show that regular routines can do wonders for your face, such as facial skin tightening and rejuvenating. Some reports also show that these exercises help in strengthening the muscles of the face.

Body Weight Exercises:

There is no denying that cardio can help burn body fat fast. However, achieving a thinner face involves more than just jogs, treadmill time, and cardio activities. In order to successfully reduce fats and become lean, it’s best to incorporate body weight exercises in your routine. This means that you will have to opt for exercises that help build and strengthen muscles like yoga and Pilates.

If you’re unable to throw these exercises in your hectic schedule, you can also opt for compound exercises such as squats, bench presses, and weight lifts. Fret not, though. You won’t have to quickly jump into lifting heavy weights to achieve desired results. After all, consistency is more important.

Getting rid of facial fats can be hard. But with lots of extra effort and a little bit of patience, no kind of fat cannot be shed!

How To Keep Mosquitoes Away This Summer

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How To Keep Mosquitoes Away This Summer

Mosquitoes are a nuisance, especially for their whining buzzes and itchy bites during the night. They are also vectors of many diseases, from malaria and yellow fever to zika virus and dengue fever. While it might not be possible to keep mosquitoes away completely, there are a few things that can help you to reduce their numbers. Here are some of the ways you can reduce mosquitoes in your home:

Use natural mosquito repellents:

Mosquitoes have a very sharp sense of smell, which makes them locate human beings with ease. Human beings emit carbon dioxide and other odors that these annoying pests find irresistible. In the same way, there are certain scents that mosquitoes find unappealing. These scents can be used to keep mosquitoes away. Here are some oil scents that can keep the bugs at bay:

  • Peppermint oil
  • Citronella oil
  • Eucalyptus oil

Get rid of stagnant water near your home:

Mosquitoes thrive well in stagnant water by breeding in there to large populations. They will eventually find their way inside your house. You can avoid this by emptying water around your house from containers lying around, garbage bin lids, and flower pots. This will destroy their breeding grounds and significantly reduce their population around your house.

Get a mosquito lamp:

Most people have front and back door lights. These lights attract all kinds of insects, mosquitoes included. They will hang around your door area, ready to rush as soon as you open it. To prevent this, always have a mosquito lamp on your front door which emits a repellent to keep the mosquitoes away.

Keep grass trimmed:

Mosquitoes find overgrown shrubs, weeds, and grass an attractive place to hide during the day. They are usually active at night and will spend most of their day resting in these areas. Keep grass near your house trimmed to avoid giving the pests an extra place to hide.

Set up mosquito traps:

Mosquito traps can be used to keep mosquitoes away when placed on your porch. Make sure that you change the traps regularly to help them remain effective in reducing their population levels.

Make your home Mosquito free:

It is important that you adopt a long term solution to prevent mosquitoes from entering your home. Reduce the breeding grounds around your house and combine the above strategies to help reduce the population of mosquitoes around your home!