Wanted: August Guest Bloggers!

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Wanted: August Guest Bloggers!

Hello everyone and welcome to another wonderful month here on lifewithlilred! From my wedding and day trips to beauty and clothing hauls, it has been a content packed summer on my page and I have enjoyed every minute of it. But now, I want to hear from all of you as a featured writer on my ol’ blog. 🙂

August is my favorite time to offer guest blogging on lifewithlilred because I love hearing about everyone’s summer so far and what big plans they have next. For your guest post, anything summer goes! This includes vacation memories, OOTDs, MOTDs, back to school tips, gardening, recipes, and whatever else screams summer to you. If you are interested in being an August guest blogger, then shoot me an email at: sarah.mush6794@gmail.com . I can’t wait to see what you all come up with! ❤

Happy August!

July 2021 Finishes

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July 2021 Finishes

Hello everyone and welcome to the last post of July 2021 here on lifewithlilred! Today, we are going to discuss my beauty finishes for the month and there are a lot of them so let’s get to it:

Would I Use Again?

Why/Why Not?

LANEIGE Moisturizer: The LANEIGE birthday freebie from Sephora was, hands down, one of the best gifts that they have offered in years. It came with a lip sleeping mask, a sleeping face mask, and the Water Bank moisturizer. This travel size jar gave me a week of twice daily use and I would love to use it again after such a short amount of time. The Water Bank moisturizer left my skin soft, glowing, and oh so hydrated all without feeling heavy during the scorching summer days of July. Highly recommend. 🙂

Unfiltered Salt Soak: Lil Red loves a nice bubble bath and especially enjoys testing out products like bath bombs and salt soaks to enhance the experience even more. Sadly, the Pineapple + Mango salt soak missed the mark for me. The tropical scent smelled amazing in the jar but it didn’t translate to the water at all. It also dissolved really quickly, which eliminated the chance to do some exfoliating. I got four uses out of the jar but, I admit, I definitely poured heavy handed lol!

B&BW Body Wash: I have been using the body washes by Bath & Body Works exclusively for the past handful of years and have never had anything to complain about with them. The body washes lather so well and my skin always feels soft and hydrated every day after my shower. I truly think that my skin is healthier and smoother from consistent use of the washes and you can’t beat the prices if you shop during the semi annual sales!

It took me over a month to finish the Raspberry Tangerine scent and I wish I had another bottle of it because it smelled so good. The tart raspberry mixed with the sweet tangerine made for a perfect fruity scent and I actually just started using their Raspberry Tangerine hand soap a few days ago. Love it. 🙂

TBS Face Wash: While I love experimenting with the different skin care lines from The Body Shop, I don’t use the Tea Tree products often because of my normal skin type. However, I received the sample size of the Tea Tree face wash as part of a Christmas prezzie and beggars can’t be choosers!

I wouldn’t use this face wash in the winter as it would totally dry out my skin but it was a-okay for me for summertime use. It is so hot in my apartment and we have had a plethora of ninety plus degree days in Ohio which left my skin feeling less than its best from sweating constantly. Using the Tea Tree face wash helped get rid of all of the yuck that I felt was clogging my pores every day without making it feel dry or tight. This small bottle also lasted me over one month with daily use which is insane to me!

As you can see, July was a great month for beauty empties and I was thrilled to have used up a ton of products that I enjoyed. It is a rarity for me to have so many finishes for one month which is great because that means I can try out so many new products in their completion. 😀

Which products did you use up this month? What are your thoughts on any of the above if you have used them? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

 

The Skinny On Sugar

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The Skinny On Sugar

While we all agree that sugar is not the best thing in the world, it’s important to remember that sugar is not the evil that we’ve been told about. Most of us talk to our children and say that sugar is an absolute no-no, but there are many misconceptions about sugar. Let’s make sure you have a healthy attitude towards sugar and why, in the right dose, it isn’t anything to fear:

Should You Cut Out Sugar from Your Life Completely?

Many health organizations will recommend a certain limit of sugar per day. Any dental care specialist tells you to avoid sugar for the sake of your teeth but, of course, it’s hard to completely remove sugar from your life, especially when you consider there is a tiny amount in drinks like milk, that you cannot remove. Your body does not need sugar, so having less is going to be better, but the benefit lies in moderation. There is room for some sugar in a healthy diet that won’t negatively impact your overall health, but it’s about knowing the limits. The US dietary guidelines state that, out of 2,000 calories a day, 50g of added sugar is okay.

Will Sugar Contribute to Long-Term Health Problems?

Naturally, we are aware of the impact of diabetes, and the fact that 75% of Americans eat more sugar than they really should. But if you have heard that eating sugar will contribute to cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and heart disease, added sugar consumption according to an American Journal of Clinical Nutrition study found that it was not linked to increased risk for death. A moderate amount of sugar doesn’t appear to be harmful but having too much will put you at risk for putting on weight.

Are Natural Sugars Better for You?

There are minimally processed sweeteners, such as agave nectar and honey that people use in beverages, thinking it’s a healthier version of sugar, but your body views all sugar sources as the same. This means that whatever the sugar source is, it will have the same impact on your body. While there are nutrients in honey and maple syrup, the nutrients are so small that they won’t have an impact on your health. You may think that you are doing yourself a favor by having a healthier version, but it is not the case.

Sugar is not a healthy food by any stretch, as we have seen, but for those people who are determined to remove sugar from every aspect of their life, it can be impossible. We find sugar in fruit, but this is why fruit contains fiber to balance it out. However, if you want a healthy life you can indulge in a sweet treat, but the solution is simple: everything in moderation.

Featured Image By: Pixabay

3 Advantages Of Using A Specialist Packing Team When Moving House In Brisbane

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3 Advantages Of Using A Specialist Packing Team When Moving House In Brisbane

Moving house is something that needs to be done with care and within a specific time frame. You will want to hire the best team to assist so everything will be well packed enough to withstand transit. Specialist firms will employ staff skilled in the art of packing a variety of different items. In Brisbane, firms will employ teams of women to pack with care and reduce the chance of anything becoming damaged. For details on this type of service, visit https://packersandmoversbrisbane.com.au/.

So, how can a specialist firm of packers and movers help with your moving needs?

Take Away the Stress of Moving:

To know that someone is taking care of your possessions and knows what they are doing to protect them will take away much of the stress involved with moving. A poll of homeowners suggested that 40% of them considered moving house as the most stressful event in their lives. This was ahead of getting divorced at 34%, having a baby at 31%, and starting a new job at 27%. Okay, this was only one poll, but the proportions of other polls are likely to produce similar results. So, the more we can do to make things less stressful like hiring professional packers to help us, the better.

Insurance:

When you use a specialist firm for moving your items, they will more than likely be fully insured, which will give you peace of mind. With many insurers that householders currently have policies with, their items will only be insured while they are inside the property but not when taken out. There is no need to worry about this, though, or updating your policy for your move when this kind of insurance coverage can be taken care of by your moving firm. This is as long as you choose a firm that does include insurance, either as standard or extra. This will mean that there will be no surprise financial hits likely from the moving house experience.

Bespoke Services:

As an extra part of the moving service, there are firms such as the one in the above link that will employ the services of women for the packing process. The caring nature shown in reality from the proverbial feminine touch is an undeniable one and when it comes to moving, packing is everything for keeping your belongings safe, secure, and undamaged.

Services geared to individual requirements will ensure awkward and difficult-to-move items are allowed for. Although, moving firms will have encountered most items and how to deal with them, from the large and out-sized to the valuable antique.

With all of these headings, it comes down to the same thing. We are taking away the stress from the moving house process, whether it be the general stress of moving, the financial stress reduction from not having to worry about insuring goods while in transit, or the care that will be taken because the objects are not being handled by us.

So, find a packing and moving service that suits you. Make sure that all of the costs are in the quotation and that you will not be charged any extra. For instance, that there are no extra charges for insurance that shouldn’t be included, charges concerning the removal of fridges, or further costs because steps are involved.

Always use a local firm, because they know the best routes and rely on the reputation that they have built up locally. They will want their service to match that expectation so that you can recommend them too. Reliability will mean that your goods will arrive in the time agreed at the other end.

It is, then, just left to say – good luck with your house move. Not that you will need it when the right packing and moving firm is hired!

Sweet Surprises: Best Mom Ever Edition

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Sweet Surprises: Best Mom Ever Edition

Hello! My mom is one of my most favorite people to ever exist and Johnny and I had a blast taking a road trip with her to Indiana this past weekend. I hope to be just like her when I grow up! JANE has this amazing way of making everyone around her feel special and I am so proud to be her daughter. ❤

While out and about or online shopping, my mom loves to pick up little surprises for her children, grandchildren, dogs, and grand dogs. No matter how old I get, I feel like a kid on Christmas when she tells me she has something for me! I was the recent recipient of a French inspired lotion from JANE as I speak the language and, as per ushe, she knocked it out of the park. Check it out:

Whenever my mom shops with TJMaxx, she is always on the lookout for new skin care or bath and body care for me. JANE knows how much I enjoy testing out new products and I can post about it on here so it is a huge win/win. This Wildflower scented lotion by A La Maison de Provence boasts original French formulas for a taste of Paris even in Akron, Ohio. I can’t wait to try it out! 😀

I am the luckiest girl in the world to have the best parents in the world and I treasure every minute I spend at chez parents. I LOVE YOU MOM AND DAD! ❤

Who is your role model? What are you thankful for? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

How To Help & Support Your Parents As They Age

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How To Help & Support Your Parents As They Age

Watching your parents age can be a challenging situation and transition. The roles are reversing and you may now find yourself taking care of them instead of the other way around. It’s best to accept the inevitable and to figure out ways to ensure it’s a smooth and positive experience for everyone involved. Learn more about how you can best help and support your parents as they age and sleep well at night knowing you’re doing all that’s in your power to make sure they’re happy and well.

Figure Out the Right Living Situation:

You can help and support your parents as they age by stepping in and figuring out the right living situation for them. For instance, it may be that you want to have caregivers come into their home each day or you believe they’d be better off and more comfortable in a retirement and senior living community such as the Catholic Care Center. Think about how much constant care they need and where they may be the happiest and then help get them settled.

Of course, life is totally unpredictable and sometimes necessity takes over and can mean that plans have to be altered. For example, should a parent develop dementia and need more frequent care and supervision that you are able to give, it may be time to look into places like this Senior living community in Draper, UT that have memory care facilities so that they can be supported around the clock.

Be Available:

Another way to help your parents as they age is to be available. Check-in often with phone calls, emails, or texts and see how they’re doing. If you live close by, then you may want to pick a few days out of the week to stop in and visit with them in person. It’ll help you identify any potential problems and their needs. You should also think about being available to go to their doctor and medical appointments with them to advocate on their behalf and ensure they’re getting the best treatment possible.

It’s also important to be there for conversations on the continued well being of your loved ones. This could be helping them learn about assisted living benefits, discussions on medication management, and safety advice for around the home. Being in their corner is always one of the best things you can do.

Encourage Them to Stay Active & Engaged:

As your parents age, encourage them to be active so they can live their best life. It’s important for their mental health and well-being that they get out of the house to socialize, follow a daily schedule, and challenge themselves physically. Maybe you could go for a walk when you visit or let them know what activities and events are happening within the community so they can attend.

A senior living community like Starhaven Villas offers resort style amenities to help keep your loved ones active too. Golfing, pickle ball, bocce ball, and a clubhouse are just naming a few that Starhaven Villas has on their property. If you are going the community living route, one with a plentiful schedule of activities will help to keep your parents or grandparents happy and engaged.

Empathize & Be Compassionate:

What’s most important is that you remain level-headed through all of these changes and don’t let your stress or emotions get the best of you. Instead, empathize with your parents and show compassion toward their situation and life. Sit down and have conversations with them to let them know you love and care for them and want to help them with what they need as they age. Consider how you’d feel under their circumstances and be patient as you all adjust to this new way of living and being.

You now have a better idea of some of the ways you can be of help to your parents as they get older. Also, be sure to maintain a daily self-care routine for yourself so you don’t let your health slide as you offer assistance and support to your aging parents.

Featured Image By: Pexels

What’s Cookin?

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What’s Cookin?

Hello! I have always enjoyed cooking and have fond memories of making anything and everything together with my mom. Cooking in the kitchen in my apartment is an entirely different story, though, because it’s so small and I don’t know about you guys, but I like having lots of room to spread out when I’m making food. I also don’t know about you guys, but I fell into a bit of a depression during the most extreme parts of the pandemic and that left me never feeling like even attempting to make home cooked meals.

The stress of working throughout the pandemic as well as a job that I wasn’t entirely thrilled with really contributed to my slump and it made it hard to do just about anything when I would return home from work. However, this past month has been a complete one eighty as I accepted a new position that I am in love with. Every day, I have come home so happy and both Johnny and I can’t remember the last time I would get off work in such an amazing mood.

Because of this, my love of cooking has definitely been reignited and I have been making meals several times a week for me and my husband to enjoy. Below are some of the favorite recipes that I have whipped up so far and it has felt great to have delicious meals to serve every night. Check it out:

This past month, I have made mac n’ cheese, veggie enchiladas, quesadillas, and pizza. I also used a super easy recipe for pepperoni bread for my non vegetarian husband that he is crazy about. When I began cooking again, I wanted to find simple recipes with limited ingredients as I only have one small counter space to work on in my kitchen. It has been a huge success and I feel proud of myself the entire time. In fact, I feel so happy that I normally will be singing or humming to myself as I chop veggies. This is a far cry from sitting on the couch in misery waiting for yet another air fried meal to cook!

Cooking dinner is a love language that I have learned from a young age from both my mom and grandma and I love being able to express that again. I really enjoy getting creative with the dinners I make now and while I’ll follow the basic recipes, I always try to doctor them up to make it even better. Our favorite recipe is, easily, the jalapeno popper quesadillas and it makes me feel wonderful when Johnny will request them every other night lol. 🙂

I am looking forward to all of the yummy meals that I plan on making and Johnny is looking forward to eating them. One of the last times I made dinner this past week, I told him that it feels good to feel like me again and I wake up every day now eager to go to work and come home to engage in one of my favorite hobbies again. Here’s to delicious meals for all! ❤

What are some of your favorite recipes? Who is the best cook in your family? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Face Mask Festivities: GlamGlow BrightMud Exfoliating Treatment Edition

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Face Mask Festivities: GlamGlow BrightMud Exfoliating Treatment Edition

Howdy and welcome to the last Face Mask Festivities post from my Sephora Haul! My online purchase provided me with fun new eyeshadow palettes to play with as well as lots of freebie products to try out too. Today, we are going to be discussing the BrightMud Exfoliating Treatment by GlamGlow which was free after spending twenty-five dollars. And, let’s be honest, that’s not hard to do at Sephora! Let’s get to it:

I have always been interested in GlamGlow products so I was very excited to have the opportunity to test the BrightMud Exfoliating Treatment out. It actually reminded me a lot of the Korres Pomegranate mask that was featured yesterday in terms of its texture and effectiveness. However, that mask was specifically for oily to combination skin and wouldn’t be something that I would use again.

What I liked about the GlamGlow treatment was that, even after twenty plus minutes of having it on, my skin didn’t feel tight like it did with the Korres mask – and that was only on for three minutes! The texture of the mask had a lot of grit to it so that was a pleasant surprise. To activate the Exfoliating Treatment, I applied it in circular motions as advised and did the same when washing it off. I was definitely eager to see the results because it was one of lengthiest amounts of time that I had a mask on.

My primary fear about the GlamGlow BrightMud mask was that it would leave my skin feeling really dry but that wasn’t the case at all. After removing it, my skin felt oh so clean and smooth and looked bright. This was very welcomed because I used it in a hotel room after a long drive to Indiana with my husband and mom and I was glad to see my skin didn’t look as tired as I felt!

Despite enjoying the BrightMud treatment, I can’t say that it would be one that I would purchase a full size tube of. When it comes to exfoliating, I am extremely partial to the St. Ives scrubs and just bought three different ones from TJMaxx. While it is so fun for me to test out new products, you just can’t beat the price of good ol’ St. Ives for the amount you get and how well they work. In fact, I think they are even better than the GlamGlow BrightMud Exfoliating Treatment. Sometimes you can get a lot more bang for way less buck with drugstore brands and this was the case for the GlamGlow treatment.

What is your favorite high end skin care brand? How about your favorite drugstore skin care brand? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Face Mask Festivities: Korres Pomegranate Ahas & Enzymes Resurfacing Mask Edition

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Face Mask Festivities: Korres Pomegranate Ahas & Enzymes Resurfacing Mask Edition

Hello and welcome to another new edition of Face Mask Festivities compliments of my Sephora Haul! The best part of online shopping with Sephora is all of the freebies and promotions on the site and during my last haul, I received five items FO FREE. This never happens when shopping in store and I feel like I get so much more bang for my buck when I need to restock my beauty must haves.

Today, we are going to be discussing the Pomegranate Ahas & Enzymes Resurfacing Mask by Korres. This mask is made for people with oily or combination skin and, despite having normal to dry skin, I figured it couldn’t hurt to try! Now, let’s get to it:

My first impression of the Korres Resurfacing Mask was how good it smelled! I caught a strong strawberry scent and was reminded even more so of them by the crushed pomegranate seeds. This mask had a sandy texture, applied easily, and dried quickly so if you use it, you do not want to have it on more than the recommended time. I had the mask on for roughly three minutes before washing it off and that was plenty as my skin started feeling slightly tight.

Although I don’t have oily skin, I do sweat a lot in the summer because my apartment is so hot which is why I thought the Resurfacing Mask could still be beneficial. I was right on the money because my skin both looked and felt much better after using it. My skin had a nice glow to it thanks to the exfoliating pomegranate seeds and it didn’t look as shiny, either. Any tightness I felt also dissipated as soon as I put my serum and moisturizer on.

I wouldn’t be able to get away with using the Korres Pomegranate Ahas & Enzymes Resurfacing Mask regularly as it would really dry my skin out. However, I can definitely see how it would be great for people with oily or combination skin and recommend this mask if you have that skin type. It had a wonderful scent, worked quickly, and had instant results. It doesn’t get much better than that!

How would you describe your skin type? Which products benefit your skin the most? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

 

7 Home Decor Ideas For Any Budget

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7 Home Decor Ideas For Any Budget

Want to do some serious home improvement but have no idea where to begin? We’ve got you covered. Listed below are seven home decor ideas that work for all budgets, so keep on reading to find out more:

Add a pop of color:

Bring your dull faded walls back from the dead with a fresh lick of paint. Color can help you achieve any atmosphere – so paint is a powerful home improvement tool. It is also DIY too! Painting yourself is not only super fun but is ideal if you want to cut back on costs. Ensure you know what you are doing first by first reading some simple instructions.

Color-wise, pale light colors like yellow and peach will work great if you want to recreate a vintage style home, while colors like red or dark blue will leave a bold statement. You don’t have to pick just one color either – you can combine colors. And, remember, paint doesn’t have to be reserved for just your walls. You can paint the floorboard, the front door, your picket fence, or your cabinets.

Remodel:

If you want a bigger home improvement than paint, opt for a full remodel as this is a change that will not go unnoticed. You can remodel any room but one of the most common rooms that people remodel is their bathroom. Source out a professional bathroom remodel company who can get the job done at a reasonable price. When it comes to the design of your new bathroom, there are so many options that you can choose from, and it can be overwhelming to know where to start with this. If you are looking for some inspiration for a bathroom remodel, check out these ideas for an updated bathroom to get started.

Accessorize:

A home just doesn’t feel right without the little quirky things. You can visit thrift and antique shops or browse Ebay to get your hands on some adorable nick-knacks that will add character to your home. A bonus is that these will be pretty cheap too!

Get a fireplace:

If you’ve got a chimney, make the most out of it by getting a stylish fireplace. This will be in the heart of your home and is perfect for those cozy winter nights. There are many styles to choose from and you can even modernize your current one.

Invest in a stair runner:

Improve the aesthetic of your boring staircase by purchasing some stair runners. You can get whatever color or patterns you like, regardless of design it is a sure way to add charm to your home. Don’t be afraid to purchase a few because you can change them out accordingly to the season!

Change your lighting:

You don’t have to settle for the typical light bulb in a plain lamp. You can get fairy lights (of whichever colors) to achieve a story book look, a chandelier if you’re feeling classy, or if you’re a lover of all things retro – buy some lanterns. You can improve the lighting anywhere in your home – including the garden.

Buy flowers:

Don’t neglect the exterior of your house! Decorating outdoors with flowers really helps to beautify your property. If you’re scared of bees or don’t trust yourself to look after plants, get artificial flowers (nobody will be able to tell the difference anyway). Read more on exterior home decor tips.

Restyling your home is so fun but don’t forget that these things cost money. Set a budget, stick to it, and see what you can achieve!

Featured Image By: Pixabay