Jul21

4 Reasons To Smile More Today

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4 Reasons To Smile More Today

Let’s be honest. We don’t always feel like smiling. There can be days when we don’t have a lot to smile about, especially when we are feeling stressed with life’s many dilemmas. And some of us don’t smile often because of dental reasons that we may need to go to the orthodontist office to get fixed. Discolored or missing teeth can give us reasons not to smile, as there is always that fear of embarrassment.

But here’s the thing. We should never underestimate the importance of smiling.

If you’re struggling to smile because of life’s pressures, find moments in the day for light relief. Watch something funny, do something fun with a friend, and do anything else that will help you crack a smile. And even if you still don’t feel like smiling, smile anyway, as you and others will still experience the benefits.

But if you don’t like your smile? Well, it might be time to visit your dentist or you could buy snap on veneers if you are missing any teeth. You will then have more incentive to smile and your life will improve because of it. Read on to find out more:

There are health benefits:

Smiling is good for you, both physically and mentally. When you smile, endorphins are released and this can help to ease your stress levels. Studies have also shown that smiling is an effective way to boost the immune system, reduce blood pressure, and reduce physical pain. Of course, smiling is not a cure in and of itself. You should still see your doctor if you have any ailments. However, knowing that there are health benefits to smiling could give you an actual reason to smile more today!

It helps in social situations:

If you walk around with a permanent scowl on your face, you won’t do much to win people over to you. In fact, they might start avoiding you altogether. But if you smile more, you will appear more friendly, become more approachable, and dare we say it, even more attractive. Whether you’re trying to impress a work colleague, a first date, or your partner’s family, make the effort to smile more to win them over with your good vibes.

Smiling is contagious:

Smile and the world smiles with you! That’s a famous song title but there is actually truth in there. Research has shown that people will naturally feel the urge to smile when they see that expression in others. So, not only will you feel good if you smile more today, but you could quite possibly make others feel good too. Heck, you might even be responsible for a smiling epidemic, which is the only epidemic the world needs right now!

There is much to smile about:

Life might be tough for you right now, so you might debate this point. However, you will improve your mood if you can find the positives in life, so look for reasons to smile. Be thankful for nature and all that exists within it. Be grateful for the joyful moments you experience with friends and family. Eat something that tastes good to you. And check out these other life moments that could cause you to smile.

So, smile more today, for all of these reasons. You will experience the benefits if you do, and so will the people around you.

Featured Image By: Unsplash

Jul21

Wedding Pictures!!

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Wedding Pictures!!

HELLO!!!!!!! Johnny and I got married on June 4th and I am so happy to finally be able to share some wedding pictures with all of you! Our photographer did a bang up job and I am so appreciative of her hard work on our big day and afterwards with the intricate editing process. I am in love with the sneak peek she sent us and cannot wait to see the rest! Now, without further ado, here are some shots from my wedding:

Johnny and I had a small wedding ceremony in his best man’s backyard and it was short, sweet, and absolutely perfect for us. It was so special to be surrounded by just our immediate family and best friends and I wouldn’t change a thing about it. Looking through the photos from our photographer with Johnny had us reliving our wedding all over again and I can’t wait to frame and hang up our favorites. ❤

I had been so eager to get some pictures back because I was also super looking forward to sharing them with my dear readers. We thank you all so much for the well wishes and support because it really does mean the world. Keep it posted on lifewithlilred for all of the latest and greatest as well as more wedding photos soon!

What is your dream wedding like? What was your wedding like? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul20

Face Mask Festivities: LANEIGE Water Sleeping Mask Edition

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Face Mask Festivities: LANEIGE Water Sleeping Mask Edition

Hello! During my last online Sephora Haul, I was able to cash in on my freebie birthday gift right in the nick of time as the month of June was almost over. I went with the LANEIGE gift set which offered a travel sized moisturizer, lip mask, and sleeping mask. Since arriving in the mail, I have used all of these products and can easily say that I would buy a full size of any of them – especially the Lip Sleeping Mask!

This past week, I used the Water Sleeping Mask three days in a row and was blown away by the results every morning. Take a look at some pics and let’s discuss:

When I saw the Water Sleeping Mask by LANEIGE in person, I remembered that I had actually tried it out before. It’s funny, because I was less than impressed in my previous review two years ago. Fast forward to present day and I am freaking obsessed with this mask!

Despite its rich gel texture, the Water Sleeping Mask applies really thin and this is so nice in my hot apartment. It can be unbearable having a thicker product on when I am sweating constantly! A little of it also went a long way and I have barely made a dent in it after three uses.

I was so excited to see the results upon awakening after my first use and when I looked in the mirror, I thought it was a fluke. When I wake up in the morning, I look and feel like the Swamp Creature lol but when I saw myself, my skin was absolutely glowing. It looked so healthy, bright, radiant, and *dare I say* younger! After three uses in a row, I woke up to the same results each morning and couldn’t believe my skin could look that good from just one product.

If you’re looking for instant radiance in the morning, then this nighttime mask is for you! I have no idea how I didn’t experience that during my first test run with the Water Sleeping Mask and am so glad I had the opportunity to try it again. Highly recommend!

Have you used any LANEIGE products before? What are your thoughts on them? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

 

Jul19

Violet Voss Le Macaron Palette Swatches Pt. 3

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Violet Voss Le Macaron Palette Swatches Pt. 3

Hello! Today, we are going to take a better look at the third and final set of swatches from the Le Macaron eyeshadow palette by Violet Voss. I am in love with everything about this palette but I am especially enamored with the fact that it was of such high quality for only eighteen dollars! If you are a metallic eyeshadow fan like me, then I cannot recommend the Le Macaron palette enough. 😀

Now, let’s get to it and be sure to tune in tomorrow for a brand new Face Mask Festivities!

^^^ Since all of the eyeshadows in this palette are no names, I’ll do it! How about “Stardust” for the silver and “Moonlit” for the yellow.

As I expected when swatching these eyeshadows, I really liked Stardust and can’t see myself using Moonlit very often. I have been in need of a new silver eyeshadow for a while and I think that Stardust will look so pretty when applied wet as an eyeliner. It reminds me of New Year’s Eve and this eyeshadow will definitely add a touch of glam to even the most simple outfits.

I can acknowledge that the Moonlit shade is lovely but it is one of those colors that would not look good on Lil Red. Despite the shimmer, Moonlit is still way too pale to be flattering on me. I knew it would wash me out completely before swatching it and it is my least favorite color in the Le Macaron palette.

Overall, I am incredibly pleased with both of my palette purchases from Sephora. The Rare Beauty palette by Selena Gomez was a knock out and I think Le Macaron is great too! My only comment on the Violet Voss palette is that it is not the most cohesive set of colors. However, if you are buying it strictly to have more variety with your makeup, then I don’t think you could find a better palette for the price!

What is your favorite eyeshadow that has been swatched recently? Would you purchase the Rare Beauty or Le Macaron palette? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul18

Violet Voss Le Macaron Palette Swatches Pt. 2

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Violet Voss Le Macaron Palette Swatches Pt. 2

Hi! Today, we are going to continue with our swatches from the Le Macaron eyeshadow palette by Violet Voss. I considered this ten shadow palette to be a steal for just eighteen dollars and have been very impressed while taking a closer look. Both the Rare Beauty and Le Macaron palettes that I purchased are metallic because it is my favorite type of eyeshadow to wear. For the most part, my makeup routine is fairly basic and metallic hues on my eyes add a fun pop with minimal effort. You don’t have to do too much to make eyeshadows this pretty look good! Check it out:

^^^ Since there are no names for these eyeshadows, I’ll do it! Let’s call the burnt orange “Flame” and the amethyst one “Bejeweled”.

Although there are a handful of colors in the Le Macaron palette extremely similar to those of Rare Beauty, a majority of them are new to me hues. Like the Birthday Cake eyeshadow we discussed yesterday, Flame was one of the selling points of this Violet Voss palette for me. Burnt orange reminds me of all things fall and Flame immediately brings a bonfire with friends to my mind. I can definitely picture myself rocking it come autumn!

If you recall, I wasn’t blown away by the Purple Haze swatch in yesterday’s post as the undertones of it were too warm for me. I wasn’t expecting much out of Bejeweled so I was pleasantly surprised when I ended up really liking it! I am not a huge purple fan, but the cool undertones of Bejeweled will pair so nicely with my pink hair and I live for the fairy princess vibes it gives me. ❤

Two successful swatches down, two more to go! Tune in tomorrow for the final post from the Violet Voss palette to take a better look at the second eyeshadow from the top right and the first shade on the bottom left. 🙂

What color are your eyes? Which eyeshadow shades compliment it best? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul17

Violet Voss Le Macaron Palette Swatches Pt. 1

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Violet Voss Le Macaron Palette Swatches Pt. 1

Hello! During my last Sephora Haul, I purchased two new eyeshadow palettes: Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez and Le Macaron by Violet Voss. I wanted some beginner level palettes to play with but I also didn’t want it to cost an arm and a leg, either. Rare Beauty was twenty-five dollars and Le Macaron was only eighteen! I was comfortable with these prices and the large amount of positive reviews made me feel confident with my online order.

Today, we are going to be taking a closer look at two of the eyeshadows in the Le Macaron palette. There are some colors that are similar to those in Rare Beauty so we will be bypassing them! Now, let’s get to it with the top left and bottom right shades:

^^^ There are no names for these eyeshadows so I guess I will do the honors. Let’s go with “Purple Haze” and “Birthday Cake”.

The only negative reviews I noticed on Sephora’s website for the Le Macaron palette were complaints on the pigment quality. Happily, I did not find that to be true in the slightest while swatching these shades. While the eyeshadow may have been drier in comparison to the Rare Beauty palette, which was quite creamy, it still applied easily and in a rich hue. You just can’t beat that for eighteen dollars!

I can’t say that I will be wearing Purple Haze very often because warm undertones don’t look the best on me now with my red and pink hair. However, I absolutely adore the eyeshadow in Birthday Cake and it was actually one of the biggest selling points of this palette for me. It reminds me of fairy tales, bubblegum, and all things sweet! Purple Haze is a swing and a miss but Birthday Cake is a definite home run. 😀

What is your favorite eyeshadow palette? What are your favorite makeup brands? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

 

Jul16

Let’s Find You A Nice, Relaxing Hobby

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Let’s Find You A Nice, Relaxing Hobby

If you are in need of a new hobby, then you might want to try something that is relaxing after a long day. In this article, we’re going to be taking a look at some of the nice, chill hobbies that you can take up, so keep reading if you would like to find out more:

Arts And Crafts:

The first thing that we are going to look at is arts and crafts. There is nothing stressful about this hobby, except when things start to go wrong! But, you might find that this is actually extremely therapeutic for you as it gives you something to do with your hands. You are creating brand new things and, the best part, is that there are so many different types of arts and crafts that you’re not just stuck with one. For example, if you find that painting isn’t for you, then you can move onto crochet or scrapbooking until you find your favorite.

Arts and crafts provides you with a creative outlet that helps you to convey how you are feeling. It could be exactly what you need to get rid of the stress of the day.

Chess:

Chess is a game of intelligence and patience. It’s a game that has been around for a long time and many people enjoy sitting down to play. Whether you want to get into a computer game and play by yourself or play with someone else, it certainly is a relaxing hobby. Mikhail Solodovnikov talks about chess and how the latest happenings at the international chess world have gone.

Of course, chess isn’t everyone’s cup of tea and that’s okay! There is sure to be a game that you can enjoy playing in your downtime. From puzzles and board games to Bubblepop, your new favorite game is just a search or two away.

Reading:

Another thing that you can think about is reading. People don’t really see reading as a hobby, but it is and it is a fantastic one. You can get yourself lost in a range of different worlds, become someone else for a little while, and escape your own reality. The best books are the ones that you can’t put down no matter how hard you try and we suggest you try out an assortment of books to find what you like the most. There is a list of books for emergent readers if you are looking for ideas. Just prepare yourself, because the feelings that you experience when you read are real.

Swimming:

Finally, if you want to do something that keeps you active but that can be relaxing, swimming is your best option. This is a great option as you can just leisurely swim up and down until you feel as though you have had enough. The water relaxes your body and there is nothing but you and the water out in front of you in these moments. It’s a lovely feeling and you can feel your stresses melt away as you glide up and down the pool.

Trial and error is always going to be the best way forward when it comes to a new hobby. If none of the above examples are speaking to you – there are countless more activities to try! We wish you the best of luck finding what you’re looking for.

Featured Image By: Pexels

Jul16

What To Do When Your Pet Has Dog Flu

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What To Do When Your Pet Has Dog Flu

Dogs can have the flu and you may be wondering whether your dog is currently suffering from it and what you can do. While dogs don’t get colds in the same way that human beings do, they can come down with sneezing and congestion. Interestingly, you cannot catch a cold from your dog and if you get a cold you cannot pass it on to your dog. However, dogs can get canine flu.

If your dog does come down with canine flu, it is good for you to be informed about what to do to make your dog feel better. Here are some tips:

Treating Dog Flu:

If your dog has mild dog flu, you may not need to do much in the way of treatment, especially if your dog is still eating and drinking the way it normally would. However, if your dog is not eating as it did before, looks uncomfortable, and you notice that they have trouble breathing you should contact your vet immediately.

If your vet suspects that the symptoms are of dog flu, they will conduct tests to see if it is really dog flu or a dog sinus infection which can often mimic flu-like symptoms. Normally, your dog will be prescribed antibiotics and cough suppressants if they have dog flu.

Preventing Dog Flu:

There are no vaccinations that can protect your dog from every illness that could befall them. However, getting your dog vaccinated can help to reduce the risk that they will get dog flu. Ensure that your dog’s vaccinations are always up-to-date to prevent them from getting other diseases as well. Dogs are especially susceptible to parvovirus and leptospirosis.

Do Some Cleaning:

One of the easiest things you can do to help prevent dog flu is to clean your dog’s belongings regularly. Make sure that you clean their food and water bowls. Even their toys need to be cleaned as often as possible. Cleaning toys and bowls are especially important if your pet has to share them with other dogs that you may have.

Lots of Rest and Good Food:

Dogs need to sleep at least twelve to fourteen hours per day. Rest is very important for dogs and it will prevent them from getting ill. Nutrition is also important. Make sure that your dog is eating healthily and that you are feeding them dog food that is rich in nutrients that will boost their immune systems to prevent them from getting the flu.

Stay Informed:

When there is an outbreak of dog flu in your area, your vet will know that it is happening. Make sure that you are on the alert list so that your vet can notify you when there is an outbreak of dog flu. If there are vaccinations available to protect your pet, you should definitely get them to prevent your dog from getting sick.

Taking care of your pet is always a priority. Follow the tips and advice here to protect your dog’s health. If your dog does come down with the flu, be sure to contact your vet and do whatever they recommend.

Featured Image By: Creative Vix from Pexels

Jul16

Kingwood Center Gardens Pics Pt. 2

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Kingwood Center Gardens Pics Pt. 2

Hello! Today, we are going to take a look at my last bunch of pictures from the Kingwood Center Gardens in Mansfield, Ohio. The estate and botanical gardens of Charles Kelley King was an absolute delight to explore with my family and I am itching to go back. I am also looking forward to going to the Cleveland botanical gardens with my husband since he had to work the day we went to Kingwood. 🙂 Let’s get to it:

While it was so fun to walk through the grounds of the Kelley estate with my family, my favorite part of the day actually happened indoors. About halfway through the botanical gardens is an expertly placed children’s play center so the little ones can cool off and have quiet time after a lot of walking. We took a pit stop there with my nephew and I had the best time playing with stacking blocks and stuffed frogs with him. Due to the pandemic, it was hard to see my brother and his family who live out of state so I I really cherished getting to have some TT time with him. ❤

Another cool part of the botanical gardens is the Storybook Trail. Every twenty feet or so on this wooded path, there is a display of a page from a children’s book. As we walked the trail, my brother and I took turns reading about a baby bat named Chiro and that was also special to me since I have never got to read a story to my lil nephew before. Even though he won’t remember our day at the Kingwood Center Gardens, I will for forever. It was the best. 🙂

Are there any botanical gardens in your area? What is your favorite outdoor activity? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul15

Kingwood Center Gardens Pics Pt. 1

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Kingwood Center Gardens Pics Pt. 1

Hi! This past Friday, my family and I enjoyed exploring the Kingwood Center Gardens in Mansfield, Ohio. I had no idea that this beautiful property existed and it definitely didn’t feel like I was in Ohio when I was there – more like a magic fairy garden! The greenery, flowers, and fountains at the botanical gardens were simply stunning and now that I know it’s only a mere hour away from me, I have a feeling I’ll be going back there again really soon.

The pictures below don’t do any justice to the beauty of the Kingwood Center Gardens but here they are! Check back in tomorrow for the rest. 😀

We were surprised by rain showers when visiting the gardens and, normally, I hate to get caught in the rain. But, in this case, the rain didn’t put a damper on my family outing at all. In fact, I think it made it even better! Seeing the raindrops dance over the flowers and leaves only added to the storybook vibes the property gave me. I also loved being able to see my nephew splash in the puddles. ❤

Ironically, the sun came out just as we were all getting in our cars to go home but I wouldn’t trade our rainy day at the Kingwood Center Gardens for anything. Rain or shine, I can’t wait to go back again!

What is your favorite fairy tale? Do you have a favorite flower? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah