Nov23

Fairy Hair!

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Fairy Hair!

Hello everyone! While vacationing in North Carolina this past summer, I stumbled upon a cute little boutique that offered “fairy hair”. This was enough to get me in the store and when the saleswoman explained that it was strands of colored tinsel tied into your hair, I was sold. I was so enamored with my sparkly locks that I just had to purchase a hair tinsel kit on Amazon to make the hair bling a reoccurring theme once the ones I got fell out.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t even get one strand of tinsel into my sister’s hair let alone on myself. But, lucky for me, my wonderful hair stylist, Anna, used to do fairy hair all of the time at her old shop and said she would do it for me during my next hair cut. I was really looking forward to this because we were going to do a ton of tinsel as opposed to the ten measly strands I got on vaca.

Although it was a long process, it was worth the hour in the salon chair and I have a head full of sparkles compliments of Anna. I’ll get better pictures when I’m not taking them by myself, but check it out:

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Anna and I dubbed my tinsel tresses as “disco hair” and I am so in love with the results. The compliments I get everywhere I go doesn’t hurt, either! Hair tinsel is such a fun, simple, and inexpensive way to spice up your do as I only paid ten dollars for ten huge packs of sparkles. These will literally last me a lifetime and I can’t wait to continue the hair tinsel trend during my next appointment at the Shear Shop!

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What is your favorite trend for funky hair? How do you make a statement with your locks? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov22

Laura Mercier Rouge Essentiel Silky Creme Lipstick Swatch In Nu Prefere

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Laura Mercier Rouge Essentiel Silky Creme Lipstick Swatch In Nu Prefere

Hello everyone and welcome to the last swatch of the Rouge Essentiel Silky Lip Cremes by Laura Mercier. Unfortunately, I saved the worst for last, which was totally unintentional! I honestly thought that I was going to like this nude shade the best but, I daresay, I might like the orange color more than this one. Shocking, I know. Take a look at some pics and I’ll let you decide:

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At first glance of Nu Prefere, I thought that I was going to like it a lot. I love a good nude lippie and this shade looked like a pretty dusty pink that I could get down with. Sadly, that just wasn’t the case. If you can recall from the last two Laura Mercier swatches, the pigment was very rich and I don’t know what went wrong with this one but it was definitely lacking in that department. What I really wanted was for the color to be as highly saturated as the others and, as you can see, it just looks like a cheap gloss rather than a lip creme.

My other qualm with this hue is the orangeness once it was applied. It has this really rusty undertone to it, which is less than flattering and a far cry from the swatch on the marketing seen above. Nu Prefere was a huge hell no for me and that’s saying a lot when I like a straight up orange shade better than a nude one! Smh.

Overall, I am unimpressed with the samples I received of Laura Mercier’s Rouge Essentiel lipsticks. The colors were not the best, the price for a full tube is outrageous, and I am confident that you could find a drugstore brand to suit you and your wallet better. Whomp whomp.

What is your favorite nude lipstick? Do you prefer neutral shades or bold colors when it comes to your lippie? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov21

Cycling Safety Tips Women Should Always Remember

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Cycling Safety Tips Women Should Always Remember

Cycling is an exhilarating activity that many people enjoy. Sadly, it does not seem to be a sport with a lot of women involved. In fact, only 29 percent of cyclists in San Francisco are women. Meanwhile in Barcelona, there’s only a single female cyclist for every three male cyclists.

Women deal with many struggles when cycling, which include violence, discrimination, and harassment. Just as much as people need to be educated against such behaviors, women also need to learn how to protect themselves when cycling – whether it is from rude drivers or from potential road accidents. Enjoy cycling by staying safe. Here are eight safety tips that women can apply when they hit the road:

Gear up:

Cycling requires you to be on the road, which means that you will be exposed to hazards every driver faces. Make sure to wear appropriate attire. Don’t let anything hang loose, as it could get snagged along the way. Wearing a helmet is also an extra protection that will save your life. Don’t forget to wear sunscreen, especially on easily exposed areas like the back of your neck. And upgrade your bike to improve its condition and to ensure your safety.

Be seen:

The more you dress like a peacock, the more you will stand out and get seen on the road. Always wear high-visibility gear when cycling. Choose ones that are not only reflective but also breathable. Bringing along a backpack will cover the majority of your back and block your high-vis outfit. You can opt to invest in a reflective backpack to make you visible from the back.

Keeping the lights on will also help you see the road at night and make you visible at the same time. Bring backup LED lights just in case the main lights go off.

Stay alert:

Always keep your eyes on the road and have a presence of mind when you go cycling. Look out for other drivers, motorists, and fellow cyclists. Even pedestrians walking their cute pets can distract you in one second. And anything can happen in that single second.

Of course, injuries can happen no matter how alert you are. Should you have been injured while cycling from the actions of someone else, you will want to get legal help for your Midland personal injury claim (or your local area) immediately. Be sure to document everything well so you can receive the compensation you deserve.

Be aware of others:

Cyclists are some of the most vulnerable on the roads. Because of this, you need to be extra cautious of others. Yes, do everything in your power to be safe; from wearing a high-vis outfit to following road rules, but be aware of those around you too. If you do end up being injured, you should seek expert assistance. You can read this personal injury guide for more information.

Follow road rules:

If you haven’t biked or driven lately, you may need to get a refresher course on the road rules, especially ones that are applicable to cycling. Most importantly, know the bike safety rules. This will help you prevent the most common cyclist accidents. Being over familiar with safety rules and preventative tips is one of the best ways to protect yourself. However, if an accident does occur specialized accident lawyers are at hand to help defend your case, and bicycle accident reconstruction litigation even exists wherein experts can forensically examine your bicycle to help conclusively determine what happened in the accident.

Be confident:

Cyclists have as much right on the road as motorists. Be confident in your decisions and abilities. To keep safe on the road, let road users know your intention clearly early on. This will help keep traffic flowing. Avoid road accidents by steering clear from vehicle blind spots. Staying close to the side or behind a moving car will not end well for you in case an accident occurs.

Prevent doorings:

Always be on the lookout for possible doorings. You will never know when accidents will occur, so you should take steps to minimize this occurrence. Watch out for parked cars and look ahead at their mirrors for any vehicle occupants. Avoid riding inside the door zone as doors could spring open unexpectedly.

Be safe by bringing along some first-aid supplies, such as an elastic sports tape that will help relieve inflamed muscles. These should come in handy if you ever encounter a dooring or any other accident.

Ride smart:

Whether you are cycling in your local area or cycling across America, your safety is paramount. Before setting off it’s a good idea to study the area you are riding in so there are no sudden surprises. Plan when to ride ahead of time. Early mornings or evenings will let you ride in less traffic and keep you a lot safer. Avoid peak times, especially if you ride anywhere near shopping centers or school zones. If you find yourself riding in such settings, though, be extra careful. Watch out for pedestrians and drivers and always be prepared for anything.

Stay secure:

Keeping yourself safe also means keeping your trusty steed secure. Don’t forget to include a bike lock when you prepare for a ride. This is especially useful when you’re taking a quick stop and have to leave the bike in an unfamiliar area.

Both women and men have the right to participate in cycling. Just like any sport, there are many hazards that surround it. But these shouldn’t stop people from doing the activities they love. Simply follow the rules of the road, apply the right safety tips, and you should enjoy cycling to the fullest.

Featured Image By: Shutterstock

Nov21

Laura Mercier Rouge Essentiel Silky Creme Lipstick Swatch In Rouge Ultime

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Laura Mercier Rouge Essentiel Silky Creme Lipstick Swatch In Rouge Ultime

Howdy! Today, we are on to our next swatch in the Laura Mercier Rouge Essentiel sample pack that I got from Sephora. This shade in the Silky Creme Lipstick is called Rouge Ultime. But, is it the ultimate red? Lil Red is a little bias because I like to think that I am. Ba dum chhhh! I’ll let you all decide for yourselves, though. Take a look and let’s discuss:

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As I’ve mentioned before, I am very picky when it comes to my red lipsticks. Due to my complexion and hair color, only a pure red looks flattering on me. Anything with too blue or orange undertones just misses the mark. I’ve made the mistake before of buying lipstick shades willy nilly and that turned out to be a massive waste of money. So, sticking to my preferred brands and colors is usually what I opt for.

I’ve swatched a lot of lipsticks on my day on lifewithlilred and the Rouge Ultime hue by Laura Mercier isn’t bad! I like the poppy crimson color and, as we discussed yesterday, I really enjoy the creme texture of this lippie. My only qualm with this shade is that it might have a tad too much blue undertones to it for my liking.

Am I upset about it? Absolutely not, because one tube of the lipstick is a whopping THIRTY-TWO DOLLARS!! I will keep using my five dollar tube of NYX, thank you very much. Sephora samples are truly a double edged sword. On one end, it’s nice to be able to test new products out. But, on the other, if you fall head over heels for it, you usually end up thirty bucks in the hole!

Do you prefer high end or drugstore brands? What is a beauty item you splurge on? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov20

Laura Mercier Rouge Essentiel Silky Creme Lipstick Swatch In L’Orange

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Laura Mercier Rouge Essentiel Silky Creme Lipstick Swatch In L’Orange

Hello!! When shopping with Sephora online, you get to pick two samples out of eight or so for free. Normally, I’ll select a perfume tester for my mom because she’s a fragrance gal and, if they’re available, lipstick sample pods for me. I am not the most adventurous when it comes to my lippie colors because I will always prefer my NYX matte red lipstick over anything else.

However, I do like swatching the shades that I get as Sephora freebies on lifewithlilred. During my last haul, I selected the Laura Mercier tester pack to share with all of you. This is the Silky Creme Lipstick in L’Orange:

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I have never been an orange lipstick kind of girl. Anything with the faintest orange hue in it appears awfully clown like on me when it is paired against my red hair. This is unfortunate, because I love the idea of peach colored lips in the summertime. I think L’Orange would be a perfect summer or late spring shade but with snow falling consistently in Ohio now, the cheerful shade seems almost inappropriate while it’s so crap lousy out.

Would I be willing to try this shade out on myself? Hell no. Do I think it would be pretty on the right person? I think it would be stunning. But, orange is a really tricky shade to pull off so it would have to be done right. When paired with a simple all white ensemble and a more natural MOTD, a huge statement could be made with one small pop of color.

Now, as far as the consistency of this lippie goes – it really wasn’t bad. Shocking, I know, because Lil Red is a matte girl through and through. Despite L’Orange having a shiny luster to it, it wasn’t a glossy feel at all. It felt heavier than your standard gloss lipstick but not as much as a full on matte lippie. I could get down with this, especially in the colder months when it’s so easy for your lips to get dried out, which can become even worse with a matte lipstick.

Overall, I’m still impressed with this product so far but not in this shade. So, I’ll be looking forward to trying another hue tomorrow!

Do you prefer a matte or glossy lipstick? How do you rock a bold lip color? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov19

How To Plan A Stress Free Home Makeover

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How To Plan A Stress Free Home Makeover

Giving your home a makeover is an exciting task. From picking out paint colors to choosing your furnishings, the whole process of redesigning your home can be a lot of fun. The problem is, there are just so many different styles of interior design to choose from, so selecting the right one for your home can be a tough choice.

Without careful planning, a home makeover can become a stressful situation to be in. Taking on a project that is beyond your expertise can be overwhelming, as can committing to too much expense. A home redecorating project should be a positive process, rather than a stressful experience.

No one wants to spend money, time, and effort on a home redesign only to find that the results aren’t what they expected. To beat any expectation versus reality disappointment, it is a good idea to plan your project carefully:

Sort Out the Practicalities:

When you are trying to create the home of your dreams, it can be hard to focus on the practicalities. However, getting the practical side of your redecoration project sorted out leaves you free to concentrate on turning your dreams into reality. It is useful to calculate your budget right from the start, so you know exactly how much cash you have to play with. Without knowing how much you can afford to spend, you could find yourself running out of money before completing the project. This would leave you with a half-finished room, while you try to save more money to finish it.

As well as knowing how much you want to spend on your interior project, you need to work out a realistic timescale. This is particularly important if the room needs to be completed by a set deadline. For example, a baby’s nursery that you want to be completed before your little one arrives.

Home makeovers and renovations can be stressful to handle by yourself. It is not as easy as the professionals on HGTV make it out to be, that’s for sure! Many people turn to interior designers like those at K&L Interior Designers (or a similar business in your local area to take on the task. Interior designers are well versed in providing the practicality your home needs while adhering to your personal style. They will also be mindful of your budget so you don’t end up going over what you are willing to spend.

Identify Your Goals:

Once the practicalities are decided, it is time to think about what you want from the redesign. To identify what you want the room to do, you will need to think about what you currently like about it, and what you would like to change. This could be anything from making it look lighter and brighter or completely changing its use. Or, perhaps, you are tying in general maintenance with your makeover. A drafty front door, for example, could be replaced with custom barn doors in Los Angeles (or a similar product in your local area) for lower heating bills and an instant face lift to your home. These aims will provide you with a starting point for your design and something specific to work towards.

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So cool!

Pick Your Style:

Selecting the look of your new room is one of the best parts of the project. Think carefully about what you want the place to look like and then search for some inspiration to help you picture the look more clearly. When choosing a style of interior design, it is useful to think about the overall vibe that you are trying to create. If you want to create a homely feel, then a rustic interior design look will enable you to incorporate some lovely textures for a timeless style. If you are after a boutique hotel type finish, then you will probably be looking for mirrored furniture and silk or plush velvet upholstery.

When you are considering your favorite style, it can be helpful to look at popular past trends and the upcoming 2026 interior design trends. This can give you an excellent starting point but the trick is to make it your own. Use the trends you love and incorporate the things you love that are missing. This could be a funky colored area rug, fabulous art prints or beloved photos, or creating lighting that suits the needs of the room. This way, your space will still feel like your own rather than a staged shot from a magazine.

Prepare the Room:

To be able to redecorate, you are probably going to need to strip the room back to basics so that you have a blank canvas to work with. This means that a lot of items will need to be removed before you even get started. It is useful to declutter the room first. Decluttering will help you to get rid of all the items that you no longer want or need. It will also help you to free up more space in the room.

Once you have decluttered, you will need to move all of the furniture out of the room so that the decoration can begin. Try to plan your space so that you are able to store all these furniture items elsewhere in your home. Anything that can’t be moved will need to be covered so that it avoids any paint splashes or other damage.

Carefully planning your home makeover will make life a lot easier. The whole process will be far less challenging if you know exactly what you want to achieve and how you are going to make it a reality!

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Nov19

This Is How Not To Spend All Of Your Free Time Cleaning!

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This Is How Not To Spend All Of Your Free Time Cleaning!

Busy parents are always looking for ways to minimize tasks in the home, so they have more quality time to spend with the kids. Of course, it is also crucial that jobs such as cleaning aren’t minimized to the point where the home is no longer hygienic or livable for the family that dwells within. Happily, there is a middle way, and it’s to find hacks that allow a thorough cleaning, but don’t take up too much time. A topic you can read more about in the post below:

Vacuum, don’t dust:

The first tip that can help you save time, yet still have a clean home is to cut down the amount of dusting that you do. This is because many traditional forms of dusting just end up moving the particles around your space, rather than getting rid of them.

Instead, why not use the specially designed hose attachments for your vacuum? Something that will not only make getting into those tricky nooks and crannies like the ones in the pantry a lot easier, but will also remove the dust particles from circulation. In fact, if you like, you can add another step to your dust removal system in the form of a HEPA air filter. A device that does a similar job to a vacuum by removing particles from the air, but it can be used all of the time.

Keep floors sparkling:

Floors can undoubtedly take a lot of time and effort to keep clean, only to be trampled all over by the family as they come in and out of the home. Of course, I’m not suggesting that you give up on this task altogether. Far from it, in fact! You just need some methods of cleaning the floors that don’t take up all your spare time.

Luckily, there are several methods to choose from, depending on the types of flooring you have in your home. One, in particular, to be aware of is a robot sweeper. A small round device with brushes that can help to keep your wood, laminate, or tiled floors much cleaner – with no back-breaking work for you at all.

Fear not if you have carpeted floors because, fortunately, there are carpet and rug cleaning specialists out there that can come to your home and offer a same-day service. Something that will leave you free to spend plenty of quality time with the kids while the cleaning is going on.

Clean as you go:

Finally, if you approach cleaning your home as a big job that needs to be completed every week, you can easily spend far too much of the weekend doing it. That is why you should practice the ‘clean as you go’ technique, instead. Something that you can learn more about here, and that will help you regain precious time to spend with your family.

Cleaning as you go is an excellent time saver but accidents do happen and it might be outside of your skill set to give a proper cleaning. This can include a soda stain on a light colored couch, red wine spills that would require help from a rug cleaning specialist, chipping paint, or tearing wallpaper. If you have a major cleaning issue, get assistance as soon as possible because those stains are going to be more difficult to remove once it has time to set.

Cleaning isn’t the most fun part of life but it must be done. Use the hacks above to make cleaning your place easier, quicker, and totally stress free.

Nov19

Face Mask Festivities: Laneige Water Sleeping Mask Edition

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Face Mask Festivities: Laneige Water Sleeping Mask Edition

Hi! During a recent Sephora haul, I got a ton of free goodies including a sample size of a Water Sleeping Mask by Laneige. I was really excited about this face mask because I absolutely love the jelly style sleep masks – especially the Drops Of Youth and Vitamin E Sleep Masks by The Body Shop. I am always up for trying new skin care products and I look forward to testing different brands out from Sephora because I consider them to be a bit more “high end”.

Unfortunately, an expensive price tag doesn’t always mean a high quality product and the Water Sleeping Mask by Laneige left me feeling no type of way. Let’s discuss:

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What I love the most about the Drops Of Youth and Vitamin E masks from The Body Shop is the sensation I get when I wake up. My skin feels so nourished and hydrated and it feels like absolute peaches and cream perfection. I just didn’t get this feeling in the morning with the Laneige mask or even when I first applied it.

I enjoyed the texture of the product because I never say no to a good jelly style moisturizer or mask and the light aquatic scent was also nice. Sadly, that was about it. Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy I got to test this product out for many reasons. 1) I didn’t have to commit to a full size jar. 2) It was free. 3) I get to write about it here. And 4) It served as a reminder that, often times, a “lower end” brand is just as good if not better than something uber expensive.

Obviously, I wouldn’t recommend this mask but it makes me highly recommend the ones I mentioned from The Body Shop even more!

Do you have a favorite face mask? What are your thoughts on the one by Laneige if you have used it? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov18

New For The Republic Sweater

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New For The Republic Sweater

Howdy! I have been doing a majority of my Christmas shopping in store this year. Shocking, I know. But, I have grown weary of Amazon’s selection and I feel like I have just been giving the same gift every year so I figured it was high time to change it up. While holiday shopping in TJMaxx, I told myself that I wasn’t going to get anything for me. Of course, that never happens, though, and I walked away with this gorgeous new sweater and some holiday treats for a few of the people on my list. Check it out:

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We all know damn well by now that Lil Red never says no to mustard yellow and as soon as I saw this sweater by For The Republic, I knew that I was going to love it. Other than black, I tend to wear a lot of yellows and greens because they always look perfect with my hair and complexion. This sweater was obviously no exception and I only needed to see it on for about ten seconds to make the decision to put it in my cart. The twenty-five from sixty-eight dollar price tag didn’t hurt the cause, either!

Although I couldn’t quite make it out of TJMaxx without purchasing a little something something for myself, I am amazed at my self restraint – there was a lot of things I liked! This bell sleeved beauty is an ideal three season sweater and I am looking forward to sporting it up until summer under cozy faux fur coats and knitted scarves. Now, hopefully everyone will like the prezzies I picked out as much as I love my treat yoself sweater. 😀

Do you prefer to holiday shop in store or online? How do you avoid buying for yourself while gift shopping? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov17

Sephora Haul

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Sephora Haul

Hi!! Whenever I need to restock my Better Than Sex mascara by Too Faced, I always shop Sephora online to get the best deals. With free shipping with a fifty dollar purchase (Which isn’t hard to do!), two free samples, and an option for more freebies with a coupon code, it just makes sense to do – especially if you know exactly what you want. And, if I ever did want to play around with new products in store, I would definitely go home and order the goods online to bank in on all of the great promotions! 😀

This time around, I scored an amazing goodie bag filled with trial sized products to try out and I am looking forward to testing them all and sharing my findings with you. Check it out:

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The Haul:

  • 2 Better Than Sex mascaras
  • Laneige Water Sleeping Mask
  • Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream
  • Replica perfume
  • Good Genes Lactic Acid Treatment
  • Ouai Leave In Conditioner
  • Bite Beauty Lip Crayon in Glace
  • Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes Mascara
  • Laura Mercier Lipstick samples
  • Atelier Vanilla Incense perfume

For fifty dollars total, I got all of the products seen above and I consider that a steal. There is nothing better than getting a lot of bang for your buck and I feel like I get that every time I shop with Sephora. I also love being able to try out beauty products without having to commit to them and, who knows, maybe I will find a new favorite in the sample sizes.

I wouldn’t be a good sister or daughter if I didn’t share the wealth and have given my mom the perfume samples because she’s a fragrance gal and the Tarte mascara and Bite lippie to my sister. I already have both of those and will not be using either up any time soon. Sharing is caring and it’s nice to be able to enjoy all of this awesome stuff together. Both of those very special ladies in my life always know how to make my day with something as simple as a text message so I take every opportunity I can to treat them, too!

How do you score the best deals at Sephora? What did you get in your most recent beauty haul? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah