Do Right By Your Kids With These Parenting Hacks

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Do Right By Your Kids With These Parenting Hacks

Being a parent is not easy, and you need to make sure that you do what you can to raise your kids to the best of your ability. There are a lot of considerations to make, and you need to figure out what is involved in the process of improving things for the kids. These are some of the key ideas that you might want to bear in mind that will help you do what’s best for them moving forward:

Keep Them Safe:

The biggest concern that so many parents have these days is whether or not their children are safe. This is something that all of us worry about at one time or another, but we can influence this in some way, as well. The best thing to do is to make sure that you take the steps to ensure that your child is being looked after properly. Choose the safest childcare options, make sure they know their address and phone number, and that they learn not to talk to strangers. Keeping your children safe is such a big concern as a parent, so the more that you can do to achieve it, the better.

Make Sure They’re Well Educated:

Education is so important, because it gives your kids opportunities and opens more doors in the future. Consider what is involved in your child’s education, and how you can improve these prospects as much as possible. Primary school kids need to learn their times tables, they need to be asking what is a composition? And they need to know about electricity and gravity, and all of those important things. So, do be sure you’re helping them study and keeping them on track at home.

Look After Their Future:

You need to do as much as possible to look after your kids’ future financially. You need to have money to help support them as they get older, and that means taking the time to start saving and being more financially sound as a family. Preparing for the future is so important and can help you do a lot to improve your financial situation as long as you are careful.

Don’t Overparent:

So many parents make the mistake of overparenting their kids, and this can be a negative thing. You don’t want to be smothering your child and not allowing them to experience new things because, otherwise, they will not develop properly and will not be involved outside of home as much as they should. You have to work on being the best parent you possibly can be, and this involves giving your kids space to make their own mistakes.

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 :*)

If you can follow these parenting hacks, you will be well placed to make sure that you do right by your kids as much as you can. It’s important to look after their future and help them to grow and develop as people. And you can do so much to achieve that, including looking after their education and financial futures.

Featured Image By: Pexels

It’s In The Bag: Foley + Corinna Edition

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It’s In The Bag: Foley + Corinna Edition

Hey! So as I mentioned earlier this week, your girl was in desperate need of some retail therapy. And retail therapy I did. Oh yes, retail therapy I did. Although I love all accessories equally, I can’t say that I am a huge purse girl. I’d much rather buy a new pair of shoes. But, that doesn’t mean that I don’t love purses and I definitely have a collection in my own right. I’m very particular when it comes to my bags, so when the right one (Or two!) come along at TJMaxx, it’s very hard to say no! Take a look:

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When I saw this GORGEOUS Foley + Corinna bag, it was really love at first sight. I loved the chain straps, the contrast between the off white color and the black spikes, and I am a sucker for all things studs and spikes in general. This purse is just the right size to hold all of my necessities and will be nice to carry around during the summer thanks to its small size. It really is just perfect. So perfect that I…

Find out tomorrow!!

What do you think I did next? What is your favorite style of purse? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Gift Ideas For Your Best Friend’s Milestone Birthday

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Gift Ideas For Your Best Friend’s Milestone Birthday

You and your best friend have been close for many years and you have never celebrated a birthday without being by each other’s sides. Reaching those milestones together has been a ton of fun and you can’t wait for her big birthday to approach. You are always giving the best gifts to each other and this year will be no exception. You want to make sure that she has one to remember and that means going bigger and better than ever before. Grab some inspiration from here and light up her eyes with glee as soon as she receives her perfect present:

Beautifully Blooming:

A bunch of bright and beautiful flowers are bound to brighten up anybody’s day, especially when they are turning a year older. Make their day even better by organizing a flower delivery straight to their home or workplace. In the personal message you could include a special clue about what their evening ahead might entail. You can choose from an array of colors, species, and sizes too, so make sure you pick their favorite. From lovely lilies to perfect poppies you are bound to bring a smile to their face.

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 So pretty!

Happy Holidays:

Celebrating a milestone birthday can bring a sense of panic to anybody, so why not whisk them away and allow them to forget about their troubles? Choose their favorite holiday destination and book them a lovely trip away so that they can truly relax and celebrate their birthday. Whether they’d love an Australian adventure down under or a sun soaked beach holiday in Spain, book their tickets and join them for the trip of their lives!

Picture Perfect:

A picture is always going to be one of the most personal gifts that you can give to somebody. You could create your very own collage book filled with memories of your friendship. Allow them to travel back in time and smile to themselves as they flick through the personalized scrapbook that you created just for them.

Excellent Experiences:

Instead of a physical gift, you could take your friend on a day out to celebrate their birthday. There are so many experience days to choose from, no matter what your favorite activity is. You could go for a wine tasting afternoon at a fancy bar or take a trip to the theater and meet the cast at the end of the show. How about taking a road trip to take in the sights and visit new eateries? You could get restaurant inspiration based on your bestie’s favorite type of food by entering a search for “italian restaurant soho” (or the area you are visiting). A road trip definitely checks all of the boxes of an excellent experience gift! Think carefully about what your friend would really like to do and make it happen for her; you will never forget the huge smile on her face when she realizes what you’re doing together.

Whether your friend believes flowers are fabulous or a holiday would make her happy, be sure to go with her individual preferences. No matter what the milestone is, make sure it is one for her to remember forever. You might find that a combination of these gifts would make the ideal offering, so don’t be afraid to go all out and choose a few. Her birthday is going to be unforgettable, so splurge on something special and share the happiness on her big day.

Let Me Take A Selfie

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Let Me Take A Selfie

HELLOOOO! In the name of fashion and having more updated pics of me on the ol’ blog and social media, I have been taking a lot of selfies lately. Believe me, I’m even starting to annoy myself, but sometimes the pay off is worth it because I really like the pictures seen below:

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As you can tell, I was really FEELING MYSELF in these selfies. I am obsessed with my True Destiny Flower Power Top from TJMaxx and, of course, it wouldn’t be a Sarah Selfie without NYX’s Pure Red Matte Lippie being featured! I was actually in the midst of feeling really emotionally shitty the day that I took these pictures. But, sometimes all it takes is getting dolled up, snapping some pics, and getting compliments from strangers on social media to brighten up the day! 😀

Although taking selfies can be a hit or miss activity for me, when it works it works, and I feel like everything was working in the above pictures. My makeup, my eye color, and my favorite top all combined with the ideal natural lighting outdoors made for a perfect photo op, and I am so glad that I took it. And, trust and believe that I ate hella Mexican food immediately after I took these pictures. #success

What are some of your secrets to taking the perfect selfie? How many selfies do you take per week? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Are You An Anxious Night Owl?

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Are You An Anxious Night Owl?

In recent years, awareness of anxiety has come to the forefront. Aside from making you nervous, a full-blown case of anxiety can leave you on edge and unable to calm down. It feels as though you’re about to face something frightening every second of the day, and it can leave you on the brink of breaking.

If this sounds familiar, you should speak to your doctor and seek treatment which helps you to get on top of this. But, we aren’t focusing on treatment today. Instead, we’re going to address something few anxiety sufferers speak about: the fact that symptoms often get worse in the evenings.

In many ways, this seems strange. Surely anxiety should abate when you get home and let loose? But, often, the situation worsens once you get home. In many ways, this could be because you’re no longer distracted by work. As such, you’ll feel the full effects of the condition. But, this is also, in part, down to how we spend our evenings – so we’re going to look at a few every day habits which can make matters worse:

The Television Trap:

While television usage has dropped in recent years, many of us still put the box on the moment that we get home. It’s a comfort, and it helps a lot of us to relax. But, what you might not realize is that television can also boost anxiety in some ways. Even if you avoid anxiety-inducing programs, advertisements fill us with worries about what we don’t have. They also lead to comparisons with those on screen. On top of which, television eats time like nothing else. It could leave you feeling as though your evening’s over before it’s begun.

So, for at least a few hours, turn the TV off. Rely, instead, on board games like Scrabble. These still take complete concentration but without comparison. You can even avoid disputes by using tools like this word.tips word finder to check anything you’re unsure of. If that doesn’t appeal, you could always turn to hobbies like reading or coloring to see you through. The chances are, that you’ll feel much better after an evening of doing these.

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There’s nothing better than a good book!

You’re Too Hung Up On The Day:

Many of us also make the mistake of overthinking our days once we get home. And, we still wonder why we have anxiety-induced headaches by the end of the night. In truth, you should avoid thinking about work during your evenings. Draw a line under the day with a quick walk around the block or even a meditation session to ease your mind. Then, turn your attention to something else every time work crosses your mind. Getting this distance could work wonders for helping you to relax. Bear in mind that it may take longer to adjust to than you expect. After all, you’ve spent years thinking about work all evening, every evening. But, if you focus your attention here, you could soon find that your mind is much calmer when you need it to be.

Featured Image By: Unsplash

Accessory Story: Bella Jack Earrings Edition

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Accessory Story: Bella Jack Earrings Edition

Hello everyone and happy Hump Day! Lil Red has been in desperate need of some retail therapy these past few weeks, so TJMaxx was the move both in store and online. And, as always, ol’ TJs was very very good to me. For example, if it wasn’t for TJMaxx, I wouldn’t have these insanely gorgeous, THIRTEEN DOLLAR Bella Jack earrings that I am SO in love with. Check it out:

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Now, normally I’m not too keen on buying new earrings, because I usually just wear my signature black crosses. But, I’ve had my eye on these periwinkle flower bells for a long time. And, did I mention that I was in desperate need of retail therapy? I think that these Bella Jack beauties are so charming, and all I needed to do was briefly hold them up to my face in the mirror to know that they were coming home with me.

I love the glassy but matte shading over the pale blue coloring of these earrings, and I think that they look lovely with my hair, eyes, and complexion – if I do say so, myself. I also adore how if you make the earrings move, you can hear the tiny chime of bells ringing in your ears. This Bella Jack jewelry is pure fairy tale fun, and I can’t wait to wear them throughout the summer!

Where do you love to shop for jewelry at? What is your go to summer accessory? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

100+ Beauty Tag Finale

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100+ Beauty Tag Finale

Hello! Today is the grand finale for the 100+ Beauty Tag as I answer the remaining twenty or so questions left! If you choose to complete the questionnaire, do tag me in your post or comment it to me so that I can see all of your answers. 🙂

Which cream or moisturizer is your favorite? The Vitamin E moisturizer by The Body Shop, and I also like their Vitamin C one a lot, too.

How many times do you use a moisturizer? Just once in the morning. I really should start taking my makeup off and using a night cream, though.

Have you ever tried using natural beauty products? Oh yes, that’s the best way to go.

Which natural beauty product is your favorite? Literally anything from The Body Shop.

Which fashion magazine do you read for styling and beauty tips? I’m not a huge magazine reader, because all of the fashion magazines feature clothing that is so unattainable price wise. And I have all of the beauty tips that I need right there, thanks to all of the amazing beauty bloggers on WordPress!

Which three beauty tips would you recommend? 1) Invest in a lipstick that makes you feel awesome. 2) Style your makeup and clothing in a way that makes YOU feel good. And 3) Try to make a statement with every look that you create.

Do you believe in using anti-ageing creams? Sure. I’m not at that point yet, but I would definitely use them later on down the line.

Do you choose your foundation according to your undertone color? I don’t wear foundation – but isn’t that what you’re supposed to do?

Skincare or makeup? Which is more important? SKIN CARE. You need a clean slate to apply your makeup on and that can only be achieved with good skin care.

What makeup tools do you use while applying makeup? Q-tips, lol.

Which makeup tool is always in your handbag? None.

What was the worst color that you dyed your hair? Black. I used to want the jet black, almost blue hair so badly and my hair just never took to it. It always looked dull and dusty after a few weeks and it was so disappointing.

What is your favorite eyeshadow color? Bronze, gold, and green.

A heavy makeup look or a natural one? I like somewhere in between.

Do you use a pencil eyeliner or liquid? A pencil. I do not have the steady hand for a liquid liner!

What is your experience with pigment eyeshadows? Lol, what is a pigment eyeshadow?

What is your favorite contrast color for eye shades? I love when my hazel eyes choose to be green for the day and I use a purple-ish eye pencil or shadow. It really makes my eyes pop!

Suggest a thing that makeup lovers should never miss? A good sale! 😀

All Done!!

How would you answer some of the above questions? Do you have any other beauty questions for me? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

 

100+ Beauty Tag Part Three

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100+ Beauty Tag Part Three

 

Hello everyone and happy Monday! We are on the final half of the 100+ Beauty Tag that I’ve been working diligently on. I have to tell you, it’s been a hoot and I definitely recommend joining in on the fun by completing it yourself! Here are my answers to questions sixty through ninety:

Define beauty in one sentence? Beauty is feeling confident in your own skin.

Share the funniest makeup memory of yours? Oh jeez… I don’t think that I really have a funny one. But, I used to work as an actor at a haunted house and doing my makeup there was always good fun.

Discounted products or branded? Which do you prefer? Discounted, of course. #ballinonabudget

Do you share your beauty products with anyone? If yes, then whom? HELL NO! My sister used to use my makeup when we were younger and I hated that!!

What’s your favorite nail polish brand? Before I started getting acrylics, I really liked Sally Hanson.

What kind of coverage do you like from a foundation? I don’t wear it, so it doesn’t matter.

A simple nail color or designing? Which do you like? I would love to get designs on my acrylics if it wasn’t so damn expensive. So, simple colors it is, and then I do the rhinestones myself.

What is your favorite high end brand? I like Clinique.

A new makeup purchase or a dinner out. Which do you prefer? Food, food, always food.

What’s your favorite contrast for nail polishes? What does that mean?

Name the person who taught you how to paint your nails: I’m pretty sure it was my grandma.

Do you wear fake eyelashes? No. I have no idea how to apply them, anyways!

Share the worst moment of wearing fake eyelashes? None.

Has anybody praised your eye color while you were wearing contact lenses? I don’t wear colored contacts, but people do praise my natural eye color *hair flip*.

What is your favorite drugstore brand? I like CoverGirl.

Suppose you’re on your way to a party and you realize that you forgot to put on blush. What could be your best possible alternative? Take some of your lipstick and rub it in to your cheeks.

Describe your perfect mascara in one sentence: My perfect mascara is jet black and gives longer than life lashes.

Have you ever put mascara in your eyes on accident? YES. It always gets on my contacts and I have to put in a new pair of my one a days. So annoying.

Do you like a lipstick only or do you use it with a lip gloss? Lipstick only. I’ve never been a big lip gloss girl.

A simple lip gloss or a glittered one? If I did wear lip gloss, a glitter one might be fun!

What is your favorite hair product? Heat protecting spray is a necessity for me, because I flat iron my hair almost every day.

Do you like using different nail polishes at once? I usually do all black except for an accent nail on my pointer finger.

Do you ever consider taking makeup classes? Not really. But, I always am up for trying new things!

Which brand’s lipstick stays on the best while eating? I kid you not, I just ate a full on Mexican dinner the other day and my NYX matte lippie didn’t even budge.

How many times do you use a face wash? I use both a cleansing bar and a face wash during my shower in the morning. I don’t wash my face at night, but I really should.

Which makeup remover do you prefer? Micellar water is okay and cheap.

Name three differences that you feel in yourself with or without makeup? I feel more confident and beautiful in makeup. But, I feel more comfortable without it.

Do you use makeup base for the eyes, as well? Nope.

Do you like to gift makeup kits to your female friends? Not really, I prefer gifting bath and body care because you really can’t go wrong with that.

Name a beauty product that you always want to steal from your mom’s kit? I love my mom’s nude lipsticks and I want to snag her Pixi Glow Tonic so bad!!

How would you answer some of the above questions? How is your Monday going? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

 

100+ Beauty Tag Part Two

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100+ Beauty Tag Part Two

Hello!! Yesterday I answered thirty of the questions from the 100+ Beauty Tag that I found and now I am going to answer thirty more! Here we go:

 

How often do you use contact lenses? Daily. Unless I know that I will be at home all day, then I might wear my glasses.

Which color of contact lenses is your favorite? I’ve never tried any of the colored contacts before, but I would love to give lavender a shot.

Have you ever tried Eastern makeup styles? What does that mean? Lol.

Which country’s makeup is your favorite? I don’t know! I’ve never really thought of it.

Has someone ever made fun of your makeup? Yes. 😦 I experimented with some cool green eyeshadow in fifth grade and evil classmates poked fun of me for that. Assholes.

At what age did you begin to wear makeup? Honestly, I don’t think I regularly wore makeup until I was a sophomore in high school. So fifteen, maybe? But when I was younger, I wore makeup for dance recitals and figure skating competitions, of course.

What was the first beauty product you tried? Technically, it was Lip Smackers. But, my first “real” makeup product was probably a CoverGirl mascara.

Name the celebrity that you hate for their makeup? None! Girls and guys should be able to express themselves however they want without being hated for it.

Have you ever put makeup on someone else? No way. I do not have the steady hand or creativity for that.

Which beauty product do you recommend in the summer? SUNSCREEN!!!!

Which beauty product will you never recommend for summers? Heavy moisturizers or lotions are gross in the summer time.

Which brand has the most attractive packaging? I love the Soap & Glory packaging.

Suppose that there is only one beauty product left in the world. What do you wish it would be? Red lipstick! Preferably matte, please.

How many eye mascara coats do you put on? I put on a healthy five or six.

Black eye mascara or a glittered one? They have glitter kinds?!?!

How much money do you spend on beauty products per month? It depends on what I need. Some months it might be nothing, other months it might be forty or so if I am restocking products.

Only lipstick or with a lip liner. What do you prefer? I used to wear lip liner, but it doesn’t do much for me so I just wear lipstick now.

What’s your favorite bath and body brand? The Body Shop.

Do you like to try different skin products or keep with certain items? Yes and no. I do have my favorite skin care products, but I don’t mind experimenting with them if a good deal or something new comes up.

Name your favorite shop for makeup products? Target!

Have you ever tried a mixed foundation of two different brands? No. I don’t wear foundation – but mixing two of them sounds tricky!

What’s the color of your favorite eye pencil? Black for my under eyes and emerald green for my eyelids.

Kajal or eye mascara? What do you prefer? What is kajal??

If given a chance, what type of cosmetic surgery would you go through? Honest answer? I would love to have another breast reduction.

Have you ever tried a makeup to change your face to resemble your favorite celebrity? Lol, no!

Have you ever followed any Hollywood celebrity makeup and hair styling? No. I just kind of make it up as I go along.

Which hair dye color is your favorite? Vidal Sassoon’s Runway Red from their London Luxe collection.

Which brand’s hair dye do you use? See the above answer. 😉

Hair gloss or highlights. What would you prefer if asked? Neither. I prefer all over color.

Do you have a beauty budget or do you buy whatever you like? As a whole, I don’t really go overboard when buying beauty products, so I don’t have a budget.

How would you answer some of the above questions?? Who else is going to try this tag? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

 

100+ Beauty Tag Part One

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100+ Beauty Tag Part One

Helloooo everyone and happy weekend! I found this super fun ONE HUNDRED PLUS QUESTIONNAIRE that I just had to complete. Mainly because I have no ideas for posts at the moment and also because I really enjoy doing these. Even Lil Red runs out of blog topics sometimes, so I decided to break this tag up into parts and give you my answers on all things beauty! Check it out:

 

What is your most favorite makeup brand? Hmm… I wouldn’t say that I have a favorite, but I will say NYX just because they carry my favorite lipstick. Other than that, I’m not too picky when it comes to brands.

What is your favorite cosmetic? Lipstick, of course. And I’ve grown increasingly fond of the highlighter by Becca that I’m using. And, does hair dye count??

Which brand’s eyeliner do you love the most? I love CoverGirl’s Liquid Blast eyeliner in Black Fire. It’s a pencil, but it has the perfect amount of moisture to it to give you the easiest application ever.

Name the brand that ever caused you a skin allergy: Aquaphor made my skin break out in a really weird bumpy rash when I was using it after getting a tattoo. Needless to say, I stopped using that immediately and switched to Lubriderm.

Which three cosmetics are always in your handbag? None, usually. But if I’m wearing a lippie, then I’ll keep that with me.

A concealer or a foundation? What do you apply first? Neither, because I don’t use them.

An eyeliner or mascara? What is your favorite? BOTH. Lol, I know that’s not an answer, but my makeup look isn’t really complete without either.

Which blush color is your favorite? Maybelline’s Dream Bouncy blush in Fresh Pink.

Name a cosmetic product that you avoid using in summers? None. But I do try and opt for a lighter moisturizer if I have one available.

Name a cosmetic brand that you avoid during winters? None.

Which face wash is your favorite? Destiny Boutique’s charcoal face wash. I love it and use it every day.

Which color of lipstick do you prefer during summers? RED.

Which color of lipstick do you prefer during autumn? RED.

Name the makeup brand that you always want to buy but your pocket does not allow? I wouldn’t say that I have one. If I like something that I know that I will get good use out of, then I will buy it. But, trust and believe that I’ll try to find a drugstore dupe first!

Name your favorite beauty soap? I’ll use whatever bar soap for my body, that doesn’t matter too much to me. But, I love Destiny Boutique’s charcoal bar for my face.

Name your favorite shampoo? I actually don’t wash my hair. I only get my hair wet once a month when I’m redyeing it and I will use a conditioner to wash it out, but that’s it. I gotta keep my red fresh, honey!

A hair straightener or a curler? Straightener! But I do like to try curling my hair every once in a blue moon.

How much time do you often require for a party makeup? Probably the same as my normal makeup, so like thirty-five or forty minutes.

Good clothes or a stylish makeup? What is more difficult to choose? Makeup. I’ve got fashion on lock, but I do need a little help with makeup!

Do you like multi-functional cosmetic products? Not really.

Name the product that without which you can’t leave the house? None.

How many lipsticks do you have right now? I’d say eight to ten but I only actively use three or so.

What is your favorite color of lipstick? RED!!!

Do you remove your makeup before bed? This is so bad, but no. I sleep in my makeup!

Name the body lotion you use: Right now I am using Cocoa Butter from The Body Shop.

Which moisturizer is your favorite? The Body Shop’s Vitamin E moisturizer.

Do you still like using a baby lotion? Lol, no?

Name your three favorite beauty stylists? I don’t have one. But I do love the looks of Kat Von D and Jeffree Star.

Which celebrity do you follow for hair styling? I love Julianne Hough’s shorter hair.

Name your favorite beauty salon: The Shear Shop. The woman who does my hair has been my stylist for well over a decade. I love her!

How would you answer some of the above questions? What kind of post should I do next? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah