Makeup Free Days

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Makeup Free Days

Howdy! Back in the day, I used to complete my makeup routine almost daily – even if I was staying home for the day. As the years progressed, I realized just how silly this was and began slowly easing into Makeup Free Days. This originally started out as a Sunday occasion, but now, I spend at least half of my week with no makeup on. It’s crazy!

I wouldn’t say that I have this sky high confidence that makes me feel okay with no makeup on. It’s honestly more of a lazy girl thing. I apply my makeup and do my hair when I’m working in the community. But, if I am working from home or just running random errands during the day, I really don’t see the point of painting my face. Once I realized that going out in public with no makeup on wasn’t the end of the world, it became easier and easier to leave the house bare faced.

Of course, makeup free days save me time, but my skin and wallet are also definitely thanking me. I’ve noticed that my skin has looked increasingly healthier as I make my way through the year, because the products that I use after washing my face really gets a chance to sink in and work as opposed to being suffocated by the makeup on top. And, days without makeup equals using less of it, which equals buying less products, which equals more money in my pocket!

It’s a little surprising to me how within a handful of years, I went from caring so much about what complete strangers might think if I left the home in anything but full makeup perfection to running about town fresh faced for three or four days of the week. I guess that’s part of growing up. Getting older sucks. But, feeling okay makeup free is something that I’m definitely okay with!

Has anyone else had a makeup free epiphany similar to mine? How often do you apply makeup during the week? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

bareMinerals Marvelous Moxie Swatch In Overachiever

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bareMinerals Marvelous Moxie Swatch In Overachiever

Hiiii! This past week, my sister gifted me with some hand me down makeup to try out. Some I liked, others I didn’t, and some were so pretty that I had to keep just to do swatches on even if it didn’t necessarily work for me. I have never been a big lip gloss kind of girl. I remember being in my early teens and opting for lipstick instead of the gloss that all of my peers were smearing on their lips. I am not sure how I feel about trying it now, but I did have to put this bareMinerals lip gloss on my blog for prettiness’s sake. Take a look:

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^^^ The first heart is with the flash off and the second one is with the flash on.

First of all, this lip gloss smells SO. GOOD. It has this really creamy, pepperminty scent to it and I freaking love it. Second of all, I liked that this gloss wasn’t sticky because I feel like so many tend to be. The swatch on my hand wiped off cleanly with a dry towel and left no residue at all. I was impressed!

And, finally, let’s talk about the color. Initially, I feared that this shade would be too purpley for me if I ever chose to give it a try. In the container, it looks like a really deep plum. Therefore, I would be looking like a living dead girl within the first application. So, I was pretty surprised to see that on my hand the shade seemed to have a base that was more brown than anything. The purple tint really only came from the glitter thrown into the mix. And that glitter only seemed to pop compliments of my bright camera flash. I think that I might be able to work with that.

Of course, I will always gravitate towards using a red or a nude lipstick but trying a gloss on for size might not be the worst thing. I do know that I liked the consistency of this bareMinerals lip gloss, which is good to have in the back of my mind even if the color isn’t my favorite. Sticky gloss should be left in middle school and will never be gracing Lil Red’s lips any time soon!

Are you a lip gloss or lipstick girl? Who is a fan of bareMinerals products? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

BYOB(urrito)

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BYOB(urrito)

Hey hey everyone and happy Hump Day! Did you know that if you download the app for Moe’s that you get a FREE CUP OF QUESO and a FREE BIRTHDAY BURRITO?!?! Yeah, that’s right. Moe’s, Taco Bell, and Chipotle are all my jam, but the rewards for Moe’s through their app are pretty cool.

AND GUESS WHAT?!

If you use yours truly AKA me, Sarah Mushenheim, as a reference when downloading the app, I get extra points. These points will help me, a constantly hungry girl, get free food. Consider referencing me like a gift to your favorite redheaded blogger. And once you download the app, your friends can reference you, so you can get closer to free food too! Talk about a win/win. 😀 #thanksinadvance #WELCOMETOMOES

Which food places/stores offer the best apps? Which places offer birthday freebies? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Creating A Signature Look For Yourself

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Creating A Signature Look For Yourself

In a world where people follow the say-so of magazines, celebrities, and other forms of media when it comes to our appearance, it’s always refreshing to see someone taking on their own approach to their style. Be this person! Stand out from the crowd and create your own signature look. Here are just a couple of areas to focus on:

Hair

Hair can create a signature look that is solely associated with you. Think of Marilyn Monroe’s blonde bob, Dita Von Teese’s jet black 40’s curls, or Miley Cyrus’s slicked back outgrown pixie cut. If you’re not quite ready to reach for the clippers or bright and bold hair dyes, you can ease yourself into more unique looks with styles like ombre. Ombre is a two or more tone look that’s achieved with balayage (which is French for “sweep”). It involves sweeping bleach through different small triangle sections of the hair and leaving the bleach to take for different amounts of time. This helps your hair to subtly alter from areas of lighter shades to areas of darker shades. The majority of people opting for ombre tend to opt for darker roots, slowly and discreetly becoming lighter towards the ends.

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Love top knots!

Clothes

With the rise of street fashion, it’s extremely difficult to curate a personal look that seemingly endless numbers of other people aren’t already wearing at the same time. Think of all of the rails of the same item piled back in big name brand chains. These are going to be bought, there are more in the stockroom, there are even more in other chains, and whole piles of the product are waiting in storehouses to be bought by people online. When you buy the piece you’re looking at, you become one of potentially thousands who are going to have the exact same item. Not only does this make you meld into the background, but it can create awkward situations like turning up at social events or parties in the exact same outfit as somebody else.

The problem with this? It conjures up comparisons between you and the other person, setting off the beginnings of endless “who wore it better?” conversations. Besides this, surely you want to be an individual! Many people think that the only way to do this is to purchase expensive custom or designer pieces that others generally can’t afford. But this isn’t necessarily true. Even just a plain T-shirt can turn into something special with a punchy pattern or a cool slogan. You can check out these Chummy Tees reviews so you can start elevating basic staples to fit your style. As you can see, there are various ways to put together an astounding and truly unique wardrobe. Here are just a few to consider:

Shop Vintage

Vintage stores and outlets are a great place to start when it comes to creating a unique style for yourself. Vintage clothes date from the 1990s and the years before. They tend to be one-off pieces, as the others produced at the same time have been disposed of, recycled, or are no longer in good enough condition to wear. This means that you are extremely unlikely to see anyone else with the same piece as you. But don’t just pick up any old item. There’s a thin line between quirky chic and items that you would likely see an elderly relative wearing.

Do a little research of the different eras and get to know desirable vintage labels to look out for. If the sixties cater well to your tastes, look out for St. Michael’s, Aquascutum, and Biba originals. If the seventies are more your thing, search for Levi bell bottoms and old-school graphic tees. Remember to check the quality of everything that you like the look of and try things on before purchasing. Vintage stores rarely offer refunds or exchanges, so you will want to be sure that they fit and have fully functioning zips and no missing buttons or moth holes before paying.

Upcycling

Upcycling is slowly but surely becoming a more common activity. It is a simple process where you transform items that you already own. You can upcycle all sorts of things: furniture, accessories, and (most exciting of all) your wardrobe. You can turn jeans into shorts for the hot summer months, pillowcases into cute beach tote bags, or perhaps just jazz up a jacket with pins and patches. Whatever you decide to do, upcycling puts your personal touch to your clothing. While someone else might have the same base item, yours will almost certainly stand apart from it.

DIY

If you find that you enjoy upcycling, you might want to try out something a little more complex, but even more rewarding: making your own clothes from scratch. This gives you a lot more freedom over your garments, as you can choose the exact design, fabric, and fit. Start out with simple patterns and follow online tutorials and advice pieces. It may take a little time before you start producing things that you want to wear, but practice makes perfect and developing this brilliant life skill is definitely worth the effort.

Altering your look may take a little time, effort, and planning. However, it’s better to get started sooner rather than later. This will allow you to see positive changes and results as soon as possible!

Featured Image By: Pexels

If The Shoe Fits: Qupid Platforms Edition

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If The Shoe Fits: Qupid Platforms Edition

Howdy! One of my favorite styles of shoes is easily the platform heel. The height, the chunky heel, the retro vibe – they just look so sexy and summery to me. During the warmer weather, I live in my platform collection and during the spring and fall, I love pairing them with gorgeous knee highs for some extra warmth. Needless to say, I am missing my 70s throwback babes something fierce this winter!

I have had really awesome success with the brand Qupid while online shoe shopping with TJMaxx and am so excited to break out these Barbie platforms this spring:

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These platforms are SO darling to me and they make me really happy to look at. Although I am not the biggest floral girl in the world, I just couldn’t say no to these shoes. They remind me of something that my Barbie or Bratz dolls would have worn back in the day, and I just couldn’t deny myself that nostalgia. I think every little girl has wished that she could have the clothes that her fashion dolls have. I definitely did! So it’s pretty fun to have the adult size version of my early 2000s fashion doll faves.

I seriously can’t wait to wear these Qupid babies. Of course, they will look beautiful in the spring with tights and little dresses. However, I’m more excited to break them out during the summer time with short shorts and maxi skirts to strut about town in. Platforms add the perfect amount of funky flare to any look and these new heels make an amazing and sure to be well loved addition to my collection!

Which style of shoe is your favorite? How would you style these floral fun platforms? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

If The Shoe Fits: LFL Edition

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If The Shoe Fits: LFL Edition

Hi hi hi and happy Monday! As we all know by now, I am an avid shoe lover. Heels, platforms, wedges, boots, booties, combat boots, mules – I LOVE THEM ALL and I can’t get enough. TJMaxx’s amazing online store does nothing but add fuel to the fire, because they are constantly adding new and beautiful shoes every day. And you can’t not take a quick peek, right?

WRONG.

Just looking turned into just buying. But, as the saying on these new shoe babies goes: WHO CARES?!

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If these shoes look familiar to you, that’s because they are. I have two similar pairs by Lust For Life that I am equally as obsessed with. This style of shoe is just pure and cheeky fun. The thought bubble mini platforms add the perfect touch of attitude to any outfit so that something girly chic is instantly sassed up and perfectly punk turns even more edgy.

Of course the phrase on this shoe is perfect, but I absolutely love the matte black glitter on the heels. The other two LFL heels that I have are faux suede, so when the sun strikes these babies in the summer it will definitely make a sparkly statement. I have always been one to buy a style that I like in all of the colors that are available and, obviously, these shoes are no exception. Now, if only they would make the thought clouds attachable by Velcro so that I can mix and match all of my phrases! 😀

What is something that you have in multiple different colors? How would you style these sassy talk-back heels? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mini Skin Care Haul

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Mini Skin Care Haul

Heyy everyone and happy Sunday! One thing that I have a strong passion for in the beauty world is skin care. It’s so important to me to put my best face forward (Literally!) every day, and that always starts with a good skin care routine. I like to use a lot of products from The Body Shop and I am obsessed with all things Vitamin C, so I was super happy with the mini haul seen below:

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If you remember from yesterday’s finishes post, you will have noticed that I just had an empty of the Vital C serum. It was so nice that I had to buy it twice and I felt SO lucky because I picked up the last one ON CLEARANCE FOR SIX DOLLARS at TJMaxx. I was also pleased to have found a Vitamin C moisturizer from The Body Shop with SPF 30, which will be perfect for the summer time, that I also got for a six dollar steal.

As a pale princess, it’s really easy for my skin to take on a pallid appearance, which is why I try to utilize at least one Vitamin C product in my skin care regimen. Vitamin C keeps my skin bright and radiant even on the days when my skin is in the doldrums. I think that a serum is the best for achieving maximum glow, but a moisturizer for the right price can be just as good! And lucky me, I got both for a whole twelve bucks. Score!

Which products are a must in your skin care routine? Who else is Vitamin C obsessed? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

January 2018 Finishes

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January 2018 Finishes

Hello!! I can’t believe that January is already drawing to a close and another empties post is upon us. The very first one of 2018! I finished up a ton of products this month, some that I really enjoyed and others – ehh, not so much. So take a look at my finishes for the month and let’s discuss:

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Would I Use Again?

  • St. Ives Oatmeal Scrub & Mask: YES
  • The Body Shop Satsuma shower gel: YES
  • Jones New York White Tea body scrub: NO
  • Jones New York White Tea bath salts: NO
  • CeraVe Moisturizing Cream: MAYBE
  • Olay moisturizer: YES
  • The Body Shop Almond Milk & Honey body butter: YES
  • Vital C Vitamin C oil: YES

Why/Why Not:

St. Ives Scrub: Of course you guys know by now that I am all about my St. Ives scrubs and besides from their totally delicious apricot one, the Oatmeal Scrub & Mask is one of my favorites. I love that this scrub is creamy and gentle but it has a good amount of grit in it to get all of the gunk out. It took me about a month and a half to finish this product.

TBS Shower Gel: The Satsuma scent from The Body Shop is probably one of my all time favorites, so it was SO nice to use this shower gel every day. TBS gels lather amazingly well and they are nourishing enough that it doesn’t dry out your skin even during the cold winter months. I began using this body wash in mid November and didn’t finish it until halfway through January, which is a wonderful value!

JNY Scrub: I use a body scrub whenever I shave for a closer and smoother hair removal. Unfortunately, this Jones New York product missed the mark for me. The key to a good body scrub is for it to have a lot of grit to it, but this one just didn’t have it. It was so creamy that it was more like rubbing your hairy legs with soap rather than an exfoliater. I got four full body uses from this container.

JNY Bath Salts: I LOVE bath time more than the average human being, but I never really understood the purpose of bath salts. Every single time that I’ve ever used them, it did nothing to add to the bath time experience – No scents, no extra moisturizing, nada. And it’s not just these bath salts, it’s ALL bath salts. What gives?!!!

CeraVe Cream: I got this sample face cream from my recent Walgreens Haul and got three uses out of it. I quite enjoyed this product, because the texture was nice and thick – which is great, because it has been pretty cold in Ohio. I would consider using this cream during the winter months, but it would be far too thick to use during the spring or summer. It definitely left my skin feeling protected and hydrated, though!

Olay Moisturizer: I got this moisturizer in New York during my Bloggers Conference with Kate from Ankhor You in mid October and I finished it HALFWAY THROUGH JANUARY!! This Olay product was an amazing value and I got it for a whole THIRTY THREE CENTS thanks to my Walgreens rewards card. #ballinonabudget. I liked this moisturizer because it was lightweight, absorbed quickly, and I could easily apply my makeup over top of it. I would use this product again in a heartbeat, for sure.

TBS Body Butter: I LOVE, LOVE, LOVED the Almond Milk & Honey scent from The Body Shop. It smelled like a richer, sweeter version of their original Almond fragrance, which is one of my favorites. This body butter was so lush and moisturizing and it was a must have in my winter arsenal to combat dry skin. I got about six full body uses out of this butter and I already wish that I had more of it!

Vital C Oil: This face oil was a TJMaxx find that originally costed close to fifty dollars, and it sure felt like it. It took me about two months to finish this product and I would buy it again without question. I used this oil daily and it left my skin looking so radiant and fresh, especially on no makeup days. Not only did it offer an extra glowing boost, but it was also very hydrating, which was fabulous during the winter cold. Freaking loved it.

Overall, I am really happy with all of my finishes this month, despite a few duds. I fully enjoyed all of the products that I liked, and it definitely makes for a successful month of empties when you would buy a majority of them again without a doubt!

Has anyone ever used any of the products seen above? What products did you finish up this month? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Liebster Award #15

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Liebster Award #15

Hey everyone and TGIF! This past weekend, lifewithlilred got nominated for its fifteenth Liebster Award from the mastermind behind Health & Wellness: The Good Energy Blog. If you are looking for some feel good vibes and to get your chi back in balance, then clicking that blog link is an absolute necessity. Let the page’s color palette soothe you and use the positive energy radiating from each post to help jump start your day! Now, let’s get on to the award rules:

The Rules:

  • Acknowledge the blog who nominated you.
  • Answer the 11 questions your nominator asked.
  • Nominate 11 other bloggers.
  • Ask them 11 questions.

Q & A:

Where are you from? Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. It’s basically right by Akron and about forty or so minutes away from Cleveland.

What inspired you to start writing? I used to love journaling in high school, I still have all of my filled up notebooks in my closet – that might be a fun thing to revisit on the old blog! But, as far as my blog goes, enough people told me I should so I rolled my eyes and said “fine” and have been hooked ever since.

What is your blog about? Fashion, beauty, lifestyle, home decor, and everything in between!

Give one phrase that expresses your intentions to reach out to the world? Uhhh… I dunno… Probably something like “Let’s all be awesome together” haha ayyy! *finger guns*

What is your favorite book? The Little Prince and The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night Time.

If you can choose anywhere in the world to visit, where and why? France, so I can get my French on with the locals. It’s very frustrating to be good at speaking French when there’s few people in my area that I can practice with.

Your favorite book? Since I have many, I’ll list some more: Gentlemen & Players, Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Woolf (Even though it’s a play!), and I love The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo trilogy.

Who inspires you? My parents and three siblings. AND MY TWO DOGS!!! 😀

Name a hobby you enjoy? I love figure skating and learning new languages. I am currently teaching myself American Sign Language.

What is your favorite season? Fall, fo sho.

Name one good quality about yourself? I’m freaking hilarious and DEAD SEXY. 😉

My Nominees (I’m only doing three):

My Questions For You:

  1. What was the last movie that you saw in theaters?
  2. Sweet or salty?
  3. How are you going to be spending Valentine’s Day?
  4. Do you have any hidden talents?
  5. Would you rather wear no makeup or the same outfit for two weeks?
  6. What do you love about your best friend?
  7. What is your spirit animal?
  8. What was the last series that you binge watched?
  9. What do you do to relax?
  10. How long have you been blogging for?
  11. What is your favorite way to spend free time?

Thank you so much again to The Good Energy Blog for lifewithlilred’s fifteenth Liebster Award nomination! How would you answer some of my nominator’s questions? How about some of the questions that I asked my nominees? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

The Subtle Art Of Saying Hi To Spring

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The Subtle Art Of Saying Hi To Spring

Now, we know it isn’t technically spring yet, but the sun is shining, the birds are singing, and we have a sunny disposition that we don’t want to disappear, which is why we’ve been thinking long and hard about how we can start welcoming spring into our home a little more (even though we are still deep in winter).

Don’t get us wrong, we love the cuddly-snuggly effects of the winter months. But wouldn’t it be amazing if you could embrace the coziness and get rid of some of that gloom that the long nights bring with it? With that in mind, we have come up with a few little ways you can start to introduce the spring back into your winter home. Baby-steps, of course. Baby steps.

Freshen Up With Flowers:

Nothing brightens a space up more than pretty bunches of fresh flowers dotted about. Okay, maybe lights but, other than that, nothing brightens somewhere up quite as much. The moment you add flowers to a table or a counter top you are giving it a gorgeous facelift. Bathrooms, bedrooms, living rooms, dining rooms, kitchens – they can all be decorated with flowers. Of course, you don’t want to go over the top, which is why we recommend you stick to one color (for now) and cut them short. That way it’s subtle.

The Scent Of Spring:

Scents have a huge influence on the way a home feels. Just think about it for a second or two. The smell of fall is pumpkin-spiced lattes, winter is home-cooked meals, and summer is watermelons and whatnot. Scents are powerful things, and that is why you need to buy a new scent machine. It is a really subtle way to take your home away from the colder months and into a fresher existence. It is a blast of cleanliness and yum. Basically, don’t underestimate the power of a smell. Ever.

You Can Rely On Retro:

Now, you may be thinking to yourself, “what on earth has retro got to do with spring?” And it’s a valid question. But the reason it works is because the retro era was all about bright vintage hues – yellows, oranges, pinks, turquoise, and even browns. That means, if you drop little bits in, such as a retro-inspired rug, or a few cushions, or even a retro rocking chair, you can create a tidy little backdrop of color. You can add a splash of wow that brightens up your home. It’s lovely.

Eclectic Excellence:

Nothing says, “hey, spring’s here” more than a bit of eclecticism. It’s about mixing things up a bit. It’s about unleashing your inner funk and doing things that you would associate with spring. If you like what you’ve heard so far and want to know more, then try mixing a few different things together; make a display out of brightly colored vases and bold flower arrangements, mix a load of patterned cushions together on your sofa, see what cheap artwork you can get on Etsy, and go to your nearest thrift store to see if they have any books with bright covers. Eclectic is cool and it quickly brightens up any space.

Although spring is far away, there is nothing wrong with brightening up your home spring cleaning style! Smell the fresh cut flowers and get to it!

Featured Image By: Unsplash