Tag Archives: 2018

October Guest Bloggers Reminder

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October Guest Bloggers Reminder

Hi everyone and happy weekend! I am just sending out a friendly reminder that I would still love to have anyone and everyone on my blog coming up next month while I’ll be out of office. If you are interested in being featured on lifewithlilred for the day, then please email me at: sarah.mush6794@gmail.com with your ideas for a fall or Halloween themed post! Thank you! ❤

September 2018 Finishes

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September 2018 Finishes

Hello everyone and happy Tuesday! With September nearing an end, it is time to discuss all of my empties from the past month. There are actually quite a few of them this time around, so let’s get to it:

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Would I Use Again?

  • Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water: YES
  • Kind Natured Shea & Macadamia scrub: NO
  • St. Ives Coconut & Coffee scrub: YES
  • The Body Shop Strawberry shower gel: YES
  • Garnier Micellar Foaming Gel Cleanser: NO
  • Aveeno Ultra Calming Gel Cleanser: NO
  • Vital C Vitamin C serum: YES
  • The Body Shop Vitamin E mask: YES

Why/Why Not?

Garnier Micellar Water: Although I am not the biggest fan of micellar water, I will say that it is much cheaper than eye makeup remover and, for that, I will continue to use it. At six dollars a bottle and about a month and a half of use per purchase, I feel like I am getting an excellent value for my money. The micellar water also makes a great toner and I like to clean my piercings with it, so I will definitely keep this product around.

Kind Natured Scrub: It’s funny, because I have never gotten a smoother shave than with this scrub. It also left my legs feeling amazingly soft without using any lotion. BUT, this product was so hard to squeeze out of the bottle. In fact, a lot of product is still in there, but I can’t get it out. So, it is not a good value, even though it worked well and I will not be using it again.

St. Ives Scrub: I loved using the St. Ives Coconut & Coffee scrub every morning! It smelled delicious, it was tough on blackheads, and it was totally invigorating. I got a little over a month’s use out of one four dollar bottle and I enjoyed using it daily.

TBS Shower Gel: I always like using shower gels from The Body Shop, because they lather so well. The insane amount of bubbles makes me feel extra clean and the strawberry scent is so sweet and yummy. I got a month and a half’s use out of this bottle and it was a Christmas gift, so I’m happy I finally got around to using it!

Garnier Gel Cleanser: This mini cleanser came for free with a purchase of a bottle of micellar water, and I was so not impressed. It didn’t remove my makeup whatsoever, it didn’t lather well, and my face felt tight after each use. I wouldn’t recommend this product and would never consider buying it in full size, no matter how good of a sale there is! 😡

Aveeno Gel Cleanser: I got this mini cleanser from a Walgreen’s freebie bag and enjoyed using it more than the Garnier cleanser. This cleanser removed my makeup well and it lathered nicely. But, a lot of cleansers do that and I can get one for a lot cheaper than Aveeno’s prices. So, it’s a no from me, dawg.

Vital C Serum: I love, love, love my Vitamin C serum! I put this on every morning before my eye cream and moisturizer and it feels divine. It absorbs quickly and sits well under my makeup, and I love knowing that I’m using a product that will keep my skin glowing. One bottle of serum costs me eight dollars and it takes me over two months to finish it. Much better than the double digit prices I was paying at The Body Shop for a similar product!

TBS Mask: I always enjoy using The Body Shop’s Vitamin E mask at night time, and was lucky enough to score it at TJMaxx for about five bucks. I get over twenty uses out of one jar and it always leaves my skin feeling soft, hydrated, and peaches and cream perfection in the morning. Here’s to hoping that I can find another one on the cheap at TJs soon! 😀

Although there were some no go’s for me in this month’s empties, I am happy that I got to finish them up. It always feels good to use up a freebie or a gift to maximize savings in the beauty department. A worthwhile product or no, you can’t beat that!

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

September 2018 Funky Time Jams

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September 2018 Funky Time Jams

Helloooooo! This month, I have still been enjoying listening to my iPod on shuffle when I’m driving or getting myself ready in the morning. Variety is the spice of life, as they say, so things have been quite spicy in my music world if you know what I mean! 😉 😀 Playing my music on shuffle has helped rekindle the flames of some old favorites, and I’ve discovered music that I didn’t even know was on there to begin with! Like some of the following:

(And, as always, I have no rights to these songs or videos!)

Back in the good old days when I used to work at PacSun, my fondness for all things indie and alternative increased tenfold, because that was the type of music that was played there. This little sampler playlist definitely has some favorites of mine from when I spent over four years as a retail goddess and it’s nice to know that those songs literally never get old, because they never cease to put me in a good mood!

I also had to include two of my favorite songs from the Baby Driver soundtrack on here, which is a must see if you haven’t already. My mom made me put the album on my iTunes because it’s one of her favorites, so it has been showing up when I play my music on shuffle. I am looking forward to exploring more from T.Rex and The Damned so, who knows, maybe some of their other songs will be on next month’s music post! 😀

What songs have you been listening to lately? What is your favorite movie soundtrack? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

August 2018 Finishes

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August 2018 Finishes

Hellooooo! Can you believe that another month of 2018 is already behind us?! Today, we will be talking about all of the beauty goodies that I finished up this past month. We will learn if these products are worth reusing, the approximate amount of uses you might get out of them, and what effect they had on my face or body. So, take a look at my empties for the month of August and let’s discuss:

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Would I Use Again?

  • Pearberry body spray by Bath & Body Works: YES
  • Satsuma shower gel by The Body Shop: YES
  • Charcoal Facial Detox cleanser by Destiny Boutique: YES
  • Travel sized lotions by Bath & Body Works: YES
  • Nutriganics eye cream by The Body Shop: YES

Why/Why Not?

Pearberry Body Spray: I LOVE this fragrance by Bath & Body Works and my only regret is that they only had one to buy when they brought it back for the Semi-Annual Sale. It has the sweetness of a crisp pear and the bite of freshly picked berries and it is just delicious. It took me over five months to finish this spray and I would happily by it in abundance next time it makes a come back.

TBS Shower Gel: There is nothing more invigorating than showering with The Body Shop’s Satsuma shower gel in the morning. The sweet/tart orange scent is divine and the gel lathers so well, it just envelops you in freshness. It took me a month and a half to finish this body wash.

Destiny Boutique Cleanser: I LOVE THIS CLEANSER!!! There are no better charcoal products than Destiny Boutique and I will continue using this brand until TJMaxx doesn’t sell it any more! Nothing banishes blackheads better and my skin always feels amazing after each use. It took me over five months to finish this cleanser and at ten dollars it gives a two dollar cost per month. Not bad at all!

B&BW Lotions: Although I wasn’t crazy about any of these scents, which included A Thousand Wishes, Hello Beautiful, and Japanese Cherry Blossom, I will gladly continue to cash in my B&BW freebies. I got about one and a half full body uses out of each travel sized container.

TBS Eye Cream: We all know that The Body Shop’s Nutriganics eye cream will always be my go to brand. No need to discuss it further! It took me six months to finish this product.

August was a very successful month of finishes and I was happy to use up some of the products that take me a long time to get through. I would use all of the above goodies again and I would definitely recommend them to all of you!

Have you used any of the products seen above? 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

August Funky Time Jams

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August Funky Time Jams

Helloooo! I don’t know about you, but when I really like a band, I listen to them a lot. While getting ready in the morning, while driving, while working, I will beat that horse into the ground like nobody’s business. But, as enjoyable as it is, it can get boring. This is why I like to turn the almost 9,000 songs in my collection on shuffle every once in a blue moon to freshen my interests up. This puts me back in touch with long forgotten favorites and it introduces me to songs that I didn’t even know I had on my iPod to begin with.

This month’s music is a hodge podge of good stuff so take a listen and enjoy:

(And, as always, I have no rights to these songs or videos!)

Like I said above, a hodge podge of greatness!! I mentioned yesterday that I have been on a huge Madonna kick lately, and I meant every word of it. I’ve had Madonna on my iPod for forever, but never really listened to her. Then, one day, I had a hankering to hear Die Another Day, and the rest is history. And, can we please talk about how amazing the new Greta Van Fleet song is?! I am so in love with this gaggle of guys and have been simply obsessed with their glam appearance and pure rock n’ roll vibes. Keep up the fab work, boys!

What have you been rocking out to recently? What is your favorite way to discover new music? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

See Ya, July

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See Ya, July

Hello everyone! Today is the last day of another wonderful month here on lifewithlilred and I just wanted to thank all of you for spending it with me. I also wanted to give all of you the heads up that a fall themed guest bloggers series is coming up soon. YOU KNOW WHY?! Well, obviously because I love all autumn everything. AND, because I’ll need some extra help around the blog when I move into my apartment at the end of August or early September!!

This is all very exciting and it also means that we’re going to be delving deeper into home decor and how to create your dream space on a budget! Here’s to another fun, fashion, and beauty filled month on lifewithlilred, and I’ll see you all in August! Much love. -Sarah

July 2018 Finishes

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July 2018 Finishes

Hello everyone and happy Hump Day! Can you believe that another month of 2018 is nearing an end? Before we know it, we’ll be ringing in the holiday season and celebrating the start of 2019. Time continues to fly, and you all know what that means! A monthly finishes post, of course! Take a look at my empties and let’s discuss:

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Would I Use Again?

  • Le Petit Marseiliais Vanilla Milk shower cream: YES
  • Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water: YES
  • The Body Shop Strawberry scrub: YES
  • The Body Shop Oils Of Life serum: YES
  • 40 Carrots moisturizer: YES

Why/Why Not?

LPM Shower Cream: Although this brand name might be a bitch to spell out, this shower cream is so not a bitch to use! As all of you know, I looove all vanilla everything and this cream had the most richest, delicious vanilla scent I’ve ever used. The cream was hydrating as all get out, and my skin was left feeling silky smooth after every shower. It took me about two months to finish this product.

Garnier Micellar Water: Am I the biggest fan of micellar water? No. But, is it a cheap alternative to buying a toner and makeup remover? Yes. Garnier easily has the best cleansing water that I’ve used thus far and it lasted me a decently long time considering I use it daily – over a month and a half. It’s a good value and it’s an all in one product and I can definitely get down with that.

TBS Scrub: A scrub is an essential part of my routine when I’m shaving and I literally couldn’t imagine taming the Woolly Mammoth legs without it. We all know this by now. I got about six full body uses out of the mini sized scrub, which is not bad at all!

TBS Serum: I really, really like this product, and I was super happy because after using my other bottle, my mom gave me hers to finish up. The Oils Of Life serum hydrates the living hell out of your skin and it sits amazingly well under makeup. This serum ranges on the more pricey side of products from The Body Shop, but a little lasts a long way and it took me over two months to finish half of a bottle of it.

40 Carrots Moisturizer: My beauty queen sister gave me this moisturizer out of her reject pile of products and I enjoyed it well enough. I liked how hydrating it was and that you didn’t need to use a ton of it to make your skin feel well taken care of for the day. This moisturizer was thicker in texture but it sat under makeup with no problem. It took me over a month to finish half of a jar of the moisturizer so, from a value side, I would definitely use this again.

July brought along some new and old favorites for me to enjoy and I am satisfied with each product that I finished up. I would recommend all of the above empties and would gladly use them again, myself.

Have you used any of the products seen above? 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

Bath & Body Works July Freebie

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Bath & Body Works July Freebie

Hello everyone and happy Hump Day! It’s no secret by now that 99% of the time that I go into Bath & Body Works is because I have a travel sized freebie coupon. That certainly rang true when I ran in last week to pick up this here mini shower gel! Take a look:

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In my humble opinion, you can NEVER go wrong with vanilla scented anything. Candles, perfumes, lotions, and, of course, shower gels! I’ve been a bit underwhelmed with the freebie fragrances that I’ve been getting lately, so I decided to go for an old standby this time around with Warm Vanilla Sugar. It combines the decadence of vanilla that I love with the sweet warmth of brown sugar, making for a totally delicious scent during shower time!

What is one of your go to fragrances when it comes to bath and body care products? What is your least favorite scent? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Summer Fun Q & A

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Summer Fun Q & A

Hello everyone and happy Monday! Can you believe we’re already one week into July?? Summer has really been in full swing lately, especially with scorching temperatures and summer holiday celebrations. So, now it’s time to recap the season so far with a little Q & A that I concocted! Feel free to spread the fun on your page, too! Let’s get to it:

Q & A:

What is the most summer-like activity that you have done so far? I have been on many a hikes in Ohio’s wonderful Metro Parks and I’ve also gone swimming in one of the lovely lakes that they offer. That was a lot of fun, minus the sunburn!

What is the hottest that it has been in your neck of the woods? It was 96 degrees a few days ago in the A-K-Rowdy, but it had a “it feels like” temperature of 109! Gross.

What is your favorite ice cream flavor? Mint chocolate chip, but it has to be the green kind!!

What is your favorite beverage to cool off with? I love the Very Berry Hibiscus refreshers from Starbucks but, if we’re talking alcohol, then I love me a Moscow Mule so very, very much.

What is the perfect temperature for a summer day? I friggen HATE the heat, so I would be really happy with a day in the low 70s.

What are you still looking forward to this summer? My family’s North Carolina vacation, even though it isn’t until October. 😦 😦 😦

What would your ideal summer day look like? Sleeping in past seven o’clock, hitting up my favorite outdoor shopping mall called Crocker Park, and enjoying dinner and drinks in the air conditioning!

What is your favorite thing about summer time? My birthday! I turned 24 on June 7th and I always have loved having a summer birthday. There is nothing better than getting drinks on the patio of my favorite bar during an early summer evening to celebrate.

Does the way you eat or drink change during the summer? I would say somewhat. I definitely prefer cold teas over my normal water when it’s hot out. I also think that I enjoy lighter foods like salads and flatbreads more in the summer. Because I don’t like the heat, I’m really just looking for my food and drinks to make me feel refreshed!

What happens when you get too much sun? Pardon my French, but I burn like a motherfucker. I burn, and I burn, and I burn some more. But, now I have a secret weapon up my sleeve: Aloe Vera. That stuff is the best, and I can’t believe that I haven’t used it sooner. It literally got rid of my sunburn after applying it three times a day for TWO DAYS! So amazing!

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

July 2018 Funky Time Jams

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July 2018 Funky Time Jams

Hellooooooo! How is everyone doing today?! It’s July now, which is crazy. But, that means that it’s time to explore my Funky Time Jams for the month. Listen up and, as always, I have no rights to these songs or videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIN73u_eiP4

The past few weeks have been about exploring old favorites of mine. I’m sure that’s glaringly obvious, considering that a majority of the songs seen above came out close to a decade ago! In late June, my car needed new breaks, so I had to drive my mom’s car for the better part of a week until I could get it fixed. Unfortunately, her car was not compatible with my AUX cord, so I had to play my music just through my iPod instead of through the car speakers. It was hell!

Upon getting my car back, all I wanted to do was to drive with my windows down and my music loud. After a week without the Little Red Love Machine, I didn’t have time for songs that weren’t my favorite, and the above list came into being. And, let me tell you, there’s nothing better than blasting these bangers on a hot summer day for all of the world to hear while I zip past in my little red car!

What are your summer anthems? Do you play your music quiet, medium, or loud in volume? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah