Tag Archives: 2026

Mar1

Bath & Body Works February 2026 Freebie

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Bath & Body Works February 2026 Freebie

Hello! This past Tuesday I had to make a quick stop at Bath & Body Works to cash in a freebie coupon and it couldn’t have come at a better time. I am a huge fan of their wallflower plugins and the Halloween bulb I had in my bedroom decided to stop working over the weekend. I was missing my sugar cookie scent desperately after mere days of being apart and it needed rectifying immediately! With an additional twenty-five percent off coupon, I was able to snag a new bulb on the cheap and scored a free travel size body cream too. That was also perfect timing because I have some travel coming up in March (More on that soon!)! Check it out:

Not only do the wallflowers provide divine fragrance throughout my apartment but they are so practical too. Their light up options make for an excellent nightlight and my nieces really appreciate that when we have slumber parties. Bath & Body Works had plenty of ultra cute bulbs to pick from and I was enamored with what one of the salespeople showed me after she said I was giving “snake vibes” lol. It was the prettiest emerald green snake with gemstones all over it! I absolutely loved it but I knew my nieces would say otherwise so I opted for the pink butterfly or should I say bowterfly instead. This ballet slipper pink butterfly is just so darling and a friendly reminder that spring is almost here! It looks great on its own but the light up function adds a touch of fairy magic. I knew my nieces would be all about my selection but after seeing it in its glory at home, I think I might be about it more. 😀

For my freebie, I went with a travel size body cream in Waikiki Beach Coconut. When I score a free item, I like to throw caution to the wind and pick out scents that are not my usual go tos. Sometimes it works out, other times not so much. But, even if I don’t like the fragrance it’s not like I will be using it for forever! The past few times I had a freebie coupon I was unimpressed with the travel size selection and my sentiments were the same this time around. I had tried everything available already! Out of the handful of options displayed, Waikiki Beach Coconut was my fave. In my opinion, no coconut scent will ever be better than that of The Body Shop’s. While Waikiki Beach Coconut is nice, it also has some floral mixed into a very pure coconut fragrance which I could definitely do without. However, you can’t beat free!

I am so happy to have another wallflower back in its rightful place with an extra treat for good measure. Great success!

What is your favorite Bath & Body Works scent? Do you use a plugin at your house? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb27

February 2026 Finishes

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February 2026 Finishes

Howdy everyone and holy WOW! We are just about done with another month of 2026 and is it just me or did February fly by? January dragged like nobody’s business, February was in warp speed, and I hope that March meets somewhere in the middle because where did the time go? Also, fingers crossed that we get Real Spring sometime in March because Fake Spring in good ol’ Akron, Ohio has come and passed and we’re back to snow. Bring on those spring flowers and sixty degree days, baby! Before we spring forward into spring, let’s take a look at the beauty products I finished up this month. There are some really good ones in there:

Would I Use Again?

SOQU Rice Cleansing Foam: YES!!!

Bath & Body Works Champagne Toast Lotion: YES

Precision Beauty Vitamin C + Collagen Serum: YES

EOS Ultra Derm Hand Cream: YES

Vital Beauty Cooling Eye Gel: YES

Why/Why Not?

SOQU Cleansing Foam: I absolutely LOVED the Rice Cleansing Foam by SOQU and I am so sad that it is all gone because I have been using it since May of 2025. Crazy, right?! For a little shy of a year, I have been using this cleanser every morning and that is an amazing value. A nickle sized dollop was all I needed for big, foaming bubbles to wash my face with. This cleanser removed makeup well and left my skin looking so bright and hydrated. I have used this product through spring, summer, fall, and winter and it is an excellent year round cleanser. Highly recommend if you can find a bottle and I’m keeping my fingers and toes crossed to find more at TJMaxx!

Precision Beauty Serum: I am a huge fan of the Precision Beauty serums and have been using them almost exclusively for the past half a year or so. What I like the most about these serums is their effectiveness because I feel like they actually do exactly as it says on the packaging. The serum I finished up offered Vitamin C + Collagen and delivered on that promise. With a month of twice daily use, my skin was radiant and I really think it looked tighter too. It especially packed an extra punch with the Vitamin C moisturizer I am currently working through for an additional dose of a brightening boost. I have plenty more of the Precision Beauty serums in my stockpile and will absolutely continue to buy them. 😀

EOS Hand Cream: The Ultra Derm Hand Cream by EOS was a Sweet Surprise from my mom to pack in my new Antik Kraft purse. Although I don’t use lotion during the day as I hate the texture, I certainly enjoyed this hand cream at night! The Vanilla Cashmere scent was oh so nice and light and the perfect relaxing fragrance to put on before bed. It was extremely helpful for my dry winter skin and my hands definitely benefited from it. When I woke up it was always a treat to feel smooth hands over scaly! It took me about two weeks of once daily use to finish the bottle.

Vital Beauty Eye Gel: Like Precision Beauty for my serums, I am very loyal to Vital Beauty for my eye creams and the Cooling Eye Gel has been a staple in my skin care routine for a long time. These little jars take four months of twice daily use to finish up and you just can’t beat that value. The cooling gel is invigorating in the morning and soothing on tired eyes at the end of the day. The best thing, though? My designer eye bags are virtually nonexistent so I am always looking my well rested best even when I don’t feel like it!

February was a GREAT SUCCESS for beauty finishes and all of the products above are ones that I would recommend and happily use again. Enjoy!!

Which products did you use up this month? What are your thoughts on any of the above products if you have used them before? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb4

January 2026 Finishes

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January 2026 Finishes

Hello everyone and TGIF! And by that I mean thank god it’s February!!! Is it just me or did January feel like it lasted five months? Lol it was cold, grey, and the days dragged on with no end in sight. Prior to this insane temperature drop, I was feeling a-okay about winter but all I have to say is: Is it spring yet? I need sixty and sunny like yesterday! Before January can be kissed goodbye or more like kicked out until next year, let’s discuss my beauty finishes for the month:

Would I Use Again?

Bath & Body Works Vampire Blood Body Cream: YES

Avon Cucumber Melon Body Wash: NO

Bath & Body Works Calypso Clementine Body Lotion: YES

Bath & Body Works Blue Raspberry Burst Body Wash: YES

Garnier Micellar Water: MAYBE

Precision Beauty Vitamin C + Collagen Serum: YES

Why/Why Not?

B&BW Products: I am a Bath & Body Works gal through and through and I had a delightful medley of empties from there in January. I had my favorite Halloween scent of Vampire Blood, enjoyed a burst of summertime citrus with Calypso Clementine, and was LOVING the Blue Raspberry Burst body wash. In my humble opinion, blue flavors are the best but Blue Raspberry reigns supreme. Blue Raspberry Burst smells exactly like an Icee from the movie theater and it is definitely one of my new favorites. It’s different while still smelling delicious and I will be keeping my eyes peeled for more when the B&BW summer lines drop!

Avon Body Wash: In case you haven’t noticed, I am extremely loyal to my B&BW products and use them *almost* exclusively. Minus this Cucumber Melon body wash from Avon! This was gifted to me and I thought I would give it a try. It was okay and basically a smell alike to B&BW’s Cucumber Melon scent. However, I wish that I used this product when the weather gets warmer because it really dried my skin out and the frigid temperatures made it even worse. My skin never feels dry after using B&BW shower gel, rather super nourished and hydrated and I couldn’t wait to use them again after finishing this bottle. It took me one month of daily use to do so.

Garnier Micellar Water: Like my B&BW goodies, I am fiercely loyal to my Evoluderm micellar water. It is simply the best at removing makeup and hydrating my skin and it is a staple in my morning and nighttime beauty routine. Unfortunately, TJMaxx doesn’t carry it all of the time and I had to settle for a bottle of Garnier micellar water, instead. It will continue to be my runner up brand when I can’t get my hands on Evoluderm but it’s not like I love it. The Garnier micellar water just lacks the oomph of Evoluderm. I noticed I had to scrub hard to remove makeup and it still wasn’t completely gone and it pales in comparison to the hydration of my go to brand. Fine in a bind but not my fave!

Precision Beauty Serum: I cannot say enough good things about the Precision Beauty serums and have been using them for the past several months. Each bottle lasts me close to five weeks with twice daily use and I have had nothing but positive results. The Vitamin C + Collagen was especially nice during the dreary days as it provided such a big radiance boost. And, despite collagen being a primary ingredient, it didn’t dry my skin out. In fact, it has never felt better! I have used several different versions of their serums and all of them are great so I highly recommend trying one for yourself. 🙂

And, with that, smell ya later January. Let’s move on to brighter days ahead!

Which products did you use up this month? What are your thoughts on any of the above products if you have used them before? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb3

New Year’s Resolutions Follow Up

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New Year’s Resolutions Follow Up

Hi! I like to make New Year’s Resolutions every year. They are never anything major, just small goals that I know I can achieve. So, rather, I like to make New Year’s Small Goals every year lol. We are a month into 2026 and I’m pleased to report that my goals have been going swimmingly. I might not meet each of the four tasks I set for myself every day, but I am definitely doing better than I did before and I’ll take it! Baby steps, baby. Let’s follow up and see where I’m at:

Replace Screen Time:

This is probably the most difficult Resolution I have because it’s all too easy to put on a show after work or scroll endlessly on my phone. Especially when the weather is freezing cold! I’m more lenient on myself for evening screen time but I think I have made some big improvements in the morning. Normally if I’m all done working in the AM and have time to kill, I’ll put the TV on and watch until I have to leave for my in person job. Now I’m spending more time scheduling posts far in advance on lifewithlilred, creating content for TikTok, and reading as much as I can of whatever book I’m tackling. It has made my mornings feel much more productive to do something I enjoy like content creating as opposed to just being done once my tasks are done. I might not be as committed to replacing my evening screen time but I think this is a good trade off. 🙂

Keep Moving:

When the weather is warm you can almost always catch me outside walking and hiking with my clients. It’s my favorite form of exercise and there is nothing like enjoying the great outdoors and feeling the sunshine on your face. Of course, being outside is a lot harder to do in single degree temps but I am making an effort. Even when it’s REALLY cold out, I am still bundling up to walk the family dog around the block. I have also been consistently going to the gym with my brother to put in some laps on the track. It isn’t the home workouts I intended on but that’s okay! I was able to modify my go to work out despite the weather and I feel great about that because it’s a lot more than I would normally do in the winter.

Mental Boost:

Engaging in more positive self talk was one of my goals and I think this is the one I’m doing the best at and I can tell! I have always had a hard time speaking kindly to myself and am my toughest critic by far. So, when negative thoughts begin to form I have been trying my best to redirect it. Rather than lament about going to work, I turn it around to that I’m going to have an excellent day. Or, perhaps something nice might happen and instead of questioning the motive or my worthiness, I shift it to “why not me?”. Thinking things that allow me to smile has made my work days go by quicker and I feel like I am enjoying myself way more than normal. A simple change of phrase has been most helpful and I am working hard to focus on maintaining more positive self talk. Soon, it will be second nature!

A New Job?!

I had a job interview in the middle of January and guess what?! Your girl is back in the social media management game and I could not be happier! I am so excited to be partnering with a local business and can’t wait to see what kind of fun we create together. We are still in the preliminary stages at the moment but be sure to keep checking in soon so you can take a look at the pages I’ll be revamping. Hurray!

After examining my New Year’s Resolutions closer, I can see that I’m doing a much better job than I thought and I can’t wait to keep improving more!

How are your New Year’s Resolutions going? Is there a small goal you are working towards? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan1

Happy New Year!

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Happy New Year!

Hello everyone and a very Happy New Year!! Are your resolutions ready? Mine are and I am ready to rock 2026! Woah did that feel weird to type and I suspect I will be forgetting the new year as soon as I have to write the date on paperwork lol. A brand new year means new beginnings and I hope this holiday season set you up perfectly for 2026. It certainly had that effect for me after spending such amazing family time together celebrating and I feel so content. ❤

With every year and holiday that passes by, I am so thankful to be able to share in it with you here on lifewithlilred. I can’t believe I’ll be celebrating my twelve year blogiversary this year! We have known each other for over a decade now – it’s crazy, right?? And by crazy I mean crazy cool because it so is. I love writing every morning and it is my happy time when I’m clacking away on my keyboard. Every day can be something exciting and that’s the vibe I like to bring to the Lil Red function. I sure hope you’ll continue joining me every step of the way!

Happy New Year to all!

May your 2026 be safe, healthy, and joyous! ❤

Dec26

My New Year’s Resolutions

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My New Year’s Resolutions

Howdy! 2026 is right around the corner? Are you ready for a brand new year? Have you made your resolutions and are they actually ones that you can keep? I have never been one to set extreme goals for the new year. Rather, I turn to small achievable tasks that are easy to keep while still making positive changes. What’s the point of a New Year’s Resolution if you’re going to bail out after one month! Here are my little goals for 2026 and maybe they will help inspire you too:

Replace Screen Time:

The past few months I have felt like I have been on my phone constantly and I don’t like it! Whether it is scrolling aimlessly on Facebook, playing on apps, or shooting off texts I have turned into a phoneaholic and now that I recognize it – I can do something about it! I plan on replacing at least some of my screen time with reading a chapter or two of a book instead. Rather than participate in brain rot, I can tuck into a good book and share even more Lil Red’s Book Clubs. Talk about a win/win and a simple but effective resolution!

Keep Moving:

It is SO easy to get home from work, sit down on the couch, and not move until bedtime. Especially in the frigid winter months! This has been my MO and I think it could benefit from some changes. I have no plans on sacrificing my TV time but modifying it because who says you have to watch it sitting down? Completing a small workout or even just walking in place while your shows play can boost your health and mood, increase your energy, and provide a better night’s sleep. This is a particularly positive improvement for me as I love to hike when it’s warm out but hibernate all winter long. Even fifteen or so minutes of movement after work can make a big difference and I can do it from the comfort and warmth of my home!

Mental Boost:

I am my toughest critic and I have always been that way. I find it difficult to speak to myself positively even when I know I am doing great and that is no way to live. Engaging in kind self talk is a goal that I really have to put my mind to literally and metaphorically because I’m just not used to it. However, I do need to pat myself on the back more often and that starts now. Instead of focusing on every little thing I might have done wrong, I need to remind myself that I did the best I could and that is good enough.

A New Job?!

I am potentially starting a new job in January and will obvi be filling all of you in on that as soon as I can. My biggest goal? To absolutely CRUSH it!! I have felt the desire for change for a while now and a fateful email opened up the potential for it. Just the thought of a brand new adventure is exciting and I am keeping my fingers and toes crossed. A new job is a totally different change of pace and all I can do is put my best foot forward and rock it. Hey, that sounds like positive self talk to me!

These New Year’s Resolutions may not seem like much but they are to me. These goals are meaningful because I know I need to work on them and I know that I will succeed! 🙂

Do you have any resolutions for 2026? What is a positive change you made recently? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah