Tag Archives: bath and body care

Happy Birthday To Me Haul: BFF Edition

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Happy Birthday To Me Haul: BFF Edition

Hello! Last Monday, I loved having my BFF of over ten years, Lea, over for a little birthday celebration. White Claw was drank and after four long hours of much needed catching up, we finally retired for the evening. It has felt like forever since I have seen Lea – probably since before the restaurants all closed in mid March. But, in true BFF fashion, we never miss a beat once we are reunited after time apart.

After over a decade of gifting each other for birthdays and Christmas, Lea and I have definitely began to recycle our ideas… Which is just fine by us because who doesn’t love wine, bath and body care, and candles?! Lol, check it out:

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For my twenty-sixth, Lea treated me to a bottle of rose and wine stopper, a super delicious smelling salt soak, face mask, and bath bomb – AKA all of my favorite things. There is nothing quite like taking a bath using goodies that you would have never bought for yourself. This is why I love getting bath bombs! I freaking love them but they are also not something on my radar to buy when I like getting shoes so much. 😀

Lea provided me with all of the makings for a relaxing evening in and I plan on using my new treats ASAP. There will also be plenty of product reviews coming up so keep it posted. ❤

What is your favorite thing to be gifted with? How do you spoil your friends on special occasions? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Bath & Body Works Online Haul

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Bath & Body Works Online Haul

Hi! During the coronavirus pandemic, the foaming hand soap from Bath & Body Works has been a godsend. They leave my hands feeling so clean without being stripped of moisture in any way. And, when you’re washing your hands way more frequently than usual, you have no idea how nice it is to have a soap that won’t turn your hands into bright red lobster claws!

I began purchasing B&BW soaps when I moved into my apartment last year and have not looked back since. My boyfriend, Johnny, loves them too and I love being in charge of which scents we pick out! Like all of these ones, when we had to restock online:

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Which Scents?

  • Sunwashed Citrus
  • Peach Bellini
  • Shell Yeah (Peach Passionfruit)
  • Stay Pawsitive (Iced Vanilla Cookie)
  • Pineapple Mango
  • Pomegranate Lemonade

Bath & Body Works was running a six for twenty-four dollar promotion on their hand soaps and you just can’t beat that. Of course, shopping online for scents is hard so I just went with what sounded good to me. I had to grab another Peach Bellini because it’s my favorite but I decided to get all new scents for the other five choices.

I absolutely love the adorable marketing on the Shell Yeah and Stay Pawsitive bottles and they both smell awesome. The Iced Vanilla Cookie one smells so much like the real thing that you just want to eat it, lol. I also am a huge fan of tropical/citrus scents, as is my boyfriend, so the Pineapple Mango and Sunwashed Citrus were easy choices to make.

The only scent that I am not thrilled with is the Pomegranate Lemonade. The lemonade part isn’t noticeable and the pomegranate portion is so overpowering and it just smells… Not great. Very old lady-ish, actually, so I definitely won’t be getting it again. But, five out of six ain’t bad and having clean, smooth hands makes one disappointment one hundred and fifty percent worth it!

What is your favorite Bath & Body Works scent? How do you keep your hands from drying out after a lot of washes? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May 2020 Finishes

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May 2020 Finishes

Hello! May is just about over, which means that it’s time for my monthly beauty finishes. Despite being stuck at home pretty much all of May, it went by surprisingly quick and before I know it, my birthday of June 7th will be here in which I am turning the big 2-6. YIKES! I am not particularly thrilled about this increase in age so I’d like to stay in May for a bit longer please and thank you.

Unfortunately, we all know that this isn’t possible so I guess I will just have to really savor these last few posts in May! *Deep breath* The savoring has officially commenced so let’s get to discussing these empties:

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Would I Use Again?

Why/Why Not?

Wonder Therapy Scrub: I got acquainted with the Wonder Therapy brand through TJMaxx and I am obsessed with their coffee scrubs! The Vanilla Coconut scent is delicious and the creamy texture is so rich that I don’t even have to put lotion on after shaving. And, speaking of shaving, I get the closest shave when I use this scrub first to prep my skin… We’re talking crazy smooth and it doesn’t get better than that. Plus, I got at least fifteen uses from one bottle, which is a great value too.

B&BW Shower Gel: Love the Bath & Body Works shower gels, love the apple scent, and love that I got it for about three bucks during their semi-annual sale. One bottle takes me over one month to finish and my skin definitely feels a lot softer and healthier from their moisturizing formula. And, did we mention the apple scent? Yum!

Evoluderm Micellar Water: I also got acquainted with the Evoluderm brand from TJMaxx and their micellar water is literally the best. It beats the Garnier micellar water by a long shot and I always have to snag a few bottles if I find it in the TJ’s beauty aisle. Not only does this micellar water take off my makeup perfectly but it also feels so good to use as a toner before I put my creams on. It took me over one month to finish the travel sized bottle.

ValJean Serum: This day serum by ValJean was a massive disappointment and one of the few times that the TJMaxx beauty aisle did me dirty. It was so strange because the consistency of the serum was thicker, which I like, but it felt like it did nothing every time I applied it. It was just kind of there and I noticed no difference in the feeling or appearance of my skin one way or the other. It took me one month to finish one bottle.

Clinique Face Spray: I received the Clinique Moisture Surge Face Spray as a freebie gift from one of my Sephora online orders. For a while, it just sat there unused in my bathroom cabinet. But, then, I used a super powerful cream that my mom gave me which was definitely intended for more mature skin. It dried my face out completely and, throughout the day, I could feel it becoming more and more parched.

Then, I decided to start taking the Clinique spray with me while I was out and about and couldn’t get cream on immediately. It was such a refreshing… Moisture surge, lol. Seriously, it was like getting a drink of water for my skin every time I used it and I can see myself buying it again this winter when my sensitive skin suffers. It took me two weeks of use to finish the travel sized bottle.

Overall, May was a great month for empties. I finished a lot of the products that I was working on for a while and that is always exciting because it means I can start something new. So, who knows what I’ll have used up next month… Keep it posted! 🙂

Which products did you finish up in May? What are some of your favorite beauty brands? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Bath Bomb Blitz: Bombs & Balms Edition

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Bath Bomb Blitz: Bombs & Balms Edition

Hello! While Ohio’s stay at home order is still in place, I’ve been trying to do a lot of pampering at home until I can get to the salons. This means bubble baths, face masks, and (I can’t believe I’m saying this) but painting my nails with regular old nail polish. Lol, it’s a far cry from acrylics but what can ya do?!

I love a good at home pampering sesh as much as the next but, damn, am I looking forward to leaving it to the professionals! In the meantime, it’s not so bad, especially when bath time involves using wonderful treats from my friend, Annie’s, business of Bombs & Balms. Annie makes amazing bath and body care treats including the Harry Potter themed bath bomb we’re going to discuss today:

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Okay, everyone knows I am a Lush snob when it comes to bath bombs. I friggen love them and, I hate to be the one to say it, but some homemade bath bombs just aren’t good. The ones I have used in the past that weren’t from a name brand always ended up being a disappointment, which is why I was so blown away by Annie’s Death Eater inspired bath bomb.

Of course, anything Harry Potter is alright by me so we were already off to a good start. And, as soon as I dropped the bath bomb in the water it was putting in work! Before I knew it, my tub was filled with inky black water but it wasn’t over yet. I kid you not, this bath bomb fizzed for at least seven minutes, and it was still going by the time I just couldn’t wait anymore and had to get in the tub!

Annie’s bath bomb put on a great show and I fancied thinking that I could almost see the Dark Mark from Harry Potter in the water. So cool! I also loved seeing all of the green, gold, and silver glitter twinkling about for a magical touch that felt oh so Slytherin.

Annie’s bath bomb was easily of Lush quality and I would use any of her products again in a heartbeat. In fact, it was one of my favorite bath bombs that I have used in a while! Annie is currently in the process of rebranding her business to now include homemade jewelry and you can shop with her on all of the following platforms:

  • Facebook
  • Etsy: BombsAndBalms
  • Instagram: bombsandbalms

Looking for some high quality bath and body care with the perfect touch of fun? Be sure to check all of Annie’s work out today! 🙂

How have you been pampering yourself at home? Which Harry Potter house do you belong to? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

April 2020 Finishes Pt. 2

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April 2020 Finishes Pt. 2

Hello! The month of April brought me so many empties that I had to break our normally scheduled discussion into two posts. Ah yes, the stay at home order has been making me go through my products like water. So much so that I had to have a major online order with Amazon to restock, so be on the look out for that later! Now, let’s wrap up April’s finishes with the rest of my reviews:

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Would I Use Again?

  • Bath & Body Works Cactus Blossom shower gel: NO
  • SkinLab Lift & Firm moisturizer: YES
  • Provence Beauty Vitamin C & Ferulic Acid serum: NO
  • SkinLab Lift & Firm serum: MAYBE
  • SkinLab Lift & Firm eye cream: YES

Why/Why Not?

B&BW Shower Gel: I received some mini B&BW products as part of a Christmas gift and I wasn’t a huge fan of the Cactus Blossom fragrance. I am not a floral scent gal in the slightest and much prefer tangy, fruity fragrances and the Cactus Blossom was just a bit too overpowering for me. I will say that I love the convenience of the B&BW travel sizes and I got at least seven full body uses from one little bottle.

SkinLab Moisturizer: I love the SkinLab products and I am sure that you all have seen this brand show up on my posts many times. At twenty-five, I figured it was time to start using skin care with more firming and lifting power and I definitely got in in the SkinLab Lift & Firm line. I have seen a noticeable difference in my skin from using it regularly for the past several months and I can’t wait to get more from Amazon soon. It took me one month to finish one jar.

Provence Beauty Serum: I purchased this serum the last fateful time that I went to TJMaxx and I was less than impressed. First of all, the dripper or whatever you call it was broken so it already wasn’t off to a good start. And, the formula of the serum was just too thin to feel effective. It was a tad thicker than the consistency of water and I like something that feels more substantial when it comes to my skin care. It took me one month to finish one bottle.

SkinLab Serum: Speaking of consistency, I like the SkinLab Lift & Firm serum but it was too thick! Where is my Goldilocks serum that is just right?! I typically finished a bottle of the SkinLab Lift & Firm serum in under a month and that didn’t seem like the best value to me. Therefore, I began playing around with brands like Provence Beauty (But was still disappointed!). I probably wouldn’t use this serum again but I am looking forward to getting more Azure Lux serums from Amazon soon!

SkinLab Eye Cream: Despite not being a huge fan of the Lift & Firm serum by SkinLab, I love the eye cream from the same line. A little bit goes a long way and it takes me at least three months to finish one tiny jar. The sensitive skin around my eyes feels much stronger and any fine lines that were starting to crop up definitely got put in their place. I also can’t get enough of the gel like consistency – love that!

Although I had a few duds during April, all in all it was a very successful month for empties. And, as Ohio continues to follow a stay at home order, I’m sure May will be just as full of finishes too!

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

April 2020 Finishes Pt. 1

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April 2020 Finishes Pt. 1

Hello! Being inside for a majority of the day minus going to work means that I have had ample time to use up a lot of the items in my bath and body and skin care stock pile. I have been taking plenty of bubble baths and am generally not wearing makeup during the day, so I now perform a skin care routine at night making my products go by even quicker.

So quick, in fact, that I had to break my April 2020 Finishes up into two parts because, yeah, there were that many empties. Tune in tomorrow for the next batch of finishes and let’s get started with Part One:

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Would I Use Again?

  • Bath & Body Works Pink Prosecco lotion: YES
  • Bath & Body Works hand soap: YES
  • Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water: YES
  • Bath & Body Works Winter Candy Apple shower gel: YES

Why/Why Not?

B&BW Lotion: During Bath & Body Work’s last major sale this past winter, I stocked up on all of my favorite shower gels, hand soaps, and lotion. I got each product for a fraction of the cost and it was definitely easy to just keep throwing stuff into my little basket, lol. During my haul, I purchased a few tubes of the Pink Prosecco lotion and I love it. The smell is just divine, like fresh and sweet sparkling pink champagne – my favorite! It also leaves my skin so insanely soft and smooth it’s unreal. I got three full body uses from one tube of lotion.

B&BW Hand Soap: The hand soaps from B&BW have become a staple in my apartment ever since my first shopping trip for supplies last year before I moved in. The foaming formula means a little bit goes a long way and I have a bottle faithfully posted up by my bathroom and kitchen sink. While we are all, hopefully, washing our hands more often during the coronavirus panic, this is the soap for you. It leaves my hands feeling so clean without drying them out and the Peach Bellini is my absolute favorite scent. Margarita Time isn’t half bad, either! 😉

Garnier Micellar Water: As usual, a skin care staple in Lil Red’s world. It took me at least three months to finish the bigger bottle.

B&BW Shower Gel: Anything apple scented is my favorite, so during my B&BW haul it was necessary to get all of the Winter Candy Apple shower gels! It takes me over one month to finish one bottle because it lathers like no other. Every morning, my showers are filled with luxurious sweet/tart apple bubbles and it doesn’t get much better than that!

Part One of my April 2020 Finishes focused on all things bath and body care so be sure to stop by tomorrow while we discuss the skin care portion! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂

What is your favorite Bath & Body Works scent? How about your favorite old school B&BW scent? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Bath Bomb Blitz: Dove Milk Swirls Vanilla Raspberry Creamsicle Edition

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Bath Bomb Blitz: Dove Milk Swirls Vanilla Raspberry Creamsicle Edition

Hello! This past week, my mom gifted me with a marked down bath bomb by Dove that she got while grocery shopping. I like Dove products well enough and the Vanilla Raspberry Creamsicle scent definitely had me invested so I was looking forward to trying it. Unfortunately, I can totally see why this product was marked down after using it and it instantly fell under the “wouldn’t use again” category. Let’s discuss:

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When I think of a bath bomb that promises a “bath milk” style feature, I always think of the water looking rich and creamy – kind of like half and half, lol. I figured the raspberry hue and fragrance would offer me a really lush bath filled with delicious, light pink, moisturizing water. Instead, I was offered scuzzy lavender pond water with no change in how it felt or smelled at all.

As soon as I put the bath bomb in the water, it began to fizz and I felt hopeful that it would work how I wanted it to. Especially because it initially fizzed very quickly and the water around it was changing. Unfortunately, about halfway through placing the bath bomb in the tub, it stopped working completely and I just broke the rest apart with my hands.

The sudden halt in the bath bomb working left for murky water and a less than impressive experience. But, I should have known that it wasn’t going to be that great from the beginning. Upon taking the bath bomb out of its plastic wrap, I literally couldn’t smell the Vanilla Raspberry Creamsicle scent that I was so excited for at all. Normally, this is a tell tale sign that the bath bomb is going to be A DUD… And it was. Whomp whomp.

What is your favorite bath bomb? Which bath bomb would you not use again? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

March 2020 Finishes

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March 2020 Finishes

Salutations! So, for a lack of a better word, March has been crazy. Not so much in terms of having done anything exciting. In fact, quite the opposite as the coronavirus panic spread and self-isolation was recommended. With all of the extra time at my apartment, I definitely found that I went through many of my beauty products quicker. Especially considering that I wasn’t wearing makeup when I was just at home and would apply skin care as a night time routine. HENCE, we have a lot of empties to go over:

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Would I Use Again?

Why/Why Not?

B&BW Hand Soap: I absolutely live for the foaming hand soaps from Bath & Body Works. They all smell friggen amazing, the formula doesn’t dry out my hands, and you can’t beat the value for the price as B&BW normally runs a special on them. The Watermelon Lemonade scent was the perfect combination of summery sweet and tart and it just felt good to use. One pump of this soap goes such a long way and it took me about two months to finish one bottle.

B&BW Shower Gel: With all of this coronavirus panic buying, I am grateful to have my bath and body care hoard fully stocked from a recent B&BW haul. Their shower gels are my fave and I love anything apple scented so the Champagne Apple & Honey scent was a must. The B&BW gels are fun because of how much they lather and the crisp scent of a freshly bitten apple with sparkling champagne doesn’t hurt, either. It took me one month to finish one bottle.

Garnier Micellar Water: Lol, of course a bottle of micellar water was bound to show up eventually! I always try to purchase the bigger sized bottles if I can find them and the value is just insane. One normal sized bottle would last me about a month while the next size up lasts me three. And, for three to four bucks more, it doesn’t get much better than that!

IGK Hair Balm: I turned into an avid lover of the IGK Mistress hair balm after receiving it in one of Sephora’s Play boxes. I use it every time I straighten my hair, as it is a heat protector, and it leaves my hair perfectly sleek and frizz free with each styling. It also adds such a lustrous shine to my hair that definitely didn’t exist before I started using this product. It takes me at least five to six months to finish one bottle.

TBS Pore Minimizer: The Tea Tree Pore Minimizer by The Body Shop is one of my favorite skin care products and it is such a treat when it pops up at TJMaxx. I always end up buying the lot because I love the matte finish and how it helps shrink up some of my larger pores. If it was possible, I would use this product in my daily routine for forever! It takes me about a month and a half to finish one tube.

SkinLab Moisturizer: I love the Lift & Firm moisturizer by SkinLab and I have noticed a huge change in my skin since using it. Especially since I’ve been applying it more frequently compliments of my fresh face a la quarantine. My complexion looks a lot more radiant and hydrated and I can feel an obvious difference in the tightness of my skin. It takes me one month to finish one jar.

March was an excellent month for finishes and I highly recommend each product on my list of empties. Here’s to hoping that there’s not so many in April so I don’t have to write as much! 😉 😀

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

Bath & Body Works February 2020 Freebie

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Bath & Body Works February 2020 Freebie

Hello! I used to get hella coupons for freebies from Bath & Body Works but then got cut off when they realized I was not buying anything each time! Lol, but after a few recent hauls at B&BW, I am finally back on their mailing list and received my first coupon in ages at the beginning of February. This is great, because who doesn’t like free lotion or shower gel?! Especially when it’s champagne scented! Check it out:

It’s no secret that Lil Red loves her bubbly, so this travel sized lotion in Champagne Toast was the obvious choice. I really like this scent because of how light and fruity it smells. You can easily detect the hints of strawberries and nectarines underneath the fizzy sweet champagne bubbles. I am so glad that they went this route instead of something overly musky because that’s just a future headache waiting to happen… Which would be a hard no from me.

Champagne Toast is a lovely scent for late spring and summer time. Perfect for sharing drinks with your friends during a warm evening spent on the patio of your favorite bar, this crisp scent will have you craving all of the fruity cocktails or a filled to the brim glass of champagne!

What is your favorite drink or cocktail? What is your favorite warm weather fragrance? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

January 2020 Finishes

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January 2020 Finishes

Hello everyone and welcome to the first Finishes post of 2020! Can you believe that we’re already one month into the new year? Crazy! January has been a very busy month for me and I, for one, am looking forward to things slowing down after the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. Thanks to many TJMaxx gift cards for Christmas, I completely restocked my skin care hoard. But, thanks to many agonizingly long days in January, I did not get to pamper myself as much as I would like – resulting in a minimal amount of empties. Check it out:

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Would I Use Again?

Why/Why Not?

B&BW Shower Gel: I absolutely LOVE the shower gel from Bath & Body Works. They always smell delicious, they lather well, and a little of it goes a long way. It took me over one month to finish one bottle and you can’t beat that. The Fresh Sparkling Snow scent was so crisp and invigorating that it felt like you were breathing in a gust of winter air every time you popped the lid. This scent is a perfect example of a holiday fragrance that isn’t overpowering and I wish I had more of it!

SkinLab Serum: At twenty-five years old, I figure that it is high time to start a skin care regimen that emphasizes lifting and firming. So, the Lift & Firm Treatment Serum by SkinLab was an obvious choice! I use this serum along with the moisturizer and eye cream from the same line and I have definitely noticed a difference in the tightness of my skin during the past month.

My only qualm with this product is the fact that it runs thicker than the serums that I am used to using. Normally, it takes me over a month to finish one bottle of serum and this SkinLab one was finished in about three weeks. I am not thrilled about that because I like getting the most bang for my buck. However, I have two more bottles to get through and am going to try and ration them better this time around.

SkinLab Eye Cream: The Hydrate & Replenish Eye Cream by SkinLab rocks! I love hydra gel formulas and this cream was perfect for the sensitive skin around your eyes. Despite being in a tiny jar, it took me at least three months to finish it up. It sat so well under makeup and it really did leave the exposed skin around my peepers feeling completely nourished. I would use this eye cream again in a heartbeat.

Although I didn’t have many empties in January, all of them were ones that I was pleased with and would recommend. Now, here’s to a less busy February so I can work in a bit more pampering!

Which products did you finish up this month? What is your skin care regimen like? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah