Tag Archives: bath and body care

Sep26

September 2023 Finishes

Posted on September 26, 2023 by lifewithlilred

Hellooooo darlings! September is drawing to a close and that means it’s time to discuss my beauty finishes for the month. August empties left me less than impressed and this month was only slightly better. As always, it’s no harm no foul because trying new products is fun and I like to let my readers know which ones aren’t worth their money. Not everything can be a winner, amiright?! Let’s take a look at my September Finishes and chat some more about the oh yeahs and the oh nos:

^^^ Totally forgot to add the Bath & Body Works lotion to my empties shot lol WHOOPS

Would I Use Again:

Evoluderm Micellar Water: YES

Purifect Bright Vibes Only Serum: NO

Hope Soap Vanilla & Fig Body Nectar: MAYBE

goodhabit Rescue Me Water Jelly Dew Cream: YES!!

Bath & Body Works Everlasting Magic Body Cream: YES

Why/Why Not?

Purifect Serum: I was SO excited to try the Bright Vibes Only Vitamin C Serum by Purifect. The packaging was adorable, first and foremost, and I love the bonus boost of radiance from Vitamin C products. Sadly, this one massively missed the mark. This serum was really thin in texture and it almost felt like I was splashing water onto my face when I was applying it. The bottle was quite small and a lot of serum was needed to fully cover my face and neck. Within three weeks, the bottle was empty and I never noticed any positive changes in my skin’s appearance. Even if I did, I wouldn’t buy it again because it simply wasn’t a long lasting product and a poor value for my money.

Hope Soap Lotion: I received this product as a gift and it is from a local boutique in my neck of the woods. While I always support shopping local, I am less than impressed with the Body Nectar by Hope Soap. The Vanilla & Fig scent is delightful and I love the whipped texture of the lotion. However, I never felt like my skin benefited from using it. It just didn’t seem as effective as a lotion from Bath & Body Works, for example, and I wouldn’t use it again unless it were gifted to me. A+ in scent and texture, F in effectiveness.

goodhabit Moisturizer: Now, this is a product that I LOVED. You can read more about it in the review linked above. What I will say, is that this is one of the best moisturizers that I have ever used. Yes, the Smurf blue color is slightly off putting lol, but that doesn’t take away from the excellence of this moisturizer. It was long lasting, my skin felt baby soft after each use, and I would be ecstatic if I found it again at TJMaxx – I would buy every single one available!

B&BW Body Cream: I am a huge fan of the body creams by Bath & Body Works and the Everlasting Magic scent was an absolute delight. To me, it smelled like rich plum, ripe blackberries, and the softest notes of floral. I loved being able to use it every night and it makes it even better that it was completely free! I am very impressed by the effectiveness of the B&BW body creams and my skin felt hydrated and nourished throughout the entire day from it. Highly recommend!

There were some winners and some big losers in my September Finishes and that’s A-okay. In fact, I’m thrilled to even be writing this post because October is right around the corner and that means Halloween!! Bring on the spookiest month of the year, baby! 😀

Which products did you use up this month? What are your thoughts on any of the above 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

Sep6

Bath Bomb Blitz: Bombs & Balms Edition

Posted on September 6, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!! I enjoyed a wonderful long Labor Day weekend with Johnny and we had a blast doing a whole lot of nothing. One of my “goals” over the weekend was to finally use the last of our purchases from the Punk Rock Flea Market we attended in mid August. Johnny bought me a bath bomb from our friend’s booth, Bombs & Balms, and I have been eager to try it out! This bath bomb was easily the coolest looking one that I have ever used and I think all of you will be able to see why:

There were tons of awesome goodies at the Bombs & Balms stand including bath bombs, obvi, and lots of adorably unique homemade jewelry. Johnny and I both gravitated towards the bath bomb we walked away with immediately because we like anything with skeletons and cauldrons lol. I am also a lover of all things with an apple scent so I couldn’t wait to take a whiff of the Green Apple fragrance! On Sunday evening, I thought I would cross my bath time goal off of my to do list and it was just the relaxing, pampering treat I needed.

The scent of this bath bomb was so perfectly Green Apple and I was really impressed with its sweet/tart fragrance. I had a great feeling about this bath bomb because the last one I used from Bath & Body Works sucked on ice. Before popping this bomb into the tub, it was a given that it would begin to bubble and brew in the cauldron. Seeing it actually happen was SO cool, though, and it was like watching a potion fizz and pop!

My literal only gripe about this bath bomb was that the cauldron floated, so it was up to me to keep it under the water to fully do its thing. This wasn’t a big deal because the novelty of the witch’s brew was fun and different enough that a floating cauldron was the least of my worries. This bath bomb turned my water a bright glittery green and I thought that was fantastic because lighter colored bombs have the potential to turn the water swampy. After my soak, my skin felt soft as can be and as a bonus, the bath bomb washed away completely in the tub so there was no scrubbing afterwards. 😀

You can check out Bombs & Balms on Facebook and place orders through their page. If you are looking for a treat yoself purchase with some spooky flare, then you know exactly where to go!

What is your favorite homemade beauty brand? What is your favorite fall fragrance? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug20

Bath & Body Works Halloween Scents Pt. 3

Posted on August 20, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Bath & Body Works Halloween Scents Pt. 3

Hello!! Other than purchasing hand soaps from Bath & Body Works and shopping the occasional Semi-Annual Sale, I really don’t buy anything from there. The remainder of my B&BW stash comes from freebie coupons that get sent out monthly or bimonthly. Because of rarely spending money when I visit the store, it has taken a long time to rack up points for their rewards program. After my Halloween hand soap haul, I finally got a free full size product reward and stopped by to cash it in.

I thought I bought all of the Halloween scents in hand soap form, but I was mistaken. There are actually two other fragrances that I missed – Everlasting Magic and Midnight Spell. Midnight Spell was a massive dud, but I LOVED Everlasting Magic, so I used my rewards points for a body cream:

Everlasting Magic is one of my favorite Halloween scents from B&BW. It’s not as good as Purrfect Pumpkin, but I actually think I might like it more than Vampire Blood. That’s really saying something! Everlasting Magic offers notes of “bejeweled berries, phantom petals, and magic musk”. Normally, I am not a fan of musky fragrances – this one, however, was fine because I really couldn’t smell it! To me, it smelled like rich plum and blackberries with the softest touch of floral. Also, can we talk about how pretty the packaging is?!

As always, I am a huge fan of the Body Cream from B&BW so I was really happy to snag it for free. While I will forever be partial to The Body Shop products, this cream is a close second. With a shea butter base and hyaluronic acid, it is so hydrating and nourishing. My skin feels and looks soft after every use and I think it is one of the best products that B&BW carries. I would definitely recommend getting a bottle for yourself the next time you go shopping! In Everlasting Magic, perhaps? 😀

There were several Halloween scents from B&BW that I didn’t care for at all and I feel like Everlasting Magic was a redemption in that regard. Here’s to waiting another year plus for my next free product reward lol!

What is your favorite B&BW Halloween scent? What is your favorite product they carry? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug13

Bath & Body Works Halloween Scents Pt. 1

Posted on August 13, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Bath & Body Works Halloween Scents Pt. 1

Hello! My reserves of hand soap from Bath & Body Works was running dangerously low and it couldn’t have happened at a better time – Halloween fragrances are in! This trip into B&BW was a quick one because, for once, I truly didn’t care about the way the soaps smelled. I was so ready for all things Halloween that I took one of each scent and hit the road. I wasn’t going to not because the packaging for this year’s spooky collection is fantastic!

Today, we’re going to talk about three of the scents and move onto the remaining four tomorrow. Let’s get started:

The Haul:

Purrfect Pumpkin

Moonlit Graveyard

Spellbinding Sweets

Ghoul Friend

Wicked Vanilla Woods

Vampire Blood

Afternoon Apple Picking – Granted not a Halloween scent, but I love all things apple! 😀

Purrfect Pumpkin: I am not a huge fan of pumpkin and if you haven’t already guessed, apple is my go to fall fragrance and flavor. However, I am LOVING Purrfect Pumpkin and it is just right for those who can’t get into pumpkin spice and everything nice. This scent features notes of “carved pumpkin, spiced cinnamon, and moonlit vanilla”. To me, it smells more like a glass of warm apple cider. It’s spicy and a little bit sweet and this is a fragrance that perfectly embodies the fall season. I wish I had it as a candle to light during scary movie nights!

Moonlit Graveyard: The Moonlit Graveyard scent is just okay for me. This was one of the ones I was ambivalent about when I read the description of “tombstone moss, cold foggy air, and eerie incense”. Even though that does sound awesome! While it does sort of remind me of a crisp fall night, my weird nose picked up an almost powdery aroma and I really don’t like that. This is one that I would have skipped on if I did a sniff test, but my potion… I mean hand soap set wouldn’t have been complete without it.

Spellbinding Sweets: Now this one, is much more like it! This scent offers notes of “haunted lollipop, sweet bubblegum, and bewitched berries” and I am so there for it. I didn’t pick up any of the featured notes but bubblegum and that is fine by me. It smells exactly like Double Bubble and brings me back to the excitement of Trick-or-Treat night. It is such a nostalgic scent and anyone with or without a sweet tooth will enjoy it. I also love the wicked green apple color. ❤

Other than Moonlit Graveyard, I am most impressed with Purrfect Pumpkin and Spellbinding Sweets. The fun colors of the soap and the amazing stained glass artwork make all three even better, though! Tune in tomorrow for the rest of the Halloween scents!

What is your favorite holiday collection from B&BW? Have you gotten any of the Halloween scents yet? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul5

Homemade Rose Oil

Posted on July 5, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!!!! Way back in the day, I used to really enjoy making homemade bath and body care like scrubs, shower gels, and lip balms. It has been SO long since I have done that but it was always a blast! This past week, I decided to revisit one of my old hobbies by making some rose oil with petals from a gorgeous bouquet at my mom and dad’s house. It was insanely easy and, even though I wasn’t too fond of the smell, it was an amazing addition to my bubble bath. No thanks to the bath fizzy from Bath & Body Works that you all read about yesterday! Let’s get to it:

Step By Step:

I made my rose oil by following directions from a surprising source – an article posted by HGTV! Directions for making rose water were also included and I might try that next with the remaining flowers from the bouquet I used. A rose oil concoction went a little something like this:

Step One: Tear or shred your petals. For mine, I took several at a time and tore them in half.

Step Two: Pour a cup of oil into a jar with the petals. Jojoba and grapeseed oil were recommended, but I didn’t have any. However, they mentioned that olive oil would work well too so that is what I used.

Step Three: Bring a few inches of water to a raging boil and remove from heat. Place your jar of oil and petals in afterwards until the water cools.

Step Four: Place your jar in front of a sunny window and let it sit for 24 hours.

Step Five: The next day, remove your petals from the jar and squeeze out all of the oil you can from them. To do this, I started pouring the oil with the lid slightly on into another jar. Once a majority of the oil was removed, I used a spoon to press the petals and store the excess.

Easy peasy, right?! Making homemade rose oil was a quick and fun project and I was really pleased with the results. I poured some of my rose oil in the bath tub and it was so lux and lovely. Yes, it was a freaking pain to clean up the oil slick tub after my soak. BUT my skin felt fantastic and it still does several days later. I have noticed a huge difference in the softness of my skin and it feels nourished and healthy. I can’t wait to use it again during my next bath time self care sesh!

Concocting your own rose oil is a wonderful way to bring a second life to roses from your garden or a bouquet. Once again, you can view the directions that I followed here. Tune in tomorrow on lifewithlilred for more flowery vibes as we take a look at my first watercolor painting I have done in a minute!

What is your favorite flower? Do you like to make any crafts or bath and body care with flowers? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul4

Bath Bomb Blitz: Bath & Body Works Confetti Cupcake Fizzy Edition

Posted on July 4, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Bath Bomb Blitz: Bath & Body Works Confetti Cupcake Fizzy Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Bath Bomb Blitz! Today, we are going to be discussing the Confetti Cupcake bath fizzy that I purchased from Bath & Body Works during an April haul. This was definitely an impulse buy because the last fizzy I used from B&BW was very unimpressive – I just thought the cupcake was adorable lol. Unfortunately, the Confetti Cupcake fizzy sucked on ice too and I think B&BW knows it because I haven’t seen them in store in months. Let’s get to it:

My first impression of the scent of this bath fizzy wasn’t a good one. I was expecting more of a cake batter fragrance and it just wasn’t lol. It kind of smelled like the Champagne Toast line, but definitely not as sweet. This wasn’t a huge deal, but it didn’t start the bath time experience off on the strongest note. Then, I dropped the fizzy into the water and it got worse from there!

Once the fizzy was in the water, it started dissolving at a rapid speed. Within about twenty or so seconds, it was completely fizzed out. In that time, all it did was turn my bath water a very murky pale pink, which you can see above. It looked gross! Even if I didn’t know the joys of a bath bomb from Lush, I still would have been like “wtf?”. In fact, my bath time would have been more pleasant if I didn’t use the fizzy at all because who wants to sink into water that looks contaminated?!

I shouldn’t be surprised that the Confetti Cupcake fizzy was disappointing because of my last experience. However, it was still shocking to see a ten dollar product work this poorly. If you happen to see a bath fizzy at B&BW, DON’T BOTHER! It won’t make a good gift for you or someone else and there are countless other wonderful goodies available that you could be spending your money on. Epic. Failure.

The only saving grace of this bath time experience is the fact that I recently made rose oil and put some in the water. That was lovely and you can learn more about the process tomorrow so keep it posted!

What is a disappointing product that you have used recently? What is your favorite thing to use during a bath? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun30

June 2023 Finishes

Posted on June 30, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello everyone and welcome to my beauty finishes for June!! Johnny and I had a fantastic birthaversary month with lots to celebrate. Now that the festivities are over, it is time to focus our attention on the next big thing: Halloween. It’s never too early for us to start thinking about our other favorite time of the year! This past month, I enjoyed lots of great products with only one dud that came as a surprise to me. It was a serum that I had used religiously in the past, but just didn’t hit the same this time around. Let’s discuss further:

Would I Use Again?

Evoluderm Micellar Water: YES

Tree Of Life Vitamin C Serum: NO!!!!!

Bath & Body Works Sun-Ripened Raspberry Body Cream: YES

Honest Beauty Calm & Heal Melting Balm: YES

Why/Why Not?

Tree Of Life Serum: Back in 2021, I was using the Tree Of Life Vitamin C serum regularly for several months until I switched things up. I always thought that it worked well, even if it wasn’t my all time favorite. So, when I saw it available at TJMaxx during a January Haul, I instantly added it to my cart. The first time I used it after almost two years, I was taken aback by how much I didn’t like it. The texture of the serum was thick and a decent amount was needed to cover my full face and neck. It also didn’t absorb as well as I would have liked, either. After only three weeks, I completely used up the bottle and my skin had nothing to show for it in terms of a radiance boost. I was very happy to be done with it and now I know that some past used products are better to be left in the past.

B&BW Lotion: Sun-Ripened Raspberry is one of my favorite old school scents from Bath & Body Works and I always have to buy a few lotions or shower gels during their Semi Annual Sales. I don’t use the Body Creams by B&BW too often because they are more expensive than what a full size freebie coupon covers. However, I am VERY impressed with it whenever I get the chance to use it. The shea butter and Hyaluronic Acid base is so nourishing and my skin feels amazing after every use. Any slightly dry patches on my arms feel like they are gone in an instant and it leaves my skin looking and feeling healthy. It took me over three weeks of nighttime use to finish the bottle.

Honest Balm: The Calm & Heal Melting Balm by Honest Beauty was the first product from that brand I ever tried and it was a home run. You can read more about it in my review above, but it is a moisturizer that I would definitely use again. It took about three and a half weeks of twice daily use to finish the jar and I was so sad when I did – it was that good! Highly, highly recommend – especially if you have a dryer skin type.

Even though the Tree Of Life serum sucked, I got to try a new brand out and use an old favorite so this month’s empties were still a GREAT SUCCESS. I am keeping my eyes peeled for more Honest Beauty products every time I go to TJMaxx!

Have you used an old faithful product after a while and been disappointed by it? What is your favorite Honest Beauty product? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun29

Bath & Body Works June Freebies

Posted on June 29, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!! This past week, I received a few coupon packs from Bath & Body Works in the mail that included a free full and travel size product. I’m always happy to get a free travel size goodie, but there is nothing better than a full size freebie! I chose a bar soap and lotion with my coupons and it totaled to over twenty-seven dollars worth of free product. You just can’t beat that! Check it out:

The last time I cashed in a B&BW coupon, I decided to try their bar soap for the first time in the Coco Paradise scent. I love a good bar soap and the Bath & Body Works kind is probably the best that I have used in a long time. Their bar soap is made with a shea butter base and it is SO insanely hydrating and lathers like a dream. I have been using my soap since I got it at the end of May and I have hardly made a dent in it! Rather than opting for their shower gel, I chose a bar soap in my favorite scent of Gingham instead. If you are a bar soap fan too, then I cannot recommend trying out B&BW’s enough!

As I am pretty well stocked with shower gel and soap, I went with a lotion for my full size freebie in Gingham Gorgeous. I was thrilled when Gingham Vibrant, Gorgeous, and Fresh were released and have the shower gel of Vibrant. I was a bit disappointed that there were no lotions or shower gel in Fresh because I definitely would have gotten that instead of Gorgeous. I wasn’t really feeling any of my other options either, so I settled.

Gingham Gorgeous is pretty, but it isn’t my favorite. The fragrance notes feature Pink Strawberries, Peach Nectar, and Peony Blooms and it is very sweet. I can pick out the peach notes and I like that, but it gets lost in the muddle of overpowering peonies. If I used lotion during the day, I never would have picked it. But, I only apply lotion at night and I don’t really care one way or the other about the scent. If you are a sweet floral fan, then Gingham Gorgeous is for you. If you like something more crisp and fruity, Gingham Vibrant and Fresh are the way to go!

Even though I’m not as fond of Gingham Gorgeous as the other offshoots from Gingham, I am still beyond pleased with my freebies. It is such a treat to go into Bath & Body Works for a pick me up without paying a dime!

What is your favorite Bath & Body Works scent? Which store offers the best coupons and promotions? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May28

May 2023 Finishes

Posted on May 28, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello everyone!! May is just about over, which means that it’s time to discuss my beauty product finishes for the month! I have finished up a few new to me products in the past few weeks, most of which I would happily use again aside from one major dud. So, all in all, it was a pretty successful month! Take a look and let’s chat more in depth about the following:

Would I Use Again?

Clinical Works Soothing Body Lotion: YES

Evoluderm Micellar Water: YES

Bath & Body Works Pearberry Shower Gel: YES

Happy Dance Look Alive Moisturizer + CBD: YES!!!!!!!!!!

SkinLab Lift & Firm Serum: NO

Why/Why Not?

Clinical Works Lotion: I really liked the Lavender + Chamomile lotion by Clinical Works, despite the fact that the pump on the bottle didn’t work – which is probably why it ended up at TJMaxx lol. Even with that slight annoyance, this lotion was SO nice to use before bed. It was really light, absorbed quickly, and had the softest scent to it which helped to soothe and relax. The skin on my hands, arms, and chest looked a lot healthier and felt significantly softer after over two months of working through the big bottle.

B&BW Shower Gel: Pearberry is one of my favorite scents from Bath & Body Works and I wish that they carried this old school fragrance all of the time! It also happened to be one of Johnny’s new favorites too lol the first time he used it, he was raving about it – and for good reason. The juicy pear and berry scent is the ultimate in sweet/tart and I love it so very much. It took a month to finish one bottle with two people using it daily.

Happy Dance Moisturizer: You can read more about the Look Alive Moisturizer + CBD by Happy Dance in the review linked above. I will say, though, that this is easily the best moisturizer that I have used in a month of Sundays. This moisturizer was so nourishing and I loved the way my skin looked and felt after each use. The CBD was calming at night and invigorating in the morning, making it a fantastic product for twice daily use. It took me one month to finish the jar and I wish that I had more of it!

SkinLab Serum: I like the SkinLab brand, but the Lift & Firm Serum was an epic failure. I am a huge fan of products that you only need to use a small amount of and that was not the case with this serum at all. I needed a decent amount of this serum for full coverage on my face and neck, which made the small bottle only last for three weeks. It also didn’t mesh well with the other skin care I was using, making it incredibly difficult to rub in my eye cream and moisturizer. I definitely wouldn’t use this serum again.

Although there were some products from this list that I was sad to finish up, I still have lots of new to me skin care to try out from TJMaxx hauls and I am excited to use them. Keep it locked for a review on the Honest moisturizer that I have started using for the past week and change because it is a very unique one!

Apr22

Bath & Body Works Mini Haul

Posted on April 22, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!! This past Tuesday was the first semblance of free time I have had in I don’t know how long. I had basically the whole morning after working from home to do whatever I wanted; so I did. And, what I wanted the most was retail therapy! I had Christmas gift cards from TJMaxx that I couldn’t wait to spend and three Bath & Body Works freebie coupons to redeem. One coupon had the caveat of making a purchase for the free item and I ended up spending ten dollars in total for all of this:

I had been looking forward to going to Bath & Body Works because they just dropped three new scents in the Gingham fragrance line, which is my absolute favorite. Between Gingham Fresh, Gorgeous, and Vibrant, it was hard to choose my full size freebie! Each of the new scents were really nice and I will try Fresh and Gorgeous eventually, but Vibrant was definitely the one that spoke to me the most. Vibrant mixes the classic, crisp scent of Gingham with tart blackberries and the softest hint of vanilla and it is a perfect springtime scent.

For my travel size freebies, I decided to go for lotions since I am currently pretty well stocked with shower gel. Unsurprisingly, I went for a Gingham lotion because I have quite a few summer birthdays to shop for and it is a scent that I think anyone would enjoy. The travel size body care makes for great gift add ons! I also selected Among The Clouds because I got the shower gel as a freebie when the scent launched in January. Similarly to Gingham Vibrant, Among The Clouds offers notes of wild berry and hints of vanilla too. I think this might be my new favorite combination!

Finally, to activate one travel size freebie as well as receive twenty percent off, I got two hand sanitizers and a bath fizzy. I love the hand sanitizers from B&BW – they smell so good and make my hands feel clean without drying out. I was due for a restock anyways, as the ones in my purse were running low and purchased the Market Peach and Iced Lemon Pound Cake scents. Both of these fragrances smell exactly like what you think they would smell like; rich lemon cake and frosting and a freshly bit into peach.

The Confetti Cupcake fizzy was, admittedly, an impulse buy. In fact, I was very unimpressed with the only bath fizzy I have tried from B&BW. However, this cupcake one was just so cute! I also figured that it would be a nice bath time treat when I finally shave my legs after holding off all winter lol. It might not be a Lush quality product, but sometimes you have to work with what you have got when the nearest Lush is almost an hour away!

I have grown very fond of Bath & Body Works as of late and have been amazed by how little I pay, if at all when I get my shop on. I will be checking the mail religiously for more freebie coupons so I can try Gingham Fresh and Gorgeous! 😀

Which store offers the best promos and deals? How often do you restock your bath and body care? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

	Simon on V-Day Bratz Doll OOTD
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	Simon on V-Day Bratz Doll OOTD
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