Tag Archives: b&bw

Bath & Body Works Haul Review

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Bath & Body Works Haul Review

Hellooo everyone! When I first got my hand soaps a couple of weeks ago from Bath & Body Works, they were impossible to open and smell because of a shipping mishap. One of the bottles was already open and it leaked, causing a sticky mess all over my order. Now that they are all wiped down, I was finally able to open them and decide for myself if I liked all of the Christmas themed scents that I purchased. Here’s the breakdown:

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Would I Buy Again?

  • Winter Candy Apple: NO
  • Frosted Cranberry: NO
  • Vanilla Bean Noel: YES!!!
  • Fresh Sparkling Snow: NO
  • Let’s Chill: YES
  • Snowy Peach Berry: YES

First things first, can we please talk about how cute the packaging is for these hand soaps?! I absolutely love the ice skating penguin on the Let’s Chill bottle! Overall, I am really pleased with the soaps I purchased. I am particularly fond of Vanilla Bean Noel. It has a classic vanilla scent with no bells or whistles to it and that is perfect for me because pure vanilla is one of my favorite fragrances.

I also really like the Snowy Peach Berry scent because it has the crispness of Fresh Sparkling Snow with a little extra pop to it thanks to the berry and peach. The Winter Candy Apple was okay but it was a lot more pungent than the body wash in the same scent and, although I like it, it is too overpowering for me to consider buying again. That was a bit disappointing because I was really excited to get the hand soap because I love the Winter Candy Apple body wash.

Now, onto the duds. I got my parents and my sister Frosted Cranberry candles from Bath & Body Works last year and they smelled SO good. However, the hand soap has an almost acidic smell to it as opposed to the tangy, spicy scent that I remember. Fresh Sparkling Snow is also one that I wouldn’t purchase again. It smells clean and light but I would have liked a little something more to it because it paled in comparison to the bolder scents.

At the end of the day, Johnny and I are far from picky when it comes to our soaps and will happily use up all of the ones in our latest haul. I’d be a liar if I didn’t say I was already eager to buy more, though!

What is your favorite holiday scent? Which hand soap from B&BW should I get next? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Bath & Body Works Haul/Annoyances

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Bath & Body Works Haul/Annoyances

Helloooo! Ever since moving into my apartment, I have only used the foaming hand soaps from Bath & Body Works in my bathroom and kitchen. Both Johnny and I love them and we alternate between who buys more when we are running low. This time around, it was my turn to order the goods and I went with all of the Christmas scents for the six soaps for twenty-six dollars deal. Check it out:

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In the close to two years that I have been ordering from Bath & Body Works, I have never had a problem with their delivery services. However, this time around, one of the soaps was actually open and it was just a mess inside the box. All of my soaps are now super sticky and I can’t even get them open to take a whiff of the scents I’m unfamiliar with.

This is a minor inconvenience and, of course, accidents happen. My biggest gripe with Bath & Body Works is how they handle their coupons online. I get at least one to two B&BW coupon packets in the mail per month and this normally includes some type of free item. The real kicker? I can’t use any of them online in combination with the deals for my hand soap.

To receive my free item, I would have to make another order and pay for the six dollar shipping again despite originally having other items in my cart that do not qualify for any type of deal. The realest kicker? If I went into one of the stores, it would not be an issue and I could get my freebies without having to pay multiple shipping costs for multiple transactions.

As someone who works in the care profession, I have had to resort to doing all of my shopping other than groceries on the world wide web. I have not been “shopping shopping” since February and I’m sure a lot of people are in the same boat. Once again, it’s a minor inconvenience but you would think that online retailers would be a bit more considerate to the situation given a lot of people just aren’t comfortable shopping in store.

At the end of the day, boo hoo. I didn’t get a plethora of freebies within these past several months. It’s just more annoying than anything, considering I have been a loyal customer for years now. I have a lot of respect for all of the retailers that have made online shopping and using their promos more accessible during COVID times and B&BW’s strict coupon rules online just comes off as stingy.

ANYWHO, sorry for the rant but that has really been irking my nerves for a while! Lol, I love my freebies – sue me for it!

Which stores offer the best coupons/promotions? How do you get the best deals when shopping online? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

November 2020 Finishes

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November 2020 Finishes

Howdy! Can you believe we’re already coming to the end of November? 2020 has, admittedly, sucked on ice but at least we’ve been flying through these past few months! November drawing to a close means it’s time to discuss all of the beauty products that I finished up so let’s get to it:

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Would I Use Again?

  • Bath & Body Works Champagne Toast shower gel: YES
  • Garnier water proof micellar water: YES
  • Azure Lux 24K Gold serum: YES
  • SkinLab Revitalize & Hydrate eye gel: NO
  • SkinLab Lift & Firm moisturizer: YES

Why/Why Not?

B&BW Shower Gel: The Champagne Toast scent from Bath & Body Works rocks! Originally, Johnny thought that this shower gel was called Champagne & Toast, which is what we call it now but no matter what name you give it – the fragrance is divine.

I ordered this body wash online without ever smelling it and I was worried that it would have an alcohol like scent. Thankfully, that was not the case at all! Rather, Champagne Toast has all the allure of fizzy bubbles mixed with sweet berries and tangerine making it oh so sweet and totally luxurious. Speaking of bubbles, this shower gel lathered like a dream and it took me one month to finish the bottle.

SkinLab Eye Gel: I have never tried the Revitalize & Hydrate eye gel by SkinLab before and I would definitely not use it again. While working through this little jar, which took me over two months, I did not notice a single difference to the delicate skin around my eyes. It also would flake clean off if you happened to rub your eyes within a half hour of applying it. Not a good look. I will be sticking to the Lift & Firm eye gel from now on!

For More On The Other Products:

Which products did you use up this month? Are there any products that you would not recommend? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

October 2020 Finishes

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October 2020 Finishes

Hello!!! Holy COW October is just about over and I don’t know how it was for all of you but it went by so quick for me. I swear, as soon as I start all of my early Christmas preparations, the months leading up to the big day just go by in turbo speed. And, with one of my favorite months of October nearing completion, that means it’s time to chit chat about all of the beauty products I used up so let’s get to it:

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Would I Use Again?

  • Garnier Micellar Water: YES
  • Bath & Body Works Gingham body wash: YES
  • Azure Lux Rose Gold serum: YES
  • SkinLab Lift & Firm moisturizer: YES
  • SkinLab Lift & Firm eye cream: YES

If you would like to read more about these products, please visit some of my old empties posts because I literally use the ones above all of the time! And, in case you missed any of my beauty posts this past month, check out some of the following:

Pampering myself with my must have products has been one of the main things keeping me sane during all of this COVID craziness. Please, everyone, keep being good to yourselves and, sometimes, feeling much better is only a face mask or a bubble bath away!

What are some of your must have products? Are there any discontinued products that you miss? 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! Both Johnny and myself freaking love the foaming hand soaps from Bath & Body Works. We have an excellent system in place where we switch off on who’s paying when we need more but the treat is that even when Johnny is paying, he still lets me pick out which scents we get. 🙂

This past week, our soap shipment arrived and, overall, I am pretty pleased with the fragrances I chose. It’s hard to pick which scents you want when you can’t smell them so I tend to stick with things we’re both more than likely going to enjoy. A trip to B&BW is a lot harder than you would think when your county is in a threat level red for COVID. -_-

Anyways, take a look at these soaps and I’ll let you know which ones I love and would leave if you are ordering online too:

Love Or Leave?

  • Beautiful Day: LOVE
  • Don’t Stop Be-Leafing: LEAVE
  • Cranberry Peach: LOVE
  • Peach Bellini: LOVE
  • Afternoon Apple Picking: LEAVE
  • All About Fall Y’all: LOVE

Lol, a lot of these picks should be no surprise to all of you! Everyone knows I love my peach and apple scents. So why did I not care for the Afternoon Apple Picking soap? Cinnamon, cinnamon, cinnamon. I HATE cinnamon. This soap has all of the scents of juicy apple and pear but, unfortunately, it is laced with cinnamon and I just can’t get down with it. It makes me feel like I am washing my hands with Big Red gum and I definitely wouldn’t have purchased it if I read its description a little better!

The Don’t Stop Be-Leafing scent of orange vanilla swirl is also one that I could do without. Originally, I thought a creamsicle fragrance would be nice and light but, unfortunately, this one is heavy to the point that it’s almost musky. When it comes to hand soaps, both Johnny and I detest a perfume-like heaviness so this is one that I will also not be buying again.

Despite two duds, I had four successes and that isn’t too bad when it comes to online soap shopping! Bath & Body Works is almost always running a six for twenty-six dollar deal on their foaming hand soaps so do be sure to get some delicious smell goods of your own. 🙂

What is your favorite B&BW scent? 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

September 2020 Finishes

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September 2020 Finishes

Hi! So it’s already the end of September, which is mind blowing to me. I know all of you think I’m crazy for starting Christmas shopping so early but, damn, the countdown feels on now! We’re coming in hot to 2021 and all I can hope with each passing month is that things get a little better, lol.

Because times are so stressful, it is very important to me to continue doing all of the things I love to pamper myself. I revel in my bubble baths and face masks and still stick to a strict skin care regimen. These empties are the fruits of my labor to keep me from going insane and I’d say they served their purpose well. Check it out:

Would I Use Again?

  • Bath & Body Works Champagne Apple & Honey shower gel: YES
  • SkinLab Lift & Firm moisturizer: YES
  • Azure Lux Rose Gold serum: YES
  • Azure Lux 24K Gold serum: YES

As you can see, these are my “usual” finishes for the month and you can read more about them by clicking the link. For more of the best beauty on lifewithlilred, how about checking out the following?

It’s easy to feel down and out about everything from COVID to the election and all of the craziness of daily life. It’s also easy to take some time just for you to help sooth your nerves and relax. Soak your feet, paint your nails, or get dressed up for the first time in forever. Or maybe use up that bubble bath that has just been taking up space so you can have some empties too. 🙂

Which products did you use up this month? How do you destress? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Scent Memories

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Scent Memories

Hello! Ever since moving into my apartment, the foaming hand soaps from Bath & Body Works have been a staple for my kitchen and bathroom sinks. I love all of the delicious fragrances and how clean and moisturized my hands feel after each wash. Recently, I had a huge online haul from B&BW and I have been enjoying testing out all of the different scents.

A couple of days ago, I ran out of soap in my bathroom and began using the Orange Sunrise option seen below:

I pumped the soap into my hands and I don’t really know what I was expecting – maybe a Creamsicle like scent? But, I took a whiff and was nearly blown over by a scent memory. Do you ever get those? When you smell something that takes you back to when you first experienced an amazing or nasty aroma?

Luckily for me, the Orange Sunrise soap wasn’t a sickening scent memory but quite the opposite. Because, holy cow, this soap smells exactly like the orange bath beads that used to be sold at The Body Shop. In case my fellow nineties kids don’t remember bath beads, they were basically like little jelly spheres filled with scented and moisturizing oil to add into your bath.

When my siblings and I were little, my mom used to take us to The Body Shop all the time and all I wanted were the bath beads. I loved the green ones but the orange Satsuma beads were my favorites. I have so many memories of bath times with those beads and squishing them with my fingers and toes and letting the delicious aroma wash over me.

For a second when I first pumped the B&BW soap into my hands, I was right back in The Body Shop with my mom filling up a huge bag of bath beads to take home. It was one of the best scent memories I’ve ever had and I am so happy to be taken back to that moment that I had almost forgotten every time I wash my hands! ❤

Have you had a scent memory recently? Where can I find bath beads? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

August 2020 Finishes

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August 2020 Finishes

Hi everyone and welcome to the last post of August 2020 here on lifewithlilred! Today, we are going to be discussing all of the products I used up this past month and there are quite a few of them. Let’s get started and, then, I will see all of ya’ll in September! Here we go:

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Would I Use Again?

  • Bath & Body Works Champagne Apple & Honey shower gel: YES
  • Garnier Micellar Water: YES
  • Garnier Waterproof Makeup Micellar Water: MAYBE
  • Azure Lux Rose Gold Serum: YES
  • SkinLab Lift & Firm moisturizer: YES
  • SkinLab Hydrate & Replenish Eye Cream: NO

Why/Why Not?

B&BW Shower Gel: As per ushe, I gotta have my Bath & Body Works goodies stocked and at the ready in my apartment and their shower gels are one of my favorite things to hoard! The Champagne Apple & Honey fragrance smells so good and I must have bought at least six bottles of it at their Semi Annual Sale! It takes me over one month to finish one bottle.

Garnier Micellar Water: Garnier’s Micellar Water is another statement item in my beauty routine and I always have a bottle or two handy at home. It usually takes me at least two and a half months to finish one bottle and I use it morning and night as a toner and eye makeup remover. It is especially nice to use after a very hot day – so refreshing!

Garnier Waterproof Micellar Water: This travel sized bottle came as a freebie when I purchased my normal pink bottle of micellar water. I noticed no real difference between the waterproof and regular formula so I wouldn’t go out of my way to get it again. But I never say no to free! It took me less than three weeks to finish the mini bottle.

Azure Lux Serum: As always, I absolutely love the Azure Lux serums. The Rose Gold is my fave but I enjoy the 24K one too! It takes me one month to finish one bottle with morning and night use and my skin has never looked brighter or more radiant. Highly recommend and it can be found on Amazon or, if you’re lucky, TJMaxx. 🙂

SkinLab Moisturizer: Like a lot of these empties, I keep a healthy supply of my SkinLab moisturizer on hand at all times too. It takes me a little under one month to use one jar with morning and night use and my skin thanks me for it every day. I feel like the Lift & Firm formula has kept my skin so youthful and… firm. Lol! The SkinLab products can also be purchased on Amazon or at TJMaxx if you come across them.

SkinLab Eye Cream: I normally use SkinLab’s Lift & Firm eye cream but I decided to give the Hydrate & Replenish formula a try. I really liked the gel texture, however, I never felt like it did a whole lot. It did not absorb nicely and when I would rub my eyes, little bits of eye cream gunk would rub off with it. It took me about two or so months to use one tiny pot and I would not use it again.

August 2020 left me with a lot of finishes and I’m ready to go in September slightly cooler, hopefully, and with lots of pampering in my future!

Which products did you use up this month? Which beauty products do you recommend? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Huge Bath & Body Works Online Haul

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Huge Bath & Body Works Online Haul

Hello! One thing that I have always enjoyed doing is shopping the semi annual sales at Bath & Body Works. Never would I ever buy their products full price but when they are slashing them fifty to seventy-five percent off, why wouldn’t you stock up?! Not only did I snag some early birthday gifts for my bestie but I also was able to score some shower gels for me as well as a huge supply of foaming hand soap to get myself and Johnny through another few months of quarantine. Check it out:

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If you aren’t hip to the glory of the foaming hand soaps from B&BW, then I highly suggest you hit up their sales and buy a few for yourself. They are easily the best hand soaps I have ever used. First of all, they smell fabulous. Second, a tiny pump of it goes a really long way. And, finally, they leave my hands feeling completely clean, totally moisturized, and smelling awesome.

Before, I was always okay with just buying drugstore brands for my shower gel and hand soap needs and would tut at the original expensive B&BW prices. But, when I discovered their semi annual sale, my life changed for the better. Over dramatic, yes. Lol, but it’s true. I love having a huge supply of smell goods in my apartment and my stock pile is guilt free because I paid a fraction of what the original cost would be.

Although it is the most fun to shop the sale in stores, I was still excited to fire up my laptop and check it out online. There is a potential for me to not like some of the scents because I couldn’t give it a whiff test but those products can easily be passed on to someone else or saved for a rainy day when I realize my hoard is ready for a restock!

I was happy to still shop B&BW’s sale in an nontraditional way and, now, I will patiently wait for their post winter price cuts so I can do it all over again! 😀

What is your favorite semi annual sale to shop? How do you save money on brand name shopping? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

June 2020 Finishes Pt. 2

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June 2020 Finishes Pt. 2

Hello! Yesterday, we discussed a lot of the skin care that I finished up this past month of June. And, if you’re checking back in today, you’ll see we have a few more goodies to chit chat about. With the part one and two finishes combined, it would have been a long ass post. So, why not break it up into two? Let’s get on with my June 2020 Finishes… Part Two:

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Would I Use Again?

  • Evoluderm Micellar Water: YES
  • Bath & Body Works Champagne Apple & Honey shower gel: YES
  • Destiny Boutique Charcoal face wash: YES
  • Azure Lux Rose Gold serum: YES

Why/Why Not?

Evoluderm Micellar Water: It doesn’t really bother me to constantly be using the micellar water by Garnier… Obviously, considering it shows up on almost every empties post! But, whenever given the opportunity at TJMaxx, I just have to grab some of the Evoluderm water if it’s there. I don’t know why it makes Garnier’s micellar water feel like plain old water but the Evoluderm brand feels like magic. I love using it as a toner and makeup remover and one bottle lasts me about a month and a half.

B&BW Shower Gel: Love the B&BW, love anything apple, and love anything champagne! Haha, this shower gel combines a lot of my favorite things and it easily makes the Champagne Apple & Honey scent one of my must haves. It’s sweet and tart and the luscious bubbles make you never want to get out of the shower! One bottle typically lasts me a little over a month.

Destiny Boutique Face Wash: I use a lot of charcoal products when it comes to my skin care and Destiny Boutique has always been one of my go to brands. Their charcoal face wash and face bar have been staples in my skin care routine for years now and I tend to order the goods on Amazon when I can’t find them at TJ’s because the products are that good. Pesky blackheads and blemishes will be a thing of the past and stay that way because one bottle took me over three months to use!

Azure Lux Serum: I was introduced to the Rose Gold serum by Azure Lux a year or so ago and have remained fairly faithful to it since. I just love how radiant the serum makes my skin look and the real flecks of 24K gold makes it feel oh so lush with each use. It takes me one month to finish one bottle and, although I wish it lasted a bit longer, I am never not going to buy it.

June has brought us a ton of empties to discuss and, I can’t believe I’m saying this, but fingers crossed for a lighter finishes haul in July! Lol! 😀

Which products did you finish this month? What are your thoughts on any of my empties 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