Tag Archives: beauty

Dec24

Bath Bomb Blitz: Lush’s Bigfoot Edition

Posted on December 24, 2022 by lifewithlilred

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Bath Bomb Blitz! This past Tuesday, I had an easy day and ended up getting back home early. As much as I would have liked to put Hoarders on and become one with my couch, I put on my adulting pants and completed the dreaded chore of cleaning the bathrooms. It sucked lol. After my cleaning session, I felt the urge to douse myself in hot water and decided to make use of one of the bath bombs my bestie gifted me with for Christmas. I used the Bigfoot bomb and, although I didn’t like it as much as the Black Rose bomb that I used last week, it was still pretty good. Check out some pics and let’s discuss:

The Bigfoot bath bomb was fairly run of the mill, however, there were still a few aspects of it that surprised me. I thought it was really cool how the bomb started fizzing from the toes when I dropped it in the water. It looked like little torpedoes taking off and that was fun to see. Other than that, this bomb didn’t have much movement around the tub and stayed relatively put in one spot until it fizzed out. It was fine but it didn’t give as good of a show as other Lush bath bombs that I have used before.

I was also taken aback by how long the Bigfoot bomb took to fizz out. As you can see, it is definitely smaller than your typical Lush bomb and I thought it would be lucky if it lasted for three minutes, tops. I was completely wrong and the bomb didn’t dissolve until a solid five minutes. This additional length of time was neither here nor there because of the lack of movement from the bath bomb. If it were a more entertaining fizz out, I would be there for it but I was SO ready to get in the tub after two minutes of the lackluster performance.

In terms of scent and color, the Bigfoot bath bomb was just alright. It had a really light citrus scent that was pretty but dissipated rather quickly. The pink, blue, and lavender fizz was also nice enough but didn’t blow me away. There were times when the water was actually looking quite murky so its end result of glittery dark purple water was a welcome change of pace. I wish that it had more of that darker hue throughout the fizz!

The last surprise of the Bigfoot bath bomb wasn’t exactly a good one – it left residue! This was, perhaps, the biggest shock that the bath bomb offered because I wasn’t expecting it at all. The Black Rose bath bomb by Lush left no staining even though it turned the water jet black. So, just be warned that the Bigfoot bomb does require some additional clean up after the water has drained.

Overall, I am going to rate the Bigfoot bath bomb with a five out of ten stars. It was far from the best Lush bath bomb that I have used and I wouldn’t get it again. If you are considering it, I would highly recommend choosing something else instead with a bit more pizazz!

What is your least favorite chore? How do you relax after a cleaning session? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec23

Bath & Body Works Haul

Posted on December 23, 2022 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!! When I moved into my very first apartment, I thought it was the coolest thing to be able to buy Bath & Body Works hand soap for my place. We never used them at my parents’ house so it was exciting to pick out scents just for me (Clearly I lead a thrilling life). They have been a staple in my home ever since my move in date and I always look forward to the next time Johnny and I need to restock our supply. With only one hand soap left in the cupboard, it was about that time! Check out my haul:

Would I Buy Again:

Peach Bellini: YES
The Apple Of My Eye: YES
Vanilla Bean Noel: YES!!!
Twisted Peppermint: YES
Winter Candy Apple: NO
Fresh Sparkling Snow: MAYBE
The full size lotion was free with my purchase!

With four scents that are a resounding rebuy and only two “mehs”, I’d say that this was a very successful haul. Even more so because I ordered these online! Granted, I did know some of the scents already but still lol. While the Peach Bellini will always be my A1 hand soap scent, the Vanilla Bean Noel was a close second this time around. I have used the vanilla before but I forgot how freaking good it smelled. Some vanilla scents can become sickly sweet with the add ins of “sugar cookie” or “frosting” and the Vanilla Bean Noel is just right. It smells purely like vanilla bean without any unnecessary additions and I cannot wait to use it!

The Apple Of My Eye and Twisted Peppermint are also scents that I would happily buy again. Sometimes, there will be a dud of a scent in my order because it smelled nothing like what I pictured in my mind. That was not the case at all with these two soaps and there were no surprises when I took a whiff. The Apple Of My Eye smells exactly like my favorite candy of caramel apple suckers and the Twisted Peppermint smelled like… Peppermint! What a shocker. 😀

The two scents that missed the mark for me was Winter Candy Apple and Fresh Sparkling Snow. I thought that I was going to love the Winter Candy Apple but in this instance, the apple scent did nothing for me. It’s very sweet with floral notes and is one of my least favorite scents from the holiday collection. Fresh Sparkling Snow was alright. Its scent was very light, which is to be expected. However, the combination of icy melon and pear was pretty lackluster. I would buy it again if it were on sale for the cheap but would skip on it otherwise.

Overall, I am really pleased with my Bath & Body Works Haul. My only regret is that the free lotion I picked out was in the only scent that I didn’t like. SMH!!!!!!!!

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

Dec19

New Emerald Green & Silver Glitter Nails

Posted on December 19, 2022 by lifewithlilred

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New Emerald Green & Silver Glitter Nails

Hello! This past Wednesday was a really busy work day for me and I was so happy that I got to squeeze in an appointment for a fill at Elysian Nails in between shifts. The expert pampering by my favorite nail tech rejuvenated me for the rest of the evening and I still can’t stop looking at my nails to save my own life! I decided to go glitter this time around and these blingy talons are nothing short of spectacular. Check it out:

Christmas is fast approaching and, as you all know, I am really not one for holiday themed nails. I go about three and a half weeks between fills so I would rather have something that works for that entire length of time rather than just one day. While I was mentally choosing my colors before my appointment, I thought that an emerald green would be pretty and I could pair it with a champagne pink or navy blue to avoid a combination that was too Christmasy. However, that just didn’t end up happening lol.

As I scoured the polish wall at Elysian, I instantly fell in love with the glitter green and began to search for another color to compliment it. While there were some shades that I originally had in mind that looked good together, they just weren’t hitting the way I wanted it to. Sometimes, the best thing to pair with glitter is more glitter and I decided to go all out with the sparkly silver. I figured that this combo wouldn’t look that festive but I was dead wrong once my acrylics were painted!

Once my nail polish was on, I looked down and all I could see was a Christmas tree! In fact, my brother told me that they looked exactly like a Christmas tree with tinsel and that only further confirmed my fears lol. Then, I kept looking at them again and again and found myself slowly growing obsessed because these nails are gorgeous! They are definitely not what I would normally go for but that makes it fun. The dazzling glitter makes it look like my nails are drenched in diamonds and how can I complain about that? They are a girl’s best friend, after all. 😀

A fairly recent trip to the hair salon and a fresh fill have me perfectly OOTD ready for holiday celebrations and I can’t wait. Thanks to my beloved Elysian Nails for another year of fabulous pampering! ❤

What color of nail polish do you have on? How do you feel about holiday themed nails? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec18

Face Mask Festivities: Elf Dope Dreams Sleeping Mask Edition

Posted on December 18, 2022 by lifewithlilred

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Face Mask Festivities: Elf Dope Dreams Sleeping Mask Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Face Mask Festivities! Today, we will be discussing the Elf Dope Dreams Sleeping Mask. I purchased this product during my last skin care haul at TJMaxx and was excited to test it out. Unfortunately, it missed the mark for me and I am happy that I only paid four bucks for it rather than its original ten dollar price tag. While it was an okay mask, it wasn’t great and Lil Red won’t settle for anything less! Let’s get into the details:

I love me an overnight mask and that is the main reason why I purchased the Elf Dope Dreams one in the first place. It is a no muss no fuss solution to better skin and it doesn’t get much better than that. Before coming to my conclusions about the product, I used it twice as a sleeping mask and once as a wash off mask before my morning shower. What I liked about this mask was that it’s unscented. Not that I was expecting it to smell like straight up weed but I always prefer little to no scent when it comes to skin care. And, of course, the jojoba beads were a nice touch for a bit of exfoliation to help remove dead skin.

After my first use, I woke up in the morning and didn’t really feel one way or the other about how it worked. Before and after rinsing it off, my skin felt the same as if I had completed my normal skin care routine without anything special to it. I decided to use it again the following night and, once again, didn’t notice any mind blowing results. Since the overnight use was shaping up to be a bust, I figured I would change things up by using it as a wash off mask a few days later. I left it on for about fifteen minutes and was still unimpressed with the condition of my skin.

The purpose of the Dope Dreams mask is strictly hydration and I thought that it would make a good addition to my skin care routine during the winter. However, my skin felt better when I was just using my every day products and that essentially eliminated the need for the mask. For skin care, I like products that serve multiple purposes and if it only focuses on one thing like moisturizing or radiance, then it better be the best! The Dope Dreams mask was a far cry from ultra hydration for my skin and once I finish the bottle, I will not be purchasing it again.

Even though the Elf Dope Dreams Sleeping Mask wasn’t my favorite, it was still a treat to try something new. I will say that this mask received pretty good reviews overall so use your discretion if you are thinking of making the purchase. We are all different and what didn’t work for me could be amazing for you!

Have you ever used this sleeping mask before? What are your thoughts on it? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec13

TJMaxx Skin Care Haul

Posted on December 13, 2022 by lifewithlilred

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Hello! After reorganizing my work bag, I realized that I had a ten dollar rewards certificate from TJMaxx due to my expert spending this year lol. I couldn’t have stumbled upon this at a better time because I was running low on lots of my skin care staples and decided to take a TJs trip during a free afternoon. As always, I told myself that I was only going to look at beauty products but that was just a lie to make myself feel better because you all know I got some clothes too! Take a look at what should have been my only purchases during my shopping and keep it posted for what I treated myself with:

Prior to the pandemic, I would say that I was going to TJMaxx at least bimonthly and would restock my beauty products as needed. This worked for me at the time but my shopping process has certainly changed since 2020. Now, when I make it to my beloved TJMaxx (It has been over three months since my last visit!), I stock up on what I need so that I don’t have to keep returning back. An all around restock was definitely what I needed this time around and all of the products seen above will last me close to four months. I consider this a blessing because it will keep me away from all of the temptations of winter clearance! 😀

My skin care routine is a fairly simple one that includes a scrub, cleanser, micellar water, serum, eye cream, and moisturizer. I use most of these products twice daily and it is easy to see why I would go to TJs in shorter intervals because some of the items can get used up rather quickly. I am used to finishing a product like a serum or moisturizer every month but I had a revelation while writing my November 2022 Finishes post: Sometimes, bigger is better. This past month, I finished up a gigantic tub of moisturizer that lasted me close to a month and a half. It really blew my mind and I thought that I would incorporate my discovery into this skin care restock, as you can see by the huge bottles of serum! I was disappointed that I couldn’t find any similar sizes of moisturizer to the Pearlessence one that I used and loved but what can ya do?

There are lots of new to me products in my skin care haul that I am excited to try out like the eye cream and Neutrogena cleanser. I actually just used the SpaLife serum with the beads in it and it was pretty good. Yes, I mainly bought it because it looked cool! But I digress. I am most looking forward to trying the Dope Dreams sleeping mask by ELF. I have used a CBD moisturizer before that I wasn’t too impressed with but this mask intrigued me. Keep checking back for a new Face Mask Festivities about it soon!

I am obsessed with skin care all year round but it just hits different in the winter. When I saw my go to products running low, it was off to TJs I went and I think I should be pretty well stocked until spring! 😀

What is your winter skin care routine like? What is your favorite skin care brand? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec12

Bath Bomb Blitz: Lush’s Black Rose Edition

Posted on December 12, 2022 by lifewithlilred

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Bath Bomb Blitz: Lush’s Black Rose Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Bath Bomb Blitz compliments of Christmas gifts from my darling bestie, Kate, of Live In The Nautical! Kate spoiled me with lots of goodies from Lush and I couldn’t wait to pamper myself after a long work week. On Friday, I used the Black Rose bath bomb and it was an absolute delight. It turned the water an inky black, which spoke to my soul, and it felt so good to sink into the water and let my troubles soak away. The Black Rose bath bomb put on an amazing show that lasted a solid five minutes and here are the highlights of the process:

^^^ I also shaved so beautiful Amy Winehouse no longer looks like a bearded lady. Also, peep those sweet slipper socks from one of my clients. They are SO comfy!

Lush bath bombs are so fantastic and no other similar products on the market even come close to comparing. It has been a long while since I have used a Lush bath bomb and that made the experience of the Black Rose one even better. As soon as I put it in the water, it began to work its magic and filled the bathroom with the gorgeous scent of lemon rose to uplift and soothe. I invited Johnny to watch the bath bomb fizz and he even commented about how good it smelled and found the process to be “fascinating” lol.

As the Black Rose fizzed, it traveled around the tub at lightening speed and within a minute or so, the water had transformed from clear to a midnight sky black. It was lovely! I, honestly, would have been happy with just the black water but Lush always throws a surprise into their products. About halfway through the fizz out, the inside of the rose opened up and revealed a magenta center. Johnny and I both agreed that it looked like the wings of the Golden Snitch from Harry Potter. Once the bath bomb fizzed out at about five minutes, the swirling magenta and cream against the black water looked like a huge slab of colored crystal. It looked stunning and it almost made me sad to get in the water and mess it up!

I spent close to forty-five minutes enjoying my bath and, as always, I was amazed by how hydrated my skin felt afterwards. It felt like I had just put lotion on even though I hadn’t and that was especially nice after shaving for the first time in forever lol. I will admit that I was a tad worried about the tub being badly stained from this bath bomb and I am happy to report that it left no ring or residue whatsoever. If this is something that put you on the fence about purchasing Black Rose, then you have the Lil Red Guarantee that your tub will not suffer. 🙂

I am going to rate the Black Rose bath bomb with an eight out of ten stars and I highly recommend it – especially if you, too, have a love for the dark and mysterious. The only reason that I didn’t give it a higher rating is because the scent dissipated rather quickly and it would have been nice if it lingered a bit longer. Overall, it was still VERY NICE!

What is your favorite Lush product? What is your favorite way to pamper yourself? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec10

Happy Haulidays: Blogging Bestie Edition

Posted on December 10, 2022 by lifewithlilred

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Happy Haulidays: Blogging Bestie Edition

Hello!!! Kate from Live In The Nautical has been one of my best friends for well over eight years. She was one of the first people who I came in contact with when lifewithlilred first began and the rest is history. These past few months have been difficult on our friendship. No, we absolutely did not have a falling out – we have both just been crazy freaking busy. My poor bestie was severely under the weather and my life was insane with a month of almost daily trips to downtown Cleveland to visit a loved one at the Cleveland Clinic.

They say that the holidays bring people together and this was so true for both of your favorite bloggers. This past Monday, I received Kate’s Christmas prezzie in the mail and the best friend telepathy was still as strong as ever. I had been waiting since Friday for Etsy links to the gifts I wanted to purchase for her!! As always, Kate spoiled me rotten and I can’t wait to relax with all of these goodies from Lush. I can feel my worries soaking away already! Check it out:

Anyone who follows me on my blog or social media knows that my husband and I share a deep love for Halloween and all things macabre. As you can see, Kate knows this too and turned my Christmas gifts into a part two celebration of the happiest time of the year for me. As soon as I opened my package, I knew that there were Lush products involved because I could smell them right away! Kate is so thoughtful because she knows that I would take a bath with a Lush bath bomb every day if I could but I literally never buy them for myself.

I cannot wait to pamper myself with all of these wonderful bath time treats and it is truly a two part present because it gives me the gift of content! Keep it posted for brand new Bath Bomb Blitz posts to see the scary good results of each product. While I am looking forward to using all of my gifts, I think I am most excited to try the Black Rose bath bomb. And, of course, I am especially partial to the vampire bubble bar or, as Lush cleverly calls it, the Bubble Lugosi lol! 😀

Kate’s Halloween themed Christmas gifts were all treats and no tricks. Not only did she go above and beyond with Lush goodies galore but she also got me a super cool music sheet of This Is Halloween from the Nightmare Before Christmas. It is going to look so amazing framed and hung up on mine and Johnny’s art wall! Anything that adds to the Halloween decor in my apartment is a GREAT SUCCESS of a gift and I also love the front and back of the protective covering she put the music sheet in. The skeleton couple on the back is definitely me and Johnny!

A month ago, I was not looking forward to Christmas at all. However, the holiday season got started with a bang after I received my gift in the mail from Kate. We are reunited and it feels so good and this Grinch’s heart is bursting at the seams!! ❤

What is your favorite Lush product? What gets you in the holiday spirit? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov30

How To Treat Yourself To The Ultimate Makeover

Posted on November 30, 2022 by lifewithlilred

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How To Treat Yourself To The Ultimate Makeover

We all deserve to treat ourselves every once in a while, and what better way to do that than with a makeover? Whether you’re looking for a new hairstyle, wardrobe, or skin care routine, there are endless ways to pamper yourself and feel like a new person. Let’s check out some tips on how you can treat yourself to the ultimate makeover:

Pick a Style Icon:

The first step to any makeover is finding some inspiration. Research your favorite celebrities or style bloggers and find someone whose look you’d like to emulate. Once you have your style icon in mind, you’ll have a better idea of the changes you want to make. Are you still trying to figure out where to start? Pinterest is always a great place to look for fashion inspo.

Update Your Hairstyle:

One of the easiest ways to change your look is by updating your hairstyle. If you’re feeling bold, why not try a brand new color? On the other hand, if you’re not ready for such a drastic change, ask your stylist for a cut that will complement your face shape. You’d be surprised by how much of a difference the right hair cut can make.

Invest in Some New Clothes:

Next up on our list is clothes. If your style needs an update, it’s time to hit the stores (or the internet) and find new pieces that speak to you. But beware – one of the pitfalls of shopping for a new wardrobe is spending too much money on clothes you’ll never wear. To avoid this trap, stick to buying items that can be mixed and matched with pieces you already own. This way, you’ll get the most bang for your buck and your closet will thank you for it!

Treat Your Skin Right:

Remember your skin! After all, what’s the point of having a killer outfit if your skin doesn’t look its best? If you need help figuring out where to start when it comes to skin care, try using products with natural ingredients or consulting with a dermatologist. And remember – just like with clothes, it’s crucial not to overspend on skin care products that might not work for you. Instead, start small and gradually add new products as needed.

Invest In Your Smile:

Finally, don’t forget to invest in your smile. A great way to instantly boost your confidence is by visiting a cosmetic dentist and having them whiten, straighten, or even reshape your teeth. With the right Cosmetic Dentist, you can have a brand new smile in no time and you’ll be amazed at how much of a difference it can make in your confidence.

Go ahead and permit yourself to splurge – it’s close enough to the new year to invest in yourself for a new you. And just in time for the holidays to wow your friends and family!

Featured Image By: Pexels

Nov30

November 2022 Finishes

Posted on November 30, 2022 by lifewithlilred

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Howdy!! It is the end of another month that simply flew by and you all know what that means – it’s time to discuss my monthly beauty finishes! November brought me lots of new products to try out and that was so fun for me because I was feeling pretty blah with my skin care routine. Things definitely got shaken up with two new moisturizers and two new serums, one of which was a hit and the others… Not so much. Let’s get into more detail:

Would I Use Again?

Evoluderm Micellar Water: YES
Bath & Body Works Pretty As A Peach shower gel: YES
Clean Beauty Deep Hydration serum: MAYBE
Clinique Smart Clinical Repair serum: NO
Clinique Smart moisturizer: NO
Pearlessence Big Sky Cloud Cream: YES!!!!

Why/Why Not?

Clean Beauty Serum: This serum took me about four weeks of twice daily use to complete and it was pretty good. It lived up to its name of Deep Hydration because my skin definitely felt more hydrated and soothed after using it. However, there are a lot of serums out there that can do that and more so I can’t say that I was blown away by it. I would use it again if it was available at TJMaxx and nothing else spoke to me but other than that, this is a product that can be skipped on.

Clinique Serum: My aunt gave me a goodie bag of Clinique skin care samples and it took me four days of twice daily use to finish the Clinical Repair serum. While that isn’t enough time to see a product fully work its magic, it was enough for me to know that I couldn’t justify a price tag on a full size bottle. This serum was kind of weird in texture. It was thick but also runny if that makes sense? You also needed a quarter size or bigger dollop to fully cover your face and neck and even then, it still didn’t feel like enough. Who knows? Maybe this product is liquid gold but I just wasn’t seeing it.

Clinique Moisturizer: This moisturizer took me six days of twice daily use to finish the sample size jar and it was alright. I really liked that it had SPF 15 in it because that’s so important – even in the winter months! My skin also felt well hydrated after using it. Having said that, the Clinique Smart moisturizer features one of my biggest product pet peeves: It did a lousy job fully absorbing and I’m talking well over an hour. That is something that really bothers me because I hate feeling any type of residue on my skin, making it an instant no go for me.

Pearlessence Moisturizer: While the Clinique moisturizer I sampled was a dud, I cannot say enough good things about the Pearlessence Big Sky Cloud Cream. I paid six dollars for this huge jar and it took me over five weeks of twice daily use to complete, which is such an amazing value. My only regret is that it didn’t last longer! This moisturizer was the perfect happy medium between a cream and a gel and it made my skin feel so good after every use. I loved how soft it made my skin as well as making it look completely radiant. I would happily buy this product again and want ten of them to have on back stock! 😀

Although there were a few no gos in my November Finishes, it was still a nice treat to try out so many new to me products. If you are looking for a good moisturizer this winter, I can’t recommend the Pearlessence one enough… Buy me a couple of jars too lol! ❤

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

Nov20

New Mocha & Glitter Pink Nails

Posted on November 20, 2022 by lifewithlilred

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Hello! During the trying times of Lil Red’s life right now, I find solace in the beauty salon. This past Wednesday, I got my hair done for the holiday season at The Shear Shop. And, this Wednesday, I visited Elysian Nails for an appointment with my favorite tech to get my nails looking right too. Now that I have been spending almost every day at the Cleveland Clinic (A sixty-six mile round trip drive), it is important for me to take some time for myself to avoid going crazy. Although my mental health was at a negative ten (Which is better than negative one hundred!) when leaving Elysian Nails, my acrylics still looked like a million bucks! Check it out:

Thanksgiving is just around the corner and, although I am not one for holiday themed nails, I like to choose colors that give a unique twist for the season. This fall, I have noticed a resounding amount of pretty beige, cream, and burgundy shades that look lovely but are just a smidge boring for my taste. At the nail polish wall, I was instantly drawn to the mocha hue that I selected and loved the grey undertones that added dimension to the neutral shade. Then, I decided to dress it up with glittery pink for some holiday flare without going overboard. The colors play against each other so well and they both pop beautifully in the light. This is one of my favorite color combos that I have done in a long while!

Last time I got my nails done, my go to girl was unavailable and that was okay because every nail tech at Elysian is awesome. However, the salon experience just hits different when your favorite gal and good friend is the one pampering you. It was SO nice to catch up with her after some time apart and it felt so good to chat about literally anything other than all of the stressful stuff happening in my world. And, of course, my preferred nail tech knows just the way I like my nails after almost two years of being her client and they are sharpened and shaped to perfection. The gorgeous shaping and nail polish colors look divine and it was a very much needed pick me up. ❤

The amazing staff and atmosphere at Elysian Nails truly feels like a home away from home each month and going there is a monthly treat that I always look forward to. I have my appointment already booked for December before the schedule fills up and I can’t wait to go back!

What color of nail polish are you rocking? Do you prefer gel or regular nail polish? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

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