Tag Archives: beauty

The Everyday Mistakes That Are Damaging Your Skin

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The Everyday Mistakes That Are Damaging Your Skin

Everyone wants radiant, healthy skin. But sometimes there are barriers in the way of achieving the glow you want or are working towards, and no matter what you do, your efforts aren’t rewarded with the results you want. Chances are, you’re making mistakes that are hampering your progress, stopping you from achieving that fresh-faced look. Let’s look at a few of the most common mistakes so you can step up your skin care game even more:

Nothing beats that fresh, clean skin feel, but cleansing too often or using too harsh a cleanser for your skin can strip it of its oils and can upset the protective barrier. The result? Redness, irritation, and more breakouts and dry patches than you started with. The trick is to cleanse gently using an appropriate cleanser for your skin type once or twice per day.

Or not using it at all. And those UV rays that damage your skin? They’re present even on cloudy days, too, and in the winter. The damage can be done all year round, not just in the height of summer. Skipping sunscreen speeds up visible aging and increases your risk of skin cancer, too. Try adding a lightweight SPF 30 to your skincare routine for maximum protection benefits.

There is no quick fix for good skin. Good skin is the culmination of religious skincare routines that are consistent every single day. While those hydrating and glowing face masks can give you the moisture boost and healthy look you need before a night out, the effects will only be temporary. The same principles apply to co-harmonizing and harmonizing products. You need to find the right products for your skin and use them consistently to get the benefits and glowing skin you want.

The importance of using ingredients that will directly benefit your skin type cannot be understated. For example, a teenager using retinol products will experience dryness and irritation. A thirty something will benefit from enhanced elasticity. When you shop for skin care products on www.skindeepprofessional.com (or your favorite skin care brand), pay close attention to the ingredients listed and take note of the changes you see as you use it. If your skin has never looked better, you’re on the right path. If you notice irritation, discontinue use immediately.

Sidestepping visiting a dermatologist for skin concerns can end up making matters worse than they were. A dermatologist can enlighten you as to the health of your skin and what you need to do and products or ingredients you need to use to achieve the skin of your dreams. From here, you can implement the perfect skincare routine, choose appropriate products, and even discover skincare treatments that can boost your skin health, such as laser skin resurfacing or acne laser treatment.

Yes, what you put on your skin matters, but also how you live your life matters too. Dehydration, a poor diet, increased stress levels, and a lack of sleep all impact your skin. And before you know it, you’re showing the signs of your lifestyle habits in your skin. Drink plenty of water, eat a nutritious, balanced diet, prioritize sleep, and work on reducing stress levels to help you work on your skin from the inside out. If you’re not addressing the fundamentals of good health, even the best skincare products and routine in the world won’t have any impact.

Healthy skin isn’t about chasing perfection; it’s about avoiding the habits that damage your skin and hold you back. By focusing on the points above and removing everyday skincare mistakes in your life, you can start to reap the benefits of great skin!

Featured Image By: Pexels

September 2025 Finishes

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September 2025 Finishes

Hello everyone! Holy cow, we are into October which means it’s time to discuss my beauty finishes from this past month. This was a particularly good month because I would happily use all of the empties again that we are about to see. GREAT SUCCESS! I don’t know about all of you, but October is the best time ever for me. It’s spooky season, baby, and I can’t wait to do ALL of the fall things. It’s also fabulous from a beauty standpoint too because you know your girl loves an apple fragrance – my favorite! Now, let’s do this thing because we have a lot of skin care inspo to expand on:

Would I Use Again?

Bath & Body Works Starfruit Sangria Body Cream: YES

ValJean Labs Radiant Glow Face Scrub: YES!!!!!!!!

Bath & Body Works Strawberry Pound Cake Body Cream: YES

Elf Holy Hydration Moisturizer: YES

Dr. Wellness Collagen Moisturizer: YES

Why/Why Not?

ValJean Labs Scrub: I started using this scrub at the beginning of May and it took me until September 30th to finish it. I so wish I had more because this Vitamin C and Hyaluronic Acid scrub was the truth. Obviously, it was an amazing value as I got five months of use out of it and I enjoyed it every day. This scrub was very gentle but effective despite its lack of grit. Sometimes scrubs just feel like you’re shredding your skin and I loved that this one had a cream based formula. My skin looked radiant, was smooth as can be, and the cost per use for a five dollar bottle can’t be beat. A dime sized dollop went a very long way. Highly recommend!

Elf Moisturizer: Holy wow was this Holy Hydration moisturizer a delight. My mom gave me this sample jar and, like the scrub, a little went a long way. It took me over a week of twice daily use to finish it and that’s awesome for such a small size. I love Elf products and the Holy Hydration moisturizer is easily one of their best and most popular. Try it for yourself and you can see why! This moisturizer is seriously as light as air on the skin but provides such rich hydration. It also absorbs really quickly so you can feel its effects immediately with a rush so noticeable it’s like splashing water on your face. I need to get me a bigger jar!

Dr. Wellness Moisturizer: The Dr. Wellness Collagen Moisturizer was a REALLY good one and I was so sad when I completed the jar after a month and a half of twice daily use. It was an excellent value, smelled like freshly falling rain, and I definitely noticed a positive effect on my skin. I sometimes find that collagen products make my skin feel dry but this one both tightened and hydrated in a major way. My skin felt firm and was insanely soft to boot. I hope I find it again at TJMaxx because I would end up buying the lot – it was that good. 😀

Although I’m bummed to not have more of these wonderful skin care products, it’s always exciting to test out new ones. I am loving the cleanser and moisturizer I have started so check back in for the reviews!

Which products did you use up last 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

New Hair, Who Dis?

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New Hair, Who Dis?

Howdy! Last Friday I enjoyed a wonderful day of pampering at the Shear Shop to put mine and my stylist, Anna’s, hair plans into fruition. We decided on a red, purple, and blue motif and I was SO ready to get a brand new do. Does anyone else feel like their hair looks like garbage in the week or so before they get it done? I was definitely feeling those sentiments and they were all pushed aside as soon as I stepped into the Shear Shop. I knew my hair was in the best hands and all that was left to do was sit and revel in the process! Check out this fabulous new look and peep my TikTok for the transformation video:

Pulp Riot Colors Used:

Top Left: Fireball with a bit of Pyro

Top Right: Pyro

Bottom Left: Asteroid

Bottom Right: Elixir

The first order of business when my hair gets done is always to bleach it so that the beautiful Pulp Riot hues can be seen in their full glory. Normally, we let the bleach sit for about twenty minutes. This time around, however, it was close to thirty-five because we needed to lift a lot of color from the previous style. We didn’t want any hints of green from the last shade of blue and we also wanted to see more purple, which meant pulling out some of the red. By the time my hair was bleached as far as it could go without jeopardizing the hair, the old blue lifted to a shade of mint green and it was actually really cool!

Once my hair was bleached and washed, the painting of the color began and that is the best part. The neat thing about Pulp Riot colors is that what you see in the bowls of hair dye is what you are going to get. Our new shade of denim blue called Asteroid threw us for a loop, though! Anna and I were both surprised to see that it looked purple in the bowl. We proceeded to use it anyways and about five seconds after Anna applied it, the color turned denim blue before our very eyes. It was insane! If you are interested in using that shade, this is your heads up that you’re still going to get the color you want. It just won’t look that way at first.

After my hair was painted, we let it sit for fifty minutes before washing it out in icy cold water. The end result was absolutely gorgeous! We had red, purple, and blue on the mind and it turned out EXACTLY how we were hoping. I am obsessed with the Asteroid dye and it’s a perfect transition shade of blue for fall time before we darken things up in the winter with Nightfall. The red is popping and I am extremely excited for the purple shade of Elixir. I have been in love with Kelly Osbourne’s purple locks since she hosted Lego Masters Junior and Elixir is an almost exact match. Your girl is feeling her damn self!!

As always, my beloved stylist is a genius and true master of her craft. It is such a joy to spend the day with her and I can’t wait to see what we dream up for my next appointment!

What colors should I get next? Are you changing your hair color for fall? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

New Hair Sneak Peek

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New Hair Sneak Peek

Hello! One of my absolute favorite things in the world is getting my hair done at the Shear Shop. My amazing stylist, Anna, has been doing my hair for over twenty years and we just have so much fun at all of my appointments. While she works her magic, we are nonstop chattering away about our updates, laughing, and daydreaming about what to do with my hair next. Sometimes Anna and I just freestyle what we are going to do the day of my appointment. More often than not, however, we go into it with a plan and then we’ll see what happens. As Anna and I were messaging about my new do at my upcoming appointment, we were both totally on the same wavelength and will be working with this color palette:

This is the time of the year when I ditch summer colors and start delving into the deeper hues of fall. Anna and I have been experimenting with beaucoup blue by Pulp Riot for the warmer weather and I have been loving it. Blue has become a staple in my hair palette and I have been looking forward to using the gorgeous deep navy Nightfall for fall. Then, Anna sent me a picture of a blue jean shade called Asteroid and I just had to go for it instead! It’s not a huge jump from Nightfall but it’s enough for something different and I am never one to shy away from new Pulp Riot colors. I can’t wait to see it and smell it lol because all of their hair dye smells like Sweet Tarts! 😀

With red always being featured in my hair, we also had to decide on a new color for the middle layer. Currently, we have a pretty peach mixture of Desert Sky and Lava and that won’t do for fall. I told Anna I was thinking purple and coincidentally, she was looking at purple options when I suggested it! We considered it fate and will be using a Kelly Osbourne-esque violet called Elixir. I felt very inspired by her hair when she hosted Lego Masters Junior and repeatedly told Johnny how much I liked her color. Elixir is a perfect match and I adore that we read each other’s minds to pick it out. ❤

Red, purple, blue – oh my! Peep my brand new do soon on lifewithlilred!

How often do you get your hair done? Are you changing your hair for fall? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Face Mask Festivities: Trader Joe’s Honey Hydration Edition

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Face Mask Festivities: Trader Joe’s Honey Hydration Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Face Mask Festivities! I love me some skin care from Trader Joe’s and my mom is so sweet to always pick me out a treat when her and my dad make the trip to go shopping there. Unfortunately, the closest Trader Joe’s to us is close to an hour away which is a major bummer. I would do ALL of my grocery shopping there if it wasn’t such a trek! A week or so ago, my mom got me the Honey Hydration Face Mask from Trader Joe’s and it is just as fabulous as it sounds. It has been a while since I used a good face mask and it was so nice to pamper myself! Let’s discuss:

^^^ This product is cruelty free!!

Spoiling myself with pampering is my absolute favorite form of self care. It doesn’t matter if it’s at the nail or hair salon or my own bathroom – I savor every second. After a particularly rough week, I couldn’t wait to test out the Honey Hydration mask and have been using it as often as I can since. It is fantastic! This mask isn’t particularly pungent but it has the faintest scent of honey. It also offers a honey like consistency in a gel texture that isn’t as sticky or goopy as the real thing. However, when the scent and consistency are paired together, I feel like I just rubbed a honeycomb on my face and it’s definitely not a bad thing lol. 😀

As soon as this mask is applied, you can literally feel it working and I live for that sensation. After putting it on, it transforms from gel into a bubbly foam which remains that way until washing it off ten to fifteen minutes later. I knew my skin was going to be soft once it came off but I didn’t expect it to be soft AF. With every use, my skin feels so smooth that I legit can’t stop touching my face. It looks radiant and supple and I swear I can still feel it working even after it has been removed. This is the perfect mask for any skin type but will be particularly nice for those with dry skin or to soothe after combating the winter cold. I just used it again this morning and I seriously can’t wait to use it again and again!

If you have a Trader Joe’s in your neck of the woods, I cannot recommend treating yourself to the Honey Hydration mask enough. Your skin will thank you and you can thank me later! ❤

Where is your favorite place to shop for skin care? What is your favorite face mask? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

New Raspberry & Mauve Nails

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New Raspberry & Mauve Nails

Hello! This past Friday was a wonderful one. After work, I treated myself to a brand new full set at Elysian Nails and then had a delicious dinner with my birthday girl bestie at one of our favorite restaurants. My day concluded by playing Lego 2K Drive with Johnny and it was the perfect way to break in my new nails! It has felt so gloriously fall in good ol’ Akron, Ohio and I wanted to pick some colors to ring in the best season of all. It was bye bye to my neon hues from last month and hello to an updated Strawberry Shortcake palette. Check it out:

I absolutely live for fall fashion. Part of it is because I come alive in a good cardigan or jacket and the other part is loving fall colors. Burnt orange, gem tones, and deep berry hues play an integral part in the many gorgeous shades of fall and I hate to toot my own horn but they all look really nice on me too lol! With fall colors weighing heavily on my mind since last fall, I was so excited to pick out nail polish colors to match the autumn aesthetic. As soon as I opened the nail polish book, my eyes instantly locked in on the deep raspberry sample nail and it was a winner. For my complimentary shade, I went for a mauve polish and the pair had me feeling like a grown up Strawberry Shortcake!

It has been a phat minute since I got a full set and it took around an hour and forty-five minutes in total. The process would have been quicker but I need my nails soaked off no ifs, ands, or buts. I have a pretty high pain tolerance but I simply cannot do popping off acrylics. It makes me hurt just thinking about it! Once the nails were soaked off, my new acrylics couldn’t get placed soon enough. It’s SO weird seeing my hands without my signature claws! Just as soon as they were off, fresh new talons were well on their way and all that was left to do was sit back and relax. When I get a fill, I go during my break at work and the pressure of returning on time is always in the back of my mind. This time around, I had nothing to do but be pampered, chat away with my beloved tech, and anticipate a dinner out with my best girl. ❤

New nails, who dis?! I can’t think of a better way to welcome my happy fall time than with some fresh new acrylics with a color palette to match!

What is your favorite fall color? What color of nail polish are you rocking? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Marc’s Mini Halloween Haul

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Marc’s Mini Halloween Haul

Hello! I love shopping here, there, and everywhere for Halloween goodies and it’s such fun for me to see what all of the different stores have to offer. Whenever spooky season hits, there is one place that I ALWAYS have to visit: Marc’s. For those of you who are not hip, Marc’s is a discount grocery store in Ohio. They have great prices on their products and have a fabulous “closeout section” of random and seasonal decor, children’s toys, clothing, and the list goes on. My parents shop there frequently and when my dad sounded the alarm that their Halloween decorations were out, I just had to swing by the next day for some swag on the cheap. I got all of this for ten dollars and change! Check it out:

^^^ How amazing is that sign?!

I will say that the Halloween selection at Marc’s this time around was not as good as the years prior but that is okay because I still made out like a bandit! The first thing I added to my cart was a pair of spooky leggings that I got for a whole buck fifty which was a total score. I only have one pair of leggings that double for work and pajamas and couldn’t resist snagging a new pair specific to lounging. These babies might not be my size but they are cute as can be and will keep my work leggings for work only. Also I love the dancing pumpkin skeleton. 😀

Next in the cart was one of my favorite things in the whole world: Hair glitter! Glitter hair spray is just pure fun and adds a sweet touch of sparkle to Halloween costumes, concert OOTDs, or every day wear. At Marc’s the hair glitter was only one dolla holla and I got my usuals of gold and silver. I also was so happy to have found a blue hair glitter spray too! Johnny and I plan on being Alice Cooper and Cold Ethyl for Halloween and the blue and silver glitter is going to be perfect on whatever wig I end up picking out. These glitter sprays were definitely a lucky find because I could imagine that one bottle at Spirit Halloween would be at least five dollars or more. Such a steal!

The last of my purchases is easily my favorite and gave me and Johnny a fit of laughter – a five dollar sign proclaiming “give ’em pumpkin to talk about” LOLOL. It’s a freaking HOOT and too cute to boot. I just love that spooky garland at the bottom! This is one of those sayings that I wish I came up with because I think it’s so damn clever and I live for a good play on words. In the past week, I have visited several different stores for Halloween decor and there is no way I would have found something so well made, sizeable, and cheap at any of them. Long live discount stores!!

I balled on a budget during my traditional Marc’s Halloween shopping trip with five items for ten dollars. You simply cannot beat that!

What is your favorite discount store? Where is your favorite place to shop for home decor? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

August 2025 Finishes

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August 2025 Finishes

Howdy!! September is here and I am feeling so fabulously fall and LOVING every second of it! However, we will have to time travel a bit because we have yet to discuss my beauty finishes from August. In July, I had beaucoup empties and some were total and complete duds. This time around was a GREAT SUCCESS and I would happily use each product I completed again. Particularly one of my new favorite serums! Take a look and let’s get to it:

Would I Use Again?

Evoluderm Micellar Water: YES!!

Bath & Body Works Poppy Lotion: YES

Bath & Body Works Gingham All-American Shower Gel: YES

Precision Beauty Vitamin C + Collagen Serum: YES!!

Why/Why Not?

Evoluderm Micellar Water: As you all know, I am incredibly loyal to my preferred brand of micellar water and have been using it for years. In all of that time, I have never seen the jumbo bottles at TJMaxx before and jumped on buying a few of them. You just can’t beat seven dollars for that size when the smaller size was being sold for five! The mega bottle has lasted me over two months as opposed to one and I have another one on standby. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that TJMaxx continues to have the XL bottle available because it is a steal and the epitome on ballin’ on a budget for great skin care.

B&BW Products: The products from Bath & Body Works just make me happy and Poppy is one of my favorite older scents while Gingham All-American has stood out as a new favorite. When you think of a scent called Poppy, you think floral, but that is not what it is in the slightest. If it was, I would hate it because I am so not a flowery fragrance girl! Rather, Poppy smells like a delicious strawberry/pear combo and I simply adore it. It is soft, sweet, and packs a delightfully fruity punch. If you are a fan of berry fragrances like me, you will also love Gingham All-American which invokes the scent of a big summer fruit salad. Strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries combine to make a scent perfect for the season and, honestly, whenever you want!

Precision Beauty Serum: I have been partial to the Precision Beauty serums for the past several months and have been loving them. They are long lasting and it takes me over five weeks of twice daily use to finish a bottle. I also like that they are thicker in texture, leaving my skin feeling so nourished after each application. The Vitamin C + Collagen serum certainly delivered on its promises. My skin looked radiantly sun kissed and I could literally feel the tightening properties of the collagen and there is nothing better than actually feeling a product work. Highly recommend!

This batch of empties was small but mighty and were wonderful additions to my beauty routines. I can’t wait to see what September brings!

Which products did you use up last 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

Bath & Body Works August Freebie

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Bath & Body Works August Freebie

Howdy!! I always get so excited when a Bath & Body Works coupon book arrives in the mail because ninety-nine percent of the time it contains a percentage off and a freebie coupon. The latest one I received was for ringing in all of the autumn scents and was actually one of their better ones. There was a free travel size product as well as twenty-five percent off your purchase. Usually it’s only twenty percent so hell yeah because every little bit helps. During my break on Tuesday, I stopped in to cash in my free product and will definitely be back for a reup of my foaming hand soap soon. I don’t need a restock quite yet but that twenty-five percent off is too good to pass up! Let’s take a look at my freebie and discuss:

If I am not rocking a fruity fragrance, I am a vanilla girl through and through. Ever since I was little, my mom and I would revel in all things vanilla because that’s her favorite too and our sentiments have yet to change. So whenever a new to me vanilla scent is on the market at Bath & Body Works, I always have to see what that’s all about! Is Vanilla Romance the best vanilla scent I have ever tried? Not especially lol but it is nice enough just not nice enough to eventually purchase a full size body wash or lotion.

Vanilla Romance features fragrance notes of “fresh cardamom, vanilla absolute, and captivating woods”. I can’t speak for the captivating woods and I swear B&BW just throws anything in their scent notes. The first two notes are usually right on the money and the third one is a kitchen sink addition and it never ceases to make me laugh! Also are they referencing vanilla absolute like the vodka or saying it’s absolutely vanilla? But I digress. Vanilla Romance is more spicy and musky than what I prefer, which is a true vanilla that’s soft and sweet. It’s not pungent enough to be overpowering but it’s definitely on the fence about it. If you are looking for a vanilla scent with some oomph, you might like Vanilla Romance. If you are a fan of pure vanilla, then this is not the scent for you or me!

Although this is not my favorite B&BW fragrance by a long shot, free is free and it gives me a chance to try something new sans commitment. Not mad about it!

Are you on the market for fall fragrances? 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

Pool Party

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Pool Party

Hello! Swimming is easily the best summer activity and, unfortunately, I can’t tell you the last time I actually went swimming. I’m not talking the wading and treading water like I normally do but swimming for real. My hair has not been my natural color since my mid teens (I honestly have no idea what my natural color is at this point lol) and swimming + dyed hair is a recipe for disaster. Because I refuse to sully my funky colored tresses, getting my front and back stroke on is just impossible. However, I was determined to go swimming with my nieces and nephew when we went on a mini family vaca to Idlewild Park and SoakZone a few weeks ago. Our hotel had a pool and the water park looked like a blast and I wasn’t going to let anything stand in my way – my beloved freshly dyed hair included.

At the time, I had what I thought was a genius idea: Get a swim cap. My hair would be safely tucked away and despite a swim cap being the least cute accessory I can think of, at least I could swim. As soon as we got to the hotel after a day at the park, I made a beeline to the bathroom to get in my swimsuit, put on my cap, and hit the pool. Listen, I have NO idea how swimming enthusiasts get their caps on with ease because my experience was about a bitch lol. My bright purple cap was skin tight and I had to enlist the help of my sister to get it on and tuck away any loose strands. After wrestling with the cap for what felt like an eternity, it was time to put my idea to the test.

As soon as I got in the pool, I made use of the countless swimming lessons of my youth and it was absolutely delicious. I was doing laps with different strokes like nobody’s business and it felt SO good to be fully immersed in the cool water after a long day in the heat. I swam for a solid half hour or so solo and then went back into the hotel to gather the littles and swim altogether. I also couldn’t wait to see how my handiwork with the swim cap paid off. Let’s just say that it didn’t lol.

When I took my cap off, my hair was drenched. Not just a little damp but soaking wet. My hair was bleeding red, orange, and blue profusely and I all but destroyed several hotel towels. I had no idea where I went wrong. Maybe I wasn’t wearing the swim cap the right way? So, I gave it a Google and learned the hard way that swim caps are not meant to keep your hair from getting wet, it’s all about the aerodynamics. SMH this would have been a good thing to research beforehand! Blessedly, my hair didn’t turn into any weird colors but that was besides the point – it was still wet! -_-

My master plan had failed and I genuinely didn’t know what I was going to do at the water park the next day. Then, a little package of silver caught my eye in the bathroom and I saw that it was a shower cap. Was it going to work? No clue. But, it was my only option of protecting my hair and I knew it couldn’t hurt to try. At the water park, I changed into my suit once again and put the shower cap on too. It was kind of funny because I was getting compliments on my hair left and right and it was like everyone knew damn well why the cap was on which I really appreciated. 😀

I am pleased to report that my shower cap didn’t falter during my time in the wave pool, lazy river, and getting splashed by my littles in the Little Squirts section. It was a GREAT SUCCESS, for sure, but I am not convinced that a shower cap would help my hair during actual swimming and I’m too nervous to do a test run. So, I guess the point of this long winded story is that if you know of anything you can wear to keep your hair dry while swimming, let a Lil Red know!

What is your favorite summer activity? How do you protect your hair when swimming? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah