Tag Archives: christmas gift

Jan12

Walmart Gift Card Haul

Posted on January 12, 2022 by lifewithlilred

Hello! Johnny’s mom and dad were kind enough to gift me with a Walmart gift card for Christmas. And, let me tell you, I have never felt more like an adult than during my online shopping haul to use it. I spent my gift card on apartment essentials and while it wasn’t the most fun thing in the world, all of these things will be handy to have around:

For home essentials, you can’t go wrong with any of these purchases. Johnny and I are always in need of Drano, trash bags, electric toothbrush heads, and filters for our Brita pitcher. I rarely do shopping at Walmart so I figured that buying these must haves was the way to go to make the most of my gift card. It will also mean less stuff to buy when I do my next curbside pickup at Giant Eagle. Not only did I get all of the above, but I also got some fluorescent lights that have been burnt out in my kitchen for literal months. Whoops!

Was this the most exciting haul in the world? Not necessarily. But, will it be much needed around the apartment? Totally. It was nice to be able to make such good use of the gift from Johnny’s parents. Thanks again! ❤

What are some of your home essentials? What makes you feel like an adult? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec20

Bath Bomb Blitz: Lush’s Shoot For The Stars Pt. 2 Edition

Posted on December 20, 2021 by lifewithlilred

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Bath Bomb Blitz: Lush’s Shoot For The Stars Pt. 2 Edition

Hi! This past week, I enjoyed a nice hot bath with the Shoot For The Stars bath bomb from Lush compliments of my beautiful best friend’s Christmas gift. Kate of Live In The Nautical knows me so well because Lush products are my favorite and it has been a long while since I have used a bath bomb from there. If I could, I would use one every day!

This is a bath bomb that has actually been discussed already on lifewithlilred. However, I have much better pictures this time thanks to my new phone so I thought it wouldn’t hurt to showcase the Starry Night magic one more time. Check it out:

What I love the most about bath bombs from Lush is that, no matter what, they put on a great show. As soon as the Shoot For The Stars bomb hit the water, it sprung into action coloring the bath water a stunning cerulean dotted with twinkling stars. I loved seeing the swirling, twirling streaks of white, gold glitter, and navy blue and the water almost looked too pretty to even want to go in once the bath bomb fizzed out.

The Shoot For The Stars bath bomb lasted about five minutes before it was complete and the runaway stars fully dissolved after ten. For an extra dose of hydration, I rubbed the stars into my skin and my legs felt so moisturized even after shaving. Not to mention how freaking luxurious I felt soaking in my bath tub that looked worthy of a Van Gogh painting!

During a normal bubble bath, I am always fine with exiting the water fairly quickly. However, with this bath bomb I must have stayed in the tub for at least a half hour and even after a long soak I was still disappointed to lift the drain stopper. But, just because the water was gone doesn’t mean that the Shoot For The Stars surprises stopped. My skin felt soft and nourished and remained that way for several days after. Such a perfect way to get rid of dry, winter skin!

I rated this bath bomb with an eight out of ten stars during my last review. But, my opinion has changed and I will be awarding it with: ten out of ten stars. The Shoot For The Stars bath bomb is an amazing way to introduce yourself or giftees to Lush products and I would happily use it again… and again, and again. 😀

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

Dec7

Happy Haulidays: Bestie Edition

Posted on December 7, 2021 by lifewithlilred

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Hi!! When lifewithlilred was in its early years, I developed a friendship with a fellow blogger and fashion enthusiast named Kate of Live In The Nautical. What started as comments on each others blogs turned to Facebook friendship, texting, video chats, and a trip to New York City to visit her! For years, Kate has been one of my absolute best friends and I am so thankful to the blogosphere for bringing us together. ❤

From a love of Harry Potter and figure skating to celebrities we can’t stand, Kate and I can talk for hours on end about everything and nothing and I always look forward to our FaceTime dates. We also both love gift shopping for birthdays and Christmas so the holiday season and our close together June birthdays are a very exciting time for us!

This past week, Kate and I exchanged super early Christmas gifts in the mail and it was such fun. Despite the fact that her package used SO. Much. Tape. that I compared it to trying to break into a jail when attempting to open it! Lol take a look at these darling prezzies from my darling bestie:

Both Kate and I can concur that our friendship is the best gift of all but the gifts above are a nice touch! I am obsessed with the Espresso Patronum mug a la Harry Potter and plan on drinking all of the coffee spiked with Baileys in it… Or maybe just Baileys! And, of course, I can’t wait to test out the bath bombs from Lush because Kate knows that they are my favorite. ❤

Every day I am so grateful for Kate but times of celebration like the holidays make me realize how lucky I am to have her in my life even more. I can go to her for anything, judgement free, and I know that she will listen, offer sound advice, and make me laugh like no other. I love the self who I am when we are together (albeit through a computer screen) and she is one of the best things that came out of starting my blog in the first place.

The blogosphere is such an amazing way for people to come together and near or far, I have made a best friend for life. Kate, I love you so much and thank you for everything you do for me. Now, everyone go check out her page!

Have you met any best friends through your blog? What is your favorite thing about blogging? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr12

The Body Shop’s Himalayan Charcoal Purifying Clay Wash Review

Posted on April 12, 2021 by lifewithlilred

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The Body Shop’s Himalayan Charcoal Purifying Clay Wash Review

Hi! When it comes to my beauty care hoard, I like to be well stocked at all times and am just now starting to work on using some of the products gifted to me for Christmas. My brother and his family gave me lots of products from The Body Shop so I could have at home spa treatments and I have been especially eager to try out the Himalayan Charcoal Purifying Clay Wash. It took me a while to get around to it because the last cleanser I used lasted me almost five months! This clay wash was definitely worth the wait, however, as I am freaking obsessed so let’s discuss:

I am a huge fan of products from The Body Shop and have never really been disappointed by anything from there so I already knew I was in for a treat with this cleanser. Their Purifying Himalayan Charcoal face mask is also one of the best that I have ever used. Needless to say, I was excited to try the cleanser out because I didn’t even know it existed and I also don’t get TBS products very often so I feel so pampered whenever I get the chance to use them.

Like the face mask from the Himalayan Charcoal line, the clay wash smells awesome. It’s really earthy but has a faint minty scent thanks to being made with tea tree oil and it is nice and invigorating to use every morning. I can’t say I have ever used a clay wash before so I didn’t know what to expect when I used it. I was actually a bit worried that it would have a clay mask texture, which would make using it as a face wash kind of difficult. But, while this clay wash is thicker in texture, it lathers and rinses so easily and my skin feels nourished and healthy after each use.

The best thing about the Himalayan Charcoal face mask was the fact that it completely eradicated my blackheads and the same goes for the clay wash. The charcoal works like a magnet to remove all of the gunk and my skin is left soft and glowing after my morning shower. A small amount of the clay wash also goes a long way and I would happily use it again. It has been a while since I have tried out a product that was brand new to me and I highly recommend the Himalayan Charcoal Purifying Clay Wash!

What is a staple in your skin care routine? What is your favorite product from The Body Shop? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb10

Fun & (Video) Games Pt. 2

Posted on February 10, 2021 by lifewithlilred

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Hi! For one of my Christmas gifts, Johnny let me pick out a game on the Nintendo Switch store for myself since I haven’t had much to play since beating Paper Mario: The Origami King, which he got me for our one year anniversary. I have always enjoyed playing Mario games and ever since playing the new Paper Mario, I have been in a huge Mario mood. Let me just say Mario one more time… MARIO. 😀

Anyways, for my Christmas gift, I decided to go with a three pack of Mario games that included Super Mario 64, Super Mario Galaxy, and Super Mario Sunshine. I was most looking forward to playing Super Mario Sunshine, as I can remember always being excited to play it at the Target video game section while running errands with my mom whenever I was younger.

Unfortunately, Super Mario Sunshine was a complete bust and, despite having Johnny help me, we had trouble completing even the first few levels. The catch with Super Mario Sunshine is that there is no traditional jump and punch fighting – you are spraying everything with water! The controls were dodgy and the fact that it wasn’t like a classic Mario game in the slightest were definitely grounds to try a different game so I scrapped Sunshine and went with playing Super Mario Galaxy, instead. And, let me tell you, I am SO glad I did!

Super Mario Galaxy was an absolute blast and I finally beat it this past week. It was so much fun because it was such a completely different version of Mario thanks to the outer space setting. Because of gravity, not only could you explore the top part of the platforms but you could also run about on its bottom and sides without fear of falling off. It made each level thrilling because there was so much to do as there was a lot of space to cover.

In Galaxy, it always felt like something new was happening – a new galaxy or planet being discovered, a letter from Luigi, or the opportunity for different powers like turning into a bee or a bouncy spring. From scaling giant honey combs to exploring underwater caverns, no two levels were alike and it was impossible to beat one level without seeing which the next one (or two, or three) would be like.

The best part of playing Super Mario Galaxy, though, was when Johnny would help me beat the levels I was stuck on. There were a lot of tricky aspects to the game that involved motion, as it was originally for the Wii. Levels that involved rolling around on a ball or surfing on an eel always left me calling for him for help and he would drop whatever he was doing to give it a try. So sweet!

We delighted in beating levels together and even on the ones we couldn’t beat, it was still fun to keep trying until our lives ran out. After beating the game, I found out you could unlock a new world if you beat every single level and, unfortunately, that’s just not going to happen. Lol, so I plan on playing Super Mario 64 next!

What video game are you currently playing? What is your favorite Mario game? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan12

Face Mask Festivities: Formula 10.0.6 Get Your Glow On Edition

Posted on January 12, 2021 by lifewithlilred

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Face Mask Festivities: Formula 10.0.6 Get Your Glow On Edition

Hello! After testing out the Turn Up The Heat self-warming face mask by Formula 10.0.6, I was less than impressed. It’s safe to say that I was expecting another disappointment when I tried their Get Your Glow On skin brightening peel mask but I was dead wrong. Despite one issue, this mask rocked and I am very excited to use it again! Take a look at some pics and let’s discuss:

Similar to the last mask I used by Formula 10.0.6, the Get Your Glow On mask was incredibly difficult to get out of the squeeze bottle. It wasn’t so much the mask as it was the bottle itself, which was stiff and rigid. I have nerve damage in my hands from a car accident and I had a tough go of squeezing enough of the mask to cover my face into my hands. In fact, I had almost given up on using it completely so if you struggle with any type of nerve damage or arthritis in your hands, this mask might be more trouble than its worth even though it worked well.

After finally getting enough product into my hands to apply to my face, it was smooth sailing and the mask smelled great – just like Lip Smackers chapstick! I left the mask on while I took a bath and it was ready to peel off by the time I finished my soak. It took about twenty to twenty-five minutes for the mask to dry, which is quite a bit more time than the directions recommend so be aware of that if you do decide to give the Get Your Glow On mask a try.

The mask peeled off perfectly and I felt like a snake shedding its skin, lol. I just love peel off masks in general and they are fun when they actually work because I’ve used a few in the past that just never dried or peeled. After removing the mask, I really felt like my skin looked brighter. I used this mask first thing in the morning and my skin no longer looked tired but radiant, even, and clear. It also didn’t dry my skin out at all, which is a huge plus because the Turn Up The Heat mask left my skin feeling so tight.

The Get Your Glow On mask was a huge improvement in comparison to my previous experience with Formula 10.0.6 and I would recommend it as long as you’re okay with struggling with the bottle each time you use it. Don’t say I didn’t warn ya!

What is your favorite type of face mask? How do you pamper yourself at home? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan4

Holiday Haul: Big Brother & Family Edition

Posted on January 4, 2021 by lifewithlilred

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Holiday Haul: Big Brother & Family Edition

Helloooo! This past Christmas was awesome, but it would have been perfect if my brother, Peter, and his wife, Megan, and their little boy could have been with us too, as they live out of state. Peter, Megan, and their adorable son sent me and my family the most lovely gifts and I am always so happy when we can FaceTime with each other or chat via phone call and text. I can’t wait to be able to see them in person again but opening their gifts felt like a special hug from each of them and I am so in love with all of my prezzies for spa treatments right in my apartment. Check it out:

I absolutely love the timeless fashion of Ralph Lauren clothing and I feel so spoiled to now have a RL robe that is just as (If not more!) comfortable than it looks. Complete with the RLL monogram and oozing all of the cozy vibes, I want to wrap myself in it whenever I even think about it! My new robe will be great during cold nights in my apartment but it will be even better when I am pampering myself with all of my new goodies from The Body Shop.

I live for products from The Body Shop and being gifted with all of these sets is such a treat because they are something that I wouldn’t buy for myself. Their body butters are so luxurious and each one smells amazing. I am looking forward to kissing my dry winter skin goodbye with my set of five mini butters – I’m particularly excited about the Almond Milk & Honey one because it’s my favorite. 😀

I also received a super cute makeup bag filled with mini sizes of TBS top sellers and am so glad that a Vitamin E moisturizer was included because it is simply the best. Finally, I will be able to take my spa treatments over the top with the Himalayan Charcoal Skin Purifying Kit. I have never used the Purifying Clay Wash so that will be fun to try and scrub in with the charcoal infused buffer. Their Himalayan Charcoal face mask is also, hands down, one of my favorites and I can always count on it to not only remove nasty blackheads but make my skin glow.

An evening in my robe with a face mask on and a steaming cup of tea is the epitome of a pampering party to me and I am beyond happy with these beautiful gifts. Thanks again! ❤

How do you do spa treatments at home? What is luxurious to you? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan3

If The Slipper Fits: Minnetonka Edition

Posted on January 3, 2021 by lifewithlilred

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Hello! My adorable mom was a sneaky Santa, as she presented me with a “decoy” (As she called it) shoe box this Christmas before gifting me with the L’Artiste sandals that I had been drooling over. What was in my decoy box, you might ask? An oh so comfy pair of moccasin style slippers by Minnetonka! I’m not going to lie, I was a bit disappointed when I opened my slippers and they weren’t the sandals. But, after testing them out once I got home, I have practically lived in them and I can’t help but smile at my mom’s little prank every time I put them on. Lol, check it out:

When I was a teenager, I got a pair of Minnetonka moccasins that I still own to this day. I can’t seem to throw them out, even though they are riddled with holes now because I would wear them literally all the time. But, with these new slippers, I definitely might be more inclined to pitch my waterlogged old faithfuls since I now have an upgrade. Despite them being house shoes, they still have a thick rubber sole so I know I can have them on when walking to take the trash out or going to the gas station drive thru.

I was a bit worried that the faux fur lining in the moccasins might be too warm for me but they are just right – especially in my cold apartment! I love my slippers because I have never owned a pair in my life and they are something that I wouldn’t have bought for myself. My mom is basically the cutest person ever and I just adore the fact that she knew exactly what my reaction would be when I opened my Minnetonkas but gifted them to me anyways because she also knew that I was going to warm up to them immediately. The Sneaky Santa award most definitely goes to her! ❤

Have you ever received a decoy gift? What was the decoy prezzie covering up? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan2

If The Shoe Fits: L’Artiste Sandals Edition

Posted on January 2, 2021 by lifewithlilred

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If The Shoe Fits: L’Artiste Sandals Edition

Howdy!! My parents, AKA Santa, were so generous this Christmas and treated me to a gorgeous pair of mini wedged sandals by L’Artiste that I have been drooling over ever since I saw them on ModCloth. It was the last present that I opened and they clearly were saving one of the best for last! Check out these pretty new babies and let’s discuss:

Now, the heels on these sandals are, admittedly, pretty low for Lil Red but I am more than willing to sacrifice a few inches of height for them. I mean, just look at the patterns, colors, and details! As soon as I saw my new sandals on ModCloth, I was blown away by how beautiful they are. I love the contrast between the jet black base, the stark white stitches, and the shocking oil pastel style colors on the floral patterns. The chunky buckle adds a touch of edge and I feel like I would be the belle of the farmer’s market in them!

I am so looking forward to sporting my sandals come late spring and summer because they are going to be absolutely charming with sun dresses and shorts. And, even though I could walk for forever in twenty inch heels, the smaller wedge will be a nice break while browsing outdoor shopping centers. Can all of the winter snow melt now, or? 🙂

My parents know how much I love my shoe collection and I am so happy to add these beauties to it. I felt so spoiled this Christmas and am so thankful for all of the wonderful gifts I received. I am also extremely thankful that Santa knows that I’m a size six! ❤

How would you style these sandals? Do you have a collection of anything? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan1

Holiday Haul: Lillianne Robe Edition

Posted on January 1, 2021 by lifewithlilred

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Hellooo everyone and happy 2021! Santa was very good to Lil Red this year and one of my favorite gifts that I received is easily a vampire fang adorned robe by Lillianne from my mom and dad. I have never owned a robe before and as soon as I saw the little number seen below on ModCloth, I had to have it. I’m also not going to lie… I am very jealous of how comfy Johnny always looks lounging in his cheetah print robe! Lol, take a look at some pics and let’s discuss:

Now that I think of it, it is kind of crazy that I have never owned a robe considering I have at least one of everything else in the fashion department! I guess I was just waiting for the right one to come along and my Lillianne robe spoke to me. If you are a Lil Red super fan, you will notice that the pattern on this robe is almost identical to one of my tattoos on my shoulder and I was so tickled when that was the first thing that Johnny said about it. 🙂

^^^ Don’t mind the face mask, you can just see my tattoo really well in this pic!

I have basically lived in this robe since Christmas day and my only regret is that I can’t wear it all the time because it is SO. Damn. Comfy. The fabric is nice and soft and it provides an extra layer of warmth without feeling too hot. I love the soft blush color paired with the punchy red and black and the embroidered “Bite me” on the back makes it the perfect robe for me. Not to mention it has really deep pockets to either warm my hands with or put a bunch of snacks in. 😀

My parents knocked it out of the park with this gift and if you see me roaming around Akron, Ohio in my new robe, then just know that I succumbed to the comfort and to mind your business lol!

What is your favorite gift that you received this holiday season? How did you celebrate the holidays? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

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