Tag Archives: fun

Mystery Blogger Award #4

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Mystery Blogger Award #4

Hi everyone and happy Tuesday! I am so excited to do this post for lifewithlilred’s fourth Mystery Blogger Award nomination. I am so appreciative to my friend, Rachael, at A Little Moore for thinking of little old me while completing her award post. Please be sure to check out her page and give it some love! And special thanks to Okoto for creating this award. Now, let’s get on to the rules:

The Rules:

  • Feature the award logo/image on your blog post
  • List the rules
  • Thank the blogger that nominated you
  • Mention the award creator and link to their blog
  • Tell readers 3 things about yourself
  • Answer the questions provided
  • Nominate 10-20 bloggers and notify them by commenting on their blog
  • Ask your nominees 5 questions of your choice
  • Share and link to your best post(s)

Fun Facts:

  1. I love amusement parks and rollarcoasters but, ironically, get sick if I’m riding in a car on curvy roads.
  2. Nine times out of ten when I’m writing, my darling little dog named Ollie is at my feet keeping me company.
  3. The horror genre in film, books, and television is my favorite and I’m always looking for suggestions for new material to enjoy!

Q & A:

What inspired you to blog? Lol, enough people telling me that they would read my page if I ever began one! Lifewithlilred was started solely on the suggestions of others since I’m apparently fashionable and reasonably funny.

What is your favorite movie and why? Oh wow…Uh, I guess I’m going to say Pan’s Labyrinth because it’s visually stunning and I love the story. To me, that movie is perfect. But, believe me, I could name like ten more favorites if given the opportunity.

What is your favorite song at the moment? I don’t have one. I have a lot of favorite songs so these questions are actually really difficult for me to answer because I kind of can’t!

What is your favorite thing about the country that you live in? That there’s a Taco Bell one mile away from my home.

When was the last time you full on belly laughed at something? I find hilarity in lots of different scenarios so I have a good laugh at least once a day!

My Nominees (I’m only doing three):

My Questions For You:

  1. What is your favorite memory from this summer?
  2. What would you consider a perfect day?
  3. What is something that you’re afraid of?
  4. What are qualities that you look for in a friend?
  5. What is your favorite thing to treat yourself with?

My Best Post:

  • Meh, I don’t really have a favorite or one that I consider my best, so there’s that.

Thank you so much again to Rachael from A Little Moore for lifewithlilred’s fourth Mystery Blogger Award! How would you answer some of Rachael’s questions? How about some of mine? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Elf Palette Faves #2

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Elf Palette Faves #2

Hi everyone and happy weekend! The next color that we’re going to talk about in my top three faves from my Elf Nude Rose Gold Palette is a pretty shell pink that’s perfect for using on the corner of your lids for bright, sparkling eyes. Unfortunately, the names of these colors in my palette are not listed so we’ll just go with the generic Pretty In Pink for this color, lol, check it out:

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Pretty In Pink is the shade in the middle of the palette and can be seen dry in the first heart and wet in the second. As you can see, there’s not that big of a difference, but I prefer to wear it dry. I’m all about wetting my brush when I’m using eyeshadow as a liner but for the colors on my lids, not so much. This color is great because it goes with virtually anything and is a flattering shade for all skin types. As I mentioned earlier, it looks great in the corners or slightly underneath the eyes. But, for a fresh princess glow, a generous sweep on the lids is all you need for a delicate and feminine look.

I like Pretty In Pink a lot for its versatility and, of course, the sparkles in it don’t hurt, either! I think all of the colors in my Elf palette are really nice, but be sure to tune in tomorrow to catch my third and final Palette Fave! What shade in the Nude Rose Gold Palette is your favorite? What kind of makeup look would you create with this product? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

New(ish) Elf Nude Rose Gold Palette

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New(ish) Elf Nude Rose Gold Palette

Hellooo everyone and happy Hump Day! As all of you know, I’m trying to get (slightly) more adventurous with my makeup choices. I don’t want anything crazy, and even if I did, I don’t have anywhere near the makeup talent required to do it. But, that doesn’t mean that I can’t branch out and try some new eye makeup colors!

As opposed to buying a bunch of different eyeshadow shades, I was hoping to use a more economic approach and find a palette that would work for me. I wanted to find a palette with colors that I was comfortable with using, as well as with a price tag that I was comfortable with, too. In June, I found that with this here Elf Nude Rose Gold Palette. I know, I know it’s taken me a minute (obviously) to write about it, but here it is:

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With ten eyeshadow colors perfect for mixing and matching and a ten dollar cost, I think that this palette is perfect. It offers colors that I use already, like the bronzes and pinks. But it also gives me some darker shades that I’m excited to try for a more sultry, smokey look. Wa wa woo we wa!

I won’t bore you with swatches of all of the colors, but I thought that I would post some individual pictures of my favorite shades throughout this week. So, after a call to action announcement tomorrow, do make sure to check out some dry and wet swatches from my New(ish) Elf Nude Rose Gold Palette!

What is your favorite eyeshadow palette? What are your favorite drug store makeup brands? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Blogger Recognition Award #5

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Blogger Recognition Award #5

Hi everyone and happy Monday! Today has been off to a great start, as it began with seeing a comment that lifewithlilred was nominated for its fifth Blogger Recognition Award. Thank you so much to my friend, Stephanie, over at Stephanie Grace for the nomination! Please be sure to go check out her page and give it some love! Now, let’s get on to the rules for this award:

The Rules:

  • Thank the blogger who nominated you and link to their blog.
  • Write a post to show your award.
  • Give a brief story of how your blog started.
  • Give two pieces of advice to new bloggers.
  • Select 15 other bloggers that you want to give this award to and comment on each blog to let them know with a link to your award post.

Because lifewithlilred has been nominated for this post before, I am going to go straight to naming my nominees. But, if you are interested, you can see my original post for my first Blogger Recognition Award with all of my advice here!

My Nominees (I’m only doing three):

Thank you so much again to Stephanie for my nomination and do make sure to take a look at her blog! How was everyone’s weekend? Who has been on a summer vacation already? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Bath Bomb Blitz: Intergalactic Planetary Edition

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Bath Bomb Blitz: Intergalactic Planetary Edition

Helloooo everyone and happy Hump Day! Last night, I treated myself to using the other bath bomb that I got during my Lush shopping trip a few weekends ago. Other than the “DAD” one that I purchased (lolol), I also went with the galaxy bath bomb. I’ve seen many a post about this little wonder product so I just had to give it a go to see if it looks as cool in real life as it does on my laptop screen. SPOILER ALERT: It did! Take a look:

ip1ip2ip3ip4ip6ip5ip7ip8ip9

To me, the Lush bath bombs don’t smell a lot like anything – but that’s okay! These products are still a lot of fun. As soon as I dropped the galaxy bomb in the water, it changed almost instantly. The deep indigo, pink, green, and white began swirling about my tub so quickly and didn’t fizz out for at least fifteen minutes. As much as I loved my DAD bomb for humor’s sake, this one definitely took the cake!

Another pretty surprise was the glitter, that you can kind of see above in the second to last photo. The bright white glitter scattered throughout the water looked like little mini spiral galaxies in a dark night sky and it was so cool to see. As soon as the water was ready, I turned off the main lights in my bathroom, eased myself into the tub, and spent my evening floating around in outer space.

Like my DAD bath bomb, this galaxy one left my skin feeling so supple and hydrated. I was also pleasantly surprised to find that the dark blue water didn’t stain my tub, which was definitely a nice bonus! I’m a bit sad that I have no more bath bombs from Lush to play with, so I guess that’s what my Christmas wish list is for! Hey, it’s only five or so months away, right?! 😉

So there you have it, the newest issue of Bath Bomb Blitz: Intergalactic Planetary Edition! What is your favorite bath and body care product? 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

9 Simple Self Care Changes That Make A Big Impact

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9 Simple Self Care Changes That Make A Big Impact

Having a soothing evening of self care is something that everyone enjoys. A little bit of TLC can make a world of difference with how you feel. Here are some of the best ways to relax and refresh your mind and body:

A long, hot bath: This time may be difficult to achieve if you have young children, but if you do get the chance to have a long soak in the tub, then snap it up. Light some candles, switch the main light off, pour yourself a glass of your favorite drink, and dollop a large amount of bubble bath into the tub. Let the hot water and amazing aromas take you away from the stresses of life for a little while.

Another great thing to do when taking a bath, is adding some pink Himalayan salt to your water. It has incredible health benefits, especially in the realms of skin care. You’ll come out feeling relaxed and your skin will feel super soft thanks to the exfoliating properties of the salt.

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 Those nails!

Face masks: Another great way to treat your skin is to slap on a face mask, cut some slices of cucumber, and relax for ten or so minutes. Your skin will feel refreshed and supple and hopefully the cucumbers will have eliminated those tired bags from under your eyes.

One downside of face masks, is that the first few times that you use them, you may break out in acne. This is your body expelling the dirt underneath your skin. Always remember to make sure that you’re using a mask that is safe for your face. Check out beautyproductwarnings.com for the best advice on skin care and products.

Meditation is a fabulous way of unwinding from your day. Put some relaxing music on, sit comfortably, and breathe deeply. With each exhale of air, push out any worries or complications that you’ve had that day. Once you feel calm and relaxed, you can continue to enjoy the rest of your evening.

Similar to meditation, hypnosis can also work wonders with relieving stress. You simply pop some headphones in and listen. Make sure that you’re comfortable and let the recording take you away. Hypnosis can be great for people with anxiety or people who struggle to sleep. Michael Sealey’s YouTube account is a fantastic example of the hypnosis that you might want to look for.

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 R&R

Time to yourself: Having a small amount of time to yourself is underrated. You may adore your partner and children but taking some time to just be yourself is incredible for the mind. Letting it all hang out (ayyy!) on the sofa in front of the TV is all some people need to rejuvenate.

Foot spa: You might not have a fancy foot spa at home, but there are other ways that you can treat your feet for next to no cost at all. Get yourself a bucket and fill it just under halfway with warm water (the heat you would use for a bath). Be sure to add some bubbles and maybe a drop of lavender oil into the water. Sit yourself down with a book or while watching TV and pop your feet into the bucket. You will feel relaxed almost instantly. Be sure to hit the pumice stone and lotion after!

Manis & Pedis are another great way of treating yourself. You don’t necessarily have to do this at home, either. Take yourself to your favorite salon and enjoy some pampering. Plus, with the amount of wonderful designs that you can choose for your nails these days, you will walk away looking absolutely fabulous.

Dye your hair: Doing this can make you feel like a whole new person. Your hair will look shiny and full of life again and you can even cover up those evil greys(!). Be careful not to over-dye your hair, though, as this can be very damaging to your scalp and locks. Be sure to also get regular trims if you dye your hair as split ends are easily formed.

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 Pamper party!

Have a beauty evening with your girls: Invite the girls over for some drinks and giggles and ask them to bring their makeup bags. You can gossip and put the world to rights while doing each other’s makeup. It’s a great way of relaxing and afterwards, you will be ready to hit the town!

One thing to remember with using makeup is to not ruin your skin by caking it unnecessarily. Take a look at the best way to apply foundation and the routine you should adopt before applying it.

Spend alone time with your SO: It’s likely that you’ve both had a mega hectic day and have barely seen each other. Take the time at least once a week to cook a meal together and sit at the table with no distractions. Talking through your day or week with your loved one can relieve stress and anxiety, and it will also stop any distancing between you as a couple. Grab some wine and make it romantic. There’s nothing wrong with keeping the spark alive in your relationship, even if you’ve been together for many years.

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#datenight

We all have to work hard in life to get what we want, but we also need to take care of ourselves in the process. Take time at least once a week to do one of these things and you will start to notice the difference in how you feel. Also, pampering and self-care will not only make you feel better, but look better too. It’s a win-win situation!

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

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Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

When it comes to beauty, nothing is permanent and it’s important to remember that. Girls grow up and want to emulate their favorite pop stars, TV princesses, and movie queens and, as such, we copy every out-there look. Whether it’s a spray tan as dark as hardwood or a nose ring to copy the latest DJ, experimentation is part of growing up as a young person. That need to find out who you are comes with a territory and sometimes that territory means donning blue hair with green streaks. Don’t laugh, though, the mermaid look is very much in, and you only have to look here to see it!

Sometimes, even after that experimental teen phase passes, a change is needed. There are so many ways that you can make a change to your look; clothes and makeup being just two of them. Some of the changes can come with regret, but as we’ve already said, nothing is permanent. Piercings can be removed and the holes close up. Wardrobes can be reshuffled. Hair can be dyed back to a more ordinary color. Even tattoos inked into the skin can be sorted with several visits to a tattoo removal service. Beauty isn’t always cheap, and reversing that beauty isn’t, either. However, it is available to you and you don’t have to stay looking one way or another just because of a little ink or hair dye!

When it comes to changing part of your look, it comes with a shift in your life. So many self-help books tell you not to go for a big, dramatic change when stressful situations arise, but change is the way that so many people cleanse. Strip it all back and start again with a clean palette, that sort of thing. There are so many ways that you can change your appearance and reflect a different part of your personality. For example, someone who loves the meaning of tattoos and certain designs are more likely to cover themselves in tributes to areas of their lives that they never want to forget. Of course, these can be removed down the line, but that’s why it’s said never to get a tattoo unless you are 100% sure!

changee2Pretty!!

Those who enjoy the look of piercings are different to those who like to streak their hair with frosted blonde. The change that is made with a piercing can be reversed but more often than not, is preferably permanent. You can experiment with clip on piercings before going for the real thing, so you can see what it looks like. Ears are the usual place to pierce but those who want to be more out there and different go for noses, septum, lip, and even cheeks! Making a change in your appearance is never a bad thing, but you need to be sure that you want to make a change before you go for it. Understand your reasons behind the change and make sure that you feel comfortable with it.

Change is good for the soul and sometimes after tragedy or excitement strikes, a new update to your appearance is just what the doctor ordered!

Featured Image By: Wikimedia

It’s In The Bag: Dream Control Edition

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It’s In The Bag: Dream Control Edition

Hi everyone and happy Monday! I hope that all of you had a wonderful weekend and are filled with endless energy to tackle your day. My brother and his wife are celebrating their second marriage anniversary shortly, so my mom and I hit up TJMaxx to see if we could find a nice present for them. We didn’t. But, naturally, I did find something! Take a look at this new backpack beauty and let’s discuss:

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^^^ Pretty! ❤

Although I share a deep love for all things fashion, I can’t say that I’m a very big purse girl. Don’t get me wrong, I have purses for days, darling, but I normally don’t go actively out of my way to acquire new ones on a regular basis. That’s what my love for shoes is for! ANYWHO, I’m very particular when it comes to my purses because it is absolutely crucial that my bags are unique but neutral enough to work well with my quirky, mix and match wardrobe. And that’s where this vegan leather, thirty dolla holla Dream Control book bag comes into play…

I LOVE IT SO MUCH OMGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!! ❤

Everything about this bag is just perfect to me. The slate grey color, the ethical material, the daring, envelope style shape. And, of course, the meager price tag didn’t hurt, either! Backpack style bags are so cool to me. They’re such a solid, unexpected staple piece that can be used in so many different cases. Whether you’re running around town, packing an overnight bag, or jamming it full of paper work from the nine to five, the backpack has got you covered.

I can’t say that I’m a trend follower, but when it comes to book bags, I willingly break my own rule! I have one other backpack that was also from TJMaxx and it’s one of my favorites. I freaking LURVE that thing, but it was lonely without a backpack buddy to hang out with on my purse display in my room, so obviously my Dream Control find was a must buy! #backpackBFFs

The slate grey color will make this bag easy to incorporate with all of my outfits, and I can just feel the compliments rolling in thanks to its unique shape. (I’ve literally never seen anything like it before!) Was it a necessary purchase? Uhhh…not necessarily. But a fun purchase, none of the less! It’s in the bag, darling. 😉

So there you have it, the latest issue of It’s In The Bag: Dream Control Edition! What is your favorite shape for purses? Who else loves sporting the backpack trend? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

The Best Sports For The Whole Family

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The Best Sports For The Whole Family

Getting your kids to exercise often means fighting an uphill battle. Most of the time they’d rather be inside on the computer than outside moving about. The best way of getting them to be active is to find an activity that they’ll enjoy doing. Don’t forget about yourself, either, it’s just as important for you to get a good amount of exercise, especially as you get older.

Exercise is the best way to combat any of the health complaints that come with age, so it’s vital that the whole family gets outside and does some exercise on a regular basis. As well as getting exercise, sports teach your kids a lot of good values. They will learn the importance of teamwork and sportsmanship, which will stand them in good stead later on in life. You can have great quality time together by playing some sports. For families that are looking to explore a much wider range of hobbies, activities such as recreational riding may be interesting. Taking a look at equestrian reviews by Freddie Vasquez Jr
can also help to enhance knowledge of horses making it much easier to appreciate the beauty of riding. Here are some of the best sports for you to do as a family:

Baseball: Baseball is a good one to play when you first start exercising because you’ll get a lot of rests between bursts of energy. You can play at the local park with fairly limited equipment. As long as you have a bat and a ball, you can use pretty much anything to mark out the bases. Alternatively, if you don’t have a local park nearby and there isn’t space in the garden for a full game, you can just practice your throwing and catching skills. Baseball is a great sport for the family, which helps you get some good cardiovascular exercise as well as improving your hand eye coordination skills.

sportss#1 😀

Golf: People don’t always consider golf when they’re thinking of sports that are good for exercise, but you’d be surprised by how many calories you could burn on the course. You won’t be running up and down all day but you’ll be doing a fair bit of walking so it’s still going to get your heart going. If you’re going to play a family game of golf, you need to get all of the right equipment. A good set of clubs is vital, otherwise you’ll find yourself stuck in a bunker all day. Look for the most forgiving golf clubs, they’re perfect for beginners and they’ll help you to avoid missing all of your shots. If you get a bad set of clubs and it’s difficult for the kids to make any good shots, they’ll soon get frustrated and give up (Me.).

Before you go, check the rules at your local course because a lot of them have specific dress codes and they won’t let you play if you don’t have the right attire. Subscription boxes like Mullybox can provide golf course appropriate clothing as well as accessories to improve your game too. Golf is a good choice when the weather is particularly hot and you still want to get some exercise without doing anything too intense. You might soon find that golfing will become one of the family favorite activities. As all of you continue to progress, you can begin looking at more advanced gear like Ping golf clubs, electric caddies, and custom fitted gloves. As long as you remember that patience is a virtue, you’ll be going pro in no time!

Swimming: On those boiling hot summer days, the whole family can cool off in the swimming pool. It’s a brilliant way to beat the heat and it’s one of the best ways to exercise there is. When you swim, you exercise every single muscle in your body and get your heart pumping at the same time. It’s great for heart health, lung capacity, and general muscle strength. The cool water also means that you can sustain that exercise for much longer than you’d normally be able to. As well as being good exercise, swimming is an important skill for children to learn for safety so it should definitely be a part of your summer exercise routine.

sportss1Those shades!

Volleyball: When summer comes, there’s no better way to spend time with the family than down at the beach. You could spend all day sunbathing but that won’t keep you and the family healthy. A great sport that you can play at the beach is volleyball. It’s a very active sport that’s great for cardio in short bursts. Short bursts of energy, with small breaks in between, is one of the most effective ways to exercise and helps you to keep a healthy heart. You can get yourself a net if you’re serious about your game but a line in the sand will do just as well.

Quidditch: Quidditch started as a fictional game in the Harry Potter series but since then, fans have developed it into a real game. It’s not quite the same as in the books and movies, of course, but the basic rules and play are the same. It’s a great way of getting some exercise and the kids are sure to love it. To play a proper game, you’ll need quite a few people and lots of different balls so this is one that you could perhaps play with a few other families in the park. There are plenty of different positions to be played so by switching everybody around, you can keep everybody interested in playing for a long time. If you get really into your game, there are teams and leagues that you could consider joining.

sportss2Lol.

Insect Soccer: Although the name might suggest it, insect soccer isn’t a game of soccer played by ants. It’s a variation on a normal game of soccer that’ll make it much more fun for the kids. Group everybody into twos and threes depending on how many players you’ve got, and get each group to link arms, these are the insects. Each team plays against each other until one scores a goal, and they have to stay linked at all times otherwise they lose the round. This is the perfect game to play with the kids because it has all of the exercise benefits of a normal soccer game but it also teaches valuable teamwork and cooperation skills.

Basketball: When the good weather goes away, it can be easy to fall into bad habits and your exercise regime can fall by the wayside. One of the best indoor sports to play in winter is basketball. There should be a local indoor court that you can use but you’ll probably need to hire it out so check beforehand. Basketball is a good team sport for kids to play and it’ll massively improve their ball skills. If they enjoy it, you can carry on into the summer on a free outdoor court.

sportss3#Ballin

Summer time is all about going out and getting active – and what better way to do that than as a family?!

Monday Update: Zara Haul Edition

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Monday Update: Zara Haul Edition

Guys. I did something bad……

I spent way too much money at Zara yesterday. But before you all sharpen the pitchforks and yell at me for giving in to my shopping addiction – LET ME EXPLAIN!!! My mom, sister, and I had a GAO (Girls’ Afternoon Out) and ventured out to Beachwood Mall, which is about a thirty-five minute trek for us. This mall is freaking amazing. It’s home to Zara, Lush, a HUGE Forever 21, H&M, Saks, Nordstrom, and the list goes on. So, not only were we in exotic new territory that we never get to go to, BUT Zara was having an incredible sale. You can’t not stock up at your favorite store when you don’t get to go very often, right? RIGHT?!

And stock up, I did. This week will be dedicated to my gorgeous new wardrobe additions compliments of my all on sale Zara Haul. We’ll start with the newest update to my business casual attire with this darling little number seen below:

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Zara button downs give me life and, coincidentally, quirky button downs make up a majority of my business cashe collection. So, obviously, I HAD TO BUY IT!! I snagged this lady bug beauty for twenty bucks. I’m not sure of the original price on this shirt, but the last button down I purchased from Zara was fifty smackers, so I consider this a steal!

This oversized button down is wonderful because it’s versatile. It’s long enough to be worn as a dress with a thick pair of tights underneath and a belted middle or over top of super skinny jeans tucked or untucked for a whimsical work look. I love wearing my other Zara button down as a dress, especially in this summer heat. However, both of these tops look totally darling tucked into pants or a skirt, as well.

Accessories are key when it comes to styling a business casual ensemble, so opt for a chunky necklace, a statement ring or two, and some killer heels to make you queen of the office!

This week on lifewithlilred will be an ode to all things Zara, starting with my Monday Update: Zara Haul Edition! Tune in tomorrow to see another one of my on sale snags. What is your favorite store to shop at? Who else goes a bit credit card happy when their favorite store is far away? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

P.S.: I bought some goodies at Lush for the first time so be on the lookout for some Bath Bomb Blitz posts in the future! 😀