Tag Archives: haul

Random TJMaxx Haul

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Random TJMaxx Haul

Hello! I had an absolutely crap day earlier in the week. It was one of those days where I wanted nothing more than to go home and crawl into bed with every passing second. However, I powered through because I had a job to do. My brain genuinely felt like mush and I decided that instead of working through my break, I should actually take a break instead. I still had plenty of Christmas gift cards to TJMaxx and I was planning on making a trip there soon anyways so that was the move. Even better, my mom joined me for the retail therapy and that was so appreciated. We haven’t gone shopping together in forever and I needed some fun! As well as my traditional holiday gift card skin care restock, I ended up with these random finds too:

Other than replenishing my skin care, what I really needed was a new pair of black skinny jeans. Unfortunately, the clothing selection was abysmal this time around and there was not a single pair of black jeans in my size. So, my mom and I browsed the rest of the store with nothing else on our To Buy List. However, that is when the TJMaxx magic happens because if you listen to the store, it will tell you exactly what it is you need lol.

As we wandered around, I began remembering the mental notes I made of things that I need more of. Socks were on there and that brought us close to the sleepwear department. For pajamas, I typically wear a pair of sweatpants and a hoodie and I can’t remember the last time I bought new actual PJs. The better/together sleep set caught my eye because it was just so pretty! It is still bitter cold in Ohio, but I have had spring on my mind something fierce and I loved the idea of wearing this set to bed during the warm months ahead. The colors and pattern are delicate and comforting and I think that was why I gravitated towards it. After the day I had, I needed some sweetness.

Beyond the sleepwear section is the home goods and that is where we went next. Another brain blast reminded me that I should finally get some new dryer balls. Johnny’s aunt got us some a few Christmases ago and almost all of them have gone missing. Do they make a major difference in the drying process? Maybe? Lol but I like the idea of them and the set with puppy faces that I found so into the cart it went! I also grabbed some K-Cups for my morning caffeine boost and we completed our rounds at the seasonal decor.

As a proud bunny mom, I have found that Easter is the greatest holiday of all. Not because of jesus but because of all of the bunny decor available in stores. I really am a crazy pet parent and consider Easter to be my time to shine. Since Melvin and Penelope’s homecoming, I have to get at least a few bunny themed pieces of decor every year. My first purchase to kick start bunny decor season was the cutest felt, fuchsia statue that I just fell in love with. The bright color and sentiment put the biggest smile on my face and it was a wonderful high note to end this impromptu shopping trip on. ❤

I can’t say I feel better about the situation that brought me down, but retail therapy with my mom definitely helped ease the blow. And, because gift cards, the blow to my wallet was nonexistent and you can’t beat that!

Have you had some retail therapy recently? Where did you go? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

CleanBeauty Barrier Support Facial Oil Review

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CleanBeauty Barrier Support Facial Oil Review

Hello!! In mid-October, I had a most excellent skin care haul at TJMaxx. I ended up with several new to me products as well as one that I was really excited about because I truly thought that I had used it before. During a previous haul, I fell in love with a Vitamin C serum by CleanBeauty and had my fingers and toes crossed that I would find it again. I couldn’t believe my good fortune when I saw a CleanBeauty serum on the shelves that I assumed was the same one because, at a glance, the bottles looked exactly the same. But, you all know that old saying about when you assume lol. Rather than my beloved Vitamin C serum, I ended up with a facial oil, instead *face palm*. Take a look and let’s discuss:

I consider myself to be very lucky because my skin type has been incredibly normal all of my life. I don’t experience acne, oil, or dry skin and this allows me to be able to experiment with a lot of different types of skin care. Normally, I do shy away from facial oil products just as a personal preference. However, when I realized I had a case of mistaken serum, I was eager to try the facial oil by CleanBeauty anyways. This Ohio winter has been absolutely brutal, especially within the past few weeks, and I figured it would do my skin good to have an extra protective barrier against the frigid cold. In theory, it sounded great. In practice, not so much.

This product is a prime example of why I don’t like facial oils lol. Every time I apply it, I try to use the smallest amount humanly possible on my face and neck. Regardless of the thimbleful application, this facial oil sits on your skin All. Day. Long. It doesn’t absorb whatsoever and after an hour or so, it just feels like you have residue that won’t come off. I hate it! This facial oil is a pain in the keister to apply makeup over so I just haven’t been wearing any – even on the weekends. Is my skin softer? No question. But, that’s not the end all be all because I have achieved softer, smoother skin with plenty of other products!

If you have extremely dry skin, then I think you will love this facial oil and it will be beneficial. For any other skin type, though, this is a product you can skip on and I cannot wait to use it up so I can kiss it goodbye!

How do you protect your skin during the winter? Which products have you not been impressed with recently? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Bath & Body Works Shower Gel Haul

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Bath & Body Works Shower Gel Haul

Howdy! I had a most successful Semi Annual Sale shopping experience with Bath & Body Works. I was able to stock up on our tried and true favorites as well as a few new shower gels for myself and Johnny. For Johnny’s shower gel, literally every single one had some type of alcohol in the name lol. Mine, on the other hand, all had fruit! What can I say, I just love a fruity fragrance. By the time I was ready to place my order, a few of the shower gels that were in my cart had sold out. That was a bit of a bummer because the remaining selection were all scents I haven’t used before. Are they a hit or miss? Let’s find out together:

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Costa Rica Pink Pineapple Surprise: We already have a winner!! Pink Pineapple Surprise is an extremely straight forward fragrance – it literally just smells like pineapple and I am SO there for it. This scent is bright, tangy, and will be perfect to wake up with during my morning shower. If you are a pineapple fan, this one is for you!

Fruity Sherbet Scoop: This scent is just okay for me and is fairly muted. With a name like Fruity Sherbet Scoop, I was expecting something with a little more oomph. This fragrance offers notes of “rainbow sherbet, zesty orange, and sun kissed strawberry”. It’s fine, but it reminds me of how a bowl of Fruity Pebbles smells after it has been sitting for a while. I wouldn’t get it again.

Strawberry Soda: Finally, we have Strawberry Soda and it definitely lives up to its name! With notes of “fresh strawberries, bubbly seltzer, and crushed ice” it really does smell like a Waterloo sparkling water. It’s sweet without being overpowering and this might sound weird, but I can smell the fizz! I wouldn’t say this is my favorite scent or even that I would buy it again, but I certainly won’t mind using it.

The Pink Pineapple Surprise was the obvious winner from this batch so I’m glad I got two of them. And, even if the other two aren’t great, it’s always fun to try some new scents!

What is your favorite fragrance? Do you have a signature scent? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Bath & Body Works Men’s Line Haul

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Bath & Body Works Men’s Line Haul

Hello! During my holiday break, I treated myself to some online shopping. As my Christmas gift, I ordered the completed set of the graphic novel series, Preacher, as well as shopped the Semi Annual Sale at Bath & Body Works. I scored big at B&BW and spent seventy dollars for twenty-one full size products. Talk about a steal! During the Semi Annual Sale, I always like to get some shower gel from the men’s line for Johnny. While he doesn’t mind using my fruity fragrances, he still appreciates some variety! Like most men’s bath and body care, all of these shower gels feature “whiskey” or “bourbon” in the title lol. So let’s review and see if these shower gels will leave you smelling amazing or like you just left the bar:

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Gingham Legend: Gingham is one of my all time favorite scent collections from B&BW and I had no idea that Gingham Legend for men even existed. So, into the cart it went! Gingham Legend offers notes of “bergamot, rich oak, and sandalwood reserve” and I really, really like it. It’s kind of foresty and fresh and I can tell that it was definitely inspired by Old Spice. This is one that would go over well if you are gifting it because it’s such a classic men’s fragrance – almost anyone will like it!

Single Barrel Bourbon: Okay, onto the boozy stuff! Single Barrel Bourbon features notes of “spiced citrus, smooth tonka, and aged oak”. I’ll be perfectly honest with you, I think it smells exactly like Gingham Legend. This is a classic B&BW move to slightly change up previous scents and the only real difference is the spiced citrus. Single Barrel Bourbon is very rich and the most pungent one of the bunch so just be wary of that because it might be overpowering to sensitive noses.

Whiskey Reserve: To continue with our booze crawl, we have Whiskey Reserve. With notes of “crisp apple, single malt whiskey, and white oak”, Whiskey Reserve is my favorite because I love all things apple. This scent is nice and light and has all of the vibes of a brisk fall day. While I can pick up on the hints of whiskey, it is not the main focal point of the fragrance. Whiskey Reserve is, easily, the most dimensional of the four and is a refreshing take on a men’s product.

Sweet Whiskey: Finally, before last call, let’s discuss Sweet Whiskey. The name is spot on because this fragrance is incredibly sweet and quite feminine. No fragrance notes were listed on the bottle, but it smells like straight up vanilla with a dollop of caramel to me. I like it, of course, because I am a fan of anything vanilla. However, if you are purchasing for a real “man’s man” this probably isn’t the best way to go. I would actually be happy to use this shower gel and would consider it to be more gender neutral.

Johnny was most excited about his shower gel surprise and I was too! We really don’t have a lot of “men’s line” products in our home so it was fun to do an ol’ sniff test and review. 😀

What is your favorite men’s scent? What is your signature fragrance? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Bath & Body Works Semi Annual Sale Haul

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Bath & Body Works Semi Annual Sale Haul

Hello!! Every summer and winter, I look forward to the Semi Annual Sale at Bath & Body Works. I simply refuse to pay full price for anything from there, so it is my time of the year to stock up on my favorite products for a song. Rather than visit the store over my holiday break, I shopped online and was adding items to my cart like a mad woman. And why not? I got twenty-one products for seventy dollars!! I think Johnny and I will be A-okay in the bath and body care department for a long while with this haul:

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When shopping the Semi Annual Sale at B&BW, I like to get a little bit of everything. This includes shower gels, lotion, hand soap, and hand sanitizers. Even if it seems like a lot, these are products that I know will be used and I’d rather buy them on the cheap now than on the expensive later lol. Typically, a shower gel at B&BW runs for close to sixteen dollars (Ridiculous!) and my cost per item ended up being three dollars and thirty-three cents. When you run the numbers like that, it makes sense to load up the shopping cart like your life depends on it!

Every Semi Annual Sale, I make a point to get several different shower gels for Johnny from the men’s line. He happily uses my fruity fragrances but is never opposed to switching things up with a scent that almost certainly as “bourbon” or “whiskey” in the title! The rest of the haul is, honestly, whatever struck my fancy. It can be tricky to shop for something like bath and body care online because, obviously, you can’t smell it lol. So, I went with tried and true favorites as well as a few new to me fragrances too. Whether they are a hit or miss, we’ll find out together in my upcoming reviews so keep it posted. 😀

There is nothing better to me than a full bath and body care stockpile. I can’t wait to replenish my skin care at TJMaxx next with my Christmas gift cards!!

Which stores run the best sales? Did you shop the B&BW Semi Annual Sale? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Holiday Haul

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Holiday Haul

Howdy!! Johnny’s family knows how to spoil a girl rotten for the holidays and I am always so thankful to have been thought of. Well, thought of or straight up had my mind read! This year’s Holiday Haul was a particularly excellent one because I received SO. Many. Gifts that I had every intention of purchasing for myself with Christmas gift cards and moolah. Like me, my in laws love to go Christmas crazy and it definitely shows. Check it out:

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Johnny’s family is REALLY good at giving gifts that are, without a doubt, going to be used. This just so happens to be my favorite kind of gift because chances are high that I would need to buy something similar anyways so I can use that money as a little treat for me or to save up. The set of cutting boards is a shining example of that. I have NO idea how my mother-in-law knew that I needed new cutting boards because I’ve never mentioned it to her or Johnny. I was elated when I opened the set because 1) Literally all of my cutting boards suck. 2) They are all too small. And 3) I was going to buy a new one for myself during post holiday shopping. Is being absolutely stoked by cutting boards what it means to be an adult?!

Another instance of my mother-in-law “just knowing” was my bag of bath and body care. There’s no way she could have known that I have been especially partial to bar soap recently and I was just about out of the one that I was using. I tried out the Peppermint Candy bar soap she got me today and it was divine! Not only that, but I was ALSO almost out of my Bath & Body Works hand sanitizer and she had that covered too. The candles were a very nice touch as well because I never buy them for myself. As I write this, I am burning the Sweet Orange & Agave and it is the perfect zesty and invigorating scent for an early morning computer sesh.

Finally, from Johnny’s aunt Elaine, I am also sporting the adorable cropped hoodie she got for me as I write this. It is so cute and comfy and I cannot wait to pair it with leggings and the boot socks that were included too. As a practical gift, she gave us a hand vacuum which is really good motivation for me and Johnny to clean out our cars… Eventually, anyways. It is the holidays after all! 🙂

I have already been making great use of the gifts from Johnny’s family as well as buying some extra goodies for myself with gift cards. Check out those hauls soon!!

What is your favorite gift you received this year? What is a practical gift that you love? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Husband’s Holiday Haul

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Husband’s Holiday Haul

Hello!! Johnny and I have been together for over five years now and I genuinely cannot remember one gift giving occasion when we gave each other our prezzies on the actual day. We are always too excited to wait so we just give each other the gifts as soon as they arrive in the mail lol. It should come as no surprise that we already had our Christmas gift exchange and my Johnny knocked it out of the park. He provided us with all of the fixings for an absolutely perfect date night in. Check it out:

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At the end of November, Johnny and I had an excellent Middle Class Fancy date night at the Olive Garden. We planned on going shopping for records afterwards and during our meal, I told Johnny that I would LOVE to have the cast recording of Hadestown on vinyl. And, in that moment, Johnny knew just what to get me! Hadestown is an incredibly special show to us and seeing it live at Playhouse Square was honestly one of the best nights of our lives. We listen to the music from the show and reminisce on our good fortune to see it frequently and I am simply thrilled because we will be seeing it again in February. Hadestown truly is our show and the vinyl is the crowning jewel of my minuscule record collection!

As we listen to the record, Johnny and I will build the Dobby Lego set that he got me too! Like I said, it is going to be the perfect date night in. Johnny and I just love building Lego together and it has been a fat minute since we have done so. This little set of the cutest House Elf in the world will be great to dip our toes back in after an extensive building hiatus. The most difficult part is going to be finding a space for Dobby on our knick knack shelves which runneth over lol. 😀

Johnny and I do Christmas Day our way and so we already had it days ago. My main squeeze couldn’t have done better with these gifts and I am so looking forward to our Hadestown/Lego extravaganza!

Are you an impatient gift giver like us? What is your favorite musical? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Bestie Christmas Haul

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Bestie Christmas Haul

Hello!! It has honestly been an exhausting month and I am so completely drained. Can holiday break get here now or?! Despite not feeling holly or jolly in the slightest, I am feeling the slightest bit better thanks to Santa Mail from my A1 best girl, Kate of Live In The Nautical. I was surprised with a heated blanket that is simply the best over the weekend and was greeted to another package when I got to chez mom and dad on Tuesday. Kate spoiled me totally rotten this year and I cannot wait to spoil myself with these goodies from Rusted Acre Soap Co.:

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Kate got me hip to Rusted Acre Soap Co. last Christmas when she gifted me with these amazing horror themed bath bombs. I have to admit, I am a Lush bath bomb snob so I was curious to see how the set would compare with my tried and true favorite. I have used many bath bombs in my day that didn’t hold a candle to my beloved Lush so I was incredibly surprised that the ones by Rusted Acre were comparable, if not better. 1) There’s nothing better than being gifted with something that supports a small business. And 2) Has Lush ever made a Jason Voorhees bath bomb that actually looks like the mask in the water when it dissolves? I think not and I rest my case!

I am completely enamored with my Rusted Acre holiday gift set and I legit felt more relaxed just thinking about taking a bath with these goodies! The love potion is definitely my favorite one… Actually, maybe the skull haha but also how cute is that gingerbread man with a bite taken out of it?! This is just the treat I needed and I know for a fact Kate felt like I needed it too. Which is why she is the best friend/gift giver ever! My favorite thing about Lush bath bombs is how entertaining they are to watch dissolve. There is something about the ones from Rusted Acre that hit different, though, and I can’t wait to see how they perform. They also hit different because they’re from my ride or die. ❤

Being besties with Kate is seriously like Christmas every day because she is an absolute gift. Thank you to my doll for making my day merrier and brighter with this fabulous self care surprise! ❤

What is your favorite small business? Where do you like to holiday shop at? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Bath & Body Works Holiday Hand Soap Haul

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Bath & Body Works Holiday Hand Soap Haul

Hello!! This past week was nice because I had a little extra wiggle room to run errands and get housework done. One thing that was a must was stopping into Bath & Body Works because we needed a restock of our beloved foaming hand soaps. Armed with coupons in hand, I went to check out the new winter holiday fragrances and walked away with a great haul. Thanks to a twenty-five percent off and FREE full size product coupon, it was only twenty bucks for all of this. Score! Let’s discuss these scents:

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Cookie Butter Truffle: I live for fruity fragrances in the spring and summer. When it gets colder, however, my tastes turn more decadent. I LOVE holiday dessert scents and if you do too, then Cookie Butter Truffle is a must. With fragrance notes of “cookie butter, whipped cream, and vanilla extract” your hands are going to smell good enough to eat! Please don’t, but you get the point. This scent smells exactly like fresh baked cookies with an ooey gooey caramel center. Yum!

Pomegranate Citrus Fizz: Of course, a fruity scent during the winter is okay too! Pomegranate Citrus Fizz is a bubbly delight. Offering notes of “fresh pomegranate, juicy orange, and topped with bubbles” this scent is bright, crisp and one of my favorites from the haul. As I write this, I literally can’t stop smelling it and it gives all the vibes of cracking open a bottle of sparkling cider during a holiday get together.

To All A Goodnight: I am not a fan whatsoever of winter fragrances like pine, balsam, cinnamon, etc. I wasn’t really sure what To All A Goodnight was going to smell like and I was expecting it to be a no go. I ended up liking it a lot, though! This scent’s notes include “a cool winter breeze, sweet lavender dreams, and nestled in a cozy blanket”. I honestly can’t speak for any of that lol but To All A Goodnight smells clean and sweet like freshly laundered clothes. It’s not the most holiday scent, but is neutral enough that I think anyone would like it.

Iced Cinnamon Rolls: If you have ever smelled cinnamon rolls, then you will know what this scent smells like! And I know I just said I don’t like cinnamon, but it’s different in roll form!! 😀

Crushed Candy Cane: If you have ever smelled a peppermint, then you will know what this scent smells like! Lol, I love me a mint scented anything and there are no surprises with Crushed Candy Cane. Just brisk, refreshing minty goodness.

Vanilla Bean Noel: I chose a lotion in Vanilla Bean Noel as my free product because it is one of my all time favorite holiday scents. Like mint, I love anything vanilla scented. Vanilla Bean Noel is such a soft and creamy fragrance and it smells just like opening up a new carton of French Vanilla ice cream. Whether it was in hand soap, lotion, or shower gel form, I just had to snag it!

All of the scents from my haul were extremely straight forward and safe bets for gifting options. My Halloween home decor doesn’t reflect the season at all, but I’ll be damned if my hand soap doesn’t!

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

Final Halloween Costume Sneak Peek

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Final Halloween Costume Sneak Peek

Hello! Johnny and I are going to be Lord Licorice and a Candy Queen for Halloween. You would think that such a fun costume would be a joy to shop for. That was, unfortunately, far from the case and it proved to be a massive pain in my nads. I ended up having to settle for my last resort costume and it’s cute, just not what I wanted. The candy button platform heels did help perk me up, though! We both needed a few finishing touches on our costumes so we made a trip to Spirit Halloween on Saturday. Thankfully, we managed to find all of our requirements because the store was already pretty picked over. And, thankfully, I am feeling WAY better about my costume now with these additions (Including some Amazon purchases!):

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So the candy headband and giant lollipop both came from Amazon and 0/10 do not recommend. The lollipop came with a huge dent, as you can see, and also you just kind of had to shove the stick into the foam lol. The candy headband also came with a really cute lollipop necklace and earrings (Totes forgot to include those!) and the jewelry was okay. The headband, however, came with three popped off lollipops that I had to superglue back on. It all ended up working out, but it definitely added to the annoyance of my top pick costumes NOT working out.

While the accessories were going to help this costume, they weren’t going to make the look. So, I turned to Spirit Halloween to kick it up a notch. First on the agenda was a wig and I scored massively with a gorgeous pastel blue, pink, and lavender in long, curly tresses. It was also the last one in the store. NICE! Next was a tutu to add some volume to the skirt as well as provide some extra coverage to the very mini length! The pink tutu was also the last one available which was DOUBLE NICE and everything was coming up Lil Red.

The last order of business was thigh highs and eyelashes and things went down slightly lol. I was really hoping to find some pastel pink thigh highs but came up with nothing. The white ones will be okay, though, and I love the bows! For eyelashes, I chose a wonderfully rainbow set to pop against all the pastel. I left the store with *almost* exactly what I wanted/needed and it was a much needed great success after the struggle bus ran me over time and time again!

I am honestly so excited to put this whole costume together over the weekend. It was not what I originally had in mind but maybe that’s a good thing because I’m already obsessed!

What was your favorite Halloween costume? What is your favorite Halloween candy? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah