Tag Archives: hydrate

Nov25

Unlock Increased Beauty This Winter With These Tips

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Unlock Increased Beauty This Winter With These Tips

The colder months can bring several beauty challenges like dry, chapped skin and building a defined strategy is vital. The great news is that you don’t need to implement huge changes to see big results. Focus on the five ideas below to look and feel your best in winter and beyond:

Book a spa treatment:

Professional treatments are the ideal solution to relax and pamper. Selecting top luxury spa experiences can address some of the problems you’ve been facing and restore your natural beauty. Both the physical and emotional rewards are huge. Repeat experiences will elevate the benefits to another level. Make this a commitment to yourself and you will not regret it.

Adjust your home beauty routine:

Professional beauty treatments build a strong foundation. For the best results, though, you must look to maintain your success through improved daily habits. Learning to use retinol for skin repair purposes and better overall health will serve you well. Organic makeup materials are far kinder to your face too, which is why they should be added to your cause. However, it is equally crucial to remove makeup before bed and give your skin a chance to breathe overnight. Otherwise, the benefits of strong daily routines will be compromised.

Focus on sleep and hydration:

You already know that your appearance is partly a reflection of your health. So, an investment into wellness is sure to have a positive impact. Overhauling your entire life isn’t realistic, but you can increase your daily hydration with ease. When you do, your skin will gain a far better glow and be less prone to acne. Sleep is the other key focal point. Most people need 7-9 hours per night, but going to bed at around the same time each night is vital. A better circadian rhythm aids looks as well as health.

Embrace color coordination:

When thinking about beauty, fashion is a natural extension. Throughout the winter months, color coordination can elevate your outfits. Lipsticks and eye shadows that complement a cozy jacket or stylish dress takes your look to new heights. Similarly, a new hair color can be supported by nail art. Color coordination makes a look feel more considered, thus creating a far more powerful impact. It is one of the simplest ways to truly stand out.

Shield your skin:

Finally, you need to protect your skin from the damage caused by harsh weather. This could mean protecting it from extreme cold and high winds. It’s equally important to wear SPF sun protection in the winter sun. As well as protecting your cheeks, you must pay attention to the lips and eyes. After all, they are central to all human interactions.

Avoid the blemishes and signs of poor skin protection to maintain your best look all winter long!

Featured Image By: Unsplash

Aug11

Trader Joe’s Watermelon Lip Mask Review

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Trader Joe’s Watermelon Lip Mask Review

Howdy! I loves me a good lip mask and haven’t used one in a while. When I shop for skin care at TJMaxx, I am browsing for the core four: Micellar water, moisturizer, eye cream, and serum. Then, I’ll use a chapstick during my nighttime beauty routine to wrap things up. While lip masks are nice, they aren’t a necessity for me but are a treat. And it was the nicest treat of all that my mom picked me up a Watermelon Lip Mask from Trader Joe’s when her and my dad went on a grocery shopping trip! I have been using it for the past week and a half or so and it has been SO fabulous:

Using this lip mask is such a pleasing experience from start to finish. The color of the balm and packaging is just so pretty and as soon as you open the jar, you are greeted by the watermelon scent. If you have ever used the Watermelon Lip Smackers back in the day, then you know exactly what this lip mask smells like! It’s such a fun trip down memory lane with every use. 🙂

The lip mask from Trader Joe’s is an incredibly simple one. It offers no bells and whistles, just the promise of intense hydrating and moisturizing and it fully delivers. One small swab across your lips is all that is needed for this mask to do its thing and I love that you can literally feel it working the second it’s applied. Every morning I wake up with lips that are soft and smooth and the effects are long lasting. During the day, I feel like I am putting on chapstick constantly and I have noticed that I am reapplying it far less than usual. It’s a small thing but I’ll take it!

Trader Joe’s always boasts really great skin care and I highly recommend giving this lip mask a shot. You will love it!

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

Jul30

Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot

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Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot

Hello! I often mention that summer is my least favorite season to dress for, but it is also my least favorite season in general. I am on a hefty dose of a hefty amount of medications for my mental health and Every. Single. One. of them makes me more susceptible to heat related illnesses. Merely stepping outside on an uber hot day or returning home to my uber hot apartment when temperatures spike is enough to send me into a woozy tailspin. This was most certainly the case for me this past week because we went from lovely eighty degree days to ninety plus degree temps and the sudden change caught me off guard. So much so, that I wasn’t following any of the precautions I have perfected over the years. I DEFINITELY need to be better about this and if you do too or need advice, let’s go through a few friendly reminders:

Recognize your symptoms:

When I am starting to overheat, it goes from bad to worse quite quickly. This is why it’s SO important to recognize your tells when it is really hot out. For me, it usually starts with a wave of dizziness, followed by sudden fatigue, and finally an intense heaviness in my legs. As soon as your first tell reveals itself, Do. Not. Ignore. It!! This is your warning sign to get yourself to a cool area ASAP. If I am out and about, this means getting myself into a store because they always have crispy AF AC. If I am at home, I retreat to the bedroom because it is the only space in my apartment that has a measly AC unit. It’s amazing how much better I feel after a half hour or so in a cool environment!

ABS (Always Be Sipping!):

If you don’t already have a favorite tumbler mug or Stanley cup, I cannot recommend getting one enough and sipping often. My water intake has increased exponentially since I began toting a mug with me everywhere I go and the effects are noticeable when I forget to take one with me to work. Should you forget, swing by a gas station en route to wherever you’re going for a few bottles of water. You’ll be thanking yourself when your temperature is better regulated all day.

Take it easy:

It’s SO easy to forget to take it easy when everyone else is having fun in the sun. However, it is SO important to take it easy and take breaks frequently if you are more prone to overheating than your peers. If you are on the go, try and find a spot to cool off at least every hour. You can also start planning outdoor activities according to the coolest times of the day. Perhaps you take your dog for a walk first thing in the morning. Maybe that means playing outdoor games with friends in the evening instead of the middle of the afternoon. Make smart decisions with your plans and know when to say no or suggest a different time of the day if you fear the activity might be too much for you. You know yourself best!

Cold treats:

Every summer, cold showers and Popsicles are the name of my game for instant relief. Whatever your go to is, don’t be afraid to break it out as often as you see fit. When I get home from work, the first thing I do is grab a Popsicle from the freezer. Spoiling my dinner be damned because as soon as an ice pop hits my lips, I start feeling better. Maybe it’s in my head, maybe the Popsicles and cold showers really are working some magic. Whatever your relief is, keep it handy so you can start your cooling off process ASAP.

I have been over summer since it started but even more so now considering I almost fainted several times last week. Stay cool, stay safe, and stay hydrated regardless of if you are more susceptible to the heat or not. Fall can’t come soon enough!

Do you thrive in the heat or wilt? What is your favorite way to cool off? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May6

Boo To You!!

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Boo To You!!

Howdy!! Once upon a time, I received a Stanley mug as a gift and it was glorious. It was a beautiful shade of sea foam green and no one could tell me NOTHING while I toted my gigantic mug of ice water around. Then, my niece came over for a slumber party a few weeks later. I didn’t have any sipper cups for her drinks or straws so I improvised and offered her my Stanley mug. She delighted over the fact that she could drink her chocolate milk “like a big person” and it was just the cutest! I put my mug in the sink for Johnny to wash and then he… didn’t lol. For some reason, he bypassed the mug and by the time he opened it up to wash, it was filled with mold and he proceeded to throw it out so no more Stanley for me. SMH.

Since then, I wasn’t bringing any type of tumbler mug with me as I went about my day and opted for bottled water instead. Then, my niece came over for a slumber party recently and the same song and dance of no straws or sipper cups played. I browsed my options in the cabinets and stumbled upon this mug that I had all but forgotten and we were in business!

I purchased this mug from our local discount store, Marc’s, during the Halloween season. It was a steal for three dollars and I considered it my replacement Stanley – until I brought it home, couldn’t open it, and chalked it up as a three buck loss. Oddly enough, the top opened up so easily when I used it for my niece and I have been using it ever since! Not only do the spooky ghosts make me smile but I cannot recall the last time I have drank so much water regularly. It’s so nice to have the mug with me so I can sip away whenever I need to wet my whistle and I couldn’t even tell you the amount of times I refill it per day. It’s a lot!

Drinking more water in and of itself is a positive and I have definitely noticed the benefits as I increased my normal intake. I feel like I fall asleep so much easier at night and that has decreased my morning dose of caffeine significantly, which is something I have wanted to change. Don’t get me wrong, I still have my coffee and Diet Coke but I am no longer slamming them back to back lol. From a beauty standpoint, my skin looks fresher and clearer and it’s like getting a free skin care treatment every time I fill my mug back up. Why didn’t I start doing this sooner?! I guess I just needed the right mug. 😀

This is your friendly Lil Red Reminder to stay hydrated. Get yourself a fun mug and you will be amazed at how quickly drinking more water becomes part of your daily routine!

What is your favorite mug to use? How much water do you drink per day? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul20

Summer Safety Pro Tips

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Summer Safety Pro Tips

Hello!! I am one of those people who don’t do well in the heat at all. Part of it is definitely a low tolerance and some of it has to do with the fact that literally each medication I’m on makes me more susceptible to heat related illnesses. As someone who is constantly on the go, I oftentimes forget to not push myself so hard on extra hot days. Then, by the time I realize I should take a breather the damage is already done and a strong case of the woozies comes on. This is not a good thing because it’s something that can be completely prevented and I know I, for one, need to do a better job of listening to my body. If you struggle with the heat too, please make sure you are doing the following to keep yourself safe:

Eat Up:

My appetite decreases during the hot weather and it’s easy to feel like you’re full if you are hydrating consistently throughout the day. However, your body needs food for fuel so bypassing meals even if you don’t feel hungry is a huge no no. If you are feeling full, you should still try and have a snack if you haven’t ate in several hours. It doesn’t have to be a full on meal, but you could have veggies and hummus, yogurt, a bowl of cereal – whatever you’d like. Of course, it is against everything we learn as a kid to stop eating if you are full. But if it has been a minute and it’s really hot out, you’ll be thanking yourself for having a snack when you avoid getting lightheaded or fainting. (This happened to me a few days ago and it was SO scary!) 

Water, Water, Water:

I consider myself to be the Caffeine Queen and am always sipping on coffee or pop throughout the morning. This is fine, but you will be doing yourself no favors if you aren’t replenishing yourself with plenty of water after each cup of go go juice. If you love your morning caffeine bursts too, take your time with each coffee or soda drink rather than throwing it back. Nurse it, balance it out with sips of water, and monitor yourself during your daily caffeine intake. Too much too suddenly can give you the jitters, make you nauseous, or feel faint. Not the best way to start the day.

R&R:

It’s always important to allow yourself time for a break each day, but even more so during the summer. It’s hot AF, you’re sweating, and it can make you feel depleted quickly. If you are outside, go in every hour or so to hydrate and cool off. If you are going nonstop for work, be sure to take a few minutes to slow down and relax. More often than not, that exhaustion is going to hit you out of nowhere and that’s not a good place to be during your commute, job, or out and about. Pencil in designated break times per day and if you need a moment, take it immediately instead of holding off.

Enjoy Responsibly:

Like caffeine, alcohol and cannabis hits way differently when it’s hot out and can increase your chances of dehydration or even heat stroke. If you are going to partake in a more recreational pastime, do so responsibly. Take the time to get yourself out of the heat, hydrate, and sip or smoke at a slow pace. Your “I’m good” amount is subject to change when it’s hot as the dickens so stay in tune to how you are feeling to prevent any problems!

Summer is not over yet even though I am totally over it lol. Keep yourself safe and healthy with these tips!

What are your summer safety pro tips? How do you like to cool off? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr20

What To Do Before A Long Tattoo Session

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What To Do Before A Long Tattoo Session

Hello!! This past Wednesday, I enjoyed a grueling nine hour long tattoo session at my friend’s studio called Vivid Visions. My artist got four huge pieces done during my tap out session and we are still not done! We’ll be adding the rest of the odds and ends towards the end of the month. I often get asked two questions about these appointments because it is the only way I get tattooed. One) How? Answer: Very high pain tolerance lol. Two) How do you prepare for it? It’s actually quite simple, so check it out:

Sleep Well:

A tap out session isn’t a sprint, it’s a full on marathon. Yes, the tattoo artist is doing literally all of the work. However, it’s your job to make it as easy as possible for them to do what needs done. This all starts with a good night’s sleep. Think about how miserable it feels when you aren’t well rested and have a ton to do that day. That is SO not what you want to be feeling during a tap out. You want to feel strong and alert so try to get at least eight hours before your big appointment and take it easy during the time leading up to it.

Eat, Eat, Eat:

It cannot be stressed enough how important it is to EAT on your tap out day. Your body is essentially about to be injured for an extended period of time and you need that fuel to get you through it. Not eating can lead to shakes, dizziness, weakness, and fainting and no one wants that. Be sure to start your day with a balanced meal, of course, but don’t forget mid session snacks either because you will definitely need them. My favorite snack during a tap out is nuts or trail mix because it’s an immediate protein boost. They pulled through in the clutch on Wednesday!

Hydrate A LOT:

Although I don’t mind an occasional Diet Coke when getting tattooed, I primarily make sure to drink a ton of water. It promotes healing, skin buoyancy, and can help soothe any nerves. I am one of those people that feels chronically thirsty during tattoo sessions so I always bring several bottles of water with me. I also never drink coffee before an appointment unless it’s absolutely necessary. Lots of caffeine comes with the jitters and I don’t like experiencing a midday crash when I’m getting tattooed.

Comfort Is Key:

Being tattooed is obviously an uncomfortable situation and it’s up to you to deal with it so your artist can work. Be sure to dress for comfort and the area being tattooed. You’re not going to want to wear jeans if you’re getting your legs tattooed lol! Other items that might be good to bring include a hoodie if it’s chilly in the shop or a pillow to place around your body as needed. You could even bring something that gives you comfort like a stuffed animal. Whatever gets you through. And don’t forget a phone charger!!

By doing the above before every session, I am able to endure eight plus hours of being tattooed. I have not tapped out once yet and I don’t plan on it any time soon!

What are some of your tattoo session tips? Do you have a go to tattoo artist? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct1

What To Do When You Have COVID

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What To Do When You Have COVID

Hello! Johnny and I are finally COVID free and thank the most high because it sucked majorly. I am so looking forward to getting back to work and returning to my normal schedule because the cabin fever is real! My COVID experience was exhausting and I cannot recall a time when I have ever been sicker. I am very much enjoying feeling back to normal and also breathing out of my nose! Your girl was sounding like Napoleon Dynamite for days and I was starting to annoy myself lol. If you find yourself bit by the COVID bug, here are a few things you can do to slightly improve your situation:

Stay Home:

I wish that this were a given, but for some people it isn’t and that is so not cool. If you have tested positive for COVID, please stay home!! If you have symptoms of COVID, please stay home!! Have yourself a merry little staycation and come back to the land of the living when you are testing negative and feeling better. You never know who you could be infecting and it’s not right to be spreading your sickness around to those in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate:

When you have COVID, hydration is your best friend. Johnny and I consumed more Gatorade and water than a football team and even then it didn’t feel like enough. I was constantly thirsty while I was sick and blue Gatorade was my saving grace. It tasted like liquid gold or rather, liquid blue lol. It is so important to give your body what it needs when you are ill so drink up. Cheers to that!

Try To Eat:

I had no appetite whatsoever during my COVID tenure and chances are you won’t, either. However, you just have to try to eat anyways. Your body needs that fuel to recover. No one is saying you need to have a five course meal, but a bowl of soup, some crackers, or in my case – a plate of spaghetti can go a long way. My bedside featured a box of tissues, a bottle of Gatorade, a bottle of water, and a box of crackers to munch on. For me, it was really hard to eat when I genuinely wasn’t hungry, but it was something that needed to be done so I just pushed myself to do it.

Entertainment:

When you are sick, there is literally nothing else to do but watch TV so put it on! Bingewatch away anything that your little heart desires. In my case, it was a Saw movie marathon! Having a movie or a comfort show like The Office on provided a welcome distraction to how miserable I was feeling. It gave me something else to focus my attention on and that was a welcome reprieve. Whether it’s video games, your favorite show, or a good book to get lost in, allow yourself to get distracted and try to get some enjoyment out of what you’re doing.

Get Up:

This is not to say get up and run a marathon, but try and get up and move after you have been laying down for a while. Not only will this help prevent blood clots, but it can also assist in loosening up your body if you have any stiffness. Every few hours, I would get up, go downstairs, and pet the bunnies or see what Johnny was watching in the living room. These little excursions were exhausting, but it made returning back to bed so much sweeter!

If you have COVID, get well soon!! I understand firsthand how badly it sucks, but you will feel better. In the meantime, give your body the tools it needs to start healing itself. ❤

What were your COVID symptoms? What did you bingewatch if you had COVID? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug30

goodhabit Rescue Me Water Jelly Dew Cream Review

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goodhabit Rescue Me Water Jelly Dew Cream Review

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new skin care review on lifewithlilred! Today, we are going to be talking about the Rescue Me Water Jelly Dew Cream by goodhabit. I have been using it for the past month and still have a little ways to go and I have been loving it. Johnny really likes it too and it has treated his forever dry forehead well lol. The only thing we still can’t quite wrap our mind around is the color of this moisturizer! Take a look:

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I will never forget when I opened this moisturizer for the first time and my first impression was simply “Smurf blue”. I always open a new moisturizer expecting a white or off white color so you could color me surprised when the Water Jelly Dew Cream just wasn’t haha. After the initial shock of all blue everything, I was able to appreciate the delightful aquatic scent this moisturizer has. It is so crisp and refreshing! This product also fully lives up to the name of a Jelly Dew Cream because it feels exactly like jelly and jiggles like it too. 😀

Applying the goodhabit moisturizer is like giving your skin an instant hydration boost. You barely need any of it to fully cover your face and neck – a little goes a very long way, but just a little packs a huge punch. This moisturizer absorbs really fast, sits well under makeup, and my skin has never looked or felt better. My face feels SO insanely soft and it looks fresh and bright… almost as if I am well rested for once in my life! I am going to be so sad once it is all gone and I think Johnny will be too!

If you are on the market for a new moisturizer, I can’t recommend goodhabit’s Rescue Me Water Jelly Dew Cream (that’s a mouthful!) enough. I am hoping that I find more during my next TJMaxx shopping trip because I could imagine it being most helpful for dry skin during the fall and winter!

What is your favorite skin care brand? Have you used any goodhabit products before? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May29

Honest Beauty Calm & Heal Melting Balm Review

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Honest Beauty Calm & Heal Melting Balm Review

Hello! At the end of April, I had a HUGE skin care haul from TJMaxx and got lots of new to me products compliments of the remainder of my Christmas gift cards. I recently finished the Look Alive Moisturizer + CBD by Happy Dance and enjoyed it so much! I decided to keep on testing out the new brands that I purchased by using the Honest Beauty Calm & Heal Melting Balm next. I have always been interested in the Honest brand and was so happy to find a moisturizer and serum as well. The Happy Dance moisturizer was unique in its own right, but the Melting Balm is also unlike anything that I have used before! Check it out and let’s discuss:

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Prior to my first use of the Melting Balm, I didn’t read the instructions on it and was really surprised when I opened the jar. I was expecting a gel based texture and found the Honest balm to be incredibly waxy. Even more so than the Happy Dance one. I had no idea how it was going to apply, but found that the waxiness melted into a workable, true moisturizer texture the longer I rubbed it into my skin. Then, I read the instructions and learned that it was best to heat the balm up in my hands before rubbing it into my face. That made much more sense and reminded me a lot of the Sujata Gazder Body Bar that I love so very much.

This fragrance free balm took a decent amount of trial and error to get right. Too little didn’t fully cover my face and neck, but too much felt like… too much lol, as if it was just sitting on my skin instead of sinking in. Once I found my “just right” amount of balm, which is close to a quarter sized dollop, I was able to more fully enjoy the product. Granted, it takes a decent amount of time for the balm to fully absorb in my skin, but it feels so nice and nourishing that I hardly mind.

I have been using this balm morning and night for the past two or so weeks and love the way that my skin has been feeling. It is SO soft and hydrated and just feels healthier. However, I do think that it would be better for wintertime use because of the rich, thick texture. It has been heating up in Ohio and on especially warm days or when it’s hot in my apartment, this balm tends to feel really heavy on my skin because of its slow absorption rate. BUT, I refuse to not finish a product that I have started so I will keep chipping away at it until I’m done. This might take some time, though, because a little of it goes a very long way!

Although this balm is a bit out of season for warm weather use, I still like it a lot and plan on ordering it online in the fall and winter to see if my suspicions are correct. Either way, I recommend this product because it is most definitely worth a try!

Have you tried the Honest brand before? What is your favorite product from it? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb24

Sujata Gazder Body Bar Review

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Sujata Gazder Body Bar Review

Hello!! I had a horrible sinus infection this past weekend and felt pretty worse for the wear for the majority of the week. Once I was feeling a little better, I decided that I definitely needed some pampering because I felt gross lol. My skin felt so dehydrated and I knew that I needed something more to get myself feeling right again. Thankfully, my body bar by Sujata Gazder did the trick and I am BEYOND obsessed with this product. It is a miracle in an adorable heart shape! Let’s discuss:

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I received some goodies for the launch of Sujata’s new website and was so excited to find a body bar and serum during my unboxing. The body bar intrigued me because it was something that I never knew could exist! It’s essentially a bar of pure cocoa butter mixed with a litany of essential oils that you simply rub into your skin. After discovering the delightful citrus rose scent during my unboxing, I couldn’t wait to give the body bar a try. Product scents are very important to me and the body bar smelled so light that I knew I could enjoy it without being overpowered by fragrance.

I used my body bar before bedtime so that I could hydrate my skin in my sleep and not have to worry about if it felt greasy (Something that I can’t stand!). Using the body bar was, honestly, so much fun and I definitely preferred its application over normal lotion or body butter. It wasn’t necessary to rub the body bar into the skin so all I had to do was swipe it over my body for quick and easy moisturizing. The process took less than a minute and as soon as I was done, I could instantly feel the cocoa butter and essential oils working their magic.

After using the body bar, Johnny and I watched some TV and I was pleasantly surprised to find that I didn’t mind it on my skin. It didn’t absorb quickly but it didn’t leave me with that residue coated feeling that I get from a full body lotion application. I knew for a fact that I was going to wake up with my skin feeling back to normal and I was right. After my morning shower, my skin felt AMAZING. It was not only soft to the touch but felt hydrated on the deepest level. You know how your skin feels after using a Lush bath bomb? It was like that only a billion times better and I loved that I could still feel the ingredients working even after washing it off.

One full body application used up half of the body bar and I am saving the rest for later this week when I shave. I will be sad when it’s gone, though, because how can you go back to using normal lotion after a product as fabulous as this?! If you are suffering from dry skin or just need a treat, then I cannot recommend the body bar by Sujata Gazder enough. You can shop along at Sujata’s website for all of the best in fashion and skin care. Enjoy and keep it posted for my review of the Valinora serum tomorrow!

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