Tag Archives: march

Apr3

March 2026 Finishes

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March 2026 Finishes

Hello everyone and happy April!! March was a big month full of travel, new hair, and a whole lot of fun! It took a while to get myself back in the work flow after my mini New Orleans vacation but I am in full swing now and it feels great to be back. I even started another new social media job so stay tuned for more on that later. 😀 Before we dive into April showers in the hope of May flowers, let’s back peddle a bit to discuss my beauty finishes for March. There were several new favorite items in there so let’s get to it:

Would I Use Again?

Bath & Body Works Cucumber Melon Shower Gel: YES

Aroma Naturals Vitamin E Moisturizer: YES

Trader Joe’s Watermelon Lip Mask: YES

Dr. Wellness Vitamin C Moisturizer: YES!!

Trader Joe’s Ultra Rich Body Butter: YES

Why/Why Not?

Aroma Naturals Moisturizer: I purchased this travel size Vitamin E moisturizer by Aroma Naturals for my trip to New Orleans and I liked it a lot! This moisturizer was nice and light which was perfect for the warm days and all of the walking in NOLA. It absorbed very quickly and I like to think it made me look slightly less tired after a trip to the bars on Bourbon Street lol! It took me a little over two weeks of twice daily use to finish the jar and I would happily use it again. In fact, I plan on it when my family goes to Italy this year!

Trader Joe’s Lip Mask: I started using the Trader Joe’s Watermelon Lip Mask in August and just finished it during the first week of March. Talk about a long lasting product and an excellent value! I used this lip mask every night before bed and really enjoyed it. The scent was delightfully reminiscent of Lip Smackers, a small swipe across the lips went a long way, and I woke up every morning with lips that were kissable and soft. It was especially helpful during the cold months of winter when my chapped lips get out of control. Definitely grab one if you are at Trader Joe’s – you are in for a treat. 😀

Dr. Wellness Moisturizer: Speaking of a long lasting product and an excellent value, we have the Vitamin C Moisturizer by Dr. Wellness. I began using this moisturizer during the first week of January and finished it up in the middle of March. I was SO sad when it was all gone because this moisturizer was phenomenal and I would be thrilled to find it again at TJMaxx. This product was literal radiance in a jar and my skin looked bright and alert after each use. The texture of the Dr. Wellness moisturizer was light and bouncy while still feeling incredibly nourishing. Even Johnny liked using this one so it is a double winner!

Trader Joe’s Body Butter: I was raised on the body butter from The Body Shop and miss having it in my routine so very much. The Ultra Rich Body Butter from Trader Joe’s is the next best thing. Although nothing will be better than The Body Shop, this is a close second. The vanilla orchid scent was so soft and pretty and, yes, this body butter was ultra rich. The Shea Butter formula made for a much denser body butter that did require a fair dose of rubbing in. Once it was on, you could feel it working immediately and my skin was so happy and hydrated. Both Johnny and I used this body butter and loved how it took away all of the redness from our dry hands in one night! It took me a month and a half of a few quarter sized dollops per night to finish the jar.

This was a GREAT SUCCESS for my March empties with all of them being potential repeat purchase products. I highly recommend all of them so be sure to add it to the cart if you see them while out and about!

Which products did you use up this month? What are your thoughts on any of the above products if you have used them before? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar31

March 2025 Finishes

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March 2025 Finishes

Oh hey! It’s the last day of March and, I’ve got to say, it has been a pretty good month for your favorite lil blogger. And the fact that spring is… springing makes everything that much better! Before we dive head first into April showers to bring May flowers, it’s time to discuss my beauty finishes for the month. I’ve also got to say, they were pretty good too! Check it out:

Would I Use Again?

Evoluderm Vitamin C Micellar Water: NO

Envy Hyaluronic Acid & Ceramides Cleanser: NO

Bath & Body Works Winter Candy Apple Lotion: YES

Vital Beauty Cooling Eye Gel: YES

Clinical Works Hyaluronic Acid Face Cream: YES!!

Why/Why Not?

Evoluderm Micellar Water: During a TJMaxx skin care haul, I purchased a full bottle and travel size pack of the Evoluderm Vitamin C micellar water. I used up the travel size one last month, didn’t care for it, and completing the full size bottle solidified my “whomp whomp” sentiments. I noticed no positive changes in my skin with the different formula and makeup removal was more difficult. I have tried countless variations of traditional micellar water and always find myself wanting to return to my old standby. I am glad I can get back to the classic Evoluderm micellar water now that this dud is done!

Envy Cleanser: I have been using the Hyaluronic Acid & Ceramides cleanser by Envy every day for the past three months and change. I am SO happy to be done with it because I was less than impressed. Despite the fact that is lathered well and there was a lot of bang for the buck since a little went a long way, the results just weren’t there. It also had more of a cream texture which, in my opinion, is far less refreshing than my go to foaming cleansers. This is definitely a product that can be skipped on.

Clinical Works Moisturizer: Now, this Hyaluronic Acid moisturizer by Clinical Works was a winner and I so wish I had more! It took me five weeks of twice daily use to finish the big jar and I could absolutely see a difference in my skin. It looked bright, dewy, and was simply glowing. My skin felt soft and smooth and it looked it, too. This pleasing somewhere in between a gel and cream texture would be perfect for late spring and summer use and I am keeping my fingers, toes, and eyes crossed that I can find more at TJMaxx. Highly recommend!

Even though there were a few losers in the mix, this batch of empties was a GREAT SUCCESS because I truly couldn’t wait to be done with some of these long term products. I hope I have better luck with their replacements!

Which products did you finish up this month? What are your thoughts on any of the above products if you have used them before? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar22

Happy Birthday, Mom!!

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Happy Birthday, Mom!!

Hello everyone!! Today is a fantastic, wonderful, glorious day because it is my mom’s birthday!! My mom is my A1 ride or die bestie and is a shining example of a person who is truly beautiful inside and out. She is strong, courageous, and resilient – even in the most difficult of situations and it has provided me with a masterclass on handling life’s curveballs with grace. On top of being a total badass, my mom is silly, hilarious, and sweet as can be. From my childhood to present day, I have never seen her without a smile or a kind word for everyone she encounters and I try to model that every day. I always remember her saying that these words and actions can make someone’s day and I apply that sentiment liberally.

My mom inspires me to no end. Of course, I find inspiration from her in my day to day life, but in my career too. I would not be an Independent Provider without her expert knowledge and guidance and her teachings are so beneficial to myself and my clients alike. It is such a gift! My mom plays a major role in all aspects of my life and I always want to talk to her. Whether it is working through a problem, sharing good news, or chatting about the day, it is a huge comfort to know that my mom is just a phone call or five minute drive away.

When people age, they tend to say that they are “turning into their mother” like it’s a bad thing. My biggest hope and wish is that I turn exactly into my mother. In fact, I love it when I have a “mom moment” because I know I am well on the right track! ❤

Happy Birthday, Mom!!!! I love you!!!!

Mar4

Bath & Body Works March Freebie

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Bath & Body Works March Freebie

Howdy!! After going absolutely insane during Bath & Body Works’ winter Semi-Annual Sale, I have been receiving hella coupons in the mail and it is great. Each packet has contained a free travel size or full size product coupon and even though my shelves are fully stocked, free is free! 😀 This past Thursday, I had a quick minute to run into the store and used my coupon to get a free travel size shower gel in B&BW’s new scent, Tropidelic. I never would have picked it for myself so I was glad that the sales associate pointed it out! Let’s discuss:

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Whenever I stop into B&BW during the work week, I am going at high speed because it’s in between shifts. I am a woman on a mission and I have been told as such the past two times I walked into the store lol. As per ushe, I bee lined to the travel size section to pick whatever tickled my fancy. I am never too picky when it comes to the smaller size because it’s nice to try something new without having to use it for forever.

As I was making my decision, the sales associate asked if I had tried out the new Tropidelic line, I said no, and she returned with a fragrance spray tester stick. I took one whiff and it was good enough for me. Tropidelic offers notes of “passion flower, ylang ylang, and misty rainforest”. I’ll be honest with all of you, I have no idea what any of this is supposed to smell like lol, but I liked it! This really is a lush scent that teleports you to a tropical climate. It’s slightly floral, but the main notes are quite earthy. Tropidelic is way different than what I normally go for. I can’t say I would make the plunge to buy it in full size, however, I’m happy to sample it for a while. 😀

Bath & Body Works has been dropping new fragrance lines like it’s hot so if you are looking for a new spring scent, you know where to go!!

Do you like to use one specific scent or do you change it up? Do you swap scents with the seasons? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar26

March 2023 Finishes

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March 2023 Finishes

Hello everyone! It’s about that time to discuss the products that I finished up this month and I can’t believe that we are already almost in the fourth month of 2023. It’s flying by! March was pretty successful as far as empties go and I was able to use up lots of new to me products, which is always nice. Let’s get started and discuss these finishes further because there are definitely a few that you can skip on:

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Would I Use Again?

Bath & Body Works Champagne Apple Honey shower gel: YES

Bath & Body Works Winter Candy Apple lotion: MAYBE

DesignLine Fiji Therapy styling oil: NO

Sujata Gazder Valinora serum: YES!!!!!!

Clear Beauty 24K Gold and Collagen moisturizer: NO

*Not pictured* Evoluderm micellar water: YES

Why/Why Not?

B&BW Lotion: I got the Winter Candy Apple lotion as a freebie from B&BW and assumed that I would love it because anything apple is alright with me. This scent, however, proved me wrong. I love apple fragrances because of the sweet/tart notes and the Winter Candy Apple was just sweet with nothing more to it. It also had some pretty strong floral notes, which I was not fond of at all. I would use this lotion if it was gifted to me, but now I know to skip on it next holiday season. It took me about five weeks of once daily use to finish the bottle.

DesignLine Styling Oil: I have been working my way through this bottle of Fiji Therapy Styling Oil for what feels like forever. I wanted to like this product so bad because the scent is nice, it’s lightweight, and applies so easily, but it just never showed me the results I wanted. After getting my hair done, it needs all of the hydration help it can get from the bleach. No matter how many times I used this oil, the ends of my hair were still bone dry. I was very happy to finish this product up because I was using it just for the sake of using it and would definitely not buy it again.

Sujata Gazder Serum: You can peep my full review for the Valinora serum with the link above. I just wanted to take the time to reiterate how fabulous it was! My skin never looked better after twice daily use of this serum and I was so sad to have finished it up in one month. Every use left my skin feeling hydrated and nourished and I couldn’t believe how effective this serum was in diminishing designer bags. I highly, highly recommend this product!

Clear Beauty Moisturizer: It took me one month of twice daily use to finish the 24K Gold and Collagen moisturizer by Clear Beauty and I was unimpressed. I noticed no real difference in my skin’s appearance or firmness, which was disappointing because all of the ingredients would make you expect to see results. This also wasn’t the best value, either, as the jar was super small so I had to ration how much I used carefully. I would not buy this product again.

Although there were a decent amount of duds in this month’s finishes, that is fine with me. Now, I don’t have to use them anymore! Lol, here’s to using lots of products that I actually like next month! 😀

What products did you use up this month? What are your thoughts on any of the above products if you have used them before? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar5

Bath & Body Works March Freebies

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Bath & Body Works March Freebies

Hello!! Is it just me or have the Bath & Body Works coupons in the mail gotten so much better? This past week, I received a coupon packet for a free travel size item, a free full size item, and twenty-five percent off a purchase. They could not have come at a more perfect time because I needed to restock my hand soap supply (Peep that haul tomorrow!) and pick out a few prezzies for upcoming birthdays. In total, I got FIFTEEN items for just forty dollars and it was awesome! Take a look at the freebies that I selected, which totaled to almost twenty-four dollars in product:

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For the longest time, a free travel size coupon from B&BW was limited to a lotion or shower gel because that was basically all that was available. However, this past year, B&BW upped their add on game considerably with mini fragrance sprays, hand creams, and bar soap. When I learned that these other items were up for grabs with a coupon, my mind was blown and I decided to go for a fragrance.

While I do have my tried and true full size sprays, I thought that it would be nice to change things up without committing to a scent in its entirety. B&BW recently released several new fragrance lines for spring and I chose the Golden Mango Lagoon. Normally, Johnny is a fan of the tropical scents and I prefer fruity and tart, but the Golden Mango was too nice to pass up. It seriously smells like a day at the beach and freshly sliced mango and it will be a perfect summertime fragrance. In fact, I liked it so much that I got a similarly scented hand soap too.

For my full size freebie, I opted for a shower gel because I recently purchased a few new lotions and will be set for a while. I was instantly drawn to the pretty robin’s egg blue and red packaging of Poppy and wasn’t expecting it to be a winner as I am not a floral girl. Poppy is so much more than just a floral scent, though, and combines the freshness of a spring day with pear, rhubarb, and wildflowers. This scent reminds me of airing your house out on the first warm day after winter and is subtle enough for it to make a great gift for anyone on your list… Or yourself!

The more I shop the deals at B&BW, the more impressed I am by the amazing value I am getting for my money. It turns even the most mundane thing of shopping for hand soaps into something exciting! Keep it posted tomorrow for the rest of my Bath & Body Works Haul!

Which store offers the best coupons or rewards program? What is your favorite B&BW scent? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr3

Bath & Body Works March Freebie

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Bath & Body Works March Freebie

Hey! During my last trip to Bath & Body Works, I restocked my foaming hand soap supply and it was much needed. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to use my beloved soaps for the past week because I just got my hands tattooed, which you will all see later! That doesn’t mean that I can’t use their body wash, though, and I received this brand new scent as my freebie for March:

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Gingham is one of my favorite scents by B&BW and it is absolutely perfect for spring. It is as light and crisp as a spring day and it forever reminds me of going on a picnic even though I can’t say I have ever been on one. So, needless to say, when I saw Gingham Love, I flipped shit lol. I didn’t think that B&BW could improve on perfection but I was dead wrong because I fell in love with this new scent after just one whiff.

The original Gingham scent is fresh off the clothesline laundry with a bit of peach mixed in for good measure. Gingham Love takes that original fresh scent but rather than peach and clementine, pairs it with deep red berries and I am so there for it. I can almost taste the juicy raspberries as I type this and that is exactly what Gingham Love smells like, if that makes sense?

While I like to keep my hoard of travel sized freebies well stocked for add on gifts, this one is just for me and I cannot wait to use it. The day before I popped into B&BW, I just started a full size Pearberry and am so disappointed because I can’t use Gingham Love until it is done. 20/10 would recommend!

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

Mar31

March 2022 Finishes

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March 2022 Finishes

Hello everyone and happy last day of March! As per ushe, we will be discussing my beauty finishes for the month and there were a lot of them. I love months like these because then I can move onto other products in my stock pile, which helps justify future skin and bath and body care hauls! Lol, let’s get started:

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Would I Use Again?

Why/Why Not?

Hand Creams: We are not going through all of the different hand creams that I used in this post because I reviewed them all in this one. I will say that the eos Pomegranate Raspberry was definitely the best of the bunch and you can skip on the Renew and B&BW ones! The eos hand cream ruled – it smelled great and it really helped with my dry hands and the redness that comes with it.

Farmacy Night Mask: This night mask was a freebie from my last Sephora Haul and it was fine. It took me a little over a week to finish the trial sized jar and a little of it went a long way. Was it the best night mask I’ve ever used? No. Was it the worst? No. It did feel nice on my skin but I also noticed little to no difference in how it looked or felt and I wouldn’t use it again.

PTR Moisturizer: I used my Beauty Insider points during my Sephora Haul for the PeterThomasRoth Water Drench moisturizer and I wasn’t overly impressed by it. I always thought that a gel moisturizer was as light in texture as moisturizers go but this one proved me wrong. It was insanely light, applied easily, and my skin did feel water drenched as per its namesake lol.

It took me about four days of morning and nighttime use to finish the tester bottle and even though I kind of liked it, I wouldn’t seek it out again. I think that this moisturizer would be great for people who really suffer from dry skin. However, my skin type is normal and it felt like it was too much for what my skin needs.

Although there were a lot more “wouldn’t use agains” than usual for my March Finishes, I am okay with it because I was happy to use them up. In this case, I am A-okay with a fifty percent success rate!

Which products did you use up this month? What are your thoughts on any of the above products if you have used them before? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

 

Mar7

Bath & Body Works March Freebie

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Bath & Body Works March Freebie

Hello! It has been a long while since I’ve shopped in person at Bath & Body Works because of the pandemic. Their foaming hand soaps are a staple in my apartment so Johnny and I have just been ordering them online for the past two years. It has been fine but it’s also very hard to judge how the soaps are going to smell online!

This past week, I had a freebie coupon as well as one for twenty-five percent off of my purchase and I decided to go to the actual store to cash them in. Tomorrow, we’ll discuss the soaps which I got for a steal at $3.50 each but, today, let’s take a look at this freebie. It smells SO GOOD:

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I have tons of body wash and lotion in my beauty stock pile and, honestly, don’t need more of either one. But there is nothing better than free and I went with a travel sized lotion in Whipped Berry Meringue. Using lotion on my hands and stretch mark areas have become an ingrained part of my bed time routine and I definitely had less lotion than shower gel in my hoard.

The best part of shopping in store with B&BW is, obviously, being able to take a whiff of each product. However, by the time I was done soap shopping I was all smelled out and didn’t even bother smelling my freebie lotion until I got home. The name had me sold already because I highly doubted that Whipped Berry Meringue was going to smell bad lol.

After smelling my new lotion, I knew that I was so right because it is delightful. It is nice and light without being overpowering with notes of mixed berries, lemon, and cream. It actually smells a lot like the berry Lip Smackers that I loved oh so much in my youth. This is a perfect scent for spring and if you have been doing your B&BW shopping online, it is a safe bet to purchase.

Whether shopping in store or online, nothing pleases me more than adding to the ol’ stock pile and it’s even better when the products are free or discounted. If you don’t receive coupons in the mail from B&BW, do yourself a favor and sign up today for the best steals and deals!

What is your favorite Bath & Body Works scent? What is in your beauty hoard? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar31

Everything’s Coming Up Daffodils

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Everything’s Coming Up Daffodils

Hello! The last time I went to my mom and dad’s house, I was completely amazed by all of the lovely yellow daffodils lining their driveway. I had been there two days ago and there wasn’t a single bloom – then, out of nowhere, there was color everywhere. Yellow flowers always put a smile on my face because they remind me of my grandma and the daffodil surprise felt like a special hello from her. Check it out:

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The Daffodil Day was, indeed, a glorious one with temperatures in the seventies and it put me in a hopeful, happy mood. I have been enjoying my time outside so much after being cooped up all winter and have already been making the most of the nice weather with photo shoots with Johnny, going on walks with my brother, and playing at the park with my niece and sister. All of the beautiful flowers blooming is an added bonus. 🙂

I hope all of you are experiencing mild temps and flowers and here’s to a wonderful and safe spring!

What is spring weather like in your area? What is your favorite outdoor activity? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah