Tag Archives: maxxinista

Feb22

Terrific Trench Coat OOTD

Posted on February 22, 2024 by lifewithlilred

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred!! Thanks to a recent TJMaxx Haul, I got several gorgeous new pieces to freshen up my spring wardrobe. It’s amazing how just a few things can completely breathe new life into what you already have and I have been most inspired by my new goodies. You already saw an adorable V-Day button down featured in a look, but what I was most looking forward to was rocking my new trench coat by Solitaire. Check it out:

Who? What? Wear?

Floral Trench Coat: Solitaire, TJMaxx

White Button Down: H&M

Skinny Jeans: American Eagle Outfitters

Army Green Heeled Boots: BCBG, TJMaxx

*** The bumblebee earrings are from Target!

When I style outfits, I am normally building around one specific piece and that was the case with this OOTD. I find it is so much easier to create a look to compliment a staple item because it narrows down your options significantly. For this outfit, I had my new trench coat in mind and all that was left to do was build the remainder of the look. To start, I put on a stark white button down by H&M. I wasn’t too concerned about what I had on underneath because it was freaking freezing out so the coat was staying on. However, I wanted the top to pop despite this and the crisp white against the muted florals worked perfectly.

For jeans, I kept things simple with a pair of plain black skinnies. The coat already offered texture from the faux suede material and a pattern (Obvi!) so anything more on the bottom would look muddled. This is a good rule to follow to keep from a cluttered appearance. Although, let’s say that the coat was just the dusty pink with no pattern at all and the same material. Then, a patterned pant would be just right!

Next, it was onto shoes and accessories. I went with a pair of army green heeled combat boots by BCBG for this look. It gave me some much needed height since the coat was pretty lengthy in itself. And, of course, the color was similar enough to the patterns in the coat to give top to bottom cohesion. Jewelry was all that was left and I decided on a pair of bumblebee stud earrings. I tried on a dangly pair, but they took away from my neck and that was a no no since not a lot of skin was showing in this look. The bumblebees also matched with the flower garden vibe of the trench coat, which I thought was a cute touch!

I had been so eager to wear my new little number by Solitaire and it felt fantastic in my Terrific Trench Coat OOTD. I have a feeling I will be living in it this spring! 😀

What is your favorite season to dress for? Which season do you have difficulty dressing for? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb19

Bunny Galore Home Decor

Posted on February 19, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!! As you all know, Johnny and I are bunny parents to the sweetest mother and son duo named Melvin and Penelope. They are our little pride and joys and life simply wouldn’t be the same without them scampering about the apartment and being cute. This past week, we took a look at some gorgeous new clothes from my TJMaxx haul. This is all well and good and I love everything I got. However, there were some home decor pieces that I couldn’t pass up and they just might be my favorite things of all! Check it out:

^^^ LOL pardon my shedding husband in the last picture. SMH!!

Have you ever noticed how there is never a shortage of home decor for dog and cat owners in stores? No matter the time of the year, there will always and forever be “dog/cat mom” items to pick from. I have, honestly, never thought about this until this past shopping trip. When my mom and I made our way to the home decor department, I almost died and went to bunny heaven. There were bunny decorations everywhere and it took me a minute to realize this was in preparation of Easter lol. Now, I know that this is truly the bunny owner’s time to shine!

If I had all of the money in the world, I would have bought every single bunny item in the store. They were all just SO cute! The first thing that caught my eye was the topiary bunny on a pedestal and it immediately went into the cart. This was a great substitute because they had a huge topiary bunny that I wanted desperately, but lacked the space for. Next, my mom showed me the beautiful flower print bunny figurine and that also had to come home with me. They had this little statue in a variety of patterns, but the one my mom pointed out was the first one I saw and I liked it the most. I especially like that it makes me think about her when I see it. ❤

The last bunny items I purchased were some adorable decorative plates with images from Peter Rabbit on them. I have several Halloween themed plates from TJs that I just like to have so I was happy to add onto the collection. The pictures are so incredibly sweet and I actually have a few teacups with Peter Rabbit on them to match. Finally, Johnny and I are avid fans of wall art and after some deliberation, I added the butterfly illustration to my cart too. I have quite a few prints of scientific drawings of plants that I got from the Goodwill and this will look perfect hanging next to them. I love the frame and bold colors and, of course, I always think about my niece when I see butterflies – her favorite!

Now that I know when to find bunny themed home decor, you can catch me at the same place, same time next year. Thank you, TJMaxx, for making this bunny mom an extremely happy customer!

Do you change your home decor out every season? What is your favorite season to decorate for? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb18

New Solitaire Trench Coat

Posted on February 18, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hi!! To me, there is nothing better than refreshing my wardrobe with the change of seasons and TJMaxx delivered during my last shopping trip. Despite the crappy weather, spring was in the air at TJs and it was infectious! Today, we will be discussing the last item from my clothing haul and, in this case, I really did save the best for last. This trench coat by Solitaire made me clutch my pearls and it has skyrocketed to one of my new favorite things in my wardrobe boutique. Check it out:

The trench coat is, hands down, my all time favorite classic wardrobe staple. They are just so incredibly chic, universally flattering, and I love the versatility that a signature tan trench offers. I have had the same trench coat from PacSun since I was fifteen and it still looks as good as the day I bought it. Because of this, trench coats are never really on my radar as something I need. Why mess with perfection, amiright? Of course, I ate those words as soon as I saw this pretty little number by Solitaire. Hey, I have the classic trench already and now I have the 2.0 version too!

I consider myself to be a highly seasoned shopper, but never have I ever seen anything like my new coat before. The pattern is simply stunning with huge blooms and butterflies and the soft faux suede just makes you want to wrap yourself in it. I also can’t get enough of how the colors in the patterns pop against the dusty pink base. From top to bottom, this coat was everything I could possibly want and it’s amazing that I almost didn’t get it! Wait *record stops*… What?

Lol, yes. This coat almost didn’t come home with me! I tried it on in a medium and it was a bit too big. However, I couldn’t find a small on the racks to save my own life. That is, until my mom stepped in! At the beginning of our shopping trip, I explained my golden rule to my mom of always checking the sizes of each item in case it’s on the wrong size hanger. I broke this rule with the coat, but my mom remembered! She ended up finding a small on a size large hanger and it was nothing short of miraculous. I’m glad someone remembered my words of wisdom because I sure as hell didn’t haha.

Thanks to an astonishing assist from my mom, my dream trench coat was as good as mine. I cannot wait to show it off in a new OOTD soon. Peep the rest of my TJs haul tomorrow because my home decor got a refresh too in the best way possible! 😀

Do you have any golden rules when you shop? What is one of your spring wardrobe staples? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb17

New Modern Works Top

Posted on February 17, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Howdy!! I had a surprise afternoon off two weeks ago and I got to spend it with my mom. We lunched at Panera and shopped at TJMaxx and it was absolutely fantastic! It’s finally time to take a look at my haul and it was a good one. TJs was fully restocked with spring fashion and, better yet, bunny decor galore! It was my lucky day and I walked away with a gorgeous new jacket, the cutest bunny themed decorations, and a top by Modern Works that we’ll check out now:

I think it’s extremely safe to say that I have an eclectic personal style and my wardrobe tends to reflect that. However, while I love bold fashion choices, I have a huge passion for classic pieces as well. We’re talking staples like trench coats, crisp button downs, and pants that fit like a glove. They’re clothes that will never go out of style and helps turn some of the louder pieces in my wardrobe into work appropriate when combined. The top above might not seem like a usual Lil Red choice but, with all of what we just discussed in mind, I was immediately drawn to it.

This top by Modern Works is a classic staple to the T. It is form fitting without being too tight, vertical stripes are always in, and the pearl white base makes for a perfect neutral. Not to mention that the top is soft and comfortable as can be. It felt fantastic on and I knew it was a winner because the outfit building portion of my brain began spinning into overdrive. I was picturing this little number tucked into black jean shorts during the summer and worn with a great pair of trousers for meetings at work. This is definitely a top that can be worn for work and play, which is always very appealing to me because I love versatile pieces!

I am so looking forward to featuring my new Modern Works top in an OOTD as well as sharing the rest of my haul with all of you. Stay tuned because I also have some matching shirts with Johnny that showed up in the mail that are hilarious if you know what they’re from! 😀

What is one of your favorite classic wardrobe staples? Are you updating your spring wardrobe soon? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb15

XOXO OOTD

Posted on February 15, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! Apparently Valentine’s Day was yesterday so I just had to put together a little inspo for that because everyone I know is celebrating this weekend. It’s hard to do much of anything during the work week! After a fantastic shopping trip to TJMaxx with my mom, I knew exactly what I wanted to wear for a V-Day look. Stay tuned for more from a fabulous haul after the blooper reel tomorrow. 🙂 Now, let’s get to it:

Who? What? Wear?

Red Heart Button Down: Jane + Delancey, TJMaxx (As seen on yesterday’s post!)

Coated Jeans: Seven Jeans, TJMaxx

Red Heels: Reaction By Kenneth Cole, TJMaxx

(I got the rose earrings forever ago at PacSun!)

My XOXO OOTD was an incredibly easy one to style because I built the outfit in my head as soon as I tried on my Jane + Delancey button down in the TJMaxx fitting room. In fact, this is usually how I determine if something I try on is worth buying. There’s no point in bringing something home that doesn’t work with the clothes I already own! So, naturally, creating this outfit started with the button down and then it was onto assembling the rest of the look…

For jeans, I decided to go with my coated pair of snakeskin patterned skinnies by Seven Jeans. These were a strategic choice because I wanted to incorporate some edge as well as texture. The sweet as can be heart pattern on the top definitely called for some toughening up! The sheen of the pants also added visual interest to the look because the button down is of the softest cotton that it almost has a matte finish to it. Adding that touch of sleek shine to this outfit really helped make things pop and the effect just wouldn’t be the same with a plain pair of skinnies.

Next, it was onto shoes and accessories to complete the look. The shoes were a no brainer and I slipped on a pair of red heels by Kenneth Cole. I absolutely love the chunky block heel and the buckle and fringe in the front turn a classic shape into something exciting. And, of course, they helped tie the look together from head to toe. The last thing I did was put on a pair of vintage style earrings with a red rose smack dab in the middle. These felt perfect for Valentine’s Day and, like the jeans, were a strategic choice. I wanted to leave my neck bare since I wasn’t showing a lot of skin. With that, I was ready to step out in Love Day style!

My XOXO OOTD is a sweet and sassy take on a Valentine’s Day look. It is one that can be easily replicated and will be sure to blow your date away!

Did you celebrate Valentine’s Day yesterday or are you waiting for the weekend? What was the best date you have ever been on? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb14

New Jane + Delancey Button Down

Posted on February 14, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello darlings and Happy Valentine’s Day to all of you! This past Thursday, I had a surprise afternoon off and was able to spend that time with my mom for a girls day out. We started our extravaganza with a delicious lunch at Panera and then shopped till we dropped at TJMaxx. It was perfect and we had so much fun together doing two of my favorite activities – shopping and lunching lol. We also went to TJMaxx at a great time too because all of their new spring arrivals were out and it was glorious. You’ll see more from my haul after a brand new OOTD tomorrow! Now, check out this adorable Jane + Delancey Button Down:

Naturally at TJs, there was a lot of Valentine’s Day apparel on display. Normally, I am not one for holiday themed clothes because the time you can wear them is so limited. I like clothes that will work for a majority of the seasons or year round. However, I just had to add the heart adorned button down from Jane + Delancey to my try on pile. The stark white base with the red embroidered hearts spoke to me and it was so different than the other V-Day clothes available. I was drowning in a sea of pink!

Although I loved the shirt on the hanger, I wasn’t completely sold on it. That is, until I tried it on! As soon as I looked at myself in the mirror, I knew it was a winner and, most importantly, my mom agreed too. The fit of the button down was oversized without being huge. It looked flirty and fun and it surprised me by being something that I would happily wear beyond February. I can’t wait to wear it in the summer tucked into a pair of jean shorts with a cute pair of wedges. This top looked even better on than I could have imagined and I can’t wait for you to see it in the OOTD post tomorrow. 🙂

I hope all of you have a wonderful V-Day! You are all my Valentines and thank you for continuing to tune into all of the latest and greatest here on lifewithlilred! ❤

How are you celebrating Valentine’s Day? How do you feel about holiday themed clothes? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan31

Best Of The Vests OOTD

Posted on January 31, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello darlings!! After a brief hiatus from OOTDs due to being sick at the beginning of the year as well as the worst weather ever, we are back! Like last year, one of my blogging goals for 2024 is to continue creating as many outfits as possible and I plan on making good on it. This past weekend was a somewhat busy/somewhat relaxing one and I knew exactly what I wanted to wear as Johnny and I went about our day on Saturday! Check it out and let’s discuss:

Who? What? Wear?

Vest Thing: Rachel Roy, TJMaxx

Sweater: Shrinking Violet, TJMaxx

Skinny Jeans: American Eagle Outfitters

Heeled Boots: Olivia Miller, TJMaxx

The earrings were bought forever ago at Target!

As sure as the sun will rise in the morning, I always end up receiving TJMaxx gift cards for Christmas. #blessed lol And, after restocking my skin care, I found the Rachel Roy vest thing during my post holiday shopping. Is it a vest? A poncho? Maybe a kimono? I have no clue! I did know, however, that this Rachel Roy number was the only one in the store and that I had to have it! This is such a unique piece and I have never seen anything similar to it before. I love the traditional vest quilting and the fall colored paisley print is everything. I have been waiting for a while to break this bad boy out and I styled this look how I pictured it in my head while in the TJs dressing room.

To start, I put on my simple black sweater by Shrinking Violet to wear underneath the vest. This sweater is as old as the hills and I actually wore it on my first day of college! Be that as it may, it is the perfect sweater for layering. It fits nice and close to the body without being too snug. For the torso, I wasn’t too concerned because it would be covered up. The sleeves were a different story, though, and it fit just right and really allowed the vest to shine.

Next on the agenda was jeans, and black skinnies were the way to go. With a piece as bold as the vest on top, there was no need for the bells and whistles offered with a patterned or coated jean. The simple staples of the skinnies and sweater helped form a lean silhouette and let the vest do the talking. This was further assisted by the all black everything palette and made the paisley pattern in the vest pop.

Finally, it was onto shoes and accessories. For shoes, I went with my pair of heeled boots by Olivia Miller. I got these a few winters ago for twenty bucks during a TJs clearance sale and I just love them. The chunky heel paired with pseudo suede and a huge silver chain on the boot is a match made in heaven! These boots added length and a way cool detail with the chain. To wrap up the look, I put on a pair of dangly earrings with a gorgeous amber gem hanging from them to compliment the vest. With that, I was ready to take on the day the fashion forward way!

There is nothing better than when an outfit turns out just the way you wanted it to and my Best Of The Vests OOTD definitely did that. This Rachel Roy vest was an amazing find and I am already looking forward to wearing it again!

Have you done any winter clearance shopping? What was the best deal you ever got for an item on sale? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan18

Busy Day OOTD

Posted on January 18, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello darlings!! Normally, my weekends are all about having some much needed R&R after a crazy busy work week. This Saturday, however, was a different story because there was SO much to do. Johnny and I needed to give our apartment a much needed deep clean, but first I had to get recertified in CPR and first aid. As an Independent Provider, it is a very important requirement to have that and my certificate was set to expire in February. I was so happy to be able to get it done, even though I wasn’t thrilled to wake up early! Before heading out on a snowy morning, I wanted to get OOTD pics out of the way for the comfy cool look I put together. Check it out:

Who? What? Wear?

Killin’ It Hoodie: Forever 21

Star Pattern Jeans: Kut From The Kloth, TJMaxx

White Combat Boots: Forever 21

Cheetah Print Headband: TJMaxx

Earrings: American Eagle Outfitters

It’s never much fun to do work related stuff over the weekend, but it’s even less fun when the weather freaking sucks lol. For this OOTD, I wanted a laid back look that I could be comfortable in (While still looking cute!) as I got my training done. On really cold days, I just want to wrap myself up like a burrito in a million blankets. That wasn’t the case for me on Saturday, however, so I went with soft pieces to represent my burrito cocoon that I so desperately wanted to be in!

Usually when I’m styling an OOTD, I start from the top down. This time around, I began from the bottom up with my Kut From The Kloth jeans. These star patterned skinnies are just so much fun and a really unique piece. I don’t get to wear them too often because it is difficult to pair them with ninety-nine percent of what is in my wardrobe. Despite not getting to use them much, they are well loved and nice and soft, which is exactly what I wanted as I went about my day.

Next on the agenda was finding a top that worked and I decided to go the hoodie route to keep up with the comfy cute motif. I popped on one of my Misny Merch Ts as an extra layer, then chose an oldie but goodie hoodie from Forever 21. What can I say, I planned on killin’ it at my training and I did! This hoodie is the freaking bomb. It is SO cozy and it almost feels like wearing a nightgown in the best possible way lol. In fact, I have nighties that are similar! The black and white color palette was also just what I needed to keep the jeans from clashing with it.

Finally, it was onto shoes and accessories. I pulled my hair back with a cheetah print headband because practicing CPR with hair in your face is a hassle. This headband was a gift from my mom and I wear it constantly throughout the week. The animal print added a pop of something different to the look and was far enough away from the pants to keep an uncluttered appearance. Long, dangly earrings were also a no go for a CPR class, so I stuck with a small pair of gold earrings which looked great with the headband.

Last but not least was shoes and I went for a pair of white heeled combat boots from Forever 21. I know, I’m also shocked that there’s more pieces from F21 than TJMaxx in this look! These boots added the extra length I needed since the hoodie was so long and the stark white complimented the text on the hoodie too. With that, I was ready to take on the day the comfy cute way and rocked it!

While nothing pleases me more than dressing up, my Busy Day on Saturday called for a dressed down OOTD. This outfit kept me warm and toasty on the blustery day while still looking my laid back best!

How do you normally spend your weekends? What is your favorite comfy cozy piece of clothing? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan13

Out On The Town OOTD

Posted on January 13, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!!! This past Friday, I had a wonderful holiday hangout with my bestie. Lea and I went to what is, easily, one of the best martini bars in our neck of the woods called the Cashmere Cricket for drinks and dinner. The Cricket is just the cutest little spot tucked away in downtown Cuyahoga Falls and it is one of my favorite places. In fact, Johnny and I had our first date and celebrated our engagement there! The Cashmere Cricket definitely requires more sophisticated attire than a typical bar so it is always fun to step out there. This is what I wore:

Who? What? Wear?

Black & Navy Jacket: Xhilaration, Target

Skull Sweater: 360 Cashmere, TJMaxx

Skinny Jeans: American Eagle Outfitters

Heeled Boots: Bamboo, TJMaxx

Dark Green Hoop Earrings: Argentino Vivo, TJMaxx

Do you remember a point in your life where even if it was freaking freezing out, you still wouldn’t wear cold weather clothes? IE: A dress in wintertime? I definitely did that in my younger twenties! Now? Not so much lol. Although it hasn’t been super snowy in Ohio this winter, it has been damp and cold and it intensifies instantly as soon as the sun sets. Lea and I were meeting later into the evening and as much as I enjoy getting super dolled up for the Cricket, I wasn’t trying to set myself up for frostbite. So, I opted to stay warm and cute instead!

For my Out On The Town OOTD, I wanted to create a smoky and chic color palette – like a smoky eye look for your clothes. To start, I chose my V-neck sweater adorned in skulls by 360 Cashmere. This was a Christmas gift from me to me a few years ago and it is one of my faves. What I particularly like is the fit because it offers some slouch without being baggy. I tend to drown in truly oversized pieces! With an all over pattern like this sweater has, I kept things simple on the bottom with a plain black pair of skinny jeans. While I could have went for distressing or coating, I decided against it to keep any of the pieces from clashing which can happen with a bold patterned top.

Next, it was onto a jacket, shoes, and accessories. For my jacket, I selected a little number from Target. I have had this jacket for years now and it still hits every time. The shape is so classic and the color blocking of black and navy is such a unique touch. And, of course, it is very warm! These deeper colors really helped to create the color palette I wanted and I thought it looked lovely on top of the flint grey sweater.

Shoes came next on my agenda and I went with a pair of heeled booties by Bamboo. I love, love, love the gold brocade pattern and it was a great way to add something different to the outfit without going overboard. Since the palette of this OOTD was all neutral pieces, the gold pattern only enhanced rather than clashed. Last was accessories and I kept things minimal with a medium size pair of dark green hoop earrings by Argentino Vivo. Granted, there wasn’t much open real estate for additional jewelry and the patterned sweater, color block jacket, and gold detailed boots were enough of an accessory on their own!

It was fun to style this Out On The Town OOTD, but it was the most fun to go out with my best girl for a post holiday celebration. This look felt just right for the Cashmere Cricket and I can’t wait to go back. Happy Hour, anyone?!

What is your cold weather style like? How do you dress up for a night out? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan9

TJMaxx Skin Care Haul

Posted on January 9, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Howdy!! For Christmas and my birthday, I know for a fact that I am going to receive lots of gift cards to TJMaxx. Everyone seems to know by now that it is my happy place and a gift card to TJs is truly the perfect gift for me. With my Christmas gift card hauls, I always like to do a major restock of my skin care supplies. While it would be fun to blow the lot on new clothes and shoes (And I have before!), I like to get things that I actually need and skin care is of the highest priority. I take my skin care routine very seriously and I got enough product to last for at least five months FO FREE. You just can’t beat that! Check it out:

^^^ All of these products are Leaping Bunny Certified!

I visited TJMaxx on January second and the store was understandably pretty bare to prep for their spring shipment. Unfortunately, this meant the skin care department was nowhere near as well stocked as usual. I had to really look to find the serums, moisturizers, toners, eye creams, and cleansers that would not only work for me but were cruelty free too. This was a lot easier said than done and I spent a majority of my shopping trip scouring the shelves. While I did walk away with everything I needed, the biggest disappointment was not being able to find any of my tried and true Evoluderm Micellar Water. Normally, TJs has an entire shelf full so that was a bummer but, luckily, I have more gift cards for when they get a restock! 😀

For this haul, I walked away with two toners, one cleanser, four moisturizers, four serums, and one eye cream. I was very happy with this because of how bare the skin care section was and I was able to find some familiar brands and brand new ones to try. What I am particularly curious about is the Provence Beauty serums in the bright yellow and baby pink bottles. And, yes, I did get them specifically for what they looked like lol. What can I say, I’m a sucker for pretty packaging! I was also most excited to find another Simple eye cream because of what a fantastic value they are. I have been using a similar product by Simple for the past FIVE months and I am still not even close to being done. Highly recommend!

I am very pleased with my gift card haul from TJMaxx and planned it out to perfection. I only paid nine additional dollars for what my gift cards didn’t cover and I thought that was a great success. Nothing makes me happier than a fully restocked skin care hoard and I can’t wait to test out the new to me products!

What are your thoughts on any of these products if you have used them before? What is important for you when it comes to skin care? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

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