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Dec26

Bath Bomb Blitz: 5 Below Edition

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Bath Bomb Blitz: 5 Below Edition

Howdy! I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas! Today, we are going to discuss one of the prezzies I got from my BFF in this new edition of Bath Bomb Blitz. Although it was a super thoughtful gift and I love Lea more than life itself, this bath bomb from 5 Below was the worrrrrst. Take a look at some pics and let’s discuss:

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When I think of bath bombs, I think of wonderful little delights that smell awesome and make a show of the bath water before taking a relaxing soak. And, unfortunately, this bomb from 5 Below had none of the above criteria going for it. It smelled like nothing, even though the scent was cotton candy. And, it did nothing to change my bath water other than fizz out. However, I will grant that it did take at least three minutes to dissolve completely, which is pretty good!

I love bargain stores more than the next but, when it comes to bath bombs, I’ll definitely be leaving it to the experts at Lush for the full experience. I am glad to know that the 5 Below bath bombs are not the best, though, so that I know not to gift them for people or give them a try myself! A blessing in disguise! 😀

Which brand makes the best bath bombs? What is your favorite bath bomb from Lush? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec12

Traditions It’s Okay To Break During Christmas

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Traditions It’s Okay To Break During Christmas

Hi everyone! Today’s post is guest written by my sweet friend, Ester. Her blog is excellent and chock full of gorgeous photos, travel, and well written passages. So, do be sure to check out her page and give it some love! Please enjoy this lovely guest post and if you are interested in sharing your work on lifewithlilred, shoot me an email at: sarah.mush6794@gmail.com !

Dear World,

A week or so ago, I was talking to my boss about sales at Christmas time and how that’s having an impact on how we exchange presents now compared to previous years. This conversation then made me think about all of the little traditions I’ve been changing and adapting every year and how I now live the Christmas period today. It is very interesting how we all try to follow the traditions because that’s what makes us human (that is, culture) but we also want to adapt them to our modern world.

I’m personally very okay with breaking the rules, I’ve been doing that my whole life. I like traditions with a twist. On the one hand, I love how comfortable and homey it feels following a ritual, but I also want to change my lifestyle for the best. Moreover, spending the Christmas holidays in other countries and being exposed to other cultures had an impact on how I now spend my time in December. So without further ado, here are the traditions that I am okay breaking this Christmas:

Ordering your Christmas dinner online:

Last year I spent hours cooking what I really wanted to be an absolute wonder of a meal. I slow-cooked the lamb and I tried my best to make a chestnut puree. It took me a whole afternoon of grocery shopping and a whole morning spent in the kitchen to go through all of that. The result, though, was a disaster. I think I put so much pressure on myself because I really wanted to somehow cook this Masterchef dinner that I screwed it all up. The meat was not tender and the puree was just uneatable. Somehow, I managed to finish it out of compassion and pity.

This year. I’m not going to repeat that experience or decide that I’ll magically become a chef in no time. That’s why my Christmas dinner will be kindly and lovingly prepared by Waitrose and Partners. I’m sure it will be much better than what I could ever cook myself. We will eat it at our place, next to the Christmas tree while drinking a good bottle of Prosecco. I’ll have the morning to relax and call all of my family and friends in Italy and I won’t be panicking in the kitchen. I, too, deserve to enjoy my Christmas morning.

ester

Exchanging gifts after Christmas:

This is actually the topic that led me to write this post in the first place. Here in London families are now embracing a new tradition: instead of exchanging presents on Christmas day, they organise a shopping trip to the mall on Boxing Day (or the week after Christmas) to buy each other what they really want at a cheaper price. If you think about it, that’s a win-win situation: everyone will receive what they want and the cost will be heavily reduced by the sales.

I know, I agree that is very nice and special to open your presents on Christmas day but, hey, you could have one gift under the tree and the rest at the Boxing Day sales. I, myself, have decided to wait a bit longer to buy my own Christmas present this year (I always treat myself to something special) because, by waiting a week or two I can buy my gift at half price. So, why not?

ester6If you’re in London for Christmas, try and find Harry Potter’s magic wand!

Eating way too much:

My relationship with food used to be quite complicated. I’m now fine but, if I eat too much, my stomach hurts badly. To be fair, I suppose it’s quite normal. If we eat too much, we don’t feel great at all. That’s why I always need to make sure I don’t cross that line at Christmas. I really hate feeling nauseated with stomach pain and a heavy head during the holidays. Also, I don’t want to ruin all of the hard work that I’ve been doing for the past few weeks.

This means, that I’ll do my best to go running once a week. But, I will also make sure that I won’t have three slices of Panettone in one day. I’m sure you know your limits, as well.

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Wrapping paper:

I’m not very good at leading an environmentally-friendly lifestyle but, after living in London for almost two years, I understand the importance and urgency to do so. Here in the city, everything is wrapped in plastic or paper. Every single lunch has some plastic in it and we all abuse the use of plastic bottles. It was a friend of mine who made me notice it and it’s very true, so I’m now trying to be more sensitive to that matter.

For this reason, I’m also considering what to do with wrapping paper. Not all wrapping paper can be recycled. Foil or glitter-decorated paper cannot be recycled and the same goes if there’s sticky tape or decorations on it. My suggestion here would be to make sure you buy wrapping paper that can be recycled easily – even better if that’s made with recycled paper.

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Of course, I understand the huge importance of traditions in our life and I, myself, love gathering together with my family to spend a wonderful Christmas together. However, traditions can be adapted to lifestyle and personal preferences. At the end of the day, what really counts is that we all spend a memorable day surrounded by the people we love the most because that’s what will make us happy.

What do you think? Are there any traditions that you are going to break or bend this Christmas? Let me know what your plans are for the holidays!

Best,

Ester Piubeni

My website: esterpiubeni.com

My Instagram account: ester_piubeni

Thank you again to Ester for her guest post on lifewithlilred! Happy holidays! Much love. -Sarah

Dec5

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Swatch In Chopper

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Urban Decay Eyeshadow Swatch In Chopper

Hi everyone! Today, we are moving on to Urban Decay’s Naked 2 palette and taking a look at some of my favorites. This palette was a hand me down from my sister, Kristen, and I really like it. But, I’m pleased to say that I definitely own the drugstore dupe of it! For ten dollars, the Nude Rose Gold palette by Elf featured a lot of the same shades for a fraction of the cost. So, that’s a little pro tip for you if you love this Naked palette but don’t want to spend the cash on it. In case you forgot what the Naked 2 eyeshadow set looks like, here it is:

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And, the color that I am going to feature today is the charming rose gold shade called Chopper. Check it out:

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^^^ The top heart is Chopper wet and the second one is when it’s dry.

I bet you guys thought that I was going to go for the bronze shades in this post, huh? Haha, although I do deeply love my gold and bronze shadows, this past year has been about all rose gold everything in the beauty and fashion world. So, it only seemed fitting to showcase the lovely shade, Chopper, as we talk about the Naked 2 palette.

Rose gold is a fantastic color, because it’s flattering on literally any person no matter their skin tone. It’s a shade that looks universally good whether it be used on makeup, clothing, or accessories and it’s just darn right chic and sweet. I do love this shade from the Naked palette but, it did not apply well when it was dry at all. It was flaky, the color was dusty, and it didn’t do anything for me. But, when it was wet, it applied like BUTTAH so that’s something to remember if you’re interested in these palettes.

Despite some application issues, Chopper is still a beautiful shade and I can definitely see myself wearing it. The fact that it doesn’t stray far from my favorite golden color palette doesn’t hurt, either!

Do you like the Urban Decay Smoky or Naked 2 palette better? What is your favorite color from the Naked 2 palette? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

 

Dec2

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Swatch In Armor

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Urban Decay Eyeshadow Swatch In Armor

Hello everyone and welcome back to some more swatches from the Urban Decay Naked palettes. The metallic silver seen below called “Armor” is from the Smoky palette and I am a huge fan. Once upon a time, I used to use a metallic silver eyeliner from The Body Shop and it was the best. I used this eyeliner all of the time and, then, out of nowhere it gave my eyes an awful reaction. They must have changed the formula or something, because both of my peepers turned red and grossly swollen within minutes. It was disgusting! Ever since then, I’ve never bought a silver eyeliner or shadow to compensate for my TBS one, so it’s nice to have Armor in my arsenal. Take a look:

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^^^ The big heart is the eyeshadow wet and the smaller one is when it’s dry.

Although Armor is pretty when its dry, the wet color is where it’s at. The striking, metallic silver with that slightest hint of gunmetal grey makes for a shade that will give your eyes a pop with an unexpected color. Silver is a very underrated eye makeup color, so I’m looking forward to bringing it back after all of those years of not using my TBS eyeliner.

When it comes to wearing any eyeshadow, I always wet my Q-tip applicator before I apply. I love the saturated pigment when the shadow is wet and the dry color just doesn’t cut it. Through my swatching research, I am finding that the Urban Decay colors don’t apply very well when dry, but the application is like BUTTAH when it’s wet. Although this might be annoying to some, it’s great for me, especially because I love this shade when it’s wet oh so much!

Do you prefer your eyeshadow wet or dry? What is the best drugstore or high end brand of eyeshadow? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

 

Dec1

Selfie Spam & An Accessory Story

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Selfie Spam & An Accessory Story

Hello! The broadcast of the Naked palette swatches has been interrupted by some Selfie Spam & An Accessory Story. We apologize for any inconvenience.

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Wow, I guess I’ve been really feeling myself lately!

The pictures that I love the most are the ones with some very special accessories. In two of the above pictures, I am rocking some of the hats from my late grandma’s collection and never have I felt so beautiful. My beloved grandma had a stock pile of over one hundred hats, and that love single-handedly got passed down to me in what is known as the “Hat Gene”. Hats are an obsession for me but it’s a healthy one, I promise! This love has helped kick start quite the collection of my own but, my most prized ones are my grandma’s, of course.

Hats are something that require great confidence to pull off and, for a good long while, I just didn’t have it. And, like many things, my self esteem and image got better with time and popping a hat on my head as I walked out the door seemed like an easy thing rather than a nerve wracking feat. Once a better sense of confidence was instilled in me, wearing hats became an exciting staple in my personal style, because nothing screams chic more than a well dressed woman in a beautiful hat.

No matter which hat I choose from my collection to wear, whether it be a vintage piece of my grandma’s or a new purchase of my own, I always feel like I have this warm halo of love around me. I know that my grandma would be so happy to see me wearing her own favorites as well as the new ones that I picked out, all because of her and her timeless elegance. ❤

What is one of your favorite accessories to wear? How about your favorite style of hat? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov30

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Swatch In Smolder

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Urban Decay Eyeshadow Swatch In Smolder

Helloooo! My sister recently bequeathed her Urban Decay Naked palettes onto me, so we are going to go through the Naked 2 and Smoky palettes and swatch some of my favorite colors. Today, we are going to look at one of the standout shades from the Smoky palette – a lovely deep purple called Smolder. Take a gander at these pics and let’s discuss:

^^^ The first heart is the eyeshadow when its wet and the second one is when its dry.

As we all know, I don’t change it up very often when it comes to my eye makeup. I like what I like, I know what shades work for me, and I stick to them like glue. However, one shade that I do like to apply when I’m feeling saucy is purple. Not ultra bright or metallic purple, but a nice, deep shade like the one seen above. Anything too bright looks crazy with my hair, and Smolder is just right. The dark, smoky shade makes my hazel eyes change to green, as purple and green are complimentary colors, and I love using it to make my peepers pop.

What I also like about Smolder is that the purple becomes really evident when the lighting is good. As you can see from the pictures, the eyeshadow looks almost brown in my yellow-ish bathroom lighting. But, as soon as the flash came on, you could really see that sexy, smoldering purple, which is a fun surprise. So, in a darker setting like a candle lit dinner, you get a delicious chocolate brown and, as soon as the flickering candles catch your eyes, you get a striking jewel tone. So cool!

What is your favorite shade of eyeshadow to wear? Which color compliments your eyes the best? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov26

Holiday Gathering OOTD

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Holiday Gathering OOTD

Hi! With the holiday season in full swing now, it’s important to be able to put together a lovely OOTD for any get togethers that you might be attending. The outfit in this post is actually what I wore for Thanksgiving, and it has given me a good template to follow for a look that’s classy but still fun around your family, friends, or total strangers! Take a look at some pics and let’s discuss:

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Who? What? Wear?

When thinking about what I wanted to wear on Thanksgiving day, my BCBG layered sweater dress seemed like an obvious choice. It’s so cute and comfortable while still looking really chic, and that is a must because Lil Red always tries to show out at family events! Plus, this dress fits a bit looser so I don’t have to worry about busting out of it after eating a huge holiday meal!

But, of course, just this dress would not be warm enough for a late November holiday so I had to enlist the help of some tights to cover my legs. And, cold or not, my legs are pretty hairy so the tights needed to happen, anyways. At first, I was going to just wear some sheer black tights but, I found this charcoal sweater pair in my closet and decided to give them a go. I was a little worried that it would be too much grey, but the heather grey of the dress looked lovely against the charcoal and the two differing sweater textures was also a nice, cozy touch. The sweet blue doves on my heels also paired well with the palette, too, so (For once!) I didn’t choose black and went with All Grey Everything.

To top this look off, literally, I decided to go with one of my favorites: My purple, orange, and navy plaid topper coat from Target. Because everything else was neutral in my OOTD, I could go color crazy and still look put together. The deep, burnt colors in this coat just scream festive fall holiday to me and I loved how it popped against the stark white and soft grey underneath. My topper coat felt like a really necessary part of this overall look, because the dress and tights were so comfortable. It took my OOTD from Thanksgiving Lounge to Thanksgiving Get Down and I absolutely love the end results!

When styling for a cold weather holiday event, it’s important that you dress for the weather without wearing a full blown snowsuit! Knitwear is a great place to start – sweaters, cardigans, cableknit dresses, and thick tights will all keep you nice and warm without breaking out the puffer coats. And, to complete your look, always top it off with a cool coat or jacket to add some pizazz to your comfortably cute OOTD.

How do you style a look for holiday gatherings? How do you stay warm while still looking chic? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov16

First Snow OOTD

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First Snow OOTD

Hi! This past weekend, Ohio treated us to some snow. Although we’re barely in the middle of November, it is full fledged winter temps here and I’m already fed up. But, despite the many things in life that we can control, the weather is not one of them so we all just have to keep on truckin’ – myself included!

When it comes to dressing for the winter, I prefer to layer as opposed to walking around with a huge coat on. I love faux fur, cold weather accessories, and boots and, when worn properly, a well layered outfit can be just as warm as a puffer jacket. Take a look at how I style for the cold months ahead and let’s discuss:

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Who? What? Wear?

Now, I’m sure that for some of you, this outfit looks nowhere near warm enough for a blustery winter day. But, keep in mind, that I have enjoyed spending my free time at a cold skating rink for over a decade and the winter weather really doesn’t phase me any more. So, this OOTD was just right for me to be comfortable outside for the amount of time that I was in and out of different places throughout the day. If I had gone on a hike or something like that, though, trust and believe that I would have bundled up a little better!

Anyways, I like this look because it offers a really unique shape while still looking chic. The fairly tight fitting jacket and sweater along with the jeans and boots look nice and crisp while the kimono that balloons out underneath adds an unexpected element to the look, and I love that. The floppy hat also mimics the shape of the kimono, which adds cohesiveness to the OOTD and keeps my pretty lil’ noggin warm. :*)

Winter accessories are a definite must in any good OOTD during the cold months, so don’t be afraid to go a bit crazy with them. Had it been colder the day that my boyfriend took these pics, I would have opted for a scarf, too. But, the hat and driving gloves did the job just fine. Also, do remember that jewelry is important in the drab winter, as well. With bleak weather and grey days a little pop of bling goes a long way. I love black and gold together, so I went with a long chained pendant from Urban Outfitters to complete my look.

Although winter is a time to be bundled up, it can still look oh so chic so style never has to be sacrificed… Thank gawd! 😀

How do you stay warm in the winter? What is winter weather like where you live? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct27

NC Photography

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NC Photography

Howdy and welcome to the weekend! Thank you all so much for letting me dish about my family vacation to Hendersonville, North Carolina this past week. It has been so nice to relive such wonderful memories, even though they just happened, and I am already itching to travel off to somewhere new! Ah yes, the travel bug is strong since I took two trips this month but, for now, all I can do is reminisce with some final photos from vacation taken by my father who planned the entire trip! Take a look:

 

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For as long as I can remember, my dad has always found joy in planning family vacations. From Florida and Vermont to New Hampshire and North Carolina, my dad loves conducting research and will spend at least a year planning for a big summer or fall trip. It is simply the best and we are so thankful that he spends such extensive time making sure that our vacation is perfect. And, it really is a win win, because my dad enjoys it so much and we just get to sit back and experience the spoils. This year’s vacation was one of the best that we have had in a long time and I am so appreciative to my dad and family for making it all possible!

Where was your last family vaca? Where is your dream travel destination? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct26

NC OOTD

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NC OOTD

Hi everyone and TGIF! While on vacation in North Carolina, my family did a lot of hiking so styling outfits that slay wasn’t high on my priority list. But, on our last day of the trip, we bummed around downtown Hendersonville for the afternoon, no muddy trails required. So, trust and believe that I took this opportunity very seriously and created an edgy look that was a far cry from Southern Charm! Take a look at some pics and let’s discuss:

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Who? What? Wear?

Upon ordering my Fervour jumpsuit from ModCloth earlier this month, I have been chomping at the bit to wear it. I thought that breaking it out on vaca would be the perfect time to do so, because it traveled well in my suitcase, it’s insanely comfortable, and it’s an easy outfit because you don’t have to pair it with anything. I have been on the prowl for a cool jumpsuit for years now, and it doesn’t get much better for me than this one. It fits well (Unlike every single one that I’ve ever tried on) and it’s goth with just the perfect amount of sweetness to it thanks to the embroidered heart. In other words, it’s basically me in a nutshell.

Because the jumpsuit is a built in outfit, all that’s left to do is accessorize when wearing one. Since I was away, I didn’t have all of my options handy so I did the best that I could with what I did have. A moto jacket was a must with the jumpsuit, though, because my Nasty Gal one is tighter fitting, which complimented the bagginess of the suit well. I also went with heeled boots that would fit over the leggings to create length, which is important when something is oversized. To finish things off, I toted along my It Brit purse, white sunnies, and my signature red lip for a head turning OOTD in the streets of NC.

I love this look and I felt insanely confident in it, but I’m excited to style another OOTD now that I’m back and my wardrobe is accessible. I can picture this jumpsuit in a really sporty sense, so I’m thinking of wearing a loose fitting crop top over it, a flannel tied at the waist to cinch things in, and some cute little Nike’s for a look that Sporty Spice would be proud of!

Where do you shop for the best jumpsuits? How would you style my skeleton chic suit? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah