Tag Archives: pretty

Mar18

New Magenta & Gold Nails

Posted on March 18, 2020 by lifewithlilred

Hello! Every month, I treat myself to getting my acrylics filled at Elysian Nails. It is my happy place and my happy time and I always leave the salon feeling like a million bucks. I also leave with the hopes that someone will try me so I can give them a good scratch! Lol, because I’ve been getting my nails done for forever, I am running out of inspiration for good color combinations. So, I revisited an old favorite of magenta and gold polish this time around. Check it out:

I am, admittedly, a pretty flashy girl. I love the bling, I love being bold, and I love things that stand out, all reasons why I love my new nails. The glittery gold against the almost metallic magenta makes for an eye popping combination and they feel perfect for welcoming the spring weather with.

Now that I have the palms of my hands tattooed, keeping my nails fresh to death is a necessity because my unique ink is definitely a conversation starter everywhere I go. Lol, I have never been asked “did that hurt?” so much about anything in my life! This is a weird thing to say, but my decorated palms and nails make me feel so confident and it feels like putting on a show with every hair flip. Love it!

What color of polish do you have on? Which colors should I get next? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar16

Mary Kay Nourishine Plus Lip Gloss Swatch In Fancy Nancy

Posted on March 16, 2020 by lifewithlilred

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Mary Kay Nourishine Plus Lip Gloss Swatch In Fancy Nancy

Hello! My best friend, Lea, will be tying the knot in October and I am so honored to be a part of her special day as one of her bridesmaids. From a DIY wine and paint night and bridesmaid dress shopping to attending a bridal expo with Lea and her family, it feels good to bond even closer to my bestie and become friends with the rest of her wedding party.

I didn’t write about the bridal expo we attended but, I’ve gotta tell you, it was really something. Lol and by something I mean it was totally overwhelming. The IX Center in Cleveland was completely packed by vendors and brides to be and it was major sensory overload for me. But, the bagful of free goodies I ended up with from visiting the different vendors made being packed in like sardines somewhat worth it!

I walked away with a reusable tote bag full of candies, chapsticks, BBQ sauce of all things, and some makeup samples including the following by Mary Kay:

My first and only experience with Mary Kay makeup left much to be desired so I wasn’t particularly excited to try out the Nourishine Plus Lip Gloss in Fancy Nancy. However, the rose gold hue shining through the package looked pretty and I was interested in seeing it more closely.

I am not a big lip gloss girl and much prefer smooth matte lipstick over a sticky gloss any day. The Nourishine formula wasn’t “I spilled juice and forgot to clean it up” level sticky but halfway between that and a chapstick. In my opinion, it was still too much for me but it definitely applied smoother than the other glosses I’ve tried.

Despite not loving the texture, I absolutely adore the color and would be willing to try it in a lipstick, for sure. The over the top glitter gives a fresh, summery tangerine shine in the light and I think that it would look so charming for rooftop drinks with the girls come the hot weather. Would I go out of my way to order the Mary Kay brand? No. But I will definitely be keeping my eye out for something similar!

How do you feel about Mary Kay? Have you ever been part of a wedding party? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb29

New Hayden Los Angeles Maxi Dress

Posted on February 29, 2020 by lifewithlilred

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Hello! These past two days you got to see the gorgeous jewelry that I got from EmLeigh’s and Mama B’s in Marietta, Ohio. Now, it’s time to introduce all of you to the lovely new pieces that I added to my wardrobe for surprisingly cheap (I think I paid forty dollars for three things). It was honestly one of the best shopping experiences I’ve had in a while. Exploring a new store in a new city with the love of my life was such a treat and I cannot wait to wear all of my purchases, like the one below:

I have recently been trying to add more dresses to my collection because all of the ones in my closet are old as dirt. There are some that I still have kept around from my PacSun days over five years ago and they definitely look it. So, I was very happy to find this pretty little floral number for a whole fifteen dollars, because my dress hunt has been quite unsuccessful until now.

I absolutely love the white piping on this dress, the buttons going all the way down the front, and the way the colorful flowers pop against the navy base. The one hundred percent polyester material keeps the dress lightweight and breathable despite its length and, depending on how it’s styled, it could easily be worn for at least three seasons.

Of course, I’ll be wearing my new dress in its true form of, well, a dress. But, in the fitting room at EmLeigh’s and Mama B’s, I undid the buttons and had it on as a duster over my jeans and cami, which also looked very cute. I can picture myself wearing this dress belted with a killer pair of heels but I also predict that I’ll be throwing it on as a duster to spice up a more basic outfit very often!

How do you style maxi dresses? Is there anything that you’re trying to add more of to your wardrobe? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb27

Accessory Story: Cross To Bear Earrings Edition

Posted on February 27, 2020 by lifewithlilred

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Accessory Story: Cross To Bear Earrings Edition

Hi! While shopping in Marietta during Valentine’s Day weekend, I went a little crazy at a boutique with the adorably Southern name of EmLeigh’s and Mama B’s. This Francesca’s style store is in the process of going completely online so do be sure to check it out because they had the most gorgeous clothes and accessories for insanely good prices. Not only did I get three beautiful new clothing pieces but I ended up with a ton of earrings too, including these lovely cross shaped numbers:

Despite not being religious in the slightest, I have always had a panache for cross shaped accessories. I love rosaries and dangly cross earrings and you can almost always catch me rocking my signature black pair. I am a huge fan of the bling and when I saw my new cross earrings bedazzled in black and white gems I just couldn’t choose which color I wanted… So I got both, lol. Whoops! 😉

I am a firm believer in accessories being able to completely change an outfit, which makes me partial to chunky necklaces and dramatic beads. But, I am particularly fond of earrings because of how they pop against my short-ish, choppy, red hair. I love being able to see the light hit the gemstones or shiny metallic hues and it puts complete focus on your pretty face.

Not only do these earrings make a bold statement but they will look absolutely dazzling come summer time when the sunlight makes the crystals dance. EmLeigh’s and Mama B’s was such a charming little shop and I can’t wait to share the rest of my haul with all of you!

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

Feb23

Valentine’s Day Bouquet Pt. 2

Posted on February 23, 2020 by lifewithlilred

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Hello, everyone! I had a simply magical Valentine’s Day with my boyfriend, Johnny, and I hope that everyone had as wonderful of a day as I did… Whether it be with your spouse or a romcom and a bottle of wine! Johnny’s band, The Outside Voices, was playing a show in Marietta, Ohio on the fifteenth. So, Johnny and I decided to make a long weekend of it and drove there on Valentine’s Afternoon.

We stayed at a beautiful hotel called the Lafayette and we had a delicious dinner. Then, we went back to our room and drank champagne and watched Weird Al music videos for two hours straight. Like I said, it was simply magical.

The following day, we explored Parkersburg, West Virginia and Marietta before The Outside Voices played. Johnny and I spent the day checking out different thrift stores and boutiques and it was a complete blast. Definitely stay tuned for all of the amazing finds I scored from a trendy boutique that is in the process of going online so all of us can shop on there together! 😀

Johnny and I agreed to not go overboard with Valentine’s Day gifts and that was fine by me. Our entire weekend was the greatest gift of all and it was one of the best days of my life. But, being the sweet angel that Johnny is, he surprised me with roses and champagne and that was the cherry on top. Check it out:

When Johnny and I celebrated our big one week (haha), he gave me one single rose and I gave him a pack of hard seltzer water. I have kept that rose in my favorite vase and put the not dead ones in there too for good measure. When will I take them out, save the petals, and clean the vase? The world may never know.

In case you haven’t noticed, I like getting flowers. I guess that stems from (Ba dum chhhhh!) the fact that I have so many vivid recollections since childhood of my dad gifting flowers to my mom. During the summer time when the flowers in our garden were in bloom, there would be a fresh bouquet on the kitchen table every weekend. And, once the flowers wilted come fall, at least once a month my dad would purchase flowers as a “splurge” from the local grocery stores.

We interrupt your normal blog viewing with a conversation that happened between Sarah and her dad two weeks ago:

Me: Dad, I like those flowers. Where did you get them?

Dad: At Aldi’s… I splurged!

We now return to our normally scheduled programming.

Anyways, I know that people always associate getting flowers with love. But, my association literally comes from seeing true love between my parents. And, that’s why a simple bouquet and a bottle of booze (!!!) was the perfect gift for me. ❤

How did you celebrate Valentine’s Day? What do you associate with love? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb20

New Rose & Beige Nails

Posted on February 20, 2020 by lifewithlilred

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Hi! I was so happy to get my nails filled before Valentine’s Day with a girly sweet color palette to complete my V-Day date night OOTD. I was also so happy that I had some left over gift cards to my stomping grounds of Elysian Nails from Christmas! 😉 I normally never do nail polish colors in theme with whatever holiday is happening. As a matter of fact, green and red nails on Christmas kind of make me want to gag.

However, Valentine’s Day is when you have to pull out all of the oh so pretty stops so I wanted to go with a traditional hue of pink with a creamy beige twist. Check it out:

For my Valentine’s Day nails, I was inspired by a strawberries and cream theme but didn’t want to go over the top with strawberry jam colored claws. So, I opted for a dusty pink with a soft beige for some femininity peppered into my “scratch your eyes out” talons. I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about this color combo because it was such a far cry from my normal, funky colors. But, every time I look at them, I can’t help thinking how obsessed I am!

I am absolutely in love with how my nails turned out and think that they are delightfully reminiscent of the Strawberries & Cream Cream Savers candy, which were the friggen jam in the early 2000s! Now, if only those would make a come back so that I can snap a picture with a handful of the candy and my matching nails! 😀

How do you feel about holiday themed nails? Which colors should I get next? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb19

Sweet Surprises: Valentine’s Day Bouquet Edition

Posted on February 19, 2020 by lifewithlilred

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Sweet Surprises: Valentine’s Day Bouquet Edition

Hi! One of my clients, a freshly turned sixty year old with Down Syndrome has a love for all holidays. He revels in decorating for and celebrating each calendar holiday and Valentine’s Day was no exception. From mid January on, it was all about paper hearts, stickers, and Valentine’s Day themed episodes of his favorite old TV shows.

While shopping at Walmart for the finishing touches on the valentines he was going to mail out, he surprised me with a bouquet of a dozen colorful roses. It was quite possibly the sweetest thing in the world and I just had to share how beautiful they are with all of you:

While browsing through the Valentine’s Day decor at Walmart, my client “ooh-ed” and “ahh-ed” at everything he found appealing. So, I told him to pick out a small treat for me to purchase for him as a little V-Day gift. He selected his items – some more heart decor and a pair of heart shaped glasses and we continued to make our rounds in the store.

Once we came across Walmart’s aisle way of bouquets, without missing a beat, my friend plucked a colorful arrangement and placed it in his cart. “I get these for you” he said and my heart literally melted. I have never met someone with such a joy for each individual holiday and sharing that enthusiasm with all of his loved ones. It’s simply beautiful and all I need do is think about him to get a smile on my face.

As soon as I got home, I grabbed my spooky vases (Also from Walmart!) and began arranging my flowers. I have them proudly displayed on my coffee table and plan on keeping them there even after they have dried out as a sweet reminder of my friend and his joie de vivre. ❤

What is your favorite kind of flower? What were you treated to on Valentine’s Day? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb18

Picking The Best Bridesmaid Dress For Your Wedding Party

Posted on February 18, 2020 by lifewithlilred

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Picking The Best Bridesmaid Dress For Your Wedding Party

Hello everyone!! A few months ago, I was asked to be a bridesmaid in my best friend, Lea’s, wedding. I am so excited for her big day in October and this month, we are going to David’s Bridal to do some shopping for the bridesmaid dresses. Ah, the bridesmaid dress. Notorious for making some girls look heinous and others phenomenal. This creates massive eye sores in the photographs and just might make your BFFs bitter for years to come. So, to avoid these complications, here is a quick guide to making sure all of your bridal party looks amazing on your big day:

Universally Flattering Color:

Choosing a universally flattering color for your bridesmaid dresses is probably the most important thing you can do to ensure that all of your ladies are looking fly. Now is not the time to bust out the hot pinks, lime greens, or highlighter yellows. Rather, stick with soft hues, which will make the bridesmaids not have to work hard to pull it off.

Pale pinks are an especially pretty option and is just about as universally flattering as it gets. If you’re having a wedding later in the year and want something a bit darker, navy blue and oxblood are also safe choices to implement!

Universally Flattering Shape:

The next key thing that you can do to keep your bridesmaids looking their best is to use a universally flattering shape for the dress. I promise, your bridesmaids aren’t going to outshine you and you will still look like the HBIC of your girl gang. But, I can also promise that none of the ladies in your girl gang want to be stuck in a dumpy dress all day.

The beauty of your girl gang is that all of them are made up of different shapes and sizes. If you are not having your bridesmaids wear dresses in a different style but same color, then it is imperative that the shape you pick makes each girl feel comfortable. I find that maxi or tea length dresses are especially flattering because those tend to not be skin tight, which is not everyone’s cup of tea! Keep things flowy but elegant for the best results on each bridesmaid’s body.

Different Dress, Same Color:

If you are going this route for your bridesmaids, make sure that you provide a guide line for the lengths you would prefer them in. It’s going to look very awkward in your pictures if there’s one girl in a mini dress among the rest of your bridesmaids in something longer. If you let your expectations be known to your girls, they can still pick out a dress more specific to their body type while being mindful of your vision for your wedding.

Same Dress All Around:

If you want all of your bridesmaids in uniform dresses, that’s your prerogative and neither way is wrong. However, let your bridesmaids have some fun by choosing their own shoes or accessories to wear with the dress. This will keep your bridesmaids feeling spicy without straying from the path of what you have in mind. And, what girl doesn’t love shoe shopping?!

Use the tips above to keep all of your bridesmaids looking like the belle of the ball on your big day!

What is the best bridesmaid dress you have ever worn? How about the worst? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb13

French Rooster Mini Haul

Posted on February 13, 2020 by lifewithlilred

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Hello! One of my clients absolutely loves going to the Harville Flea Market, which is a treasured gem in the somewhat rural area of my neck of the woods. When it’s warm out, the gigantic parking lot is jam packed full of people peddling their goods from antiques and knick knacks to fresh produce and homemade bath and body care. Then, there is an indoor part of the flea market with actual stores set up, including French Rooster, which was added last year.

French Rooster is a cute Francesca’s style boutique with darling clothes, accessories, and trinkets. Despite it being a little too Jesus based for my liking, I ended up with two cami style tops that I am really happy with! Check it out:

Out of all of my wonderful clothes in my wardrobe, I don’t own any cami tops. I find this unfortunate, because they are such a classic staple, but I just could never find any that weren’t plain boring. These camis by Mittoshop both caught my eye because they were sexy with the lace detailing but still oh so sweet thanks to the flowy fabric. I thought that both of these tops would be perfect for Valentine’s Day weekend with my beau and many date nights to come.

Of course, the lace is gorgeous and purchasing the black cami was a no brainer. But, I am particularly fond of the oyster hued top. I love the lace detail down the front and this cami is designed with an extra piece of fabric on the inside middle so that it isn’t too revealing. As a bustier gal, I was worried that these tops would look more raunchy on me than classic but, because they are not skin tight, I can get away with it while still feeling sexy and confident with my body.

I can picture myself tucking the black cami into my Valentine’s Day themed skirt with a sharp blazer over it for date night on Friday. However, I am more looking forward to pairing one of the tops with short shorts, combat boots, my tattoos out in full glory, and frilly socks come summer time for a girly punk OOTD that emulates my style perfectly!

How do you dress for your body type? Where do you cross the line between sexy and sleazy? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb4

L’Oreal Colour Riche Lipstick In British Red Swatch

Posted on February 4, 2020 by lifewithlilred

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L’Oreal Colour Riche Lipstick In British Red Swatch

Howdy! My big sister always hooks me up with the best makeup hand me downs. But, sometimes, my hand me ups to her end up back in my possession. For example, the shade we’re going to discuss today called British Red by L’Oreal used to be my signature. I used to apply it almost every day when I worked at PacSun and would blow dry my lips for the ultimate matte finish.

Boy, am I glad I glowed up since then!

Haha, since I have discovered my favorite matte lippie compliments of NYX, I scoff at the fact that I used to literally blow dry my mouth. But, hey, desperate times! Despite this silly memory, British Red will always hold a special place in my heart so take a look at some pics and let’s discuss:

Back in the day when I was sporting British Red, my hair was a lot less vibrant than it is now. Don’t get me wrong, I was still Lil Red, but it just didn’t pop as much as my current shade of Vidal Sassoon’s Runway Red. So, it probably makes more sense why I was into a shade that is actually quite orangey now that I’m looking at it again with the seasoned eyes of a woman who is very picky about her red lipstick!

After revisiting this lipstick, I can confidently say that I would not use it again because it definitely would not be flattering on me now. The vibrant orange undertones in my hair mixed with the red/orange of the lippie would be enough to get me shipped off to Clown School. BUT, that doesn’t mean that the color doesn’t slap because it is actually really pretty.

The ultra rich pigments in this lipstick make for a perfect pout and I have fond memories of feeling my damn self when wearing it. I am just not a fan of glossy lipstick and around seven or eight years ago, the matte revolution of lipstick hadn’t happened. Hence, why I blow dried it!

Although you won’t spot me rocking British Red any time soon, L’Oreal makes a good lipstick. I never had problems with it smearing or smudging during an eight hour day of talking nonstop and shotgunning Starbucks when working in the mall. This is definitely a brand that you could wear confidently during a long day of work without the fear of it ending up all over your pearly whites!

How has your lipstick style evolved over time? What are some of your hacks for a smudge free pout? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

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