Tag Archives: scents

Mar5

SkinLab Revitalize & Hydrate Gel Cleanser Review

Posted on March 5, 2022 by lifewithlilred

Hello! As you guys all know, I am an absolute skin care fanatic and take great pleasure in my twice daily routine. I have a lot of brands that I enjoy using and I was particularly fond of SkinLab before the pandemic began because I would get it for a song at TJMaxx. After seeing the twenty dollar price tag on Amazon for the products that I was getting for six bucks at TJs, I moved on to less expensive brands.

It had been ages since I did actual shopping at TJMaxx so I was so happy to find some SkinLab cleansers during an outing because they were cheap and I had never used them before. Then, during a more recent haul, I bought another of the SkinLab Revitalize & Hydrate Gel Cleansers super marked down on clearance. I just couldn’t help myself!

I have been using the Revitalize & Hydrate cleanser for about two weeks but I feel SO conflicted about it so let’s discuss:

I don’t know about all of you, but I have a really difficult time using products when they don’t smell good. In fact, if it were up to me, a majority of the products that I use other than shower gel would be unscented. And, unfortunately, that’s where I’m at with this cleanser because I think that it smells awful! The first time I tried it, I seriously almost just let it go down the drain because it smelled like cleaning products.

I have this little quirk where I refuse to not finish something, whether it be a product or a book that I hate so I couldn’t let the scent of this cleanser get me down. Especially due to the fact that it makes my skin feel So. Freaking. Soft. Washing my face with it feels even better than my normal skin care routine and I can’t stop touching my face after my shower. So, you can see why I feel very conflicted!

You know that feeling when you just can’t wait to finish a product because you have been using it for forever? That’s how I feel with this cleanser and I haven’t even been using it for that long. Lol, if scents don’t bother you, then I guess give it a try. But, if you’re sensitive to the way things smell, definitely skip on this one. And I still have a bottle and a half to go, smh. *Face palm*

What is your favorite scent? Do you have to finish a product once you’ve started it? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb16

Loving: My Nebulizing Diffuser

Posted on February 16, 2022 by lifewithlilred

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Hello! A couple of weeks ago, I began using the Aurora Nebulizing Diffuser by Organic Aromas and I have been absolutely loving it. Other than a stint in my teens when I enjoyed making bath and body care products, I never was too interested in essential oils. While I understand that there can be benefits, I always thought that people were over exaggerating. However, this product made me eat my words and my mornings no longer feel complete without turning my diffuser on. Let’s discuss:

Okay, before we really get into it, I seriously can’t mention essential oils without talking about Impractical Jokers. Johnny and I are huge fans of the show and there was one episode when the guys had to perform their antics while getting a massage. Q was told that he had to pronounce “oil” as “Earl” and, of course, Johnny and I now refer to my essential oils as essential Earls lol.

ANYWHO, I started my journey with my Organic Aromas diffuser by using their Signature Blend. I did enjoy this scent and it was great for relaxing at home after work. Johnny, on the other hand, wasn’t a fan and it actually gave him a stomachache so I had to use it when he wasn’t home! I will be the first to admit that it was pretty pungent but it definitely did its job because I felt so soothed when I was using it.

The Peppermint oil was a game changer, though. After getting out of the shower, I would put it in my diffuser before starting my writing routine and I noticed a big difference in how I felt on day one. The fresh peppermint scent felt like an additional caffeine boost for those groggy mornings and I do feel like it improved both my focus and alertness when working in the morning.

Not only did I feel extra awake, but my airways felt way less congested too. This Ohio winter has been a flip flop between moderate temperatures, rain, single digit temps, and snow storms and I have felt permanently clogged up since November. My body just can’t jive between the constantly changing temps and it has been really annoying, to say the least. The first day using the peppermint oil was the first day I have felt “normal” since the fall and I can’t get enough of it!

We all know that I am a fanatic when it comes to my beauty hoard and I think essential oils are going to start making a huge addition to my stock pile. I am so eager to try all of the different scents and plan on purchasing some citrus and eucalyptus oil next! 😀

What are your favorite essential oils? Have you noticed any differences from using them? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct24

Bath & Body Works Haul

Posted on October 24, 2021 by lifewithlilred

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Hello! When it comes to my beauty hoard, I like to keep it very well stocked. This means having at least two backups of my most used products on hand at all times. Johnny and I are both extremely partial to the hand soaps from Bath & Body Works so when I saw that we only had one left, a restock was definitely in order! Check it out:

Would I Buy Again?

Island Papaya: YES
Ghoul Friend: YES
Afternoon Apple Picking: YES
Blueberry Maple Pancakes: NO
Peach Bellini: YES
Let’s Get Nuts: MAYBE
Spooky Hand Sanitizers: YES!

Despite a couple of misses during this B&BW haul, I am still pleased with it. The Island Papaya was a huge success with Johnny who loves all things tropical and I am always happy to get another Peach Bellini hand soap – it’s my favorite! Afternoon Apple Picking was also a scent that we both really liked because it smelled strictly like apples without a touch of cinnamon, which we both hate lol. Now, let’s move on to the not so liked buys:

When I saw the Blueberry Maple Pancakes soap, I thought that it would smell amazing and was looking forward to its arrival in the mail. Unfortunately, it missed the mark big time. Instead of a delicious blueberry bakery scent, it just smells like straight up syrup and is almost sickeningly sweet.

Let’s Get Nuts is another scent that I could probably do without. It is your basic vanilla and, don’t get me wrong, I am a huge vanilla fan. However, vanilla can be kind of boring when there are so many other fun hand soap scents to explore. I actually didn’t plan on buying the soap but almost all of the Halloween scents were sold out so I added it to the shopping cart to make the most of the six soaps for twenty-four dollars deal.

The biggest success of this haul was not the soaps but the hand sanitizers! Last month, I got a coupon for a free sani and I absolutely loved it. The scent was nice and light and it made my hands feel clean without drying them out. Since we couldn’t get many Halloween scented soaps, we settled for the five for eight dollars spooky sani pack which is a great deal. Johnny and I are both currently using Vampire Blood and the only thing that would make it perfect is if we had the hand soap too – it smells SO good!

Hit or miss, you can never go wrong with the foaming hand soaps from Bath & Body Works. I am already looking forward to the next restock! 😀

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

May14

Bath & Body Works May Freebie

Posted on May 14, 2021 by lifewithlilred

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Hi! Since being fully vaccinated, I have been more willing to run small errands and am, finally, able to start utilizing the Bath & Body Works freebie coupons that I get in the mail. This month’s coupons were especially good as I got to pick out a free full size bath and body care item and you know Lil Red always likes to add to her beauty hoard! The coupon would work for any product priced $14.50 or lower and I went with a shower gel in one of my favorite scents, Gingham. Check it out:

This past weekend, Johnny and I hung out with a friend in Kent and drove right by a B&BW on the way so I ran in to get my freebie. I actually chose a travel size shower gel in Gingham last month for my free item and it smells so good that I just had to get it as my full size gift too. I have been obsessed with this scent since Johnny’s mom gifted me with a shower gel of it last Christmas and it is one of my sister’s faves as well.

While Gingham has notes of peach, clementine, and freesia I think it smells just like clean laundry and crisp springtime air. It is so fresh and light and when I smell it, I immediately picture a full clothing line drying and swaying gently in the breeze. Gingham is the perfect fragrance for spring and summer and it has such a specific, lovely scent without being overpowering in any way. Highly recommend for yourself or as a gift because it is sure to please!

What is your favorite Bath & Body Works scent? Which store has the best coupons and promotions? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr9

Bath & Body Works Haul

Posted on April 9, 2021 by lifewithlilred

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Hi! Ever since moving into my apartment, I have been all about the foaming hand soaps from Bath & Body Works and, clearly, still am to this day because Johnny and I just ordered twelve new bottles, lol. A week or so before Easter, I pulled up B&BW’s website as our soap supply was running low and they had so many seasonal scents marked down that it only made sense to stock up. Needless to say, we should be pretty well set for a while! Haha, check it out:

Would I Buy Again?

Raspberry Tangerine: YES
Hip Hop Hooray (Sprinkled donut): YES!!!
Pineapple Mango: YES
Sweet Apple: YES
Mango Mai Tai: YES
Let’s Get Eggcited (Sunny blue skies): NO
Blueberry Lemonade: YES
Peach Bellini: YES
Beautiful Day (Daisies, peonies, apple): YES
Be You (Sweet sugar sprinkles): NO
Bee Positive (Strawberry lemon): NO
Warm Vanilla Sugar: YES

Overall, I am super pleased with my haul and three duds out of twelve isn’t bad at all – especially considering you can’t smell the products when online shopping! My top three favorites would have to be Hip Hop Hooray, Sweet Apple, and my go to of Peach Bellini. That one never gets old! As for the ones I wouldn’t purchase again, both Be You and Bee Positive are sickeningly sweet while Let’s Get Eggcited doesn’t really smell like anything to me.

As you all know, I have a bit of a gripe with the fact that you can’t combine freebie coupons with any type of deal or markdown when online shopping with B&BW. Especially because I had a coupon during this past order! So, while running a few errands, I made my first in store visit to Bath & Body Works since January of last year. I chose a travel size shower gel in Gingham as my free item and I love its fresh laundry scent!

Although bath and body care from The Body Shop will forever be my favorite, you just can’t beat the price, special offers, and convenience of Bath & Body Works. I always enjoy trying out all of B&BW’s different scents and their products have become a staple in my stockpile. Is it bad that I’m already looking forward to when I’ll need more hand soap again, say, over a year from now?!

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

Dec20

Feeling Down? Treat Yoself!

Posted on December 20, 2020 by lifewithlilred

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Hellooo!! The coronavirus pandemic can induce a plethora of feelings like exhaustion, stress, depression, and anxiety. I have definitely experienced all of these and if you’re taking the virus seriously, then I’m sure you have too. It is hard to get yourself back to baseline when you are feeling so down but there is nothing like a little treat to lift yourself up. How about brushing off the blues with some of the following?

Your favorite drink:

Nothing perks me up literally and metaphorically like my favorite coffee drinks from Starbucks. I live for the holiday season when I can get my Peppermint Mocha fix and the warm fuzzies I feel with a steaming, fragrant cup in my hands. For even more feel good power, pay it forward for the person behind you and see if you can get a chain started. Then, you can make someone else’s day too!

Pizza party:

This past weekend, Johnny and I ordered a pizza and watched Christmas movies together and it was a blast! Our food was delicious and it was so nice to just settle in for the afternoon without worrying about what to make for dinner. It was also a relief to have some entertainment that wasn’t stress inducing with violence or triggering story lines. I highly recommend a viewing of Elf, Jingle All The Way, or The Muppets Christmas Carol to get yourself in the holiday spirit as well as to put a smile on your face. 🙂

Smell goods:

There is nothing better than sinking into a nice, warm bath filled with lush bubbles in your favorite scent. Have a shopping trip online to your favorite bath and body care supplier and order some pampering treats for yourself. How about some bath bombs from Lush? Or some uber lathering body wash and a few candles from Bath & Body Works? My favorite scents of vanilla, orange, and apple always help to relax me – combine that with a long soak in the tub and it is heaven!

A new book:

Take a step away from the craziness of the real world and tuck into a good book. Grab something from the library or Barnes & Noble and settle in for the afternoon in a totally different world. I love to read and I always feel infinitely more relaxed after I knock back a couple of chapters in whatever book I am working on finishing. If you’re not the biggest fan of reading, try a subscription to Audible for some book tapes that you can play while driving or cooking. My Johnny loves having Audible and I definitely recommend it too.

New home decor:

This is not to say to remodel your living room entirely but you could always purchase some new wall art or a cute knick knack that you can’t live without. Seeing something daily that you find visually appealing is a sure fire way to make you smile. You could also always skip the purchasing process and DIY some decor with your bestie. Every time you see it, you will think of the sweet memory of a craft night – no matter how your art work turns out. 😀

Treating yoself doesn’t have to break your bank. Use the tips above and get the spring back in your step!

How do you like to treat yoself? What makes you smile? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec9

Bath & Body Works Haul Review

Posted on December 9, 2020 by lifewithlilred

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Hellooo everyone! When I first got my hand soaps a couple of weeks ago from Bath & Body Works, they were impossible to open and smell because of a shipping mishap. One of the bottles was already open and it leaked, causing a sticky mess all over my order. Now that they are all wiped down, I was finally able to open them and decide for myself if I liked all of the Christmas themed scents that I purchased. Here’s the breakdown:

Would I Buy Again?

Winter Candy Apple: NO
Frosted Cranberry: NO
Vanilla Bean Noel: YES!!!
Fresh Sparkling Snow: NO
Let’s Chill: YES
Snowy Peach Berry: YES

First things first, can we please talk about how cute the packaging is for these hand soaps?! I absolutely love the ice skating penguin on the Let’s Chill bottle! Overall, I am really pleased with the soaps I purchased. I am particularly fond of Vanilla Bean Noel. It has a classic vanilla scent with no bells or whistles to it and that is perfect for me because pure vanilla is one of my favorite fragrances.

I also really like the Snowy Peach Berry scent because it has the crispness of Fresh Sparkling Snow with a little extra pop to it thanks to the berry and peach. The Winter Candy Apple was okay but it was a lot more pungent than the body wash in the same scent and, although I like it, it is too overpowering for me to consider buying again. That was a bit disappointing because I was really excited to get the hand soap because I love the Winter Candy Apple body wash.

Now, onto the duds. I got my parents and my sister Frosted Cranberry candles from Bath & Body Works last year and they smelled SO good. However, the hand soap has an almost acidic smell to it as opposed to the tangy, spicy scent that I remember. Fresh Sparkling Snow is also one that I wouldn’t purchase again. It smells clean and light but I would have liked a little something more to it because it paled in comparison to the bolder scents.

At the end of the day, Johnny and I are far from picky when it comes to our soaps and will happily use up all of the ones in our latest haul. I’d be a liar if I didn’t say I was already eager to buy more, though!

What is your favorite holiday scent? Which hand soap from B&BW should I get next? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep30

Bath & Body Works Online Haul

Posted on September 30, 2020 by lifewithlilred

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Hi! Both Johnny and myself freaking love the foaming hand soaps from Bath & Body Works. We have an excellent system in place where we switch off on who’s paying when we need more but the treat is that even when Johnny is paying, he still lets me pick out which scents we get. 🙂

This past week, our soap shipment arrived and, overall, I am pretty pleased with the fragrances I chose. It’s hard to pick which scents you want when you can’t smell them so I tend to stick with things we’re both more than likely going to enjoy. A trip to B&BW is a lot harder than you would think when your county is in a threat level red for COVID. -_-

Anyways, take a look at these soaps and I’ll let you know which ones I love and would leave if you are ordering online too:

Love Or Leave?

Beautiful Day: LOVE
Don’t Stop Be-Leafing: LEAVE
Cranberry Peach: LOVE
Peach Bellini: LOVE
Afternoon Apple Picking: LEAVE
All About Fall Y’all: LOVE

Lol, a lot of these picks should be no surprise to all of you! Everyone knows I love my peach and apple scents. So why did I not care for the Afternoon Apple Picking soap? Cinnamon, cinnamon, cinnamon. I HATE cinnamon. This soap has all of the scents of juicy apple and pear but, unfortunately, it is laced with cinnamon and I just can’t get down with it. It makes me feel like I am washing my hands with Big Red gum and I definitely wouldn’t have purchased it if I read its description a little better!

The Don’t Stop Be-Leafing scent of orange vanilla swirl is also one that I could do without. Originally, I thought a creamsicle fragrance would be nice and light but, unfortunately, this one is heavy to the point that it’s almost musky. When it comes to hand soaps, both Johnny and I detest a perfume-like heaviness so this is one that I will also not be buying again.

Despite two duds, I had four successes and that isn’t too bad when it comes to online soap shopping! Bath & Body Works is almost always running a six for twenty-six dollar deal on their foaming hand soaps so do be sure to get some delicious smell goods of your own. 🙂

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

Sep16

Scent Memories

Posted on September 16, 2020 by lifewithlilred

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Hello! Ever since moving into my apartment, the foaming hand soaps from Bath & Body Works have been a staple for my kitchen and bathroom sinks. I love all of the delicious fragrances and how clean and moisturized my hands feel after each wash. Recently, I had a huge online haul from B&BW and I have been enjoying testing out all of the different scents.

A couple of days ago, I ran out of soap in my bathroom and began using the Orange Sunrise option seen below:

I pumped the soap into my hands and I don’t really know what I was expecting – maybe a Creamsicle like scent? But, I took a whiff and was nearly blown over by a scent memory. Do you ever get those? When you smell something that takes you back to when you first experienced an amazing or nasty aroma?

Luckily for me, the Orange Sunrise soap wasn’t a sickening scent memory but quite the opposite. Because, holy cow, this soap smells exactly like the orange bath beads that used to be sold at The Body Shop. In case my fellow nineties kids don’t remember bath beads, they were basically like little jelly spheres filled with scented and moisturizing oil to add into your bath.

When my siblings and I were little, my mom used to take us to The Body Shop all the time and all I wanted were the bath beads. I loved the green ones but the orange Satsuma beads were my favorites. I have so many memories of bath times with those beads and squishing them with my fingers and toes and letting the delicious aroma wash over me.

For a second when I first pumped the B&BW soap into my hands, I was right back in The Body Shop with my mom filling up a huge bag of bath beads to take home. It was one of the best scent memories I’ve ever had and I am so happy to be taken back to that moment that I had almost forgotten every time I wash my hands! ❤

Have you had a scent memory recently? Where can I find bath beads? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul21

Huge Bath & Body Works Online Haul

Posted on July 21, 2020 by lifewithlilred

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Hello! One thing that I have always enjoyed doing is shopping the semi annual sales at Bath & Body Works. Never would I ever buy their products full price but when they are slashing them fifty to seventy-five percent off, why wouldn’t you stock up?! Not only did I snag some early birthday gifts for my bestie but I also was able to score some shower gels for me as well as a huge supply of foaming hand soap to get myself and Johnny through another few months of quarantine. Check it out:

If you aren’t hip to the glory of the foaming hand soaps from B&BW, then I highly suggest you hit up their sales and buy a few for yourself. They are easily the best hand soaps I have ever used. First of all, they smell fabulous. Second, a tiny pump of it goes a really long way. And, finally, they leave my hands feeling completely clean, totally moisturized, and smelling awesome.

Before, I was always okay with just buying drugstore brands for my shower gel and hand soap needs and would tut at the original expensive B&BW prices. But, when I discovered their semi annual sale, my life changed for the better. Over dramatic, yes. Lol, but it’s true. I love having a huge supply of smell goods in my apartment and my stock pile is guilt free because I paid a fraction of what the original cost would be.

Although it is the most fun to shop the sale in stores, I was still excited to fire up my laptop and check it out online. There is a potential for me to not like some of the scents because I couldn’t give it a whiff test but those products can easily be passed on to someone else or saved for a rainy day when I realize my hoard is ready for a restock!

I was happy to still shop B&BW’s sale in an nontraditional way and, now, I will patiently wait for their post winter price cuts so I can do it all over again! 😀

What is your favorite semi annual sale to shop? How do you save money on brand name shopping? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

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