Tag Archives: tjmaxx

Mar30

Dress + Pants OOTD

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Dress + Pants OOTD

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! Dressing for spring in Ohio is truly like a box of chocolates lol. It could be frigid cold in the morning and then the temperature will skyrocket by mid afternoon. It might be freaking freezing all day or feel like a glimpse of summertime weather. In conclusion, it’s basically a big question mark when you’re deciding what to wear. Of course, come springtime, my heart says wear ALL the dresses and my brain says to hold that thought and consider other options. But why can’t I have both? I present to you, the Dress + Pants combo:

Who? What? Wear?

Dress: Zara

Coated Skinny Jeans: Seven Jeans, TJMaxx

Word Bubble Heels: LFL, TJMaxx

I’m pretty sure the cross earrings are from Claire’s!

I have a confession to make… Despite having this dress by Zara for upwards of eight years, this is the first time I ever wore it. Why, you might ask? Believe you me when I say, this dress is see through. The top is fine and I don’t mind a peek a boo of a bra. However, the bottom half has evaded me because you’re screwed either way with the panties or commando route. Typically, I never keep a piece of clothing that I haven’t worn for as long as this dress. But I vowed that at some point eventually, I would figure it out and it turns out all I needed was pants lol.

Before we talk about the build of this OOTD, can we please talk about this dress? I find it to be so striking and it felt SO good to finally be able to wear it! The silky material, the stark white with the black flower sketches, and those corset sides? Forget about it! I also just love the flowy sleeves that taper into a tight cuff at the wrists. This dress is full of surprises everywhere you look and is an ideal option to welcome springtime.

Although there is a lot to look at in regards to the Zara dress, the beauty of it is that it’s still a fully neutral piece. Meaning? I could have some fun with the rest of the outfit, no harm no foul. I decided to play into the sheen of the dress by pairing it with a gorgeous pair of coated skinnies by Seven Jeans. These two like elements flowed seamlessly together and that was most helpful in creating the illusion of length.

For shoes, I chose a funky pair of word bubble heels by LFL which were perfect with the black and white palette established. These heels are the definition of quirky cute and allowed for a surprise pop of red toenail polish. Between all of the different textures and patterns in this look, jewelry wasn’t necessary and would only clutter what I find to be a very sleek and chic fit. So, I popped on a pair of dangly crosses and was ready to take some pictures feeling so sweetly spring – Lil Red’s way!

The mystery of what to wear with my Zara dress was solved with one killer Dress + Pants OOTD. I am obsessed with this combo and cannot wait to bust it out again!

Do you have any clothes that you have no idea what to wear with? Do you have any clothes that go with everything? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar28

The Best Dress OOTD Bloopers

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The Best Dress OOTD Bloopers

Hello everyone and welcome to the Blooper Reel from my Best Dress OOTD! In case you haven’t noticed, I have had a lot of fun creating content as of late and it is a very nice place to be. One of my goals at the beginning of the year was to shoot at least one OOTD per week. I was doing excellent for months, until I wasn’t. Honestly, I was really depressed for the past several weeks and it made it hard to do much of anything once the weekend rolled around. I am feeling much better now (I promise, I’ll explain eventually!) and it has been a gift to step back into the content game bright eyed and bushy tailed. Even when the content isn’t all that great:

Always Tripping: A Memoir by Me

Dear Diary, Mood: Apathetic (Please someone tell me they got that reference!)

No, I did not just eat a lemon before taking this picture

Also no, I have no idea what I was looking at that excited me so much

I’ve never seen Titanic but I think I’m doing a pretty good job of recreating the one boat scene lol

STILL Tripping: A Memoir by Me

You know, I don’t think I realized how depressed I was in the situation I was in. Now that I am out of it, I can scroll through my mental Rolodex of going through the motions every day for months on end, constantly feeling sad or irritated, and letting literally everything I enjoy doing fall by the wayside. IE: Cooking, content creating, outings with Johnny and friends. After doing that for so long, I kid you not, it felt incredibly weird to start feeling good again and seemingly instantly once I said enough.

As soon as I took control back, it was like a ten billion pound weight was lifted off my shoulders and I almost felt “naughty” for inviting happiness back. You know what I have to say? *Pardon my French* but F that. I did what was best for me and deserve to revel in it and that meant having FUN. And, fun for me is getting dressed up and shooting content. So, that is what I did and have been doing and it has been amazing! Creating posts just for me and my little corner of the internet fills me with so much pride and I feel like my old self has returned. In fact, I feel the most inspired now than I have been for months and it is exciting to have all of these ideas zooming around my head again. I can’t wait to make all of them happen!

Lil Red is getting her groove back and you can too! Tend to your mental health and be good to yourself because when you are back – you’re back, baby!

What do you like to do for fun? What is your favorite kind of content to create? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar27

The Best Dress OOTD

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The Best Dress OOTD

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! This look is the second one that I shot all by myself on my tripod. I had every intention of doing some shooting outside, then I walked outside, froze my buns off, and promptly returned into my apartment cocoon lol. As I scoured chez moi for a Plan B, I decided to make use of Johnny’s guitar corner to show off one of my favorite dresses. This was a bit of a process because the lighting did not want to behave whatsoever so I was making adjustments here there and everywhere. I did end up with a few good shots, though! Check it out:

Who? What? Wear?

Dress: BCBG, TJMaxx

Word Bubble Heels: LFL, TJMaxx

As you can see, there really wasn’t much to this OOTD but I still think it packs a punch! I fell in love with this dress by BCBG as soon as I saw it during an online shopping stint with TJMaxx. I didn’t think I could possibly love it more until I tried it on! Once I looked in the mirror, this little number skyrocketed to one of my all time favorites because it is so different than anything else I own and the concern I did have went right out the window. As a girl with a bigger chest, I was worried that the black cutout portion of the dress would be “too much” and that’s something that definitely makes me feel uncomfortable. However, the funky 70’s print button down part of the dress balanced it out. Instead of having the key focal point be smack dab on my chest, there was a surprise pattern and it allowed the eyes to dance rather than settle.

In conclusion, this dress is perfect lol. I am genuinely enamored by the button down pattern and would so love to have it in a dress or shirt too. Not to mention how striking of an hourglass silhouette it creates. Can you say va va voom?! This dress makes me feel so confident and when you have something on that makes you feel that good, you really don’t need anything else. So, I popped on a pair of super fun word bubble heels by Lust For Life, a dangly pair of cross earrings, and was ready to model in front of a bunch of instruments that I have no idea how to play!

The Best Dress, indeed! Peep my TikTok (lilred6794) for more from this look and stay tuned for the Blooper Reel too! ❤

Do you have an outfit that makes you feel really confident? What is it like? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar24

Floral Flounce OOTD

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Floral Flounce OOTD

Howdy everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! I had a surprise day off on Monday and I fancied shooting some content with my tripod. I had every intention of going outside to take some OOTD shots, then I stepped foot outside and it was cold AF. Lol, so I went to the limited “blank” spaces in my apartment and in the words of Tim Gunn a la Project Runway – I made it work! Check out this super cute look that is so perfect for spring:

Who? What? Wear?

Bubble Sleeve Top: True Destiny, TJMaxx

Bubble Skirt: A New Day, Target

Heeled Mules: Betsey Johnson, TJMaxx

Lego Stud Earrings: AbbieDabbles

I have been enamored with the bubble skirt that I purchased from Target for Valentine’s Day as soon as I laid eyes on it in the store. A bubble skirt is something that I have wanted for forever and it has exceeded all of my expectations. It is just so fun, flouncy, and transforms any look with such a unique shape and lots of movement. I love that this is a piece that can be worn year round and I have every intention of doing so – starting with this look. My Floral Flounce OOTD is one that I styled in my head and I am pleased to report that it turned out exactly how I wanted it to. GREAT SUCCESS!

As the bubble skirt was a shoe-in for this fit, the question was simply what to pair it with. I had just the top in mind – a darling little bubble sleeve number by True Destiny. This top is an instant showstopper. From the vivid floral pattern to the fitted torso that explodes into huge bubble sleeves, there is no doubt about it being a statement piece. Regardless of the pretty pattern popping against the black skirt, I was more interested in the True Destiny top for the fit. As a rule of thumb for myself, I don’t like pairing two like items together – IE: Two bubble fit pieces. However, the fitted torso gave an excellent buffer between the bubble skirt and sleeves and prevented a giant marshmallow effect. 😀

Next, it was onto shoes and accessories. To keep with a nice and lean leg line, I opted for a quirky pair of mules by Betsey Johnson. These mules are jam packed with sweet surprises like the flower brooches and striped heels. As the black skirt was a buffer between the bold top, it was no harm no foul to incorporate additional patterns on the heels. Between all of different dynamic aspects of this look, jewelry wasn’t necessary in the slightest. I popped on a pair of stud earrings made from Lego bricks and was ready to take pictures in my kitchen lol.

This Floral Flounce OOTD is FUN from top to bottom and I am in love with everything about it. I can’t wait to wear it out!

Have you updated your wardrobe for spring? What are some of your own fashion rules? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar13

Pearlessence Argan + Vitamin E Facial Oil Review

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Pearlessence Argan + Vitamin E Facial Oil Review

Hello! This past winter, I decided to dabble in facial oils when shopping skin care. Ohio winters are absolutely frigid and I figured some extra hydration to combat dry skin couldn’t hurt. The first facial oil I tried was by CleanBeauty and it was not it, whatsoever. It was incredibly heavy and literally just sat on my face all day. I was so happy when I completed the bottle! After that epic failure, I just wanted to use the other facial oil that I purchased, one by Pearlessence, and be done with it. I am currently using their Argan + Vitamin E Facial Oil and it’s actually not so bad! Let’s discuss:

In comparison to the last facial oil I used, the Pearlessence one is nowhere near as heavy. Yes, it still feels like an oil lol but it doesn’t feel suffocating on the skin. And, with a thin enough layer, it absorbs somewhat and that is another huge plus. My skin definitely feels nourished after using it and looks bright and awake. The question is, would I use a facial oil again after this one? The answer: HARD NO!

Trying facial oils was something that sounded like a great idea at the time and it made sense as I prepped my skin care supply for winter. Despite the Pearlessence oil being significantly lighter than its predecessor, I still can’t stand the way it feels lol. At the end of the day, it only absorbs somewhat and I despise the greasy feeling of something like that on my skin. That’s exactly why I only put lotion on before I’m about to fall asleep! The moral of the story? If you aren’t experiencing significant dryness, stick to your normal serum instead. Regardless of the freezing winter temperatures and biting wind, my skin just wasn’t at a level that would benefit from a facial oil. I can’t wait to start using regular serums again. 😀

If you are on the market for a less intense facial oil, the Pearlessence Argan + Vitamin E is pretty good. But, if you’re not – this is certainly a product you can skip on!

Do you change your skin care with the seasons? What kind of skin care do you use for warm weather? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar3

Clinical Works Hyaluronic Acid Moisturizer Review

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Clinical Works Hyaluronic Acid Moisturizer Review

Howdy! I absolutely love to shop for skin care at TJMaxx and am always eager to try new brands and products. Whether they are a hit or miss, it’s just nice to try something new and review them. Typically, I have a lot of luck with my selections and am fine with the periodic “good but not great” product. However, I have been really striking out with moisturizers as of late. The ones that I have completed recently literally did nothing for me, which is a bummer because I revel in a good moisturizer! I was expecting a repeat of the “meh” sentiment when I started this Hyaluronic Acid moisturizer by Clinical Works. It turns out that my luck has turned because it is the BEST! Let’s discuss:

Before talking about the product itself, let’s talk price. This is a highly important factor in what I pick out and I simply refuse to spend more than seven dollars on skin care at TJs. I couldn’t believe that this HUGE jar of moisturizer was only five dolla holla and I am not even close to halfway done after a month of twice daily use. Talk about a bang for your buck and my deepest regret is that I didn’t buy the lot that they had available during that haul. Hindsight, as always, is 20/20.

When it comes to moisturizers, my preference is something nice and light with a gel texture. The Hyaluronic Acid moisturizer by Clinical Works lies somewhere between a true cream and a gel moisturizer and it feels as light as air when applied. It absorbs rapidly and it’s easy to forget that I even put it on in the first place. My skin feels so soft with each use and I love the way it looks too. It is dewy, radiant, and glowing. All of this from barely a quarter sized dollop for full coverage on my face and neck. I cannot recommend it enough!

I am going to be SO sad when I finish my jar of Clinical Works moisturizer and will be keeping my eyes peeled for more. Fingers crossed!

What is your favorite moisturizer? Where do you shop for your skin care? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb21

TJMaxx Skin Care Haul

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TJMaxx Skin Care Haul

Howdy! I get a plethora of TJMaxx gift cards for Christmas every year and it is a beautiful, beautiful thing. TJs is where I find true and perfect peace and after a lot of holiday shopping for my big family, it is so nice to have a good haul for myself – free of charge. It is my tradition to do a skin care restock with my gift cards because those products are something I will absolutely need and use. A few weeks ago, my mom and I enjoyed a shopping trip together so I could do just that as well as pick up a few fun odds and ends. And, surprisingly, I didn’t go over budget and STILL have gift cards left. That never happens! Check it out:

When I am shopping skin care, I have my method down to the T with standards that I have perfected over time. 1) First and foremost, each item I select must be cruelty free or it will not be coming home with me. 2) I will happily buy old favorites but am always looking for new products to review and enjoy. And 3) I like to get at least a three month supply of product to sustain me for a while. As much as I would love to go to TJs every time I need a restock, it would be very damaging to my wallet lol.

For this skin care haul, I needed everything but the kitchen sink. We’re talking cleansers, serums, moisturizers, eye cream, and micellar water. I was ecstatic to have found a couple of my go to Evoluderm micellar waters in a huge pump bottle, which I have never seen before. I bought the lot and a few small bottles for good measure. I was also able to restock my eye cream with a tried and true favorite of Vital Beauty’s Cooling Eye Gel AND find a brightening eye cream of the same brand too – something else that I haven’t seen before. The final familiar brand I revisited was with a face scrub by ValJean Labs. This is a new to me product but I am currently using a cleanser from this brand and am loving it. I am definitely in for a treat if this scrub is half as good as the cleanser!

As far as moisturizers and serums go, the selection was pretty bare in terms of what I could buy according to my standards. A majority of the offerings were not cruelty free, which was a bummer. What remained was brands that I have never used before so I am very interested in trying them out and seeing what’s the what. I’m particularly looking forward to the bottles of Precision Beauty serum for no reason other than that the packaging is really pretty lol. It was a cold AF day during this shopping trip and the colors reminded me of sunshine which is probably why I gravitated towards them. And, in case you were wondering, NO. I am NOT okay over the fact that “wrinkle reducing” is now a key component in the moisturizers I choose. But, hey, here’s to *hopefully* slowing down that process. 😀

I have a stockpile full of goodies waiting for me so keep it locked for brand new product reviews coming soon!

Have you used any of the above products before? What did you think about them? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb15

Random TJMaxx Haul

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Random TJMaxx Haul

Hello! I had an absolutely crap day earlier in the week. It was one of those days where I wanted nothing more than to go home and crawl into bed with every passing second. However, I powered through because I had a job to do. My brain genuinely felt like mush and I decided that instead of working through my break, I should actually take a break instead. I still had plenty of Christmas gift cards to TJMaxx and I was planning on making a trip there soon anyways so that was the move. Even better, my mom joined me for the retail therapy and that was so appreciated. We haven’t gone shopping together in forever and I needed some fun! As well as my traditional holiday gift card skin care restock, I ended up with these random finds too:

Other than replenishing my skin care, what I really needed was a new pair of black skinny jeans. Unfortunately, the clothing selection was abysmal this time around and there was not a single pair of black jeans in my size. So, my mom and I browsed the rest of the store with nothing else on our To Buy List. However, that is when the TJMaxx magic happens because if you listen to the store, it will tell you exactly what it is you need lol.

As we wandered around, I began remembering the mental notes I made of things that I need more of. Socks were on there and that brought us close to the sleepwear department. For pajamas, I typically wear a pair of sweatpants and a hoodie and I can’t remember the last time I bought new actual PJs. The better/together sleep set caught my eye because it was just so pretty! It is still bitter cold in Ohio, but I have had spring on my mind something fierce and I loved the idea of wearing this set to bed during the warm months ahead. The colors and pattern are delicate and comforting and I think that was why I gravitated towards it. After the day I had, I needed some sweetness.

Beyond the sleepwear section is the home goods and that is where we went next. Another brain blast reminded me that I should finally get some new dryer balls. Johnny’s aunt got us some a few Christmases ago and almost all of them have gone missing. Do they make a major difference in the drying process? Maybe? Lol but I like the idea of them and the set with puppy faces that I found so into the cart it went! I also grabbed some K-Cups for my morning caffeine boost and we completed our rounds at the seasonal decor.

As a proud bunny mom, I have found that Easter is the greatest holiday of all. Not because of jesus but because of all of the bunny decor available in stores. I really am a crazy pet parent and consider Easter to be my time to shine. Since Melvin and Penelope’s homecoming, I have to get at least a few bunny themed pieces of decor every year. My first purchase to kick start bunny decor season was the cutest felt, fuchsia statue that I just fell in love with. The bright color and sentiment put the biggest smile on my face and it was a wonderful high note to end this impromptu shopping trip on. ❤

I can’t say I feel better about the situation that brought me down, but retail therapy with my mom definitely helped ease the blow. And, because gift cards, the blow to my wallet was nonexistent and you can’t beat that!

Have you had some retail therapy recently? Where did you go? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb7

VALJEAN LABS Foaming Cleanser Review

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VALJEAN LABS Foaming Cleanser Review

Howdy!! Last month, I was genuinely sad to have finished one of the cleansers that I was using long term. For almost half a year, it was part of my morning routine until it wasn’t lol. Of course, I am always excited to try a new product and introduced a Hyaluronic Acid and Micellar Water Foaming Cleanser by VALJEAN LABS into my skin care arsenal. This cleanser has been sitting in my stock pile for over a year now and it has finally had its day in the sun. A bright, sunshiny day because I freaking LOVE it!

WAY back in my retail days, I used to work at The Body Shop. It really was the job to have because being surrounded by makeup, skin and bath and body care all day was like a dream come true! The products from The Body Shop were beloved staples in my childhood and working there as a teenager turned me into one of their most faithful customers. Unfortunately, all of TBS’s United States locations closed and I genuinely couldn’t tell you the last time I used their signature body butters or my go to Vitamin C serum. I think about these items fondly and I would so love to have them again. Which is exactly why I am obsessed with this foaming cleanser by VALJEAN LABS!

The Body Shop used to have an Aloe skin care line that was absolutely perfect as a starter kit for teenagers or people with a normal skin type. I dabbled in products from several different collections but a tried and true standard was always the Aloe Foaming Cleanser. It smelled so crisp and clean, lathered gloriously, and left my skin feeling fresh and soft. The first time I used my new cleanser, it unlocked this product memory because the resemblance is simply uncanny. From the cucumber scent to the foaming bubbles and fresh faced glow after each use, it was like being reunited with an old favorite. I would happily buy a few bottles of this cleanser again!!

I cannot recommend the Foaming Cleanser by VALJEAN LABS enough. If you have used and liked the Aloe line from The Body Shop, you are going to fall head over heels for this fantastic replacement!

Did you used to shop at The Body Shop? What was your favorite product? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan30

January 2025 Finishes

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January 2025 Finishes

Howdy!! January felt like the longest year ever, didn’t it? I, for one, am so happy that this month is drawing to a close because it is one step closer to spring! Honestly, the winter in Ohio wasn’t too bad. Then, it got really bad out of nowhere and it sucked eggs. After moderate weather, it felt cruel and unusual to face zero degree days, white out level drives, and biting gusts of wind! So, smell ya later, January. But, before it’s official, let’s discuss my beauty finishes to wrap this month up in a bow:

Would I Use Again?

Bath & Body Works Poppy & Calypso Clementine Body Cream: YES

Clinical Works Vitamin C Cleanser: YES!!!

Dove Whole Body Deo Cream: NO

Dirty Works Miracle Cream: MAYBE

Why/Why Not?

Clinical Works Cleanser: I have been using this Vitamin C Cleanser by Clinical Works for what feels like an eternity. In all actuality, it was more like five months but you get the point. Normally, I am very excited to try out a new product after using up a long term one. In this case, I am so sad! I absolutely LOVED this cleanser. With a nickle sized dollop during each morning shower, I felt pleased with the results every time I looked in the mirror. My skin looked brighter and more radiant and was smooth as can be. This cleanser was incredibly light and would be great to use during any time of the year. I am keeping my fingers crossed that I will see it again at TJMaxx because my showers don’t feel the same without it lol. Highly recommend!

Dove Deo Cream: I received the Dove Coconut & Vanilla Deo Cream from Target as a freebie and it took me a month of daily use to complete the travel size bottle. This is not the first deo cream I used and my sentiments from this review remain. I love the bang for the buck with deo cream because you only need a tiny amount for full coverage. The sensation of this product was a turn off for me, though, because it was so much heavier than my normal roll on. If you need protection on areas other than armpits, this would be an amazing product and I would recommend it. It just doesn’t suit my preferences.

Dirty Works Moisturizer: I have always been curious about the Dirty Works brand and was eager to try out their Miracle Cream. It took me a month of twice daily use to finish the jar and it was pretty good, but not the best. I think I put this brand on a pedestal because I have wanted to try it so anything less than amazing didn’t satisfy me. That’s not to say that it wasn’t a nice moisturizer, but there wasn’t anything that stood out to me enough to warrant buying it again. If I saw it on clearance or as a last resort, I would go for it. I don’t plan on seeking it out, though!

That is all for my January 2025 Finishes! Here’s to another year of keeping you all in the know on what products to score and skip on!

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