Christmas Sales Wishlist

I know, it's not even December yet, but it's good to be organised! Some people believe that the sales are full of rubbish you don't really need, and that you should be spending time with your family over the festive period instead. One: the things below are far from rubbish, two: if you make a plan and stick to it, you're only buying things you really want, and three: online shopping! You can get your bargains and stuff your face with the cheese board at the same time. And even if you are one to hit the Boxing Day sales at 6am, if it makes you happy, do it.  

The annual event that is the Lush sale. The Christmas range and products made before October are half price. The website was chaos last year, not working for hours, and then only showing a handful of products. My sister has just passed her driving test, so we're either going to go in early on Boxing Day, or I'm going to order over the phone. I'm not sure how busy the line will be, but I'm guessing it'll be a lot less hassle than the website. I don't know what time the lines will be open, though. If it's 10 and the website is already up, I'll be using the latter!

These next items are from Feel Unique. The Pamplemousse Rose Lip Conditioner & Hand Cream Winter Duo is £8 full price, the Laura Mercier In The Glow Trio is £25, and the Caudalie Mask Trio Gift Set is £22. I don't tend to buy from higher end brands, so think the sets are a good way of trying multiple things. I don't know how much they'll be discounted, if at all, but I'm still going to keep an eye out for them. I hadn't heard anything about the Caudalie masks until yesterday, but a quick search tells me they're highly rated, so I want in on that action.

Boots is the other retailer that people swarm during the sales. There's not much I want from the main Christmas gifts because I bought everything I wanted during staff double discount week, but wouldn't mind getting the Soap & Glory Well I'll Be Glammed Set. It may even be a Star Gift before then, though. I'm not paying £40 for it anyway, especially when I'll be giving the eyeshadow palette and brushes away.

The Origins sets aren't with the bulk of the Christmas range, but in the luxury beauty section. I really want to try more from the brand because I highly rate what I have, so am hoping I can get my hands on at least one of these. The gift set at the top is Glow So Nice £40, the bottom left is Shining Stars (exclusive to Boots) £25, and the bottom right is Let Us Glow £30. The VitaZing in Glow So Nice is £29 alone, and the GinZing moisturiser in the other two is £25, so they're already worth their money.

These gifts are available from Debenhams, with the Rituals sets priced at £28.50, and the Bobbi Brown ones at £39. The Rituals sets are in the Indian Rose & Sweet Almond Oil and Organic Rice Milk & Cherry Blossom scents. I wanted them last year, but didn't manage to get hold of them. I'm hoping this year will be different because I'm a huge fan of foaming shower gels, and really want to try the shower oils.

The Bobbi Brown sets may not be discounted that much, if at all, so I won't be getting both if they're available when I go online. I just wanted to show both sets because I love the look of them. Sunset Pink is on the left, while Pink Dusk is on the right. I've never tried anything from Bobbi Brown, but it's a brand that's talked about a lot, and swatches of these products look beautiful.

I've decided that I'll be getting presents from Whittards for people next Christmas (I've already bought their presents for this year - they've been ready to wrap since late last year/early this year). I just think their products make for beautiful gifts, for both sexes. The items above are what I want for myself. I'll either point my parents in the direction of them, or buy them after Christmas. Top left is the Dotty About Hot Chocolate Gift Set £20, top right is the Christmas Kilner Bundle £24 (how beautiful are they?), bottom left is the English Rose & Glass Mug Bundle £18, and bottom right is the Luxury Hot Chocolate Hamper £15.

Last year, I was expecting larger discounts than there were, so was left disappointed. My expectations are significantly lower this year, and I'm prepared to see the words 'out of stock' many times, so I doubt I'll even buy half of the things above. I hope this has given you some ideas, though, even for Christmas presents. When I get my own place, it'll be homeware over beauty products!

Boots Haul

It's currently double discount week (and a half) at Boots, where employees and designated card holders receive 25% off branded products and 45% off Boots own products. I've been taking advantage of this, and thought I'd show you what I bought. Compared to last year's haul (found here), this is tame, especially considering some of it isn't mine!

Both my sister and I already have a large bottle of Marc Jacobs Daisy Dream. I bought my sister it for her birthday, and considering she's not into perfume, she's already half way through her bottle. She decided to buy another for when it runs out, which I have no complaints about because she received 500 Advantage Card points for buying it, and gave them to me! I'm now back up to £80 odd.

She also picked up the OGX Coconut Milk Shampoo and Conditioner because it was already a third off, making these around £3 a bottle. I've used OGX in the past and like it, but don't find it to be above and beyond what I normally use. I also have a drawer full of hair products already, so have put myself on a hair product ban!

The Maybelline Rocket Mascara and Lasting Drama Gel Liner are also hers. I also picked up the Gel Liner and the Sensational Mascara, both of which are repurchases. I have other mascaras to use, but wanted a back up of one I really love.

I bought the Laura Ashley Ceramic Cupcake and Muffin Tray and Rolling Pin with my future kitchen in mind. They're both things which should see me through the years, and they're so pretty! I actually bought two of the trays because I always make at least 12 muffins when baking. They're both originally £16, but the 3 for 2 offer and double discount brought this down to a more acceptable amount.

I ordered through the tills in store so I could have access to the products online. On the website, you can buy a No7 Restore & Renew bundle for just over £31, which is an amazing price when you think that the day and night creams are usually £24 each. The bundle also comes with the eye cream, and I'll be giving all of these to my mum for her birthday. This bundle was exempt from the discount because you're already saving so much.

Soap & Glory! I picked up the Super Exfoliating Scrub Gloves in the hope that they're better than my usual cheap ones. I also bought the Sugar Crush Body Wash, which I haven't used in a while. I still have my fair share of shower gels to get through, but I've resisted quite a few recently, so thought I'd allow myself this one. The One Heck of a Blot Primer and Sugar Crush Hand Gel are both new releases, and for some reason, I received 45% off of them, which I'm very happy about!

Barry M have released a new lipstick range called Satin Super Slick Lip Paints. There's six shades, all of which are beautiful. There's some neutrals, berries, and a peach. I chose Nuditude and Berry-licious. Nuditude is more pink than I thought it'd be, and looks like it'd be chalky, but it's not at all. Berry-licious is more toned down than a lot of berry shades, making it more wearable. Because of the 3 for 2 offer and discount, I got both of these for £3.47. I'm excited to wear them, and can see myself buying a couple more shades!

Have you had a splurge in Boots or Superdrug recently? What new releases have caught your eye? I can't wait to get my hands on the Freedom brow products, as well as The Body Shop's Fresh Nude Foundation and Shade Adjusting Drops.

Boots and Superdrug Haul

You know when you're in Boots or Superdrug, and the first one or two products you pick up are thought through, and then, suddenly, the enthusiastic spender comes out in you and you're picking up things you didn't plan, things you didn't need? Well, that happened. Considering I caught the shopping bug, I think I was pretty restrained. I only bought half of what I originally picked up! Boots is my retailer of choice because of the loyalty points (and the fact that I work there), but stock availability and different offers lead me to Superdrug, so this haul is a mixture of both.

I haven't bought a nail polish or painted my nails in over a year now. I wasn't even interested in the new Barry M Sunset range. However, my sister wanted a nude polish, so I took her straight to the Barry M stand and started comparing the shades. Like a Nude attracted my attention because it wasn't too brown like so many others are. I walked away and regretted it, so bought it in another store. I'm not thrilled with the £4.99 price tag, but like I said, I was in the shopping mood. It takes three coats to become opaque, so it's not perfect, but it's a beautiful, classic, work appropriate shade, and you can always wear a white underneath.

I've heard so many positive things about the Revlon Colourstay foundations, so finally bought a bottle. I don't have dry skin, but bought the one for normal/dry skin in 110 Ivory because it was lighter than the combination/oily one in the same shade. I sandwich my foundation with primer and powder anyway. I tried it this morning, and so far, so good. It feels less chalky than my other foundations, not that they're chalky, but this one feels more gel like? I also haven't been any more oily than usual. My skin feels more hydrated, though, like when I moisturise in the morning.

I already own four of the Barry M Loud Mouth Extreme Lip Colours, and while they're good, I've been neglecting them as of late. It's because I have so many lip products. To make matters worse, I then go and buy more. I know, there's no logic in this. However, I really wanted the deep red shade called Diva, and it was only £3.99.

I was regularly checking one of my large local Boots for the Revlon Ultra HD lipsticks throughout April, and with still no luck, I decided to just head to Superdrug. They're currently two for £10, so it worked out for the best. I chose the shades Gladiolus, a bright red, and Iris, a plum. Just from the state of the testers, I know these are going to be difficult to use without catching the product on the lids, so I'm tempted to cut off the small part sticking up at the top and store it in a little jar or something.

The Bourjois Bronzing Primer looks promising. Although it's called a primer, it's basically a light textured, cream bronzer. It can look quite orange at first, but once blended in, skin looks more sunkissed.

Like I said in my wishlist post, I'm always open to trying new primers because I've yet to find my holy grail. The Garnier Perfect Blur has been talked about a lot, so I thought I'd give it a go. It's £12.99 full price, but I paid £8.66 while it was on offer.

I swatched Soap & Glory's Glow All Out Super Luminizing Powder (not pictured) multiple times over the course of a couple years, but never bit the bullet and bought it. Possibly because of the price (£11). I finally bought it the other week, and to be honest, I've been underwhelmed so far. It's a nice, subtle highlight, but because it's raved about by many, I was expecting to be blown away when I applied it to my face. I'll persevere and get back to you on this one.

Another Soap & Glory product I've recently bought is the new Sugar Crush Body Spray, which I've already reviewed here.

I've also already reviewed the Bourjois Rouge Edition Aqua Laques here. The colours are beautiful and they last 5-6 hours on me, but they can settle and collect pigment towards the inner centre of your lips, so my feelings are mixed. I think 04 is worth the little hassle, though, because the deep rose shade is different to other colours I own.

I used and loved the Nivea Daily Essentials Express Hydration Primer a couple years ago, but didn't feel like it did much towards the end of the pot, so never repurchased. However, I felt the same way about the Witch one, but noticed a difference when I didn't wear a primer at all. Since the Witch one has been discontinued and this one was better than half price, at £2.48, I thought I'd buy it again.

I also bought a Micro Pedi last week for £15.99. It was on offer in Lloyd's, and my sister had 20% off. I haven't had a lot of dry skin to test it on, but from where I have used it, I'm impressed. It's so much more gentle than the Ped Egg, which is a lethal cheese grater for your feet.

What have you purchased recently? Any new releases you've been impressed with?

Recent Purchases

This post is going up about a month later than I originally intended because I just kept buying things! As well as all my brand specific hauls (Lush, The Body Shop, Yankee Candle, Illamasqua, Makeup Revolution...), these are the purchases I made when feeling really spendy in January.

The Christmas sales were a disappointment, especially after three of my orders were cancelled. I did manage to buy some bargains from Ciate, though. The Mini Mani Manor went down to £14.70, the Candy Cane House to £7.50, and the Cranberry Love Me Oil to £5.50. I then bought a couple of the Big Beauty Buses from Boots for £5 each.

I also managed to pick up the No7 Skincare Collection in the Boots sale for about £6, which I'll be giving to my mum for Mother's Day. Online, Boots also had the Marc Jacobs Daisy Sunshine for £22.50 instead of £45, so I had to add it to my collection! Other purchases from Boots include the Rimmel Gel Eyeliner in Emerald £6.99 (a twist on black which should make my eyes and hair pop), the Maybelline Colour Sensational Lipstick in Peach Poppy £6.99 (so pretty), the No7 Eyelash Curlers £7.25 (they're okay, but not great - other reviews are very negative!), and the Garnier Ultimate Blends Honey Treasures 1 Minute Treatment £2.99 down from £4.99 (smells great and conditions my hair, but not to a great extent).

From Lush, I bought a large pot of Ultrabland for £11.50 because it's one of my favourite cleansers, ever. I also picked up the Catastrophe Cosmetic Fresh Face Mask for free because I brought back 5 black pots. It smells incredible, but easily crumbles off your face. It does seem to cleanse and mattify my face, though.

I always buy underwear in the Accessorize sale, and the ones above were £2-3 each, instead of £5-6. I also bought the parrot shopper for £8 because I love a shopper!

The dress doesn't look like much folded up, but it's really pretty. It's from Closet, and one I had my eye on for graduation, but it wasn't really appropriate for that, so I bought a couple others from the brand (and ended up keeping both because they fit so well!). It was £26 down from £51 in the Dorothy Perkins sale, which I think is pretty good, considering I wanted it beforehand. The back has a V shape, but you can still wear a normal bra with it. I'm just waiting for a summer wedding so I can wear it! I seriously love Closet for more formal dresses - the shapes are beautiful, and the quality incredible.

For some reason, I included my mini lint rollers from H&M when taking the first photo. They are helpful, though, and I've been keeping one in my bag.

Debenhams had the Marc Jacobs Daisy Delight for £24 instead of £48, and I had to buy it to complete my collection. I didn't mean to collect them - it just happened! Like the others, it smells beautiful.

Finally, I picked up a copy of Elle for the Benefit Roller Lash Mascara. I dislike magazines, and this one's no different, but some samples are worth buying for. Roller Lash has a very similar wand to the Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara, and the effect is pretty similar, too. I think I prefer the Lash Sensational one, though, but I'll keep you posted.

What did you pick up in the sales?

New In

This next haul post is coming to you from Boots (and one item from Topshop). Working there has definitely encouraged my beauty spending habits!

I prefer cream highlighters to powder ones, and had heard a lot about the Topshop Glow Highlighter in Polish (£9). I'm impressed so far, and will probably be reviewing it soon. I also had my eye on one of their powder blushes, but I have enough already. I'm also not a fan of the packaging because it gets so grubby.

The Max Factor products are actually my first purchases from the brand. I'm running out of my Witch primer and wanted to try something new, so thought I'd give the Face Finity All Day Primer (£10.99) a go. I was sent the Skin Luminizer Foundation (£11.99) a few months ago, but it was in the wrong shade and I wasn't really into wearing foundation back then. I've heard good things since, and was in the spending mood yesterday, so popped it in my basket. I'm hoping it's light enough for me! Max Factor is currently on 3 for 2, so I also picked up the Colour Elixir Lip Gloss in Enchanting Coral (£7.99). I'd had my eye on this for a while - it's a beautiful, pinky coral shade with no shimmer (for once!), and has a good colour pay off.

Wearing foundation has opened up a whole new area of makeup for me to try, which is exciting. After doing lots of research on many brands and foundations, I decided to try the L'Oreal True Match Foundation (£9.99). I was going to go for the Revlon Colourstay one, but it looked too dark for me, so maybe I'll try that in the summer. Now, I thought it'd be best to go for the shade N1 Ivory, but my store only had C1 Rose Ivory. I thought it'd be too cool toned for my skin, but then I compared it to other foundations in the store, including my current No7 one, and it didn't look any different, in terms of tone. I'll let you know how I get on with it! L'Oreal is currently 2 for £14, and as tempting as that was, there wasn't anything else I wanted.

I love Maybelline mascaras, and the new Lash Sensational (introductory price £5.99, normal price £7.99) looked like a combination of the Rocket and Falsies, so I had to try it. I then bought another Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner in Intense Black (currently £5.99, normally £7.99) because my current one is starting to dry up. I love this eyeliner, and I actually use the brush that comes with it!

When I showed my family what I bought (does anyone else do that?), my dad said I didn't need any more makeup. Sometimes, I feel like he doesn't know me at all...

Boots Star Gift - No7 Ultimate Collection

The last Star Gift leading up to Christmas is the No7 Ultimate Collection. It's better than half price at £37, down from £75. They've annoyingly increased the price from last year, but you still get £124.45 worth (the box says 'over £130 worth', but I've worked it out to be £124.45). I bought this for the Protect and Perfect Intense creams, which are £23 and £24 on their own. I'm also intrigued to try the rest of the contents in the smaller box. I'm thinking about leaving the products in the larger box and giving as a present, possibly for Mother's Day.

In the No7 Ultimate Collection, you receive:

Protect and Perfect Intense Day Cream - £23

Protect and Perfect Intense Night Cream - £24

Protect and Perfect Intense Hand Cream - £10.50

Beautiful Skin Dry Skin Rescue - £12

Lovely Lashes Mascara in Black - £12.95

BB Lips Beauty Balm in Ballerina - £9

Blissful Body Wash - £7.50

Beautiful Skin Cleansing Lotion - £9.50

Sumptuous Bath Soak - £7.50

Completely Quenched Body Lotion - £8.50

I think this would make a great last minute Christmas gift, especially because it's packaged so beautifully. Or you can buy it for yourself, like I did!

Foundation (No7 Beautifully Matte and Stay Perfect)

2014 has been the year I've started wearing foundation. Before, I just used concealer because I didn't like the way foundation looked on my skin, or the colour selections available. I would have continued doing so, but as well as using it on blemishes and under my eyes, I started using it on the rosy bottoms of my cheeks and my nose where there's so many freckles that it's a couple shades darker than the rest of my face. I thought it'd be more cost effective to just buy a foundation.

I bought the No7 Beautifully Matte (£13.50) and Stay Perfect (£14.50) foundations because I had a Boots employee voucher. I wouldn't have bought them if it wasn't for this, but now that I've used them, I'd buy them again. I have the lightest shade (Calico) in both of these, and although I think it's still one shade too dark for me, my sister insists it looks fine. It's also lighter than most other highstreet foundations I've seen. Although the Stay Perfect packaging looks more appealing, with its glass bottle, the Beautifully Matte one is definitely more practical, pushing the product up so none is wasted. Aside from this, they're very similar, in terms of formulation. The Beautifully Matte one is ever so slightly more matte (hence the name), but that's it. They both have a medium to full coverage, don't feel heavy or look cakey, and have an SPF of 15. They don't keep my oily complexion at bay all day, though, even with a primer and powder, so I have to use shine absorbing sheets half way through to help control this.

I would absolutely love for them to bring out a lighter shade, but for now, these are doing a great job, and have converted me to foundation. I would love to try some others, though, so let me know your recommendations (especially if you're as pale as me!).

Soap & Glory Christmas Gift Sets

Soap & Glory are known to have great Christmas gift sets, but only this year have I bought them. I think it's because 2014 has been the year I've really started loving their products. I still don't care for their classic scent, but am a fan of their Sugar Crush range, as well as their makeup and facial skincare. I'm introducing my mum to the brand by gifting her with three of the sets this Christmas, but thought I'd talk a little more about the two gifts I've bought myself! Because you have to treat yourself when Christmas shopping, right?

Soap & Glory Your Own Sweet Lime Gift Set - £10

They have a couple of these hatboxes available this year, and I think they're the perfect way to introduce someone to the range, or even give to someone who's already a fan. The products are also great for travelling. The main reason why I bought this, though, is because it contains a Sugar Crush Hand Food. A Sugar Crush Hand Food! I've been loving hand creams recently, and adore the sweet lime scent of Sugar Crush, so this is perfect. 50ml is a decent size, too.

Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Gloss Crayons Gift Set - £16

These crayons (which are full sized) are £8 individually, so you're getting three for the price of two here. The shades included are Fuchsiaristic, Bashful, and Raplumzel. Fuchsiaristic is a bright pink, Bashful is a natural pink, and Raplumzel is a plum, hence the name. I already have Fuchsiaristic, and since they're individually wrapped, will be giving to a friend as part of her present. The crayons are sheer, but can be built up, and are incredibly balmy. I'd definitely recommend them.

The gifts, which can be found in Boots and start from £5, are also 3 for 2, so you can get a little more for your money. Will you be gifting a Soap & Glory set this year? Or do you plan on treating yourself to one?

Huge Boots Haul!

1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10/11/12/13/14/15/16/17/18/19/20/21/22/23/24/25/26/27/28/29/30/31/32/33/34/35

Boots staff double discount happened, and this isn't even all of it! I've removed some presents and doubles from the photo, and I forgot to include the No7 mirror and foundations (which I paid pennies for thanks to clearance and vouchers). In my defence, a number of items above are Christmas presents for various people. I'm just going to talk through a handful of things because we'll be here for a long time else!

I'm not one for false lashes, but I had a few styes and started pulling mine out (I know), so needed something to fill the gaps while they grow back! The individual lashes have been great, and while they don't last for days and days, they look natural. I remove them every night like I do with any cosmetic. This would be time consuming if I applied a full set every morning, but I only apply a couple. The Naturalites (10) also look promising!

I well and truly stocked up on the Tresemme Platinum Strength shampoo and conditioner because they ended up being just £1.87 a bottle. It's definitely a range I'd recommend trying!

Original Source have brought out some body moisturisers, and I couldn't resist buying the peach and apricot lotion. It smells like a peach and apricot yoghurt! There's also a watermelon one, which I wouldn't mind smelling at some point.

29, 34, and 35 were on clearance in my store, so I ended up paying just 39p and 87p for them! Another exciting lip product purchase is L'Oreal's Colour Riche Exclusive Red Lipstick in Julianne. It's beautiful!

The Babyliss straighteners and Soap & Glory gift sets are for my mum for Christmas. She's only ever had mine and my sister's old straighteners, and her favourite colour is purple, so I thought the Elegance Pro would be perfect. She's not familiar with Soap & Glory, but after telling her a bit about the products and showing her reviews/swatches, she's excited to start using them!

Other points to mention: I'm excited to use the No7 makeup products (7 and 25-28) because they all have great reviews, I love the Laura Ashley kitchen accessories, and I don't know why I included the anti-blister stick and spray plaster. It must have been a long day!

Have you splurged recently?

Bargain Beauty Haul

I've bagged some great bargains recently, especially in the last few days, so thought I'd gather them together and have a little ramble!

The first product is the Nina Ricci Nina perfume. I was going to buy this from Boots, but found it on allbeauty.com for £31.80 instead of £54. Although it's still not the cheapest perfume out there, I thought it was a great discount.

On top sits a set of three Revlon ColourBurst Lip Butters in Berry Smoothie, Strawberry Shortcake, and Peach Parfait (all shades I've considered buying in the past). I found this little gem in TK Maxx for £7.99, instead of £7.99 each. It's the first decent beauty item I've found in there! 

I bought the Maybelline Elixir in Mandarin Rapture in Boots yesterday. This retails for £6.99, but I used a couple of vouchers towards it. There's also a 3 for 2 on all Maybelline products at the moment, if you're interested. Apart from the slight shimmer (and it's only slight), I like this so far. It reminds me of the NYX Butter Glosses, in the sense that it's balmy, glossy, and still packs a punch of colour. Unfortunately, we don't have a huge shade selection over here in the UK, but there's still a couple of others I have my eye on.

The EOS Sweet Mint Lip Balm wasn't a huge bargain, but thought I'd include it here anyway. I bought it from Amazon for £3.91 including P&P, but they've now changed the price, so I'd suggest looking around yourself. I wanted to know if these hyped little balls were any good before buying a big value pack for presents. So far, so good. I'll keep you posted!

The Witch primers were on clearance in Superdrug for £1.75, and they were buy one get one free. Two primers for £1.75? Yes, please! The Superdrug Colour Effects Conditioning Colours (£1.49) were also buy one get one free, so I picked up a couple more.

I definitely didn't need any more wipes, but had a £5 No7 voucher to use, so thought I'd pick up the No7 Beautiful Skin Quick Thinking Wipes (£7). My staff discount on top made these just 42p. It would have been rude not to! I then bought the Beautiful Skin Cleansing Balm (£9.50) with another voucher I had, and ended up paying just £2.36 for this. Lastly, on the No7 front, I bought the BB Lips Beauty Balms in Geranium and Blush Coral (£9 each). I had a £3 off voucher, and because I bought two makeup products, I received a free gift box. It contains a mascara, eyeliner, eyeshadow, and eyeshadow brush. The shades are ones my mum will love, so I'm going to give it to her as a present.

There's currently a 3 for 2 across all hair products in Boots, so I picked up the Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Reconstructor (£4.99), the Naked Rescue Intensive Care Shampoo (£4.39), and the Naked Rescue Intensive Care Conditioner (£4.39). I also had 25% off and double points vouchers, making these even cheaper.

After I bought these (and annoyingly used my 25% off voucher), I noticed that the Organix Hydrating Macadamia Oil Shampoo and Conditioner bottles were on clearance for £1.75 each (down from £6.99). They also qualified for the 3 for 2 offer and discount, so I paid just £1.02 each. I think it was meant to be because there were just three bottles left, and two of them were shampoo (I go through more shampoo than I do conditioner).

Have you picked up any bargains recently?

New Things

I used my iPhone for the photos above because my camera and I aren't getting on at the moment. I may use my phone for future hauls, too, because it's a lot quicker! This week, I've received my dissertation and final assignment grades (all good, thankfully), updated my CV and applied for a job, finished watching Chuck, watched the first season of OITNB, started watching Prison Break, and shopped. All in all, it hasn't been bad!

I featured the necklace in my New Favourites #05 post. It's from Accessorize and was £6, which isn't too bad for them. It's small, sits on your collarbone nicely, and goes with most things. I also have my eye on another Accessorize necklace, but it's £15, so I'm going to wait and hope it's in their next sale!

Even though my ELF Studio Eyebrow Kit in Light is still going strong, I wanted to buy a back up. I bought it here for £4.99 including P&P. Now that it's gone up to £3.95 on ELF's website and P&P is £2.95, it's cheaper to get it on eBay. I know ELF often have codes floating around, but I didn't want anything else.

I bought the No7 Instant Radiance Highlighter yesterday for £6.95 because I had one of those £3 off vouchers to use. I wasn't planning on getting it, but loved how it swatched. Also liked the BB Lips Beauty Balms, and wish I'd picked one up now!

I then bought the Barry M Loud Mouth Extreme Liquid Lip Colour in Show Off for £3.99. It's a warm, coral pink, which is very pigmented and similar to the Sleek Pout Paints. I tested it out yesterday evening and it was still present after three hours, a stir fry, and a bowl of ice cream (half a tub, really...). It had faded, but it was even. I then went ahead and ordered another three shades, so look out for reviews and swatches soon!

The mug is from Wilkinson and was £2. The print is nice, but the main reason I bought it was because of its size. It's like a small bowl, fitting two normal sized cups of tea in!

The tins were from TK Maxx and cost £2.99-£3.99. I'm always on the look out for tins because they're great for storing my baking bits (and anything else).

The yellow satchel was from Primark and cost £6. I've only ever used bags for school/uni, so have never owned a small one. I loved the colour of this, though, so just had to get it. They also had it in mint and pink. This is probably my favourite item I bought yesterday because it's so different to anything I have!

The knickers were also from Primark, and were only £1 each. They have a nice shape and look good on, so I'm happy.

The last three photos are of boring items, but they're items most of us use. The lint rollers were from Primark and were £1.50 a pack. Lint rollers are a must in an animal filled house! The Bic Soleil razors were from Superdrug and were down to £1.83 from £3.69. I already had a couple packs stored away, but couldn't resist a couple more. They're something I'm always going to use! The Mitchum deodorant sticks were £1.48 and £1.66 from £2.99 and £3.35 (this offer isn't online, though). I started using Mitchum deodorants earlier this year and they seem to work better than others I've tried. 

I use Simple Baby Moisturising Wipes for removing makeup before cleansing, spot cleaning my brushes, and freshening up. They're normally around £1.99 for 80, which is great in comparison to standard facial wipes. However, I usually get them when they're 99p or 6 for £5 at Lloyds Pharmacy. My sister also happens to work at the latter, so gets staff discount. 67p for 80? Yes please!

The last photo shows my inner age. My new net curtains arrived yesterday and I really like them! It's surprising how much a new pair of net curtains brighten your room. I'm mentioning them because they were a bargain from eBay. For my large window, I paid £5.70 including P&P. You can find the listing here. You can probably get nicer ones, but for the price, these are great. They also look better than others I've had in the past.

What have you been buying recently?

Collective Haul

I handed in my last ever uni assignment yesterday and then panicked about my future, so today's shopping trip was much needed! I thought I'd also include some other bits I've bought recently. 

I'll start with the Primark T-Shirts dominating the photo. I mostly bought these for lounging around the house, but will probably wear them out, too. The two grey scoop neck ones were £2 each, while the rest were £3 each.

The Primark Beach Hut Pyjama Bottoms were £6. I've wanted them for a while, so thought I'd just get them today!

The Primark Cosy Socks were £2. Socks need no explanation.

The Primark Tights were £3.50. Expensive for one pair (compared to Primark's other tights), but they're the 'super silky opaque tights with 3D lycra for a perfect fit' ones which I love.

The Primark Pop-Up Laundry Hamper was £3. I also bought the Shower Curtain (£5) and Hand Towel (£3) in this design, but they're already in use! They add a pop of summer colour to the bathroom.

I then bought the Revlon Photoready Perfecting Primer (£8.99, normally £11.99) and Revlon Colourstay Concealer (£6.99) from Boots. I'm running out of my current primer and wanted to try a new one. This has mixed reviews, but so do most products, so I thought I'd try it out for myself. I also wanted to try a new concealer because the two I currently have are at opposite ends of the spectrum and I wanted something in the middle. The shade (fair) looks like a perfect match for my skin and makes one of my other concealers look orange in comparison!

The mint green/light blue sweatshirt at the bottom of the photo is from H&M and was £9.99. I prefer to keep the tops of my arms covered, but now that it's getting warmer, I can't wear jumpers. This is perfect because it's very lightweight and can be thrown on over a vest top.

The black and white aztec high waisted shorts are from New Look and were £11 down from £20, I think. They feel like great quality and were the only thing I ended up keeping from my order.

The Boston Warehouse Large Tumbler was £4.99 from TK Maxx. More than I'd usually pay for such an item, but I'd been looking for one for a while (my Primark no longer stocks them) and I loved the print.

The last things, in the top right corner, are from Poundland. I like the new Jane Asher range, so picked up the measuring cups & spoons, icecream/cake mix scoop, baking tray, baking sheet, and cake tin circles from it. The cake tin circles are so handy! I also picked up the oven glove and ice cube blocks. I already have some similar ice cube shapes and think they're so convenient. They don't dilute your drink and you can refreeze them.

What have you bought recently?

Recent Purchases

I wasn't planning on posting about these items, but was in the mood to blog, so here we are!

Primark bag - £12

I've never owned a formal bag, but with uni about to end and interviews about to begin (hopefully), I thought it was about time I did. I'd heard people talk about this being similar to the Zara Office City Bag, which I quite liked the look of, so decided to buy it. However, once in store, I wasn't sure, so left it. Then I found one I liked in H&M, but it looked very similar, and was £24.99 instead of Primark's £12, so thought I may as well get the cheaper of the two. It's smart, practical, and I like the texture of it. I've already taken the Atmosphere 'leather' tag off, though, because it just cheapened it.

Primark shopper bag - £1.50

Cotton shoppers are so handy to have around, and you can't complain for the price!

Primark white face cloths - £1.50, and duck egg 'luxury' face cloths - £2.50

I've started using Lush's Ultrabland cleanser, so was in need of some face cloths... there's nothing else to say here!

Superdrug Face & Bikini Wax Strips - £4.29 or 2 for £5

The only wax strips I've ever used were some ones I won in a giveaway a few years ago. I finally finished those recently, though, and was in need of some more. Lack of variety and mixed reviews left me undecided, but then I came across these. I'm hoping they perform well, but if they don't, I haven't lost a great deal of money.

Real Techniques Blush and Expert Face Brushes - £5.87 and £5.29 from Asda Direct

I use the Powder and Stippling ones every day, and wanted to try these two next. I couldn't resist when I saw the prices; so much cheaper than Boots. 

Revlon Lip Butter in Juicy Papaya - £7.99 from Boots

After falling in love with Revlon's Lip Butter in Wild Watermelon, I wanted to get my hands on this beautiful peach shade. There's currently a huge 3 for 2 going on in Boots, but I'm ever so indecisive, so just left with this. Will be kicking myself later, no doubt.

Do you have any of these products?

Haul - Primark, Revlon Matte Balms, and More

Revlon ColourBurst Matte Balm in Audacious, Revlon ColourBurst Lip Butter in Wild Watermelon, and Revlon ColourBurst Matte Balm in Elusive.

Birthday money in hand, I decided to do a spot of shopping this week, and then thought I'd combine the other odd bits I've bought this month to create a haul!

The majority of the stuff above is from Primark, so we'll start there! I bought yet another men's jumper for £12. I love them. They're comfy, warm, and easy to wear. I then picked up some coat hangers to store my expanding collection of jumpers, which were £4. I've always been a little reluctant to spend money on coat hangers, especially because I store most of my clothes in chests of drawers, but the colours of these persuaded me! The giraffe pyjama top was £4 and is incredibly cute. They also had matching giraffe print bottoms, if you're interested. I then picked up another one of their reed diffusers in Red Berries and Orchid for £3. It's along the same lines as their Juicy Blueberry and Blossom one, which I love. The socks at the top were £3.50, and are knee high and extra thick. They're more expensive than the ones I normally buy from Primark, and are just as expensive as Topshop and Accessorize ones, but, I suppose, they are extra long and thick. The last things from Primark are the tweezers. Both the floral owl and black polka dot ones were £1 for 2. They're not the sharpest I've had, but they do the job!

I bought a fair bit of bedding from Tesco Direct a couple weeks ago, and while most of it was fitted sheets and pillow cases, I did buy the pretty, floral, fleece throw you see at the top. It was £10, and I bought it to spruce up my plain bedding sets. I also bought the bedding you see everything on, which was £15 (now £12). I wasn't sure about it at first, but it's warming on me!

A couple weeks ago, my friend and I had some time to kill, so decided to venture into Next's home section. We came across the Apricot Blossom scent, and just had to buy something from the range. I'm not allowed to burn candles under my dad's roof, so opted for the reed diffuser, which was £5. If you're interested in the candle, it was £3.50. I'm tempted to get it just to smell it whenever I can! I love apricot/peach scents.

Birthday money, not buying makeup for ages, my love of lip crayons, and a 3 for 2 offer all contributed to these next buys. I walked into Boots and headed straight to the Revlon stand, knowing they'd have the new Matte and Lacquer Balms. I wasn't expecting there to be a 3 for 2 offer on, so that just pushed me to get swatching even more. I decided on the Elusive and Audacious Matte Balms, intending to sheer Audacious out to make it more subtle. I also wanted Unapologetic, a really bright, warm pink, and also intended to sheer it out, but it was out of stock. At 9am on the day of release. No extras in the draws underneath. The Lacquer Balms were okay, but most had shimmer in, so decided to swatch the lip butters. I've never owned one before because the colours didn't float my boat, but then I came across Wild Watermelon, and a spark ignited within. Okay, a little dramatic, but you get my drift. In the tube, it looks like an orangey red, but when swatched and sheered out, it turns in a light, pinky red. I also want Juicy Papaya now! All three retail for £7.99, but the 3 for 2 offer meant I received one for free.

I'm also going in town tomorrow to get some workout clothes because I've started exercising (only a little, mind!), but will no doubt end up in Boots again. Back at the Revlon stand. Have, or will, you be buying any of Revlon's new releases? Lip crayons got me into wearing lip products, so they'll always have a special place in my heart!