Lilac & Dot Sticker Hauling

Okay, hands up, I have a Lilac & Dot sticker addiction. Originally found through my favourite Facebook Group - UK Planner Addicts - Lilac & Dot is owned by a lovely lady called Natalia who designs all of her own images (no clip-art here!) and turns them into the cutest, prettiest, girly stickers that I've found in a while, and I can't get enough of them.

I can't show off my latest purchase because it was bought as a gift but I am just loving these stickers. People who follow me on Instagram *here* will have seen them popping up a lot in my weekly spreads.

So what do I like so much about them?
Well, first of all, it has to be the quality. The paper and print quality are truly lovely. I prefer glossy stickers in general but find that sometimes this means that the print quality suffers a little, but I haven't found this to be the case with any of the Lilac & Dot stickers that I have purchased so far. The colours are lovely and bright and the paper is good quality without being so thick that it sticks up from planner pages.

Then there is the mix between pretty and practical stickers. The kits come with a sheet that is more dedicated to pretty stickers relating to a theme whilst the other sheet has lists, prompts, weekend banners, flags and bullet point stickers. It means that they work well both together and independently and last a nice long time.

Finally, there is the individuality. As I mentioned at the beginning of the post, all of the designs are drawn out by Natalia herself, meaning that they can't be found anywhere else. To me, that makes them so much more special.

Yesterday I was lucky enough to find out that I have been accepted as a member of the Lilac & Dot design team which I am over the moon about. It makes me so happy to be able to work with Natalia and several other ladies to help show Lilac & Dot some love. Expect to see plenty more from this beautiful brand and please do check out all of the sets available in the shop *here* and show some love on Instagram *here*!

Annie x

Fragrance Direct Sale Bargains

You may have already seen some bloggers posting excitedly about the Fragrance Direct winter sale and I couldn't avoid joining them because it really is amazing!
At the moment on the site you can find brands such as Becca for as little as £4 and there are also thousands of products for under £5.
I tried to be quite restrained when I did my shop with them so didn't pick up too much but its taking a lot of self restraint not to buy more!

I've loved Becca for a long time so I took the chance to grab a few bits including the totally amazing Luminous Skin Colour Ultra Sheer Foundation which is actually still online if you're quick! The stand out product has to be the Rejuvenating Primer though which leaves skin looking and feeling silky smooth (I think you can still get hold of this too)

Everyone loves Korres body products but I hadn't tried any of their makeup products before so I picked up a couple of foundations to test out. Unfortunately the Wild Rose foundation is the wrong shade for me so this will be passed on but the Ginger and Vitamins Foundation is gorgeous. So light and soft with very build-able coverage and I think come summer it will be perfect for that light, dewy look.

Finally, I fed my false lash addiction with a few pairs for just 99p a pair...rude not to eh?

So over all I think I did pretty well and over all I only spent around £35 which is the RRP for just one of the Becca products I picked up. Definitely a website worth looking at and they have also just added new lines to the sale so I may have to take another look.... ;P

Annie xx

July's Pay Day Treats!

Another payday passing means another little shopping trip for Annie! Shopping is definitely more fun if you've been waiting all month before treating yourself to a mini splurge.
This month I've been fairly well behaved and not bought too much (being strict with myself may be starting to pay off?!?) but I do love the things I have bought.

My first stop off was to a gorgeous little boutique that I've actually not been into before called Traffic People where I picked up the earrings in the photo above and the necklace in the photo below. My friend and I actually stumbled upon the store on our way to get sushi but I'm so glad we did, it's a little gem full of pretty things (@Trafficppl on twitter if you want to find them and say hi!) As well as selling pretty, unique styles of jewellery they also sell pretty dresses and accessories. New favourite shop for sure!

I paid £10 each for the earrings and necklace which I'm happy with. I liked the earrings so much that I actually wore them straight away and the necklace has been worn today so I'm thinking cost per wear is going to make both items pretty fab value for money.

Next we called into Lush where I picked up a couple of bits that I was running out of. I also finally grabbed a small bottle of Flowers Barrow which is from the Gorilla Perfume range and is a quintessentially English scent built up of rose, geranium, blackcurrant, chamomile as well as a blend of herbs. What I love about Lush perfume is that the high concentration of essential oils in the blend mean that the perfume sits uniquely on each persons skin and smells different to on everyone else so its like wearing my own special scent. The size I bought retails for £14.

On down to Accessorize where I picked up these two sweet little rings in the sale for just £3 for the two. It was the peace ring that drew me in because although it doesn't show from the photo, the stones are actually a pretty milky white and glow almost like opals do. Pretty!

Our final stop was Urban Outfitters. I have wanted this cat cup for months now and just couldn't justify it for anything but when I saw that it was in the sale for £4 I had to bring it home. I'm actually using it to store my shorter makeup brushes because the large Cath Kidston vase I bought last month in the sale is fairly tall and some of the brushes had been lost in the depths. £4 well spent I feel!

So that is this months little haul. I think I was fairly restrained to be honest. I did also spend £6 on a pair of shoes from Asda but I forgot to take a photo of those, oops!
What have you been buying with this months wages? Anything fun?
Tomorrows post is one for my mummy followers, the perfect little holiday kit for young ones so be sure to take a look!
Annie xx

The Naughty Body Shop Haul!

I'm sure you've all heard about the Body Shop 40% discount code thats been floating around lately, simply enter EXTRATREAT online or mention the code 14668 instore for 40% everything-sale items included.
Of course I took full advantage and used this as a chance to stock up on all my favourites and the things I've been wanting to try. Needless to say, my basket ended up pretty full!
So what did I buy?

1. Rainforest Balance Shampoo- I've wanted to try this for a while because whilst I love Lush products I just haven't found the right shampoo for me so I thought I'd branch out and try a different range of cruelty free shampoos. This smells amazing and so far I really like it.
2. Cucumber Cleansing Milk- I grabbed this when I saw it reduced to £2 because the cucumber cleansers are known for being totally amazing. Really calming and soothing on the skin yet still effective. Well worth stocking up on.
3. Foundation Brush- If there was one thing I wish Lush sold its makeup brushes, I think they'd go down so well with customers who want something cruelty free and high quality but as we don't, Body Shop score top marks with me for theirs because they are cruelty free, super soft and very effective. One day I will own them all :p
4. Spiced Vanilla Hand Cream- I popped this Christmas range hand cream in my basket for £1 because I've previously tried the Candied Ginger one and got hooked on the smell and feel. I'm obsessed with hand cream so I've stashed it away for now whilst I finish off the L'occitane one I'm enjoying at the moment.
5. Ginger Shimmer Lip Balm- Another Christmas product found super cheap in the sale! Lip Balm is another addiction of mine and I always have at least 3 on the go. At the moment its Lush Honey Trap, Body Shop Chocomania and now this one too. The domed shape makes it really quick and easy to use and I really like how it looks too!
6. Facial Massager- Sorry Body Shop, but this is another product bought just because Lush don't make one. Facial massagers are great for stimulating blood flow around the face and really encouraging products to sink deeper into the skin maximising their effects. I use this in the evening wth my Lush Full of Grace serum bar and it feels totally amazing!
7. Seaweed Mattifying Moisture Lotion- I received a couple of sample pots of this lotion earlier in the year and haven't looked back since. I might even go as far as saying it is my perfect moisturiser. Its light, smells lovely and sinks in fast leaving skin feeling plumped, hydrated and soft without looking oily or clogging pores.
8. Vanilla Eau De Toilette- Total impulse buy here! Vanilla is one of my favourite scents. Soft, sweet and very comforting. As soon as I sniffed this it fell into my basket ready to be kept in my handbag for mid-day top ups. The scent is actually incredibly similar to the scented candles I burn constantly so maybe thats why I find it so cosy.
9. Vitamin C Energising Face Spritz- Another product I've wanted for a while. I was shown this just before going to Tenerife in February and haven't been able to get it out of my head. A quick spray every morning feeds my face and wakes me up ready to get going. The smell is also unbelievably good; zesty and fresh.

Phew, word heavy post! Thats my guilty haul. I also picked up the Pomegranate Day Cream for my mum and a Love Your Body card so 11 items all together. And the over all cost? £47 unbelievable right? I was more than happy with that.

Did you take advantage of the 40% offer? What did you buy? If you wrote a haul post then I'd love to see :)

Annie xx

Payday Shopping Treats!

I got paid! Woo! Everyones favourite day of the month.
Most of the month I try to be good with money and limit shopping, especially recently when my hours haven't been as high as is ideal but this month I've treated myself to some bits and pieces since there seems to be sales on everywhere at the moment!

My first stop was Cath Kidston because I happened to be opposite the shop when I spotted the big sales signs and thought it would be rude not to! I picked up a few little bits here including one of the cute oil cloth makeup bags for £4 which went straight in my handbag and some shell buttons £1.50 and a pin tin £2.50 to go in my sewing box ready to create beautiful things.

I also picked up this beautiful glass vase for £6 to store all of my makeup brushes. Its a tiny bit taller than ideal but it looks beautiful on my dressing table :)

Next was a trip down to Boots because I've been needing a new foundation. No7 makeup is currently buy one get the second 1/2 price so I was able to pick up the Instant Radiance foundation I've been wanting to try for £12.50 and get a really pretty Stay Perfect cream eyeshadow for just £4 instead of the usual £8.

Finally I hit the Topshop sale. I love their jewellery and accessories and always look forward to picking them up reduced because I do find things a bit pricey for what they are otherwise. At the moment I'm loving metallic ankle socks so I picked up 3 pairs for £2 each, my favourite have to be the mint. Jewellery wise I was really restrained despite loving loads of bits and just came away with this fab green bracelet for £4.25 I just love how vibrant the colours are and that its something slightly different.

So thats my payday haul. For the amount I spent I think I did really well and the only thing I paid full price for was the foundation and even that was kind of discounted over all!
What have you been buying this payday? Have you been taking advantage of all the sales?
Annie xx

Mini Illamasqua Haul

Recently Illamasqua did an amazing 50% discount promotion through their twitter on everything on their site. Muy emocionante, si?
I'm trying my best to be really good with not spending on cosmetics at the moment, but having a rather fabulous friend who happens to also get 20% on Illamasqua makeup anyway I thought it would be rude not to buy a few bits and take advantage of the 70% off ;)

I think I managed to be pretty restrained concidering! There were a couple more bits that I would have liked to buy but due to the 50% offer being worldwide they were out of stock by the time we made our order so I just got the Gleam in Aurora and nail varnishes in Untold and Scarce. I've got photos taken ready to review all three and I must say I love them all, especially Gleam :)
So the total price for the three? At full price they would have come to £47 but with the discount they cost just £14.10- thats less than one full priced nail varnish! Bargain!

Did you take advantage of the Illamasqua sale? What did you get?
Annie xx

A Cheeky Shopping Trip ;)

Lately I've been staying fairly well behaved when it comes to spending, what with christmas, then not having a job for a few weeks but when I found out I'd got my new job I went out on a little trip to celebrate and buy myself a few treats. In my defense I also bought most of Daniels valentines gifts on the same trip so I didn't JUST spend money one me :)
Here's what I bought myself, by the way, I apologize for the terrible photos, they were taken on my phone as I was doing some late night tidying.

My first stop was Space NK where I picked up this pretty Rococo nail varnish. It's the first varnish of theirs that I've tried and I must say I am impressed. I have a review coming up for you when I'm back from Tenerife :)

Next up I popped in to The Body Shop to take a look at their mineral foundation £15 because I've heard that it is a good comparison to the Bare Minerals version. I picked one up in the shade Natural Vanilla (not the lightest for a change!) and so far so good, again, review to come next week! Whilst I was there I was drawn in by one of their fab offers; if you spend £18 on makeup and/or skin care at the moment you get a full sized body butter worth £13 free. Don't mind if I do! To round my spend up a bit I picked up a travel sized cleanser and toner to try out since my usual Lush goodies are pretty chunky and wouldn't really fit in my over full suitcase. The lovely sales lady recommended the aloe cleanser to cool me off after a day in the sun and the seaweed toner because it's packed full of vitamins and minerals. When I left she also popped a few face cream samples in to my bag from the aloe and seaweed ranges too for me to pack which I thought was quite sweet even if she just wanted me to come back and buy more!

Next stop was WHS because I like to have a good snoop around the books and they tend to have some good offers on, as you can see from the BIG RED STICKERS on my new Mary Berry cookery book. Such a sweet little old lady. I love baking, I don't write about it often on here, but we do quite a lot of baking in this house (Would you like me to share baking posts more often?) As you can see, I got this book as part of a 2 for £10 deal and since Daniel won't see this before valentines day it won't ruin any surprises for me to say that the other book I bought was a yummy looking mexican cookery book for him to enjoy :)

Finally, being totally hooked on chocolate, I stopped off at the Thorntons outlet that we're lucky enough to have in Bath (sandwiched between Whittard and Ann Summers down near Southgate if you happen to be local) and managed to pick up this huge minty box of fabbyness for £7 down from £20ish. Being a complete old lady, after taking this I popped the mint humbugs in a little bag to keep in my handbag...old before my time I know *face palm*

So thats my little celebration haul. I also spent lots in Lush and Molton Brown on Daniels treats as well as his book and a heart shaped chocolate lollie for him to look cute eating :)
Annie x
*ps, I'm away until 17th and this post is scheduled so if you comment and don't get a reply, I promise it's not that I'm ignoring you! <3*

Misbehave Boutique Haul

It's been a long time now since I've written a haul post so this one is more than over due.
One of my favourite things about the world of blogging is finding shops and companies that I would have otherwise been unaware of. Misbehave Boutique was a twitter find and as soon as I clicked on to their website I knew that I was going to end up hauling a lot of goodies.
My go to accessories are always big earrings and cocktail rings if I want something in addition to my engagement ring and I'm not up to anything special so thats exactly what I bought :)

It's no secret that I love owls and the first pair of earrings I got were there rather unconventional but very cute owl face earrings.
Next up I chose these amazing bright pink geo drop earrings. I was thinking of summer and sunshine when they fell in to my trolley and they're going to be getting lots of wear when I'm in Tenerife (outfit posts are coming soon fashion lovers!)
The little blue eyed earrings really caught my attention with their big, fluttery lids and because they're smaller they can be worn nice and subtly with a lot of outfits.
My last pair of earrings are these amazing drop down hands which I think may be my favourite pair. They hang down from the ear clutching their little jewels :)
You can find the Misbehave earring selection *here*

And now the finger bling!
The gold crocodile ring came as a free present because I spent over £15, along with a pair of studs and a hairband...I forgot to photograph those, oops! He's really cute and I'm really happy with him.
The little hare ring on my middle finger is the piece of jewellery that drew me to Misbehave Boutique. The hare ring is quite small so I either wear it on my pinkie finger or on my middle finger like I am here.
Finally is this big, striking eye ring. This is probably the biggest ring I own and its definitely very eye catching! The ring itself is adjustable so can be worn by most people on any finger they want but what I like the most is the colour of the gemstones.
You can find the Misbehave ring selection *here*

I've been really happy with all of the little pretty pieces I bought from Misbehave Boutique and will be more than happy to order again. The pricing is really good too, with products starting at a very affordable £2.

What do you think of my new pieces of jewellery? Will you be checking out Misbehave?
Annie x

My Latest MAC Haul

It was almost two weeks ago now that I visited the Cosmetics Company Outlet in Swindon and topped up my beloved MAC collection with some bargains. For those who don't know, Cosmetics Company Outlet (CCO) is the outlet for all Estee Lauder owned brands, including MAC, Bobbi Brown, Estee Lauder, Origins, Smashbox and Bumble and Bumble. There are a fair few stores across America, however, in England I believe there are only three or four which makes the rare visits even more special.

For me, I was actually pretty restrained and only came away with two lipsticks, an eyeshadow pan for my palette and a kohl eyeliner. What made me most excited though was that the Venomous Villains lipstick, Violetta, and the Hey, Sailor! eyeliner, Blue Stripe were both limited edition products that I wanted but didn't manage to get hold of when they were in MAC stores.
So, what I got:
Pro Longwear lip creme in Love Forever- This lip creme is a pretty bright pink with a blue toned base. It is super long lasting but not at all drying like most long wear lip products. The composition is different to the average MAC lipstick which is why it is classed as a creme. I have a FOTD post lined up to review this already so that will probably be up in the next few days.

Venomous Villains Amplified lipstick in Violetta- Definitely my favourite buy of the haul. This lipstick is a gorgeous purple colour that is oh so bold against my pale skin. Once again it has a blue toned base but there is enough pink to it that it doesn't look too unusual on the skin. I haven't found this to dry out my lips at all, and it lasts around 4-5 hours before I need to touch up. Review to come early next week.

Ahoy, Sailor! Powerpoint eye pencil in Blue Stripe- I was drawn to this colour as the blue is so smokey and intense that it is almost black but with a sexy blue shimmer. Its hard to explain my love for it in a way that people will understand but it is an incredibly sexy colour. It is also a very long lasting, smudge proof liner which makes me so happy. Its actually what I'm wearing around my eyes in the Love Forever review so you'll see it soon!

Eyeshadow palette pan in Bright Sunshine- I've wanted a really pigmented yellow shadow for a long time and this one fits the bill perfectly. It is almost gold in some lights but it the perfect warm yellow shadow. I like to wear it either alone in a bright line along the top lash line, or blended in with a lime green for an uber summery look.

So theres my latest haul from MAC. What do you think? Have you got any of these products? Aren't they just so typically me?

Annie x

October Shopping Spree

I've had a super busy day off yesterday. In the morning we visited the Bath Cats and Dogs Home because we're looking into adopting a new kitty to keep Lolly company. We fell head over heels in love with a cat called Busy who would fit right in here; she's super friendly, the same age as Lolly and about the same size, so a perfect pair to sit in front of the fire together this winter :)
We then spent the afternoon mooching around the shops and I bought a looot of exciting new things :)

 For months now I've been in need of a pair of trainers, but now its getting cold and wet I thought it really was time to invest. I found these cream high tops in River Island and they are just so comfy its unreal. They cost me £30 but they're leather and for the amount of wear they'll get I thought that was a pretty good price.

 Also in River Island I picked up these cream and black sparkly, fluffy, totally amazing over the knee socks in the sale for £2 down from £8. I live in thick wooly socks all winter so these are perfect. The photo isn't very clear from this angle but the tiny earrings, which also cost £2 are little golden hedgehogs which are seriously cute. My final River Island purchase was a black jersey maxi skirt with a slit front that I've been wanting for ages. I was really lucky and found that it had actually been put in the sale so I only paid £12.

Next up was Boots because I needed to collect a prescription and some Berocca to get me through the cold season (I'm one of those people who get every cold that's going). There was a competition running on the Max Factor counter where you applied one of their lip colours and kiss a piece of paper and the best pout wins a goody bag. The colour that was picked out for me was Bewitching Coral and I loved it so much that I ended up buying one for £7.99. I also wanted to grab a blue mascara so I went for the Collection EXTREME lengthening mascara, £2.99 and because makeup is currently 3 for 2 I also grabbed this cute Work the Colour trio by Collection for £3.19 in Champagne Fizz.

In New Look I bought aa selection of things. Most were plain black for work so I haven't photographed them but this dress was just too cute to not show you. I love the lacy detail and the black and white birdies. It makes me happy to look at and was reduced to £9 in the sale.

Confession time: I am a hat person. I cannot get enough of them at the moment, and I am totally having a love affair with this slouchy beanie that was also in the New Look sale. It only cost me £3 and its hardly left my head yet since buying it. Its super cosy and I like the oversized boyfriend style of it.

Finally, we headed to Urban Outfitters to have a root around in their sale section which is always packed with great things. I found this mens size Large black and white tee shirt and just had to buy. I love the drama of the makeup and mask in the photo, totally my style and I think the top will look really good paired with a short black skirt and a leather jacket for a rockesque style look.

So that is my mega haul. Believe me, I won't be buying again for a while. I also had a delivery come through from the Mac by Request collection and a couple of packages waiting at the sorting office so for the restof the month I'm being good!

What do you think of my new bits and pieces? Have you had a look around the sales yet? There are some really great things out there for good prices at the moment so I'd recommend it :)
Annie x

The Dandy Necklace

I love my job, I get paid to sellpeople products that I love, I'm allowed to be totally me and not get judged for it, and I work with some truly amazing people... however, my blog has been a little neglected since I started working so many more hours. I really am sorry about that, but we're getting there now, I'm back on track I think.

Today I just had to show you my funky new necklace that I bought from the website Geek Boutique which is run by a lovely lady, Rachel Tarbuck, who is a member of the beauty swap group that I belong to.

Excuse the mugshot, but isn't it amazing? I saw it and simply had to buy because it's just so me. For those who may not be able to see too clearly it says "Makeup Whore". The necklace is made from laser cut acrylic and is all shiny and bold and funky and for only £7 I think it was also really good value for money. I wear it all the time. There are several wording choices available, including the "Lush" necklace below that, being as in love with my job as I am, I had to buy soI can wear it when I'm working (in Lush by the way).

Seriously, everyone should take a look at Geek Boutique. I love the quirky style of the jewellery, and as its the lead up to christmas, why not take a look and stock up on some funky presents for people!

What do you think of my new necklace? Will you be taking a look at Geek Boutique?

Annie x

*Rachel had no idea that I was going to write this post, I paid for both necklaces using my own money and honestly just thought that you guys would love them too :)*

The Beauty Junkie's "Light" Travel Makeup Kit

So we all struggle to pack light when it comes to taking makeup on holiday, however, I actually found myself  lying awake at night worrying about what I should take with me, the result? Below is my "light" kit of essentials that I couldn't bear to live without for three weeks.

At the end of the day I decided to just bite the bullet and take all of my favourites and give in to the fact I can't travel light. To make myself feel a little better I tested some of the products on how well they coped in the heat, I also tested how well the waterproof version of my very favourite mascara held up in comparison to its non-waterproof brother so I have a couple of posts lined up to tell you all about my findings :)
What I have learnt from taking so many products with me is that in the heat, I personally tended to keep the base as simple as possible, usually opting for a light application of Garnier BB cream (which I actually hate using in the UK), that a dusting of setting powder is a must, and that lip products tend to get neglected as they can make lips feel a little smothered; instead, the way to boost colour is by using a bright eyeshadow or liner as these feel light enough to be comfortable.
And finally, I was also cool enough to sit with a pad of paper and work out how much my light kit was worth and came to the shocking realisation that I had lugged £315 worth of makeup across to Mallorca with me! I doubt if I'd lost it all, my insurance company would have been too keen on paying that lot back haha.

Are you like me? Or are you harsh enough with yourself to actually manage to pack light? I just couldn't face not having any choice for so long. Does that sound familiar?
Annie x

A Little Bit of Shopping

Hello,
I feel like I've fallen off the band wagon a little bit in the last couple of days. I'm getting a bit stressed again so I've been trying to cheer myself up. New makeup never fails to cheer me up so it's made a good start.

Now, whilst I enjoyed going a little mad whilst roaming the isles in Boots I am still very aware that I'm meant to be saving money so I tried to stick to the cheaper brands... Except Max Factor but I just HAD to own a Flipstick.
Anyways, what I bought:

• Natural Collection Sheer Loose Powder- £1.99
• Natural Collection Bronzing Pearls- £1.99
• Natural Collection Black/Brown Lash Volume Mascara- £1.99
• Technic Highlights Highlighter- £2.99
• Max Factor Flipstick in Gipsy Red- £8.49
• Max Factor Lipstick in Raisin- £6.99

So over all, not too bad, I spent under £25 and got a nice selection of bits.

I'll write proper reviews on the products as and when I use them. I have a FOTD post lined up for this evening using the Max Factor Raisin lipstick, highlighter and bronzing pearls and so far I've really liked all three so its looking good.

I'm always pleasantly surprised by Natural Collection. I tend not to buy from the range very often because its what I used to wear when I was 14 and first getting into wearing makeup but there's no denying the fact that you can always rely on good quality from them for very little money.

What do you think of my goodies then? I'm most excited by the flipstick, have you tried any of these?

Annie x

Little Payday Shopping Trip

Hello,
Yay for payday! This will be my last pay cheque from Sainsbury's which feels weird but after being skint for what seems like forever it was oh so welcome! I treated myself to a mini haul from Boots after a tough shift at Debenhams and got a few bits and some fab freebies.

What I got:
I felt like a kid in a sweet shop when I was browsing through the makeup section but I was fairly restrained and also only bought fairly low priced bits and bobs. I got a 17 Lasting Fix lipstick in Mulled Wine which is a pretty shade of dark pink (I'll do a fotd in the next few days to show you), I got a lip liner in Fawn which is a nude shade with a slight highlighting shine which looks good around the top lip and really defines the shape. I also picked up an Extreme felt eyeliner in Teal by Collection 2000 which gives a real kick of deep colour that's long lasting.
One of my advantage card offers was a free glitter eyeshadow when I bought any one 17 item so of course I grabbed my freebie. I went for an olivey green shade called SuperStar which looks really lovely on. It's nice and pigmented and brings out the green in my eyes.
Finally, I picked up a bottle of Boots SkinClear Deep Cleansing Lotion. I like a nice hard working cleanser and I'm running out of my favourite so I thought that for £2.50ish this was worth a go.

At the moment, if you spend £6 on 17 cosmetics, you get a free Fest of All kit which is a cute little set including a full sized nail varnish, kohl eyeliner and a handbag sized tube of Instant Glow body bronzer. I'll do a separate  review of this little kit tomorrow but considering you only need to spend £6 to get the kit and its worth around £10 I'd say you can't lose!

What do you think of my payday goodies? I'm really happy with everything and I only spent just over £12 so I think I did pretty well. What will you be treating yourself to this payday?
Annie x

The Latest Haul

Hello,
TGIF eh?
I'm rubbish at saving money, no matter how often I tell myself that I will. So I have another haul to show you today from the last couple of weeks. I haven't been too naughty but when I went for a Benefit make-over things all came a little unstuck when it came to saving.

First up, heres the beauty bits. The E.l.f goodies and the false eyelashes I mentioned in my payday treats post last week. I finally got around to collecting the E.l.f package from the sorting office today and was really happy with all four products. I got a mineral lipstick in Natural Nymph, a kabuki brush from the studio collection, a clarifying pressed powder in Ivory and a natural glow bronzer in Luminance. I can't wait to try all four out properly. The brush is so wonderfully smooth. The false lashes are thicker than I normally like but they're for use in stage make-up so they won't look too much. And then there was Benefit :P I went for a make-over session to try and cheer myself up a bit since my depression has been playing up rather badly recently and I came away with Dandelion, one of their classic blushers. I honestly can't fault any Benefit product that I've tried, they are all completely wonderful and this blusher is no exception. The colour is a pretty pink and looks nice on my fair skin. I'll be writing a full review on this soon for sure :) The funky print in the background of the photo is a little slouchy top that I bought in the New Look sale for around £4 to wear with leggings or my black dip hemmed skirt.

(Sorry about the poor quality of this photo, it was taken in a dusty mirror then hugelyyy cropped down) Also in the New Look sale I bought a lilac vest top to wear under loose fitting tops etc for £2 which I was wearing in this photo but its covered. And finally I bought this cream top which is made of really soft material and is nice and baggy for relaxing in. I really like the feel of it and the soft striped pattern. I'm also weirdly into the cut out shoulders.

And last but not least (pictured badly using my webcam) is this fabby buho top from TK Maxx. Isn't he cute in his big white glasses? I also cannot believe how young I look in this photo. This top set me back £8 and I already know it will get a lot of wear.

What have you been hauling recently? Have you been as bad at saving money as I have?
I'm off to eat too much ice cream and watch Russell Howard to chase the blues away a little.
Annie x

Back to the Beauty!

Hello,
After my rather distressed post earlier I wanted to get things on here back to being more positive. Yes I may be having a bit of a personal crisis, but the blog is my happy space. So, to get things back on track, here is my latest (an probably last) haul before the spending ban kicks off. I am so happy with this collection.
I popped into Poundland to look for a storage solution for my beauty bottles and got way over excited when I saw that they had lots of Sally Hansen goody bags each containing 3 products for just £1 each! Imanaged to grab lots of lovely bits and pieces and paid just £5 over all, including my new storage box :)

First up, these are the two Sally Hansen goody bags I bought. Aren't they great for £1 each?

In the first one I got a natural beauty lipstick in Sunburst, a natural butter lip shine in Lush and a 13.3ml liqueur shine for nails polish in Beaming. The lipstick is a beautiful colour, its a real my lips but better shade and I can see this replacing my make up store lipstick as my daily shade. The lip shine glides on like a dream. I was slightly disappointed that it has a brush applicator rather than a doe foot but the brush is good quality and applies the butter well. The shade is really ligt and pretty and perfect for a casual, nude look. I'm also really happy with the nail varnish. The first coat applied a little thin but with a second it wascompletely opaque. The colour itself is a beautiful bright red that I think I will probably weara lot onmy toes during the summer.

In the second bag I got another natural beauty lipstick in the same shade (sunburst) because I didn't notice the shades when I picked the bags up but I don't mind because its such a lovely colour. I also got a lacquer shine for lips in Jasmine. I thought this would come out fairly light as a gloss but it is actually a really deep pink, highly pigmented colour. Again it has a brush instead of a doe applicator, but this also applies well, although as its a fairly dark colour you need to be careful when you apply. Finally, I got a lovely natural beauty cream blusher in Sunset. I've never really used cream blushers so I'm excited to try this. When I swatched it on my hand the colour was very pretty and applied smoothly. It also blended in quickly and effortlessly in to a pretty pink shade.

I also grabbed two bags with just one item in.

I was fairly excited by this diamond strength varnish in baguette beige that was in the first individual bag I picked up. In the bottle the shade is light and creamy and I was hopeful that it would apply fairly well, however I was a little disappointed. The colour is indeed lovely but it is very watery and thin so takes a few layers to get much opacity. It also took quite a while to try so I managed to smudge it all over the place. I do think it would look pretty as a base coat under a lightly coloured glitter polish.

In my fourth and final bag I got a Rimmel London loose powder eye shadow in Smokey. I bought this one because I loved the light silver shade and was intrigued by what would be provided to apply the shadow. As it turns out, you are given a nice sturdy foam applicator. I usually dont like these, but the shape and size of this one make it easy to apply the shadow and create a smokey look. I can't comment on the staying power of this yet as I haven't worn it properly but it stayed well on my hand.

So here's a photo of all my new little beauty bits. And all for just £4. This is the reason I love Poundland : )

And lets not forget the storage box! Doesn't it look cute with all my face and brush cleaning products tucked away inside?

Have you seen these Sally Hansen bags in Poundland? What do you think of my new pieces?
I hope this post makes up for my moany one earlier and everyone is back in a happy mood.
Annie x

TK Maxx Mini Splurge

Hello,
Isn't the weather today amazing? This morning was spent eating cake and drinking squash out in the sunshine, it was bliss. This afternoon my mum and I decided to go and take a look around TK Maxx. I've been looking for a new face powder for a while now, and they usually have some great offers on beauty products. I couldn't help myself and ended up picking up some amazing deals. Here's what I got:

 I love summer shoes and these Blowfish sandals will be perfect for spring and summer. I like how they have great ankle support/ These cost me £10 as apposed to the £40RRP. (In a separate photo because I'm superstitious so couldn't put new shoes on the table.)

I was so excited to find all four of these beauties. As you can see, I found a pressed powder (the very same Calvin Klein one I've been eyeing up online only much cheaper). I also picked up a Calvin Klein liquid eyeliner because my beloved French Connection one got all clogged up and dry. The Tri-pentox eye serum is a seriously exciting find for me, mainly because of the huuuge discount I got on it for such a great make, I can't wait to start using this every night. The trimmer pen I picked up simply because it was cheap and I was fascinated. The idea behind it is that use use the tiny blade to trim hair from small places, such as brows, top lip, toes (Eew! Who would use the same thing on their toes and then their face?!) and generally keep you looking neat. I think I'll use this mainly on the annoying little hairs that seems to be stray around my eyebrows.

Now, here's for my favourite bit. I added up the total RRP for each of these items and then added up how much I actually paid and the difference is actually shocking. Here's the Maths:

Blowfish Sandals- RRP £40, paid £10 = saving £30

CK eyeliner- RRP £15, paid £5 = saving £10

CK face powder- RRP £19, paid £7 = saving £12

Little Trimmer- RRP £10, paid £5 = saving £5

Tri-pentox cream- RRP £45, paid £7 = saving £37

30+10+12+5+37= £95

Thats right, I managed to save myself a massive £95 on the original RRP price. How crazy is that?! I knew I could expect to save money on great products, but even I was impressed at how much. I got £129 worth of products for just £34 so I'm over the moon : )

I shall of course write some reviews of all the beauty bits for you lovely ladies over the next few days. 

I'm off to doll myself up ready for a lovely evening out with Daniel. We're going out for drink and are then heading to Yo Sushi to pop our Yo Sushi cherries! Can't wait.

Annie x