look what i bought #003

RIVER ISLAND powder blue contrast bow long sleeve dolly blouse £22*; acid wash amelie superskinny jeans £35* + green birdcage tropical print t-shirt £15; PRIMARK grey toned shirt £9; rose gold pointed toe heels £6 + faking it fake tan applicator mitt £2; BOOTS l'oreal elnett heat protect spray volume £5.99; l'oreal elnett satin so sleek extra strength hairspray £6.60 (2 for £9); barry m gelly hi shine effect nail paint in lychee £3.99; barry m gelly hi shine effect nail paint in prickly pear £3.99; LUSH rose jam bubbleroon £3.50; twilight bath bomb £3.20; sexy peel soap (free sample); ASDA neutrogena visibly clear pink grapefruit moisturiser £3; carmex spf15 cherry lip balm £2.

I've had to really watch what I've been buying lately with spending a small fortune on fabrics for my final collection, hmph! Not fun when all the bright colours are coming in for Spring + I have a wardrobe full of chunky knits + black! I have however picked up these few things over the past couple of weeks + thought it was about time I shared another 'look what I bought post'!

The River Island blouse + acid wash jeans are this seasons works uniform! I really love the blouse but wish it wasn't so sheer; it is really versatile though + love the cute bow detail! The jeans have had a fair amount of outings already; I'm usually a strict black jeans kinda girl but I've enjoyed wearing these for a change. I didn't quite realise how similar in colour the Primark + River Island shirts are oopsie, clearing obsessing with this powder-blue-washed-out-lilac colour at the moment! The River tee isn't something I'd normally pick up but I think it sits well with the jeans, quite a colourful outfit for me!

These heels were reduced in Primark from £10 to £6! I went in with the intention of buying these in nude for myself but they only had gigantic sizes + ended up walking out with these which I'm going to hopefully be using in my collection photoshoot, after a little modification of course!

Boots is by far my downfall! After every shift I get sucked in by their offers + end up leaving around £20 lighter! The L'Oreal products were on 2 for £9 offer + just couldn't resist! I'm still getting used to the super strop Elnett smell but so far so good. I've already reviewed the Barry M Gelly in Lychee + am yet to try out the lilac but am seriously loving these polishes. 

I also treated myself to some of my favourite bath bombs; quite proud of how reined in I was seeing as I haven't bought anything from Lush since the Boxing Day sale! I picked this moisturiser up when in Asda on a whim but it has actually improved my skin, will keep you posted! Ah Carmex, my favourite lip product ever! I'm so addicted to applying this, can't see this little tube lasting me very long! And finally another miracle bargain item, the Primark applicator mitt, essential!

look what i bought; winter sale buys

Honestly, I didn't make much of the boxing day sales this year, overall a bit disappointing really! Beside the fact I was spoilt rotten for Christmas; I didn't really need anything + wasn't wowed by much in the shops when they was being sold at full price. I did treat myself to a few bits + bobs though...

 LUSH 500g limited edition snow fairy shower gel £14.50 £5.13

The first thing I purchased in the sales this year was everybody's favourite festive shower gel, Snow Fairy! I actually ordered this as I was going to bed at 3am on Boxing Day after a boozy Christmas Day! I was a little alarmed when I checked my emails in the morning and had no recollection of my early morning spending but was quite relieved to see that I had been decently sensible given my intoxicated state! This is by far my favourite shower gel/scent/bath product ever! Someone always treats me to a little bottle each Christmas then I wait until the sale to stock back up on the bigger bottles. As much as I love it, £15 for a shower gel is obscene! By waiting a month or two it drops to a third of the price + I think it's safe to say my stash will last me until it's re-released for Christmas 2013!

 LUSH limited edition twilight shower gel £8.50 £4.25

I also picked up this medium sized bottle of the limited edition twilight shower gel. I mentioned on twitter a little while ago that I LOVE the smell of the Twilight Bath Bomb when someone tweeted me saying that they were releasing a Twilight shower gel! I didn't get chance to pick one up when they was in store so glad I got chance before they disappeared. I don't think it's quite the same fragrance as the bath bomb version, it's a lot more saturated + intense. You certainly get a kick of lavender so maybe the perfect shower gel to use to unwind or just before bed.

RIVER ISLAND najavo print wide scarf £18 £7

I wanted to buy this scarf earlier this year but never actually got around to picking it up. It's long + quite wide so you can really wrap yourself up in it. I love the way the colours + pattern looks when worn with a black leather biker + skinny jeans!

  

RIVER ISLAND black high waisted velvet shorts £25 £10 + gold pleated skirt £25

 I've been searching for the perfect pair of plain black shorts for some time now. When wearing separates for a night-out outfit, I tend to wear the wow part of the outfit on the bottom. As a result my wardrobe is lacking simple shorts + skirts that can be worn with patterned tops. These are such a flattering fit + are not too short like the majority of hot pants fit in stores at the moment. I'm still debating whether to keep this skirt or not; it's really pretty + only £10 but I'm wondering how much wear I'll actually get out of it! Hmm, what do you think?

RIVER ISLAND navy embellished collar shirt £35 £15

I bought this shirt for my mum for Christmas + couldn't help buying one for myself when I came across my size when tidying the sale. I love an embellished collar + although this is super blingy it looks really smart on. 

   MOTEL green sequin off the shoulder dress £45 £22;  

Finally, my motel dress; I wore this out NYE and had sooo many compliments! It's not really a dress you can wear for any occasion but I might hang on to it just in case another event does come along! The sleeves sit just off the shoulder which make it a little different to other sequin dresses in stores at the moment. Also it's really worth checking out the Motel sale if you're a student as you get a further 20%, some serious bargains to had girlies!

So these are my sale buys! I also picked up a burgundy and black patterned cardigan for £22 in the Urban Outfitters sale which I haven't featured but you'll hopefully see it in an outfit post soon! What did you make of the sales this year?

what I got for christmas

I know this post is a little late (and a little long, you've been warned!) but I had so many lovely presents for Christmas it would be a shame not to share them with you guys! I can't believe we are almost half way through January, this year is whizzing by already! Another Christmas has passed us by and although I'm another year older, that hasn't stopped my wonderful family and boyfriend for spoiling me utterly rotten once again! I didn't ask for anything in particular, so I was really pleasantly surprised when I opened these goodies + they were all so perfect. With being so busy with university work I only really looked back through my presents late last week when I gave my room a good sort out. So here's a little selection of the gifts I received this year...
 

YANKEE CANDLE pink sands medium jar + snow flake shade and plate set; NEXT beaded light up wire love sign.

  To say that I'm obsessed with Yankee Candle would be a rather large understatement. I am such an old lady when it comes to things like candles + home decoration. I'm forever calling into my local garden centre to pick up some samplers with my sister (who I've also converted!). Although pink sands it's the strongest, it has to be one of my favourite Yankee scents; Yankee describe it as "an exotic island escape in the beautiful mix of bright citrus, sweet florals and spicy vanilla." but I smell sweet, watermelon! They also sell the shades and plates in the garden centre + I guess my parents caught onto me babbling on about them as my dad picked me up this cute, metalwork snowflake set! I love it, this is going to be my winter set then I'm hoping to get one like this for when it starts getting a bit warmer, I'm sad I know! This light up love sign is also a nice little addition to my room; I love switching on this sign + lighting a few candles to create the perfect snuggley film watching environment, especially with all this snow at the moment, nice and cosy!

 

SOAP & GLORY the best of all gift set

I was soooo excited when I opened this set! I've been dying to try out Soap & Glory for a while now but I've never really known where to start, problem solved! I've not tried out all of these products yet but I am LOVING the Smoothie Star body milk; it smells delicious, soaks in super fast + leaves my skin feeling amazing, new favourite! I think I'll probably review my favourites from this set when I've had a little more time to try them all out!

 

ENRAPTURE encode totem hair styler

Finally got my hands on this brilliant lil' hair styling tool! It's been doing the rounds in the blogosphere for a good year now but with my hair being medium length (just passing my shoulders) I wasn't quite sure whether it would work so well for me. I needn't worry as it's not failed me yet! I typically use my GHD's when curling my hair as normal curlers or wands tend to over-curl my shorter length hair. I don't have this problem at all with these due to the adjustable temperature, one word, brilliant!

LUSH christmas gift set, bubble beard & snow fairy shower gel

So, I think people are catching on to my Lush problem addiction! Snow Fairy is my number one favourite smell ever (as you will soon see in my winter sales haul!) so was super happy when I recieved these from David! I was given the Father Christmas Bath Ballistic on Christmas Eve for my Christmas bath (along with my magic pyjamas!) but otherwise I haven't tried any of the Lush Christmas collection. This gift set includes; Father Christmas Bath Ballistic, Cinders Bath Ballistic, Christmas Eve Bubble Bar, Golden Wonder Bath Ballistic + one of my favourites Pheonix Rising Bath Ballistic, I'm sorted for the rest of January!

 
H&M black and stud handbag; PRIMARK chain print blouse.

I spotted this handbag when shopping with my mum just before Christmas. It turns out whilst I was in the changing room she snapped a picture and sent it to my boyfriend! Oh so very sneaky! The blouse is off my sister; I wouldn't of picked this up for myself but I wore it out boxing day with high waisted jeans + wedges and really like the way it looked.


RIVER ISLAND cream laser cut make-up bag; PACO RABBANE lady million.

I love this laser cut make-up bag; it's a little big to use as an everyday make-up bag but perfect to take away or just to look pretty on display in my bedroom! Lady Million is one of my all time favourite perfumes so this 50ml bottle was well appreciated.



PANDORA silver charm.

 My boyfriends parents bought me this Pandora bracelet and glass charmfor my 21st birthday and for Christmas I was lucky enough to receive this metal charm! I'm hoping to fill the rest with beads like this and this; they're so overpriced but the neutral colours + just the right amount of bling would mean I could really get my wear out of it as it would go with next to anything!


MICHAEL KORS gold watch.

And finally my baby! Would you just look at this beauty! I can't tell you how long I've been lusting after a Michael Kors watch! I was going to finally spend my birthday money on one of these but my boyfriend beat me to it! Utterly spoilt!

LUSH CHRISTMAS SALE HAUL

After a serious boozing session Christmas day I was in no state to hit the Boxing day sales this year! I didn't really feel like I was missing out on much as most of the high street stores started their online sales before Christmas. I openly admit that I am an online shopper through + through; as I was scrolling through the sales with my cup of tea I was imagining being pushed + shoved by crazy sale shoppers whilst trying to scramble for the decent clothes amongst the jumble! Not for me at all!!ha..

Even though I didn't make it to the shops, I did place a cheeky order on the Lush website! It took forever! The site was taking an age to load + crashing after two minutes, but I finally got my hands on some festive inspired Lush goodies, so worth it!

I was really impressed with the delivery given the time of year. I love Lush's 'green' values + the way that they tell you how all the packagings can be used/recycled after use, it's the little things aye! All the products came in perfect condition thanks to the potato starch packaging!

I know these Christmas items will be discontinued soon, if they haven't already, but I think I'm still going to write little review posts on them. I've only tried two bath bombs as of yet but had two totally different experiences with them so think it'll be worth while! Did you treat yourself to anything from the Lush sale?

HAUL: MODELS OWN MAKE-UP BRUSHES...

As I mentioned in my previous Models Own haul post I treated myself to some make-up brushes as well as the obligatory nail polishes in the Models Own 50% off sale. So here are the brushes I bought in a little more detail..

Type - Kabuki Brush

Price - £10 £5

What Models Own Say: 

"Our professional Kabuki Brush is a must-have all-purpose accessory without which no make-up bag can be complete! Use this super-soft and full brush for a natural and beautifully layered look. It can be used with powder, bronzer or blush - this is multi-functionality at it's best!"

I kind of expected this brush to be a little bigger but it is the perfect size to fit in an on the go make-up bag. Models Own promise 'super-soft' & they definitely deliver, all are gorgeously soft brushes! I have been using this brush for my bronzing needs for just over a week now & have had no shedding what-so-ever, for £5 it was certainly worth the money!

Type - Angled Blush Brush

Price - £8 £4

What Models Own Say:

"Looking for a way to create super defined and glamorous cheekbones? Our professional Angled Blush Brush is perfect for creating a fantastically sculpted look. The slanted shape of this brush offers precision contouring, is soft on your skin and is perfect for accentuating your features!"

I had been looking out for a reasonably priced angled blush brush for a while so when I spotted this it felt like my prays had been answered! Again really soft & no shedding as of yet! I've been using it to apply my MeMeMe Blush Box & it goes on so much better with the angled brush than with the little square brush that it comes with! The perfect brush for the £4 price tag!

Type - Powder Brush

Price - £10 £5

What Models Own Say:

"Our professional quality Powder Brush is excellent for blending loose or pressed powder. Load powder to the brush, tap on palm of your hand to remove excess and lightly sweep over your face or body for a sheer and flawless finish."

This brush only arrived this morning so can't 'review' it as such. With my initial order I was sent two blush brushes & no powder brush so I mailed Models Own & they resolved this straight away. My powder brush was replaced free of charge so I am a very happy customer. I also have high hopes for my new powder brush as the others I have started using are great quality for their tiny price tag!

HAUL: MODELS OWN NAIL POLISHES...

We're probably going to see millions of these Models Own posts over the next few weeks because of the 50% off sale but I don't mind cos they're just so prettyyy! I received my little parcel this morning & was quite shocked as I only ordered it Tuesday (Good service MO!)! I ordered 7 nail varnishes in all (I needed cheering up after loosing my favourite Blooboo, excuses excuses) & a few make-up brushes. They sent me the wrong brushes so will feature them in a separate post when it's all sorted (they've mailed me already arranging a replacement so can't fault them to be fair!). So here are the beauties that I treated myself too..

Juicy Jules - I am a human magpie; I seen this colour & literally squealed 'oooh pretty!'! Man is it sparkly! Done a little tester & after three coats it's amazing! I would only wear this colour on false nails though as I can see it being an absolute nightmare to remove!

Fuzzy Peach - Such a dreamy colour! I'm a pastel, girly girl when it comes to nails & this colour is just perfect! This peach

 is a close second to my utter favourite colour..

Blooboo  - Can't big this colour up enough! It's eye catching, yet subtle, cool but girly; my favourite nail colour ever. It has a slight shimmer to it which my old bottle didn't but this makes me love it even more. Blooboo FTW!

Lilac Dream - Again another awesome colour. I think that pastel shades look amazing with a tan & this will defo' be one of my holiday shades. Love, love, love!

Bubblegum - I got quite excited when I seen this colour. I don't think I've ever seen anything quite as pink as this! A really fun colour that I'm sure to get my wear out of!

Top Turquoise - I must say this is this biggest let down for me out of all the colours I ordered. It's a lot darker than I imagined & will take some time to grow on me, like I said I'm a pastel gal! I feel like it kind of washes out my skin, maybe more of a winter shade.

Purple Passion - I've been eyeing up this colour in work & I must say I love it! It's a little darker than I'm used to but will look amazing on a night out!

Overall the first four polishes mentioned are my favourites! At £2.50 a pop you can't really complain, although I wish I went into boots to see the colours first hand. I probably wouldn't of bought the Top Turquoise & would of went for maybe a lighter shade! Oh well my birthday is coming up & after seeing my excitement at getting the Models Own parcel this morning I think my folks know what to get to keep me happy! Did you guys snap up any bargains in the sale?...

RIVER ISLAND SUMMER SALE HAUL...

Sorry about the inconsistent photo's, the sun was in & out of the clouds!

So as promised here is the follow up post for the video I posted yesterday. I did intend to set this post out a little differently than I've done before but I'm feeling lazy so same old structure sorry! I feel a little out of the loop blogging about shorts & summery pieces when the rest of the world seem to be moving on to the A/W trends already. The stores are already filling with fur coats & bobble hats but it's still summer in my heart! I will hold on hope that we still have a few weeks of sunshine left while I stock up on summer essentials. Maybe I should cut down the amount of time I spend on tumblr; all those beach & bikini shots are making me lose all sense of reality! I'll probably regret not investing in boots & cardigans now when our eternal winter sets in in the near future, oh well summer FTW. Back to my sale bargains...

Orange Denim Shorts - £24.99 £10 - I GOT THEM! You might remember me blogging about these a few weeks ago in a want post. I did a sneaky online order the morning of the sale as I was up early ready for work & managed to bag a pair! They look amazing with a tan; can imagine wearing them on holidays with a white cut off tee & a perfect tan, ahh.

Floral Pattern Shorts - £19.99 £10 - These are my new babies! I've had nothing but positive comments about these shorts. They just make me think of the gorgeous Stella prints. The only problem with these is that I'm struggling with how to style them. There's so many colour options but stuck with what top to wear them with.

Daisy Print Culottes - £14.99 £7 - There's something about a daisy pattern that I just love! These are super flattering & sooo comfy! I wear them with a plain vest & throw my crochet waistcoat on top! Basic & smart! 

Crochet Jumper - £34.99 £15 - As soon as I saw this I had to have it! I was picturing it worn over a floral playsuit in the summer & worn with chino's as the seasons change. Definitely worth the investment.

Men's Rosary Necklace - £7.99 £2 - I couldn't really leave this for £2! It's my colours & will make a change to wearing silver & gold jewellery.

So that's my basic run down of my sale buys! This post has been on my mind for a while so now it's done & dusted hopefully I'll be able to think of some new & exciting thing to write about...

SALE BUYS SNEAK PEAK...

Just a cheeky preview of the amount I bought at the RI sale. Seeing as I'm supposed to be saving I did feel quite guilty afterwards, whoops! My camera batteries arrived today and are currently charging; finallyyy! I'm hoping to record my debut into the YouTube world after work tomorrow. I'm actually feeling a little nervy about it now, need to man up! I have work this evening & really not feeling it; more cash for me to splash I suppose though! Hope you guys have a more exciting Friday night than me! I have a rather quiet weekend planned; my bank account may be thanking me but I may have gone insane come Monday...

LIVERPOOL PRIMARK HAUL...

I apologize greatly for my recent absence from the blogging world. I now however have no excuses as I've officially finished my first year in university and boy has it flown by! I spent last weekend in Liverpool for a hen party celebration. It came at the perfect time to blow off some steam after a few weeks of total stress. I didn't take that many photo's on the weekend but the ones it did aren't really suitable to share on the big ol' world wide web and as the saying goes, what goes on tour stays on tour(; Between the all day drinking and madness I did find time to have a little retail therapy and to be fair the shops in Liverpool can't be faulted! They are hugeee and very glam, I was very impressed with what the scouse Primarni had to offer and these are what I came home with...

001 - Sleeveless denim jacket . 002 - Zig-Zag vest . 003 - Floral Shorts . 004 - Platform Heels

I walked out of the shop a very happy girl! I've been looking for a sleeveless denim jacket for a while and for £12 I couldn't really leave it there! The vest is just something I can throw on and will go with almost anything. The shorts were on sale, yes in Primark! I had them for £5 and could easily dress them up to go out or wear them casual in this lovely weather we've been having lately. And last but certainly not least my babies! These heels were only £12!! They're super high and a nude colour which makes my legs look very long. Just need a night out to wear them now! Have you guys found any gems in Primark lately?

P.S. You may start noticing some changes in my blog, now that I have the time I want to make it as best as I can so keep your eyes peeled!