Recent Purchases!

Hello again lovelies!

I kept my promise, I'm back with a real blog post!

I've been treating myself to a few bits and pieces recently - naughty, and I thought I should show you what I've been buying!

Firstly, for my birthday my lovely mum got me a MAC quad palette - I didn't want the 15 palette because I have an OCD that I would need it to be finished, and I don't have the dolla to fill it! She bought me Twinx and Coppering to go in, I also had Brown Down which I depotted and popped into the palette.. So there was 1 space left and I chose All That Glitters! The palette is now complete and I'm so happy with it!! The colours are so autumnal and work perfectly together!

Top to Bottom: All That Glitters, Coppering, Twinx & Brown Down.

We'll stick with the MAC theme.. I seen my lovelyyy bestie Becca with the Objects of Affection Pigment and Glitters... So, obviously I went and bought them too. I did restrain though and only buy one set, even though I wanted them all.. I got the Rose set, and they are BEAUTIFUL. I've worn them loads all ready and I can't wait to break them out approx everyday over Christmas, tis the season for glittery eyelids afterall isn't it? Obsessed with them, and I love the packaging!

Bottom to Top: Whisper Pink, Tan, Rose, Reigning Riches & Heritage Rouge. 

Next company I'm back to being in love with is Urban Decay - Urban Decay were my first foray into high end makeup and I still love their Palettes - I have quite a few, but I've not tended to buy from them for quite a while.. A few months ago on www.cohorted.co.uk I seen their Perversion and Subversion mascara and primer duo and I was in the market for a new mascara so I bought them.. and HOLY MOLY. This is my favourite duo ever, it actually GIVES ME EYELASHES THAT YOU CAN SEE. My eyelashes are quite long but their straight so they usually look pretty crap, but this duo changes things. So much that I actually went and bought a full size of Subversion (the cohorted deal gives you a mini one) and it's so worth it!

The duo is actually still available on cohorted until Sunday evening and it only costs £10.80.. The full size mascara is £17 alone so it's definitely worth a purchase! Plus it's free delivery.. GO GET IT ASAP https://cohorted.co.uk/cohort/perversion-mascara-deluxe-set-783

Finally, the last recent purchase was also from Urban Decay.. The brand is fully back on my radar! I was really intrigued to try out their lippies but none of them were screaming out to me as the ONE I really wanted.. So for Christmas, they happened to bring out 6 minis in a set called the Full Frontal Lipstick Stash.. So I bought them! You get 6 mini lipsticks and then a full size of their 247/ glide on lip pencil in Ozone (which is invisible, so kind of like a lip primer!). The colours are great and they have such good lasting power! I'm seriously impressed. Also they are adorable! Definitely worth checking Debenhams our for this little Christmas present because it would be a great stocking filler! It's £29 for it all! 

Bottom to Top: Ladyflower, Crush, Illicit, F-Bomb, Gash & Liar

Hope you liked seeing what I've bought recently!

Have you bought any of these things?

Let me know what you think of them if you have!

Until next time.

xxx

Haul time!

Hi Hi!

So in my last post about my family's visit I mentioned that over the few days I had went shopppping! 

As you can tell before, shopping is a major hobby of mine, I would probably put it down as a skill on my CV because I love to bargain hunt that much!

This is just going to be a brief summary post of everything I bought, and links to the products if I can find them online (some were sale items!). If you'd like to see anything else in more detail, leave me a comment and I can do a more indepth post :)

Forever 21

Jade stone statement necklace - £3.99 (SALE)

Peach stone drop earrings - £3.15

Pink & gold multi chain necklace - £4.99 (SALE)

Hoop and stud multipack - £3.90

Coral & gold statement necklace - £4.99 (SALE)

I love Forever 21's jewellery, it's always so reasonably priced and really effective. I do hate their website though, it's so hard to find ANYTHING on. Hence why there's no links! Sorry guys! Worth a nosey in store if you're interested in any of the sale pieces though!

Paperchase

Owl Lunchboxes - £7.50

I know these lunchboxes are out of stock on ASOS, but they're not on Paperchases website either :( but hopefully there will be some left in store! This is a pack of 4 mini lunchboxes, they're perfect size for bringing in fruit and yoghurt, and so much prettier than my old boring tupperware boxes! Paperchase also give 10% student discount, so these cost me £6.75! 

Boots

So obviously Boots is where I spend the most money.. Typical! This particular day the Daily Mail had a £5 off voucher if you spent £30, so obviously I did. Unfortunately I don't have up close pictures or swatches of the two eyeshadows, one was smashed when I was taking the pictures in Starbucks (lol, classy) so as I humped off to get another one, I forgot to take pictures.. If you google the names I'm sure there will be swatches online :)

Supercolour Fabulipstick in 'Pom Pom' - £9.00

Supercat Eyeliner Pen in 'Carbon Black' - £6.00

 

Archery Brow Pencil in 'Brownie Points' - £8.00

Super Liner Perfect Slim Intense in 'Blue' - £6.99

Two eyeshadoes are Seventeen Solo Eyeshadows in 'Shocking Pink' and 'Viva Diva' and these are £3.89 each!

Topshop

Stippling Brush - £4.00 (SALE)
Gel Liner Brush - £2.00 (SALE)
Tweezers - £2.00 (SALE)

Zebra iPhone 5 Case - £1.00 (SALE)

So that's just a very brief overview of what I bought when the fam were over! 

If you'd like anymore info or a post on anything specific let me know and I can do that!

Thanks to everyone for reading :) 

xxx

"Shopping Is My Cardio" - Pt. 2.

I'm back with Part 2 of my rather large Christmas Sales haul!

I'll get stuck straight in, and once again I'll try and post links to anything that's still available online!

New Look Blue Platform Shoes, No7 'The Eyes Collection', Origins 'Make A Difference Rejuvenating Set', Soap & Glory 'Powder Trip', Muse Neon Green Chain Necklace & New Look Blue Double Ankle Strap Heels.

The loveliest, most beautiful thing that has EVER touched my skin. I tell no lies, this is amazing!! I stumbled upon this in Boots the sale section, not expecting it to BE in the sale, but it WAS! £19.33 for ALL of this!! That is a FULL SIZE moisturiser that costs £34.00 alone!! It smells beautiful and refreshing on your face! It contains the 'Make A Difference Plus + Rejuvenating Moisturiser', 'Make A Difference Plus + Rejuvenating Treatment Lotion', 'Make A Difference Rejuvanting Hand Treatment' and the 'Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask'.  I'm just head over heels in love with it all. The overnight mask is my favourite, I just want to use it everyday, my face is loving it! If you can, go to Boots, nosey about and I hope you will stumble across this beauty. :) 

This little lovely kit was £6, I really couldn't leave it behind! It has 3 Limited Edition No7 eyeshadows, a No7 eye colour brush (A MAC 217 BRUSH DUPE - HOLY SHMOKES) and a No7 smokey eye brush! The shadows don't have names but check out the swatches below :) The eye colour brush  and the smokey eye brush are £7.25 each so the full kit with 3 additional eyeshadows for £6 is a steaaaaal. 

I told myself I didn't need this palette, I reassured myself when I got home that I didn't need this palette.. A few days later I turned off a motorway on the way home from a shopping excursion at 7pm at night to get this palette. Some may say I have issues, I just say I'm dedicated. 

The Soap & Glory 'Powder Trip' was £10 down from £20, and contained 3 of their legendary face products, 'Solar Powder' (bottom left), 'Glow All Out' (top left) and 'Love at First Blush'  (top right) alongside a half-moon powder brush. Solar Powder was my FIRST ever bronzer and I adored it, even when I was a makeup virgin.. So I wanted it back in my life whenever I seen this kit! I was worried that it would be bulky but compared to having 3 individual powders it's actually a lot easier! The three individuals also have a hefty £33 price tag, so all three for £10 is a steal. It's still online, buy it now. You won't regret it. ;-)

This was my New Years Eve outfit! All sale bargains (except the shoes but that's okay!) 

Top - River Island Black Abstract Floral Turtle Neck Body - £5

Skirt - F&F Leather Mini Skirt - £5

Necklace - Muse Neon Green Chain Necklace - £5

Earrings - Topshop Chunky Chain Hoops - £4

Shoes - Blue Cross Strap Chunky Platform Shoes - £27.99

I'm pretty chuffed with this outfit, considering the top and skirt only cost me £10! The accessories are more expensive than I would generally buy but the shoes are so comfy I know I will get SO much wear out of them.

The other New Look shoes I bought aren't in the sale online but they were £8! I didn't think I could wear the strappy style shoes but they're so comfy. Perfect interview or night out shoes.. You'll last all day no matter what you're doing!

I also treated myself to my first online Illamasqua purchase! I bought the Light Liquid Foundation in Shade LF140. I did struggle to find the shade I should buy but I recommend googling swatches in comparison to other foundations you own, there's enough beauty bloggers out there someone will have what you're looking for! The foundation is so lovely!! And it smells like vanilla, I'm in love! Really good coverage for a light foundation and turned out it was the exact match for my skin! It's a bank breaker at £27 usually for 30ml, but for a tenner in the sale its great! Free p&p as well! Brilliant! 

Finally, just a pic of my nails that I rocked on New Years Eve, for approximately 1 hour because I'm pretty sure by the time it hit midnight I only had 3 left...

Hope you enjoyed my splurges!

I'm seriously considering cutting up my bank card.

NO MORE SHOPPING.

Everyone, say it with me!!!

Have a lovely week guys and I'll talk to you sooooon! :)

xxxx

"Shopping Is My Cardio" - Pt. 1.

I absolutely love that quote, it's sarcastic, but I do shop that much it could nearly be true ;-)

This is a post of what I picked up in the Christmas sales! 

There are a few clothing bits that won't be included, I haven't had the chance or a willing victim to take photos of me, SORRY. :)

(I'll post links to anything that is still available online!)

Topshop underwear, No7 'The Skincare Collection', House of Holland 'Get Nailed', No7 'Beautifully Bronzed', House of Holland Suspender tights & Nike Air Royalty Lite perforated trainers. 

I found this in Boots half price sale! So £8 for a gorgeous highlighter in 5 different shades that you can blend together or use individually for different areas and the softest, hugest kabuki brush I've probably ever seen. Bargain. 

Check it outtttt HERE.

House of Holland Get Nailed false nails! £8.99. These are beaut! White with a black outline and then they have stickers with letters on it that can be applied! I did my name - so cliche! There'll be a pic in the next post! The nails didn't stay on that long but I find the glue that come in these false nails packets never last as long as strong glue that you can order from eBay so that may be where I went wrong! These are expensive for false nails, especially now as Primark do ones at £1 but this was for New Years Eve so it's allowed to be a little more expensive!

The No7 'The Skincare Collection' (sold out online) was another thing I picked up! £8 for all of this! I think that's an absolute bargain! I love No7 products, but tend to avoid them because they're generally quite expensive for being a 'drug-store' brand! In this kit there wasssss... 

No7 Beautiful Skin Hot Cloth Cleanser (Liz Earle Dupe!!)

No7 Beautiful Skin Eye Make-up Remover

No7 Protect & Perfect Day Cream

No7 Protect & Perfect Night Cream

No7 Headband

No7 Muslin Cloth

That is A LOT for £8!! I picked my mum one of these kits up too and if you haven't had a nosey in Boots yet I seriously suggest you check this out! It's all gorgeous & super nice on your skin!

I love Topshop underwear, but only ever buy it in the sale, everything is either £1 or £2, Primark prices but such a higher quality! Also the House of Holland x River Island suspender tights are amazing, they were in the sale for £6! Seems steep but the quality is excellent! But be careful not to snag them, it's a devastating moment when you do! Finally the Nike Air Royalty Lites, I got these in the Nike outlet in Banbridge (N. Ireland).. I've been lusting after them for ages so I treated myself when I had Christmas money! I love the mint green colour, perfect for Spring & Summer!! They cost me £27. 

This is the end of Part 1. I know I've bought a lot, but it is in the sales so everythings a lot cheaper!

Part 2 will be up soon! Please check it out!

Mwahhhh. 

Drug-store Beauty!

Helloooooooo! It's a Monday, and it's actually been a gorgeous day! Spring has finally sprung!

I've got a few bits and pieces to show you that I've bought from drugstores and Tesco over the past 2 weeks!

First Tesco!

One of my closest friends is a Team Leader in Tesco and she pointed a new make-up brand they had got in one day that Becca and I went to visit her, and of course being make-up addicts we went for a nosey!

This brand is 'Along Came Betty' and the packaging is slightly similar to those of Soap and Glory! It stocks make-up, skin care, body washes & fake tan. I went for the 'All Concealed Concealer Kit'. 

This is a little duo concealer kit, with a cream concealer on the right for under the eyes, and a concealer for blemishes on the left. Underneath there is also a brightening powder to apply to under the eyes to get rid of any dark circles! 

This set is quite similar to the Laura Mercier Undercover Pot in design, however I've never tried the Laura Mercier pot so I wouldn't be able to say whether this is a dupe product! 

The 'Along Came Betty' kit is currently on offer in Tesco for £4.99 reduced from £6.99!

It's not my favourite concealer I've ever tried, but combined with my MAC studio fix concealer for spots & my Collection Lasting Perfection concealer I can cover myself up pretty well against my stressed exam-time spot prone skin!

I also picked up the Ecotools eyeliner brush in Tesco for £2.50 as I needed a new brush for my eyebrows! Cheap and cheerful, it's a basic little brush that's fulfilling all my eyebrow needs! :)

Next, I may have dandered into Superdrug and quel surpris it racked up a fair dint in my bank balance!

After recently buying the MAC Paint Pot, I wanted a cheaper alternative as it's so easy to use and saves a lot of effort in the morning on eyeshadows!

I went for the Maybelline 24Hr Colour Tattoo's after hearing Estée raving on about 'On and On Bronze' so I decided to purchase it! And obviously Superdrug had a 'Buy One Get One Half Price' offer on, so I picked up 'Permanent Taupe' .. Oops :)

I love them both so much, I have quite a hooded eye (basically I have no eyelid) so these work great for me, one quick slick over the lid and I'm good to go! They stay on well & they don't tend to crease on me which is a shock saying as I have such a small lid! Permanent Taupe is such a lovely day look, not too strong! And On and On Bronze is just my perfect shimmery gold.. I swear I think shimmery gold could be the one eyeshadow shade I wear for the rest of my life and I wouldn't mind! 

They're £4.99 and you can find them here... On and On Bronze & Permanent Taupe :D

I also dandered down to the MUA stand and it's no surprise that I found lots more to buy! There's so many good products and they're all so CHEAP! Perfect for any skint student :) 

My mum had been looking me to find her a lighter colour in a lip stain balm, as the Revlon Kissable Balm Stain she had is too dark for day wear.. So when then I found the MUA Power Pouts me and my mum thought BINGO! :)

These are super-hydrating, pigmented lip crayons with pretty good staying power! They aren't as strong as the Kissable Balm Stains but have more colour than the Revlon lip butters.. They're a great half way point between the two for a low end lip product.. These babies at £3 each!!

They were released about a week ago here in Northern Ireland, and between my mum & me, we already own 5 of the 6... (and thats only because the last one was out of stock!) OOPS!

You can find these babies HERE ...

From left to right, the shades are as follows:

'Crazy in Love', 'Irreplaceable', 'Rendezvous', 'Runway' & 'Justify'

My mum and I are so chuffed, and I definitely think we'll be recommending them to anyone that will stand long enough to listen to us!

Definitely not doing anymore beauty shopping (except my Fragrance Direct order thats on the way... :-S), my bank simply won't allow it!

What's your opinion on Drugstore vs High-end beauty? 

Let me know!

Chat soon lovelies,
Rachel! :) xx