Monthly Favourites | April

So.. It's the 4th May? (May the Fourth be with you ..haha) But seriously, how the hell did that happen? It felt like literally a week ago I was writing up my March favourites and this month flew around so fast I barely even had time to catch my breath! It's a bit of a mixed bag for this month's favourites, but I hope you all enjoy it and read on to see what I'd been loving in April...

Barry M 'Gelly Hi Shine' Nail Paint - Lychee

Barry M's newly reformulated nail paints to give a 'gel nail' finish are well worth the hype that they're receiving. Having just released a new line of colours for the summer I'm eager to stock up on some more shades! Lychee made the cut as this month's favourite as it's the perfect classic nude shade that you can't go wrong with and I've been wearing it a lot recently. It gives a polished manicured look with a thick, high shine finish and lasts for close to a week without chipping - All for £3.99 too!

Redken Color Extend 'Radiant-10' Treatment Spray

I wrote a full post all about this product, and it was also part of my 'Happy, Healthy Hair' post too because it's been a little bit of a lifesaver (/hairsaver) recently. It comes at quite a high price, but it's well worth it and I'd recommend it to anybody looking for a good quality lightweight detangling spray and leave in conditioner that comes with a whole multitude of additional benefits such as adding shine and prolonging the vibrancy of hair colour.

 

Origins 'Modern Friction' Exfoliator

My first Origins purchase, and I wasn't disappointed! A persuasive saleswoman talked me into buying this one as she said that good exfoliation is one of the key stages in skincare to reducing blemishes (I don't really want to talk about excess dead skin cells clogging pores and causing a build up.. but yeah..) and after she demonstrated this product on me during a 'mini facial' I knew that it was love! I'm going to do a full review on this in the coming weeks, but basically it's a very fine and gentle exfoliator that is a real indulgent treat to use. It contains 'rice starch cushioned in cream' which makes it feel a little bit like you're rubbing rice pudding or porridge on your face, but it gives such a thorough polish to the surface of the skin and makes everything look that little bit more refined and fresh.

 

Clinique 'Even Better' Foundation

I have a full post written up on this amazing foundation, that I dubbed as my 'holy grail' base for my make up. Having problematic skin leaves me with wanting no less than a full coverage and long lasting foundation that will stand the test of oil-prone skin. 'Even Better' ticks all of those boxes! One of the highest coverages I've ever used, smooths over enlarged pores, covers blemishes, flawless application and lasts all day. It's my favourite foundation to date and if what I've listed above is something you're looking for then this is one to try!

The Body Shop Vitamin E 'Sink In Moisture Mask'

The Body Shop and their crazy bargains in the sales left me paying no more than £5.00 for this tub, when it's full retail price is £13.00 - I love bargains like that! A naughty product (suspicions lying with Effaclair Duo) left me with skin that was dry, flakey and very unsightly. Dry skin is not the norm for me and I needed something to sort it out pronto! I looked to the Origins 'Drink Up' Mask, but couldn't justify the price tag at the time, however worth it it might have been.. and I found this potential dupe in The Body Shop. It's a fast working 10 minute 'Moisture Mask' that you apply in a thick layer all over and it seems like a normal moisturiser, but after the time is up it has only partially sunk in and there's a residue left on the surface of the skin that can be gently removed with a cotton pad. It leaves the skin looking instantly plumper, like it's had a good 'drink', hydrated and reduces flakey patches. A few uses of this and my dry skin had returned to normal - this saved the day!

Garnier Summer Body Moisturising Lotion

When I wrote a full post about this gradual tanning lotion it received lots of comments from other people saying that they were huge fans of this tan too! I'd recommend clicking here to read my full review on it as I gush in depth about my love for it. Literally the most perfect gradual tanner I've ever used; there's no tell-tale tan smell, it smells fresh and fruity, it actually comes up gradually and is easy to build upon day by day so that there's no waking up and being overly fake and orange if that's not what you're looking for, and the colour is a nice touch of brown, lovely and natural like you've spent a day sitting out in the sun.

 

Urban Decay Super Saturated High Gloss Lip Color - Theodora

Being a lucky little lady, I managed to win one of The Sunday Girl's giveaways and landed myself with one of Urban Decay's limited edition palettes for the release of the film The Great and Powerful Oz. Out of the two versions of the palette (Glinda and Theodora), I won the Theodora palette, represented in the film by the ever so gorgeous Mila Kunis - deserved winner of FHM's Sexiest Women in the World! Enough about my girl crush.. The Theodora Palette came with one of UD's 'Super Saturated' lip colours and the shade is just named 'Theodora' but it's a beautifully bright and glossy red shade that is so simple to apply with the creamy formula and the crayon applicator. I've not been one for red lips much in the past but this one just seems to work for me and the high gloss lasts for hours and hours too. I might have to look into more of these lip pens from Urban Decay because they're such amazing quality! My eye is on 'Love Child' and you can see it here.

So, that's my April favourites! I hope you enjoyed!

Like Me On Facebook - Follow Me On Twitter - Follow Me On Bloglovin'

If any of you could vote for Cosmetic Crave in the Cosmopolitan Blog Awards 2013 it would mean the world!

Please click here and nominate cosmeticcrave.com as 'Best New Beauty Blog'.

Review: Clinique 'Even Better' Foundation

Everybody hold up, stop what you're doing. I think I have found my holy grail foundation. That's right, this could be the one. We spend years going through bottles and bottles of the stuff searching for that one perfect formula and shade combined to give us the flawless base that we're searching for, and I think I've found my answer in Clinique. 

Halfway through bottle number two of this foundation and I had the realisation that I could never see myself turning to anything else, at least not for the foreseeable future anyway. What I like about this is that it provides full coverage, works on oily skin and it lasts all day. How often is it that you come across a foundation that can do all of that? It is suitable for any skin type which is ideal for me as I suffer with patches of dry and patches of oily (and patches of normal) - annoying skin! But I would say it is suited more for oily/normal skin types though, as it does tend to show dry patches if they're quite bad.

What I'm more concerned with is how high and how full the coverage is that this offers; it's pretty amazing. Having a face that's riddled with scars, marks, redness and little blemishes I've got a lot to cover up! The foundation's main aim is to target uneven skin tone - that's me! But it doesn't just cover the uneven skin tone and the hyper-pigmentation, it also works to treat it at the same time and who doesn't love a 2-in-1? With continuous use, over time this foundation will provide benefits from the mineral enrichment that helps to even out the skin tone and deliver brighter skin (or so it claims). I've been using a range of new things to help with this whole 'evening of the skin tone' fiasco, and I'm definitely seeing improvements but I would say that it's the result of a combination of products and that this foundation isn't quite powerful enough to make any radical changes to the skin's quality on it's own, but every little helps!

As well as concealing any imperfections on the skin such as redness or markings, it also helps to slightly 'fill in' (I don't know if that's the best term that I could've used) enlarged pores and smooth them over, making them appear minimised, in the same way that using a primer such as The Pore-Fessional would do. So not only does Even Better provide an amazing full coverage that isn't at all thick or cakey on the skin and actually feels nice and light, this full coverage also manages to last all day long without sliding around. With a few dabs of concealer and a dusting of powder this foundation manages to give me a flawless (or as near to flawless as I'm going to get) base, and by the end of the day it's still looking just as good. Huge thumbs up!

Any extras you  might be interested in: it contains SPF15 which is always a good thing as it prevents sun damage and any further hyper pigmentation (it's good unless you're having your photograph taken - SPF causes those 'ghost faces' with a flash), it's an oil free formula, it's enriched with minerals and it also has anti-aging properties.

Housed in a nice and sleek compact little tube, it's standard 30ml size but there's no bulky and uneccessary packaging that takes up space. It's very minimal and very simple, but it still looks high end and presentable. The squeezy plastic bottle makes it ideal for travelling too as there's no risk of breakage or spillage, and the nozzle makes it easy to control dispensing the product in a super hygienic way. I just dislike the way that there is no indication of how much is left and when I'm going to run out as the bottle is completely opaque. I hate that day when it comes as a shock that there's actually nothing left in the bottle! At £23.00 a bottle it's on middle ground of price range for high end foundations and it is available to buy here, or you can go in store to your nearest Clinique counter and have the lovely ladies colour match you up; they did a good job with me as this shade matches my skin exactly.

I have the shade 01 Alabaster which I would assume is the lightest shade that Clinique offers as it is numbered '01', and this matches me perfectly. However, although I do have pale skin, I know that my skin isn't the fairest out there and if you're especially light skinned then there's a chance that this could be a tad too deep for you and that's a complaint I've heard about Clinique before; that the shades don't go light enough. 

But, it matches me, it works for me, and I LOVE it.

If you're in the market for a new long wearing foundation that offers high coverage then have a wander over to your nearest Clinique counter and have a look at Even Better - you won't be disappointed.

Like Me On Facebook - Follow Me On Twitter - Follow Me On Bloglovin'

Review: Clinique 'All About Eyes' Eye Cream

 



Eye cream is something that I'd never expected myself to either worry or care about at least not for another 20 or so years, but recently my views on this have changed. This is mainly because I always look tired (most of the time I am tired), but it's not fun looking like a walking zombie every day of the week, even after a pint of coffee. Plus, eyes are the first part of the body to show signs of aging (along with hands), and everyone wants to maintain that image of youth for as long as possible, which is why a good quality eye cream is important and starting the younger, the better. I'd rather use preventative measures against aging now, than get to 40 and try to reverse the effects that I could have minimised when I was 20!

 

Using this eye cream has made a difference for me and my eyes and I swear I am not just saying this for the sake of it, it's the honest truth. In the past no amount of concealer would be able to disguise the state of these peepers, if the skin was puffed up and 'angry' then that's something that no amount of make-up can help you. We've all tried those Garnier eye roll ons, right? The ones that are supposed to 'wake up' the eye area and reduce the puffiness but all they really do is feel cooling and refreshing on the skin but don't change a great deal. This cream from Clinique actually hydrates the area, soothes it and brightens it. It's a lightweight gel formula that can be applied day and night and works well as a base for eye make up too. I can't comment on fine lines because I don't have any visible ones (I am only 20), and the darkness does fade slightly to create a more even colouring of the skin, but it is more the levels of puffiness that impresses me. Practically no puffiness of the eyes after continued use, even after a rough and sleepless night. All I need now is a dab of concealer to hide the darkness and I'm good to go.

 

My eyes have been opened (no pun intended) to the benefits of using a good quality eye cream on a daily basis and it's something that I'm going to continue using. Skincare is worth investing in; you'd spend money on clothes and shoes or on an expensive hair cut, but what's the point in looking and feeling good with those if your face isn't reflecting the same? It's a shame that it's so expensive (£24 for a 15ml pot) but it's worth investing in. Your face is important, and so are your eyes so look after that delicate skin around them. I'm nearly out of this small 7ml pot (5 months after getting it) and I am definitely on the hunt for something to replace it, either by playing it safe and sticking with the full size version of Clinique 'All About Eyes', or by branching out and trying Origins 'GinZing' - I'm yet to decide!

 

Do you agree that eye cream is important?

Or is it just an extra and unnecessary step in a skincare regime for you?

 

P.S. I set up a Facebook page for blog updates today, so if you're still using Facebook and would like to 'like' my page then here is the link:

Cosmetic Crave

x

Clinique Chubby Stick & Chubby Stick Intense

Clinique Chubby Stick and Chubby Stick Intense - RRP £16.00 (link)

A couple of days ago I posted a review on Revlon's Just Bitten Kissable Balm stains that can be found in this post here (link), and in this post I talked about how these balm stains were very similar to Clinique's Chubby Stick but I preferred Clinique's version despite the shocking price difference. These Chubby Sticks are expensive, but with a high price tag comes high quality and I feel like they are worth it. 

There are two varieties of the adorably named 'Chubby Sticks'; the original, and the 'Intense' version, and there is quite a big difference between the two. I received my original version (sample size, that's why it is smaller) as a 'gift with purchase' during Clinique's Bonus Time back in October and received the shade 'Mega Melon', a very natural and wearable shade. The colour pay off is extremely sheer and not very long lasting but it just adds a glossy wash of colour over the lips in a smoothing and nourishing form. These are in effect nothing more than a tinted lip balm in a cute, pencil form. 

The Intense version, however, was one that I knew I just had to have as soon as they were released, priced also at £16.00 but these are much more worth the high price tag. As the name suggests the colour of these is a lot more intense and they are very highly pigmented. The formula is the same and is moisturising and shiny but gives a very hibrant hit of colour that stains the lips and lasts for hours; much more impressive than the original version that does not last more than half an hour before needing to be topped up. It is the Chubby Stick Intenses that are comparable to Revlon's Balm Stains in both the packaging and the way that they are soft and smooth on the lips with a highly pigmented and long lasting stain left behind, the price tag is quite different however - £16.00 v £7.99 - eek!

It is of course all down to personal preference which one of these is for you though; if you're looking for an extremely sheer and not so long lasting colour in a moisturising balm form then the Chubby Stick is for you (£16.00), if you're looking for a brighter and bolder, longer lasting 'stain' in the same moisturising formula then the Chubby Stick Intense might be up your street (£16.00), and if you're on a budget and after a similar product but only slightly less luxurious and without the high end name plastered all over it then hop off down to Boots and pick up a Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain (£7.99) as these are currently on offer for just£5!

 What are your views on Chubby Sticks v Chubby Stick Intense v Revlon Balm Stains?

Monthly Favourites | December

 

Hello lovely ladies.

I always feel like I'm jumping in early when I do 'monthly favourites' but if I don't get it done now then I never will, and I like to highlight which products have stood out to me over the past few weeks and give them the praise that they deserve. This month contains 7 items and there appears to be a bit of a theme of 'mini' products or just generally small things (with the exception of the Clynol conditioning spray). It's a bit of mixed bag this one, varying from lips balms and hair oils, to an advent calendar! Read on to find out what I've been loving and why...

 

 

Ciate Mini Mani Month Advent Calendar

This advent calendar by Ciate was a birthday gift from my mum and has been one of the most exciting gifts I have ever received (it's the little things). This advent calendar has one mini bottle of Ciate nail varnish behind each of its 24 doors and has brightened up each of my mornings ever since the first day of December! If you follow me on Instagram (hannahripley1) you will see that I've posted a daily picture of the nail varnish which is behind each door, and it ranges from bright pinks to muted nudes, to bottles of caviar pearls, all the way to exclusive glitter shades. A nail varnish lovers dream!

 

 

Clynol Moisture Dream Conditioning Spray

Again, a present from my mum (she buys me great things!), but this one was a Christmas present last year and was unfortunately lost and forgotten about amongst the vast collection of hair products that I own and was sadly neglected. I came across this again when I was packing up for uni in September and it has been my go-to product while I'm away there ever since! It does basically what it says on the bottle and infuses a penetrative moisturising and nourishing solution into the hair in a handy 'spray-in' application to bring back a healthy bounce and shine. I apply this to wet hair and leave to dry naturally and I am left with soft, tangle free and frizz free locks.

 

 

L'Occitance Hand Cream

This was a freebie from Marie Claire magazine back in October and although I thought that the scent 'date bouquet' wouldn't be to my preference (it was the last one available), I actually really love it. The product is shea butter based and I already know that I will buy a bigger tube of this soon because it is not just 'one of the best', it is 'the best' hand cream that I have ever used. I can't get enough of it. It normally only needs to be applied once a day because it's just so intense and leaves not even a trace of residue on the skin after application. I know it's pricey, but it's worth every penny and I love it.

 

 

Weleda Wild Rose Smoothing Night Cream

A sample sized product that I received in a She Said Beauty Box and has not left my bedside table ever since! I put this on every night before I go to sleep; it absorbs quick and the faint scent of rose is very calming. The cream is quite thick but it is very nourishing and I am starting to notice an overall improvement to the quality of my skin and this will be one of the products to thank for that! When I wake up my skin is a lot fresher, less dull and looks smooth and hydrated so I would highly consider purchasing the full size of this product once my sample has run out.

 

 

Clinique 'All About Eyes' Eye Cream

 I received this small pot of eye cream as part of the Clinique Bonus Time offer back in October, and although it's only a 7ml pot a little goes a long way and this is going to last me forever! It's really thick and nourishing and I apply this both night and day to help reduce puffiness and dark circles and it is one of the best eye creams that I have ever used. It instantly hydrates my under eye area and calms any puffiness of the skin and helps to fade away the purple tinge of the dark circles. It absorbs into the skin pretty quickly which makes it easy to apply concealor to the area soon after.

 

 

Macadamia Natural Healing Oil Treatment 

Being only a tiny 10ml bottle I expected this to disappear pretty quick, but it's still going strong and I'm only about 1/4 of the way through the bottle after 5 weeks of regular use. This is a lovely hair oil to use, it's quite light so I have to use a generous amount of my thick and frizz-prone hair, but it doesn't weigh it down or leave any residue, it just makes it smooth, sleek and shiny. I use it in all sorts of ways; pre-washing as a treatment, when damp and leaving to air dry, before blow drying, and a finishing product to smooth the hair after styling and it always leaves my hair in amazing condition with minimal flyaways and high shine without the grease.

 

 

Blistex Lip Massage Balm

This is something that is totally unique to me and I've never seen anything like it, and to be honest I didn't mean to pick it up, I just wanted the cheapest lip balm that was in Asda and this was only £1.19. I've not had it for long but I really enjoy using it as an alternative to regular lip balm that you just apply onto your lips, this you instead rub over your lips and the ridges on the rubber applicator massage it into your lips for extra absorption instead of it just sitting on the surface of the skin. As with all Blistex products it is really nourishing and moisturising, I just especially like this because it's something a little bit different.

 

 

So, that's what little old me has been loving this December.

 

Busy few days coming up, as is expected with the festive season, and I have a night out with the girls planned for tonight and also for tomorrow night, and then I have an anniversary night away with the boyfriend booked for the night after that, and then before we know what's hit us, it's Christmas Eve!

 

I've got one more post that I'd like to slip in before Christmas but if I end up being too busy to squeeze it in then I'll take this chance to wish you all the happiest of Christmases and hope you all enjoy yourselves and spend time with your loved ones!

 

Merry Christmas!

♥ 



Pre-Christmas Collective Haul

Post-Birthday & Pre-Christmas Collective Haul | Featuring. Lush, The Body Shop, Soap & Glory, Clarins, Clinique, Avon, Superdrug, Primark, New Look, ASDA, and a couple of gifts. 

 

..That is what I wanted to call this post, but that's just crazy long, so I decided to shorten it down to just Pre-Christmas Collective Haul. Mannn, I have done a lot of shopping in these past 2-3 weeks. I can just hear my poor bank account crying out for me to leave it alone now!




I've had multiple shopping bags sitting in the corner of my room for the past two and a half weeks which was ideally supposed to be full of Christmas presents but when it came to sorting through it all and wrapping up presents last night I discovered that 'gifts for others' vs 'gifts for myself' was quite disproportionate: 22 things for friends, family and boyfriend ..57 for myself. Season for giving?! Slap on the wrist for me this month!

I didn't realise that it had gotten that extreme, but I do love a good shop! It's so difficult to resist things when there's so many good offers on at this time of year and going out shopping for others is something that cannot be avoided. I'll hold my hand up and say that I don't at all enjoy the experience of Christmas shopping; I find it stressful and unpleasant as I hate shopping in busy and crowded environments with cheesy Christmas songs blasting down my ears with chavvy mums ramming their prams into me trying to get past down aisles that are too small, with the added pressure of wanting to find something really special that will truely spoil someone that you care about and will put a big smile on their face Christmas morning! So, to soften the hard task that is shopping for others I pick little treats up for myself along the way :) Everything here obviously wasn't bought all in one go.. I wouldn't have the biceps capable of carrying it all back home again! It was a gradual and accumulative process.

I also had my birthday at the end of November so received lots of birthday spends that were to be used to treat myself, and treat myself I have done!! I'm sure I'll be finding a way to justify everything that I picked up for myself.. read on to find out what I've spoilt myself with and what my excuses are!

Lush
I've already done a whole separate post dedicated to this box of goodies that I ordered online a couple of weeks ago using some of my birthday money. I went all out and ordered 9 little treats and received 1 free sample of 'Fun'. My box includes 4 Christmas limited edition items including Snow Fairy shower gel, Bubblebeard bubble bar, Christmas Eve bubble bar and The Melting Snowman bath melt. I also ordered a hair mask (H'suan Wen Hua), a fresh face mask (Love Lettuce), a massage bar (Soft Coeur), a spot treatment (Grease Lightning), and a solid shampoo bar (New). Safe to say this box smells amaaazing and you can read a little bit more about it here: LINK.


 

The Body Shop
If you didn't already know, this month's issue of Glamour magazine includes a Joy Card inside it which entitles the reader to either a £3, £10, or £100 voucher for The Body Shop but you won't know how much is on it until you take it instore. This months Glamour mag was a special price of £1.50 so I knew that even if I got a £3 voucher it would still be a saving and I'd put it to good use - I looove The Body Shop! Yes, I got a £3.00 voucher and it can only be used on full price items and not in conjunction with any other promotions so I spent it on something that has been on my 'lust list' for a while and even featured on my 'Christmas Wish List' (link) and it was the Almond Hand and Nail Cream (RRP £5.00 for 30ml), so that ended up being a little £2 treat to slip in my bag.

Soap & Glory
I'm quite new to the Soap & Glory fan club and have only tried a couple of bits, but Scrub Your Nose In It is now a staple in my skin care routine and Hand Food has a firm place on my bedside table, along with Mist You Madly being my perfect on-the-go refresher. I wanted to branch out a little bit more and try the Glad Hair Day Shampoo after hearing Corrie (Dizzybrunette3 - link) talk about this in her hair care routine video and she has amazing hair so it can't be bad! Soap & Glory is almost permanently on a 3 for 2 offer in Boots so I thought I may as well throw in the Glad Hair Day Conditioner and Intensive Conditioner too and try out the whole range together.

 

The day that I had nipped to town for a few more Christmas presents happened to be the same day that Boots reduced their price of the Soap and Glory BEST OF ALL Giftset to better than half price. The previous day, lots of bloggers had been hyping this offer up on Twitter, saying how they couldn't wait to get down to Boots early and snap one up before they all sold out, and I wasn't really that fazed or tempted by this hype.. until I was actually in Boots and saw that there was tower piled high with these giftsets and thought, 'oh it's right here infront of me, everyone keeps banging on about it, might as well get one while I can!'. So I did. Happy Christmas Hannah! The set cost £27.00, originally costing £60.00 and contains 9 full size products which individually total over £70.00 - Talk about a bargain! The set includes: The Righteous Butter body butter, Hand Food hand cream, Sugar Crush body scrub, Clean On Me shower gel, Smoothie Star body milk, Heel Genius foot mask, Peaches and Clean cleanser (been on my wishlist for ages!), Sexy Mother Pucker lip plumper, Thick and Fast mascara, plus the great big pink bag that they come in too!

 

Clarins and Clinique
It's pretty rare for me to ever buy myself high end products; I can't ever seem to justify such a large amount of money for just one product, so these two items were a real indulgence for me that I splurged on whilst Debenhams had a 15% sale on beauty and fragrance. I got the Clarins Beauty Flash Balm and the Clinique Chubby Stick Intense in 05 Plushest Punch, a vibrant hot pink. I am cherishing these two very dearly and would easily say they're my favourite things in this entire haul, they just feel so luxurious and I wish that everything I own could be from Clarins and Clinique!

 

Avon
I ordered more than this from my Avon representative but returned most of them and was left with just these three products, which were part of a '3 for £10' deal which is a pretty great bargain. All I really wanted was the Supershock Mascara (this one has limited edition Christmas packaging), and the incredibly vibrant blue Nailwear Pro+ Nail Varnish in 'Cosmic Blue', but when the mascara costs £8 and the nail varnish is £6 is seemed crazy not to get a third product and only pay £10 for all three! I wasn't sure what to get and just gambled with a mineral powder foundation as I've never tried one before.

Superdrug and Body Care
MUA clear mascara - £1. Technic highlighter - 99p. Who's a bargain shopper? Me, but only sometimes. I've been wanting a little something to fix my eyebrows in place better and have been lusting after a Mac Brow Set but I didn't want to part with £12.50 for something that is a reported 'love/hate' product so played it safe with a £1 clear mascara that I actually paid for using my Superdrug points! I've heard fantastic things about this super cheap highlighter from Body Care and it is an apparent dupe for Benefit's ..Highbeam? (I think?) so I wanted to give it a little try out for myself.



Primark
Just a few cheap and simple bits from Primark; it's been too busy to have a decent rummage recently. I am absolutely loving their bargainous mega cheap but on trend jewellery that can be found in other high street shops for up to five times the price!! My friend got these Primark earrings for her birthday and when I saw that they were only £1 I just said 'Sorry, I'm going to have to copy and get some for myself'! Then I found this shirt reduced from £12 to £5 but I don't know why it's reduced? It isn't damaged and there was a whole rail full of them reduced too, in all sizes from 6-20 (or whatever it goes up to), so perhaps it's 'past season' or something? But anyway, it's pretty and thought it would be something nice to wear out to an evening meal somewhere. And then I got some tights, because who doesn't need super cosy warm thick tights in December??

New Look
My excuse for this one is that I had a credit note from last December when I returned something after Christmas but didn't have the receipt, and these credit notes expire after 12 months so I desperately didn't want almost £40.00 to go to waste by it expiring! I'm not so much a huge fan of New Look clothes, there's the odd good thing but I never have the energy to search through the tacky stuff but I was very happy with this quilted jacket that I found for £34.99. It's pretty casual, easy to wear, fitted style, light but really warm too - better than a wasted credit note anyway!

 
 

ASDA
These are what you could regard as 'essentials', except Glamour.. but it was cheaper than usual and I wanted the Joy Card for The Body Shop! I was shopping for presents in ASDA as it's great for stocking fillers and the likes of alcohol, chocolate, DVDs etc so I couldn't resist stocking up on some everyday bits while I was there; cleanser, mini deodrant, face wipes and lip balm!

 

Gifts

These were all gifts that I was extremely lucky to receive these past few weeks! Firstly is my 'International Beauty Bloggers Secret Santa' gift that was organised by the lovely Sandra at The Puzzle of Sandra's Life (link) and my gift was from the host herself - Thank you Sandra! All the way from Slovenia I was sent a Christmas hand cream from the brand Essence as well as three nail varnishes, a L'Oreal Caresse Lipstick and some chocolate - yummy! Secondly, I've been a moody/hormonal little bitch the last week and in an attempt to put a smile back on my grumpy little face my boyfriend bought me a present.. Topshop Green Room! It definitely made me smile; the boy knows the way to my heart that's for sure. And then, as if I didn't already have enough nail varnish my Nanna rolled up with a little bag and said that she'd cleared out her collection and was donating some nail varnishes to me that she no longer wants. None of the colours struck me as too exciting, but when someone is offering to give you the likes of OPI and Leighton Denny it isn't something you turn your nose up at!

 

Aaaand that's it! Finally! Well done if you made it to the end - haha!

 

I'm not sure why some of the picture quality is really clear on some pictures and a bit crummy and fuzzy on others but I'm still trying to learn my way around the settings on my new camera; one day I'll learn when the 'close up' option is appropriate and when it isn't. I would love some kind of photography training course one day, just to get me up to speed with the basics, I feel a little useless with my snaps.

 

But anyway, thank you for reading, hope you've enjoyed!

♥