What I Have Bought Lately

Or rather, what I have been wasting my money on lately. That is often more likely the case!

So I think I should start with a rather fabulous bag that I bought from Nica- the Venice crossbody. I saw it on Twitter one day and I had to hunt it down! I was a bit disappointed when I saw that it was £45 on the website, but then I checked again a few days later and it was half price so I just had to get it. I don't normally impulse buy quite expensive things like this, but it really was love at first site! Look at that cat dammit! I had to get the blue one but they also do it in black, lemon, navy floral and black/white floral. They also do a Venice tote bag.
It's the perfect size for me and I can't wait to use it- though I sort of don't want to take it out and spoil it!

On Wednesday I went to Chester with my dad and managed to get quite a few bargains. In Boots I bought a Seventeen Stay Pout lipstick in the shade Rule Breaker and a nail polish in Toasted Almond. I've never seen these lippies before so I'm wondering if they were a free gift at one point. In any case it has a rather jazzy gem on the top and is a really pretty berry shade.

In Primark I couldn't resist these Sweep slippers. Just couldn't. I grabbed the last pair in my size so I was well chuffed! These were £4 and they also had Sooty available. I might be tempted.
I also bought some more glass nail files and some false nails to play around with. I always really like the designs they do but I must have oddly shapes thumb nails because I can never find sizes to fit them!

We had a little browse in a charity shop and I found a copy of The Miniaturist for a quid. I've been trying to read more lately so this will go onto the 'to read' pile. Pleased to get this for so cheap.

I collected my Xtras order the day too which is always very exciting. I got the W7 In The City natural nudes palette, a L'Oreal Color Riche eyeshadow in 201 Cafe Saint Germain and a Sally Hansen polish in Pinch Of Punch. 

The pigmentation of the palette is much better than I thought it would be, and bar the first two shades, are actually pretty decent for the price. I'd still use a primer with them though. The L'Oreal eyeshadow is a very wearable shimmery brown shade (for want of a better description). It's swatches more cool toned than it appears when actually applied. The texture is very soft as it is 'gel infused' but I do find that it quickly gets that shee', if you get my drift, that makes it difficult to pick up the colour. Maybe it's my fault for using my fingers and not a brush! It's quickly resolved with a little scraping though. 

The Sally Hanson polish is a bit more purple toned in real life and I bought it thinking it looked a lot like Essie's Splash of Grenadine. Which I already own a dupe of. But still. Forever an addict. Here is the Seventeen polish also. It's a bit too frosty for my liking but I think my mum will go for it. 

I've said it before but I do love Xtras. It's all so cheap and there's always a discount code around-plus it's free delivery with no minimum spend. 

On Monday I went shopping in Wrexham and got suckered into the Peacocks sale. Shamefully I bought a Christmas jumper. It was £8 from £16 so half price but still not completely bargainous. I fell in love with the robins though and I did have my eye on it when it was actually Christmas. I'm sure I'll be pleased I bought it though when December rolls around again! 

I also bought a plain grey hoodie as I live in these. Nothing exciting but I know I'll get my wear out of it. I think it was a fiver thought the sticker said eight. 

I didn't need anymore pyjamas, but I spotted these toast and biscuit ones on the way to the till and just had to have them. Love a bit of whimsy. 

The black trousers are from Primark and are the silky pj sort. I loved my pair last Summer so I thought I would get these early before they sold out, which is always the case in Primark when I see Summer clothes I like! I think these were £8, 

I did have more to include but I think I'll put them into separate posts! 

Have you bought any bargains lately? 

Amie Morning Dew Matte-Finish Moisturiser

I think I may have finally found a moisturiser that my skin agrees with- it may even be HG status! I actually bought this in late 2013 but I haven't had it opened that long, it's just been in my stash! I have been using it for quite a while though and it's coming to an end finally. I'm going to buy a replacement soon though, as I don't think I can go without it!
I think the reason I love it so much is that it actually lives up to its claim of being matte finish. So many moisturisers claim to be mattifying and I've nearly always been disappointed. Thankfully I can put this on knowing that it won't leave me looking lardy faced minutes later. It sinks in really quickly but is still effective at getting rid of any dryness. Another reason to like it is that it is free from parabens, sulphates, mineral oils and animals extracts. I'm not particularly fussy on ingredients but I do prefer products that are more natural. It's also suitable for vegans and vegetarians and is BUAV approved.
Rosehip and bilberry are used to help nourish the skin, whilst plant sugars are used to hydrate. I can also spy orange and lemon fruit extracts in the ingredients, which I'm sure have their benefits.The list isn't all virtuous but it doesn't claim to be completely natural. As long as my skin is happy with it then I don't mind, and it's better than a lot of moisturisers at this price point. Speaking (or writing) of which, this normally costs around £4 but I got mine when it was on a half price offer at Tesco. I'm hoping I can find it on offer again soon but £4 is very reasonable as it is.
If you have combination/oily, frequently blemished skin like mine then I highly recommend this moisturiser!

Saturday Strolling

Seeing as it was a lovely day yesterday we decided to take a stroll around the lake (well, mere) in Ellesmere, which is a little town outside Oswestry. Stu had been working until 1 and I had stayed in doing some tidying, so we both wanted to get out and get some fresh air and sunshine!

The water looked so blue and was surprising clear. Sort of reminded me of the super clear sea in Mallorca, not that you'd go swimming in the lake! There is a sculpture trail there too, and  although we didn't see all of them, we enjoyed looking at the ones we passed. I think Stu liked looking at all the dogs that were about more though, he does love his pooches! The lakeside is very well kept and there were lots of couples and families about enjoying the Spring sunshine. It would be a great place to take a little picnic and have an ice cream, as long as the ducks and geese don't pinch anything!

Hope you've been enjoying some much needed sunshine too! 

Sunday Shopping With Sis and Stu

Oo I love a nice bit of alliteration.

So, yes, on Sunday me and Stu met up with my sis in town. We had lunch first at Frankie and Benny's as they have a 20% off voucher going (note: do not have their mac and cheese, it was most meh) then a little mosey around the shops. I didn't need anything in particular, I was just up for a good browse. As is always the way really!

Firstly we went to QD Stores as my sister needed something from there. I don't go in here very often so it was good to have a proper look around. I bought the reward stars for work as these are the sort I use with the boy I work with on his chart. 99p for over 900 stickers is a bargain! I also couldn't resist the cupcake memo pad with pencil. I might also use this in work, but I haven't really decided yet. This was £1.99. They also did a lovely weekly planner in this design but sadly I don't need one. If you're on the look out for a blogging one then it could be of intesrest though. It was only £2.99 too!

I also bought the Fini sweets here (I think they're a Spanish brand) as I'd heard somewhere that they were good. Which I can now agree with. I'm a sugarholic though so I'm easily pleased! These were 99p and I'll probably be buying them again. 

I nearly forgot about this gift bag! I do love a good gift bag and I could not leave this doughnut one there. Also, you can't tell but one side is sparkly. The was just over a quid for the large size, I can't remember the exact price, and they also did small ones in the same design.

In Poundworld I bought the two pack of cotton gloves to try out, as I always manage to lose the pair I've got. The quality is pretty poor and they're very thin but for a quid what do you expect I suppose! They'll do as spares at least.

From TK Maxx I bought the Charbrew Strawberries and Cream teabags, for about £2 odd I think, as well as the milk and white chocolate 'Choconchoc' bar with raspberry pieces. This was in the reduced area as it's broken but it was still £2. I wanted to try it though as I've heard about the brand and it's £3.99 normally. I've already tried the fruit tea and it was very pleasant. Sweet but not too cloying.

In Wilkinsons I got quite a few bargains. Firstly I bought the E45 Repair and Protect overnight hand cream for £3.20, as my hands are in a state again and I'd read a couple of positive reviews. I've used it for a few days now and I'm not overly impressed but I'll give it a fair test and carry on a bit longer! I also got the Aussie body wash on a friends recommendation. I didn't even know about these but they were on an introductory price of £2.  I chose the Shower Smoothie one and it smells amazing! They could have used different packaging though as it does look exactly like the shampoo. The bargain of the day were the black bobbles for just 10p a pack. These have a nice amount of stretch in them (if you have thick hair you'll know how hard it is to find some with enough give!) and you can never have too many.

From Primark I bought a bunny fleecy throw and some 'Feet Heaters' socks, The throw should have been £4,50 but for some reason it was £3.90 at the till. Not that I'm complaining. I wanted it when I saw it in the store in Devon so I'm glad I've finally got it. The socks were £2 and they look really cosy. I'm always cold so these will be perfect.

Overall a good shopping day I reckon! If a little random! 

Got yourself any bargains lately? 

Urban Veda Daily Purifying Facial Wash

I've been meaning to write about this cleanser for ages but I just kept forgetting. I don't know why as I'm really impressed with it and have since bought a full size tube. I think I received this travel sized one in a beauty box- I can't remember which one. I started using it when I went back home for Christmas and I soon used it up. I like using foaming cleansers in the shower and although this contains no SLS, it lathers up really well and a little goes a long way. As the name suggests it's for oily, blemish prone skin and contains Neem and other botanicals (wild mint, witch hazel, eucalyptus) to help control sebum and minimise pores, as well as helping to mattify. It's also worth mentioning the lovely minty smell, which is perfect for using in the mornings!  I've still been getting the odd spot but I do think it has helped control blemishes in general. I don't find it anywhere near as drying as some foaming cleansers but I would always moisturise after using this. My current favourite is Amie Morning Dew Matte-Finish moisturiser- expect a review of this soon! 

If you have oily, spot prone skin, then I definitely recommend you try this out. It is a little more pricey than what I'd normally pay but I think it's worth it. You can buy it at various places online but I bought mine from Bodykind for £8.99 with free delivery. I'm very tempted to try some other products from the range. 

I've forgot to mention that as well as being SLS free, it contains no parabens or GM ingredients, and is Vegetarian Society approved and not tested on animals. Which is all good stuff. 

Avene Cleanance Cleansing Water

I got this cleansing water ages ago now, when it was on clearance for the bargain price of £4 at Boots. I think the regular price is £16 so it was a great steal! It's only recently though that I've been using it and I'm really impressed. It's been specially formulated for blemish prone skin and doesn't contain alcohol or parabens. I thought it might be a bit harsh considering it's for oily skin but it's actually really gentle and doesn't leave my skin feeling dry or stripped. Just clean and comfortable. Another plus is that it doesn't sting my eyes like some do. I've found some micellar waters struggle a bit at removing eye makeup but this works really well. I also have to mention that I love the scent! To me it smells a bit like a baby product, if that makes sense! Sort of powdery, but fresh still.
I don't really use it often enough to comment on whether it helps fight spots, but it doesn't seem to cause them.
As much as I like this I do think £16 is a bit steep, even for 400ml, so I don't think I will be repurchasing unless it's on a good offer. Then I might be tempted!

Half Term Holiday!

*Long Post Alert!*

Hi! It's been so long since I've blogged- not that I'm keeping anyone waiting! I just haven't fancied it lately, but I thought tonight I'll write one about my recent trip away during half term.
For all its cons, at least one pro of working in a school are all the holidays, and after having our dreaded Ofsted inspection during the last week, the break was very much needed! I can't remember if I've already mentioned this, but for Christmas I bought Stu a 2 week hotel break from Buyagift when there was an offer on (ever thrifty..well, sort of) and we decided to return to the same place in Torquay that we went to in 2013. We were wanting to go to Somerset or Gloucester but sadly both of those guest houses were all booked up. A shame as they had excellent reviews. It was good to go somewhere familiar though and at least we knew that we would like where we were staying.
We set off on Monday morning and arrived there at about 3.30pm. We discovered that The Crown Lodge had new owners but thankfully the place was still as clean and comfortable as we remembered, and the breakfasts were still just as good! We took a walk into town and had a little wander before having an early tea at Harvester. Nothing fancy but cheap and cheerful enough. We left feeling ridiculously full, well at least I was, after our massive sundaes. Mm could eat one now thinking about it. Such a pig. After a chilly walk back to the lodge we just watched some TV on our amazingly squishy bed. The bed was very comfy but I don't think my back would have appreciated it after a while!
The next morning, after a yummy full English breakfast, we set off to Paignton Zoo. We went here last time too, but you can't go wrong with a zoo. The weather was really good- lovely and bright. The queues for ice cream were super long which was mad considering it's only February. We had to have some too, of course, as if we hadn't had enough the night before! In particular I loved seeing the giraffes, marmosets and emperor tamarins. So cute!
That evening we had tea at Meat 59, a new burger place in Torquay. It had excellent reviews on Tripadviser and the food looked right up our street so we thought we'd give it a go. We were the only customers there when we turned up at 6.30 but it soon filled up, which we were sort of relieved about! The decor was quirky ( I loved the little robot salt and pepper shakers on our table) and the menu was confidently compact! Still lots of choices though with a good selection of gourmet burgers and sides. I chose The Pig Smoke-  slow roasted pulled pork (locally sourced from Devon) with Kansas hickory barbecue sauce and homemade coleslaw in a brioche bun. It was amazing. So, so good. I also had a side of massive onion rings and we shared some rosemary fries. Stu had the Meat 59 burger which included pulled pork, black pudding and chorizo. He gave it a solid 10/10! The staff were friendly and the prices were very reasonable for the quality. Definitely recommend going if you are in the area. They also do them to take away!
On the Wednesday we sadly had to head off home, but on the way we stopped off at Cheddar Gorge. We didn't actually see the caves as it was too pricey, but we had a pleasant wander along the little tourist tat shops and had a lovely cream tea (well without the tea) at Cafe Gorge which was very pleasant. Was good to just get some fresh air to break up the journey! I'm very glad Stu was driving though, as at one point it was like Groundhog day trying to get out of a village- we were just going around in circles thanks to roadworks and a confused sat nav!
Overall I loved our little break, as chilled out and unsophisticated as it was! Was good to relax and get a bit of sea air in my lungs! Now I'm just counting down the weeks until the next half term!

Forgot another favourite- these cute capybaras! The baby in the trough was adorable!