Makeup Savvy Resolutions 2013

2013_Makeupsavvy

2013 is fast approaching and whether you believe in new year's resolutions or not it is hard not to think of the year ahead and what you would like to achieve. 

I have quite a long list of personal resolutions for 2013 and I hope I achieve most of them, however I truly believe even if I don't succeed in some, having goals and a fresh outlook can only be positive thing.

Here are some of my resolutions for my blog is 2013 that I have really thought about and a few life/fun ones as well. 

More makeup swatches
I love looking at swatches in review posts on other beauty blog however I just haven't mastered how to take my own, so I just don't bother (I'm talking swatches of the eyes and lips etc). I blame myself for not going for a camera with a flippy out screen but this cannot stand in my way any longer. My plan of action is a tripod and a mirror behind my camera so I can actually see the live view on my camera screen. Any tips and tricks when taking photos of swatches would be highly appreciated!

To be more organised 
I doubt I will be going as far as making myself an editorial calendar for my blog but I do really feel like I need to be more organised when it comes to writing blog posts. I am thinking of keeping it simple with 2 half days set out for taking blog photos (because it goes dark so early!), one day for editing photos and then 2 or 3 days of writing blog posts, each week. I also want to start some weekly features that I know I can keep up... though I haven't decided on what these will be just yet! 

Be more interactive
Interactive isn't the correct word here but my mind isn't thinking of a better word right now and it is currently 2am! What I mean by this is I need to set out time to comment on the blogs I read and enjoy... my plan is to read a lot more blogs via bloglovin' then 'like' the ones I have read and then set some time aside each weekend to go back and comment on each one. Also I will be setting time aside to reply back to my own blog comments as I really feel so bad for not replying back to all my comments anymore! I will also be posting more makeup-y pics on Instagram from now on - you can follow me by searching 'makeupsavvy'. 

Do more nail art
I think nail art is one of my strong points when it comes to blogging and I REALLY enjoy being creative and thinking up new ideas but I just don't do it enough. I have the nail brushes, nail art pens and I 150% have enough nail polish so I just need to get my ass in gear and get creative again!

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Non-bloggy Resolutions...

Buy more Melissa shoes 
I swear these are the best flats in the world! They are so pretty, comfortable and never show signs of wear... oh, and they are bubblegum scented?! I really need to do a Melissa shoe collection soon on Makeup Savvy Extra as I have quite a few pairs now.

Give myself more time to read 
I love reading but technology is so much in my life that I find it hard to make time, as even when I have time I seem to opt for reading blogs or watching Youtube videos even when all I need is my bed, silence, a book and my imagination. So 2013 is going to be the year I really force myself to turn off my laptop more and read. I already have 5 new books to get started on. My first book of 2013 is going to be - Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children (Amazon - here).

Start collecting vintage Beauty Ads
This is a bit of a random one but now that I have a room dedicated to my makeup collection, taking blog photos and blogging I want to add a bit of artwork on the walls so I have come up with the idea of creating a framed timeline of beauty ads. My idea is to collect one beauty ad from each decade starting from 1900 to 2000 so I will have 10 framed ads in a timeline fashion along one wall. I actually wrote a post on vintage beauty ads - here (Revlon ads have to be my favourite!).


As for can probably see none of my new years blog resolutions are that big however being more organised may be the one that I find the hardest! 


Have you got any resolutions or goals for 2013? 

Fee xo.

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Keep Calm & Sale Shop Online


Christmas_sale_shopping

I'm pretty sure everyone likes a bargain after Christmas especially with Christmas money and gift cards to spend! However you can go for the crazy option of being trampled all over whist shopping on the high street. OR you can shop online from the comfort of your sofa whilst watching a Christmas film and eating chocolates. 

A lot of people seem to complain about the online sales after Christmas not being that good and I agree, some aren't. However I personally just bypass the rubbish ones and visit the sites I know do offer really slashed prices. My general rule if I am going to treat myself in the Boxing Day sales is it has to have 50% off at least and free delivery! 

So here are some great beauty buys that I have found so far... 


knjn 

Shop the SPACK.NK sale!

The SPACE.NK sale is one of my favourite sales as it makes all them higher-end brands more affordable. Plus this year there is a free delivery code - SNKHARR saving you an extra £5! I have already snapped up the Laura Mercier Cool Classics for Eyes Compact which contains two lovely eyeshadows and a cake eyeliner (above image: bottom right). I also spotted a Chantecaille Real Skin Compact (above image: bottom left) which has been amazingly reduced to only £10. It is only available in deep shade now but as this is a cream foundation this would be a perfect product for contouring with! 

Another product that caught my eye was the Shu Uemura Cream Eyeshadows (above image: top right) that comes in 6 shades (some nice neutrals in there) and are only £7.50 each. As for a wonderfully cheap palette there is the Laura Mercier Bonne Mine Palette (above image: top left) that contains one bronzer, two blushers and two highlighters... I'm actually wondering why I didn't get this now! 


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Debenhams isn't my favourite website to shop on as I don't think it is organised well and I always have problems spending gift cards on the site, however there are always some good savings to be had after Christmas. As you can see a lot of Philosophy products are half price... with even a few non-festive products included as well. Also I spotted a really nice set from Nip + Fab for only £12.25 (above image: bottom right) and trust me the Pistachio Sundae Body Butter and Multi-Fix Oil are really lovely products. There are also a few Benefit sets in the sale as well! Plus there is free delivery across the whole site right now! 

Other sales that are worth a look...

Forever 21 - Probably the best savings online for clothing and accessories! Forever 21 are offering an extra 50% off all sale items meaning items are starting from only 99p!
ASOS - The beauty sale isn't as great as previous years however there are some gems, plus some great savings on shoes and clothing. 
Urban Outfitters -  The gift/homeware section is always my favourite in the sale; so many unique products! Here are my favourites - Antique table mirror (Beauty & The Beast style!), Rose Floral Rug, Leave Please Doormat (I need this!), Pups Salt & Pepper Shakers.

If you know anymore great sales online let me know in the comments.

Hope you all had a lovely Christmas Day! I got thoroughly spoilt but annoyingly I was ill and didn't even have Christmas dinner! 

Fee xo.


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Christmas in Monaco with By Celina.com

By_Celina


My last post before Christmas and something a little bit different! 

I asked the wonderful Celina of ByCelina.com if she would answer a few Christmassy questions as I am such a fan of her blog. Her style is just so chic and her blog is always so positive... it's my little escape read when the weather is miserable in the UK

Hope you enjoy the read... 

 Where are the ultimate places to shop in Monaco at Christmas?
Monaco is very small so there aren't too many places to choose from. The ultimate place to shop in Monaco at Christmas is the Metropole shopping Centre where you can find a great mix of both affordable and luxury brands. Last time I went shopping there I sat next to the lovely Princess Charlene whilst having a quick lunch and they go to great lengths to decorate the store over Christmas and it really feels like being inside a
jewellery box.
 
Depending on which doors you use to exit the shopping centre you either come out just below Boulevard des Moulins which also offer some really great boutique stores or you exit onto the casino square around which all the big fashion and luxury houses including Chanel, Céline, Hermès and Cartier have set up camp.

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Favourite thing about spending Christmas in Monaco?
I have never actually spent Christmas in Monaco, but the pre Christmas period is lovely. Monaco is second to none when it comes to decorating itself and they really do all they can to get people in the Christmas spirit. The Christmas fair is pulled together from all over Europe and all the public spaces have ornate Christmas decorations alongside the palm trees.
 

  Where do you shop online for last-minute gifts?
I have many favourite online stores, but for last minute gift shopping I'd say Net-a-porter, MyTheresa and Mr.Porter are the best for very nice gifts. For smaller beauty gifts I always turn to FeelUnique. I have a whole page dedicated to my favourite online shops, which you can see here: http://bycelina.com/the-big-list-of-online-clothing-stores/
 

  What would you buy for a fellow fashionista this year?
I would either buy something sparkly for the festive season or something metallic like a metallic clutch for the upcoming season. I actually just came across a gorgeous slouchy foil "paper bag" clutch in Nastygal which I loved!

christmas_shopping_monaco_by_celina
 

What are you hoping for in 2013?
We are getting a flat in London next year in which we are planning on spending the winter time, so I hope I will meet lots of lovely people and that we will be happy there. I am very excited about it, and I have a feeling it will be amazing as I've always wanted to live in a big city.

My sister will have her first child next year as well, so I hope everything will go smoothly during the birth and that I get to see them lots throughout the year. Luckily Norway is only an hour away :)

Your favourite part of the festive season?
My favourite part of the festive season is that it is the best opportunity of the year for everyone to get all dressed up and enjoy the festivities together as family and friends without work or any other distractions to get in the way. I love that!
 

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 How will you be spending Christmas Day?
Like last year I will be spending Christmas Day in LA which is such a cool city. We are still trying to figure out where we are going to go afterwards for New Year. So far we are looking into Vegas for New Years and then New York for the sales! We are still working on our plans though so we could end up doing something completely different. Whatever happens I think it will be a great couple of weeks!


Thanks soooo much Celina for the lovely interview. Here are a few of my favourite blog posts on ByCelina.com that you should have a read of! 

Celina's makeup collection - We all love a makeup collection post and this is definitely one to drool over.
Linus' Travel Diaries - A blog post wrote by Linus.... Celina's 6 month Pomeranian puppy, of course!
Smokey Eyes - Celina has so many great eye makeup tutorials that I couldn't pick one so here is the tag to all the tutorials.

I hope you have enjoyed this different sort of post and found a lovely new blog to follow!

 I wish you all a wonderful Christmas day tomorrow full of family & friends, love, food and lots of presents... Fee xo.
 
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Christmas Sale Shopping - My Picks


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In the past few years I have noticed that as soon as it's too close to Christmas for online shops to deliver (so they are getting less orders) a few decide to start their sale early. I have noticed this already with a few, such as ASOS, Look Fantastic, Beauty Expert etc. 

So I thought I would share with you some of my picks that I think are really great bargains.

Paul Smith Rose 30ml Eau De Parfum 
WAS £28.00 NOW £12.95 Cheap Smells - here
I've had this perfume before and love it! I really like all Paul Smith perfumes especially the fragrance for men as they aren't your typical manly/spicy scents. This is a really light floral, sparkling rose scent that doesn't smell grannish at all. Normally this would be £25+ in most places such as Boots. 

bareMinerals Scene Stealer gift set
WAS £26.00 NOW £13.00 Look Fantastic - here
  Since trying out a gift set from bareMinerals this month (review - here) I have been totally converted to the brand and think the gift sets are generally great value for money. So for this set to be on sale with 50% off is just amazing. It actually works out at only £3.25 per product in the set. I can hands down say I love the eyeliner and makeup remover that are included with this!


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Fekkai Advance Shea Butter Pot De Creme  
WAS £33.00 NOW £9.50 ASOS - here 
(a de-frizzing/smoothing treatment for when drying the hair basically)  
 In the past year I have sadly discovered how much of a difference high end hair products make. I'm now in love with my Macadamia Oil hair treatment and discovered the wonders of Moroccan Oil but it all does come at a price. So it's nice to get expensive products cheaper in the sale and this is a great one with £23 off! Bargain.

Caudalie Premier Cru Gift Set 
WAS £86.00 NOW £35.57 Look Fantastic - here 
 I had to include this for the sheer amount you save on it - a whopping £50.43!! The set contains two anti-ageing skincare products which I am sure are lovely products as Caudalie are very good at skincare. Another set that caught my eye was the Caudalie Divine Oil Gift Set (£22.05 - here) which contains the Caudalie Divine Oil that can be used as a body oil, on the hair, in the bath, as a cuticle oil, massage oil... the list of uses is endless. Plus you also get a body scrub and mini candle. For the price this seems like a really nice set. 

Nip + Fab Laser Fix in a Box 
WAS £30.15 NOW £11.09 HQ Hair - here
2012 was the year I started to notice and be tempted by Nip + Fab and I am pretty sure this is because they have become more affordable. I have been wanting to try the Laser Fix in a Box set for a bit now as I have really wanted to try out a pigmentation product as I have developed stupid sun spots under my eyes! Plus the other two products sound like things I would actually use. But now it is really cheap I will be getting it. The other two sets are also under £13 from HQ Hair here


Do you ever treat yourself in the pre-Christmas sales?

Fee xo. 

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Gift Idea - Sanctuary Ultimate Body Revival

Boots_Sanctuary_ultimate_body_gift_set

Another gift on the high street post today with Boots as Boots stores are everywhere and they also offer a Click & Collect service. 
 
This is the Sanctuary Spa Ultimate Body Revival set which consists of 6 products that are aimed to pamper from top to toe. The set is one of their medium sized sets at £20 - Boots Online here but they have sets from as little as £8 right up sets costing £40 with tons of products in them. 

All the products in the set are scented in the Sanctuary Spa scent which is a mixture of ginger and other spices which smells very spa like and relaxing. 
 
Boots_Sanctuary_ultimate_body_gift_set

Set contains:
Body Wash 250ml, Luxury Bath Float 75ml, Body Scrub 50ml, Body Lotion 75ml, Body Butter 100ml, Hand Cream 30ml, 2 x Mini Nail Files

This is of course a lovely gift to give someone that loves Sanctuary products but also its a good gift to give someone you don't know too well or aren't sure what they like when it comes to bath and body products. As the set could be suitable for a wide age range and the smell of the products isn't something anyone would dislike. 

 As for the products in the set I'm not keen on the two nail files... because 1. Why do you need two nail files 2. I think it cheapens the set a bit, a multi-file/buffer or a glass nail file would have been much nicer. However I do really like the sizes of the products in the set and can say the body butter and bath float are really lovely products. Also the packaging is rather lovely as well. 

Overall this is a great set that contains a good mix of bath & body products

I also really like the Sanctuary Dreamtime Sleep In-a-Box gift set (£12.50 - here) for a different sort of gift set. 

Fee xo.    

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Laura Mercier La Petite Patisserie Quartet - Pistache

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Having a bit of a gloomy day today (had some rubbish family news) so instead of sorting out my next giveaway I thought I would distract myself with a normal post. Though I'm sure I will sort out the giveaway tomorrow or at the weekend. 

Today I thought I would share with you a lovely gift set from Laura Mercier that you can buy from Space NK. I am risking ruining a surprise here as this is actually a Christmas gift for someone but I really wanted to show it on my blog before I wrapped it up! Plus I'm hoping the person will be too busy with Christmas to be reading my blog. 

The Laura Mercier La Petite Patisserie Pistache set is really great value for money at £25.00 from Space NK online - here and in some stores. The set consists of - Creme Body Wash (90ml), Souffle Body Creme (85g), Hand Creme (30g), Eau Gourmande Pistache EDT (15ml).

Laura_Mercier_Pistache_gift_set_Space_NK

With it being only 5 days until Christmas this set would be hard to give as a gift unless you visit a Space NK store however personally I feel this would be an even better set to treat yourself to with either Christmas money or a voucher... I am actually quite tempted myself now and know I will probably end up buying it (holding out to see if it will be in the after Christmas sales though!).

I would personally love to try out Laura Mercier body & bath products but the prices really are just too steep so this set is ideal! Plus is contains the 15ml perfume which is just the icing on the cake for me as the full 50ml size actually retails for £41.50! 

If you are curious to know what the pistache scent smells like I could only describe it as being a warm gourmet scent that is very similar to Thierry Mugler Angel. Space NK describe the Crème de Pistache scent as being inspired by the creamy and nutty aromas of pistachio desserts, is a decadent blend of gourmande ingredients with a combination of almond, praline and hazelnut nuances and freshly whipped cream.

A beautiful well priced gift set that really is worth treating yourself to if you enjoy Laura Mercier products or want to dip your toes into the brand. 

Fee xo.

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Gift Idea - Ted Baker Purse Spray Gift Set from Boots

Ted_Baker_Purse_spray_gift_set_Boots

As it is so near Christmas now I have decided to try and feature products that as well as being available online can be bought on the high street (or have a click and collect service thingy!). 

So to start off I thought I would share this gorgeous and very pink Ted Baker set that you can buy online or in-store at Boots.

 The Ted Baker Purse Spray Gift Set is £15.00 - here and consists of Ted Baker Polly fragrance 10ml (which is normally £15 alone) and two bath gems also in the scent. The set as you can see comes in a very pink transparent box with a handle which makes it super girly. 

As for the perfume, Polly is very veryyyy sweet! Sweet and fruity, however grown-up... I'm not talking Hello Kitty perfume sweet here. 

Ted_baker_gift_set_Boots_Christmas

The perfume would be ideal for anyone in their teens to mid 20's I would say and of course anyone that loves sweet perfumes such as the Britney Spears fragrances. As it is 10ml in size it is ideal for keeping in your handbag and using when your perfume has worn off during the day. As for the two Bath Gems they come scented with the same Polly fragrance and fizz away in the bath. 

A really cute but good quality set from Ted Baker here and it is of course in the 3 for 2 gifts deal! 

Ted Baker also offer some other great beauty gifts in Boots such as the Nail Polish duos which come in a range of shades (see my nails and a review here) and also some lovely Lip Crayons that come in a beautiful tin (review here). 

Fee xo.

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Christmas Giveaway No.9 - The Body Shop Christmas Treats!

The_Body_Shop_Christmas

Another Body Shop giveaway as I really do love TBS products at Christmas. Also in the last year I have been really impressed with how many offers they always have on! 

I actually did some of my Christmas shopping at The Body Shop last month and used a printed out code from a TBS email which made my £40 spend down to only £20! Actually I am pretty sure that is now an online offer with free p&p at the mo!

Anyway on to the prizes! 

Shea Butter Up Duo - 10ml Shea Lip Butter & 50ml Shea Body Butter
Vanilla Bliss Heart Soap (large)
The Sparkler All over shimmer in Dazzling Copper
Colourglide Shin Lipstick in Pink Flash

U.K only please
 

The winner will be announced on the Rafflecopter form on Wednesday and contacted via email. 

Good luck! 

Fee xo.
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Gift Idea - Cheap Shamballa Bracelets

Shamballa_bracelet_cheap_amazon

In the past year Shamballa bracelets have become really popular. Of course genuine Shamballa bracelets are upwards of £50 and have pretty Swarovski crystals in them. However now you can purchase much cheaper versions on Amazon and eBay. 

This Shamballa bracelet was only £2.68 with free p&p from Amazon - here!

There are so many versions available on Amazon (all the cheap Shamballa bracelets can be found here) from multi-coloured versions, to gold and silver ones. Making these a great inexpensive gift for someone, a little stocking filler... or even a gift to yourself!

Shamballa_bracelet_amazon 
 As for the quality I am really impressed. Of course the little crystals may drop out over time I am thinking but the cord really makes this a sturdy bracelet. As you can see from the above images the cord at the back of the bracelet can be adjusted by quite a large amount, so really this will fit all wrist sizes.
 
Of course as it is so near Christmas you will have to check each sellers delivery details on Amazon, however my bracelet was dispatched the same day and posted 1st class. 

Fee xo. 

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Christmas Giveaway No.8 - Favourite Books!

Makeup_savvy_giveaway 

For today's giveaway I thought I would roll two prizes into one as I realised I have too many prizes for the 12 giveaways! 

So the winner will receive The Goddess Experience by Gisele Scanlon and Lessons of a Lipstick Queen by Poppy King. Both books are such good reads, especially The Goddess Experience as it is such a unique book (Both this book and the 1st book make such great gifts!). If you want to read more about the two books I did a post on them - here

Important - Pleaseeeeee include an e-mail address you do use as I have only had one winner so far reply back to me over the 7 giveaways so far! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The winner will be revealed on the Rafflecopter form above on Monday and contacted by e-mail. 

Good Luck! 

Fee xo.

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Christmas Giveaway No.7 - Starbucks Travel Cup

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Two weeks ago now I featured a Starbucks Travel Cup (blog post - here) as a non-beauty gift idea for Christmas and everyone seems to like it. So I decided to pick up another and give it away!

This cup is of course perfect for on-the-go as the outside of the ceramic doesn't get hot so it can be held but it can also be used as a normal mug for making yummy hot chocolate in. 

Please use the Rafflecopter form below to enter - UK only.  


The giveaway will end 11:59pm Friday and the winner will be contacted via e-mail on Saturday so please make sure to enter a valid e-mail address.

Good luck! 

Fee xo.

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Christmas Giveaway No.6 - A Few of My Favourite Things!

christmas_giveaway_makeupsavvy

Another Christmas Giveaway today of a few of my favourite beauty products in 2012.

Firstly the Boots Botanics Facial Brush has been a favourite of mine for so long now. I call this the poor man's Clarisonic as it is basically a manual version of the pricey device. It helps with spots, evens out skin tone, makes the skin feel so soft and removes dead skin cells - I use mine every other day and love it!

I also had to include Suddenly Madame Glamour which is in fact a Lidl perfume.... however it smells so, so, soooo similar to Chanel Coco Mademoiselle.

Last but not least my favourite high street nude lipstick - Vivo Barely There. This is such a lovely shade and creamy on the lips. 

As always U.K only please
a Rafflecopter giveaway

The giveaway will end 11:59pm Wednesday and the winner will be contact via email on Thursday. 

 Good Luck! 

Fee xo.
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Gift Idea - Metallic GHDs for Christmas!

ghd_metallic_asos

When I first started straightening my hair more than 10 years ago now I could only dream of owning a pair of GHD Hair Straighteners and even now they still hold the same status

This is because there just aren't any hair straighteners like them - they glide through the hair making it poker straight in seconds, they are light weight and the sleek curved barrel and design is definitely aesthetically pleasing. 

Thich is why GHD's are such a good gift to give at Christmas. Especially the recent metallic GHDs from ASOS which come in three festive metallic shades - saharah gold, shimmering silver and rich ruby and include a quilted carry case which is heat proof. 


asos_ghd_metaliic 


What I personally love about the GHD classic styler is the quick heat up time... I am talking less than 20 seconds, the built-in heat mat in the travel case and of course how the ceramic plates add shine to the hair as well as straightening. The hair straighteners also feature an automatic sleep mode if the hair straighteners haven't been used for 30 minutes (no more 'did I turn off my straighteners' moments!).

Also another great feature of the hair straighteners is the curved barrel which means they can actually be used to curl the hair, create flicks or to simply curl under the hair or a fringe. When I first tried curling my hair with my own GHD's I did pretty much fail miserably but thankfully there are a whole host of great tutorials on YouTube to watch so I have now mastered it. 

 The GHD's in the Metallic collection are priced at £135 so are a high end gift to give or even ask for. However the hair straighteners really are such high quality and will stand the test of time! 

 Fee xo.

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Simple Fair Isle Christmas Nail Art

Christmas_fair_isle_nail_art

I have been so obsessed with glitter nail polish recently that I have totally neglected any sort of nail art. So I thought I would try out a simple design of crosses and dots to create some quick and easy Fair Isle print nails. 

Fair Isle is actually a knitting technique from Fair Isle (a little island off Scotland) that has in recent years become very popular in fashion, in particular Christmas knitwear! This design really is a simplified version of the fair isle print though with rows of dots and little crosses.

simple_fair_isle_nail_art

What I used and all that stuff...

For the red base nail polish I chose my favourite red - Sally Hansen Insta-Dri in Rapid Red (only £1.99 from Xtras here). I can't say I love the bottle shape at all but this is such an opaque fast-drying red, actually the fastest drying nail polish I own. 

For the design I used a Sally Hansen Nail Art pen in white which I bought from Fragrance Direct for only £1.99 but sadly it is sold out and seems to be sold out everywhere at the moment - eBay, Xtras, Amazon. Though the Sally Hansen nail art pens in gold and silver can be found on eBay still. The pens really are mess free and are more like an actual pen as the formula isn't actually nail polish meaning it isn't thick and can be removed or corrected with water. This does mean you have to remember to use a top coat however to seal in the nail art!

Another range of nail art pens I recommend are the Models Own Wah Nail Art pens (you can find white, black and pink on ASOS - £6.00 here). I didn't think much of them when they came out but since then they have been re-worked and have improved so much! 

What do you currently have on your nails? 

Fee xo.

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Christmas Giveaway No.5 - Liz Earle Starter Gift


Liz_earle_gift_set

Back to UK only giveaways from now on with a lovely gift set from Liz Earle that I picked up in John Lewis. 

Liz Earle has such a great skincare range and I am such a fan of the Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser, so I knew I had to pick up a gift set that contained it.

The Liz Earle Skincare Starter Gift includes

Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser 100ml
1 Pure Muslin Cloth
Instant Boost Skin Tonic Spritzer 30ml 

I seem to state this over and over again but please DO NOT enter if you live outside of the United Kingdom. 
The giveaway will end 11.59pm Monday night and the winner with be contacted on Tuesday via email. 

Good Luck! 

Fee xo.

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Holiday Buys!

Essence_makeup_holiday

Finally getting around to showing you what I picked up on holiday in Lanzarote today! 

Last time I visited Lanzarote in December 2011 I didn't buy any makeup except two Yes Love nail polishes as there really wasn't any good shops selling cosmetics except for pricey perfume shops that sold products I could get in the UK. This time however I found an amazing shop that I could have spent so much money in and also a pharmacy that had an Essence makeup stand! 

Non-beauty related purchases out of the way first. I picked up a little Russian doll keyring as I like adding a new keyring to my keys when I visit somewhere new. It was really inexpensive at 3 euros but I like that it has been hand painted. 

I also picked up...

holiday_makeup_essense_europe 

A pretty necklace, again inexpensive, that I bought it the shop that I could have spent so much in! It was in a shop call Fund Grube which was a mixture of a perfume/makeup shop and a clothes/jewellery shop. I also picked up the two Rare nails nail polishes in Cranberry and Understated. I've never heard of Rare before but they had so many lovely nail polishes at only 2.50 euros!

As for my Essense makeup buys I really think I should of bought more because I love what I picked up. I was hoping I would find an Essense stand as I've tried a few bits from them in the past and was thoroughly impressed - I actually have an eyeshadow duo that I love and use so much! So thankfully I found a similar eyeshadow quad named 'to die for' which was only 3.49 euro and I couldn't be more pleased, the eye shadows are just so finely milled for the price and the shade are totally what I go for.

I also picked up a nice warm nude nail polish in Toffee To Go which is the perfect shade for my skin tone. Also two Essence XXXL Shine lipgloss' in Nude Candy and Fabulous Fuchsia... I have one Essense lipgloss already which I loved so I'm really pleased with these, and lastly a Stay All Day Long Lasting Eyeshadow in Camp Rock which is just such an amazing shade and I actually got it in a 99 cent basket at the checkout.

If you are in the UK or somewhere else that doesn't sell Essense but get the chance to buy some products from the brand by a swap or going on holiday or even a friend/relative going on holiday then really do as it's a great brand! 

Fee xo.

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Gift Idea - N-Spa Bath Fizzers in Vanilla & Turkish Delight

Nspa_Bath_Fizzers

A quick little Saturday post today on these super cheap bath bombs! 

Not a lot to say except they come in Vanilla, Turkish Delight and Coconut and all smell oh so yummy. They can be purchased in Asda stores next to all the fruity NSpa products or online if you food shop with Asda. 

As for the price these are actually £1.60 each (not that 10p even matters) or 2 for £3.00... hence why I thought they were £1.50 each - really Asda a saving of 20p? Hmmm I will forgive you because they are so cheap already! 

nspa_bath_fizzers_asda

The size of the Bath Fizzers is comparable to that of a Terry's Chocolate Orange so my brain is saying that these would make a great gift to put in the very bottom of a stocking as I use to always receive a Terry's Chocolate Orange from Father Christmas in my stocking every year! 

S if you are on a tight budget... or buying for someone that gets you rubbish presents haha then two of these will be a very cheap gift!

Fee xo.


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Christmas Giveaway No.4 - International Giveaway!

Makeupsavvy_christmas 

 I promised an international giveaway, so here it is! 

I wanted to pick out some things that were related to England but still cute and hopefully I have done that! But I also wanted some glitter so had to pick up the Barry M nail polishes.


As all my other Christmas giveaways are UK only please could I ask UK readers not to partake in this giveaway as I do want the prizes to go to an international reader.

The winner will receive
  •   Cath Kidston Buckingham Palace Pocker Mirror
  • 5p Coin Purse (I really love this, a lot!)
  • Barry M Glitter nail polishes in - Silver multi, Aqua and Gold.


The winner will be announced on the Rafflecopter form above and emailed on Sunday 9th December. 

Good Luck! 

Fee xo.
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Clothes Show Live Exclusive: Models Own Show Stopper

Models_own_Show_Stopper 

The Clothes Show Live starts tomorrow (running from 7-11th December) and Models Own have gone and created a totally exclusive glitter nail polish for the event! 

This will be sold exclusively on the Models Own stand (PK116) for £5 and is inspired by this year's Clothes Show Live Ambassador, Daisy Lowe *shhh don't tell anyone, but I can't say I see the connection*. 

This is a packed glitter of gorgeous greys, blues, silver and purples and can easily be worn as a top coat (as above) or with a few coats an opaque glitter. So pretty!

For these nails I applied Revlon Powder Puff which is a pearly white polish with a semi matte finish, as a base. Then one single coat of Show Stopper and then added a little more to the tips of the nails to create a gradient look. To finish I applied the Models Own Top Coat just to seal in the glitter as there is nothing worse can catching glitter nails on clothing and getting fluff attached to your nails!

If you are heading to the Clothes Show Live this year... then I am quite jealous, I haven't been for many years now but I remember it being so amazing for deals and bargains. Jealous aside, make to shop until your feet hurt and before they totally drop off visit the Models Own stand as I hear they will also be selling an amazing kit of 13 products (this includes 3 nail polishes) for only £10?! 

 I may have to go myself next year!

Fee xo. 

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Gift Guide - Giving Gifts That Give

Gift Guide

I was thinking about writing a series of gift guides again this Christmas. However there are so many gift guides all over the internet this year that I thought I would only do ones that spring to mind and not a series.

Such as this gift guide which has been inspired by my love of giving gifts that don't just get forgotten or used within a few months after Christmas. All the ideas below are savvy friendly and no more than £36.


U.S mag subscription

Magazine subscriptions 
from £25.00
This is quite an obvious one I know. But after recently reading the U.S versions of Marie Claire and Elle magazine on holiday it has been highlighted to me how much better U.S magazines are, plus of course it is something totally different to read! I was quite suprised how U.S Marie Claire differs to our U.K version - just a lot more content and really positive towards strong confident women. 

Newstand.co.uk is probably the best and cheapest place for non-U.K subscriptions and 6 months is probably a good subscription length I would say. For a good UK magazine subscription I would highly recommend Red magazine which I am subscribed to. iSubscribe offer 6 months for only £13.60 here which is pretty good!

Here are some of my picks...
For glossy Fashion readers - ELLE U.S (6 months - £36.91), Marie Claire USA (6 months - £35.11), Allure (6 months - £36.31)
For Teens - Glamour USA (6 months - £35.23), Seventeen (6 months - £24.85)
For Home Decor readers - Martha Stewart Living (6 months - £29.83) Elle Decor U.S (6 months - £35.23)


asos_premier

ASOS Premier Account 
£9.95  for a year
I've had a ASOS premier account for a year now and it has been so worth while to have it that I think it would be a great gift to give anyone that shops online a lot. For £9.95 a year the holder of the premier account can enjoy unlimited next day delivery (or selected day delivery) with no minimum order and a hard copy of the ASOS magazine each month. Also through -out the year they will receive discount codes and early access to sales. You can find out more and sign up - here


Q-and-A-a-Day-Amazon

  Q and A a Day: 5 Year Journal 
£6.85 from Amazon - here
I came across this last week when looking for a 2013 planner for someone and thought this was an amazing idea for a gift. The 5 year Journal asks you a question each day and isn't bulky as you would expect as each page has a space for the 5 years. So once you have gone through each day you start all over again and can compare your answers from past years - really very clever. The journal also looks really good and would make a great gift for someone that enjoys quirky but thoughtful gifts.

harvey_nichols_afternoon_tea
  
Afternoon Tea at Harvey Nichols
from £15.50 per person

Afternoon tea can of course be taken in any hotel and restaurants however I decided to select Harvey Nichols Afternoon Tea as there are HN stores in pretty much every city and it is very affordable. I have previously had Afternoon Tea in Harvey Nichols Manchester and the restaurant and cakes were amazing! Afternoon tea can be taken everyday including Sunday and are sometimes themed (I had Jo Malone Afternoon Tea!). I would personally purchase gift vouchers for the correct amount in-store (some prices per person are more than £15.50) and visit the restaurant to pick up an Afternoon Tea menu and then place this with the gift card. However you would have to double check gift vouchers can be spent on Afternoon Tea.

Hopefully these are some slightly different ideas for a more thoughtful gift!


Fee xo. 


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