3-Hour Blog Planning: Get Motivated & Increase Pageviews

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For the past 6 weeks I've been experiencing some pretty severe fatigue (thanks, Vitamin D deficiency) and the last thing I've wanted to do is blog if I'm totally honest. While most of you won't be feeling like a sloth due to an obsession with SPF, blogging slumps can come on for various reasons, good and bad - I know I've wanted to blog less when I got addicted to watching Making A Murderer! But ditching your blog when you've worked so hard on it just isn't an option.

Which is why I came up with my monthly 3-hour blog planning solution that has actually motivated me to blog more even if I'm still feeling like sh*t! It's a mixture of inspiring yourself to blog while carefully planning the right content + making your blogging month that bit easier!

 Basically here's how I got my blogging mojo back in 3 little hours! 

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My stock image library for September

Plan out your blog content for the month ahead 
This may seem an obvious one, but I certainly wasn't doing it so far in advance, but it makes a huge difference. But unlike normal blog post planning the aim here is to plan your content around myself/your needs and then think about what your readers want. How I like to plan my content is to have a huge brainstorm and write down as many ideas for blog posts as possible and also products I want to review over the coming month. I when decide realistically how often I can blog each week and start to plan it all out. If you're not feeling blogging right now include fun and easy posts each week such as wishlists and tags that won't take much time. 
  •  Include at least one easy to write/fun blog post per week 
  • Think about what your readers want to see and when Examples - Haul posts on/after payday, seasonal posts. This all increases page views! 

Shoot & edit your own blog stock images 
I've briefly mentioned creating a stock image library before because it's so handy when it comes to days you just aren't in the mood to take photos or the weather is too dark or you just fancy getting a post up quickly. For this I aim to take between 4-8 different images with slightly different themes to them. If flatlays don't come naturally to you then seeking inspiration on Pinterest or from your favourite blogs will seriously help. Once I've shot 4-8 setups I then jump on my laptop, select my favourites and edit them. These can be then used throughout the month just by adding a bit of text - for this I use PhotoScape or Canva. Above are my own stock images and as you can see I used the top left image for today's blog post just by adding a diagonal strip and text, which took me all of 5 minutes! 
  •  These can be carried over to the next month and re-used multiple times
  • Perfect for blog tip and lifestyle posts 

Write up a weeks worth of catchy blog titles and save them
Getting blog post titles wrote and saved as blog posts can be such a motivation because whenever you go onto your blogging platform they will be waiting for you and you can write bits as and when you feel like it. Also planning out your titles instead of writing them just before you write the blog post means you will create more interesting titles that people will want to click on! For extra help creating eye catching blog posts this title template I found on Pinterest is great or you can even paste your title into CoSCoschedule Headline Analyzer which will score your headline and really help you make it the best it can be - I love this free resource! 

*Planned out titles will always attract more page views 
*You've already started your post so you'll feel motivated to write it up! 

This 3-hour blog planning really has motivated me at a time when I seriously need it and I couldn't recommend it more - if you give it a go let me know how you get on in the comments!

Fee xo.  

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eBay Review: Acrylic Makeup Storage... under £9!

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Last week I decided with an overflowing and basically very messy makeup table that it was time I invested in some more makeup storage.  With two acrylic drawer towers from Muji that are as good as new 4 years on, I was tempted to have a Muji splurge... but then eBay of course came to mind! 

Which is how I came across this bad boy for only £8.84 including free UK delivery here! Yes, literally under £9 for the entire thing... and if I dare say, better quality than Muji storage?! 

Find my full review below including even cheaper options!

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Now I'm pretty sure you can see this is an absolutely lovely piece of makeup storage and a total bargain but I thought it would be helpful to explain it in more detail, including what I will be using it for, comparing it to Muji storage and just how versatile it is. 

What you receive + delivery 
 I went for the 4 Drawer Makeup Case option here. This includes a single large drawer set with 2 small drawers and two large drawers over 3 levels. Plus a separate tiered organiser that fits onto the top of the drawer set or can be used on it's own, that includes a 12 hole lip holder, 3 back compartments and a large open compartment. 

As you can see this holds quite a lot of makeup for it's size. With the back compartments being great for brushes and pencil products, the grid being ideal for lipsticks and the drawers for neatly organising more makeup items. I'm personally using to use this to hold my every day makeup along  with my current favourite lip products. In the drawers in storing concealers, cheek products, foundations and eyeshadow palettes and singles - literally everything I need and more for my everyday face! Delivery is also UK based and took only 4 days for me! 

Quality 
The quality of the acrylic really has impressed me, and comparing it to my existing Muji drawers it is actually thicker. I also prefer the little drawer knobs on this unit compared to the Muji cutout semi circle holes as it means you aren't touching the actual storage with makeup fingers and getting it dirty! The drawers are quite shallow but as you can see they fit a single layer of products perfectly. Acrylic storage in general is very long lasting but I really can see this unit lasting years!

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Versatility
With the top compartment being a separate unit it means you have the option of keeping it as a stacked tower or using both pieces separately, either for totally different things or next to each other. I will be personally keeping the unit stacked for space but as you can see both units next to each other look great. 

Also with non-slip drawer liners being included for all 4 drawers the organiser could be used to store jewellery. And the tiered unit could definitely be used for stationary - so versatile!

Other storage options
In the eBay listing I purchased this item (4 Drawers Makeup Case here). However you can find 2 narrow acrylic drawers here for a mere £5.89. 

Overall I've totally in love with this eBay find and can't believe a unit that looks this good and stores so much could cost only £9! 

My overflowing makeup table is no more! 

Fee xo. 

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Amazing New Skincare Launches You Need To Try!

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Over the years I've come to appreciate and love good skincar. With more advanced science and development than ever before I really believe that brands are coming out with some amazing products that can literally do wonders for our skin!
 Below are 4 new skincare products (including two skincare/makeup hybrids) that I've been using for the past month and absolutely love - these really are the products to try out! 

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L'Oreal Pure Clay Detox Mask 
£7.99 (currently on offer - £5) Boots HERE 
This new release is one of three clay based masks that aim to purify and basically transform the skin. On looking at all three masks is was tricky to decide which one to go for - purifying, detoxing or glow. But in the end, I decided on the detox mask as I love nothing more than a deep cleansing mask that draws out all the grime and oil for my oily/combination skin. On trying out the mask a few times now I can say it was what I was looking for and more as it is a mask that dries on the face and really does soak up excess oil as you can see in the above image. It also leaves the skin feeling clean and fresh without feeling right once washed off. I've tried a number of clay masks from high street brands now and this really is the most detoxing for the skin. Nothing as amazing as the Glamglow face mask but a good alternative if you're on a budget! Beyond impressed with this mask.

La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo Unifiant
£16.50 - Escentual HERE 
Merging skincare with makeup here I have the new Efflacar Duo Unifiant which could easily be mistaken for the original skincare product! This is an ideal product to wear on bad skin days or if you're trying to manage blemishes better. Much like a tinted BB cream with a slightly less liquid formula this give a light matte coverage to the skin but with the added benefits of Effaclar Duo - think pore unclogging, blemish healing and all round skin smoothing. I've used Effaclar Duo for years now and always go back to it when my skin breaks out as it's effective yet gentle to the skin, so I'm very pleased with this pairing! Side note - I've also been using the product similar to how I'd use a primer which creates a lovely base by evening out my skin tone and concealing any redness I may have.

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Pixi Glow Tonic To-Go Toning Pads x 60 
£16.00 - QVC UK HERE
 Pixi Glow Tonic got a sister! Yes, this is just a different style of Pixi Glow Tonic (which is the bees knees!) that comes in pre-soaked pads making it travel-friendly and in my opinion, longer lasting. Exactly like Glow Tonic the pads stimulate cell turn over, exfoliate and do all kinds of amazing things to the skin! Results with these pads and the original Glow Tonic do take a month or so, but you can expect brighter and clearer looking skin. The main reason I love Pixi's glow tonic is it helps cell turnover around my chin area, removing congestion and bumpy skin, plus it also makes sure little blackheads don't crop up on my forehead or randomly on my cheeks - the woes of oily skin! Having used the liquid version and now the pads I really can say I much prefer the pads as there's no chance of me over applying the liquid to a cotton pad anymore and I find them just as effective!

Niod Photography Fluid Tan Opacity 8%
£18.00 - QVC UK HERE
Last but not least possibly a confusing product to understand but one that makes the skin look amazing! This bronzing serum can be used to contour or add a glow to the entire face and by reflecting pigments (there is quite a bit of science behind it!) making the skin look flawless both in real life and in photographs plus overall more tanned but in the most natural looking way possible! I've tested this out of course and it's all true, in fact I got carried away and applied even more when I saw the amazing effects it had on my skin - seriously lit from within stuff that just makes you glow, as if you are carrying around the most flattering lighting with you wherever you go. The serum is ultra light in formula so it doesn't ever look like you are wearing anything over your foundation and for that reason you can full on glow if you like. I can imagine this looking amazing on no makeup days but also mixed with foundation for a dewy slightly bronzed glow to the skin. Side note - I do have pretty fair skin and due to the low opacity it was totally fine for me. You can see before and after images of the product on the skin in the link above.

These are all outstanding new launches, so I hope you give some a go! Let me know if you do and what your thoughts are on them. 

Have you tried any new skincare items recently that you absolutely love? 

Fee xo. 
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eBay Haul - What I Bought in August

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August has been another good month for eBay finds! I've picked up some amazing brush set which I blogged about separately here, along with quite a few accessories and some beauty treats... just because! 

Below are all my eBay buys for the month which I'm so pleased with, well except for one product that I'm so sad is a totally awful product but looks amazing... can you guess which one it is?!

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Rose Gold Mirrored Sunglasses 
£2.39 HERE
First up I thought I'd start with accessories as I picked up some gems this month. My favourite accessory has to be these rose gold metallic sunnies that I've featured in a few eBay Bargains posts. Not only have I seen these exact sunglasses being sold for £10-15 online but they always seem to sell out quickly, so I was pretty pleased with my find... and I'm sure you'll agree that they do look more expensive and similar to Quay sunglassess! Due to the rose gold these really brighten up the face and the shape is actually so flattering. As for the quality I'm really impressed for the price and they don't feel cheap or like they will break. As I love these so much I've ordered the black frames with red/orange mirrored lenses - I can't wait for them to arrive now!

Dreamcatcher Necklace 
99p HERE
 When it comes to jewellery I'm all about cheap but pretty pieces, I don't wear a watch or any rings on a daily basis, so I like to impulse buys budget items that catch my eye. Which is why I picked up this lovely dream catcher pendant. At 99p you never know what the quality will be before it arrives but I'm certainly happy this time as I love the matte gold finish to the main part and then the little etched feathers that nicely catch the light. I'm also really impressed with the detail especially as it's quite a dainty piece (around 10p size) and I'm certain no one would ever guess it was such a cheap item. I've already worn the necklace a few times but I can see myself wearing it quite a bit come Autumn/Winter.

Double Layer Tassel Choker 
 99p HERE
Another necklace I impulsively bought due to the low price and again I'm more than pleased with the quality and how it looks. Again lots of detail to the necklace for only 99p, such as the faux suede tassel on a black metal chain and the little gold bar to the choker. This is comfortable to wear and fastens with a standard necklace clip that can be adjusted to size. I think I will buying a few more chokers from eBay now!

Making Magic Happen Tee 
Style #11 £3.71 HERE
Not really an accessory but another buy I took a risk with the quality and if it would actually fit or not! But thankfully both turned out better than I expected with the t-shirt actually being really good quality with a nice stretch to it and it fitting well, though I did go for an XL and I'm a UK 12-14! This is a slogan tee I've seen a few U.S fashion bloggers wearing in the past year and with it being grey and with a font I actually like I couldn't not pick it up. Very pleased I decided to buy this as I do normally avoid fitted items from China as their sizing can be off.

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Black Oval Foundation Brush 
£1.69 HERE
Did I need another oval brush? Probably not. But oh well, under £2 is a bargain and I do love me some oval brushes. For the price this is a surprisingly dense brush with a good domed top. Yes, the plastic does feel cheap but you would have to press the brush against your face very hard for it to ever snap! However the ultra soft non-shedding bristles really do make up for the cheap plastic handle. For me this will be a good back-up brush for when my other foundation brushes are dirty. 

Rose Gold Fluffy Eyeshadow Blending Brush 
99p HERE
I already own this specific brush (from buying this 5 piece set) but as I loved it so much I had to get another. I love when I come across fluffy blending brushes that just works and this is one of them. I love everything about this brush, especially the rose gold finish and the indent to the handle of where to hold it. I really can't get over that this brush cost me only 99p - amazing! 

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Translucent Flower Lipstick
£2.65 HERE
Right now you are probably ooo'ing at how amazing this lipstick looks. I know I certainly was when it arrived and it is a thing of beauty.... however it also my fail buy of the month. I've purchased a similar clear lipstick like this before and it turned out to have an awful taste/scent to it, but I thought it was a just a one-off; sadly not! On the lips this has an awful taste that's slightly musty smelling and for that reason I just can't wear it. This does happen from time to time with items and I'll know now never to purchase lipsticks from China based sellers on eBay again. Side note - I will be requesting a refund for this item and from past experiences it should be accepted as sellers don't want to risk their star rating.

Elite 99 Matt Top Coat & Gel Polish in Blue 90518
£2.99 HERE | £2.99 HERE
 Recently I've been getting into gel nails thanks to the Sensationail Polish to Gel Kit (see my review here) so I thought I'd try out a few cheap gel polishes from eBay to see how they fair. I've yet to try either of these polishes out so I can't give a mini review but I'm looking forward to trying out the matte top coat especially and the gorgeous vivid blue on my toes.

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Rose Gold Crystal Transparent Case 
 99p HERE
My phone case obsession continues! Yes, I picked up yet more phone cases this month and I'm not sorry about it. First up I have this gorgeous 3D transparent rose gold cover that's currently on my phone and looks amazing. I imagine it would look even more amazing if you have the iPhone 6 or 6 plus with the rose gold back but on my 5s I'm still really happy with how it looks. It also feels really nice and is made from a sturdy silicone that fits the phone perfectly. Yes, yes, yes, to this buy!

Multi Glitter Phone Case 
£2.26 HERE
I also decided I needed a Kate Spade style glitter phone case in my life so I picked up this dazzling pink multi glitter beauty! I have a feeling this may pick up fluff from clothing etc when the glitter catches on things but I really don't care because it's so pretty and exactly what I was looking for. This also comes in a range of different colours, all of which look great and it's a hard case. 


So many items this month that I'm more than pleased with! 

Hope you've enjoyed this month's eBay haul - you can find last month's haul here.

Fee xo.

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A Zoeva Rose Gold Eye Brush Set Dupe... only £3.50?!

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Just the other day I dropped a casual link in a blog post to this exact brush set. Then I thought... exactly why aren't you blogging about it?! So here I am sharing my amazement of this Zoeva dupe brush set from eBay!

As you may already know I recently found an amazing dupe for the 8-piece Zoeva face set on eBay for under £5 (which you can buy here or read my review of here) and then I came across the matching 12-piece eye set (£3.28 eBay UK here or eBay US here) and instantly snapped it up! Now as I'm always honest I will say that there are a few brushes in this set that I basically hate and won't be using but loving 8 brushes out of the 12 for £3.28 really isn't bad at all. So this is basically a fair and honest review... but still snap them up if you want some amazingly pretty rose gold brushes for your collection or just to use as blog props! 

I mean they are cheaper than the price of a magazine... or a single eyeshadow brush in Boots (much better comparsion, Fee!). 

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The brushes you receive + Zoeva comparison

Left to right - Eyeshadow/concealer buffer brush, small smudger brush, larger flat brush, angle liner/brow brush, flat round tipped brush, ultra fine wing liner brush, fluffy eye shader brush,  two narrow fluffy brushes, two medium narrow fluffy brushes, large flat topped fluffy brush, small pencil brush. 

On comparing my Zoeva brushes (around £8.50 each) to my eBay finds (around 27p each haha) there are a few notable differences - the eBay brushes are longer by half an inch, the rose gold is slightly more vivid but with subtle indents to the ferrule, they're also free from all writing and branding and the handles are more of a light dusky pink than the nude toned Zoeva ones. However the overall appearance is very similar with the black and white duo fibre brushes looking the most similar. Some brushes do match up to what you can buy from Zoeva such as the 142 Concealer Buffer from the Rose Golden volume 2 collection and the 226 Smudger brush, but on the whole the eBay set is more inspired by the Zoeva brush set. 

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My Favourite Brushes

As I mentioned at the start of this post, I don't love all the brushes to the set but 8 out of 12 isn't bad. My favourites have to be the 3 duo fibre brush, just so soft and such amazing quality (the largest brush is amazing for buffing concealer under the eyes), as well as the small angled brush which again is so soft and I've been using with brow powder to fill in my brows. I also surprised myself by loving the very fine liner brush as I've been touching it against the nib of my Lord & Berry liquid liner and achieving a precise winged eye that way! I've also been liking the white fluffy shader brush as it's perfectly soft and works well to pat on lid colour.

zoeva-rose-golden-uk-ebayQuality + Dislikes 

For the price the quality is pretty damn amazing and after a week of using them and washing them 3 times I've yet to see any shedding or splaying of the bristles! The handles and rose gold ferrules also seem sturdy and well made.

However I do have two dislikes around this set - My first issue was soon remedied by give them an initial wash, as they arrived with such a strong spray paint smell. It was hard to tell if this was the packaging or the brushes themselves but they really couldn't have been used straight away. A minor issue but one I felt needed mentioning! I also dislike 4 of the white fibre brushes, one is just a little too stiff (small pencil brush) for around the eyes for me, but my problem is the other 3 brushes are just cut and shaped in such a basic way, making them pretty rubbish to use! It really is as if they got bored of coming up with different shapes and styles of brush and just cut these 3 brushes straight across. But as I mentioned it's not a big deal when you love all the other brushes and only spent £3.28 on the entire set! 

This 12-piece eye set along with the 8-piece face set really are some of my favourite eBay brush finds to date. You can find my review of the dupe Zoeva face set which contains 8 brushes here or snap up the set below for only £4.84!

US Link - here

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I think you'll agree that this set is amazing value for money and just looks stunning. I'm so pleased I picked these up - in fact I'll be buying another set (in black) to have duplicates of my favourite brushes!

Fee xo.  

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First World Problems (Beauty Bloggers may relate!)

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How cheap Bath & Body Works candles are (currently $12.50!) but the fact they aren't available in the UK. 

Related problem - U.S custom charges (enough said.) 

Late night nail painting that results in duvet print nails the next morning.

Finding the perfect marble slab that would be oh so perfect as a blog prop and then realising it weighs 4 stone. 

The price of Zoeva brushes (though I have just found a 12 piece eyeshadow dupe set for only £3.28 on eBay & you can find my review of the face dupe set here!

When a matte liquid lipstick swatch just won't wash off your arm/hand. 

The fact you still get asked to explain what a blog is!!! 

And then when you explain you get asked either - 1. So, how much do you make from that then? 2. Do you know Zoella? Just face palm.

When you realise that the words 'dupe' and 'swatch' aren't used on any media platform outside of the internet and your friends only know these terms because you're a blogger!

Being excited for Autumn  just because, autumnal themed posts and cute blog props, obvs. 

But the woes of bad lighting for blog photography come October, arghh!

If you're a blogger I hope you relate to a few of these! 

Let me know your own first world problems :) 

Fee xo.  

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Ebay Bargains #58 - Summer Daze

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20 Piece Makeup Brush Set 
6 Colours | £3.59 HERE
I'm always a bit hesitant to feature brush sets like this because the likelihood that every single brush will be good quality and you'll use them all is unlikely. But that's not to say they aren't worth it because I can see over 10 brushes that I know I will like in this set. From the pretty aesthetically pleasing line-up there are many brushes that would be ideal for eyeshadow, eyeliner and on the brows. Perfect for travel and adding more intricate brushes to your collection for only a few pounds!

Grey Pineapple T-shirt 
Size S-XL | £5.31 HERE
If you know anything about beauty bloggers it's that they love anything pineapple themed (don't worry I'm including myself in this). So of course this grey not-trying-too-hard pineapple tee caught my eye. I love the shape/boyfriend cut to it and obvs the pineapple design. I'm also not worried about the quality as I recently picked up a super cheap t-shirt from eBay (but from a china based seller) and was more than impressed with the quality of it. However FYI always size up (I'm generally a size 12 on top but always go for an L or XL for a looser fit). Totally sold with this find!

Pom Pom Lace-up Sandals 
£13.98 | HERE
Arghh, for the first time ever I've gone and recommended something that's quickly going out of stock but that's not surprising at under £15! Hopefully if you're reading this and like them then they will have your size - fingers crossed! As pom poms have become a major trend this summer I had to include something that featured then and what better item than lace-up criss-cross sandals. You can also find a slightly less strappy pair of pom pom sandals here for £12.99.

Bath & Body Works Summer fragranced Pocket Bac 
20+ fragrances | £2.39 HERE
I have a few of these now from eBay and love them! Perfect for when you want to clean your hands on the go and ideal for summer when going on holiday or eating out. There are so mant amazing scents to pick from but I love the sound of the above Sparkling Limoncello and from past experience with these little antibacterial hand gels I can say they are extremely well scented!

Hawaiian Tropic Lime Coolada After Sun Body Butter
£4.00 | HERE  
There's nothing more soothing than slathering on a cooling body butter after a day in the sun, am I right? I personally love any of the Hawaiian Tropics body butters for this but this is a new one that I'm pretty sure will smell amazing. I personally love anything lime scented so I'll be picking this up!

Nude Floral Kimono 
 Size S-XL | £5.28 HERE
Kimonos are one of those versatile pieces in summer and with our British weather often needed. I often wear kimonos with a simple black or white vest top so this definitely caught my eye with the lace detail to the sleeves and bottom and the pretty watercolour style floral design. Also it's an item that's sure to fit and look good as kimonos drape is such a flattering way.

Leaf Print Triangle Bikini Set
Size S-XL | £5.99 HERE
This item makes me wish for smaller boobs as this just isn't an option for me with the triangle cut and lack of support... but I love it! The print is seriously on trend right now and the white edging would enhance any tan. As always with buying from sellers in China always size up, maybe even two sizes with this!
 
Perfume Bottle Style Gel Nail Polish #106
60+ shades | £2.45 HERE
After hours of eBay searching you come across gems like this! Never in a million years did a think I'd be sharing with you a gel nail polish that looks oh so similar to the Dior J'adore fragrance! Slightly strange but also very pretty and a total bargain. There are so many shades to pick from, including glitter top coats, that you are spoilt for choice but I personally love the vivid cobalt blue shades... though I am also eyeing up shade #59 for autumn! Side note - Just to make it clear these are gel nail polishes so a UV/LED lamp is required to dry them. 
 
Red/Orange Metallic Bridge Frame Sunglasses 
7 options | £2.43 HERE  
I recently picked up the rose gold version of these sunglasses (which you can also buy in the listing) and couldn't believe how amazing they look for the price - seriously in love! So I went and bought the red/orange pair with a black frame. These will look totally different on  compared to the rose gold ones but I equally love them and now I know the amazing quality I can't wait to receive them. One of my most favourite summer buys right here!
 
Chunky Pastel Jelly Slider Sandals 
4 colours options | £7.90 HERE
Lastly I had to include these pretty cool flatform jelly sandals... mainly because I'm obsessed with shoes made from pvc/jelly because they seriously last and don't wear down (I swear by Melissa flats) and they are comfortable. I feel like these sandals would be ideal for taking on holiday as they would be perfect to walk around in, wear by the pool and even wear in the sea as unlike flip flops they won't float!  

Hope you've found some cheap items here! 
 
 Next up.... Autumn themed eBay posts - my favourite! 

Fee xo.
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