A Beauty Chrismas Tree Through Your Letterbox

Bloom-and-Wild-Birchbox-Beauty-Tree

I can't say I've ever been inclined to review a Christmas tree before now. But when anything beauty related is combined with anything Christmas, I'm there!

So when the people at Bloom & Wild - the flower delivery company got in touch to tell me about this magical little tree that contains beauty trinkets I didn't need any convincing. Also if you're a new customer to B&W I think the £10 discount (details below) make it a pretty good deal! 

The miniature festive Birchtree (it's real FYI) comes with 5 luxe beauty trinkets from some high end beauty brands with a pretty bow on top to finish it off (teeny lights are my own!). And all through your letterbox for £30.00! Well in fact £20 with the £10 discount if you're a new customer, or £24 with my 20% Makeup Savvy discount code below. There's also three other mini Christmas tree options with and without decorations here.

Other than for elves this little tree would be perfect for anyone that works in an office or wants to decorate their bedroom or hallway maybe. Or this could be a nice nice option if like me you've never had a real Christmas tree before and want to see what all the fuss is about... it actually smells pretty good!

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Pretty tree aside, lets talk to good stuff! The five miniature include - Caudalie Instant Detox Mask (I will be trying it out tonight!), Rituals Magic Touch Body Cream, Benefit POREfessional, Lord & Berry Red Lipstick and Givenchy Live Irresistible EDP.

Now the team at Birchbox, the makeup box company, have picked well here because you are bound to like most of the deluxe beauty minis. They are all high end names and all really lovely products! I will be passing the Benefit POREfessional onto someone else because I'm not a huge fan but I'm fussy when it comes to primers, but other than that I literally love everything!

My favourite mini has to be the cute Lord & Berry lipstick as it's such a vivid red shade making it perfect for this time of year. But I'm also a fan of Rituals Magic Touch body cream and I've already looked up the price of Givenchy Live Irresistible because I'm in love with it! So the minis really are well thought out and worth around £15 alone!

Bloom & Wild discount codes - Receive a £10 gift voucher here to use across the B&W site or for 20% off enter code: MAKSAV at the checkout.

Bloom-and-Wild-Miniature-Christmas-Tree

As for the negatives even though I love this little tree there are few. I have found the tree isn't as stable as I'd like and it's better propped up than free standing. Also as I'm new to a fir tree the process of tying the beauty trinkets to the tree was a little ouchy - pine needles are sharp! But you could totally stash the makeup samples away and just hang mini baubles from it. Only minor complaints but still worth a mention I thought.

Bloom & Wild really have impressed me with their Christmas mixed with beauty offering here and with the discount code I really think it could be a sweet little gift to yourself! 

Fee xo. 

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Black Friday Beauty Deals + My Favourite Sale Picks

Black-Friday-Beauty-Deals-UK-2016

It seems every blogger and their mother is writing about Black Friday this year! And why not when we have totally adopted the largest frenzied sale shopping event of the year.

All beauty websites are fully on board with some amazing discounts to be had, whether you want to treat yo' self or get some hardcore Christmas shopping done, now is the time! Below I've listed the major beauty discounts plus my own favourite sale picks that I'm finding hard to resist - a treat of two is in order I think!

Look-Fantastic-Black-Friday-Deals

25% Off at Look Fantastic (exclusions apply/valid Black Friday only) Code: LFBLACK 

20% Off at Look Fantastic (exclusions apply/valid 26th-28th Nov) Code: LFCYBER

Save 25% across Foreo range + an extra 5% off (25-29th Nov) Code: CYBERX5

20% Off Premium Beauty at Look Fantastic (25-29 Nov) Code: PREM20

The LF Black Friday Bumper Beauty Box - Live now only £20 here!
Every box will have a minimum of 12 beauty products AND will be worth over £100!




Black-friday-beauty

20% off at HQ Hair (until 29th Nov) Code: BLACK 

30% off Grow Gorgeous Products at HQ Hair (until 29th Nov)

20% off at Beauty Expert (until 29th Nov) Code: BLACK 

40% off selected items at The Body Shop (until 30th Nov) Code: 19805

20% off EVERYTHING at ASOS (until 29th Nov) Code: GOGOGO

20% off EVERYTHING at Neal's Yard (until 25th Nov)

25% off EVERYTHING at Pai Skincare (until 28th Nov) Code: BLACKPAIDAY

20% off at Khiels when you buy 2 products or more (until 26th Nov) 

Beauty-Black-Friday-Deals

DKNY Fresh Blossom Set at Superdrug £16 here - Models Own gift set £15 here - Sanctuary Make A Wish Set £23 at Boots here - Charlotte Tilbury The Smokey Eye Kit £45 (Saturday only) here - Niod Masque Set £30 here - No7 Glamourous Nudes Palette at Boots £10 here - HQ Hair Beauty Bauble Code: BLACK £20 here (my review!)- Soap & Glory Extrava-Glam-Za Gift Set Boots £25 here

Hope you've found some amazing deals here! 

I'm now off Black Friday shopping... online of course! 

Fee xo.


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5 Highly Effective Beauty Products

Effective-beauty-products-that-work

Sometimes you come across a beauty product that just works. It works it all the ways you hoped it would and more. It's not a fluke or that your skin is a match for the product but because it's highly effective. 

These are the true gems of our makeup bags that we don't hesitate to re-purchase and don't really care about the price much. 

Below are five of my own highly effective beauty products that I'd recommend to anyone. They are products that have wow'd me and make a noticeable difference. I'd love to know your own 'highly effective' picks! 

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Charlotte Tilbury Pillowtalk Lip Cheat
£16.00 CT online (receive free samples!) here or Selfridges here 
This was a purchase enabled by many a beauty blogger review and as a none lip liner lover I decided it was time I take a leap of faith and fine a product that could be a base for most lip colours I wear. And I'm soooo glad I went for this now for 2 reasons - 1. This really is a lip cheat in that it's a fool proof way to make your lips appear bigger in seconds, literally magic! 2. It's an amazing liner for all lipsticks making them stay put for longer and stops any feathering. If you have fair skin then this will be the most perfect lip shade for you but if you are darker you will also find a 'your lips but better shade' in the Lip Cheat range. I now often skip lipstick altogether and wear this alone as it's beyond flattering and makes the lips appear fuller. The only slight downside is that due to the creaminess of the pencil it does require sharpening fairly often meaning that with regular use it won't last you over 6-7 months I'd imagine.

Pixi Glow Tonic Exfoliating Toner
£18.00/250ml ASOS here or £10.00/100ml M&S here
Pixi Glow Tonic is a staple of many thanks to skincare guru Caroline Hirons who raved about it (and still does) a few years ago. This is without a doubt Pixi's bestselling product as it's just so damn effective at making skin look brighter and younger. If you are totally new to the chemical toner, which isn't as scary as it sounds, you simple wipe it over the face both day and night and within days you will notice a difference in skin texture and brightness. I really don't know where I would be without this product! A total skincare staple!

Butter London Nail Foundation Flawless Basecoat
£14.95 Fruugo here or smaller size in gift set for £11.99 here
A few years ago my constant use of nail polish got the better of my nails. They were highly stained and ridges were becoming a problem that even nail polish couldn't mask. I had two options, go nail polish free or find a nail polish base that actually worked. I of course went for the latter and after a few hours of searching I decided Butter London's Nail foundation looked a good choice. Since then applying this base coat has become an essential step in all my manicures and I don't think I'm skipped using it since snapping it up! Gone are my yellow stained nails and with the combination of  regular buffing and this base coat, that literally acts like a primer, my nails look shiny and flawless when nail polish is applied. I wouldn't ever consider another base coat now!

Dove Maximum Protection Deodorant 
£4.99 Boots here or most Supermarkets 
Adding a deodorant to my 'highly effective' list seems such a boring choice but when I first tried this I remember how impressed I was, something that had never happened with a deodorant before. Why is this so special? Well as the name states it's 100% maximum protection and can be applied at night to be affective the next day. Also as this is a cream deodorant (I was never a fan before I tried this one) it lasts around 1-2 months making it pretty good value for money. I'm also quite pleased that I'm no longer spraying fumes into the environment. It you are curious about this deodorant don't let the higher than average price point put you off as it's more than worth it.

Benefit Ready, Set, Brow! Clear Brow Gel 
£18.50 Boots here or Feel Unique here
Before discovering this product I would have told you that a brow gel is a brow gel and all did the same job. But since using this beauty I can see error in my judgement as this really is the best product I've used to keep my brows in place and is practically waterproof. Ideal for unruly brows, brows that require a lot of filling in or light brows that you apply quite a bit of product to, with this gel you know your eyebrows will stay exactly how you want them until you cleanse at night. I put this brow gel to test on holiday recently and even when swimming and in the heat this product held up. Also thanks to a tip from Nikkie Tutorials on YouTube I often use a small amount of the this clear brow gel on my lids and then apply glitter/loose pigments as they stay so much better that way. I equally love the tinted version Gimme Brow - basically Benefit know what they are doing when it comes to brow products!

Totally loved writing this blog post because these are all products that have blown me away and I'd always recommend. 

Let me know if you agree or disagree with any of my choices here! 

Fee xo. 

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What's On My Christmas Wishlist 2016

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If you've clicked on this post then I'm going to assume you're feeling festive and looking for gift ideas! So no apologies will be given here for talking Christmas!

I'm currently sat admiring my Christmas tree, trying to resist eating more Celebration chocolates (the Malteser ones, obvs) whilst wondering what the heck I want this year for the past hour! As you can see I've fortunately come up with nine gifts that I'd absolutely love to receive, so hopefully you can get some ideas here as to what you put on your own list or gift to others! 

Lush Tutti Fruity Gift Set 
£11.50 BUY HERE 
Christmas wouldn't be Christmas for me without a Lush gift set. I always have to be quite specific in which gift set I'd like as I don't have a bath and many of the sets contain bath bombs and bubble bars. However I always manage to find something and this year it's the Tutti Fruity gift set that contains Yuzu & Cocoa Shower Cream (this is supposed to smell like chocolate orange!) and Miranda Soap, both of which I've never tried before. Gotta love a pre-wrapped Lush gift set under the tree!

Rifle Paper Co Paradise Gardens 2017 Calendar 
£26.00 Papermash BUY HERE
Each year I always receive a pretty wall calendar - my 2016 calendar was a lovely one by artist Rob Ryan (2017 version here). This Christmas I'd love one from the Rifle Paper Co, they just do the most stunning stationary and calendars. The only thing is I'm totally aware that £26.00 is pretty pricey so I'm thinking this may be a post-Christmas treat to myself in January when it's likely to be reduced in price. Side note - If I do pick up this calendar I will be totally using the illustrations as framed prints once I'm done with each month thanks to this creative blog post!

Calvin Klein Eternity Perfume 
£19.00 for 30ml Amazon BUY HERE
Thanks to being a beauty blogger I have more than enough fragrances on the go at any one time, but again it wouldn't feel as Christmassy (totally a word) without a new scent to open and wear on Christmas Day. This year I've asked for Eternity; a scent I use to love and wear many many years ago. In high street stores I've noticed this is generally full price but online you can find it for quite a steal even at the largest size.

ASOS Metallic Silver Loafer 
£12.00 BUY HERE
On a recent midnight ASOS perusal I came across these amazing shiny silver loafers. You will either love or hate these shoes, but I personally think they will look great with skinny jeans. They are also a total bargain right now as they're on the 'Outlet' section of the site reduced down to £12 from £20!

Pretty Iconic by Sali Hughes 
£12.49 Amazon BUY HERE
Books are the perfect to give and receive at Christmas as we all have more time to enjoy them. To add to my beauty bookshelf and to read through on Boxing Day I'm asking for Sali Hughes' 2nd book; Pretty Iconic. This is definitely one for beauty addicts as it features cult beauty products through the ages and it all about nostalgia and recommendations. If you haven't already read Pretty Honest by Sali Hughes I recommend putting it on your own Christmas list this year - such a good beauty read! 

Where Am I Now by Mara Wilson 
£10.99 Amazon BUY HERE
Another book I will be asking for is this interesting looking memoir by child-star Mara Wilson who you will recognise from Mrs Doubtfire, Matilda and Miracle on 34th Street. I grew up loving all films that starred Mara Wilson and like many wondered where she went and what she'd done with her life. With tales of playing Matilda and I'm sure lots of other stories plus an update on her life this looks a really good read. I love an autobiography to read at Christmas!

Darling Magazine Subscription 
From $4.99 per digital issue. Subscription options HERE
I recently came across Darling magazine which basically re-writes what a women's magazine is. The publications tagline is something like 'a magazine that will love you back' (I can't find the exact wording now! oops) and aims to be an amazing empowering read for the modern woman. With more content than ads (finally), a zero photoshop policy (finally!) and actual detailed articles and interviews this looks like my kind of magazine. The only problem is that Darling is U.S based and only sold in select UK stores that seem to be in London. However there is an option to buy a digital subscription or individual digital issues so that may be what I ask for. But first I will be asking my local WH Smith is they can order it in and what the price would be, as this is a service they offer for international titles FYI.

Beauty Bay The Essentials Makeup Geek Collection
£20.00 BUY HERE 
I love a good beauty gift set at Christmas and having searched high and low for my upcoming Christmas gift guides I think my favourite sets this year as the ones from The Beauty Bay Collection. The range consists of 12 sets, priced from £18-60 and all come with a rose gold, silver or black pouch and a range of branded makeup products. The above collection of products is right up my street from the rose gold pouch to the three Makeup Geek shades ideal for a pigmented smokey eye. It also comes with a handy Z Palette that holds the pan eyeshadows. I've yet to try anything from Makeup Geek but have heard soooo many good things about their eyeshadows so I've love to start off my collection with this gift set. Just really good value for money!

Monki Bubblegum Sleepy Candle 
£11.00 BUY HERE 
Do I need anymore candles? Certainly not. Just this week I've had to designate an entire kitchen drawer for my candle collection. But when a candle is this pretty and bubblegum scented, mmmm, it's hard too resist - fingers crossed it has a good scent throw! I also love the cute little eyelash illustrations that decorate the white glass holder which make it seem more high end in my opinion. I'd be thrilled to find this in my stocking come Christmas morning! 

If you've been struggling with present ideas then I hope this festive post has helped! 

What gifts are you wishing for this Christmas?

Fee xo.



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Room 101: Beauty Edition

Beauty-Pet-Hates-Room-101

One of my guilty pleasures is watching back to back episodes of Room 101. It's not really a guilty pleasure... more a waste of time generally when I should be doing something else! 

If you aren't familiar with the comedy/tongue-in-cheek style programme it's a series in which celebrities are invited to share their pet hates in hope that the host will agree and banish it to Room 101; a fictional kind of hell! 

So today I thought I would submit my own beauty pet hates that I feel are deserving of Room 101. Let me know if you agree!

Sponge Eyeshadow Applicators 
Isn't it about time makeup brands ditched the useless sponge eyeshadow applicators from palettes? I think it is! To be far high end brands now provide compact brushes and from time to time lower end brands do as well, but for the main part crappy sponge applicators are still around! Most people that wear makeup own a few brushes and if they don't then using fingertips would work better than attempting to apply eyeshadow with a small rough sponge. I'd love to see the back of these pointless applicators in makeup palettes!

Unhygienic Makeup Testers 
Over the years I've banged on about this problem quite a bit and will carry on doing so until the right measures are put into place to keep makeup shoppers health safe! I'm talking all the messy over used and unsanitized makeup you see on makeup stands. Makeup counters of course keep their makeup in pristine condition regularly sanitising products but sadly the same can't be said for high street makeup stands in various stores. It's common to see people at makeup stands directly applying makeup to their eyes and lips and it makes me shudder knowing that the products they are apply are unhygienic and could possibly contain e-coli along with other harmful bacteria and even cause bacterial conjunctivitis! I really feel strict rules should be put into place about this now!

The New Type of Brows 
This may be a controversial one but when did eyebrows become an entire process from outlining the shape to filling them in with micro brush strokes to give that ombre effect and not to mention 'carving them out'. I've even managed to get sucked into it and can often spend 15 minutes perfecting my eyebrows! Surely a comb through and eyebrow pencil is enough? I'd love to see eyebrows become slightly more realistic and less Instagram perfect!

Fake Makeup on eBay 
Fake makeup on eBay has become a huge problem over the past 10 years, so much so that there is now more fake makeup on the selling site than genuine makeup! This means that more and more customers are unknowingly buying counterfeit makeup that skip all checks and regulations and have in the past shown to often contain banned ingredients that could be harmful when applied to the skin. eBay really do need to crack down on this and remove counterfeit products that are listed (they are pretty obvious to spot if you know what you are looking for) and make buyers much more aware! I also have a bug bear with endless Facebook groups full of makeup lovers sharing which fake products are available and are best to buy. They surely know the risks and the possible carcinogenic risks but are ignoring this just for the price and look of a product! This also needs to be cracked down on by Facebook as it's certainly giving out the message that fake makeup is safe to use. I could go on all day about this issue but fake makeup 100% needs to go into room 101! 

Do you agree with my room 101 choices? 

Let me know your own beauty pet hates. I'd love to read them!

Fee xo. 

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A Mini ASOS Christmas Gift Guide

ASOS-Christmas-Gift-Guide

ASOS is hands down my go-to website when it comes to beauty & fashion and well, impulse purchases in general. So when Christmas comes around (i.e September) I get excited to see what they have to offer!

Their gift and beauty sections are now fully stocked and extensive to say the least, stuffed full of wish-list worthy items from a huge range of brands! And as I've already been doing a bit of online Christmas shopping I thought I'd create a mini gift guide* to give a few ideas of what you can pick up this year for friends & family or even put on your own Christmas wish list!

*Apologies in advance if any items listed are out of stock. It's always worth adding the product to 'saved items' on the ASOS website as things do tend to come back into stock.

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Club L Night Mermaid Blanket
£32.00 in 6 colour options HERE
The mermaid trend is still going strong right now and one of the key items is a mermaid blanket. These are verging on ridiculous but that's kind of the point and they are very snug for the winter months! I didn't want to risk the quality so I decided to pick up a branded mermaid blanket from Club L on ASOS (as a gift for someone that will hopefully not see this post!) and I have to say it's so thick and warm. You can find the turquoise blanket here. However unbeknown to me all mermaid blankets are open ended, which doesn't make much sense for keeping the ol' tootsies warm, so that is something to be aware of. I will be either applying some bonding web to the end or sewing it up before giving it as a gift. That aside this is whimsical yet practical gift that I feel a lot of people would be happy to receive this Christmas!

Paperchase Pop-up Igloo & Bear Christmas Cards
£7.50 for 6 HERE
Okay, I cheated... this item clearly isn't a 'gigt', unless you are including money or vouchers in the mix... then it certainly is! But I just had to include them as they are oh so lovely! Each year I enjoy finding a set of original cards for close family and this year I will be giving out these lovely pop-up igloo cards that are almost a little decoration when put on a windowsill or shelf. These are currently sold out of ASOS but you may still be able to find them on the Paperchase website or in-store.

Paperchase Set of 3 Copper Clip & Pin Jars
£8.00 HERE
Sticking with Paperchase I also picked up this trio of copper stationary jars. This would make a lovely gift for anyone that loves stationary or all things copper/rose gold. I'm personally more in love with the copper glass jars than what's inside and already have a few ideas of how to re-use. ASOS have such a great range of Paperchase stationary, gifts and Christmas items that are really worth checking out here

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I also wanted to include two gift sets that contain two of my personal favourite products. These not only would make great gifts for a beauty lover (or to throw on your own list!) but are excellent value for money - especially theBalm set. 

Pixi Best of Bright Gift Set 
£20.00 HERE
Pixi Glow Tonic is one of my most favourite skincare products and if you know someone that loves skincare but hasn't tried this cult classic then this is the ideal set to get them. The 30ml toner is just enough product for the recipient to fully try it out and they also receive the Glow Mud Cleanser and Glow Mud Mask which sound really good. I will never be without Pixi Glow Tonic now so I'd love to find this gift under the tree come Christmas morning!

theBalm Mary Lou Luminizer 
+ Free Mini Collection 
£17.50 HERE
Another cult favourite in the beauty world is certainly theBalm Mary Lou Luminizer highlighter and a product I have a lot of love for. The highlighter alone costs £17.50 but exclusive to ASOS you also receive 3 mini products - yes! This is perfect for a makeup loving friend as with the mini lip gloss and two eyeshadows it looks more of a set. Also if you don't already own the Mary Lou Lumizer I highly recommend adding it to your Christmas wishlist with strict instructions for the present buyer to buy it from ASOS. This truly is one of the best highlighters on the market! 

I really hope this mini ASOS gift guide has given you a little more inspiration on what to gift this year and possibly what to ask Santa for! 

Fee xo. 


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eBay Bargains #66 - Unicorn Makeup Brushes (all under £10)

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1. Unicorn Bristles Grey Makeup Brush Set
£7.69 for 5 brushes HERE
Can we just take a moment to appreciate this makeup brush set please? 
Taken a moment? OMFG these are amazing?! These could have been made by unicorns I think, no human could come up with something as equally chic and whimsical! As I have zero restraint when it comes to amazing looking brush sets I snapped these up and now can't wait for them to arrive. Side note - still swooning over the pastel multicoloured bristles a week later! - '5PCS Silver A' in drop down menu in listing

2. Rose Gold & Pastel Unicorn Makeup Brush Set
£6.99 for 6 multicolour brushes HERE
Another stunning set that I actually already own the rose gold version of (pretty but not as pretty as these!). The handles aren't full size so I use them as travel brushes and they work well for that purpose I find. Really soft and I strangely love the feel of the handles to these. - '6PCS Multicolor' in drop down menu in listing

3. Spectrum Siren Dupe Makeup Brush Set
£5.99 for 10 brushes HERE 
Finally some Spectrum style brushes are coming onto eBay and at only £5.99! These look incredibly similar to the Spectrum Siren collection with the difference being that the ferrules aren't as iridescent. I have a similar plain set of these 10 brushes so I can say that the bristles are ultra soft and the handles and ferrules are well made. I'm currently trying to resist these but I know I will cave and buy them at the end of the month, especially as they're only £5.99! 

4. Purple Ombre Multicoloured Makeup Brush Set
£8.99 for 7 brushes HERE
Similar to the #2 makeup brushes set but full size these look amazing (all the brushes in this listing are stunning in fact!) and again are done well so they don't look cheap or tacky. Another set I'm so tempted by but I will have to say no to these as I do have a similar rose gold set that I love. - '7PCS Purple' in drop down menu in listing

5. Multicolourd Metallic Oval Brush Set with Stand
£10.49 for 5 brushes + stand HERE
Love oval brushes? Well they just got a multicoloured chrome makeover! Oval brushes are certainly a new way of applying makeup and give the ultimate flawless finish especially to base products. These are verging on tacky but I kinda' like them! 

6. Laduree Dupe Makeup Brushes
£6.50 each HERE  
Lastly I had to include these dupe brushes that look gorgeous but I'm on the fence as to whether the quality of the bristles would be good enough. Also for £6.50 per brush they aren't the cheapest option here however I wanted to include them as the actual Le Merveilleuses Laduree makeup brushes retail for around $80 each?! 

Hope you've found some unicorn inspired makeup brushes here! 

Fee xo. 

 
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A Virtually Free Makeup Sample Service You Will Want To Instantly Try!

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I don't know where I've been but somehow I missed the launch of an amazing makeup and skincare sample service that for once is worth it! 

I've come across endless makeup sample websites in the past only to not recognise any of the brands and to realise most are out of date anyway. However somehow I failed to know about a fairly new sample service that truly is the best I've come across! 

What I'm talking about is the Feel Unique Pick 'n' Mix sample service that has over 350 samples to chose from! Plus the amazing thing about it is that you only pay the £3.95 shipping and handling fee but receive a £3.95 voucher via email to redeem against future purchases, making your samples virtually free! Don't worry Feel Unique didn't ask me to write about it.... I'm just totally digging the idea of free high end beauty samples!

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As you can see from my sample stash above, you get to select 5 samples from some well known cosmetic and skincare brands. A lot of the samples are just sachet samples but quite a few come in pots and tubes sizes and the best thing about it is you can search by sample type (on the left hand side of the page) and see the volume amount to get the most out of the service - i.e like me with my 5 pretty deluxe sample sizes!

I should point out that the  Pick 'n' Mix service is limited to one lot of samples per month and is only for UK customers right now.

Here's a look at what I picked up 

 

Benefit The POREfessional License To Blot deluxe sample 1.4ml - I couldn't refuse a Benefit mini and with the idea of picking up a few mini products to keep in my bag for touch-ups I thought this sample instant oil-blotting stick would be perfect. Super cute packaging and a really handy o- the-go product.

Nude by Nature Perfecting Concealer 'Ivory' sample 2ml - I already own the full size version of this and love it so I had to pick it up, again to keep in my bag for touch-ups! Seeing as the samples are virtually free this is a generous size at 2ml which is a 1/3 of the 5.9ml full size product which would mean the cost of this sample should be £6!

Emma Hardie Amazing Face Moringa Cleansing Balm 5g - This is actually a product I've been wanting to try for the longest time but priced at £34.00 I wasn't going to risk buying it before trying it first. As you can see this looks exactly like the full size pot but in a miniature version, which I love, and so far from just smelling the balm and the wonderful moringa scent I know I will love it!

bareMinerals Marvelous Moxie Lipgloss 'Maveric' deluxe sample 2.25ml - Having a few Marvelous Moxie lipglosses now and enjoying them I picked up this mini. This is another sample that offers a lot of product and is actually half the size of the full size lipgloss, making the sample worth £8.50! Also this is an ideal shade for autumn/winter.

He-Shi Face & Body Tanning Gel sample 50ml - For my 5th mini I decided to try out this generous 50ml He-Shi sample. I'm always keen to try out facial tanning products as creams for the body are just too heavy for my face so a tanning gel sounded perfect. I've already given this a go and really like it! As it's only for my face and chest this 50ml size will last me quite some time!


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Samples change quite often from what I've noticed, for example the Benefit sample is unfortunately no longer available however I did spot a new Nars Skin Tint sample in the mix! So it's worth having a thorough look when deciding on your 5 samples. 

The biggest section is sachet samples but with the choice of fragrance vials, tube samples and a few samples in pots I would suggest selecting the most product amount and staying away from sachets to get the most for your money! As I mentioned I picked a few samples to keep in my bag for touch-ups but this service is ideal if you are going on holiday, or of course if you fancy trying products you've been curious about. 

I will 100% be using this sample service again next month as I already have my eye on a few REN and Caudalie samples! 

If you want to pick up your own beauty samples then you can find the Feel Unique Pick 'n' Mix service here.

Fee xo.

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Matalan Christmas Decor Haul 2016

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Right about now I start to get excited about the prospect of decorating my home for Christmas. Each year I like to renew baubles and add a few more decorations and festive ornaments to my already pretty large collection. 

Matalan have been my go-to for Christmas decorations for years now as they are not only affordable but they always impress me with their unique designs. Below is a look at what you can expect to find online and in-store from Matalan this Christmas! 

If like me you also pick up multiple gifts from Matalan as well as Christmas decorations you may be interested to hear that that you can use online discount codes to make your festive shopping even cheaper. I found 3 active money saving codes for Matalan on a website called Codesium. The lowest spend code and ideal if you are picking up a few gifts along with some Christmas decorations is £6 off £60 with code 660MAT which can be used at the checkout and even applies to click and collect orders!

Onto my Matalan Christmas Decor haul now and all the wonderful products I decided to go for... I'm literally pleased with everything! 

Matalan-Chtistmas-Decorations-2016

10 Clear Tree Jewels £3.00 HERE
When it comes to baubles I like to buy them in packs as they are better value for money and of course can be spread over the tree. I don't follow a particular theme for my Christmas tree but anything light reflective is a winner for me and these mini plastic jewels will do just that. Perfect for hanging next to each light on your tree to maximise twinkle! 

3 Iridescent Icicles £3.00 HERE 
So I just had to pick up these amazing icicle decorations! Because just look at them! Call them iridescent icicles or unicorn horns, either way they are just stunning and will really stand out against the dark green foliage of a Christmas tree. These look much more expensive than £1.00 each and now I know how amazing they are I think I will be placing another online order for more.

Christmas Wishlist Slate Sign £3.00 HERE 
Each year Matalan have a few slate signs like this to hang up around the home and I find them such good quality. This year's slate sign is in the shape of a gift tag and hangs by a tartan ribbon with quite a cute Christmas wishlist in different fonts.

Matalan_Christmas-LED-decorations-2016

LED Dome Medium £8.00 (out of stock online)
Each year Matalan have one of the best and most affordable ranges of Christmas LED decorations that really are just stunning. I struggled to pick up just two LED pieces but I think I went for the right ones as they look amazing at night. The first glass dome that's quite an adequate size is on a lovely wooden base and contains micro wire fairy lights. Of course this could be used as a decoration any time of the year which is another reason for buying it, but it will also go with Christmas decor. It's also battery operated which come included. Just such a stunning ornament for only £8.00!

LED Globe Ornament £8.00 (out of stock online)
I also picked up this super cute light-up house domed decoration that again I'm so pleased with for the price. This is smaller in height but it perfectly detailed and gives off a wonderful glow. Possibly my favourite buy of my Matalan Christmas haul. I can't stop looking at it! Perfect for a living room but I can also imagine it looking lovely on a bedside table.

Matalan-Christmas-kitchen-2016

Robin Tankard Mug £2.00 (out of stock online)
I'm all about festive mugs come November so had to pick up a few to add to my collection. My first pick was this dainty looking robin mug with teeny tiny baby blue polka dots that reminds me of something you would see from Emma Bridgewater. The robin illustration is featured on both sides and feels and looks really nice quality.

Festive Dog Tankard Mug £3.00 (out of stock online)
The other mug I picked up is full-on Christmas with an ultra festive design that features a Dachshund dog driving a car in the snow with gifts and a Christmas tree on the roof - you can't get much more festive than that! The mug again feels really good quality and is slightly bigger in size and thicker.

Robin & Xmas Holiday Recipe £1.50 each (out of stock online)
I also decided as my kitchen always lacks decoration come Christmas time I'd give it some festive cheer with two themed tea towels. The illustrated robin design has to be my favourite as it matches the above mug and doesn't look like it would cost only £1.50. The other tea towel has a printed 'Christmas Holiday Recipe' that again is lovely and would look nice hung on the wall.

Matalan-Christmas-products-2016

Festive Cupcake Decoration Set £3.00 HERE
Keeping with the kitchenware theme I picked up a fun little cupcake decoration set that contains 12 red and white cupcake cases and 12 santa and snowman picks to decorate. This is ideal for some festive baking I have planned for December and I can't wait to buy a few silver sprinkles and get making some Christmas cupcakes now.
 
Metallic Twine In Jar £2.50 HERE
Lastly I picked up a jar of twine.... which I probably didn't need but it looked cute. I will admit I didn't get why it needed to be in a jar but now I understand that it means there's no chance for the twine getting knotted! Plus I'm sure I will find a use for the jar once I've used up the twine on wrapping up Christmas gifts with. Also for £2.50 you receive a huge 30 metres! 

Hope you enjoyed seeing some of my decorations. Happy shopping and don't forget to use a discount code where you can!

 Let me know what you love most from what I picked up from Matalan this Christmas!

Fee xo.

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The Best Christmas Beauty Bauble Around! £25 Spend But Worth £87!

HQHair-Beauty-Bauble-Christmas-2016

I don't know about you but with the vast aray of  beauty gift sets out for Christmas I always find I end up treating myself to one or two. It just can't be helped! I never go wild and leave myself empty pocketed for actual gifts for other people, as I always go for something that's good value for money but feels like a treat. Which is why I'm being a total enabler here and sharing with you the perfect 'To me, Love me' gift!

As you can see I'm talking about this a-mazing limited edition beauty bauble from HQ Hair that contains 5 high end products worth £87 but costs only £25 with free delivery! 

The set contains all things neutral toned with - Illamasqua Gleam Highlighter in 'Supernatural' (full size), OCC Loose Colour Eyeshadow in 'Brasstacks' (full size), Illamasque Masquara Grain Mascara (full size), Nudestix Lip and Cheek Pencil in 'Whisper' (full size) and Illamasqua Hydra Veil Primer (deluxe sample).

BUY NOW FROM HQ HAIR!  

 

HQhair-Christmas Beauty-Bauble

I think you will agree that these are all popular products and in some great shades! Making this a must-have beauty bauble - I know I'm ultra pleased to have my hands on these 5 amazing products.

The beauty bauble does contain a lot of Illamasqua products but for any fan of the brand, like myself, then it's a great thing or if you are wanting to try the brand for the first time then I don't think you will be disappointed. So far my favourites from the beauty bauble are the Gleam Highlighter in 'Supernatural' (RRP £22) as it's just the most stunning rose gold cream highlight and I'm really digging the Nudestix in 'Whisper' (RRP £18) as it's an on-trend nude shade and I've found it really does last well on the lips.

I also love the addition of the mini Illamasqua Hydra Veil Primer which I already own full size. This is a gel primer that suits all skin types and just creates such a flattering hydrated base for foundation to be applied onto - I think most people will love it. I'm also pleases me to see the packaging is exactly like the full size version.

HQhair-Beauty-Bauble-Review

I will of course be trying out the Illmasqua mascara next when my current mascara runs out and I can't wait to create an all bronze smokey eye with the OCC loose eyeshadow that is beyond pigmented! Really I'm just so pleased with all the products in the bauble. Psssst - You could even re-use the plastic bauble for to house someones Christmas gift in!

If you were thinking about buying one of these products then it's an excellent opportunity to grab some extra products along side it. Or if like me you can't resist an amazing value for money gift set then this beauty bauble is for you! 

Let me know your thoughts on this amazing offer! 

Fee xo. 

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