The thing I love most about blogging is the photography side of it, I get to be as creative as I like and that makes me happy. Basically I love a good flat lay.
But I totally get that some of you don't!
Blog photography is literally back breaking work (okay, not literally, but nearly), natural lighting is beyond temperamental and understanding how to get the best out of a camera can be tricky not to mention boring. So that's why I've decided to give you a few free* high quality stock images that you can do as you wish with (for personal use only) - blog posts, cropped for social media... whatever you like! Basically I love giving away free stuff to help fellow bloggers and I realised I haven't created anything since my Free Printable Weekly Blog Planner way over a year ago now!
*If you ever want to repay my kindness and find yourself visiting the U.S feel free to pick me up a zillion Bath & Body Works candles! I joke... but seriously if you want to I won't stop you.
Please Credit!
Of course I'd LOVE if you could credit my blog if you use any of the images, just a tiny 'source – Makeup Savvy' linked to back to my homepage or this post. But if you don't I won't hunt you down, I'm cool like that. Anyway, so here are the 10 styled stock images in 4 swanky themes – Makeup, Lifestyle, Girl Boss and Seasonal (Autumn!). Simply right click over the image and 'Save Image As...'.
You can also find ideas of how to style/use these free lifestyle stock images at the bottom of the post - enjoy!
You can also find ideas of how to style/use these free lifestyle stock images at the bottom of the post - enjoy!
Makeup Stock Images
Lifestyle Stock Images
Girl Boss Stock Images
Seasonal Stock Images
How to get the most use out of these styled stock photos
You could always leave the images plain but below I've given you a few rough ideas on how to could use text with them. Images with a fine white inner boarder always look great and of course modern calligraphy fonts (DaFont.com do some good free ones!) make any image creative and done. My personal favourite has to be the Autumn stock image with rose gold foil text!
As mentioned feel free to use these how you wish – Blog posts, Instagram, Facebook, cropped as sidebar buttons for your social media platforms etc etc. With a little credit back to myself or if you want a cheeky pin of this post on Pinterest because I'm getting into it – finally!
Really hope you can make use of these styled stock images!
Fee xo.
Related (ish) free stuff :
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!
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.
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!
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!
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.
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.
Today I thought I'd re-post a favourite recipe of mine that I posted on a past lifestyle blog that I *ahem* didn't keep up.
The reason for sharing this is because I've been making this recipe so much recently and it's just perfect for this time of year, when the weather calls for something warming.
Of course this isn't an authentic chicken curry (though you can add more spices to it if you wish) but for me it tastes amazing, is the right amount of hot/spicy and it's also made from scratch making it fairly healthy. I'm thinking the most calories in this comes from the chicken and the rice that you serve it with.
What you will need:
(serves 2 people)
2 chicken fillets, diced
1 onion, chopped
half of 2 bell peppers of your choice (my favourite combination is red and green)
25g flour/enough to coat the chicken
1 chicken stock cube made up with 450ml boiling water
half a teaspoon mild chili powder
2 heaped tablespoons mild curry powder
Serve with:
Serve with:
Enough rice for 2 people - I like to go for wholegrain rice or a wholegrain/quinoa mix
1 lemon (optional)
2 Food Doctor Wholegrain Pittas (or a garlic or plain Naan Bread to share)
2 Food Doctor Wholegrain Pittas (or a garlic or plain Naan Bread to share)
1. As there is quite a bit of measuring and chopping to do in this recipe I first like to prepare all my ingredients (as shown in picture 1) even making up the chicken stock and setting it aside for later.
2. Start by heating a large pan with olive oil and cook the chicken until it's nearly cooked all the way through.
3. Next, add the chopped peppers and cook on med-high heat until the chicken is fully cooked (3-5 minutes)
4. Next add in the onions and continue to cook until the onions have soften.
5. The next part is to add the dry ingredients. For this you want to get your pan as hot as possible then coat everything in the pan with the flour and spices.
6. Once the dry ingredients are mixed in well you want to dry fry (with your pan still on high) for 1 minutes to enhance the aromas.
7. Next, turn your pan down slightly and pour in the chicken stock slowly and combine the spices and chicken with the stock and boil for 2 minutes. Then turn the temperature down to a low simmer. You want to cook the curry for 10-15 minutes max.
8. Whilst the stock is bubbling you want to boil a pan of water and put your rice on which should take 10-13 minutes. Though opting for microwave rice is much easier!
9. Occasionally stir the curry as it reduces down. If you think the mixture is becoming too thick then you can add a little boiling water.
10. Once the rice is cooked you want to take the curry off the heat for a minute to thicken while you drain the rice.
11. Once you have plated up the curry and rice you can then cut up a lemon, squeezing it over the dish as it really gives the curry a zingy kick.
Note - With frying the spices/flour you will get quite a lot stuck to the bottom of the pan however this is normal.
If you are looking for a warming quick mid-week dinner this is worth trying out.
Expect more autumnal recipes to come!
Fee xo.
2. Start by heating a large pan with olive oil and cook the chicken until it's nearly cooked all the way through.
3. Next, add the chopped peppers and cook on med-high heat until the chicken is fully cooked (3-5 minutes)
4. Next add in the onions and continue to cook until the onions have soften.
5. The next part is to add the dry ingredients. For this you want to get your pan as hot as possible then coat everything in the pan with the flour and spices.
6. Once the dry ingredients are mixed in well you want to dry fry (with your pan still on high) for 1 minutes to enhance the aromas.
7. Next, turn your pan down slightly and pour in the chicken stock slowly and combine the spices and chicken with the stock and boil for 2 minutes. Then turn the temperature down to a low simmer. You want to cook the curry for 10-15 minutes max.
8. Whilst the stock is bubbling you want to boil a pan of water and put your rice on which should take 10-13 minutes. Though opting for microwave rice is much easier!
9. Occasionally stir the curry as it reduces down. If you think the mixture is becoming too thick then you can add a little boiling water.
10. Once the rice is cooked you want to take the curry off the heat for a minute to thicken while you drain the rice.
11. Once you have plated up the curry and rice you can then cut up a lemon, squeezing it over the dish as it really gives the curry a zingy kick.
Note - With frying the spices/flour you will get quite a lot stuck to the bottom of the pan however this is normal.
If you are looking for a warming quick mid-week dinner this is worth trying out.
Expect more autumnal recipes to come!
Fee xo.
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!
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!
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!
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
It's not often I go on a spending spree but when I do I always make sure it's around this time of year (and also just after Christmas) as I know I will be able to pick up most items half price or less! Which is more than satisfying as I love saving on products - though that does mean I am that girl at the till asking for 10% off due to a deodorant mark on the dress I'm buying!
The first very creased dress I bought (above) I purchased at the bargainous price of £10 in the Asos sale (it is out of stock now but here is the link). I would of preferred it in navy but when again I can't have everything!
The shade does slightly remind me of Velma from Scooby Doo but with geek chic being in and all that I'm thinking of playing it up with some geek glasses (that I actually need to see with) and my hair down, it would look quite nice. It's also very flattering on stomach and hips due to the pleating to the front of the dress which I really like.
The shade does slightly remind me of Velma from Scooby Doo but with geek chic being in and all that I'm thinking of playing it up with some geek glasses (that I actually need to see with) and my hair down, it would look quite nice. It's also very flattering on stomach and hips due to the pleating to the front of the dress which I really like.
Saving - £14.00
Clothing aside for a second I've also found some really good bargains in Boots recently on the clearance shelves, which actually always seem to be at the back of the store, hidden away from the rest of the cosmetics and hair products... which is nice as it's not contaminated with 10,000 germs! Though I do have one gripe and that is with the labels - yes they peel off nicely but they don't show the original price, which is what normally lures you in, in the first place. However without the original price I knew the haircare products were a steal.
I picked up Tresemme Naturals Weightless Volumising Mousse for £1.35 (full price product here), Toni & Guy Brunette Shimmer Mist for £1.75 (full price here) and a bottle of Toni & Guy Dark Brunette Conditioner for £1.45 (full price here) which even though it stinks of chemicals actually helps with my root situation a slight bit.
I also picked up...
... some Sally Hansen Gel Cuticle Remover which I'm sure would of been quite pricey at full price, though after a quick Google search it looks as if it's being discontinued (you can find it here for £2.99) as I could only find it on discount websites. Which I'm not too sad about as I will never buy it again as it's actually for my boyfriend and his nasty hard cuticles! I really don't think I could ever bear to remove mine or even make them thinner.
Saving - £15.28
Back to clothing! Now seriously these outfits just show why I should never do outfit of the day posts as I just don't have any style... I just wear what I feel like, plus how do I look so manly wearing that hoodie?! I mean I have a cleavage and still look a bit butch, I promise you I never stand like that in real life!
So firstly I bought the scarf with wonderful tassels in Tesco's clothing sale for £3.50 (from £5.00) but other than accessories and underwear I do have to say the Tesco sale was a let down! Just rows upon rows of dodgy embroidered pastel tops. I also purchased a hoodie which is actually a dress, in the Asos sale for £12.00 and is still in stock here! It is quite flattery even though it doesn't appear that way in the photo above (as I purchased it a size too large) so I've not too sure if I will wear it out that much but as it's so comfy I'm thinking it will be lazy Sunday attire!
From Asos I also picked up the most perfect cardigan for Autumn by Vila, which contains 30% Angora wool, so really soft and a total bargain at £12 down from £40 (still in stock here!). It has lovely cropped sleeves which would be perfect for with a black long sleeved top come October and also has a very flattering draped look when worn unbuttoned.
Last but not least from Asos I bought this pretty Rosary Necklace (£5.00 - here) it was only reduced by £3.00 however I had to buy it as recently my favourite green rosary cross necklace broke which I bought in Ireland many moons ago and was very sad to see break. So this was a last minute gem!
Saving - £50.50!
I also did my annoying habit... of placing another order a few days after placing my first sale order at Asos (does anyone else do this?) but I guess it doesn't really matter as it is free delivery after all ! But it does mean for now I can only show you the stock image. I did seem to miss the dress above first time round which is no surprise as there were over 5,000 dresses at the beginning of the summer sale!
Now I'm hoping (fingers and toes crossed) that the dress will fit/be fairly good quality as I'm planning to wear it to a wedding in August... my dad's to be precise! I'm still not 100% percent sure on it, however it's not a church wedding and I think once paired with some nude heels and a nude clutch and fascinator of some kind it will look more like a wedding outfit than something you would see on a night out! Again a total bargain at £25 down from £55 and is amazingly still in stock.
Saving - £30.00
Are you getting bored yet?! I have more to show!
Back to high street shopping and back to Tesco but no more clothing but instead some great savings on a couple of lipsticks and a mascara.
Now it seriously must of been my lucky day as I was in Tesco Home last Saturday as I spotted the reductions lady finishing of the cosmetics and placing them all in a little basket - yes actual germ free clearance makeup, I couldn't believe my eyes! So I knelt down and like a little beaver building a dam I quickly found a Bourjois Sweet Kiss Shine lipstick in Rose Scintillant, a Maybelline Colour Sensational in Shimmer Pink and my first ever L'Oreal purchase, with the Telescopic Explosion Mascara in Brown for my lower lashes at an incredible £2.55 down from £11.29!
Saving - £20.22
What a huge saving on only three items... I really cannot believe how much the price of lipstick and mascara has inflated in the past 10 years.
What a huge saving on only three items... I really cannot believe how much the price of lipstick and mascara has inflated in the past 10 years.
Last but not least I found a lovely skincare set in TK Maxx in the clearance section from a brand I'd never heard of before, however my eyes lit up when I saw that the cleanser contained no sulfates as I had been mourning the death and discontinuation of my favourite facial scrub/cleanser from Naked. After searching for Laidbare online I did find that the products had recently undergone a packaging makeover and that the range was quite small - you can find both products here & here. So far I've used both products a few times and love them, especially the DIY! cleanser with my Botanics facial brush - it also smells like Limeade!
Saving - £7.00
So my savvy saving total actually came to £137.55 which is such a huge amount as I wouldn't say I bought that much!
But it just goes to show how much you can save by sale shopping at the right time.
So my savvy saving total actually came to £137.55 which is such a huge amount as I wouldn't say I bought that much!
But it just goes to show how much you can save by sale shopping at the right time.
With a change of season, I've been looking to update my wardrobe so I thought what better time to put together an autumn style wish list post. Plus also share with you what I've bought for the upcoming colder weather thus far.
Beauty boxes have become a normal addition to the beauty industry and while I love some, the majority don't seem worth the money, generally including international brands you've never heard of or products that aren't that lust-worthy! So when a beauty box comes along, especially a no-subscription needed box, that contains some amazing premium products I'm there with my bank card!
And let me tell you the beauty box I've just picked up is the best one I've EVER come across (think Charlotte Tilbury & MAC?!) - you don't want to miss it!
Firstly I want to thank everyone that has helped provide images for the e-book I'm going to be writing on how to spot and avoid fake cosmetics. I really didn't expect so many people to e-mail me with images. So, so great.
That aside this week I have been doing a lot of research on counterfeit makeup products, what goes into them and where they are sold and I have to say it's a total minefield. The more I seem to look the more I seem to find and the more I see actually how big the world of fake makeup is!
So as my brain seems to be overloading on information at the moment I thought I'd share with you some crazy counterfeit finds and stories!
- My week started by finding this site - sellmacmakeup.com which is supposed to be a professional MAC supplier... but of course it isn't and in fact every product on the site is a total fake. But what surprises me the most is the volume of products the website has, just hundreds of counterfeit products all professionally photographed to con people into believing the products are real..
- I also found a Picasa web album - here, with well over a thousand images of fake MAC products... some product verging on the ridiculous!
- Also this week and most alarmingly of all, I discovered stock images of fake Benefit products on the Boots.com website! As you can see from the two screenshots the product are total fakes. Moon beam has never had stars on it and as for Hoola bronzer do I even need to point out why the stock image isn't of the genuine product?! No boxed product from Benefit has ever looked like that. Clearly the person that uploads the stock images onto the Boots site has made a mistake in the source they take the images from. But really I would of thought as an authorized Benefit seller they would use the stock images provided by Benefit! Just shows how big the counterfeit industry is.
- On another slightly crazy note I found myself talking to Mr. Ming from Shanghai who owns a factory that solely makes counterfeit cosmetics. I of course was undercover savvy and showed my interest in some MAC blushers and asked on the quality (making sure to show that I wasn't that bothered as I would be re-selling them via eBay and they just needed to look good) which made him admit that all his products were fact fake but of good quality and as for checks on the ingredient and products he didn't have a clue what I was talking about! I also found out his employees over 100 people in his factory just to create fake MAC products.
A UK based eBay seller with 99.5% positive feedback selling fake MAC mascaras with 58 sold so far!
- Just as I was getting over what I found on the Boots website I stumbled across the most stupid YouTube video (see here if you want to be annoyed) of a girl almost reviewing a fake Benefit blusher and saying how much she loved it even though she knew it was fake! This is just another reason why I want to write an e-book about fake cosmetics as she clearly doesn't think putting un-tested makeup onto her skin is risky in the least!
- Which takes me to my last point of how bad fake skin product are- well unfortunately it is all pretty negative and just backs up why you should never even try out a product if you think it is fake. I read a report on how a lot of fake skincare product used over time can lead to skin diseases and a specific ingredient in fake cosmetics over time can affect the function the the kidneys! Also apparently antifreeze has been found in fake cosmetics! How scary.
So as you can see fake beauty products are a pretty big deal and can con not only everyday people buy huge companies!
Much like Christmas jumpers last year, beauty advent calendars are having there moment right now with an abundance to chose from! However I don't know about you, but I certainly don't have £100+ to splurge on one of the most popular advent calendars this year!
So for the past few weeks I made it my mission to find the most affordable but best beauty advent calendars that won't break the bank. Below are my golden five with a sneak peek of what you can expect to find in each calendar!
The Bomb Advent Calendar
£19.99 - Bomb Cosmetics here
If you are all bath products over makeup then this wonderful Bomb Cosmetics advent is the one for you. Included in the advent calendar is a total of 24 different fragrant fancies with 12 being miniature soap slices (I love these!) and 12 miniature bath blaster for in your bath or foot spa! I opened just 4 of the doors and found a wonderful Snowglobe Soap, Plum Berry Ice Soap, You Can't Caught Me Bath Blaster and Jelly & Custard Bath Blaster. I truly love the mix of unique soaps with the wonderful smelling mini bath blasters and can't wait to get opening it come December 1st!
W7 Countdown to Christmas Advent Calendar
£12.50 - Fragrance Direct here (out of stock sadly!)
£20.99 - eBay here
This is the cheapest beauty advent that I could find that included good quality products and not just non-branded tat! I personally love W7 and think they have come up with such a great affordable advent here that would suit both teens and adults. Included in the advent calendar there are of course 24 products which includes 10 mini W7 nail polishes, plus a selection of lipglosses, lipsticks, glitters and eyeshadows. Again I opened just 4 doors and found a red dazzle nail polish, multi dazzle nail polish, Hot Chocolate shimmer eyeshadow and pink nail glitter. Though the miniature lipglosses do seem a little cheap all the rest of the products are great and definitely worth the £20 price tag! The one to get if you're on a budget but fancy treating yourself to a beauty advent calendar this Christmas!
M&S Beauty Advent Calendar
£25.00 when you spend £25+ on M&S Beauty - In-store
If you are planning to buy anything beauty related from M&S as a Christmas gift this year then the new M&S Advent Calendar is without a doubt worth picking up at the same time as it contains some amazing beauty brands and has a value of £200! As you can see this has an amazing range of high end products from brands such as Stila, Philip Kingsley, Leighton Denny, Diego Diego Dalla Palma and Burt's Bees to name but a few. I also know the calendar contains quite a decent size 100ml bottle of Pixi Glow Tonic! This really is better than high end beauty advents that I've seen for £70+!
Salon Services/ Sally Advent Calendar
£35.00 - Salon Services (trade) here
£42.00 - Sally's (retail) here
Now this may just be the least talked about beauty advent calendar this year and I haven't a clue why as it's bloody amazing! If you aren't familiar with Sally's it's mainly a beauty and nail supplies store both on and offline for trade customers (you receive a discount) and the general public. So this year they have come out with an amazing multi-brand advent calendar includes a range of brands that they stock, this includes Lord & Berry, Wella, Opi, Ardell and Tigi! If you head over to their website you can see what you can expect to receive in the advent but above I have a little example of the products you will find behind 4 of the doors and as you can see it's no small advent to be included that pretty sizable hair products. I'm seriously tempted with this one and may have to pop in my local(ish) Sally's store to see if they have any left to avoid p&p costs. But if you're thinking of doing the same I recommend phoning the store to ask if they are in stock and they will be more than happy to check for you - Sally's staff really are lovely!
Essence Advent Calendar
£24.00 - Wilko in-store
Lastly another affordable calendar from Essence that you can find in select Wilko stores that stock Essence cosmetics. The advent includes 20 Essence I Heart Trends nail polishes plus 4 other nail related surprises! So it you're a nail junkie then you may want to pick this up! Again I'm tempted by this one but I do have 5 advent calendars already - oops!
If you are thinking of picking up a beauty advent calendar I hope I've given you a few affordable options here!
P.S - YEY for festive looking images!
Fee xo.
First and foremost I have to quickly make you aware that I'm going to be one of those annoying bloggers* that is reviewing something that is currently out of stock! But fear not, there is a reservation list to be notified when this box comes back in stock (here).
With that out of the way I think I may have the best beauty box I have ever laid my hands on. This is truly a nail junkies dream and also such a bargain!
You Magazine have teamed up with Latest In Beauty yet again to come out with an amazing box of nail products for only £14.95 inc p&p. I knew by just looking at the products they had a much higher retail value than that so I decided to search the internet for the price of everything and worked out that this box is actually worth £56?! So it really is well priced at under £15.
*Had to get that out of the way as there was no way I could make you lust after this box and then let you down at the end of the post by telling you it was out of stock!
Here is what to expect from the Ultimate Summer Nails Box when it becomes available again...
Butter London Nail Polish in Yummy Mummy
If I had to pick a highlight of the box it would be this nail polish! Butter London is a high end nail polish that doesn't come cheap at £12 a bottle. I don't actually own any Butter polishes so this has definitely been warmly welcomed in to my nail polish family. I can't say Yummy Mummy is what I would call a summer shades but it is a good nude staple.
Bourjois Magic Nail Polish Remover
This is a product I have been meaning to try for so long! I'm actually surprised at myself that I haven't owned it until now. I really did expect this to be similar to all the other nail polish removers in tubs that I have previously tried, but the sponge is actually a lot more firm and almost fits around your nail meaning it really does remove nail polish in seconds. Majorly impressed with this.
Rituals Nail Polish Corrector Pen
For me cleaning up nail polish around the cuticles isn't much of an issue as I've become quite good at painting my nails since becoming a blogger with a nail polish addiction. However corrector pens do come in handy when I'm in a rush. I always seems to rest my hand on the top of the nail polish bottle or I smudge a nail against my arm so this pen will come in handy. I do actually own this specific corrector pen already and it is still going strong so I may have to give this away to someone or keep it as a back-up.
Nails Inc Minis in Notting Hill Gate & Kensington Caviar Top Coat
Ahhhh I love me some mini nail polishes! Now these are ideal summer essentials, especially if you are going on holiday. Notting Hil Gate is the most perfect vibrant pink for summer and the Caviar Top Coat is something I have been wanting to try since forever. I would never buy these for £5 each but I was so pleased to see them included in the box.
Essie Sleek Stickers in So Haute
I'm not that much of a fan of nail wraps as I find them awkward to apply and wear... so these are probably my least liked product from the box. Having said that I am impressed that they are by Essie and I do like the design of them, so I will be giving them a go and may even like them. Nails Wraps are a bit like marmite, you either love them or hate them I have found.
The Vintage Cosmetics Company Nail File
A nice looking nail file to keep in my handbag is never a bad thing. This pretty one from the Vintage Cosmetics Company comes with it's own plastic sleeve to keep it nice and away from scratching anything. Nothing special about the actually file its self but pretty and girly non the less.
L'Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream
No nail box would be complete without a hand cream and this is one of the best. I've only tried mini sizes of the L'Occitane hand creams before so this is a real treat to receive a full sized one and in a lovely shea butter scent. This is already in my nail extras box to use after I've removed my nail polish.
This is without a doubt the most amazing box for the price. I just hope when it comes back in to stock there will be enough boxes for everyone that wants one!
Fee xo.
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