eBay Bargains #2

1. Bourjois Eye Pearls Quintet Palette in Sublimation (£2.97 here) - A great bargain here to switch up your eyeshadows for more autumnal shades. I love Bourjois products in generally but they are slightly too pricey when it comes to eyeshadows and blushers... especially individual ones. But this comes with 5 shades that are a perfect mixture of smokey neutrals and moss green shades for under £3 - a saving of around £6!

2. White Flower Statement Necklace (£1.79 here) - I'm a huge fan of super cheap statement necklaces on eBay and already have quite the collection. But this just caught my eye as it's so pretty and really, how cheap? Already snapped this up!

3. Rimmel Apocalips Lip Lacquers (£2.99 each here) - Shamefully I've only just tried out a few of the Rimmel Apocalips and love them! I'm so late on the bandwagon but I kind of begrudged paying £6.50! But at £2.00 I feel I can pick up a few more shades. I really fancy trying Eclipse for a strong autumn/winter berry lip and Nude Eclipse as it looks like a perfect nude opaque gloss.

4. Tony Moly Jelly Graffiti Top Coat (£2.51 here) - Last week I stumbled across this listing of 15 amazing Tony Moly Glitter Nail Polishes and had to hold myself back from buying them all. I ended up having to buy Jelly Graffiti because it's like no top coat I have. I now quite want Star Macaron as well.... eppp. My glitter nail polish addiction is still going strong it seems!

5. Bronze Bird Tree Jewellery Stand (£7.78 here) - At the moment I'm obsessed with anything bronze or rose gold and pretty. So when I spotted this lovely tree that would look perfect just for decoration or to hold jewellery I was in love. Really pretty and different. 

Thanks for all the lovely comments in my last eBay post. I'm so glad you love them just as much as I enjoying writing them! 

Fee xo. 

Under £3 High Street Beauty Must-Haves! #3

Back again with my £3 finds! I love high street makeup but it can be pricey so here are my budget picks that won't break the bank. 
 
You can find my other posts in this series here. 

Barbara Daly Longwear Eyeshadow 
£3.00 - Tesco online or in-store
My favourite recent find here! Barbara Daly for Tesco have some gem products and these beautiful longwear eyeshadows are definitely included in that. The twist-up cream eyeshadows are easy to apply directly to the eyelids and then can be blended out with fingers or a fluffy blending brush and really do stay put. Also the shade range of metallics is just gorgeous. These generally should be £6-7 but have been re-priced recently to £3 both online and in-store so it's worth snapping them up!

You can find shades - Shell here, Shimmer Sand here, Black Marble here.

Waitrose Pure Eye Gel 
£2.99 - Waitrose in-store 
 On to skin care now with a new budget range I discovered in Waitrose last week which is priced at £1.99-£2.99 over the entire range. I decided to go for the eye gel as I love to apply a gel formula around my eyes to wake them up before applying makeup, also eye gels are few and far between on the high street. I wouldn't say this particularly acts as skincare produc however it definitely soothes and revitalises the skin making the eyes feel awake. A bargain buy to be kept in the fridge for tired eyes!

Kleenex Shine Absorbing Sheets 
39p - Home Bargains or £1.35 eBay here 
A super bargain buy here for the amazing store that is Home Bargains! These are handy shine reducing sheets that are ideal for keeping in your handbag in place of powder to blot excess oil from the skin. What I like most about these specific sheets is the plastic/soft feel unlike the harsher paper ones. Also these really do work for absorbing shine throughout the day. A total bargain. 

 

NYC Twistable Lip Colour in Ballroom Blush 
£2.49 - Superdrug in-store 
 This is one of NYC's latest products and one I've been absolutely loving lately due to the amazingly quality and super pigmentation. This lip crayon unlike a lot of others offers such a strong vivid colour and lasts for a good 3-4 hours without smudging and fades to a nice stain. The range consists of 7 great shades with some deeper berry tones perfect for Autumn/Winter which I will be picking up. Another great bargain buy!

Hope you've enjoyed this budget post! 

Fee xo.

Friday Favourites September #4

Today I have my last Friday's Favourites post for you in September! I can't believe how quickly summer has gone though I'm very much looking forward to it being properly Autumn and Halloween.

This week's favourites are a very mixed bag of things but all are products and items I've been really loving. Hope you're still enjoying this weekly series and it's not becoming too same-y!

Too Faced Palette Natural Eyes Shadow Collection Palette 
£28.48 on offer - Beauty Bay here
This is just a neutral eye lovers dream! I have this for many months and been loving it but as the weather is turning colder I've been enjoying it even more and getting use out of all the wonderful buttery shades. Favourite shades include Silk Teddy, Cashmere Bunny, Push-up and Chocolate Martini. Just so pigmented and with an amazing selection of matte, pearl and shimmery shades. I actually love this more than my Urban Decay Naked palettes which says a lot!

Origins Super Spot Remover Treatment Gel 
£12.15 - All Origin counters/John Lewis online here
In the past week I've had a strange out break of sore small spots under my chin around my jawline. As they were red and sore I wanted them gone ASAP so nightly I've been applying my trusty Origins Spot Remover Gel and finally they are all clearing up! This reminded me how good the Origins gel is for removing all types of spots. Also really don't let the size of the bottle put you off as this lasts the longest time - I've had mine for well over a year now. 

Seventeen Stay Time Foundation
£6.49 - Boots here 
Another product that I couldn't have been without this week is the Seventeen Stay Time Foundation, again to properly conceal the small spots I've had. This is the fullest coverage foundation I have and it really does cover all redness and any blemishes you may have without looking cake-y or thick. It isn't a foundation I would constantly wear as I prefer a sheerer finish when my skin is behaving but for times when I'm skin conscious it works wonders. A must if you have bad skin days!

Wow Butter - 100% Nut-Free Spread

 £4.99 - Holland & Barrett here or select Tesco stores

Last week I came across this intriguing non-peanut butter that apparently tastes exactly like peanut butter. I don't have an allergy to nuts however it was on the health foods aisle in Tesco and is made from toasted soya and is free from a lot of things.... so I figured it's going to be healthier than standard peanut butter. Now I don't often eat peanut butter on toast so I've been eating this straight from the jar or smothered onto a banana and oh my word it's been amazing! This is actually tastier than normal peanut butter and doesn't feel as oily which I'm pleased about. I had to mentioned it as it's so so sooo good but also very handy if you are allergic to nuts as it's even produced in a nut-free environment.

Sarah Waters The Paying Guests 

 £8.00 Hardback - Amazon here

Sarah Waters is one of the only authors I get excited about and have read all of her books to date. The reason for this is her detailed but easy writing style that pulls you back in time and into the lives of the characters. The Paying Guests is Water's most recent book which I've sadly just finished and would highly recommend to anyone that loves history or sapphic literature. I won't even give the storyline away with this one but will say that all the characters are so detailed and the story keeps you hooked throughout with twists and turns. Also this really felt like an autumn/winter read to curl up with a blanket and enjoy.

Carex Complete 'Chocolate Orange' & 'Cola Bottles' Hand Wash 

£1.80 each - Tesco 

A very random favourite here with hand wash but one I had to include as they are so fun and smell even better than you'd imagine! Carex Cola Bottles Hand Wash has been a staple next to my sink for the last 6 months as it literally smells like fizzy cola bottles but then last week I decided to try out the Chocolate Orange scent and again was amazed how spot on the scent is.... think creamy orange dark chocolates! These are not only fun for kids but makes washing your hands much more enjoyable as the wonderful scent drifts up. If you're already a sucker for yummy bath products then these are a must for next to your sink! 

Hope you've enjoyed this week's favourites.

Fee xo.

eBay Bargains #1

 

 The other day I realised just how long it had been since I've done an eBay wishlist... 3 months?! But this has no correlation to my spending habits as I still seem to buy something weekly from eBay... I've just got out of the loop of writing the posts! 

So to get back on track, as I love finding great bargains, I thought I'd start a bit of a new series. Here are my favourite eBay Bargains this week...

1. East of India Quote Bookmarks (£2.39 here) - I'm totally in love with reading at the moment but I'm one of those readers that use anything and everything as a bookmark... currently it's a piece of cardboard from a dog food box (monkey covering it's eyes emoji!). So this lovely bookmark it a lot more suitable. Tons of different sayings/quotes available - the above one I've already snapped up! 

2. Large Wool Tartan Scarf/Wrap (£3.98 here) - I love a good tartan scarf come Autumn/Winter and this looks the perfect size and colour. Also love the fringing. Again lots of different patterns available... I'm even thinking these are large enough to drape over a sofa arm as a throw/blanket.

3. Cut Out Buckle Boots (£14.99 here) - Cut-out boots are very in at the moment and I'm so pleased by this as most have a nice block heel that makes them so easy to walk in. The above pair just look so chic with the gold hardware, especially to the back of the heel. Plus what a bargain! I'm sure these will be mine by the end of the month.

4. Seagrass Storage Basket (£4.99 here) - A bit of a random one here but one I thought I'd include none the less. I came across this and instantly thought how nice it would look with bath/body products in in a bathroom, especially as it's a great size at 38cm in length. I already have a small sea grass basket to keep cleansers and moisturiser in next to my sink and it's lasted amazingly well.

5. Sally Hansen 'Twinkle Toes-ty' & 'Coppy Penny' (£2.49 each here) - An eBay post for me wouldn't be complete without some type of nail product! These wonderful Sally Hansen nail polishes caught my eye as I'm such a sucker for anything glittery. Twinkle Toes-ty just looks amazing and isn't a shade I've ever seen before as for Copper Penny is just the perfect autumnal glitter. 

Hope you've enjoyed this eBay post!

Fee xo.

 

Everyday Makeup Reorganise

The other day after noticing just how mucky my Muji Drawers had gotten with makeup fingerprints I decided to have a total re-organise and clean of my everyday makeup. One hundred Dettol wipes later and 20% less makeup I had my Muji Drawers looking like new again and a much more organised collection. 

Previously some of the drawers were stuffed full and I really wasn't using a lot of it. However I thought about the order in which I wanted my makeup to go and was ruthless when it came to foundations that were too dark and eyeshadows I hadn't used in years. I'm so pleased I decided to have a reorganise just in time for the new season and I thought I'd share with you what my everyday makeup collection now looks like as I love when other bloggers show their makeup collections!

 Blushers

My most stuffed drawer was the one that housed my favourite blushers so I thought I'd be wise and give myself two drawers. I now love the second drawers down with all my lovely boxed and compact blushers... Benefit and the Balm really do the most gorgeous packaging! As for the top drawer it contains my favourite Sleek blushers for Autumn, Rose Gold and Pomegranate, and lots of other blushers I've been recently using. 

Foundations

The other drawer that was incredibly stuffed full, so much so it wouldn't close it fully, was my foundation drawer. I was still holding onto foundations that were slightly too dark for me but could just get away with in summer and also way too many BB creams that I wasn't that impressed with... so this was definitely the drawer I really scaled down on. I now have a much smaller collection of foundations to pick in a range of coverages to suit my skins needs - Max Factor Xperience and L'Oreal Eau De Teint Foundation (light coverage), Bourjois CC Cream and L'Oreal Skin Perfection BB (medium coverage) and Seventeen Stay Time (full coverage). I also have a pretty the Balm bronzer in the corner there.

Primers/Powders

This is a bit of a mixed drawers but still an organised one with primers on the left and powders on the right. All my favourite primers I made sure to put at the front with - Laura Mercier, Maybelline and NYX. I also have two of my favourite brightening highlighter powders at the front from MUA and Bourjois and my trusty L'Oreal BB Powder and Benefit Powder to the back.

Eyeshadows

For my eyeshadow drawer I had to be ruthless as I had way too many single eyeshadows I never used or had dried up. I now have a lovely selection of shades for autumn that I know will tempt me to use over using the same eyeshadow palette over and over again. As for all my palettes I store them in a toast rack!

Mixed Compartments   

Instead of trying to store products that roll about in my Muji Drawer I decided to use this Muji Acrylic Pot with 3 compartments. In the left compartment I keep a small selection of eyeliners (as I really don't reach for anything but my favourites day-to-day) and brow products, in the middle - mascaras, with my favourites being the Eyeko Black Magic Mascara and L'Oreal Miss Manga Mascara at the moment and in the right compartment my most used concealers... I'm sure you can spot the Collection Lastion Perfection Concealer there.

Also on top of my Muji drawers I have my tiered acrylic lipstick storage which you can find on eBay here for only £2.99 (the best and cheapest storage I've ever purchased), my favourite loose powder from Clarins, two gorgeous Sara Happ lip products and my much raved about Tony Moly Egg Pore Primer. 

I'm so glad I've downsized my everyday makeup and everything looks so clean and new again.

Hope you've enjoyed having a snoop at my collection! 

Fee xo.

Mini Boots Autumn Haul

Last week I popped into Boots and did a little makeup shopping that I felt was very Autumn inspired. So I thought I'd share it with you today!

Rimmel Velvet Matte Nail Polishes in 'Midnight Kiss' & 'Sumptuous Red' 

£4.49 each - Boots here

First in my basket were two of the Rimmel Velvet Matte nail polishes I featured in a recent wish list post. These were very blogger enabled purchases as I've seen so many swatches of the new range and loved the softer matte finish along with the rich autumn/winter tones. Expect a couple of NOTD posts with these soon as they are gorgeous! 

Palmers Cocoa Butter Rapid Moisture Spray Lotion 

£3.66 on offer - Boots here

As I've been loving the Palmers Cocoa Butter Body Oil recently I thought I'd try out something else from the brand. The Rapid Moisture Spray Lotion instantly caught my eye as 1. it was on offer and 2. however strange this may sound I thought the packaging was very American... which I liked! I've already tried this out and know I will love it as it's got the wonderful cocoa butter chocolate-y scent I love and the spray application makes it so easy to apply.

 

Seventeen Chalk Dots Nail Effects 
£2.99 on offer (save £1) - Boots
I then came across the Seventeen stand and literally felt I was spoilt for choice as they have so many new products out at the moment. I was instantly drawn to the top coat nail polishes especially this one as it reminds me of Oreos and cream.

Seventeen Polka Dots Nail Effects 
£2.99 on offer (save £1) - Boots 
I also picked up a lovely multi-coloured polka dots top coat that even though isn't very autumnal will look good over so many nail polish colours. Also I haven't seen anything similar to this on the high street.

FREE Seventeen Back Lash Mascara 
Currently when you purchase 2 Seventeen products you can pick up this free mascara which is worth around £6! Not too bad at all. 

Seventeen Phwoarr Paint Concealer in 'Fair'
£5.49 - Boots here
Last but not least I picked up a concealer that I've been wanting to try for so long now. Unfortunately I have quite dark circles/veins under my eyes and my beloved Collection Last Perfection Concealer just wasn't cutting it. So after seeing some great reviews of the Phwoarr Paint I thought I'd try it out. So far so good with this, much more creamier for blending and it definitely gives better coverage. 

Let me know what you bought last in Boots! 

Fee xo.

The Bare Necessities

Today I thought I'd talk about products that I literally cannot live without and use on a constant basis. They may not be that exciting however they are my staples and I realised they never get mentioned! 

Oral-B Pulsonic Slim Sonic Rechargeable Toothbrush
£54.99 - Amazon here

First up the most essential item of all; a toothbrush. Over the years I've had normal manual brushes and electric ones and whilst favouring electrics ones they always seem to break or I can't be bothered purchasing new brush heads. However finally with the Braun Oral B Slim Sonic one it's so good that I do re-purchase new brush heads and have had it over 2 years now. Before this brush I really did presume all electric toothbrushes were very similar but this is the first brush that rotates so much faster and feels incredibly light both in your hand and against the teeth... somehow like a fast micro vibration. There are probably lots of other electric toothbrushes out there that do this but I bought this at half price on Amazon at the time and won't ever be switching to a manual toothbrush ever again. 

Remington 4-in-1 Shaver/Epilator 
£41.32 - Amazon here

Another essential is hair removal tools and this is a product I've got so much use out of. Initially I used this with the Epilator head which even though I didn't find too ouchy is a long and boring process.... also under arms is a no-go zone. So I decided to get more use out of it and swap the head for the shaver one. Now I use cheaper throw-away razors in the shower and use this as an inbetween shaver when I'm in a rush. The blades/rotating mesh give a close finish and can be used on all areas with different guards... also it had a handy light that shows up any areas you have missed. Also in the year I've had it I think I've charged it up only once! 

 Soft & Gentle 48hr Protection Orange Blossom & Grapefruit Deodorant
£2.75 - Boots here

When it comes to deodorants I'm strangely quite fussy. I prefer aerosol sprays but nothing toxic smelling or that leaves a film that you can feel ,so my everyday one is the Soft & Gentle 48hr Protection Orange Blossom & Grapefruit Deodorant which gives enough protection throughout the day and smells and feel light - a perfect everyday essential. Then for ummm.... more sweater times i.e in summer, when I'm tidying/shopping/walking etc etc I opt for the Dove Maximum Protection Cucumber & Green Tea Deodorant (£4-5 in most supermarkets), this was a product I didn't think I'd like as it's a cream anti-perspirant however this soaks into the skin and works amazingly! The cost is a little extra than most other products but I highly recommend it if you are after full protection - it really does cut it. 

Cloud 9 - C9 Touch Hair Straighteners 

£84.15 - Beauty Bay here

Maybe not as much of an essential but definitely a hair tool I use on a weekly basis and would say I couldn't be without. I've had many hair straighteners in the past and always been satisfied with them but the C9 Touch's just go beyond all the rest with it's many clever features. My favourite is that they only turn on and instantly heat up when in contact with your hair so you can plug them in and use them instantly. Also there are two heat setting with the lowest one working by simply clicking the plates together 3 times - the setting I most prefer. These also just glide through the hair making me able to straighten my whole head within 5 minutes. I love GHD's but I love these more! 

Tangle Teezer The Original 
£7.80 (on sale) - Beauty Bay here

Still with hair I had to mention my Tangle Teezer and also the Beauty Bay Detangling Brush (£5 here) which I equally love. These kind of hair brushes are a god send for me and my knotty post shower hair. Before discovering the Tangle Teezer it would take me forever to gently tease out all the knots in my wet hair without losing too much of it in the brush! But now I simply spray my hair with a de-tangling spray and comb through with not much effort at all. This has been such a handy tool that I couldn't recommend enough if you have knotty hair.

Other bare necessities include... Dead Sea Magik Black Mud Soap (SLS-free and perfect for sensitive skin - for body & face), Cuticura Hand Serum Sanitiser (kept on my desk and not at all drying to the hands), China Glaze Ridge Filler (this hides ridges in my nails and prevents then from becoming stained). 

What are a few of your bare necessities? 

Fee xo.

Friday Favourites September #3

Friday again and I'm back with my round-up of favourites  for the week - a nice mix of beauty and lifestyle products. 

This week I've been all about yummy things with a new favourite indulgent dessert and a candle that I just can't get over, seriously the best candle I've ever burnt. As for makeup I've been keeping it minimal this week mainly relying on eye products with a great new all over eye primer and a slightly long lost mascara!

Garnier 5 Sec Perfect Blur Eye Primer 15ml 

£9.99 - Boots here 

First up my new favourite all-singing all-dancing eye primer. This ticks all the boxes for me as it blurs fine lines, reduces the look of dark circles/tiredness and also acts as a base for makeup under the eye and on the lids making concealer and eyeshadows apply nicely and stay on for longer. The light silicone formula just smoothes over the eye without balling up or flaking and just peps everything up whilst also acting as an eyeshadow primer. I really couldn't ask for more in an eye primer.The only thing is I'd be curious to see how this compares to the Garnier 5 Second Perfect Blur Primer as it's double the volume for the same price and of course can be worn all over the face.

Eyeko Black Magic Mascara 4ml 

£15 for duo set - Beauty Bay here 

A few months ago I received this mascara in a beauty box but actually put it to one side as the formula was just too wet for my liking and messy to apply. Then when recently organising I stumbled across it and noticed how the formula had slightly thickened which prompted me to give it another go. With the thicker formula that isn't wet I've been finding it so much nicer to use and just loving the curling effect it has due to the curved brush. Also the volume it gives it just the right amount to avoid spidery lashes. For the full 8ml size the price is a steep £18 which I know I wouldn't pay however for the duo black and blue set it is a little cheaper at £15. A total favourite but Eyeko definitely need to bring their prices down.

 

Village Candle Brownie Delight

£13.99 Large 26oz Jar - eBay here 

Since featuring this candle in a wish list post at the beginning of the week I feel like I haven't stopped raving about it! Before the wish list post had gone live I'd gone and purchased it because I couldn't resist it any longer. Then since receiving it in the post I haven't stopped burning it. I love all baked goods candles for their yummy scents but this is just out of this world... like actual chocolate brownies baking in the oven. Just amazing!

Pots & Co Lemon & Lime Posset 

£1.99 - Selfridges/Waitrose/Booths

Recently I've realised that even though I'm still dieting the odd treat won't hurt and this week I discovered an amazing new range of desserts that come in pretty ceramic ramekins (that you can re-use). I've only tried two desserts from the range so far with my favourite being the Lemon & Lime Posset. The dessert is both indulgent with it's smooth creamy texture but also refreshing and zingy with the lemon and lime flavour. I would normally opt for a more chocolate-y dessert if I was having one but this just surpasses all supermarket desserts I've tried in the past. If you are looking for something indulgent or to impress guests with then I'd very much recommend these.

Mohdoh Mouldable Calm 50g 

£4.99 - Feel Unique here or Holland & Barrett 

A slightly obscure favourite here with something that been helping my low level anxiety recently as well as my difficultly getting to sleep at night. This is basically a less mouldable form of Playdoh that's infused with calming aromatherapy oils such as lavender and ylang ylang. I know one of the best ways to calm the mind when anxiety/racing thoughts are happening is distraction and this does exactly that. Simply playing with the dough is enough to make me tired in bed or to reduce anxiety... I'm even tempted to take it on the plane with me when I go on holiday next! Also as the dough isn't overly pliable, kneading the dough takes a bit of force which relieves tension, plus this also releases the calming oils.

 

 

Models Own Diamond Luxe in Heart Red 
£5.00 - Models Own website (online exclusive for now) here
Last favourite for this week has to go to my favourite shade in the new Models Own Diamond Luxe collection. The vivid red shade with micro gold glitter/shimmer is something I could see Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz wearing on her nails - just so fun and bright. Sadly the nail swatches don't show up the micro glitter that's suspended within the nail polish that is so stunning on the nails. Love, love, love this! Launches in Superdrug stores Sept 20th and Boots stores Sept 24th. 

Hope you've enjoyed my favourites for this week and all have a lovely weekend.

Fee xo.

How To Get Your Blogging Mojo Back

Last month I came down with a case of what I like to call 'Beauty Blogger Burnout'. It's a known ailment in the beauty blogging world that can easily come on with self-pressure and also having a life... well in my case a lack of one, as I was ill! But thankfully it isn't terminal, I'm back on track now and it's given me some perspective on how to avoid it in the future and knowledge of how to get back into the swing of things.

So if you are feeling a little deflated by blogging or just lacking motivation to blog then this post is for you!

1. Ditch your blogging hang-ups
For me this was my lack of writing skills and also not being a blogger that talked about new products instantly. These insecurites though not huge have always been with me and just seemed to dwell on my mind when it came to blogging. Since get back into blogging however I've made a conscious effort to not worry about how ever sentence is phrased which has made me feel more positive about the posts I write and as a result I now write blog posts a lot quicker. As for not blogging about current releases I try to remind myself none of my readers have ever mentioned this and maybe it's something unique to my blog that people like. Whatever your blogging hang-ups I fully suggest consciously thinking of them in either a positive way or casting them aside as they only lead to negative mindset.

2. Get Motivated
When getting back to blogging it's beyond important to feel motivated and not like it's your duty to get back to it. This may be reading your favourite blogs or looking at popular posts on Bloglovin' or even just buying a new notebook to write ideas in. I personally decided to start my 'Friday Favourites' series as soon as I got back to blogging as I really wanted to be able to blog about non-beauty products on a more constant basis. This now excites and motivates me each week! It really is the little things that can help you the most sometimes.

3. Think Creatively 
Being creative is how blog posts are created; starting off with that initial idea, titling the post, photographing your products and then getting down to writing it. So it's great to have a brainstorm or sit down with a notepad and write down possible blog post ideas. Even branching out to new photo backgrounds and ideas of new series or monthly feateres. This really will make you want to get to it and be excited again to blog.
 

4. Avoid Self-pressure 
This was something I mentioned at the beginning of this post as I feel self-pressure without a doubt contributes to blogger burn out. We are all guilty of it in different areas of our lives but with blogging I feel it's even easier to fall into with the comparison of other bloggers/blogs. If you blog as a hobby there's no need to have X amount of blog posts going up per week or amazing photos that are magazine standard. Equally you don't need to be updating Twitter even daily if you won't want to/haven't the time or any social media for that matter (I haven't been on my Facebook page for over 2 years now!) or have a blogging schedule... I know I don't have one. We have enough pressures in our life from external sources so make sure to cut yourself some slack and enjoy blogging!

5. Reconnect 
If you haven't been blogging for a while you can feel out of the loop so commenting on blog posts you read/tweets from bloggers you follow are easy ways to get back in to the blogging world a bit more. Also doing tags on your blog (Blogger Love tag here and The Autumn Tag here) is a good way to be more open and personal with your readers. Plus replying back to comments can be a great way to connect with your valued readers.

Blogging can be such a rewarding hobby and is definitely worth not giving up on!

If you're experiencing a lack of passion for blogging at the moment I hope this has been helpful. I'd also love to hear any tip you may have. 

Fee xo.

Royal Mail Restricted Beauty Goods Explained

Recently I was sending a parcel containing beauty items and realised I wasn't up on the fairly new restrictions that have been set by the Royal Mail. 

After researching I thought I'd share it here in more layman's terms as to what you can't send and what can happen if you don't comply... because that is quite tempting I know! 

Firstly Royal Mail have always had a prohibited goods list, because... well you can just be sending anything and everything. But a while back they revised that list and put a limit on the quantity and volumes you can send with both nail polish and perfumes/aftershave. This is important if you are sending eBay items, doing a makeup swap or just sending a gift to someone.

But exactly why is it important? Well Royal Mail do random checks where they X-ray parcels and if you are over the quantity/volume restrictions your parcel will be disposed of in whole or in part i.e. Julie in the RM office will be enjoying painting her nails. 

So here is a simple guide to what you can and can't send... 

Sending Nail Polish 

When it comes to nail polish you can now only send 4 nail polishes per parcel that cannot exceed 30ml (though most are no more than 15ml anyway). You must also package them well in strong outer packaging and secure inner packaging so they cannot break or leak.

Still want to send larger amounts of nail polish? Hermes is definitely the way to go if you want to send a larger amount of nail polishes, say if you can sold a large lot via eBay or Depop. You can send as many as you like however the compensation is void due to type of item it is. I've used Hermes for larger items in the past as a parcel costs only £2.99 for upto 1kg in weight and I would recommend them.

Sending Perfumes/Aftershave

For perfumes again there is now a limit of no more than four perfumes per parcel and this includes all strengths of perfumes including alcohol-free perfumes. Volume per item may not exceed 150ml and has to be in it's original retail bottle. Royal Mail  also require you package perfumes/aftershaves in strong outer packaging with inner packaging being secure so that no items break or leak. 

Unfortunately perfumes are also one of Hermes restricted items and cannot be sent through them at all.

 

With all nail polishes, perfumes and toiletries a label called a ID8000 will be applied to the back of the parcel you are sending which is roughly 10cm x 14cm in size so it's worth making sure your package is larger than this as a lot of post offices will be fussy and require you to re-package your items so that the label will fit onto the parcel (a standard jiffy bag is generally the best option). Also a return address must be clearly visible on the parcel. 

Hope this makes things clearer if you are thinking about sending either product in the future! 

Fee xo. 

Autumn Comforts Wish List 2014

 

Colder days are creeping around the corner and I for one am excited about that fact. I enjoy summer but I love nothing more than feeling cosy and a little excited for Halloween and Christmas! But no talk of the holidays just yet as there are more than enough new products to suffice my buying needs at the moment! 

Here are just a few products that I'm eager to get my hands on for Autumn...

Sarah Waters The Paying Guests
£8.00 Hardback - Amazon here
Nothing says autumn like a new book. Especially one you've been waiting to be released! The Paying Guests is Sarah Waters latest book that I'm so looking forward to. I've loved many of her previous books and by the synopsis of her latest books I really don't think I will let down at all. An intriguing and vivid read that I can't wait to get hold of. 

Le Creuset Mug in Cerise
£13.00 - John Lewis here
Another thing that feels very autumnal is a chunky mug, though I have more than enough mugs for my non-great love of hot drinks. However come colder months I do enjoy the odd creamy coffee or hot ribena so I feel a new mug is allowed. The red Le Creuset mug has been something I've been tempted to buy a few times but decided against due to the price tag. However I've decided that it's a staple mug that I need in my collection i.e I want to be frivolous. 

A Little Princess - Puffin in Bloom Edition
£9.00 Hardback - Amazon here 
Back to books with a very special one from the new Puffin in Bloom series which features four classic reads all illustrated by the wonderful illustrator and founder of Rifle Paper Co; Anna Rifle Bond. All the covers just look so beautiful and unique and would make a perfect gift for a book lover. Out of the four titles my favourite would have to be A Little Princess which I'm now more eager to read as only yesterday I re-watched the DVD version and loved it all over again. Also I discovered that the title was actually published in 1905 which I find amazing.  

Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet Lipstick 
£8.99 - Boots here 
On to makeup now with Bourjous liquid lipsticks that have been oh so raved about by bloggers in the past few months. What appeals to me the most with these is the formula which is apparently comfortable to wear but just doesn't budge - perfect for me as I always fear my lipstick is everywhere with a statement lip. These are a bit more than I'd like to pay (yes, I'm a scrooge) but hopefully I will be able to find them on a 'buy 1 get one half price' offer as I really want 'Grand Cru' and 'Frambourjois' (shades seen in image above) both perfect shades for autumn/winter.

Rimmel Velvet Matte Nail Polish 
£4.49 - Boots here
New onto the shelves from Rimmel are a range of softer matte nail polishes that I didn't expect to love but after seeing swatches want to snap them all up! The velvet matte effect is just slightly softer than standard matte nail polishes and the shades just scream autumn/winter. Very tempted with 'Sumptuous Red' a perfect oxblood shade and 'Midnight Kiss' a chic dark navy. 
 
Village Candle in Brownie Delight 
£12.99 - eBay here
Last but not least I had to feature the most heavenly candle I have ever smelt... I actually don't know how I walked away without buying it (don't worry I bought it online the next day). The candle is from a company I've never heard of before but they are U.S based and apparently give Yankee Candles a run for their money, which I can totally see. I of course smelt the whole range but as soon as I came across Brownie Delight I was in love... I've just literally never smelt a candle that's so true to scent before. It literally smells like the Nigella Lawson's Chocolate Brownies by sister bakes at Christmas which are just a-mazing. Can't wait to get burning this now! 

Hope you've enjoyed this very autumnal wish list. 

Fee xo.   

Friday Favourites September #2

Friday is finally here again and as usual I have some lovely favourites to share with you. 

As I took the photos for this post I realised how much I'm loving my 'Friday Favourites' posts. It may have only started 3 weeks ago but I love this new set end to the week where I can share both beauty and lifestyle products I've been loving  - just a nice balance. So in a way this blog post series is a Friday favourite of mine! 

 

The Time Traveler's Wife 

£6.79 - Amazon here  
 This is my current read and even though I've been taking my time (the way it's wrote is perfect for picking up and reading a few pages of) I've been thoroughly enjoying it. This is like no other book I've read for I guess it's time travelling structure and even though that sounds like it would be hard to grasp it really isn't and quite an easy read. Also I'm loving the love story that's real and gripping. Just a perfect read for the earlier nights or tucked up in bed. 

Free Printable Calendar 

from Coco and Mingo here 
I'm one of those people that look at free printables online and love them but then never actually print them out. But finally I have done - woohoo! This is a lovely simple calendar from Coco & Mingo that you can chose to print out just the remaining months of the year so I have 5 calendar months printed which I'm going to buy a nice clip board for and hang in my makeup room. Think I will definitely be printing out more free printables from now on especially for Halloween and Christmas! 

Bioderma Sebium Pore Refiner

£14.80 - Escentual here
Finally I have found a primer that is also skincare and won't be breaking me out from daily use! I've been using this product for 3 weeks now and pretty much use it every time I wear makeup, on a instant level it works great as a light primer to diffuse unsightly pores and leaves a matte finish to apply foundation onto. But what I'm loving most about this is that it's actually making my skin less combination/oily and my some of my larger pores have actually become smaller! I really didn't think I'd be that amazed by this product but finally my primer problems are over. 

Reese's Flavoured Lip Balm 

£1.50 - Primark  
I have a vast array of lipbalms that I really don't need and this is my latest one which I'm obsessed with. Novelty lipbalms can be very hit and miss but this is a goody with an amazing sugary chocolate/peanut taste/scent. Also it does a pretty good job of keeping your lips soft. I've found myself apply this constantly this week... especially when I'm hungry! 

 

Sleek Blusher in 'Rose Gold'
£4.49 - Superdrug here or in-store
I mentioned in a recent post that Sleek Rose Gold blush was my favourite blusher for autumn as it's so warming to the skin with a lovely shimmer - perfect for wearing higher on the cheeks so that the glow highlights the cheekbones. So this week I've began using it again and I'm straight back to loving it. Sleek offer some great blushers, another favourite is 'Pomegranate', that are well worth £4.49 each.

Clarins Joli Rouge Lipstick in 'Sweet Plum'
£16.70 - Escentual here
Another makeup favourite is this beautiful Clarins lipstick that's a great transitional shade from summer to autumn. I love all Clarins lipstick formulas as they are so pigmented and comfortable to wear and this doesn't disappoint. A lovely juicy shade with a high shine that makes the lips look fully. Certainly a new handbag essential.

Hope you all have a lovely sunny weekend! 

Fee xo.

Five Blogs To Follow This Fall

 

Autumn is the season to snuggle up and read more blogs. I personally love discovering new ones that I can delve into the archives of and enjoy for hours.

 So here are a few blogs I've recently come across and think you'll also love...

That Grace Girl 
With a laid back style Grace's blog makes for a perfect evening or Sunday read. I love blogs with a mix of everything and you certainly get that with That Grace Girl. From Beauty & skincare to fashion, reading and even baking, mmmm. Also I'm just in love with the simple layout. 

TTILLES.SE

I love international blogs and this is just a perfect one. Ttilles is a Swedish blog wrote by Matilda who I actually first came across on Instagram. Ttilles offers short posts with beautiful photography with my favourite posts have to be Matilda's stunning nail posts.

Make Nice in the Midwest

Possibly the most creative blog I've come across in a long while and one I'm in total awe of. Make Nice in the Midwest is wrote by Mandi, or that girl with the floral tatoo as it's gone pretty viral in the past few years. This blog feels like a personal diary with a heap of DIY, outfit, baking and family posts all with wonderful photography. If you love A Beautiful Mess then you will adore this blog.   

Little Winter 
Little Winter was a blog I came across last month and I remember thinking to myself what a perfect blog to snuggle up and read because there's just something a bit magical and whimsical about it. Each post just feels like it's wrote with love and isn't trying to be anything or keeping up with the blogging world. One to enjoy on rainy 'indoor' days. 

Beauty Blogmark
 A true makeup blog here that caters to my makeup obsession! Beauty Blogmark is a blog that makes me feel spendy, generally for high-end products so I have to try hard to resist but for me that a sign of a blog I trust. Just a blog full of great product recommendations and again, perfect photography. 

Hope you've found some great new reads here.

Fee xo.  

Current Bathroom Picks

It feels like forever ago that I talked about what I've been loving in the shower/to moisturise with so with lots of products I'm loving so so much I thought I would. Also a lot of the products feel quite suitable for colder weather with warm scents and rich formulas. 

So here are my favourite bathroom picks going into Autumn...

Philosophy Candied Pecan Salt Scrub 

Past holiday collection - Find on eBay 

Now this is such a tease of me as this scrub is so hard to get hold of in the UK but I just had to include it because it's been making my showers so enjoyable lately. If I could describe the scent it would be that yummy smell of fresh out of the oven gooey warm biscuits - literally heaven. I actually sometimes just open the pot when I'm in the bathroom to just inhale it - it's that good! I don't really rate any other Philosophy shower products as they contain SLS's and come with some pretty scary warnings on the label, but this is thankfully free from such nasties and is a lovely scrub. 

OGX (previously Organix) Hydrating Macadamia Oil Shampoo 

£6.99 - Feel Unique here or Boots/Superdrug

A few weeks ago I decided to finally try out the Organix brand as all their shampoos are sulfate-free and I'm soooo pleased I did! When it comes to cheaper SLS-free shampoos they can be less foaming and quite drying (which equals tangles galore) but with this I was amazed. This foamed so easily like any standard shampoo and was so hydrating making it amazing for dry/over processed hair. I have a crazy amount of shampoo in my shower but this is the one I've been using religiously for the past 2 weeks. Also it comes in a huge 385ml bottle making it very worth it's money. 

Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Reconstructor Deep Conditioner

£4.99 - Boots/Superdrug/Tesco 

This was a recent re-purchase after not having it for a few months and now it's back in my life I'm obsessed with it. Yes, it's mainly for the amazing bubblegum scent that I can't get enough of but it's also a great deep conditioner that really helps the ends of the hair. Also the clever squeezy non-cap end is very handy indeed.

 

Palmer's Moisturising Body Oil
£3.04 - eBay here or £5.09 Superdrug/Boots 
Now this very much feels like an autumn/winter body product with the yummy cocoa butter/chocolate-y scent. I've had this in the past and thoroughly enjoyed it so as I was feeling very autumnal last week I decided to pick it up again. The oil is light and spreads easily over damp just-got-out-of-the-shower skin, leaving a nourished and moisturised feel plus you will smell amazing. A must buy is you love a warm chocolate-y scent.

Organic Surge Sweet Blossom Body Cream
£7.50 - Organic Surge here
Organic Surge get it spot on with so many products and this is one of them. The Sweet Blossom Body Cream is light and sweet in scent, which is just incredible and unique, with the most luxurious feeling cream that is strangely light meaning it soaks in a treat. One of my favourite creams to apply when I feel my skin is a little dry and in need of some TLC that is definitely free from nasties.

What are your favourite products to use in and out of the shower at the moment? 

Fee xo.