Hey Sweeties,
Forever the beauty junky, I have, over the last month or so, picked up a few more beauty things… as you do!
Hey Sweeties,
Forever the beauty junky, I have, over the last month or so, picked up a few more beauty things… as you do!
Following giving up beauty purchases for Lent, it is only natural and expected that a haul was soon to happen… and it’s happened! The majority of the purchases were from Boots, with a couple of items from TK Maxx.
Hey Sweeties,
I have been itching to go and visit The Cosmetics Company store in Gunwharf Quays in Portsmouth for ages but it’s hardly somewhere I can just casually pop to unfortunately, so I have been ever so patient and waited until an opportunity arose to do so. Fortunately, this was last weekend –Ian was attending a football match down there so I decided I would go with him and go shopping instead!
This to date, I think is my most expensive beauty haul which amuses me really as for someone so firm in not spending lots of money on high end products because essentially I don’t feel I need to, as you’ll read in a moment, when you find those dream items price it seems, becomes irrelevant. Maybe this rule just applies differently to outlet shopping? Hmmm…
So, despite a strict budget (which I did sort of keep to) for the day, I did blow 99% of it on beauty but the day wasn’t without sacrifice; I had to abandon hopes of anything from Origins and a Mac blusher got put back, but hey ho. Beauty is pain.
My Haul! £50.50 RRP £72
The store isn’t that big but it is packed with different brands. Immediately upon entering Mac is to your left so I darted there first and had a beautiful light peachy pink blusher –Immortal Flower– in my grasp quite quickly. I moved on.
It actually took me a few minutes to realise there was a Smashbox stand at the back however, once this was on my radar there was no stopping me getting to it. For regular readers you’ll remember that I have recently purchased a lipstick from Smashbox and I have said how eager I am to explore the brand more and treat myself to a consultation in the near future, so you can only but imagine what I was like faced with a whole stand of reduced products! I initially grabbed the photo finish primer which has not had a bad word said against it and it is regularly featured up there with the best primers on the market. But next to it was the ‘Try it Kit’ containing a BB cream, Halo powder, a brush and the primer as a bonus addition to the set. This to me seemed the obvious choice to purchase.
Smashbox Try it Kit £18.25 RRP £26.00
To the left of the Smashbox stand was Bobbi Brown and this is another of the brands I am itching to try. I have her make-up manual and there is a store in Windsor where each time I pass the window I hover and gaze in. I have pretty much already decided that Bobbi Brown will be who I select for my wedding make-up (when the time comes) but I can’t wait that long before trying something.
-Now here is my surprise purchase if you remember what I said earlier about spending too much on a single (high end) item-
A few things caught my attention as I was browsing the stand but then I got to this pink blusher –French Pink– with a brush next to it I naturally took a swipe of it across the back of my hand. Oh my God, it was love. It was also, £24.50. Who cared, I needed it (and it did come with a brush…)!
Bobbi Brown French Pink Kit £24.50 RRP £35
I now had a Mac blusher, Smashbox Try it Kit and Bobbi Brown’s French Pink Set in my hand… something had to give. I tried putting back the Bobbi Brown blusher but I just couldn’t so Mac had to go. Ouch!
In all, I went into and around the store about three times during the three or four hours I spent at Gunwharf Quays –my first initial visit, second to go back and check the Mac blusher as I was convinced I could find the budget from somewhere… but I still walked away (*pats self on back*). I went in for a third time to go and re investigate the Bobbi Brown stand as I had swatched a gorgeous purple eye shadow pencil/stick and it literally didn’t budge from my hand… I was tempted but at £14 it took me over budget. I genuinely didn’t need it (said no woman ever except today). BUT, I did manage a cheeky nail varnish purchase –Bobbi Brown’s Tuxedo Black- which I thought for Christmas with some silver glitter over the top would look fabulous. So I totally justified it.
Bobbi Brown Nail Polish £7.75 RRP £11
Phew!
I will review and do separate posts on each of the above over the next few weeks so be assured I will confirm if my most expensive beauty haul was money well spent.
Sweetie needs a lie down now!
Until next time x
Hi, my name is Claire and I love hauls (All: hi Claire).
So yes, I’ll admit it, providing I have sufficient funds I really enjoy that time when stocks run low and the weekend is earmarked for a haul; is there anything better?
Except for the alluring shop fronts of Boots and Superdrug, Lush is quite possibly the most enticing shop on the high street for its colourful glow and bath bomb aroma wafting out onto the street. I can scarcely ever resist.
So what goodies made it into my basket?
Avobath: I love this almost purely for its fragrance; it makes my bathroom smell so fresh so this is always the first to be replaced.
The same also has to be said for Fizzbanger, I really like fresh scented products so this is a real winner and it also does something quite radical in the bath once you drop it in.
Bubbles courtesy of Radox
The Comforter is quite possibly my new favourite -it’s amazing! Prior to trying this one or even when I am using one of the other bath bombs, I do add into the bath a little bit of Radox with them just so that I am not literally just bathing in coloured water. Do you know what I mean? But The Comforter, wow! As you crumble it under the running tap, it turns the water pink and fills it with fluffy bubbles, like completely. I find that you only need to use half of the bar at any one time (unless of course you’re crumbling it into a bath the size of a swimming pool!) as it produces plenty of bubbles and it does something incredible with the water. It doesn’t just turn pink and smells of candy, it becomes and feels incredibly silky on the skin. So lush!
Bubbles!!
I have never tried Creamy Candy before and I bagged this one almost solely on its cuteness and you’ll agree with me right that it is cute! I’m keen to see how it performs against The Comforter.
I know Lush do a whole range of face masks but I just so loved using Brazened Honey last time that I just had to get it again. I don’t really have the time or patience to be doing a face mask more than once a week but on a weekend when I can run myself a hot bath, stick in a bath bomb of some kind and relax away, it makes sense to do a face mask at the same time and Lush’s Brazened Honey is my number one choice.
You’ll notice a couple of other Lush products in my basket which aren’t quite yet ready for replacing. I have Happy Hippy which when I first used it the smell surprised me a bit and I thought I wasn’t keen but then I just found myself using it time and time again and now I find it actually quite addictive. Secondly I have Snow Fairy which I have had to ration myself for the last couple of years. I know it sounds stupid but when I first purchased it I was a student so I managed to get another bottle over Christmas a couple of years ago and then owing to where I have been and circumstance since, I haven’t been able to get into Lush over Christmas to stock up. I am not even entirely sure it’s even still available hence why I have to severely ration it in case I run out before I can be sure it can be replaced. Does anyone know if it does still get stocked over Christmas?
Right, so if you’ll excuse me… I am off to run myself a bath.
Until next time x