Sunday Summary 30/09/2012

Hello lovelies,

*Another week has flown by and we're creeping closer to Christmas. I like this time of year because although the days are getting shorter, there always seems to be a little something or other to look forward to what with Halloween, Bonfire night, and a couple family birthdays in between. This week I caught up with a friend who's having a baby and she's finding out the sex in two weeks, so that's also something exciting to look forward to :) 

Of course I also found some time for much needed shopping and got myself some bits and pieces from Primark once again. I'll do a haul post really soon of what I got. I think that'll be the last time I go shopping for a while now as I got a pretty hefty vets bill (I don't think there's such a thing as getting off lightly at the vets?). On the plus side Jasper is now set up for 3 months worth of arthritis tablets, so hopefully when it gets damper he won't feel it as much. He normally has a lumpy elbow and the anti-inflammatories have already bought it down, so that's money well spent.

I've had a bit of luck this week with my comping and received an awesome prize which I will share with you in the next few days. Aside from that I've got a few other posts in mind and obviously the haul I mentioned. I'm missing doing nail posts at the moment but I'm trying to leave them alone because I got a couple caught on a door and they're all split and horrible.  If you have any ideas of a specific post you would like to see then do let me know!

And as I never do a post without at least one pic, here's something I saw on Pinterest.

I normally hate pictures of babies I don't know (sorry,I just don't find them cute!), but this is a a rare exception. 

Lauren x


*Excuse my random ramblings

Samples and where to get 'em

I'm sure most of you will already be partial to the odd sample; not only are they useful but it's also pretty good fun trying out new things without spending any money.  However, there are always a few who maybe can't be bothered with these pocket sized pretties and are missing out. So that's why I thought I'd write a thing or two about where to get them. 

Beauty Counters - By this I mean the ones you find in department stores and Boots with the consultants... If you express interest in a product or range you'll often be given a little sample. This happened the other day and I ended up with three Benefit samples from Debenhams. I'm thinking about moving over to this moisturiser so these will be really handy to try before I buy so to speak!

Online - There are many places online where you can get samples, sometimes directly from a company's website or often from their Facebook page. It's also worth checking out the forums on MSE website as people are always listing links to samples.

Company reps - If you have an Avon lady and are interested in a product ask for a sample. The worst she can say is no and you don't get anywhere if you don't ask. The same applies with Body Shop Party throwers - it's in their interests to give you them, the more you try the more chance they have of making a sale. This is the case with most companies where commission is based on sales!

Magazines - The Superdrug Dare magazine and Boots Health and Beauty mag have both had free samples in the past. There are probably other free magazines that have samples, you just have to keep your eyes peeled. 

Shops - We all know Lush are pretty good at dishing out samples, as are The Body Shop. You can often also pick out free samples when you buy things so make the most out of the money you're spending!

  

I'm sure there are loads of other places you can get them, so leave me a comment and I'll add them.

Lauren x

17 Peep Show Mascara Review

If you read my review on 17 Va Va Voom mascara then you would have seen that I really liked it and because they worked out at £2 each I also bought two others from the range. One of these is Peep Show and I've been using it for about a month now. 

The packaging's so pretty!

After really liking Va Va Voom I have to be honest I was a little bit disappointed with Peep Show. With the promise of lengthening fibres which you would usually find in more expensive mascaras, I was quite interested to see the results. I'd seen a really expensive mascara and base coat with these types of fibres on QVC and the results looked amazing. 

The first time I used it I was impressed, I could see the fibres and how they were kind of attaching to my lashes. I found though that the more I've used it the less I've liked it. I'm not a fan of having a lot of claggy mascara on the wand and that happens a lot with this, normally I'd wipe it off against the top of the tube, but that just isn't possible with this because of the nature of the mascara. 

I also find that more often than not my mascara is ending up looking clumpy; the fibres are okay if they attach to the end of your lashes but if they hang around elsewhere they get in the way and join your lashes up. Perhaps you really need some kind of lash base to get the full effect from it. 

Some days I think this mascara looks good, but it's still not as good as others I've tried from the same range. In my opinion it's very hit and miss and I won't be bothering to repurchase.

Have you tried this one or any with lengthening fibres?

Lauren x

Sunday Summary 23/09/2012

Hola Amigos!

This week has gone really quickly for me and been rather good. I'm now having a lazy, PJ day. I spent most of yesterday standing in a field,  doing a car boot sale and I think that all the fresh air tired me out. Luckily the weather stayed good and we didn't leave it til today, because it's all cold and rainy here now.

What else? In addition to the Primark haul I showed you earlier in the week, I also finally bought myself some decent make up brushes. All I've seen is good praise for these, so hopefully they'll live up to expectations...I'll let you know. I didn't know brushes could be so exciting, but I was so pleased when they arrived!

In the spirit of my SS's being random (and because there's not  much else to say), here's a picture of one of the sunflowers I've grown this year....I'll be sad to see them go once winter properly arrives.

Lauren x

Primark Haul September 2012!

Hello lovely readers, 

Everyone loves a haul right? I went on a spontaneous visit to my local Primark yesterday in search of a few tops for winter. I came back with the exact opposite - bottoms! Here's what I bought. 

Shorts £5

First up, dark denim shorts. The Denim Co £5 shorts range is great. I bought the wine coloured ones last month and have practically lived in them since. These have a cute aztec pattern in the inside back and the button and studs have a sweet little flower detail. 

Reindeer Skirt £10

When I saw this skirt I loved the design (hello, snowflakes and reindeer!) but wasn't so sure about the shape until I tried it on. The waistband folds over so naturally it's quite chunky and the pattern makes me feel all cosy and wintery. They also had this in black. 

Skater Skirt £6

This was something I had my eye on after seeing it on other blogs and vlogs. I was after black but they didn't have it in my size. When I got home I found out that this wasn't the 10 it had said on the hanger, but actually a 6. I couldn't believe it but at least I'd tried it on so knew it fitted me. I was a bit annoyed with myself for not noticing as they had a 6 in black and I could have got it. Grrrr!

Fair Isle Skirt £8

Another skirt that's pattern grabbed me. They had it in a sort of oaty colour way too.

Long Cardigan £10

Ignore the colour of the middle pic, but you get an idea of the shape of this. It's quite a thin cardigan sort of like the ones that everybody seemed to have from New Look. Again, it's one of the tones of red that I keep going for this season. The baggy curved pockets make it that bit different and they're finished with two small studs. 

Cosmetics Bag £3

Finally, I picked up this little bag to use as a make up bag for things that I use everyday. I'm fed up with having to fish things out from a box that has everything in it. They had it in turquoise too but I thought the blue went really well with the gold studs and zip. 

***

Primark hauls are probably my favourite thing to read on other people's blogs so if you've done one recently comment and let me know! I know the quality can sometimes be a bit dodgy but the prices (though they've gone up recently) are still the best around and like most places you have to just use common sense when buying things there. I was really impressed by the new season stuff they've got in and could probably have spent much more if I had it to spend!

Lauren x

P.S If you want something to fit you, ALWAYS try it on. I didn't used to think it was that important but the things I got yesterday range four sizes from a 6 to 12!

BooHoo Blogger Challenge

I was recently contacted by FashionVouchers.com about this challenge in which you have to put together an outfit for £50 or under using items from BooHoo.com. After completing my first blogger challenge last week, I've got a taste for it and was raring to go!

Glasses £8. Blouse £15. Skirt £10. Wedges £15.

Finding an outift for under £50 was surprisingly easy as things are so reasonable on BooHoo.com. I started off by picking the shoes. I've seen the flat version of these on a lot of blogs, but the wedges are new to me and I adore them. Teamed with the skater skirt, in my favourite colour way for winter, the blouse and the geek chich glasses, this is a really cute smart-casual outfit. 

Lauren x

My New Quilted Coat!

You know how it is when you see something you like, think about buying it, find out they haven't got your size and immediately realise just how much you wanted it? You suddenly have to have it and it's not there. Your minds working overtime thinking how you can get it; order online, try another store, check the dressing room rail. This is what happened to me when I saw this coat in Asda on Saturday. 

Pics taken from the George website

They had these perched right in the front of the store so you couldn't miss them as you walked in, advertising the fact that they're only £15 until the 20th when they go up to £19. Having lusted after a quilted jacket for the last month or so, I made a bee-line for them, only to find they didn't have my size. Lucky for me there was an odd one in the aisles with the rest of the clothes. 

Sorry, not the best pics I'v ever taken!

I wasn't sure it would be very flattering at first but it's actually a really nice fit. It has side fastenings which you tighten/loosen with buckles, these define your waist while the back has two parallel lines that give it a bit more of a structured shape from behind. The fit is a little on the tight side but I assume this is the nature of a quilted item, and this means it's super warm which is what I want in a winter jacket. They also did it in red, black, and possibly a green shade but I can't really remember and the navy was my favourite by far. 

What do you think?

Lauren x