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Several weeks ago, Illamasqua had a huuuge sale on to celebrate Christmas and me being me just had to get involved. I went onto their website with the mindset that I'm 'just going to have a look' and 'maybe get one or two bits'... yet after several hours and over £100 later, I'm here writing about the things that accidentally 'fell' into my basket. Accidentally. Yep, accidentally...




I bought this as I thought it would make the perfect contouring powder. I've almost hit pan on the one I'm currently using and surprisingly I have no alternatives! It's slightly on the yellow-y side but I think it'll do the trick just fine.







Ahh eyeshadow palettes... my kryptonite. The one thing I just can't resist - even if I already have more than Boots themselves! This is a gorgeous palette with a fairly creamy texture, which surprised me but in a good way. It's not reaaally creamy - it kinda just feels like a wet powder, if that makes sense. 







As soon as I saw this back in October I fell in love. I wanted to buy it there and then but I was trying to be good with my money (that lasted long) so with a face full of mourning, I closed the window and stayed away from the website to avoid temptation. I'm glad I waited now as it was so much cheaper in the sale!






Pink eyeshadow is something I've really been enjoying experimenting with for quite some time now. I like to apply it in the centre of my lid, blending it out and then applying brown shadow in the crease. It looks natural but still girly, feminine and classic. So when I saw Dizzy in the sale, I couldn't not get it!







I'd been considering purchasing this for well over a year but because I'd never smelt it in person, I was put off. But when I saw how cheap it was to say it was a 75ml bottle - mixed with the rave reviews - I thought I'd take the plunge, and I must say, it smells amazing.







A few years back I got a white eyeliner pencil for my waterline as I knew that it helps make your eyes look bigger and brighter but because I have a blue sclera (the 'whites' of your eyes - I have brittle bones so mine are blue) it just looked odd against the contrast. Vow is more fleshy-toned so I thought it would be more effective - and natural - than my old white eyeliner.







Resist is very similar to one of my other Illamasqua lipsticks in Glissade - except this one is slightly lighter and is matte. Therefore, because it wasn't exactly the same AND because it was the perfect raspberry pink, I needed it. Don't judge me.






I'd been wanting this as soon as I saw it, but I had a gel eyeliner yeeears ago that went dry really fast, so it put me off buying any more. As for the brow gel, I was worried that it would make my eyebrows look unnatural, so I was put off buying any of that too. Despite this, my fears quickly dissipated after reading the rave reviews on the Illamasqua website. Customers were saying how amazing the products were and that the brow gel was a staple in their makeup bag, so obviously I had to jump on the bandwagon.
I wasn't too bothered about the Vintage Metallix, so it was more of a bonus for me. I love the pots that they come in as well, they look so sleek and classy! Not to mention, the matching rose-gold box is suuuper adorbs.







As you can see in the picture above, my eyeliner came covered in this weird white creamy stuff (take your heads out of the gutters, please) and I quickly tweeted the lovely social media team at Illamasqua, for them to tell me that I should e-mail them, which I did. To be perfectly honest - I was kinda pissed. Usually their deliveries come in flawless condition (I should know, I order from them often enough) but for some reason, during this sale period, they seem to be slacking as I wasn't the only one with a problem with one of my products. Many others opened their packages to find their Reflection Palette broken - and I'm pretty sure when they e-mailed Illamasqua they were faced with the same reply - send it back for a refund or exchange. When I read it I thought 'Right, okay, I'll just send it back and ask for an exchange. Simple!' Except, it wasn't simple. Now, if you haven't already noticed - I'm pretty lazy. I like things hassle free, especially when I'm not the one in the wrong. The paperwork that I had to fill out for the exchange was bordering on a joke. You'd think that I'd found a thumb in my can of Coke there was that much to fill out and do. So typically I left it for a few days, which turned into a few weeks, and a few days ago I thought 'Ahh screw it!' and I cleaned off the white stuff with hand sanitiser and then sharpened the pencil. I haven't tried it on my eyes yet but lets just hope I don't end up blind *knocks on wood*.


Now, despite my big old sigh over that order - it hasn't put me off ordering again. I got an e-mail last Thursday from them saying that more lines had been added to their sale, so obviously I had a look. Aaaand I may (or may not) have added three more lipsticks to my ever-so-vast collection...




The perfect nude. Something I've always been looking for, and to be honest aren't we all? This is why I ordered it - I had a feeling it could be The One. The verdict? It very well could be. I'm gonna have to see how it fares for a little bit longer, but for now I'm pretty chuffed with it! Ahh, it's so pretty!






"I don't have any pink lipsticks... Not any this exact shade anyway" is what I said to myself when I clicked 'Add to Basket'. Truth be told, I have a lot of pink lipsticks, the hefty majority being from Illamasqua. But this one is different - as unlike the others it's a dark, almost-but-not-quite vampy, raspberry pink. Honestly, I don't have a lipstick like this. 'It looks just like Resist!' I hear you cry - yeah it does but it's darker. So hush. I thought it was much brighter when I was ordering it, but to my surprise it wasn't. And I'm even more happy about it now as it brings the guilt levels down...







I wanted a mahogany lipstick for a while, so this was the perfect chance to get one! Although Autumn is over and Winter is coming to a close - I know it'll look great when September rears it's head again. When I tried Growl on for the first time, it's safe to say I fell in love. I can definitely see this shade quickly becoming one of my favourites. It's so gorgeous!


I'm really gonna have to put a serious spending ban in place as I've been wanting a Mini for years and if I'm not careful, I won't be able to afford one. So if you see me shopping, you have my full permission to remind me that I don't need that extra eyeshadow...or those 5 lipsticks in my basket. Okay?!


Did you order anything in the Illamasqua sale?

"I am in favour of animal rights as well as human rights. That is the way of a whole human being." - Abraham Lincoln

Like last year, I've been pretty late to post this... but Happy 2nd Birthday my precious little blog!

It doesn't feel anywhere near like two years ago since I published my 'Top 5 Perfumes' post... time seems to have flown so much (ignore the cliché plz) I guess, but I'm still super happy that I started writing on here as not only have I met some lovely people through it, but it's given me an outlet to express my emotions (and fuel my addiction) and let my very loud voice be heard! 

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A big thank you to each and every one of you that reads my blog, as I know that the hefty majority of you don't follow me - but I promise I won't hold it against you!

Stay fabulous forever and ever. Till next time...
Saffron
Because of the popularity of my 'Summer Garden Party Outfit Ideas' post, I thought I'd do one for if any of you are off to a New Years Eve Party, whether it be with family or with your besties. I've done the same as with the SGP post in regards to having one for those of you on a budget and those willing to splurge except this time I've done two for each - one with a short dress and one with a long dress. Don't ever say I don't do anything for you lot! I guess it's my belated Christmas present to you...





On A Budget - Short (£137.99):

Zara Sequinned Dress in Silver - £35.99 (on sale!)

Office Show Stopper Platform Sandal in Black - £33 (on sale!)

Ted Baker Lilita Gem Brooch Clutch in Black - £53 (on sale!)

ASOS Mini Stars and Jewel Headband - £10

Jack Wills Wilmslow Star Bracelet (to be worn as an anklet) - £6 (on sale!)





Fancy A Splurge - Short (£588):

AQ/AQ Tiara Neck Strap Mini Dress With Full Skirt in Cream - £100 (on sale!)

Ted Baker Richmo Faux Astrakan Jacket - £139 (on sale!)

AQ/AQ Sphere Belt in Muted Gold  £45

Kurt Geiger Carvela Jamie in Red - £59 (on sale!)

Lulu Guinness Chloe Clutch in Red - £245





On A Budget - Long (£122.49):

Mango Sequined Gown in Rouge - £69.99 (on sale!)

M&S Almond Toe Platform Court Shoes with Insolia in Black Mix - £25

ASOS Encrusted Jewel Headband - £5.50 (on sale!)

Dorothy Perkins Black Glitter Box Clutch Bag - £12 (on sale!)

Jack Wills Barrentine Bracelet in Rose Gold - £10 (on sale!)





Fancy A Splurge - Long (£598.49):

Mango Lace Gown in Black - £99.99 (on sale!)

Kurt Geiger Miss KG Echo in Black - £80

Kurt Geiger London Flower Necklace in Metallic - £49

Lulu Guinness Perspex Lips Clutch in Red - £245

Swarovski Afternoon Ring - £124.50 (on sale!)



Have you got any New Years parties coming up?
Okay so if you're one of those kinds of people who will read haul posts and then go out and buy everything, you might wanna look away. It's safe to say that after taking the picture below I came to the realisation that I may have a problem... Mum, if you're reading this, you were right. God I hope she doesn't read this. To make my 'little' haul seem less dramatic, all of the products that I'm about to show you were bought on three separate occasions over a period of around 4 months, one of them I paid entirely with advantage points. So it's not that bad...right? I've been keeping all this stuff in their bags and boxes so I could write about them, but admittedly I have used about half of them... oops! Anyways, if you're easily influenced like I said before, you may wanna look away. But for those with a very strong willpower (screw you), carry on...





Skincare


Boots Botanics Micellar 3 in 1 Cleansing Solution Ultra Calm - £3.29 (currently on sale for £2.19)

I wanted to see if I could find a micellar water that would take my eye makeup off as the Superdrug one I was currently using was quite drying and therefore I didn't want to put it on my eyes. It does the job fairly well, it doesn't sting when I use it although you can feel it on your eyes if you use too much. I paid £3.99 for this bottle, it was reduced from £4.99 at the time...looks like they've lowered the price completely!




Tea Tree & Witch Hazel Cleansing & Toning Wipes - £3.39

I think I had a voucher that if you spent so much on the Tea Tree & Witch Hazel range you would get so many points, so I thought these wipes would be worth a try to remove makeup. Plus, they might help my nasty acne-prone skin out!



Tea Tree & Witch Hazel with Active Charcoal Face Mask - £3.59

Same excuse (haha) as above, except I really wanted to try this. I've used their peel-off face mask before and really liked it, so I thought this was worth a shot. I always used to go for peel-off masks over mud masks but recently I've been preferring the latter. Plus, charcoal is meant to be really good for your skin. I used this on Monday, and on first impressions it's lovely! We'll have to see how it goes...

Make-up




Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation in Light Vanilla x 3 - £9.99 each

When I was about 16 this was my go-to foundation. I loved it at the time, but as I got better at doing make-up I didn't enjoy it as much as it didn't give the coverage I wanted and needed. After a 3-year hiatus I returned to it in a classic 'I've ran out of foundation and if I don't get any now I will die' panic. And to be honest, I was pleasantly surprised. Last time I tried it, I hadn't quite mastered the art of concealer, but now that I have I can see how brilliant this foundation is and why so many people rave about it. I guess that's why I bought three...




Collection Lasting Perfection Ultimate Wear Foundation in Porcelain - £5.99

Ah, the almost-perfect full coverage foundation. This is my go-to if my skin is acting more annoying than usual as it covers my imperfections (with the aid of the LP concealer) without looking too cakey. Only main problem with this foundation is the lack of shade range, especially for pale-but-warm toned creatures like myself.



Seventeen Stay Time Foundation in Porcelain - £6.49

To be honest I'm not too sure why I got this, I guess I was having a foundation-related identity crisis. The reviews on the boots website were brilliant so I thought I might as well have a try. Plus, it's full coverage!



Seventeen BB Magic Blemish Balm in Light - £6.99

Before this purchase, I only had one BB cream from the Body Shop that turned me electric orange. Not a good look. Therefore, I decided to try and find one that doesn't make me look like I've been tangoed as I was going on holiday and wanted a lighter alternative to my usual full coverage foundations.



Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer in Fair x 3 - £4.19 each

The classic Lasting Perfection concealer that everyone and their dog seems to be raving about just had to be included, didn't it? It's fab for the price, and it was on 3 for 2!



Natural Collection Pressed Powder in Neutral x 8 - £1.99 each

I bet you're all getting tired of me banging on about this powder...but it's just so good! You wouldn't think it was good cause it's so cheap, but it seriously is brilliant. If you haven't yet tried it, get one! Or make like me and get 8!


left to right - personne ne rouge & grand cru


I know I'm super-late on the bandwagon for this one, but that's mainly due to the fact that I've been banning myself from buying unnecessary make-up products for what feels like forever. When I went on this Boots binge I decided to treat myself to one, seen as I've been so good for so long. After much deliberation, I decided to go for Personne ne Rouge - a classic red. Very Taylor Swift. As for Grand Cru, that's Jenny's (more of a sister than best friend) fault. I told her about my purchase of PNR and she fell in love and just had to have it. Therefore, when she got Grand Cru, I just had to get one as well. We are non-biological twin sisters, after all.



Collection Supersize Fat Lash Mascara in Ultra Black - £2.99

Because I'd spent so much on Collection products, I got this lil freebie. I never seem to buy mascara as I always get them free like this, or in sets. I honestly can't even remember when I last paid money for one!



Seventeen Backlash Mascara in Brown Black - £6.49

Like with the Collection mascara, this was a freebie. Not bad for a freebie to say it's worth over £6! I'm looking forward to seeing how these two work out though, although that may be in a year or so. I have a LOT of mascara...



Other Stuff That I Can't Categorise Because There Isn't Enough Stuff...Stuff



Batiste Dry Shampoo in Medium & Brunette x 2 - £3.99 each (on sale for £2.66)

I used to wash my hair every day and now that my hair is down past the bottom of my back, I can't really be bothered anymore. Plus, if I'm straigtening it, it's always better on the second day. Although it's always starting to get greasy at this point, and that's where my trusty Batiste comes in! I always stayed away from Batiste as it was never suitable for brown hair, until they bought this beauty out! I swear by this stuff, it's fab.



Boots Baby Shampoo (500ml) - £1.50

Boots often have a 2 for £2.50 deal on the shampoo and the baby bath below amongst other baby products, and although they're a bargain anyway, I always like to take advantage of the offer. Why not! I use this shampoo to clean my makeup brushes with, and it does a great job! It's brilliant that it's so cheap as I go through the stuff super fast. It keeps my brushes and my purse happy!




Boots Baby Moisturising Bath (500ml) - £1.50

I love a good bath, me. The smell of this stuff just reminds me of being a little kid, and the massive bottle means plenty of super bubbly baths for just over a quid. Yes it's meant to be for babies but don't knock it until you've tried it!



Have you bought way too much in Boots recently?


I would like to formally apologise for being so AWOL recently, I have no serious excuse apart from losing all motivation to write. I see all these other bloggers who've been around for a few months doing so well and in turn that makes me a little jealous. And instead of it making me want to prove everyone wrong, it just caused me to retreat back into my shell.

Sometimes I have to remind myself that my blog is for me, not for anyone else. I need to write about what I want to write, not what I think people would want to read about. Don't get me wrong, I love it when you guys give me suggestions as I do suffer from the occasional writer's block but I'm always worried that I'm gonna let some of you down. Instead of having thousands upon thousands of one-off readers, I have a handful of you that always come back. And because of that, I want to be able to make you smile each time you come here. Whether you're cringing over the amount of products I've indulged in that month, giggling over my attempt at a joke or simply rolling your eyes with a smile whilst I go off on a tangent (which, if you didn't know, is a regular occurrence), I want you guys to be happy that you visited my little blog.

I promise to post more often, and with less fear of what you'll think. I always used to try and post every Friday at 8PM GMT, and I'm gonna do my damned hardest to stick to it. After all, this is something that's super important to me, and I can't wait to see it grow even more. Even if it is at a snails pace ;)


Stay fabulous!

Saffron