Five Under £5 January 2016

Five Under £5 January 2016

I had so much fun taking part in the December Five Under £5 and was lucky enough to win Julia’s picks which was so exciting (I secretly wanted that phone case so badly). If you want to join in and link up with Julia from Rainbeaubelle then head on over to her post and get involved. I love seeing all the bargains that everyone finds.

So first up is a magazine I promised myself a few years ago I wasn’t going to just buy all the glossy magazines each month because they generally went unread and thats a waste of money but also because the content isn’t always great and they seem to be filled with more adverts than content. Saying that I have come to really enjoy Hello Fashion each month, its a relatively new magazine (I think it started last year). There are so few adverts in and the content is really good. I buy this every month and I’m never disappointed, oh & it is only £1 which is fab.

I burn candles like a crazy lady and I like reusing the glass jars which they come in too, so when I saw ASDA were selling these monogrammed candles for just £2 each I bought a few. The candles them selves are unscented but the jars are ideal to reuse with tea lights and are the perfect size for the small Yankee Candles too. I couldn’t resist.

Jan 2016 Five Under £5

Tea is my drink of choice, I always have a cup on the go. For 2016 I’m trying to drink more caffeine free tea and although these are not a new discovery for me I have stocked up on them to see me through January. This Raspberry & Peach Tea is from Lidl and its so refreshing, sometimes I leave it to cool & pop a few ice cubes in so its more like an iced tea. Either way its lovely and Lidl have quite a few caffeine free fruit teas (of which I have them all). Oh & a box of 40 bags is only 89p. If you have any tea suggestions leave them below – I love discovering new teas.

My January 2016 Five Under £5

I spied this old style plastic milk bottle Home Bargain and thought it would be good for smoothies and juices (which I drink a lot of). I bought two and they’re pretty cute. I am sucker for this kind of thing even if I really don’t need them, it was less than £2 for two so a complete bargain.

Last up is this postcard from Paperchase, I can never walk past that shop without going in and I never leave empty handed. I do like their postcard selection and in particular their positive slogan ones, I have quite a few pinned up on my office wall & fridge just little positive reminders each day. You could also frame them which I think would look really good. They are inexpensive & cost less than £1.

Let me know if you take part this month, I’d love to see what your bargain discoveries have been.

2015 My Year in Pictures

Roundup of 2015 in photos

January started off with lots of snowy walks and trying to get back in to work mode. I’m not one for resolutions but I do set some goals & I didn’t want to set ones that were unrealistic so I just wanted to focus on finding a place to call home!

February was all about my health, I eat a plant based diet and have done for 3 years, ever since my dad had a stroke. I wanted to be healthier and focus on what I ate and where my food was coming from so becoming plant based felt natural and like I was in control of at least one aspect of my life. I never really followed recipe books but I found I was eating the same meals on rotation so decided to buy a few Vegan specific cookbooks to inspire me to be a little more adventurous in the kitchen & it worked. I bought Deliciously Ella & Keep it Vegan.

March saw us on the road & spending some time in Scotland with my family, we are lucky that we are self employed and can work from anywhere. We often pack up the car and head north of the border for weeks on end. We always pay a visit to St Andrews when we’re up that way. Its just so beautiful and even though its small I love to walk the cobbled narrow streets and we always end up on the beach as the sun sets. Its such a romantic place.

Much of April was also spent in Scotland as my brother was in Mexico so I helped look after my dad and got to spend time with him and be part of his on going recovery. I try to spend time with my niece Alyvia when I am in Scotland too as she is growing up so fast.

Year In Photos 2015

May saw us in Liverpool quite a few times and I went to Uni there back in 2001 so its nice to see how much it has changed. I love visiting Central Perk when I’m there, its always a mission trying to get the sofa.

June was all about camping in Cornwall and realising after a few attempts over the years at being campists I’m just not cut out for sleeping under canvas in a field in the freezing British weather. I am not high maintenance but I like creature comforts. The whole point of visiting Cornwall was to see if it still felt like home (we lived there 5 years ago). So much has changed in our lives since we were there last and we’d always dreamt of moving back so we had a lot of things to weigh up after our roadtrip south. Oh & the tent has since been sold!

July is always one of my favourite months of the year its my husbands birthday and we had a trip to Amsterdam planned. You will know if you’re a long time reader of my blog how much I adore that city. I try to go twice a year and I fall in love with it more each time. I am working hard to eventually be able to call it home. If you want to read more about my Dutch adventures then I have a couple of Amsterdam posts on the blog.

August was a month of important decisions and finally finding a place to call home. We thought long and hard about returning to a rural setting 600 miles away from family, knowing that we’d have to do the 1200 mile round trip at least every two months. We realised we needed that rural idillic setting to re charge our batteries and discover what it was that made us tick. The past few years had seen us hit rock bottom & we retreated from life so we found a house (renovated Methodist Chapel from 1849) and decided to go for it. Oh & we stayed in our first Air BnB whist viewing houses – I wanted to live in that it was so unbelievably beautiful. If you want to read all about The Cabin <—– click there

2015 A Year In Review

September we packed up our belongings & collected the rest from the storage unit we had been renting for almost 18 months and we moved to Cornwall. It was such an exciting month and it went by so quickly. We did a lot of exploring in between unpacking and reacquainting ourselves with the area, we moved back to within 3 miles of where we lived previously.

October in Cornwall was an absolute scorcher, we spent our mornings having breakfast in the garden and walking the coastal path. Oh & and I turned 37 – how did that happen? I still feel 25. We had a tonne of deliveries for the house including all of our white goods and a shed (get excited).

November involved a trip to Scotland to see family and have an early Christmas. I went Christmas shopping with my Mum in Edinburgh it was so cold but all the festive lights and markets were beautiful. I spent way too much money in Anthropology & H&M Home.

December we were in Scotland until the 17th before driving back to Cornwall with a stop off in Manchester to catch up with friends. It was the first time in our 16 years together that we’d spent Christmas just the two of us. It was relaxed, quiet and pretty perfect. We even managed a walk along our favourite beach despite the insane winds.

Look Incredible Beauty Box January 2015

Look Incredible Beauty Box January 2015 Look Incredible Box Jan 2015

If you’re a beauty addict like me then discovering new brands and products is something you enjoy doing and beauty boxes are a wonderful way of getting a selection of products directly to your door. I like that you receive products you wouldn’t normally try and also that you’re introduced to brands you have never heard of. Well there is a new Beauty Subscription Box on the scene called Look Incredible* and they promise you will receive 5 FULL sized products in each box.

‘Why we are different from other beauty box’s because our promise is that we will deliver you a minimum of 5 full size products meaning no tester , no travel size we deliver the Real deal full size product you would except when you buy from the high street so you can really test the product out’ Our beauty box can contain diverse range of skin care , hair care to makeup its a total surprise till you get your very own.

The January Box got me pretty excited when I opened the lid and saw what products were inside!

Contents of the Look Incredible beauty box

BareMinerals Redness Remedy £27

Reduce facial redness on contact and over time with this incredibly effective soothing treatment. It minimises the appearance of imperfections and imparts luminosity for a healthy-looking, more even-toned complexion. Appropriate for all skin types. Includes antibacterial-treated Soothing Compress Brush. I was excited to see not one but two bareMinerals products in this months box. I am excited that both of these products are new to me and I do suffer from redness in my cheeks so I have my fingers crossed that this helps reduce that. I love the double ended brush that you get in this kit too, you can never own too many makeup brushes.

BareMinerals Flawless Lash Mascara £17 

This is a jet black mascara with a tapered plastic bristle wand, it promises to lengthen, darken and give a lifted look, separating each individual lash for precision definition. I love trying new mascaras and I’m always on the hunt for that perfect one. I do like my lashes to look long and separated so this could be my perfect mascara, lets hope so.

Jan 2015 Beauty Box Contents

YSL Lip Twins £24.99

I had never heard of this product before but was quite excited to see a YSL product in a beauty box. This is a duo of lip colours that comes in sleek gold YSL packaging. This product is discontinued and it seems that it is not complete as when these Lip Twins were sold they came with a lip brush and unfortunately the product you receive in your box doesn’t come boxed or with the lip brush. I like the idea of trying a YSL lipstick but these seem a little gimmicky and I can see why they were discontinued. Also for the 1.7g of product you get I would never pay over £20 for that! After my initial excitement I was a little disappointed with the quality and the fact the product is incomplete.

Essie Stee-ling The Scene £8.50

This is a gorgeous silver pewter shade with a metallic finish and being someone that only owns 2 other Essie polishes I was very excited to see this in the box. Although when searching for a little more information about which collection the polish was from I noticed that it was released as part of the Essie Winter 2007 Collection. That seems a little odd to me although, the product is still 100% ok and has no separation. I do love the colour and I’m looking forward to using it.

Beauty Box Products

Laura Geller Baked ImPRESSions Blush £10

Laura Geller Baked Impressions Blush in Mocha Mauve. A baked and pressed powder in an ultra-smooth formula, complete with a mirror in the lid. I have never tried anything from Laura Geller but this is a pretty blush and a shade that I wouldn’t have picked out for myself. Its a nice pinky plum shade and I think its really pretty. Always good to have a new blush to try out. Let me know if this is a brand you have heard of & if you have any product recommendations. I was surprised that this blush was only £10 because the quality and pigmentation is so good, I would pay that in a heartbeat.

YSL in the Look Incredible Beauty Box

The Look Incredible Beauty Box is a monthly subscription & for £18.99 you will receive 5 Full Sized products each month. I think a couple products in this months box were a little underwhelming but on the whole I am impressed. I am looking forward to using the bareMinerals products and the Laura Geller Blush is gorgeous too. The contents of the January Box is over £87. I just wish the YSL product was current because if I loved it how would I purchase more if the product has been discontinued and also how old is the product in the box. If that was all sorted then this box would have been 10/10 for me.

It is nice to a new subscription box on the scene and one that won’t include small samples and sachets. I am excited to see what is in next months box if their previous months are anything to go by its going to be a good one. Let me know if you have used any of the products in this box & if you are tempted to sign up to this service.

*PR Sample

My 2015 Makeup Favourites

My 2015 Makeup Favourites

Bourjois 123 Perfect CC Cream

This gives a beautiful natural even finish and It does a very good job at covering the redness on my cheeks and a few old blemish scars around my chin. I also love that it blurs imperfections and makes your skin look so healthy and fresh. Its not heavy at all and wears beautifully throughout the day, it even stays put on those warmer days. I only have positive things to say about this product. So if you like a natural but good coverage, this is purse friendly option.

Maybelline Dream Flawless Nude Foundation

This foundation gives more coverage than the Bourjois CC Cream as you would expect but it still isn’t heavy on the skin and I would say it gives a medium coverage. This foundation has a very watery consistency which I think makes it very easy to blend and when it dries down on the skin it gives a gorgeous satin finish. It makes my skin look incredible & flawless, I find I don’t need to powder unless I want it to last all day & into the night which isn’t often.

Rimmel Match Perfection Illuminating Concealer

This is such a good brightening concealer, I use it under my eyes to counter my hideous dark circles. It is quite creamy and easy to blend out either with your finger or I have been using a beauty blender these past few months. This concealer makes my under eyes look awake and bright. I do like to use a lightweight powder over the top, it stays in place nicely all day. I love this concealer a lot & this tube has lasted me AGES.

L’Oreal Superliner Ultra Precision

I have to say that as a rule of thumb the L’Oreal liquid liners are some of the best I have used. They last the longest without drying out  & at the moment I’m using the Ultra Precision one. The pigmentation is so good – jet black, it wears all day without wearing off unevenly and it never transfers on to the upper part of my eye (I hate it when eyeliner does that). I love how flexible the nib is & how precise you can make your winged liner look! I always have at least one L’Oreal liner on the go at any one time.

My Top Beauty Products of 2015

Benefit Gimme Brow in Medium Deep

This is one of my all time favourite products! Its all I have been using in my brows because It looks natural but gives them enough colour so they looked filled in, but not too dramatic. I also like that it holds my unruly brow hairs in place so they look neat and tidy on my face! The brush is just the perfect size, its small enough that you won’t get product all over your forehead and you will be able to tame those brows with precision. I have repurchased this on many an occasion, If you haven’t tried Gimme Brow you need to, its a must have in my opinion.

Eyes Uncovered Nude Bronze Palette

This Nude Bronze palette is beautiful and for an affordable brand the colours are pigmented and very good quality. All the shadows have some degree of shimmer in them, so if you want a more matte palette then the Nude Palette might be the one for you. The colours are easy to blend & have a little fall out but nothing that tapping your brush off won’t solve. This is a palette I have used the most during 2015, all the shadows are my kind of colours and I think they’re really pretty.

Charlotte Tilbury The Dolce Vita Quad

What a stunning palette this is & every time I use it it makes me love it even more. The shadows are just as beautiful as you imagine. All four shades have an element of frost / shimmer to them, you get four colours one to Prime, Enhance, Smoke and Pop. All the shadows apply and blend like a dream and even if I don’t wear the full on Dolce Vita eye look every day the Prime, Enhance and Smoke shades can be worn daily and look so pretty. This is an indulgent palette but worth every penny, its one of those products you never regret having in your collection.

Charlotte Tilbury Lip Lustre in Seduction

I love that Charlotte Tilbury lip products have quite a sweet vanilla scent, they smell so good. Seduction is a gorgeous nude creamy beige shade which looks pretty and natural worn alone or paired with a lippy for more of a pop of colour. This gives the lips a glossy finish without feeling sticky or greasy, it feels comfortable and is so easy to reapply. It has reminded me that I need to wear gloss more often. The packaging of all the Charlotte Tilbury products feels luxurious and looks pretty. This is such a treat to wear & I am pleased I got quite a natural colour because I can wear it all the time!

Charlotte-Tilbury-Dolce-Vita

INIKA Mineral Foundation SPF15

I have reached for this almost daily for the past 3 months and its become one of my most used & loved products. It’s extremely easy to apply and it gives the skin a very flawless finish and can be built up to give a more medium coverage which is really good if like me you need to cover any redness or imperfections. Unlike liquid foundations this feels so natural and light on your skin and you don’t feel like you have a base on. This foundation has incredible staying power and doesn’t end up looking patchy or uneven after a few hours, it also holds up well in the heat which is great. I also like that it has SPF15 in & Its very easy to reapply throughout the day. Oh & it makes the most beautiful setting powder too, if you’re wearing a lightweight foundation & want a little more coverage & and velvet smooth finish to your skin then just apply this over the top and its just incredible. I love wearing it like that!

Max Factor Creme Puff Blush in Gorgeous Berries

I don’t wear that many blushers but I just adore this one. I do like a good baked blush and this beautiful Creme Puff one from Max Factor has to be the best I’ve tried. I have the shade Gorgeous Berries which is just stunning, it adds such a pretty warm rosy glow to your cheeks. I have read a few reviews comparing these blushes to the Hourglass Ambient Light Blushers which is exciting as I don’t think I could spend that kind of money on a blush. The shade I have gives your cheeks a really pretty wash of colour along with a sheen like glow, making it a two in one product. I’m impressed with the pigmentation and just how pretty this looks on my skin. I can’t believe I haven’t bought more of these (adds them to shopping list).

My Favourite Makeup of 2015

Soap & Glory Wonderbronze

This Wonderbronze is a gorgeous shimmer brick made up of 5 shades ranging from champagne to deep brown, all the shades have shimmer running through them. I tend to swirl my brush through all the shades and apply it to the tops of my cheeks & it gives a beautiful bronze glow. Its a bronzer and highlighter all in one now I apply it with a light hand I have mastered the subtle glow. You get a decent sized mirror which is always a bonus. I have to say the Soap & Glory face products are fantastic value for money. I think a Soap & Glory face product makes it in to my favourites almost every month!

Lancome Hypnose Mascara

I only treat myself to one of these each year, its my favourite ever mascara. One coat makes my lashes look long and fluttery. It never flakes off throughout the day and its pretty good at holding a curl. Even when I’m wearing no other makeup I wear mascara & this one makes my eyes look wide awake and makes such a difference. Its well worth the price tag!

Max Factor Lipfinity in Just Alluring

I think this is a pretty everyday shade, its a dusky pink and it looks so good on. This applies evenly on the lips and has a nice satin finish. The formula feels comfortable on the lips which is probably down to the fact these lipsticks contain 60% skincare ingredients including shea butter and acetylated lanolin, so your lips are being well looked after. I like the luxurious gold bullet & clear acrylic lid, it means you can immediately see the shade you’re looking for, which is very handy. This has been permanently in my handbag this year, its a good shade for any situation and it goes with most makeup looks too.

What were your favourite makeup products of 2015, have I mentioned any of your top picks?