Waldo Pancake Goodies

Hi Dolls!

Last week, I went to my local Waterstones book store to buy a Moleskine diary. Whilst I was waiting in the queue for the cash desk, I (randomly) noticed that there were a few Waldo Pancake items being sold in-store...and the best thing about them was that they were all (at least) HALF PRICE OFF!

I first heard about the Waldo Pancake brand from Tali's blog. You can find cute and humorous stationary, homeware, accessories and other bits & bobs from the brand here. I've seen some items being sold in Cards Galore stores too.

Here's what I brought...

I've had my eye on this novel makeup bag for a while now and couldn't believe it was on sale for £3.99. It's usually priced between £7.99 - £8.50 online. I would never choose a makeup bag with this vivid pink shade but I like what it says on the front, it's always funny when me and my friends randomly refer to ourselves as "having to put our face on!"

I also picked up a magnetic bookmark as I love reading books and thought it would be handy for when I start studying again this September. It was only 99p! Although I do not really need a passport cover, I just couldn't resist this, especially as I love traveling - this only cost £3.25.

I am quite pleased with my purchases and may buy some more (unnecessary) items from the brand in the future.

Have you heard of this brand before? What items have you brought?

Sarah xoxo

The Search Is Over....

Hi Dolls!

I've been searching for a pair of military-style boots for the last two years. Yes, I'm sure everyone owns a pair by now and I'm probably the last person, but I could never find a pair that were just 'me'. I've brought a couple of pairs that resemble the biker/rock-chick trend but wasn't 100% satisfied with them.

I was browsing the All Saints website when I spotted the Damisi Boot in black, and I knew they just had to be mine. Cue....

I absolutely LOVE them! On their website, it says the colour is black but I would say they are more of a rubbed-down black. There's a slight brown tone to the black,but it depends on the lighting to really notice it.

The upper is leather, the insole and sock are made of leather and other textiles, and the outer sole is made of leather too. I love the leather panel in front, I wear them with the lower buckle fastened and the higher buckle slightly undone. They're such a great investment piece and something that I can wear year round due to its classic style.

I've been wearing these nearly everyday since I brought them (about 2 weeks ago). They are so comfortable! When I first tried them on in store, the upper was placing some pressure on the top of my foot but once I tried them on at home again, there wasn't any discomfort. I've walked in them all day, rain or shine and can say that they were worth every penny!

(Should I try to do an Outfit of the Day post with these on?)


Other ramblings...

• I've decided to introduce a tinted moisturizer into my makeup routine, and have been using the Laura Mercier Oil Free Tinted Moisturizer w/ SPF 20 in Almond. I haven't used any foundation since September (just only my  MAC MSF Natural in Medium Dark). But due to the drop in British temperatures recently, I noticed that my face looks more 'powdery' now and I much prefer a dewy finish. I've absolutely loved the results of this LM product with its pigmentation/coverage. Saying that however, after reading one of my fave blogger's post on the Jemma Kidd Light as Air foundation, I think a visit to Space NK is in order.....a return to liquid face products, here I go...

• I tried out my BaByliss Curling Wand for the first time this week and the lasting time of the curls are amazing, even when I didn't use any hairspray! As my hair is long and thick, it usually takes me a long time to curl each section of my hair, but this time, it was so quick and easy...after 15 minutes I was done! And it would have usually taken 30 minutes to curl my hair (ok, I'm an amateur). I didn't wash my hair for 2 days and the curls were still defined!... 

• OPI Nail Laquer in Sweetheart has been on my nails this week. I love how well groomed and polished my nails look! I admit I am a coloured nail polish lover and can't remember the last time I've had a basic manicure colour. It can get a bit streaky but I think it depends on how you apply the polish, Nails Inc Kensington Caviar basecoat, 2 coats of OPI Sweetheart and a coat of Seche Vite = beautiful, well groomed talons!

• I've decided to buy a Kindle, after the multitude of Amazon emails I've received recently (damn marketing practices). I think it will be a good investment now that I have more free time to read since finishing uni. If anyone could give me their opinion on them, it would be greatly appreciated :)

Have you any boots that you've loved recently? Has anyone tried out any Jemma Kidd products? What are your thoughts on the Kindle?

Sarah xoxo

Mini Beauty/Hair Haul

Hi Guys & Dolls!

Just a quick post on some hair and beauty products that I picked up in the last few days :)

 

(L-R)

YSL Rouge Pur Couture Lipstick in No.6 Rose Bergamasque (Satin finish)

Rimmel London Lasting Finish by Kate Moss Lipstick in 08

Sleek True Colour Lipstick in 790 Cherry (sheen finish)

MAC Mattene Lipstick in Unknown Pleasures (semi-mat finish, I think this is limited edition)

Nars Laguna Bronzer

Decided to finally purchase the full size rather than use the one in my travel palette (there's a dip in the pan already, oops).

Boots Botanics Soothing Eye Make Up Remover

This is a staple in my beauty regime. I think this would be bottle number 5 or 6? It's really effective in removing my eye makeup, including waterproof mascara and false eyelash glue, and the best part is that it's really inexpensive! £3.05 inexpensive! I'd highly recommend to grab one of these if you have the chance!

 

Macadamia Natural Oil Rejuvenating Shampoo, 60ml

Macadamia Natural Oil Moisturizing Rinse, 60ml

Macadamia Natural Oil Deep Repair Masque, 30ml

Had my hair cut last Monday at my regular hair salon and noticed that they now stocked a small range of Macadamia Natural Oil. I absolutely LOVE their Healing Treatment Oil and have been thinking about purchasing more from the range. So I brought these travel/sample sizes to test before I purchase the full size products. You can shop the range here.

BaByliss Porcelain Curling Wand

I been meaning to buy this curling wand and saw on the Boots website that it was currently being sold for £20.49. So yesterday, I walked to my local branch and brought one. I haven't tried it yet but have heard positive reviews, hopefully it will give me those beach wave curls :)

Sarah xoxo

My Current Favourites

Hi Dolls!

Long time no blog! I thought I'd make a blog post on some things that I've been loving recently and over the past few months....these are also most of my everyday products!

1) MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in 'Medium Dark' - Loved using this since my skin has cleared up from being on holiday.

2) Nars Laguna Bronzer - Loved this to balance out the fading tan on my face to the rest of my body.

3) Famous by Sue Moxley Blusher (w/ highlighter) in 'Shade 2 Dusky Rose', topped with Ever Bilena Blusher in 'Tan'.

4) Dior 'Amber Diamond' - Holy Grail!

5) Etude House LUCIDarling Fantastic Rouge Gloss in no.6 - Definitely a must if you can get hold of it!

6) Sleek True Colour Lipstick in '790 Cherry', layered with MAC Mattene Lipstick in 'Unknown Pleasures'.

7) Maybelline Volum' Express Cat Eyes Mascara Waterproof & Hypercurl in Black- Gorgeous pink packaging! You cannot see it in the pic but there are Hello Kitty images on the tube and zebra stripes on the brush handle, tacky but so cute! Great at lengthening and holding the curl all day. Unfortunately, I think this is only available in South East Asia :(

8) Wet n' Wild Color Icon Palette in '249 Vanity'.

9) HD Brows Palette.

10) Liz Earle Skin Repair Moisturiser for Dry/Sensitive skin.

11) The Body Shop Body Butter in Brazil Nut.

 

12) Sephora no.45 Mineral Powder brush, ELF Studio Blush brush, Sephora no.14 Smudge brush, Sephora no.13 Rounded Crease brush (great for blending concealer under eyes), MAC 217 and Sigma E05 Eyeliner brush.

Sarah

xoxo

Mini Beauty/Makeup Haul: Topshop and Nars

Hi Dolls!

Whilst vacation shopping, I picked up a few small makeup/beauty products and thought I'd share them with you.

I've never actually brought any beauty products from Topshop ever since their makeup line launched a year or 2 ago. But whilst purchasing a maxi dress, I wondered over to the in-store makeup counter out of curiosity. The eyeshadows, blushes, etc didn't interest me and when I saw the girl next to me directly apply the tester lippies on to her lips, that put me off swatching the testers! I never apply testers on to my face - it's something about the sanitary purposes of it all, so I always just swatch on the back of my hand.

However, I did find two nail varnishes that interested me....

The coral polish is called War Paint and the lilac polish is called Vegas Madness. Both were priced at £5 each but on the day, TS was offering 20% off for students. so I paid £4 each. I also picked up their Kohl Liner in Coal, which was priced at £4 + 20% off - Bargain!

So far, I've been really impressed by the quality of these products - their pigmentation, applicability, etc =D The Kohl Liner has replaced my Urban Decay Zero in my everyday makeup bag and I've been using the coral polish for the last 2 weeks now (a clear indication of my enjoyment over the products!).

I received a 'freebie' due to purchasing 3 makeup items and these were: face wipes, colourful bobby pins and a liquid eyeliner in black - all in a drawstring bag. No complaint for receiving freebies there! :)

I've been wanting to purchase the Nars Blush/Bronzer Trio Set for quite some time now but didn't have the time during my uni deadlines to buy it. Now that I am free from uni and have more time on my hands, I decided to pop by to my local Space N.K, where I knew the set was being sold at.

I'm in LOVE with this set! It has Orgasm Blush, Albatross Highlighting Blush and Laguna Bronzing Powder, and was priced at £39. I already own Orgasm Blush but have never tried the two other products. I can't believe I held off purchasing Laguna Bronzer, and I absolutely love it!! (I'm now thinking of purchasing the full size, so the travel set will not hit pan before the others do). The bronzer doesn't make me look 'dirty' and the slight shimmers do not show up on the face (if they do, then it just adds a subtle glow to the skin - perfect for healthy looking skin). Albatross Highlighting Blush is a really nice, golden shimmer - kind of reminds me of Mac's Vanilla pigment.

So that's it! Just a small and quick haul =D

What beauty treats have you brought recently? Any Topshop makeup products that you would recommend?

Love, Sarah xoxo

Vacation Clothing Haul: H&M, Topshop, Primark

Hi Dolls!

I've been doing a spot of shopping lately, now that I have finished uni :) I've been looking to purchase some clothing items for a few holidays that I'm going on this year, so summer essentials were mainly on the list and not makeup. Here's what I got....

Primark, £10

I went into Primark and found this gorgeous coral shirt for £10! I have been really into coral shades lately (without consciously knowing until after I came home and saw all the coral pieces that I'd brought). I brought a UK size 8 (US 4) and think this shirt would go really well tucked into white/black/camel coloured shorts, you can dress it up or down and it compliments my dark hair and medium tan skin tone. At £10 -  bargain!

Primark, £12, Topshop Maxi Dress £18

The second item is a sleeveless, stone-washed, cropped denim jacket. At first I was skeptical about it on the hanger but when I tried it on, it was the perfect fit for my petite frame. The jacket stops at my waist and fits perfectly on my back. I thought it's look great teamed up with maxi dresses during the summer. Perfect for that laid back, casual outfit w/ layered jewellery! This one was priced at £12 (expensive for Primark?) and I brought a UK size 8. Underneath, is a plain black, Topshop maxi-dress that I also brought :)

H&M, £12.99

Recently, I've been loving shopping at H&M whilst simultaneously been going through a shorts craze. I found these 'smart' camel shorts and just had to buy them. I got a size up (UK10/US6) because I didn't want 'a really fitted' look and these were priced at £12.99. The shorts are such a classic design and can be worn year-round - so many outfit choices can be made with these.

H&M, £12.99

Now these are the complete opposite, they're very casual, loosely-fitted and ORANGE/CORAL! They really do not look appealing on the hanger but once tried on, they really embody summer. I don't think the pic shows the stitching detail but it reminds me of those tiered tops that came out during the past 2 summers and these have pockets too. I think these would be fantastic for colour blocking outfits during the daytime. There was a navy version but I don't own a pair of orange/coral shorts so chose these ones instead. They cost £12.99 and I got them in my regular size 8.

H&M, £7.99

I also brought these casual turn-up shorts, both in coral and white for £7.99 each. Yes, I know I brought the same kind but they're in two different colours! Hehe. I consider these the 'lazy summer day' short - perfect for relaxed days and I wouldn't be fussed if they were to get ruined. Both were brought in UK8/US4.

H&M, £12.99

I got this sheer, purple/pink-ish vest-top. It has a racer back and a small (discreet) pocket detailing on the front. The print is of palm trees and I absolutely love the colours on this top! This would be perfect for those hot, sunny days on vacation for a casual daytime look to the beach or sightseeing. I got this in a UK size 10 because I wanted the top to be more loose and longer. Lastly......

H&M, £14.99

I got these bright babies!! I absolutely LOVE them! Perfect for summertime colour-blocking :) One thing that I'll make sure is that my feet will be in tip-top condition - unmaintained feet is a no-no!

And that's it!

What recent clothing purchases/trends have you been in to?

Sarah xoxo

Some Recent Makeup/Beauty-Related Favourites ♥

Hi Everyone!

I haven't been too experimental with my makeup lately due to always being on the go, but I have had some trusty staples and products that I keep returning to. Here are a few that I thought I'd share with you =)....

MAC Satin Blush in My Highland Honey (Limited Edition)

MAC Cremeblush in Ladyblush (which is going to be discontinued)

MAC Powder Blush in Mighty Aphrodite (Limited Edition)

Chanel Pro-Lumiere Foundation in 40 Beige

Dior Shimmer Powder in 002 Amber Diamond

N.Y.C Matt Bronzer in 720A Sunny 

Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick in 700 Nude Delight

MAC Frost Lipstick in Angel

Bourjois Effet 3D Lipgloss in 33

MAC Naked Honey Skin Salve (Limited Edition)

The Body Shop Tea Tree Blotting Tissues

Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser

MAC Paintpot in Painterly

Bare Minerals Eyeshadow in Bare Skin

Urban Decay Naked Eyeshadow Palette

 Chanel Nailpolish in Peche Nacree

OPI + Katy Perry Nailpolish Glitter in Teenage Dream

Nails Inc Nailpolish in Hampstead Heath

Essie Polish in Van D'Go

Sarah xoxo

What current makeup favourites do you have?