Some of my new essentials

I have worm make up for the past seven years, before that I literally only wore lipgloss and the odd bit of mascara! Nowadays you wouldn't find me with out any make up on stepping into the outside world, this just wouldn't happen! Although in the summer I do try to wear less and when I'm abroad I do go au-natural, but I just can't seem to no longer live with out it!
     I'm no make up expert I always go to either a Boots or Debenhams and let the make up artists loose on my face with what ever brand takes my fancy. It's usually though if I'm being honest, which ever girl looks the best with the best applied makeup on, is the one I will head towards! I will do this a few times a year just to update my makeup but also different seasons really effect my skin, as like most in the summer it goes a little greasy and in the winter it goes dry.
      At the end of summer last year my mum had her skin tested with boots latest technology called the Match Made Service! This is basically a handheld machine that indicates which foundation is best suited to your skin, so if you haven't tried this yet it's an absolute must! Having seen my mum get her skin tested I obviously wanted mine done too. And it revealed I should be wearing the No7 Stay Perfect foundation in cool vanilla, which I must add to this very day I still wear!
      However having read several beauty blogs recently I found a lot of reviews on certain products which could make the way I apply makeup better and overall look better on my face!
The first product I brought this week was the Real Techniques set of brushes!

Now I know you must be thinking what took me so in long in getting these, but like I have said before i'm no make up expert, and also when you already use brushes which you like, if you're anything like me then you'll stick to what you know! Before these brushes I always used No7 brushes as I like the way they applied make up to my face. However, having read a few beauty blogs recently, everyone said about their love for these, and i'm no exception to the rule! I absolutely love these brushes and I cant stress that enough, these brushes are great! This set cost me £21.99 from boots and is worth every penny, they are no more expensive than my No7 brushes and even individually they price match the same. So how have I been converted to these? Well it's simple, its all in the bristles of each brush! The apllication is much smoother and less make up is used and the overall finish looks great!!! These are an essential to any make up bag!

My next purchase was the Maybelline New Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser!

Now I have never really had an issue or noticed my pores until recently which may be because of different things, one I needed new brushes, two the change in weather always effects my skin and three after reading beauty blogs I have learnt new things about make up. I had seen many beauty bloggers comment on this product so when I went into Boots recently I asked one of the make up artists to tell me a bit more about the product to see if I actually needed it, which I did. As boots were sold out of this one, I used several testers on my hand to see how other products compared. Some were too greasy, some had too much of a sparkle finish and some were too dark. Just to my luck the assistant found some in the drawers beneath the stand and when I tested this one there is no comparison! This product is clear and light and literally does what it says! I apply this first thing in the morning and it really lasts all day! Try the other pore erasers if you must, but you will be wasting your money as this one is perfect!

Often with Boots they do the 3 for 2 offer and it was only Maybelline that was actually doing it when I went in, the other brands had different offers on, so in keeping with Maybelline theme I also purchased the Baby Lips Hydrate lip balm and the Maybelline Great Lash Waterproof mascara. 

I have used the Maybelline lipbalm before, but I just didnt get much use out of it as my two year old decided to try it himself and ended up breaking it. I have always had chapped lips and like most struggle with this at particular times of the year, and as I work in retail the air con can dry my lips out too! This lip balm is my ultimate saviour and has put the moisture back into my lips!

The Maybelline mascara has been a favourite of mine for years and I will forever use it. I love how black the mascara appears on my lashes, (as I have blonde eyelashes), and how it stays on all day and doesn't clump together or give the spidey look like some other brands do!

I hope you like what I have purchased let me know your thoughts and how you have found these products!

Vicki xoxo 

A Mothers Day Edit

This Sunday is the day we celebrate our mums, aunts, nans and people we consider close to us that are the important females in our lives. I'm very fortunate to have a young family, as my mum was only sixteen when she had me,as too was my dad, (who are still together today,happily married), and I have both my nans who also play a big part in my life. Since my little boy was born me and my mum have become closer, as when I was younger we were more like sisters that would bicker, and she would always know when I was up to something or if I was telling a porkie pie, which was the downside of having young parents. I always like to give my mum little treats here and there as she does so much for me and I can never thank her enough, but as I work in retail, and it only happens to be a store that she loves, the treats come very welcomed. My mum is a wonderful lady that always does her best for me, my brother and my little boy, which is why I particularly love celebrating certain events as I love to spend and make her happy.
     Here is some of my ideas of gifts for this Mothering Sunday.....

1. Breakfast In Bed
     Now as i'm 27, (soon to be 28), I no longer live with my parents, but for those of you that do this is a lovely and inexpensive treat that will always be greatly received as long as you don't burn the toast or make the tea too milky. The cost of this if you are buying everything fresh will cost no more than five pounds which is pocket money and still thoughtful.

2. Personalised Card
     If you don't have time to go to a shop then make a card on-line, Moonpig and Funky Pigeon offer great discounts if buying more than one card or gifts to go with. I always use one of these websites and create a card using loads of pictures to share memories of the past year.

3. Flowers
     Flowers are a classic option and paired with a nice card goes down a treat with any recipient, and you can pick up some bunches from the likes of Tescos or Sainsburys for as little as a fiver. Or if your mum likes a particular flower then nip into your local garden centre and get her some from there, they may cost a bit more like £10-25, but the thought that's gone into the gift wont go unnoticed!

4. Groupon Voucher
      Groupon have some amazing deals on at the moment, and you can tailor the site to where you live or where you would like to visit to as a maximum distance. For example in the Northamptonshire area I have found Afternoon Tea for Two for £12, manicure and pedicure for £19, cut and restyle for £16, night away stay for £99. There is a lot of choice to suit everyone's budget!

5. Gift
       Gifts can vary depending on each individuals budget. My tops gifts would include
                   Bag
                   Jewellery (costume jewellery or branded)
                   Make-up
                   Soap and Glory Set / Champneys set
                   Clothes

6. Gift Voucher
        A gift voucher maybe a simple idea, however it enables the recipient to purchase exactly what she wants and my top pick for vouchers would be
                 Next
                 Monsoon
                 Bon Marche
                 Boots
                 Spa
                Garden Centre

7. Hamper
       Hampers can be purchased on-line or you can make one yourself to make it more of a personal gift. It may be cheaper to buy the items separately as there are lots of deals in-store such as 3 for 2 in boots or for a food hamper Marks and Spencers do a meal for two to dine in including wine for £20. For more of a funkier hamper why not go to your local sweet shop and get all of her classic favourite hard boiled sweets in a fancy basket hamper.
     
8. Perfume
      Have you noticed your mums favourite scent has been running low recently, then why not nip into Boots and treat her to a larger bottle, where they have half price offers on big branded bottles at the moment!

9. Dvd date night
       As a child I always remember certain films with my mum whether its Charlie And The Chocolate Factory where we would constantly watch it, or Birds Of A Feather every sunday evening. These are particular films/tv programmes  that when I watch them I always think about when I was little and watched them with mum on the sofa. So why not head over to Amazon or into your local HMV to get the boxset that you loved watching with your mum.

10. Quality time
       Need I say more? Spend the day with your mum or loved ones and just make sure they know how special they are to you, it doesn't have to cost the earth just three simple words, "I love you" are an essential for that special lady in your life that has done so much for you.


I hope you like my Mothers Day ideas and I hope they help you out if you're stuck for ideas.
Leave your comments below and follow me on bloglovin!

Vicki xoxo

De-pop app or is it more of a de-flop?

Having a read through some blogs the other night I came across a few recommendations for an app called Depop! The app is basically like an eBay store but where your favourite fashion bloggers sell their items! I was really intrigued as so many bloggers use the app and gave it such good reviews! 

So I downloaded the app and signed up straight away as it's pretty straight forward with the usual email address password and pic etc! It also gives the options of who you follow on Instagram to follow on the app if they are a seller or buyer! It's pretty much the same as eBay with a search engine if you are looking for a particular brand, product or seller! 

   Now here's the part where I actually decided to use the app! I found a pic of some Topshop boots and immediately wanted them! I private messaged the seller who said they were still available and postage was only £3.50! I asked if paypal was ok to send payment and she agreed but said that she only accepts friends and family payment method so she doesn't incurr business fees against what she gets! So in return I asked that the boots be sent for with signed delivery this way we seem to both be protected! Or so I thought! I then sent payment and messaged to say I had done so, and she replied thank you and confirmed to be sending the boots either later that day or in the morning! This wasn't a problem and i was happy with the outcome! The next day came and I decided to message to see if the boots had now been posted and there wasn't an instant reply, this didn't bother me as I thought oh maybe she's working or something, so once I had finished work that evening I checked for a reply and still nothing. There was nothing still for another four days!!!! Alarm bells did start to ring but not until I went onto the item I had purchased and seen another three people had wrote comments of "don't buy she's a scammer" and "she never sends items just takes money!"  My heart sank. First time on this app and I had been scammed! I immediately got onto my PayPal and was trying all sorts to cancel payment and send refunds requests but it was no use as because she had requested the money through friends and  family it wasn't a business agreement it was sent as a gift! Even though in the reference box I had put this money is for the Topshop boots in size five! 

    The next day still reeling from knowing there was little that could be done with now paypal sending me an email saying they wouldn't refund the money i knew my only hope was to ring nationwide for help! It just seemed so unfair that she would be getting away with this time and time again! (Please note that another three people had wrote they had also purchased these boots from her, seven in total including me)! Nationwide was a lot more understanding and in the end put a case against paypal to get my money back due to the fact it was a fraudulent transaction! In the meantime I had to call paypal and explain why nationwide was doing this! 

    I'm now awaiting a final decision on this so hopefully will know an outcome in the next few days! I have definitely learnt my lesson and won't be so happy to send money so quickly next time! The shocking thing is the seller is still on the app!!! De-pop haven't taken her down as yet, but with all the complaints I can't imagine it will take much longer!
    Just make sure you are really careful before purchasing goods online and try and seek reviews so you know who you are buying from!

Vicki xoxo

A simple trip to London.

So last weekend the sun was shining and we decided to take a little trip down to London! Every so often we go to London for a nice day of spending and enjoying lovely food, however this time we took our two year old with us as usually he stays at home with nanny. On the drive down to London we soon realised the trains were not running for the day so instead we had to drive into central London hoping to find a car park. I made the big mistake of just tapping in to the sat nav "London" instead of a specific street name! This then caused a lot of problems, especially due to the fact our petrol light had come on!So all in all a trip that should take just over an hour ended up taking two due to my error with the sat nav! (Typical Blonde). We did get to see the London Bridge, The London Eye and St Pauls Cathedral, on our extended road trip.
            To make the trip more child friendly, we headed to Covent Gardens and stayed in that area rather than try to fight a pushchair through the crowds at Oxford Street. Our first stop was Orbital which is a comic store as my partner Leigh and my little boy love all things marvel. After several comic and toy purchases we finally hit my shops! I actually struggled to find anything I liked, which for me is a surprise as I always have a wish list for every high street shop going! I think its also the fact that working in retail myself you can sometimes look at an item in one store then realise you have something similar in the store you work in but for a fraction of the price! This not buying anything though didn't last for long as we found my beloved Topshop! The reason I love Topshop so much is the fact that they really do take on board what the designers are taking out on the catwalks and reproduce their own take on it and bring it to the stores! I even love the mannequin displays in Topshop as they give a completely different perspective on how to team items together with things such as clashing prints or chunky boots with a little dress.Once I had had a thorough look around and a good rummage,(as we all know Topshop love to place at least three items on one bar) I finally got some purchases!

This dress is simple but beautiful, I absolutely love the lace detailing on the top layer of the dress and the fact that the purple underneath layer is a casual jersey material, so you can dress the item up or down depending on where you were going to wear it to. With this outfit though I just cant decide on footwear and have been thinking of purchasing some jelly shoes as every store has them in and if I teamed them with this outfit I feel it would give it a quirky edge!

This was my next purchase also from Topshop, now these colours aren't what I would usually go for but I loved this tunic so much I couldn't resist! We are going away in a few weeks time and this will be perfect in the evenings as its still cool, to wear with my shiny leggings/disco pants and some black peep toes, for a glam evening look.

My last find in Topshop was this beautiful satchel and such a bargain at only £20. I really couldn't believe the price when I saw it, I immediately wanted it! The satchel is a funny vinyl/patent look, but is such a great colour it can be teamed with most items! 

The outing was such a nice day due to the weather and we all went home happy with our treats!

Hope you like my purchases, would love to hear what you have been up to these last few weekends!

Vicki xoxo 

The arrival of two tone shoes.

I f you don't already know or haven't seen them, two tone shoes are every where at the moment!
A two-tone shoe is a shoe which is made up of two colours, the heel will be one colour whilst the front a different colour! Now you may be thinking what makes these shoes so special and an essential purchase for this season, well its the fact that they bring a whole outfit together! Now we all love a shoe that gives an edge to our outfit or a pop of colour, but a two tone shoe will simply piece the look together in a classic way.

                                                                                                                                                                                                               

This is my example of a classic two tone shoe from Next (658-310) £29 and this floral print dress also Next (657-579) £38. The shoes really bring this look together as anyone can place it with a typical black peep toe, but add the two tone shoe and a whole new look is created!

Here are some more fabulous two tone styles that I have found on the high street at great prices!!!

Not only are courts a great look, but also sandals are great to team with your midi and maxi dresses!

The shoes from left to right

River Island white and nude pointed court shoes £35

Dorothy Perkins tan and mint platform sandals £40

River Island light orange court shoes £50

Dorothy Perkins blackand white pointed court shoes £30

Next black and white sandal £32

Topshop rose gold toe sandals £66

Newlook pink colour block ankle strap espadrille wedges £28

Let me know your thoughts on this seasons hottest shoe trend!!!

Another day another Primark shopping spree!

It seems Primark are my essential shopping fix at the moment, I just cant go a week without spending in there! Im loving the prints that are in the stores that look like that have just come from the catwalk at such a good price! So this week when I went to the Northampton store I couldn't help but pick up some of the latest tea dresses!

This dress was my favourite purchase of the day, it was £13 and looks lovely on! I love the chiffon material so it feels really light on and is perfect for summer days! The length of the dress is very flattering as it comes just above the knee so its not too short if you wanted to wear it with heels!

This was the next dress I got, and what I liked about this one was that it had a waistline rather than it being straight up and down! As I'm not very tall (5ft4) I like things to define where my waist is to give extra shape! 

This dress was an absolute bargain as it was only £8, and this kind of print will last all year round as I can wear it with opaque tights and black boots when its cold or team it with some gladiators in the summer. You can just about see the heart locket that I wore with this dress and its from Next and priced at £14. I love locket necklaces at the moment as some designer ones you can personalise yourself, which cost around the three hundred pound mark so this one from Next really is a fraction of the price and looks just as effective!

 I absolutely love this floral dress, I love the print and the colours, however it isn't very flattering on as I feel it makes me look bigger than I actually am! The only way to resolve this, was when I wore the dress I teamed it with my leather jacket and on warmer days I would wear a thin cardigan. This dress was also only £8.

As you can probably tell by now, I'm a massive fan of anything with a floral print on, whether it be dresses or t-shirts. This item is too short to be worn on its own as a dress, but longer than a standard t-shirt, so it needs to be teamed with leggings! I have noticed on the high street a lot of poppy print is being featured on clothes and accessories so this was a perfect find at only £6. I also love the sweater neckline on the top as this was a particular trend on the catwalks at London Fashion Week!

This was the last of my purchases from Primark and I loved the cuteness of this cropped tee with the daisy's on the front that are embedded on a mesh front, so a vest is essential unless you want to bare all! I will be wearing this tee with some light ripped denim jeans and heels to create a funky sports luxe look! The top was £8 which considering how much detail has gone into it was my ultimate bargain of the day!

Hope you like my purchases!!!!!

Forever a review.

I have recently been given a wonderful opportunity to try some new products that are currently on the market and you may have seen advertisement for them all over facebook! A representative from the company Forever contacted me about trying out some products and giving my honest opinion on each so they could have testimonials from a different range of people for each of their products.
Here is a picture of what I was sent from the company to test.

So as you can see I was sent a rather large basket full of different products! However being a full time mum and working in retail part time I didn't manage to use all the products, which the company was fine with this when i told them!

The first product I tried from the Forever range was the Aloe Jojoba shampoo and conditioning rinse. I really liked the shampoo as it was a lot thicker than normal shampoos that I use, as it was more of a gel than a liquid! The smell wasn't fruity like herbal essences that I use day in day out, but on the other hand it wasn't offensive, it was just a clean smell., that foamed up really well in my hair! After using the conditioner on just my ends I blow dried my hair and once styled it looked the thickest and shiniest its been in ages! I used these products for the duration of the five days, (before I had to give them back), and have to admit I noticed a massive difference in my hair!

Next I tried the Aloe Hand and Face Soap, which on the bottle says "cleans without drying and its mild pleasant fragrance leaves skin feeling pampered and silky smooth". I'm always a bit careful with what I put on my face as I have sensitive skin, so I was a bit dubious at first to try this product. I use a Nivea moisturiser and No7 make up remover and wipes in my everyday routine and have done for the last few years and I rarely break out in spots! With the Aloe soap I literally used a small pea size amount in my hand and applied to my face and gently rubbed. The soap is similar thickness to a face mask and took every last piece of make up off, whereas usually I'm scrubbing with wipes to get any remainder smudged mascara off. I was very pleased with how good this product was and it was true to the saying, "it does what it says on the tin".

The Forever Aloe Scrub, was also another surprise in how well the product worked on my face with it having tiny micro-beads to give a good deep cleanse!

My favourite products to try was part of the make-up range and I got to test the lipgloss as well as the lipstick.
The make-up range is called Sonya and the lipgloss here was a clear gloss with glitter tint, called Double Diamond 423! What made this lipgloss so special is that it contains Aloe within the gloss to moisturise your lips as well as giving it a shine! Not only that but the lipgloss has a mirror on the side so you can see exactly where to apply your gloss when you are out and about and a light so if you are in a club you can easily apply in the dark! When I showed my friends this, they were very excited as this particular lipgloss was the one featured in The Only Way Is Essex with Gemma Collins using it! I have to admit that when I used the gloss my lips were rather dry and within the hour you couldn't tell that that was the case! I really do love this product from the way its works to how it looks!

The lipstick I tried is 407 Guava and this lasted a good few hours, the only difference of this lipstick to my usual maxfactor one, is the fact that like the other products it has an aloe base so is good for your lips!

The only product that I tested and wasn't too keen on was the Forever toothpaste, but this was purely down to the fact that the tooth paste didn't have fluoride in it so my mouth didn't feel as fresh even though the appearance of my teeth looked just as clean as when I use Colgate everyday! So that's just down to being my personal opinion that I would rather a minty fresh breath to feel like I have actually cleaned my teeth!

Hope you have enjoyed my review, let me know your opinions!!!!

More exciting things to come!!!!

Im very excited to announce im now part of the Next Blogger Network! So what does this mean i hear you say!!!??? Well basically i will be getting the info on the latest trends from Next and be able to deliver them to you! So keep an eye out for more posts to come!!!!!

The Next best thing...

Over the past few years I have become a massive Next fan! They have really come into their own with stocking the latest trends from the catwalks at such good prices! Next used to be a place known for its work wear tailored suits, but that isn't the case any more! This season they have fab colours and shapes in store at such competitive prices, you really can't miss them!  So when I recently went in there I just couldn't help but spend! Here are my latest purchases!

895-618

This was the first top I came across in the store and i really liked the brightness of the blue and the actual feel of the top as its more thicker than your normal shape t-shirt!  The description on the next website of the top is "Made from a soft, textured jersey crepe fabric, this t-shirt is embellished with yoke panel stitch detailing." As I have blonde hair I really like wearing blue as I find it rather a flattering colour to wear! The sizing on this top is bigger than normal sizing so i ended up going a size down, and purchasing a size 8! At £14 this top is definately value for money!

                                                                     

899-161

This stripe tee was merchandised next to the blue one I had just picked up, but as every year I love the nautical look I couldnt resist this one either! This top cost £16, and comes more true to size as I randomly got a size 10 in this one!

Still wandering round the tailoring side I then come across my next couple of purchases!

   

654-152

895-889

891-680

The above two tops aren't usually my style as they are both rather a bold print and colour, however, once I tried them both on with the black tailored capri trousers I really liked the look for a work wear look! The trousers were a little expensive compared to other ones in there at £38, but they are a great fit and will see me through the spring/summer.  The first top cost £22 and I thought I could match it with either the capris or a high waisted pencil skirt for a different look! The second pink floral top cost me a mere £14 and also looks really nice on as the bottom of the top has a waist band so gives more of a flattering look!

These are some more items I purchased!

                                           

           

886-618

890-718 necklace

The above skater skirt was an absolute bargain at £20, and I really love the length as its not short like the one I have from topshop, this sits just above the knee! The chunky gold necklace I feature in the second picture is a steal at £12 and when teamed together with the stripe tee and skirt its such a cute outfit!

661-590 bikini top £20

661-716 bikini briefs £15

As I have said earlier I absolutely love wearing blue and nothing beats this cute print bikini! The cups on the bra are formed in a bandeau shape and the briefs are high leg, with gold trim detailing!

Jumpsuit 655-286  £42

Red ballerina pumps 650-306 £22 Satchel from Zatchels 

Gold chain old from next

I usually struggle to wear jumpsuits as im only 5ft 4, but this one is a great fit as I can wear it with flats or heels! I really like a polka dot print as it can be worn all year round and is such a classic piece to have in your wardrobe!

I hope you liked my purchases and outfit choices! Would love to hear your opinions!