Well hello there 2014 (haul)

Hi Lovelies its is my first post and haul of the year! 

Happy 2014!!!

 I went out for a new work/ every day black tote bag and came back with er'thang but a black tote. Hehe famous last words.

This haul started out as things I actually needed and ended up like so.....well what I want and what I need is pretty much the same ish. 

Enjoy.

L-R: B.pure Micellar water, Naturally radiant 2 in 1 moisturiser and serum and Superdrug Naturally Radiant Brightening Day Cream SPF15

These are actually repurchases that have become a daily part of my skincare base routine. Superdrugs had a promotion on B. pure and as one of the bottles was slightly dented I got another discount. As my skin worked so well with the Naturally radiant range, I decided to add their day cream to the mix. It is has a good level of absorbency ,is light and on sale here.

 

Top: Tea Tree water toner
Bottom: Mask of Magnaminty

Who doesn't love a bit of LUSSSSSSSSSSHHH?!  I stopped by the Brent Cross branch and practically yanked my friend Nikki inside for some lush loving. I limited myself to 2 things that I actually needed. I know I know, I went in and came out with nary a bath bomb but as you will see in my last post and below I have enough to be getting on with.

I stocked up on  Mask of Magnaminty which is currently working wonders on my face as I type.It smells sooo good. This mask has gained cult status in the blogesphere and with good reason. My skin always looks refreshed and feels so silky after using it. It also contains some of my fav scents in the world. Vanilla and peppermint. 

Quick tip: I leave mine in the fridge and have never had any problems with mold.

My second purchase was Tea tree Water . It is good for so many things such as normal toner, face refresher, makeup setter the list goes on. The combination of tea tree , juniper berry and grapefruit work perfectly together. If you have oily or spot prone skin this is a definite must have! the tea tree is very nurturing and doesn't dry or strip the skin. It is perfect for all skin types.

If you haven't heard of Lush. Check them out

L-R: Vanilla Body Mist, Strawberry Body Polish, Hemp Hand Protector

Another one of my old favs is The Body Shop. Once again I limited myself to shit I need yo. because I am a grown up like that lol Anything Vanilla in the body shop is up my street. I am all about it. When I saw the body mist on sale my eyes literally popped out my head,I loooooove it. I used to go in to the body shop everyday on my way to school and spritz myself shhhh.

I have mentioned the Hemp hand protector before on here and It really is a god send but they didn't reduce this one iota in the sales which was disappointing - rather annoyed. I still bought it as it lasts me a long while and our winter weather is horrid right now. Luckily I got a 20% discount as I purchased 4 things. If you haven't tried the strawberry body polish go and smell it, its divine.

L-R: Zara  Eau de toilette natural sprays: Black peony and Oriental

I have never paid too much attention to Zara perfumes but boy oh boy am I now! On my quest to find a suitable black tote I stopped off at Zara and my eye was immediately caught by the perfumes as I looked at jewellery.

I am not a massive perfume girl. I usually have 4-5 signature perfumes on the go that last me ages and I usually prefer mens stuff such as Armani code unless its my Chanel, daisy or obsession. I am not a big fan of super sweet scents and love bergamot and sandalwood notes found usually in mens stuff.

I picked up Black peony which is very heady and has notes of bergamot, vanilla and sandalwood, which appeal to me. Likened to Viktor Rolfs Flowerbomb with less sweetness it  is a little intense for some and mostly recommended for sultry evenings but I would where it anytime. It is a gorgeous scent. For an in depth analysis click here

I also got Oriental which also has notes of vanilla, floral and wood. Its less intense than Black peony and a beautiful fragrance which works well with me. Analysis here  Both were under £10 each and are great bang for buck. The packaging is very nice and good quality all round. I will definitely be going back for more.

Nike Blazer Mid Twist  Grey Suede

I am not much of a trainer girl and I wanted something that would incorporate style as well as function. I got these at the London designer outlet in Wembley which is not to far away from me for a bargainous £45! These can sell for up to £120 so I am very happy with my discount. I haven't seem many people wearing them which is good and I went for a dusky grey which goes with a lot. I love the snake skin detailing and ankle wrap around feature. The laces are a little unusual and don't actually let you tie them yourself. They are made of elastic material and are pre -tied.

L-R: H&M xoxo bracelet set and earrings

I picked up an xoxo bracelet and bird bracelet set in the sales. I also picked up a lovely set of triple arrow studs. They have a military-esque feel to them.

Top: Primark slate grey knitted coatigan
Bottom: Punk strap boots

 

Sorry Guys I didn't realise how creased the bottom of my cardi was. I picked these 2 items in the primark sales. I love a cardigan and this one is just a classic piece. It is just below bum length and close knitted with a round neck. The ares are a little dropped which gives it a coatigan effect.

I also had to get these boots as I saw them when they first came out and totally forgot about them as they usually sell out in my size quickly. Luckily My friend found the last pair or me and I snapped them up. I have a love affair with the 90's and cleated soles are my thing. Tartan is always trendy and with this rainy weather a nice pair of toasty toe warmers.

 

Notebook

And finally a notebook. I like to start of the year with a fresh note one and this one is so purtay. It has recycled paper so I am helping the earth and only cost £1 in the pound shop! I know too good to be true.

Its been a bit of a long one but I hope you saw some cool ideas and have been having a good new year thus far.

Until next time.......

Smooches

Stephanie aka Wednesdays Girl

xoxo

Don't forget to come find me and  Follow @GirlWednesdays  

Beauty Edit:September Favourites

Hey dolls, So I have decided to do a segment where I show you a few of my monthly favourites. Things that I have been using with success or have discovered and have fallen in love with.

Ok lets get started........

1.      Tea tree daily use facial cleansing scrub. This is an amazing, AMAZING, did I say amazing product? I really do love it. This stuff makes my skin feel absolutely great. It isn't harsh or drying. It has small micro beads that are not abrasive to the skin and is very light with no residue after. I use this about 3 times a week and it has really made a difference. I apply this to my face with a Muji face brush for deep cleansing at least once a week. The brush retails for £3.95 and the cleanser can be found in poundland or eBay. This is a really awesome product/ combo and a definite must buy. For these prices you wont regret it. For those with Clarisonic , I have heard good reviews regarding the face cleanser.

2.      The Body shop Hemp Hand Protector is seriously awesome. I rediscovered it in February on my birthday actually and I have been hooked ever since. I remember back in the day they had a similar one that stank a lot and my mum would power through it because hemp was good for you. This is sooo much better. It has a slight  hempy scent but the quality of this cream is great. It is super creamy and leaves my hands silky smooth and hydrated for hours. I use this in the morning and night as part of a routine I have created for myself. It is very long lasting and I am just about to open my second tube of the year. This retails for £10 and is worth every penny. If this seems expensive to you I would suggest taking advantage of peak sale season times such as Christmas to stock up as this shop does great reductions.

3.      The sun tropic Cocoa skin therapy oil is one of my new favourite things to moisturise with. This really locks in moisture and leaves your skin looking and feeling gorgeous. It smells really nice and a little really does go a long way. I haven't used it on my face but it sold as a total body advanced specialist skin care product. There has been a lot of hype about this product and I have to say it is utter brilliant. It contains vitamin E and pure cocoa butter, no preservatives and has been  formulated using active ingredients to help reduce the appearance of damaged skin.

4.  Australian Body care Argan cream with vitamin E is soooo nourishing. It is heavily scented which I really don't like BUT the benefits out weight my personal preference for non scented creams. The scent is incredibly floral but it really rehydrates my skin and keeps my face feeling supple. I use this as a night cream and i really must stress that only a small amount is needed as it is kind of heavy. My friend mixes primer into hers and it works perfectly.This can retail for £1-6 depending on where you buy it, so buy in bulk if you like it and can find it cheaply.

well that's my beauty skin care favourites for September. It seems to be a poundland extravaganza this month but if you have one near you simply raid! there is nothing better than finding well known and much loved brands for £1 a mere fraction of their original price. Love it.

Until next time..........

Smooches

Stephanie aka Wednesdays Girl

xoxo

Don't forget to come find me and  Follow @GirlWednesdays  

Lent: Help yourself to a "guilt" free chocolate indulgence with The Body shops Chocomania range.

Via pinterest

Ash Wednesday signifies for many religious and loosely religious people the beginning of lent. Which means that 40 days of fasting is about to begin. In modern times people are less strict with there level of fasting and now give up a favourite food in order to observe lent.

This is usually chocolate. For many chocolate is a daily indulgence which is incredibly hard to abstain from. I do not practice fasting myself simply because I am not personally fond of self deprivation in any form. My experience comes from watching friends over the years. I have watched people turn into chocolate fiends and act crazy as they gorge on chocolate to sustain them through the drought period. Not a pretty sight I can assure you! With just over a few gone and several more to go some are already acting like frenzied jackals – not cute.

Having watched my friend a few days ago wildly eyeing up my double chocolate brownie. I came to the conclusion that for many, the struggle to stay away from the item they have given up sometimes eclipses the reason that they are actually do it. So folks I have an easy solution that will help all of you choccie lovers out there fend off the cocoa siren call.

You may not be able to eat chocolate BUT nobody said you can't smell like it!

Simply head on down to your local Body Shop then run home and pour yourself a bath.

The Body Shop provides a range of new products called Chocomania, which will sustain any chocolate lover!

Their shower crème is ridiculously chocolaty and the added cocoa butter will ensure your skin is baby soft for hours. For that extra oomph you can get a Chocomania body butter and body scrub as well. Why not treat yourself to a Chocomania gift set and make a home spa day of it?

And

If you like experimenting and you’re feeling slightly alternative, why not mix some of the body shops other shower gels to create a signature sent. I am absolutely loving Satsuma at the moment, which when mixed with chocomania makes me smell like a terry’s chocolate orange. Definitely a plus in my book and everyone has been asking what I am wearing lately.

All items linked range from between £4 and £12. Bigger sizes are available. They can be bought online or in-store and are well worth the money. These products are sold internationally.

Try it out and let me know if it works for you.

Smooches

Stephanie aka Wednesdays Girl

xoxo

Don't forget to come find me and  Follow @GirlWednesdays