Matalan - Everything £12 or under!

PU Sleeve T Shirt - £10

Acid Wash Leggings - £12

Black Midi Dress - £12

Collar Necklace - £10

Satchel Bag - £5 (SALE)

Matalan is one of my favourite places to shop, people always say that Primark is the place to go for bargains and over look Matalan but they're missing out. Here is some of my current favourites from Matalan, every single item here is £12 or under which I think is pretty amazing. As you can tell I like plain darker colours, maybe once the weather picks up i'll wear something brighter..

First is this tshirt, I've noticed these PU sleeve t shirts popping up everywhere online over the past few weeks, seeing as that Zara fake leather sleeved Khaki coat got copied by every store in the whole world I'm not surprised the leather look is staying in. It gives basic things a little bit of edge to them, I would either team this up with Black skinny jeans or tuck it into a skirt, either way for £10 you can't go wrong.

The acid wash leggings stood out to me, I love the whole acid wash look I think it can make plain bottoms like jeans or leggings look more expensive and add more style to your outfit, I'd wear something plain with these like a black tunic. Good thing about leggings is they're always in style.

I just love the dress, I could imagine strolling down Bold St in the summer with this  dress on teamed with a pair on converse, I am for sure purchasing this and putting it away until it's a bit warmer.

The Necklace is beautiful, I remember seeing something quite similar in Topshop last year so I think you're picking up a bargain for £10!

Finally the bag, I've seen this bag which comes in 3 other colours in Matalan before but it was £12, now you can pick it up for just £5! I think that is an absolute steal, I've just made my online order for the one pictured :)

Those are my Matalan bargains this week, hope you enjoyed let me know if you pick up anything pictured! :)

Fran xx

January Favorites

Hello everybody, I'm currently in the middle of a week of utter laziness and find myself inspired to post a blog. I've managed to drag myself out of this routine of drinking tea and watching The US Office to post this.

Awful picture but I cannot for the life of me find my camera wire.. I think it's gone to the land of lost socks and bobbi pins.

Toni&Guy Casual Sea Salt Texturising Spray
I just love this product, I find when I style my hair after I wash it it's just to fluffy and unmanageable and throughout the day it just goes frizzy. This is brilliant for getting some control over your hair. My favourite thing to use this for is after I use my curling wand I spray some into my hand and crunch the curls it gives them that messy curl look and keeps the curls in longer. I have the mini one of these which is perfect handbag size and another big plus is that it smells AMAZING.

Superfacialist Tea Flower Pore Purifying Clay Mask
I purchased this on a whim whilst wandering around Boots one Sunday afternoon, I had seen Alix mention it on her blog so I thought "why not" . I'm so glad I picked it up because I love love LOVE this mask, it clears out my clogged pores and I find my spots disappear a lot quicker. I use this mask once a week and have noticed a difference in my skin since using it.

Emma Hardie Moringa Balm
I had been lusting after this cleanser for a while, I find when I really want something I save the page and constantly stare at it. I decided to bite the bullet one afternoon in October last year, I noticed QVC had an offer where you pay £8 a month for 4 months to pay it off and I just thought that was a brilliant idea, £8 on my bank account wont make that much of a dent and I get the cleanser I've wanted for ages.  A year ago I would not have touched an oil type cleanser my skin is super oily and my mind always thought adding more oil would make it worse but it actually makes it better, if you remove the natural oils from your skin more will come back to replace it (if only I could go back and tell 18 year old Fran that...silly cow). I use this in two ways one as an evening cleanser after I've removed my make up as it makes my skin feel so fresh and clean, my skin has never felt so good. Another way is as a mask I pop it on my skin for 20 minutes and it brings all that yucky stuff to the surface, brilliant. I would really recommend this mask and I would 100% repurchase. My skin just loves it.

Laura Mercier Silk Crème Foundation 
Oh Laura Mercier, where have you been all my life?  I noticed everybody raving about this foundation but with my failed relationships with MAC and Clinque I had given up on high end foundation. However, one day I had a change of heart and I'm so glad you pulled at my heart strings. I can safely now say in front of everyone here...best foundation ever. I need the tiniest amount and my skin looks flawless, all the redness is gone, the spots are covered...I look NICE. It's just perfect for me, easy to blend and flawless. I use the shade Rose Ivory the MUA said that it helped combat my redness and she was right it really does, she was actually super helpful (unlike that Clinque Boots MUA who just smeared 1shade on me, went "yep this is you" and sent me away with a foundation that makes me look like a wotsit) so I would fully reccomend trying this out, don't be afraid to ask for a sample.

Chloe Eau de Parfum
I'd wanted this for ages but never got around to getting it, I actually hinted to my mum that i'd like it for Christmas but bless her heart she got the wrong one (which is still nice, i'm fully grateful for and have been using as well) so even though I was slightly disappointed I thought i'd just buy it myself from Sephora when I go to New York...however, I have a lovely boyfriend who got me this as an extra surprise gift for Christmas. I never expected it, I think I randomly mentioned it once when in Boots getting my mums Christmas gift and he remembered. This smells..BEAUTIFUL, it has this lingering smell that lasts on you and your clothes all day long, you don't need a lot and the packaging is beautiful. I think it's a girly must have :)

Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette 
I never purchased Naked 1 or 2, I actually don't use a lot of eyeshadow I think it makes me look a little over done but seeing all these lovely subtle smokey eyes on peoples blogs makes me want to achieve something similar. This palette is perfect for me, very subtle on my pale skin but you can make a really nice smokey eye with it as well, it's great for travelling as it fits perfectly into your handbag and well worth the £20 imo. 

Those are my current favourites, I'm really gonna try to get back into this blogging thing.

Have a lovely day!

Fran x

 

October Favorites

 1, 2 , 3, 4, 5

Ah look at me 2 blog posts in one month, quite proud of myself ^_^ So I thought I'd do a monthly favourites because it's easy and I actually have a few products I've been loving this month.

Soap and Glory - Whipped Clean
My skin hates winter, it goes so dry and really sore so I have to buy a lot of moisturising washes. For a while I was eyeing up the L'occitane Almond Shower Oil but it was £16 (yes £16) so I decided I have to find something cheaper. I stumbled across this by chance in Boots, they where doing a 3 for 2 offer so I decided to treat myself to something from Soap and Glory. This was the first item to catch my eye and after reading the label realised it was exactly what I was looking for. It says you don't even need to moisturise afterwards but I find that I still have to but my skin is less dry than shower washes like Dove have left my skin. This really is a lovely product and is half the price of the Almond Shower Oil at £8, the packaging is also lovely so I think you all should go pick it up today ;D

Garnier Body Intensive 7 Days
Like I mentioned above my skin is so dry atm and needs constant moisturising so this is perfect, ignore the 7 day promise like that is actually true but it does last me all day which is all I need! I absolutely love the smell of this it's lovely and it just does a really good job of keeping my skin moisturised

Redken Scalp Relief Oil Detox Shampoo
Let's just start by saying, I have Eczema its on my arms, legs, face and yes my scalp, you can't tell but once in a while I get a flare up and my hair suffers, I try not to wash it everyday but sometimes because it gets so oily and sore I find myself needing to. I decided to bite the bullet and order this from FeelUnique and all I can say is WOW, its just a great product that does exactly what it promises to do and I don't need to wash it as much. My scalp feels lovely and soothed and my hair is squeaky clean, I would however recommend using a conditioner on your ends as it can be quite drying on its own.

MAC Studio Sculp Foundation
I hated this when I first got it I found it made my skin so shiny looking so I put to the back of my make up draw and left it there. A few months went by and I got some control over my oily skin so decided to try it out again and now I'm in love, I wear it all the time, it's less shiny and lasts all day. You don't need a lot either (I apply it with my Real Techniques Buffing Brush) and now I'm running low. I think I'm gonna have to take a trip to MAC very soon.....I need to stop spending money!

REN Clear Calm Clay Cleanser
That is a mouthful of a name try saying it out loud, I got tongue tied :') Anyway that doesn't matter the product itself is amazing. I don't think my skin is as bad as it was when I was a teenager but I do get blemishes at those special times of the month and I also suffer from alot of redness on and around my nose so I wanted something to just calm my skin down and this is exactly what this does. I like to use this of an evening after I've removed my make up to just keep those pesky spots from getting bigger. I find when I use this my skin is so soft, calm and stays as clear as it can. The one downside is the smell, it's just a blah smell but once you wash it off you can't smell it anymore. I would recommend this to people who suffer from blemish prone skin and/or alot of redness.

Body Shop Vanilla Eau De Toilette
What can I say, this just smells really lovely and is perfect for this time of year. It lasts all day long and I've had alot of compliments on it. One problem is the Body Shop have discontinued this so I cannot link it, why do this to me Body Shop! :(

Sorry for the awful photo quality, when I get home from work it's dark so this is the best I could do! 

Fran x

The problem with blogging is...

Yes yes, either focus on your blog or just go away. I know nobody is reading this so really this is me talking to myself on the Internet...fab!

 I have so many posts actually saved on this place I just have yet to add photos to it because I'm so lazy and attaching my camera is hard when you can't find the wire and using my iPhone is a pain because it opens iTunes which slows the computer down and everything just dies so I just don't post. If I liked my face and didn't talk 100 miles an hour Youtube would be the way to go but man those people are MEAN! You're a brave person to actually put yourself out there and still come back after all the crap trolls say, I'd run a mile.

Now maybe I should move on and actually talk about what I was going to talk about ;D... Well where to start, I'm here today after looking at my bank account this morning and feeling shocked..where is all my money going, then I realised I'm spending it all on things I don't actually need but just want in the moment and buy on impulse, so yes it's time for me to say....

My name is Frances and I have a spending addiction (hello Frances) This wasn't a problem I had until I got into reading blogs and watching youtube videos, I was fine using just the one foundation, the one face wash etc. I mean before blogging I had no idea what a cleanser was or why I needed it, I for years thought it was a type of moisturiser, now I have 4 different cleansers and they're not cheap ones, why do I need 4?! The second my skin goes a little off I put it down automatically to what I'm using and go out and buy another one! Though one thing I do stick to is that you should not be cheap when it comes to your skin, you wear it everyday, do you really need that £30 top? Go out and buy yourself a decent cleanser!

 Tumblr is another pesky little minx, do not I repeat DO NOT put "Primark" into the Tumblr search engine, things will come up, you'll want it think "Oh it's only £8" Walk into Primark and end up spending £40 on top of what you originally went to get! Though those Primark Hauls on youtube are also guilty of making me do that...damn you.

 Really my advice today is to look at everything you own and look at what you don't even really use anymore, did you really need it? Think how much it is and add it to everything else you think the same about...you'll get a shock! 

BUT Sometimes going shopping just makes you feel good and can be quite therapeutic, just don't overspend and think before you buy :P

Well, see you in another 6 months ;D 

 Fran xo

2. Skincare - Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish

Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish is my favorite skincare product, it's my holy grail, if anyone says they have problem skin it's the first thing I recommend to them. Before using this product I had no idea what was good for my skin and what wasn't, I had no idea what cleansers did and it was shocking for someone my age at the time (22 *gulp*). I'd just remove my make up with wipes and go to bed, I couldn't even imagine doing that now. Really this product opened my eyes to how important it is to look after your skin , I really didn't think of the long term effects not taking care of my skin could do and I wish i'd got onto this product when I was 16, I think i'd have perfect skin now.  

What is a cleanser? A cleanser is a product that removes dirt, dead skin cells, make up, oil and any other bad things for your skin off your face. It's an important part of your daily skincare routine and can help prevent break outs from clogged up pores.

Cleanse & Polish™ Hot Cloth Cleanser ingredients

How to use:  
Step 1: Massage one or two pumps onto dry skin over face and neck twice a day. 
Step 2: Rinse the pure muslin cloth in hand-hot water and wring out before gently wiping off the cream.
Step 3:  Splash face with cool clean water.

  I've been using this product for exactly a year this month and all though it's taken it's time (it's not an overnight miracle treatment) my skin is in such a better place now it's a lot less red around my t zone, I get less breakouts (now it's really only one or two spots during special times of the month) and I feel like my skin is glowing. I cannot recommend this product more to you  it more it really is my one true skincare love and I cannot be without it now. If you're really interested in this product but think "I can't afford to pay for that all the time" look at is as an investment, an investment into good skin! I started with a 50ml starter kit but now repurchase the 100ml every 4-5 months, another great thing about it..it lasts ages! You would pay £20 for a dress that you're not going to wear all the time but wont invest in £12.75 for a product you would use daily? I purchase mine from a counter in John Lewis but when you order online it's comes so beautifully packaged it's like a special present.

ALSO - Between the 23rd May - 25th May Liz Earle is selling their 100ml cleanse and polish starter kit for only £9.50 which was it's original selling price many years ago, this means you will save £4.75!! So i'd strike whilst the iron is hot! 

You can visit the Liz Earle Website for all the prices and product information.

Thanks for reading!
- Fran

1. Hello, is it me you're looking for?

Excuse the pathetic Lionel Richie title (now that song is stuck in your head, you're welcome) but I was trying to be creative and catch your attention, it obviously worked...
 I've not blogged on here for well over a year but today out of nowhere the writers block that had kept me away for so long disappeared and I had this massive urge to blog. I read over my old blog and decided that it just looked cheap and some of the outfits i'm surprised I was let outside the house in them (baaad), looking back i've just grown up a lot and I guess now I feel I can write about things that interest me more and might appeal to people more. I decided to just delete my old blog posts, fresh start and all that, I also need a hobby to break up my go to work, come home, go to work routine so maybe this might be it.
One of the main things I plan to blog about is my skincare and a skin problem I suffer from but isn't "blogged" about a lot (in blogs I read). I have a big passion for skincare, i'm not a massive make up person I sort of have my set routine with the same products which i'm happy with so I don't want to waste say £25 on a new foundation i'll wear once, hate and end up using the one I had in the first place, that's just me. Though honestly if I had the money (and didn't have that little voice in my head telling me to save money) I probably would have a bigger make up collection...



Anywhoo right now I don't have any pictures to add to my blog posts yet and with seeing my boyfriend this weekend I doubt i'll post until Monday so here is some weekend reading material, these blogs are some of my favorites to read of a Sunday afternoon with a brew (blog day).

http://www.whatoliviadid.com/
Olivia has an amazing sense of style, her outfits are well put together and she always looks flawless.

http://sweetmondayblog.blogspot.co.uk/
Kim can throw anything together and it looks stunning, I wish I had that creativity about me. She also has her own shop on Etsy.

http://romeoandthelonelygirl.com/
Not only does this girl has some killer style she also posts a lot about music and I enjoy her playlist posts.


If you have any favorite blogs or even your own please leave them below and I will check them out, have a nice weekend everybody!

- Fran