It's taken nearly the whole month but earlier this week I actually managed a little Primark trip. I know, I know I broke my own rule to never go into Primark during the school holidays but since I was in Intu Metrocenter anyways it made sense to brave the teen and pre- teen shoppers.
If you're a fellow North Easterner then you'll probably be pleased to know that the store refurbishments are now complete so there are no more banging and drilling noises to disturb your shopping trip! The store is now much bigger, the checkouts have improved and there generally seems to be a lot more space and air. Understandably though nothing is where it used to be so if you go in you'll probably need a bit of time to familiarise yourself with the new layout. For me though time was something that I didn't have so it was very much a dash, grab and run visit.
I entered the store on the second floor so I headed straight to the new home section, unfortunately it's not much bigger than it was before, but they did have quite a few new things, including this little pineapple candle which was just £3.50.
I already have a few ceramic pineapple trinket boxes, and candles from H&M but I didn't have one in this beautiful chocolate, bronze tone. This one is a candle, and unlike the H&M one I have, this candle is fragranced and has a beautiful fruity, Kiwi and Lemonade scent. It also comes in white, which has a different fragrance.
Next up yet more fairy lights - I've already got a set of plain blue LED lights for my office / study / craft room from a previous Primark trip, but in my opinion you can never have too many fairy lights so I decided to pick up these ones as well.
In various shades of blue, and white, this set of 10 battery operated LED lights resemble balls of wool or balls of string. They're a lot chunkier than the previous set and I think that they will tone in perfectly with the blue and white paint work and the blue carpet. I have a long white shelf that stretches along nearly a full wall, and think that they will look great hanging along the edge. They were £4.
They had some other fab fairy lights and pineapple related goodies in but for once in my life I showed a bit of restraint and headed down in the lift to the first floor. I was a bit of overawed clothing wise and since I didn't have much time, I ignored the majority of the summer things and had a look at some of the new autumn arrivals
On my receipt this is described as a Bardot Ribbed Dress, but there is no way on earth that I could ever wear this as a dress, on me it's definitely a long top or a tunic. It doesn't look much on the hanger but it's a really nice classic piece that I will get a lot of wear out of. The vertical ribbing is really flattering, and I love the wide neckline. This was £8 and it also comes in a blush pink / nude, that I would have also bought if they'd had it in my size.
No trip to Primark is complete in my eyes without a visit to their jewellery section. I love a bit of cheap bling, but nothing really called to me this time round, so I just got a few pairs of earrings. I own lots and lots of earrings but I'm a creature of habit and having four piercings in each ear I just tend to stick to my sleepers. I've been fancying some nice, large hoop earrings for a while now but I didn't want to spend a fortune on them because I knew I wouldn't wear them that often, so I decide to get this set of 3 pairs for just £1.50.
You get a pair in a silver tone, a pair in a gold tone, and a pair in a rose gold tone. All of the hoops are slightly different and it's hard to describe it but depending on which way round you wear them, you can get two different looks from each pair. I know a lot of people can't wear cheap earrings but providing I don't leave them in too long I'm usually okay with them, so with that in mind I also bought a pair.of rose gold tone,sparkly stud hoops, which were just £1
Right next to the new jewellery section you'll find the accessories and the beauty. Unfortunately like the home section the selection seems to be pretty similar to what they had before. The stands were a lot tidier but there was still no sign of the PS Pro line so I just picked up a nail polish.
I hate it when nail polishes don't have shade names, but in this case Primark I'll forgive you. This is one of their PS Gel Effect Nail Polishes and the colour is simply sublime. I already have a few shades like this but I really love this lilac, blue almost forget me not type shade. I haven't really tried a lot of nail polish from Primark, but at just £1.50 this one was well worth a try.
As per usual I've made a video to accompany this haul which you can see below or if your on a tablet or a mobile phone, via this link x
I know this wasn't the biggest of hauls but I hope you liked this post anyway x If you have any questions on anything I've bought please leave me a comment below and again if your a blogger or a you tuber and you've posted a Primark haul lately then leave me your links below and I'll seen you soon with a new post x .
Sunday 31 July 2016
Saturday 30 July 2016
Unboxing The First QVC UK Tili Beauty Box
If you're a regular watcher of my You Tube channel you'll know that I love beauty boxes. I love the element of surprise when you open the box and for me it feels a bit like Christmas - ripping open the packaging to see what goodies lie inside.
I personally love the surprise but unfortunately you do have to be prepared to be disappointed - you're not going to like everything in a box all the time and I know that the surprise element can put some people off. Thankfully though there are now ways that you can embrace the whole beauty box trend, and try new products without that unknown factor.
An increasing number of companies are now releasing boxes where you can either choose your own content, or where you know exactly whats in the box before you place your order. The boxes in these cases or either one offs or the subscriptions are more flexible. That way though you can choose what you want to try and minimise the risks and the disappointment
If that's the route you want to go down though, then there is a new box in town, and you can buy it exclusively from one of my favourite place to shop QVC UK. Tili stands for one their well used phrases Try It Love It, and that's exactly what their box is all about.
The first addition went on sale just over a week ago, and I ordered mine on launch day. The whole idea of Tili is to give customers, and beauty lovers the chance to try some of QVC's newest and best selling beauty products and brands. The website provides you with a full product listing, so you know exactly what your going to get before you checkout. This is the July box and you can see what was inside and my initial thoughts by watching the video below or if your on a mobile device, via this link
At just £20 and free postage I think this box, is pretty good value. The contents has a retail value of around £55 which seems about right - the Alpha H alone works out at about £15 ish, the Elemis Micellar Water retails at £6.90 direct from Elemis, and the full size Essie polish retails at around £7.99. I can't wait to try out some of the products in this kit and I'll definitely be picking up the next Tili box if I can get my hands on it x
This box doesn't seem to be a monthly thing, in fact I don't think that the next one is released till October, so you're not tied to anything, just a warning though, it's way to easy to shop with QVC and one purchase will inevitably lead to another!. You can find out more about the Tili box and how to order via this link. What do you think of the Tili box? Do you like the flexibility and the knowledge? or do you like a surprise? Let me know and I'd love to know what subscription boxes you like, so hit me up with your recommendations, oh and of course don't forget to subscribe to my You Tube channel for more unboxings, shopping and beauty content x
Labels:
Alpha H,
Bare Minerals,
Beauty,
Beauty Box,
Becca,
Elemis,
Essie,
Hair,
Nails Varnish,
Nexxus,
QVC,
Self Tan,
Skincare,
Subscription,
Tili,
Unboxing,
Vita Liberata,
You Tube
Friday 29 July 2016
Foodie Friday - Lentil, Roasted Vegetable And Halloumi Salad
Hey Guys x Happy Friday x I know Foodie Friday posts have been a bit thin on the ground this year but today I'm going to share with you one of my favourite and easiest, gluten free and vegetarian recipes, that proves that salad doesn't have to be boring.
If you've been reading my blog for sometime, or if you follow me on Instagram, then you'll already be quite familiar with this recipe or least what it looks like. I first discovered this recipe last July in my first Hello Fresh box (you can read about my experience here) and it's rapidly become one of my go to dishes.
You can find the original Hello Fresh recipe of Lentil, And Chargrilled Vegetable Halloumi Salad here x and I have to say I love it but here I've made a few tweaks to make it just a little bit easier and even more flavourful.
In the original recipe the peppers and the courgette or either fried or char grilled. I normally use my George Foreman grill but since it's just a tiny one, it can take a while so in this version I decided to roast my vegetables in the oven instead. I also sprinkled them with a bit of lemon zest before I put oven and I added some extra lemon zest to my dressing to make it extra zesty.
This recipe easily feels two hungry people, but if you want it to feed more people, then just add some more veg and some more lentils and maybe a little bit more halloumi ( read about my love for halloumi here).
Whether you char grill your vegetables or whether you roast them in the oven, this is still a super tasty, filling and simple salad to make. Salad doesn't have to be boring and this dish definitely isn't - the salty halloumi, compliments the earthiness of both the thyme and the lentils, the peppery taste of the rocket and the tang of the lemon perfectly.
This salad is pretty much perfect as it is but I guess you could mix it up a bit and use either a different pulse, or even a grain or rice as a base, and try maybe some different vegetables like aubergine or maybe red onion, and of course you could change the cheese, and sticking with the Mediterranean / Levant theme you could go for a feta or a goats cheese.
I love finding new recipes and thanks to buying the occasional Hello Fresh box I've lots of new recipes and new ingredients. Cooking for me is all about experimentation, and that's really why I love the Hello Fresh scheme, you get your box and your basic recipe, but then if you like it, you can make it again and again, changing cooking methods and ingredients based on what you like and what you have to hand.If you're interested in trying out some new recipes and trying out Hello Fresh for yourself then you can find out more about them here and you can use my coupon code A2NEYL * for £25 off your first box. Do you think salads are boring? Let me know your thoughts and your favourite salad recipes x
*Affiliate Coupon Code
If you've been reading my blog for sometime, or if you follow me on Instagram, then you'll already be quite familiar with this recipe or least what it looks like. I first discovered this recipe last July in my first Hello Fresh box (you can read about my experience here) and it's rapidly become one of my go to dishes.
You can find the original Hello Fresh recipe of Lentil, And Chargrilled Vegetable Halloumi Salad here x and I have to say I love it but here I've made a few tweaks to make it just a little bit easier and even more flavourful.
In the original recipe the peppers and the courgette or either fried or char grilled. I normally use my George Foreman grill but since it's just a tiny one, it can take a while so in this version I decided to roast my vegetables in the oven instead. I also sprinkled them with a bit of lemon zest before I put oven and I added some extra lemon zest to my dressing to make it extra zesty.
Lentil, Roasted Vegetable And Halloumi Salad
1 x Large Courgette
1 x Large Red Pepper
1 x Can Green Or Brown Lentils
1 x Lemon
Fresh Thyme
1 Bag Of Rocket
Pack Of Halloumi
Olive Oil
Salt And Pepper To Taste
1. Preheat your oven to 200° C, then rinse and dry your lemon, then zest or finely grate the peel into a small bowl.You just want the yellow parts as the white pith can be a bit too bitter.
2. Then chop your vegetables, my courgettes were quite small so I used two. Cut them in half length ways and then chop them into chunky half moons. Core and deseed your pepper, and cut it into similar size pieces. Again if their just small ones use two, you can also use yellow or orange peppers. Put the vegetables into a roasting dish or onto a baking try and drizzle over some olive oil, and a little bit of the lemon zest. Give it a mix so all of the vegetables are covered and then pop them into the over for around 20-30 minutes.
3.Now it's time to make your dressing, first of all juice half of your lemon, and put the juice into a small bowl.
Add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil, a little bit more of the lemon zest and some salt and pepper. Then add a couple of sprigs of thyme (I used about 3 here). You just want the leaves so just run your fingers down the stalks and the leaves should come loose. You can used dry thyme at push but your probably won't need quite as much. Mix all of the ingredients together and set aside.
4. Now it time start opening tins and packets! First up the rocket and given the recent press coverage regarding salad leaves and e-coli, this stuff needs to be washed and washed well. Give it a good wash and rinse, then drain it and dry either by using a salad spinner or wrap it up in a tea towel to soak up the excess water.
5. Lentil time! Obviously you can cook your own - lentils are one of the easiest pulses to cook but for ease just open a tin of good green lentils. Again give them a good rinse and leave them to drain.
6. Next up, open your halloumi, and drain off the excess liquid that usually resided in the packet. Cut it into to thick slices, at least a centimetre wide. This wasn't a full packet so I only ended up with 5 slices - whoops!
7. Mix the remaining lemon zest with some olive oil
and then coat your halloumi slices in the olive oil and lemon zest mixture.
8. Take a large salad bowl and then add your lentils
and your washed and dried rocket.
9. Put your oil and lemon covered halloumi into a large pan, and turn the heat up to medium, and keep an eye on it, turning occasionally
10. By this time your vegetables should be about done, the courgettes and peppers should be soft, and slightly charred and crispy.
Take them out of the oven, and carefully pour the vegetables into the lentil and rocket mix and give it a stir
Then pour over your dressing and give it a good stir, then add salt and pepper to taste and give it another gentle mix.
11. It can take a while but by this time your halloumi should be golden brown and crispy - be careful not to burn it.
12 Put the salad mix in to bowls,
top with the halloumi slices and serve.
This recipe easily feels two hungry people, but if you want it to feed more people, then just add some more veg and some more lentils and maybe a little bit more halloumi ( read about my love for halloumi here).
Whether you char grill your vegetables or whether you roast them in the oven, this is still a super tasty, filling and simple salad to make. Salad doesn't have to be boring and this dish definitely isn't - the salty halloumi, compliments the earthiness of both the thyme and the lentils, the peppery taste of the rocket and the tang of the lemon perfectly.
This salad is pretty much perfect as it is but I guess you could mix it up a bit and use either a different pulse, or even a grain or rice as a base, and try maybe some different vegetables like aubergine or maybe red onion, and of course you could change the cheese, and sticking with the Mediterranean / Levant theme you could go for a feta or a goats cheese.
I love finding new recipes and thanks to buying the occasional Hello Fresh box I've lots of new recipes and new ingredients. Cooking for me is all about experimentation, and that's really why I love the Hello Fresh scheme, you get your box and your basic recipe, but then if you like it, you can make it again and again, changing cooking methods and ingredients based on what you like and what you have to hand.If you're interested in trying out some new recipes and trying out Hello Fresh for yourself then you can find out more about them here and you can use my coupon code A2NEYL * for £25 off your first box. Do you think salads are boring? Let me know your thoughts and your favourite salad recipes x
*Affiliate Coupon Code
Labels:
Cheese,
Food,
Foodie Friday,
Gluten Free,
Hello Fresh,
Lifestyle,
Recipe,
Salad,
Vegetables,
Vegetarian
Wednesday 27 July 2016
Nails Of The Day - Illamasqua Seance And A TK Maxx Love In
If you love a bargain and especially a high end or a quirky one, then one of my favourite shops to go to is TK Maxx. One of the first stores in the North East opened many moon ago near my dads old workplace and from the very first moment I stepped through the door I was heaven. Over the years I've picked up all sorts of bargains from Missoni cardigans and towels, to Givenchy and Emilio Pucci handbags - It can take a bit of time to search through the rails but believe me there are gems to be had!
When I was young and skinny I used to head straight to the clothes but nowadays I tend to gravitate more towards the beauty section. Yes I know it can sometimes look like a disaster zone with opened and smashed products left, right and centre but if you're after something a bit unusual or something that's been discontinued for sale at a bargain price, then TK Maxx is well worth a look - case in point this beautiful nail polish from Illamasqua, which I picked up a couple of months ago for just £3.99 (RRP £14.50!!)
Originally released in 2013 as part of their Paranormal collection, Illamasqua Seance, was one of their limited edition UV Glow nail varnishes. Whilst I haven't managed to go into a club or a bar to test out it's glowing aspect, I can still appreciate the beauty of this polish
Described as a bright violet, this beautiful pink / purple shade is crammed full of silver sparkle that gives it an almost holographic appearance. Application was nigh on perfect, one coat gave almost full coverage, and gave a more pink colour, but add a second coat like I have here, and the true bright purple shade comes into it's own.
This polish dried almost instantaneously and it wore well. Despite containing a whole load of sparkle, this polish has a super smooth finish.Whilst the camera flash suggests otherwise, this isn't the glossiest polish I've ever used in fact it has more of a satin finish, obviously if you wanted a glossy finish, then you could use a top coat but I like it just the way it is.
Alas this polish was a limited edition and unless you can find it in a TK Maxx store or online then you're probably out of luck. I'm pretty pleased that I managed to pick up this shade though, I love everything about it, from the colour, to the finish, and the formulation.
I'm definitely going to pick up some more Illamasqua polishes up in the future and I'm also going to keep checking out the beauty section in TK Maxx, to see what other bargains I can find? Have you picked up anything interesting in TK Maxx lately? Let me know x
Labels:
Bargain,
Beauty,
Beauty Review,
Illamasqua,
Manicure,
Nails,
Nails Of The Day,
Nails Varnish,
NOTD,
TK Maxx
Saturday 23 July 2016
M&S Rosie For Autograph Lip Glossy - Sweet Nothing Kisses
When I was younger the merest mention of one of my favourite celebrities would be enough to make me head to the tills but as I've gotten older I like to think I'm a little bit more selective. One collaboration lately though, that did spark my interest, was Rosie For Autograph at Marks & Spencer.
As a well known and well loved supermodel, and actress Rosie Huntington-Whitely, was already well known as one of the faces of Marks & Spencer's fashion line, but recently, citing her love of make up and vintage glamour, she teamed up with the high street store to produce a range of BUAV approved, cruelty free and hypoallergenic, fragrances and beauty products.
When the range was first launched it created a bit of a buzz both in the press and the blogosphere, probably down the amazing rose gold tone packaging. We all know how bloggers love a bit of rose gold, but this range isn't only about the packaging, the products inside have also been getting some rave reviews.
Purely based on the packaging and the appearance of some of the products at first glance I wanted everything but this range isn't the cheapest and since the prices are more high end than drugstore, I was good and just picked up the one item - a Rosie For Autograph Lip Glossy.
I love these twist up, chunky style lip pens and this one is no exception. The product comes in a hard to photograph, high end looking glossy black and rose gold box which offers the merest hint of what is inside. Open the box and your greeted with a beautiful but again hard to photograph, coppery, rose gold tone chunky lip pen, with the Rosie For Autograph logo on the side, and essentially for this type of product, a tight fitting lid!
There are currently six shades of Lip Glossy to choose from and I went for the shade Sweet Nothing Kisses.
It looks very bright in the tube but this is not a solid, block colour so when you swatch it, it almost has jelly like finish and it becomes a shiny, lighter almost rosy pink,
Thanks to the shape of the tip this product is super easy to apply, and thanks to the absence of alcohol, it feels quite moisturing and softening on the lips and it doesn't feel sticky or tacky. It looks slightly different on my lips than it does in both the tube and in my swatch but I'm fine with that, on me it changed into a super glossy wearable pink shade that I love
I've pretty much worn this product to death since I bought it, I've worn it in several videos and it even featured in my March / April Favourites Video which you can see here or below
I love the feel of it on my lips, I love the stylish packaging and I love the colour. It's definitely made me want to try some more products from the Rosie For Autograph range but the price tags do put me off a bit. For what in essence is a shops own brand, this range isn't cheap, for example an eyeshadow quad is £18 and you can pay either £18 or £20 for a bronzer, Are you paying for the Rosie Huntington-Whitely association, or are you paying for the aesthetically pleasing product and the beautiful packaging? Who knows? I'd like to think you're paying for the quality of the product and the fact that it cruelty free but these days you can never be sure what your actually paying for when you buy make up. Who am I kidding though I love make up and 9 times out of 10 if I like something or want something enough I'll ignore the price tag and head to the checkout anyways :) So if you have any Rosie For Autograph recommendations I'd love to hear them x
The Rosie For Autograph Lip Glossy comes in 6 shades and retails at £12.50 for 2.5g of product. The Rosie For Autograph range is available exclusively at selected M&S stores and online.
Saturday 16 July 2016
Sample Saturday - Fair Squared Vanilla Shower Gel*
Hi Guys I hope you've all had a lovely Saturday, and if you're in the UK, I hope that you've all been lucky enough to enjoy that strange thing called sunshine. I know it's a rarity but in my little part of County Durham it's been a lovely day. It's clouding over a little bit now but it's been warm and toasty nearly all day and thankfully the nice weather is set to continue for a few more days at least. Like a typical Brit I know I always go on about the weather but there is method in my madness I promise x
It's been just over a year now since I lost my bath tub, and on warm days like today I don't really miss it. There really is nothing better than having a nice cool to lukewarm shower, at the end of the day to refresh, and revitalise both your mind and your body. Over the last 12 months or I've tried all sorts of different shower products and today for my Sample Saturday post I'm going to share with you one of my newest finds.
Although I wouldn't class myself as a cruelty free or "natural" blogger, I love trying products from companies with a conscience, and one of my newest discoveries is a brand called Fair Squared. Originally founded in 2011 in Newcastle Upon Tyne, Fair Squared are now based in Cologne, in Germany, They produce a range of beauty and toiletry products that are free from parabens, phthalates, SLS, and PEG's. They are also vegan registered and approved, and as the name would suggest all of their products are Fairtrade and they're also Natrue certified.
As I say they produce a wide range of products that are now available to purchase in the UK, and I was lucky enough to be sent, one of their hotel amenities, sample kits. I'm going to be reviewing all of the products in the kit in the weeks to come but the first product I'm going to talk about it the Fair Squared Vanilla Shower Gel.
Crammed full of good for you ingredients including natural based foamers, and Fairtrade Palestinian Olive Oil, this shower gel is suitable for all ages and all skin types but it's particular good for member of the family with a drier skin. The olive oil is full of antioxidants, and natural vitamins, minerals and fatty acid that are designed to nourish, soothe and rejuvenate the skin.
The product itself has a thick, gel like texture and an opaque white appearance. A little of this gel goes a long way and you just need to apply a small amount and mix it with water to produce, a fine and creamy moisturising lather, Thanks to the high olive oil content and the lack of chemical foamers, this gel feels really hydrating on the skin, and at a push if you had normal skin, you could potentially get away without using a body moisturiser.
Whilst most of us love the taste of vanilla ice cream and vanilla fudge, vanilla as a fragrance can cause some pretty polarising opinions. particularly when it used as a fragrance in beauty products. Done badly it's can be too sweet, too cloying, synthetic and too sickly but when it's done well it;s a completely different story. This shower gel does vanilla and it does it well, this isn't a cake like, butter cream vanilla, it's a subtle real, calming and comforting vanilla, with just a hint of bitterness and smokiness that you get from a real vanilla pod or a bottle of real vanilla extract.
This shower gel would be a perfect addition to anybodies summer bathroom. It's a nice gentle product with a conscience that's perfect for the whole family. It's hydrating, non drying, and it has a subtle vanilla scent, that refreshes, calms and soothes in equal measure. The size I've been using is a 10ml sample size but the Fair Squared Vanilla Shower Gel comes in a 250ml bottle and retails at around £8.95. You can find out more about Fair Squared and buy directly via their own website and if like me your in the UK, you can also buy this product and other products in the range from natural and organic, beauty retailer Pravera Direct. I've got some more reviews of some Fair Squared body products to come including liquid soap, shampoo and body lotion, so let me know what you'd like to see next. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend x
*Sample
It's been just over a year now since I lost my bath tub, and on warm days like today I don't really miss it. There really is nothing better than having a nice cool to lukewarm shower, at the end of the day to refresh, and revitalise both your mind and your body. Over the last 12 months or I've tried all sorts of different shower products and today for my Sample Saturday post I'm going to share with you one of my newest finds.
Although I wouldn't class myself as a cruelty free or "natural" blogger, I love trying products from companies with a conscience, and one of my newest discoveries is a brand called Fair Squared. Originally founded in 2011 in Newcastle Upon Tyne, Fair Squared are now based in Cologne, in Germany, They produce a range of beauty and toiletry products that are free from parabens, phthalates, SLS, and PEG's. They are also vegan registered and approved, and as the name would suggest all of their products are Fairtrade and they're also Natrue certified.
As I say they produce a wide range of products that are now available to purchase in the UK, and I was lucky enough to be sent, one of their hotel amenities, sample kits. I'm going to be reviewing all of the products in the kit in the weeks to come but the first product I'm going to talk about it the Fair Squared Vanilla Shower Gel.
Whilst most of us love the taste of vanilla ice cream and vanilla fudge, vanilla as a fragrance can cause some pretty polarising opinions. particularly when it used as a fragrance in beauty products. Done badly it's can be too sweet, too cloying, synthetic and too sickly but when it's done well it;s a completely different story. This shower gel does vanilla and it does it well, this isn't a cake like, butter cream vanilla, it's a subtle real, calming and comforting vanilla, with just a hint of bitterness and smokiness that you get from a real vanilla pod or a bottle of real vanilla extract.
This shower gel would be a perfect addition to anybodies summer bathroom. It's a nice gentle product with a conscience that's perfect for the whole family. It's hydrating, non drying, and it has a subtle vanilla scent, that refreshes, calms and soothes in equal measure. The size I've been using is a 10ml sample size but the Fair Squared Vanilla Shower Gel comes in a 250ml bottle and retails at around £8.95. You can find out more about Fair Squared and buy directly via their own website and if like me your in the UK, you can also buy this product and other products in the range from natural and organic, beauty retailer Pravera Direct. I've got some more reviews of some Fair Squared body products to come including liquid soap, shampoo and body lotion, so let me know what you'd like to see next. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend x
*Sample
Labels:
Beauty,
Beauty Review,
Cruelty Free,
Fair Squared,
Natural,
Review,
Shower,
Shower Gel
Tuesday 12 July 2016
Another June 2016 Primark Haul - Home, Beauty And More
When it comes to shopping probably my favourite places to go in the North East is probably Intu Metrocentre. You have 100's of shops and eating places under one roof, there are plenty of places to sit down and the parking is free! I love it but sometimes you need a bit of a change so for the first in a ages last month instead of heading into the Metrocentre I went to Newcastle instead.
I don't get into Newcastle anywhere near as often as I used to so I thoroughly enjoyed both of my trips into the city last month. Although you can find a lot of the same shops in the Metrocentre, in Newcastle they're usually bigger and better! Case in point - Primark!
Although Primark's Metrocentre store is currently undergoing an expansion, Primark's Newcastle branch is without a doubt the mother ship! The first Primark in the North East, Newcastle's Primark is a A grade store, with it's four floors of budget heaven and even it's own Costa Coffee. My first trip was a bit of a rushed one but the second time round I had loads of time to explore and pursue the rails, and fill up my basket. Since I'd been to Primark at least once already in June (read my post here) I actually didn't buy an awful lot, but in this all be it late post I thought I'd show you what I did buy.
Clothing wise it was a bit of a fail, I'm feeling a bit mehhh about myself at the moment, and I don't really see the point in stocking up on summer clothes for what could be a non existent summer in the UK, so I only bought one thing and it was a real basic, a plain white vest. This actually came up on the receipt as a vest dress and I guess if you were a bit shorter than me, or if you are confident enough then you probably could wear this as a summer dress or as a beach cover up. Personally though I will be wearing this as a vest, all be it as a nice long line vest that covers both my tummy and my bummy! This was just £3.50 and it came in a few other colours.
For a change jewellery wise, nothing appealed so I moved onto to accessories and again I wasn't desperate for anything so I just picked up some more of these fabric spiral hair bobbles.
These were just £1 for 6 bobbles and they're quickly becoming one of my go to products for tying my hair back. There is no metal or anything that will catch on the hair, and the spiral shape just seems to hold the bobble into the hair, without it slipping. I love these and so does one of my cats, Tallulah, who thinks that they are kitty toys! hence I needed to buy some more to replace the chewed ones!
I also picked up a phone case. I recently upgraded to a lovely gold iPhone 6S, and I just wanted a case for it. I've ordered a few from ebay, which I'll show you in a separate post, but I just wanted something to tide me over until they arrived and this one fits the bill perfectly.
It's just a clear hard plastic cover, that's covered in large gold dots. It was just £3 and I think it works really well with my gold phone :) Some of the cases I ordered have arrived but I'm keeping this one one for the moment because my phone feels so protected and I love the look.
The major difference between the Primark in Intu Metrocentre and the Primark in Newcastle, is the size of the home wear section. If ever you see something advertised online or in a magazine, you can pretty much guarantee that Newcastle Primark will have it and at the moment Metrocentre won't.
The first thing that I looked at was the lighting and in particular the carnival style lights. I love the look of these and I always wanted a letter L, but all of the ones that I've seen were way too expensive, and the Metrocentre branch only ever had two letters, A and Z. They had a lot of different letters but I couldn't see an L, so I knelt on the floor and took every single one off the shelf and the last box I picked was....an L, it was fate!
This battery operated LED light, is really well made and made of a cream coloured metal. It was just £8 and whilst I still have no idea where I'm going to put it, it was meant to be, so I just couldn't leave it behind!
Fairy lights used to just be for Christmas but not any more, I love lights and fairy lights in particular, and I'm since I'm currently sorting out my office, come craft room, I thought that I'd buy a set of blue LED fairy lights to match in with the blue walls and the blue carpet. The room features an almost full length shelf so I think I'm going to drape these, somehow, along the edge of the shelf, we'll see though. This battery operated strand of 40 LED lights was £2.50.
There are three things that I really love home decor wise, lighting, cushions, and candles, and whilst I didn't pick any cushions up this time round, I did buy myself a candle.
I've had a love / hate with Primark candles over the years, but this one was love at first sight and at first sniff. The heavy weight mirrored mosaic votive is beautiful in it's own right, but when you smell the amazing Clementine and Peony candle inside, there was no way I was going to leave this one the shelf. I haven't burnt it yet so I can't vouch for the smell once it's burning but even without burning it, it has an incredible fruity scent, that literally makes your mouth water. This was £4 which is a bit pricey compared to most of Primark's candle selection but the holder is well made, heavy weight and reuseable so in my opinion it's well worth it.
Finally a took a look at the beauty selection, and surprise, surprise again it's way bigger than the Intu Metrocentre branch but unsurprisingly it was messy and it had been well ravaged and well tested. I wanted to have a closer look at the PS Pro line but the stand was smeared with make up and all the boxes looked as though they had been opened so I didn't bother! Instead I picked up some of my favourite face wipes, which are in new packaging but are still just a pound
and I also got a couple of nail bits that I'd been looking for including this pale blue nail polish, with pink and white nail art sprinkes, which was just £1.50
and a bottle of the PS Cuticle Oil which was just a £1. I'm an OPI Avoplex devotee but I go through it at the rate of knots, so I wanted something a bit cheaper to use along side it. This stuff has really, really surprised me, it really is that good, it smells nice and it absorbs pretty quality and makes a real difference in almost an instant. Mummy Lou also gave this a go, and I ended up having to get her one as well.
I really enjoyed having a nose around a different store, even if I did need a lie down once I got home! I didn't buy a lot admittedly but I did manage to pick up a few things that I hadn't seen in the Metrocentre branch, so I was still pretty happy with my haul. I've made a video to accompany this haul which you can see below or via this link.
Being a spoonie I definitely find it easier to shop in Intu Metocentre but I love big department stores like Fenwick and John Lewis, and I love the choice. and the options that you find in a big city. Wherever it is though I love shopping and as well as this Primark haul, I also bought a few other bits when I was in Newcastle including some bits from KIKO, and Tiger, which you'll hopefully be able to see in some of the many upcoming haul posts that I have planned, but in the meantime if you've got any comments on this Primark haul then leave your musings below and let me know x
I don't get into Newcastle anywhere near as often as I used to so I thoroughly enjoyed both of my trips into the city last month. Although you can find a lot of the same shops in the Metrocentre, in Newcastle they're usually bigger and better! Case in point - Primark!
Although Primark's Metrocentre store is currently undergoing an expansion, Primark's Newcastle branch is without a doubt the mother ship! The first Primark in the North East, Newcastle's Primark is a A grade store, with it's four floors of budget heaven and even it's own Costa Coffee. My first trip was a bit of a rushed one but the second time round I had loads of time to explore and pursue the rails, and fill up my basket. Since I'd been to Primark at least once already in June (read my post here) I actually didn't buy an awful lot, but in this all be it late post I thought I'd show you what I did buy.
Clothing wise it was a bit of a fail, I'm feeling a bit mehhh about myself at the moment, and I don't really see the point in stocking up on summer clothes for what could be a non existent summer in the UK, so I only bought one thing and it was a real basic, a plain white vest. This actually came up on the receipt as a vest dress and I guess if you were a bit shorter than me, or if you are confident enough then you probably could wear this as a summer dress or as a beach cover up. Personally though I will be wearing this as a vest, all be it as a nice long line vest that covers both my tummy and my bummy! This was just £3.50 and it came in a few other colours.
For a change jewellery wise, nothing appealed so I moved onto to accessories and again I wasn't desperate for anything so I just picked up some more of these fabric spiral hair bobbles.
These were just £1 for 6 bobbles and they're quickly becoming one of my go to products for tying my hair back. There is no metal or anything that will catch on the hair, and the spiral shape just seems to hold the bobble into the hair, without it slipping. I love these and so does one of my cats, Tallulah, who thinks that they are kitty toys! hence I needed to buy some more to replace the chewed ones!
I also picked up a phone case. I recently upgraded to a lovely gold iPhone 6S, and I just wanted a case for it. I've ordered a few from ebay, which I'll show you in a separate post, but I just wanted something to tide me over until they arrived and this one fits the bill perfectly.
It's just a clear hard plastic cover, that's covered in large gold dots. It was just £3 and I think it works really well with my gold phone :) Some of the cases I ordered have arrived but I'm keeping this one one for the moment because my phone feels so protected and I love the look.
The major difference between the Primark in Intu Metrocentre and the Primark in Newcastle, is the size of the home wear section. If ever you see something advertised online or in a magazine, you can pretty much guarantee that Newcastle Primark will have it and at the moment Metrocentre won't.
The first thing that I looked at was the lighting and in particular the carnival style lights. I love the look of these and I always wanted a letter L, but all of the ones that I've seen were way too expensive, and the Metrocentre branch only ever had two letters, A and Z. They had a lot of different letters but I couldn't see an L, so I knelt on the floor and took every single one off the shelf and the last box I picked was....an L, it was fate!
This battery operated LED light, is really well made and made of a cream coloured metal. It was just £8 and whilst I still have no idea where I'm going to put it, it was meant to be, so I just couldn't leave it behind!
Fairy lights used to just be for Christmas but not any more, I love lights and fairy lights in particular, and I'm since I'm currently sorting out my office, come craft room, I thought that I'd buy a set of blue LED fairy lights to match in with the blue walls and the blue carpet. The room features an almost full length shelf so I think I'm going to drape these, somehow, along the edge of the shelf, we'll see though. This battery operated strand of 40 LED lights was £2.50.
There are three things that I really love home decor wise, lighting, cushions, and candles, and whilst I didn't pick any cushions up this time round, I did buy myself a candle.
I've had a love / hate with Primark candles over the years, but this one was love at first sight and at first sniff. The heavy weight mirrored mosaic votive is beautiful in it's own right, but when you smell the amazing Clementine and Peony candle inside, there was no way I was going to leave this one the shelf. I haven't burnt it yet so I can't vouch for the smell once it's burning but even without burning it, it has an incredible fruity scent, that literally makes your mouth water. This was £4 which is a bit pricey compared to most of Primark's candle selection but the holder is well made, heavy weight and reuseable so in my opinion it's well worth it.
Finally a took a look at the beauty selection, and surprise, surprise again it's way bigger than the Intu Metrocentre branch but unsurprisingly it was messy and it had been well ravaged and well tested. I wanted to have a closer look at the PS Pro line but the stand was smeared with make up and all the boxes looked as though they had been opened so I didn't bother! Instead I picked up some of my favourite face wipes, which are in new packaging but are still just a pound
and I also got a couple of nail bits that I'd been looking for including this pale blue nail polish, with pink and white nail art sprinkes, which was just £1.50
and a bottle of the PS Cuticle Oil which was just a £1. I'm an OPI Avoplex devotee but I go through it at the rate of knots, so I wanted something a bit cheaper to use along side it. This stuff has really, really surprised me, it really is that good, it smells nice and it absorbs pretty quality and makes a real difference in almost an instant. Mummy Lou also gave this a go, and I ended up having to get her one as well.
I really enjoyed having a nose around a different store, even if I did need a lie down once I got home! I didn't buy a lot admittedly but I did manage to pick up a few things that I hadn't seen in the Metrocentre branch, so I was still pretty happy with my haul. I've made a video to accompany this haul which you can see below or via this link.
Being a spoonie I definitely find it easier to shop in Intu Metocentre but I love big department stores like Fenwick and John Lewis, and I love the choice. and the options that you find in a big city. Wherever it is though I love shopping and as well as this Primark haul, I also bought a few other bits when I was in Newcastle including some bits from KIKO, and Tiger, which you'll hopefully be able to see in some of the many upcoming haul posts that I have planned, but in the meantime if you've got any comments on this Primark haul then leave your musings below and let me know x
Labels:
Accessories,
Beauty,
Candle,
Clothes,
Face Wipes,
Hair Bobble,
Haul,
Home,
Lighting,
Nail Polish,
Newcastle,
Phone Case,
Primark,
Shopping,
Vest
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