Collaborative / Partnered Post - Winter Fashion Staples*

Although by UK standards, the weather is pretty mild at the moment, we all know that it won't last, and that winter is almost certainly on its way. Whether you’re heading out to work, hitting the last of the sales, or meeting your friends, more often than not at the moment, you're probably thinking that staying indoors in your onesie is a better option than heading out into cold. Alas life doesn't stop in the winter months and nesting indoors isn't an option for most people, so think about your wardrobe, your outfits and your accessories, and with a little bit of thought you can not only still feel warm and cosy, but you can also look stylish, and put together. even when you don't feel it

So if you're one of those people who likes to hibernate when the mercury plummets, here are a few fashion staples, that will help you face whatever the winter has to throw at you.

Footwear

Footwear can make or break an outfit in more ways one, and whilst letting your beautiful summer shoes spend the season in your wardrobe can be painful, pretty wedges, and sandals, just don't cut the mustard when it comes to everyday winter fashion. Whilst I own a gorgeous pair from Emilio Pucci, let's be honest, wellies are rarely a fashion statement, and whilst they are super practical for the ice and snow, chunky walking boots don't exactly scream style either but if you need them you need them - keep them for the extreme days, and for the days when you want to stay safe and warm, but you don't want to look as though you want to trek up Everest, then boots are your best friend. I love boots and there are so many different types on the market to suit any purpose and any occasion from funky snow boots, to knee highs, and the classic Chelsea boot, to Uggs, Emu's and sheepskin boots, that are perfect for cold, dry days. You can never have too many pairs of shoes, and in my opinion the same applies to boots - the more the merrier.

Jumpers

I think I've mentioned it before but I'm very much an Autumn / Winter girl when it comes to fashion, and one of the reasons why is that I love knitwear. Let’s be honest here, who doesn't love a woolly jumper, especially in the winter months. As much as I love my Christmas jumpers though, it's time to say goodbye for another year and it’s time to embrace something a little more conventional as January comes around. To look and feel great, check out some women’s knitwear that keeps you warm and can fight away the chill of those winter days. Again there are so many different styles to choose from from huge chunky knits, to finer, fitted pieces for layering, embellished pieces for occasion wear, and of course the must have, over sized, boyfriend knit. Jumpers don't have to be dowdy and boring, keeping warm, and looking smart, and put together, can go hand in hand.

Scarves

A winter spent without a warm, fluffy scarf is a miserable (and cold) one, and there’s still time to get your hands on some fashionable neck wear if you’re struggling to get through those winter days. I love all different types of scarves, from fine, to chunky and they are something that I wear all year round, but when it comes to winter scarves, the rule is the thicker and comfier the better, so shop around to find something that you love and something that will work for you. Once you find something that is just right, you won’t want to take it off, even inside the house!

Hats

OK, so most of us are pretty divided about hats. You may put one on and think wow, this is definitely not a look for me. I have to say I'm not a hat person but like red lipstick I do believe that there is a hat out there for everyone, and that if you look hard enough you will find a winter hat that looks perfect, and keeps your ears warm as you head out for some January fun. Woolly hats come in many different shapes and sizes, and you’re sure to find something that suits your needs and the shape of your face perfectly, so don’t give up, and don't be afraid to try something new, be it a beret, a hat that looks like a pandas face, or even a giant bobble hat, your perfect winter hat is out there somewhere.

Coats

It goes without saying that you’re not going to head out into the winter air without a perfect coat to keep you warm - if you don't have a decent coat then you may as well stay indoors. As any coat fanatic will know, there are plenty of different styles out there, from puffer coats to their wool counterparts. If you live in a rainy area, aka the UK, then waterproof coats are probably the way to go. A good coat can often be an investment purchase, so think about when you're going to wear it, and the type of weather that you going to wear it in. I personally love a waterproof storm coat, you can get a waterproof outer with a hood, and usually inside you have either a zip off, shorter padded jacket or a fleece jacket that can be worn separately, they are usually a little bit more expensive but with so many ways to wear them depending on the conditions they are well worth the extra investment.

So, if you’re looking for some winter wardrobe staples, then keep these things in mind. Fashion doesn’t have to be compromised in the name of warmth, so shop around, buy wisely, and you'll have some classic pieces that you can bring out winter after winter. What are your winter fashion staples and must haves? Let me know in the comments and make sure your following me on Instagram in the next few weeks to see some of my own personal winter fashion staples x

*Collaborative / Partnered Post

A Small Winter Primark Haul - Clothes, Jewellery, Beauty And Christmas

It's not only posts that have been thin on the ground this year, but hauls and specifically Primark hauls have been too. It's no secret that 2019 has been a bad one health wise for me but as I've already said I've also been trying to cut down on my spending, and I've also been trying to buy less and wear more, so my monthly Primark trips just haven't happened this year.

You know how it goes though, you don't go somewhere for ages and then all of sudden it seems like you live there! Well over the last 4 or so weeks I've managed 3 trips to Primark, including 2 in a week and whilst I've tried to be a little bit more selective about what I bought, I do have a few things to show you

First up the sale rails, now usually I can't do a lot with the sale rails in Primark, plus sizes are rare enough as it is without them being reduced but on two successive trips I picked up up two of the same tops, in two different colours.

Whilst they aren't t-shirts, they aren't quite jumpers either but they do have a soft, ribbed knit, almost jumper like feel. They aren't the thickest of tops for this time of year but they are ideal for layering, so you could either wear them with a vest underneath, or with a thicker cardigan on top, on even both if you're feeling cold. The first one that I picked up was in a lovely neutral beige, oatmeal marl type colour, and whilst the other one is officially described as dark orange, it more of a rusty, orange red marl. Both of these tops had originally been £6 but I got them for £3 each. They aren't that exciting but they're just a nice throw on basic.

Now when I'm at home, writing or just chilling, I'm very much a leggings girl, I love comfort, and I can't stand anything with zips or buttons, but I fancied a change, and I've so many girls looking casual yet effortlessly cool in joggers that I thought I'd give them a go. I tend to get quite overheated at times so I didn't want anything too thick even for the winter months, and whilst Primark do have a lot of chunky, and fleecy joggers in at the moment, these skinny fit ones that I picked up aren't quite as bulky, or weighty. There were a few different colours to choose from but I ended up steering away from my usual black and picking up a pair in a charcoal grey marl. They were only £5 and they definitely feel more expensive than that. I haven't worn them yet so I'll try and stick a pick on Instagram when I do.

One of the most frustrating things with any shop, but particularly with Primark is seeing something you like but they don't have your size, well that's what happened with these pyjamas. On Friday 13th in desperate need of cheering up, I dragged myself out and went Christmas shopping! I popped into Primark for a few bits, and I ended up in the nightwear section. As per usual if your looking for Christmas PJ's Primark is the place to go, they really do have something for everyone this year. I bought my mam a gorgeous floral nightshirt, and even though I'm officially PJ'd out, I couldn't resist picking up another pair.

Officially described as emerald green, in real life these pyjamas are in fact much more of a forest, bottle green. I think the colour way is really unusual, and I love the vintage floral and spot design on the pants. These particular pj's are from their sustainable cotton range, and they were only £6. On my first trip they didn't have my size but I went back on a whim and they been restocked - it was meant to be!

Now it wouldn't be Christmas with out some socks and some slippers, and this cute pair combine those two festive must haves. They are short slipper socks or footsies. With a lovely pink fluffy lining, and a grey velour outer, they are in a super cute mouse design. I love this type of slipper sock, and these were only £3.50

Next up some jewellery, and a couple of sets of earrings. This first pack is a set of 3, gold tone celestial earrings, featuring some crystal star shaped drops, some golden half moons and and some small, plain, gold tone ball studs. The drops are ideal for the party season but you could easily wear the other two pairs every day, no matter what the occasion. This particular set was £1.50.

Other this next set of earrings initially screams Christmas with the candy canes, festive bows, snowflakes and gingerbread characters, this set also contains a few pairs of plain red, faux pearl, and gold tone studs, bows and stars that you could wear all year round. This set was just £3 for 20 pairs of earrings.

Now if you are a regular reader of my blog, you'll more than likely have at least one empties post where I've sang the praises of Primark's PS... Cuticle Oil. I've lost count of how many bottles I've used up over the years, but it's safe to say it was one of my holy grail beauty products. I say was because in their wisdom Primark seem to have discontinued it.

I thought that all I had to do was go into store and pick up another four bottles or so, but it was nowhere to be seen. So instead I ended up buying the two products which I assume have replaced it.
The first one is the PS... Nourishing Cuticle Revive Nourishing Cuticle Oil Pens which £1 each. 

Now although the glass bottles are great for home use, these twist up pens are a much better, and safer idea for holidays. All you do is twist the pen and eventually the oil comes out through the brush, all ready for you to brush onto your nails and cuticles.

Containing Vitamin A, and sweet almond oil, this is nice, almost fragrance free oil, that's easy to use and it absorbs quickly into the nails, making dry skin look better in an instant. I ended up buying two and I'm pleased that I did because I don't think that these pens will last that long compared to the old style bottles. As well as being made of plastic instead of glass each pen contains just 1.5ml of oil, compared to 10ml for just a £1 in the old style glass bottle.

If pens, and plastic aren't your thing though, on my second Primark trip, I found another cuticle oil, the PS...Nail & Cuticle Oil Nourishing Treatment which was £2 for an 11ml bottle. This one comes boxed, and it comes in a square glass bottle, with a glass, plastic, and rubber dropper, instead of the old style brush.

Containing very similar ingredients to the original oil such as avocado oil, almond oil, and Vitamin E, it's has a very similar consistency, but with a slightly stronger, sweeter, almost coconut scent. Again it absorbs quickly and it makes an immediate difference to the nails and cuticles.

I can't lie I do like the replacements, but I'm still of the opinion if it isn't broke don't fix it. Whilst both of these products are amazing value when you compare them to something like OPI Avoplex, they still work out a lot more expensive than Primark's original cuticle oil so whilst I'm still happy to be able to get my hands on a budget friendly cuticle oil, I'm still mildly aggrieved that they had to change it!

My final beauty buy was this super useful set of adhesive mirrors. For just £1 you get 10 mini self adhesive mirrors that are specifically designed to be stuck onto lipstick bullets, and make up palettes. So many many palettes now don't include mirrors, and these are a real time, and space saver in your handbag. I first saw these on Hayley Hall's blog and I'm seriously debating on whether to try and get another set.

Finally some Christmas bits - would you believe we still haven't finished putting up our Christmas decorations yet? The thing is we never just decorate one room, we decorate the whole house and as you can imagine that can take a while. Christmas decorations are like an addiction for me and Mummy Lou, and every year we can't resist adding more and more pieces to our already overflowing grotto esq house.

Whilst Primark have some gorgeous Disney bits in, I'm personally obsessed with their reindeer offerings. Every year they same to so similar but slightly different things, and the first thing that I got was this gold ceramic reindeer tree decoration which was £1.50. I have a standing one from a year or so ago, and a similar designed candle holder. I've popped him on the Christmas tree in the living room, and you can just about see him, amongst all of the dwarfs, woodland creatures, baubles, and holiday buys.

Next up another regular Christmas item, in previous years, I've got both a white version, and a rose gold, copper version of this ceramic reindeer tea light holder, and this year I picked up the silver, and silver glitter version. I'll probably be using mine with battery operated tea lights, but it actually comes with a real wax tea light, all for £1.50.

Finally another reindeer, and if you're brave enough or silly enough to be popping into Primark over the next couple then you might be able to get this one and maybe, the other bits in the sale. This was already reduced last week so you might be lucky. It's a decent sized white ceramic reindeer ornament, with gold detailing on the nose, antlers and the star. It's a really nice piece and it looks a lot more expensive than what it is. It was originally £6 but it had been reduced to £3

So that was a very late Primark haul for you x If you have any questions on any of the items that I picked up then please leave me a comment below x and I will see you tomorrow aka Christmas Eve with a little festive post xx 

A Small September Primark Haul - Knitwear and Jewellery

As I mentioned in my previous Primark haul post isn't it always the way, you don't go somewhere for months, and then some how you ended up pretty much living there. Okay, that's a bit of an exaggeration but 3 trips to Primark in 3 weeks is pretty good by my standards! On my last visit a week or so ago, the store was in full on Autumn / Winter mode with loads of woollies, checks and tartans and a decidedly autumnal colour palette of rich browns, reds and mustard's!

I love mustard so so much, the foodstuff I can take or leave but come this time of year I love a nice splash of old gold, or mustard yellow in my wardrobe. I've got shirts, shoes, boots, bags and cardigans but having a look through my jumper drawers I couldn't seem to find any mustard jumpers, well ones that fitted anyways, so for just £5 this one made it's way into my basket

On my last trip Primark had a whole rack full of super soft cosy jumpers, in several different styles for just £5. My mam had already picked up a couple of basic crew sweaters but I loved the slightly boyfriend feel of of this mustard yellow one. It has small side slits, a rounded v neck, and a ribbed detail panel down the front. I got this in the new 2 XL size, which Primark describe as a 22/24 because I wanted it to be nice and sloppy. I'm planning on wearing this with a white or black t-shirt or vest underneath, skinny jeans, and either mustard or black ankle boots or black knee highs for a cozy autumn and winter look x

Now if you did have a read of my August Primark haul then you might recognise both the shape and style of these next two sweaters.

Whilst these two jumpers share both the same back zip details, and the boxy, oversized shape that the red tartan top has, these ones are made from much more of a knit type fabric, compared to the thicker slightly more sweatshirt feel of the version in my previous Primark haul This navy blue marl one in particular feels like a proper lightweight jumper. This one is a little on the thin side so you probably would need to wear something underneath but as they several thinner layers are sometimes better than one thick layer of clothing.

I do love a bit of animal print so I couldn't resist picking this version as well. For a long time animal print was seen as a bit tacky but nowadays it's as acceptable as stripes, and it's almost seen as a classic, must have print. I think the odd hint works way better than wearing it from head to foot and this jumper is the perfect way to wear the print in the slightly colder months.

This one is just a touch thicker than the blue marl version but I would probably still wear a t-shirt or a camisole under it for a little bit of extra warmth. Again I think it would work really well with skinny jeans or even leggings, or skinny black trousers. I think all of these tops are going to be a real autumn and winter go to for me. They are the ultimate in layering tops and I think they would work right the way through the colder months and well into spring. There were a few different patterns and colours to choose from so you could pick up a few and your autumn and winter wardrobe would be pretty much done. They are only £5 each so you really could afford to go for one in every colour.

I must admit I do love knitwear; As much I love the sun and the warmth of summer, there is something about snuggling up in a cosy cardigan or jumper that I can't resist. I think I'm probably in a minority but fashion wise I'm definitely an Autumn and Winter girl, I love knitwear, boots, and scarves, this is my season, and whilst I don't really need any more jumpers or cardigans I can't guarantee that a few more won't slip into my wardrobe before Spring comes around again. I'm currently craving a bottle green, chunky cardigan after one mysteriously appeared in one my dreams earlier this week, but alas I can't find one outside of my fantasies so if you know where I can find one then hit me up and make my dreams come true x

Something that I think goes perfectly with  chunky knitwear, long line cardigans and plain jumpers, is a statement necklace, I have more than I can probably remember but I'm always up for adding new ones and on my last trip to Primark I picked up this tassel details necklace which was reduced from £3 to just £1, well it would have been wrong not to!

With a thin, long line, gold tone chain, this necklace is all about the pendant - it's big and bold, with a greenish, dark stone, a golden half disc, and a teal, blue green fabric tassel. They also had the matching earrings but since I have quite small ears they were probably just a little bit too big and showy for me, but if you can carry off a real statement look then I would definitely pick up the set.

So that's your lot it wasn't a very big haul but I think I picked up a few really useful and wearable pieces, as per usual I've made a video to accompany this haul which you can watch below or via this link x



Let me know if you have any comments or questions, and don't forget to check out my Instagram for more hauls on my stories including a recent NEXT sale haul, and some new nails polishes x

A Late August 2018 Primark Haul - Clothes, Accessories And Beauty

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I honestly don't know where this year has gone, it seems to have flown by so fast that I don't seem to have been able to do anything, go anywhere or achieve anything. Please tell me I'm not alone in feeling this way or is this just middle age and life catching up with me? - who knows! Like most things this year Primark trips have been pretty thin on the ground, my last visit was in May so a little shopping trip was well overdue! It's always the way though isn't it, you don't go somewhere for ages and then you end up going three times in 4 weeks! a bit like buses I guess, but you what that means, it means that I have a couple of Primark hauls coming up for you in the next week or so, first up the goodies I picked up on two trips in August x

Last time I was in Primark way back in May, it was all about summer style, with shorts, vest tops , bikinis and sandals as far as the eye could see, this time round though the sale rails were clinging on to summer whilst the rest of the store, was bedecked in Autumn and Winter colours and styles.

Something that seems to be back big style for A/W 2018 is checks and tartan, I love a checked shirt on a guy but I'm also partial to a little bit of plaid in my own wardrobe. I've always loved tartan and checks for as long as I can remember; I remember having a couple of dresses in tartan as both a child and an adult, and I remember owning the most fabulous bright blue tartan mini skirt from C&A, it probably wouldn't fit me know but I wish I'd held on to it.

This top is probably a little bit more practical than my long lost skirt, and at just £5 it was a must have. It's basically a fine knit type fabric tunic, it has a slightly boxy bat wing shape, and a visible back zip.

Primark have apparently improved their sizing on a lot of their items, and this was one of a few items that I saw that was available in a 2XL, which they claim should fit a 22-24. Still not trusting Primark's sizing and always going for the largest size, this was the size that I went for, but to be honest I should have gone a size down because on me it's pretty roomy. Despite the fact that it's pretty lightweight it's still pretty cosy but since I do have a bit of extra room in it, and because it has 3/4 sleeves, I could wear it on top of either a long sleeved t-shirt or a black polo or roll neck for a bit of extra warmth on those colder days.

Although the store was full of Autumn and Winter bits, there were still a few basics and things that I think you could wear all year round. I love florals,  be it ditsy, gaudy, or even vintage, if there is a flower on something that you can pretty much guarantee that I'll like it. I'm also a huge fan or shirts and blouses so team either of those with a floral print, and I'll be there in a flash.

I couldn't resist this long line tie detail shirt, in a slightly sheer chiffon / gauze fabric, this off white shirt features a vintage style blush floral rose pattern. It only buttons half way down leaving you free to wear it loose or to knot it at the front.

It was only £12 and I loved it so much that I went back and picked up the same shirt but in a different colour and print. This one is in a beautiful deep teal, with a slightly different but equally big and blousey vintage floral print in shades of blue, blue, and beige.

Again it was only £12 and again you can wear it in several different ways. Being so sheer I probably will need to wear a vest or a t-shirt underneath but you could wear it unbuttoned as a kind of a jacket, tied, or even loose with the buttons fastened, giving it an almost slit detail look.

There seems to be a lot of this teal / petrol shade around at the moment and I also ended up buying one of my favourite long line t-shirts in this fab deep petrol shade.

I've talked about these Primark t-shirts on many occasions now and they are a real staple for me, this one was just £3.50 and again it's perfect on it's own and perfect for layering as the weather gets colder. I'm also a huge fan of their long sleeved t-shirts so I picked up this navy blue and red stripe crew neck t-shirt shirt for £4.00.

Although the long sleeved t-shirts aren't marked as being long line, on me the length is pretty decent, and because of the elastane content they skim my curves and they don't tend to ride up. If you want a bit more length though you could maybe size up a bit but I'm both long in the body and curvy and they're fine on me.

Apart for a pair of leggings, and a pair of my Primark wardrobe staple indigo jeggings, that was it for clothing, but I did go slightly mad in the hair accessories, does anyone really need 45 different hair bobbles, well I do! I honestly don't know where they go! Like so many things Primark have been playing around with their sizing on their hair bobbles, and I picked up a pack of their snag less 30 Standard Hair Elastics which were £1.50. I haven't tried these yet but on reflection I should have gone for the ones for thicker hair we'll see though and I'll know either way for next time. I also got a pack of 12 of the rubber / plastic Spiral Hair Ties in various shades of brown for just £1. Again I love the fact that these don't catch, snag or damage the hair, they also hold their shape pretty well, just keep them away from four legged felines if you want them to last though ;)

Now, as someone who grew up in the 80's and 90's I have many stories about the humble hair scrunchie, be it my scrunchie collection and when it became a bit of a competition as to how many you could wear in your hair at once! I'm not entirely sure that I want to go back there but scrunchies are immensely practical especially if like me, you tie your hair back for bed. They're soft, they don't catch the hair, and you can't feel them digging into your scalp! I have a few floating round that I still use but since they seem to be on trend again I thought I'd stock up with this pack of 3 black scrunchies which just a £1. I'm not sure I'll wear them out of the house, I think I'm over that but I'll definitely wear them for bed.

Next up beauty, and despite seeing a few things online that I liked the look of when I got into store I didn't desperately need or want anything, so I just ended up buying some face wipes and a lipstick.

Okay I didn't need a lipstick but for just 90p and since Primarks beauty range is now cruelty free, it would have been wrong not to have popped this PS Lustre Lipstick in Skin On Skin into my basket

In almost self coloured MAC esq packaging, the lipstick is in a lovely pink / nude colour, it has a coconut taste and scent, and feels very moisturising on the lips. The pigmentation is excellent and it has a nice sheen to it - overall well worth 90p and maybe even more!

Now I also mentioned that I picked up some face wipes, I have used Primark's tea tree face wipes for what seems like forever, I've gone through so many packets that I've lost count. I use them for all sorts of things and when I don't have them I panic! Since I hadn't been to Primark for around 3 months understandably I'd ran out and I thought if I just picked up some generic tea tree based face wipes from B&M that they would be the same, believe me they weren't and they made me realise just how good the Primark ones were, you can therefore imagine my horror when I couldn't find the ones that I usually buy - instead all I could find were these.

They were the same price and you got the same amount of wipes, and the ingredients looked similar so I hoped upon hope, that it was just a name and packaging change, and thankfully that's exactly what seems to have happened, they look, smell and feel exactly the same as they always use to - Phew!!! breathes a huge sigh of relief!

The eagle eyed and loyal LouLouLand and LouLou699 followers amongst may have already seen this but last week I posted a little video to accompany this blog post, you can find out a little bit more about the items that I've showed you here (bar one of the t-shirts that I forget to film eek) and hear more about a couple of things that I haven't talked about in this post. You can watch it below or via this link.



As I say I've got another Primark haul coming for you in the next week or so but in the meantime if you're a fan of hauls don't forget to follow me on Instagram (I'm @LouLou699 ) I've recently posted a TK Maxx haul on my stories featuring a few Illamasqua bits. If you've missed seeing that in my storeies though you can always check out my Instahaul highlights tab to see all of the purchases that I've shared on my stories over the last few months x I love reading and watching other peoples haul post so don't forget to link me up in the comments and of course please let me know if you have any questions on anything that I've bought x

A Little March 2018 Primark Haul - Clothes, Accessories, And Some Beauty Reviews

Suffering from several chronic illnesses as I do, I've come to rely on online shopping quite a bit, and even more so this year, when I just haven't had the energy to get out there into real shops and enjoy one of my favourite pastimes . Online shopping definitely fills the void but you really can't beat getting out there and getting into a bricks and mortar shop. I've the odd look out but a couple of weeks ago I managed my first trip into Intu Metrocentre since before Christmas and whilst it damn near killed me off, it was well worth the effort, I had my eyebrows waxed and I managed a trip to Primark!!

It's one of those things that just can't be explained, why oh why doesn't  Primark have an online store? My own personal theory is that they would probably get way too many returns thanks to the less that consistent sizing but hey I would take the risk and I'm sure lots of other people would as well, so come on Primark do it and help me save a few spoons!

I'm not going to lie despite the fact that this trip was so long coming and so long awaited I didn't actually buy that much. I stocked up on a few of my Primark essentials including some more oil balancing facial wipes, some blue jeggings and some black leggings, and I picked a few other bits including another one of their basic t-shirts.

As someone who at the moment detests her tummy, and her hips, I need something to cover it up and with a bit of length, and Primark's long length t-shirts do exactly that. As someone who is at the limit of Primarks sizing scale I find these tees pretty generous, they have a lot of stretch in them and they are so so comfy to wear. This is one of the short sleeve versions, and whilst their are various necklines available my favourite is either the crew neck or the scooped neckline like this one. Again there were a few colours to choose from but I decided to switch it up a bit a leave the blues and stripes behind and go for this nice classic khaki green shade. These t-shirts are real staples for me at the moment and for just £3.50 I can really afford to stock up.

I know I've just talked about length, and how I need long line things, but my next purchase though is just a little bit shorter than what I normally go for.

There is no way that you could describe this as a cropped jumper but compared to my usual bum and tum covering numbers this is pretty short for me. I couldn't resist it though, I love the ribbed detail, and the baguette style crystals on the neckline, and grey really is one of those classic colours, that I'm personally learning to love again. There was a huge muck up price wise with this one, this jumper and all of it's sale rail friends in this shade and in a wine colour were tagged as £13 reduced to £5 - Bargain! When I got to the till though they had been a big mistake and they shouldn't have been reduced! Since both the tag and the price on the rail said £5 though that's what they had to give me it for! - abiding by the rules = one happy LouLou.

That was it for clothes but I did pick a jewellery item from a sale rack, and this time there was no argument about the price, this super cute real semi precious stone (amethyst?)  friendship bracelet was just £1 reduced from £3.

Featuring faceted purple and lilac crystal stones, with a clear crystal, silver tone disco hanging from the middle, it fastens with a Chinese knot style fastening, with tiny silver tone hearts on the end of each strand. This bracelet is so pretty and could easily pass for something like Lola Rose, and if you weren't a fan of the circle charm they you could easily remove it with some wire cutters without ruining the rest of the bracelet.

I think I pretty much say it every time I go into Primark now but their beauty range keeps getting better and better!! The selection has improved dramatically and the quality on the majority of things that I've tried has been excellent for the price.

At the moment Primark seems to have a glut of how can I put this? high end dupes, not quite out and out copies, but you know, clearly getting there, does that bother me? no not really, as I've said before I'd rather buy a dupe than an out and out fake product from ebay or from a local buy and sell group, and if it's done well then I'm definitely not complaining. They have quite a few Too Faced inspired lines in at the moment but I thought I'd give one of their Kylie inspired products a go.

I've got to be honest and admit that all of those matte lip kits did nothing for me, I'm not the hugest matte lip fan and I'm definitely not a fan of the butt hole lip look but whilst I've had an indifferent relationship with lip gloss for a while, give me a plump glossy lip, over a dry, lined matte one any day.

I do love a nude / pink lip so I though I'd give this PS Nudes Lip Collection kit a try. This kit in the shade Hypnotise contains a 10ml Lip Gloss, and a 1.5g lip pencil, both in a pink / nude / almost mauve shade.

The gloss is a touch sticky but the pigmentation is excellent, and it wears incredibly well, it comes out a touch darker than it appears in the tube, but it applies really easily with the sponge applicator, and it actually feels quite creamy, and smooth on the lips.

The coordinating lip liner pencil is easy to sharpen and comes in a plastic feel, barrel. It's a touch paler than the gloss and again the pigmentation is excellent. It feels smooth to the touch, but it isn't so creamy that it will end up all over your face.

Apologies that I haven't managed to get a shot of either of these products on my actual face but this is what I'm wearing in the You Tube video that you can see at the end of this. For just £3 I'm so, so impressed with this kit, the pigmentation, and feel of the products and the wear time, easily beats a lot of high end brands. Both of the products work perfectly together but since this is the type of shade that I go for in lipsticks I think I'll get a lot of extra use out of the lip liner, which is pretty similar to the Rimmel Exaggerate Full Colour Lip Liner in 063 East End Snob. If this shade isn't for you, there are are several other colour combinations available so you if you're a nude lip fan you're bound to find something you like.

I debated whether or not to pick up one of the Too Faced inspired cheek kits but in the end I decided to try out this highlighting palette, which may or may not be inspired by various products including the Anastasia Sugar Glow palette ;)

The PS Pure Glow Highlighting Palette comes in very on trend, and blogger friendly rose gold, and marble print cardboard packaging. I'm not the biggest fan of cardboard packaging because after a while I think it can look a little grubby but in this case again I'll make an exception. It feels sturdy enough and it fastens with a magnet so your highlighters will be kept safe and secure.

The palette itself contains a little section, which tells you where to put your highlighters (just in case you don't know), and four good sized, round pans crammed full of beautiful metallic and shimmery loveliness.

On the top row you have Desert, a gorgeous shimmery, metallic white, and Glimmer, a beautiful, metallic gold

and underneath you have a Eden a shimmery, nude pink, and Firefly, a rich metallic copper, bronze.

As you can see the pigmentation is excellent, and all of these shade are beautifully soft and buttery. Again no face shots but I am wearing a lot of this palette in the accompanying You Tube video. There is probably no wear on earth that you'll be able to see the shades on my face but I actually did virtually a full face look with this palette, I used Glimmer, and Firefly to create a rich metallic golden bronze eye look, with just a hint of Desert under the brow, and I used Eden on my cheeks, for a pale shimmery blush look. This is beautiful and super versatile and well worth the £5 that I paid for it. Yes you could probably get some sort of highlighting palette for less but would it be as good as this and would you be getting 4 x 7g, smooth and high pigmented colours for your money? I doubt it and I'm so glad that I picked this up. I've been so, so impressed with both of these items, and I'm definitely going to be heading straight to the beauty section next time I'm in Primark which will probably be next week because my mum needs to take something back :)

I know I've already mentioned it a few times but just in case it hasn't clicked yet, I've made a video to accompany this haul which you can see below or via this link.



If you like haul videos then definitely make sure that your subscribed to my You Tube channel, because I've got a few exclusive hauls coming up ever the next few days, including one that you won't want to miss x In the meantime if you've bought anything exciting in Primark recently or if you have any Primark beauty recommendations then please leave me a comment and let me know, or link me up to your blog post, or You Tube video x Thanks for reading and I'll see you soon with my March beauty empties post x