Nail Colours of Spring: Pastel Pink

Seems I've picked the darkest, murkiest day of the last fortnight to come up with this post haha. I'm getting in the mood for SPRING just lately and, having painted my nails this morning in a gorgeous, dusky, nude, pastel pink shade I realised that I have several such shades in my collection. Do I really need all of them? My mum thinks I'm bonkers when I declare that I NEED a certain shade of nail polish and then totally reject 5 or 6 shades fitting the description because they're just not 'right'. So I've decided to pull out my Top 5 of the pale pink shades in my collection and have a little swatch-fest.

Here are the shades under scrutiny today (L-R)

OPI 'Steady as She Rose' 

Nails Inc Gel Effect 'Mayfair Lane'*

Essie 'Fiji'

Nails Inc 'George Street'

and

Look Beauty Nail Pop 'Petticoat'

I wouldn't say that any of these shades are the same. A pink nail polish is rarely just a pink nail polish anymore (especially for a beauty blogger). Some are cool, some are warm, some are nude, some are.. you get the point. And a lot of them look completely different on the nails to how they look in the bottle. 

When you look at the shades side by side on the nail wheel it turns out that this is really a collection within a collection. No doubt I will wear all of these at some point over the coming warmer months. All of these shades are really wearable and look amazing with a bit of a tan. Fiji is the palest of the bunch while George Street is the deepest and also the most opaque. Favourites?? It's got to be a toss up between Steady as She Rose and Mayfair Lane but for completely different reasons. I love the grey tones in Steady as She Rose while Mayfair Lane is the perfect peachy pale pink. The Nude Award of the bunch has to go to Petticoat. This polish works on its own and also as a base for pink glitter polishes. So, basically, there is definite justification for me having all of them... HURRAH! 

I think I might stretch this post out into a series as I also covet mint greens and duck egg blues during the Spring/Summer months and none of the shades I have will be going unloved this year. So expect more swatching in posts to come!

What are your top Spring nail colours?? Must you have ALL OF THE PINKS?? Do you have a favourite shade of pink??

My Month in Manicures: Dec 2013

Well first of all.... HAPPY NEW YEAR MY LOVELIES!

Sadly, I've had to skip the last of the Christmas postings I wanted to do last week as I just had ZERO time to whip out my camera and photograph it all. I had a wonderful Christmas and was able to catch up with so many family and friends and that ended up taking priority. I thought I'd kick off 2014 with a round up of December's Month in Manicures. In fact, the first several posts of this year will be dedicated to my nails, with another special Nails Inc post to follow tomorrow. 

Top Row L-R

Essie 'No More Film'

This was the manicure I received when I attended the Boutique Spa Christmas event at the end of November (post Here) and it lasted so well I didn't get round to removing it until a week or so into December! I must admit I forgot to check the name of the icy blue Essie glitter polish which is on top of the base shade (if anyone recognises it please let me know). Bad blogger! Anyhoo, this manicure really got me in the mood for Winter. 

Nails Inc 'Sheraton Street'

 Another event manicure! Aren't I getting looked after lately! Early on in December I went along to the Nails Inc SS14 Preview (lots to come on the blog about that in the coming weeks, I've so much to show you). For my manicure on the night I was going to go for a bright shade but then I spotted this shade on the manicurist and demanded I have the same. Regular readers of this blog will know that I have a MAJOR fetish for pale duck-egg blue nail polish and this shade is the most perfect I've found! It's even more beautiful in the flesh. You'll see more of this colour in tomorrow's post. 

Bottom Row L-R

Essie 'Sable Collar'

 You have NO idea how difficult it was to get a photograph of this shade which reflects its true beauty. In the end I had to use flash. This is one of the shades from my Essie Winter 2013 Mini Collection (post Here). It's a kind of deep cocoa/plum shade with a beautiful pearlescent sheen to it. In some lights it comes off as more brown than this but here the flash has brought out the plum. This manicure took me right up until Christmas Eve. It's testament to Seche Vite really that my manicures are lasting so well lately. I couldn't be without it!

Essie 'Toggle To The Top'

 I think I said it all in my previous Christmas NOTD post about this crushed garnet red polish but I couldn't not include it in this one too. Again, this lasted right through until New Year without chipping too badly. 

New Year's Eve Manicure!

Barry M Textured Nail Effects in 'Lady' 

I really love textured nail polishes and Barry M have recently added to their range to include a bit of sparkle as well as the pretty pastels. I first saw this polish on Gemma (of Flutter and Sparkle) on her Instagram and ran out the very same day to buy it. It looks just like crushed DIAMONDS! It's also pretty indestructible. For this picture I did three coats but two is usuallly plenty. In truth, I ballsed it up a bit and ended up putting the third on just to smooth it over. I only removed this polish last night but it could have lasted much longer. It's not actually a tough one to remove either, unlike other glitter polishes (Toggle To The Top was a nightmare). 

So that was how I rounded off my 2013 nail painting year. I can't wait to see what exciting new shades, effects and ranges 2014 will bring. I'll definitely be sharing my finds with you all, starting from tomorrow! 

What did you wear on your nails over this Festive season?? Do you go for SPARKLE at Christmas?? Did you go bonkers for Winter Collections too?? 

Christmas NOTD 2013: Essie Toggle To The Top

Thought I'd squeeze one last post in before the big day! In honesty, I did have another Last Minute Gift post I wanted to do but I ended up having a bit of a mad 'here, there and everywhere' kind of weekend so never got chance to post it. Anyhoo, it's Christmas Eve now and I'm performing my last minute beauty rituals so I thought I'd show you my fresh Christmas Manicure courtesy of the Essie Winter Collection...

Jeez, I am so messy with dark polishes aren't I haha. The photos haven't turned out amazing either due to my parents having the DARKEST house in the world and the weather being so ghastly. 

Toggle to The Top came as part of my Essie Winter 2013 Mini-Collection (see my post Here) and I just knew it would be my first choice for Christmas Day. Essie describe it as Sparkling, Crushed Garnet Red and that's pretty much spot on really. I love that it's a little bit more grown up that your average 'Dorothy' inspired red glitter polishes. 

Here I've done two coats topped off with a layer of Seche Vite. It's certainly a beautiful polish. Only slight grumble is that it seems to be coming away at the tips already. Or maybe I'm just noticing it more because it's a darker colour. Either way it's not the end of the world. No doubt they'll be changing again by New Years Eve. 

What colour will you be wearing on your nails tomorrow?? Do you go for sparkle??

Essie Winter 2013 Mini Collection

Second post of the day! Woohoo! Hoping this means I'm back on track blogwise (but I don't want to jinx anything). I thought I'd pop this one up straight away as it kind of follows on from the previous post about my adventures at Boutique Spa. This post features my purchase from that evening which I am so excited about. It's the Essie Winter 2013 Mini-Collection. 

I think mini collections like this are a fantastic way to sample the highlights of a collection which would, otherwise, be pretty pricey to purchase separately in the full size (and let's face it, who uses up EVERY drop of polish in a full size bottle?). This one features 4x 5ml shades. For me, this Winter is shaping up to be all about deep, rich shades with a hint of festive sparkle and Essie have got this little set spot on in my opinion. 

Left: Sable Collar - Luxurious Pearlescent Cocoa Plum

Right: Toggle to the Top - Sparkling, Crushed Garnet Red

Left: Shearling Darling - Rich, Plush Ebony Red

Right: Mind Your Mittens - Deep, Double Diamond Black Teal

These colours look so luxurious! I love how they're completely different to my Nails Inc Autumn/Winter Collection (my post on that can be found Here for comparison and swatches). I'm a little bit peeved that I haven't been able to capture the true, pearlescent beauty of Sable Collar. The finish is really beautiful. I'll be wearing it over the festive season so hopefully I'll be able to snap a better photo for December's 'Month in Manicures' post. If I had to pick a favourite at this point it would be Mind Your Mittens as it's completely different from anything else in my collection and your usual festive shades, although it still seems completely appropriate for over Christmas. That said, I think that Toggle to the Top will definitely be my Christmas Day nail colour this year. 

I picked this up at Boutique Spa in London for £15 but, if you're not local, I'd definitely recommend running down to your nearest Boots/Superdrug Essie stockist before they sell out (which I'm willing to bet will happen soon). I've scoured the internet for online stockists but it has proven tricky as there seem to be several different sets out this year which are all pretty similar yet not quite the same. As always, I'm sure a thorough eBay or Amazon search with uncover a bargain or two. 

What are your Ultimate Festive nail polish shades?? Which brand do you prefer?? Did you rush out to get any polishes from this collection??

Winter Pampering with Boutique Spa London

Recently, I was invited along to Boutique Spa on London's Queensway for a little tour and a bit of pre-Christmas indulgence. It is a relatively small high street spa, but don't be deceived. It's not the size, it's what you do with it that counts and this place just screams luxury. I had the chance to look around the treatment rooms, smell all the gorgeous ESPA products and get a fabulous Winter manicure using some stunning new Winter shades by Essie. So here's a little pictorial of the evening to give you a glimpse inside and why I think it's a great place to go for a Winter treat! 

Dunk your cold, Winter feet in here for an indulgent massage complete with mood lighting!

Gorgeous Gift sets by ESPA (Boutique Spa are the first on the High Street to stock these products)

This place is polish-junkie paradise. Brands on display include Essie, OPI, Seche and more. On the night they were launching the new Essie Winter Collection (of which I MAY have made a purchase). Even the Christmas tree was decorated in Essie!

Manicurists were on hand giving gorgeous Essie manicures (sorry for the grainy iphone images)

Champagne and sparkly Winter nails... What more could a beauty blogger ask for? 

The manicure I was given on the night starts at £14 and comes with the option of upgrading to a classic manicure which includes a hand and arm massage, or for those wanting The Boutique Spa Manicure this includes a soak, exfoliation, mask, heated hand and arm mits, massage, cuticle tidy, shape and buff/polish starting at £25 for 20 minutes. I think these prices are actually rather affordable and it's certainly something I'd consider myself if I was in need of a treat (even on my student budget). 

The Spa also offer a wide variety of facial and massage treatments using the high quality ESPA products and can even scan your face to give you a personalised product prescription. I was actually shocked at how dehydrated my skin was. I'm on a moisturisation mission now. 

  Boutique Spa is located at 123 Queensway, London W2 4SJ; bookings can be made through 0207 2218017

Visit their website at www.boutiquespa.co.uk

  Opening hours: Mon-Sat 10am-9:30pm, Sunday 10am-8pm

If you're in the area why not pop in and have a look. You could also purchase a Gift certificate for someone you love as a Christmas treat (or book yourself in hehe) or arrange for a group of your girlie friends to pop in and share the ambiance together.  

My Month in Manicures: Sept'13

Hello again!

Remember when I used to do 'Monday Manicure' posts? Also remember that it got to the point when I was so crazily busy I kept forgetting it was Monday? Well I've come up with a solution. I've decided that I'm going to be bringing you all my manicures in one monthly nail polish post. I always snap a photo of my manicures for Instagram so I will now be compiling them into one monthly post with a bit of info on all the products I've used and what I think of them. As we're coming to the end of September I thought this would be the perfect time to start and you'll probably notice that I've wasted no time in embracing seasonal colours. Products are featured in chronological order starting with the first mani of the month....

Maybelline Color Show Polkadots: 'Shooting Stars'

I finally got round to trying this polish! I picked up two shades of the Polkadots polishes back in June (post can be found Here) and, until this month, had only got round to playing with the pink shade. Well, I got bored one night and decided I fancied a Galaxy mani. What you see here is two coats of 'Shooting Stars' with a sweep of my Loreal Confetti topcoat over the top to add a little extra dimension. I love the result! As you can see I'm a little clumsy with darker coloured nail polishes (this photo was taken before I'd had chance to clean it up) but I'm getting better now. As I recall this mani was a bit of a pain to remove but it was loads of fun and lasted ages!

Essie: 'Playa del Platinum'

You'll be starting to notice by now that I ADORE Autumn and have taken great joy in pulling out all my neutral nail shades in preparation for the season. Playa del Platinum is a particular favourite grey-nude of mine that I picked up at last year's Olympia Beauty show. It goes with just about anything. It's extra shiny in this photo as I added a big dollop of Seche Vite on top of it. 

 

OPI: 'Barefoot in Barcelona'

This has been a previous all-time favourite of mine for Autumn/Winter and it still ranks extremely highly. It's a warm, muted terracotta kind of shade that looks particularly amazing when teamed with gold rings or bracelets. My OPI shades have been a bit neglected of late, in favour of Nails Inc (my ultimate HG polish brand) but the shades I have always seem to get more use in the cooler months. Everyone should have this in their collection in my opinion. 

Nails Inc A/W Collection: 'St Martin's Lane'*

This polish brings us bang up to date (I'm currently wearing this). I finally got my mitts on the new Nails Inc shades for Autumn/Winter this week. I actually did a little SQUEE when I opened the parcel. Look out for a full post on the whole collection very shortly but I just had to show you this polish a little early. If Ribena were a nail polish it would be this one. It's a gorgeous deep purple, blackcurrant sort of shade and fits perfectly with this season's berry colour trend. I adore berry/wine shades for Winter, in fashion as well as nails. Raspberry is a particular favourite. Again, this isn't the tidiest of manicures but I am getting better with darker colours, honest!!

So that was my September in nail colours. Guess I averaged one mani a week this month. Sometimes it's more, sometimes it's less. I find that, with Seche Vite, my nail polish lasts for ages and it sometimes seems a shame to remove it when it still looks so immaculate. I will confess to you that there is ONE mani missing from this post, but only because it will feature in my NEXT post (which is actually a very exciting one so keep your eyes peeled). 

So,until next month..... HAPPY NAIL PAINTING!

What are your favourite nail shades for Autumn?? Do you love a particular brand of polish?? Do you change up your manicure weekly or more often??

2012 Product Highlights

Evening my lovelies!

Wow we're already almost a WEEK into 2013... That's flown by hasn't it! I've barely noticed the time passing due to being stuck in bed for half of the week with flu (and stuck at work for the other half - Booooo). So today i reckoned it was time to consider what products floated my boat the most in 2012. Now, i haven't covered all bases here... My tanning preferences haven't changed much and i'm switching up my skincare routine for 2013 because there wasn't much i was using last year that really dazzled me (expect a post this week on my new skincare routine). I'm also planning a separate post on lip products cos i couldn't pick just one or two for this post. 

Base

MAC Matchmaster Foundation: Shade 4

This one has carried over from 2011. Fact is, i ADORE this foundation and, although i switched it up a bit in 2012 with Illamasqua Skinbase (which i also love to death) and my drugstore backup, Max Faxtor Xperience, nothing really compares to it in my eyes. It gives medium, buildable coverage and is demi-matte so appeals to my combo skin. 

Cover FX Illuminating Setting Powder: Medium*

This was a late find for 2012 but i have been loving it and it works really well with the Matchmaster foundation. I was under the impression when i first got it that it might be a little on the shiny side for me, but that wasn't the case and it sets my foundation really well while giving a lovely glow to the face. It's also helped me conquer my fear of loose powders.

Murad Skin Perfecting Primer: Dewy Finish

This is, along with BeneFit PoreFessional, my favourite primer to date. It just makes for a great foundation base and my skin feels so smooth when i've used this product. I've still not yet been able to purchase the full size of this product but have done a great job of sourcing samples from beauty boxes, other bloggers and events. Don't get me wrong, the product fully lives up to the Murad pricetag, its just that i, for one, cannot afford it. Boo Hiss!!  

Cheeks

MAC Sheertone Shimmer Blush: Sunbasque

I got this from a blogsale several months back and it has barely been off my face since! To me, this is a blush, bronzer and highlight all in one product. It's glowy, buildable and gorgeous for any time of the year. I couldn't live without it now! 

Illamasqua Cream Blush: Rude

I wanted this blush for a LONG time before i finally bought it. A lot of online swatches confused me slightly by making it look a LOT scarier than it really is and when i finally got to swatch it in the Illamasqua Beak Street store i knew it had to be mine. This is also a very versatile shade and can even be worn on the lips. 

Eyes

BeneFit Creaseless Cream Shadowliners

These are a must have product in my makeup bag and i have them in several shades. I probably use them every day. I love them for using as a base for other eyeshadows. I have a platinum shade that is great for this or any of the neutral, goldy shades such as RSVP (pictured) or Sippin'n'Dippin. My favourite use for them, however, is just to give a wash of colour and shimmer on the lid for every day wear. I literally just dab this on with my finger, apply my eyeliner and mascara, and that's my eye look. Simple, pretty and they last all day.

17 Peep Show Mascara

I bought this on recommendation from another blogger. I forget exactly who but i suspect it was Zara (because it usually is, she could sell me anything) and it love it! My natural lashes are quite thick but need a bit of lengthening and sculpting here and there and this mascara really delivers that without being clumpy or over-fibrous. I'll be repurchasing the hell out of this too because it's cheap as chips! 

Nails

Essie: Mint Candy Apple

2012 was the year that i REALLY rediscovered nail polish. For the last 4 years i was working a job that involved wire scourers and constantly having my hands in water and i'd begun to believe i'd never have pretty nails again. But since i moved to London they have bounced back! towards the end of 2012 i was enjoying experimenting with nail colours again. Mint Candy Apple has been a particular favourite of mine and i picked it up at Olympia Beauty, but i;m also loving Nails Inc at the moment and i hope to bring you a lot more nail posts in 2013

Haircare

Clynol Repair: Remedy*

This leave in conditioner makes my hair so soft! It's a repairing Keratin filler which you spray into wet hair and leave. My hair isn't in bad condition due to my policy of ONLY using semi permanent colours on my hair, but i have been ombre on several occasions in the last 12 months (and i'm ombre again now) and my hatred of bleach/lighteners makes me paranoid and want to protect my hair. And it does the job! My hair is so much more resilient now that i use this and i feel more confident that i can keep my ombre in good condition. 

Urban Therapy Twisted Sista: Different Strokes Serum

This is a total bargain! I've seen it for as little as £1 depending on where you buy it from. It contains Argan oil and Green Tea and makes my hair so smooth and manageable. It's one of the best serums i've ever used. Since i've been a student i've been unable to afford Moroccan oil and i honestly put it to you that this is a worthy replacement!! Try it and see! 

Skincare

Nip+Fab Dry Skin Fix Body Butter: Pistachio Sundae*

Possibly my favourite body butter of all time because it sinks in so quickly and smells like CAKE!! I love the packaging and i totally trust Nip+Fab (the same beauty brains behind Rodial Skincare) to do what's right for my skin. My big body bugbear is the rough skin on my upper arms and this softens them up a treat! 

St Ives Invigorating Apricot Scrub

I have favoured this over the other scrubs i've tried recently. I feel like it thoroughly cleans my skin whilst moisturising at the same time and, as someone with combo skin, that is a big deal to me. It cleanses my oily bits, while looking after the not so oily bits. I love that the exfoliant particles in it are natural as well. I'm on my third bottle since i first tried some back in April. 

So those are the select few products that i feel i've enjoyed the most in the last 12months. I'm going to think on about my favourite lip products and perhaps put them all into a post later this week. I'm switching things up this year so expect updated skincare, haircare and tanning posts through the month of January as well. 

What products dazzled you in 2012?? Feel free to link me to your posts!! 

Recent Essie Purchases!!

Hello there lovelies!!

Quite a late one tonight again! In fact i'm writing up a couple of posts tonight to schedule for while i'm travelling up and down the country again for Uni over the next couple of days. Although i think it's safe to say i'm a little distracted tonight as i've just abandoned this post after just a couple of sentences because i had the urge to play with pink eyeshadow haha. Anyhoo, i've now refocused and i wanna talk about my new Essie polishes! 

Essie is another brand that i have only just started to discover since i moved to London. Of course i'd heard of them previously, but before i moved my nails were in such a state from working in a pub kitchen that i wasn't even bothering with painting my nails and, therefore, wasn't in a hurry to buy many new nail polishes. Since i left that job my nails have sprung back to life and i have a reignited love affair with nail polish!

Shades L-R: 

Miss Fancy Pants, a gorgeous shade that i would describe as a 'mucky lilac', even though it doesn't look like that in the bottle. I guess you could also describe it as 'greige' 

Fiji, An uber pale, off-white shade with a hint of cool pink.

Playa Del Platinum, a lovely pale, neutral, slightly warm, shade of grey.

and Mint Candy Apple, A pale, pastel blue/green.

I picked up my first one on my birthday when i spotted Essie in Superdrug for the first time ever. I knew exactly which one i wanted. It was Fiji and i LOVE it! It might even be my favourite so far, but i love all of these shades. The other 3 were purchased from Olympia Beauty last month. 

Essie have soooooo many shades, and it would be so easy to get giddy and buy TONS, but i find that when i do that i always forget about some shades and i like to appreciate every nail polish i buy and so i only picked up a small handful to start with. I do have a little Essie shopping list forming in my head though so i very well might treat myself in the run up to Christmas. 

I'm going to try and do a NOTD type post for each of these polishes, starting today. The first i have chosen is Playa Del Platinum, just because i woke up in the mood for nude this morning. Excuse the iphone photo. My camera really isn't playing ball lately and refuses to focus. I think it's more of less knackered now to be honest, so i'll have to make do.

I really like this shade for a neutral daytime polish. It really is a pleasure to wear. I actually quite like the Essie formula, although i have heard of some who don't. I find it quite opaque, even after a single coat, and that it doesn't flood my cuticle (which happens to me a LOT with some polishes, i really am a bit crap at painting my nails). The brush is a decent size too!! 

The polishes i got from Olympia were just under a fiver each, but the one i got from Superdrug was around £7 i think. I've also seen loads of great eBay deals on Essie polishes so it pays to snoop around for a bargain!! I can't wait to swatch more of the shades for you! 

Do you love Essie polishes?? What are your favourites?? Please leave your shade recommendations to add to my wishlist!! 

Birthday Shopping, Instagramming and HAUL!!

Afternoon lovelies!!

For some bizarre reason there's been a massive gap in my posting again. I've actually got no excuse this time but I've since done a Virgo and gotten myself organised and written a list of all the posts i want to do so hopefully September will be a great month for Brunette Beauty Banter! 

September is also my BIRTHDAY month! And the big 3-0 landed on me yesterday so i took the opportunity to shop my ass off and eat lots of naughty food! So i am going to post today about all of the things that made my day so AMAZING! Expect it to be picture heavy... 

Clockwise from Top Left:

1) Started my day with Choc Chip PopTarts from my lovely housemate Sharon. 

2) Woke up to a package full of family birthday cards that my mum had forwarded to London for me.

3) AMAZING Blue Cheese burger and Sweet Potato fries at Ed's Diner with the gorgeous Yu from lets-makeyuup.com. 

4) My birthday present to myself was a new iPhone 4s. I decided to upgrade early as my 3GS really wasn't performing for me anymore. I also treated myself to two new phone cases including this super-cute Penguin case from eBay (complete BARGAIN).

 The biggest surprise of the day was my present from my housemate/landlord. In the next couple of weeks or so we will both be going off to The Ink Parlour in Shepherd's Bush to get new tattoos! It was totally unexpected but i'm so excited because it's given me a kick up the backside. I've been wanting another tattoo for about 5yrs now but never done anything about it. I know exactly what i'm going to have and where i want it so i can't wait to finally go and get it on me! I'm not telling yet though so you'll have to keep an eye on Twitter and Instagram to see what i get!

These were technically pre-birthday treats (i popped up to Streatham High Rd the day before and couldn't resist). I picked up two tops from New Look as well as my first ever purchase from Look Beauty. I got their lipstick in the shade Toffee Cup. Can't wait to post about it!! It was also the first time i've ever seen Batiste XXL in stock ANYWHERE so i grabbed the last one on the shelf and made for the till!! 

So after we'd finished feeding out faces with burgery goodness, Yu and i went for a mooch around Selfridges. I didn't go mad, buying everything i laid eyes on, but i had a good idea of what i wanted before i went in. The names floating around in my head were MAC and Illamasqua and here's what i picked up!!

I FINALLY picked up some MAC Fix+. It's been on my list forever and i've heard so much about it so i knew i wanted to get some while we were in there. I can't wait to use it and i'll probably tell you my thoughts on it at some point, but i think most of us have probably read about it and/or tried it at some point already. I had intended to pick up some eyeshadow pans for my empty MAC palette as well, but decided that that was a mission best left for another day. 

Favourite Birthday purchase by FAR has to be Illamasqua Freak Eau de Parfum. It's been my favourite smell ever since i got my first sample of it in a Glossybox but, until now, i've been surviving from sample to sample and couldn't justify buying the full size bottle. 

 This perfume is stunning in every way. I adore the bottle. It's so dark, yet there's a little snail making his way up to the top. The scent itself is everything i like in a fragrance. It's a blend of what Illamasqua calls 'Forbidden Flowers' including Poison Hemlock and Datura. It's a floral scent but it's definitely 'of the night'. 

Yup, so i had to make a little trip to Primani didn't i. Even though i seem to have spent FOREVER in there lately for various bits and pieces i needed. I wanted to go in to pick up these lush velvet wedge ankle boots i'd spied whilst in there for other things. At £20 they're on the pricier side for Primark i guess, but totally worth it! I had a totter around in them last night and they seem really comfy. I hadn't intended to pick up anything else but i saw a gorgeous baroque-style printed top/dress for £11 and snatched that up as well. 

Last purchase of the day was my first EVER Essie polish. I've seen Essie all over blogs and Instagram but it just doesn't exist where i'm from in Derbyshire. You just CANNOT get it! So when i spotted the Essie display whilst skulking around Superdrug with Yu, i got a little bit giddy! The shade i chose was Fiji as i've admired it for a while and i can't wait to do a NOTD with it!! 

So i hope this post hasn't been too long winded and photo-heavy for you, but i'm really pleased with my purchases, and really wanted to show them all to you. I was trying to go for quality, rather than quantity. The only thing i'd planned to buy, but didn't was the Origins VitaZing and i'm majorly regretting that now. Think a cheeky online purchase may be in order somewhere down the line. 

I had an absolutely AMAZING 30th Birthday and thank you to all of you that Tweeted me, commented on Instagram or wrote to me on Facebook. I felt EXTREMELY loved!!

What have YOU been hauling lately??