The end of a year is always a time for reflection and this is the first in what I guess I could round ups and looking forward post.
It's my monthly haul and like every other month of 2013 I've been trying to watch what I've spent and I've tried to stick to a £40 limit for fripperies, and as per usual it's been a bit of a fail. I've only managed to stick to my goal for 4 out of the 12 months and this month like so many other ended up as a bit of a disaster.
The Body Shop Haul - £11.00
Sigma Eyeshadow Base - Spy - £8.20
Once Upon A Time Make Up Compact - £5.00
H&M Haul - £14.98
Essie Polishes - £5.98
MUA Luxe Velvet Lip Lacquer - Funk - £3.00
Becca And Essie - £9.97
Hard Candy - Poundworld - £1.00
The Body Shop Gingerbread Man Sponge - £3.50
Primark Haul - £6.00
Total - £68.63
£28.63 Over
Okay I was only £28.63 over but it pretty much sums up how I got on this year. I haven't bought too many big things but it is surprising how the little things add up - a pound here, a pound there and before long you've spent £20, it's way too easy. In 2014 though things need to change, circumstances change and as a result I just don't have the disposable income that I did so from next year aka tomorrow I'm going to try and be a lot more sensible and frugal when it comes to spending money on myself. I have more than enough make up, toiletries, books, music, clothes and jewellery to set up my own shop, so I'm going to be shopping my stash a lot more in 2014. The trouble with blogging is that you often think you need to have new things to review all the time but I've got so many things already that I can review that you really shouldn't see the difference.
I'm not going to do a total no buy but what I am going to do is think more carefully about what I do buy and what I already have, and only try to pick up a couple of things a month. I've ordered a couple of bit from the sales that will pop up in January but I'm going to try and hang on to the rest and put it towards something I need.
From tomorrow the Monthly Spends section will disappear from my blog, I haven't had an awful lot of feedback on the section throughout the course of the year so it's breathed it's last - no limits just sensible spending - I'm still planning on doing a monthly haul post and video no matter how few items I buy, so you won't miss out x
Speaking of which it's time for December's haul - the first few things that I bought you've seen before because they were items I've given away over the past few weeks. I'm a big believer in the one for me, one for you philosophy -first up a few bits from H&M x
Don't forget the scarf giveaway on my You Tube channel is still open until tomorrow, so you've still got time to enter x
Next up some nail polishes - Unusually for me I only got 4 nail polishes for Christmas - yes for me that is unusual one year I got 15! but luckily I picked a few polishes up before Christmas including 3 Essie colours from a cheap make up stall in the Metro Centre, the colours from left to right are Butler Please, Where's My Chauffeur? and Beach Bum Blue
This next polish to be honest was a freebie - Barry M Superdrug 343 was a free gift when you spent more than £6 on Barry M in Superdrug. I bought my godmother quite a few nail polishes for Christmas including 3 Barry M's so I picked up the freebie :) - a gorgeous long strand rose and rose gold glitter.
As well as the Barry M I also picked up one of the newer MUA items in Superdrug.
The MUA Luxe Velvet Lip Lacquers are amazingly pigmented lip colour, with an smooth velvety, matte texture. There a 5 colours to choose from and all of them are pretty out there, no pale nudes here so I was brave and picked one up in Funk
This looks a little redder here than it does in real life - in real life it's a lovely hot pink colour.
My next make up purchases came from the aforementioned cheap make up stall - some real gems can be found here so if you have something similar in a shopping centre near you I'd definitely have a look. As well as the Essie this time the stall had a whole load of Becca items. I've only got one Becca item in my extensive collection so I got a couple of things and the dearest was only £3.99 result.
The first thing I got was one of the Mineral Blushers - There were a few shades to choose from but the testers seemed to be in short supply so I picked a pig in a poke and went for the shade Damselfly
Do you know what ? sometimes it pays you to take a risk, this is the most gorgeous peachy coral colour with just a tiny bit of shimmer. It's pigmented and super soft and smooth - I absolutely love it x
Eye products were a bit thin on the ground but they did have a couple of type of cream eyeshadow.
I didn't fancy any of the paint tube style colours but being a cream eyeshadow obsessive I couldn't resist picking up one of their Creme Eye Colours
There were a few different shades but I went for the super wearable Quartz
Again very smooth and pigmented Quartz is one of those shimmer beige tones nudes that I love x
My next purchase came from Poundworld - I remember years and years ago you used to be able to buy Hard Candy in Boots but then like a lot of lines it disappeared. I know it's readily available in the likes of Walmart in the US now but not here :( That was until I had a little look in Poundworld.
They had a few different assortments but I got this one which contained a Baked Eyeshadow Duo in 062 Bad Reputation and a Show Girl Loose Glitter in 005.
To be honest I thought the glitter was nail polish so I'm not sure how much use I'll get out of it - it's a lovely turquoise blue shade which is so pretty I'll think of some way of using it.
The baked eyeshadow duo is a real stunner it comes with a shimmery white and a shimmer dark grey shade, perfect for creating a smokey eye look. It's smooth and pigmented and well worth the pound that I paid for it.
Next up a few little things from Primark including some more Tea Tree face wipes
this blue and gold tone statement necklace that I've wanted for ages.
and this super cute star necklace and earring set x
I used to be a regular shopper in The Body Shop but now it's only a shop I go into if I want something specific or at Christmas - there Christmas products are always a huge hit and this year this little guy was the star.
I bought loads of these for friends and secret santas this year and I couldn't resist one for myself - I mean look at his face :)
Whilst I was in I also picked up one of my staples a mini Cocoa Butter Body Butter
and something that I read about on Caroline Hirons excellent blog, a Facial Massager.
I really can't wait to try this out and see if it makes a difference to my starting to sag jawline.
My penultimate purchase in December was actually made in November courtesy of Sigma Beauty's Black Friday free shipping offer.
I haven't tried any of their make up before but this one was top of my list - the eyeshadow base in Spy.
It looks a bit boring here but my pictures aren't capturing it's true beauty. It looks brown here but in reality it's more like MAC's Blue Brown Pigment - brown shot through with amazing blue and green iridescence.
I'm probably going to be using this as cream eyeshadow rather than an eye base - it's way too pretty to cover up.
My final purchase was a bit of a odd one, I was looking through the Littlewoods website looking for quirky Christmas gifts and I saw that this was reduced.
I'm not usually a huge fan of mixed make up kits but for the price I thought I'd give it a go.
Boy am I glad I did - I didn't expect a lot but I'm so impressed with what I got in return. The first thing to do it throw out the applicators that come with it they are beyond useless. The palette comes with 40 yes 40 eyeshadows! ranging from neutrals to brights the pigmention is fab
Next up you get eight large blushers and bronzers and 4 mini ones - again the pigmentation is first class
Then finally you get 20 lipsticks / glosses - again in a range of colours and again with superb pigmentation
This palette really surprised me so I went straight back online and ordered another one to give away. So to win your very own Once Upon A Time Make Up Palette all you need to do is fill in the form below before the 8th January. This giveaway is open worldwide x Your palette is brand new and has only been opened to check for damage after my parcel was left outside grrrr.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
So thanks for reading and here's to more controlled spending in 2014 x I hope you all have a lovely night and Good Luck x
Thanks for hosting a lovely giveaway and happy new year x
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