Collection 2000 24hr Extreme Felt Tip Liner

One make-up product that I just cannot live without is the Collection 2000 24hr Extreme Felt Tip Liner. After finding this little treasure a few years ago now, I have hated all over pen style liners that I have tried. Collection 2000 is by no means an expensive make-up brand but they do some fantastic products. Yes, some of them are a bit hit and miss but they do have a few things which are worth a lot more money.

I have this liner in a few different colours but I use the black more than anything else. If you want a more adventurous or colourful look though, you can always try the purple, teal or blue. For me though, black liquid eyeliner is a classic look and you can never go wrong with it really. Also, there are many ways to make this kind of eyeliner look more exciting or make it more subtle if that’s what you want.

The Collection 2000 liner is exactly what it says it is – a felt tip pen. While I have tried proper liquid eyeliners before, I find that using a pen gives more stability when applying to the eyelid as you can get a better grip on the product. When first applying to the eyelid, I notice how rich and black the colour is. As a liner from a cheaper brand, I was expecting it to not look as black or dramatic. However, the liner glides on with extreme ease, making it possible to create all kind of different lines.

The nib of the liner is not overly thin but then it isn’t too thick either. I really like the size of the nib as it allows you to start off with thin lines and build them up if you want to. Using the pen feels very comfortable in my hand and even better if I rest my elbow on my desk while applying the liner to my eye. I find that this makes it possible to have a better hold on the pen and also to not have a shaky hand which will result in uneven lines.

Collection 2000 also claim that this will last through a whole 24 hours. They weren’t lying either. I use this every day and I tend to go to work for a long period of time (sometimes 13 and a half hours). If you take into account the time it takes me to get ready, 30 minutes travel each way to work and the time there, I say this lasts at least 16 hours. I can’t say that I have ever kept it on for the full 24 though but after 16, it still looks as perfect as it did when I put it on in the morning.

As this pen style liner is extremely black and dark, it may not be the right thing for some people. For me though, it is exactly what I want and it gives me the look I like for every day. Collection 2000 products can be found at Boots and Superdrug and this product costs only £2.99, which makes it fantastic value for money. 

Better late than never.... May Glossybox

May's Glossybox was the first to come from my new and exciting subscription. Now, I know it is the end of May and I probably should have waited to start from May but I wanted this one. I was so excited when the doorbell rang and I had a parcel waiting for me. I was so excited to receive my first Glossybox and couldn't wait to rip it open. After opening the outer box, I was so pleased to see a wonderful pink box. I don't know what others do with their boxes once the products are out but I know I can make use of mine every single month. 

Removing the lid was a very exciting experience. Inside was a lovely parcel wrapped in Glossybox birthday paper and tied with a bright pink bow. I do love good packaging and presentation and Glossybox get this spot on. Inside, the package was filled with bright orange paper shredding with my products hidden inside. 

I have read other blogger's posts about their boxes this month but I still couldn't wait to look at the products myself. Here's what I got:

1. Jelly Pong Pong Fairy Lashes Mascara (Full size RRP £8)

2. Fleur De Figuier Body Lotion, Shower Cream & Fragrance (Samples)

3. Headline Colours Nail Polish (Full size RRP £9)

4. Premae Harmony Balm (Sample RRP £27.50)

5. Beautiful Movements Cosmetics Prime and Create Mixing Medium (Sample RRP £20)

6. Gossybox mini nail files

I couldn't be happier with the contents of my first box. I love a new nail polish and I'm so excited to give this mascara a go. I also really like the idea of the primer which I can't wait to try. Look out for my reviews of these products! 

Boots Essentials Brown Hair Grips

Although my hair is pretty long, it is layered which means it never goes up completely neat. I’m in a bit of a phase of wearing my hair in a high bun at the minute but lots of the underneath hair tends to fall down throughout the day. I haven’t really been one for hair accessories before, even the most basic, but knew that I needed to get something to keep my hair in place.

What I opted for was the Boots Essentials Brown Hair Grips due to the colour and the price. As these are a Boots product, they are only available in Boots stores and online. For 30 hair grips, you can expect to pay roughly £1.49. These hair grips are available in three colours which are blonde, black and the brown which I purchased. Although I don’t need them, I would have liked to have seen an option for red hair.

The grips are made from a brown metal. The underside of the grip is completely straight while the top is slightly wavy. At the ends of the grips are plastic ‘stoppers’ which prevent the grips from digging into your head or scratching you. The grips are very basic in style and appearance but they are a basic hair grip so I wouldn’t expect anything less. On first touch, they feel sturdy and don’t seem as though they would break easily.

Using the grips is easy and quick. All you need to do is slide the grip into the hair you wish to secure and leave it in place.

Although I haven’t used a similar product for quite some time, I remember alternatives when I was younger being terrible if you bought the cheap option. After a couple of uses, the hair grip began to stretch in the middle which meant it didn’t keep the hair in place and also, the little plastic ends would come off easily. Luckily, neither of these things have happened with my hair grips from Boots. I have had no problems whatsoever with the grips digging into my skin or getting caught up in my hair due to the ‘stoppers’ staying in place so well. They must have used some fantastic super glue on these!!

However, this kind of product doesn’t last forever. The grips do stretch after repeated use so it’s a good thing you get 30. Although the grips do stretch, it takes quite some time for them to do this if you’re careful with them. I would say that you get more than the average use of Boots Essentials Brown Hair Grips in comparison to other brands. I can go about 2 weeks continuous use with one grip before it begins to stretch.

The grips also look nice in my hair. You could say brown is a pretty generic colour but with all the different shades of hair dyes you can get, brown is never going to be the same from one person to the next. Luckily, these blend quite well with my brown hair as it is not too dark nor too light. I do think people with lighter brown hair may find that they can see the grips a bit more than I can.

Overall, Boots Essentials Brown Hair Grips are great value for money and something that I would happily buy again.

Ecotools Tapered Blusher Brush

After leaving all of my make-up on a bus recently, I had to replace everything including the brushes. I haven’t bought new make-up brushes in longer than I would like to say, because I loved what I had so much. My only options for quick shopping was at Boots and unless I wanted their own brand, Ecotools was all they had left due to it being a small branch.

One brush that I bought was the Ecotools Tapered Blusher Brush which cost £7.99. The brush comes in a half plastic and half material pouch which is eco-friendly. The pouch has a cardboard label attached to it although this is easily ripped or cut off. The label explains how this is an eco product and on the back, more about the brush and the eco packaging. The pouch is quite nice and reusable, so you are able to keep your brush in a nice condition should you travel about with it. The back of the pouch has a small push type button which is easily opened and reclosed.

The brush itself is made from eco materials. As Ecotools explains; ‘soft, cruelty-free bristles, has a recycled aluminium ferrule and a sleek bamboo handle.’ As I said before, I am not overly bothered about eco-friendly products and I just wanted a half decent blusher brush. However, this one does look really nice. As I bought other brushes from the same brand, they do all look nice next to each other. Also, I think they look a hell of a lot nicer than cheaper, plastic brushes.

What really matters though is how the brush feels and how well it works. The bristles on this brush are incredibly soft which is always a good start. The bristles feel lovely on my skin and don’t scratch anywhere at all. After sweeping the brush across my blusher a few times, I couldn’t see the colour on the bristles. However, I was sure it had to be there so I began to apply to me cheeks. The colour was there on the brush though so you need to be careful to not be deceived with these. I could have ended up looking like a rosy cheeked clown.

Anyway, the brush is tapered, so it is not rounded. Instead, the bristles are in a shape that helps to apply blusher better, hitting all the right parts of the cheekbone. I didn’t think the shape of the brush mattered too much but now I know differently. Working upwards from your cheekbone to your hairline, applying blusher is definitely easier with this brush. Sometimes with my old brush, I had to blend in quite a bit as it went out too far but not with this one.

Overall, I really am quite impressed with this blusher brush. The only downside is not seeing colour on the bristles but after using a couple of times, you get used to knowing how much blusher you are going to need. 

Soap & Glory Calm One, Calm All Bubble Bath

As a gift for my birthday, my sister got me a few different Soap & Glory products, something which I had never used up until this point. She knows how much I love my baths so one thing I got was the Soap & Glory Calm One, Calm All Bubble Bath.

Soap & Glory is available in Boots and online and there are often 3 for 2 offers on this brand. For a 500ml bottle of this bubble bath, you can expect to pay around £5.50. I think this is why I have never bought the brand before though. I have never seen the point in spending this much on a bubble bath.

The Soap & Glory brand always comes in vintage style packaging, which I really like. The see through plastic bottle has a large pink sticker attached to it and this is where you find all of the product information. The bottle also has a lot of different fonts of writing, which at first I didn’t like too much but now I think it makes the bottle look more interesting. The cap is a twist off and you need to give the bottle a little squeeze in order to make the liquid come out.

Soap & Glory describe the bubble bath as; ‘Our deluxe formula comes with a built-in body lotion plus lemon balm, mallow extracts and moisture-magnetising skin conditioners to smooth you while they soothe you. Scented with our Original Pink™ fragrance.’

Before even opening the bottle, you are able to see that the bubble bath is a lovely, soft pink colour. Once the bottle is open, you can smell what this bubble bath is like. I cannot exactly pinpoint what it smells like but the best way I think to describe it is as girly. There is a definite hint of lemon there as well. While this smells nice in the bottle, it smells even better once you put it in hot/ warm water. Although Soap & Glory advise to use a few capfuls, I find that you only really need to use one, unless you want the bath overflowing with bubbles.

After one capful, my bathroom is filled with a sweet and fruity aroma and the bath is filled with bubbles. I wasn’t expecting this to foam up quite as well as it did even though it is an expensive product. Also, the bath water becomes exceptionally soft and silky which is one of the features of this product that I really love. Soap & Glory also claim that this bubble bath will help you to de-stress and they are absolutely right. Having a bath filled with this product and the bubbles it produces is really relaxing and I cannot help but stay in the bath for about an hour.

Not only does this feel great while in the water but it also makes my skin really soft and smooth. After getting out of the bath, I can instantly feel that my skin is softer than usual. This is a really good moisturising bubble bath so it is a shame that I don’t use it more often really. If the price was slightly less, I would use it at least a couple of times a week but I’m trying to make the bottle last me a while.

Although this is an expensive product, I absolutely love it. I don’t use it all the time though, maybe once a week. I will be buying this again for sure now that I don’t particularly care about the price. 

I finally signed up to Glossy Box!

Before I started this blog, I had no idea what Glossybox was. After finding and reading some amazing blogs though, I quickly learned that this was something I really wanted. However, until recently, haven't had a job since finishing university so I've really had to look after the pennies. 

Last week I got the call offering me a new job so until last night, I had been debating whether or not I should really sign up to Glossybox. You see, I'm getting married later in the year, saving for a deposit so we can move to a bigger place after that and also, I want to learn to drive. I know £13 a month may not sound like much but my new job is only part time so I have to budget those wages carefully. But... after talking to the boyfriend about it last night, he was okay with me signing up!! I couldn't have been happier. Things are a little tight around here at the minute and neither of us are getting much for ourselves so I do feel a bit guilty that I'm going to get this every month and right now, he gets nothing. 

I signed up for an initial 6 months as it was a great value subscription. (It also went on the credit card!) I signed up last night which means my first box will be May's. I know May is nearly over but having seen other people's boxes, I really didn't mind getting this one first. I'll be very excited to get June's box too and to be able to write a post about getting it. 

How long have you been getting Glossy Boxes for?! 

Seventeen Miracle Matte Pressed Powder

Recently, I left a bag on a bus which had all of my essential make-up in it. Going away for a few days later that day meant that I had to replace my whole basic make-up kit. Luckily, there is a Boots across from where I work so I was able to go and pick things up quickly. However, in regards to face powder, I have never used it as I have had Avon face pearls for years. As I couldn’t get these, I had to pick a substitute and I came away with Seventeen Miracle Matte Pressed Powder. I didn’t want to spend a lot on something I wasn’t completely sure about so I chose a cheaper brand than I normally would have.

The Seventeen Miracle Matte Pressed Powder costs £3.99 and is only available from Boots shops or online. I did look at other brands before choosing this one but they were all too expensive and I was unsure about what to buy in the first place. This pressed powder is available in three different shades which are natural fair, silky beige and porcelain. I chose for the natural fair as there wasn’t an ivory option. The three options available aren’t enough of a range in my opinion as they certainly don’t suit every skin colour.

The powder comes in a very dark case although I can’t decide whether it is black or navy. On the top of the case there is the name of the product, brand logo and the statement ‘up to 16 hours shine control’. The case is pretty basic looking but it does what it needs to. I liked the fact that it claimed to last 16 hours as I am sometimes on the go from 7am until 10pm so I need something that will last. Once you flip up the lid, inside is a mirror on the inside of the lid and then the pressed powder on the bottom. The powder is initially covered by a plastic disc and underneath that is a soft round cloth to apply to powder with.

Although a cloth/ sponge is supplied, I like to use soft brushes to apply any kind

of make-up so I didn’t use this. The powder came away easily on my powder brush with one short sweep across. As the powder is easy to use, you do not need to use much in one go. I found that one sweep across was enough for half of my face and then again for the other half. Although a cheap powder, this does work really well. The finish on my skin was fantastic and the powder made my face look extremely smooth and healthier looking.

This powder is also oil free so you don’t need to worry too much about your skin looking shiny and greasy. The first time I used this, I applied to my whole face at 10am and it was still looking good at 8pm at night. I would have reapplied though if I were going out again just for a touch up. While I don’t think this can cope with the full 16 hours, it lasts a great amount of time and I wouldn’t mind reapplying once throughout the day.

I am really pleased with this pressed powder and after using face pearls for so many years, I am now converted.

Affordable holiday outfits

I have said before that I'm getting married in Florida this year, at the end of September. As the wedding is costing quite a bit and I had some stress about jobs/ work after finishing uni, money has been a bit tight for us. However, I had absolutely no summer clothes in my wardrobe that were really suitable for taking away to Florida. Yes, I had a couple of maxi dresses but I prefer those for night times so I realised I had nothing to wear to theme parks etc. I needed clothes I would be extremely comfortable in and that I could wear all day. 

I also needed to shop on a budget and not go mad like I probably could have done. Asda was my first calling point as I have gotten good value and nice looking clothes from there before. I actually managed to get more than I was planning on from here. I also went to New Look for a couple of basic tops/ vest tops and Marks and Spencer for some cut off trousers. 

For some reason, I can't find pictures of everything I bought online. I'll post pictures below but I also bought a pair of navy shorts, a pair of beige cut off trousers and an aztec top (also 3 very basic vest tops but they're not exactly exciting to look at!)

Top: £5.99 New Look
Maxi Skirt: £12 Asda

Feather Print Top: £10 Asda

Shorts: £8 Asda
Vest top: £12 Asda

Top: £5.99 New Look
Maxi Skirt: £12 Asda

As you can see, these outfits didn't cost too much at all. On top of these, I spent roughly another £40 on the items mentioned above. So for just over £100, I managed to buy 5 complete outfits which all averaged out at about £20. I do have some more basic tops that I can mix and match with the shorts/ cut offs so luckily, I don't need to buy much more now. 

Wilko Sustain 'Twit Twoo' notebook

One item which is part of Wilko’s newest stationary range is the Sustain Kraft Notebook. Wilko describe the Sustain range as; ‘perfect for the relaxed, welcoming family home. Its warm, retro vibe and natural greens and browns give you all the homely comforts, with a modern twist.’ The Sustain range of stationary has a woodland theme, with the items being covered mostly in owls and foxes. I absolutely adore anything with owls on and my mother’s surname is Fox so this is a range perfect for me.

Along with the notebook covered in animals and trees, I bought the Kraft notebook. This one comes in A5 size and is spiral bound. The notebook is made from a cardboard type looking material which makes it durable and easy to carry around. I love A5 sized notebooks because they are perfect for fitting in handbags of most sizes. The material this one is made from also means it won’t get bashed around in a bag and damaged.

On the front cover of this notebook is a quite large sized owl printed in a darker brown than the background. Underneath the owl are the words ‘Twit Twoo.’ This notebook is utterly adorable and is one of my favourites that I have at the minute. While the notebook covered in woodland creatures is cute, I do like this better mainly because of the size of the owl.

Inside the notebook is lined paper which is of pretty decent quality. It isn’t the best paper in the world though. However, this notebook only costs £2.50 so you can’t expect too much at that price. Unlike the woodland creature notebook though, this one does not have a pocket in the back cover which I was slightly disappointed about. I liked that feature and was hoping that this notebook would have one too.

If you’re a fan of this range, Wilko also do other items such as doorstops, phone cases, mugs and pens. 

You can find them all at: 

http://www.wilko.com/search?q=*&parentCategoryRef=sustain&setpagenum=1&perpage=12

Sanctuary Luxury Bath Float

Another product that I received in my Sanctuary gift set was the Sanctuary Luxury Bath Float. I can’t say that I had ever heard of such thing as a bath float before so I didn’t really know what it would do.  However, from reading the bottle, Sanctuary explained that it ‘is decadent bubble bath will fill your tub with a cloud of super-rich bubbles and fill your bathroom with our sensuous oriental fragrance.’ So really, it’s a posh name for a bubble bath.

I got this in a gift set but you can buy Sanctuary products from Boots, with a 500ml bottle of this costing a whopping £9.50. I’m not sure that I have ever owned such an expensive bath product before. However, Boots do have 3 for 2 offers on Sanctuary products quite often.

The bath float comes in a large round bottle, which is made from clear plastic. Inside the bottle you can see that bath float liquid, which is a rich amber colour. As you unscrew the lid, you can instantly smell the signature Sanctuary scent which is very warm and slightly spicy. As the weather has been so terrible here, when I have a bath I tend to stay in there for quite some time to warm up. The scent of this bath float is perfect for the colder months (which seems to be all year round here now).

The bottle advises you to pour generously under running water. As this is such an expensive product, I didn’t add as much as I probably should have done. I only added two blobs of the liquid to the running water and it wasn’t long at all before my bath was nearly overflowing with bubbles. I was surprised to see so many bubbles but after that first time, I went to only using one blob as it created more than enough bubbles.

Once in the bath, I could definitely feel the difference in how soft and silky the water felt. This product is very soothing on the skin and I instantly felt relaxed and comfortable. As the scent of this bath float is quite rich, it does fill my bathroom well which creates a wonderful, relaxing place for me. After a bath, I can still smell this on my skin for many hours. If used with other Sanctuary products, the scent lasts even longer. Not only that, but even without moisturising, my skin feels wonderfully soft and smooth.

Although this is really expensive, I have fallen in love with it. 

VO5 High Definition Blow Dry Lotion

Due to recently buying some new hair curlers, I also had to buy new hair products. Normally, all I use is shampoo and conditioner as my hair is straight and I never do anything with it. However, curlers can really take the life out of your hair due to the direct heat. Also, my hair is long and fine so I wanted something that had heat protection as well as giving me some volume. When I came across VO5 High Definition Blow Dry Lotion, it seemed like exactly the product I was looking for.

For a 200ml bottle of this product you can expect to pay roughly £3.70. I bought mine from Superdrug at this price although it may vary from store to store. The girl’s range of hair products from VO5 all come in bright pink packaging which I love. The pink bottle stood out to me on the shelf which is why I looked at it to begin with. The front of the bottle has the VO5 logo, name of the range which is ‘plump it up’ and other product information. The design of the bottle is quite simple in style but attractive because of the colours. The top of the bottle has a spray nozzle which is covered by a little, clear plastic cap.  

VO5 give a description of this product as; ‘Hair feels thicker, with healthy looking body. This lightweight lotion gives your hair bounce while helping protect your locks against the damage caused by heat styling. Light enough to work on fine hair. It also helps detangle hair, making it easier to comb.’

This blow dry lotion should be used on towel dried hair but not when it is soaking wet. After spritzing all over, comb or brush through hair to make sure it is evenly distributed. I always find that turning my head upside down and spraying the underneath of my hair really makes a difference as I don’t feel it all gets covered otherwise. The spray doesn’t really have much of a scent to it, which is a shame, as it would have been nice to get nicer smelling hair too.

However, after spraying my hair and combing it through then blow drying, I did see a difference in my hair. As my hair is fine and long, it does look limp and lifeless sometimes and without much texture or volume. By using this product, my hair looked quite a lot thicker and much healthier. I cannot really say how well the heat defence aspect of this works though due to me using either straighteners or curlers every day as well as a hair dryer. Although my hair looked healthier after using this, I do think it was more because it was full and bouncy compared to how it normally looks.

While this is a good product, I think there may be something better out there for me. At least something similar with a nice scent to it anyway. 

Baking on the cheap!

Today John and I have gone to his brother's house for the first BBQ of the year. We were asked to bring some form of desserts with us and after seeing little cakes in Sainsbury's I decided that I really wanted to make some of my own instead of having boring store bought cakes. 

As we are on a budget at the minute with me not having a job, I chose to buy the ready made packet mix. For 44p, we got 2 packets of cake mix which was supposed to make 2 full Victoria Sponge cakes. However, smaller cakes are much more fun and they work just as well. We already had eggs at home which is the only other ingredient you need with these mixes. Instead of having plain sponge cakes, I added some hot chocolate to one packet to make chocolate cakes as well. Here's how they turned out without any toppings. The 2 packets ended up making 24 small cakes. 

To make these cakes a bit less boring we also needed some kind of toppings so we did end up spending a bit more on these. To make the cakes a bit more interesting, we got a couple of bars of milk chocolate to melt and some white chocolate buttons for the tops. We also bought vanilla topping and some sprinkles. The whole cost for the toppings came to around £5 but the sprinkles will last us ages as the packet has 4 different kinds inside. 

Baking doesn't have to cost a fortune, especially if you have toppings already in the house. Now that we have some toppings that will last, I will definitely be buying these cheap packets of mix again. They're so easy and only take minutes to make, especially if you have an electric whisk like we do. In total, making the cakes and putting the toppings on only took an hour. We had to bake 12 at a time as we only have one tray for the cases too. 

I think these cakes are a great, cheap way of having something nice in the house without it having to be anything fancy or expensive. 

Does anyone else use these cheap packets? If so, what do you think of them?

L'Oreal Elvive Triple Resist Shampoo

I have quite long hair that is also really thin. It has a tendency to fall out all over the place, which is really annoying. Although I wasn’t out looking for a new shampoo on the day of purchasing this product, after seeing it, I knew I had to give it a go. The product in question is the L'Oreal Elvive Triple Resist Shampoo. I bought my bottle from Wilkos, where it was on offer for £2.99 although the normal retail price is roughly £3.99 for a 400ml bottle.

The shampoo comes in a very striking black and bright pink bottle, which is why it originally caught my eye on the shelf. The bottle has text giving the name of the product and what is does printed in white although some is highlighted by the pink. The bottle states that this shampoo is for fine and fragile hair and Loreal explain that ‘you put your hair through daily torture and sometimes it can lack essential nourishment. Weakened, your hair has a tendency to break and fall out.’ The bottle has a simple flip top lid, which like most shampoos, is at the top of the bottle.

The shampoo is extremely easy to get out of the bottle if you give it a little squeeze. Out comes a thick and creamy white shampoo. I instantly noticed that this shampoo is thicker than others I have used before but not the consistency of a conditioner. As I poured out the shampoo for the first time, the wonderful scent hit me immediately. My usual Treseme shampoo doesn’t really have much of a scent to it and I was pleasantly surprised with this one. The scent is quite floral but not overpowering.

As I applied this to my hair, the scent got even stronger which is not a bad thing. The shampoo lathered up extremely easily which means you don’t need to use much at all – even on long hair like mine. Even before putting on conditioner, my hair felt extremely soft and smooth so I was already impressed with this shampoo. When it came to blow drying my hair after the shower, I could still smell the shampoo which was a major plus for me. My hair doesn’t really normally smell of anything but with this one, the scent lasts all day near enough.

After only using this for a couple of days, I could already see the results. My hair felt and looked stronger than it did before and the shampoo has also helped to minimise my hair breaking and falling out. I definitely want to try the conditioner in this range to see if that helps my hair even more. This is a shampoo that actually does what it says it will so in my eyes, worth the higher price. 

Moving Out Day!

I can't believe today has finally arrived. After having been at university in Nottingham for three years, it is time to move out of my flat here and move to North Walsham in Norfolk with my boyfriend. It has been hard having a long distance relationship and I have hated having to wait weeks at times until I got to see John again. However, now we're going to live together and get married in just over 4 months. I couldn't be happier. 

Even though I am ridiculously excited to be finished with university and have no more essays to write, I will miss living with my best friend Kate. We've lived together for two years now in two different flats and I couldn't have asked for someone better to live with. Even more so than missing living with Kate, it feels strange to think I'll live with a guy instead of a girl. Although John and I lived together last summer, he's stuck with me and my OCD ways now so I would imagine there will be some nagging on my part going on. 

I also can't wait to be able to call a flat my own, instead of renting a room somewhere. Our flat in North Walsham is quite small though and it doesn't have nearly enough space for all of our things, especially all of my books. It will be nice to get a bigger place after the wedding but for now, it is definitely home and it feels like it too. 

Anyway, as I'm busy moving out today and carting my stuff across the country on a train, I thought I'd leave you with some pics from uni. (Mostly drunk ones!)

Unexpected haul!

I wasn't actually planning on buying quite so much today. All I wanted was a new handbag suitable for interviews/ to go with my interview clothes. However, I was weak and caved by going into Superdrug, which I know I shouldn't have done in the first place. 

First up is the interview bag which came from Next. I absolutely love the bags from Next and this is generally where I get a new handbag from. This one, there was only one left and screamed buy me. It was only £24 as well which I think is a bargain! Inside is a lovely black and white flower print as well as three different compartments. This is a great thing for me as I can keep make-up/ hair stuff in one, purse and I-pod etc in another and then my Kindle/ a book in the other. This is a really well designed handbag. 

I needed a top coat nail polish due to having nail art drawn on yesterday. I quickly learned that a top coat was definitely needed otherwise the pen comes straight off. I opted for a top coat from MUA as I don't use them much and didn't want to pay loads of money. While walking around the make-up section I also noticed some GOSH products were on sale. I managed to bag the gold and silver crackle effect nail polishes for only £1 each (saving £4.49). I couldn't help myself even though I know I didn't need these. 

And last but not least, something I have been dying to buy for a while now. I can't really justify buying this but I'm calling it a 'finishing university present to myself' so I don't feel as bad. I walked out of Superdrug with a Sleek i-Divine Original Palette. This cost £7.99. Not loads I know, but I have a lot of eyeshadow palettes already. 

So, even though I only needed one thing out of all of this, I am really happy with my purchases! 

Wilko Hairspray Extra Firm

After leaving all of my new hair styling products in Norfolk, I had to go out and buy some more so that I could use them with my new hair curlers in Nottingham. I didn’t want to spend a lot though, having better things back at home so I bought Wilko Hairspray Extra Firm. As this is a Wilko product, it can only be bought in store or online. For a 300ml canister, I paid 67p.

I was surprised at how nice the packaging was for this super cheap product. The hairspray comes in a wonderful metallic silver canister, with bold and bright lettering printed on the front. In large letters are the words ‘control’, ‘holds it’ and ‘extra firm’, letting you know exactly what this hair spray does. The lid is a bright orange, which matches some of the printed text. Once you pull off the lid, underneath is a bright orange top where you push a button to spray the product.

As I have tried the Sainsbury’s own brand of hairspray too, I had quite high hopes for this one, regardless of the cheap price. The hairspray is really easy to use because of the large button at the top of the canister. On first use, you do need to push down a little harder than normal as you need to break to seal. After this though, the button presses down really easily and you don’t need to use much force at all. As with all hairsprays, it is better to use in a ventilated area or large room due to the fumes it gives out. With this one, the fumes aren’t too bad at all though and it actually smells really nice.

I didn’t really want to buy extra hold hairspray but other than the more expensive brands, this was my only choice. I wish that there had been more options in regards to hold. After my hair had been curled, I sprayed this all over, as well as a little underneath my hair to make sure they would stay in place. However, as this is extra hold hairspray, it made my hair very firm and crispy in places. Luckily, my hair did not look stiff and crispy, it only felt that way. This hairspray did do its job extremely well though and kept my curls in all day.

If this products becomes available in just a firm hold, I would definitely buy it but I am just not a fan of crispy hair.