Wishlist Wednesday: Christmas Gift Sets Under £15

It's just over a month until Christmas and if you're anything like me you'll be thinking about what you'd like to find wrapped up under the tree. If, unlike me, you're a bit more selfless you're probably thinking about what you're going to buy for the special people in your life. Lots of brands release great value kits and sets around this time of year so whether you're looking for a treat for yourself or someone else the next three Wishlist Wednesday posts will be dedicated to my top picks. This week I've chosen sets under the £15 mark so they're great as stocking fillers or secret Santa gifts. Everything can be found on ASOS.com.

Pixi Lid Last Shadow Pen Duo

£12

This set contains two versatile shades of cream shadow in an easy-to-use pen/pencil form. The darker shade would work well as a base for a smoky eye or as a liner whereas the lighter shade would look great blended out as a sheer wash of colour if you're in a rush or as a highlight on the brow bone. I've not tried a lot of Pixi products myself but I've heard good things about these pencils and at £6 each they're not going to break the bank.

BeneFit POREfect Radiance Kit

£9.50

I'm not typically a fan of sets which contain only trial sized products but I can make an exception for this one. The kit contains mini versions of BeneFit's POREfessional primer, It's Potent eye cream and Triple Performing facial emulsion. The idea behind the kit is that the three products work together to create the perfect base for make up. I've not tried the facial emulsion (read: lightweight moisturiser with a silly name) but I have used and enjoyed the primer and eye cream before. If used correctly the products in the kit should last around a month. The products should work on most skin types.

Cath Kidston Polka Dot Emery Boards

£4

Whilst these pretty emery boards wouldn't be a great gift on their own I'd love to receive these as a stocking filler. Every girl needs about fifty nail files anyway; I'm forever losing mine! 

Stila Merry & Bright Palette and Lip Glaze Set
£12.50
Stila offer some great gift set options; this little palette and lip glaze is just one example. There are six fairly neutral shadows, a 'highlighter' (which looks more like a blush to me) and a lip glaze in the set so it's prefect for a younger relative who's new to make up or someone who likes to travel light. I've found the quality of Stila products to be excellent so would expect the same from this set.

Ciate Velvet Manicure - Blue Suede
£14
Okay, so this one definitely won't be for everyone and I'd probably never spend £14 this for myself but I'd (not so) secretly like to try a velvet manicure. It comes in a variety of shades but this dark blue has caught my eye. 


Have you started your Christmas shopping yet?

Stace xx

Wednesday Wishlist: Make Up Academy

MUA is one of the best high street brands, in my opinion. They never cease to amaze me with exciting new products at really reasonable prices. Whilst I do enjoy using products from brands like Revlon and L'Oreal, if I'm after a cheap fix MUA is always at the top of my list. I sometimes buy their products in Superdrug but often the stands are messy and poorly stocked so I prefer using their lovely website. I always get my parcels quickly and they offer free shipping if you spend over £25. You can get a lot of MUA products for £25.

I thought I'd share the products I'm tempted by in this week's wish list!

Mega Volume Mascara - £3

I think I'm most attracted to this mascara because the packaging is similar to Maybelline's One by One mascara which I quite enjoyed! The brush has rubber bristles like my favourites; BeneFit's They're Real  and L'Oreal's Volume Million Lashes. This comes in brown, black and waterproof. I think I'd go for the waterproof version.

Blush Perfection Cream Blusher - £2

I have my eye on the shades Yummy (bottom right) and Dolly (top right). I like experimenting with cream blushes every now and then. At £2 a pop I don't think you can go wrong. The other shades are Bittersweet (bottom right) and Blossom (top left). 

Nail Constellation in Libra - £3

I remember when Fleur De Force posted a video about a similar product from Ciate priced at £18 and thinking that was a ridiculous price. £3.00 is much more reasonable. If you've not heard of these manicure products before they're basically little beads that are applied to a just polished nail to give an interesting 3D effect. From MUA's range I'd go for the shade Libra because it's the most neutral looking colour. I wish they'd release with a black or dark blue.

Nail Varnish in Red Fever - £1

This is probably a predictable choice from me; I do love dark red shades! I've never tried any of MUA's £1 nail polishes so I'm interested to see how they compare to my more expensive favourites. 

Pearl Eyeshadow in Shade 11 - £1

I've been meaning to pick up this shade for years! It's a dark, slightly golden taupe-brown shade which I think would look perfect in the crease for definition or all over the lid with darker shades. liner and lots of mascara for a pretty smoky eye. 

Have any MUA products caught your eye recently?

Stace xx

Wednesday Wish List: Topshop Make Up

When Topshop first launched its make up range I wasn't in a rush to try it but after trying polishes, lipsticks and blushes over the past year or so I can safely say that I'm a fan. I think the products are reasonably priced and I love that their shade range is usually so on trend. I tend to stick to products in the core collection and here are some of the products I've currently got my eye on:

Lipstick in Sartorial

£8

link

Topshop describe this as a bright coral and from the swatches I've seen I'd say that's about right. It's definitely more a red/pink shade than an orange.

Bronzer in Desert Sun

£12.50

link

How pretty does this look in the pan? Topshop describe this as a peach shade and I think it'll work more like a blush than a bronzer.

Nail Polish in Helter Skelter

£5

link

I'm really drawn to this coral shade; it's odd since summer is almost over (did it ever really begin?) but I'd happily wear a shade like this all year round.

Smokey Eyes Quad in Tawny

£12

link

These colours are all shades I'd wear regularly so I'm interested in swatching this to see what the pigmentation is like. If any of you have tried these shadows, let me know!

Metallic Nails in Crystal Clouds

£6

link

If you've read any of my nail polish posts before you'll know that I'm not a fan of shimmer or metallic polishes at all but there's something about this shade's calling to me! It might be a nice pedicure colour...

Are you a fan of Topshop make up? What's your favourite product?

Stace xx

Wishlist Wednesday: Illamasqua Generation Q Collection

The new Illamasqua collection, Generation Q, is available to preview online and it looks great so I decided to dedicate this week's wish list to the products I'm after from the collection. Illamasqua are offering customers to vote for their three favourite products from Generation Q and the most popular three items will go on sale online on the 28th of August. Here are the products that will be getting my vote:

(link)

First up is the lipstick in Magnetism. This seems to be the most coveted item in the collection and I can see why. Illamasqua describe it as a deep raspberry pink and since I don't really have a shade similar in my collection I feel as though I need it in my life!

(link)

The second item that I'm keen to try is the Empower palette. It's a palette with three powder shadows and a liquid metal (the black shade). I don't know how much I'd use the pink toned shade but the other three look like great neutral shades that I could use all the time.

(link)

Allure blush is described as a dusky rose pink shimmer. These are the only pink shades I feel I can wear as most typical pink blushes look odd on me. I've never tried a powder blush from Illamasqua but I'm keen to have a look at this one.

So, which products from the Generation Q collection get your vote?

Stace xx

*all images from Illamasqua.com

Wishlist Wednesday: Feel Unique

I love the 'wish list' function on Feel Unique; I'm constantly adding items to it so I thought I'd share my most recent additions in today's wish list!

bareMinerals Ready Touch Up Veil - Translucent

£16.50

link

I always wanted to try the loose version of this powder but I was put off by the fact I'd probably spill it everywhere so when this pressed version was released, it went straight on to my wish list! My current face powder is on its way out so I really need to pick up another soon.

Caudalie Vinosource Moisturizing Sorbet

£19.80

link

I used to own this but the packaging was different; it was a pump bottle which didn't work very well and eventually broke. The issues with the packaging put me off repurchasing it but I'd happily use it again now that it's changed. This moisturiser is great for dehydrated skin so works well for me. 

Seche Vite Top Coat

£8.87

link

This product is always on my wish list because I alternate between this and Sally Hansen's Insta Dri and I'm running low on the latter. I find that Seche Vite doesn't get as goopy as quickly as the Sally Hansen so don't mind paying an extra few pounds for it.

Jemma Kidd Light As Air Foundation

£20

link

I've not purchased a new foundation for a very long time and have always had my eye on this one. Anna from Viviannadoesmakeup rates it highly so I want to see what all the fuss is about!

BeneFit Ultra Plush Lip Gloss in Bella Bamba

£13.50

link

I know these glosses haven't been rated highly but for some reason I still want to try one. The swatches look quite sheer so I want to try Bella Bamba as I imagine it'll be the most pigmented of the six.

If you own or have tried any of these products, please let me know what you think of them in the comments!

Stace xx

Wednesday Wishlist: Future Primitive Soap

I first heard about this brand from Meg and immediately went to the website to check it out. The company sell handmade bathing products that sound quite similar to Haus of Gloi (based in the US) from the UK. I thought I'd share the products that are at the top of my wish list.

Lemonade Lounger Bubbling Sugar Scrub 

£6.50 for 150g

I'm a big fan of body scrubs, particularly ones which foam up a bit in the shower so this is one I'd like to try...

Strawberry Patch Bubbling Sugar Scrub 

£6.50 for 150g

...and this is the second! Can you tell that I'm a fan of fruity scents? How yummy does this look?!

Pineapple Plantation Butter'n'Sugar Scrub

£7.50

This is the other form of body scrub Future Primitive make; it's moisturising rather than foaming. I've previously had difficulties with these sorts of scrubs but the description of this one categorically states that it won't leave a horrible greasy residue. I kind of want to eat a big bowl of pineapple now.

White Witch Handmade Soap 

£4.95 for approx. 125g

This is their best selling soap and is made with a blend of patchouli and bourbon geranium. I'm not a big fan of bar soaps as I often find them to be a bit drying but I always end up buying them anyway! I think I'm tempted by this one because it just looks deliciously creamy.

Chocolatier Body Whip

£6.50 for approx. 115g

I defy you to go and read the description of this product without drooling! It sounds divine and just the idea of a light but hydrating body lotion makes it a must-try for me.

Let me know if you've tried anything from Future Primitive Soap or if anything catches your eye!

Stace xx

Wednesday Wish List: ELF

This is another budget wish list from me! I've not made an ELF order for a really long time but I do have a bit of  a wish list stored on there so I thought I'd share a couple of the products here. Do let me know what you think of them if you've tried them!

Studio Mineral Powder Brush

£3.75

I've started watching Josh Collier on YouTube and he was recommending this brush recently so it went straight on to my wish list! 

Studio Warm Bronzer

£3.75

I recently bought my first ever bronzer (I know!!!) and now I want to try lots of them! I've heard good things about this product so I'm interested in trying it.

Studio Waterproof Lengthening and Volumizing Mascara

£3.75

ELF have so many mascaras on offer these days; when did that happen? I've been trying a few waterproof mascaras so I'd like to see how this compares.

Studio Lip Balm in Peach

£3.75

When I see the word 'peach' in the description or name of a lip product I have to have it! I've not tried any of the Studio balms before either.

Studio Matte Lip Color in Rich Red

£3.75

The colour of this looks great and I don't have a lot of reds in my (vast) lip product collection so I need it, right?

What's on your wish list this week?

Stace xx

Wednesday Wish List: LUSH!

I went into a LUSH store for the first time in forever last week and whilst I only purchased one item, I came away with a list of products I can't wait to try so I thought I'd incorporate that into this week's Wednesday Wish List!

You've Been Mangoed Bath Melt

£3.10

This smells so summery! I've tried a few of the other bath melts and enjoyed them; you do have to be willing to deal with a bubble free bath, though!

Dreamwash Shower Smoothie

£9.50

This is a reluctant wish list entry for me because LUSH have cruelly discontinued my favourite shower smoothie; the almond and coconut one. I used it as a shave cream on my legs and it worked amazingly well so I was pretty distraught when I discovered back in February that it was gone! This is the next best thing for me, it has the same great texture but unfortunately not the delicious scent. 

I Love Juicy Shampoo

£15.95

Have any of you smelled this?! It smells so good I kind of wanted to drink it. This is a clarifying shampoo so probably not one for anyone with dry hair but mine is very grease-prone so it should work well for me. 

Love Lettuce Fresh Face Mask

£5.95

One of my all time favourite LUSH products is their face mask in Catastrophe Cosmetic but I think it's about time I tried another of their fresh masks and this one is at the top of my to-try list.

Imperialis Face Cream

£12.50

I've never tried a LUSH face cream before and this one sounds like their best all-rounder. I'm almost out of moisturiser so this could make its way into my skincare drawer pretty soon!

Do you have a list of lemmings from LUSH? What's on it?

Stace xx

Wishlist Wednesday: Purse Friendly Edition!

After last week's wish list full of pricier items, I thought I'd share a few items on my wish list from the other end of the spectrum. Everything is under £10, which suits me in my current jobless state!

Rimmel Stay Matte powder

£3.99

My current face powder has a huge amount of pan showing right now so I'll need to pick up a new one quite soon. I've heard a lot of good things about this powder and it's less than £4! 

Barry M Lip Gloss in Toffee

£4.25

I've owned this before and I used it constantly. I've held off on replacing it because I wanted to use up a few other glosses but I think it's about time it took up its place in my collection again.

Bourjois 10 Day Nail Enamel in Coral Pink

£5.99

I've seen a few reviews on these new-ish polishes from Bourjois and they sound pretty good. I'm not sure how this would compare with the Revlon ColorStay polish I tried and loved, though.

Korres Lip Butter in Guava

£7

I've tried a couple of lip butters before but they were all too pigmented for me to just wear as a balm. I did like the texture so I'm keen to try Guava because it's effectively colourless. 

Bourjois Volume Fast & Perfect Rotating Mascara

£10.00

I'm not going to lie, I only really want to try this because it has a rotating wand. Have any of you tried it? I'd love to know your thoughts.

What's on your wish list this week?

Stace xx

Wishlist Wednesday: I Need A Job!

So, the job hunt has officially begun and naturally Boyfriend and I have been talking about the things we need (read: want) for our new flat that we can't afford until we're both working. Naturally, I've got a  wish lit a mile long of products that are just too expensive for me to justify buying right now. Here are a few examples:

Image from Esteelauder.com

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair

£58 for 50ml

I've heard mixed reviews on this product so I really want to try a sample first. This product has been on my wish list for a long time but the price keeps putting me off buying it. Have any of you tried it?

Image from clarisonic.co.uk

Clarisonic Mia

£120

I've been debating buying a Clarisonic for so long but I'm terrified of the 'purge' phase as my skin's looking pretty good right now. I'm a big fan of exfoliation (does that sound as strange as it does in my head?) so this is something I should probably try at some point.

Image from yslbeauty.co.uk

YSL Le Teint Eclat Foundation 

£28

I might end up picking this up with my Boots points if I can because I'm dying to try a sample and if I like it, I can see myself buying the full size. I'm almost out of my Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua which is £3 more expensive. I've been really enjoying sheer/light coverage foundations recently.

Image from johnlewis.com

Dolce & Gabbana The One EDP

£54 for 50ml

This is my all-time favourite perfume and I've not owned a bottle of it for a while. My current pricey perfume (Prada Candy) is on it's way out so I'm planning on replacing it with this.

Image from beautybay.com

Babyliss Pro Porcelain Conical Wand 

£23.95

I've been contemplating buying one of these ever since my hair become too long to use my old curling tongs on but I keep talking myself out of it because I don't know if I'd use it much and I'm terrified of burning my face or fingers!

If you own any of these products, let me know what you think of them!

Stace xx

Wishlist Wednesday: Hearty Homeware Bits from EBay

We're moving in the middle of the month. I know it might seem as though I've been moving for ages; it's because the landlord keeps changing the date we can move in. We were expecting to be in by the 10th but now it'll be more like the 19th/20th. 

I've been on EBay and I've now got my eye on quite a few bits for our new flat; if only I could buy everything and hide it from Boyfriend who says I'm not allowed to spend anything! So, I thought I'd share some of the things on my wish list with you all, I hope this isn't too much of a departure from the norm.

Love Home Keyring - £2.49 (here)

This isn't technically a 'home' item but I need a new keyring and thought this one was sweet. There are only two left in stock so I might have to hurry up and buy it!

Heart Door Stops - £2.95 (here)

I've actually already bought four of the cream ones but wanted to include these anyway since I've not received them yet. The flat currently has old door stops under a few of the doors and I really wanted to replace them with something pretty and small so these will be great. The seller is lovely too, there's a discount if you buy more than one and she has some other lovely bits for sale too. 

Large Rustic Hanging Heart Chalkboard - £9.44 (here)

There may be a heart theme emerging here! I want to put a little chalkboard in our kitchen to leave Boyfriend instructions write down important things or shopping lists. I recently bought a friend a little trinket that had a tiny chalkboard on it so I had to buy chalk to go with it. The only chalk I could find was a pack of 50 pieces so I gave her two and now have a load of chalk...that's reason enough to buy this, right!?

Red Gingham Heart Coasters - £9.90 (here)

Our kitchen/living/dining area is going to be mostly red and cream so I thought these coasters would fit in well. I like that I can tidy them away into their holder, too. 

Red Gingham Key Holder - £13.25 (here)

Boyfriend wants a key holder. If I have my way it'll be a red and cream one with hearts on...I think this one looks really sweet, I'd be interested to see what the quality is like in real life.

That's it for now!

Stace xx

All images from EBay.co.uk