Boxing Day Sales 2012 - Haul

This year I actually did get to do a little shopping on Boxing Day. Last year, I didn't do any sale shopping, so this time I decided to treat myself as well as pick up a few essentials. And here's what I got:

My Boxing Day Sale haul!

Close up of the stackable rings =)

From Next (which believe it or not, still had a long queue of people waiting to go in at 4pm, even though the store opened at 6am), I picked up a standard pack of ankle socks and a set of stackable rings (not very exciting, I know). Boots had 50% off all their christmas gift sets, so I bought the Soap & Glory Shower Trip case, which contains 6 travel size products and a rather handy (and large) bag, which will be perfect when I'm travelling. I also took advantage of the 50% off offer at Lush and got hold of one of the last few 500ml bottles of Snow Fairy in the store, which cost me just over £5. Superdrug also have plenty of offers going on at the moment, and one that caught my eye was a selection of Simple products priced at £2 each. My sister is currently using the Simple hydrating light moisturiser, and she really likes it (I'll try and get her to do a review), so I picked up the replenishing one, which is more suited for my dry skin as it's a rich moisturiser.

The one piece of clothing that I got was a black jersey maxi skirt, from a shop called Select Fashion. It wasn't on sale, but only cost me £10 (and there are lots more colours availableon the website). Not sure exactly when and how I'm going to wear it, so if you have any idea's, do let me know!


I forgot to have a look at shoes/boots so I'll probably be going back next week (hopefully when the crowds have all gone) =)

Did anyone pick up any good bargains during the boxing day sales?




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Prescribed Dermalogica Skincare Routine [review]

In September, I had a face mapping skin analysis carried out at the Dermalogica stand at Westfield Stratford. The assistant told me that my skin was dehydrated, and that only my t-zone (mostly my nose) was oily. She recommended a few products for me to use, however I didn't want to purchase full size items and then realise that they either did not get on with my skin, or that I hated using them (for whatever reason). I decided to go for the LE Top Performer collection which contained 4 miniature/travel sized products, 3 of which were recommended to me (these were the cleansing gel, daily microfoliant and skin smoothing cream). The fourth product was an eye cream (MultiVitamin Power Firm) which I haven't actually used. The assistant also recommended the mattifying moisturiser, which I didn't purchase, but she did give me a few sample sachets so I could try the product out (this was specifically for applying on my oily nose).

So far, I have actually been pretty good with cleansing and micro-foliating (if that's a word) most mornings (I'm not perfect, otherwise it would be every morning) and also cleansing most evenings too. I used the skin smoothing cream as a daily moisturiser in place of my usual Olay one and have been sticking to the routine for the most part (apart from on Eid and the mendhi/wedding days, where I had to replace the Dermalogica cleanser for the Liz Earle C&P to remove all my makeup effectively). I haven't used the mattifying moisturiser at all as my nose has become less oily (probably because it is colder now), and I don't like the hassle of having to use a separate moisturiser for my nose.

At the beginning I didn't really see any changes. In fact I gained a few spots (although that might be due to the weather change and the fact that I have not been drinking enough water). After using this routine for a good few weeks here are my thoughts. I have mixed result as I'm not a big fan of foaming cleansers and personally I think cream/balm cleansers work a lot better for me. The moisturiser was great as it was a lot thicker than my usual Olay one (which I will stop using) but I won't be purchasing the Dermalogica skin smoothing moisturiser as it doesn't contain SPF. I've never actually looked at SPF in my skincare and cosmetics before, however I am becoming more conscious of this and have been looking into purchasing a moisturiser with a decent amount of SPF for the winter (and obviously one with a higher SPF factor for the summer). I will be purchasing the daily microfoliant, once mine has finished, as it's gentle enough for everyday use (as suggested in the name) and quite fun to use. It's just working out how much you actually need to use that is the tricky part at the beginning!


I would definitely recommend going for a face mapping analysis and finding out if you should be changing anything in your skincare routine (and it's free). You aren't obliged to purchase any products after the analysis, but any purchases do usually include a fair few sample sachets of products to try.

Has anyone else tried Dermalogica products? What did you think of them?



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Autumn/Winter Boots : Bring on the Rain (not really)

I really need to go on a spending ban soon, as I've been buying quite a bit over the past few weeks. In my defense, I'm adjusting my wardrobe for the colder months which have arrived (a little too early for my liking).

 

My most recent purchase is this pair of High Leg Chelsea boots from New Look, which I purchased for just under £20 (with student discount). I chose the high leg boots as they will stop my feet and legs from getting wet when it's raining, especially as the bottom half of my abaya gets soaked (especially from the knees down). I love the brown colour, which is perfect for the Autumn/Winter seasons and they make a nice change from the usual black boots. These are also wide fit boots and have a low heel, which means that they are practical and comfortable, and also don't squash my feet (also perfect for wearing with thick, winter socks). Not too sure about how these will hold up when it starts to snow but I'll definitely be making use of these boots in the next few months (I have a separate pair of boots for when the snow arrives!) =)

(excuse the photo from the website. I couldn't get a decent picture with my camera)

 



Expect to see a few OOTD posts soon featuring these boots (especially as it's been raining quite a bit).

What do you think? Have you started wearing outfits from your autumn/winter wardrobe?




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July Accessories Haul

Most of the shops at Westfield Stratford City currently have a sale of some kind going on. I had originally planned to buy a bag from Zara on Sunday but didn't manage to find it in the store. I did however, pop into Forever 21 and H&M and pick up some accessories (not that I really need anymore!). I love stackable rings, and definitely prefer wearing them over statement rings as they can be mixed and matched with different rings as well as worn individually.

I also bought 2 sets of hair slides from H&M as there was an offer on, with some of the jewellery being buy one get one free. I picked up these two sets as I am loving the cute bows and the black rose designs. I wear these slides to secure my hijab in place on the side of my face (don't really want any sharp pins near my cheeks!).

Have you bought anything from the sales? Also, what do you think of haul posts?





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Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish [review]

I bought the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth cleanser from John Lewis at Stratford City Westfield on the opening day. I've only started using it from around mid-October, as I was previously using the Vitamin E Cleanser and Toner from The Body Shop, and wanted to finish using that first. Luckily for me, one of my friends was looking for a cleanser to take with her on holiday, so I (gladly) let her take both the cleanser and toner to use. I have to be honest and say that on most days, I remove my makeup with baby wipes as my makeup isn't heavy or full face and really is just removing eyeliner and mineral foundation. This routine hasn't changed, but I've started to use Cleanse and Polish on the days (nights?) when I have more makeup on than I would on a normal day, usually at the weekend.

I really like the smell of Cleanse and Polish. The eucalyptus is definitely present and there is just something about the smell which (subconsciously) makes me think the product will work. I also like the pump dispenser as it deposits just the right amount to cover my face and neck. I have combination/sensitive skin due to an oily t-zone and eczema, which makes it difficult to find skin care products that work for me. Fortunately I have not experienced any irritation or issues from using this product, so I would recommend this product to others with a similar skin type.The cleanser also removes waterproof and stubborn makeup, so this great for when I'm wearing make-up to last for a whole day (like on Eid!). I know that the two step routine of using a muslin cloth to remove the cleanser can be a bit time consuming, but it is worth the extra time and effort because you can actually see all the makeup and dirt being removed on the cloth (not to mention the money being saved by not buying cotton wool pads). Alos, there is just something about the two-step routine that makes it a bit more fancier(?) than cleanser soaked cotton wool pads (although that might just be my imagination).

I can see this bottle lasting me a good few months before it needs to be repurchased and it works so well, I think it justifies the price and I'm glad I picked it up.

Anyone else who uses Cleanse and Polish? What do you think of it?



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WSC Opening (Thoughts and Mini Haul)

So, yesterday was the opening of the now largest shopping mall in Europe, Westfield Stratford City (WSC), and I managed to get myself down there to have a look. I'll be sharing my experience and plenty of pictures which were taken throughout the day. =)

Firstly, before we (my sister and I) even left, we wanted to see whether any stores had any offers and goodies. There were quite a few, including £50 gift cards to the first 20 customers at Forever21, with the first 500 receiving a goody bag with a pajama set. The Apple Store was giving away free t-shirts to the first 1000 people through their doors, and many other stores were offering free products and samples, when you made a purchase. We decided to go to the Apple Store, as we knew that there was no chance that we'd even get into Forever21, and from the pictures below, you can see what I mean!

We left the house at 7:30am and got to Stratford station at just before 8am. No, we didn't climb the stairs (used the escalators) and the walk across the bridge (which goes over the train tracks) wasn't too bad as it was pretty empty. Here are the pics that I managed to take throughout the day =)

at 8am in the morning opposite Stratford Station

walking across the bridge to WSC

 the queue outside Forever21

Forever 21 Store

 Kiko Make Up Milano Store

 Inside Kiko Make up Milano

 Mr Pretzels!

 Crepe Affaire!

 Looking kinda empty at 8:30am

 Getting a bit busier at 9am around the Apple Store entrance

 Outside the Apple Store (i know it doesn't look like it, but there was an orderly queue outside the store, which was blocked off so people couldn't just randomly cut in)

 Inside the Apple Store (employees wearing blue t-shirts)

Visitor Guide (and the t-shirt box underneath)

 Outside the shopping centre, people were watching Nicole Scherzinger live, on a big screen (I think). 

 WSC packed out at 1pm

Stopping for a Mr Pretzel along the way! (i had a vanilla sugar one) =)

Unfortunately, the 2nd floor restaurants and food court were closed to the public (due to VIP guests), but my friends and I were able to find a space in the Lower Ground Floor food court to eat. There was also a Glamour Magazine Photo booth next to the Krispy Kreme kiosk, so we took quite a few (free) photo's. It was extremely busy which wasn't helped by the fact that security and WSC staff tried to create a one way flow of people (which I thought was a disaster). Mainly because there were quite a few places which were blocked off from public access and the sheer number of people, and let's imagine- you come out of a store and want to go to the next store on the left hand side, but you can't because everyone is walking towards the right side, therefore you have to go all the way around the balcony bit (if that makes sense) in order to get to the store you want to go to. 

I didn't manage to go into every single store (didn't even attempt Primark!) but the ones that I did go to were Apple, John Lewis, Lego, Forever21, Lush, Waitrose, Gruis, Accessorize and Kiko Make Up Milano. My friends and I spent over an hour in John Lewis (in the beauty department), just trying out makeup and skincare products. I didn't really purchase much, as this was more of a window shopping opportunity to see what was available and there were stores which will be opening in the near future, including H&M, MAC Makeup and Pinkberry. Overall, I was in WSC for over 8 hours (from 8am to 4:30pm!) and still didn't see everything. We didn't get to see the stores which were located outside of the actual shopping centre and missed having lunch at one of the restaurants (and finding out if Nando's is Halal).

Here are some pictures of what I did purchase, and a few goodies that were included =)

Free Apple Store t-shirt

Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser Starter Kit from John Lewis

(Always wanted to try this as there are so many good reviews, and hopefully will be great for my combination/sensitive skin!)

 gift bag treats were a nice surprise (with purchase) =) 

 Lego Hermione Keychain from Lego Store (I am a big kid at heart!)

Socks and False Eyelashes from Forever21 (Couldn't leave without buying something!)

I'm hoping to go back once the crowds have thinned out a bit, or maybe when H&M opens on the 30th September =)

Will you be braving the crowds at WSC anytime soon? Let me know =)



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Countdown to Stratford City Westfield Opening

So, I don't live very far from the soon-to-be Stratford City Westfield Shopping Centre (less than 10 minute bus journey). And I am definately looking forward to the opening day which is Tuesday 13th September! There will be plenty of offers thorughout the week, although the majority of them will be on the opening day. I'm hoping to take some pictures of the largest shopping centre in Europe, which houses approximately 300 retailers, including a bowling alley, 14 screen cinema and over 50 restaurants. Also, looking forward to picking up some bargains and freebies along the way and enjoying lunch with a few friends (as we take a break from browsing/shopping) =)

Is there anyone in else in the London area who will also be at Stratford City Westfield (that's a mouthful) on Tuesday? Let me know if you are =)



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