Two Saturday’s ago I visited Cambridge for the day with some friends for Lunch and some Christmas Shopping – as none of us were feeling particularly festive. I managed to buy a few presents for people, and some presents for my boyfriends which was on Monday – but I also picked up a few things for myself. I’ve also ordered a hell of a lot of dresses for up coming Christmas Parties – but have decided to just keep two, so these will be at the end as well!
Freedom Makeup
Glycolic Acid Toner (£6), Brush Shower (£5), Ambient Diffused Highlighter (£3) + Innocent Eyeshadow Palette (Free!)
If you saw my winter wishlist you will have seen that I had a few freedom items on my wishlist, and this is the first time that I’d seen freedom in store. Unfortunately they only had 1 item from my wishlist, but there has been a few other items that I’ve been eyeing since then. The Glycolic Acid Toner is a dupe for the Pixi Glow Tonic which I’ve been dying to try and it’s a fraction of the cost!
I really needed a new spot brush cleanser and I really liked the one from sister brand Revolution that I’d tried, I’m guessing this is the same just in a different bottle (although it is smaller, and the same price)!
Diffused Highlighter is a dupe for the Hourglass Ambient Lighting powders and at 10 times cheaper it was a product which again I’d been wanting to try.
When you spent over £10 on Freedom you received a free Innocent eyeshadow palette with 32 shades in, worth £8 on their own website – I wasn’t planning on keeping this until I opened it and actually the shade selection looks really pretty!
Joules
I would never have headed in to Joules had my friend not have asked to pop in, I’m so glad that we did as I spotted these beagle socks for £5.95 – I almost bought 2 pairs I got that excited! For those who may think that’s weird, I have a beagle – and anything with beagles on needs to be mine!
Primark
I’m not a big Primark shopper – I’m not a Primark snob per se but I do believe you get what you pay for – and most clothing I’ve bought from Primark doesn’t last very long in my experience. My main problem with Primark is how overcrowded and busy the stores are and I feel like I can never browse at my own pace. But there are a few “essentials” I like to pick up when I do go in. Luckily the Cambridge store wasn’t too busy, I picked up a new winter bobble hat – I wore this to go Christmas Tree shopping, and I’ve also been wearing it quite a bit around the house – I love the mix of bright shades with pastel shades, it makes each pop – a bargain at only £3!
Lastly from Cambridge I got a marvellous Santa Dress which came with a matching hat and complete with annoyingly awesome bells so you jingle as you walk, it’s a little big, but was the last one left on the shelf, wearing this to work for Christmas Jumper day at work at only £16 it was a steal and I can see me wearing this on Christmas Eve too!
Boohoo
Christmas party dress shopping was an absolute chore this year, I felt like I went in every shop, browsed every website and I bought and sent back about 20 dresses. I’d never shopped on Boohoo before and bought a dress on ASOS which I ended up sending back because it was slightly faulty, BUT it fit really nice which inspired me to place a boohoo order.
I ordered the same dress (Gina caged dress) as I sent back in white and ended up wearing it to my work Christmas party last week – I was aiming to get a picture but I didn’t get chance, I think I might wear this for Christmas or Boxing day – so hopefully it will give me a chance then! I liked the slutty boob gaps, the white colour made me look like beyonce and generally I felt comfortable, and it was very flattering if I do say so myself and – £20 + 20% off discount code made it super cheap too!
I picked up several other dresses for choice but ended up sending them all back – bar this one (Amy Mesh), which again was super flattering and I liked the fit/shape of too. I probably would have wore this one to my Christmas party however I need to get the right bra to wear with it. This has a see through mesh waist panel and I need to find a strapless bra which doesn’t come down super low or a stick on one, as my strapless bra was peeking out the bottom (and being white it was also quite obvious!) I can’t remember how much this was but I remember again it was super cheap like the other one.
Have you been treating yourself lately despite the run up to Christmas? Or have you managed to keep yourself well restrained?
Instagram: @helplesswhilstdrying | Twitter: @helplessdrying
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Freedom and Makeup Revolution are sister companies aren’t they? I hope Freedom comes to Malaysia soon. I wanna try their brow pomades.
Yes they’re on my list of things to try in the new year, unfortunate
Y the stand in the store was tiny and was mostly eyeshadow palettes and lipsticks so they weren’t there to pick one up! I believe they offer delivery from their website internationally and I think it’s quite inexpensive… 😊
Good to know…
The white dress & wooly hat 👌 love!
Those dresses are gorgeous!
Thank you! Really are bargain too!
love posts like these! youve written in great detail for each purchase, love it!
Fran // franloves.wordpress.com
Thanks fran x
Great haul! The eyeshadow palette looks beautiful!!
Not bad for a freebie eh?! X
Lovely haul! I love your dress picks too! I had to buy a dress for a Christmas party I went to this past weekend and I feel like that’s the only place I will ever have gotten to wear it or can wear it lol. xx
Thanks Katie! I know I always try to think of one other time I can wear a dress, luckily these weren’t very expensive so it’s not the end of the world if they don’t get worn often! Xx
You’re welcome Rachael! Now if I knew I had a great New Year’s party to go to then the dress would work again maybe but that’s not going to happen lol. xx
That black dress is gorgeous! Lovely haul. 🙂
Thanks, can’t wait to wear it
Adorable Santa dress! 😀
Wearing it tomorrow for work! Really cute!
Lovely eyeshadow palette 🙂
That black dress looks amazing! 😀