July Favourites 2013

Hello There!

So I know I've been away for a while but I'm coming back full speed ahead. And in my opinion there's no better comeback post than a favourites post. So, here come my July favourites. 

MaxFactor Liquid Illusion Foundation: So at the beginning of this month it was cooler so I was still wearing full foundations, and I was really enjoying the Liquid Illusion foundation. Basically I was really enjoying the finish. It's a dewey, not shiny finish and your skin just looks flawless. It's a medium-full coverage, but it is way way way too heavy for the weather we're having in the UK at the moment, so I'll probably put this bad boy away until November time. 

Barry M Lash Vegas: I'd been getting a bit bored of my mascara routine and when I was looking through my mascaras I decided to try this again, and just fell in love again. I think I get a bit caught up in my love for products and so the other products just get overlooked. On the plus side, it's great to rediscover a great product! Full review here.

Avon Supershock Gel Eyeliner:  I've really been enjoying these eyeliners this month. I've only recently discovered gel eyeliners because I've always been a bit wary of them. I'm rubbish with liquid liner and never like the way it looks on me, so pencil/kajal eyeliner's have been my saviours. But, I've been branching out and these are just fabulous. They are so easy to apply, because they have exactly the same consistency as potted gel eyeliners but in stick form! These are the two colours that I have - Black and Blackberry. Blackberry is the most beautiful deep purple-black and looks amazing on green eyes, and the black is beautifully pigmented. 

Full reviews coming soon :)

Elf Daily Brush Cleaner: I mentioned that I liked this in my ELF haul last month, and I've put it in my July favourites simply because I've been loving it for the whole month, and I'm sure the love will continue for August...

Joursna Blush Brush: This is a brush I bought from ebay a while ago. This seems to be a knock-off version of the Real Techniques brushes. I have since bought the genuine articles and realised that it isn't really a dupe for any brush in particular. It is a very special brush. It is actually amazing. I completely love it. It is a complete multi-tasker - blush, contour, highlight it does it all. If you have a spare £2.50 then you need this in your collection! Available here.

Elf Contouring Blush & Bronzer Powder: I've been on the move a bit this month and I've enjoyed this because not only is it great quality, but also a massive space saver in my makeup case. The bronzer doubles as contour as well as bronzer and the blush doubles as blush and highlighter. I can't pack lightly so I take other blushes and bronzers and whatnot, but in when you're in a rush this is perfect product. 

L'Oreal 3-In-1 Micellar Solution: This is a new staple in my skincare routine. It's just completely fabulous. There's nothing more I can say except full review soon :)

So, I hope that you've been inspired to try some of these products - they truly are great products, I wouldn't mention them otherwise! 

What are your favourites this month? 

Let me know in a comment!

Ciao for now, G x

What Can You Buy On Ebay? Ebay Spree... Part 3: Rings

Hello There!

The sequel becomes a trilogy! This is part three of my series of 'What Can You Buy On Ebay?'
(Part 1 -What Can You Buy on Ebay?)
(Part 2 - What Can You Buy On Ebay? Part 2)

Todays focus is in the title : Rings

If you've read Part 1, you'll see that I bought some rose shaped earrings as part of my 'grown-up' earring collection. But I'm a stickler for co-ordination, so I had to buy accessories to match. And these were what I found.
Available here.

Left: Again, this ring was for co-ordination purposes. A subtle piece that I think will work well with a more sophisticated outfit.

Available here.

Right: An antique-style ring that I really liked the look of. So I bought it. :)

Available here.

These were unique rings that I found on Ebay and just couldn't resist!

Left: This was a quirky little ring that I found on my travels through the interweb. 

Right: I saw someone else with this ring, and had to have one with my own letter on it. I think it's cool, but then I think scrabble is cool. It goes with anything because it's a cream colour and I like it to add a little fun to a serious-looking outfit. 

Available here.

Have you found any good bargains on Ebay recently?
Let me know in a comment, I do love a good bargain :)

Ciao for now, G x

What Can You Buy On Ebay? Ebay Spree... Part 1: Earrings

Hello There, 

So, today is all about Ebay, YAY. 

Basically, I've been transitioning my jewellery collection to a more 'mature' me, I guess. Well basically moving from frog earrings to pearls is the gist of it. So I can actually wear them. And while I've been doing this, I decided to check out ebay, to see if there were any pieces that would add to my collection or if I could find the same pieces at a cheaper price. And I was very pleasantly surprised. There is a mountain of cheaper jewellery on that website. There are conditions - it's obviously not amazing quality, there's a 4-week delivery estimate and the item may not be exactly as it says on the tin. But lets face it, 99p is hardly a bank-breaker, and I've very rarely been dissatisfied with a purchase.

Check out my post on How Not To Be Scammed On Ebay here.

Another plus - I enjoy the post - who doesn't? I don't know a single person who doesn't get excited when they get post (except bills obviously). And because of the wait time, anything between 2-4 weeks, what you buy is a nice surprise when it does arrive because you don't know the exact date it will arrive. 

And I've bought heaps of stuff. Who wouldn't? At 99p a piece its hard not to. So much in fact, that it is impossible for me to document in one post. 
Therefore, today's post is - EARRINGS
Every seller I mention, I have given a 5-star review.

Enjoy.

I had been looking for white roses initially, but when I saw them on ebay, I couldn't resist buying the red and black as well, as they were only 99p. I was so caught up in looking at the colours, I didn't even realise that it was BuyOneGetOneFree, Yay! I bought them from here, but there aren't that many colours left in stock. So I would also suggest here and here for alternative colours and styles.  AND, bonus, they're in the UK so you won't have the 2-week wait!

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Left: Coffee Bean Earrings. Part of my professional, going to work/lecture/posh evening out looks. Available from here. Right: My favourite earrings of all time. I only bought the white pair initially, but loved them so much I immediately purchased the black pair as well. Available from here. 

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These earrings are for a more 'dressy' look ie. night out, posh do, dinner, dancing etc.
Left: I think these are better suited to people with ear piercings are the bottom of the earlobe, if you catch my drift. The extension to the pearl isn't long, and they don't dangle properly if you have high ear piercings. But, only 99p so worth a try? Available here.
Right: Lovely, simple and slightly unusual design, taking a twist on traditional flower dangling earrings.  The original seller no longer sells them, but I have found an alternative which is slightly more expensive, but is based in the UK, so delivery will be much more convenient. Available from here. 

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I liked these earrings because they were a look that I hadn't really seen before. I thought they were a really interesting design, and I thought I'd give them a go. And I love them! Definitely something that none of you're friends will have. Just to say - they say they are in yellow gold, but actually more of a rose gold. Available from here. 

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These are my 'Grown Up, Pearl' additions to my collection.
Left: Actually heart shaped, although not that obvious in the picture. Available from here.
Right: Yes, there are two left earrings in this picture. I've contacted the seller today about it. But, they are still lovely earrings, and you have to remember that these companies are run by humans and humans do occasionally make mistakes. Available from here.

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I really love both pairs of these earrings and really think they've added to my collection.
Left: Available from here
Right: Available from here

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Ok, so these are my almost 'Pat Butcher' earrings. Warning: They are HUGE. Especially on the left. But they're still lovely. As you can see, obviously. 
Left: Available from here
Right: Available from here

Hope you will all treat yourself to a pair for Easter. You deserve it!

Ciao for now, G x

How Not To Be Scammed On Ebay (Or Just Online Shopping In General)

Hello there!

Welcome to Technology Tip Thursday - Hopefully once a fortnight I'll be able to share a technological tip with you, fingers crossed, hope it helps!

So today, it's all about ebay - yes ebay.  Before you say anything, I love ebay. I think it's genius. I've said it before. Especially for small businesses. And as long as you know how to exercise caution online you won't be disappointed. So here are my top tips for buying off ebay and online generally (and I've never been scammed). 

1. Check the delivery. - where it's coming from, how much the postage is, how long it will take. Check it will come to your country! And be realistic about delivery times. If it says 4 weeks don't expect it in 2 weeks. 

2. Check seller reviews - I would say that 99% upwards, don't hesitate. Anything above 95%,  should be ok. Anything below, approach with caution... Read any negative feedback to see if past buyer's problems could be applied to your product or not. But don't just take a bad review as everything - 95% is still a lot of happy customers. 

3. Check product reviews - Make sure that you've done you're research, even if you're not on ebay, for online shopping in general. If you're not sure about a product, check the seller's policy on returns, this will be in the returns section of the description, or in the description itself. Check the description - is it new/used/for spare parts. Make sure you know exactly what you're getting!

4. If you can - use PAYPAL. It is so much better because it provides security for you, the buyer, and if there are problems - Paypal will fight for you to get your money back. 

5. If in doubt, ask. There is a 'Ask a Question' section on every product page on ebay (and a Contact Us on other websites). It's very quick and should qualm any fears you have about a purchase. Lovely jubbly, job done. Simples.

6. Cause a Fuss  Ok, So that sounds worse than it is. If you are unhappy with a  purchase - DO SOMETHING. Contact the seller. Most sellers just want you to have a good experience. If something has gone wrong they'll probably want to help (especially if you haven't yet given feedback). Just use the contact seller option again. You'll probably be given the option of refund or replacement. Sorted. 
However, if the seller is not so accommodating, as long as you are still within 45 days after purchase, you can open a case with ebay against the seller. Then they'll have to do something to make it better. 

7. Google. Not ebay related. If you're buying off a new website that you haven't seen before, take 30 seconds to do a quick google. Yes, a google. Type in the name of the website into google and see what other people have said. There will usually be a unanimous decision - scam or genuine. Literally 30 seconds to avoid being scammed, definitely worth it I would say. 

Phew, that sounds like a lot of work, just to buy one thing. But if you get into good habits then it becomes second nature. And you should use these tips on other websites so you avoid scams. Then in the end, using these tips can only be a good thing. 

And, if you're super-excited about buying from ebay now, check out my posts on what you can buy off ebay: here

Hope this helps
Any questions just ask ;)

Ciao for now x

Les Lolitas Nail Polish Review

 Hello there!

So my post for the day is about a brand of nail polish called Les Lolitas.

I love this nail polish!

Navy, Peach, Turquoise
Tropic, Black, Bronze, Orange, Purple

So I discovered this brand in October when I bought the colour 'navy'. 

And I was SO impressed. So impressed that I bought 8 more colours. I have never had so many compliments about a nail colour. 'It looks like an expensive nail polish.' It is so so so shiny and the colour lasts for-ever. I am the queen of chipping nail polish, and have tried all sorts of different brands trying to make a colour last more than 2 hours. If it can be chipped, I will chip it. But, as long as I let this dry fully (put on before bed) I can get a good 4/5 days of unchipped nail polish after 2 coats. And I have been just as impressed with all the subsequent pots I've bought.

Navy, Peach, Turquoise

These are my favourite colours so far. Obviously I love the navy, and have worn it several times. There seem to be two types of nail polish, glittery and glossy.

So the bronze and the turquoise are glittery, whereas the others are all glossy. 

Navy, Turquoise, Bronze

So, where did I get this miracle nail polish from? What is the designer price tag?

Well, I hope to surprise you all. 

Ebay - £1.39

That is all. The seller is 'graciousonline16' (its not me) and I have always given them a 5-star review. 

The packages always arrive quickly and the nail polishes are bubble wrapped for safety. 

Now, I see people's faces when I say I bought something off ebay, but I want to stress how many amazing small businesses there are starting out on ebay, who just want to give great service. You just have to look out for them, and I'll do my best to show you them.

So, treat yourself to a new nail polish for Spring (or three)

Ciao for now x