Why, hello there...

This is my 3rd installment of my save your pennies series! Check out the last one here.

So this post is all about websites and on-line options for finding those bigger brands for a lot less and being budget friendly. Hopefully you'll find this useful, lets get started!




1. Fragrance Direct. I couldn't write this post without including this. This is a blogging favourite, including Calvin Klein to Maybeline at such massive discounts. Obviously they sell discounted fragrances as well, so it's definitely something to check out!

2. Everything 5 Pounds. I personally haven't used this site but I've seen some items from here which are amazing, and yes EVERYTHING is £5! Shoes, dresses, trousers, everything! Some of the designs are brilliant, but you do find some amazing gems!





3. ASOS Marketplace. This is a brilliant place to find unique pieces that you wouldn't find on the high-street. It has independent unique brands but also gives the chance for people to sell their unwanted jewellery/clothing, so you can always find a bargain!






4. Ebay/Amazon.  I use amazon all the time to buy things like converse and vans because it's so much cheaper than buying them in store. They do so much! And they both stock things that aren't available in the UK such as wet 'n' wild e.c.t.


5. Sales section. To be honest, I always go straight to the sales section on any website first. You can always find a hidden gem that no one has snapped up yet, or something that has just been added which no one has seen yet! Places like New Look and topshop always have something amazing in their sales, so I would deffo recommend having a look before buying full price!


That's all for this post, if there's anything I haven't included let me know in the comments and I'll add it as soon as possible!

Do any of you use these/buy from these places?


Thanking you,

Naomi

x

Hello all you lovely readers of Pennies For A Pound,

As you might have noticed, it’s not Naomi here today! My name’s Chloe and I blog over at 

RealityLeavesLotsToImagination (http://realityleaveslotstoimagination.blogspot.co.uk/). You may 

remember that a few weeks back Naomi asked for bloggers interested in writing a guest posts for 

her lovely blog, and that’s where I stepped in. I’m so excited to be given the opportunity to write a 

post for Naomi, as this blog is a firm favourite of mine. But that’s enough chatter, on with the post.

Today I’m going to be sharing with you three of my favourite drugstore foundations. In my opinion drugstores are beauty goldmines and a majority of the time you can actually discover some pretty 

amazing products without having to spend half as many pennies as you would if you were to 

purchase a high end product that is likely to be not anywhere near as good.

The first of my favourite drugstore foundations has to be the Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation. 

This is a foundation is one I was slightly late jumping on the bandwagon with but it’s since become a staple in my makeup bag. One of my favourite things about this foundation is it does exactly what it says on the bottle, which is something that can’t be said for what seems like far too many makeup products nowadays. Rimmel claim that this foundation ‘instantly reawakens skin with a healthy, radiant glow’ and it leaves a ‘Flawless natural finish’, which it definitely does. This is the type of foundation that just instantly makes you look so much more awake, so it’s perfect if you’re off to school or work after a late night and your face is looking a tad on the tired side. It’s the perfect foundation to give your face a little lovely pick me up. It’s very easy to apply (personally, I use one pump with my Real Techniques Expert Face Brush) and you only need to apply a small amount for it to provide a good medium coverage but it’s very buildable so if you’re not happy with the immediate coverage one coat provides, you can just pop some more on. I have it in the shade Ivory, which is a lovely shade that is a scarily good match to my skin tone – well done Rimmel. It has a very natural finish that provides a good natural looking glow, without making my face overly shiny. I also adore the packaging with this foundation, it has that high end esque about it and it’ll look just stunning on any dressing table. I know it sounds strange but the product actually smells nice too, it doesn't have that horrible fake scent some makeup products can have, which makes the application and wear so much nicer (I swear I recall Zoella mentioning that a while back in a video so I can’t be the only one who likes the scent). I really recommend this foundation to pretty much everyone, but if you have oily skin I’d say make sure you try it out on a day where you don’t need a full face of makeup, because the natural looking shine it provides doesn’t normally work terrifically with oily skin, so you’d need to do a test run first.

Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation retails at £8.99 and you can pick it up at both Superdrug and Boots.

Next, we have the Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse Foundation. Let’s get straight to it, this 

foundation is just fab, especially if (like me) you suffer from bad breakouts. It provides such an 

amazing medium/high coverage and it’s so long lasting you don’t have to even think about having 

to retouch your makeup throughout the day. It’s like a little pot of magic that completely conceals 

all blemishes without the need of a whole heap of concealer. This foundation is so lightweight on 

the skin, to the point where you hardly notice you’re wearing it. It blends really well and doesn’t dry my skin at all. But, I’ve found that although this product to lasts most of the day, but I’ve learnt that you have to make sure that you don’t touch your face too much as I’ve found that it comes off quite easily. As with the previous product, I apply it using my Real Techniques Expert Face Brush and thatdoes just the trick of providing a stunning natural finish. I have heard a fair few people say that thisfoundation isn’t the best if you suffer from dry skin but I personally can’t review it looking at thatas I’m lucky enough to not have that issue, so make sure you try with caution if you tend to have problems with dry skin. With this foundation a little goes a long way so a jar lasts a good length of time, which makes it great value for money. Maybelline does a fantastic range of shades (I have it in the shade Ivory), so no matter what your skin tone you’re likely to find a good match.

Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse Foundation retails at £7.69 and you can pick it up at both Superdrug and Boots.

The third and final foundation I’m going to be sharing with you today is the Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation. This is an old favourite of mine, and it’s a product I keep coming back to, no matter how many other foundations I try. I love it because it provides a good medium coverage without looking too cakey, something I find most liquid foundations do, and it’s very buildable. It doesn't completely conceal all blemishes, but it’s rare you find a foundation that does so it’s not a big deal, and you just need to dab on a bit of concealer. This foundation only requires a single pump to achieve the medium coverage and I apply it with my Real Techniques Expert Face Brush. It has a lovely consistency and it’s so easy to apply. Also, it doesn't feel heavy on the skin and it doesn't look cakey or orange, which is fab because nobody likes the wotsit look do they? This foundation has a very natural finish but I’d really recommend popping on some powder (my personal favourite is the Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder) after application and every so often throughout the day because it does leave your face a tad on the shiny side. 

Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation retails at £5.00 and you can pick it up at both Superdrug and 

Boots.

So those are my top three drugstore foundations. I’d love to hear what your personal favourites are, and if you can recommend any products you think I’d like, pop over to my blog and let me know.

I want to say a huge huge huge thank you to Naomi for letting me write for her lovely blog and thank you so much for having me.

Lots of Love

Chloe xxx

realityleaveslotstoimagination.blogspot.co.uk

Why, hello there...

So I found my new favourite beauty product! I bring you, the Matte lipstick by MUA in Wild Berry.

As you can see, the writing is starting to wear off already, which shows you how much I use this! The packaging overall isn't the greatest as the lid isn't very tight and is prone to falling off, and I'm not too keen on the white. But it is only £1 so I can't really complain too much. Also the coloured bit at the end is actually the same as the product inside so you don't have to guess what's inside using stickers which are often no where near the actual colour.

Although the product looks very dark, it actually comes out a lot 'sheerer', which even though it's meant to be matte, I prefer this. It gives such a great colour which isn't do daring for the day but can also be built up to make a more vibrant colour for the evenings. 

This swatch was just a few strokes so you can see how it can be built up. It isn't completely matte but it definitely isn't 'shiny' like some lipsticks can be. On the other hand it doesn't last particularly long. If I want it to stay a bit longer I put a lip balm on under (normally baby lips cherry me) but this does mean it doesn't have a matte finish, although this doesn't really bother me.
I'm going to be doing a current lipstick collection post soon so make sure you look out for that!

Overall a fantastic product, amazing colour at such a great price! Really want to try the nude one in this collection.
You can get this lipstick from superdrug for £1



Have you tried the MUA £1 matte lipsticks?



Thanking you,

Naomi

x


don't forget to check out my blog sale! x

Why, hello there...

This is just a brief post to let you know...I'VE GOT MY FIRST BLOG SALE UP! I've been wanting to put one up for a while and I've finally found the nerve to put it up! I was worried about payments and things as I've never done one before, but hopefully it goes ok!

check it out here!!

http://penniesforapound.blogspot.co.uk/p/blog-sale.html

Thanking you,

Naomi

x

Hey everyone my name is Caitlin and I blog over at Blogging Through The Mirror and today I'm guest posting for the beautiful Naomi!

I thought I'd do a post all about DIY beauty with recipes! 

I have alot more over on my blog which you can find above and they are all great for the skin. Did I mention they are practically free using products you probably have in your cupboards! 

After you've read the post you can find me on these links:

BLOGLOVIN'

TWITTER

BLOG

ENJOY!:)

Clean up your complexion 

You will need:

1 ripe banana

1 table spoon of honey

10 drops of lemon juice

1 - tear or cut up the banana in a small bowl and mash it with a fork.

2 - add the honey and lemon juice and mix it well. 

3- apply the mask to the entire face and leave it on for 15 minutes. Rinse off with a warm washcloth

The benefits of this mask are the banana nourishes the skin while the honey absorbs and keeps moisture and the lemon juice works as an exfoliator, reducing the appearance of scars and wrinkles.

Brown sugar body scrub

You will need:

1/2 a cup of course brown sugar

1 tablespoon of honey

A splash of olive oil

1/2 table spoon of lemon juice

1 - Mix everything together in a bowl until its all combined

2 - Apply the scrub to your body and rinse off

This is great to remove dead winter skin which leaves you feeling fresh and flake free! It's also brilliant to do before applying fake tan. Your skin will thank you for this one!

oatmeal and lavender bath soak

You will need:

4 cups of oats

3 table spoons of dried lavender

1 cup of baking soda

1 - Add all the ingredients together and blend in a food processor until its very fine and almost powder.

2 - Pop as much as you like into the bath water and mix around. Relax and enjoy your bath!

So i hope you all enjoyed those and it's given you some inspiration to try them! Let me know if you give them a go! Don't forget to check out the links I listed at the start if you want to see some more DIY beauty!

Why, hello there...

I have been sent some amazing goodies by smiggle, a stationary and accessories company based in Australia but are launching in the UK! They asked me to write a post using the products they provided so I thought I would give a guide for organising your blog!

To start off with, I received these lovely headphones which is perfect for me. I hate doing anything in silence, so I always have some music on when I'm writing a post or doing some work. (The music playing is Lauren Aquilina, I STRONGLY suggest that you check her out and pre-order her new EP!)

You'll need some essentials. A note book (this one is NOT from smiggle), a pencil, a ruler, and a rubber. I always write in pencil when doing stuff for my blog because it means I can change things about without it getting too messy or complicated. Also the ruler is to plan out your posts and make timetables.

This is how I plan my posts. I don't always use this method but when I do it's pretty helpful. I simply put the date I'm going to post, the actual post and then tick off whether I need to/have taken pictures for the post and drafted it. pretty simple and keeps everything organised!

This is the way I normally do my posts. I just write down all my post ideas and pick and choose which post I want to write that day. These highlighters from smiggle have come in handy because I can colour co-ordinate which posts need pictures taking and which don't so I always have a post ready (also these highlighters smell SO good!).

This is more for if you want to run a blog sale. I'm currently in the process of setting one up, and the key is to write everything down. I've wrote all my items down with the price I'm charging. When it's up and running, I will be writing down all the details of the customer, what they're purchasing, total cost e.c.t. Make sure you do write everything down otherwise something could go wrong and you won't have the necessary information!

This calculator is awesome.

These are all the main lists I have at the moment. It helps me keep track of different things such as how many empties I have so I know when I have enough to write a post e.c.t. Also make a list of generic posts that you can write if you're having writers block, this will come in very handy!

So that's all my tips for organising your blog! A massive thank you to Smiggle for providing me with all these lovely things! If you want to have a look at their stuff, check out their website here! The first of their UK stores to open is going to be at Westfield Stratford on 20th February. This will be followed by further store launches in Reading, Brighton and Kingston. If you live in any of these cities I would definitely recommend going to the launches, pick up some of their amazing stock!

How do you organise your blog, has this been helpful?

Thanking you,

Naomi

x

Why, hello there...

I've been tagged by the lovely Isobel from IsobelxHayes who actually did a guest post on my blog this week which you can check out here. So as you can see from the title, it's the 'all bloggers great and small' tag. This tag is especially for blogs with under 1000 followers to give them more recognition! Lets get started with the questions..

Never tried anything high end!

7.What is your staple wardrobe item?
My healed black ankle boots! They're getting a bit tatty now but I love them, they go with everything!

8. What product wouldn't you recommend?
I haven't tried enough products to say not to recommend anything! The only thing I'm not a massive fan of is an elf lipstick I have, and that's only because of the packaging!


I'm tagging everyone reading this with under 1000 readers!
Hope you've enjoyed this little post!

Thanking you,

Naomi

x

Why, hello there...

So this is the second instalment of my 'Save your pennies' series (check out the last post here), looking at different ways to save/earn some money including online, in-store and money off deals. This post is going to be looking at shops on the high street where you may not have thought of finding great bargains, so lets get started!

1. T.K.maxx. This shop has recently become a beauty blogger favourite. As well as selling clothes, it also sells top brand make up and beauty products for SO much less! I've got presents from here including 3 Deborah Lippmann nail polishes, normally about $18 each, for only £5! It has also been known to sell acrylic storage just like Muji from time to time, but you have to keep looking to see if they have any in stock or are selling them at the moment.

Top brands: Revlon, Nails Inc, OPI, Sally Hansen, Essie, Ciatte, Deborah Lippmann Eco tools.

2. Pound Shops. Definitely my favourite! I always go in to check if they've rotated their make-up section. They always have famous brands and products that are either discontinued or only available in america (including wet 'n' wild!). They also all the normal beauty stuff like shampoos and things, so there is loads to choose from. 

Top Brands: Calvin Klein, Collection, Revlon, Rimmel, Wet 'n' Wild, OPI

4. ASDA. This is a brilliant place to find top branded skin care items for less. I got my L'Oreal micellar water from there for only £2! It also has the famous NSPA range which is very similar to the natural collection at Boots, except it's always on offer so you hardly ever pay full price and it's relatively cheap anyway!

5. Charity Shops. These are great if you're students and can't always afford to go to the top high street clothes shops. They're also great for utensils and any other bits and pieces you need for the kitchen. I have found bits from topshop and primark, so it's good to have a rummage about.

That's all for today, if I've missed something out you feel would fit in with this post, let me know in the comments!

Hope you found this useful!

Thanking you,

Naomi

x

It's nice here isn't it? Hello hello, new readers. I am Isobel, owner of my own blog, titled isobelxhayes. I am here today on the wonderful Naomi's blog to share with you my wisdom (ahem) of budget drugstore basics that you should all own. Well, that I think you should own. My opinion, obviously, wink wink.

Okay so first up I'm gonna share with you my tips and tricks. At the moment, Boots have offers on on just about every makeup stand. GET YOURSELF DOWN THERE. Maybelline on 3 for 2, £2 off the new Rimmel ScandalEyes Rockin' Curves mascara, buy one get one half price on L'Oreal..etc. How can you pass up these offers? Why pay full price? GO NOW. Yeah, you might be parting with your beloved £'s and pennies, but hey, it's cheaper than waiting then having to pay full price, isn't it? Boo. 

Also, buying the pricier products doesn't at all mean they're any better than the cheaper ones, no way. I know this for a fact. Firstly, there's the new Maybelline Baby Skin. It's amazing, up there with the best primers I've ever owned, and it's a steal at £7.99. You only need to use a tiny-weeny pea sized amount, too, around your nose area, so THAT tube is going to last a lifetime. Okay, I'm exaggerating, but it will last a long time. Scout's honour.