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This next haul post is coming to you from Boots (and one item from Topshop). Working there has definitely encouraged my beauty spending habits!

I prefer cream highlighters to powder ones, and had heard a lot about the Topshop Glow Highlighter in Polish (£9). I'm impressed so far, and will probably be reviewing it soon. I also had my eye on one of their powder blushes, but I have enough already. I'm also not a fan of the packaging because it gets so grubby.

The Max Factor products are actually my first purchases from the brand. I'm running out of my Witch primer and wanted to try something new, so thought I'd give the Face Finity All Day Primer (£10.99) a go. I was sent the Skin Luminizer Foundation (£11.99) a few months ago, but it was in the wrong shade and I wasn't really into wearing foundation back then. I've heard good things since, and was in the spending mood yesterday, so popped it in my basket. I'm hoping it's light enough for me! Max Factor is currently on 3 for 2, so I also picked up the Colour Elixir Lip Gloss in Enchanting Coral (£7.99). I'd had my eye on this for a while - it's a beautiful, pinky coral shade with no shimmer (for once!), and has a good colour pay off.

Wearing foundation has opened up a whole new area of makeup for me to try, which is exciting. After doing lots of research on many brands and foundations, I decided to try the L'Oreal True Match Foundation (£9.99). I was going to go for the Revlon Colourstay one, but it looked too dark for me, so maybe I'll try that in the summer. Now, I thought it'd be best to go for the shade N1 Ivory, but my store only had C1 Rose Ivory. I thought it'd be too cool toned for my skin, but then I compared it to other foundations in the store, including my current No7 one, and it didn't look any different, in terms of tone. I'll let you know how I get on with it! L'Oreal is currently 2 for £14, and as tempting as that was, there wasn't anything else I wanted.

I love Maybelline mascaras, and the new Lash Sensational (introductory price £5.99, normal price £7.99) looked like a combination of the Rocket and Falsies, so I had to try it. I then bought another Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner in Intense Black (currently £5.99, normally £7.99) because my current one is starting to dry up. I love this eyeliner, and I actually use the brush that comes with it!

When I showed my family what I bought (does anyone else do that?), my dad said I didn't need any more makeup. Sometimes, I feel like he doesn't know me at all...

2014 Favourites: Part One

I wasn't planning on having this many favourites, so I've split them into a couple posts. As you can see, this one contains the makeup!

There's clearly a theme with the lip products, with them either being coral or red. The ones above are No7 BB Lips Beauty Balm in Berry Rose, L'Oreal Paris Colour Riche Exclusive Reds Lipstick in Julianne, Maybelline Colour Elixir in Alluring Coral, NYX Butter Gloss in Peach Cobbler, The Body Shop Colour Crush Shine Lipstick in Sunset Romance, Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet Lipstick in Frambourjoise, Revlon ColourBurst Lip Butter in Wild Watermelon, and No7 BB Lips Beauty Balm in Geranium. Some are glossy, some are matte, some are sheer, some are opaque, but they are all absolutely beautiful.

Another lip product I've been loving is the Blistex Intensive Moisturiser. Hands down, the best lip balm I've ever tried. Unlike many, it doesn't just act as a barrier, but actually improves the condition of your lips.

I started wearing foundation in 2014, after not being able to get on with any for years. The No7 Beautifully Matte Foundation changed that. The packaging is practical, it's one of the lighter shades on the highstreet, it gives a full coverage, and doesn't feel heavy or look cakey.

The Body Shop's All In One Face Base in 02 is a product I've been using for a couple years now. It's silky and provides a little extra coverage. I've yet to come across anything better.

I don't like the handles of the Real Techniques Stippling and Powder Brushes because they take up so much room in my brush holder, but I've been using them nearly every day for the past year and they're still looking good. They've held their shape and haven't shed a hair, so I'm really pleased with them.

The No7 Instant Radiance Highlighter is just beautiful. It's the perfect candlelight shade and is easy to blend. 

The ELF Studio Eyebrow Kit in Light. I've been through so many of these over the years. I used to use the Medium shade, but started using Light in 2013/2014 and find that it's a much better suiting.

I had a couple styes in October that lead to me pulling out my eyelashes (I know), and the Eylure Individual False Lashes saved the day. I only used the short ones to fill in the gaps I had, but they looked natural and weren't that difficult to apply. They didn't last more than a day because of cleansing, but they lasted through the day without any problems. 

Another product I started using for the same reasons is the Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Liner in Black, and I now use it every day. It's jet black, easy to apply, and lasts all day, even on the upper waterline.

To my lower lash line, I smudge in the Maybelline Eye Studio Colour Tattoo Cream Gel Eyeshadow in On and On Bronze. It's a beautiful metallic shade that lasts all day.

Maybelline really is my favourite brand for eye products! The Rocket Mascara is another favourite of mine that I've been using for years. I don't find it clumpy in the slightest, and it really lengthens the hairs.

The last products are cream blushes. NYX's Cream Blush in Natural is my favourite blush of all time, and I've just hit pan! So proud. It's pigmented, creamy, and easy to blend. The Illamasqua Cream Blushers in Dixie and Seduce are also great, although not quite as creamy. The shades, though, are beautiful.

Are you a fan of any of these products? What were your favourites of 2014?

Huge Boots Haul!

1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10/11/12/13/14/15/16/17/18/19/20/21/22/23/24/25/26/27/28/29/30/31/32/33/34/35

Boots staff double discount happened, and this isn't even all of it! I've removed some presents and doubles from the photo, and I forgot to include the No7 mirror and foundations (which I paid pennies for thanks to clearance and vouchers). In my defence, a number of items above are Christmas presents for various people. I'm just going to talk through a handful of things because we'll be here for a long time else!

I'm not one for false lashes, but I had a few styes and started pulling mine out (I know), so needed something to fill the gaps while they grow back! The individual lashes have been great, and while they don't last for days and days, they look natural. I remove them every night like I do with any cosmetic. This would be time consuming if I applied a full set every morning, but I only apply a couple. The Naturalites (10) also look promising!

I well and truly stocked up on the Tresemme Platinum Strength shampoo and conditioner because they ended up being just £1.87 a bottle. It's definitely a range I'd recommend trying!

Original Source have brought out some body moisturisers, and I couldn't resist buying the peach and apricot lotion. It smells like a peach and apricot yoghurt! There's also a watermelon one, which I wouldn't mind smelling at some point.

29, 34, and 35 were on clearance in my store, so I ended up paying just 39p and 87p for them! Another exciting lip product purchase is L'Oreal's Colour Riche Exclusive Red Lipstick in Julianne. It's beautiful!

The Babyliss straighteners and Soap & Glory gift sets are for my mum for Christmas. She's only ever had mine and my sister's old straighteners, and her favourite colour is purple, so I thought the Elegance Pro would be perfect. She's not familiar with Soap & Glory, but after telling her a bit about the products and showing her reviews/swatches, she's excited to start using them!

Other points to mention: I'm excited to use the No7 makeup products (7 and 25-28) because they all have great reviews, I love the Laura Ashley kitchen accessories, and I don't know why I included the anti-blister stick and spray plaster. It must have been a long day!

Have you splurged recently?

Decluttering My Makeup Basket #2

Before

After

The time has come to declutter my makeup basket again. If you didn't know, I have a basket on top of my beauty chest of drawers for my everyday products. Over time, this ends up being filled with much more! You can see my first Decluttering My Makeup Basket post here. Like I said there, no lip products are included here because they have their own section on my chest of drawers. They're organised in clear plastic lipstick holders, which I wrote a post about here. The eBay seller I bought them from has now lowered the price to just £2.87 including P&P!

So, many of the products that made the cut are actually the same as the ones in my first post (MUA's Cover & Conceal Concealer in Fair £1.50, The Body Shop's All in One Face Base in 02 £14, NYX's Cream Blush in Natural £5.50, ELF's Studio Eyebrow Kit in Light £3.95, Maybelline's Colour Tattoo Cream Eyeshadow in On and On Bronze £4.99, L'Oreal's Perfect Slim Super Liner £6.99, and Maybelline's The Rocket Mascara £7.99). If you want to see my thoughts on them, just head over there. I'll be talking about the others here!

I'm currently using MUA's Undress Your Skin Flawless Primer (£5) because I've used all my others. This one has a weird silicone-y feel, which is different to the gel and cream formulas I'm used to. My concealer applies smoother, though, and I haven't experienced any creasing around my eyes. Still, I haven't been blown away by it, so am on the look out for others. I currently have my eye on the Revlon and Gosh ones, so if you've used them, please let me know your thoughts.

To warm up my complexion, I've been using The Body Shop's Honey Bronzer (£13, review here). It's soft, matte, and blends well. It's also light in colour, so you don't have to worry about going overboard (it does take some building up, though).

I haven't even opened it yet, but have NYX's Powder Blush in Taupe (£6) in there. I've heard it's a great contouring shade for pale complexions.

I'm still using my favourite NYX Cream Blush in Natural (£5.50), which I talk about in the first post, but am now also using Illamasqua's Cream Blusher in Dixie (£18, review here). It's not as creamy, but is still one of the best formulas I've tried. Beautiful coral shade, pigmented, blends well, and lasts most of the day.

I'm also still using my ELF Studio Eyebrow Kit in Light (£3.95), which is one of my all time favourite products, but I've started using MUA's Clear Mascara (£1) to set it. It's cheap and it does its job!

I'm currently missing some eyelashes (sad times), so have dug out my Maybelline Eye Studio Gel Liner (£7.99) to press into my upper lash line. I've had this for a couple years now, so was surprised it hadn't dried up! It's pigmented and lasts throughout the day.

What products are currently in your everyday routine?

L'Oreal Colour Riche Nail Polish in 506 Exotic Grenade

I bought this shade from Fragrance Direct a few months ago, and have only just got round to wearing it! I wasn't expecting to be as impressed as I am by this little bottle. First of all, the brush is perfect. It's wide, rounded, and makes applying the polish a dream. I wasn't expecting this from the look of the tall, thin bottle. Secondly, the formula is great. It's smooth, streak free, and opaque in two coats. A lot of polishes I've tried are streaky on the first coat, but this wasn't, and I think this is mostly down to the shape of the brush. Drying time was also good, and greatly appreciated after the last polish I wore (It just didn't dry, and I woke up the following day sporting the duvet pattern). Lastly, the colour is beautiful. I love berry shades like this.

You can buy Exotic Grenade, as well as other shades, for £1.30 from here. Have you tried any L'Oreal Colour Riche Nail Polishes?

Christmas with Fragrance Direct

If you're a regular reader of Affordable Treats, you'll know I love Fragrance Direct. It's the place I go to get my nail polish fix! If you've not heard of Fragrance Direct before, it's a website where you can buy branded perfumes and cosmetics for a discounted, more affordable price, and P&P can be from as little as £1.99. With Christmas just around the corner, I thought I'd show you my top picks from the site. I normally buy my Christmas presents throughout the year, but I know that now's the time when many start, or are in the process of, buying gifts for their loved ones.

Sally Hansen £1.49, Revlon 99p, OPI £3.99, Essie £1.99, L'Oreal £1.30

I don't tend to buy makeup for people unless I know exactly what they like to wear (like my mum and sister, for example), but I like gifting nail polish, especially to my friends. I think a couple bottles of OPI or Essie in a mug or gift bag would make a great present. I, for one, would love to receive that as a gift because nail polish and mugs are two of my favourite things! If you're not sure what shades your friends like, ask them. Just don't say why you're asking them!

Marc Jacobs Daisy Eau De Toilette Spray 100ml* £49.95, 50ml £38.95, 100ml Gift Set £56.95, 50ml Gift Set £41.95, Eau De Parfum 50ml £45.50

Perfume is very popular to give at Christmas, and if you're planning to buy a bottle for a family member or friend, I'd suggest checking Fragrance Direct first because you may be able to get it cheaper. For example, the bottle above is £14.05 less expensive than other places. In terms of the actual fragrance, Marc Jacobs Daisy is loved by many. Instead of me trying to describe what it smells like, here's a description: 'Daisy is the first of Marc Jacobs iconic fragrances for women; a fresh and floral fragrance, which is youthful and sweet, and perfect for summer. Marc Jacobs Daisy is light and easy to wear, and features a cool combination of Strawberry, Violet Leaf and Blood Grapefruit top notes, heart notes of Gardenia, Jasmine and Violet, and base notes of Musk, Vanilla and White Woods.' Even though it's described as a young, summery fragrance, it's one I'd wear all year round. They also have the Eau So Fresh version available in a range of sizes, but I already have it, so decided to try the original instead.

DKNY Red Delicious Eau De Parfum 100ml* £28.99

This retails for £60, so if you buy it from Fragrance Direct, you'll save yourself £31.01. The description for this is: 'The follow up to the hugely popular Be Delicious, Donna Karan DKNY Red Delicious Eau de Parfum Spray is sweet, fruity and feminine; a tasty perfume for the summer. With top notes of Lychee and Raspberry, heart notes of Bergamot, Patchouli and Rose, and base notes of Leather, Amber and Vanilla. DKNY Red Delicious is a modern and stylish fragrance.' I didn't expect this to be as fruity as it is, which is a good thing because I love fruity scents. To me, this smells like summer berries with hints of floral notes. There's also a little warmth there.

Nina Ricci Nina L'Eau Eau Fraiche Eau De Toilette Gift Set 80ml* £40.95, 80ml £40.95, 50ml £29.95, 30ml £21.95  

This is my new favourite scent. It's the lighter, fresher version of the original, and if there's the option of a lighter, fresher version of the original, I'll go for it. Here's the description: 'New for 2013, the Nina Ricci Nina L'Eau Eau Fraiche fragrance has made a great impression with its romantic, fresh fragrance, which can now be enjoyed in this fabulous ladies gift set. The Nina Ricci Nina L'Eau Eau Fraiche Gift Set features the stunning fragrance, which is a blend of Apple, Neroli, Grapefruit and Mandarin top notes, heart notes of Gardenia and Cherry, and base notes of Musk; a dreamy and feminine perfume.' There's a note in there that reminds me of my childhood or a sweet from my childhood, but I can pin point it! If you're looking at buying the 80ml bottle, I'd go for the gift set because you get the 80ml bottle and the lip gloss for the same price. Even if the lip gloss isn't used, it's essentially free! And looks pretty. 

Are you planning on buying any of your Christmas presents from Fragrance Direct? I know my sister's bought my mum Paco Rabanne's Lady Million from there for her birthday/Christmas (her birthday's on the 15th December). I'm tempted to buy my mum and sister more nail polishes, but I well and truly kitted them out earlier this year. You can never have too many nail polishes, though...

*PR samples

Nail Polish Haul!

Every once in a while, my sister and I seem to find a load of nail polishes we like the look of on Fragrance Direct, and because they're so affordable, we buy them! This is our most recent order, with the most expensive polish being just £1.49. First up, we have the Rimmel Lycra Pro Nail Polishes in 312 Ultra Violet and 420 Aqua Cool, which were 99p each. I love the brushes of the Rimmel polishes! These two are my sister's, but I'll definitely be adding some to my next order. Then we have Sally Hansen's 848 Sgt Preppy and 843 Palm Treat, and these were £1.49 each. I also love the brushes of these. I then bought L'Oreal's 507 Riviera Lavender and 506 Exotic Grenade, which were £1.30 each. These are only 5ml, but I never finish a bottle of polish anyway, so don't mind. I wouldn't pay the full price of £4.99 for them, though! I also chose Revlon's 920 Make Mine Mango, 210 Jelly (Top Speed), and 570 Vintage (Top Speed), which were 99p each. These are the ones I like the most out of our haul! I love oranges/corals, so had to get Make Mine Mango. Jelly was another must have because I love deep, red toned pinks. Although it's called Jelly, it's not a jelly formula. Then we have Vintage, which is a berry shade, and perfect for this time of year.

Have you bought anything from Fragrance Direct recently? They're supposed to be getting some more Essie shades in this week, so I'll no doubt be placing another order!

Decluttering my Makeup Basket

I have this basket on top of my beauty chest of drawers, and it's supposed to hold my most used makeup (with the rest going in the top drawer). This just makes things easier to find and saves time in the morning. However, over time, more and more products are added to it, making it a cluttered mess! If I buy a new product, it'll end up in the basket. If I take something out of the top drawer, it'll end up in the basket. And yes, even hair ties end up in the basket.  So, after being strict with myself and having a good sort out, what has made the cut? 

No lip products have because they live in a lipstick container next to the basket. 

My MUA Cover & Conceal Concealer has, as well as a tube of Collection's Lasting Perfection Concealer for blemishes. On a side note, how rubbish is the packaging of this? It's a new tube, and yet the black writing has already rubbed off! 

My chosen powder is The Body Shop's All-in-One Face Base in 02 because it gives a little coverage and a silky, matte finish. 

Moving on to cheek products (I'm going through this in the order I do my makeup!). I've decided to have NYX's Cream Blush in Natural in there, as well as two Dainty Doll Powder Blushes in You Are My Sunshine and Money Talks. You Are My Sunshine is a pinky peach with golden shimmer (it looks nothing like it does in the photo), and Money Talks is a cool toned brown. It's shimmery, so I don't use it as a bronzer, but it's a nice alternative shade for blush. 

ELF's Studio Eyebrow Kit in Light has also made the cut, which is no surprise! It's all I use on my brows. 

For lining my lower lash line, I've chosen a few products. NYX's Jumbo Eye Pencil in Iced Mocha is very well loved, as you can see! And I've also chosen Maybelline's Colour Tattoos in On & On Bronze and Permanent Taupe. Permanent Taupe is matte, so I use this when I'm not in the mood for shimmer. 

I've chosen Rimmel's Scandaleyes Eyeliner in Nude for when I wish to line my waterline. I don't do this every day because it hasn't lasted well the last few times I've used it, but it's supposed to make your eyes appear bigger and brighter, and I'm all for that! 

Then, when I have the patience, I'll use L'Oreal's Perfect Slim Super Liner. I'm too lazy to use it on a day to day basis, though! 

Lastly, Maybelline's The Rocket Mascara is my current everyday mascara. I think I ended up with 6 in my basket! And although I used them all, I've decided to use one up at a time.

Do you keep your everyday makeup separate from the rest? If so, do you slowly add other products to the mix so it gradually becomes cluttered like mine?