Samantha's Secret | High Street Haul

I've done a bit of shopping recently and thought I would share some fun bits. So far this blog has been mainly on beauty topics, but I love fashion and clothing! I'm definitley not brave enough to do OOTD's or FOTD's (I salute you if you do!) but sometimes I find some gems that should be shared and we all love a good haul!!

Zara

Primark

Primark Mens

H&M

H&M

Primark

Monsoon / Accessorize

Zara Hotpants - First of all check out these INSANELY hot Zara hotpants - I am just so in love with them. The first day I got them I pranced around my bedroom and my boyfriend said I looked like Cheryl Cole. So now obviously I think I'm Cheryl Cole when I'm wearing them. (So naat the case.) Sadly the weather hasn't really been up to cracking this bad boy pair out.

Primark Aztec Shorts - I'm a lover of all things aztec, I don't care wether it's 'in' or not.

Primark Sweat - Don't underestimate the Mens department girls! I have picked up so many great sweats and jumpers this year that are fun, cheap and you won't see them around often. This long sleeved grey has flecks of neon orange and yellow which I love!

H&M Pearl Collar - While the collar craze is still about, I loved this pearly embellishment and soft chiffon blue top.

H&M Cats Camisole - This was in the sale for £5 ... What more can I say. It's a bit crazy and has cats, panthers, leopards ... I love it.

Primark Shoe Boots - I've been looking out for a pair of these babies for a while, so couldn't believe my luck when they popped up in Primarni for around £16. Black suede with gold zips and tassels to the back.

Accessorize Snakeskin Clutch - This was reduced down to a ridiculous £7 - I loved the gold panther and snakeskin detail.

So these are my recent shopping favourites - let me know what you think and leave links to your recent hauls below I need some new bloggage to read!!

Reel Sexy

For me Mac collections are not usually the most scintillating of things; I get the emails but don't rush on over to the nearest counter to check it all out. Reel Sexy however, was a chance for me to get my hands on a lipstick that has topped my wishlist for a couple of months!! I was gutted when I missed getting Watch Me Simmer from the Shop Cook collection, as it sold out pretty swiftly. But, we know Mac and it was back with this new collection - along with another pretty that caught my eye.

'Crew' High-Light Powder, 'Watch Me Simmer' Amplified Lipstick

Watch Me Simmer

Oh My God it's the most beautiful lipstick I own (I'm sure of it!!) Its an amazing bright pink orange, that looks corally when applied. I've never bought an amplified finish before and it really is bright, wow, incredibly pigmented and really long-wearing.

I also ordered a High-Light Powder in 'Crew'.

This high-lighter is in the Hey, Sailor! collection hence the stripes. Its beautiful and the colours in it are lovely, just .... dare I say it I just don't know how to use it??! It's not shimmery or highlighting like a highlighter should be, its not pigmented enough to be a blusher - I'm baffled? I ended up using it to set my foundation but did not find it particularly illuminating or anything. I wonder if anyone can shed any light on what they use it for. I'm hoping once it is worn down a little that the highlight powder will come out more.

Another pleasurable Mac haul!! Please follow if you enjoy reading and let me know about your beauty blogs also!! xx

HAUL: Bicester Village!!

Last weekend I went for a spot of shopping at Bicester Village - a designer shopping outlet near Oxford. I have so much uni work on at the moment and was feeling a little depressed, and this haul helped massively :D smug grin.
I didnt spend very much but I picked up some things from Jack Wills, Aubin & Wills, Penhaligons and Anya Hindmarch.
Here are my goodies!!! ...

Yes, that is an Anya Hindmarch bag - eeeeeeeekk!!

Aubin & Wills 'Raddington' Tee

First I got this slinky black tee from Aubin & Wills (yes I know it looks a little like a binbag!!) that I thought would look great under blazers and leggings and as a going out top with little skirts. At £15 I had no reason not to pick it up!! I got it in a M mainly as there was nothing else left but I also wanted a relaxed fit. If you havent heard of Aubin & Wills its like the grown up sister brand of Jack Wills, you can look at their website here. It was £55.

Anya Hindmarch Card Purse

Inside!

Ahhhhh!! Anya Hindmarch is my second favourite ever British hand bag designer (behind Mulberry of course!!) but before you think you spoilt little brat!! - I got this for TWENTY POUNDS !!! I am so happy with it. You can get them in pink, gold or navy. I literally wanted everything in the shop. Check out Anya Hindmarchs gorgeous designs here.

Hair bow from Jack Wills

Next I got this super cute sequin hair bow from Jack Wills, I don't usually buy clothes from JW but I had a quick look and fell in love with this. For £6 I thought it was great and looks great on a high ponytail - with my binbag tshirt!!

Bluebell Body Lotion

The last place I went was Penhaligons which sells Eau de Parfums, lotions and amazing candles. I was drawn in by all the cute bottles in the window and I couldnt resist picking up this dinky stopper bottle with Bluebell body lotion in it.

I then also went onto Zara in Oxford city centre and I could not not show these two amazing things that I picked up and am so happy with.

Zara Skull Stud Clutch

Isnt this THE cutest thing, its a hand-sized clutch that comes with a chain, with leather flaps studded with plain and skull studs. This may be my new lipstick pouch for my handbag! I love it and I'm sure it will sell out fast. It also comes in white - get it here.

THE Zara bucket bag!!!

Annd finally ..... the most exciting thing ever .... THE Zara bucket bag !!! As seen on gazillions of celebs.

Palermo sporting the bag in tan colour

Sadly I think it's sold out now but they are selling on Ebay for around £120!! I'm so pleased with it and its all thanks to Vivianna.

Soo thats all my goodies, sorry its such a long post !!
Have any of you been to Bicester and found any great buys?!
And to all of you who are reading please have a look at my other posts and follow - I recently reached 10 followers which I know is a minuuute milestone but still it made me really happy. When I reach 20 I hope to do a giveaway so PLEASE FOLLOW!!!
xxx

Boots Spreeee!!

I literally cannot help myself. Just wandered into Boots and lost £30 in there ...

Samantha Chapman Real Techniques Stippling Brush, Collection 2000 Skylash, Loreal Rouge Caresse Lipstick in 03 Lovely Rose, Maybelline Colour Tattoo in On and On Bronze, Revlon Nail Enamel in Pink Nude, Rimmel HD Quad Eyeshadow.

Can you believe that this is my first Real Techniques brush. I have been watching the Pixiwoo sisters for years, and they are so lucky that they have a platform to promote their product, and lots of doting subscribers that are willing to support them! So after all the hype I gave in and bought the Stippling Brush. I used it this morning to apply Rimmel Wake Me Up and so far I love it, of course it is wonderful. Super soft bristles and really buffed the foundation out to give an airbrushed effect. £11.99 in Boots

Real Techniques Stippling Brush

 I wasn't sure about the flared base, I thought it was a little dated and un-cool looking at first, but actually the fact that they can stand up is great as I am always laying my brushes down mid-use and its really unhygenic.

Collection 2000 Skylash - I should have really looked at the wand when I was in Boots as that is usually the decider for mascaras for me. Collection 2000 have had such a great rep recently and the tube was so chic that I had to buy it. I was a little disappointed when I got home as I discovered that it has a plastic spikey wand which I really dislike, but I havent tryed it yet so the jury is still out.

Loreal Rouge Caresse Lipstick - I bought this in Lovely Rose, mainly because there was no other choice. Everywhere I have been the Loreal promotional stand for the new Spring collection has just been totally raided and nothing is left. So far so good - I love it, really moisturising pretty pink lipstick. I also fancy Dating Coral! 7.99 from Boots

Loreal Rouge Caresse Lipstick in Lovely Rose

Maybelline Colour Tattoo -In On and On Bronze - These are similar to MAC Paint Pots but with greater longevity - and it appears to be a substanstiated claim! I swatched on my arm before buying and it stayed on the rest of the day until I washed it off later that evening. I'd love to get more but sadly I dont find the other colours very wearable.

Maybelline Colour Tattoo 24 Hour in On and On Bronze

Revlon Nail Enamel - in 003 Pink Nude. I love the Revlon nail bottles so I went for a pastelly shade in line with spring to freshen up my nails. I'm a little disappointed with this colour as I was expecting it to be more like Barry M's Peach Melba but its a really sheer french manicure pink. But, its clean and smart and I could get away with wearing it to work.

Rimmel Eye Quad - To be honest I needed 1 more thing in the 3 for 2 offer and I was drawn to this because its pretty. When I would ever wear a red / pink eyeshadow I'm really not sure but its a cool palette.6.99 from Boots.

Rimmel Glam Eyes HD Eye Quad

L-R Loreal Rouge Caresse in Lovely Rose, Rimmel HD Eye Quad (pink colour), Maybelline Colour Tattoo in On and On Bronze.

Another successful Boots haul I feel ... Meanwhile I am looking for a good nail pen - can anyone suggest any?!

ELF HAUL Continues...

The original haul post was going to be so long so I decided to do it in two parts - you can see the Lips part in the post below!

Next in the haul is EYES:

L-R 

Waterproof Eyeliner in Coffee £1.50

Eyeshadow Brush £1.50

Duo Cream Eyeshadow in Cream/Black Liquorice £1.50

Eye Transformer £3.50

 Cream Eyeliner in Gunmetal £3.50

Cream Eyeliner

L-R

Waterproof Eyeliner in Coffee

Duo Cream Eyeshadow Dark Grey Colour 

Duo Cream Eyeshadow Blue Colour

4 Eye Transformer colours

 Cream Eyeliner in Gunmetal

Eye Transformer Palette - So hard to photograph their amazing colours in the swatch!

Eyeshadow Brush – This was so cheap at £1.50, its similar in shape to a MAC 214, its really soft and I'm sure I will get use out of it.

Duo Cream Eyeshadow - Creamy formulation, really blendable colours and will be great for a blue smokey eye.

Waterproof Eyeliner – I imagine that this will fry out fairly quickly. The nib is a felt-tip style applicator which makes it so simple to draw on although it is fairly scratchy.

Cream Eyeliner – Cute little pot, claims to be water resistant and smudge proof. Comes with a little brush that I probably wont use. Feels dry at first although I'm sure it will get creamy when I get further into the pot.

Eye Transformer – Supposedly a palette to transform your other eyeshadows, turning dark colours into ‘new shimmering hues’. It has a useful mirror inside and another brush which again I don’t think I will use. I’m not sure about using it with other eyeshadows but the shades are perfect for the spring pastels trend and are great as slightly shimmery bases, or brow highlighters. I really love the peach shade and think it would look amazing over MAC Rubenesque!

FACE / NAIL:

L-R

Studio Cream Blush in Heartbreaker £6.50

All Over Color Stick in Persimmon £1.50

Nail Polish in Lilac £1.50

Cream Blush and All-Over Colour Stick

L-R : Colour Stick in Persimmon, Cream Blush in Heartbreaker

Nail Polish in Lilac

Cream Blush - The colour of this is beautiful, although I wouldn't really have said it was a cream. Its kind of a strange mix between powder and cream and i'm really unsure how to apply it.

Colour Stick - A cheap version of the infamous Nars Multiple!! I have the colour Persimmon, and its a gorgeous shimmery nude with the slight scent of orange - which I know some people will hate!

Nail Polish - An OK nail polish for £1.50 - a pastelly shade perfect for spring. On application it is watery in a nice way, easy to apply and is opaque in 2-3 coats.

 

My thoughts on ELF ....I think it is obvious really that you get what you pay for, a lot of this I payed £1.50 for which is ridiculous, but I found a lot of the products I was really surprised with. This brand probably aims for a younger market hence the low price, so if your a make-up snob then you probably wont be impressed by it! The 'mineral' and 'studio' collections are by far the best - they cost a little more, most things are at £3.50 and the most expensive at £6.50. They have better packaging and seem to have nicer formulas than the main collection.

Overall I'm fairly pleased, I don't feel like I have wasted any money since I hardly spent that much anyway, and with all products bought online you have the element of disappointment.

Use the code FOUNDPINKYUK for 20% off. Here is a link to the E.L.F website - has anyone else tryed things from them? I'd be interested to see if people agree with my thoughts or are interested in trying the brand.

ELF HAUL!

I have a bit of a huge package that came through yesterday that I am really excited to share. I heard of E.L.F through the lovely Becca from voussontbeauetbelle (watch her videos she is very cute) who had some Rather large hauls from them!! When I went onto the website my first observation was that it was so cheap. This usually means that its going to be a bit crappy but I decided to give it a go - the website looked nice enough and the packaging looked lovely in Becca's haul videos.

So here's my exciting package ....

LIPS:

L- R
 Moisturising Lip Tint in Guava £3.50
 Lipstick in Nicely Nude £3.50
Plumping Lip Glaze in Fuchsia Fanatic £1.50
 Studio Matte Lip Colour in Coral £3.50
Theraputic Conditioning Lip Balm in Strawberry Creme £1.50

Top-Bottom
Theraputic Conditioning Lip Balm in Strawberry Creme (very sheer)
  Studio Matte Lip Colour in Coral
Plumping Lip Glaze in Fuchsia Fanatic
 Lipstick in Nicely Nude
Moisturising Lip Tint in Guava

My first thoughts when I opened the box was that I was a little disappointed, the make-up looked cheaply packaged and it was a little dusty.
But when I started swatching the products I was really pleasantly surprised!

Lip Tint - has a really creamy formulation and a good coverage of colour. It contains Titanium Dioxide which is a sunscreen and gives an SPF of 8!
Lipstick - I wanted to try this straight away and after feeling a little skeptic at the cold, plasticky looking bullet, I found it to be quite creamy and moisturising on the lips with a lovely colour - I wouldnt say it was 'nude' however - more of a peachy pink!
 (These two are in the 'mineral' collection and claim to have no parabens, preservatives or chemical dyes. The outside packaging is also a lot nicer - it reminds me of Dr Haushka? )
Plumping Lip Glaze - has colour on one side and a plumping gloss on the other - not one of those ones that sting but just a light minty feeling that makes you feel really fresh.
Matte Lip Pencil - I love this !! A great dupe of the NARS Velvet Matte pencils although obviously not as creamy - still impressive and at nothing of the price! I love the colour of this one in Coral (similar to Nars Bolero) though since it is matte I'd highly recommend moisturising or using a balm before hand - I use Lush's amazing Bubblegum lip scrub!
Conditioning Lip Balm - Very sheer in colour but really moisturising and smells amazing like dolly mixtures.

More to come in the next post on Eyes and Face!

Has anyone else tryed any of these?

HAUL

Sooo as everyone probably knows .... its 3 for 2 in Boots ..... squeaaaal!!! Basically you go in and if you need 1 thing you then have to buy 2 other things!! And then you see something else you like and have to buy 2 other things ... its a vicious circle ... But I like it.
These are some of the things I picked up this week:

Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation - Everyone has been raving about it, I'm a little skeptic since its a high street /drugstore product, but we will see...

Collection 2000 Shimmer Shades - I don't know whats going on with this brand at the moment but some of their products are SO good and affordable! I would have discounted this stand usually in Boots as a cheap low quality product but that doesn't appear to be the case with some things. I hear that they are re-branding as 'The Collection' - I suspect this re-branding will come with a hoiked-up price tag aswell!!

I swatched the pretty shimmery shades:

Shimmer Shades: 1. Way to Glow

 I think the 2 lighter shades would be perfect highlighters and the darker copper tone ones for eyes, or highlighters on dark skin.

Maybelline Gel Liner - I've been using liquid liner for years and years, I could draw my flick on with my eyes closed. But this is my first foray into gel and so far I love it. This Maybelline one was so affordable, around £8.99 I think - and in my opinion in a much nicer frosted pot than the Loreal alternative. Comes with a dinky liner brush.

MAC Rubenesque - A copper shimmery paint pot - ideal for summer!

Aussie Miracle Moist Conditioner - I have been through the stress of bleaching and terrible split ends and now always invest in a heavy duty conditioner. I'm excited to try this as its supposedly amazing. It smells like salons!

Tresemme Instant Refresh Dry Shampoo - Desperate to try something other than yukky-smelling, overpriced and overrated Batiste!!

All fairly new purchases but I may review some bits. Has anyone purchased these products? God I need to stop shopping !!!!
(Definitely bought the rose-gold skyscrapers from March Wants) eeek.