I just can't help myself...

This afternoon my Mother was on a mission to get me out of the house for a little while since it'd been about two weeks since I last escaped from imprisonment. We popped in to the next town which has a small high street, as I wanted to look for some studded slippers in New Look. What I wasn't intending to do was buy FOUR pairs of shoes, SEVEN nail polishes, and a few other bits and pieces.

 

I think I have a problem!

 

One thing is clear: I'm not to be trusted in a real life shop when I have a little money in my bank account!

 

So, who would like to see my New Look/Superdrug haul?

 

I can reveal I bought four pairs of studded flats!

 

 

 

 

I went in intending to hunt down these wide-fit studded slippers. (I've been hunting for wide fit slippers as my Topshop ones are a little tight around my toes). I've been admiring them online for months, but was hesitant about ordering them online as I wasn't sure which size I needed. I have wide feet, and one foot a half size bigger than the other, which makes things awkward. I'm a UK 6-7 but usually take a 7 because of this. It turns out the sizing was very generous in length and width, even for a wide fit shoe- the size 7 was far too big, and the size 6 was perfect!

 

The slippers are far nicer in real life than they appear on the website. They look far better quality than I'd imagined and feel like a suedette fabric. I couldn't choose between the two, so I decided to buy both as they'll work with different coloured outfits. The slippers were just £17.99 each and can be found online- navy, black. They also come in purple.

 



 

After deciding to buy both pairs of studded slippers, I found these beautiful ballet pumps in the sale area. They're studded all over, and again, are made from a faux suede material. At first I couldn't find the purple in my size and was upset because I loved them. Then after I'd discovered the red pair in my size and had fallen in love with those too,  I was just on my way to the till when I found the purple in a size 6 hanging behind some other shoes, and couldn't get to the checkout fast enough! Again, the size 6 was generously cut, but I don't think these ones are wide fit pumps. They were both just £8 each. I can't find my receipt but I think they were about £16-17 originally. Such a bargain!

 

I can justify buying four pair of shoes because I hardly own anything besides flip flops and sandals, which is shocking! I only spent just over £50 on all four, so I don't really feel guilty. I fell in love with a pair of burgundy slippers, which I may go back for after I've been paid. They also had some great creepers.

 



A couple of nights ago, I came across the Scottie Dog scarf online. I almost ordered it, but decided to wait a few days. There were several things at the top of my wish list I desperately wanted, but I had to decide which I wanted most. Obviously, the shoes won today (plus a few more pairs...). So while I was in New Look I picked up these cute thin chiffon scarves for just £2.99 each! I can't argue with being able to update a few outfits for so little. They're both available online- Scottie Dog, Skull print.

 



How adorable is this white Scottie dog print?!

 



 

The skull print is of quite happy looking skulls with faint crosses in between them.

 

I also bought a couple of accessories I had my eye on...

 



I almost bought this trio of hair slides along with the scarf the other day, so I had to pick them up when I saw them! They were only £3.50 and perfect colours for Autumn. They can be found here.

 



 

This feather beaded necklace was on sale (50% off) and just £3.00 down from £6.00. I thought it was cute and would work well with my red polka dot tea dress. Sorry about the terrible photo.

 

From New Look we headed over to Superdrug, and I splurged a bit in there, too...

 

I needed a new face scrub so bought Garnier Fresh Essentials Refreshing Scrub in Grape Extract.

 

I picked up my normal hair dye- Schwarzkopf Live Color XXL Real Red. I was looking to buy one of the new bright semi-permanent dyes, too, but they didn't have them. I'll probably pick one of them up online instead.

 

And a very boring purchase was a basic toe nail clipper. I'm sure you all wanted to know that!

 



 

Now here is where I went a bit nail polish crazy. I couldn't resist them and ended up coming home with seven! In Superdrug there was an offer with Barry M- buy any two Barry M products and get a free croc or web effects nail polish. I took advantage of the offer twice! The standard polishes were just £2.99 each, and the free croc effects polishes are worth £3.99.

 

 

I chose an interesting looking polish which is black with pink glitter flecks (353 Ruby Glitter) which I can't wait to try; a burgundy shade I've been wanting for a while (273 Raspberry), and chose the burgundy croc effect as the freebie (343 Burgundy Croc).

 



 

I then sent my Mum to the till with another three, as the offer was one per transaction. I picked up a two-tone teal colour (334 teal); a new bottle of my current favourite polish- a green-black polish I think of as beetle green (299 Racing Green); and added the black croc effect polish (323 Croc Effects) as the free one.

 

 

Then, if I hadn't done enough shopping, I bought a bronze-brown NYC nail polish in the pharmacy when picking up a prescription. I've heard some great things about budget brand NYC Color, but had yet to take the plunge and give them a try, and for £1.79 there really isn't much to worry about. I decided to try a brown as it's the one colour I don't own in my nail polish collection, and looks like the perfect nail colour for Autumn.

 



 

And, finally, I bought Grazia and Cosmopolitan magazines. Cosmo had a couple of free gifts. Mine has a great fuchsia Missguided lipsplash lipgloss. It's so vibrant and although it's not a colour I'd usually buy myself, I'm really taken with how it looks against my skin tone! The other freebie is an Oral B 3D White Brilliance toothpaste, which appears to be a whitening toothpaste.

 

I'm tired just thinking about all these purchases! That's me done until the next pay day, when I should really concentrate on Christmas and birthday present shopping since it's all creeping up fast. There are several things I ordered online last week I'm still waiting for, but I'll save those for another post.

 

I pushed myself a little too much whilst out and about and have been curled up for the last few hours feeling sorry for myself. I'm off to relax and play with my new purchases.

 



Rock 'n' Roll, Ruby, Rock 'n' Roll

Yesterday I saw an advert that literally made me squeal.

 

Now I'm not the type to get excited over an advert- I usually skim past most in magazines to get to the articles and fashion pages... but, hey, it's been a slow year, and the little things are all I've got.

 

 

This is an ipod photo of the advert, so please excuse the quality

 

Schwarzkopf are releasing a new range of bright hair dyes called Live Color XXL Ultra Brights at the end of the month! I've never been so excited over hair dye in my life, but as you know I dye my hair red and have recently been longing for it to be brighter. I think this couldn't have come at a better time.

 

This is the colour I currently use...

 

 

Schwarzkopf Live Real Red. It's the boldest red in the current range, and although I adore it,  it doesn't give me the vibrancy I would truly love as I've naturally got mid to dark brown hair. I feel more like myself with bright red hair, and there's always room for improvement!

 

This is the Pillar Box Red shade, which is the colour that made me go 'oooh'. It's looks so much brighter than my current shade 'Real Red', so I'm intending to grab a bottle as soon as it hits the shelves and hopefully turn my locks a more vibrant shade of red.

 



 

Although, saying that, I'm also tempted to try this gorgeous shade of raspberry pink!

 

The dyes are semi-permanent so I'm not sure how long they'll last, but I will give them a try.

 

 If there's a time for trying out a bright, slightly unconventional hair colours it's when I haven't got the pressure of conforming to work dress codes. My current shade thankfully wasn't a problem with my employers or customers, but I doubt I'd have had the same acceptance if I'd gone much brighter.

 

I've lost so much of the person that I used to be over the last year, and I feel I need to revive a few pieces of the old me where I can. Fashion and make up have played a part in making me feel more like myself, as does my brightly coloured hair. I feel it brings out more of my personality than my natural colour ever did.

 

They're also bringing out an orangey shade called Fiery Copper but I've yet to find an image for it online.

 

Do you use Schwarzkopf hair dyes? Which brands do you use to give you a bright look?

 

Louise x