mrsjennyws

I fell off the bandwagon. Big time.
I didn't even make it a week before breaking my No Spend.
I feel ashamed.

Last week I bought one Kindle book, but that was ok. I realised that I should have added to the rules that Kindle Daily Deals/99p books don't count for the No Spend.
I track a lot of Kindle books using eReader IQ and when they come on offer at 99p (or dramatically reduced) then I usually try to buy them so that I can stock up my library.

But on Monday I went on a walk at lunchtime, popped into TKMaxx to see whether they have the bag I want in stock. I had it in my mind that if they did, I would buy it. It is something I've been mulling over for a good few weeks and I decided to take the plunge out of worry that it might go out of stock.
They didn't have it in stock. So when I went back to work, I was straight on the website and I ordered the bag. I also ordered the same bag in another colour, that kills two birds with one stone - I got free p&p and now I can see the two colours in person before I decide which to keep.

Paul Costello Lily Bag in Light Pink and Pistachio

 I'm not sure whether I regret it now...in fact if I feel bad enough I may return both.
Although a nice small, crossbody bag is something I've been wanting for the best part of a year now, really useful for weddings, general out and about and it'll be great in Canada.
Although it is possible that I might get one whilst I'm in Canada...on the other hand, I might not.

And then Tuesday morning it carried on. I went onto the Charlotte Tilbury website to check something about the Magic Foundation (I had used a sample of it that morning) and immediately this came up.
There's nothing like telling me something that I want AND is Limited Edition is going out of stock.
I added the K.I.S.S.I.N.G. Kiss Chase Lipstick, which was on my March wishlist, to my basket without a second thought and proceeded to checkout.
I actually don't think I have any regrets here, bucket loads of guilt, but I want that lipstick.


It even gets worse. Following the lipstick incident of Tuesday I proceeded to go into Marks & Spencer at lunch and buy shoes. The navy and black heeled boots to be exact.

M&S Shoe Shopping I'm also still dreaming about those flats, but they just weren't that comfy

 Admittedly they were £59 down to £29, potentially interview appropriate and gorgeous. I'm never usually sure about blue and black together, but something drew me to these and then when I put them on...it was love. The heel is higher than I'd usually go for, but I feel so stable in them, it's crazy. They're also really quite comfortable (except a teeny bit of toe squeeze), maybe it's due to the Insolia thing they have going on, but the inside is like a tiny cushion. But I've only walked around the shoe section and my work bathroom in them...so I'm yet to test them for a longer amount of time yet.

Autograph Stain Away™ Suede Elastic Shoe Boots with Insolia® in Navy and Black

I'm also feeling like I want to have a but style overhaul and so these fit in with what I'm going for.


So there we have it. One week down, three major fails. And I feel more coming on.


I'm desperately dreaming of the Longchamp Le Pliage Large Tote Bag from my Wishlist. Sigh.
And the Makeup Revolution Ultra Contour and Cream Contour Palettes. I feel like I need to give a cheapy one a try before Canada so I know whether to add one to that wishlist.

Maybe telling myself that I'm not allowed to spend is just making me want to more.


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I'm starting this off plainly...I will not, I repeat, NOT be buying any of thing from this list this month. The No Spend March will prevail!! It's also worth mentioning that, I already bought a large number of things that were meant to be on this list...I've included some of them anyway. When will I learn?

Charlotte Tilbury Date Night Duo

Kiss Chase & Between the Sheets

 This duo consists of the two new shades to the Matte Revolution and K.I.S.S.I.N.G. ranges. These shades were named by the public via a campaign that on the CT website, Twitter and Instagram.
Matte Revolution - Between The Sheets
K.I.S.S.I.N.G - Kiss Chase
I have the Matte Revolution lipstick in Bond Girl, but I find it's got a bit too much of an orange/red undertone for me (even though it really doesn't look like it should) and I don't end up wearing it enough. Also, just wanted to throw in that I bought it just after I'd had my makeup done by Nelson, Charlotte's lead makeup artist. Swoon!
These two shades are both gorgeous pinky shades and the packaging is enough to make me want to buy all the shades. I also want Bitch Perfect, the colour is lovely...and that name!

Edit: since I first starting writing this, my husband bought me Between The Sheets for our 3 year anniversary! I'm in love with it! I can't believe that he bought it for me considering how much he disagrees with me and my makeup love.


Sleek Face Form Contour Kit in Light

Face Form Contour Kit Light

or was it Fair? Let's go with both.
I stumbled upon Sleek last month when the Solstice Highlighting Palette suddenly popped up in front of my eyes (and into my shopping basket). Obviously I'd heard of Sleek, but I'm such a snob that I ruled it out straight away as a drugstore brand. Well how wrong was I?!
I gave in, a small haul happened as I was seduced by the Solstice and Precious Metals Highlighting Palettes and the Rose Gold blush. At the same time I'd also spotted the Face Form Contour Kits too...a matte bronzer, plus a highlight shade and blush? Yes please. I do love blush and highlight. And that's how they ended up on this list.

Face Form Contour Kit in Fair

Rosie for Autograph
Now this is love.
This brand suddenly popped up in an email from Marks & Spencer sometime last month, I spotted the rose gold packaging and frantically got onto the page of the website as fast as my little fingers could type/click! My God, it's pretty. Think Charlotte Tilbury and take the price tag down a notch. I rushed to my nearest M&S at lunch to find a holding place where the makeup is soon to appear. WHY WASN'T IT THERE? I've since been back nearly every day to the M&S and it hasn't appeared yet (we're talking over 2 weeks now).
Since then I've recieved two seperate 20% off offers from M&S. Complete disaster, I caved and on the first round I ordered a couple of the things that were meant to be on this wishlist. And then the second 20% off came into my inbox, the day before my No Spend March started...that coupled with wanting to reward myself after having a job interview that day meant that a few more things slipped into by basket.

First Round Purchase
Eyeshadow Palette - I Feel Like A Million Dollars
 I was desperate for a small eyeshadow palette, my UD Naked and Stila Whole Lotta Love palettes are too hefty to carry around with me. The colours in these palettes are gorgeous, I love warm, neutral shades (obviously gold is neutral, everyone knows that).
Lipstick - Lady Rose
This is a gorgous colour, quite dark on me (you can see on my instagram), and one of the few lipsticks I own that isn't a satin or matte finish. And the rose gold packaging, it's just sublime.

Lipstick in Lady Rose & Eyeshadow Palette in I Feel Like A Million Dollars

Second Round Purchases
Eyeshadow Palette - Copper Gold Rush
I was so bowled over with the I Feel Like A Million Dollars palette and I'd been wanting a more burgandy/purple colour, that I gave in and this went into my basket.
Lipstick - Camisole Blush
I actually managed to find the Rosie for Autograph in the Westfield Stratford store and swatched an amazing pink colour on my hand. I wasn't taking much notice and didn't remember what the shade was called. I gambled on this being the right one...I think it is!
Cream Blush - English Rose Flush
I only have one cream blush from MUA, which I never really use, and I don't have any blushes in this colour. Justified. It looks a lot darker in the picture, it's not such a brown colour in real life.

Lipstick in Camisole Blush Cream Blush in English Rose Flush

Eyeshadow Palette in Copper Gold Rush

My Wishlist
Starstruck Highlighter
Highlighter Powder
Cream Blush - Romatic Flush
Lipstick - Dolly Baby, I Love You So Much (ILYSM)
Amazing Radiance Cream
The Amazing Radiance Cream, looks lovely and glowy and I am all about the glow at the moment. That's also why I want the highlighters, I did swatch them in store and thought they were a bit glittery, but apparently my brain can overcome that because they're highlighter, so I still want them. I'd like to see what the other Cream Blushes and Lipsticks are like too, more swatches are in order. But I need to stop buying from this brand at the moment, at least for now!

Dolly Baby	I Love You So Much (ilysm)	Highlight Powder
Romantic Flush	Starstuck Highlight	Amazing Radiance Cream

Nars Eyeshadow Duo in Isolde

Isodale

 Typically I stumbled across this through Zoella, I don't know if it was a current or old video or maybe I was trawling through her blog and came across it. But amazing colours, I don't know if I need to say much more!

Isodale

Tangle Teezer
I've been meaning to get one of these for well over a year and it's just something I KEEP putting off. I really have no idea why. I need two, one of the shower and one for not in the shower, so I'm thinking an Original and an Aqua Splash maybe. I'd like to try the Blow-Styling ones too.

L-R: Aqua Splash, The Original, Blow Styling Half Paddle

Things that were meant to be on this wishlist
Tanya Burr Cheek Palettes in Peachy Glow and Rosy Flush - they're ALWAYS out of stock on Superdrug and when I got the notification emails to say there were back in stock, I absolutely went for it and added them straight to my basket without a second thought. No regrets, they are truly gorgeous and so pigmented.

Tanya Blur Peachy Glow Cheek Palette

Tanya Blur Rosy Flush Cheek Palette

Pixi Glow Tonic - in my defense I got it on one of the many M&S 20% offers that I took advantage of this month, making this £14.40 instead of £18.

Pixi Glow Tonic

Overall I'm not sure how successful this wishlist has been, seeing as I've actually bought like half of it already. I'll try harder next month, I promise.


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Temptation
Now I am the sort of person who is tempted easily, by anything. Show me something, anything (pretty) and leave it under my nose, and it doesn't take long for it to be a must have item for me.
It's basically a complete disaster and it means that I see something, start thinking about it and then don't stop thinking about it until I buy it. It's basically why a lot of my obsessions start I think, I'm very easily swayed - an advertisers dream.
Maybe I need to work on that...

Justification
I saw a post on the Temptalia Community recently that was titled How do you justify your makeup purchases? The first response basically covered all points and loosely translates to this:

1.) Will I get a lot of use out of this product?
2.) Do I truly love or need it?
3.) Will it cripple me financially?
4.) How unique is it? Is it Limited Edition?
5.) How well did it review?

This is basically THE perfect way to work out whether you should buy something.

A couple of Mondays ago, I needed a pick me up as I was feeling a little down.
I ordered the YSL Poudre Compact Radiance Powder in Shade 01 Universelle (longest name ever) that was on my February Wishlist...oh dear. My justification at the time was that I felt down and wanted to buy myself something, mainly because my Dad would have bought it for me without a second thought.

YSL Poudre Compact Radiance Powder in Shade 01 Universelle

 But I thought it would be interesting to see if I could justify it using those rules.

January and February ended up being VERY bad for my purse in terms of makeup (in case you wanted a round up, I'm going to post about my Jan/Feb haul), but that also means that I've broken my makeup goal for the first two months of the year AND I haven't saved a thing for Canada/USA.
Oops.

Rosie for Autograph Eyeshadow Palette in I Feel Like A Million Dollars Lipstick in Lady Rose

Because I cannot control myself and I know that I want to buy all the things in Canada and America, I have decided that I will be doing a No Spend Month for March.


RULES

NO BUYING MAKEUP
Nothing, no one bit. I don't need anything.
The only exception would be if I urgently need something and I'm SURE that I DO NOT. So if it looks like I'm going to spend then I need someone to stop me.
@keepcalmtaylor that's you.
Other exceptions include any FANTASTIC deals that come up, but I mean once in a lifetime sort of deal. Like somewhere selling off Naked Palettes for £10. As if that's ever going to happen.

No buying snacks
This is probably my downfall - a packet of crisps here, a chocolate bar (or ten) there, the odd coffee. Cutting out these things will save pennies and the pounds (as in lbs pounds).

No buying clothes
Unless it's an emergency...or a once in a lifetime deal - see above.

Only buy essentials
That means shampoo, face wipes etc. and ONLY if I've actually run out. I have tons of samples of face cream, hand cream, shampoo etc. so I might try and get through some of those. But I have just bought new face wipes and shampoo, so pretty unlikely.
I will need to buy milk for work, but obviously that's fine. A girl can't live with out her tea.

NO CREDIT CARD
I have been terrible at just putting things on my credit card and thinking I'll pay them off later.
Do I? No. So no credit card this month.

Cookie Dough Krispie Kreme No more of these babies

What doesn't count as spending (cheating already)
Meals out with friends/family - these happen SO rarely that it's probably not going to be a factor, yes I have no social life. But if I have to go I'll try to tone down the spending.

Things that I have to pay for - e.g. Mother's Day Card (already got a free one!) and train tickets to go and see my sister's play.

Buying coffee to use the cafe internet - we STILL have no internet after 3 months, at the end of March it will be 4 and we're not expecting the current issue to be fixed until at least the end of March. So if I desperately need to use the internet at the weekend then I have to go to Starbucks and so I have to buy a coffee.

This is just for me, not for my husband - so things that come out of our 'joint account' (aka the Amex) don't count, so if I went out for a meal with my husband that isn't the same as going out for a meal with just my friends. We pay vs. I pay.

My fave Pret coffee

Preparing for no spend
I need some new hair products so those will be bought ahead of time and as I previously mentioned I have loads of samples stacked up to use in an emergency!
I'm going to make sure I have enough work snacks in our weekly shops to keep me going - no going out go buy crisps. And I will stock up on a few choccy bars ahead of time for my desk, every girl needs chocolate.


Wish me luck!

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I thought I'd do a little wishlist of items that's outside my makeup wishlist...my makeup wishlist is over 300 items long and I'm pretty sure that it doesn't even cover everything that I want. As that could fill around 10 thousand posts, I'll leave that for another day.
These are some of the bigger ticket items that I want, ranging from the £100 up to the £1000 mark. Some of these things are those life long dream things, or at least a 10 year long dream. The sort of purchases that make me feel like a real adult, because apparently being married doesn't make me feel like a grown up!

Mulberry Bag
What girl doesn't want twenty one of these?

I've wanted one of these bags for around 7-8 years.
On my current shortlist are the Bayswater Double Zip Tote, Alexa, (Medium) Lily and Roxette all in Oak, as I'm a blue/brown sort of girl, rather than black. I'm really not a fan of black and would never consider buying anything in black, especially not a bag!
I also wonder whether I should consider the Bayswater as it is a classic. Oh and the Roxette looks AH-mazing in Oxblood Croc.

I think that if I had to rank them then the Roxette would be my top, followed by the Bayswater Double Zip Tote, then Alexa and Bayswater tied. Lily is a whole other kettle of fish as it's not an everyday, chuck everything you own into it one, but it is beautiful! As are some of the other smaller cross body bags. Can I just have them all please?
My aim for this year is to save up for and buy one. Be it a teeny tiny one, even though if we look at value for money, bigger is better!
Although I sadly need to be practical and save for buying our next place, kids, bills all the boring stuff that our future holds.

Macbook/Mac

I'm not sure which type of Mac or Macbook, but this one is blog related. I've had two Acer laptops in the past 10 years and both of them have basically given up pretty soon after they've been purchased. I'm struggling along with the one I got just after I left uni (I think), it over heats, shuts down, freezes and just takes around 1000 years to do anything.
At the moment I write, edit and post all my blog posts at work. Now that's fine for the moment when I basically have next to nothing to do (yeah, not a great as it sounds!), but when I get myself a job where I actually have work to do, I'm going to need something good to carry this on.
And I do want to carry this on - I rambled on enough about that in my Why I Love Makeup post and it's one of my 2016 Goals.
I also have done about 8 pages of a book, totally pathetic right? But I'd like to try and work on it more and having a laptop to sit and write at home or to go to the coffee shop and write (cliche) would be brilliant.
And I'm ADDCITED to the Sims, so I definitely need it for that. The teenager in me still lives on.

Longchamp Le Pliage Large Tote Bag

 

Longchamp Le Pliage Large Tote in Navy

I already have a Small Tote Bag in navy, which I love. I love that they're versatile, they fold up and can be tossed in wherever you're going and whatever you're taking so that you have a spare bag. It looks stylish, doesn't break the bank and the nylon is hard wearing.
I do feel that sometimes when I want to take out some more stuff with me that mine can be a bit small, which means I'm thinking of expanding my collection.
They do have a Medium Handbag, which would probably be the perfect size for me, but it only has a short handle and I'm a bag on the shoulder sort of gal. This forearm carrying is all very well, but when you have so much to carry and you're as tiny as me (5ft!) it can basically break your arm.
That means I'm going to have to consider the Large Tote, which I must say looks huge on me. I could practically climb inside. But needs must.
And I feel like spending my money on that sort of bag is a better investment then say a Fiorelli bag of similar price, as least the Longchamp bags have some leather on them.

Ugg Classic Mini Boots

Barbour Coat

It absolutely breaks my heart that I just had to sell my old Barbour on eBay for a mere £33 when it cost well over £150 new. It was a size 12 and now that I'm a size 6 it absolutely swamped me.
I will get myself a new one, the only issue is that they don't have very mean coats in a size 6.
I'd love a classic quilted one and a waxed one.

This list is bound to grown, a girl can dream!

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I have been VERY bad this month and have ordered nearly all the items on my February Wishlist, plus about 1000 other things. Last week, after what seemed like a VERY long wait over the weekend, I finally picked up my Sleek MakeUP order from Superdrug.

I couldn't really get into the products once I got home mainly as the husband certainly does not approve of more makeup purchases. Since then I have kept meaning to take photos and swatches, but I can never get any light!! It's too dark before work, and how ever would I find the time in the morning? And it's dark by the time I get home, so finally this weekend I managed to get some natural light photos - although it was still a struggle, damn this British weather!

Following on from that moan, I apologise for the mish mash of pictures. I took some one evening under our bedroom lights and some in natural light and completed failed to check that I had everything I needed in natural light...so yeah...mixing it up.
Also problems with shiny packaging is that they act like a bloody mirror! So excuse the unintentional selfies (I already had to get rid of a great photo because I had a duck face in it).

Solstice Highlighting Palette : Precious Metals Highlighting Palette Rose Gold Blush

Solstice Highlighting Palette : Precious Metals Highlighting Palette Rose Gold Blush

The morning after I picked them up I cracked them open at my desk and got to properly lay my eyes on them! Since then I've swatched the highlights (oh my) and I've worn the blush.


Blush in Rose Gold
The packaging is very nice, it looks as you would expect from the brand - sleek. It's matte, black and good and sturdy, with a good sized mirror...although I was pretty hard to open it the first time, I even googled and found that other people had the same problem. On the other hand, plus points, it shouldn't pop open in my makeup bag! Once I finally got the darn thing open, I managed to get a peek inside. Now I'm not going to lie, I found the colour in the pan to be slightly terrifying, it looks VERY orange-y pink.

Sleek Blush in Rose Gold

 I've worn it, putting it on with the Real Techniques Blush Brush (I looooove this brush) and it goes on very sheer. It does take a little bit of building up to see and I couldn't get as much on as I usually would (PACK IT ON), but it left a gorgeous glowy flush on my cheeks which I loved.
I swatched it, it took a few swipes to build up to this intensity, but it's gorgeous.

Rose Gold Blush

Rose Gold Blush in natural light

So far I'm really happy with it, and for £4.49, who can argue! I will definitely be looking at buying some more of these.


Precious Metals Highlighting Palette
Starting with the packaging again, it certainly looks very pretty, a sort of shiny gunmetal colour, but it does smudge A LOT, mine is already covered in marks - I had to clean it to take photos. The palette isn't too bulky, good to cart around (as if I need to carry more makeup with me) and maybe not as study as the blush, but still pretty good. Much easier to open and it has a magnetic closure, fancy (I'm sure it's not really, but I'm a fan!)
When you open it, OH. MY. GOD. those highlighters sparkle up at you - they're calling my name!

Precious Metals Highlighting Palette

 Clockwise the shades are:
Platinum - cream highlight, this is quite pearlscent and it is just gorgeous!
Royal Gold - a very bright, shimmery gold
Renaissance Gold -very similar to Royal Gold in colour, but slightly more subtle in it's shimmer
Antique Bronze - the only powder of the palette, a warm bronze

Clockwise: Platinum, Royal Gold, Renaissance Gold, Antique Bronze

 I didn't think I'd like that this had so many cream formulas in it, but they are just SO creamy, I love them.

L-R: Platinum, Royal Gold, Renaissance Gold, Antique Bronze

Solstice Highlighting Palette
This one...the packaging is hot on trend being rose gold, a reason in itself to buy it, maybe it's more on the bronze side (but rose gold = bronze - no?), but so lovely either way you look at it. Like the Precious Metals it certainly attracts finger prints and smudges. And same packaging style, fairly study, good size, magnetic closure.
 Pop that bad boy open and that highlight!! I was put off this when I first saw it online, I mean what is that purple shade? But in reality it is just so gorgeous, the highlighters in the pans are just SO. DAMN. PRETTY.

Solstice Highlighting Palette

Clockwise the shades are:
Ecliptic – a warm pink colour, the only cream highlighter in the palette, I'm a little sad after how creamy the Precious Metals ones are
Hemisphere – THE PURPLE ONE, soz I can't get over that! This is one of the baked highlights, it really is a lovely colour, a light purple colours and I'm very keen to test this out!
Subsolar – a pale, slightly yellow shimmer powder
Equinox – a bronze-y, slightly orangy colour, another baked one

Clockwise: Ecliptic, Hemisphere, Subsolar, Equinox

 This palette definitely has some colours that I wouldn't have usually picked, but they are just so gorgoues that I couldn't resist. Looking forward to experimenting and worse comes to the worse, I've got an eyeshadow palette!

L-R: Ecliptic, Hemisphere, Subsolar, Equinox

I know I totally ignored that both palettes have a brush in them, but I HATE brushes that come with palettes, I never, ever use them.

So there you have it, I'm yet to wear the Highlighter Palettes, so I will get back to you on that.
Overall a definite success, I'm really, so happy that I had a naughty splurage and bought these.
Even if it's just cause they look so pretty.

Sleek MakeUP Highlighting Palettes in Solstice & Precious Metals

Sleek MakeUP Blush in Rose Gold

Another note, after having a bit of a swatch party (hello ALL my blushes) I feel like maybe I should just swatch makeup onto my hand each morning so I can look at how pretty it is throughout the day, ha.

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