PRIMARK'S FAIR-ISLE CHRISTMAS JUMPER

As cliché as it is, I had to do a post on this years pick of the Primark Christmas Jumpers. This isn't a full on 'reindeer with a flashing nose and 3D antlers' offering, instead this is much more subtle, and I would class it more of a winter jumper, than just for a few weeks of festiveness. And I tell you what, I blimmin' love this.

This one was £14, so not bad for a high-street option, opposed to the likes of Topshop, H&M etc. etc. I must admit, this was a little itchy on the inside the first time I wore it, but I got used to it in under half an hour, and wasn't anything unbearable anyway.

There's something about the pattern that I find really classic about the design, but I'm not sure what. This was definitely the best jumper I have seen in Primark personally, and at school the other day we wore Christmas Jumpers for charity, and a lot of people were matching me!

It appears to be quite a popular jumper, and I will most certainly be getting a lot of wear out of this in the upcoming weeks - and maybe even on the 25th itself...

BEATING THE BREAKOUTS

My skin is something that drives me crazy. Some people worry their skin looks bad because they have a one single blemish on their cheek, in their hairline, or on their chin, and it makes me quite conscious of how they think mine looks, if theirs is 'awful'. I take various steps to keep the breakouts at bay, a stop to the spots if you will, but nothing really works.

My skin is problematic, and oily in most areas, bar the cheeks (lets say combination). Spots everywhere, at least a handful a day (not new ones, my spots linger for days), and scarring more purple than the worst dark circles I have ever seen. I know it is a teenage thing and I cannot wait for the days I will have clear skin again (fingers crossed), but frankly, I see less and less fellow blemished people by the years...just me being paranoid?

Masks are the way to do it with blemishes. The first offering for me is the Super Facialist Tea Flower Pore Purifying Clay Mask which is a budget friendly £8.99 high street option. This just smells like it is clarifying, but not stripping on the skin in the slightest. The other is basically the same, which is the A'kin Express Purifying Facia Masque*, just more expensive at £16.50, so opt for the Super Facialist one if you can. I am hoping to get the Origins Charcoal Mask soon too, so hopefully that'll work wonders for my skin.

To be quite honest, the Lush Tea Tree Toner has been in my collection for quite a long time now, and I am just trying to finish it off. I'm not sure what this does blemish-wise, but it does feel quite refreshing to spritz on the skin before moisturising day or night. It costs £3.95, and has mainly natural ingredient too.

Treatments are where it is at currently in the skincare world. As much as I would lust over that glorious bottle of Esteé Lauder Advanced Night Repair on my shelf, my tight budget won't allow it, so for now, I will bear without. For me, it is the all famous La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo which is a light, yet moisturising gel which unclogs pores and all that jazz. Then, it is the recently acquired Spa Find Perfect Purity Dermabalance Spot Treatment*, which I wouldn't recommend for dry skins, as this kind of dries on the blemish and pulls out all the nasty stuff to the surface. This is a brilliant overnight treatment.

That was your tour around my breakout busting squad, but lets just hope the bad skin will be gone soon and these won't get picked off the shelf so regularly. 

 

BARRY M BLINK EYELINER

Diverting away from the Christmas posts for a day, over the past month or two this Barry M Blink Eyeliner has quickly become my favourite eyeliner. I haven't tried many before, but the simplicity of using this has won me over.

This is a felt tip eyeliner, which I find the easiest type of liner to use. I basically draw on whatever shape I like, whether that is a dramatic wing, a small wing, or no wing at all, (some of which are demonstrated in the picture above), and it will last all day. I love that the pen tip is a spongey-foam kind of thing, as it just makes the application so much more flexible and quick. 

This is waterproof and smudgeproof, and all the other good stuff. I have only ever had this smudge on me once when my eye watered and I went crazy rubbing my eye because I forgot I had eyeliner on. School Girl Error. For £4.19 though, and for how blimmin' good this is, I will be repurchasing to my heart's content. 

If you suck at eyeliner, go and buy this. I was awful at liner, and after buying this, the amount of compliments I have gained isn't countable on my two hands...

THE DEEP SLEEP DUO

I don't have full on insomnia, but sleeping for me is a bit of a task, so there is definitely something of the sort in my head. Whether it is waking up at stupid o'clock, taking ages to fall asleep, or waking up half a dozen times in the night, a great nights sleep is a rare occurrence for me. 

TkMaxx is where it's at for pillow spray. It's cheap, by a French brand, the packaging is stunning, and is only £2.99 a bottle. This is the Le Mas des Collines Lavender Pillow Spray and my second bottle of the stuff. I don't recommend this for travelling, mine leaked all over my products in the suitcase... (a smelly muslin cloth was the worst). But, otherwise, this is a must have for those who struggle sleeping. 

Then we have the cult This Works Sleep Balm which is looking rather dishevelled, with a broken lid and whole lot of hit pan. I found this is a Christmas Cracker thing in TkMaxx early on this year, so I am hoping I can find another replacement at some point once again. I put a generous layer of this on my pulse points, and go to sleep. Another lavender scented thing for you.

If you think I couldn't have enough lavender in my life, I have just purchased a Original Source Lavender and Tea Tree shower gel for when my current offering runs out. 

 

UNDER £3 STOCKING STUFFERS

It's December. The Christmas posts are going to be getting a lot more frequent on the blog on the buildup to the 25th. Stocking suffers are one of my favourite things to buy, and I have put together a few things that are under £5 so this is for those on a budget, or if you are like me, you have spent all your money on presents already.

The first thing is this mustache mug, which I found for 99p in a local store called Home Bargains which I thought was an incredible deal! I filled this is with 2 candy canes and then a small pack of Cadbury Eclairs which are so tasty, and cost 29p.

Next up from the same store (which is part of my Secret Santa gift this year) is this Ebot Speaker contraption. This was an amazing £1.99, and basically, you plug it into your phone, iPod, phone, tablet, or any electronic device and your music is louder!

You can't go wrong with the Cosy Footlets from Primark as a gift, and for £2.50, any girl will enjoy wearing these when they are cold. These ones are the softest and warmest things ever, almost like sheepskin, but obviously not real. 

Then, this is a Christmas gift from Wilkinson which is a black wooden heart hanging decoration, which comes with a chalk so you can write on any message you want to! I thought this was such a cute gift, and it only cost £2, which is totally bargainous if you ask me. 

Finally, I have this mini manicure pouch from H&M, which cost me £1 in the sale, but generally costs £1.50 anyway, so still way in the £5 budget. Any beauty junkie would love this as a gift, as it is so handy, and handbag appropriate. You get a nail brush, a mini file and buffer, and a cuticle pusher backer. Even the pouch is handy for carrying around. 

It is all about bargain hunting when you are on a budget, and it doesn't necessarily mean that the quality isn't as good. These gifts were all under £3, which is an amazing deal and the quality is still there.