Christmas Gifts on a Budget: Girls

I love Christmas gift guides, and at this time of year they're everywhere! I'm reading tons of them to my heart's content - I love giving presents, sometimes I think more so than getting them. But I find that not many of these stick to a realistic budget (or realistic for me, anyway), so I've done my own version - gifts for girls under £10!

I do Christmas on a budget every year - as a student with rent, bills and food to pay, setting a £30 limit per person just isn't doable! I've managed to get everybody's gifts (minus my boy's, but he's special) for under £10 this year, some for even under £5. So it definitely is achievable, and you shouldn't feel like you have to spend a bomb to get people impressive presents: it's something your nan would say, but the thought really is what counts...

1. Cath Kidston Cosmetic Bag, £10 - Useful gifts are sometimes the best kind, especially if they're as perfectly pretty as this pink floral number from Cath Kidston. It's made from oilcloth, so it'll stay as good as new for years to come, and is big enough to store everyday makeup or serve as a washbag for weekends away. It also comes with a cute mini mirror too. If you want to spend a little more, then you can fill it with bath goodies or make-up gifts for an extra-personal present.

2. JW Anderson for Topshop Notebook, £7.99 - For the writer in your life, give them a little piece of designer goodness with this stylish anchor notebook from JW Anderson for Topshop. Handbag-sized so they can write down all of their moments of inspiration, or even just the shopping list, it's a super-stylish way to record their thoughts.

3. What I Wore Today Book, £9.99 - For any aspiring fashion blogger friends, the What I Wore Today notebook is perfect! Filled with blank pages, they can doodle their outfits, their dream looks, or even design pieces they'd love to wear. While this is great for artistic girls and established bloggers, it's also a lovely way to build confidence for any friends you have that might want to start their own blog. You're practically giving the gift of style!

4. Rob Ryan Mug, £9 - Everybody loves tea! So why not present them with a gorgeous cup to drink it in? Rob Ryan's whimsical prints are just gorgeous, and this blue and white enamel mug is no exception. Present it with some specialist tea for a real connoisseur, or maybe just some chunky cookies for a cosy afternoon in!

5. Glitter Envelope Clutch, £7.99 - For your stylish party-girl friend, a glitter clutch bag is the perfect accessory! This envelope clutch from H&M is cheap and oh-so chic, covered in soft pearlescent glitter for a gorgeous glowing look. It's also available in black with disco sparkles, for a more retro feel.

6. Heart Cake Stand, £9.99 - For your friend who loves to bake, this beautiful cream cake stand, shaped with hearts, is just wonderful!It's a great way to let them show off their baking skills, and of course, you can sample what they have to offer to - it's a win win, really.

7. Pink Fur Hat, £6.99 - While it's cold outside, this powder pink furry Russian-style hat is a gorgeous gift that will keep the recipient warm and looking good. In a gorgeous soft shade of pink, and lined with satin, it's a little bit of luxury on a budget!

Laura Jayne xox

Product Review: MUA Heaven and Earth Palette

This is something that every blogger and her dog has had their say on, but I've only just managed to get my hands on this so I know not everyone has had the chance to use it or even see it in real life, so I'm going to get my tuppence worth in too.

The Heaven and Earth palette by MUA is, quite simply, excellent. It's a palette of 12 neutral and easy-to-wear shades that will suit any skintone and any occasion. From a shimmering mother-of-pearl shade right down to a smouldering deep chocolate, you can use the shades in any combination to create your perfect look, whether that be office-appropriate, or sexy and smokey.

I haven't swatched these as really, so many people have done that there's just no point. The shades are very true to pan anyway, and apply just as they appear. They have little to no fall-out either; I've found that they don't drop off the brush when applying, crease, crumble or slide off my lid entirely - quite an achievement for a bargain palette!

As I said, you can mix and match anyway you like. For daytime, I like to use the champagne shimmer (bottom row, third from left) in the corners of my eyes, then wash a mix of the warm beige (top, third from right) and the deep gold (top, far right) over the middle of the lid, and then smudge the corners and outer third with a mix of the three softest, shimmeriest browns in the pallete (bottom, far left and second left, and top, second left). I find it makes a really soft but sexy daytime look, perfect for leaving alone or pairing with a statement lip.

Bloggers with access to high-end brands have said this is a great alternative to the £30+ Urban Decay Naked/Naked 2 palettes, and I can definitely see why. A great shade range, going from the pale and cool, to deep and warm, great quality and a sleek appearance, all for just £4! If you're lucky, you may get further discount, as I got my palette for £3, because the MUA Professional stand had just opened. I think that even if this palette was triple the price, I'd be happy to re-purchase.

Have you used Heaven and Earth? Did you like it?

Laura Jayne xox

Product Review: W7 Prime Magic Camera Ready Primer

I recently took my first real foray into primers. I never really saw the point to be perfectly honest; I thought they were a bit of a gimmick and couldn't see how they would do anything more than what my moisturiser could. The only primer I ever used was a miniature of Benefit's That Gal, and although I love the smell and the soft glow it gave me, it was masked by my foundation and I couldn't really see any benefit once my makeup had been applied.

However, things have changed. After watching Kate's make-up tutorials, I was convinced to give primer another go, and set about looking for a cheap option. I used Amazon to hunt down an affordable primer with good reviews; searching for makeup on Amazon is actually great for bargains and I would thoroughly recommend giving it a go, as you can find lots of drugstore brands for much cheaper, as well as brands not so readily available, like Technic and W7.

I chose to order the W7 Prime Magic Camera Ready primer, as it was just £3.99, and after doing some research, found that it had mostly great reviews. Luckily, I can add to those!

The Prime Magic primer is a clear primer, with no glitter or shimmer. It comes out of the tube quite thickly, not very liquid at all, and looks quite heavy and viscous, but it smooths on to the skin like a dream. The thickness means you only have to use a small blob, and it glides on and settles on to the skin very quickly. It leaves a matte finish to my skin, and makes my face feel velvety soft within seconds. I find that my skin is a bit oily at times but the primer mattifies my whole face in seconds, and allows me to apply makeup seconds after moisturising, which I could never do before. There's no cheap synthetic scent either, and so far it hasn't clogged my pores or broken me out either.

For staying power, I can't complain at all. Pre-primer, I had to re-apply powder to my face every couple of hours to soak up any oil seeping through my foundation. However, now I find that my makeup stays matte all day, with no need for touch-ups. Since starting to use Prime Magic, I've found that my makeup goes on better, stays on better and just generally looks better too - I can't believe I've gone this long without using any primer, but I'll definitely be buying this one again!

Have you used Prime Magic Camera Ready primer? What did you think, or do you have another favourite that you can't live without?

Laura Jayne xox

Blogger Challenge - Fashion Gifts for Under £35

1, 2, 3, 4, 5

GiftsVouchers.co.uk are currently running a competition for all bloggers; the idea is to scour the web for five fashionable gifts, all for under £35 each! I've decided to get involved, and you can too by entering here - the deadline is November 9, so still another week to get your entries in. You can choose your prize too, with gift cards for Asos, Topshop, Boohoo or Amazon, or a JolieBox subscription. I know what I'd be choosing if I won - this horse clutch from Asos has my name all over it!

The Multi Zip Horse Clutch from ASOS is a great present idea for a friend or a sister this year; perfect for the party season, versatile and quirky too! It's leather-look so easy to clean, while the gold hardware makes it perfectly eye-catching. It closes with a zip for security, but its details are the best part - horse-shaped studs and tassels, anyone? At £24, this is a fun and fashionable gift that someone you know is sure to love.

Collars are a huge trend and are set to stay that way for the foreseeable future. Give the gift of style with Topshop's Mega Pearl Collar, £30. Who wouldn't love this, to throw on over an LBD for Audrey Hepburn-style glamour? 

Benefit's How to Look the Best at Everything complexion gift set is a great idea for beauty-obsessed girls. For £24.50, this set contains miniatures of some of Benefit's bestselling base products, including the infamous Porefessional, Hello Wow! foundation and Boi-Ing! concealers. I've linked to the 'Light' option but it's also available in Medium and Dark, so you can choose the right kit for your very lucky recipient!

I don't know about you, but this Jewellery Display Frame from notonthehighstreet is one of the most beautiful and unique ways I've seen to store your jewellery! You can choose the background of the frame on the site to best suit your receiver's tastes too, making it properly personal. The display frame is £24.99, and features eight brass hooks from which to hang jewellery, and it can be stood upright or hung on the wall for optimum exposure!

I can't think of anyone who doesn't love big, bouncy hair full of movement. Give the gift of great hair this year with a set of heated soft rollers, like these by Tresemme, available on very.co.uk. This set of 10 rollers comes in a handy storage case, perfect for girls on the go, and they heat up super-fast for a quick way to gorgeous hair! At just £25, you might even want to buy a set for yourself...

These are my picks for giftsvouchers.co.uk's Blogger Challenge - which one would you most like to receive?

Grand Day Out

Hello!

Thanks to hectic uni work (Honours year - not all that fun...) it's been a while since I've had time to post! But here's a little something I've put together from yesterday.

The boy and I decided to take a little daytrip over to Edinburgh. My boyfriend is from there and it was originally our first choice city when applying for unis. Luckily we got Glasgow instead - Edinburgh is gorgeous, but so much more expensive! We took a wander down to the Stockbridge area, which is full of stunning Georgian buildings and independent boutiques; it's somewhere I'd definitely be happy to live! These photos were taken in the Royal Botanic Gardens, which are just lovely, especially in Autumn. Red and gold crunchy leaves, squirrels, crisp winds... I love Autumn!

I'm wearing a duffel coat from New Look with a burgundy dress from New Look last year underneath. It was too cold to unbutton my coat to show it off! Lewis's jeans are from Next and his coat is Tom Wolfe, his lovely brown brogue boots are from Dune too. Doesn't he look handsome? *overly proud girlfriend alert*

 While we're here, here's a gratuitous Halloween costume photo too. I bought my Minnie Mouse costume last year, and then got my drink spiked the night before our Halloween party, so it never got worn and my poor Lewis had to go as a lone Mickey Mouse. This year, there was no doubt I was going to wear it at last! Lewis's outfit is a onesie from New Look (sorry, loving New Look today!) with Primark plimsolls that he painted himself. His face paint is all his own work too!

Laura Jayne xox