HOW TO SAVE MONEY OVER CHRISTMAS

Hi guys!

I don't know about you but most of the time I avoid checking my bank balance (unless it's payday) because I'm scared of what I will see. That being said there are a few things that I do to try and save a bit of cash and thought I would share them with you.

1. Sell things on eBay - any old clothes that are still in decent condition, my boyfriend's PS4 games that he no longer plays, old phone cases that don't fit anymore, any jewellery or hair items that I don't use, you won't make loads but it helps when you need a little extra.

2. When buying things online always type in '[shop name] discount codes' into google and 9 times out of 10 you will be able to get a cheeky percentage off your shop.

3. Take advantage of deals when food shopping e.g buy seasonal fruit and veg (it's always cheaper, will probably be at the front) and don't be scared to buy store brand food, it's basically the same you are just paying extra for the brand label and if you don't believe me check the ingredients!

4. Sign up to stores emailing list - They have flash sales that only you will know about (tends to be week day evenings or lunch time), they will send you discount codes and its free so why say no?

5. Go points card crazy! Just get a points card for everywhere, make sure you register it and keep it in your purse at all times. They add up and you won't regret it when you get free coffees, money off makeup, clothing discounts and with a Nectar card for example you can spend your points on eBay so just buy doing a food shop that could mean a free xmas present for someone!

6. Don't be scared to ask - Staff of most stores will be happy to help you get the best deal and there could be something you've missed so don't be scared to check with them if there are any promotions on or that will be happening in the near future.

That's all I can think of for now, if there is something I have forgotten I will be sure to update this post or if there is anything you do please leave a comment and let me know! Thank you so much for reading and I hope this helped.

Love from Lily xxxx

THE BEST MASCARA EVER! :)

Hey guys!!

Hope you are all doing well, sorry I disappeared for a bit life just sort of happened and I didn't get a chance to post. But I'm back now because I wanted to tell you about this awesome mascara that I recently re-purchased. It has been around for years (I believe I used it all the time in 2013) but I got curious and wanted to try a new brand every time I needed a mascara. However after lots of trial and error I still think this is the best one (well apart from They're Real! by Benefit but lets face it we aren't always going to have £19.50 to spare on buying a single makeup item). So with that being said I picked one up in Boots and have not regretted it. The wand is literally magical guys, it is the easiest thing to use ever, no clumps, no mess, no fuss. Plus you don't have to stand there applying it for five hours to get a decent look it just takes a few swipes and you're good to go!

You're probably thinking "Tell me the name already!" so here it is:

THE ROCKET VOLUM' EXPRESS

BY MAYBELLINE NEW YORK

At £7.99 you can't really get anything better on the market for this price in my opinion. And yes I even think it's better than the famous Lash Sensational Mascara that they recently brought out. Calm down I don't hate it, I frequently use that products as well but I just think this one is so much better and deserves a little more attention. Okay I will admit the bright blue and pink packaging is kinda childish compared to the sleek metallic purple that Lash Sensational has, but that's probably the only fault I can find here.

Something else I like about this product is how long it lasts, you can wear it all day without any smudging or panda eyes and it's pretty easy to remove unlike other long wearing mascaras. One tube (not sure if that's the right word please correct me if I'm wrong) will last me a couple of months wearing is approximated 6 out of 7 days per week. I try to give my face a day off makeup if I'm not doing anything that requires me to look presentable just to help my skin and such. When I was a teenager I would get so many spots as I have oily skin, but thankfully now that I am in my early twenties this has died down a lot and I only get the odd one or two. If you would like an advice about preventing breakouts please see my post about it here: http://lovefrmlily.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/beauty-101-how-to-prevent-breakouts.html

Anyway I kind of got off topic a bit there so basically just go buy this mascara, it will change your life and make you feel like a magical princess.

Love from Lily xxxx

GIRLY NIGHT IN ESSENTIALS ♡

Hey guys!!

Whether you are by yourself or with some friends there always time for a girly night in. I won't bore you by telling to watch When Harry met Sally, Mean Girls or Say Anything... (although they are great films and you definitely should watch them) but why not try watching a TV series instead? I am currently watching S3 of Drifters on E4, it's a show about three twenty-something girls who live pretty normal lives but they are hilariously real and relatable. I rarely find a programme that actually makes me laugh, but this one never fails! I'm pretty sure you can watch the first two series on catch up so don't worry you won't miss anything! I would also recommend watching Awkward, Faking It, The Mindy Project and Dash Dolls for something to keep you entertained during your girly down time.

Something else I like to do when I'm having a girly night is make myself a nice cup of tea or hot chocolate (depending on how healthy I'm feeling) and grab some veggies and dip to snack on (plus some cheeky chocolate, it's OK if you have a balanced snack haha). To set the chilled out vibe I light some scented candles or use my Yankee Candle wax melt burner -  also if you're stuck for christmas present ideas this would make a great one. Another essential you will need is some cute/funky/character pajamas, fluffy socks or slippers, a dressing gown and a blanket (also fluffy) can't get more cosy than that!

So now for the pampering: here's some beauty products that are easy to apply, affordable and fun!

 Elegant Touch nails in Jelly Twinkle £7.95 www.eleganttouch.com

Montagne Jeunesse Fruity Beauty Face Masque Sachets £1-£2

These face masks are great, you can buy them from pretty much anywhere that sells beauty products such as Boots, Superdrug or Amazon. There's so many to choose from and you can buy individuals or a multi-pack.

If you are alone for your girly evening why not take a relaxing bath, preferably with some Radox bubble bath or bath soak and some Bath Tea from The Body Shop. Alternatively you could treat yourself to a bath bomb from Lush, I have to be careful with these because I am allergic to some of them so please ask in store for advice if you have sensitive skin.

However you choose to do it, the main thing is that you are chilled out and having some you-time. I hope that this post has reminded you to take one evening this week to have a girly night in and now you have a couple of ideas of what to do. Please let me know how they went and if there's something you do which I haven't mentioned.

Thanks for reading, I am so grateful!

Love from Lily xxxx

MY HALLOWEEN OUTFIT

Hi guys!!

I am so so excited to go out this Halloween it's such a fun holiday and I've decided to wear something a little different this time. Rather than going for the standard character dress up I have decided to wear some 'Halloween-chic' style clothes that I found online on ASOS.com.

Here's the over sized tee I'm going to wear as a dress cause hey why not! When I was telling my mum about this she did not get the pun or find it funny at all, but personally I think it's great! £18

http://www.asos.com/asos/asos-halloween-witch-please-glow-in-the-dark-oversized-tee/prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=5443992&clr=Multi&SearchQuery=halloween&pgesize=36&pge=3&totalstyles=465&gridsize=3&gridrow=11&gridcolumn=3

I'm going to pair it with these tights, I was drawn to them because of how cool the bats look on the sheer background, I think it looks really effective. £8

http://www.asos.com/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=5453401&CTARef=Mini+Bag

As for shoes I am not going to wear these exact ones but a similar pair that I already own which I bought ages ago. These ones are very cute though, I wanted to go for just a simple heel because I didn't want to take away from the rest of the outfit and make it look too busy. £25

http://www.asos.com/ASOS/ASOS-PACEY-Pointed-High-Heels/Prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=5650223&abi=1&clr=black&CTAref=Complete+the+Look+Thumb

I have an obsession with tassels at the moment, I realise they are not for everyone but I just think they are so fun and pretty. Plus you can obviously use this for other occasions not just Halloween and black goes with everything so you basically can't lose! £18

http://www.asos.com/asos/asos-clutch-bag-with-suede-fringing/prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=5528544&clr=Black&SearchQuery=clutch+halloween&pgesize=9&pge=0&totalstyles=9&gridsize=3&gridrow=1&gridcolumn=2

If you felt like adding a fun accessory and a little bit of glitter to your outfit then this spider phone case is definitely one to consider. It's all about seasonal accessories right now I love it! (for iphone 5 only in this design) £8

http://www.asos.com/asos/asos-halloween-metallic-spider-iphone-5-case/prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=5716630&clr=Multi&SearchQuery=spider+phone+case&SearchRedirect=true

Then just add a few sparkly black/grey jewellery pieces and you'll be golden! All items were from ASOS.com, a truly amazing site that I have been using for years.

So that's what I'm going to be wearing for Halloween, hope you enjoyed reading about it and that it's given you a few ideas if you haven't got anything already. If you have I would love to know what you're wearing please leave a comment about it!

There will be more posts to come soon, see you then!

Love From Lily xxxx

WHAT'S ON MY CHRISTMAS LIST 2015 PART 2! ❆ (quick post)

Hi guys!!

I'm feeling pretty cheery today has been a good one. I managed to have a cheeky browse around the shops before work and saw some things that I NEED in my life which I'm sure you will too once you see them. I don't have loads of time but I really just wanted to throw it out there so sorry if this looks a little messy.

1. The Yankee Candle advent calendar

I saw this in Clinton's (sooo glad that they sell Yankee in there now!) you get 24 tea lights and one votive and it costs £25 which I think is pretty reasonable as it works out at £1 per candle! I'm not sure of the scents but I'm guessing it will be the Christmas ones which smell foodie and delicious.

2. This ADORABLE penguin duvet set from M&S

At £49.50-£79 (single-superking) this is pretty expensive but hey for a christmas gift it's all good right? Plus it's worth every penny in CUTENESS! I took this photo myself when I went to the huge M&S back home, I find it's always a good idea to take photos of stuff you can't get at the time just as a little reminder or maybe to send to people you want to hint at hehe ;)

Sorry it's such a short one from me this time, I have several ideas of posts I want to put up and will try and get it done within the next couple of days but you know how it is, life happens!

Hope you are all doing well, has anyone started their christmas shopping yet? I haven't bought anything but I've got a few ideas, plus I get paid tomorrow so I'll have some coins in the bank to get this stuff with! I'll let you know what I have purchased.

Love from Lily xxxx

WHAT TO GET YOUR MAN FOR CHRISTMAS ❤

Hi guys!

Whether you have only been with your man a few months or have been with him a couple of years like myself, it's a well known fact that people of the male variety are SO much harder to buy for than ladies. There's just less out there to choose from and there's only so many pairs of jokey socks and shower gel sets they can handle! So if you are looking for something original and heartfelt to get your partner for Christmas I have created this post to give you a bit of inspiration.

1. A Personalised Destination Print

A personalised gift is always the best kind of gift because it is one of a kind and this one will remind your man of all the fond memories of holidays and events from the past whilst making a stylish piece that you can both agree will look lovely. £54 from www.notonthehighstreet.com (exact item link: http://www.notonthehighstreet.com/betsybenn/product/framed-personalised-destination-blind)

2. Wood Watch Made From Sandlewood With Military Canvas Strap

I have seen a few one these around recently but this one I particularly like because it is handmade by an American company called tmbrwood and looks really well put together. They have loads of different designs so if this one isn't quite your cup of tea check out the other ones, I believe they also do handmade wooden phone cases as well. £52.50 plus shipping from www.esty.com (exact item link: https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/198444573/wood-watch-made-from-sandalwood-and?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=gifts%20for%20him&ref=sc_gallery_6&plkey=3be515ee9963249c6b07ec6920fbdf288c7c8649:198444573 )

3. Bullshirt's Men's Value Christmas T-Shirt

I have to admit this did make me laugh when I saw it, purely because I'm always being told by the BF that I'm stingy with my money (I'm not I'm just sensible, someone has to be obvs) and I'm sure he would get a giggle out of it too. It makes a change from the obligatory rudolf/santa/snowman jumper anyway! £14.99 from www.amazon.co.uk (exact item link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00P6JL3FG?keywords=christmas%20gifts&psc=1&qid=1445200011&ref_=sr_1_18&sr=8-18-spons)

4. Merci Maman Stirling Silver Personalised Men's Infinity Bracelet

I think this is super thoughtful and I love the fact you can get it engraved, it's a cute present but still very manly of course! It comes in all standard man colours (black, blue, brown and grey) so you can take your pick and you can have up to 20 characters on each side. It's really easy to get your message on there you just send them an email with the details or someone will call you within 3 days of ordering. £39.00 from www.johnlewis.com (exact item link: http://www.johnlewis.com/merci-maman-sterling-silver-personalised-men's-infinity-bracelet/p2009461?colour=Black )

I would recommend having a look at the websites I have featured on here in general as well as the items shown in the post because you will be pleasantly surprised! There's lots to look at not just for couples but for brothers, friends, fathers, uncles... you name it! And if all else fails just get them a gift card from GAME and you'll be sorted!

Hope you are all having a lovely day, and that you now have a few Christmas present ideas for the men in your life. Let me know in the comments what you thought of the post and if there's any really good present ideas I have missed. See you next time.

Love from Lily xxxx

HEALTHY SNACK REVIEW: PERKIER QUINOA BAR

Hey everyone!

Today I'm going to do a review on this healthy snack bar by a company called Perkier, I chose the Cacao and Cashew flavour as you can see. I am always on the hunt for things I can just throw in my handbag to eat on the go, but most of them are bad for me so when I was looking in the gluten free section in ASDA I found this. I have tried healthy bars before but had never come across one with quinoa in it so I thought why not give it a go? Also I have heard very good things about cacao (all the vegan bloggers and youtubers are always raving about it) it's meant to taste like chocolate but without all the nasty stuff!

"Our cacao is cold pressed, so unlike cocoa, cacao retains its vitamins, minerals & antioxidants" -perkier.co.uk

And if I'm honest it does! I really enjoyed this bar, I was worried it might taste grainy because of the quinoa but it didn't at all and the nutty chocolate flavour was delicious! If you're not already curious this bar is wheat, gluten and dairy free, vegan, plant based and rich in vitamin E antioxidants - so it's even good for your skin as well!

Here's the nutritional info (per bar):

Energy (KCal): 144

Total Fat (g): 6.2

– of which saturates: 1

Carbohydrate (g): 16.9

– of which sugars (g): 13.5

Total Fibre (g):1.8

Protein (g): 5

Salt (g): 0.1

Vit E (mg) 1.8

– % ref intake 15%

Phosphorus (mg) 102

– % ref intake 15%

I really liked this and will be purchasing it again in the future, here's where you can get it from:

ASDA = 75p each (also comes in goji and cranberry flavour)

Sainsburys = 75p (currently stocks chia, cashew and pumpkin seed flavour and goji and cranberry)

It's worth mentioning the other big supermarkets, whole foods, ocado and amazon also stock products from this brand but not the one mentioned in this post. 

Hope you enjoyed reading this, I thought it would be nice to do something a little different. Let me know if you would like to see more posts like this in the comments below and follow me on google+ if you like!

Love from Lily xxxx