Saturday 3 November 2012

October haul (MAC, Urban Decay, Topshop, Forever 21 and more)


So it's now November and I decided I'd do a haul post on what I bought during October. I love reading other people's hauls and seeing what they've bought so I thought I'd have a go at doing my own. These are my bigger purchases from the month, enjoy!
 


MAC Cosmetics 'Stay Pretty' blush
(MAC Cosmetics, £19)

I'd needed a new pink blush for quite a while now as my previous one (MAC's Azaelia Blossom which I absolutely adored) had smashed. I'd tried re-pressing it but due to hitting quite a large portion of the pan I couldn't. I needed a blue-pink and I think MAC have a great blush selection so they were my first port of call. I initially went in with the intention of getting 'Dollymix' or 'Pink Swoon' but the display for the Office Hours collection caught my eye. I loved the colour and felt like I'd appreciate it more seeing as I've used both 'Pink Swoon' and 'Dollymix' before. The colour itself is easy to build up meaning you can have a subtle flush of pink as well as a brighter tone. The staying power of this is really great too. My boyfriend has a tendency to touch my face a lot, particularly my cheeks, so I needed a blush which would withstand his big paws rubbing on my face.

Topshop eyeshadow in 'Porcelain'
(Topshop, £6.50)

I don't own many pieces of Topshop's make up range but a couple of years ago I fell in love with their kohl liner in 'Frost'. It was the brightest white but blended into a pretty yogurty colour and was perfect for use on the brow bone. Unfortunately, topshop don't make it anymore and the only alternative I seem to have found is Illamasqua's medium pencil in 'Elate' which was just over triple the price of the Topshop one. Like a teenage girl who couldn't let go of her estranged ex-boyfriend, I still ventured into Topshop in search of the illusive eye pencil, even though I knew it wouldn't be there. On one of these trips I noticed the 'Porcelain' eyeshadow which, when swatched, was the same yogurty colour the pencil was when blended out. It's a very matte colour and when applied over a primer on my eyes is quite subtle but for a highlight colour it works well.

Topshop slip-on studded shoes
(Topshop, £28)

I'd wanted some comfy black flats to wear with anything for a while. My only other pair were some Vivienne Westwood ones which are 'jelly' shoes so they're really not good for walking around  barefoot in hot weather or for walking around generally when raining as they become quite slippy. I'd seen similar ones to these in River Island but the sizing seemed quite strange as my normal size wouldn't fit, yet a size below was too small. These ones fit perfectly and are so comfortable, they've fast become my go-to shoes for any day. 

Topshop coat
(Topshop, £48)

For some reason I haven't owned a coat in years. I've spent the past few winters doubling (sometimes tripling) up on hoodies. I finally decided it was time to hunt for a coat I actually liked. This one in particular appealed to me because it was like a hoody, something I was, by now, used to. The inside is quilted which makes this so warm and it's quite long. Thanks to my boyfriend I got a cheeky 20% off too. 

Forever 21 floral blouse
(Forever 21, £13.50)

I love how sheer blouses look on people but I always seem to have trouble when buying one for myself due to my unfortunately large breasts. Because of them I have to buy a size bigger than normal which means a fitted blouse becomes baggy on my frame. This is the case with this blouse but it looks really cute tucked into a plain black skirt or under a baggy sweatshirt with the collar poking out. Despite the look this blouse isn't actually that sheer which means I feel a lot more comfortable wearing it. 

H&M black dress
(H&M, £14.99)

Recently I've been on a huge dress buying hype and wanted a black one as that's what my wardrobe seemed to be lacking. I found this after going into H&M with a friend, it's not normally a place I choose to visit when shopping. I fell in love with it as soon as I saw it and at £14.99 I had to buy it. There's a thin layer of material under the lace which means it's not actually as sheer as it looks. It's very comfortable too which is always a bonus. 

Galaxy print pumps
(New Look, £10)

I saw these when I was shopping with my boyfriend, I had no intention to actually buy anything myself but I saw these and felt that they'd be a sensible purchase. I liked them a lot when I first saw them but I wasn't too sure about them when I tried them on. Aside from a pair of Jeffrey Campbell Litas I don't own any shoes that cover the whole of my foot. I thought that they made my feet look really big but then realised it was just because I wasn't used to seeing them completely covered. They look really nice with leggings and baggy jumpers. For the price they're also actually very sturdy which is good considering that the weather is getting cold and crappy. 

Girls Aloud Kimberly Lashes
(Various stockists, usually £5.49)

I'd used these eyelashes before and they're some of my favourites. I got plenty of wear out of them and they really seemed to suit me. I found them in a shop called Bodycare for around £2 cheaper than their normal retail price so it seemed like a good idea to stock up. These lashes come with adhesive included. 

Urban Decay Super-Saturated High Gloss lip colour in 'Crush'
(Debenhams, £14.00)

I was originally on the hunt for an Oxblood coloured lipstick but when I went into Debenhams the lady behind the counter showed me these pencil glosses. She swatched the pink on my hand and I literally couldn't resist. This isn't a gloss as it's a very full colour and it's more like a wet-look lipstick. It's not sticky at all and it's easy to apply due to the chunky pencil format. I'd definitely buy another.

Vivienne Westwood purse

This was definitely my biggest treat to myself. I had another Vivienne Westwood purse but it had gotten pretty old and tatty. It was also quite large so it didn't fit into small bags which was annoying if it was the only thing I was taking out with me. I went into Vivienne Westwood and this immediately grabbed my attention. The patent leopard print is so amazing. The front opens out and has several card compartments including a transparent one for ID or something similar. There's a coin part at the back with a clasp which is very secure and doesn't come loose at all. It's small enough to fit in any bag I own and it's definitely my favourite purchase of the month.

Swatches
(L-R: Porcelain, Stay Pretty and Crush)

They're my big purchases for the month, I hope this haul isn't too long-winded and that it's actually half as interesting as the ones I always read. With any luck this should be a monthly thing. Happy shopping! 

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