Online Discount! Havaianas Flip Flops

Off on your holidays soon? Need some new summer footwear!? Then stop whatever you are doing and head straight over to the Matalan website!

Matalan are currently selling Havaianas flip flops for just TEN BRITISH POUNDS! These retail for £22 in Office and other outlets. 

...So athough I'm not due to meet a beach again until September this offer was just far too good for me to pass up!

There is a £1.00 delivery charge (which is due to end at midnight tonight) so be quick...when they're gone, they're gone!

Matalan - Havaianas 

Top Tips For Selling Successfully On eBay!

I hate to admit it but I'm that girl... If I've worn a dress on a night out and the photos have inevitably made their way to Facebook for the world & his wife to see, chances are I won't be wearing that particular outfit again. Call me vain (or stupid!) but eBay helps take the sting out of handing over £55 for that frock in Topshop when I know i'm only going to wear it a few times. I know that by listing it on eBay when I'm done I'm likely to get a good return on my purchase - particularly if it is branded, still current season and in perfect condition. If you are on a limited budget it is a great way to keep up-to-date with the current trends whilst not breaking the bank. 

I've been buying and selling on eBay for a while now and every 6 months or so I have a wardrobe de-clutter and sell the items I know are destined to just collect dust at the back.

Here's a few eBay seller tips that I've picked up along the way...

A Picture Tells A Thousand Words The camera flash as well as an individual's monitor settings can present an items true shade misleadingly. I always photograph my pictures in natural light and without flash where possible. Usually against the plain background of my white wardrobes. Utilise the free 12 pictures too - add lots of photo's in your listing! 

Don't Pose In The Clothes We know they are second hand and although I'm sure you once rocked that skirt pretty damn well, some buyers are put off when confronted with the fact that an item is preloved. Especially with shoes! Most people don't like feet. Those brand new sandals I have in my watched list will be instantly removed if the seller has photographed themselves 'modelling' them with their yucky feet!

Psychology Where possible photograph your goods hung on higher end branded hangers. We all know what a Primark hanger looks like and of course there is nothing wrong with shopping there - but an item displayed on a Mango or Zara hanger indirectly affirms to potential buyers that you shop well and in good quality stores. Even if you're only flogging a tee from New Look!

Think of Every Adjective you can to describe the item you're selling in the title. If your selling a brand new pink cardigan for example: "New pink cardigan" is not going to reach the entire audience searching eBay for cardigans and your item maybe perfect for a section of the audience you've missed. "BNWT River Island Pink Button Up, Waterfall, Boyfriend Fit, Chenille, Cardi Cardigan Size 14" will show up in a wider range of search results, therefore reaching more potential buyers. Remember current trend terms such as 'sports luxe' or 'festival' and slang words too - someone searching for a cardigan may also search for a cardi!

Brand and Size Always quote the size and brand in the title. Some people will search 'ASOS Size 10' - your size 10 item may get overlooked in this common search if you've left the size out of the title description. 

Don't Litter Your Post With Terms and Conditions. Yup, it's ruddy annoying when after hundreds of stress-free transactions you get that one awkward buyer who makes you turn she-devil and include paragraphs of do's and don'ts on all your future listings. Just a simple sentence explaining that you're not a business seller and simply de-cluttering your wardrobe so unfortunately cannot accept returns unless faulty is firm but pleasant enough way to alert most buyers of your T&Cs. Friendly and approachable listings will predicate that you are a nice person to deal with.

Describe The Item To The Best of Your Ability. Add the measurements, material, style and fit all to your description. If its labelled a 12 but fits more like an 8 - mention it! If there is something wrong with the item - mention it! You'd be surprise how many people are still willing to purchase defected items which they're happy to sew or make good.

Official Blurb If your item is current season have a look online for the official blurb and copy and paste this into your listing. You could also add the stock photo from the website to go alongside your own.

Don't Dismiss The Cheap and Cheerful! I am often surprised when my used Primark items have sold for more than I originally paid. Primark have a high turn over of stock and remember you can't buy it online! Primark's limited edition range and larger sizes tend to do well too, as these are usually the first to sell out in store. Don't dismiss anything in good condition as unsellable, one mans junk and all that...

Start At 99p Not only do you avoid costly fees, this will this entice more interest to your listing. More people will keep your item in their watched list and it is more likely to end in a bidding war for much higher than the original Buy It Now price you had in mind! Remember - most buyers don't bid until the final few seconds so don't be too disheartened if your item is not totting up to your expectations halfway through the auction. You still have up to 24 hours to pull your listening before the end (if there are no bids) if you aren't happy.

I've Got More! Add a sentence in your listing to remind buyers that you are selling similar sized items in your other listings to encourage viewers to check them out too. Offer to combine postage to encourage buyers to bid on more than one item. One less mailing bag to use and often cheaper postage costs too - everyones happy!

Sell Overseas Someone in Poland maybe willing to pay up to £150 for that Zara bag. The buyer pays the postage costs and as long as they are happy to do so then why restrict your audience? You don't have to necessarily send items recorded or tracked. You can ask your post office for a 'proof of postage' certificate. This is free and not something many post offices openly offer as it's a little time consuming to fill out, but if you want one just ask!

Timing Is Everything eBay confirmed that Sunday late afternoons/early evenings between 4pm-8pm is their highest traffic time during the week. Time your listing to finish during this period to catch maximum browsers. Finishing an item at 3am on a Tuesday morning is less likely to end in a bidding war. (If you are going to be really savvy, check that your listing finish won't clash with big rating TV shows, like the X Factor final etc... which may effect traffic!)

Sell In Season If its November and you have a job lot of shorts you want to sell, store them away until the summer if you can. Your Christmas jumper is less likely to sell in July, but come early December you can expect a nice chunk of change for that Rudolph sweater!

Avoid Free Listing Weekends Although this sounds alluring - your items will get lost in searches amongst the mass of toot that is uploaded during this time. You are better off paying a few pence to list a week or so later where your items will reach a bigger audience resulting in a higher final sale price.

Jargon Familiarise yourself with the eBay jargon and use it in your title if relevant to your item. People often search for items using the abbreviations. 

BNWT - Brand New With Tags

BNWOT - Brand New Without Tags

BNIB - Brand New In Box

BNWOB - Brand New Without Box

BIN - Buy It Now

VGC - Very Good Condition

I hope you've found these tips helpful! Do you sell on eBay? Do you have any selling tips? I'd love to hear them!

The Best of... Primark Statement Necklaces

Primark has made me a right old tightwad. I often find myself in Topshop eyeing up a pretty dress, then on further inspection of the price ticket I recoil in horror & refuse point blank to pay £45 for a cotton smock when..."I can get the same thing in Primark for a tenner."

I say that sentence a lot. A heck of a lot. 

I've always liked Primark jewellery. I have necklaces, stack bangles, collar tips and hair accessories from transactions made years ago & they're still serving me well. Admittedly not all of Primarks jewellery is great; there is still plenty of tangled tat and cheap chains on the shop floor but like with most stores, if you rake through the rails long enough you're bound to find something that takes your fancy. My penchant for Primark accessories was affirmed on realising that none of my purchases have ever left my skin green - & unfortunately the same can't be said for my more expensive River Island & Topshop buys!

I wanted a few statement necklaces for those can't-be-bothered days. They're a great way of jazzing up a plain tee or updating a shirt with an elaborate piece poking out from behind the collar. Naturally I headed to Topshop. "TWENTYYYY TWOOO POUNDSSSS!" I explained in sheer horror, calling out to my Mum amongst the accessories in the Oxford Street flagship whilst clutching their chunky neckwear.

"I can get that for much less in Primark..."

And so my challenge begun! Below is a selection of snazzy statement necklaces which I have accumulated from Primark over the past few months, all retailing at under £10. Some generically off the shelf and others from the slightly more High Street comparable prices of their Limited Editions collection. 

Whilst I almost struggled to hand over £10 in Primark for a necklace (Limited Edition or not!) I can confirm the quality, wearability and the fact they have no visible signs of discolouration after wear exceeds, from my experience, any High Street brands offering. 

...It of course helps when it's £12 cheaper too!

Has Primark's affordable fashion made you a miser when it comes to shopping elsewhere? What is your go-to brand for accessories? 

And Other Stories: Total Re-Touch (Touche Eclat Dupe!)

I popped on the London Underground a few stops to Oxford Street last weekend to have a mooch around. After reading praise of the new & Other Stories store on blogs, my first thought was to head straight to Regents Street for my verdict on the High Streets most recent offering.

If I'm honest I wasn't that wow'd by the clothes. They weren't too dissimilar to whats on the rails with a cheaper price tag in sister store H&M. To the shops defence the clothes did feel better quality & the shopping experience/layout/fixtures felt more luxe. The rails were not the frustrating, jam-packed, cluttered mess which I have come to associate with H&M.

The jewellery turned my head, with a more unusual collection of items compared to the conveyer belt of 'samey' rings and necklaces found in most places. 

The main aspect that would entice my return to the store is their own branded make-up. I've mentioned previously that H&M's cheap & cheerful lipgloss in 'Bite Me Blonde' is one of my handbag top-up staples - so I had high hopes!

Priced somewhere between drug store and higher end, the make up & skin care catered for an array of skin tones and types, as well as offering a vast array of shades in lipsticks and nail polishes. It was also nice to browse a beauty counter without a clown-faced 'consultant' pressuring you into a sale ...but having staff near enough, should you need them. 

I had recently used the last of my YSL Touche Eclat & intended to pick up a replacement, but before handing over £25 in the department stores I discovered the & Other Stories Total Re-Touch. Going on the name and similar packaging it looked a great dupe for my regular pricer preference.

I purchased Total Re-Touch in Shade 1, the palest, for £10 (unfortunately there are only 3 shades to chose from in this line, so YSL wins on that point.) On using the product I was further impressed with the similarities. YSL is slightly more concentrated so less product is needed on application but the & Other Stories offering does has buildable coverage and after a click or two I was happy with the results.

Total Re-Touch also has the YSL-esque illuminating properties and contains Vitamin E which has a moisturising effect. Whilst I won't be dumping my trusty Touch Eclat anytime soon, I will definitely repurchase this designer dupe for every day make up and save my YSL counterpart (& some ££s!) for special occasions.

Do you have a favourite affordable duplicate of a higher end make up brand or beauty product?  

Stay-cation Vs Overseas? Champneys Spa Review.

I've just returned from swanning around in a dressing gown at my first ever experience at a Champneys Spa Resort.

As it was my first spa experience for my fiance Jamie's birthday I wasn't sure what to expect, but as the break was with an established luxury spa brand - I went with high expectations. (Birthday treats for him that us girlfriends benefit from are definitely the way forward!) 

The area in Hampshire where the resort is situated is picturesque and idyllic. As a Londoner who rarely ventures further than the M25 unless it's to travel abroad, it was nice to be reminded how beautiful the countryside on our doorstep is - although I must admit I found the complete silence almost eery rather than peaceful! 

Our room was well equipped and provided all the mod-cons although atestically it was not too dissimilar to a Premier Inn. Don't get me wrong, I love a Premier Inn but as the package we had was upwards of £1000, I felt the two shouldn't even be comparable. 

We got the expected freebie toiletries, which I collected up at the end of our stay and took home, so my samples basket is currently full to the brim with Champneys goodies! I appreciate spending time in the room is not something we planned to do for long whilst there but for the price I was expecting something more ...although I'm not quite sure what?

As well as the friendly and efficient staff, the treatments area within the hotel is probably what gives the resort its four star rating. It felt luxurious, clean and oozed relaxation and glamour. With polished wooden furnishings, the wafting aroma of incense and the relaxing rainforest/ocean soundtrack accompanying you in the opulent waiting rooms whilst awaiting treatments was heaven!

I had a facial and a spine tingling back massage by one of the girls. Having never experienced such indulgence before (I know, some beauty blogger huh!?) I was a little anxious about having a stranger touching me/evading my personal space. I need not have worried as I was immediately put at ease and within 3 seconds of the therapist touching my back I happily slumped across the heated bed drifting in and out of a light sleep. 

My facial was perfect too and afterwards I received a free skin analysis & a checklist of (Champney's branded) product recommendations. It was at this point I assumed I was about to get the hard sell but was pleasantly surprised that I was left to my own devices and leave. I did still browse the Champneys shop however and made a few purchases as the products were 3 for 2. (A separate blog post on that soon!)

Another treatment we experienced was Thalassotherapy, which involves various sophisticated pressure jets blasting you with salted water inside a pool. It was an experience but I must be a sensitive soul as I found it more uncomfortable than anything - although I can see this being pleasurable if you particularly suffer with achy muscles or have just run a marathon! 

A treatment we paid an additional £100 for was the mud chamber, which is photograhed on the Champneys website as a mud bath. On arriving to the chamber we quickly realised its merely a sauna which you step into after covering yourselves in the 'mud' product provided in a branded Champneys pot. The session is advertised as 55 minutes, but fails to mention this includes the prior health & safety chat, underdressing/covering yourself in the mud and the time taken to shower at the end of the treatment - so all in all, you have a very specific 17 minutes in the chamber. (Champneys timing, not ours!) I felt this was a bit of a waste of money, after 17 minutes my skin felt no different and aside the giggles brought about from us in paper undies & being covered head-to-toe in mud, I could think of much better ways of spending £100.

My main concern was the fact Champneys boasted on its booking propaganda that their restaurants served super healthy food - I immediately conjured images of carrot sticks, lettuce leaves and my rumbling tum....but how wrong was I!? It was simply delicious, plentiful and presented in a way that I would forgive anyone for thinking on seeing my instagram snaps that I was dining in a Michelin starred restaurant. The breakfast & lunch was more relaxed and buffet style and the evening meal was three courses from an al a carte menu. All scrummy and ironically probably the highlight of the break for me given that I was really dubious about the healthy fare. (We even unnecessarily smuggled naughty contraband of chocolates!)

 

There were lots of wellbeing and fitness classes throughout the day, as well as diet and beauty talks which you are welcomed to attend - we didn't as we'd had treatments booked in our already busy itinerary but I noted the classes were varied and for all abilities which is great. We had unlimited access to the pool, sauna, relaxation rooms, and poshly decorated lounge areas where you could read, write your memoirs(!) or talk to each other quietly....no mobile phones allowed!

There was also an on-site physic & tarot reader whom I was keen to book a session with but my sceptical boyfriend Jamie talked me out of parting with £55 for (in his words) "a load of old nonsense!" We hired mountain bikes instead to explore the forest around the grounds. This was great fun and quite a novelty for a City girl like myself! (I thought 'clay pigeons' were a species of pigeon ...much to Jamie's amusement - i really need to get out more!)

I also checked out the gym area in Champneys in hope of using some state-of-the-art fitness equipment, but in honesty it was no different to my local council run gym where I am a member, aside offering free towels and a flashy water fountain.

All in all a great break away, if a little pricey for what it was.  I'm not sure I'd return despite having a pleasant enough time unless the rates were considerably cheaper. Although a lovely few days of rest and relaxation was achieved, the frugal voice in my head did wonder what 4* beach resort we could have gone to for a week in the sun at the price paid instead.

Have you ever stayed at a spa resort? Would you be happy to spent the same on a 'staycation' in the UK, or would rather travel overseas where the weather is guaranteed?

E45 Moisturising Lotion - Back To Basics

Being a bit of a brand snob I've always opted to pay for pricier products, partly thanks my naivety falling for glossy marketing campaigns, reading glowing blog reviews and also the fact I think higher end products look better on my dressing table - silly of me really considering it's only my boyfriend and myself who sees my dresser (...and I highly doubt he takes much notice!)

Often the more well established, purse friendlier products get forgotten and I'm known to walk past the classics in favour of brands housed within their own counters at department stores.

I was recently sent the E45 Lotion* to try and was a bit shruggy shoulders about it. Its a brand I'd of course heard of and often seen poking out of my Mum and Dad's bathroom cabinets but admittedly not a brand I'd considered. 

I trialled the E45 Lotion for around 7 days after each bath or shower and I immediately noticed that my mildly sensitive skin felt soothed and my body felt much softer & nourished. The natural scent of the lotion was present but pleasantly subtle which was a welcomed aspect as some of the higher end brands I use are highly fragranced which frustratingly conflicts with my perfume. A reasonable sized blob of lotion went a long way too so this bottle will last a good few weeks before it needs repurchasing.

I also tried the E45 Lotion specific to dry skin, this is something I don't particularly suffer with but as self proclaimed fake tan connoisseur those elbows, knees and ankles can never have too much moisture! The lotion was ever so slightly thicker than its original counter-part but despite this it still absorbed really quickly and was a pleasure to use.

After using the E45 range I will definitely keep the brand on my radar. It does it's job extremely well and at a budget busting price which makes it all the more appealing. Plus it is currently on offer with 1/3 off in Boots! 

After mentioning the brand in passing to my Nan, she informs me it is the ONLY brand she'll use on her eczema prone skin. 

...So there I have it! If it's good enough for Mum, Dad and Nan - then it's definitely good enough for me! 

Do you have a favourite moisturiser? Are you guilty of buying products just because they'll look great on your dressing table?!

What's In My (Spring) Bag?

Here's my first 'whats in my bag' post, although If I'm completely honest I'm telling you all porkies! The things below are housed in my bag but often amongst a mountain of old till receipts, 1 & 2 pence pieces which I was too lazy to put back in my purse and discarded cinema stubs from 3 weeks ago ...but that wouldn't make for interesting blog reading!

I'm big on budget buys but I'm usually content with paying a bit more for bags, shoes and coats because I feel I'll get more wear out of them than regular clothes. Having said that I snapped up this neon pink studded satchel in Primark for a bargain £9. Ok it's not real leather but seeing as the real mccoy on ASOS is in the region of £120 - I'm quite chuffed with my find.

I annoyingly suffer with hayfever in the Spring thanks to my allergy to Tree Pollen, so I always carry a dose of Certerazine antihistamines which are prescribed to me by my GP. Its the only thing that works for me, other tablets make me really drowsy and result in me falling asleep by 8pm, missing out on the longer lighter evenings.

Any hint of sunshine is an excuse for me to sport my sunglasses, not just for vanity purposes (I can leave the house with no eye make up - yipee!) but also to protect my eyes from the pollen. I got these tortoise shells for £10 in River Island recently after breaking the last of many pricier Ray-bans. I love the retro winged eye look - very Kardashian! They come in Black too!

Other handbag staples are my Cath Kidtson Oyster card holder, Blistex Lip conditioner balm, sample size perfume sprays for on the go top-ups, a pink neon beanie for chilly spring nights (eBay here), Soap & Glory Hand Food and my favourite lipgloss - H&M's Bite Me Blonde which is a lovely natural nude and only £2.99!

My purse houses all my loyalty, bank, gym & Slimming World membership cards, as well as my Boots Advantage & Tesco Clubcard vouchers which I always forget to use! 

I'm not one for carrying a make up bag or reapplying it when I'm out, I think I'm put off by years of seeing girls in the morning on the London Underground disastrously trying to apply their mascara open mouthed on a moving train. I don't even carry a brush with me!  

I occasionally carry a fold away bag if i'm going on a big shopping trip. I hate the Primark paper bags, as they tear so easily so I have this oversized monochrome Aztec print shopper which I whip out to hold my new purchases. It fits snuggly on my shoulder keeping my hands free for further browsing. Its also handy for overnight stays. It was only £6 from Primark.

Finally the one thing, aside cash and keys that I always carry with me is my iPhone which doubles up as my iPod. I have such eclectic taste in music from cheesy 80's to dubstep, from reggae to UK Garage! 

On Friday I was lucky enough to get through to buy 4 tickets to The Rolling Stones Hyde Park concert in July, so the Grrr! & Rolled Gold album will be on my playlist for a while! My favourite Stones song? Jumpin' Jack Flash (...and my secret guilty pleasure is Susan Boyle's cover of Wild Horses - I told you I had eclectic taste!)

So what's in your spring bag? Is it any different to what you carry in the winter? Are you guilty of hoarding old receipts or chucking coppers in the bottom of your bag too!?