Top Tips for Beauty and Fashion Bargains

I am 17 years old, college student and unemployed. Unfortunately, I do not have much money to spend on clothes and make up. Since my purse is usually tight, I am always on the hunt for bargains. So, here is a list of top tips for beauty and fashion bargains. 

1. Wait for the discount codes and deals! 

I can not stress this enough. Places such as Asos, Mango and Feel Unique (my three favourite shops of all time) usually do special promo codes every few months with discounts such as "30% of everything" or "25% of summer items" etc. To this day, I have never brought anything of the mango website without using a discounted promo code! Be patient, it is worth it!

2. Find the outlet stores. 

Most shops do outlet stores whether online or in person. Nonetheless, hunt them down! Though people may assume that outlet stores contain the old, ugly items of clothing, you are mistaken! I will have you know, I brought a brand new pair of Timberlands from an outlet store - reduced from £80 to £30!

Online outlet stores I suggest:

1. Mango

2. Jack Wills

3. Nike

4. Lefties (not currently in the UK but it is a ZARA outlet!)

5. The Outnet

3. Topshop student discount code without being a student. 

This is very cheeky but done by pretty much all bargain hunters out there. use this code - 09689386509385584938 when checking out online for Topshop. 10% off right there!

4. Tkmaxx is your new bestfriend. 

We all have to admit that searching for hours through the messy, disorganised clothing rails through tkmaxx is a bit of an annoyance. However, when was the last time you looked at their beauty range? Though it is still relatively messy, it is worth the hunt through. You will be pleasantly surprised with all the designer make up you find. One of my top purchases from Tkmaxx was an Elizabeth Arden 8 hour cream and toner. Do I need to say more?!

5. Lets not forget ebay! 

Purchasing make up on ebay is a no from me as it is often fake or used. However, clothes is another matter. There are many businesses on Ebay which sell exacts of the clothes that are in the stores as of right now. They are usually sold for half the price and are still brand new, with labels! Nobody will ever know that you actually brought those designer jeans for 1/2 the price on ebay. 

Sellers I suggest:

1. best_look (Topshop and Asos)

2. Bowdy4062 (Zara)

6. Asos for make up? Who would have thought! 

Never underestimated online clothing stores with make up. Asos sell drug store and high class make up brands as well as clothes. Furthermore, there is often sales on loads of the make up offered, plus they are usually included in the discount codes that I mentioned earlier. So, next time you think about buying some make up, check Asos first - they might sell it and it may be on sale!

7. Boots and Superdrug always have deals!

It is highy unlikely that boots or superdrug will never not have a deal on at least a few of their beauty products; whether its 3 for 2 or 2 for £10. They really are a safe bet when bargain hunting. If you are on an extremely tight budget, you could check the product price in Boots and then check whether its cheaper in Superdrug or vice versa. I have done this multiple times and though it takes slightly more effort, it saves you pennies and those pennies add up to a new lipstick. 

8. Beauty boxes.

Though you may be a little hazy subscribing to £10 a month to a beauty sample box, after all, you don't know what you are going to get?! I think you will be pleasantly surprised with what you recieve. Sample boxes are often filled with brilliant high class and drug store brands. Often, the beauty boxes also include full sized products, so if you don't like what's in it, sell it on eBay for a bit of extra money! It's like Christmas delivered to your door every month. 

Beauty box subscriptions I suggest:

1. Birchbox (favourite of all time)

2. Glossybox

3. Beauty Box 5

4. Ipsy

Pros And Cons Of Short and Long Hair

I attempted to do another youtube video last week and it  turned into a bunch of clippings of me playing with my hair as it was frustating me so much that day (I experience these kind of days more often that not). 

However, with every disaster there comes a silver lining and this disaster gave me the idea to write a list; pros and cons of short and long hair which I hoped would aid you, the person who is reading this in deciding what's best for you. 

If you are considering taking the scissors to your hair or buying extensions, I hope this helps you with your final decision!

Short Hair

Pros 

1. It is a lot easier to style - straigtening will be 10x quicker as will curling. 

2. Natural, non-styled short hair looks really good as well, where as natural long hair can often just look frizzy and messy.

3. Short hair is much easier to wash. This means less time in the shower in the morning and more time in bed! 

4. Lets not forget how quick it will be to brush - no more attempts of  getting a tangle teezer through your hair until you feel like your arm is about to fall off.

5. Short hair is really in style at the moment. I mean, hello, have you seen Kylie Jenners short blue locks? 

6. It'll be something a bit different. Everybody looks the same now a days and it's great to push the boat out!  

7. Less noticable wrinkles (if you have them). It has been scientifically proven that, if you keep short hair until you're old, your wrinkles will be less noticeable. 

Cons

1. Your styling options are more restricted with short hair. Though you can still do amazing styles, it is much more difficult to do some elaborate, over the top updo which will catch the eye of everyone in the street. 

2. No more lovely, long ponytails that are easy to do and look brilliant. Oh, and the bun!

3. If you do get it cut, it will take years to grow long again. Unfortunately, it does not happen over night unless you want to buy extensions (which can often look tacky unless you go all out on the price tag)

4. You won't have anything covering you up. If you are like me, and use your hair to guard your flaws (bit weird but true) then you wont have that option anymore!

Long Hair

Pros

1. So many style options! The options for what you want to do with your hair are limitless... 5 plaits that link into a bun? Go for it!

2. No need to pay for an expensive scarf in the winter! Long hair always keeps your neck warm. 

3. You don't have to cut long hair as often. If it goes a few inches, it still looks ok as its long anyway. If you have your short hair specifically styled, once it grows out a bit it does not look as good. 

4. You feel sexy and beautiful all the time, even without make up. 

Need I say much more?

5. No hair band? No problem! You can master the skill of putting your long hair into a bun with no hair accessories what so ever.

7. You hate your long hair? You can cut it! It is so easily changeable at a reasonable price. 

Cons

1. Knots. Do I have to say anything more?

2. Long hair and hot weather. Not a good combination. It just results in frizz, sweating, sticking, static frizz, grease, the list is endless. 

3. Straightening, curling, blow drying. Any form of styling is endless task. It can take me up to 20 minutes to blow dry my long hair. And you may often find yourself having to give your arms a break when trying to french plait it!

4. Long hair needs more care. It can get very dry and damaged at the ends and greasy at the roots. Often, more pricey shampoo and conditions are required to keep it in tip top form. 

5. If you want extensions, good ones are very pricey and the bead or glue ones can damage your hair. I could write a whole other list of pros and cons about them!

6. Planning on getting it dyed? You will be sat in the hair dresses for 4 hours. Dying long hair can often be a struggle as it takes so much time! Oh, and money. 

The accompanied youtube "video" - if you would even call it that, ahaha!

- Susie Roo

Life | Post-Exam Thoughts

We have all experienced that exam where you leave the exam hall wanting to tie yourself to an anchor and throw yourself into the sea. 

So, next time that happens, just take a break and have a kit kat (ha ha ha ha ha just kidding) but seriously, take a break and remember these things...

1. These exams mean at lot at the moment, yes but when you are lying on your death bed. It is highly doubtful that you will be lying there thinking "thank god I managed to get 4 A-Levels"

2. Life is the longest thing you will live! Many people go on about "how life is short" but really, you have plenty of time. If you really want those 4 A* grades then re take the exams. It doesn't matter if you have to spend an extra year doing it. You haven't "wasted a year of your life" you will just be extra prepared for your re take. 

3. Leading figures in the world have usually had a fall back, Barack Obama didn't succeed at school and Steve Jobs got fired from his own company. They still accomplished. 

4. Are. You. Going. To. Die. From. Failing.

The answer is, no. And since I would say yourselves or a family member or friend dieing is the worst thing in the world, then it isn't the end of the universe. 

5. The clock will continue to tick. As much as you might want to give up completely and dive into a black whole at the moment, your life will go on. This time next month, something brilliant may have happened that makes you so happy. It is only bad at the moment. 

- Susie Roo

Suns Out, Legs Out

The weather has been beautiful in England recently which means as well as my mood instantly picking up, I am more motivated to wear something other than black skinny jeans. 

I choose to wear this "dress" this morning, but it was so short that I had to layer it with my oversized vintage denim shirt. To be honest, it probably just looked like I had left the house and forgotten to put my trousers on but I only actually walked down the shop wearing this outfit and I was wearing black shorts underaneath! 

What I am Wearing:
Shirt - Urban Outfitters
Dress/Top - Topshop
Shoes - Nike

- Susie Roo

Life | I Will Fail My Exams But At Least I Have Brownies

When it's time to revise, I suddenly feel the overwhelming need to bake something. Procrastination? I think so. However, I did have my biology textbook open next to me while I was cooking so, that counts as revision in my head. I followed this recipe that was so quick and easy to follow and the result was these amazingly, chocolatey, heart-warming brownies that turned out extremely well. So I want to share it with you all!

You Will Need - 

185g unsalted butter

185g dark chocolate (I actually find the cheap stuff tastes best)

85g plain/self raising flour 

40g cocoa powder

50+g white chocolate  

50+ g milk chocolate

3 large eggs

275g golden caster sugar

1. Cut 185g unsalted butter into smallish cubes and tip into a saucepan. Break 185g dark chocolate into small pieces and drop into the saucepan. Heat over the hob on a very low heat, stirring constantly so the chocolate does not burn!

2. While you wait for the chocolate to cool, position a shelf in the middle of your oven and turn the oven on to fan 160C/conventional 180C/gas 4 (most ovens take 10-15 minutes to heat up). Using a shallow 20cm square tin, cover with grease proof paper. Use plenty of grease proof paper, making sure it covers and goes over the edges as this will make it easier to remove later! 

3. Chop 50+g white chocolate and 50+g milk chocolate (I went a bit mental and used about 100g of each) into chunks on a board. I found it easier to cut up the hard chocolate using a bread knife and using a chainsaw-type movement? 

4. Break 3 eggs into a large bowl and tip in 275g golden caster sugar. With an electric mixer on maximum speed, whisk the eggs and sugar until they look thick and creamy, like a milk shake. The time this takes can vary, depending on how powerful your mixer is - don't give up if you think its not working!

5. Pour the cooled chocolate mixture over the eggy mousse, then gently fold together with a utensil that you can stir things with; spoon, spatula, wooden spoon etc. Plunge the sponge in at one side, take it underneath and bring it up the opposite side and in again at the middle. Continue going under and over in a figure of eight, moving the bowl round after each folding so you can get at it from all sides, until the two mixtures are one and the colour is a mottled dark brown. 

6. Sieve 85g plain flour and 40g cocoa powder into the mixture.Gently fold in this powder using the same figure of eight action as before. Keep going until all dry ingredients are gone! 

7. Finally, stir in the white and milk chocolate chunks until they’re dotted throughout. Feel free to eat the mixture here, as it tastes delicious :) 

8. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin, scraping every bit out of the bowl but don't worry if you can't get it all out, you can always lick the bowl clean lol

9.  Gently ease the mixture into the corners of the tin and paddle the spatula from side to side across the top to level it. Put in the oven and set your timer for 25 minutes.

When the buzzer goes, open the oven, pull the shelf out a bit and gently shake the tin. If the brownie wobbles in the middle, it’s not quite done, so slide it back in and bake for another 5 minutes until the top has a shiny, papery crust and the sides are just beginning to come away from the tin. Take out of the oven.

10. Leave the whole thing in the tin until completely cold, this is very important as if you take them out too soon, they will fall apart. When they are cool, use the rims of the grease proof paper to pull them out the tin. Cut how you feel free and dig in!

Just a quick message to say - This is NOT my recipe, I do want to take credit for it at all. However, I have adapted the original recipe to what I did when baking as I found these methods much easier and quicker! Plus, I shortened each paragraph making it easier to follow!

I hope your brownies turn out just as well as mine did! 

- Susie Roo

Life | Blue Skies and 5 Year Old Cupcakes

I spent the day relaxing today, as felt I deserved a day off revision (well, not really but I just could not bring myself to start). The weather was absolutely beautiful, so I just went for a lovely walk with my sister and then came home and baked cupcakes.... I live an exciting life for a 17 year old.

I soon discovered, after convincing myself that my cupcakes would end up looking like something out of Cake Boss, that actually, my decorating skills were equivalent to that of a 5 year old. Nonetheless, I have already eaten 3 (oops) and I think they taste delicious.

Buddy Valastro would be proooooud *saracastic tone*

This is meant to be a hedgehog. When I created this little beauty, I laughed for a good 5 minutes at how poor it looked and then ate it all to drown my sorrows

- Susie Roo

Do It Yourself - SensatioNAIL Gel Polish Starter Kit

I have been getting gel nails professional done for a few years on and off. If you are unsure what gel nails are, they are basically a thick nail varnish that you paint over your own nails which stay on for up to 3 weeks. 

I like gel nails because - 

• They are more flexible with your own nails. So, when you sometimes bend your nail backwards (sounds peculiar but seems to happen frequently to me) it does not cause that agonising pain that feels as if your whole nail has been ripped off like you get with acrylics.
• They don't damage your nails as much. I find, that when gel nail varnish is removed or picked off in my case, your cuticles and nails aren't as badly damaged as they would be after acrylics.

Since summer is fast approaching and there is nothing nicer than brightly painted nails that will last longer than a week without chipping, I decided to invest a few pennies into a SensatioNAIL Invincible Gel Polish Starter Kit. 

I can tell you, when it arrived at my front door the day after ordering it (first class job there boots) I was so excited, I could hardly wait to have a play around with the equiptment! 

How Expensive Is It?

I brought mine from boots for £45, which is £24.99 cheaper than the usual price - so if you are thinking about getting it, then do it now! Each time I get gel nails done in the salon, it is about £40, so just using it once would be only £5 more expensive but the kit provides enough equipment to use it up to 10 times! Therefore, saving over hundreds of pounds overall!

What Does The Kit Include?

The kit includes - 

1 x Scarlet Red gel nail polish 

Gel primer 

Base/topcoat 

Gel cleanser 

12 x lint free 

Double-sided nail buffer

Manicure stick

Pro 3060 LED nail lamp 

How-to Booklet

Basically everything you need to get started!

Is It Easy to Use?

Yes. I used this youtube video to help me (click on the photo to open the link) and it is so helpful; so easy to follow and understand. It is honestly like painting your nails but with extra coats and leaving your nails to dry under a lamp. Though the process takes slightly longer than normal nail varnish, the results last longer. Furthermore, it is obviously much easier to use this kit from home than drive to a salon!

It will take some practice to get the finish look to be as good as when a professional as done it. For the first time though, it didn't look horrendous! 

What Is The Quality of The Product?

The finished look of the nails is very professional. They have a glossy finish and will look exactly like the ones you get in the salon - depending on how good you are at painting your own nails. 

The gel nails lasted about 2 weeks for me. Which is ok considering I am very handy person so I cam constantly using my hands throughout the day. Nonetheless, I think the finished look of the product and the lasting time is much better than normal painted nails. 

Is It Worth It?

Definitely! The product works so well and is so easy to use. You can go online and purchase extra colours as well, so you aren't limited with colour options. Though the product is more expensive at first, in the longer term, you will be saving so much money. You also save the hassle of travelling to a salon as you can do it at home whenever you like! However, if you aren't brilliant at painting your nails yourself, maybe this product is not for you as the end result will not look as good compared to when a professional has done it. 

I hope you have found this a little helpful and interesting. I found while writing this blogpost that after writing and reading the word "gel nail" repeatedly, the word goes quite numb and losses all meaning in your head!

- Susie Roo

Review | Collection BB Secrets Beauty Balm

Collection BB Secrets Beauty Balm

Brought this from Tesco when my mum was doing the food shop as browsing the make up aisle is exactly what I like doing when my mother spends hours choosing what types of meat she thinks we should eat that week.  I didn't do any research about this product before I brought it which always makes me feel a bit hazy but It was so cheap, I just thought why not?!

Quality - 2/5, it unfortunately made my face feel really greasy and after a few minutes it went an orange shade on my face which did not look good. I actually had to take it off before I left the house because it felt so greasy and looked awful. Oh, and it smelt immensely of baby wipes and the smell was very noticeable. 

Value - 5/5, £6.99, very cheap

Application - 5/5, went on smoothly and easily and was very easy to blend into my face

Appearance - 2/5, packaging looks really tacky which does not hugely appeal to me. It is made out of a basic, cheap plastic which would be easy to travel with as it wont break and spill everywhere but it just looks very cheap!

- Susie Roo

Tips I'd Give My Pre-Prom Self

I had my prom last year and I can honestly sit here and say, it was one of the most stressful experiences of my life. I was very, very, very disorganised and left everything down to the last minute - fake tan, nails, ordering my dress, my hair. On top of this, I was on very tight budget because I didn't see the point in forking out hundreds of pounds on something that wasn't a massive milestone in my life. Only finished school... nothing significant (please detect sarcastic tone)

I expect many people will be approaching their prom or a similar, formal event in the not-so-distant future. So, I thought I would put together a little montage of things I wish I could go back and tell myself so you guys can avoid the same mistakes! 

1. Dress

Looking back at the dress I brought, I regret my decision. Firstly, I wanted a black dress but the guy I was going with convinced me otherwise. Furthermore, my dress was far too long and I kept tripping over it the whole night.

If I could go back and tell myself anything, I would say:

1. If you are going to order your dress online, order it months in advance, so you can check the sizing is correct (I didn't do this and mine was too big and I didn't have time to get it altered)

2. Wear what you want to wear. If you like it and feel yourself in it, you will feel beautiful so who cares what anybody else thinks?!

3. Try to wear something that suits your body type. Don't wear a floaty, chiffon maxi dress when the best part of your body is your curves. If I could go back, I would wear a fitted one!

My Dress Suggestions:

ASOS - Embellished Maxi Dress With One Shoulder

Needle & Thread Ornate

Prom Maxi Dress (is it possible to be in love with a dress?)

Needle and Thread - Embellished Chiffon Maxi Dress

2. Shoes

I wore my very worn, dirty, plain black wedges. They very much emphasised the fact I was on a budget oh, and the fact I ran out of time to look for another pair. Even though they weren't the most attractive shoes, they didn't hurt my feet all night; me and my friend actually ended up swapping shoes because she was in so much pain!

If I could go back and tell myself anything, I would say:

1. Wear an attractive pair of shoes that go with your dress! They are important as you continuously pick up the front of your dress to walk down stairs and dance etc

2. Take a spare pair of shoes, then you can happily dance into the night without your feet falling off

My Shoe suggestions:

Faith - Silver Jewelled Heels (definitely not my usual style but would be lovely for a flashy event)

Faith - Gold Jewelled Heels

Asos - Highbury Heel Sandals

Asos - Pall Mall Platforms

3. Make Up

I really was not into make up this time last year, so I literally just put on a bit of eyeliner and out the door I went - this made me look so wiped out and pale in photos that were taken outside. I did however get false eyelashes, which were brilliant! They were the individual extensions and they looked amazing, made me feel like a princess and lasted for the whole of summer afterwards as well. 

If I could go back and tell myself anything, I would say:

1. Wear eyeshadow, lipstick, blusher, bronzer and please colour in your eyebrows. It will make you feel really pretty and make your complexion look far better in photos, even if it is only subtle!

2. Look at make up tutorials on youtube. This way, you don't have to spend extra money on someone doing it for you and if you practice enough times beforehand, it will look amazing on the day!

My Make Up Tutorial suggestions:

VelvetGh0st - Prom Tutorial

MsRosieBea - Prom Tutorial

If you view these - tell them that I sent you!

4. Hair

I loved my hair at my prom. It was probably the thing I spent most money on! Not on the actual styling (my trusty mother did that for free) but on some micro-bead hair extensions. They looked amazingly natural and didn't damage my hair at all. They stayed in for months afterwards as well so I had beautiful, thick locks for the whole of summer... bonus? I think so

If I could go back and tell myself anything, I would say:

1. Nothing! I really liked my hair that day and to anyone else looking for extensions, I definitely suggest the micro bead ones!

My Hair Suggestions:

I love both of these hairstyles! I prefer up do hairstyles, as it allows you to show of your pretty facial features more but both are beautiful!

5. Other Beauty Bits and Bobs

Looking back on some of the photos, one word springs to mind... orange. I was very orange at my prom which looking back, I am definitely not keen on. I did get the lightest shade but it looked awful. In all photos I seemed to look like a tall umpa lumpa; if you had given me green hair, boom, I would have been there. 

I also got the cheap, acrylic nails for my prom. The drugstore ones that you stick on? Yep, they kept pinging of the whole night.

If I could go back and tell myself anything, I would say:

1. If you are going to fake tan, get it done in advance to give it time to fade a little, otherwise you may end up looking like a tangerine.

2. Get acrylic nails done in a salon. They are only £20 or so and will save you a lot of trouble! Or, just grow your nails and paint them; it is a lot cheaper and your own nails won't ping off into somebody else's food. 

Beauty Bits and Bob Suggestions:

Mavala French Manicure Kit - White

Clarins Liquid Bronze Self Tanner

6. Your Compadre (or date... whatever you wish to call it)

The person I went to my prom with was a lovely boy that I had crossed paths with several times over a few years. However, I had promised to go with him on a night when I was slightly intoxicated with vodka and the truth is, I didn't know him all that well and I spent the night worrying that he wasn't having a good time. 

If I could go back and tell myself anything, I would say:

1. Don't be ashamed to go on your own or with a group of friends. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that; if it makes you happy and your night more enjoyable, then go for it. I wish I would have done that! 

2. Go with someone that you are close with. If you don't want to be worrying the whole night about "whether they are having a good time", "do they think I look ok?" or "am I boring them?". You will be so much more relaxed with somebody you know well and can just focus on having more fun with your true friends!

7. After Prom

I didn't go to an after prom because it wasn't organised properly and it just turned into too much hassle. Nonetheless, I don't regret this decision because I just ended up staying at my prom until about 3am with all my best chummies, dancing around to music from the 20th century (our DJ was very confused what era we were living in). Doing this also saved the cost of a taxi!

If I could go back and tell myself anything, I would say:

1. Don't go if you don't want to. If a huge group of people are going to an afterprom and you are anxious about going, then don't. Again, do what makes you most comfortable!

2. Organise the "after prom" party in advance. This way, you will know exactly what is planned and you can organise everything like lifts and outfits well in advance.

woooooah, that seems to have turned into a long essay. I hope that at least someone in this universe finds this slightly helpful. 

- Susie Roo