Stacey Helps: Fashion Tips on a Budget

I don't really do YouTube, I have friends (ahem K) who can sit for hours watching pointless videos until you realise that it's three am and you're watching a pug learn how to swim, but I'm not like that. However, I found this video which is a) hilarious, b) useful, and c) just watch it, I can't be bothered to think of another reason as to why you should watch it. 

xx

@TheStaceyMcG @StyleSmashin #fashiononabudget

Stars, Stripes and Union Flag Nails

Yesterday evening I painted my nails with union flags and the American
stars-and-stripes. I achieved this with nail pens and I'll keep them looking great
with a Maybelline Forever Strong Pro top coat.
I love them, what do you think? xx

6 things nobody ever told me about acne

I've had acne for around six years now, and I tell you, I wish I meant the brand. My acne isn't particularly bad, but I do always have spots, and blackheads and everything else. But throughout all of the hundreds of trips I've taken to doctors, homoeopaths and Google, there are a couple things that nobody ever told me about acne. I just had to discover them the hard way.

1. Sugar can be a cause of acne. It has been clinically proven that almost cutting sugar (including carbohydrates - this is called your glycemic index) from your diet can reduce acne to a complete minimum. This has something to do with cells and enzymes, but you're not here to read science, so I'm not going to give it to you. If you want to research it a little more, check out the sources I'll pop at the bottom.
Anyway, please don't completely cut out sugar, as a, that is practically impossible and b, totally not healthy. But next time you see the bag of sugar-coated sweets, take one instead of three.

2. You can see a dermatologist! Crazy as it sounds, I spent 4 years with my GP before being referred to a dermatologist, where I was greeted with medication that actually worked! Totally worth a look into.

3. Your skin has a 100-day cycle. What this means is that skin cells being formed right now wont reach the surface of your skin for about 100 days, or three months. When you apply a cream or gel that is supposed to clear out your acne, you've got to stick at it for at least 100 days to see some results! Also, keep your eyes open for 'magic' creams on the shelves of your pharmacy - if it swears to get you acne free in a week, it's totally lying. Sorry.

4. Dairy is really quite horrible. Believe it or not, I was only told this about two weeks ago! Dairy slows your metabolism and when you think about it, cheese is basically a hunk of fat. A lot of people are slightly intolerant to lactose without realising it. If you have other problems like asthma or eczema, switching to skim  goat's milk could be a good idea. If you don't want to completely lose dairy, stick to skim milk and low-fat products.

5. Don't pick! So, every kid with a spot has been told not to pop it, but nobody ever told them why. As my dermatologist explained to me, spots can explode outward, yes, releasing impurities, but it can also explode inwards, which creates scars and  spreads the puss back into your system to create more spots in the surrounding area. Totally not worth the risk.

6. Acne can be caused by inflamed hair follicles. Ask your doc for some diagrams, but basically sebum builds up inside the area that your hair sits in, underneath the skin. When this becomes blocked, it causes little lumps and bumps, but when it becomes infected is where those second-heads come from! Keep your face clean from bacteria, wash day and night and try not to touch your face!

We all hate acne, don't let it get you down, as after all, beauty comes from within. I wish you the best of luck with your clear skin quests!

If you want to take a more indepth view on what you can do about your acne, check out these articles on livestrong.com here and here, some from Dr. Oz here and here, and take a look at Dr Mark Hymen here.

I'd love to know your experiences or any other tips you have, the more the merrier!

xx

P.S. Thanks to my Doc, Dermatologist, and all the homoeopaths and alternative practitioners I have seen over the years, plus all the people in stores like Lush and Neal's Yard for all of their help in informing me and putting me on the track to a cure. Maybe it'll work next time... 

Wake Up, It's Wednesday #3 - Keep that manicure picture-perfect

For your  manicure or nail art to stay fresher for longer, try applying a top
coat every other day. I know this is a pain, but it really is worth it!

MYO Gorgeous Stacking Bracelets

I'm back, I've hit the ground running with these gorgeous bracelets that a certain A has taught me to make! So easy to make, they stack on up your arm and come in a range of colours and patterns - because you're the one choosing the threads!

You need:

7 pieces of thread, yarn or string, roughly a foot long each.

A small square of card (apparently a paper coaster works too).

A pair of scissors.

Firstly, gather your threads together and knot them together at one end.

Now grab your piece of card (or coaster) and cut eight slits around the edge - one at each corner and one at the middle of each side. Next make a small, finger sized hole in the centre with either your scissors or a Biro. put the knot of threads through the hole, so that the knot just peeks through the top. Push one thread through each slit (yes, I realise there is an empty hole!)

Turn the card so that the empty slit is at the top. Count three threads to the right, and take the third thread out of its slit and move it into the empty place. Now twist your card so that the empty slit is at the top again, count three to the right and move that thread towards the empty space. Keep doing this, over and over, every so often pulling the knot from the other side - watch the bracelet appear before your eyes!

A says, 'the thicker the yarn, the faster this process will be, so only choose thin threads if you have endless amounts of patience! Choosing different colours and thickness of thread makes a more interesting bracelet.' 

Making many of these and stacking them, adding beads and bells makes for a unique piece!

I've gone AWOL

You may have noticed there was no 'Wake up, it's Wednesday!' This morning, and that's because my Internet is unexpectedly down, and will be out until June! :(
So for now, hang on, but in June I'll be back and I'll remember to schedule some posts from now on to keep on track.

See you soon
Xx

Wake up, it's wedneseday #2 - open your eyes to an acne not-so-secret

Toothpaste isn't going to cure your spots, hydration is.
Drink 2 litres of water everyday for spotless, less oily skin.
Carry a water bottle around with you and keep it in your line of sight
at all times - this way, you'll always be reminded! 

Bonfires, tree climbing and high-waisted shorts

I've been a little absent this weekend because my good friend R came to visit me! (She lives in a faraway land, so 'tis a rare occurrence!)
And just as rare as our visits is the sun shining down (especially on the bank holiday weekend!), so we thought we might take advantage of my luscious garden and R's gorgeous style to put up my first ever outfit post!

I said do fun, she said, this is fun, see?!

Chilling on the lawn, wearing socks but no shoes, and pretty jazzy ones at that!

This is my favourite photo! The hanging glasses add some colour, and it
reminds me of a lot of things - we love climbing trees! Also, the trees here
are just starting to blossom, giving that natural spring colour.

We couldn't figure out exactly what a rat was doing
playing ice hockey...

Smartie toes, I love the contrasting and creative colours R uses to liven
up her feet!

We ran out of marshmallows, so I thought I'd burn my
stick instead!

Our home-grown bonfire!

T-shirt, Portobello road market, Shorts, Ebay, nail varnish, Barry M and Claires.

Wake up, it's Wednesday #1 - open your eyes to a sun-kissed glow

For a natural tan, use a tinted body moisturiser 
everyday to gradually build up a glow. 
No tan lines, no shock-orange, looks natural. 

Shopping in Cambridge

Just this last Wednesday I took a day-trip to the beautiful city of Cambridge with a friend, where we spent a day shopping in a new place (which, let's face it, is super-exciting, and turns every happy shopper into a little girl in a sweet shop!). I didn't anticipate blogging about this, so I didn't take to many photos, and the photos I did take include the contents of my breakfast and a dodgy shot of the street. So no snaps for you, sorry.

But I can paint a verbal picture, and Blott is the perfect store to start with. We've all found, at some point, one of those places that just sell the quirkiest things that are such obvious and yet original ideas because you're still left standing there going, 'Why didn't I think of that??'    
Blott, Unit 6, Ground Floor, Grand Arcade, St Andrew’s Street, Cambridge, CB2 3BJ  is a 'stationery store with a twist,' selling everything from pens and pencils to glass wipe-clean boards and fun luggage tags featuring moustaches. Which now that I think about it, I have a photo of!
 I bought two apple-shaped rubber toppers for 75p each and a luggage tag with different moustaches on it for a mere £2. This is a sample section of the biscuit, drink bottle and cutesy critter - shaped rubbers that are available, and man, do you go crazy over them! (Or at least I did, it took me 20 minutes to decide on those two I swear!)

Blott is situated in Cambridge's main mall, or 'Grand Arcade,' that houses most common chains like Hollister,  New Look, Apple and YO! Sushi - where we purchased lunch. Sat hiding in amongst the typical stores are some higher end chains like Ted Baker, Radley and Guess. But you know the best bit? There's a cupcake stall on the top floor. That's right, a cupcake stall.

27-year old Pylones was my second great find of the day, opposite the Grand Arcade on 34 Petty Cury selling equally quirky objects that branched out to more than stationary, jewellery, kitchen utensils and iPhone accessories from a range of designers that group from Paris to bring us foreigners awesome rubber based stuff. My friend bought a turquoise rubber snap-on watch (to replace the one she lost that morning!) and a keyring, both of which I adored. 

My favourite piece of Cambridge wasn't the winding streets but the market. It contains a ton of fruit stalls that sold strawberries that looked so good I almost bought one, but I compromised and ate some fruit on top of a Belgian waffle from a stall where a Frenchman promises they taste just like the waffles in Bruges - and I can testify, they do! Here you can buy beautiful scarves, Cambridge touristy items and University sweaters and t-shirts, for a decent market price, but standard store quality, no rip-offs. Which is always great!

And that was my day! If you ever visit, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

xx

£20 makeup challenge

My friend K and I took a trip around boots and I gave her this challenge: buy all the things you use to makeup your face for just £20. And no cheapsies, own brand cheats. Actual makeup that's worth spending the money on.
And she came up with this!
'You don't need a foundation on a daily basis. And you can't get a decent one cheaply, anyway. Eew.
But a concealer is an excellent alternative, and leaves you with a much quicker, more natural look. I choose Collection 2000's Lasting Perfection concealer in fair 1 for £4.19. I've heard lots about this on YouTube, although I haven't tried it myself. But it's on my list!
'Next up is eyes. Shadows?' She heads straight to the Seventeen stand, and takes a look at the starry eyes palettes.
'Buying a trio or quad is cheaper, because you get three eyeshadows but not three prices. I would have said the Rimmel quads are better, but on the cheap they're not ideal. she settles on a Starry Eyes in Starstruck for £4.99.
'Eyeliner and mascara. Umm...' She heads back to the seventeen stall and eyes the offer Boots has on at the moment.
'Ooh, this is useful! Yeah, let's do this!' She's found that any seventeen mascara comes with a free Doll'd Up Three-way eyeliner. Bit of a loophole, but that's what they're there for, right?!
She g
rabs Seventeen's cheapest waterproof mascara, £4.99 and the free eyeliner that goes with it, and takes a second to think.
'Waterproof, always waterproof. It just lasts and wears so much better than the normal stuff,' she comments
'What's next?' I ask.
'Cheeks and lips,' K answers decisively - and does a little twizzle to see which stalls she should head to for her next purchases.
'How much have I got left?'
'mmm... six pounds and thirteen pennies,' I calculate.
'Is that it! Ugh, I should have done lips first. Can't we just, like, cheat and do a £100 budget or something?!' We giggle, but no, we can't have a hundred pound budget because that just isn't how life works.
So she tries the Natural Collection stand again because, 'It's cheap, but it doesn't act cheap.' Well put.
One Blushed Cheeks (Sweet Cheeks, £1.99) and Moisture Shine Lipstick ('I love this stuff - it moisturises your lips as well as adding some colour,' Raspberry, £1.99) we are about to go for the finish line when we stop dead next to the Seventeen stall.
She gasps,'That offer on the mascara and eyeliner is on the more expensive mascara only! It's £5.99! How much out are we?'
I whip out my iPod calc - 1.99+1.99+4.19+4.99+5.99 for the new mascara..... '£19.15!! Haha, we win!
We are still in by eighty-five pence! Nice job!' K and I high-five and walk out triumphantly with our brand new face products, that (just) won't
even cost you £20!

xx

Quizzing Pudding Crumbs

For a bit of change, I spent Easter chatting to Pudding Crumbs of http://diyuniquemadeeasy.blogspot.com/ and we eventually decided to interview each other! So, here are the results, and you can head over to her site to see my answers to her questions, which are already up! (Including my tiny piece of fashion advice, my favourite hobbies and what inspires me.) Have any questions of your own for me? Ask them on the You! page.


1. Describe yourself.
It's hard to describe myself. To keep it simple I will say that I am a creative, productive, and persistant. I will do anything I set my mind to do. I absoloutly love art and crafts. Not arts and crafts,but art and crafts. I like making my own crafts, painting, and looking at past art (Vincent van Gogh,Monet,Rembrandt).

2. What do you blog about and why do you do it?
I blog about my and others' creations and projects. Basically art stuff that I think is cool. I find a way to turn it into a DIY project. For Example: I made muffins today. You can make muffins to by going to this wesbite. I also give little helpful hints when blogging. At the moment I don't have a lot of posts up because I just resently started blogging only a few weeks ago.

3.How long have you been blogging for?
As I said in my answer above I have only been blogging for about a month. I always liked putting my ideas out there, but I never found a way. When I heard you had a blog I was like "perfect!"

4. What do your friends and family think of your blog?
My family and friends were kind of in awe when they saw that I had created a blog. They said that I am always so "dilligent". My family is very proud of my work. When I showed my friends they were like "this is cool!"

5. What is your favourite hobby and why do you do it?
I don't really have a favorite hobby because I do all sorts of crafting. My hobbies kind of range. I go through different crafting phases like beading, kniting, cooking, and all sorts of other stuff. I am also teaching my self piano (not one of my phases). I am not a child protogy or anything, but I thought it might be fun so I gave it a shot and it turns out that I really like it.

6. Where is your favourite place in the world and why?
I don't have a favorite place. I have never been out of the country, but if I could I guess I would go to South America because my roots lie there. If I could I would go to Japan. I love the way the citizens of Japan dress. They have so much style!

7. Describe your favourite item of clothing, tell us where you got it and why you love it!
This questions is so hard to answer! I have so many but because I have to choose I will say my favorite item are my tank tops.I love them because they bring color to a wardrobe even if they are tucked under your shirt and you can barely see them. They brighten me up! I got my tank tops all sorts of places. I have some from the Gap, Tjmax, and from Abercrombie and Fitch. The ones from Abercrombie are my favorite. They are such high quality. I have had them for a couple years and there are no rips or tears.

8. Heeled or flat soled shoes?
In my opinion I think flat soled shoes are better. You can buy really nice bright springy feeling ones at the Gap and at Jcrew! I have a neon pink pair and they go really nicely with any color outfit!

9. Name your top three TV shows
I don't have cable TV so my favorites are...
1. Kyle XY
2.Pretty Little Liers
3.Project Runway (even though I never get to watch it)

10. What would you like to be/do when you're older and what attracts you to it?
You would probably assume that I want to be an artist and if you guessed that you are right! I want to be an artist because I like being unique and different. I am attracted to because all sorts of art is unique!

11. Which, of the many projects on your blog, is your favourite?
I don't have many up on my blog,but my favorite is tie dyed cupcakes because I made them with my two greatest friends!

12. What tips do you have for anybody who loves arts and crafts?
For people love arts and crafts my only advice is to express yourself through your art. :)

H&M Conscious Collection

H&M's spring wear arrived in my nearest store at the beginning of this week, and I'm glad to announce that a large part of that is H&M Conscious.
Nature inspired, greens and blues feature heavily in this new range, along with lots of flowery, vine-y prints. This fits in perfectly with the message H&M are trying to put across - be conscious! The garments in the Conscious range are made of sustainable fibres, often 100% recycled, and when you're finished with them, you can hand them back to H&M to recycle (and receive a voucher for your troubles!)

The cuts are much more natural also, with lots of flowing necklines and less skintight trousers. Prints and patterns have headed back to the ancient times, with Aztec and animal prints featuring in both their original and colour overdosed forms!

I don't know about you, but the shoe and accessory department also just grew massively! The trend forecasters were right too - you can see Japanese street style seeping through in the platform canvas pumps, chunky heels and studs EVERYWHERE. Personally I'm more of the dainty type, so I think I'll be sticking with the boyfriend cardigans and striped trousers rather than trading in for leather jackets and four-inch platforms!

But while it might not be for me, I still think its a great style that a lot of people can get into!

This season, fashions changed really quickly, from pretty to punk in a few mere weeks, and I'm proud of H&M for taking action in the right direction and becoming Conscious of their actions (and producing an amazing spring collection!)

Massive sale in Hollister!

While Hollister is probably one of my favourite stores, I also find it a little pricey.
But there's good news! I walked in and 25% off signs are everywhere! Go crazy!
(Plus, its all their new spring collection!!)
Xx

This green skirt...

... Is green!
... Is not actually denim, but very stretchy and a very good imitation.
... Is from H&M.
... Was only £2 in the sale!!!
... Has pockets! The only thing I dislike about skirts and dresses is the lack of pockets, this skirt is perfect for me as it has pockets!
... Will be perfect for spring and summer
... Would look great with a tucked in baggy vest top or shirt, or a long chunky knit sweater.
... Fits in perfectly with all the eye-popping colours you can see on the high street.
... Makes me very happy with my purchase today!

Red Nose Day: I hope you're watching!

Fred, my dinoseasour (get it?!) and I are busy watching comic relief!
I hope you are watching and donating, if you're not, go watch!! Donate!!
http://www.rednoseday.com/sponsor-and-donate

6 ways to entertain yourself at 34003 ft

I'm at 34003 feet, high above the ground, soaring through the clouds just below the tip of Greenland. Well, I won't be when I post this, because funnily enough, the fluffy white clouds outside don't emit wifi (like some clouds do.)

I'm heading for Houston, which means that yes, I am on a 9 hour 16 minute flight. I've already watched Lincoln (was it just me that didn't know he got assassinated???) and I'm just a little bit bored.

So to solve all of your problems when you are in a similar situation - 5 hours 55 minutes left, wifi-less and trapped in a small metal blob that's higher than you can jump - I'm giving you a six-point-(partially serious) guide to survive.

Entertainment Idea #1
Write loads of random things. Bring a notebook, or I use the notes app on my iPod, and I'm sitting here blogging. Great waste of time! But I write clothes lists and design ideas and stories and bucket lists and post ideas and hit lists. Just kidding about that last one! You get the idea. A notebook and pen brings you endless freedom of expression! A great idea that my friend Camilla Fabbri over at familychic.com was to use it as a medium for conversation - she and her daughter spoke not a word on a plane journey - but wrote it all down! Unique or what!?

Entertainment Idea #2
Plan your trip. If you're on a plane, it's quite likely you're going somewhere (duh!) and a few hours in limbo is the right time to look up different places, write down trip ideas etc. This can be kind of tricky without Internet so guidebooks are good.

Entertainment Idea #3
Sleep. Just kidding! I can't sleep on planes, nor in cars or on trains, and I don't expect anybody else to. Sleep isn't the most interesting activity either, is it?
A book, iPod/MP3/Sound thing and a bag of food are truly the essentials.

Speaking of food, I have a Starbucks falafel tray in my bag! I totally forgot! Designed to replace the food served which is, lets face it, freeze dried and designed for survival not pleasure.
I consider eating that food a skill that requires a very high pain threshold!

Entertainment Idea #4
Here would be a good place to insert 'paint nails awesomely.'
In hindsight, have you ever tried painting your nails in a shut room? If you have you'll know that the fumes are instant and strong. My mom is always coming into my room and being like 'are you trying to gas yourself???'
So I think, stick to paint-free nails so that you don't gas out the plane, have everyone hate you and you and your nail varnish end up on a 34002 foot drop back to earth!

*giant bare foot appears next to elbow*
'EEP!'
*stares at foot until it disappears*
That was weird. Sorry 'bout that!

Back to...
Entertainment Idea #5
Knit. I think, think, that you are allowed knitting needles in the air. Bring a few balls of wool and enjoy! Personally, the thicker the wool the better - I just don't have the patience for fine knitting. It also shows up all of my (many) mistakes. Chunky knit is a little less granny ish, more forgiving and goes quicker. And if your needles get confiscated by customs, it's much better for finger knitting!

Entertainment Idea #6
Irritate other people. Have a contest with you sibling or friend to see how many times you can find useless reasons to call the air stewards, balance things on the person in front's head or see how long you can stand on your chair for before you get told off! And remember - NOTHING to do with me!

So that filled exactly an hour - only 4 hours 55 minutes left!

Wish me luck catching my connection to Miami (our flight was delayed by 45 minutes) and I might be a little absent for a week or so.
xx

I'm a tool: use me!

 
Consider my blog as a tool: it provides information, ideas and inspiration. But there's a lot more out there, and I want you to get a better grip on this tool.

Did you know I have Facebook?
I stuck a couple of photos up there, and I'll let you know when I've posted something new - but only if you've liked me!

I have Twitter too!
I use Twitter more for random updates - the life of fashion all the time. Twitter comes with me everywhere, and so can you!
Follow @StyleSmashin

What's more, if you want to have instant access the jiffy I post, try Bloglovin'. If you're a blogger you'll know about this - it's basically a blog that contains all blogs. It creates a feed of all the different blogs you follow all in one place, making it super easy for you to keep up!  (And for when you don't, there's a 'mark all as read' button!)  But if you are an avid blog reader-er, Bloglovin' is definitely a great service.

But if you ain't in with the social media, grab my posts by email!
(sadly, I have no fancy buttons to stick in the post, so you'll just have to type in your email address over there in the sidebar. )

Truly, I just want your opinion!
I've got a nice little questionnaire sitting at the top of the sidebar 
for you to fill out (I want to change my name - what should it be?)
and a whole PAGE devoted to YOU! Even if you want to tell me that your brother stole your shoes, I want to know.
On a more a serious note, I'm not even kidding. Ask me to do posts on stuff, I'll even do a feature on you if you like! Treat it like a forum, or contact page, or whatever. If you're another blogger, let me know! I'd love to read your blog and create a connection.

Get a better grip on this tool - use it well.
xx
p.s. Remember:

Catwalk

I think if you take a look at the history book, you might be reminded of the year 2012, and The Clothes Show Live that year. Remember that? Thought you might!

Just to bring back some good ol' memories, I found all these catwalk photos!
These were taken by my good friend Cecilia (or Ceci) and she has kindly let me use them to show you lot! So, if you like them, head on over to her Instagram and follow her for some more excellent photos!

These are from two catwalks: the first is the Diet Coke / Cosmopolitan catwalk (where they handed out free coke!) which was just out in the open, but the main catwalk was the Suzuki Theatre, where we saw the midday show.

 This catwalk was mainly student's designs from various colleges, and I think the models were students also.
I really love the gold dress in the picture above, I think it has excellent body and shape, and of course the colour just pops!
In the photo-brick below I can't decide between the white flowing dress (middle row left end) or the tye-dye maxi (top row left end).
They are both too beautiful!

This block is from the Suzuki theatre, where we saw the main show. It wasn't a standard show, as it was dance-based, and there was almost a plot to it - 'A day in the life of fashion,' which included a photo shoot, a model  award, and an after-party!
Every different kind of clothing was modelled - from under wear and swimsuits to wedding gowns and onesies! I enjoyed every single second, and from the 347 photos I had to sort through, I'm guessing Ceci did too!

3 ways to dress your snowman

I don't know about you, but where I am it has snowed about 8 inches! This means three things: days off school or work, beautiful trees and snowmen!
I can't blog to you about snow days, but I can show you some beautiful trees:

These are just the trees in my back yard, but they are so beautiful! Especially with these tiny little snow icicles on every branch.

But this is why I am here today: to show you three ways to dress your snowmen.
Snowmen are a vital part of snowy life - it is impossible to not make one. In case you are one of the anti snow personnel who just doesn't build snowmen (gasp!) start off by making a snowball, packed hard. Then roll it around in the snow until you have a head sized lump of snow. Repeat until you have three ( maybe four) size-graduated balls of snow. Stack them on top of one another, largest to smallest, and decorate as instructed below!

 Snowman one: traditional.
You need a pipe and a cap, coal for eyes and a carrot for the nose. Preferably a pipe, but we don't all keep those anymore. A pipe-shaped stuck will do instead. Then you need twigs for arms and a scarf and gloves to keep it warn!I drew on my miniature with felt tips (mainly because we don't keep coal.)

Snowman two: fashionista.
Here you could break out some water colours, painting on a made up face, but you still need twigs for arms and a fashion scarf flowing down the side. Give your snowman a pose suitable for the catwalk (or a bent-twig-hands-on-hips) and voilá:one snowman suitable for the catwalk! Because I drew with felt tip, her face kind of... bled. Oh well!

Snowman three: little kid.
This snowman can be much smaller, with wellies and a kiddie hat, a huge smile and little arms, and maybe a pet to play with!


Enjoy the snow!
Xx

The Clothes Show: The Goodies!

Every major event hands out some kind of goodie bag, and every major company has some kind of multi buy sale.
At the Clothes Show, it was the make-up companies.
Rimmel was giving out make-up bags for £5 a piece, which a) should have been £10, and b) were worth way more than £10 in the first place!

They came in labelled red foil bags, sealed for assured perfection, and contained an eye shadow palette, a 1000 kisses lip tint, a scandal eyes/scandal eyes show off mascara, and three nail varnishes from various different collections: Rimmel Lycra Pro, Precious Stones, and 60 seconds in the 'chic and cheerful' bag, and Precious stones, Metal Rush and 60 Seconds in the 'Glam Rock' bag.
If you think that each item costs over £5 normally, and the whole bag was £5, the whole thing was an amazing bargain! I found myself unresisting, and bought two!

There would were so many great brands there - I spied Barry M, Model's Own and Cosmopolitan stalls around the place as well, but I headed straight to the Collection 2000 area, where they were handing out goody bags for £5. These were also excellent value - containing two liquid eye liners, a lipstick, nail polish, and two sets of false lases, all contained in a pink-striped candy bag... Which I successfully maimed by the time I got home.

 An Elle magazine package was available for £2!!! So I grabbed one before I even knew what was inside - two Elle magazines, St Tropez gradual tan moisturiser and a Jemma Kidd eye liner. Bargain.

But the best bag? The crown goes to the Select Model Management - available only by invitation and filled with two Tigi hair products and a Tangle Teeser brush.

Finally, after a LOT of waffling on, I come to the end of my section on goodies. There MAY be more to come -but it might take a little while! The next post will be focussed on catwalk - the main event.
xx