Retail therapy is the best therapy, especially when you not only spoil yourself but also get double the treats due to having a marvelous Mom of whom gets an extreme enjoyment from further subsidising your solace. I’ve not been experiencing the best of times of recent therefore she decided that it were time for her to give me a welcome distraction in the form of the White Rose, a shopping centre located in Leeds. Of course because of this, I am now excited to share with you my treasures. Please read on to discover the delights that await.

We didn’t actually go to many places at all, H&M were genuinely appalling and therefore we bought nothing, the only other places we went to were Primark and Model’s Own, whilst of course stopping off for a KFC in between. I also popped into a local Asda store upon my return home as I had a few things to pick up for Jeremiah (my hamster) from the pet store alongside there. It were good to see that Primark had picked itself up a little again, as when I popped in there for some gift inspiration before Christmas it were seemingly nothing more than a glorified jumble sale (as were everywhere else at that point), Model’s Own has a dainty but incredibly charming shop located in the centre aisle and is a delight to browse, Asda, well it’s just Asda – my convenient way to peruse and instantly acquire some new reading material. Lets get onto the good stuff, shall we? With Primark, I’ll start off with the gift element first, then move onto my personal purchases.

Primark

Cuffed Joggers – Burgundy
£6
These joggers are so comfortable it’s unreal, they have an elasticated waist of course and are the perfect fit with ample space to feel comfortable and relaxed. They have a pocket at either side which aren’t very deep but are great for warming up your hands if like me, you’re a bit of a ditz who forgets to take her gloves out with her. The cuffed bottoms are essential for me as I’m rather short and find it hard to unearth clothing in the adequate length. They aren’t overly thick but the material suitably maintains warmth regardless. These will be worn almost 90% of my waking hours for certain.

Cuffed Joggers – Charcoal
£8
Again these have a pocket located at either side of the hips, these are very much like the above pair although are made from a thinner material which proves to be more airy. These are also cuffed at the bottom and have an elastic waist complete with a drawstring tie. Whilst the burgundy pair are plain, these however have detail to the outer edge of the left leg which says “Los Angeles * Super Girls Academy *” and has the word “League” printed vertically underneath. Being a tad obsessed with anything related to America, I had to have these too and you can never have enough lounge wear, especially when I’m increasing my fitness and activity levels.

Thick Leggings – Burgundy & Black
£5 Each
Heaven, simply heaven. These leggings are so thick and warm it’s unreal. They have a fluffy lining inside providing extra comfort and warmth. These are absolutely perfect for the cold winter days and being leggings they have the added potential to be dressed up or down depending on preference. At £5 each I believe this to be a bargain for these as they’re genuinely faultless. There are more colours available however I preferred these. The burgundy is very purple based, I would have actually just described them as a plum purple.

Snuggle Pyjamas
Now £3, were £8
These are an absolute steal for the price! I’m seriously lacking on long length nightwear, consequently, seeing these I would have been a fool to have walked away. They are so thick, snuggly and warm it’s unbelievable. I can’t wait to curl up in these on the sofa, with a good book and a brew. The detailing is coral hearts on a charcoal grey background, the long sleeved top buttons up and includes a small pocket over the left breast area whilst the bottoms are a simple elasticated waist.

Elephant Cup
£2
I have a rather odd enthusiasm for cups, of which has rubbed off onto me from my Mom. We should both be on a ban really as there’s actually nowhere else left for us to store our growing cup collections. I also have an intense infatuation with elephants, I love all animals and have always adored elephants but since my Granny passed in 2006 a full on fixation then materialised for me as elephants were always ‘her thing’. Cups and elephants, well had my Mom not bought me this then I’d have been adding it to my own basket. This were an absolute must have for me. The cup itself is stylish and simple with a white background and a black tribal print elephant pictured around the cup getting smaller with each one. It has a large handle and is a fantastic size for a medium to larger drink. I’d say that I’ll adore using this for hot chocolates but lets be honest, I’ll use this for anything possible! A little added information, it’s both microwave and dishwasher safe, wahoo!

Crew Tee
£3
A simple crew tee in burgundy with writing across it in white saying “I left my <3 in the city”, it’s simple, affordable and I like it.

Trainer Socks – Pack of 5
£2.50
Again due to my attraction to anything American I opted specifically for these socks, of which all have stars and stripes in various patterns made up of the three colours, red, white and blue. It had to be done. These actually have a rather cuddly quality to them as opposed to some socks which can feel quite rigid.

Socks – Pack of 5
£3
In need of more socks Mom encouraged me to pick up some more, there weren’t a huge amount of choice in the standard length ones (or any for that matter) and I picked up the set I felt were the nicest, as they were all a little boring or had foul colours and patterns. This pack has stripey socks and one pair with polka dots, they’re pretty simple and are navy with either grey or pink included.

Brazilian Brief – Hot Pink
£1.70
Yes I am showing you my underwear – I have done this in a post before and it’s nothing to be ashamed of or hide. First up is a pair of dazzling bright pink Brazilian briefs. They feel like pure silk and have a lace trim. I had to have these purely for the texture.

Lace Brief – Dark Red
£1
This has been described as a thong, the reason for this is unknown to me as it quite clearly isn’t a thong and is actually, a standard brief/knicker. These are a dark red colour with a burgundy tint to them and have a small white bow at the front.

Thong – Leopard Print
£1
Primark managed to market this one correctly as it is indeed a thong, in leopard print with a black lace trimmed band. Stylish and sexy for the price of only a quid! The print has been placed over the top of the lace which gives these a unique and intricate look.

Thong – Pack of 3
£3
You can’t go wrong with a pack of three really, these are mesh and again have a lace trimmed band. There’s a white pair, a black pair and the final one is black but the lace trim is in leopard print, including a small pink bow detail at the top.

Thong – Pack of 3
£2.50
Another pack of three, these instead have a spaghetti band and include stripey pink and white with a small mint green bow, mint green with a small lilac bow and finally a lilac patterned pair with pink and white, including a small turquoise bow. They’re simple and pretty.

Cut Out Boot Heels – Tan
£16
I fell in love with these and continue to fall deeper and deeper in love every time I witness their pure beauty. They are boot style, suede effect heels with cut outs in the form of flowers. There’s a zip at the back and they lace up at the front offering the opportunity to create a perfect and snug fit, this is amazing for me as I have rather chunky feet. The tan colour and suede effect means they wouldn’t look out of place by being used day to day with casual outfits to give a more dressed up look when attending less formal events or destinations. The heel is approximately 4.5 inch. I can see these getting used frequently.

Bikini Top
£6
A simple black halter neck bikini top which ties at both the neck and the back, it has a crochet detail at the front and slight padding inside. For me, this means the difference between losing my breasts underneath the bottom of the item, as they have a mind of their own and will do whatever they please if I don’t have adequate support beneath them. When I tried this on I found it to be comfortable and is a great buy for the price.

Bikini Brief
£2
I did want the matching bikini shorts for my top but unfortunately none were left in my size, or any of the standard bikini briefs matching the bikini top, either. I settled for these instead which were only £2 and are completely plain. They have simple ties at either side and surprisingly have quite a soft and pleasing texture.

Necklace
£2
I really like this necklace and simply had to purchase it, it’s so different from anything I have already and will look amazing with a night time outfit whilst still remaining understated. I like it because I feel it isn’t too much or too large and overbearing as some can be. It has dangly straight chunks in copper, gold and silver which are separated by tiny little silver coloured balls. It has a snake chain and the silver coloured chunks have a water drop style pattern on them. This will go with almost any outfit and I’d say is well worth it’s incredibly affordable price.

P.S, Love Make-Up Fixing Spray
£2
I have yet to try a fixing spray and didn’t want to buy something extortionately priced to potentially find that I don’t like it or that it doesn’t work well for me. Noticing this in Primark I figured why not sample it, now is as good of a time as any. It doesn’t seem to have a scent and is said to be suitable for all skin types, is oil free and won’t clog pores. I’m yet to try this but if anybody would like a review when I have done then please let me know. This is a 75ml can which I feel will provide me with many uses.

P.S, Love Your Nails Fast Dry Spray
£0.80
I’m incredibly impatient with most things but even more so when it comes to waiting for my nails to dry. I always end up smudging them somehow or getting other things printed onto them, it has become exceedingly monotonous, therefore when I saw this peeking at me I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to try it. I’m one of those people who also seems to forget to do my nails every time without fail and will have to do them last minute just before heading out. I’m hoping this will offer me at least a little hope for battling the mad last minute nail drying rush. Apparently this leaves a glossy finish, we shall see!

Nail Polish – Melba
£0.80
It’s nice to see that Primark have started putting a number on or naming their different shades of nail polish! This will make it infinitely easier when writing about different shades or remembering specific polishes I’d like to use when I come to painting my nails. Melba is a lovely peachy colour and I’m excited to use this in the future alongside the above fast dry spray. I’m always impressed with the polish sizes from the P.S, Love range, the 80p polishes in the rectangular bottles always have a great amount of product in for a total steal!

Nail Polish – 88
£0.80
This doesn’t have a name however does have a number located at the bottom of the bottle. Although rather hard to see, it is there and can be used for identification purposes all the same which is fantastic. This is a really nice gunmetal grey colour which looks so unusual and different to any other polish colour that I own, I’m impatient to test this.

P.S, Love Liquid Foundation Brush
£1.50
The current foundation brush I use is a P.S, Love one and I have been very happy with it so far, after owning it for roughly two years now it’s incredibly dirty (despite the fact it gets cleaned), it’s excessively shedding fibers and the heel has broken away from the handle, as well as the handle already having been broken for some time now. I do have another foundation brush in my LyDia brush set however I feel it’s too soft for my liking and leaves my foundation extremely streaky, whereas I’ve found my P.S, Love brush to be a little more solid, either that or there’s more fibers packed into the ferrule (this is the part which holds the fibers together) giving the impression of more stable bristles. Either way I figured I’d pick up a new brush from Primark to see if I’ll love this as much as my old one. The design and style has changed, whilst my old brush were made of a wooden handle with a plastic ferrule and heel, this one seems to be made from a plastic handle with a metal ferrule/heel. I have yet to take this out of the packaging, however the bristles seem to be really soft, alas we shall see.

P.S, Love Liquid Foundation – Ivory
£2.50
I’ve been wanting to try out new foundation for some time now and I’d also like a cheaper product to wear whilst at work. Seeing this for only £2.50 I thought I might as well give it a whirl. I’ll be sure to do a review on this in the future but I have yet to try it. This is a semi-matte medium coverage which is said to be oil free and containing vitamin E. This sounds pretty good, I wonder if it will live up to it’s description. It’s also said to be moisturising and it does actually smell slightly fragranced in the same way that many hand and face creams do. There weren’t much choice in the means of colours, I got Ivory which were the lightest shade but I feel the darker shade would have been far too dark for me, there’s no middle level with this.

P.S, Love Blush & Highlighter Duo – Pink Rose
£2.50
Now this little find really interested me. I’m not usually one for any type of cream based products but I’ve been wanting to get out of my comfort zone a little and try a range of cosmetics. Being in a stick it strikes me that this would prove to be rather easy to use and is a good size to pop into a handbag also. Doing a quick swatch of this I’ve found the product to be really pigmented, the blush is a very bright pink and the highlighter is an incredibly pretty pale pink that shimmers. I’m excited to try this product out properly, also it doesn’t feel like it will be greasy as I first thought it would be.

P.S, Love Metallic Eyeshadow Cream
Now £1, were £2
As I say I’m not normally a fan of cream cosmetics products however due to wanting to branch out I decided to pop this into my basket with the other items. At only £1 it would be silly to not try it out after all and this is a really pretty, purple based, shimmery dark taupe colour. When swatching this onto the back of my hand it doesn’t appear immensely pigmented although I’m choosing to hold my judgement until I test it out accordingly. There’s something so satisfying about screwing the lid of a cosmetics pot on and off, I’m not entirely sure why this is.

P.S, Love Liquid Eye Liner – Black
£1
This product is 4ml and contains vitamin E which is an antioxidant, of which with regards to the skin, works to reduce the effects of aging and wrinkles. I’ve been using this liner for a good couple of years now as I find it really easy to apply and it lasts a long time even with almost daily use. To read my reasons for why this is my eye liner of choice please head on over to read my post ‘Running Dry’, of course, once you have finished reading this one.

Model’s Own
I had an absolute blast in this store and picked up some bits and bats for myself whilst browsing. The customer service were the best I have experienced and the store itself is a thorough delight, it’s so unique and quirky. I will be sharing my fascinating finds with you however you will have to keep an eye out for Thursday’s post, when I will be detailing my Model’s Own experience as a whole.

Asda
Of course, books! Doesn’t this always happen? The hardback ‘All Wrapped Up’ were £6 and the other two were in the current 2 for £7 deal.

All Wrapped Up (Geek Girl Special) – Holly Smale
The It Girl *Team Awkward* – Katy Birchall
Strictly Between Us – Jane Fallon

This post were such fun for me to write and I hope that the same can be said for reading it. Have you read the above books or experimented with the cosmetics? Let me know in the comments below and be sure to pop back soon for a post on my Model’s Own experience, another of which I’m enthusiastic to write.

With Love,
Disaster Davis x

(Original Post on WordPress)