What I Got For Christmas 2017

Every year I feature a few gifts I received for Christmas not only to say a thank you to those who very kindly bought me them, but to also have a recurring post I can write every year. It's also fun seeing other people's posts which gifts seemed to be popular that year as well. My previous posts (2016 and 2015) seemed to go down really well so I'm back with a few items photographed and a few not. I seem to be creating a new tradition of bringing some presents with me 2 hours away to my fiancé's family house (yes the engagement post will be up soon) so I didn't bring everything with me.


Vans Old Skool Burgundy
I've wanted a pair of Old Skool Vans for ages now, and when I was ordering them on behalf of my Dad, the black and the pale pink pairs seemed to have sold out everywhere. In hindsight I'm really pleased that I went with the Burgundy pair as they go with so many things that I own. I was looking at a really autumnal pair but they just wouldn't have gone with some items of clothing. The whole Christmas theme for me this year seemed to be burgundy and pale pink which is a welcome change.

Huda Beauty Desert Dusk Palette
If you've read my Anti-Haul post you'll notice that I said I'd never buy a full-sized Huda Beauty palette as they were quite expensive. Well, this doesn't break any rules as Andy actually bought me it so it's fair game. This is the Desert Dusk palette with a range of eyeshadow finishes that I'm desperate to start using. I'd look out for a full review, most likely including whether or not I think £56 is justifiable and I have a bad feeling that Huda has swayed my way of thinking by the means of glitter.

L'Oreal Galaxy Holographic Strobing Lip Gloss in Polaris Pink
This was from my little sister and it's such a 'me' product. I love holographic products and although I'm sure I've not worn a coloured lip gloss since 2008 I really like it! It's a clear base with lilac shimmer that shines pink and gold in the light. I've not worn it on top of a lip liner or other product yet but I'm betting it will look stunning. L'Oreal never seems to disappoint me.

Wedding Planner
With the recent engagement, it was very kind of my family to (at the last minute due to the timing) pick us up a wedding planner. I've seen so many around and I love the different categories for planning with items on the checklists that I'd never even thought about. It's a good job our wedding won't be for 2/3 years.

Carvela Mia Across Body Bag
I saw this bag online and I fell in love with it instantly. I do love a good Carvela bag, not necessarily for the name but I find the bags to be high quality with an affordable price tag. As you see with the Vans, there are plenty of items I own that will match or go well with it.

Adidas Originals Navy Suede Gazelle
I tried a pair of Gazelles a while ago but I wasn't sure if they were 'me' enough but they were a bright pair. Mine are navy and look far nicer n my opinion. I've never been one for nearly neon trainers so I'm glad I didn't pick those up now.

Huda Beauty Faux Filter Foundation
After watching countless reviews about this foundation, I'm glad Andy picked one up for me. I chose the shade Cashew and it's pretty spot on with my skin colour, and the guide online is incredibly accurate. It doesn't seem to oxidise much and blends in well when using a beauty blender. I did see some comments online about it encouraging blemishes but I'm yet to see this. Most likely I'll write up a full review.

Ikea Vouchers For Our House
Andy's Mum & Grandma have been kind enough for both our Birthday and Christmas presents to gift us Ikea vouchers to go towards our new home. We get spoilt enough with presents so have some vouchers in place didn't make much of a difference now but will really go a long way when we've just moved in. We found a sofa we love from there so we'll have to try it out in a showroom.

Ban.Do 2018 Agenda
I'm not the most naturally organised person so in 2016 when I saw the Ban.Do Agendas I knew I had to add one to my list. I have the Rose 2018 Agenda which includes monthly views, yearly views, a huge notes section, stickers, artwork, a double-sided pocket and much more. It's by far the best agenda I've ever had and I think I'll be taking it everywhere with me now.

Huda Beauty Mauve Obsessions & Huda Beauty Smokey Obsessions Palettes
I love these handy little palettes. They're £25 each and include 9 shadows per palette with four different palettes in total. I already had enough warm tones for the Warm Brown Obsessions Palette and plenty of bright ones for the Electric Obsessions Palette, and paired with the Desert Dusk palette I have a wide range of shades to play with now. Plus I really can't turn down glittery eyeshadows.

Pink Chenille Jumper
The Chenille jumpers have been brought back in a big way in 2017 and with the millennial pink trend also hyped up it seems that I have a very 2017 jumper on my hands. I'm head over heels for it. It's so soft and warm but not too frumpy on me with having a larger chest. I'm finding it so hard not to pick it up in a ton of other colours too.

Makeup Revolution Liquid Highlighter in Unicorn Elixir 
I do love a good liquid highlighter and this one by Makeup Revolution is so unique. The unicorn trend was another 2017 hit and this does not disappoint. It has shimmery particles in, reflecting blue and pink into a silver. It's definitely not an everyday highlighter but it's bloody beautiful.

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Spring To Summer OOTD with Kurt Geiger

Over the past month we've had super sunny weather to some bad floods here in the UK. We're in the period between Spring and Summer and I thought I'd create an OOTD for this type of weather. For during the day you can wear a cute summery dress - this one from Primark was an absolute steal at £5, paired with the most stunning platform shoes that steal the show. These are the Kurt Geiger Klaire Platforms in Nude (£120)* that really take this outfit to the next level. The shoes also come in Navy and both pairs can lift an outfit and add a touch of glamour. The sole is 90mm covered in supple suede and they are the main focus of any outfit. They can be worn with skinny jeans and a blouse for cocktails in town, or with a simple dress to give you that height and show off your legs.

Instead of adding sandals to your outfit, the Klaire Platforms add a few inches onto your height and gives you a huge boost in confidence. The height helps elongate the legs whilst the base of the shoe has been to ensure you're walking comfortably. The straps around the ankle help you keep your balance too and I felt at ease walking around in them. You can easily wear the platforms with your Spring or Summer wardrobes and you can buy them now, wear them now as well as in the summer months. The barely there style means that the opportunities to style them with are endless.

The touch of silver through the upper strapwork and buckle goes perfectly with the suede platform and isn't too 'in your face' and the leather lining is perfect when you're out in the sunshine. When ordering from the New In section over on the Kurt Geiger website, you're lucky enough to receive next day delivery when ordering before 8pm, knowing that your shoes will be delivered safely in their KG boxes. I couldn't have asked for a better pair of platforms and have already been scoping out some sandals on their website to buy during Summer as their items go perfectly with whatever you're wearing. I'm next going to pair the Klaire Platforms with culottes and a kimono style wrap top to glam up my outfit.

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