Valentine's day: Gift ideas: home made vouchers

Free gift idea! Whether you're looking for a gift on a budget for a loved one, a best friend or a family member, these home-made vouchers can be perfect.

These are the ones I made for my boyfriend at Christmas!

If you have left it until now and you're panicking, you don't need to, these vouchers can be made within 5 minutes!

How professional you make them can be up to you, you can hand write them or print them!

So here are some ideas:

• make a 3 course meal 
• bake something
• breakfast in bed
• surprise treat
• a candle lit dinner 
• massage
• movie night
• date night
• picnic
• spa day (you can do this yourself instead of paying for one)
• let you win (at a game or argument)
• washing clothes
• washing dishes
• wash car
• tidy bedroom
• unlimited hugs
• a shoulder to cry on

These are just some of the ones I did, of course you can personalise it as much as you want, some of these don't have to cost you penny, or they can be IOU's in-case you don't have money at the minute, or whether you think it's just a nice idea. 

You can also buy these on-line, but they're not as personal. You can also find a free download, to print off here.

Here are some pictures of designs I found on Google.

Let me know if anyone uses these!

S xo

My wish list!

This could get a bit awkward considering it's my birthday on sunday! ;) Ahh well, I'll do it anyway! These are the things I've been dreaming about lately (beauty wise).
I used Polyvore to help with this post.

Soap and Glory - One heck of a blot
This is a setting powder, that is finely milled and supposed to have a beautiful buttery texture.

Real techniques brushes
Everyone and their mother raves about these brushes especially the core collection.

Stila convertible colours 
A cream blush that can be worn on the lips, available in many colours. 

Urban Decay setting spray
You can use this to prep your skin before make-up and to finish as a last step.

YSL Rouge Voulpte Shine
WOW. No explanation needed.

Bobbi Brown Concealer
Concealer is probably my favourite product, it makes the most difference and I want 
to find out the difference between low and high end!

Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush
You can't actually find these in the UK therefore, these will be on every wish list 
till I can wrap my fingers around them!

Benefit Porefessional
Running low! This has a beautiful finish!

Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum Foundation
Apparently this is a great high street foundation, but comes in at just over £10,
 that's expensive in my books!

Max Factor Cream Blush - soft pink 
Another cheek and lip combo product so why no give it a go!

Maybelline The Rocket
I'm intrigued I guess!

Nars Creamy Concealer
Again with more concealer! What can I say?

TheBalm Mary Lou-manizer
Ahhh highlighters are the most beautiful make-up items in my opinion and I can't 
wait to try this one!

Molecule 01 perfume
One molecule in the perfume and apparently it's difference on everyone!


Vaseline spray and go - cocoa

It smells amazing, and the concept excites me.

Mac lipsticks - any

I want more of these in my life, I currently have one.

Last but certainly not least...

Mac Mineralized Skin finish - soft and gentle.

ERMAGERD. I NEED THIS IN MY LIFE LIKE NOW PLEASE!

So that's a lot I know! Haha but this is in my imagery world, right? ;) 

                                                                                                              S xo

Cheap and healthy meals!

These are my go to recipes:

Spaghetti Bolognese

Depending on how you go about this, you can make it either super cheap or super healthy, but healthy food doesn't tend to be that cheap.

Mince meat/ Mince quorn

Quorn is a healthy option as there is less fat, but for meat lovers, lean mince is the better option but it is also more expensive than regular mince. Watch out for meat on offer!

Pasta

You can get pasta so darn cheap it's great! You just have to watch portion control or you can opt for wholemeal pasta (but once again it tends to be more expensive than value pasta). In Aldi spaghetti pasta is 23p. With pasta it's more about portion control.

Onions

I have found the best thing since sliced bread. FROZEN DICED ONION! Literally you scoop up a handful and throw it in, no crying or faffing!

Now this is the bit where people differ, the healthier option is to make the sauce from scratch with tomatos and pasata. But the student in me tells me to buy a jar. You can get a jar of pasta sauce for a pound or sometimes less, but to make it from scratch probably cost about 70p. However you do need to buy all the herbs, which I have so it doesn't bother me cooking from scratch.

Then from here, you can add peppers (frozen sliced peppers, anyone?) or I remember at school my teacher put carrots in?!

Don't forget you can freeze any that's going spare!

S xo

Versus: wipes

This a new series I'm starting where I'm going to compare beauty products. Today's versus is:

Baby wipes vs face wipes.

Baby wipes you can get for £1 for usually more than 50 whereas face wipes tend to be a £1 or more for about 30. 

The question I'm asking is: Is there any difference?

Some people say you shouldn't use wipes on your face anyway, but sometimes when you're in a hurry it's a quick solution, and after a night out, do I look like type to do a full night time routine. You're lucky if I remove my make up at all!

So I've found that wipes don't bother my skin, so I use them regularly. I often tend to lean towards baby wipes because in my opinion if they're good enough for a baby bums, which are perfectly soft, they're good enough for my face and sometimes (like you can see above) I don't even buy Johnson or pampers, I buy the cheap ones where you get more for your money, and on the packet pictured above I love the fact it has a proper plastic shutter not just stickiness because it keeps them moister for longer!

I feel like face wipes may have more benefits, but I don't see them personally.

So I'm happy sticking with 70p face wipes that work out 1p per wipe!

S xo

Collective beauty haul!

Sorry I've been missing for a little while but I'm back now (although it's my birthday next week and I'm going London, so I NEED to keep on top of it!).

These are some bits I picked up and bits I've bought in the sale:

I picked up some shampoo from Herbal Essence because I was in desperate need and it was on sale in Tesco, I also got this nail varnish free in a magazine!

This set is a beautiful scent of island vanilla which includes a roller ball perfume, moisturiser and lip balm.

Soap and Glory on 3 for 2 in boots!

These were some late Christmas gifts!

I'm sorry I've not been on form lately, but I'm planning on getting back on track.

S xo