LONDON HAUL: ZARA, PRIMARK, FOREVER 21, SUPERDRUG, BOOTS, SELFRIDGES

Hi everyone! Today I'm (finally) coming to you with my long overdue London haul! I've been wanting to put this post together basically since I bought these things, but I didn't have a decent place to take pictures while I was in England! (no, your boyfriend's flat at university is not ideal for blogging as the lighting is terrible and both of your stuff is strewn everywhere because the room is WAY too small for two human beings to share...in case you were wondering) Mike and I ventured to Oxford Street to do some shopping (i was shopping, mike was a great boyfriend and held my coat and bag while i tried things on) and we hit up Zara, Forever 21, Selfridges, and Bershka (cheaper version of Zara) All of the stores were an absolute zoo, but we braved the crowds and I found some great pieces!

I cannot even begin to tell how you how excited I was to go to Zara! I've heard so much about it and have seen people haul clothes from Zara, but I've never actually been to Zara before! I don't have one anywhere near me so naturally I had to have a look around. They had a sale on but their clothes are still on the pricey side (as i'm sure most of you know) so I stayed on the more casual side with my purchases. The first thing I picked up was this really comfy white graphic tee and I'm so in love!

It has an outline of the London skyline and at the bottom it has some cute phrases like "crazy shopping" and "never ending coffee" (sounds like shopping on oxford street to me...am i right, uk people?) I got a small at first, but after I tried it on I decided on a medium because I wanted it to be more loose fitting.

The second piece I got from Zara is this basic white flowy top. Okay, at first I thought the cut on this was standard, but the more I wore it I started to realize that it is asymmetrical, which is really unique! It is shorter at the bottom on one side than the other (as you can see in the picture) which makes this basic top different from anything else I have in my wardrobe. I bought this to wear with leggings (which i have already done on multiple occasions because leggings are my fashion obsession...no shame) but I plan on styling it with jeans as well!

Mike and I went into Bershka next, which I had never heard of but I quickly fell in love with these leggings and I had to have them!

Actually, I would say these are more like trousers than leggings because they are quite thick. I said to the girl at the till that they reminded me quite a bit of the riding pants-style leggings from Zara, and she told me that Bershka is owned by the same company as Zara! So, it made sense that the two leggings are so similar...but these ones were much cheaper than the Zara ones ;) I bought them in black and olive green and I see myself getting a lot of wear out of them! I'm going to call them my fancy leggings from now on...!

Forever 21 time! I went in with a mission: to find a dress for New Year's Eve. I had this idea in my mind that I was going to find the perfect sparkly dress...and that didn't happen. But I did find this hunter green skater dress which I love! Probably a better buy anyways, I'll get much more wear out of this than a sequined number. It doesn't look like anything spectacular on the hanger, but let me tell you it flatters my figure like no other!

Believe it or not, Mike actually picked out this crop top for me! At the moment it seemed like a strange purchase (it is really cold at home right now) but as I'm packing for Florida now it seems pretty much perfect! And, it's Minnie Mouse colors so perfect for Disney World! Mike did a good job :')

Primark...oh Primark, how I've missed you. A couple days before I left (while Mike was at college...hey, i had to occupy myself somehow!) I went shopping in Winchester and of course I had to take a trip to Primark! This shirt has a little story behind it...A couple months ago I was perusing the Shop Jeen website (everything on that website is perfection and i want it all) and I saw a shirt...or was it a skirt? Anyways, it was a clothing piece with basically the same print on it and I wanted it so badly! But it was pretty pricey, so I decided against buying it. So, when I walked into Primark and I saw this shirt, I couldn't resist!

I'm a tad bit obsessed with emojiis so naturally I had to have it. *insert sassy girl emojii here*

I also got a new wallet at Primark! I've been desperately needing a new one for a while and I waited until I went to Primark to get one because they are cute and inexpensive! This one was only five pounds, and it's adorable!

still have pounds and such that i didn't spend...oh well, i'll save them for next time ;)

And of course, I had to pick up a few beauty items when I was in England! Mike and I went into Selfridge's because I wanted to see what was in there and we ended up at the MAC counter. I've been wanting the Nightmoth lip pencil for ages, so per Mike's suggestion I decided to treat myself and get it! I haven't actually worn it yet, but here is a swatch for you!

nightmoth is a purple color, almost black! comment down below if you want a picture of it on and i'll put it on twitter!

I went into the Superdrug in Winchester on a hunt for Makeup Revolution products and thankfully they had them in the shop! I only ended up getting one item, The Matte Effect Foundation, per my friend Stephanie's request. The selection was not as great as I would have hoped, which is why I didn't buy more! I've tried out the foundation a few times and I really like it :)

My mission in Boots was to find a new moisturizer (i'm running low on my first aid beauty ultra repair cream) and some makeup remover wipes, and I gravitated towards the Soap and Glory display for both of these items! In the United States, Soap and Glory are not the kind of brand that you can find in the drugstore (sadly) However, Boots has basically any Soap and Glory product you could ever want so whenever I go there I tend to buy their products simply because I don't see them as often at home! I tried their Off Your Face makeup remover wipes when I was in England the first time, so I repurchased of course. They smell like heaven and they make my skin look nice and refreshed. I've never tried a moisturizer from Soap and Glory before, but I decided on The Fab Pore Daily Micro Smoothing Lotion and so far I'm loving it!

Wow, that was a long post but I hope you enjoyed! If you love hauls as much as I do, I'm sure you didn't mind ;)

https://twitter.com/essentiallyshan

until next time,

YET ANOTHER HAUL: FOREVER 21, BOOHOO, FRANCESCA'S, AND DSW

Hi everyone! I'm back with, you guessed it, another haul! I've been shopping around for some warmer pieces to wear to school and also for my trip to England in less than three weeks! It's been absolutely frigid here the past two weeks (so glad I'm leaving for Florida in January!) and it will be quite cold in England, so I wanted to get some clothes that will keep me from freezing but are also adorable! So, let's get into it!

First up is my Wednesday Adams dress from Boohoo! Definitely not the actual name for this dress, but that's what I call it! I've been looking for a dress like this for what feels like forever...but I finally found it :) I was expecting the dress to be stiffer but it's made out of a stretchy material so it's pretty comfortable. I love the collar, in a way it reminds me of the Pilgrims...but in a good way? It's more sophisticated than anything though! I can't wait to wear this with tights!

I got two chokers from Boohoo as well. I can't help but laugh because if you told my ten year old self that ten years later I would be buying chokers and wearing them again...I would have thought I was crazy! Who knew they would be in style again?! Like the scrunchy trend, I wasn't into the whole choker thing at first but I love the grunge look and when I started seeing other people wearing them and I remembered how awesome they look I was totally in! I love how a choker can add a 90's vibe to any outfit, and I really like styling them with lower neckline tops so it's the focal point of the look!

The last thing I got from Boohoo is this pair of black combat boots! I'm so glad I finally found a pair to replace my old ones (R.I.P.) that fit me and that I actually like!

They have silver detailing and a knit material that sticks out of the top. They aren't as high as my old pair of combat boots which makes me kind of sad, but I still really like them.

I only made one purchase at Francesca's, but I'm so in love with it. It's this stunning green and black skater style (my fave) dress and it's actually perfect. I saw it on a mannequin as soon as I walked into the store and I knew it was the one! I was looking for a sequinned dress to wear for New Year's (because I'm actually doing something on New Year's for once in my life!) but I was having a hard time finding one that I wouldn't have to sell my soul for (they're so expensive!) so I gave up on that dream. But I found this one and I couldn't be happier! It's super festive and I can't wait to wear it on New Year's or Christmas...I haven't decided yet :)

Onto Forever 21! I got this black cable knit sweater dress and it's the best. It's a lot warmer than I expected and it goes down to right above my knees so I could wear it with or without tights! Sweater dresses, especially basic ones like this, are such a perfect piece for winter because the ways you can accessorize them are basically endless! I like pairing it with some black tights or leggings and my combat boots for a more edgy feel, but I could definitely picture it dressed up with some gold jewelry and black heels!

Speaking of heels, I'm actually head over heels for this sweater. Which is crazy, because normally I don't even like wearing turtlenecks! Well, technically this is a cowl neck sweater but you know what I mean. Again, this is really great quality for Forever 21 as it actually keeps me warm! And, cowl neck = no need to wear a scarf! Also, it's cropped so it looks awesome with high waisted jeans :)

And last but not least, I picked up a pair of basic black ballet flats from DSW! I primarily got these for the Disney College Program as I'll be in business casual clothes quite a bit while I'm there, but I plan on wearing them around as well! Just need to break them in first ;)

Have you been taking advantage of Black Friday sales? What do you have your eye on for Christmas? Let me know in the comments!

until next time,

FESTIVE LUSH HAUL!

Hi everyone! I did something naughty yesterday...I went to the mall and went absolutely bonkers in Lush. The store only opened a few weeks ago and I didn't even know it was there until I spotted it from the second floor and nearly had a heart attack! I am obsessed with Lush and I used to go to the one in the mall near me in California all the time, but I haven't been to one since I moved (besides once when I was in England, I was too poor at the time to buy anything lol) because the closest one to me is in Massachusetts! Probably a good thing, because what happened yesterday would have happened a lot more if there had been one closer to me all this time... But anyways, I have quite a bit to show you so let's get on with the haul! :)

The first product I picked up is the I Love Juicy Shampoo. First of all, isn't the name is adorable? And the smell...oh the smell! As you can see, the label says this shampoo is made with mango, papaya, kiwi and pineapple so basically it smells like heaven. I used this shampoo during the Great Hair Debacle of 2012 (long story but it involved some Lush henna, my hair, and a lot of frustration on my end) and I decided to repurchase it because I remember loving it and it's the perfect size for travel! It's a great shampoo for people like me whose hair tends to lean towards the oily side.

Next, I got the Eua Roma Toner Water. In the past, I've used the Tea Tree Toner Water but I decided to try this one instead! It has rose and lavender in it, so it's hydrating and calming on the skin. I used it last night and so far I'm really liking it :) Again, the perfect size for travel!

Okay, so this next item was a bit of a splurge for me. Whenever I go into Lush, I always want to treat myself to a lotion but they are pretty pricey! I finally decided to go for it this time around, probably due in part to my excitement and also because the girl who was helping me was such a good salesperson...they could probably persuade me into buying anything! Despite the fact that it was $26.95 (18 GBP), I picked up a tub of Dream Cream, which is Lush's best selling lotion. So it must be amazing!

The more I think about it, the more I start to believe that this product is in fact worth it's price tag. For one, the container is quite large so this product should last me a couple months at the least! And with Lush products, they're handmade and full of natural, quality ingredients so I'm okay with spending more than I normally would because I like knowing what I'm using on my body. I used Dream Cream today as a body lotion and I am very impressed! It has a nice, mild smell and it makes your skin feel like a dream...guess the name is fitting! ;)

Don't you just love impulse buys? I picked up some Santa's Lip Scrub at the register because it was so cute and festive!

As you can see, it is red and has little hearts on top! It smells like cherry Coke, so I can only imagine how it will taste. Oh, that reminds me. You can eat it when you're through with scrubbing your lips! Awesome, right? :)

I'm finally going to try a steamer tab! I'm quite excited about it because I hear that it's basically a mini facial. You get a bowl full of super hot water, drop the tab in, and put your face over it! I hear it's supposed to help open up your pores, which sounds amazing and I can't wait to try it. The one I got is the Dream Steam Tab, it has lavender and rose in it!

I usually pick up a face mask at Lush every time I go as a treat to myself and this time was no exception! My face has been breaking out recently so I told the girl who was helping me that and she recommended that I get the Cupcake Fresh Face Mask. Disclaimer: You will want to eat this mask when you smell it but don't do it! It really does smell like cupcake mix but it has a bunch of inedible ingredients in it so I would stick to actual cupcakes if I were you! ;) I tried this mask out last night and it was lovely! It made my skin really smooth and smell really nice. I think it'll take a few more times to see if it really helps with breakouts but I'm hopeful!

Finally, I picked up two bath bombs! The first one I got is the Snow Angel Bath Melt. It's called a bath melt but it's also a bath bomb! I'm so excited to try this one out, it smells like almond and it's covered in gold glitter, so very festive!

The second bath bomb I picked out was Phoenix Rising. I think I was drawn to it because of the color (purple is my favorite, in case you were wondering!) but it has a nice cinnamon scent to it as well. I'm looking forward to popping this into the bath very soon!

Sadly, we've come to the end of the haul! I'm very happy with all of my purchases, it's nice to splurge every once in a while and treat yourself! We all deserve a treat sometimes :) Let me know down below what your favorite Lush product is, or even what you buy when you want to pamper yourself!

until next time,

MINI ULTA AND IPSY HAUL!

Hi everyone! I've done quite a bit of online shopping recently and the other day I received not only one package, but two! I ordered a few things from Ulta and my November Ipsy bag came in the mail as well. It's not the biggest haul (more to come, I promise) but I wanted to show you what I got, so let's get started! :)

The first thing I got from Ulta was the It Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC Cream. The last time I was in Ulta I was enticed by the impulse section (I mean who isn't) near the register and decided to pick up the sample version of this product. And I ended up absolutely loving it! So of course I had to order the full size because I'm running out now. If you are looking for a CC cream that is full coverage (yes, you read that right) but feels super light weight, you should definitely give this one a try :) It is on the pricey side (38 dollars, or 24 GBP) but it has a nice pump and the product itself is very high quality.

 By this point, I think you all know that I am obsessed with the Nyx Soft Matte Lip Creams. Which is why I bought two more of them from the Ulta website! I must not be the only one that loves them because it is difficult to find a lot of the colors. The two that I got are Addis Ababa (left) and Prague (right). Addis Ababa is a bright red-toned pink and Prague is a berryish purple. I really like these colors but I can't wait until more colors are in stock again so I can buy them all...muahaha ;)

Next up is my November Ipsy bag! The theme for this bag was Girl Meets Glitter. The first thing I got was the Marc Anthony Oil of Morocco Argan Oil Hairspray. I haven't actually tried it out yet but it smells great! It is the perfect size for travel so I plan on bringing it with me in a few weeks when I go to England. The second item I got was the Clarisea Sea Salt Solutions Instant Glow Powder Exfoliant. I did try this product out last night, and I'm on the fence about it. Basically what you do is mix a little bit of the product in with your face wash and it is supposed to gently exfoliate your skin. I may have done something wrong but it ended up burning my eyes and not really exfoliating much :( I will be trying it again though just to make sure I didn't do something wrong! Also, I wish it had a sifter as it's quite easy to dump way too much out on accident. The third product I received in my bag is the Temptu Pearl Highlighter. I used it today when I did my makeup and I like it a lot! It has a really pretty sheen to it.

The next thing I got was the Nicole by OPI Nail Polish in Guys and Galaxies. I was so excited to see a nail polish in my bag, and a full size one at that! It is a gorgeous silver glitter polish and I'm looking forward to painting my nails this color. It reminds me of New Year's Eve, hint hint :)

The last item in my bag is the Be A Bombshell Cosmetics Eye Base in Submissive. I was also super excited to see this product as well! I am the epitome of lazy when it comes to putting on eyeshadow. Most of the time, I just don't feel like it. But I love bases because all you have to do is put a little bit on your finger and swipe it on your lid!

This color is a beautiful shimmery copper color, perfect for the holidays! I predict that I will be using this base quite a bit this holiday season :) I swept some on my lids today to test it out and I can't get enough. It is so creamy and is nicely pigmented.

Well, that's it for my mini haul! I hope you enjoyed seeing what I got from Ulta and Ipsy! Let me know down below what your favorite holiday products or sets are, I'd love to know! Also, I'm waiting for packages from Forever 21 and Boohoo so stay tuned for a clothing haul very soon! :)

until next time,

A FALL HAUL

Hi everyone! Recently, I've done a bit of online shopping for what I like to call my fall "essentials". These are pieces that I consider staples in my wardrobe once the weather starts to get cooler. (Sadly it seems that summer is officially over in New England!) After watching a Zoella haul, I decided to give boohoo.com a go for the first time so I got a few bits from their site! Boohoo is a UK clothing retailer that has trendy clothing at relatively inexpensive prices. (Think British Forever 21!) Without further ado, let's jump into what I bought from Forever 21, Aerie, and Boohoo! :)

Forever 21 has always been my go-to store for trendy pieces because it's cheap and even if I never get around to wearing something that I've bought, I don't feel guilty because everything is so inexpensive! This time around, I purchased some fall basics.

First, I got two soft and stretchy basic long sleeve shirts in white and hunter green. I have the same one in black but the reason behind buying the white one has a story! I previously purchased the same exact white one about a year ago but when I was traveling around the UK this spring (I was going to Edinburgh or Dublin...can't remember which one) I crammed it in my Jansport backpack along with everything else (as all study abroad students do...) and my purple shampoo exploded somewhere along the way and ruined my shirt :( And I bought the same shirt in hunter green because I've decided I need to be more daring in my color choices so...green it is!

The next thing I got from Forever 21 is this traditional flannel. I've been on the lookout for a warm yet cute flannel for a while now, as my fashion goal in the winter is to look cute but also not freeze to death on campus. I was skeptical of how thick this flannel would be (since we all know how Forever 21 loves to make everything out of rayon and polyester...) but I was pleasantly surprised! Though it's not as warm as a "real" flannel, it's what I was looking for in terms of pattern and will hopefully keep me warm. I went up a size so it's a bit baggy and I can wear it with leggings.

The last few things I ordered from Forever 21 were hair accessories! Initially, I started looking at them because I needed to get my cart to a certain dollar amount for free shipping...but hey, they're adorable and I've been needing some new things to liven up my hair. At first I wasn't really on board with the scrunchie trend but I've come around and I love them now! They make me feel like DJ Tanner from Full House and in my book that's a good thing ;) I got a three pack of basic ones (black, blue, and red) and a tartan one with a wire bow which should be good for topknots. I also got a hounds tooth wire headband as I love the print. (I also got a pair of boring black leggings but you all know what those look like and they're super basic so....yeah)

Boohoo is the second place that I found some really great items for fall wear. I am obsessed with knee high socks so when I found this pair of black and white ones I was hooked! I believe they had the word "referee" in the name (could also be used in a future Halloween costume lol) and to my surprise they are thigh high instead of knee high! I plan on wearing them with dresses, shorts (weather permitting), and under jeans as the weather gets colder.

For months I've been on the lookout for some frilly ankle socks, and I'm happy to say I've finally found a pair for less than 30 dollars! (I'm totally not referring to Urban Outfitters and their outrageous prices or anything) I got a white pair and a black pair to wear with my black combat boots and brown booties.

Continuing on with the plaid trend, I got a tartan scarf. Once again, I was pleasantly surprised by the quality, as it is quite thick and will actually keep me warm. I adore scarves because they are so versatile and I think this one will pair nicely with basic tops and dresses.

Finally, I got some bralettes from Aerie. A few months back, I got a black halter bralette from Urban Outfitters that I love but it's starting to pill and I wanted a couple more. Aerie doesn't have any halter style bralettes (which is a bummer because I love the way that the halter looks with certain tops) so I just got two basic ones in black and white. They are super comfortable and so much better than a bra. If you've never tried one out and you can do without the extra support, you should give one a try! They are nice to wear on days where you don't feel like putting on an actual bra! Also, I think the all over lace adds a nice pop of femininity to any outfit :)

Well, that's my fall haul! (I'm pretty sure being able to rhyme is a requirement to be an English major so I can check that skill of my list!) I hope you enjoyed seeing what I bought, I'm sure this is the first of many hauls on my blog. Leave a comment down below if you'd be interested in a fall look book/styling kind of post!

until next time,