A Touch of Summer without the Beach Holiday!

Summer is here and we're all wishing to be laying on a hot sandy beach rather than typing away at the office. 

But for those who want that summer holiday feeling without the holiday prices, we look to the high street! For many, it's buying an annual bottle of fake tan.

Now I've never been one to use fake tan.

Why?
- The effort
- The time
- and the horrible fake tan smell!

I've normally been proud of my pale-skin, and definitely still am! 

But on occasions, I do consider adding a bit of colour to my skin, especially my legs!
Mainly for special events (in the summer) where my legs would be on display.

So I decided to do a bit of internet research and find the best tanning products out there.

The Result?
St. Tropez!

I can't remember a time where St. Tropez was not around. I'd always find used bottles of it lying around my house where my mum had applied it here and there for those hot summer days.

So carrying on the tradition, and legacy of the product, I decided to give it a go!

As I wanted to get the best results possible, I decided to buy 4 St. Tropez products in all, and carry out the routine like a pro!

STEP 1: EXFOLIATION

The first product I bought was the St. Tropez Tan Enhance Body Polish (200ml). 

TIP: Exfoliating the skin once a day for a minimum of 24 hours before tanning really helps to get rid of any dry skin. It really smooths out the skin so that the tanning mousse can apply easily.

VERDICT: I LOVED THIS! I couldn't believe the amount of micro beads this product contained and the smell was a lovely rich, perfumed scent which felt lovely to apply.

NOTE: As I am environmentally aware, I do understand that non-natural micro beads in exfoliator's can be an issue to our rivers and water system. I think that if St. Tropez were to create a more natural ingredient for exfoliating such as crushed up nut shells, then this wold definitely benefit for all.

STEP 2: MOISTURISER

The second product I bought was the St. Tropez Tan Enhance Body Moisturiser (200ml)

TIP: Moisturising the skin once a day for a minimum of 24 hours before tanning (like the exfoliator) really helps smooth out the skin and keeps it nourished so that the tanning mousse can apply easily. Make sure to focus the product on your elbows, wrists and ankles (or whatever part of the skin is most dry)

VERDICT: Like the exfoliator, I love this! It had the same rich, perfumed scent as the exfoliator and applied easily to my skin. The two products work beautifully together and help my skin feeling radiant for the rest of the day.

NOTE: I decided to buy these products because they are specially designed to work with the St. Tropez fake tan. If you require the best results, and are willing to pay the price, then I would definitely recommend purchasing these Prep and Maintain products over any other prepping tool with the St. Tropez fake tan.

STEP 3: TIME TO TAN!

The third and fourth products I bought were the St. Tropez Applicator Mitt and the St. Tropez Self Tanning Express Advanced Bronzing Mousse.

 

TIP: Pump the product onto the applicator mitt an


d starting from the ankles, slowly glide the mitt and product up your body in sweeping motions. (Make sure you don't leave any nasty streaks!) Leave on for the appropriate time:

1 hour: Light Tan 

2 hours: Medium Tan

3 hours: Dark Tan

(I left it on for 1 hour and was very pleased with the results! For a 'non-tanner' like myself, 1 hour was plenty to give me a light glow without noticing any drastic change in the colour of my skin.)

After your time is up, jump back in the shower, and rinse with warm water - DO NOT APPLY ANY SHOWER GELS OR SOAPS! JUST RINSE!

*To keep your application mitt in good condition, make sure you wash with soap and water immediately after application. For best results, stick it in the washing machine at 30 on a quick wash and leave to dry naturally.

VERDICT: I was really impressed with this product! I love how the amount of time you leave it on for depends on the colour you get, the personalisation of this was very impressive. With the applicator mitt, the product applied beautifully and left no streaks at all! 

NOTE: One difficulty I did face was applying the product on my back, I found it a struggle to fully cover it up so take note if you're doing this by yourself and have no one to help you!

(result photos taken from http://www.sttropeztan.co.uk/)

PRICING:
Now these products are no the cheapest on the market. 

- Tan Enhancing Body Polish: £10
- Tan Enhancing Body Moisturiser: £10
- Tanning Applicator Mitt: £3.57
- Self Tanning Express Advanced Bronzing Mousse: £33

If you're not willing to splurge all out but still want to purchase the full St. Tropez line, I would recommend doing a little bit of market research and look out for any discounts or deals that are on offer. 

* I bought my products from Boots while there was a 3 for 2 offer going on. (Check online or in store to see if this is still happening) So luckily, I was able to get the Tan Enhancing Moisturiser for free! See what you can find to get the best deal possible!

Overall, I love these products! There's a reason why this company has been around for as long as it has. If you want good quality, and really good results then I see no harm in splurging out now and again. If you can find an offer, like me, then even better! 

I hope my review has helped if you are thinking about purchasing any of these products or even thinking about using fake tan for the first time.

Talk soon!

Love,

H x

"Cleanin' Out My Closet"

So I've finished uni which can only mean one thing..

No more student loan! (aka first world problems)

But with no job, and no income, something must be done to get some money in my pocket.

So with great regret, I've decided to sell a lot of my clothes.. (well maybe just a few)

For those of you who are planning on doing the same, I'm going to sound exactly like wikiHow and give you some quick and easy steps to help you stay organised and on track:


#1 - Go through your things.

I know this is stating the obvious, but it really helps! Make sure you you go through each of your clothes and decide what you are definitely keeping, what you are unsure about, and what you want to go. I find that the clothes that I haven't worn in a while (over a year) are normally the ones which I no longer want to keep. 

The items which you are unsure about and want to go, take them out and lay them across a spacious area.


#2 - The groups

Once you have layed out what you plan on getting rid of, figure out what you want to sell, what you want to take to a charity shop, and what you've ended up deciding to keep. Once this is done, put all the kept items back in your wardrobe and all the charity shop items (if any) into some plastic bags. Now for those items you wish to sell, I would now split these up into various categories. For example: 
- Dresses
- Trousers
- Skirts
- Tops 
etc.

You can now begin to sell!

#3 - Time to sell!

Now I'm no expert on selling on websites such as eBay. But I have a fair idea of what works and what doesn't.

First - Photos

Make sure your clothing items contain as many photos as possible, I'm talking wide-angles, close-ups the works! You want to make sure your clothes stand out from the rest! 

Show details of the lining and material, show sizing labels attached the the garment. All of these elements will certainly help to making a great sale. 

What also works is using a plain background when taking your photos, white is preferable, but if you cannot access that then any plain background works too. Maybe even take photos of the clothes on you, so that your buyers have a fair idea of how it fits to the body.

Play around with your photos and make sure to take your time. You don't want to be left with a 'no-sale'.

Second - Description

Make sure your description is short and to the point. Use a fun but clear font and make sure the colours you choose are bold and stand out.

Don't waffle with the products description. I find that using great adjectives works, but make sure not to over do it.

Keep to the facts - Make sure the size, material and colours are all correct. You don't want to be left with bad feedback and an angry customer!

But most importantly - have fun with it - embrace your inner Apprentice and make sure your 'pitch' is perfect!

Third - Pricing

This is always a difficult one for me. I find it works best to do a little research and look back to how much you bought it brand new. The subtract that amount by the condition of the garment, and how long you've had it. 

Word of advice - eBayer's love a bargain! If you really want to make some money, don't end up selling your item for pennies and paying more for the P&P. Trust me! I've been there! 

I find it helps to use the 'Buy it Now' option more than the bid. If you believe your clothes are worth the money, then don't risk it with a bid starting at £0.99

Finally, don't over-price! Otherwise you'll never get a sale!

So that's it for my wardrobe clear out! I hope my tips and advice can help you all in the future. Make sure to have fun with it, and if you're not 100% about giving your clothes up, then don't do it! Regret will only come your way!

Talk soon!

Love,

H

Time for a Little Intro..

Hey guys!

Welcome to my first ever blog post!

My name is Helena, a twenty-something graduate and obsessed with all things fashion, beauty and anything with a price tag.

The issue: the price tag.

I am on the hunt for all things fabulous for those on a budget. I am a strong believer in you get what you pay for, so I want this blog to help those who are searching for the perfect products for the perfect price. 

I can't wait to share my thoughts on all things stylish and hope you guys will enjoy reading my posts as much I will have making them.

Talk to you all soon!

Love,

H x