Student Archives • Page 3 of 3 •

Posted on 18th April 2016

The Body Shop Treats from the Tea Tree Range

Hello lovelies! I’d like to kick-start this week with a post about my recent gift to myself [I love myself soo much for this wise decision], my 3 little treats from The Body Shop tea tree range – the body scrub, clay mask and the foam cleanser.

I have heard many good things about The Body Shop in the past, but for some reason I have never so much as ventured into the store, let alone considered trying their products. I think it may have something to do with their popular brand name – for some silly reason I had the idea in my head that their items would be mind-blowingly expensive, when really they’re very reasonably priced!

What finally convinced me to give them a try was a The Body Shop consultant contacting me via Twitter. Danielle direct messaged me on Twitter asking me if I would be interested in buying from her, as she can keep me up to date with the best deals and discounts – what a bargain! Admittedly I was a little apprehensive at first because it seemed too good to be true, and I am always paranoid about online scamming/hacking etc. But Danielle understood this completely and put my mind at ease by providing her account code and information and allowing me as much time as I needed to make up my mind. By the time I had gone through the whole of The Body Shop’s website (about 50 times with a million tabs up on my browser – there were so many goodies to choose from!) the offer which Danielle was able to give me was 40% off 3 full priced items, which was perfect as I had my eye on three favourites in particular. These items were all from the tea tree range, the tea tree skin clearing foaming cleanser £5.50, the fuji green tea body scrub £15 and the skin clearing clay mask £11.

I paid Danielle via Pay Pal and the postage came to £4.25, which I found incredibly reasonable considering the quantity I was purchasing! With my discount my order came to a total of £23.15 with a total saving of £12.60 – I am incredibly frugal so I was chuffed to know how much I saved! My order arrived after only 3 working days, I was amazed! As I was ordering through a consultant I kind of expected a slight delay [I don’t know why I have these presumptions] and the packaging was so great it really brought a smile to my face.

I love the time and care which has clearly gone into packaging this item, it truly made me feel special and valued as a customer. I absolutely LOVE the quote which is printed on the inside of the box – I am a bit weird with quotes but it gave me the kind of excitement you get when the Dominoes delivery guy ACTUALLY writes out the Harry Potter quote or draws you a picture of a unicorn.

Ahhh, I just love the monochrome boldness of it!

I also really loved the fact that they had included a The Body Shop bag and sealed it nicely as this stopped my products from rolling around too much and becoming damaged, whilst keeping the beautiful aesthetic of the package appealing.

Maybe I’m a bit weird but I love packaging – especially paper bags

Now I’ll run through my items and why I love them so much in order of which ones I tried first:

Tea Tree Skin Clearing Foaming Cleanser

Admittedly I am pretty negligent of my skin usually as I lie to myself and say that I don’t have time for a proper skincare regime. After trying this product I can now confidently say that all that is about to change! What I love about this product is how easy it is to apply and remove. That may sound strange but some of them can be really slimey and get all over your hands, be tricky to cover your face with, then difficult to get off in one go. With the useful pump on this cleanser I used a small amount, probably about half the size of my palm to apply to my pre-soaked face and it was able to cover the whole surface. I did pump an extra one or two times, simply because I loved the smell and the feeling on my skin. With it being tea tree, it instantly smells so clean and refreshing, without being too harsh or overpowering. The foam absorbed into my skin instantly and I could feel it working straight away. Without causing pain or a stinging sensation, which I find some cleansing products do (I have mildly sensitive skin – probably why I’m so lazy when it comes to skincare), I was pleasantly surprised at how gentle on my skin this was! After massaging my skin for a couple of minutes I soaked my face in lukewarm water to remove the product and as I stood up straight to look in the mirror – the effect was amazing. All my pores seemed to have reduced in size by at least half and I just felt, well, cleaner! I will DEFINITELY be using this product at least once every two days in order to prevent break outs and to generally treat my skin. An absolute bonus is that the product only cost me £5.50, so I won’t be at all concerned about replenishing it when it eventually runs out!

2. Tea Tree Skin Clearing Clay Mask

This was a big step for me as I have only ever tried facial masks which you get in the sachets from beauty shops *gasp*. I just felt like I would get bored of an entire tub and want a change before I reached the end and it would be left to rot. Once again, this product has proved me wrong completely. The smell of the mask was a slightly more ‘earthy’ version of the last – so very natural, yet clean and relaxing. The colour is absolutely wonderful! I love its vibrancy and how it is green (I have always wanted a green face mask like they wear in films, yet I have never really seen one). The texture of the mask is very creamy, making it SO easy to apply. I don’t even know how to put into fractions or percentages how little of the pot I needed to adequately cover my whole face. As with the last product, I could feel it working instantly so I didn’t feel the need to slap it on as I usually do with face masks, desperate to use the most of the sachet as possible. I laid on my bed for the recommended 10-15 minutes, fighting the urge to drift off to sleep – it was honestly the most therapeutic facial mask I have ever worn. And after a good half an hour (I was enjoying myself with my Cosmo magazine and lost track of time), the mask was still perfectly intact, it was like a glossy green layer had been added to my skin – no unwanted crumbling or cracking!

BodyShop tea tree clay mask Wingitwithjade

After 30 minutes with the mask on! No filter needed *sassy hair swish*

I used a warm damp flannel to remove the mask, and it came off with perfect ease – and my skin looked so calm underneath. For the rest of the day I couldn’t stop touching it. It’s usually quite bumpy and oily but when using these products it feels so balanced, smooth and soft! The clay mask is slightly more pricey at £11 but to be honest it’s way worth it in my mind. A little goes a long way, so I know that the tub will definitely last me several months if I use it roughly once a week, which I definitely will be doing! The pairing of these two products has given me such confidence with my skin and have taught me a very valuable lesson: a skincare regime really does make all the difference!

3. Fuji Green Tea Body Scrub

Technically, I’m not sure that this fits into the tea tree range, but due to the colour and it’s nature I have put this in with the other two as they compliment each other incredibly.

Body scrub is the one product I do tend to use regularly as I receive them in sets for Christmas and Birthdays and find them crucial when I’m self tanning and leading up to the summer period, in particular to give me more confidence when baring my legs. The fuji green tea scrub smelt absolutely gorgeous! When I opened the lid the scent hit me like a wave and I felt like I had been whisked away to a Centre Parcs spa retreat (a bit cheesy but it’s true!) I was also amazed by the vibrant green colour – it’s very aesthetically pleasing.

Do you see what I mean? It’s so sparkly and pretty looking.

I used this item in the shower and it did everything it should have done – the beads were nice and firm and felt so nice to massage into my skin. The smell was absolutely gorgeous and relaxing too! My skin felt really nice and soft when I got out – this product is perfect for my needs and a very good purchase! Having said that, with the price being £15 I would be more reluctant to buy this regularly as it is more of a treat. I will definitely be adding this to future birthday and Christmas wish lists and potentially treating myself occasionally but purely due to the price, I don’t think I will be buying this as regularly as the other two! Having said that, I don’t regret buying this item and will definitely be using it as a little treat on my off days.

I hope you have enjoyed reading this and will check out The Body Shop site or hit up Danielle on Twitter if you would like some great offers and promotions! Do you have any items from The Body Shop which you love? Have you tried these products and have something to say about them? Please leave a comment below and let me know what you think!

Thank you so much for reading. Don’t forget to follow me on my other social media accounts.

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Posted on 15th April 2016

The Rantings of a Retail Worker

Hey every one! I thought I would end this week with a rather light hearted post – yet quite a rant for me. I’ve had a faaaairly stressful week so I wanted to end it with some laughter.

I have now worked in retail for over 5 years, and as with every job, I have little pet peeves and daily annoyances which I think many of you will be able to relate to.

1. The newbies. You probably started the job bright eyed and ready to put a smile on the faces of all you met. But now you are older and much wiser. You pity those newbies who have such high hopes, yet envy them slightly for their optimism. You probably clock in for each shift with an inward sigh and your bones creak when you bend down. Don’t worry, it is all a part of a natural process. All newbies eventually become sceptical and trust no one… Sorry to break the news.

2. Picky people.

Those customers who change their mind about a tin of beans or want a discount because it has a dent – oh they’re just the worst. “Oh, sorry to be annoying but….” Well you aren’t sorry at all are you? If you were you wouldn’t be forcing me to walk to the other side of the store to replace a perfectly edible tin of beans. Ohhhhhh the fury!

3. THE fake laugh – which you don’t even force any more. So many times have colleagues turned around to me and said “that laugh was soooo fake” – and I didn’t even mean to do it! But you just can’t help yourself. Some customers tell the cheesiest jokes, and it would just be plain awkward if you denied them the laugh which they have fought so hard to get!

4. The jokes you’ve heard 100 million times.

PS, they don’t get any funnier. Trust me, I’ve heard them all, and I’ve heard them FAR TOO MANY TIMES. Sometimes I do just think to myself – if I hear that joke one more time I’m going to hit my head against the checkout. Of course I wouldn’t do that… But these jokes have pushed me pretty close to the edge.

5. “Are you working?” This is a huge eye-roller for me. I will be standing at my checkout with no customers, trying to smile and seem welcoming when I am astounded by this ridiculous question. What on earth else am I doing? I’m not on a day off but fancied sitting on a till for a while! I’m not spending my break smiling at customers…. OF COURSE I’M WORKING. One day I intend to test this and say “nahh”.

6. The customers who take phone calls whilst being served.

Errr… Sorry – who do you think you are? This is beyond rude to me. In most cases I will actually refuse to serve the customer until they acknowledge me or end the call. GRRRRRR.

7. People who get angry when they have ‘forgotten’ their ID. Come on now, you know you don’t look 25, and therefore you will probably be ID’d. The fact that you have come to me in the hopes that I would overlook that is not my problem. Sorry, but I am not risking losing my job, facing an extortionate fine and a criminal record, all so you can have your can of Jack Daniels.

8. “I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO YOUR MANAGER!”

Wow – calm down! I can of course call a manager but you will have to stand there and wait, only to be told exactly what I have told you – but by someone wearing a suit. I resent being undermined and my authority being questioned – especially by people so rude.

9. A weekend? What is one of those? Ohhhh yeah, those things which are apparently a great time to socialise with your friends and family, make some memories, have some laughs… No I can’t quite imagine what my life would be like with one of those!

10. “You look bored!” / “Cheer up”

Look I’m sorry if I look a bit glum, I don’t know if you have noticed but I am at work. Excusing that – I am a customer assistant with NO CUSTOMERS. When this happens, unfortunately all I can do is stare into space, and after a certain amount of time I will probably zone out and my mechanical smile will drop… So, sorry about that… But not really.

11. The reaction to the 5p bag charge. Okay, I get that some of you are bitter – no one likes to spend money on something that was once free. But there is a very simple solution to this… Bring your own bags! On the odd occasion that you forget (every single week) you only have yourself to blame. If you choose to opt for the 5p bag, please don’t chew my ear off about how it’s daylight robbery. I don’t make the rules, I’m just asked to enforce them – so whining to me really won’t change anything – it will just make me grumpy.

12. The elaborate excuses for not having a loyalty card.

If I’m honest, I am only asking you if you have it out of politeness. If you tell me that you don’t have one/ don’t want one I promise you I will take no personal offence. But I really don’t need to know that your ex wife has it and refuses to return it or that it was lost to the mouth of your dog.

13. That customer who changes their mind after the till has opened and decides to contribute an extra 22p to “make it easier”. I am not a maths genius, in fact I really am out of practice. So you messing up my digital calculator and forcing me to do mental arithmetic is the furthest thing from making it easier for me, despite your best intentions.

14. The dirty looks from your queue when you are stuck with a chatty customer.

Ahhhhhhh I’m sorry okay! I can see that you are in a rush but what do you want me to do? Should I tell Doreen that I don’t care that her husband has not long passed away and that this is her only chance to speak to people? All I can do is smile and be polite so don’t you huff and puff at me!

15. Damaged vouchers with codes a million miles long. Oh goodie – I can’t wait to manually type in 40 vouchers, thank you so much for screwing them up into your pocket, so considerate of you! Yes of course I will do that for you, not a problem. Ergghhghgenijnemf.

16. “Behave! Or the lady won’t let you have your sweets!”

Ahhhh that’s where you’re wrong. I really don’t care if you want to make your child even more bratty and hyper – so please don’t use me as a threat, because I promise you I won’t enforce it. You will only be teaching you child that they can and will get away with murder.

Now, having said this, I do love my job… It’s just that some of the people I have to put up with… Erghhhhh!! Do you have any horror stories from working in retail? Any customers just grind your gears and make your mind boggle? Please comment below – feel free to vent, trust me it feels goooooood!

Thank you so much for reading. Don’t forget to follow me on my other social media accounts.

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Posted on 12th April 2016

Review of Sleek Au Naturel Palette

Hey guys, I hope you have all had a lovely weekend and this miserable weather isn’t bogging you down too much! I thought I would kick-start this week with my very first review; this is of my Sleek Makeup eyeshadow palette in Au Naturel; a gorgeous present which I received from my house mate and best friend Katie at Christmas!

I was a bit scared of eye shadow on coming to University because I always managed to make myself look like a train wreck whenever I wore it, but I was always envious of how amazing Katie’s looked so for Christmas I not-so-subtly hinted that I’d love an eye shadow palette and some! As always, Katie delivered and went beyond!

At first I struggled with matching the correct colours and with shaping my eye in order to compliment it, but with the help of Pinterest and trusty video tutorials, by January I was finally confident enough to use it every day. Practice makes perfect after all! One thing I love about this palette is the great range of colour which is available to you.

Apologies for the used appearance of my palette – I wasn’t clever enough to take photos before I used it

There are plenty of nude colours which can be combined to make a lovely, subtle day time look – but there are also some really nice dramatic colours which I love experimenting with!

As you can see above, Cappuccino and Honeycomb are my most used shades – for my daytime look I usually use Honeycomb on my lid and Cappuccino on my crease line. The colour is really pigmented so a little goes a long way! Although these colours appear quite neutral, it really makes my eyes pop, without going overboard.

The glittery shades have to be my favourite to experiment with. I have made some really nice dramatic looks out of Conker, Moss, Mineral Earth and Taupe. When paired with my winged eye liner, a tutorial for which I have here, I find that these shades are amazing for a night out. Next I think I will have a play with Regal – I have seen some absolutely gorgeous red smokey eyes out there at the moment and although this seems a bit adventurous for me, I am ready to take the plunge!

Downwards from top left: Nougat, Nubuck, Cappuccino, Honeycomb, Toast, Taupe. Downwards from top right: Conker, Moss, Bark, Mineral Earth, Regal, Noir.

As you can hopefully see in this swatch, one side of the palette is gorgeously subtle – perfect for a nude look, whilst the other is dramatic and bold – and one which I love to experiment with!

I am so happy with this palette, and as a beginner with eye shadow I found it has everything I could possibly want. It allows me to master both a nude and a more dramatic look. I love the colours and that it has a combination of matted and glittery shades.

I was really impressed with this product, so much so that I have since had a look online out of curiosity to see how much this set Katie back – and to eye up future purchases of my own. I couldn’t believe that this product only costs £7.99!! It’s incredible! If you are ever desperate for new eye shadows but you’re tight for cash, I would highly recommend you check out Sleek’s I-Divine range.

Alternatively, you can buy Sleek products from Superdrug, and if they don’t have the product you’re looking for? You can order it into Superdrug for free! No postage costs for you!

Do you have any Sleek products which you would like to recommend? Or any beautiful eye shadow palettes that I should try next? Please comment below – I’d love to hear from you!

Thank you so much for reading. Don’t forget to follow me on my other social media accounts.

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Posted on 8th April 2016

Primark Home Bargains

Happy Friday everyone!

I was sitting in my room this morning admiring my new bargain purchases and I thought I should share these little goodies with you! After my last two more serious posts [which you can find here and here] a post about decor seemed fitting. And besides, Primark are seriously on it this spring with their home section.

My house mate and best friend Katie went in there the other day and told me that there were a lot of new monochrome bits and items featuring elephants… SOLD!! I was there like a flash, ransacking the shelves, unable to see where I was going because my items were piled up past my eyes. I am a rational woman, but I have my vices. Monochrome and elephants just happen to be two of these – oops.

My little goodies, in all their monochrome glory.

When I return home from University, I’ll be redecorating my room for the first time in about five years. As we rent our home, I won’t have complete freedom but I can make the best with decor and I am so excited to make my room a home! For so long I’ve felt like a visitor at home, as all my efforts have gone into decorating my University room, all the while neglecting what should be my home.

I’ll give you a little break down below of each item, why I love it and how much it cost – you will be amazed – even for Primark it’s a bloody good deal!

Jacquard Square Cushion in Black and White – £7

I was split between buying this cushion and one with an elephant logo [I may have a slight obsession] but this one captured my heart as it was the perfect size and struck me as such a gorgeous statement cushion. I love the pattern and texture of it, yet it is soft and cuddly [yes I tested it’s cuddleability in the shop – haters gonna hate]. I have fallen asleep twice with this wonderful cushion today – I foresee a wonderful affair.

SS16 Milk Bottle “100% Thirsty” – £3

I’ve had my eye out for a cute little cup like this for a couple of weeks now, as when my parents came up to University to drop me off after Easter, my younger sister nabbed mine… I could hardly say no to that cute little face. I wouldn’t have minded but I relied on that cup for pre-drinks! I don’t trust myself to hold a normal cup like a big girl after one drink. I’ve particularly liked the milk bottle shaped cups for a while, and this gave me the perfect excuse. I love the cheeky little pun written on the bottle and once again, the monochrome sealed the deal for me. My favourite part for me however was the rose gold lid – I think this is absolutely gorgeous and makes the whole thing stand out! And for only £3, I just had to get it.

Zebra MDF Plaque – £1.50

God knows why it’s coming up on my receipt as a zebra plaque… It is clearly a beautiful ELEPHANT! I love elephants because they’re so powerful and majestic, yes such peaceful creatures. I also love the “elephants never forget” idea, whether it actually has any truth behind it I don’t know. For obvious reasons I love this piece – and it’s only £1.50!!! I blame Katie for my strange new obsession with plaques, but I forgive her because this is now hanging proudly on my bedroom door and I just love looking at it!!

Be Awesome Glass Plaque – £4

Although one of my more pricey items, it’s still such an amazing steal! I’m really into motivational quotes and I love the positivity which they portray and evoke! In an ideal world I’d be surrounded my quotes like this at all times but unfortunately that’s not possible – I’m happy to pay such a small price to have them hanging all over my room though! The item itself looks to be worth much much more than £4 which is also a huge bonus – it really is great value for money.

Printed Smile Plaque – £3

This is definitely one of my favourite purchases. I love its rustic feel with the straw-like string and the old and worn looking frame. The design makes it look like it has been hand stitched, like in the olden days – it has so much character! Once again I am a big fan of the motivational quote – you’re never truly dressed without a smile after all. I think when I return home I will proudly mount this above my desk to provide inspiration and to keep me motivated and positive!

That’s all my goodies on this occasion – I really did hold back! I could have easily doubled this list but I am tryyyying to be good with my money. Having said that I only spent £18.50 on this trip which definitely isn’t bad considering how much I managed to get! I would definitely check out Primark’s website if I were you – even if monochrome isn’t your thing [are you maaaad?] there are so many pretty bits and some gorgeous bedding sets to get your hands on this spring!

If you have any of your own home bargains which you would like to share with me, please comment!

Thank you so much for reading. Don’t forget to follow me on my other social media accounts. Links are posted in the sidebar.

Jade x

Posted on 25th March 2016

Seven Things I Have Gained Through University

Handing in the all-important dissertation!

University has always been a goal for me, ever since I was little. This was partially due to hearing my Mum’s University lifestyle stories, but also due to my burning passion to learn.

However, on completely my A Levels, I had zero motivation to start looking for prospective Universities or to even consider picking up a novel, and I was in no place to rush such a huge decision. I chose to procrastinate and took a gap year, one of the best decisions I have ever made, because let’s face it – University is SUCH a big decision nowadays – we have extortionate tuition fees to thank for that! But I’d better move on before I get too heated on that subject…

In that year, I worked two jobs and spent lots of money on a holiday with my friends and many nights out enjoying my freedom as many 18-year-olds desire to do! I made some wonderful memories in that year. I spent quality time with my friends and family, and importantly it was also in my gap year that I first started to get close with my boyfriend, Dan <3

Here are a few photos of the great experiences I created with my friends in my gap year:

My very first holiday away from my family!

A lot of crazy drama happened on this holiday, but I wouldn’t change it for the world

My very first holiday away from my family!

Reading music Festival!

We saw EMINEM live and I cried with joy… literally

We saw our friends play on the main stage – which was a totally unforgettable experience!

My bestest & oldest friend came on a Brit caravan holiday with my family

We took SO many photos for just one week, but I love looking back at how different we once were!

As you can see, no part of me regrets taking my gap year to sort my head out and to enjoy a little part of my early adulthood!

I am now in my third and final year at University of Lincoln, my dissertation is behind me, and there are just a few assignments and one exam between me and that graduation cap!

With the last few years of experience behind me, I thought now would be the perfect time to share with you why I am so glad to have taken the leap and to have gone to University.

So here are my 7 things I have gained through going to University

1. Life skills

This one seems pretty vague – but I shall elaborate. I never really thought about the details when I eventually did decide to go to University. I only thought of my education, the friends I was hoping to make and finding a place to work. But one VERY important thing I have learned is how to live independently and more importantly, how to take care of myself. Two years on and I am a fairly confident cook, and actually enjoy planning and preparing my evening meals. I look forward to laundry day, I separate my washes by colour, I can iron efficiently and have created a cleaning rota for my house mates… [I rule with an iron fist]. I’m actually kinda dreading going back home and having to work as a team to get these daily activities done.

2. A new-found respect for money

Wow… They weren’t kidding me when they talked and laughed about the poverty of students today. I’m in that rubbish middle bracket according to Student Finance, and therefore receive… well, not enough to cover rent. My family are unable to subsidise me through University [regardless of what Student Finance have concluded], which meant that I have had to work two jobs. I work at Tesco full time, transferring from my store at University to my store back home in the holidays. My second job is doing administration work in an office in Cambridge in the holidays. The lack of free time sucks, but it has got to be done in order to survive unfortunately. One good outcome however: I am SO much better with money than my three years younger self.

Ohhh… I wish Kimmy K </3

3. SO MUCH KNOWLEDGE

Although this seems like a given, I cannot believe how much I have learned over the past two years when I think about it. There are so many theories, theorists and novelists which have changed my life, and I may have never even encountered them were it not for this degree! An example? FEMINISM! I honestly did not know what feminism was before I came to University, though I have always believed in gender equality. It feels so great now to be able to say “I’m a feminist” and to share my beliefs and to have the knowledge and confidence to talk about big issues within society!

4. The love of my life

Coming to University forced Dan to make a decision as to where our relationship was going, and he drove the 90 miles to see me on my first weekend, which really proved to me his commitment. What can I say? We have been best friends for three years, dating for two. Long distance relationships can be hard, but we make it work. He is absolutely amaaazing. We squeeze in short phone calls throughout the week and he drives up to visit me each and every weekend [I’d hate to think what I owe him in petrol money]. Dan truly is my rock, I’d be totally lost without him.

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5. Time management skills

I cannot stress this one enough! Before I came to University I was a very ‘last minute’ type of person. I skipped breakfast, I snoozed my alarm and I was always arriving to work two seconds before my shift started. Having four novels to read in a week, alongside socialising, 12+ hours at work and making time for friends and my boyfriend have taught me that I can no longer be that kind of person! Now I set an alarm thirty minutes before I actually have to get up [whether I actually wake up to it is another issue entirely].

6. The most amazing friends I could ask for

I have met some of the most amazing people at University, and have made friends for life in my house mates. In particular, Katie [my best friend], Tom and Dan. These guys are so incredible and I know that we will continue to meet up afer graduation. The thought of not living with them next year literally brings me to tears. In them I have found a real support system, and I will cherish their friendship forever!

7. The unforgettable memories

If there’s one thing I’ll definitely be taking with be after the last two years, it’s a wonderful set of invaluable memories which can never be replaced!

I hope you have enjoyed this post! Are you a student at University? Do you have any burning questions which are slowing your decision? Please comment below with your experiences of University!

Thank you so much for reading! Don’t forget to follow me on my other social media accounts! Links are posted in the sidebar!

Jade x

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Student

The Body Shop Treats from the Tea Tree Range

The Rantings of a Retail Worker

Review of Sleek Au Naturel Palette

Primark Home Bargains

Seven Things I Have Gained Through University

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