Last Autumn I made loads of and loads of blackberry jam from frozen blackberries I picked at the end of the summer.

I still had a random amount of leftover blackberries that I've been steadily using up in pies and crumbles throughout the winter. Now that it's getting warmer though I don't really fancy heavy, stodgy puddings and want something lighter and fresher. 

So I've been trying to think of something to make that would use up the rest of the frozen blackberries and clear some much needed space in my freezer. 

Blackberry frozen yoghurt seemed like the perfect solution. Not too much making involved and relatively kind on the waistline. 

I've never made something like this before and all the recipes seemed to need an ice cream maker (which I don't have).

I eventually found this recipe but I didn't like the idea of whole pieces of fruit and lots of seeds in the mixture. So I've adapted it to suit myself and what I happened to have to hand.I think the result turned out brilliantly!

Ingredients

350g blackberries (can be fresh or frozen)

100g caster sugar

300g full fat greek yoghurt

100ml semi skimmed milk 

50g runny honey

Method

1. If you are using frozen blackberries remove them from the freezer to defrost for an hour or two.

2. Once defrosted mix with the caster sugar and leave for about 20-30 min to macerate. 

3. When the fruit has begun to break down mash up with a fork to release the juices.

4. Combine the milk, honey and yoghurt and mix gently with a whisk to remove any lumps.

5. Pour the sugar and berry mixture into a sieve suspended over the yoghurt mixture. Use the back of a spoon to press as much juice as you can from the fruit. 

6. Combine the fruit juice and the yoghurt mixture using the whisk and discard the blackberry pulp.Taste the mixture and add a little more honey if it is too tart for you.

7. Pour into a freezable container and place in the freezer.

8. After two hours remove from the freezer and stir. Return to the freezer and leave overnight. 

9. Remove from the freezer ten minutes before serving to allow it to soften slightly. 

10. Serve in waffle ice cream cones with a little extra drizzle of honey. 

This is honestly one of the easiest things I've ever made and it tastes amazingly fresh and light. 

The ten minute make up routine for busy mornings

If you're anything like me, you don't do mornings.

I struggle with motivating myself to get ready at the best of times but getting ready to go at 6am on a weekday does not equal a happy Amber. 

Sadly though we all have to make ourselves look presentable for work and that usually requires putting on a bit of make up to hide my under eye bags make myself look and feel better.

As much as I love make up most of the time I don't have the energy to create something spectacular on your average week day. 

Particularly because it's cold, dark and nobody will notice what my amazing eye make up looks like once I'm sat behind my partition at my desk. 

So I have whittled my morning make up routine to such a peak of efficiency that it now takes me less than 10 minutes to achieve.

Base

I always start with my bareMinerals Complexion Rescue Tinted  Gel. This stuff is fab and great if you like to wear a bit of a base but don't want anything too heavy. 

I find this gives a 'soft focus' effect (similar to Charlotte Tilbury's Wonderglow) and blurs imperfections rather than hiding them. This foundation is light and it will not cover a blemish or hide redness. But it does give a smoothed appearance without hiding what your face actually looks like.

It's long wearing and I find it works well on my combination skin. It is best applied with your fingers and less is DEFINITELY more with this (which is good because it lasts a long time). You need a pea size and that is it. Any more and you will not get it to blend evenly. I love that it can be applied with fingers because it means less brushes to wash and its quick and easy.

A word of warning though, this product does NOT get on with any sort of silicone primer. I once tried it with The Ordinary's High Adherence Silicone primer. Big mistake. They did not mesh well together and it peeled off my face in huge strings of gloop. I had to wash it all off and start again.

In all honesty this product doesn't need a primer as it stays put well by itself. 

I wear this in shade 06 Ginger but it comes in a large shade range which should suit a lot of people. 

It also contains SPF 30 which is perfect for me in the winter when I'm inside an office all day. 

To hide my tiredness I use my Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser which twists up and you apply it directly to your under eye area using the sponge applicator. I wish this came in more shades as it doesn't give you many options. 

I blend this using my Primark Beautyblender (these are amazing btw) and that's my make up base done.

Brows

I probably spend the most time on my eyebrows and use three different products ( I know, I'm high maintenance). 

I like a soft natural look so I use an angled brush to apply my Mac eyeshadow in Cork in small feathery strokes. I define the underside of my brow first and work upwards.

I have a bald patch in both my eyebrows where the arch is (one is worse than the other) so I use my NYX eyebrow pencil to fill in any sparse areas and then the spooley on the other end to tidy things up.

I set my brows using my Benefit Gimme Brow eyebrow gel, which keeps everything in place throughout the day.

Eyes

On mornings where I am getting ready this quickly I only bother with mascara. At the moment I am using the Lancome Grandiose mascara which has it's very unusual swan neck wand. I actually really like this mascara and find that the different shape of the wand does help you to evenly reach all of the awkward bits. 

This mascara stays put all day and doesn't flake off. It's only annoying thing is I struggle to apply this without getting some of it on my upper eyelid. I just dip a cotton bud in micellar water and do a two second clean up.

This does give quite a bold, thick look to lashes, which might not be to everyone's liking but I quite like a dramatic look. 

Cheeks

This is the part of the look I switch up the most but lately I've been exclusively using my NARS blusher in Orgasm. I've recently seen a lot of people saying they don't like the cult favourite but I personally love it.

It's a soft pink with a gold shimmer running through it. I find it gives a natural flush to the cheeks and the shimmer means I don't need to use a highlighter which saves me time.

NARS blushes are legendary for their staying power and this stays put all day. 

Lips

I also like to mix up my lip colour but my Clinique Chubby Stick Intense in Curviest Caramel never leaves my handbag.

I usually apply this in the rear view mirror of my car as I'm about to get out and go to work and I love how easy and fuss free it is.

The twist up pencil doesn't require sharpening and it has good staying power. The formula is more lipstick like than the other chubby sticks and as a result it only needs reapplying a few times throughout the day.

The colour is incredibly flattering and is a warm nude with just enough brown. It's my favourite nude shade and easily my most worn lip product. It's perfect for any time that you want to 'play it safe' like a job interview but also when you're in a hurry like me in the morning and don't have time to be worrying about your lipstick. 

So that is how I get myself out of the door in time without scaring my co workers. Do you have any favourite products for when you're in a hurry? Let me know in the comments as I'm always looking for new products to speed up my routine even more.

A Christmas Gift Guide with Uncommongoods

I don't know about you but these darker, colder nights only mean one thing... It's nearly Christmas! 

Now yes I am aware it's only October but a girl needs to be organised about these things or it can very quickly become stressful and expensive instead of fun. I always start my Christmas shopping early because I can't deal with the crush of people in every shop from mid November and I always try to do as much as I can online to save time and effort.

So in this post I've got a few ideas to share with you as part of a collaboration with Uncommongoods. 

I was really excited about this post because I absolutely love buying people gifts, but I can struggle to find them unique and exciting things that they actually want. But one of the things that immediately caught by eye about Uncommongoods is that their products actually do offer something different. On top of that they are committed to doing good business. By that I mean focusing on sustainable products and packaging, supporting their designers by celebrating what makes their creativity unique and making sure all their staff have a great place to work. 

I always try to get my boyfriend Jared cool little stocking fillers but he can be incredibly hard to buy for. He has very particular tastes and interests and I don't want to get him anything too generic. 

I think he would absolutely love these beer jellies as he is a real foodie who loves to try new things. He really likes chutneys and savory foods like that and as these have beer in them I think they would go down well. I got him a tomato and red pepper chutney last year and he loved it, so I think these would be a winner.

Even though I try really hard with buying presents for Jared, he's not always the best at buying gifts for me. I have sometimes ended up buying things for myself for him to give to me. Such romance in my life *inserts eye roll emoji*. 

That said, I'm sure finding special gifts for your girlfriend can be a bit of a minefield because we can be just a little bit picky. But that is because we usually have a firm idea of what we want. Personally I would love to receive this for Christmas. What is not to love about a cute little tin full of pampering goodness? I can see myself relaxing with this on a lazy Sunday afternoon when I need a little bit of zen time. 

Even shopping for those who have similar tastes to your own can be tricky. I try to get my friends unique and useful Christmas gifts. We've all got enough stuff cluttering up our lives without well meaning friends adding to it.

I think this is the perfect example of the kind of thing you never knew you needed but is fantastically handy. Some of my friends spend a lot of their lives on the road due to their job and after four years living out of a suitcase traveling back between home and uni I think this would be helpful for someone who travels a lot. One of the frustrating things about traveling is no matter how neatly you've packed you can't find the thing you're looking for. By keeping things separated it should also make it easier to unpack once you've arrived. 

Hopefully this was some inspiration to get you started on your Christmas shopping. If you've spotted anything that you've simply had to get someone recently let me know!

*This post is sponsored by Uncommongifts but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Top 3 Budget Face Masks

Can you even call yourself a blogger if you don't love a good face mask? Life is all about enjoying the little things and there are few things more relaxing than a mini weekend pamper at home on a Saturday morning. 

Saving to buy a house has meant that I've been really watching my money for the last 18 months or so, which has meant I can't really afford to indulge my love of high end skin care. 

Luckily these three are actually my favourite face masks that I reach for over all of my others and they're all very affordable too!

1. Quick Fix Facials Purifying Charcoal Mask - £5.29

This is described as being for congested and lifeless skin and I think that is a very fair description. It is definitely the one I reach for when my skin is playing up as it does exactly what it says. This is a charcoal mask so comes out a very dark colour so I find it is best to remove it with a dark flannel or it can make your white ones look a little grey. It also has a pleasant tingling sensation when its on so you can actually feel it doing something. I can sometimes find charcoal masks to be too drying but this one leaves my skin feeling soft, without that uncomfortable tight feeling. 

This range is super affordable too and there is a mask for every skin concern. However, if you have combination skin like myself and sometimes have a break out you should definitely try this one!

2. Good Things Manuka Honey Radiance Mask - £5.99

I bought this after seeing Jasmine Talks Beauty rave about it in a post and I am so glad I did. This is a super soft clay mask with ingredients that include honey (obviously), beeswax and various fruit extracts such as papaya. The result is skin that looks brand new after use. This is actually my favourite mask out of the three and although I haven't had it as long I've used quite a bit of it! It really does improve the radiance of your skin which can be something I struggle with. This product smells like honey as well which is another part of it that I love.

I now really want to try other things from this range so if you have any recommendations, let me know!

3. L'Oreal Pure Clay Glow Mask - £7.99

Everyone and their dog has been raving about these masks and I picked this one up in Tesco when they were on offer.This one is slightly different to the other masks in that it contains a physical exfoliant so it is a mask that is combined with a scrub.

The red algae and three clays it contains are meant to help with brightening and they definitely do. I apply this in a thin layer and leave it to sit for 5 minutes before massaging it into the skin to make use of the scrub action and then rinsing away. For the price, this product certainly feels and smells like a far more expensive product. It has a gentle, almost spa like scent to it which I really like. The packaging is fantastic, with a solid glass pot that means you can get every last bit of the product out. It also looks great on my bathroom shelf! The quality of the product itself is lovely and it has a really smooth, creamy texture. 

I think I'll be looking to try more from this range!

The best part is all of these masks are under £10 so they are an affordable way to treat yourself! Do you have any bargain skin care favourites? Let me know in the comments as I'm always looking for good quality skincare that won't break the bank!

Clinique Take the Day off Range

I've spoken about it a lot on this blog but Clinique have to be one of my favourite brands. I like that their products are a mid price point and that they do what they say on the tin with no fuss.

While I don't love all of their products, my favourite range of theirs has to be the least glamorous: the Take the Day off range.

Let's face it, taking your make up off isn't exciting and is at a best a mildly annoying chore. But for those of us that are lazy when it comes to face washing, then the Take the Day off products are life changing.

There is a product for every need, they don't contain any fragrance, don't irritate my eyes and most importantly? They work. 

They last for ages and although they aren't the cheapest in the world, I've found them to perform either as well or better than more expensive alternatives.

On top of all of this, I love the packaging. While it is most importantly functional and practical I really like the purple and silver theme, which makes it seem a lot more luxurious than the price suggests.

Even the make up wipes from this range are pretty good. I haven't included them in this post because I don't use make up wipes as part of my usual routine, but as far as make up wipes go, they are the best I've ever tried.

As a disclaimer, this post is not in anyway sponsored, I just really love this range!

1. Take the Day off Cleansing Balm

If you buy one thing from this range, make sure it is this. I've had my tub of it for YEARS and use it frequently. I've just purchased my first replacement, so that should give you some idea as to how cost effective this product is. You only need a small amount but it is always my weapon of choice for dealing with the thickest of make up. Particularly gel eyeliner and waterproof mascara as it just melts these away.

Like most cleansing balms this has a solid texture that melts into an oil when you massage it into the skin and then remove with a damp flannel. As with all Clinique products this does not contain any fragrance and I find that this makes it exceptionally gentle, particularly on the eyes. I always use this as a first cleanse to remove makeup and it's so simple and fuss free I even manage to use it after a night out.

If my skin isn't looking so great, I revert to using this daily because I know it will remove every last scrap of make up. Just try it, you won't regret it. 

2. Take the Day off Cleansing Oil

This is my most recent addition to my collection but it is already a firm favourite. I prefer to use oil based cleansers to remove my make up and like the cleansing balm, I only ever use this as a first cleanse to remove makeup. It is actually remarkably similar to the melted texture of the balm, which is probably why I like it so much. It removes make up easily and doesn't sting my very sensitive eyes. You only need a small amount for it to do an effective job.

Do you need this and the cleansing balm? Probably not, one or the other would be fine. I just wanted to give it a try mostly and I am as equally impressed with it as I am with my beloved cleansing balm.

The only downside to this product (as opposed to the cleansing balm) is that a liquid oil is messier to apply and riskier to travel with. Although the pump has a locking feature, I would make sure to pack it very carefully as I once had a very big mess (and a lot of product wasted) with the cream version of this product which has an identical pump.

3. Take the Day off Cleansing Lotion

This is the cream cleanser in the collection and was the first part of the range that I had ever tried. It's also by far the most versatile product in the range. I use this as  a first, second  and morning cleanse depending on my mood, how my skin feels and how much make up I am wearing. You can also take this product off using cotton wool instead of a damp flannel. While I always prefer to wash my face with actual water there are times when this isn't practical and this can be a good alternative to the dreaded make up wipe.

While this does remove make up well, it doesn't melt make up off like the balm and the oil do, so I tend to use this as a first cleanse on lighter makeup. It will take eye make up off but it isn't as effective as the other products so I tend to use a separate eye make up remover if I'm going to use this as a first cleanse. The lotion texture is extremely soothing so I often use this as a second cleanse after using the oil or balm if I've been wearing a lot of make up.I also reach for it a lot if my skin is being problematic or feeling irritated.

Will I repurchase this when I finally use it up? Probably. I do love it, but I also have a lot of other cream or lotion style cleansers that cost less but none of them are as effective at actually removing make up. I tend to use other ones for strictly second or morning cleaners whereas this is a jack of all trades.

As mentioned above, though, I am super careful when I travel with it now after it exploded all over my bag despite having the pump locked. Just something to bear in mind.

4. Take the Day off Eye Make Up Remover

I bought this after receiving so many samples of this during bonus times and loving them. I always try to save the sample size ones for traveling so having the full size is great. I've tried many of the two phase style eye make up removers that need to be shaken and this is one of the few that I actually like.

The oil part of this actually does melt eye make up off just like the cleansing balm/oil does which makes it perfect for traveling or situations where removing make up properly is difficult.

Like all the other products in the range, a little goes a long way and I find it cuts through even my Bobbi Brown gel eyeliner (by far my hardest eye make up to remove) with ease. It also does not irritate my eyes which many dedicated eye make up removers do.

It is also excellent for removing lipstick. Particularly matte red lipstick which always stains every little crevice of your lips so you look like an extra in a low budget vampire film the next day. This product though melts it off without you having to resort to scrubbing your lips.

The good thing is if you time your Clinique purchases right you can almost always pick things up during bonus time and chances are a little bottle of this will likely be in there, so you can try it for free. 

Have you tried any of the Take the Day off Range? Which one is your favourite?

 

How to make your student room feel cosy

Ok so your student room isn't quite the cool and happening Pinterest worthy space you daydreamed about when you were applying to uni.

Chances are there's some curtains with a questionable pattern, a dodgy looking stain on the floor and walls that are covered with generations of students worth of blue tack. And it really doesn't matter if you're in halls or are renting privately. Unless you've got shed loads of cash to spend on rent, which lets face it isn't most of us then your room is likely to be a bit of a craphole. Chances are its probably a tiny craphole as well.

During my four years at uni I lived in a tiny room in halls, a disgusting student house and spent my final two years in a pretty nice terrace with an absolute gem of a private landlord (hence why I stayed).

But it need not be a grim and depressing place. With a bit of ingenuity and some inspiration you can spruce things up and put your stamp on the place in ways that won't lose you your deposit.

1. Throws. Get several in nice fluffy textures. An absolute must is to use one to cover the grotty chair that sits with your desk. Of the three different houses I lived in, one had a sticky brown stain, one had ancient chewing gum glued to it and one had cigarette burns. The same throw covered all of them and made it somewhere nice to sit at the same time. Easy to do and makes a massive impact. Put another one over the bottom of your bed, instantly makes the whole room feel cosier. You'll probably need it to survive the sub zero temperatures of the average student house.

2. Fairy lights. A classic but so useful. Primark does a range of absolute bargain ones that are not only pretty but importantly are battery operated so you can have them in your room without your landlord/student housing nazis losing their shit over them. Wind them round your headboard, drape them over your mirror, display them over your noticeboard or desk... Just be liberal with the fairy lights! Try and get ones that are natural light rather than white light as they give a softer effect.

3. Lighting. Following on from the previous point good lighting can totally transform the feel of a room. Creating soft pools of light changes the whole feel of a space and its easy to do. A bedside lamp (alongside your fairy lights) is a good start - but if you can possibly stretch to it and have the space a floor lamp is a great idea. My parents gave me their old one and I put it on a timer so that it was always on in the evening. Nothing makes a room look uglier than harsh overhead florescent lighting and having soft low level lighting will make your space much more inviting.

4. Rug. Use it to cover the industrial carpet that seems to feature in every student house. As much as you would love to rip it up its not an option but a rug can be a good compromise. Small ones are actually pretty inexpensive (H&M Home have some great ones at the moment) and a nice neutral tone means it can help tie the room together. Its also nice to step out of bed onto a nice soft rug and helps make the space feel yours. The best part is you can roll it up and take it with you everytime you move which you can't do with an actual carpet.

5. Picture frames. Get a few nice ones (Wilkos and IKEA do excellent ones that only cost a few pounds, TK Maxx and Homesense slightly more elaborate ones that are still good value) and frame your favourite pictures. Or some cute slogan postcards from Paperchase. Or your favourite quote that you hand wrote. Put one on your windowsill, on your bedside table, on your desk. It'll help you feel at home and help get rid of the anonymous feel that most student rooms have.

6. Fake flowers. Good quality ones can actually look pretty nice and they need zero care. IKEA and Homesense would be my recommendation. A few fake flowers in a £2 jug from Sainsburys add a nice feminine touch. Of course a small potted plant on your windowsill or heck, even actual real flowers (Waitrose reduce theirs to a few pence after 8pm) are also excellent. But fake flowers will ALWAYS be there to brighten up your room so they're worth getting.

7. Cushions. Ignore anything any man in your life says about cushions being pointless, the more the better. Its easy to create a nice tiered effect on your bed with just a few cushions that makes your room look more boutique hotel and less student squat. Add in a pretty focal cushion and you're good to go. I also liked to have one on my desk chair to make it a bit comfier. And because my cushion obsession is a bit out of control.

8. Good quality bed linen. I'm going to be straight up here and admit that both of my Grandmothers bought me a nice duvet set when I went to uni which I am very grateful for (and I'm still using them now). The price is less important than how it looks in this case. The bed is likely to be the focal point of your room and taking the time to choose nice linen that compliments the other aspects of your decor will dictate whether the room is a mish mash of styles or not. Choosing two that are different yet enhance different parts of the style you're going for is a good idea because then you can change your room up each time you wash your sheets.

9. Add furniture. Once you leave halls chances are you'll be living in a student house where all the furniture you'll get is a bed, a desk and a wardrobe. Most student landlords don't even think about how a normal person can store all their possessions in one room with nowhere to put anything. Adding a bookshelf, some drawers, or a bedside table, (depending on the amount of space available) can make the world of difference to the amount of storage you have. You needn't blow your entire overdraft on this though.

First off see if any friends or family have anything they want to get rid of. My Nan gave me a chest of drawers and a mirror, my Mum took me on a trip to IKEA to get a £20 set of drawers which doubled up as a bedside table.

If that isn't an option there will be loads of people in your city looking to shift stuff they don't need and a lot will deliver it for you if you ask. Gumtree, Freecycle, eBay, Craigslist, Facebook... the options are almost endless.

Not to mention local car boots and other students. Final year students will often sell their furniture or even give it to the new tenants so its worth keeping an ear out. One of my friends bought two sets of drawers for £30 from someone she knew who was graduating and then sold them onto the next person who was renting her room. Win win because she didn't have to find someone else to get rid of them and the person buying them knew they would fit in the room.

Of course you can also use this to furnish the rest of your house, perhaps with a second hand TV or an extra chair. During my time at uni we acquired everything from an electric organ which we kept in our kitchen at halls for as long as we could get away with (which my flat mates carried up 8 flights of stairs) to an enormous trampoline we got off Freecycle which probably saw a lot of dodgy activity at house parties.

So there you have it, 9 quick ways to instantly improve your student room without breaking the bank.

Shop this post:
Lamp - Old from Tesco, similar one here 
Chest of Drawers - IKEA
Clock - Matalan 
Jug - Old from Sainsburys similar one here 
Candle - Amber Noir from Shearer Candles 
Photo frame - Wilkos
Perfume -Flora by Gucci
Slate Heart - Old, I think it was from Home Bargains similar here
Initial Coaster - Aspire Style  

18 ways to save money on buying high end brands

1. Make the most of offers. Brands often try to tempt you by offering free gifts when you buy certain products or spent a certain amount. Take advantage of this and only buy products when you're going to get a little extra for free. Its also a great way to try things and then you know if a product is really worth the money.

2. Get savvy with the sales and sign up for email alerts to your favourite brands. Then you'll be the first to know about them and should be able to pick up some bargains. Also they often send emails with special offers and discounts so its a really easy way to stay up to date with any potential deals.

3. Make good use of sites like Pinterest. It helps you develop your personal style which saves you money long term. If you know what you actually like then you waste less money on buying stuff you aren't really that fussed about. That leaves you more money to spend on that really nice coat you wanted instead of buying five really average T shirts you'll never wear.

4. Get comfortable with the idea of second hand. Sites like eBay and Vinted are great ways to pick up a bargain. People often sell on high end brands at significantly discounted prices.

5. Make good use of blog sales as people often sell virtually untouched or new clothes and make up at massively reduced rates. A good way to find them is to search 'blog sale' on twitter.

6. And blogs in general. Look at swatches and make certain it is what you want. Read reviews and see what other peoples experience with a product was. Doing your research on an expensive purchase is essential because you need to know if its right for you before you part with your cash.

7. If possible try to look at it in person/try it on in the shop before taking advantage of a better deal online. Particularly with perfume as its impossible to tell what something smells like just from a description.

8. Always check if you can earn cashback on purchases with sites such as Topcashback and Quidco. In the past year I've made over £200 from doing this so its well worth doing.

9. Make good use of comparison sites if you can. If you really want the latest iPhone then make sure you are getting the best deal for your money. Also take a look at your current bills and see how much of your current package you are actually using. You might be able to cut back and save yourself loads of money.

10. Sounds obvious but if you really want something but can't justify the money then ask for it as gifts. If its really pricey then you could ask for a gift voucher or cash towards it instead.

11. If you really really want something but its just too expensive then a dupe is a great way of trying it and seeing if you actually get on with it. For example you really want MAC's Ruby Woo lipstick but you decide to get a Rimmel dupe instead. If after a few months the lipstick has been hardly used or you're not too sure if the colour suits you then you'll know not to bother investing in the real thing.

12. Always be on the look out for any loyalty or reward schemes and save your points up for luxury items.

13. Learn what you can save money on. So if you don't find there to be any real difference between Maybellines Lash Sensational Mascara and Benefits Roller Lash then stick with what's better value. Then use your extra cash for items that are worth the splurge.

14. Always check sites like FragrenceDirect.com to see if they have your desired product for less.

15. Choose your most used brand as your favourite on feelunique.com and then you always get 10% off. They also offer free shipping on orders over £10 so its a great way of ordering your staples. I also recommend choosing a high value brand e.g. Chanel because you hardly ever find discounts elsewhere for brands such as these. Then if you choose to invest you'll save quite a bit of money.

16. If you're a student buy makeup from ASOS as you get 10% off. They stock some really big brands such as NARS and Benefit so the savings can really add up. If you're no longer a student then persuade a student friend to order if for you and give them the money.

17. Sites like wowcher and groupon often have really good deals on make up. For example reduced MAC lipsticks, heavily discounted fragrences and gift sets. I've saved considerable money buying feelunique.com vouchers and on my BirchBox subscription.

18. Outlet shops are often full of bargains and always have a good look in TK Maxx. You'll never know what you might find if you have a good rummage in there. For every ten smashed up eyeshadows there is a hidden gem lurking at the bottom of the pile.

If you have any other tips or tricks I would absolutely love to hear them!

Super Affordable Jo Malone Dupes from Waitrose Heritage Collection

Is there even a blogger in existence that isn't obsessed with Jo Malone?
Every time I walk past John Lewis I dive in there for a whiff and end up sampling absolutely everything. Every birthday and Christmas I debate over whether I should ask for anything from my (very long) wishlist.

But so far I never have because try as I might I *just* can't quite justify the price tag when I have loads of lovely perfumes and body products already. It just seems too extravagant. I mean I get that's the whole point of the brand but I need something a little more affordable.

And then low and behold I stumbled across some totally unexpected gems in the most unlikely of places. Waitrose.

Just to be clear, I don't normally shop in Waitrose (probably not a surprise as I can't afford anything from Jo Malone) but I do work opposite a very large branch and I tend to pop in there on my lunch break for random bits. Like emergency diet coke.

My absolute favorite Jo Malone Scent is English Freesia and Pear and the Waitrose Heritage Collection stocks a range of body products in this EXACT scent. It was not what I was expecting to find while I was looking for some Waitrose Essential shower gel. As soon as I opened the bottle and sniffed it I knew I had to buy it. I was even more excited when I realised there is a whole range of products in the same scent. There are also two other scents in the range which are White Jasmine & Peony and Orchid & Honeysuckle, which are lovely but cannot compete with my favorite fragrance of all time.

I snapped up the bubble bath, the body butter, the hand wash and hand cream. All for £12. Yes that's right. I worked out the purchases of the same products from Jo Malone would have cost around £150.

The packaging is actually really lovely and although its not as classy as the real thing from Jo Malone it is stunning in its own right with delicate floral patterns. To top it all the products are also superb and do exactly what they are meant to.

Overall I will continue to purchase this as a fantastic everyday alternative to the luxury brand. It might not have the indulgence and opulence of Jo Malone but it does mean that you can enjoy a little bit of that lifestyle every day. And without the hefty price tag.