Sabrina is a Lifestyle, Parenting and Product Review Blogger. A Writer, Photographer, Reviewer, Home Cook, Crafter & Nature Enthusiast. You will find a bit of all those categories here on Severn Wishes Blog, Welcome to Sabrina's Lifestyle Blogging & Honest Reviews.
I recently made a purchase from The Woodland Gift Company, who I have been following on Facebook for quite some time. I have chosen to support small businesses where possible during this difficult time. Plus they had some gorgeous earrings! I was looking for something Rainbow related, but when I saw these I just fell in love with them.
The stunning Rainbow Coloured Sterling Silver Flowers really stand out. They are beautiful and good quality.
They arrived in lovely packaging and the little extra additions of the string and the paper rose, it just made the experience extra special.
Overall I would say I’m very happy with my purchase, the service was 5 star and the delivery was good too despite the current restrictions. I would definitely purchase from the company again after this good experience.
The earrings are unique, excellent quality with the 925 silver mark on the back. They are lightweight and the perfect size for my ears. They don’t get in the way of my gradual lobe piercings (which I thought they might). I would highly recommend them. And The Woodland Gift Company are giving some money to charity for every pair purchased as well.
If you would like to see more products from this company you can find their current stock and choices on their website The Woodland Gift Company
And if you’d like to follow them on social media then here is their Facebook
I bought these particular Earrings in the Spring of 2020.
Thank you for reading this review today, I hope you have enjoyed it. If you would like to see more Rainbow related products click the tab category Rainbow on my home page. Have a lovely day!
As a birthday present from March I have received a couple of boxes from Glossybox and I wanted to review their contents for you. Because I had a Mystery box at the end of March followed swiftly by the April Blossom box, I figured I would combine the two unboxing reviews instead of bring you too many beauty posts within a short time frame.
I made the choice to head into isolation quite early, it was the week of my birthday, and following that only weeks later it was Mother’s Day. I didn’t do a lot for either of then and it left me feeling pretty low as the prospect of now not seeing family for months dawned upon me. So I made the decision to order a Glossybox on a deal which saw me receive a Mystery Box for the end of March and a week later I got the April Blossom Box. They were little pick-me-ups at a time when I needed some distraction from everything going on.
In the early morning light, I was ready to test these beauties!
I had never had a Glossybox before but having followed them on social media for a long time, I knew about their concepts for the box and hoped I would find the products inside useful. Well I wasn’t wrong!
March Mystery Box
I’m first going to talk about the March Mystery Glossybox, which I have tested several of items from that box which appealed to me the most. This box was my first impression of Glossybox as a brand. I liked how neatly everything arrived and it was a nice gift to unwrap surprises.
Here are the five items that arrived in the March Mystery Box.
Maria Nila 1 Shampoo and 1 Conditioner Bottles 1 of each 100ml Mitchell and Peach Eau de Parfum 15ml Kandi Skin Work Out Mask Bang Beauty Black Felt Tip Eyeliner 1.8g
I was interested in the Shampoo and Conditioner, as someone with naturally curly hair, Sulphate Free Shampoo usually works for me.
Maria Nila True Soft Shampoo and Conditioner 100ml Bottles x 2 (one of each) Produced in Sweden with a Colour Guard Complex and Softening Argan Oil Vegan, Cruelty Free, Sulphate Free, Paraben Free
These Shampoo and Conditioner smelt lovely and were lovely and soft in my hands. As for my hair, they made it soft and lightweight and helped with my unruly curly frizz. I did find that my hair required washing a day earlier than I would usually do so though. Otherwise a lovely product I will happily continue to use until they are all gone.
Mitchell and Peach Flora no.1 Fine Edition Eau de Parfum 15ml
The Mitchell and Peach perfume smells nice, it isn’t the type of scent I would normally wear, however it is nice and spring-like. The bottle size is ideal for a handbag or travel bag. It says it is created in England using essential oils from the Mitchell Estate, which is very interesting, and I like to support British business where I can.
Now I am going to talk about the April “Blossom” Glossybox which honestly I was really impressed by. My first proper Glossybox containing the handpicked products that they had chosen for this month as opposed to the mystery box I received initially. They did well to stick with the Blossom theme within the products and even the box smelt nice when I opened it.
The products that I had inside my “Blossom” box for April were the following: Nails INC Nail Polish – Pink – “Blossom Kisses” 14ml Avant Face Exfoliant “Gentle Rose Beautifying” 50ml The Ritual of Sakura Cherry Blossom Rice Body Scrub 70ml Sanctuary Spa Nourishing Rose Petal Face Mask 30g Sport FX Raspberry + Rhubarb Recovery Lip Balm SPF15 8g
I have tested everything except for the Mask as I haven’t had time to do it. Three products stood out for me in quality, the lip balm smells really lovely and was nice when worn, but it is not the best balm I have tested. I would give it a 4/5.
It’s hard for me to pick a true favourite item in this box because I have three that I loved and would rate all three of these 5/5. So I’m going to tell you about each of them now and why.
Firstly the Nails INC Nail Polish was such good quality, one coat lasted ten days with minor chipping, that includes daily chores, washing my hands tons of extra times a day and playing and bathing my toddler! It’s an excellent brand of polish and a lovely shade of pink as well, you can see photos of me wearing this polish on my social media. The quality and ease of application with the nicely shaped brush are why I give it 5/5.
My second favourite is the Ritual Cherry Blossom Body Scrub. It made my skin smell lovely and feel soft. It was a nice product for a bit of much needed self care, I used mine in the shower as I have little time for a bath these days! Cherry Blossoms are some of my favourite flowering trees. For how it made my skin feel, with no reactions and a little of it went a long way too, that’s why it gets 5/5.
Finally my third item of choice is the Avant Face Exfoliant. I often use a face cleanser and scrub so it was nice to try a new brand of one. It smells strongly of the Rose and was incredibly soft between my fingers. You can barely feel the scrub aspect, it’s gentle on your skin but very effective. I now use it three times a week to remove dead skin. This face exfoliant worked well with my skin, I had no reactions which is something I’m always wary of having sensitive skin. I have used it for two weeks now and would recommend it to others, I’m not even a quarter down the tube after multiple uses, for its quality I’d definitely like to give it a 5/5.
Thank you for joining me for this beauty review today, I know that it’s been a while since I shared any of my self care on my blog, that is mainly due to the fact I haven’t tried any new products for a while, plus my self care and skin routine has kind of gone out the window recently. I rectified this when I realised that I need to start taking better care of myself. I was putting all of my energy into being a good mother and it left me with very little time nor energy to do the little extras for myself. But do you know what? Trialing these products made me realise that I do deserve to do more than just cleanse and moisturise once a day. I have thoroughly enjoyed reviewing these items and noticed my skin improved too. Plus I have made time for skin care in my life through buying these boxes and that cannot be a bad thing! I just now need to maintain that time!
Would I recommend Glossybox to a friend? Or even any of you? Yes I would. If you like to try and find new beauty and makeup products and enjoy the testing aspects, I would say go for it. It’s a box of treats and self care is so important.
If you would like to use my referral to get 20% off your first box then please click here.
Can I buy a Summer outfit for £20 or less including footwear and an accessory?
I set myself a blogging challenge for the start of this summer, get an outfit or a few for a set price, including footwear and an accessory too! What I mean is buying items that can be paired in different ways to create multiple outfits. This post will explain what I bought and why, and I will also review score the items individually as well.
Primark Dolly Shoes
Why I Set Myself A Shopping Challenge
So I had my first ever trip to the Horse Racing for a Hen Weekend in June… I had a great time! I came home with £47 profit and I decided to treat myself with it. As a mum I don’t get to go out much and I certainly don’t spend very much on myself anymore. Until I went on this shopping trip that I’m about to describe to you it had been almost two years since I had been shopping for clothes that weren’t for a special occasion, or Maternity clothes or Breastfeeding Essentials. It was time to browse and get something that I liked or loved and to try something and not feel guilty about it. Everyone needs a treat once in a while don’t they?!
So I was talking to my best friend about setting myself a challenge that I could explain here on the blog. I concluded that if I popped another £3 on to my winnings I then had £50 to spend. With her opinions on items I picked out I decided to do this challenge, I allocated the money to my two favourite high street stores. I gave £20 for Dorothy Perkins and £30 for Primark.
My Challenge… Could I get an outfit for £20? Yes I could! In fact I got the equivalent of 3 outfits from Primark & 1 from DP! All for £50! Here is how! By mixing and matching the various items that I bought I was able to make several outfits from them.
While shopping in Primark what I found was a mixture of full price (FP) items and sale items (S). My Dorothy Perkins outfit was complied of all sale items and then I would simply include jeans that I already owned from DP to finish the look, I did not include these in the final price because I already had them.
Primark Yellow Accessories
1. The Summer Shirt Outfit – A Garden BBQ or Day at the Beach – Primark – Worth £20 Total
Wear this shirt with either leggings on a cool day or a pair of shorts. Leave it untucked and long in length or tucked in for two entirely different looks. Pair with Dolly Shoes, Flip Flops or even Boots. You can wear something beneath the shirt if you want to, like this vest.
Blue Striped Summer Shirt £10.00 FP Black Leggings £4.50 FP Dolly Shoes in Yellow £3.50 FP Hair Scunchie Tie £2.00 FP
2. The Practical Outfit – Day Out With Family – Dorothy Perkins – Worth £20 Total
Pair this gorgeous Rust coloured duo with black jeans or black jeggings and some dark accessories for a great transition to Autumn look. If you want to wear this shirt in summer it works great in an evening with jeans and heels too. The pretty buttons and pocket details really make the shirt stand out.
Rust Coloured Shirt S £12.00 Rust Ankle Boots S £8.00
Rust Coloured Duo of Shirt and Boots from DP
3. Every Day Summer Outfit For Home Or Casual Outings – Primark – Worth £21 Total
Who doesn’t love a practical pair of shorts that go well with almost everything? Well this dark green pair look great with a vest, t-shirt or even a short shirt. Pair with various shoes depending on the weather and also where you plan on going to.
Cargo Shorts £12.00 FP T-Shirt or Vest £3.00 FP Dolly Shoes £3.50 FP Hair Scrunchie Tie £2.50 FP
Cargo Shorts with Vest with Yellow Accessories for a Hot Summer Day
4. Hot Weather Day Out or At Home Having Fun In The Garden – Primark – Worth £21.50 Total
Using the shorts once again for this combination but based more casually, dolly shoes for walking about and a vest with a shirt for casual but comfortable wearing.
Cargo Shorts £12.00 FP Vest £3.00 FP White Shirt £3.00 S Dolly Shoes £3.50 FP
Cargo Shorts, White Arrow Shirt with Blue Dolly Shoes
Final Primark Purchases, Prices & Scores – Total Spend of £44.00
Striped Blue Shirt £10.00 – ✩ – ✩ – Score 4/5 Green Cargo Shorts £12.00 – ✩ – ✩ – Score 4/5 Green Vest £3.00 – ✩ – ✩ – Score 4/5 Blue Dolly Shoes £3.50 – ✩ – ✩ – Score 5/5 White Arrows Shirt £3.00 – ✩ – ✩ – Score 3/5 Blue Striped Vest £3.50 – ✩ – ✩ – Score 5/5 Yellow Dolly Shoes £3.50 – ✩ – ✩ – Score 5/5 Hair Band and Scrunchie £2.50 – ✩ – ✩ – Score 5/5 T-Shirt £3.00 – ✩ – ✩ – Score 4/5
Final Dorothy Perkins Purchases, Prices & Scores – Total Spend £20.00
Rust Shirt with Linen £12.00 – ✩ – ✩ – Score 5/5 LINK Rust Wide Fit ‘Mayfair’ Ankle Boots £8.00 – ✩ – ✩ – Score 5/5 LINK
So I went over my budget very slightly, however the combinations that I have achieved with the clothing and accessories that I bought make it justifiable. Overall the items that I decided to purchase have had added uses because they were either useful, like the shirts I use for breastfeeding during the warmer months, or that the pieces were investments for the next few years (hopefully!) such as all of the shoes.
The previous Dolly Shoes that I bought in Primark were from 2016 and 2017 and they are only just beginning to wear out. I hope these new ones last me just as long! It’s also nice to grab the colours in season when you see them available. A few years ago I had metallic colours from Primark and I never saw them again! I still have a Rose Gold pair I keep for special occasions.
The Boots I got from Dorothy Perkins were an investment for many Autumnal days to come, because at £8 in the sale you cannot beat that kind of a bargain! Especially ones that fit well and are comfortable.
Primark vests are items I wear every single day as a breastfeeding mama bear. So grabbing a couple of these was essential to my shopping trip. (Now that we are currently having a heatwave in the UK I’m even more grateful to have gotten them!).
Primark Items:
Quality of Fabrics 4/5 – The fabric quality was mixed, the vests in Primark are always good, the shorts were thick and strong. The shirts were relatively thin and creased easily. The Shirt is 86% Cotton and 14% Linen.
Designs 4/5 – I thought the items that I chose all had design merits. The shirts were nicely designed with their patterns. The shoes were simply designed by great colours for Summer. I loved the shorts with multiple pockets and the scrunchie hair tie was such a pretty mix of both pattern and colours.
Cost Price 4/5 – Overall I felt most items were affordable for their price and function, the shorts were great quality for their price and the dolly shoes I find are always good quality but very affordable.
Value for Money – 4/5 – I think that Primark items are usually good value for money, some more than others but generally you get what you pay for. I have washed and worn the vests multiple times and they still look good.
Dorothy Perkins Items:
Quality of Items – 5/5 – I was very impressed with the quality of the shirt and the boot that I have purchased. The shirt isn’t thin and is well made, and the shoes look well stitched and are well presented with no marks.
Designs – 5/5 – I love the Rust shade that DP has chosen for some items this Season. Additionally the shirt has a lovely shape to it and is rather flattering when worn. The Boots are comfortable and were available in Wide Fit which is a design bonus. The heels aren’t too high and are wedged to allow comfortable wearing.
Cost Price – 5/5 – I wouldn’t have considered purchasing either of these items unless they had been in the sale already. Their original prices were Boots £35.00 and the Shirt £22. I am very lucky to have gotten them so cheap with a saving of £37.00!
Value for Money – 5/5 – For the amount of money that I have paid for these things I am more than happy to give the value for money spent a 5/5.
Overall I’m very happy with my shopping purchases. It’s also been a couple of weeks now and I have worn the shirts several times, I’ve also worn the vests multiple times and they have been washed and worn repeatedly in this lovely warm weather. I haven’t needed to wear the Dolly Shoes yet but they are an investment for when my current two pairs give up the ghost so to speak! I’m still happy with every piece that I bought, I guess you could say it’s been money well spent! I look forward to wearing the rest of the items over the warm summer weeks…
Here are a couple of images of me wearing some of the new items…
Rust Shirt (Left) & White Arrows Shirt (Right)
Blue Striped Shirt and Yellow Scrunchie Hair Tie
Thank you for reading this blog post today, I hope you’ve enjoyed it. Have you gotten any retail bargains lately? Have a great time if you’re off out for some retail therapy!
✩ Sabrina ✩
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