January Sale Bargains

I've already posted about what I got for Christmas, but now it's time to share my own bargains! I know many fellow bloggers enjoy snooping about to see what everyone is buying and so now I'd like to join in.

Thanks to living on a very tight student budget for four years, and barely earning anything before that, I'm used to averting my eyes and ears when the January and summer sales come round. However, now that I have my first job, I decided that, this year, I would treat myself to a few things, all of which I need and desire. I can't help but feel very guilty whenever I go shopping, so I resisted the temptation to take anything back and am now really grateful that I didn't!

Here are just some of the bargains I found in the sales (I bought some underwear too but I'm not really keen on letting the world see what I wear under my clothes!)

Urban Outfitters

I love Urban Outfitters - it's one of my favourite stores and I was ecstatic when they opened one close to me! Their content is really eclectic and, though I can't always find something for me in store (I just can't pull off PVC leggings and tiny crop tops) I enjoy feasting my eyes on some of their unusual stock. This was the first shop I hit in the sales and so I didn't go silly, but I absolutely love what I found in there:

Makeup bag: £7 (reduced from £12), Earrings: £3 each (reduced from £6)

I was lusting after this makeup bag before Christmas so I jumped with excitement when I saw that it was on sale! It's beautiful, understated and the perfect size for putting my makeup essentials into my handbag. Definitely one of my favourite sales purchases - I just know it will last for a very long time.

The earrings are also stunning - I love the jewellery in UO but often find it overpriced. These were half price, so such a bargain, and I wanted to get some different jewellery. I don't wear earrings enough, and wanted to build a collection this year! I've been wearing the second pair almost nonstop.

Boots 

I needed to buy some mascara anyway, as my Rimmell mascara had run out just around Christmas (the horror!), so I went into Boots to just have a browse at their 3 for 2 offers. I stumbled across this gift set from Soap & Glory, and instantly knew I had to have it.

Soap & Glory Eyes Box: £8 (reduced from £19)

Boots have a great sale on after Christmas, with all of their fabulous gift sets around half price. I knew this would be ideal for me. Not only have I wanted to try Soap & Glory makeup for ages, but it turned out cheaper to buy this set than to buy the S&G mascara on its own! The mascara alone is £10, but for £2 less I also got  Smoulder Kohl waterproof eyeliner, six Lid Stuff eyeshadow shades and a mirror & brush! I thought it was an absolute bargain. 

I have so far worn both the mascara and eyeliner and adore them both, and can't recommend them enough. They have great staying power and are easy to apply - I hope to review them both soon. The eyeshadows are beautifully pigmented and although I haven't tried them yet, I will do soon!

Before Christmas, when the sales prices were already coming into store, I also treated myself to a curling wand, since I had my hair cut short and wanted to experiment. I went for this Remmington Pearl curling wand (which you can find HERE) 

Remmington C196W1 Curling Wand: £19.99 (reduced from £34.99) 

Sadly it doesn't seem to be on sale any more, but I managed to get it for just over half price, which for me was a bargain. It comes with a pouch and heat defense gloves, and it's a beautiful colour. I used it on Christmas Day and it gave me fantastic results, lasting overnight! I couldn't be happier with this bargain. I'll be reviewing this product for you in the future too.

Accessorize

I've never been able to resist an Accessorize sale! I did look at a few handbags but didn't want to go silly, so I simply went for two more earring sets to start off my year. 

Rose Gold studs: £2.50 (reduced from £5) Sterling Silver Studs: £3 (reduced from £6)

These two sets are both simple and I expect them to go with most outfits. I've been loving Rose Gold since I saw a few beauty posts featuring the colour - I still have yet to find the Rose Gold Sally Hansen varnish as seen on Fleur De Force's blog! I also wanted to get the sterling silver ones as sometimes my ears misbehave and react to non-silver earrings - so these should calm them down if they're feeling sensitive. I couldn't resist these and have worn them a lot already. Sometimes, simple is better - though I'm sure it won't be logn until I give in and buy a few statement earrings!

Primark

Since moving out of my family home for my new job (can I still call it a new job when I've been there for two months!?) I have been wanting to make my new room as personal and cosy as possible. I spotted a beautiful dark green tartan and fleece-lined throw in Primark before Christmas - however, by the time I made it to the sales it had already gone. I did, nevertheless, find this beauty:

Tartan Throw: £3.90 (reduced from £5)

Granted, it wasn't much money off, but it was already cheap! It's not huge, and maybe next time I'll pay a little more for one of their 'Extra Large' throws, but it really goes well in my room and is so, so soft! I love it and look forward to snuggling down in it this January.

 Waterstones

I am a huge, huge fan of getting organised; I've been keeping a written diary for many many years and always have another for dates and appointments in my bag, along with my iPhone Calendar and Hotmail Calendar! This year I couldn't wait to get planning, especially with all the things I want to do, and when I heard that Waterstones had Half Price Moleskine diaries, I just had to check it out!

Moleskine Daily Diary, Soft Cover: £9.25 (reduced from £18.50)

I managed to grab the last one in my local store, which was a huge relief. I have to admit, this is the one purchase I am most excited about! I would never pay nearly £20 for a diary, so to get this half price was amazing. For me, it's worth paying more for something I am going to rely on all year, and Moleskine's are reputed to be fantastic. I am not disappointed; the pages are immaculate, the cover is beautiful and it's so simple and sophisticated! I can tell it's high quality. I plan to do a full post on it soon, so I'll leave it there for now!

New Look

I ventured into New Look warily - the sale can get a little messy in there, but I have been in dire need for new clothes and shoes for some time, and really wanted to find something. Their latest collections have been lovely, so I was determined to find at least one thing at a discount! I wasn't disappointed and spotted these gems.

Gold Studded Peplum top: £6 (reduced from about £12.99), Grey Skater Skirt: £5 (reduced from about £12.99), Dark Burgundy Brogues: £10 (reduced from about £25)

Apologies for the vague prices, but I couldn't remember how much they cost originally as I wore them pretty much straight away! I chose the top for something different, and it was perfect for New Years Eve. The skirt  is simple and perfect for both casual and work wear, and fits really well. The shoes...well! I've been wanting these for months and was ecstatic when they were so cheap, and in my size! No doubt I will wear these to death. The new collections in New Look are looking gorgeous and I'm sure when Pay Day comes round at the end of this month I will be treating myself to a couple of new-season beauties.

So there you have it: my January Sale bargains! 

If you've written a blog post or filmed a video about your purchases in the sales, let me know in the comments below!

Jo

xxx