*Tips For Selling Unwanted Items Online

Image from Fashionably Kay via Pinterest

I have been selling unwanted or extra items online for a while, especially since starting my blog as a fair amount of items, homeware and products have been replaced with newer blogger mail. However, selling items online isn't always straight forward, easy or stress free. Today's post is all about my basic tips to help you when you need to earn a little extra money and points to consider when selling online.

Choosing The Right Platform For You

Firstly, you need to choose which platform is right for the items you are selling. There are so many to choose from including Depop, eBay, Gumtree, Music Magpie and more. The platforms I've used the most include eBay and Music Magpie, I've used the latter so much over the past month or two. If you have tech, books or dvds to sell then I cannot recommend Music Magpie enough as it is so quick and easy to use with free delivery. Additionally, a car boot is another great option but be prepared to lower your prices and to haggle.

Research Prices 

Before selling larger or more expensive items, I always look on selling sites to see what others are selling similar items for so that I'm not asking too much or too little. Higher prices might lead to no sales but on the other hand you want to earn as much as you can. I check eBay mostly when I'm looking for prices to add to my items before selling online.

Great Photos + Honest, Informative Descriptions 

When I look through eBay I am always deterred from clicking on the items with awful, poorly lit or minimal photos. I try to make my photos and items look as attractive, clean and as new as possible because as a buyer, that's what I would want to see. Make sure you use a clean, plain background, a well lit area and take photos of various angles.

A through and informative description of the item is key as well but keep the tone informal, friendly and honest. I usually list the item specifications and information as a bullet pointed list which makes it easy and quick to read. I also always leave my email and delivery information so everything about the item, transaction and delivery is clear from the start.

Delivery Options

Last but not least is delivery. Royal Mail is a great option for international deliveries and for smaller, more inexpensive items such as books, sealed beauty products and homeware items but for larger items including furniture, it isn't the best option.

Shiply is a cheap furniture delivery option with which you can save up to 75% off standard rates! It's quick, easy and fuss free to get a quote - no phone calls required (which is amazing for me as even though I'm in my mid-twenties, I hate calling people on the phone!). All you have to do is request a quote, compare prices and choose the right quote for you. It's simple to use and perfect for the delivery of larger items you've sold or if you are moving home!

Do you have any tips for selling unwanted items online? 

*This is a sponsored post
*Image from Pinterest 

Read More

Bomb Cosmetics The Pet Set Bomb Surprise

Today's post is a little special as it features a brand new and adorable product from the lovely people over at Bomb Cosmetics! I'm lucky enough to be a Bomb Cosmetics 'bomb babe' ambassador so I receive wonderful goodies to review on my blog, one of which is this new (and huge) bath bomb for little ones! I have a few Bomb Cosmetics product reviews on my blog already if you want to check them out.

*Bomb Cosmetics The Pet Set Bomb Surprise (£6.99)

Bomb Cosmetics have just released a huge selection of new products including their amazing halloween collection (that I need) and their equally as gorgeous christmas collection which if it is like their collection last year, I cannot recommend enough.

The new product I'm reviewing today is The Pet Set Bomb Surprise which admittedly for me is a little bit of a confusing name - I think Bomb Surprise would have been a more straight forward name, in my opinion. However, whatever the name, it's a huge pink bath bomb that contains lots of little surprises inside that the little ones in your life will love!

The bath bomb is so much bigger than their normal bath bombs and unlike other bath bombs, as you unwrap the bath bomb you receive little gifts along the way such as stickers and a temporary tattoo before you even use the it! The bath bomb might be pink but I think it would be great for boys and girls, because bath bombs aren't gendered.

For the bath bomb itself, it's a very cute product to use as it contains little colourful stars, a rainbow design and it looks very pretty as it fizzles away in the water with bursts of pink. It leaves behind a lovely bright pink bath to enjoy and a little surprise egg in the centre. The egg contains a cute squishy pet toy inside and there are 36 different pets to collect but I received an adorable pink rabbit in mine! I would have absolutely adored this bath bomb as a child, it's a cross between a fun bath bomb, non-edible kinder egg and a surprise goodie bag! You can see all of the gifts that I received in my bath bomb and the bath bomb in action in the video below!

What do you think of this cute bath bomb? Would you buy it for the little ones in your life?

Read More

*SEO: A Blogger's Perspective

Image from Bloglovin via Pinterest

I started my blog back in 2012 which seems like a lifetime ago and when I started blogging it was nothing like it is now! Blogging in 2012, for me, was a huge learning curve and it still is but one aspect of blogging now that I didn't even know about in 2012 was SEO, working with PRs and the myriad of technical aspects that go into blogging such as photography, SEO and statistics.

As I've said, SEO and everything that goes along with it was something I never knew about when I started but now it's something I do without thinking almost and it is also a side of blogging that cannot be ignored if you want a 'successful' blog - obviously success in any form is very different to each person and working with brands etc isn't the only form of blogging 'success'. I've been very lucky to work with some amazing PRs such as Click Consult SEO Agency and brands including Harrods, The Hut Group, Degustabox and many more which I'm very grateful for but there's so much more to learn and improve upon.

Guest Posts & Increasing Your DA

Let's start with one of the simplest ways of promoting your blog, receiving backlinks and increasing your DA (domain authority). Firstly, domain authority is a measure of ranking for a website and predicts how well a website/blog will rank on search engine results pages. The higher the number the better and the more likely it is that your blog will be viewed through searches which is why it is an important metric for brands/PR collaborations. There's so much more to it than that but that's my basic understanding!

Blogging can seem like a numbers game at times, and in 2018 it definitely is, but don't be disheartened if your blogging statistics aren't what you want them to be as there are things you can do to improve. A simple way to improve your DA is by getting backlinks to your blog from other reputable websites such as a brands website or another 'well ranked' blog so if you can write guest posts with links back to your blog then that will probably improve your DA.

Keywords 

Now onto an aspect of SEO that is the most confusing to me, keywords. Keywords are words and phrases that you use in your post (sometimes without even knowing it) which make it easier for people to find your blog/website via a search engine. If you use popular and relevant search terms/keywords in your posts then it's more likely that someone searching for information based on those keywords will find your post/blog/website. I believe that keywords are a main part of SEO and something bloggers could look into but the main aspect that I find challenging is the keyword researching and knowing which to use. Using keywords that stand out from your 'competitors' and updating the keywords you use can help. You can use keyword tools to help you find keywords for your topic. I think for bloggers, it might be mainly intuitive and by trial and error in terms of knowing what keywords to use. I need to research this much more!

Utilise Social Media

Last but not least is something I again never really considered when I just started blogging - no wonder no-one was reading my posts! I had an instagram account which I used for my blog but I only created a twitter account a couple of years after starting my blog...I couldn't be without twitter now. Twitter is my most used and most popular platform with the highest number of followers so I always promote my posts on there with relevant hashtags and tagging the mentioned brands. One platform that I love and I know that it can be very effective for blog traffic is Pinterest; one of my blogging goals for the rest of the year is to try and use Pinterest for my blog. If you have any tips on the latter, let me know in the comments!

Those are just a few ideas and tips that might help you with your blogs visibility and SEO but there are so many other points such as linking to your previous posts in your newer ones, having an option to follow your social media accounts on your blog/creating a newsletter and if you mention brands or bloggers in your post - tag them and you might be lucky and get a link in return.

If you're a blogger, do you consider SEO when writing your posts? Do you check your blog statistics?

*This is a collaborative post
*Image from Pinterest 

Read More

August + September Beauty Favourites

I have been lucky enough to receive so many wonderful products over the past couple of months and almost all of them have made my monthly favourites posts. Thanks so much to the following brands: Tangle Angel, Bomb Cosmetics, Freshly and Masque Bar.

Bodhi and Birch Botanic Dew Hand and Body Wash (£16, 200ml)

Let's start with one of my favourite luxury body care brands, Bodhi and Birch. They have a wide range of gorgeous and very luxurious body care products as well as gift sets. The Bodhi and Birch products that I've used and loved the most is the Botanic Dew body wash which has become a staple in my shower! The scent is heavenly as all Bodhi and Birch products are and I cannot recommend it enough!

*Freshly Detox Firming Body Cream (£23, 250ml)

Another body product that I've been obsessed with recently is from a brand that is new to me, Freshly. Firstly, I love the packaging, how effective the products are and the lovely ingredients such as caffeine, ginger, cucumber, witch hazel and more. Body creams are something I haven't really used for a couple of months because of the hot weather but now that the weather is finally becoming a little chilly (thankfully), I've been reaching for them much more for an added boost of moisture.

The cream has a light fresh and fruity scent that is fairly subtle, thankfully as I'm not a huge fan of overpoweringly stone scents in bodycare or skincare products. It has such a lovely, rich and nourishing texture but it isn't heavy, greasy or slow to absorb. For me, it's the perfect body cream with the added benefits of being firming.

*Freshly Multi-Antioxidant Concentrate Serum (£31, 40ml)

Next up from Freshly is a gorgeous serum with equally lovely natural ingredients including vitamin c, vegan hyaluronic acid, cucumber, rose, jojoba oil and more. Both products are also cruelty free and suitable for vegans - if you're looking for skincare or bodycare as gifts this Christmas then look no further than Freshly as it ticks all of the boxes.

The serum comes with a pipette dispenser which I love as it means that I only use the amount I need to each time. I also like that it is orange in colour which makes it a little more unusual! As with the body cream, this serum has a rich, nourishing texture which glides onto the skin leaving it very moisturised, velvety smooth and silky soft!

Organii Lavender Liquid Soap 

I've reviewed both of these next two products on my blog already and I've already raved about them but they are products that I use every single day without fail - I'm so impressed with them and I needed to rave about them again. The lavender liquid soap is not only a gentle but effective hand wash but the scent is so beautiful and lingers for a little while too. I have eczema on my hands and this hand wash doesn't irritate it so if you are looking for a gentle and gorgeously scened hand wash then look no further.

Blanx Pro Whitening Pure White Toothpaste 

I've been using this range for months now and unlike all of the other whitening toothpastes I've tried, these actually work and they don't have an awful aftertaste, they aren't too strong and they don't have a strange consistency/texture which is something I have found with other whitening toothpastes I've tried in the past. My favourite of the three has to be the pure white flavour and I will definitely be buying another tube when it runs out!

*Tangle Angel Pro (£19.50)

Since having ten inches cut off my hair last month for The Little Princess Trust, a UK charity that makes real hair wigs for children and young people with cancer for free, I have been a little obsessed with haircare products and trying new styles. One of my favourite haircare products is the very pretty Tangle Angel in the very blogger appropriate rose gold shade! The brush is perfect for my thick, mid-length hair and I think it would have been even more effective on my waist length hair before it was cut and donated.

*Tangle Angel Compact (£19.50)

I was also very kindly sent the equally as gorgeous compact version which features the same unique design and rose gold shade but it is small and it splits in half so it doubles as a hair brush and mirror. The mirror and brush are of a decent size so they'd be ideal for travelling or keeping in your handbag. Tangle Angel brushes aren't just great hair brushes but they are also suitable for use with extensions, heat, childrens hair and wet hair! They are the ultimate hair brushes and I cannot recommend them enough (they'd make great stocking fillers).

*Masque Bar Pig Hydrating Mask (£3.99)

Last but not least is perhaps one of the creepiest products I've used in a while as it's a hydrating sheet mask (that sounds normal, right?) that has a pig face printed onto it...It looks quite cute and unusual in the packet but on the skin, now that's a different story. Despite halloween coming a little early, it is actually the nicest sheet mask I've used. I'm not the biggest face of sheet masks, I'd rather use a creamy or clay based mask but this one really hydrates my skin, it's easy to use, mess free and I think it would make a great girly pamper night product (or as a funny but practical stocking filler this christmas). They have range of Pretty Animalz masks in various designs such as a fox, frog, panda, unicorn and more to choose from so why not give it a go!

Have you tried any of these products? What products have you been loving recently?

Read More

August Audiobook Wrap-up 2018

I'm sadly coming to the end of my BookBeat subscription and I wanted to listen to as many short audiobooks as I could this month to boost my read books for the month and because I've had so many of these on my saved list for ages! As I was on holiday this month I was able to read and listen to a lot of books and there were quite a few car journeys in August too so I could listen to an audiobook or two in one car journey (especially travelling to and from Chatsworth for my birthday which was about a four hour round trip). I managed to listen to 15 audiobooks this month which I'm so happy with!

*The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning by Jane Magnusson via BookBeat ★★★

As my BookBeat subscription is coming to an end (cries), I am trying to listen to all of the short audiobooks I've had my eye on for a while and this was one of the newer ones. The title definitely drew me in and I thought it would be like those other minimalism, tidying up books that have been making the rounds recently but it wasn't what I fully expected sadly.

It's from the perspective of the author as an elderly woman who recounts lovely personal stories as well as tips to help you live more minimally and it introduced a concept I'd never thought of, death cleaning. Death cleaning is a Swedish concept in which you sort your belongings so they're less of a burden to your loved ones when you die - or you can do this for others rather than yourself. I found that concept very thought provoking, I liked the narrator, it was a very gentle/easy listening book and there were some useful tips but overall it was a little generic in terms of the advice and most of the tips were quite forgettable. I would recommend it as an interesting and very quick and easy listening audiobook but it was a little disappointed as it wasn't fully what I expected or wanted if I'm honest.

*Aesop's Fables by Aesop via BookBeat ★★

Another very short audiobook was one I've wanted to listen to for a while but it's an ancient classic as well as a childrens book so I didn't know if I'd like it and it turned out to be fairly disappointing, not what I expected and a little pointless, if I'm honest. It's described as enjoyable for children and adults alike but it's definitely more of a childrens book as the moral lessons for each very very short story are basic and far more suited to children than adults. The narrator was ok and I recognised some of the stories (tortoise and the hare etc) but it wasn't what I expected and the book seemed to be composed mainly of music/sound effects rather than the stories.

*The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson via BookBeat ★★ (2.5)

Yet another audiobook I've been meaning to listen to for a long time and a classic that even though I'm familiar with it, I hadn't read it before. I think we all know the story of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde from pop culture and I thought that the audiobook would be very simple and it was to an extent but the actual story is more philosophical than pop culture retellings. I did enjoy the audiobook to an extent, it was very short (I was able to listen to it fully in two sittings) and I'm glad I have now ticked it off my 'classics to read' list but it isn't something I'd ever listen to or read again.

*The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka via BookBeat ★★

First published in 1915, The Metamorphosis is Kafka's most well known works and a famous novella within literary circles. We follow the thoughts of a man who has transformed into a giant insect...it's a very unusual and melancholy audiobook. I think that perhaps some of the themes went over my head! I don't think it's something I'd ever read or listen to again to be honest but as with the previous audiobook, I'm glad it's now ticked off my list.

*History In An Hour: George Washington via BookBeat ★★

I've listened to a few of these and some of them can be a little forgettable and that's the case with this one for me, maybe these very short non-fiction audiobooks just aren't for me! I didn't know much about George Washington so it was an informative audiobook; however, it is quite forgettable.

*The Arrangements by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie via BookBeat ★★

This very short audiobook is one of the more unusual as it's Adichie's imagining of the life of Melania Trump featuring Donald Trump and his daughter Ivanka. I don't know how I feel about it, maybe some of the deeper themes went over my head but if it's something your interested in then check it out as it is an incredibly short, very quick audiobook that you could listen to in your lunch break or in the car.

*Orlando by Virginia Woolf via BookBeat ★★★

Orlando is one of the more unusual and unconventional works of Woolf, although I think it wasn't meant for readers but a friend of hers. We follow Orlando who initially is a male elizabethan noble who then transforms into a female ambassador and then a suffragette. The switching between genders is a very unique and interesting aspect of the book and I also enjoyed the historical elements. I didn't know how I'd feel about this classic but I did enjoyed it; however it was a quite forgettable for me (or maybe I lost my concentration - I usually listen to audiobooks as I'm doing other things).

*Classic American Stories via BookBeat ★★

As well as short audiobooks, I also wanted to listen to a few classics for my last month so I decided to listen to Classic American Short Stories from a variety of famous American authors such as Mark Twain. While I did like Jack London's story and how very short this audiobook was (I was able to listen to it in one sitting while in the car on the way to Chatsworth), overall it was extremely disappointing and mundane.

*The Importance Of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde via BookBeat ★★★

Another book I was able to listen to in one sitting in the car was a famous facial comedy play from Oscar Wilde. I think most people study classics within school, including this play but the only piece of classic literature we studied was Of Mice And Men! The audiobook was in the style of a dramatic radio play with sound effects etc which I loved. The narrators were all fantastic, it was an extremely short audiobook and it's the first play I've listen to - I was very surprised by how much I liked it!

We follow two friends; Algernon has discovered that his friend Ernest has created a fictional brother that he uses to escape mundane country life and Algernon poses as the fictional brother. What follows is comical confusion and lies that makes for an entertaining, very short audiobook. I'd definitely recommend it!

*Second Variety by Philip K Dick via BookBeat ★★★

I read The Man in the High Castle last year and while I didn't love it, I did want to give his writing another go so I listened to this very short audiobook on BookBeat and I definitely enjoyed this audiobook novella more. It was first published in the 1950's and it's set in a dystopian world in which technology has turned against humans, war has ravaged the world and everyone struggles to survive. It was an enjoyable and interesting audiobook, I liked the narrator and I would definitely recommend it as an interesting, very short sci-fi audiobook.

*Chilling Ghost Stories via BookBeat ★★★

Autumn is coming closer as is Halloween and I cannot contain my excitement which is why some of my reading and audiobooks have a spooky, autumnal vibe. Chilling Ghost Stories is exactly what it says, it features a range of authors including Edgar Allan Poe - his poem The Raven was definitely one of my favourites from this audiobook but sadly the others were very forgettable.

*Decline and Fall by Evelyn Waugh via BookBeat ★★★ (3.75)

I actually found a few favourite audiobooks in August and this was one of them. I only came across this audiobook as I was looking for very short audiobooks on the BookBeat website and I actually enjoyed it so much! We follow Paul Pennyfeather as he takes a teaching job at Llanabba castle and what follows is a ridiculous, comic farce. The narrator was very impressive! It has an air of Terry Pratchett's unseen university in terms of the shenanigans which I loved and it was an interesting, entertaining audiobook that I cannot recommend enough.

*The Crystal Crypt by Philip K Dick via BookBeat ★★★

I have been loving Philip K. Dick's very short sci-fi audiobooks recently as not only are they so easy to follow and finish (I finished this in one car journey) but they are more enjoyable than I thought they'd be especially as I'm not the biggest sci-fi fan. This was the shortest but it was still entertaining and interesting. However, as with some of the other audiobooks on this list, it's just a little forgettable if I'm honest, maybe because I'm reading and listening to so much this month.

*Monday or Tuesday by Virginia Woolf via BookBeat ★★

On the whole I rate most books and audiobooks three stars which is very good for me and something I'd recommend. My ratings are based in numerous factors such as the writing style, shock, entertainment etc and the narrator if it's an audiobook but my main factor is if I enjoyed the book or audiobook. Sadly with this one, apart from a couple of the short stories (the second and final stories), I didn't enjoy it at all. Perhaps I started with the wrong collection or maybe I'm not a fan of the stream of consciousness style.

*The Death of Ivan Ilyitch by Leo Tolstoy via BookBeat ★★★

Last but not least is a short classic from the famous Russian author, Leo Tolstoy. I read War and Peace last year and was surprised but how much I loved it so I wanted to read something else by Tolstoy but one that didn't have the weight of War and Peace. The Death go Ivan Illyitch is the story of a man who reaches the prominence and comfort of being a high court judge with a family and seemly everything he could want but he becomes ill with an unknown affliction. What follows is his deterioration and his contemplations of death, his life and what he has and hasn't accomplished. As with most of the audiobooks I listened to this month it was interesting, very short and fairly easy to finish but it was also a little forgettable for me and I think I'll stick to longer, richer and more in-depth audiobooks from now on.

My favourite audiobooks of the month have to include: Decline and Fall by Evelyn Waugh and The Importance Of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde with my least favourite being Monday or Tuesday by Virginia Woolf, Classic American Stories and Aesop's Fables sadly. I cannot recommend BookBeat enough for the amazing range of audiobooks they have, how easy the app is to use and how you can listen to as many audiobooks as you want in one month for a set price, rather than paying per audiobook.

Have you read or listened to any of these books?

Read More

LookFantastic X Clinique Limited Edition Box

I was very lucky to receive the amazing limited edition LookFantastic X Clinique beauty box just before I went on holiday so I'm a little behind with reviewing it so now it's sold out - sorry! LookFantastic is one of my favourite subscription boxes, I review their boxes on All Subscription Boxes which you can check out if you want more reviews.

*LookFantastic Limited Edition Clinique Box (£35 - sold out)

The LookFantastic and Clinique collaboration features a gorgeous box and six Clinique items, three of which are full sized items (that's amazing!). The box including a good range of skincare and makeup which I am very grateful for as I definitely prefer makeup in boxes rather than all skincare. In addition to the three full sized items, the other three are all decent travel or trial sizes.

*Clinique Moisture Surge 72 Hour Auto-Replishing Hydrator (50ml, full size)

Back in my teens I started to get into skincare thanks to my lovely aunties who know the value of a good skincare routine and probably saved me from awful teen skin before it started. Some of my first skincare included the Boots own cucumber range, Liz Earle (thanks aunties) and the famous Clinique three step program - all of which I loved.

I have moved on from those ranges over the years but I have come back to Clinique now and again, especially for their fantastic seven day scrub which is a product I used on and off for a long time when my eczema was at it's worst and it made such a positive difference to my skin on a daily basis. I have used this moisturiser previously, in sample form, and really liked it so I'm glad to have another as it has such a lovely gel like texture, it's instantly smoothing and provides more than enough hydration for my dry, sensitive skin.

*Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm (15ml)

Next up is a product I've actually wanted to try for so long! I have read so many blogger reviews raving about this makeup removing balm so I was very excited to find it in this limited edition box. I've only tried it once so far but I'm very impressed and it's made me remember how much I love using cleansing balms, especially on my dry skin, as for the past year or two I've been using gel and creamy cleansers but balms are definitely the way to go at this time of the year to beat the upcoming chill.

*Clinique PepStart Double Bubble Purifying Mask (12ml)

The final skincare item in the box is a face mask and to be honest, I didn't even know that Clinique made face masks...oops. I love the packaging of this product, well with all Clinique products, as it's simple but cute and colourful. The mask is has a gel-like consistency that transforms into a blanket of little bubbles to help remove surface oil and dirt from the skin. It sounds like a great purifying and cleansing mask so I can't wait to try it.

*Clinique Chubby Stick in Super Strawberry (full size)

One of my favourite products from the box is definitely the gorgeous chubby stick as not only is it the perfect everyday, casual and easy to wear shade but it is extremely comfortable, lightweight and moisturising to an extent. I have the 'broadest berry' chubby stick which I love but this one is more wearable on a daily basis and it's the lip product I've been missing since using up a couple of other lip colours recently. I cannot recommend this chubby stick enough, I love it!

*Clinique Quickliner For Eyes in 07 Really Black (full size)

The final full sized item in the limited edition box is an ever reliable eyeliner in black which features a long wearing, transfer-resistant formula and a self-sharpening nib so it's great for on the go or travelling. A black eyeliner is always useful and something I use much more often in the autumn and winter months.

*Clinique High Impact Mascara in Black (4ml)

Last but not least is another favourite from the box, a mini mascara that would have been perfect to take on holiday with me! I have tried quite a few Clinique mascara samples but I think this one is my favourite of them all. I have been wearing this volumising, no fuss mascara with a bb cream, brow pencil and the chubby stick for a simple, fresh everyday makeup look recently - I'm loving it!

Have you tried any of these products? Did you get your hands on this fantastic limited edition box?

Read More