Sunday 15 March 2015

A Lip Plumping Lip Gloss | Soap and Glory Pillow Plump



Now, when I was staring into the abyss of the Soap and Glory lip glosses, I was simply looking for a nude colour that I would soon fall in love with. And so when I bought this and took it home I expected it to just be a gloss that I top my everyday lipsticks- boy was I wrong-

This lip gloss, you see, has some very scientific ideas behind it: something to do with supporting fat cells that cushion the lips, but basically, when you put it on, it gives the weirdest tingly sensation but afterwards, oh wow it leaves the lips so full and with so much more shape. You can really see where your lips end and your skin starts (if that make sense) because before that line was kind of blurred. It makes you're lips look more voluptuous in a kind of show-offy way.

I'd never tried a lip plumping lip gloss and so I sort of went in blind, but you have my word- this is good. Definitely try it out, I think they have different colours but this is just what caught my eye first, even though it's that kind of boring old pink/nude shade.

oh and, it smells like chocolate, which is always a bonus.

Let me know if you'e tried this or anything like it :)

Lots of Love,
Sophie
xx

Wednesday 11 March 2015

Purchases from Boots

After a rather short February Favourites post, I decided to go into Boots and have a wonder through the aisles to see what's new on the high street. I don't know if it's because I only went to a local tiny Boots or if it's because nothing jumped at me too much, but I didn't find too much that took my fancy. I am however, excited to try these out:



Soap and Glory One Heck of  A Blot £12
I've heard such great things about tho powder so I couldn't believed I had never tried it. I love how this comes in a sturdy case with a compact mirror because it makes touching up on the go so much easier.
Soap and Glory Supercat Eyeliner £6
If you didn't know, I'm a jet-black, winged liner kinda girl, and since the Collection Fast Stroke liquid liner, I haven't found a drugstore one that does better. I've heard a couple of eyeliner enthusiasts like me talk about this product, so I'm excited to try this out and get back to you.

MaxFactor Wild Eyeshadow Pencil £5.99
I've actually already tried this today and i have to say, I am quite impressed. I have the colour 05 Caramel Rage which is a lovely shimmery gold colour. I love how easy eyeshadow pencils are because they save precious seconds in the morning: all you need to do is Swipe and Blend and that's all. I have found however, that this fades during the day so I might need to find an eyeshadow to set it with.

MaxFactor Creme Puff Blush £8.99
There's actually a whole range of colours, just that day I felt like buying this lovely deep berry mauve colour in the shade 30 Gorgeous berries. These are baked blush which have such good colour payoff and I love love love the shimmer in these. They definitely remind me of the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders so if you like those, try these as an alternative option.

Bourjois Paris Happy Light Matte Serum Primer £10.99
Recently, I've been wearing a lot of mineral powder foundations, which I love because they make your skin look great but it means that if you have oily skin, powdering over a powder can look a little caked on. That's why I've been hunting for a nice matte primer so I'll definitely have to report back on this one.

Lots of Love,
Sophie
xxx

Thursday 5 March 2015

February Favourites

So, apparently, it's march. I seemed to have missed the memo and apparently the snow did too. But it is the end of February nonetheless and so I suppose a monthly favourites is in order.





Revlon Colour Stay Foundation for combination/oily skin£12.49
For this month, I've really been loving a full coverage foundation, and this is one of my favourites. It covers all redness and blemishes while still leaving a glowing and not at all cakey look.

L’Oreal True Match Minerals Foundation £14.99
The only other foundation I've used this month is this one, which I've actually had for a while. I found it the back of my drawer, as all makeup enthusiasts do,  and I fell in love with it again. It's a lovely mineral foundation which means it's a powder but it has tiny shimmering specs in it, leaving a healthy "perky" glow.

Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Fearless £16.84
It's almost time to whip out the bright spring shades, so to enter in a somewhat subtle way, a baby pink coral shade is the way to go. It's so girly but chic, it's indescribable, and I think it would suit so many different skin tones, it's just -argh- so pretty.

Collection Fast Stroke Eyeliner £2.99
Almost everyday this month, I've been wearing a winged liner just because I love this one so much and it's so easier to get a smooth, crisp wing, perfect for freshening up a look.

Tanya Burr Lip Gloss in Smile, Dream, Sparkle £6.99

This is a gorgeous light pink gloss which goes so perfectly with the blush. I love the Tanya Burr Lip glosses and this is my favourite because it's just a simple gloss with a hint of sparkle and pink.

Wednesday 25 February 2015

Monthly Thoughts No.7

I'm currently sat on the front lawn-sunglasses on, laptop at hand, ready to do some serious work. It's actually unbelievably sunny today- unbelievable, considering schools were closed from snow less than two weeks ago.


February always goes quickly, being a short month anyway, but also the half term kind of near the end that splits the month just awkwardly enough. After the wild hype of Valentine's day, everything calms down and people are whizzing off to switzerland to enjoy the snowy Alps just before the season ends; leaving the rest of us to just sunbathe in our gardens and bask in the chilled out breezes of late February.

I've been meaning to do a few things around the house since the new year, but as of yet, none of that has happened, so I thought maybe I'll take what's left of this month and early march to really get organised. I mainly wanted to redecorate my room and also to tidy the study *aka the mess room*. Maybe I'll get it done before my birthday on the 23rd-that'd be a nice treat for myself.

I know it's been over a month since we all made those resolutions that we swore to keep the whole year, and I'm genuinely interested in whether you've kept yours? I didn't mae ambitious ones, but i have been blogging more and I've worked harder to revise for school, so so far, not too shabby. 

So have you kept your resolutions?- or have there been a few momentary lapses since the start of this year?

Lots of Love,
Sophie
xxx

Saturday 21 February 2015

A Timeless Pink

I seem to have suddenly fallen in love with a pink lipstick completely out of my comfort zone. I'm not one to usually go for brights or pinks or mauves and the like- and so when I became absolutely infatuated with this lipstick, I thought it apt to dedicate a blog post to it:


Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in SUSPENSE 80 £25
Let's start with the lipstick, since that's why most of you are here. I received this as a gift for Christmas but hadn't really worn it until recently, but I knew from the minute it reached my lips, I was going to be completely besotted by it. First of all, the colour is absolutely stunning; now, I've said I don't usually go for pinks of this sort- (they always look a bit cheap or distasteful) but this, this is quite something. I think it would suit so many skin tones and shades, cool or warm toned, fair or tanned, this colour will look elegant and sophisticated. I think the colour would be enough, but just as an added bonus, the formula of these is quite unique I think: it's creamy and glossy but the colour is still there, kind of like the Clarins Instant Light Perfecters, but with better colour payoff. I hadn't tried these before but I know a lot of people love them. And yes, I know it's expensive, especially for a lipstick, but you're really investing ing a quality product, so at least go and have a swatch in store.


 L'Oreal True Match Foundation £9.99
After much babbling on the lips, a lipstick like this deserves a great face to match. As it's so bold, a flawless base will really help you pull it off. This foundation is good, full coverage and there is such a variety of shades. This blends quickly into the skin and then stays all day, the texture is quite dewy so if you have oily skin like me, a powder will help to set it, but sometimes I can get away without one.

Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer £22
Since the foundation is pretty good coverage, I just take this concealer in the shade VANILLA to highlight on the eyes and on the nose. This acts like a highlighter so you don't need to add anything extra because for such classic look like this: the simpler, the better.

Benefit Hoola Bronzer £23.50
This has just been my go to bronzer recently; it's the perfect colour for my skin tone and so it's great for some serious cheekbone-faking. I think it just looks so model-esque, which matches perfectly with this lip.

Maybelline Colour Tattoo in ON AND ON BRONZE £4.99
For the eyes, nothing too fancy, just take the maybelline colour tattoo in this lovely shimmery bronze shade and sweep all over the lids, blending well for a subtle wash of colour across the lids. Now it looks like you've made an effort but still doesn't take attention away from the lips.

Bobbi Brown Intensifying Long-Wear Macara £19.50
And finally, to top it all off, this Bobbi Brown mascara is one of my favourites for real definition in the lashes. The wand is so small so it lengthens the lashes without any clumps and it's great for the bottom lashes as well. I don't think this is declared as "waterproof" but it's pretty budge-proof; I can wear it all day without worrying about smudging.

I can't believe I've never tried this formula of lipstick before, any other colour recommendations?

Lots of Love,
Sophie
xxx







Monday 16 February 2015

A Fresh and Simple Look

Apologies everyone, for I haven't left the confines of my bedroom for a week, which is why no post has come this past week. I had, unfortunately, been very ill- but now that I'm better, I thought I'd share with you a makeup look that is fresh and simple for when you are recovering from being ill, and want to look like you've had a spa weekend away.


Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum £10.99
An old favourite of mine but it's one I can always count on. It's a very light coverage gel textured foundation but it's so radiant and dewey it makes your skin look fresh and glowy in an instant.
Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer £22
Because the foundation was light coverage, I sometimes need a bit of concealer on any redness or blemishes. I have the colour Vanilla which is yellow enough for redness but also pink enough to counteract any blueness under the eyes. It immediately wakes up the face, which, trust me, is desperately needed while being ill.
Bourjois Healthy Balance Powder £8.99
The foundation is very dewy, which is nice for a fresh look, but on my oily skin, I look like a baby seal- not a good look. I like this powder because it balances the oiliness but still leaves a "lit from within" glow and you can touch up as many times in the day and it never looks caked on or overdone.
MaxFactor Clump Defy False Lash Effect £10.99 (waterproof)
For mascara, one that really defines the lashes will make the eyes look bigger and more awake. This has one of those plastic brushes so it really separates the lashes and adds extra length. The waterproof  formula is really good because it dries quickly and then doesn't budge all day.
Soap and Glory Peach Party £11
This is one of my favourite favourite products in the look. It's a shimmer brick with some pink and peach tones and also some copper/brown tones. This is a blush/highlight hybrid that will instantly perk up the cheeks leaving a fresh and natural shine. I think this would suit so many types of skin tones: the light pink shades will be great on porcelain pale skin, the peach and pink will suit warm and cool skin tones and the darker brown will add a lovely bronze that warms the face with a touch of shimmer.
Benefit Hoola Bronzer £23.50
If you're into a more contoured look, like me, the Hoola bronzer by benefit is the perfect balance between an ashy/shadowy colour and a warm orangey colour. It's the perfect shade for a light touch of shadow below the cheekbones which gives just a bit more definition to the face.
Burt's Bees Tinted Lip Balm in Hibiscus £5.99
Finally, pour le bouche, this tinted lip balm is a perfect rosy colour that will add colour while hydrating those chapped dried out lips that are the product of dehydration and staying in bed all day. Hibiscus is such a deep berry toned colour that's still easy to throw on and wear throughout the day.

And that's the final touch. Sorry again for the lack of posts, more will be coming this week.

Lots of Love,
Sophie
xxx








Sunday 8 February 2015

A Pink Perfume

Half way through a bottle of perfume and not mentioned on my blog? Well- we can't have that, so i've decided to dedicate this post- that's right, one entire post- to this scent that I've somewhat fallen in love with.

This is one of the PINK eau de toilettes, from the warm and cozy range. Unfortunately I can't find this online but I'll link here to their other perfumes as well as here for other products with the same scent. oh the scent, it's just so freshly uplifting and sweet and comforting. argh- i'm a bit rubbish when it comes to describing scents, so I'll enlighten you by telling you how the perfume itself describes it, it says:

"Cozy up in toasted vanilla and peony"

And yes, the scent is so cosy and comforting, kind of a candy floss sweetness but a fresh Spring flower-like scent i guess?

Anyway, point is, go smell it, yes, just walk straight into PINK and give it a good whiff. then you can know for yourself what it smells like. 

And when you  do, let me know how you'd describe it in the comments :)
 oh and also, i can't find the price but usually the other ones are just under £10

Lots of Love,
Sophie
xxx


Tuesday 3 February 2015

Current Skincare Routine

We all know that good skin can give a girl all the confidence in the world and recently, my skin has been looking so much better; less acne, less redness and overall just a better texture and I think it's down to these products. My skin is very acne prone and very oily, so if you think that you and me are in the same kind of boat, keep reading:




*I'm not saying that everyone needs to suddenly buy a bunch of skincare just for the sake of it, but i do think that if you're acne prone or have a problem with your skin, a careful routine will help. Entering those dreaded teenage years, efficient skincare is a good idea, especially if you start wearing makeup.*

1. Makeup remover
I actually haven't included these in the pictures because my makeup remover changes a lot. Just because it changes though, does not mean it is okay to just use a makeup wipe. I do, however, know a few people that literally just use a makeup wipe or two at night and they are fine, but like I said, I'm very acne prone, so any thing clogging my pores will definitely break me out. Using an oil based product will help to break down the pigment and eye makeup gently. The one I'm loving now is the Body Shop Camomile Cleansing Butter.£12

2. Face wash
Next step is face wash and this really depends on what type of skin you have. I have very red, irritated skin but also very sensitive so a creamy, cooling face wash is great. This one is the Body Shop Tea Tree Cool and Creamy wash £5. It has tea tree and witch hazel which balances redness and heals spots. A gel face wash is great for oily skin also but my skin is very sensitive. Creamy, buttery textures are great for dry skin as it won't dry it out.

3. Exfoliate
I know most people skip this step because, it's not a necessity but, it does leave a your skin soft and smooth and, for oily skin, it's just an extra step for making sure the face is clean. I really like the St. Ives exfoliators £4.29, this one is "Blemish fighting" because it has salicylic acid in which fights blemishes.

4. Deep cleanse
I might be starting to sound a bit paranoid now, but I'm going to again stress cleansing using something like and astringent. It basically contains strong ingredients that really go into the skin for a deeper cleanse, this could be unnecessary for some, but for me I find it really helps to remove the final traces of dirt. I use the Clean and Clear deep cleansing lotion £2.97 which contains salicylic acid which helps to reduce blackheads. *try to find one for sensitive skin as it's less stripping and harsh*:)

5. Clarisonic
Recently I purchased the Clarisonic Mia 2 £125 because so many people have gone on about it, and I was really willing to try anything to improve my skin. The clarisonic is basically like a giant electric toothbrush ^_^ which spins and vibrates quickly. There's been a noticeable difference in my skin and people have really noticed. I used to have a lot of whiteheads, like little bumps, on my forehead but the rest of my skin was always clear. Whiteheads are basically excess sebum (oil produced in the pores of the skin) or makeup clogging the pores causing bumps or redness. The Clarisonic has definitely improved these problems for my skin but i still occasionally get an angry red spot here and there but it's good to remember that acne on the forehead can be due to: poor blood circulation, dehydration, too much greasy food, stress, lack of sleep, blocked digestive system.

6. Moisturiser
Last step is to remember to moisturise. Even if you just splash your face with water, moisturiser is always important in the end. And if you don't have problem skin any moisturiser will do, but even if you think you don't need it because you have oily skin- trust me- you do. I love the Imperialis £13.50 from lush because it's a great all round moisturiser that balances combination skin and sinks in quickly to prep before makeup.

I hope this was helpful for some, any questions?

Lots of Love,
Sophie
xxx

Wednesday 21 January 2015

Empties NO.4




I thought for this week, we would go for another empties post because I've not done one in agesssss.

This was my favourite moisturiser that I went through tubs and tubs of last year but recently, I've just forgotten about it, so when my Simple one ran out, I thought I'd try this again. I honestly forgot how good it was, it's got coco and shea butters for sensitive skin, vegetable oils for dry skin, grapefruit for controlling oily skin, basically a great all rounder if your skin can't make up it's mind. And because it's lush, it has all natural ingredients.

I actually finished this shower gel within 2 weeks, which seems a long time but it was 750ml (!) The main reason is because it smells AMAZINGGGG, satsuma is my favourite scent from the Body Shop range.

L'Oreal Paris CC cream £9.99 (CC CREAM has rubbed off; its the tube)
This is an interesting one: it basically comes out as a green pigment which then breaks up and turns into your skin colour when you rub it in. This one is green because it is anti-redness, I think there is also an anti-fatigue one too. This does such a great job at evening out skin tone, so use it as a primer or, like me, use it on its own with a bit of powder. If you have unwanted redness, definitely try this out.

I think I've mentioned this on my blog before but this is a great brush shampoo that cleans the brushes but leaves the bristles nice and soft. It's quite a simple concept really, just warm up the brush in water, swirl it around in the solid shampoo, rinse and then just leave to dry. It's a great one that's not too expensive like some others out there and it's guaranteed to give your brushes a good clean.

(for 177ml- almost 6 times the one of the sample above!)
So I recently purchased a Clarisonic Mia- very exciting news- I will probably do a post sometime soon. Anyway, this little mini came in the pack and I've been using it, this only lasted me a week and a half, but that's after using it night and day and it was only 30ml to start with. I'm not sure how great this is, probably not the best but it did the job fine. 

Have any of you got a Clarisonic?

Lots of Love,
Sophie
xxx

Wednesday 14 January 2015

Winter Colours: the Fashion Trends

Winter is possibly my favourite season for fashion and beauty trends making a debut on the cold streets of snow. Like I did in my Autumn Colours posts, I will have two: Fashion trends and Beauty Trends. This week; fashion.
5~ Furs, Feathers and Fluff
Furs and feathers have been keeping us warm on the catwalks this winter, from classy red and black streaks to strictly black and white feathers taking off from a 3/4 length coat. Left to right: just Cavalli, Alexander McQueen and Fendi

4~ The Monochrome
This season we've seen the greatest optical monochrome that really just makes your eyes go swirly, but still, make us drool at the stylish perfection at which Balmain, Bottega Veneta and Dries Van Noten.(left to right) These cool, edgy patterns make take a bold gal to pull of, but a subtle dash of monochrome here and there could go a long way in the way of throwing together an outfit.

3~Velvet
Whether it's part of a sultry laced midi-dress or an elegant full-length gown, velvet almost always makes an appearance at this time of year. This is perfect for the colder seasons where holiday parties are the places to be seen. Great for a formal attire or a sexy night out, anyone could pull off a velvet outfit. Here we see (from left to right) Nina Ricci, Tom Ford, Chanel

2~3/4 length coats

A 3/4 length coat is the way to go this season, we've seen an array of different styles from (left to right) Céline, Lannin and Dior have all wowed with the timeless yet on trend coats. I love how they add mystery to a woman's style without losing that feminism that we all endeavour to show in our daily outfits.
1~ Gold
My favourite trend this time is the gold that we've been seeing here, there and everywhere. It's really quite something to see that Chloé dress (left) flying down the catwalk. A gold coat is also a very nice touch for that showy sparkle lover that wants to add a little KAPOW to her style. This Prada coat (middle) is a lovely length to slip on a little something for the skirt underneath and a figure hugging coat from Saint Laurent is great for the simple but effective achievement.

Which of these do you like best? And which would you wear?

Lots of Love,
Sophie
xxx



Wednesday 7 January 2015

Monthly Thoughts #6

Alright, here we go, first post of 2015...

So how are we all? Hope you all had a great holiday.

I want to start by saying a THANK YOU to the blogging community and for letting me a part of it. After about 6 months of blogging, I've learnt so much and made so many new friends. I know follower count isn't a part of it but, I think 38 followers is a pretty fair amount and I am OVER THE MOON that people actually read this.

And because people are starting to read this blog, I'm feeling like I need to make more of an effort to make friends with you guys and connect on a more personal level. I want to get to know you and I want you to know a little more about me, so, if you want, keep reading for my New Year Resolutions:

1. Keep blogging, have fun with it, be creative (maybe reach 100 followers by the end of this year?)

2. Be that little bit more enthusiastic in school, and try bring my grades up.

3. Learn how to be a better person, because although this is a beauty blog, beauty starts within.

-and on a side note, What I got For Christmas, my main present was a MacBook Air and then some chocolate type things for the family so I didn't really see the point in doing a whole post because I have slightly more exciting things planned ;)

What are your New Year Resolutions?

Lots of Love,
Sophie
xxx