Hello Winter + Aviator Jacket

A bit of a clothes haul for you today which I think is my first? But I got paid on Friday so thought I'd treat myself to some new things :)

H&M Aviator Jacket - £24.99

Possibly the biggest bargain all year? Crazily difficult to get hold of (they sold out on the website in under an hour I think) so if you see it, grab it!

Boots from New Look, Heels from Primark

New Look currently have 20% student discount, not sure until when but it's not for long so get down there! As you can see I love my neutrals and my *ahem* sensible shoes

 H&M 3 Way Dress £24.99

Can I just say, I am IN love with H&M's current collection! They've got some amazing pieces that rival Topshop's for a quarter of the price. Trust me, this dress does not look £25. The material is amazing and I also love the way it can be worn with both straps, one shouldered, or strapless. Amazing, super flattering, it's just a shame I wore it to my friend's 18th and accidentally spilt my drink down it. Woops.

Have you picked up any bargains lately?

Love Sophie xx

Big Bouncy Curls Overnight With No Heat. .

for less than £10?! It's possible. . 

(but be prepared for a very long picture heavy post showing you how!)

excuse the lack of make up, took the day off today as I was feeling so ill but had to get this post done!

 What you'll need:

Hairspray

4 Velcro Rollers

less than £4 at Superdrug

 

4 Sectioning clips or grips

 Sectioning Clips available at Superdrug for around £1

A hairband

5 perm rods

Perm Rods available at Boots/Superdrug for less than £2

 Take the top section of hair, the two side sections and a back section and wind them around your velcro rollers. Secure with the grips/sectioning clips and spray with hairspray until you get something like this

Make sure you try and roll the rollers so that all 4 are on top of your head so that if you sleep on your side you're not sleeping on top of them (not very comfortable!)

Next tie the rest of your hair into a ponytail and taking inch wide sections (basically splitting your hair into 5 or so sections) roll them around the perm rods. It doesn't have to be neat but remember the less hair you wind around them the more ringlety style curls you'll get. I prefer to use thicker sections of hair to get more of a wave

Et voila! In the morning take out the rollers and the rods and style your hair. I usually like to wear this with my hair to the side or in a side ponytail. 

As you can see there are tighter curls from the perm rods but unless you practically dip them in hairspray they will drop out to lovely big waves during the day.

What do you think? 

Love Sophie xx

It's a Cracker!

Well that wasn't a naff title. .

So I'm stuck a home with the nastiest cold (it's not fair!) so of course I got browsing and somehow ended up on Barry M's website.

Look at this! I'm so excited for this product, but I know it will be a bazillion years before my local Boots/Superdrug has it in stock

Barry M Instant Nail Effects Nail Paint - £3.95

And the video makes it look pretty easy too

Will you be picking this up?

Sophie xx

PS Let me know what you think of the new header?

Tattoos

I got a tattoo!

Haha only joking, it's one of the fake ones you can get from Topshop. You get 3 sheets and they're all pretty similar. They're very Chanel.

What do you think of tattoos?

Love Sophie xx

Oh and I forgot to mention these were £5 for around 20-30 tattoos

Woops.

After reading Kim's post about the NYC Smooth Skin Face Powder, I was a bit TOO keen when it came to opening it and using it straight away. Grr so annoying!

I don't know why I ever stopped using this. This stuff is really lovely, you get a crazy amount but the sponge it comes with is a bit pointless. However it is suitable for all skin types/colours and it has;

• Calendula Extract to soften your skin and allow it to breathe freely without clogging pores
• Oat flower to soothe skin
• Rice starch to absorb oil

 It really reminds me of MAC Prep & Prime, which costs £17. This costs £2.59.

You can find the NYC range in Superdrug and they always have offers. I actually really like this range, it's reasonable, the quality is good and they have really nice false eyelashes.

Have you tried NYC? And has anything annoying happened to you this week?

Love Sophie xx

A Long Post on Lip Tints

Morning lovely ladies :)

Obviously we've all heard of the original lip and cheek tint, Benetint, but at £23.50 a bottle it's not very affordable. Luckily for us there's loads of alternatives of the product once used on strippers' nipples out there and I'm going to show you a few today

Please excuse stock photos, my collection decided to go for a walk after I'd swatched them all

2True Cheek 'n' Lip Tint - £1.95

Okay, this is more of a Posie Tint copy rather than a Benetint, but this stuff is DISGUSTING. The bottle looks like a nail varnish, and the stuff inside is of a pretty similar consistency to a nail varnish too! It's bright neon and just gross. So so gross. If you want I'll show you the bottle and brush. Ewww.

Bourjois Rouge Hi-Tech in Groseille Irreelle

 I actually really like this product, it's quite messy though so it's handy it comes with the lid. Quite watery though so not highly pigmented, better for people that already have quite pinky lips (that'll be me!) but I think the wide colour selection is great for different skin tones. I thought the name Groseille Irreelle was kind of ugly, until I realised it's English translation was Unreal Redcurrant. Catchy.

Max Factor Lipstick in Midnight Plum

Okay, I cheated. This is a lipstick, but does the swatch look like one? I love love love this, it's in Max Factors darker skinned lipstick range but it is a suit all shade. Apply from the bullet like a lipstick or using your fingers to get the 'lip tint' effect seen in the swatch. You can use this method with pretty much any lipstick!

Mememe Pussy Cat Cheek and Lip Tint

I don't see why they called it Pussy Cat? I don't see my cat going around with pink splodges on her face. . okay okay that's a lie! I think this one is the most similar to Benetint, however it is very watery, so you need to build it up, and it tastes quite foul. Like pot pourri. Bleuuurgh.

And my favourite. .

Topshop Tint

Lovely lovely lovely. This is actually really nice, you only need a smidge and it's a deep berry colour which you can build up. I think this would suit most skin tones, me being a pale head I only use the smallest amount but it gives a lovely glow. If you didn't get that, it's really lovely :)

Hope you enjoyed that, let me know what your favourite lip tints are and thank you to Amelia for requesting this post!

Love Sophie xxx

A Quick Thank You :)

Hello lovely ladies!

I don't know if you've noticed but I've reached over 100 followers, it's actually so so exciting

The reason I decided to do this post was because I just checked my Stats for my blog (it tells me where you ladies are coming from and what you're reading. . and what you're not!)

I've discovered that I've got people reading from Australia, Brasil, Argentina, Chile and even Alaska!

I'll have a requested review of lip and cheek tints that I've used posted tomorrow but in the mean time it would be great if you could take the time to vote in my poll that's just over there >>

And I'll leave you with this. . 

Oh and if you're wondering, yes it took lots of attempts to get this photo. .

Okay maybe I should press the timer button BEFORE taking the photo

h

hank you! hahaha

love you lots

Sophie xxx

Am I The Only Person. .

Who uses a lip brush and a blusher brush to apply lip and cheek tints?

Do you do anything differently to others? Let me know!

Sophie xx

Review: Clean & Clear Spot Kit

Afternoon lovely ladies :)

This time last week I picked up this kit and I've been using it for the past week. Clean and Clear must have spent loads promoting this, the website does look pretty impressive.

So what does it claim?

•  100% of people had clearer skin in one day
• After 4 weeks they had clearer skin
• After 8 weeks it had stayed clearer

What does it come with?

• Spot Control Cleanser
• Spot Control Moisturiser
• Fast Clearing Treatment Gel 

  Now these products I'm pretty sure have already been released but this is the first time they've been sold together with different packaging. I really like this packaging, I think the silver/purple thing works and I love the way it's presented in the box. I've never had a spot that looks like the one in their example though!

Why did I buy it?

Okay, I don't have 'problem skin'. I get spots on my chin and a few on my face around the time of the month, so basically I bought this to help clear them up. Also it was on offer at £8.99 in Superdrug (usually £12.99 I think) and I think it's been on 'offer' for quite a while now. . ! Also, if you watch the videos on the website it's pretty impressive stuff

What did I think of it?

Okay. This stuff has good points and bad points. I'll start with the bad

•  It hasn't really made much change to my skin. Hahahaa
• In fact for the first few days my skin was so soft. Then by Saturday it was reaallly dry, I had to dig out the Soap and Glory scrub
• The cleanser, despite being a gel, is quite creamy = no exfoliation. At all. Hence the dryness by day 6
• Most of the spots I started with are still there, however. .

The good

•  When I pluck my eyebrows I seem to get spots around that area. They've all gone :)
• It smells lovely
• It has nice packaging
• It's really cooling so it feels like it's working
• The moisturiser is really thick. I like this.

Would I Recommend It?
If, like me, you get the occasional spot, I don't think this would be much help. I would recommend buying the treatment gel, different packaging, but you can find it here. It's sold as 100ml which is HUGE compared to the one in the kit, and I do think the moisturiser is good. The ladies that are featured on this kit's website start off with quite bad skin but it does seem to clear up really well.

 If you are the kind of person that doesn't feel confident in their skin and using make up to cover it up seems to just makes it worse, I think this is the kit for you. 

I hope this review helped someone :)

Love Sophie xx

Mini Ramble :)

Well everyone loves a mini ramble!

First of all I'd just like to say thank you to everyone that follows me, thank you to everyone that comments and thank you to everyone that has blogged about me in the past. To get that recognition is unbelievable and I remember when I first started blogging it really felt like no one was listening, but now I know you are it's actually so great!

(I can't believe there's over 80 of you, it's so amazing!)

I thought I'd just give you a little update on my life as I love reading posts like this on other people's blogs :) I haven't really been up to much lately however I went back to school last week so I've been work work working like a crazy head. I did drop Chemistry (no way was I taking that to A2) so I'm now doing French, Spanish and History and on a search to find my dream university, I want to do French and Spanish. If you're at uni or anything let me know, I've picked 3 so need to find 2 more to apply for.

While I'm here I'll tell you a few things I'm loving at the moment

• YSL visuals! As you already know :)
• Trying on dresses in TKMaxx. It's the funnest thing especially with friends

I've had a hair cut since this photo so ignore the fluffiness

• Having half days on Monday and Tuesday. Who needs Chemistry anyways?
• Pixiwoo. If you haven't already, watch their newest Youtube video. It's one of their best yet

Let me know what you're loving! If you do a post like this link me up :)

Love Sophie xx

Recreating YSL

Hello lovely ladies :)

I had a really rushed go at that YSL look this morning, and this is my first attempt

I lined my eyes with a khol pencil and smudged Scene by MAC all over the lid

 I kept blusher to a minimum as the model has quite a neutral coloured face

I used a dusky pink colour on my lips

However I think I should've taken the grey upwards towards the brow bone

And without realising, I also wore a sheer top!

Thank you so much for your ideas, do you think there's anything else I could do to complete the look?

Here's the original picture;

Let me know what you think!

Love Sophie xx

YSL Visuals

Hello everyoneee!

As I was browsing through my Cosmo I found this picture, and I want to recreate this look so bad! Can you think of any way to do it? Would you use an eyeliner or eyeshadow? I just love the way it looks, it's beautiful and perfect for everyday.

I just love YSL visuals, they're so beautiful and the make up is just perfect, well, what would you expect from a Parisian brand?

Beautiful :)

Let me know how you would go about recreating the first image!

Love Sophie xx

Lash Accelerator Update: A Bit Impressed. .

Hey lovely ladies :)

Okay. I hold my hands up, I would be the first person to dismiss this mascara as stupid, totally useless, wouldn't work. But for some reason, I can't really admit to that. 

Last week, when washing my face I noticed that my outer corner eyelashes on one of my eyes (it's hard to explain which one, what's left to me is right to you!) were a bit short, shorter than usual. Which I have to admit is kind of why I picked up this mascara in the first place. Today I noticed that these eyelashes are now the same length and I am so so impressed. Have a look for yourself. . 

Before

Can you see how on the eye on the left (click to zoom) the lashes are a bit short? Have a look at the after shot

After

And a zoomed in shot, the red arrow shows how short my eyelashes were before

Photographic evidence! 

I do have to admit though I've been using this mascara as a base coat, and applying 17 Wild Curls on top, as I find it lengthens but doesn't give me the volume I like. When used after curling your lashes, I find Lash Accelerator is great for giving that 'fanned-out' look.

What do you think? I know I'm impressed.

Love Sophie xx

James Brown at Superdrug

Hey lovely ladies,

First I've got to apologise for not posting in a while, I've been up north and I just started year 13 so I've been quite busy. I've got a lot of things waiting to be delivered so as soon as they arrive I'll have some exciting (well, I think so anyway!) reviews for you.

I was in Superdrug the other day and I'd just had my hair cut. Does anyone else go shopping for fancy styling products after a new cut? I do, in the vain hope I'll be able to recreate the flicks and volume and amazingness from a hairdressers' blow dry.

So as I was perusing the shelves I found this stuff,

 

Scandalous Rock Chick Wave Spray - £3.50 (normally £5.99)

Now if you remember, a few months ago Glamour gave away either a shampoo, conditioner or deep treatment from this range, I got the deep treatment which I absolutely loved. It didn't last long though, and £5.99 full price is a bit too much. So when I saw it on offer I grabbed it, and picked up this wave spray too, and true to form the smell is delicious. It smells just like a hairdresser too ;)

I love this product, it's a water based spray so it doesn't make your hair feel crispy, and you can load it on, wash your hair in it if you wanted and it wouldn't make your hair greasy or dry (salt sprays make my hair feel drier than the Sahara desert). I find it works best when you scrunch your hair and dry it, or if you spray it liberally over your hair before tying it in a bun and sleeping on it it looks lovely in the morning.

Oh and despite the lack of his name on the bottle, it is a James Brown product. He's that man we are constantly reminded of that he's Kate Moss' bezzer mate. Oh and he has a column in Glamour, where he reminds us again that his bff is Miss Moss. He does do lovely hair products though ;)

Have you tried any of his stuff? Do you even know who he is?!

Hope you're having a lovely afternoon

Love Sophie xxx

Review: Models Own Lipstick

Hello lovely ladies

Yep that's right, Models Own, who do lovely nail polishes also does lipstick. And it's not really that great, the phrase 'stick to what you know' springs to mind

Models Own Lipstick in Red Wine - £5

Okay, let's start with the packaging. I hate it. It kind of reminds me of Shu Uemura, but tackier. I couldn't imagine pulling this out on the train, it's not subtle at all. I like subtle packaging :)

And the colour?

In the tube, I love it. It's a dark, autumn red. In reality, on the lips, it's a strange pink. Imagine a few hundred layers of Benetint.

It's nothing special and it's not a lip stick you could whip out and apply without a mirror. It doesn't have a nasty taste or smell, but when I use it it just reminds me of the lipsticks that I played with as a child.

I would try other colours, but at £5 a pop, they're not the cheapest.

Have you tried any of Models Own's make up? Or do you stick to the nail varnish? 

Love Sophie

Review: Rimmel Lash Accelerator

Hello lovely ladies

I bought this mascara yesterday because well, I'm not really sure because I'm not feeling it's claims. Let's have a look at what this bad boy promises. .

A mascara and lash treatment in one that promotes natural lash growth for beautifully long and remarkably strong lashes - naturally.

Works both instantly and over time. Our advanced Ultra-lengthening formula delivers upto 80% longer instantly Used daily over 30 days, our innovative Grow-Lash complex promotes natural lash growth to create lashes that appear fuller, lusher and up to 117% longer. Clinically Tested. Containing Grow-Lash Complex known to have looking lashes

3 superior lash enhancing benefits:

1. STRENGTHENS - Helps minimise lash loss

2. NOURISHES - Supports lashes to grow strong & long 

3. RENEWS - Helps repair & restore lashes 

Yeah, maybe. Who thinks of this crap? 117% longer in 30 days? 117?!

Rimmel Lash Accelerator Mascara - £8.99 (currently £2 off in Superdrug)

  I will be using this for the next 30 days and we'll see if my lashes really are lengthened by 117%. I actually can't get over the 117%. It's so ridiculous. 

First Impressions

Not too bad a mascara, nice consistency, does lengthen but doesn't really add volume. Easily layers without clumping, easy to use on bottom lashes. Works well with 17 Wild Curls/L'oreal Voluminous (although I didn't use these in the picture below)

Would I recommend it? Not sure yet.

Would I repurchase? Nope. It's not THAT great and I like volume more than length 

Have you seen this mascara? Think you'll try it?

Love Sophie xx