Loves and Hates of July!

Hey everyone!

Wowee can't believe we're going into August! This year is going by so fast, don't you think? A couple of loves and hates for you, not a very hateful month this time as I'm trying to buy things that will actually work!

Loves

 17 Wild Curls Mascara - £5.99

I got this about a week ago, and I actually quite like it! I like the brush and I find that despite it not being THAT volumising I think it holds the curl, so I may have to add a couple of coats of L'oreal Voluminous on top. Here are my lashes with it with 2 coats. What I do like about this mascara is that it stays black all day. You know how some mascaras, by the end of the day you might as well not put any on in the morning? I hate that, but it's not the case with this.

Marks and Spencers Ladder Resist Cooling Open Toe Tights in Sun Tan - £4

Recently, Grazia did a feature on skin coloured tights so I thought I'd treat myself to a decent pair considering the recent drop in temperature, and how can you resist that sheen? How moisturised does that look? Hoping I can get away with the open toeness with my new sandles! 

Hates

Eyelash Curler as part of gift set with Wild Curls Mascara - £Free

Now I know its free and all, but it took me FOREVER to work out how to use it, and it looks like a weapon of torture. It gave an alright curl when I figured out how to use it (flip down the bit at the back?!) but it was so awkward to use I'm sticking with my Body Shop ones (an ultimate love, see my review here)

Rimmel Glam Eyes Mono Shadow in Spicy Bronze - £4.49

I'm a bit on the fence with this one. The price is a bit high for the quality and when I use it my eyes either look really nice or a bit bruised. It's a shade that needs eyeliner. I wouldn't say I hate it, but I think there are eyeshadows that are much better quality for the same price. On the other hand, the sponge applicator it comes with is actually quite good, it has two different sized ends for different application techniques.

What do you think guys? Got any of these products? What are you loving and hating? Let me know!

Love Sophie xx

So Amazed I Can't Think Of A Title!

Hey lovely ladies,

Sorry for being a bit AWOL lately but I'm back! So on the 17th July I placed an order on Ebay and it turned up on my doorstep today! Yep, I'm sure you can guess from the delivery period that it was from Hong Kong and it was for these AMAZING false eyelashes

That's 20 pairs of false eyelashes and 5 tubes of glue for £2.99 yes, £2.99! And that's including P&P, I'll include a link at the bottom of this post. They are quite thick and you can buy natural ones but I'm really glad I got these ones. I don't tend to wear full false eyelashes, so just one up to use on both my eyes and this was the result (my right eye wasn't finished when this photo was taken!)

I did do these after applying mascara (the postie turned up whilst I was doing my make up and I was too excited so had to apply them straight away. I'm so so impressed with these, I reckon they'll last me a while but when I'm done I am for sure reordering! On a side note, I had no reaction to the glue, it is the same type (possibly the same glue) that you get in false eyelash sets from Claires etc, not the best but stays on all day.

What do you think? Where do you usually get your eyelashes from?

Sophie xx

PS Click here to go to the ebay page (opens in new tab)

Yay for Zooey!

Hey ladies

You've probably heard already but Zooey Deschanel is going to be the face of Rimmel's new mascara, Lash Accelerator. I'm a total fan of Zooey so I may just have to buy this! (Or at least enter Rimmel's competition for it which will no doubt come out soon)

Here's a sneak peek of the mascara, what do you think? Do you reckon all these mascaras that promise lovely lashes are a load of rubbish? And what do you think of the packaging? I'm not a big fan of the yellow but I think the ruler marks on the side are a nice touch!

Let me know what you think,
Sophie xx

PS Quick Inglot update, I can see the bottom of the pan in my foundation, only 2 weeks in! See my original post here

Homemade OOTD And Mini Ramble :)

Hey everyone!

Firstly hello to my new followers and thank you for following me :) I went to PC World yesterday and got my camera replaced, can I just say their extended warranty is THE best (however you're apparently not covered if you break your camera in a fit of rage!) and I walked out with a brand new camera! Yay for fabby customer service! 

I also finally plucked up the courage to get my ear cartilage pierced. It didn't hurt as much as I thought it did so I'm so glad I finally got it done. 

On to the OOTD. This is probably one of the only OOTDs you'll ever see as my clothes aren't particularly interesting and it's hard taking pictures of them you know! The story behind this one is that after exams my evenings were pretty dead, so I thought I'd make myself some new outfits, a dress and a playsuit.

I LOVE playsuits so much. They're just really cute but the problem I find is that because I stand at 5ft 9, I have quite a long torso, so sometimes playsuits ride up a bit (so very unflattering!). And what better way to solve this than to make one myself (excuse dodgy angles)

It's got short bottoms (but I didn't want to show you my pasty legs!) and cap sleeves. It even has pockets (proud moment right there)

What do you think? Have you ever made any of your own clothes? 

Love Sophie xx

Ladies, I need YOUR help!

Haha, again! Your advice is always a billion times better than any forum!

Basically, I'm buying a new perfume and it's £55. I thought I'd make the most of my free delivery at Boots (this must be the FIRST time ever I've spent enough to qualify for free delivery!) But me being me I want to bring it up to £60. 

So that's where you come in. . what should I buy with the remaining fiver? Are there any Boots basics you swear by? Or a bit of drugstore make up you can't live without? I'm open to any suggestions, skincare, cosmetics etc but I'm out for a bargain :D

Thanks everyone!

Sophie xx

PS If you're wondering, my new perfume will be Tom Ford Black Orchid 50ml EDP (I know it's cheaper but I'm not an EDT girl). It's a beautiful perfume that lingers for DAYS so it's obviously worth it. Hello luxury!

Body Shop Eyelash Curlers

Hey ladies!

First of all sorry for being a bit quiet lately I dropped my camera in the fish tank as I was taking my first OOTD post (it would've been a really good post as well!) so you'll have to excuse stock images for a couple of days :( going to PC World today. I'm thanking God I bought their 'whatever happens' cover, I got this camera about a month ago after a friend spilt her cocktail on my last one. I can be so clumsy!

Anyways, my friend and I went Harrods and Knightsbridge shopping (hello sexy new perfume!) yesterday, it's such a lovely place and I had £10 burning a hole in my pocket. Out comes the Blackberry and after a quick Google I discover Body Shop's Eyelash curlers are one of the best for under £10. They're not wrong, and with my Body Shop discount they cost me only £4.50. I love them! (When I get my camera back I'll give you before and after shots)

The Body Shop Eyelash Curlers - £5.00 (or £4.50 for members)

What are your favourite eyelash curlers? Or do you prefer to go without?

See you soon!
Sophie xx

I need help! MAC 188 Brush

Just a really quick post, but a while back I got this brush free of charge from MAC (okay okay it was a mix up in orders but they let me keep it!) but I can't for the life of me work out how to use it. What do you use it for? And how do you use it? Or how would you?

A flat-topped, full circular brush used for lightweight application and blending of any formula colour – fluid, cream, powder or pigment. Ideal for creating soft layers or adding textures. Made from a soft blend of goat and synthetic fibres.

£25.00

Thank youuu!
Sophie x

MAC Mineralize Skin Finish Natural, I'm In Love!

Hey ladies

I've reached the 20 follower mark, I'm so proud you've no idea :) I remember when it really felt like no one was listening but now I know you are so thank you so so much!

Anyways, at work we had a World Cup Sweepstake, and I pulled out Spain so this week I got my hands on £40, I never win anything! So off I went down to MAC Covent Garden and picked up a Mineralize Skin Finish Natural which set me back £18, pretty reasonable I think for the 10g you get (6g of normal blusher = £16.50).

MAC Mineralize Skin Finish Natural in Medium Plus - £18

Sorry for the stock photo but my cameras upstairs ;) I actually love this powder SO much. It keeps my foundation set all day and I reckon it'll last forever. It's had about 5 days usage now and it looks untouched. It works especially well with my Inglot Cream Powder Foundation (which I have to say has not brought me out in spots despite slightly heavier coverage, YAY) Also I'm quite excited at getting Medium Plus, that's two shades up from light! I never buy anything but light!

But one thing I noticed when looking for an image, look at MAC prices for this across the world, strange;

• UK: £18
• America: $26 = £17
• Canada $31 (Canadian Dollars) = £19.24
• France €26 = £21.96

(conversions according to Google 18/07/10 at 19:36)

What I found strange was that Canadian's get charged £1.24 more than us, despite MAC being a Canadian company! Then again they do get free delivery (grrrr)

Do you ever wait to go abroad to buy make up? And have you tried any of the MAC Mineralize products? What did you think?

Love Sophie xx

PS Thanks for all your advice and stories on my last post, nice to see that you ladies do it the healthy way! x

Disappointed in your weightloss?

Hey ladies!

Now I know its that time of the year when EVERYONE seems to be losing weight. Even that skinny friend of yours needs to 'tone up'. Now I've never been skinny. I always had 'puppy fat' so I know how it feels to want to be that skinny friend! So these past few weeks I thought, okay you've got to cut down now Sophie, because I am one of those people that has something to eat and has to go back for more because I'm never full! Yet a week in, I'd only lost 1lb. 1 measly lb. I'd given up my daily chocolate bar, I'd been doing my exercises, taking the stairs instead of the lift. Yet all I had to show for it was 1lb. Cue tearful chat with the mum! 

Now my mum is a principal dietitian at a leading London hospital, so when it comes to healthy eating, she'll always be the person I turn to. And she told me the following, which has kept me going and 2 weeks in I've now lost 2.6lb.

Ok, so if you're on a diet you'll often hear that you need 1500 calories a day (500 less than the 2000 you would need if you weren't dieting). That's reducing your daily calorie intake by 500 calories, right? So if there's seven days in a week, thats 7x500 = 3500 calories you're cutting down. And it just so happens that there are 3500 calories in 1lb of fat. So a 1lb loss is actually an ideal healthy weightloss.

But that's only 1lb. That's like nothing!

Not so, 1lb is roughly equal to 500g. This is what 500g looks like in terms of butter

Yep, your average butter tub (go have a look next time you're in Sainsburys!). Now imagine if you spread that whole tub over your whole body. Yeah it would probably just about cover it. If you're anything like me, you're not going to lose that 500g from just one spot, like your tummy or your arms, are you? And don't forget that fat likes to hug around your organs too! 

So my mum's advice is to just keep on at it, don't give up, but then don't read this and think ooh I can have a treat now! Keep at it ladies, and let me know how you're doing!

Thanks for reading this super long post

Sophie xx

Colorsport Eyebrow Definer Pen and FOThe other Night

Hey lovely ladies

I did this look for a Burberry event I was lucky enough to attend. It's quite confusing to explain why I got the chance to go, but basically myself and a few other friends hosted an event a few months ago in celebration of other cultures and bringing everyone together, it was a fab night and in recognition of our hard work we got to go to Burberry HQ for a night of yummy canapes and people telling us how great we are. . ;) I even got to meet the lovely Christopher Bailey, Burberry's creative director!

Anyways, just thought I'd show you what make up I wore, but also I'd like to tell you all how great I think this product is

Colorsport Eyebrow Definer Pen - currently £4.66 (I paid £6.99!)

I love love love this. It can take a little getting used to but it really fills in your eyebrows and gives you that real 1940s perfectly filled in brow, and it lasts all day.

Here's my make up (excuse wet hair!)

Face

• Inglot Cream Powder foundation
• Revlon Matte Powder Blush 
• MAC Blush in Harmony
• Colorsport Eyebrow Definer in Brown

Eyes

• MAC Paintpot in Bare Study
• Benefit Little Round Pot in Blanc Diaphane
• MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack
• L'oreal Voluminous

Lips

• 17 Mirror Shine On Lipstick in Hollywood 

Have you ever used the Colorsport range? And yay or nay to the FOTDs?
Love Sophie xx

Skin Lightening Shocker!

Haha that title deserves a place in a real life magazine! But that's what it was I had a right shock!

Now if you're a dark haired lady like me you will probably have darker arm hair, darker facial hair and sometimes you might want to tone it down a bit. I will always remember a time in year 4 when a boy in my class told me I had a mustache like his older brother and considering I was the only brown-haired girl in my class (is it just me or is it a bit sad that a 7 year old girl wanted blonde hair like all the other girls?) I always felt a bit awkward with my dark arm, face and leg hair. So 10 years later here I am with a hair lightening kit. I've used it on my face for the past 7 months with no problem whatsoever but last night I used it on my arms. It worked, but you can see the results of it in a moment.

I didn't know what kit to go for, so instead of going for the Jolen one (I wrote this half an hour ago and I've been singing Joleen by Dolly Parton that whole time) which I've not heard good things about I went for this Boots one;

Boots Expert Hair Lightener - normally £3.75 now £2.50

This stuff on your face is excellent. On your arms it is excellent. It works in 10 minutes, it gives you the arm hair colour of those blonde girls! Yet look at this;

This doesn't look as obvious but you can clearly see it has LIGHTENED my skin. I had a big rectangular patch. Fortunately this morning it had gone back to normal colour, but don't you think this is a bit worrying?

Do you lighten your body hair? How do you disguise it? Or do you wear it loud and proud?

Let me know!

Sophie xx

PS In case you're interested here are the ingredients and instructions, make sure you check them before you use it, click to make it bigger

Have I found my perfect foundation??

Hola chicas!

So yesterday me and my friend went to Westfields in London (the huuuge one) and if I'm honest MAC was a bit meh. It might've been the heat, or all the annoying school girls in there swatching away or the lack of Jazzed so I walked away empty handed. However, a couple of shops down is Inglot. Inglot, if you haven't heard of it is a brand that I have to say rivals MAC. I'm not entirely sure where they're from, but their products seem to be made in Poland. They claim that they have 'an endless amount of colours to choose from over 3 000 000 000 000 000 colour combinations'. I think someone might've pressed 0 a few too many times there.

Now I am on a budget lately so I thought I'd treat myself to one product, and that was the Cream Powder foundation. The MUA tried it on me, and as sweet as she was she applied it a little too heavy. I urge you though if you go in there DO ask the staff for help, they are lovely but they look quite sad sometimes, it can't be easy having MAC as a neighbour (try and go for the short dark haired man, he's got one of those 'aw I just want to give you a hug' faces!) But anyways, I've always liked the idea of cream to powder foundations but they've never been quite right. Either a bit drying or not creamy enough *cough* Max Factor Miracle Touch *cough*. However take a look at this, it's quite hard to portray just how creamy it is, but I've put it next to Topshop's Cream Blusher, which has the consistency of chalk compared to this! Clicky click to zoom

Topshop Cream Blusher in Nutmeg £6

Inglot Cream Powder Foundation in 83 £11

I know you're probably thinking, Sophie, haven't you got the wrong season for a higher coverage cream foundation? Yes you're probably right, but with a finish like this after about 6 hours wear, can you really complain?

That's without highlighter. No joke.

What do you think? Have you tried their cosmetics? Also check out their gel eyeliners and eyeshadows, just fab!

Sophie xx

First ever FOTD

Hey lovely ladies,
Be prepared, I am about to show you my first ever FOTD. They're quite scary really :s I haven't taken this many pictures of myself since the myspace days (which I try to forget. . )

Tell me what you think? More FOTDs or can you not bear to see my face?

Face

• Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation
• Bourjois Healthy Mix Concealer
• Topshop Lip and Cheek stain in Bitten Berry
• Light dusting of Collection 2000 Perfecting Minerals
• MAC Blusher in Harmony

Eyes

• MAC Paintpot in Bare Study
• Benefit Bad Gal dipped in MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack to make it last longer
• L'oreal Voluminous Mascara

 Lips

• Topshop Lip and Cheek Stain
• GOSH Darling

So what do we think? Yes or no to FOTDs?

Have a lovely day!
Sophie xx

Healthy Mix

Everytime I read the name of this foundation it makes me want to smile :) healthy mix healthy mix it's just such a cute name! And of course it is my go to foundation. It's so natural looking and of course I have the palest shade but its not orange! I liked it so much I even bought the matching concealer (which unfortunately doesn't have the same scent)

Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation in Vanille Clair - £10.99

Bourjois Healthy Mix Concealer in Eclat Clair - £6.99

As you can see I've actually nearly finished my foundation! It has one of those scents which is just really subtle and fruity however it doesn't last all day, literally for just a few seconds, and the concealer just smells like concealer really. . .

I do like the foundation, its a light to medium coverage, and I find it does last the day, and of course it goes really well with the concealer. The concealer is good at hiding dark circles but I think it's the wrong shade for blemishes.

Would I repurchase? No probably not, but then I never do. I don't think I've ever rebought make up. I always consider it as an opportunity to try something new.

What about you? Have you tried the Healthy Mix? Or are you like me, where you have to try something new every time? All comments are appreciated ;)

love Sophie xx

If you buy one thing. .

Hey ladies!
Sorry it's been a while, just been feeling a bit sad lately but that doesn't matter, on to what I think you NEED in your life right now. .

Boots Four Way Nail Buffer - £2.00

Yep, it's only £2. Now I'm sure you can probably get these cheaper online or whatever but I think this is by far one of the best (hey it's about time I did a positive review right?)

Let me take you through the four sides and how to use them;

• File Nail Edge: Pretty much files your nail edge ;) Use in a sweeping movement in one direction don't use it like a saw it can damage your nails!

 

• Remove Ridges: You do this over the whole nail and it removes those ridges you get. This is good to do before applying nail varnish as it gives you a really even base to paint over. Also if you do this step over the top of a shiny nail varnish it will remove the shine and give you matte nails. I love doing this especially with black nail varnish (although make sure you let it dry first, as you can see from the black marks I'm quite impatient when it comes to doing this)

• Smooth Nail. Again this does exactly what it says. By this step your nails will be completely transformed. I know you wouldn't expect it but it's actually so great :)

• And lastly Shine Nail. This WORKS. I'm not even joking this shine that it gives rivals a clear nail varnish, with the advantage of being completely natural. By doing this, I've had so many compliments on how strong my nails look and how pretty they are and are they real?

Seriously guys BUY THIS. Even if you have to use your Ad Card points just do it! You won't regret it and you'll find your nail varnish goes on much nicer and it takes less than 5 mins to do :)

Thanks for reading drop me a comment 

Sophie xx

Lynx Fever!

Ok so you're probably thinking I'm doing a review for men right? Wrong! We're one of those families where the shower is full of half empty shower gels and my favourite one was running out. So what did I do, I reached for my brother's Lynx Fever, expecting it to smell of teenage boy. I was pleasantly surprised and my first thought was 'wow this smells just like Lush!', you know that unmistakable smell down every British high street? That's what this smells like.

This is what they say about it;

With Brazilian Hot Mud and Red Dragonfruit extract, Lynx Fever Shower Gel will get you warmed up for action.

Unfortunately it doesn't do a Soap and Glory and heat up but it really does smell lovely and lingers on your skin for quite a while. Not so much in a teenage boy polluting the house kind of way but if someone were to hug you they'd smell it. In short, it makes you feel clean and smelling fresh :)

 

So pop down to your local Boots and have a smell of the shower gels, they're around £2 but I think in Wilkinsons you can usually get them a bit cheaper. I'm thinking of persuading my brother to get Africa next, that is a lovely smell :)

 

Have you ever cheekily used Lynx?

Sophie xx 

NOTD

Hello lovely ladies!

Really speedy NOTD for you because my brother wants to do 'homework' :)

I just love half moon manicures so much, I did the brown half moon afterwards as its a dark colour but I usually do the moons before. I used Collection 2000s Button Moon and Essie's Mink Muffs. I love these two colours and their names. Button Moon really makes me smile because I used to watch this programme called Button Moon when I was younger, such a fabby programme, watch a bit here and see if you remember it!

What do you think of half moon nails? And thank you for following me and welcome to my blog new followers :)

Sophie xx