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