A Lip Plumping Lip Gloss | Soap and Glory Pillow Plump

Soap and Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Pillow Plump in NUDE IN TOWN £10.00

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

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

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.

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

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

Perfect Winter Lip

Can we all just take a moment to appreciate the up and coming season of WINTER. And what better way to welcome it with the perfect soft lip to warm up your smile.

This is the L'Oreal Colour Riche in 302 Bois de Rose £6.99 and the Rimmel Exaggerate lipliner in Eastend Snob £3.99

I love that these products are both so affordable on the high street. I actually bought these two separately, but one day, while rummaging through my drawers to decide what lip colour to indulge in that morning, my fingers fumbled across this heavenly duo. I have been wearing this everyday since last week.  

The lipstick from L'Oreal is a deep, rosy nude-y pink, which goes great with a warm or darker skin tone. The lipliner from Rimmel is really great because it's got a tiny tip that can give you the precision you need when lining your lips. I mainly just enhance my cupid's bow and then the corners of my lips to create an illusion of fuller lips.

I like to use lipliner because, I dunno, my lips don't end, they kinda just bleed out- anyone else with me here? no, okay, well even if lipliner's not really your thing, try this and you'll completely be converted.

In fact, I really want to scout some more, any suggestions?

Lots of Love,

Sophie

xxx

November Favourites

I sat down, as every other month, and began to plan my monthly favourites. I left it till late because I didn't really think that I had any new products that I'd been loving this month and none worth talking about. Ha- I was wrong... all I needed to do was open that drawer on my dresser and products were practically jumping out at me for a place in my much awaited favourites post.

Revlon Colourstay Foundation £12.49

I reviewed this foundation more in depth here but basically this is an all round great full-coverage foundation suitable for combination/oily skin.

The Body Shop Cleansing Oil £10

Any old-time reader of my blog will remember that a few months back I was obsessed with the cleansing butter from the Body Shop, this is the same kinda drill, just in oil form. I don't really notice the difference other than the fact that the oil is less milky/creamy when water is added. This removes any makeup from your face and is really great at breaking down waterproof mascara or pigment and is great for dry/ sensitive skin.

Maybelline Great Lash Mascara £4.99

Now this, this is one hell of a mascara. It tops the list of my trustee mascaras: builds great volume, adds length, not clump and so waterproof you could literally go swimming in it. (oh yes- I've tried) This kind of reminds me of the Benefit They're Real because they have the same small wand and same fibres in the formula that add volume.

L'Oreal Colour Riche Lipstick in 302 Bois de Rose £8.19

Bois de Rose- Rosewood- in french if my french classes serve me well. Don't quote me on that. I've not tried these colour riche lipsticks but honestly, the formula is great: it's matte but not drying, in fact, surprisingly creamy and smooth. This colour, this colour, it's me in a lipstick. Its so so so gorgeous, a perfect deep nude pink colour, ahhh I could rave and rave. It just makes the lips look so full and perfect, ahhh, if one could marry a lipstick, I'd be mrs Rosewood.

Nuxe Rêve De Miel £9.50

Shall we try the French again?- I believe it's something like "Dream of Honey"- or not... anywayyyyy, this lip balm is the creme de la creme of lip balms. I've heard of this before, obviously, every beauty blogger and her dog has raved about this but I could just never find it anywhere. But the other day, as I was scouring the shelves of Mark&Spencer when I found this little pot. Just sitting' there, all pretty like and I just pulled it into my basket. This is so moisturing and creamy and I literally put so much on and it still looks good under lipstick.

I'm actually really interested in the Nuxe brand. Any recommendations of products I should try first?

Lots of Love,
sophie
xxx

First Impressions: Revlon Colourstay Foundation

Last week, I stumbled across this rather popular beauty product that I had never seen in Boots before. I've scoured the Revlon counter times-a-many but I never thought to try this before. 

So, anyway, here we go, first impressions:

I've been using this for a couple of days, and I've not really worn it for longer than 12 hours, but from what I can tell, it's going to stand a firm favourite on my makeup table.

This is a great colour match; it's also on the yellow side which counteracts any redness that I have. It's quite thin but I would say it's medium coverage. The only annoying thing is that it doesn't have a pump so everything just POURS out ... 

This says it's specially made for combination/oily skin, and I agree that it applies generally matte with just a hint of dewiness to add back that healthy glow. Sometimes i find that throughout the day I have to re-powder but otherwise I find it stays quite well.

I think they do a dry/ normal skin type and the different types so I think I'm going to try those as well.

Have you guys tried any of them?

Revlon Colourstay Foundation £12.49

Lots of Love,

Sophie

xxx

Maybelline Mascara: VERY waterproof

Hey everyone,

Starting off with a slightly off topic story: I went to my friends house for the night and left my MaxFactor waterproof mascara there so I didn't have one; the next day, I was in boots when a certain pink bottled mascara caught my eye.

"Great Lash mascara" it said, "Very Black Waterproof" it said.

So I thought, why not? I took it home and tried it on. I felt that it was quite hard to apply, the formula was thick and did not go on smoothly (or maybe I was just being a bit clumsy that day) It kind of reminded me of the Benefit They're real mascara- same small tapered brush (perfect for coating all the lashes); the same thick fibre-y formula (great for building up volume), the only thing being, this is about one quarter of the price.

Anyway, later that day, I went swimming, forgot completely that I was wearing makeup at all. When I came out of the pool, I thought I'd like some beaten up panda, but, lo and behold, I looked fine. Apart from the occasional smudge under the lash line from when I had rubbed my eyes, the mascara hadn't smudged much at all.

After using a few more times, I realised that, when this mascara has dried, it really stays. When removing, you don't need a cotton pad drenched in remover; I just use a regular cleansing balm. It's because: after it's dried, it stays dry, it comes off dry too. When I look in the mirror while cleaning my face, it all comes off and all I get is a little bit of black around my eyelids.

This mascara is AMAZING AMAZING AMAZING. It's just as good as the Benefit one and even though it's waterproof, it's not a hassle to remove.

Maybelline Great Lash Mascara £4.99

Lots of Love,

Sophie 

xxx

Autumn Colours: the Beauty Trends

A couple of days ago I wrote the Fashion Trends of Autumn so one could only guess that today's post is going the be another Autumn Colours but this time the Beauty Trends:

 the Metallic Touches

A flashback to the seventies brings you this over-the-top eyeshadow for this season: full on colour from the lash line to the brow, a clean sweep of a winged look plus a hint of metallic in the inner corner. And Rodarte, Libertine and Emporio Armani have all flourished a metallic lip to match this bold eye statement.
Keeping a flawless, natural base will help you pull this off.

the Bottom Lash Line

Autumn means the emphasis returns to smoky eyes. Whether its the heavy smoky eyes from Nicole Miller (left) and Tom Ford, or the softer variations from Marc by Marc Jacobs (right), the bottom line is key. Take any dark eyeshadow and smudge all over the eye or take a wash of colour over the eyelids and an eyeliner to define the shape.

the Colouring Books

 This fall we are pushing all the limits when it comes to colour. Just think of the blue flashes of line are Kenzo (left) and the neon pink brought to you by Altuzarra (right). A strong contour is all that’s needed to compliment these colours, no blush, no lipstick, just take that bronzer and get those model high cheekbones.

Beauty Blender | review

THE BEAUTY BLENDER £16.00

-if you haven’t heard of the beauty blender then, where have you been?

-if you haven’t been able to actually purchase one, then I understand: there is a LOT of scepticism around this expensive sponge tool thing….

The big question is: is it worth it?I’m not actually sure why this sponge is so expensive but it DOES make a world of a difference to your makeup. It’s basically a porous sponge that is meant to make blending foundations a lot easier and give an airbrushed finish. 

It says to wet the sponge when applying dry makeup to make the powder look less caked on and more natural on the skin. I wet the sponge even when applying liquid foundation, when I add water, the sponge expands to double it’s previous size. ITS CRAZY TALK!!!!…but yeah, pretty surprised when I first used it.

I find that using this sponge makes application so much easier but I find it uses more product, probably because it absorbs it as well. Another down side is that is INCREDIBLY hard to clean. When I bought this, I didn’t buy it with the solid cleanser it came with because I felt that it was unnecessary, but now I’m thinking I should go and buy it. Other than that, I don’t really know how else to clean it.

Are there any good suggestions as to how I should clean it?

In terms of high street “dupes”, I would say that this is definitely better than just the small white triangular shaped sponges that leave lines and edges in your makeup. I am, however, planning to test out some others: real techniques, models own and any more you want me try?

I’ll keep you updated if there are any advancements :)

Lots of Love,

Sophie

xxx

July Favourites

Another month, another favourites post:

L'OREAL true match foundation£9.99
+great colour match
+buildable coverage
+smooth and light on skin

Maxfactor Clump Defy mascara£10.99
+separates lashes
+extra volume
+no clumps/ water proof

Bourjois Blus in Rose Eclat 15 £7.99
+gorgeous colour
+lasts all day

Collection Fast Stroke Eyeliner £2.50
+first liquid eyeliner that I've loved
+stiff nib, easy to use
+really BLACK, smooth, etc
+super affordable

Maybelline Baby Lips in Pink punch
£2.99
+moisturing, stays on lips
+great colour for summer 

DKNY be delicious perfume in 
Fresh Blossom £34.99
+smells fruity/ floral
+light and summery
+refreshing/ pick me up scent

Who's going abroad this summer?

Lots of Love,

Sophie

xxx

Empties NO.2

Another empties post... my last one was a while ago so, here we are again, not too many but  I just like to keep you guys updated :)

PANTENE PRO-V SHAMPOO AND CONDITIONER
+recently loved this because doesn't harm hair
+keeps hair smooth/not frizzy
+nourishes hair and leaves it SO SOFT

LUSH IMPERIALIS MOISTURISER £12.95
+yes yes talked about it before but I've gone
though yet another tub
+just great all round moisturiser, suitable for
balancing combination/dry skin

BOURJOIS HEALTHY MIX SERUM
FOUNDATION £9.99
+lightweight, great for summer
+light coverage but still evens out skin tone
+moisturising and dewy

BATISTE DRY SHAMPOO £2.99/200ml
+takes away excess shine
+great for adding volume
+makes hair easier to style
+smells AMAZING :)

Rimmel STAY MATTE POWDER £3.99
(I couldn't take a photo because all the writing had rubbed off so there was no point)
+takes away shine
+still looks natural/not cakey
+sets makeup well

Lots of Love
Sophie
xxx

Everyday Summer Makeup

Happy FirstMondayOfMySummerHolidays! Well I'm happy anyway...

So the weather has been amazing in England. It's been warm and we've seen the extremely reclusive sun everyday last week. And so, I thought it appropriate to do a Summer inspired makeup look
thing...

BOBBI BROWN INTENSIFYING
LONG WEAR MASCARA£19.50
+tiny brush for no clumps, extra volume
and separation
+makes lashes look natural but long
+doesn't smudge so great for summer
(not quite waterproof)
-a bit expensive but worth it

MAXFACTOR FACE FINITY 
3IN1FOUNDATION,
PRIMER AND CONCEALER SPF 20 £11.99
+has SPF so great for summer
+light to medium coverage/looks natural
on skin
+blends amazingly

SOAP AND GLORY KICK ASS 
CONCEALER/POWDER
£12.00
+mainly just use powder but it's
translucent so doesn't change colour
+doesn't go cake so great for touch ups

MAC LIPSTICK IN COSMO £15.50
+pretty pink/nude colour great for
everyday
+amplified creme finish so super
creamy
+glides on and not drying

BENEFIT BOI-ING CONCEALER £17.50
+highly pigmented, covers redness
+creamy so doesn't show dryness
+doesn't irritate my skin further

BENEFIT HOOLA BRONZER £23.50
+perfect warm colour for summer
+great for bronzing all round the face
+or for sculpting/contouring

Where's everyone going for summer?

Lots of Love,

Sophie

xxx