NOTD: Rimmel Lycra Pro - Black Pearl

Hellooo! :)

I've been a bit skint recently so I've been recycling some of the the nail varnies I bought last year! This is one of my faves - it's Rimmel Lycra Pro in 398 Black Pearl and I absolutely love it! I kind of dismissed it last year because it wasn't quite jet black and it wasn't quite gunmetal grey... It was somewhere in the middle and I just wasn't feeling it, but this year? I'm all over it! I wore it recently on a night out and I received many a compliment :) In fact, my lovely housemate opted for the same shade too :)

I'm generally a huge fan of the Rimmel Lycra Pro nail range as the brush is a bit thicker than normal brushes, and whilst they don't last the alleged 10 days on the bottle, they do last pretty long without chipping! If you're looking for a dark red shade for winter - see my review of Rimmel Lycra Pro in Celebrity Bash here... another personal fave :)

ps. You may have noticed my nails looking a bit shorter than usual - I went for the chop! They were getting a bit long and one of them had broken! *sob*

Do you like this colour? What nail colours would you like me to review?

Thanks for reading!

Love,

Style by Sophia

xo

No7 Voucher Haul

Hi girls,

Unless you've been under a rock these past few months you'll know that Boots have been giving away their No7 vouchers free with purchases over £5. Being a loyal fan to the brand myself, I saw it as an opportunity to stock up on more lovely No7 goodies that I wouldn't pay for normally! I've only experienced good things with the brand so I was very optimistic :) Little did I know that if you had to pay £5 or more towards the No7 product, you'd receive ANOTHER £5 voucher... Let's just say I had a good ol' splurge!

Here's what I spent my voucher on :)

(Click on the product name to be directed to its webpage)

Heavenly Hydration Moisture Mask

I've had my eye on this product for a while as it's rated one of the highest No7 products on the Boots website by customers. It looks like a luxurious whipped mousse in the container, and it comes out as a lovely smelling, thick cream. I only use a tiny bit (literally the size of a 5p coin), rub it in all over my face and neck just before bed and leave it on overnight, waking up to luscious, baby-soft skin! It says you can wash it off after 3 mins (or 10 for a real treat) but I prefer to use a thin layer and leave it on overnight... I've never tried it the other way, let me know if you have! :)

Heavenly Hydration Moisture Mask is £8.50 with the voucher, £13.50 without.

Blissful Body Wash

Now this was another No7 product I've had my eye on for a while (are you starting to see a pattern here?) I saw this as the perfect time to splurge on it, because let's be honest, who would fork out the RRP £8.50 on a shower cream?! That's ridiculous! I've been quite satisfied with my £1 Nivea shower creme / pint-sized Soap & Glory Clean On Me in the past but £3.50 didn't seem such a stretch so I got it :) I've only used it a few times, it's been OK! Nothing special, or 'blissful', as the name suggests, but a top-notch shower cream nonetheless. Let's hope it lasts for ages! :)

Blissful Body Wash is £3.50 with the voucher, £8.50 without... But I've just noticed it's sold out online! Oh no :(

Concealer Brush

I'd actually been quite happy rubbing in my concealer with my fingers until this point (FYI its Benefit Boi-ing in 02 - absolute best concealer I've ever used!), but the thought of it makes me feel a little grubby, I already own a No7 foundation brush which is fab and so I thought its concealer brush counterpart would be a good investment. I do use it to conceal spots and blemishes, but I haven't got used to using it under my eyes yet! I think it's probably because I'm always in a rush when I apply concealer, but if I took my time, I reckon it'd be more effective that using my fingers to rub it in under my eyes.

Concealer brush is £2.5o with the voucher, £7.50 without.

Exceptional Definition Mascara in Brown/Black

Now this was more of an 'off the cuff' purchase! I'd literally just received another £5 off voucher and I was surrounded by all the amazing ads for this mascara, and coupled with the free eyeshadow palette offer with it (see below) I couldn't resist!... I'm SO glad I did!!! It's fab. I apply it in the morning as I have a thing about only wearing brown eyeshadow/liner/mascara during the day. It honestly is great! It lengthens every single lash (and I have stumpy little lashes - see my Lash Accelerator post) yet they remain really natural looking if that makes sense! There's a tiny little bit on the end that is perfect for lengthening those short/hard to get to lashes. I would 100% recommend it! :)

Exceptional Definition Mascara is £7 with the voucher and £12 without - it comes it Black & Brown/Black.

It also came with a free Eye Palette (RRP £9.50!)

I have to be honest with you though, girls... I've never used the palette! How bad is that? They're just not really my colours... maybe I need to have a little play around! It was free, after all!

That's all I spent my vouchers on this time BUT one of the products came with a list of all the No7 products & their uses so now I've got another massive list of No7 products I want for next time! Typical!

I want to try:

Day/Night Sorbet for oily/combination skin

Beautifully Balanced Purifying Cleanser/Toner

Radiance Revealed / Total Renewal Facial Exfoliator

Pore Refining Serum

Instant Radiance Beauty Balm

(to name but a few!)

Have you used any of the above products? What are your fave No7 products that you think I should try?

Thanks for reading :)

Love,

Style by Sophia

xo

ASOS Paints Haul

Hi ladies :)

I picked up these cute ASOS Paints recently at a bargain £1 each! I'm also an ASOS Premier account member so I get free unlimited next-day delivery... You can see why I didn't resist! I'd read positive reviews about them on Lollipop26's blog as well as on Claire's Curvy Couture and being the nail varnish fanatic I am (I probably own about 50) I figured I needed them in my life.

(L-R: Victoria, Gwen, Megan)

As you can see, they come in cute little glass pots with bow detailing. Very chic - they look fab out on display on my dressing table!

(L-R: Victoria, Gwen, Megan)

They're all named after celebs, like Sienna and Cheryl, but I snapped them up in the following colours:

Gwen

A lovely rich, true red that needs only one coat. Very Gwen Stefani! ;)

Megan

A creamy lilac that I can't wait to try :) It'll be fab for summer, I love purple on my nails; I swore by Gosh - Wild Lilac this past summer! ps. It's named after Megan Fox :)

and finally...

Victoria (my fave!)

This shade is *perfect* for autumn! It's a dark blood-red, almost black-red, that I love on my nails! It's the shade I tried on first and here's it on my nails below:

(ASOS Paint in Victoria)

Overall, I'm really impressed with the quality of these nail polishes! Victoria only needs 2 coats and it lasts for ages without chipping! I've been wearing it loads this autumn and can see myself wearing it a lot more.

What colours have you guys been wearing this season? Are there any nail polishes you recommend?

Thanks for reading!

Love,

Style by Sophia

xo

New Skincare Regime

Hey y'all!

I think it's really important to have lovely, cleansed skin and I find that if you have good skin you don't necessarily need to cake your face in foundation. So one day I woke up and decided it was time to chuck out my trusty Poundland face-wipes (as seen in my £1 beauty bargains post!) as I realised they were OK for removing make-up at the end of a night out, but not for a deep cleanse morning + evening. I chose to purchase some products from the Body Shop as I thought it was time I spent a bit more on good quality skincare! Their bestselling products were on offer at 20% off at the time so I figured there's no better time to overhaul my regime!

I followed the skincare regime guide on their website and found that the Seaweed products were best suited for my skin (quite oily; prone to breakouts; not particularly blemished).

The following products were delivered to my door :)

Cleanser

I chose to buy the Seaweed Cleansing Facial Wash as I really fancied something that gave my face a deep clean, but was safe enough to use twice a day. It's oil and soap free which is perfect for my oily, slightly sensitive skin. The first time I used it, a spot broke out on my cheek, but I think that's just because it was the first time in a while my skin had had a proper thorough cleanse so I half expected it! It smells really fresh and natural and I've used it every day since. I try and use it in the evenings but sometimes I'm so knackered I just use my trusty No7 face wipes. It's also great for removing make-up at the end of the day but I use a separate eye make-up remover as well. It's £6.50 (it was 20% off bestsellers when I bought it) but they sell a smaller version for £2.50 for you to try at a fraction of the price :)

Facial Buffer

I read a number of reviews on the Body Shop website of this product and a lot of people said they used it alongside their normal cleanser, whether it be from the Seaweed or Tea Tree range. It's basically a tiny little exfoliation mitt that you use on your face for a gentle buffer every day. I started by using it twice a day alongside the Seaweed cleanser, but my skin broke out and I decided to use it only in the mornings and the cleanser on its own in the evenings. It's worked out really well; I wet the mitt with warm water, squirt a little of the cleanser onto it and lather it up into a foam before applying it onto my face in circular motions. I've got into a really good routine now and my face doesn't feel properly cleansed without it!

Toner

I also purchased the Seaweed Clarifying Toner which is a lovely, light product. I only bought the miniature version of this (at £3 rather than the usual £5) as I hadn't been using toner for a while and I underestimated its importance. However I bought into the whole cleanse, tone, moisturise thing and so thought I had to try this as well :) Again it's a nice smelling product; very 'clean' smelling! I use it after the cleanser with a double sided cotton pad from Boots and wipe it along my forehand, cheeks, chin and neck to remove excess oil and make-up. As it was only a mini bottle, it ran out and I couldn't afford to buy another one so for a while I used Lush's Tea Tree Water toner which I'd initially dismissed but it was actually very good. However it wasn't quite as lovely as the Seaweed toner, which I recently re-purchased :)

Eye make-up remover

I had quite a good relationship with my Simple Conditioning Eye Make-Up Remover but it ran out and at the time I'd resorted to using my Poundland facewipes. The Camomile Gentle Eye Make-Up Remover was another one of The Body Shop's bestselling products with 20% off and the reviews of looked pretty good. I've recently started wearing contact lenses and my eyes are pretty sensitive so it seemed ideal. On the first day I used it my eyes became red and bloodshot; they were literally weeping, I couldn't see and my eye make-up was all over my face. It's been OK since but it does sting sometimes and it doesn't remove every single speck of make-up. I probably wouldn't recommend it to you to buy. I'm looking forward to trying the Bourjois Express Eye Make-Up Remover (as reviewed on the London Beauty Queen blog) or the highly reviewed No7 Cleanse & Care Eye Make Up Remover instead. Otherwise I'll be sticking to the trusty, purse-friendly Simple brand :)

That's all I bought new from The Body Shop, here's what else completes my current skincare regime;

Moisturiser

I've been using Avon's Clearskin Mattifying Moisturiser for a good few years now. I bought it on a whim from an Avon rep at uni (for something like 2 quid!) and it's definitely one of my faves. Having quite oily skin, but knowing how essential it is to moisturise daily, it's ideal as part of my daily skincare regime. You only need the tiniest amount but it moisturises my face effectively. As far as I'm aware the product has been discontinued, but luckily I've used the Neutrogena Visibly Clear Oil-Free Moisturiser before (as seen in my skincare regime YouTube video) with no problems so I'll just revert back to that when my Avon one run's out. Saying that, I've been using this particular bottle for a good few months now and there's at least half left so it should last me a while yet! :)

Face Scrub

As mentioned in my Top 10 Avon products blog post, this is one of my favourite face scrubs! It's such a bargain - I think I got it for about 2 quid, or 3 products for £5! If my face is feeling really grotty, I'll massage this all over my face and neck and leave it on for a few minutes, or until my face tingles! It's actually got more of a consistency of a face mask. I try and use it two mornings a week (Wednesdays and Saturdays, after my cleanser + toner) to really rid my skin of the dirt and grime it collects. I've used other face scrubs in the past, like the Garnier Pure Active Scrub but I much prefer this. I'm looking forward to trying the Neutrogena Pink Grapefruit Face Scrub in the future as it looks fab and fruity! I have a bit of a soft spot for pink grapefruit as well so I'll let you know if I get around to buying that... and if it beats this bargain!

Face Mask

For more of a treat, I'll use my No7 Purifying Sauna Mask which is fab for a real deep cleanse and gentle exfoliation. I bought this a year or so ago with a No7 voucher after reading a review on beauty queen Lauren Thomas' blog. I also bought the 4-in-1 Face Wipes from the same brand and from what I've experienced, the No7 brand is 100% worth the price tag, even without the £5 voucher! This face mask is literally one of the best I've tried; nothing makes my skin feel softer and more cleansed. I actually cannot stop touching my face after I've used it (probably reversing its effects!) but I would certainly recommend you splashing out on it; it lasts for ages and it's amazing. Fact!

I believe that's all that makes up my skincare regime, as I said it's effectively cleanse, tone & moisturise twice daily, scrub twice a week and use a face mask whenever you want a treat... I tend to do mine on a Sunday :)

What skincare regime have you found works best for you? Are there any products you'd recommend for quite oily skin (prone to breakouts) like my own?

Thanks for reading!

Style by Sophia

xo

NOTD: Rimmel Lycra Pro - Celebrity Bash

Hey ladies!

With winter approaching I've been on the hunt for some decent, cheap, dark-coloured nail varnishes! I picked up two by Rimmel London; One's their Lycra Pro nail varnish in 391 Celebrity Bash and the other is 60 Seconds in 600 Deliciously Dark, which is a really deep, dark plum shade... Perfect for autumn! I can't wait to try it :)

Today, I opted for the redder shade (Celebrity Bash) as I was feeling vampy! These particular nail varnishes (Lycra Pro) come with an oversized brush, which is really useful, and only require one coat! Fabulous! It's perfect for a night out and leaves a lovely, gloss finish.

What colours have you been wearing on your nails lately?

Love,

Style by Sophia

xo

Top 10 Avon Products

Hi girls!

As some of you may know, I spent my summer vacation working as an Avon Representative in my hometown. Their current Ambassador is the lovely Reese Witherspoon (seen above) and the brand are currently in the midst of a massive image overhaul as 'the company that best understands the product, service and self-fulfilment needs of women globally.' If you take 5 minutes to flick through one of their brochures, you'll find that their prices beat that of high-street brands like Rimmel, No7 and L'oreal and are arguably of the same or better quality.

I absolutely loved working for Avon; There's a real sense of community within the company (especially as the reps are mainly women) and the discount was pretty good as well! In terms of payment, Avon Reps work solely on commission, and I built a solid customer base so I was lucky enough to receive 25% commission on their products i.e. if a customer spent £10 on Avon products, I would earn £2.50! (the rest goes to the company/your Sales Leader). However, being the spender I am, I tended to splash my earnings on discounted Avon products rather than pocketing the cash! It meant I had a real understanding of all the different product ranges to report back to my customers and it saved me a lot of money in Boots!

Here's my top 10 Avon products so far... I've been accumulating pics to do this post for a while, so excuse the mis-matched duvets!

(in no particular order)

1. Planet Spa Mediterranean Olive Oil Conditioning Hair Mask

This is a lush intensive hair masque! It seriously makes your locks feel so glossy! When you apply it, you can just feel how luxurious it is because the consistency is so thick and creamy. It's one of my fave intensive hair masques, other than L'oreal nutri-gloss and Aussie 3 minute miracle and is a real treat for dull hair!

2. Avon Care Sheer Lip Gloss with Jojoba Oil

I tended to wear this lip gloss more in the summer :) I bought it for about 2 quid and it's such a bargain!
It leaves a lovely glossy, natural sheen (seen above) that's perfect if you're looking for something in between a gloss and a balm. However in the winter, I'd suggest something a bit more intensive, like Carmex!

3. True Colour Blush in Earthern Rose

This isn't really a blush - I suppose it's like a honey coloured blush but I see it more as a bronzer. In the daytime, I usually use Benefit Hoola but I prefer this sometimes as it's a bit lighter. It's a really natural looking bronzer, simply apply it to your cheekbones, temples and along the bridge of your nose (or whenever the sun hits you really) for a natural-looking chiselled, bronzed look.

Here's me rocking Earthern Rose! (above)

I've also tried True Colour Blush in Russett but I found it to be too pigmented. Perhaps I'm using the incorrect brush but it just a bit too much for me at the moment. I'm still on the hunt for the perfect daytime blush (other than expensive Benefit Benetint) so please feel free to suggest some in the comment box at the end!

4. SuperExtend Mascara in Brown/Black

This is one of Avon's newer products; it's similar in brush shape to Maxfactor Masterpiece Max which is my go-to mascara of all time!

I chose to purchase it in Black/Brown because I had loads of chunky black mascaras e.g. Benefit Bad Gal but I had few I could actually wear in the day for a really natural look. Here's me wearing SuperExtend (above).

Here's Reese Witherspoon wearing it and a picture of the brush shape! :)

5. Planet Spa African Shea Foot & Elbow Cream with AHA

I don't know about you but, being the hedonist I am, I love nothing more than a good pamper! As a special treat I lather my feet in this cream before I go to bed (which, by the way, I've never used on my elbows) and pop on a pair of cotton socks. I struggle a bit with calluses and rough heels, but in the morning, my feet are lovely and soft! Also, it smells of Popcorn... Lush :)

6. Plump Pout Lip Gloss (Honey Shades) in Pink Nectar

I don't exactly suffer from thin lips, but I always want them to look a bit plumper on a night out! I've tried a few, like Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker as well as a 2true one, but nothing works like this beauty! It's a shame I don't have a photo, but this gloss leave your lips looking really sexy; pink and plump! I ordered it in bulk when it was on offer because I loved it so much! Oh, and it makes your lips tingle... ;)

7. True Colour Eyeshadow Quad in Mocha Latte

Just like the rest of the world, Urban Decay's Naked palette is on my Christmas list this year! However, other than having a few less shades, this palette is actually a pretty good dupe! The colours are exactly what I'm looking for in a daytime smokey eye; a cream shade, a taupe shade to use as a base, a golden bronze to highlight, and a darker brown to shade!

I use it in my daytime face regime (see above) along with brown mascara and brown liquid eyeliner. I don't like to look too 'done-up' during the day... That's for the evenings! :) I actually prefer these shades to some of the more natural looking ones in my Sleek Storm palette. They last all day as well! One of my fave purchases, would 100% recommend it to anyone looking for a natural eye palette!

8. MagiX Face Perfector

I was actually recommended this product by fellow beauty blogger & friend, Lauren Thomas aka Beauty Queen who used it quite a few months ago. It seemed like one of Avon's cult products so I had to have it! It definitely works as a make-up primer; it evens out your pores, removes any oil and is perfect for applying make-up on to. It literally makes your skin feel silky soft! You've got to try it to believe it!

I've also heard top reviews about Avon's MagiX illuminator concealer. I heard that Gok Wan recommended it as the 2nd best concealer behind the YSL Touche Eclat on his Fashion Fix show! When I run out of my expensive Touche Eclat, I shall definitely be trying out the MagiX version instead :)

9. Clearskin Professional Deep Pore Cleansing Scrub

Avon's Clearskin range is brilliant value for money! They've always got offers on (like 3 for £5) and their products are fab for young, spot-prone skin like my own. I picked up this Professional deep cleansing scrub as it's essentially part of a set of 3, and I already had step 2 so I thought it only made sense to buy step 1! I think it's really important to regularly exfoliate your face (at least twice a week - I try to remember to do it on Wednesdays and Saturdays!) and this scrub is perfect for opening your pores and really making your skin feel like it's had a thorough, deep clean. Rather than washing it off straight away, I prefer to leave it on for a few minutes and use it as a face mask, as I like the tingly feeling you get from it... Weird I know :) Love it!

10. Skin So Soft Airbrush Spray in Fair

I've never really found the perfect high street fake tan for my skin! I prefer to have a natural-looking tan than one that's obviously fake so I'm always looking for ones for fair skin. One of my past faves was Garnier's mist for fair skin but at £7 a bottle I can only really afford to buy it when it's on offer! Other than that, I use Garnier's Summer Body lotion for fair skin which I lurve! I thought I'd try Avon's version of the mist, and I have to say it worked really well on my skin!

You apply it like the Garnier mist, but this time you rub it in! As you can tell from the picture above, it really enhances my natural skin colour and I loved the outcome! Unfortunately it wasn't in my latest brochure but if I see it again I'll definitely be re-purchasing! It's only like £1 a bottle... Such a bargain!

There's loads more products I love from Avon, including the Cream-To-Powder foundation, Lotus Shield hair serum and double-ended kajal stick! I'd definitely recommend giving Avon a go; you can find your local rep on their website or simply order online! I've found a rep here at uni and I'm a regular customer for her now, along with all of my housemates! There's nothing like flicking through a brochure and receiving your little bag of Avon goodies at the end :)

Alternatively, if you're looking to become self-employed, or save a few pennies for Christmas and have some time on your hands/a handful of beauty-addict friends, perhaps think about becoming a Rep! It's never too late to join, there's no interview process or anything like that, and as I mentioned earlier the discounts are a real perk! I hope I've inspired you :)

What Avon products can you not live without?

Love,

Style by Sophia

xo

ps. Follow Avon on Twitter (@Avon_UK) or join the Facebook group and show your support to the Avon reps out there!

Car Boot Bargains

The end of summer to me signals a new wardrobe. Out go summery floral dresses, tan sandals, denim jackets, the like. What better way to fund a new season than to sell all the clothes you don't wear? Well, that's what I do, at the end of every summer. I decide that if I haven't worn it at all this summer, then it's highly likely I won't be wearing it next summer, or especially not over the next few months. Last year I did an end-of-summer car boot sale I earned 60 quid, selling bits and bobs that I can honestly say, hand on heart, I haven't missed! To be fair though, it was my first proper car boot and I was in dire financial difficulty at the time so I was pretty ruthless!

This year, I scraped together a good few carrier bags worth of stuff I wanted to sell and made my way to Faygate, Crawley with my rather reluctant mother.

My stall

I sold everything from clothes to shoes, bags, belts, scarves, toiletries, make-up etc. Nothing was off limits... car booters love a bargain! I made almost £30 this time, which may not seem like a lot, but a) people won't pay less than 50p-£1 for anything at a car boot, and b) I didn't get rid of so much stuff. A lot of people will wonder why I don't sell my stuff on eBay instead, and yes I was selling items from Topshop, River Island, ASOS, New Look, Next etc that would sell for a good few dollar on there. BUT a car boot is cash in hand, it's immediate, you don't pay tax or anything like that, you don't have to pay for postage, delivery... I could go on. Granted, halfway through, I realised I was selling a £40 River Island blazer that I'd only worn once for potentially 50p, and so I put it in the car to eBay at a later date! I did that with a few things actually, you regret selling them for so little as soon as you put them out! It was a lovely sunny day though and a very easy way to earn a few bob...

Bits I Bought

Me being me, had to have a snoop around the other stalls and spend my hard earned pennies. I was surprised by some of the bargains I found...

Make-up/wash bag - 40p

I had to have this little wash bag as soon as I saw it! I even bargained it down to 40p from 50... every penny counts! It's brand new, and suits my bedroom decor perfectly. I started using it immediately as something to carry my hand cream/lip salve etc in my handbag. Love it :)

L'oreal Kiss Proof Lipstick in 113 Spicy Rose - £2

I've been looking for a natural rose pink lipstick after my Versace fave broke and I had to de-pot it. Not ideal. However when I came across this one, which happened to be the only shade on offer and brand new in its original box, I really wanted it. Unfortunately it was going for £3 and that was equivalent to six pairs of shoes and I thought NO... I can't. However, I couldn't stop thinking about it and went back to get it, and even haggled it down to £2! Bargain.

As you can see, a lovely shimmery rose lipstick...

It comes with a clear lipgloss as well (hence the KissProof) which can be used on its own. I have a number of these L'oreal KissProof lipsticks and they're really fab, and the gloss really does work to lock in colour.

Many sellers at car boots do sell brand new make up, jewellery etc as they buy it in bulk and sell it on at these places. I spotted brand new Collection 2000, MaxFactor and Bourjois while I was there... Who'd have thought, eh?

White wicker basket (brand new from Ikea) - £1

I saw somebody else looking at this and that made me want this (something I've made quite a habit of recently). I've been thinking of switching my make-up from my stacked acrylic boxes to white wicker baskets like these for easier access, visual purposes etc and I thought this purchase could get the ball rolling!

It's just my style.. Plain and simple, and I think I'm going to use it for all my facial toiletry bottles. Bargain at £1 I reckon!

Coasters - 50p

Another purchase for the house, what am I like? But I couldn't resist these little coasters adorned with cute like cupcakes, perfect for the kitchen! They're brand new as well, and whilst I admit I don't *need* them... I loved them! Coasters have a habit of getting a bit grotty so it was about time I upgraded, anyway... honestly.

I hope I've shown you that car-boots, even ones in Crawley, aren't ridden with pick-pocketing tramps and that you can make a few bob and pick up a few bargains. It definitely made me want to go again and see what I could find!

Love,

Style by Sophia

xo

ps. Faygate carboot has got a couple more weekends left if you're interested :) £8.50 seller fee, 40p to buy and no car-parking charge! Do it...