Benefit They're Real Mascara review, pics and FOTD: Is it worth buying?

Hey lovelies :-)

I hope you're having a great Thursday, nearly the weekend - yay!

Recently, I bought Benefit's They're Real mascara on Buyapowa. I don't know about you guys, but I'm always checking Buyapowa for potential beauty bargains and a couple of months ago spotted this mascara on offer. Being the UK's best selling mascara and all, I simply had to find out what all the fuss was about ;-)

They're Real claims to lengthen, curl, volumise, lift and separate lashes. Who doesn't like the sound of that?! The brush is specially designed with bristles at the end so that you can get right into the corner of your lashes.

[You may also like: Benefit Girl Meets Pearl, Posie Tint and High Beam reviews and FOTD!]

The brush is really simple to use and thinner im width than Benefit's Bad Gal mascara, which I also own - and love!

I simply applied 2 coats of They're Real, with no other eye make-up, and look what a difference it made to my lashes...

Before applying Benefit They're Real Mascara:

After applying Benefit They're Real Mascara:

As you can see, They're Real made a HUGE difference to my lashes! They are practically non-existent in the 'before' picture, and afterwards they look really long, curled and defined. It doesn't make them look as volumised as I'd have hoped, but then that's more what Bad Gal is designed for - which is currently on offer on Buyapowa.

They're Real doesn't leave you with flaky bits of mascara under your eye and it comes off easily with make up wipes. I've used it pretty much every day for 1-2 months and I can definitely say it lives up to the hype!

It's available for £18.50 on the Benefit website, but definitely check out websites such as Buyapowa and you may get it cheaper, like I did :)

[You may also like: Benefit Creaseless Cream Eyeshadow in Strut review, swatches & FOTD!]

FOTD featuring They're Real mascara:

FACE: MAC Fix+, Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat #1, MAC Studio Finish Concealer, Stila Oil-Free Tinted Moisturiser (applied with Cosmopolitan Blend Perfection Sponge), MAC Blush in Harmony, MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Center of the Universe (both applied with MAC 129 Brush).

EYES: MAC Painterly Paint Pot, Rimmel Exaggerate Liquid Eyeliner in Brown, No7 Exceptional Eyes Eyeliner in Brown, Benefit They're Real Mascara.

EYEBROWS: MAC Eyebrow Pencil in Dirty Blonde.

LIPS: MAC Cremesheen Glass in Meteoric.

Have you tried They're Real? Is it your new HG mascara?

Love,

Sophia

xo

Weekend OOTN, FOTN and NOTN: Celeb inspired River Island disco pants and plum lips

Hey loves!

I hope you're having a lovely, chilled out Sunday :-)

This weekend, I went out with a few friends and I sported my new River Island Disco Pants, inspired by the following celebs...

TOWIE's Jess Wright, Corrie's Michelle Keegan, Demi Lovato and Perrie Edwards (Little Mix) style their Disco Pants

I imagine these celebs are wearing the famous American Apparel Disco Pants, but at £80 a pop, they're slightly out of my price range! So I opted for a high-street pair instead. Here's how I styled them...

OOTN:

Black mesh body - ASOS Petite

Black disco pants - River Island

Black patent heels - Priceless Shoes

Burgundy clutch - Dorothy Perkins

Gold cross necklace - River Island

I went for a classic, all-black look, styling my disco pants with a mesh body and on-trend cross necklace. I completed the outfit with a pair of ubiquitous black heels and a burgundy clutch, to complement my make-up.

FOTN:

FACE: Aldi Lacura Shimmering Day Cream as primer (applied with MAC 190 brush), Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat #1 under eyes, Benefit Boi-ing Concealer in 02 Medium on blemishes, Benefit Some Kind-a Gorgeous Foundation Faker in Medium, MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Light, Benefit Dallas Bronzer, Benefit Coralista Blush, Benefit High Beam as highlight.

EYES: Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion in Original, HD Brows Brow Palette in Vamp - taupe and dark brown shadows on lids (applied with Cosmopolitan Smokey Eyes Base Brush), Rimmel Exaggerate Liquid Eyeliner in Black, Avon Color Trend Kajal Stick in Black, Benefit They're Real Mascara.

EYEBROWS: HD Brows Brow Palette in Vamp - dark brown shadow, set with No7 Clear Brow Gel.

LIPS: LUSH Bubblegum Lip scrub to prime, Blistex MedPlus and Topshop Makeup Lipstick in Beguiled - review to follow!

I matched my make-up to my accessories, wearing my new plum lipstick from Topshop. Plum lips were a massive trend on the AW12 catwalks and have been worn by celebs including Cheryl and Nicole Scherzinger. I'll be doing a full review of the lipstick shortly but for now, I absolutely love it and I think it's really flattering :-)

NOTN:

American Apparel - Port

The geek in me matched my nails to other elements of my outfit, haha. American Apparel do some of the BEST nail polishes. They're always so on-trend with their shades and the formula is really thick and creamy. I would definitely recommend.

How would you style disco pants?

Love,

Sophia

xo

August empties: REN, Avon, ELF, Lush, Garnier, Dove, Creightons, Treacle Moon

Hey ladies,

TGIF! I hope you've got lots of lovely things planned for the weekend :-)

Apologies for this being a little overdue but I figured it's better late than never, right? 

I decided to start doing empties posts not only because I love reading other people's empties lists but also as it allows me to keep a tab on the items I buy, haha.

So here's what I used up in the month of August.

Creightons Perfect Blonde Shampoo and Creightons Perfect Blonde Conditioner - £1 each - Poundland

I've written about this shampoo and conditioner in a previous Bargain of the Week post, and my love for them has yet to diminish. They're perfect for maintaining glossy blonde locks, and really enhance golden blonde highlights. Best of all, they're only a quid each! I would re-purchase these again without a doubt. I've also tried the brunette version which I love as well, and which I'll no doubt use as soon as I dye my hair back to its natural brunette shade.

Intu Style Brunette Dry Shampoo - £1 - Poundland

I've also used up this dry shampoo designed for brunettes, which I picked up in Poundland. When I've got dark hair, I prefer to use a specific brunette dry shampoo as normal ones leave a white residue in my hair. This one worked really well at ridding my hair of oiliness and I'd definitely re-purchase.

Dove Colour Radiance Express Treatment Conditioner - £3.39 - Boots

I reviewed the whole Dove Colour Radiance haircare collection on my work blog and I was really impressed with not just the range, but this product in particular. It's basically an express intensive conditioner for coloured hair and I really loved it. It smells gorgeous, is easy to apply and left my hair feeling soft and silky. I can't wait to try out some more products from the Dove Express Conditioner range as I'm always in a rush in the shower!

Aquafresh Extra Fresh Daily Mouthwash - £1 - Poundland and Extreme Clean Whitening Toothpaste - £1.80 -Tesco

I wasn't sure whether to include these rather bland empties, but I figured I'd like to read about it on other people's so I thought I'd add them in here. The mouthwash was nice and mild and the toothpaste made my teeth look whiter. Result!

Treacle Moon My Coconut Island Body Scrub - £2.99 - Tesco

I was given this for Christmas last year and I have to be honest, it's one of the best body scrubs I have EVER used. For less than 3 quid, it's truly amazing. It's really thick, contains generous sized beads and smells of lush coconut. It really leaves your skin feeling like it's had a good scrub. I would definitely re-purchase!

Garnier Pure Deep Clean Foam Wash - £4.69 - Cheap Smells

I used this to wash my face in the mornings and I wasn't very impressed. I didn't notice any difference in my skin in the long term. It made my skin feel clean after I'd used it though. It's just not really worth the money in my opinion - it's nothing special. I am tempted to try the new Fruit Energy face wash though.

No7 Beautiful Skin Quick Thinking Wipes - £7 - Boots

I've always been a massive fan of these face wipes, and I bought them in a haul this time last year. They're really soft and wet and are perfect for removing stubborn eye make-up. I'd definitely recommend picking up a packet with the £5 off No7 vouchers that are flying around at the moment, you won't regret it :-) No7 is a brand I'm really fond of in general - great products, great prices, you can't go wrong!

LUSH Tea Tree Water Toner - £3.95 - Lush

You may recognise this product from my new skincare routine post that I wrote about recently. I've been using this alongside other Lush facial skincare products including Fresh Farmacy cleanser and Enzymion moisturiser and I find they work really well together. My skin reacts nicely to tea tree as it's soothing and it calms down my spots as well. I might fork out for the bigger bottle next time!

Studio Makeup Mist & Set - £3.75 - elf

I bought this product in my first ever ELF haul (seems like ages ago now) and I've been using it quite a lot recently as it's been in my handbag. I think it's OK but I would rather fork out for the MAC Fix+ which smells lovely, sprays well and sets my make-up nicely.  

Avon MagiX Illuminator - Avon (but available on eBay)

I wrote about this product on my YSL Touche Eclat dupe post and needless to say I've used it all up! It truly is amazing at banishing dark circles and if the product was still around I'd snap it up immediately. Sadly it's been discontinued but you can still pick it up on eBay!

REN Moisture Recharge Comfort-Plus Day Cream (sample size but available for £27 on the REN website)

I was kindly given this product in a blog sale and I've been using it when I stay over at my boyfriend's house as it's a nice handy travel size. To be honest, I'd never heard of the brand REN when I was given the product but I know loads of beauty bloggers rave about it. Maybe it's because I only use a tiny amount but I haven't notice any difference to my skin at all really. I don't really like the smell either. Each to their own I suppose :-)

What are you loving this month?

Let me know :-)

Love,

Sophia 

xo

MAC Heavenly Creatures haul: Center of the Universe MSF and Meteroic Cremesheen Glass

Hey ladies!

I hope you've all had a lovely Monday :-)

Recently, I hauled the latest MAC collection, Heavenly Creatures.

I've never bought anything from a Limited Edition MAC collection before so this was a first for me!

I had my eye on LOADS from the collection but in the end I picked up just two items.

Here's what I hauled...

Cremesheen Glass in Meteoric - RRP £17.00

The first thing I bought was a limited edition lipgloss in the shade Meteoric.

It's my first MAC lipgloss so I wasn't really sure to expect. It features my favoured doe foot applicator - but I noticed there's not as much product in the tube as I was expecting from the size of it.

Meteoric is described as a light coral with gold micro shimmer. It's perfect for me as I'm a huge fan of coral lip products, but I wasn't sure about the gold shimmer.

Lips before and after:

Luckily, the coral micro shimmer wasn't immediately noticeable on the lips, instead it just looks like the coral is glistening in the light.

[My recent haul at MAC Westfield and my MAC FOTD!]

Swatches:

(left without flash, right with flash)

Top: Stila Lip Glaze in Raspberry

Middle: MAC Cremesheen Glass in Meteoric

Bottom: Maybelline Color Sensational Lip Gloss

The only other two coral lip gloss products I own are swatched above and I'm quite pleased they're all very different as it justifies my purchase! Haha.

I found Meteoric to have about 3 hours wear before it started to fade, and it has a semi-opaque finish. It has the lovely, vanilla scent (like the lipsticks) - it's just a shame that there's such little product in the tube.

[MAC make-up haul!]

Mineralize Skinfinish in Center of the Universe - RRP £21.50

The next thing I picked up was this limited edition Mineralize Skinfinish in Center of the Universe.

Like the lipgloss, I didn't own a MAC Mineralize Skinfinish before so I had no idea what to expect at all.

From what I've learnt from using this product and from what I've read online, MAC's Mineralize Skinfinishes are supposed to be used as a final highlighting product.

Centre of the Universe is described as coral with gold shimmer. It features different swirls of gold, bronze and orange, that blend together to create a goldy brown shade.

Swatches:

(left without flash, right with flash)

Top: GOSH Giant Sun Powder

Middle: MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Center of the Universe

Bottom: ELF Blush in Peachykeen

I compared the Mineralize Skinfinish to what I thought were two similar bronzers in my collection, but I found Center of the Universe to have much more of a shimmer than the other two, which were much more matte. It also looks peachier in colour compared to the others, more like a rose gold.

I found Center of the Universe to look like a glistening gold/orange on the skin, and I like to use it as a bronzer type highlight, brushing it up along my cheekbones and temples to create a sun-kissed glow. It lasted around 5-6 hours before fading and it's VERY pigmented - you only need a very light hand!

[MAC Pro Longwear Foundation + 190 Foundation Brush review!]

FOTD featuring MAC Heavenly Creatures Collection:

MAC Fix+

Estee Lauder Doublewear Concealer

MAC Studio Fix Concealer

Bourjois 10 Hour Sleep Effect Foundation (applied with ELF Stippling Brush)

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Center of the Universe

MAC Blush in Harmony

MAC Painterly Paint Pot

Rimmel Exaggerate Liquid Eyeliner

Avon Color Trend Kajal Stick

Clinique High Lengths Mascara

MAC Cremesheen Glass in Meteoric

What have you hauled from MAC recently?

Let me know!

Love,

Sophia 

xo

Weekend OOTN and FOTN: Kim Kardashian inspired cream peplum top and leather trousers look

Hey loves,

Happy hump day! I hope you're all having a fab Wednesday and looking forward to the weekend :-)

Speaking of the weekend, I went out for a dinner with my friends and sported an outfit very similar to something Kim Kardashian wore recently. I'm sure you all know that I'm very much inspired by her personal style so take a look at how our outfits matched!

OOTN:

Kim's outfit:

- Cream peplum top: Zara

- Leather trousers: J Brand

- Black heels: Christian Louboutin

- Black bag: Hermes

My outfit:

- Cream peplum top: Topshop (£18.00)

- Leather trousers: Next (similar style here)

- Black loafers: Next (similar style here)

Of course, I imagine that Kim's wardrobe cost near to the thousands, but I like to think they look pretty similar considering I bought all my items from the high street. The top is a really good fit from Topshop is a really good fit and perfect for going out for dinner as it goes out at the sides, haha. The trousers and shoes are both over a year old but still going strong - Next has a couple of very similar pieces this season, if you're interested. I also wore my new black Primark bag but didn't photograph it.

[You may also like: Kardashian inspired tuxedo chic outfit on a budget! Weekend OOTN, FOTN and NOTN]

FOTN:

FACE: MAC Fix+, Estee Lauder Doublewear Concealer, MAC Studio Finish Concealer, 17 Blemish Balm, MAC Blush in Harmony

EYES: Rimmel Exaggerate Liquid Eyeliner, Avon Color Trend kajal stick, No7 Exceptional Definition Mascara, Avon SuperShock Mascara

BROWS: Ruby & Millie Brow Enhance, W7 Angled Brush

LIPS: Benefit The Gloss (Clear)

I actually took this photo after I came back from the meal (explains the messy eye make-up haha) but I'm surprised by how well it held up through dinner. OK, so maybe not the lip gloss but the foundation and concealer looks pretty in tact - I wouldn't expect anything less than MAC, I suppose!

[You may also like: Steal Her Style: Kim Kardashian]

Are you a fan of Kim's personal style? Who do you look up to instead?

Let me know in the comments :-)

Love,

Sophia

xo

Guildford shopping haul: Primark, Topshop, Lush, Boots and Liz Earle

UPDATE:

I've been using the £1 liquid eyeliner from Primark and I have to admit - I'm really impressed with it!

It's really easy to apply, it lasts all day and doesn't smudge. It's a matte, black shade (not glossy/wet look like some are) and really accentuates your eyes. 

It takes a second to apply but lasts all day - I will definitely be re-purchasing this!

Here's a pic of me with the eyeliner on:

 Definitely try it, ladies!

x
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hey loves!

I hope you're having a good Monday :-)

Recently, I went shopping in Guildford, which is one of my FAVE places to shop - especially now there's a Primark there, haha.

Here's what I picked up...

Primark

I bought a couple of bits and bobs from Primark, including bags and accessories. No clothes though, sadly...

Tan leather bag - £12.00

I bought this beautiful bag for a bargainlicious 12 quid! The handles of my last bag broke but this one has held up well so far. I loved it so much I also bought it in black...

Black leather bag - £12.00

I'm using this bag at the moment and I just LOVE it! It looks way more expensive than it is and it holds all my stuff, from my iPad to my diary to my make-up bag, perfectly. Stock up, ladies!

Black loafers - £4.00 I have these in white already and they're just SO comfy! My family say they look like nurse shoes but I don't care, I love them and I had to have them in another colour.

Black brush - £1.00 Just a bargain brush, haha. My old one is looking a bit tatty so this one fitted the bill.

Gold earrings - £1.00 Just perfect for adding a little bit of glam at the last minute, and at 10p an earring you can't really complain!

Black liquid eyeliner - £1.00 I figured it was worth a try for a quid! I've used it a couple of times and I've been really impressed with it actually.

Leopard print iPhone case - £2.00 Leopard print lover! Let's hope it fits my iPhone and doesn't break lol.

[You may also like: Primark summer '12 haul: Work blouses]

Topshop

Yellow skirt - £5.00 This is an absolute bargain - I tried it on in the changing rooms as well as loads of other Topshop stuff, and this was the only item I liked. It was priced at £7 but when I got to the till it was only 5! I love it when that happens. I wore this skirt to the Paralympics at the Olympic Park as it seemed very 'sport luxe' to me...

Lush

Lemony Flutter cuticle butter - £6.25 I picked up this cuticle butter after reading Laura rave about it. I love massaging it into my cuticles and then pushing them back before I do my nails. It smells amazing, like lemon meringue pie!

[You may also like: LUSH haul: My new skincare routine for oily and blemish prone skin]

Boots

I also picked up a couple of cult beauty products from Boots...

Benefit Erase Paste (01 Fair) - £19.50

I read about this product on Jennie's blog and I really wanted to try it for my dark circles! They're something I really struggle with on a daily basis - I literally look in the mirror and stare miserably at my dark circles haha. It was a toss up between this and MAC's Select Cover Up but I went for this as it sounded more brightening (although more expensive!) We shall see...

Blistex MedPlus lipbalm - £2.59

I read about this on Estee's blog and, like the rest of the world, ran out to get it immediately! It sounds perfect for popping in your handbag and applying when your lips start to feel dry. I'm an avid Carmex lipbalm user though so we'll see how this shapes up against my other fave lipbalms.

No7 Lash & Brow Perfector - £4.50

I've really started taking care of my brows recently and this sounds ideal for taming my brows after I've coloured and shaped them. And it was £5 off, result!


[You may also like: No7 Voucher Haul]

Liz Earle

I've been using Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish on and off for about a year now, but I've recently gone back to it after I received it for my birthday, and I wanted to complete my little Liz Earle skincare set.

I debated buying Liz Earle products online but I'm glad I didn't because the Liz Earle store in Guildford was LOVELY! I'd definitely recommend paying a visit if you're in the South East - I know it's only one of four in the UK - as it's so immaculately laid out and the staff are so nice. Probably why I ended up buying so much...

Skin Repair Moisturiser Light 50ml tube - £18.75 I received the Skin Repair Moisturiser for Normal skin for my birthday but I realised, after reading reviews and descriptions online, that the Skin Repair Light was more suited to my oily skintype. I hope it has that signature Liz Earle scent that I LOVE! Also, the lady just let me swap it straight over- I didn't have a receipt but it was unopened FYI... I know not all shops do that...

Eyebright Soothing Eye Lotion 50ml + 2 muslin cloths - £5.25 I find that my Cleanse & Polish doesn't remove every last trace of eye make-up so the member of staff at Liz Earle recommended I use this eye product afterwards to finish off. I'm told it will be quite a nice treat for my eyes whether it works or not!

Gentle Face Exfoliator 15ml tube - £5.25 I'm a massive fan of the No7 Microdermabrasion face scrub as I find the sand-like texture works really well to clear up my skin, and I've heard that this one is quite similar. I normally scrub my face twice a week but I may use this tester size more frequently as it's supposedly so gentle.

Deep Cleansing Mask 15ml tube + 2 sponges - £5.25 Lastly, I picked up a small sized deep cleansing mask because I've heard from Corrie it works really well to clear up problem skin. I like nothing more than indulging in a face mask on a Sunday so I'll certainly be adding this to my routine!

So that's all I've hauled recently, but no doubt I will do another haul soon - haha!

What have you hauled recently? Leave your links in the comments and I'd love to take a look!

Love,

Sophia

xo