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...

AW10 Nail Lust

Hey guys!

I'm currently in the process of buying nail colours to take me into autumn. No more corals, turquoises and lilacs for me! Here are some shades I'm lusting after this season:

Chanel Paradoxal

(in a dream world, of course)

Nails Inc Jerym Street

I have recently just bought a nude shade but this one seems more beigey/browney and therefore it's justified!

Revlon Plum Night

I'm looking for the perfect plum so if anyone would like to point me in the right direction that would be fab? Drug store purchases preferred. I have found the perfect colour in the form of Avon's Midnight Plum (see below) but it's an absolute nightmare to apply... eurgh.

Bourjois Dangereusement Rouge

This is the closest shade I could find to the reddish-brown polish Kim Kardashian was spotted wearing recently (see below). Again, answers on a postcard please... Or just leave a comment.

Bourjois Cerise Noire

You may take a double take when you see this picture coupled with the one above, but no I did not make a mistake uploading the pics, they are in fact different shades! According to other bloggers, Cerise Noire appears more like a dark burgundy red, whereas Dangereusement Rouge is a more of a dark reddy-brown. Ah well, there's only one way to find out... Buy them both!

Bourjois Bleu Mysterieux

Another little Bourjois number... I just freaking love this polish! I've got 2 of the So Laque! shades already (Tangerine Fatal and Rouge Casino, FYI) and they're fab if you prefer a high-gloss finish, like me. AND they don't chip. Super! I can imagine the dark navy shade above looking fab as a gloss finish... mmm.

What shades will you be wearing this autumn? Are you like me and beginning to veer towards darker shades?

Let me know via the comment box below.

Love,

Style by Sophia

x

NOTD: Rimmel Wear Maxx - Hot Gossip

Astoundingly this is my first NOTD post - Can you believe it? I paint my nails religiously several times a week (I get bored easily!) Recently I've just been wearing OPI's Nail Envy which is essentially a clear polish to strengthen the nails. To cut a long story short, I used it as a base coat and then didn't get round to painting them so I thought I'd leave them as they were as they were! They looked clean and healthy and it made a change from the usual discolouration I'm left with!

It didn't last long though and I've been looking at colours to take me into autumn. I'm after a deep, blood red but this was the darkest red I owned (without any glitter in it) and it matched my lipstick so it sufficed for the time being!


It's a lovely, true red but unfortunately it only lasted one night, in fact I recall it chipping on the same night I painted them. It looks slightly darker in the pic below - perhaps it would look like that with 2 coats but I felt that one coat was enough (might explain the chipping - ho hum).

What nail varnish were you wearing today?

Love,

Style by Sophia

x

Summer Holiday Style

This year, I holidayed with 7 girlfriends to the sunny resort of Gumbet in Turkey. I had a lovely week lazing by the pool each day, reading The Twilight Saga: New Moon, eating out at delicious Turkish restaurants in the evening and hitting a few bars at night. But what did I wear?

OUTFITS

Day 1

Out to dinner, I wore...

Purple maxi dress - Dorothy Perkins

Straw sequin clutch - Primark

Gold pendant - Next

Gold chandelier earrings - a gift

Gold bangles - Primark

At night, I wore...

Yellow vest - Topshop

Denim cut-offs - Topshop

Day 2

For dinner, and drinks in the apartment, I wore...

Floral playsuit - Next

White sandals - Primark

Cream studded clutch - Accessorize

Cream waist belt - ASOS

Disc earrings - New Look

Day 3

Out to dinner, I wore...

Shirred bust maxi dress - George at Asda

Gold disc earrings - Freedom at Topshop

To the bars, I wore...

White vest - Topshop

Khaki shorts - New Look

Gold disc earrings - Topshop

Day 4

For dinner, I wore...

White broderie anglaise maxi skirt - Topshop

Black vest - H&M

Tan plaited belt - H&M

Tan gladiator sandals (just seen) - George at Asda

Gold leaf earrings (just seen) - Freedom at Topshop

Gold bangle - Primark

For dancing and drinks in Gumbet, I wore...

Burnt orange tunic - Primark

Tan plaited belt - H&M

Straw sequin clutch - Primark

Tan gladiator sandals - George at Asda

Gold leaf earrings - Freedom at Topshop

Bangles - Primark

Day 5

For cocktails at a beach front bar, I wore...

Black maxi dress - Dorothy Perkins

Gold necklace - Next

God wicker clutch - H&M

Gold bangle - Primark

Gold chandelier earrings - a gift

Day 6

For our final meal in Gumbet, I wore...

Maxi dress - George at Asda

Gold wicker clutch - H&M

Earrings - a gift

Gold bangles - Primark

For our final night out in Gumbet, I wore...

Khaki military skirt - Topshop

White vest - H&M

Gold wicker clutch - H&M

Gold chandelier earrings - a gift

Tan gladiator sandals - George at Asda

Gold bangles - Primark (obviously!)

HAIR & MAKE-UP

Hair

I kept my hair quite simple and tended to straighten or curl it with my GHDs, as below. I would add a french plait or a quiff to keep my fringe out of my face or pin it back to form a bun.

I used...

Tigi Rockaholic sulphate-free shampoo and conditioner

L'oreal Nutri-Gloss intensive conditioning masque

Aussie Miracle Hair Insurance Leave-In Conditioner (see previous blog post)

Avon Advanced Techniques Lotus Shield

L'oreal Elnett Satin Very Volume Supreme Hold Hairspray to finish

Make-up

I like to keep my make-up light on holiday as it just melts off otherwise, and besides, the sun did wonders for my skin so I didn't require that much coverage! Also, we had minimal baggage allowance so I couldn't bring my entire make-up stash and just used the same products daily.

I used...

Benefit That Gal brightening face primer

Benefit Some Kind-a Gorgeous foundation faker (original)

Benefit Boi-ing concealer (o2 medium)

Benefit Dallas bronzer

Clinique Up-Lighting Liquid Illuminator (02 Peach)

Shu Uemura eyelash curler

Avon Color Trend double-ended kajal stick (brown & black) (eyebrows as well)

Maxfactor Masterpiece MAX mascara (black) (1st coat)

Benefit Bad Gal mascara (black) (2nd coat)

Sleek Eyeshadow Palette (Storm)

Avon Plump Pout Lip Gloss (Pink nectar)

Except when I added...

Rimmel 1000 Kisses lipliner in 021 Red Dynamite + Rimmel Colour Show Off Lipstick in Be Bold

and also...

Eyelure Naturalites Eyelashes (Volume Plus 101)

Nails

I started with Rimmel 60 Seconds nail polish in 825 Sky High on my fingers and toes - You can't quite tell in the picture but it's a bright, pure turquoise. But, by mid-week it had faded to a horrid murky blue so I painted them all white to compliment my new tan!

I used White from Avon's Nail Experts French Manicure Kit and whilst it did require 2 coats, it dried opaque eventually.

IN THE DAY

Make-Up

I didn't wear make-up in the day except for some Vaseline with SPF. I did wear waterproof mascara once (Avon's Superfull mascara) but it was such a mission trying to get it off that I opted for sunnies instead!

Accessories

I tied my hair up into a top bun most days and kept it in place with a chic hairband, like the pink rose one below from New Look.

Sunglasses wise, I swapped between my Mango Tortoiseshell Plastic Aviators...

and my Topshop Mirrored Aviators...

though I preferred the plastic pair as I found they were more sturdy for playing in the pool!

Bikinis

(Clockwise from L-R)

Black ruffles bikini top - La Senza; Black bottoms - F&F at Tesco

Coral halter bikini top & bottoms - La Senza

Black bandeau bikini top - Next; Black bottoms - Warehouse

Green bandeau bikini top & bottoms - George at Asda (£2 each - bargain!)

Red halter bikini top - La Senza; Red bottoms - Topshop

I think that concludes this little, or should I say rather large, blog post. I hope I've shown you that you can look stylish on holiday on a budget :) and that there are bikinis out there for bigger busted girls!

Love,

Style by Sophia

x

Bargain of the Week: 2true Glamour Lashes

I have a love/hate relationship with false eyelashes. I've tried countless pairs, including the Eyelure Girls Aloud range (for the record - Cheryl's are HUGE and don't suit me, and Sarah's are quite spiky so they're a bit hit and miss). I have a pair of Eyelure ones that add a bit of volume and look quite natural, but for a big night out I prefer a pair with a bit more va-va-voom!

These 2true Glamour Lashes fit the bill and they're an absolute steal at £1.95!

What they say: "Beautiful sexy lash extensions to naturally accentuate your eyes."

Well, that's certainly true! As you can see, they add volume to my lashes and elongate them at the edges - perfect for a smoky eye. I think I've found my perfect falsies :-)

Pick yours up from Superdrug where all 2true products are priced £1.95 each or 3 for £5. Bargain!

Love,

Style by Sophia

x

Rimmel Lash Accelerator Mascara: First Impressions

Recently I was approached by Rimmel about becoming a VIP for the company, which means I'm lucky enough to get sent Rimmel products to test, write reviews, attend blog events etc! I was chuffed because I'm a huge fan of the brand already; I swear by their Exaggerate Liquid Eye Liner, Hide The Blemish Concealer and their LYCRA pro/ 60 Seconds Nail Polish to name but a few!

The first item I was sent to review was their NEW Lash Accelerator Mascara in 001 Black. I was psyched! I'm kind of obsessed with making my pathetic lashes look longer and my eyes bigger.

My lovely little Rimmel parcel!

Swish, elegant packaging...

Curved brush with large bristles.

Here's what it says on the box: "A mascara and lash treatment in one that promotes natural lash growth for beautifully long and remarkably strong lashes - naturally. Lashes look up to 80% longer instantly and 117% longer after 30 days."

Sounds too good to be true! It wouldn't be the first lash serum I've used - I've tried L'oreals Double Extension Renewal Mascara (RRP £10.99) but I have to be honest and say it didn't work for me. Granted, the mascara end was fab at lengthening your lashes, but the serum did nothing for me and in the end it just went all gloopy and I had to throw the whole thing out! Fail. Other popular lash serums include the Boots sell-out RapidLash and the American LiLash which retails for around £100 and is reviewed by Muhsine on the popular Bubblegarm beauty blog.

So, here's what my lashes look like naturally:

Not a pretty sight, I know... I couldn't wait to start the lash-lengthening experiment!

Day 1

First impressions - As you can see my lashes look much longer than without any mascara on. They feel softer and appear fuller and elongated. So far, so good.

Day 2

I can't quite believe that my stumpy little lashes, as featured in the first picture, can look so long! It's a miracle!

Day 3

My lashes look so much longer than day 1! I'm really impressed - It's a fab mascara, great for lengthening and nourishment, but I have yet to notice a difference in my natural lash length. I'll carry on using it for 30 days and we'll have to wait and see...

Thanks, Rimmel!

Love,

Style by Sophia

x

New Hair Obsession: Aussie 3 Minute Miracle

My uncle bought me my first Aussie product when I was 11. It was the Mega Shampoo + Conditioner set and I fell in love with the smell! I've experimented with Aussie products ever since, ranging from the Aussome Volume Shampoo + Conditioner (which I wouldn't recommend) to the Colour Mate set (does what it says on the tin) and the Dual Personality serum for coloured hair (lovely jubbly).

Now, I first came across this product when I found a 99p sachet of it lying at the back of my haircare drawer. I loved it when I used it, but never got around to purchasing it full size... Until now.

I picked up the Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Luscious Long Deep Treatment with my friend Rosie (http://the-vintage-effect.tumblr.com/) as it was on offer 2 for £6 in Superdrug and we both only wanted one thing each!

I'M SO GLAD I DID.


Literally, this is the BEST intensive conditioning masque I have EVER USED! If you know me, you'll know a conditioning masque is an obligatory part of my shower routine (the standard shampoo+conditioner combo just doesn't leave my hair feeling as glossy as I'd like) and my faves include Loreal's Nutri-Gloss one (in the pink pot) and Avon's Planet Spa Mediterranean Olive Oil one. But Aussie's version surpasses them all! It doesn't leave a sticky residue, it doesn't have to be used with the other Luscious Long products in the range and it leaves your hair so soft you literally don't stop running your fingers through it for the entire day. Also, I find with some hair products that their effects fade after time, but not with this one; every time I use it, the effects can be felt :)

While Aussie is currently on offer (2 for £6 at Boots and Wilkinsons, at the time of going to press) may I introduce you to one of my favourite Aussie products of all time that I use daily without fail?

It's the Aussie Miracle Hair Insurance Leave-In Conditioner and I can't live without it! I use it every day as a detangler, de-frizzer and leave-in conditioner and it leaves my hair feeling silky smooth! To top it off, it also smells lush :)

So, if you're popping into town this weekend with a fiver to spare, I'd strongly suggest opting for these 2 products to improve your daily hair routine! I'm sure, like me, you will become addicted! Let me know how you get on...

What are you fave leave-in conditoners?

Love,

Style by Sophia

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