Weekend OOTN, FOTN and NOTN: Celeb Inspired New Look Tropical Bodycon Dress

Hey lovelies!

Happy hump day! Can you believe it's Wednesday already, we're nearly the weekend - hurrah!

Over the weekend, I went out with some of my girlfriends. We only hit a local bar but I saw it as an excuse to dress up :-)

Lately, with the sunny weather we've been having, I've been loving the tropical print look! Some of these celebs have been rocking the tropical print trend recently as well:

From L-R: Fergie from the Black Eyed Peas, Tulisa and Cheryl all rocking the tropical print trend

For me, tropical print evokes memories of summers spent by the sea, lazing around, sipping cocktails and watching the sun go down. I had a nose around my local New Look, and spotted this tropical print dress for a bargain £6!

OOTN:

Tropical bodycon dress - New Look (link!)

Nude patent clutch - New Look (similar style on ASOS here)

Nude patent heels - Barratts (link!)

Earrings - Primark

Rose gold watch - ASOS (now O/S)

Excuse the awkward pose! I have to say I felt like I brought the sunny weather along with me that evening, haha!

FOTN:

FACE: Benefit That Gal brightening face primer, Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat #1, Benefit Boi-ing Concealer #2, Benefit Some Kind-a Gorgeous Foundation Faker #2, MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Light, Benefit Dallas Bronzer, Clinique Up-Lighting Liquid Illuminator 02 Peach. 

EYES: Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion (Original), Sleek Storm Palette - Taupe all over lid, Brown on outer corners, Avon Supershock Gel Eyeliner Pencil in Black along top lid and lower waterline, CoverGirl Lash Blast Volume Mascara in Black. Benefit Big Beautiful Eyes brown eyeshadow on brows, set in place using clear gel from Ruby & Millie Brow Enhance.

LIPS: The Body Shop cocoa lip balm to prime, Sleek Pout Polish in Scandal.

I experimented with a new look with my make-up and used black khol eye liner along my top and bottom lid - I usually use liquid. I have to say I was really impressed with the longevity of the Avon gel eyeliner I used, but I think the black looks a little too harsh against my fair complexion. I sported a splash of red lip colour to match my tomato red nails.

I curled my hair using GHD Original Irons, and set it in place using L'Oreal Elnett Very Volume Supreme Hold hairspray. Hair accessories are from H&M.

NOTN:

 OPI Swiss Collection - Color So Hot It Berns (see blog post)

I used my trusty OPI shade as I just know it will last without chipping. I really want to get some more OPI shades, although I've got my eye on a few from Essie and Models Own, too! Watch this space :-)

What did you wear over the weekend? Will you be rocking the tropical print trend, too?

Let me know!

Love,

Sophia

xo

Bargain of the Week: Celeb Autobiographies at The Works!

Hey loves!

How are you all? Enjoying this lovely sunny weather I hope!

So today's post deviates slightly from my standard fashion/beauty blogging, but this week's Bargain of the Week was so amazing I just had to share it with you guys!

I picked up these celeb books in The Works recently, and while I can't review them as I haven't read them all yet lol I still couldn't wait to share this massive bargain! 

Being Cheryl - RRP £20 NOW £2.99

So first up we have this book on the nation's sweetheart, Cheryl (as she now likes to be known!) I've always had a soft spot for Cheryl as she comes from a disadvantaged background and fought her way to the top, which I admire. This book features Cheryl's fave fashion, beauty and health tips as well so I can't wait to read it!

Fierce by Kelly Osbourne - RRP £14.99 NOW 49p

Now Kelly Osbourne isn't a star whose autobiography I would normally buy, but I figured as she's quite an outspoken celeb she would have some good things to say! Also you can't beat the 49p price tag... bargain!!!

Wicked Whispers by Jessica Callan - RRP £16.99 NOW 29p 

 Now I don't know about you guys but I'm a massive fan of celeb gossip! Not only am I on the Mail Online every other second checking what the Kardashians et al are up to, but I also really like these 'behind the scenes' kind of books. I read Mark Frith's book (ex-editor of Heat) and I loved reading all the goss, so I can't wait to read ex-3am journalist Jessica Callan's as well!

In total, these books came to just £3.77... saving a massive £48.21! I will definitely be popping into The Works again and having a look at what other books they've got. Also, I picked up a book on the kings and queens of England... because I'm a bit of a geek like that! Haha.

You can visit The Works website here.

Have you picked up any bargain books recently?!

Let me know!

Love,

Sophia

xo

NOTD: Kardashian Kolor for Nicole by OPI Spring Collection - Paparazzi Don't Preach

Good evening guys!

I hope you're nice and chilled after this scorching day today :-) I also hope you enjoyed my Bargain of the Week ft. Elizabeth Arden that I did yesterday!

OK so recently my bf's parentals visited the States and (amongst many other things) there was ONE thing in particular on my list... A nail colour from the Kardashian Kolor for Nicole by OPI Spring Collection! Anyone that knows me will know that I am OBSESSED with the Kardashian/Jenner clan (in fact I've just been watching the Kardashians before I posted this lol) and I knew I had to get one of these from the US as they aren't available in the UK!

(pic from Kim Kardashian's blog)

The collection features 7 stunning shades that are perfect for spring/summer. You may remember that I blogged about one of the Kardashian Kolor Holiday Collection nail colours in the shade Kourt is Red-y for a Pedi back in February, which I loved! I just couldn't resist one more Kardashian Kolor. Shallow I know!

(pic from EnamelBlog)

Top row from L-R: Ladies in the Limelight; One Big Happy Fame-ily; Back to Reality... TV; Smile for the Glam-era 

Bottom row from L-R: Strike a Pose; Paparazzi Don't Preach; Smile for the Glam-era; Our Fuschia's Lookin' Bright

It was very difficult for me to choose which one to buy, as upon first inspection I wanted them all! But after Googling some swatches, I learnt that a lot of them were shimmery and I hate shimmer in my nail colours! At first, I liked the look of Ladies in the Limelight but I figured I could get this cheaper somewhere else. I also liked Strike a Pose but I have loads of corals/pinks in my collection! Eventually, I settled for Paparazzi Don't Preach as it seemed like a wearable, creamy nude that I could imagine the whole Kardashian fam wearing!

The nail colour itself took 3 coats to reach full opacity. I was imagining the colour to be a milky nude, but it's actually a milky pink - more like the colour of Strawberry Mini Milk if that makes sense? 

I thought I had similar nude colours in my collection - here's what I found:

From L-R: Rimmel Lycra Pro in Beige Style, Kardashian Kolor in Paparazzi Don't Preach, ELF Nail Polish in Desert Haze

Actually, they're completely different! Kardashian Kolor is SO much more pinky than the rest! Rimmel is a true nude, whereas the ELF colour is more sand coloured and is also a nightmare to apply.

The good thing about the Kardashian Kolor is that it comes complete with a little Kardashian Kolor tag so you feel like you're getting a slice of Kardashian action!

As much as I love the fact that this is a Kardashian Kolor, the colour is actually more pink that I realised. I think that is going to be it for my Kardashian Kolor collection, I can't keep buying them as because they're affiliated with the Kardashians! 

Have you seen any of the Kardashian Kolor Spring Collection nail colours? Will you be picking one up when they launch in the UK?

Let me know in the comments!

Love,

Sophia

xo

Bargain of the Week: Elizabeth Arden High Shine Lip Gloss for £4.99 in TK Maxx and FOTD

Hey loves!

How are you? OMG how sunny was it today! I was not expecting that at ALL - I loved it! :-)

So last week, I picked up an absolute BARGAIN in TK Maxx! I do tend to pop in there occasionally and I find some amazing beauty bargains. This time, I picked up Elizabeth Arden's High Shine Lip Gloss in Honey Glaze...
The best part about it? The lipgloss usually retails for £14.00 but it was reduced to just £4.99 in TK Maxx! I paid for it with my change - I was amazed!!! It was brand new in its packaging as well (I checked!)

TK Maxx had a selection of Elizabeth Arden Lip Glosses on offer when I went in. I swatched a few of them on my hand and did a quick Google Images swatch search on my iPhone, before I decided on this summery sounding shade, 06 Honey Glaze:

I'm so pleased with my choice! Firstly, I absolutely love the Elizabeth Arden packaging. It's so opulent looking - I love the gold edging and writing. I just love the thought of carrying an expensive lipgloss around with me in my handbag - it makes me feel rather posh!

Next, the lipgloss features your standard doe foot applicator. This for me is my personal favourite. It's just so easy to apply!

I would describe the shade Honey Glaze as a dazzling apricot. Here's some swatches:

(left without flash, right with flash)

Without flash, it looks like a sheer nude, but as you can see from the image with flash, it features quite a lot of shimmer and is more peachy in colour.

There were a couple of other lipglosses in my collection that I felt bore a striking resemblance to my new Elizabeth Arden lipgloss. They are...

From L-R: Avon Plump Pout Lipgloss in Pink Nectar; Elizabeth Arden High Shine Lipgloss in Honey Glaze (what I bought); Revlon Super Lustrous Lipgloss in Nude Lustre

Funnily enough, they all look very similar in the packaging, but when I swatched them I found that they were actually more different than I thought!

Lipgloss comparison swatches:

(left without flash, right with flash)

From top to bottom:

Avon Plump Pout Lipgloss in Pink Nectar

Elizabeth Arden High Shine Lip Gloss in Honey Glaze

Revlon Super Lustrous Lip Gloss in Nude Lustre

As you can see, the Elizabeth Arden lipgloss that I picked up looks so much more shimmery than the others! The Avon lipgloss has more pinky tones to it whereas the Revlon lipgloss looks like a dark peachy nude. I would stand by my description of the Elizabeth Arden lipgloss as a dazzling apricot!

Before and after lip shots:

(left without flash, right with flash)

Looking at the lip swatches here, the Elizabeth Arden lipgloss looks very sheer and natural looking. I have to say though, in real life, it's more opaque and the glitter is more apparent. You can also see the peachy/apricot colour more, as well!

FOTD ft Elizabeth Arden High Shine Lipgloss:

FACE: MAC Fix+ to prime, Estee Lauder Doublewear Flawless Wear Concealer Light, Bourjois 10 Hour Sleep Effect Foundation (applied with ELF Stippling Brush), Benefit Hoola Bronzer (applied with ELF Stippling Brush), MAC Fix+ to finish.

EYES: Urban Decay Primer Potion, Sleek Storm Palette (taupe and brown shades), Soap and Glory SUPERCAT Carbon Black felt tip liner on top lid, Avon Color Trend Kajal Stick on lower waterline, CoverGirl Lash Blast Volume Mascara.

LIPS: Elizabeth Arden High Shine Lip Gloss in 06 Honey Glaze.

Overall, I am pretty impressed with my Bargain of the Week! Elizabeth Arden for under £5 is an offer that shouldn't be missed and I'm pleased I picked it up. I have since found that I have nothing similar in my collection which is a plus! However, I do think it would look 10x better with a tan! :-)

What's your Bargain of the Week? Have you picked anything up from TK Maxx recently?

Let me know in the comments!

Love,

Sophia

xo

Weekend OOTD: Cinema night

Hey peeps!

How are y'all? I hope you all had a lovely weekend and that your Monday wasn't too shabby :-)

Recently my other half and I went to our local cinema to see Avengers Assemble and I like to think I dressed up for the occasion!

OOTD:

Cropped black jacket - F&F at Tesco (see blog post)

Cream crochet neck blouse - Boohoo.com

Black linen trousers - ASOS Petite

Black patent pumps - Next (see blog post)

Nude leather bag - Next

Black patent belt - Next (see blog post)

Tan watch - Next

I am aware I look like a female MJ here but being so bladdy short I struggle with black trousers and these are like the only ones I've got! I also need to work on my obsession with black and aversion to colour as I'm getting a little samey!

Anyway the date night was lovely and it's nice to do things like that and catch up! FYI I was not overly impressed with Avengers Assemble - the jokes seemed too contrived and the storyline was a bit, well...meh!

Do you dress up for the cinema? If so what kind of outfit do you wear?

Let me know!

Love,

Sophia

xo

Met Gala 2012: My Fashion Faves and Fails

Good evening my lovelies :-)

I hope you all enjoyed my post earlier on the Cosmopolitan Lash Curlers - I loved writing it!

So you may remember that this time last year, I blogged about my fashion faves and fails from the Met Gala 2011. Well, this year is no exception! Often referred to as the Oscars of the fashion world, The Costume Institute Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, also known simply as the Met Gala, is the boldest night in the fashion calendar. Here's my rundown of who's hot, and who's not, at this year's Met Gala.

Who's Hot:

Amy Adams:

The Muppets actress looks classically beautiful in this draping white Giambatista Valli gown, with black and gold bow detailing. Her structured waves and pillar box red lips make her look very Old Hollywood - it's a thumbs up from me!

Ashley Greene:

The Twilight actress featured on my best dressed list last year as well - her stylist must be doing something right! Her Donna Karan Atelier gown accentuates her curves in all the right places, whilst her newly dyed darker locks sex up the look a little. Her Judith Leiber clutch completes the look with a pop of metallic. Stunning!

Cameron Diaz:

Cameron Diaz can do no wrong in my eyes! She looks absolutely breathtaking in everything she wears, and this gold draped Stella McCartney gown is no different. It suits the Charlie's Angel's actress' complexion and hair colour perfectly. Others... Take note!

Ginnifer Goodwin:

The Walk The Line actress is another star to feature on my best dressed list two years in a row! You may remember she wowed at the Met Gala last year in a unique emerald green Topshop gown (yes, you read that right!) This year she's gone all designer on us, and is sporting a blood orange Monique Lhuillier dress. I love everything about this dress on her - from the colour, to the side split, to the cinched waist, to the sheer, embellished bodice. Just love!

Hilary Swank:

Just... Wow! Hilary Swank is simply Hollywood royalty, and the Million Dollar Baby actress looks a million dollars in this elegant, red Michael Kors gown! It fits her like a glove and makes her body look exquisite. I love how she's styled her hair to the side to reveal her elegant earrings. I love everything about this outfit - and her!

January Jones:

Well isn't it nice to see a pop of colour on the red carpet! Mad Men's January Jones brightens up the show in this Versace dress, teamed with a Cartier statement necklace. The banana yellow colour goes perfectly with her strawberry blonde locks and tanned complexion. I adore it!

Jessica Alba:

I have to admit, I'm slightly biased with this one, because I have a massive girl crush on Jessica Alba! She can do no wrong in my eyes - I follow her on Instagram and I just love her. But anyway, that's besides the point! The Fantastic Four actress wows in this bronze Michael Kors dress, teamed with Wilfredo Rosado earrings. The colour of the dress suits her olive skin and dark locks beautifully, and I love the way she's done her hair similarly to Hilary Swank - to the side, to show off the bling! Love it.

Katharine McPhee:

I have another confession to make - I didn't know who Katharine McPhee was when I saw her name on the list! I was just wowed by her beauty, and I think she bears a striking resemblance to Vanessa Hudgens - what do you guys think? The American Idol alumni looks perfect in this tangerine orange sequinned frock from designer Elie Saab. It reveals just enough décolletage to look chic, not slutty, but I imagine all the guys were lusting after her this night anyway! Simply beautiful.

Leighton Meester:

The Gossip Girl actress was actually on my worst dressed list last year! Her stylist has come up trumps this year though, and dressed her in a gorgeous caramel coloured Marchesa gown. It blends effortlessly in with her skin and her bold plum lips add some colour to the otherwise neutral outfit. I love her messy up do as well. Keep it up next year, Leighton!

Scarlett Johansson:

Doesn't she look amazing?!?! The Avengers actress screams 'Look at me!' in this nude, embellished off the shoulder gown with fishtail bottom, by Dolce & Gabbana. Again I love the nude colour on her - but I'm not so keen on her hair. The messy curls are OK, but the length is slightly uneven and her roots look unsightly. Keep the stylist, Scarlett - but hire a new hair and make-up team next time!

Who's Not:

Now onto whose looks I wasn't loving... and believe me, there were quite a few!

Alexa Chung:

Just why? The TV presenter is flying the flag for us Brits over at the Met Gala, but I just think this Marc Jacobs design looks simply awful and something I would not expect to see on the red carpet. Even the shoes are trashy...

Alicia Keys:

I just don't understand why the singer would choose to wear something like this to the Met Gala? It's such a prestigious event - you'd think she'd make more of an effort,wouldn't you? This Givenchy Haute Couture by Riccardo Tisci tux looks out of place amongst the designer dresses, full stop.

Anja Rubik:

Two words. Grossed. Out! At first, I was uber jel of the Victoria's Secret model, but then I looked down and her protuding hipbone and thought again. Give the girl a burger for Christ's sake! Not only that, but when she moved in her Anthony Caccarello gown, you could almost see, well... Everything. Not nice!

Christina Ricci:

Not surprisingly, The Addams Family actress appeared on my worst dressed list last year as well. You'd think she'd have learnt her lesson, non? This Thakoon dress simply looks strange. End of.

Elizabeth Banks:

The Hunger Games actress looks like she has taken inspiration from her on-screen character Effie Trinket in this Mary Katrantzou creation. It just looks really awful, unflattering and ill thought through.

Eva Mendes:

The star of Hitch, and Ryan Gosling's rumoured beau, could look so much better than she does in this Prada gown. I like the colour on her, but it just does nothing for her figure and the chest embellishment looks cheap and tacky. It also could do with being taken up a notch. It just shows you that even a sex symbol can get it wrong sometimes!

Florence Welch:

Really? I know the Florence and the Machine star has a unique taste, but this Sarah Burton for Alexandar McQueen dress looks totally out of place on the red carpet, and quite frankly, bonkers! You'd worry she'd knock you out on the red carpet!

Kirsten Dunst:

Another star who's featured on my worst dressed list two years in a row - do these celebrities never learn?! The Spiderman actress looks like she has taken her inspiration for this Rodarte outfit from a certain Mr Claus and it just looks very archaic. Also the colour clashes with the red carpet - why would you do that?!

Kristen Stewart:

ANOTHER celeb back on the worst dressed list! I appreciate that fashion is extremely subjective, but I just can't find anything about the Twilight actress' Balenciaga by Nicolas Ghesquière dress that I like. From the lace up shoes that make her legs look stumpy, to the old fashioned leather colour blocking, to the scaly looking bodice, it just screams wrong to me.

Sarah Jessica Parker:

If Carrie Bradshaw wouldn't wear it... The Sex and the City star looks frumpy in this Valentino creation. I'd like to see her in something more figure hugging next time as her body is to die for. Also, the print on this dress is verging on curtain material!

Best dressed couples:

From L-R: Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen; Emily Blunt and John Krasinski; Jessica Biel and Justin Timberlake

Well it's no surprise that supermodel Gisele and her NFL quarterback husband Mr. Tom Brady have appeared on my best dressed couples list once again - they look smokin' hot! Meanwhile Brit actress Emily Blunt and her The Office US star husband opted for matching Calvin Klein ensembles (aww!), whilst J Biel and Timberlake opted for Prada and Tom Ford respectively. Gorgeous!

and the WTF! award goes to...

Marc Jacobs:

There are no words.

Who do you think are the best and worst dressed celebs at this year's Met Gala? Do you agree with my selection?

Let me know in the comments below!

Love,

Sophia

xo

NB - All images courtesy of Getty Images, as found on Mail Online.

Cosmopolitan Beauty Expert Maximum Effect Lash Curlers and FOTD!

Hey loves!

I hope you're all enjoying this very dismal Thursday! Anyone who follows me on Twitter will know that I am NOT a fan of this horrid weather!!! I want to go abroad now!

Until then...

Recently I have started using the Cosmopolitan Beauty Expert range (designed by the experts at Cosmopolitan mag) on my face and nails. You may remember a post I did recently where I reviewed a number of Cosmopolitan Beauty Expert items, including the acclaimed Blend Perfection Sponge and false nails. Well I was super impressed with the range and today I'll be reviewing their Maximum Effect Lash Curlers, as seen below.

OK so just a quickie about my relationship with eyelash curlers thus far... Not good! I own the infamous Shu Uemura lash curlers and I find they do not work for me AT ALL! So I was dubious about testing a new pair.

The Cosmopolitan ones look like your standard eyelash curlers, except they have a handy white grip handle (you never know how long you'll be holding those lashes for!)

Of course, it's emblazoned with the famous Cosmopolitan branding!

So here's a couple of pics to show my eyelashes before applying anything on them, after using the eyelash curlers and then finishing them off with mascara, etc.

Before:

As you can see, my eyelashes are practically NON EXISTENT! You'd like I'd have some kind of condition (which is no laughing matter) but I don't - I was just born with short, stumpy lashes *sigh*

After using Cosmopolitan Lash Curlers:

I held the lash curler in place for 30 secs on each eye and I found they made a MASSIVE difference! I think it looks really natural and it really elongates them.

After Cosmopolitan Lash Curlers and eye make-up:

I used my trusty CoverGirl Lash Blast Volume Mascara to add some volume to my thin lashes - they look 10x better than they did before! 

If you're looking to invest in a new pair of eyelash curlers, or you haven't tried them before, I would 100% recommend trying the Cosmopolitan Beauty Expert Maximum Effect Lash Curlers. They're a steal at £4.19 (much less than Shu Uemura!) and available at Superdrug.

 FOTD using Cosmopolitan Beauty Expert Maximum Effect Lash Curlers:

FACE: Aldi Lacura Shimmering Day Cream (applied with No7 Foundation Brush), Estee Lauder Doublewear Concealer, Estee Lauder Doublewear Light (applied with ELF Stippling Brush), MAC Mineralise Skinfinish Natural (applied with ELF Stippling Brush), Benefit Hoola Bronzer (applied with unbranded bronzing brush), MAC Fix+ to finish.

EYES: Cosmopolitan Eyelash Curlers, Urban Decay Primer Potion (Original), Soap and Glory SUPERCAT Felt Tip Liner on top lid, Avon Color Trend Kajal Stick on lower waterline, Sleek Storm Palette (taupe and matte brown shades), CoverGirl Lash Blast Volume Mascara. MAC Dirty Blonde Eyebrow Pencil and an old mascara wand to brush through brows.

LIPS: Carmex Original Lip Balm Pot to prime, Missguided Nude lipgloss.

Have you tried any of the Cosmopolitan Beauty Expert range before? What's your lash curlers of choice?

Let me know in the comments! :-)

Love,

Sophia

xo

These lash curlers were sent to me for review by Cosmopolitan but I am in no way affiliated with the brand and my opinion is 100% honest just like if I paid for the product myself.