NOTD: OPI Swiss Collection - Color So Hot It Berns

Hey ladies!

I bought my first OPI!!! Crazy stuff. The Swiss Collection was on offer in the ASOS Sale for just over a fiver, who could say no?

The shade I bought, Color So Hot It Berns, was the only one in the collection that could be worn as a summer shade really, the others were obviously all for the winter months (when the collection was released).

I was pleasantly surprised, it only took 1 coat! It was so thick, nothing like anything I've ever used before! Not like the M&S shade I wore that took 3 coats! I used OPI Nail Envy (Original) as a base coat and Sally Hansen Diamond Shine as a top coat in the pic above.

I live in reds and corals over the summer months so I've got a feeling this shade is going to get a lot of wear out of it! I probably wouldn't pay full price for OPI just because I probably have a similar shade in my collection already, but I would definitely get some from the States or eBay or something! Saying that they are worth their £10 price tag, I just can't justify spending that!

What's your favourite nail brand? Do you wear OPI?

Love,

Sophia

xo

Summer Wedding Guest Outfit: Oasis Pleated Floral Skater Dress And L’Oreal Colour Riche Lippie

Hey loves,

I hope you're all well!

I recently attended the wedding of one of my boyfriend's close friends and as you would expect, I spent months planning my outfit. What can I say? I'm one of those people!

Here's what I wore...

FASHION:

Dress - Oasis

Strappy heels - Next

I spent AGES trying on dresses - literally I must have ordered about 10-15 and I was taking photos of myself in every single dress, each time wearing heels then not heels, wearing a belt and then not wearing a belt... I must have sent my boyfriend and sisters about 50 pics for them to have a look at! 

In the end, I didn't go for any of the dresses I ordered (soz guys who had to trawl through all those pics!) - instead I spotted this dress in Oasis just off Oxford Street and fell in love with it straight away. If you can't make out from the photo, the lower half of the dress is pleated which I think is really pretty, while the high-neck, fitted style on the top half is flattering on my bust. I'd definitely recommend Oasis for this sort of occasion dress. 

BEAUTY:

BASE: Benefit That Gal primer, YSL Touche Eclat under eyes, MAC Studio Finish concealer on blemishes, NARS Sheer Glow foundation (buffed in with Real Techniques Buffing Brush), Bare Minerals pressed powder, NARS Laguna bronzer and Orgasm blush, Benefit High Beam to highlight (obsessed!), Urban Decay setting spray. 

EYES: Urban Decay eyeshadow primer potion, Urban Decay Naked 1 palette (Buck, Smog and Darkhorse), L'Oreal Paris Superliner waterproof liner, Benefit They're Real mascara.

BROWS: MAC Omega eyeshadow (applied with MAC 208 Angled Brow Brush), set with No7 Clear Brow gel.

LIPS: Lush Bubblegum lip scrub, L’Oreal Colour Riche Extraordinaire in Rose Symphony.

Classic, indecisive me also spent bloody AGES choosing my lip colour - I must have taken 20-30 photos of different lip colours and sent them all to my sisters for approval lol. From bold orange (MAC Lady Danger) to vampy red and matte nude, I really couldn't decide what lip colour to go for...

In the end, I had a little rummage through my mum's make-up drawer and found this L'Oreal lippie - I knew it was the perfect colour straight away! It complemented the colours of the flowers on the dress and finished off my look without overpowering the dress.

By the way guys, while I'm on the topic - those L'Oreal Colour Riche Extraordinaire hippies are in TK Maxx at the moment - I picked up the coral shade in Balham for about 3 quid! They're amazing if you want a pretty pop of coloured gloss! They're not sticky at all either. I must have at least 3 or 4 shades...

Have you got any weddings coming up? What do you plan to wear?

Love,

Sophia xo

PS. Follow me on social media: Twitter - @smoir; Instagram - @smoir90; Snapchat - @smoir90

June Empties: Avene, BareMinerals, La Roche-Posay, Origins, Avon and TRESemme

Hey gals!

So it's been a while since I've done an empties post, but that doesn't mean I haven't used up a LOT of beauty products in that time (obvs).

Here are the beauty buys I finished up in June...

Clockwise from L-R:

TRESemme Restructuring Deep Conditioning Treatment RRP £4.99

I try and use an intensive conditioning masque on my hair at least once a week, favouring Aussie's 3 Miracle Miracle and L'Oreal's Intensive Masques after years of trying different ones. I picked this one up because it was on offer in Superdrug and I'm always after a bargain, me! Unfortunately it was quite difficult to wash out and I found I still had residue in my hair after spending a LOT of time washing it out. As a result, it made my hair look greasy. Not a fan, sorry TRESemme :(

Avene Cleanance Expert RRP £15.00

I wasn't sure about this at first, but continued using it as I'd heard loads of bloggers and press raving about it. I used it after cleansing and toning, but before moisturising, twice a day. I found it really helped to clear up my skin - especially on my forehead and chin, where I tend to get hormonal-related blemishes. I would definitely repurchase!

Avene Micellar Lotion RRP £16.00

I actually bought this in France in an *amazing* pharmacy and it was SO cheap for a massive bottle. Readers of this blog will know that I'm a loyal fan of Avene skincare, after I visited the Avene Hydrotherapy Centre in actual Avene! I tend to use the Cleanance range as my skin is oily/blemish-prone, but I really liked this from the 'regular' range because it felt like I was applying water to my skin. It had a mild, fresh scent and removed every trace of make-up. Love it!

Avon Clearskin Blackhead Clearing Daily Astringent RRP £4.00

I used this when my skin was REALLY bad because it's quite intense and makes my skin sting a bit. It worked to clear it up though, it's just very, very strong, so not ideal for sensitive skin types.

Cien Madame Glamour Hand Cream RRP £1.85

Absolutely blimmin' loved this. In case you didn't know, Cien is one of Lidl's own-brand beauty ranges and the 'Madame Glamour' branded-products smell just like Chanel's Coco Mademoiselle. Total barg. Pick some up next time you're in Lidl for sure.

Origins GinZing Refreshing Scrub Cleanser RRP £15.00 (for 150ml)

I started using Origins after reading Michelle Keegan's blog and she raves about it. I've written a mini-review of this particular product here but in a nutshell, I really liked it. It left my skin feeling clean and refreshed, plus it smells amazing. YAY!

Dolce and Gabbana Dolce EDP RRP £49.00

I don't really have a 'signature' scent - I used to wear Miss Dior Cherie religiously at uni but it was a) really expensive and b) discontinued, so that was the end of that one (luckily for my purse). Since then I tend to just wear whatever I reach for in the morning! I think I received this one from a press event but it's lovely and light, perfect for summer. Sorry, I'm rubbish at describing fragrances. I would suggest going to Boots and giving yourself a spritz of this :)

John Frieda Luxurious Volume Dry Shampoo RRP £5.89

Nah, not a fan. It didn't make my hair feel cleaner/less greasy, nor did it give it any volume. No wonder it's been discontinued... Soz, John Frieda :(

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo + RRP £15.50

This is really similar to the Avene Cleanance Expert, and to be honest I couldn't choose the better one out of the two. They're even the same price! I suppose the La Roche-Posay has more blogger/press hype surrounding it, but at the end of the day they work the same. I would repurchase this too. Really great product for clearing up breakouts.

BareMinerals Stoke Of Light Eye Brightener RRP £22.00

I don't really wear heavy foundation these days and when I do, I lean towards mineral foundations from brands such as BareMinerals. I just don't like the feel of thick, heavy make-up on my skin, especially when it melts off in the sun... This eye brightener was fab at removing dark circles under my eyes, and concealing blemishes, although I found I needed a second concealer (such as MAC Studio Finish) on top of it to completely cover blemishes. 

Clinique Liquid Facial Soap Mild RRP £16.50 (for 200ml)
It does what it says on the tin really - cleans your face :) not a lot to say about that other than it leaves your skin feeling squeaky-clean. You can't go wrong!

What did you use up this month?

Love,

Sophia xo

PS. Follow me on social media: Twitter - @smoir; Instagram - @smoir90; Snapchat - @smoir90

Lots Of Lovely New Origins Skincare: Mini Review For Oily Skin Types!

Hi peeps!

So Origins isn't a skincare brand I have tried a lot of over the years - I tend to stick to the same brands (Avene, The Body Shop, etc) and rarely branch away from the norm for fear of wasting my money and/or time.

But I'm an avid follower of Michelle Keegan's blog and she swears by Origins (namely the Dr Weil range) so when I was given a gift set as a present recently, I was eager to try it out...

Here's what I tried...

GinZing Refreshing Scrub Cleanser

GinZing Energy Boosting Moisturiser

GinZing Refreshing Eye Cream

Modern Friction Dermabrasion Scrub

Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask

Original Skin Renewal Serum

So first impressions of the GinZing range - well it smells AMAZING (that's if you like fresh, citrusy scents). 

The immediately noticed that the moisturiser doesn't have SPF in it so I tend to just use it before I go to bed and use my Murad moisturiser with SPF30 for during the day. Secondly I have to say, I suffer from oily skin and this exacerbates the problem for me. It is very rich and not suited to my skin type I don't think.

The eye cream has the same scent - I haven't noticed a huge difference in the dark circles under my eyes but then again I have been applying it sporadically i.e. when I remember! I finished up a tube of the facial cleanser and it was lovely and refreshing, and I didn't find that it made my skin more oily. I would use it again.

I LOVED the dermabrasion scrub - I use it a couple of times a week when I'm in the shower and I find it really works to make my skin clear and glowy. The Drink Up overnight mask was again too rich for my skin - and I didn't notice much difference after using the serum.

So overall, a bit of a mixed bunch - some items will be added to my beauty bag (the cleanser and the dermabrasion scrub especially) but others will be relegated to my bottom drawer unfortunately. Again, that's just because I have oily skin - they may work much better for you!

What are your favourite Origins products? And if you're oily-skinned, what are your fave brands and/or products?

Let me know in the comments...

Love,

Sophia xo

Follow me on social media: Twitter - @smoir; Instagram - @smoir90; Snapchat - @smoir90

Celeb Inspired Yellow Boohoo Skater Dress For Newcastle Night Out!

Hey ladies,

So with the sunny weather comes sunny fashion, and there's no shade I'm loving more right now than yellow.

Ahh, yellow... <3 so dreamy!

I know, I know, it's the same every year so not exactly new or groundbreaking, but I feel like it's *THE* hue of summer 2016. 

Case in point, Jessica Chastain, Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick at Cannes... Come on, how gorgeous do these ladies look?

CELEB STYLE:

All images copyright [Instagram]

With this in mind, I picked out the prettiest dress I could find in the sunniest shade of yellow for a night out recently. Check out the look below...

FASHION (OOTN):

Dress - Boohoo (link)

Wedges - Elisabeth

Awkward pose and cheesy grin - all mine

I bloody love skater dresses, not gonna lie they're pretty much all I wear (aside from floaty playsuits... anything that covers my midriff basically). To be fair, with boobs and a bum and a mere 5 foot 1, they're pretty much all I can wear these days. Also, how much of a barg is it? £15 from Boohoo... amazing. 

Beauty wise, I went for my classic night-out make-up palette plus my trusty MAC Lady Danger lipstick (LOVE IT).

BEAUTY (FOTN):

BASE: Benefit That Gal primer, NARS Sheer Glow foundation (Real Techniques Buffing Brush), Urban Decay De-Slick pressed powder (Avon powder brush), NARS Laguna bronzer (Real Techniques powder brush - yes for bronzer!), NARS Orgasm blush (Zoeva blush brush), Clinique Up-Lighting Liquid Illuminator, MAC Studio Finish concealer, YSL Touche Eclat, Avon setting spray.

EYES: Benefit They're Real mascara, Benefit Roller Lash mascara, Urban Decay eyeshadow primer potion, 17 eyeshadow trio (MAC 217 & 239 brushes), Rimmel Scandaleyes bronze shadow stick, L'Oreal Paris Superliner waterproof liner.

BROWS: MAC Omega eyeshadow (MAC 208 Brow Brush), No7 Clear Brow gel.

LIPS: Lush cola lip scrub, MAC Lady Danger lipstick, Urban Decay Bang lip pencil, No7 clear gloss.

LONG LIVE Nars Sheer Glow for staying on all night! YASSS! It's my go-to foundation atm...

Are you as obsessed with yellow as me at this time of year? Let me know in the comments...

Love,

Sophia xo

Follow me on social media: Twitter - @smoir, Instagram - @smoir90, Snapchat - @smoir90

NYE 2016: All That Glitters! Nars Dragon Girl Lip Pencil And Very.co.uk Sequinned Jumpsuit

Hi loves,

 I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and New Year! 

My NYE was quite a chilled one spent with friends at home. I was also feeling slightly groggy (boo) but I still made the effort to add some sparkle to my New Year's Eve 2016 party look.

I wanted a classic matte red lip for NYE 2016 and in the end I opted for Taylor Swift's fave red lippie, NARS' Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Dragon Girl...

This is one of my favourite lip formulas - the chubby pencil is a dream to apply (you don't even need liner) and the colour payoff is amazing. It's matte, so you'd think it'd be drying, but it's not too bad actually. Nevertheless, it lasted all night! 

 I kept the rest of my beauty look pretty simple, consisting of a slightly dewy base (NARS Sheer Glow Foundation) and a feline flick of eyeliner (Urban Decay Ink For Eyes), topped off with a few coats of Benefit's They're Real mascara.

I wanted something relatively comfortable to wear as I was on hosting duties, but also something glam enough to wear for NYE, so I chose this jumpsuit from Very.co.uk. 

I received it a couple of years ago during a press event and it's been sitting in my wardrobe ever since - clearly waiting for the right event! The top half is a fitted, sequinned bustier and the lower half is a pair of almost harem-style trousers.

I added a statement waist belt from H&M to jazz it up a bit and to match the gold embellished hooped earrings I was wearing.

Clearly, shoes were the last thing on my mind before the party...!

Love,

Sophia x

PS. For more #bts shenanigans like the snaps above, add me on Snapchat - my username is smoir90 :)

Christmas 2015 Festive Memories...

Hi loves,

Just a couple of bits and bobs that have made me feel all lovely and Christmassy this year, taken from my Instagram (@smoir90)...

Christmas Starbs... 

Ice skating at the Natural History Museum...

Festive teas... 

Festive Yankee Candles... 

Putting the Christmas tree up in the flat... 

Belgian waffle at Hyde Park Winter Wonderland... 

Festive Food Fayre at Hampton Court Palace...  

Christmas Radio Times (every year!)...  

A Muppets Christmas Carol singalong at the PCC...  

Christmassy decorations in Balham... 

Kew Gardens Illumination Trail...

Trafalgar Square Christmas tree...

Christmas choccies...

Bring on Christmas 2016! 

Love,

Sophia x