Recent FOTN & OOTN: Hallowe'en...

Hey peoples!

I hope you're all having a suitably spooky Hallowes eve! I'm staying in waiting for the trick or treaters... So far we've had... none! Lol.

Over the weekend I went out with some pals - it wasn't fancy dress but I fancied going a little 'gothic' to set the tone! I decided on this all-black ensemble, what do you guys think?

Pussy bow blouse - Next

Black patent belt - Next (see blog post)

Black leather shorts - Next

Leopard print clutch - Dorothy Perkins

Black shoe boots - Missguided (see blog post)

I was planning to wear black tights but I felt that made the look a little 'too' black, ugetme?

I was in a mad rush to do my make-up as my friends were waiting (quelle surprise!) so it was a quick 5-10 minute job. Usually I would spend a good half an hour on my make-up for a night out. Lol... slap it on.

Face: (same as usual really!) Benefit That Gal primer, Benefit Some Kinda Gorgeous Foundation Faker (Original), YSL Touche Eclat, Benefit Boi-ing concealer, Benefit Dallas bronzer, Clinique Up-Lighting Liquid Illuminator in 02 Peach.

Eyes: Urban Decay e/s primer potion, Urban Decay Naked e/s all over lid, Urban Decay Smog & Hustle e/s on outer corners, Rimmel Exaggerate Liquid eye-liner in Black on top lid, Avon Color Trend Kajal Stick in Black in lower waterline, Cover Girl LashBlast Volume mascara in Black (2 coats).

Lips: Avon Pout lipstick topped with Avon Plump Pout Honey Shades lipgloss in Pink Nectar.

Hair: Curled it using GHD's and set it using my new Bedhead Masterpiece hairspray... review to follow. It's truly rather average...

Are you guys going out for Hallowe'en? Leave me a comment & let me know! I'd love to know what you're wearing as well...

Love,

Sophia

xo

Bargain of the Week: Superdrug £2 manicure set!

Hey peoples!

Sorry for the lack of blogging of late, I have been working like a maniac! I swear all I do is sleep, eat, work... sleep, eat work... and shop, of course! You know the feeling?!

Aaanyway I have to let you guys know my bargain of the week (well last week's!)

It's this super cute mini manicure set from Superdrug that I bought for a bargainlicious £2!

It contains...

• 1 x slanted tweezer
• 1 x nail file
• 1 x nail scissors
• 1 x nail pusher and
• 1 x nail clipper

...in a handy travel sized case. Now it's not the most glamorous thing in the world but in my books it's an absolute necessity. Once a week I sit down and pamper my nails - I massage in cuticle oil before pushing my cuticles back with a nail pusher, then lather my hands in Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream before applying OPI Original Nail Envy as a base coat. I then choose a suitable polish (at the mo it's all about American Apparel nail lacquer in Berry, uh-maz-ing!) and then applying a top coat (usually Sally Hansen Diamond Shine).

If my don't keep my nails painted I tend to bite them, although saying that I can't keep a colour on my nails for more than one day without chewing all the colour off so maybe I'm meant to have stumpy nails! lol.

What's your nailcare regimen?

Let me knowwww :)

Love,

Sophia

xo

Recent beauty buys that I'm loving...

Hey peeps!

I hope you're enjoying this pleasant Wednesday! Luckily for me Wednesdays are my day off so it gives me a welcome break :) I started the day off with a Body Pump class and I've just been chilling out since listening to BBCR1... Greg James precisely :)

I've been using some new beauty products recently that I just have to let you guys know about. I love nothing more than finding a new beauty product, eek! I have tried enough in my time to know a good product when I see one.

Without further ado...

Vo5 Miracle Mist & Miracle Concentrate (RRP £4.28 and £4.97)

I picked up these items in Tesco after seeing them reviewed on A Model Recommends. I can't live without a leave-in conditioning spray/detangler so I've been using the Miracle Mist the most! After I've had a shower and towel dried my hair, I spray it all over and it just leaves my hair feeling soft & nourished and, of course, detangled! I use the Miracle Concentrate when I feel my hair needs some repairing - I squeeze out a couple of tiny drops from the pipette that comes with it and apply it to the lengths and ends of my hair. It doesn't leave my hair feeling oily at all, instead just the opposite - lovely and glossy :D

nb. Vo5 is currently on a 3 for 2 offer at Tesco! :)

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion - Original (RRP £14.50 but worth every penny)

Ahh I've used this product for about a year now (ever since I received it in my Urban Decay Naked Palette for Christmas last year). Now I have used the e/s primer potion religiously since I got it; seriously I don't know how I lived without it! However I was nearing the end of my potion and it was time to re-purchase a new one, so I did, thanks to HQhair.com! I believe this is where it's the cheapest online :) It's an absolute ESSENTIAL on a night out when I'm wearing tons of make-up and I try to remember to wear it during the day as well, I'm usually in a rush in the morning though and tend to forget, nevertheless it's still a must-have product and the best on the market!!! (phew...)

L'Oréal Elvive Nourish & Shimmer Highlights Masque (RRP £5.10)

I absolutely SWEAR by L'Oréal's conditioning masques; they're only a few quid but they are an essential item for me now - your standard shampoo + conditioner duo just isn't enough for me anymore! I apply it right at the end of my shower, comb it through, leave it on for a few minutes and rinse it out. It leaves my hair feeling SO soft and smooth. I LOVE this Highlights one especially as it really brightens my blonde highlights and smells like Royal Jelly, but when I'm a brunette I use the Nutri-gloss one as it is actually amazing and makes my hair so glossy it's ridiculous! Stock up girls!

Soft & Gentle Wild Rose & Vanilla Anti-Perspiration Deodorant (RRP £2.54)

Not the most glamorous purchase in the world but hey, girl's gotta buy deo, right? I have used this product for years now, sometimes I digress and use the Dove one but this really is the best! I always buy it when it's offer and my favourite one is the purple one which always reminds me of winter for some reason!

nb. these deodorants are currently Buy 1 get 1 free in Tesco :)

Well that's it for now ladies but I have just purchased a few more beauty essentials which I shall be updating you all with shortly :)

What beauty items are you loving at the moment?

Let me know!

Love,

Sophia

xo

Bargain of the Week: £1 Primark purse!

Hey ladies & gents!

I hope you're all well and enjoying a lazy Sunday like me! I had my first lie-in of the week and went and grabbed a coffee in town with the boy. I also collected some new glasses, eek! I'm not sure about them - I really liked them when I first tried them on but now I'm not so sure, maybe I'll show you guys a pic & you can let me know what you think!

Aaaaaanyway...

Recently I visited Primark in Guildford where I picked up a few goodies. I was actually quite disappointed; I tried on like 20 things but none of them tickled my fancy, there was always something wrong with them, eg I tried on a really nice cardigan but it had cropped sleeves. WHY would you make a cardigan with cropped sleeves? The point of a cardigan is to keep you warm!

However on the way to the till point I discovered this little beauty in the Clearance section. It's the purse I already own but I bought it last year so it's looking a little dishevelled - I bought a brand new one for £1! ONE POUND, can you believe it!

It's perfect for me; the black quilted patent outer is chic and timeless, and inside it fits all my cards, loyalty cards and change perfectly. Thank you Primark!

What's your bargain of the week? I bet you can't beat mine! Lol.

Love,

Sophia

xo

NOTD: American Apparel Nail Lacquer in Port

Hey guys and gals!

How are y'all? Today's my day off so as per usual it's been super manic as I try to cram in everything I haven't had the chance to do all week lol. Now I'm knackered and watching Justin Bieber's DVD in bed, ahh I love him!

Last week I went to visit the boy in London town where we did a spot of shopping in Covent Garden and Westfield (the old one - we didn't want to tackle the queues in the new one!)

Other than a bobble bottle (OMG amazing) the only other thing I picked up was a new nail varnish from American Apparel. I can't believe how extortionate their prices are, seriously I would never spend that much on clothes! The nail varnish was £7 which left me agasp, luckily it's the only thing I bought and it is very good quality.

(American Apparel Nail Lacquer in Port)

I bought it in the shade Port but I was also eyeing up Berry and Passport Blue. They stocked some really striking, on-trend shades that I've not seen elsewhere on the high street. Alas I'm sending the boy back to get the Berry shade - as much as I love Port it's just a tad darker than I was expecting whereas Berry is more of a creamy burgundy. I used my OPI Nail Envy base coat (holy grail), 2 coats of the nail varnish and skipped a top coat this time as the finish was just so glossy I didn't want to ruin it!

Hey look, it matches my jeans! Haha this wasn't intentional but I've obviously got a 'thing' for this colour at the mo...

Have you tried the American Apparel nail lacquer? What are you rocking on your nails at the mo?

Love,

Sophia

xo

ps. OMG Justin's singing Down to Earth, possibly my fave track everrr!

Next A/W haul!

Hey loves!

Sorry I've been sooo elusive recently; I've been working pretty much non-stop at the new Next in Shoreham, has anyone been there? It's pretty swanky, and includes the company's first garden & DIY centre! I'm enjoying working there but as you can imagine am pretty tempted by the gorgeous clothes, shoes & accessories. Some of their A/W stuff is fab! However I like to think I have been pretty frugal with my money and only bought stuff I can wear both to work and outside of work!

I've picked up some of this stuff on my uniform allowance but the rest is on 25% discount, still pretty decent prices though, esp the jeans! Here's what I've been spending my money on...

Check skater skirt - £35

I originally thought that this skirt would be too long on me, it looked almost knee length on the model and I'm only 5"1 but it's actually a ideal length. It's perfect for those days when you want to dress up a bit more than just jeans and a blazer, and looks fab with black opaques and loafers.

Here's me sporting the look below...

Pretty autumnal, dontcha think?

Black and polka dot peter pan collar tops - £10 each

These tops are just great to team with a pair of skinnies/leggings as it instantly updates an outfit into something a little smarter. The plain tee (the top one) also looks really cute tucked into a skirt like the one above. Really good price as well, I might get the teal one as well!

Mini check dress - £30

This is something I bought for work and/or work interviews as I don't really have anything to wear for situations like that. The petite length was slightly too short but the regular length was a little long, so I added a black patent waist belt which raises the hem slightly. The sleeves are quite tight though which makes it impossible to raise my arms or drive really...!

Black crew neck cardigan (petite) - £18

Just an essential black cardi, ideal for this chilly weather. I had to get the Petite version in this as the arms on the Regular length were too long, hmph :( I'm thinking of getting it in the beige colour as well as it's so versatile!

Faux leather look shorts - £22

These fit really well and were so cheap, they also look like real leather which is a bonus! I figure I can team them down with black opaques and loafers, or glam it up with a lacy crop top and heels. Woo woo!

Black skinny jeans (petite) - £22

Well you can't go wrong with a pair of black skinnies at this time of year, aye?! These come up HUGE, I had to buy them in an 8 when I'm usually a 10-12. Oh well, I'm not complaining...

Black patent loafers - £35

Probably THE MOST worn item of all, I've literally worn these every day since I bought them! It took a couple of days to wear them in but now they're super comfy. I literally think I'll be wearing them all winter, I might have to buy another back-up pair!

Black and neutral knitted snoods - £14 each

I am wearing the neutral version of this snood RIGHT NOW, it is soo comfy! Seriously it is literally the length of my body and I can wrap it right up to my ears and over my shoulders and it shields me from the cold :) mmm...

Cream cable knit slipper boots - £16

I am wearing these too :) Every year I invest in a new pair of slipper boots (who doesn't?) and these are super comfy and look rather posh! Happy days!

I've also bought a pair of purple (well, more like aubergine if you know what I mean?) skinny jeans and a waxed leather pair which I freakin' LOVE which aren't pictured on the website. I have so much stuff left on my wishlist though - I really have to restrain myself from spending all my wages. Next on my list is a cream pussy bow blouse and a chic blazer. More on that to come!

What do you think of Next's A/W range? Have you splurged on a load of new autumn clothes? Do tell!

Love,

Sophia

xo

MAC make-up haul!

Hey loverrrs!

Hope you're all good :) I have recently acquired some new MAC make-up; some have been prezzies and others I have splurged on myself. I have to say I've been mightily impressed with everything so far, it certainly lives up to its adored reputation. Without further ado...

Brush Cleanser

Aah such a useful little concoction! Just spray a few squirts onto your dirty brush, give it a rinse with some warm water and voila! You're good to go. Not the most glamorous purchase in the world but hey-ho it's a necessity! The MUA in the shop said her foundation brush has lasted her years from using this stuff!

Fix+

Now I have to say, I had heard some mixed reviews about this, with some saying it leaves your skin with a lovely dewy glow and others saying it's like spraying water onto your face ie pointless. Well IMO it's the former; it leaves my face looking fresh and zingy (if that's a word?) and my make-up stays on all day after using it. It does run out pretty quickly, though!

Travel sized Fix+

This one I pop in my handbag for touch-ups during the day, it's perfect for when you want to refresh your look but you don't want to have to apply a whole load of make-up again. Trouble is, I think it's LE :( and it was ridiculously expensive!!!

Paint Pot in Painterly

This was a birthday gift from my equally MAC-obsessed chum Flo and she's certainly come up trumps with this one!

This is a kind of half between a nude eyeshadow and an eyeshadow primer (it basically works as both). It's a very natural taupe shade that almost completely blends into your eyelid. I have to say I was expecting something slightly darker but I've still used the hell out of it nonetheless. It might have just started a little love affair between me and MAC paint pots. I'm talking about you, Indianwood and Bare Study! We shall see...

Cosmo Amplified Creme lipstick

Aahhh, eeee, oooohhh... who doesn't love a new MAC lipstick!

Is it the sweet vanilla scent? Is it the longevity? Is it the versatile range of colours? I don't know but there's something about MAC lipsticks that makes me go weak at the knees.

I picked up the shade Cosmo from the Amplified Creme range as it was described as 'your lips but better' and I was looking for a natural, rosy shade...

Here's my lips before...

and after...

WooHOOO! Hello glossy rosy pink lips...

Mwah!

My new favourite lippie... & believe me I own quite a few.

ALSO...

I forgot to mention, the boy picked this up for me from the States a while back.

LE Surf Baby lipstick in Hibiscus

A bright tomato red/coral in some lighting, it featured in MAC's LE Surf Baby collection and sold our EVERYWHERE (hence the sending him abroad to buy it out there. I joke)

Here's my lips before...

and after...

Honestly this was THE lipstick of the summer for me. It just suited my complexion down to a T; I could wear it during the day without a tan and it would look equally as good as when I wore it with shimmery highlighter and smokey eyes of an evening. Obvs it's not available to buy now but FYI it was 100% worth all those rave reviews!

Here's me rocking Surf Baby in the daytime...

and at night...

See, totally versatile!

What are your must-have MAC items? My 'Lingering' eyebrow pencil has just ran out and I'm debating whether to re-purchase!

Love,

Sophia

xo