Christmas 2016 Festive Memories...

Hi lovelies,

I love looking back at my festive memories every year - it makes me feel all warm and cosy, plus I get very excited about my next Christmas!

Here are my best memories from Christmas 2016 (all taken from my Instagram @smoir90)...

Jourdan Dunn unveiling the Tiffany's Christmas windows in Mayfair...

Matching my nails to the Costa Christmas coffee cups...

Feeling all kinds of cosy with my winter Kringle Candle haul (the Hot Chocolate one is AMAZING)...

Winter's walk through Richmond Park...

Feeling festive at the Regent's Street Christmas lights switch on...

Hyde Park Winter Wonderland with cuz... 

Love Actually at the Backyard Cinema...

Hogwarts In The Snow at the Harry Potter Studio Tour...

Christmas Starbs (EVERY YEAR!)...

More Hogwarts In The Snow...

Christmassy glitter nails...

Mulled cider at the Rekorderlig Cider Lounge...

MATILDA!...

Radio Times bumper edition (naturally)...

Putting the Christmas tree up at home...

Covent Garden Christmas lights...

The stunning York Minster during weekend break to York for the world-famous Christmas markets...

Visiting my baby sis in Norwich...

Beautiful carol service at St James's Church on Piccadilly...

Reunited with the SISTAHS... 

Christmas Eve watching my fave Xmas film - The Santa Clause...

New reddish hair for Christmas...

Christmas Day with mumma...

Christmas prezzies galore...

Wow, what an amazing festive season! Bring on Christmas 2016 I say...

You can check out my 2015 festive memories here.

Love,

Sophia xo

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

Christmas 2016 Gifts: Lots Of Lovely Beauty Treats From Pixi, Elemis, Lush And Eve Lom!

Hey lovely ladies,

After Christmas, I like to have a little snoop to see what people got for Christmas, whether it's on Instagram, blogs or YouTube. I'm just inherently nosy - I can't lie!

In light of that, I thought I'd share with you all a couple of beauty bits I got for Christmas so that you can have a little snoop if you like (no judgment here...)

Clockwise from L-R:

Pixi Glow Tonic

I've seen this on COUNTLESS beauty blogs, plus it comes recommended by Caroline Hirons AKA the Skincare Guru. She was the person who taught me to have a proper skincare routine - starting with an oil or cream-based cleanser, double toning and then specific skincare oils/serums. I'm really looking forward to trying this - I'm just finishing off my Botanics toner at the moment and then I'll move straight onto this. 

Elemis Gentle Foaming Face Wash

My lovely friend Lucy gifted me this - I have to say I'm not one to spend a lot on skincare products as I've found in the past that you can get the same results using drugstore brands. But Elemis is a real luxury skincare brand that I would never splash out on myself so I'm glad I get to try this. It always brings back memories of spa treatments because that's the brand a lot of the spas I've been to use in their facials! #dreamy

LUSH Golden Wonder Gift Set

I have to admit, this is one present that I made use of immediately - I'm a complete Lush addict and I go through bath bombs and bubble bars in no time at all! This gift set contained the Golden Wonder and Star Dust bath bombs - both were delightful but Golden Wonder notably so as it's encased in a gold bath bomb however when it reaches the water it turns a magnificent green shade. I was in heaven!

Heyland & Whittle Bath Set

I hadn't heard of this brand before but it's actually a quality soap/bath brand selling hand-made products. My lovely gift set contained four luxury bath melts and a soap - all of which smelled delightful. They made my bath feel like a real treat! 

Eve Lom Lip Balm And Cleanser 

As mentioned earlier, I don't tend to spend a lot of money on skincare so Eve Lom is a brand that I've been lusting after for a long while but yet to try out myself... until Christmas that is! I was amazed to receive not one, but two Eve Lom treats this year - I can't wait to try these out! I'm sure they will both be AMAZING.

L'Occitane Gift Set

This gift set contained a mini bath melt and shea butter hand cream - well I've tried the bath melt and it was lovely and the hand cream is perfect for popping in your handbag too. It smells lovely and creamy too. Such a lovely gift!

Coco Loco Coconut Spritz

I'm pretty loyal to my Aussie Leave-In Conditioner spray but when I saw countless positive reviews of this, I thought I had to try it. A part of me wants to save this until my holiday because the smell of coconut always reminds me of holidays! We shall see, either way I'm hoping it will leave my locks feeling soft and silky...

What did you get for Christmas this year?

Love,

Sophia xo

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

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