What are the top 3 BB Creams, I hear you ask?

BB Creams are my favourite makeup product during summer, where I am usually quite loathe to put any makeup on at all. I like to give my skin a bit of a break, and go for lighter choices than foundation, so I thought I would share with you the 3 BB Creams I've been loving the most this summer.

My favourite this year has been the little guy I mentioned in my July favourites post, The Body Shop's All-In-One Colour-Adapting tinted BB cream. It give light coverage but you could build it up if you wished, and I loved the fact it was colour-adapting, so you didn't have to worry about whether it was too dark or light for you when you're on holiday and getting a tan. 

 

As you can see, it comes out white, then adapts to your skin colour well and you can rub it in.

The only disappointing thing about this product is that it has a smell. It isn't an unpleasant smell, but I prefer fragrance-free products on my skin. Despite that though, I still love it. It's creamy and light but it still leaves a nice slightly dewy finish to the face.

I also loved Garnier's Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream. It also had a smell but it was still nice and creamy on the skin. It definitely gives more coverage than the Body Shop one, but it still felt light and non-sticky. (The shade I got was medium because I had a tan. Sadly though, it has now completely faded from my face and I'm back to being incredibly pale - we don't get much sun here in Scotland! *sigh* It's only my arms and legs that are still tanned, so I'm going to have to wait till next summer to use this again)

My friend gave me this Maybelline's Dream Fresh BB Cream, because the colour was too dark for her. I've loved using it this summer. It smells too, but I can get past it - what is it with BB Creams and smells?! This one looks quite orange and it is rather yellow-toned but rubbed in it's okay. It feels smooth on my skin. It's a bit heavier than the other two but still lighter than my usual foundation and it gives a light/medium coverage if you put a decent amount on.

What have your favourite skin products been this summer?

Sophie x

Review | MUA 'Undress Me Too' Eye Palette

Superdrug's little brand MUA (Make Up Academy) do great palettes, and so when this one came out I had to get it!

It is a dupe of the very famous Naked 2 palette, however this one is only £4! I absolutely love it. The colours are creamy and go onto the lid really smoothly, and they are quite highly pigmented, although I would note that the shimmers are more pigmented than the mattes, and the darker the matte colour is the more pigmented it is.

I like this palette because it has neutral colours (a mixture of mattes and shimmers) that can be used on a day to day basis, but they aren't boring. They are all lovely shades and I use them all! Also, you can mix around which of the 12 shades you use, so if you're going out in the evening you can get a fabulous eye look. This palette is incredibly versatile!

With an eye primer or base, the colours can last for about 10 hours on my eyes without creasing. I would say that without one they last about 7/8 hours, so they are really long lasting.

I really can't describe my love for this palette. It is so cheap, yet I feel it really, really isn't far of the quality of Urban Decay's Naked 2. If you are wanting that palette but don't want to spend a lot, this is the best dupe I have ever come across and I really highly recommend it.

From left to right, top to bottom: Naked, Devotion, Shy, Fiery, Lavish, Dreamy, Tranquil, Exposed, Reveal, Wink, Obsessed, Corrupt

Shades are in the same order as above.

I really can't recommend this palette enough! My favourite shades from it are "Fiery", "Wink" and "Obsessed", although I love them all!

As always, I bought this with my own money and everything said is 100% my own opinion.

I hope this has been hopeful if you have been looking to invest into a new palette! Have a nice day,

Sophie x

Perfect Pamper Evening Essentials!

You know those days when you just feel like a pick-me-up and a luxurious soak in the bath can make all the difference? Well that's what I did last night and I felt so great after I thought I would share it with you!

Products I Used:

• Ojon hair mask
• Ted Baker bath foam
• Leafy&Lovely bath salts
• Soap&Glory No Clogs Allowed deep pore detox mask
• Soap&Glory The Greatest Scrub Of Your Life body buffer
• Ted Baker body souffle
• Palmer's cocoa butter formula concentrated cream
• The Colour Workshop base coat
• OPI Matte Nail Envy nail strengthener
• Urban Decay nail polish in 'Psychedelic Sister'
• Collection 2-in-1 top coat and gloss enhancer

First thing I did was apply this Ojon hair mask onto my dry hair. You have to leave it in for 20 mins so I just threw my hair into a really high messy bun-like-thing, and it gives you an excuse for having a nice long soak in the bath! A review on this product is coming soon.

I then poured my bath foam and bath salts into my bath, and got in. I used my face mask next, and just lay there relaxing for quite some time! I then washed as usual and used my body buffer which is brilliant as it is a polish and moisturiser in one.

I took my hair out of the bun and washed it as normal with my Aussie Miracle Moist shampoo. Because the hair mask is so intensive, I didn't use any other product on my hair - not even my usual conditioner. I rinsed it all out and got out, where I then proceeded to putting on my body souffle.

Once completely dry I put the Palmer's cream where it suggests - on my hands, knees, elbows and my feet. I decided to give my hands some extra care and painted my nails.

I put on the base coat, then the nail strengthener, then the nail polish and finally the top coat. It left my nails beautifully shiny!

Even though I love taking time out to pamper myself, I so rarely do it. I often think it'll turn stressful as I am bad at judging water temperature and knowing when the turn the right tap off! I always feel great afterwards though and I think I'm going to try and make it a weekly thing from now on...

Hope you enjoyed this and it gave you some ideas if you're wanting to give yourself a treat soon!

Sophie x

Review | Bourjois Paris Colour Boost Lip Crayon

Everyone is raving about this product right now - and quite rightly so! I'm really, really loving it. It's a cross between a lipstick and a lipgloss/lipbalm in my opinion. It is moisturising, long lasting and contains SPF 15 - what more can you ask for? 

It's based on the idea of the Clinique Chubby Sticks - but at only £8 it's a fraction of the price. My lips get dry so quickly, but this is really moisturising on them and it doesn't cling to dry patches. It glides on easily and considering it is a glossy product, it lasts a really long time. It claims to last 10 hours, I'm not entirely convinced by that but it does last a really long time and once the glossiness has faded it leaves a nice stain on the lips (nothing hard to remove though). 

I have it in the shade "Peach on the Beach" which is a lovely pinky/peachy colour. It's very wearable and subtle. It can be built up if you wanted to have a bolder look too.

You also don't have to worry about a sharpener for this product - when you need to you just roll it up from the silver twistable end. 

I really can't recommend this enough! They are lightweight and perfect for popping in your bag.  I know I'm planning a trip back to Boots to get the rest of the colours!

Sophie x

Soap & Glory - Crazy Fangirl Moment?

Recently I've realised that I have been buying an awful lot of Soap & Glory products, and I just can't help myself! All the products have an amazing smell, and they are all really good - by that I mean they all actually do what they say they will, which I find that for quite a lot of companies, isn't the case.

Every time I walk into Boots it seems like a new S&G product comes home with me. I love the originality of the names and the packaging is really nice too!

From left to right: Bright Here, Bright Now energy balm, No Clogs Allowed detox mask, Peaches and Clean 3-in-1 facial cleanser

These three products I just picked up a couple of days ago since there is currently a 3-for-2 offer on skincare in Boots and I couldn't resist them! I'm yet to try the energy balm, but I have used the mask once and I felt such a difference in my skin the next morning - with one use! I have also started using the cleanser and it leaves my face feeling make-up free and squeaky clean. It smells of peaches (funnily enough) and it is amazing! Honestly, if it was a perfume I would wear it.  I have acne-prone skin so I'm really hoping these will do good to my skin and not break me out, and so far they've been great!

From left to right: Scrub of your Life body buffer, Righteous Butter body butter,  Hand Food hand cream

I rarely use body products like body scrubs and body lotions. I don't usually have the time or patience to sit around and wait for it to dry. However, these two products have changed my mind about them!

Mist you Madly body spray

I mentioned this little gem in my July Favourites post, and I just keep on repurchasing it! It smells amazing, and if you get the smaller size (which is only £3.50!) it is the perfect size to pop into your bag when you're going out.

From left to right: Hand Food, Hand Food, Hand Food, and more Hand Food...

Okay, you may have come across my absolute weakness in the S&G collection... it's the Hand Food hand cream. I love this so much! I have 3 of the smaller bottles so I can have one in whatever bag I'm taking out with me that day (I hardly ever don't have it with me. It's more often now since it's summer but in Winter I don't think there was a single day I left the house without it...) and I have the large one in my room. It is so moisturising, and it sinks into my hands really quickly, plus (this is always my favourite part) it smells so good!

I am definitely a massive Soap & Glory fan. If you have never tried anything from them before, I really recommend going to have a look in Boots some time (even if it's just to smell them!) I am yet to try their make up; so far I'm just loving their skincare, but I have heard good things about their makeup too!

Sophie x

Review | Topshop Cream Blusher

Hi everyone,


During the summer, I have really been enjoying using a cream blusher instead of a powder one. I find it's easier to apply, easier to blend and leaves a lovely shine on the face, giving you a healthy glow.

I hadn't ever tried any of the makeup from Topshop before. For me, I had always thought of Topshop as an excellent clothing shop, and I don't know why it took me so long to give their makeup products a try, but I'm really glad I have!

My favourite cream blush this season has definitely been Topshop's one, in the shade "Afternoon Tea". I think that's such a lovely name!

It comes in a cute little box.

The actual product looks like this. I love the polka dots, I think it gives it a lovely, happy feel!

It comes with a mirror on the inside of the lid so it is really handy if you were taking it out with you in your bag for a quick top up and instant glow during the day.

The shade "Afternoon Tea".

The colour looks incredibly bright, but it isn't unless you pile it onto your face. It is a lovely pink and you hardly need any of it on your cheeks, so it will last you a long time!

The colour also stays on my face for a long time. I would say it easily lasts 8 hours on my combination skin.

The consistancy of it is what really gets me, I think - it is lovely and light but it is so highly pigmented at the same time!

If you are looking for a new blusher, I definitely recommend going to Topshop and having a look at these. I'm planning on going and getting it in another colour too, I just love it a lot!

Hope you're having a lovely day,

Sophie x

July Favourites

I love reading people's monthly favourites, or watching videos on youtube about it, so I thought I would do one that hopefully you would also enjoy reading!

So, first of all I'm going to talk about my favourite beauty items. I have really been loving my Maybelline instant anti-age eraser eye concealer. I don't need it for the age purposes but my dark circles under my eyes need a lot of covering up and this concealer has been great. The sponge applicator is nice and gentle on your skin too.

I have also been loving my Sleek blusher in "Rose Gold". It is such a lovely colour and perfect for Summer time! It is shimmery and catches the light really nicely.

My NYC liquid eyeliner has also been a favourite of mine this month. It is like a felt tip pen, so it is so much easier to apply than a liquid liner with a wand. The colour is very pigmented and not watery too, so an all round great purchase, especially for the very small price it is.

The Collection eye shadow pencils have been a major discovery and love for me this month. The colours are so vibrant and pigmented, it is so easy to apply and it lasts for AGES! Honestly, if I apply it at 9 in the morning, it is still on my eyes, hardly touched at 9 at night, without an eye primer or base or anything, so perfect if you're going to be out all day. The only thing I would say is that there isn't a massive colour selection. I think they currently have 6 colours, with "Hot Chocolate" being my definite favourite, but hopefully they will bring out more!

The Body Shop's colour adapting BB cream has been great this month. Since I've got a tan, my usual foundation is too light, but this BB cream adapts to your skin tone to give you a match of your own exact colour. It was particulary handy when away on holiday as you didn't have to worry what shade you were or what foundation to use. It gives light coverage which is great for summer time when I try and give my skin a break!

My favourite hair product this month has been argan oil. It has been a lifesaver for the heat-damaged frizzy mess my hair gets into in the Summer. I just apply a tiny amount after washing to the ends of my hair and thats it - so easy!

My favourite skin care item this month has been Palmer's cocoa butter formula concentrated cream. Since I've been away on holiday and got a tan, my skin is slightly peeling and very dry now, and this cream has really been effective on softening and moisturising my skin.

My favourite nail polish this month has been Urban Decay "Shine On". It is a lovely light golden-bronzy colour and looks particulary nice with a tan.

With 1 coat on

With 2 coats on

I've been loving many different accessories in July but my favourite was this floral headband from Primark. It is so pretty and summery, and it only cost £2!

Skirts, in particular skater skirts, have been a fashion item I've been loving. Usually doing Summer I live in shorts (or leggings most of the time back in the UK, because let's face it, it's not usually high sunshine here), but this Summer I've made an effort to wear different things and I've been loving wearing skirts more.

Stripey skirt - Primark
Blue denim skirt - River Island
White lace skirt - Matalan

I have also been loving tie dye items - I have made a few of my own tops (have a look at my previous post if you want to learn how to too) and bought myself the tie dye Vans which I am loving at the moment.

Blue and Purple top - handmade by me (if you're interested look at my previous post)
Orange top - New Look
Vans - Vans

Of course, everything I mentioned here I bought with my own money and it is all 100% my own opinion. I hope you enjoyed reading this post!

Sophie x