25 things about me...

I've seen loads of bloggers do this ever since I entered the blogging community and I think it's a great way to get to know the person behind the blog. I searched my brain for some things about myself that make me different to the next person. 

Enjoy!

1. I am only 5 foot in height (which is obviously teeny weeny!)

2. I can do pretty much any accent you throw at me

3. In my spare time I'm an avid novel and script-writer

4.I have a big fat cat called Bertie and he's my absolute world (as is my boyfriend, obviously!)

5. I have done a bit of acting with Jack P Shepherd, Brooke Vincent and Sasha Parkinson from coronation street and can confirm they're all babes!

6. I have a terrible addiction to crisps (any kind, I ain't fussy!)

7. I have very blue eyes, some say they're so pale blue they're 'scary'

8. One of my absolute favourite things to do is brush my teeth...

9. My favourite films are The Lion King, Billy Elliot, Pretty in Pink and Les Miserables (a new addition)

10. I sing pretty much ALL the time, even though I can't.

11. I am useless when it comes to doing anything exciting with my hair and have never had it done in a salon (lazy!)

12. I have 11 hairbrushes

13. I like sketching but only seem to enjoy sketching horses...

14. I have a major girl crush on Audrey Hepburn and Michelle Keegan

15. My absolute favourite female performer of all time is Nicki Minaj (guilty pleasure!)

16. I have a fear of vomit and moths and an especially chronic fear of mould, to the point where I scream and cry if ever in contact with it

17. My only flares in the kitchen are millionaire's shortbread, brownies and mini quiches and I can't cook anything else!

18. Pink is my favourite colour and always has been, to the point that I have a pink sewing machine...

19. I have an obsession with the programme Friends and have watched at least 5 episodes a day for 3 months after my boyfriend made the mistake of buying me the box set for christmas

20. I can't eat cake and it remains the only thing to ever make me gag

21. I constantly sit on my knees (even at a dinner table) and struggle to sit properly and have done so since I was a little girl!

22. I'm a night owl and therefore more awake at night than I am in the daytime

23. I have to ensure my toast is virtually charcoal (extremely burnt) before I eat it

24. I have absolutely zero rhythm and can't dance to save my life

25. I am the bomb when it comes to spelling tests and can spell near enough every word! (I even used to enjoy them as a child, what a loser!) 

Sophie. 

xoxo

My 3 Favourite Perfumes

One of my favourite beauty products is a good perfume and having quite a big collection, it makes it hard to choose a favourite. So I've whittled it down to my three favourites, not in any order, to give you a little low-down of the scent. Please note though that it's very difficult to describe a smell unless you're a professional perfume-maker (I guess?), but I'll try my very best!

'Miss Dior'  by Dior Eau De Parfum 30ml 

First up is a perfume my boyfriend bought for me as a surprise one day, without me having tried it before. He did very well as I absolutely loved it and used it up almost instantly. Being a Dior product its obviously going to be pricey. Mine, the 30ml retails for around £46, the 50ml for around £64, and the 100ml for around £89. There are many different varieties and I would say to sniff as many of the Dior perfumes as possible to find the right scent for you as they smell very different. I would describe this scent as sweet and sugary, with the ability to be either a night time or a day time scent. I have only ever had one bottle but try it every time I visit House Of Fraser and am still lusting after another bottle!

Viktor & Rolf 'Flowerbomb' 20ml

Another of my favourites is one which I've only ever had one of and have failed to re-purchase despite feeling desperate for another! This is Viktor & Rolf 'Flowerbomb', a fairly new, fashionable scent which I got as part of a set. The usual shape of the bottle isn't like this, but as this was part of a set with a body cream in the same scent, the bottle is obviously smaller. I bought this from The Perfume Shop in Leeds with some leftover birthday money last year and as it was summer time, the scent was really clear after applying the body cream as well. The set cost me about £48 and is called the 'Petite Flowerbomb'. I'm not sure if they still sell this exact set but they sell others like it. The 30ml retails for around £48 also, the 50ml around £65 and the 100ml around £90, varying with different shops. I'd advise looking around before buying this as prices can vary dramatically. There isn't really a way to describe this scent other than it is musky and has a lot of undertones, but its also fresh and pretty and definitely what I would call a summer scent!

Jimmy Choo Eau De Parfum 40ml

This was a perfume I received as a present from my Mum after asking for it. My sister had the perfume before me and I absolutely loved it, so I asked for it myself. It is a beautiful scent, quite similar to 'Flowerbomb' by Viktor & Rolf (mentioned above), and as you can see, comes in the most gorgeous bottle, inside a pink, snake-print box. I believe it retails for around £35 for the 40ml, around £45 for the 60ml and ariund £62 for the 90ml. It is also available at a cheaper cost for the Eau De Toilette however I wouldn't recommend going for that just because you're strapped for cash as the scent is completely different, much unlike a lot of EDT's, which tend to just be weaker, this one smells completely different and to me, not as nice. The scent is musky but fruity and although I do wear it in the day, smells much nicer on cold, wintery nights out. 

So that's it. My three favourite perfumes broken down for you in description of scent, price and availability. All the perfumes are available at pretty much any perfume counters as they're quite popular scents and prices will always vary (look for the best deals!). I hope you enjoyed my post and you'll hear from me again very soon! 

Sophie. 

xoxo

Perricone MD 'No foundation foundation' review

I recently took the plunge and forked out for the 'No Foundation Foundation' from Perricone MD Cosmeceuticals. It has a hefty ol' price tag and retails for around £47.00

It's only a 30ml bottle and obviously, for the price tag, doesn't look worth it, but once you get past the first impressions and give it a go, it is SO worth it! I took a while to decide whether or not I wanted this or the 'No Concealer Concealer' which retails for £37.00, but seeing all the rave reviews in magazines I went for the foundation. 

The idea of these products are that they're more for 'wakening' the skin, rather than masking it. They look like foundation on first glance but once used on the skin, appears like more of an oil or a gel. It suggests rubbing it into the skin using soft, small, circular motions until well-blended. It reacts with the skin pigmentation and creates a glowy, dewy effect to really wake up the skin. It will look different on every skin type as like I said it reacts with the skin, rather than covering it up like most foundations. (hence the name)

When I applied it I really felt like it was doing something for my skin, and although it doesn't give you completely flawless skin, I can imagine that somebody with a good complexion and skin pigment all over their face (somebody with olive skin for example) would be able to use this to bring out the best of their skin. However, as I have a very poor complexion and a miss-match pigment I would need to use a bit of foundation or concealer together with the product in order to cover any blemishes or problem areas. It comes in a little smooth glass bottle, with a screw-cap lid and an additional pump lid. This is great because the pump is easy to use and much more hygienic, but also because when you're running low, you can just stick your finger in and screw the lid back on afterwards. Easy!

Another benefit of the product is that it has an SPF 30 sunscreen, meaning that it is the perfect foundation to wear while sunbathing. The face is an area a lot of girls forget to protect when sunbathing (I hold my hands up, I do too!), because a lot of makeup doesn't contain any sunscreen or SPF, meaning a fully make-upped face is completely unprotected in the summer time. I think this would be perfect for those days when you can't be bothered to wear makeup but feel your skin needs 'a bit of help', or to wear on sunny days when makeup just slides off your face. After all, with the SPF, there's more than one great reason to wear it under the heat of the sun!

Although its pricey, it is a fantastic product, a 5 star rating in mine, and many other people's books. I'm unsure as to whether I would ever fork out for another bottle but I think that depends on how long this one lasts me. If it goes on for ages, it's worth it! 

I hope you enjoyed my review and I hope you feel the same about the product if you've tried it. A definite beauty must-have! 

Sophie. 

xoxo

Positivity opens new doors...

(image: Google Images)

This is a bit of a different post for me but with a lot of things on my mind I thought I would conquer the problem that many people from many different walks of life face every single day. Bad things happen to lots of people and no matter how big or small the problem, everybody is allowed to 'grieve' in some way. 

I've always thought of myself as quite a lucky person in that I live quite a comfy, cosy life, have an awesome family and lots of people who really care about me, and I've always done my best to teach myself to be positive, even when I'm having one of those 'off days'. 3 years ago, I sadly lost my Dad and my life changed somewhat. It was an accident and a shock and therefore unexpected, which made it a little hard to dig up any positivity I might have had shortly after losing him. Like every person in this world, losing a parent is possibly the worst thing imaginable and being positive is the last thing on your mind after experiencing such trauma. However, my Dad was a brilliant role model and a real life-lover and go-getter. He did near enough everything in his life he always wanted to, never hesitated and was always extremely positive and upbeat. There was rarely a time you'd see my Dad without a smile on his face or without him cracking some ridiculously un-funny joke. 

I taught myself after losing him that no matter how much grieving I allowed myself to do, I would live the rest of the years which he unfortunately couldn't, myself. I promised myself that when I felt really lousy and like I wanted to just give up, I would open a new door in my mind and walk through it, just to see what was on the other side.

This may sound like a stupid metaphor but when you think about it, it kind of makes sense. I imagine that when I'm feeling negative and crappy I'm in a dark room, and positivity gives me the key to a door to a bright room. Okay, sometimes the brightness in the next room might not be very 'bright', or may not be bright for very long, but it helps. 

Metaphors don't help some people, and nobody would ever be able to tell you how to cope if you were going through a rough time, you have to figure that out for yourself. But you should never let somebody tell you that what you're going through isn't "that bad", because if it means something to you, that's all that matters. Once you learn how to cope with a negative situation, and what makes you feel better about something, you'll find it much easier to be happy. 

Another thing which really helps me to cope with negativity, even now, is writing lists. It may sound a bit silly and irrelevant but it works for me, and it may well work for other people. When I begin to hate myself and wonder why I'm even on this earth, I write a list of 'Ways to be my better self'. The lists are only occasional, are written on different pieces of paper or in different notebooks or journals (I have many!), and they eventually end up discarded or lost but ultimately they are about altering my current mood and lifestyle, NOT being something completely un-me. It's about making yourself a bit better and therefore bettering the energy you're giving off to other people, because its so easy to tarnish the moods of others with your negativity. 

A list would usually look a little something like this: 

* Get more sleep

* Do more regular exercise, eat healthily and drink more water

* Smile more

* Take care to help others

* Value the great things in life

* Don't hesitate (life's too short)

* Do what you enjoy

* Listen to upbeat music

* Never compare yourself to anybody else

* Take chances (say yes)

* Don't think, just do

The last one is my favourite and ultimately the one that is pretty much always on every list. Its a small portion of lyrics from my favourite band and one of my favourite songs: Snow Patrol - You could be happy. Listening to music is a great way to effect your mood, especially upbeat music to lift your spirits. However, although Snow Patrol's songs sound quite sad and depressing, when you really listen to their lyrics it all begins to make sense. The message they send out in most of their songs are positive messages aimed at altering a person's perspectives on life. 

Remember, no matter how big or small the problem is, if it effects you, its worth thinking about. But positive energy is obviously better than negative, and so ignoring the problem is never the right idea, but dwelling so much on the problem isn't either. So find an inbetween, allow your mind to focus on the problem in a more positive light. Use metaphors and lists, music or exercise, anything you feel helps YOU. Nobody knows you better than you know yourself. 

I hope this may have helped in some way, because I know that when I'm going through a tough time, the positive words and energies of others help me to focus on the best of life. 

'Life's too short' - My Dad

Sophie. 

xoxo

My 8 Favourite Miniatures

When it comes to beauty products, I have my fair share of them, much like many girls my age. I was once a subscriber of Glossybox monthly beauty boxes which consists of a pretty pink (or other colour depending on the time of the year or occasion) box filled with around six different up and coming or not so well known products from the high end of beauty, usually in a miniature version for Glossybox's subscribers to try. There are many other monthly beauty box companies that do the same thing but I chose to join Glossybox after hearing a lot of other bloggers rave about it. I must say I was incredibly impressed that after spending just £12.95 a month (£10.00 for the box, £2.95 for postage and packaging), I could have a lovely, sturdy box full of great little products that I'd either heard of and wanted to try or that I'd never seen before. You would enter your details, whether it be skin type, the product category you're deiring or your favourite perfume scent, all your details would be processed by the team and your box would be chosen specifically for you. Occasionally, as a treat, Glossybox would throw in a full-sized product which really excited me as I felt I was being spoilt. 

Unfortunately, I had to unsubscribe because money was getting a bit tight and I needed that extra ten pounds a month but hopefully in the future when I've saved up a bit more money I will be able to re-subscribe and get all my little monthly treats again! In the mean time though, I thought I would make the most of the miniatures I already have and cherish those by writing my thoughts on my favourite ones. I've chosen 8 of my favourites from the many I have and have given my thoughts on each individual one. 

Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant

First up is the Daily Microfoliant from the well-known, model's favourite brand Dermalogica. They've cleverly created an exfoliant in dry powder form which reacts with water to create a grainy paste. This way you can really feel the grains of the powder working into every pore to clear any impurities as well as scrub any dry or dead skin and leave your skin feeling smooth, soft and nourished. I use it once a week as I'm running low and want to make the most of it! The full-size retails for around £40.

Lipcote Longlasting Lipstick Seal

Next up is the lipstick seal from Lipcote. I'd never heard of Lipcote as a brand or product before and I have never owned any product that promises to do what this product does. You apply the Lipcote on top of freshly applied and blotted lipstick and wait, mouth-opened for it to dry. Once dried it promises to offer long-lasting lipstick protection even while eating, drinking and talking. Perfect for a night out and it works very well with red lipstick!This product retails for around £3.99

Burberry Body Perfume

It's unusual to receive a fragrance product in a glass bottle as a sample which is why this miniature excites me the most. Burberry Body 35ml usually retails for around £40, the 60ml for around £50, and the 85ml for around £70 (varying with different retailers). There is little more than 10 drops in this little bottle but the fact it is literally a miniature of the original product feels like such a luxury, compared to the usual perfume samples which consist of a tiny plastic container and a small spray cap. Not to mention the fact that the perfume has a rich, earthy scent, quite heavy and perfect for a night out, and smells incredible. One of my absolute favourite samples ever!

Alison Clarke So Remarkable Mango Body Butter

Another brand I've never heard of before, this little tube of Mango flavoured Body Butter from Alison Clarke is a skin must have. Its rich, creamy texture allows for a smooth application and ability to blend and feels great against tired skin. One of my favourite beauty flavours is mango and the smell of this is to die for! The only downside is that the product is so small and doesn't last long. I'm on the last little dregs and I'm having a serious craving to purchase some more!

L'Oreal Full Volume Tecni Art Mousse

This product isn't considered a high end product as you'd expect from Glossybox, and I'm aware that a lot of people weren't happy to receive this. However, I think the fact that its such a great product with fantastic texture and hold de-emphasises the fact that its not a high-end product and in fact is something readily available and well known in high street beauty shops. The mousse is light and fluffy with a nice, mild scent and isn't too sticky on the hands and hair. I find I have to use it sparingly to two reasons. 1. I have very thick hair with which I try desperately to gain volume and too much would drag it down, and 2. as it is a sample size, I don't have many more applications before I have to purchase the full-sized product. Apart from that, I love it! This retails for around £9 for a 250ml bottle.

Skinetica Spot Treatment

This liquid spot treatment from Skinetica is a must-have product for problem skin. It is a tiny container with little more than 20 applications I would imagine, but for somebody like me is perfect when I have one big old whitehead pop up unexpectedly. The fact its a liquid rather than a cream or gel means there is no residue after its soaked in after about 3 minutes. Containing an alcohol it dries the surface of the swollen skin and calms the redness to relieve the pain of an irritating spot. The only downside is that you can't feel anything working, but other than that, it's great! This retails for around £9.99 per 100ml bottle.

DHC Deep Cleansing Oil

I've only used this product a few times but I'm already a huge fan of it! Being another brand and product I've never heard of before, I felt a bit dubious about using it, as the packaging isn't spectacular and it looks no more than cooking oil. However, I love the way it feels on my skin after a hot bath as it soaks in and softens the surface of the skin. I could imagine it would come in handy in the summer time after a day in the sun to treat dehydrated skin before sleep. This retails for around £20 - £25 a bottle.

Balance Me Wonder Eye Cream

This miniature is the perfect size for me as I only use a tiny amount at a time. Its a lovely creamy eye treatment to really awaken the eye area when its looking a bit droopy and baggy (attractive!)I find that Balance Me products are always beautifully fragranced, not too expensive and lovely light creams full of nourishment for your skin. I use a lot of eye products and like to mix and match but this one is definitely one of my favourites. It usually retails for around £20.

Despite sometimes being a little underwhelmed with products, I'm usually always pleased with everything I receive and beauty boxes are a great way of developing a lovely collection of well-rounded beauty products. I also find that they're a great way to be first in the queue to try new and exclusive products and finally find a place in your beauty-loving heart for a fantastic new product. I highly recommend purchasing the full-size of these products and will be considering purchasing them myself. 

I hope you share some of the same favourites as me and enjoyed reading my post :) 

Sophie

xoxo

"A girl should be two things; classy and fabulous" - Coco Chanel