New in Beauty haul *top picks*

Who isn't a huge sucker for beauty hauling? I must admit, I don't usually splash out on several products all in one go but considering I'm jetting off for my Summer holiday soon, there's no better excuse. The brands are very samey-samey within this haul as NYX and Makeup Revolution are both the main contributers, but after reading blog post after blog post about how a amazing these brands both are, I couldn't resist picking up a few bits. *squeamish, excited voice*. I am yet to do a full face using these products, although I have had a little play around and swatched everything, so everything below is solely based on my first impressions (more in depth posts coming soon babes).

 I have only picked out a few of my so-far-favourite products, as otherwise we'd be here all day, enjoy x

NYX Lingerie Liquid Lipstick (06 PUSHUP)

Every blogger and their mother owns one of these beauties but honestly, I couldn't resist the hype. I'm not usually a Liquid Lipstick kinda girl as I usually stick to MAC Mattes, although these are so smooth and provide minimal stickiness, although I would say wait till the gloss has dried to gain full effect and feel of them. The whole collection follows the nude pallet and to me, many shades appear very similar. I gravitated towards Pushup as it's similar to the 'Kinda Sexy' MAC Lipstick, which I adore but have sadly used all up. A  nude-brown shade with pinkish undertones. LOVE.

I team this with the NYX Retractable Lip liner in the shade Nude. Also a huge new makeup bag favourite.

NYX Sculpt&Highlight brow contour duo (Cream/Brunette)

This is legit my new found love! I've tested this once and omg, I can NOT wait to wear this on a day to day basis.The precise applicator is perfect for shading/filling/outlining your brows, with just one product your brows are tamed and ready to go. The highlighter varies from which shade you go for, ensuring it compliments your eyebrow colour down to a T. Such a smooth product to apply too.

NYX Hydra Touch brightening pencil (GLOW)

This in effect is a highlighter but subtle, great for a day to day basis and avoids too much of a gleam on your nose and cupids arrow etc., girls, you need this. This applies on the skin like an absolute breeze, can't wait to contour with this! Think this will be absolutely perfect for brightening the under eye area to create an illuminating effect and hiding those bags.

Collection Colour Lash Mascara (Clear)

A clear mascara is my go-to product when setting my eyebrows into place for the day and at around the £3 mark, you can not go wrong.Clump free and the spoolie, obviously, provides the perfect applicator whilst brushing the brows into place.

Soap&Glory SUPERCAT Eyeliner pen

What beauty guru hasn't raved about this product? I just had to give this a go and considering eye liner pens are my favourite way to apply my cat eye liner, this was a must for myself. I only tend to wear jet black liner, which this appears to be, whilst the applicator isn't too thin or thick, resulting in, hopefully, the perfect application.

Makeup Revolution Ultra Blush Pallet (Golden Sugar)

I've been looking for the perfect holiday bronze/blush/highlighter pallet and I can not believe I found one containing everything I want for just £6! I wouldn't say this was the most appropriate range of shades for someone that's fair skinned,although with a tan you'll be looking like a golden goddess. I'm feeling Grecian vibes with this one. To my surprise, all of the shades are super pigmented too, soooo excited to play around with this on holiday.

Makeup Revolution Highlighter Pallette

Forget about splashing out on a Anastasia Glow pallete, this Superdrug alternative looks just as flipping beaut! A champagne gold, A pearly pink and A undertoned lilac shade, perfect and suitable for all skintones. They're so pigmented and if aim is to look like a glazed doughnut, this is the one for you.

Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge

I usually apply my makeup base with a brush, although I find it's not the best option if you're after the perfect blend. I've heard raving reviews regarding using a Beauty Blender for your makeup base, but I just cant justify spending £16+ on a sponge, so this was my cheaper alternative. I'll let you all know how I get on, wish me luck because I have no idea what I'm doing lol. I'll probably dampen before using as this is meant to give off a more dewy finish.

I'm always open to new makeup recommendations, so please, share your beauty secrets with me.

With love Soph x

Toni&Guy lovin'

Toni&Guy are well known for their boutique salons and hair styling products and have been for many years, they have a huge celebrity clientele, a favourite of many and retail at a reasonable price range yet, why oh why did I not try this brand sooner? The collection isn't the cheapest available but 100% worth the little extra and if it works to help tame my frizz mane which others may refer to as 'hair', then I'm sure it can help you. As a few of you may know, I am jetting off to Menorca in a couple of weeks and trust me when I say, my hair and humidity do NOT sit well together. Searching for products that completely smooth and de-frizz my hair is near impossible, although Toni&Guy give it a good shot.

To prepare myself for my summer holiday I wanted to trial of couple of their goodies, all my reviews are honest but please do keep in mind, different products, suit different hair types and I mainly wanted to aim towards a frizz-ease genre.

Glamour {firm hold hairspray}

I style my hair pretty much day in, day out and a well suited hair spray is very much a daily go-to product of mine, so finding one that will hold my hair well enough throughout the day is important. Before I found my new love, I used to solely rely on the Silvikrin Maximum Hold hairspray. Not the
best hold in the world and made my hair appear super sticky. So it was a big NO fro me. Toni&Guys'


Glamour range hairspray is their firm hold hairspray, perfect for day to night control. It doesn't appear sticky whatsoever and my hair still feels light and weightless.

  {Purchase here}

Casual {Radiating Tropical Elixir}

Although I try to avoid using heat tools on my hair, natural UV can damage our barnets without even realising, so it's always super important to introduce a protection serum into your hair routine. This serum is part of their casual range and states that you should be left with a weightless feeling and shine. Perfect for thick and course hair, like mine. This product also helps to tame frizz, so by simply applying this serum to your ends before blow drying or towel drying, it really can help to smooth your hair and prepare it for styling. Retailing at the suitable size of 50ML, it provides the perfect travel sized product, perfect for your travels this summer and a must have for your styling collection.

{Purchase here}

My De-frizz wishlist:

Marix Biolage Smooththerapie Deep Smoothing Cream

Lee Stafford Frizz OFF Keratin Spray

Bumble and Bumble Curl Conditioning Mousse

John Frieda Frizz Ease Miraculous Recovery Masque

What are your favourite de-frizz products?
With love Soph x

AA Skincare (Frankincense&RoseToner)

A good skin routine, in my eyes, is the very basis of confidence. Look good, feel good and with 100's of skincare specialist products now on the market it can be difficult to find products that cater precisely for you. I've previously worked with AA Skincare, testing a few of their sensitive skin aimed products, including a moisturiser and a deodorant, and for the price tag, they worked wonders. Although, today's new press release is aimed across the whole board of skin types, so for myself and my ultra sensitive skin, I'm feeling slightly sceptical. 

AA Skincare say;

The Frankincense and Rose toner is a refreshing and fragrant Damask Rose water is combined with hydrating and toning Frankincense water to gently refresh and prepare skin for moisturising.

Our fragrant formulation of Frankincense & Rose combines pure natural ingredients – including Pomegranate, Honeysuckle and White Willow Bark - to create a calming and balancing skin toner for daily use.  Leaves skin revived and rehydrated, ready for moisturising - or use to refresh tired skin throughout the day.                          

On a day to day basis I use the Simple Kind to Skin Soothing Toner, which is cheap and cheerful and although I love my Simple products, who doesn't like to expand their product range? I apply my toner, once in the morning before moisturising and once again before bed. It helps to keep my skin feeling refreshed throughout the day and provides a perfect base for my moisturiser to soak in to and I was hoping this would do the same.

The packaging of AA skincare products never fail to impress. They are simply stylish and use pastel styling to add a touch of elegant colour. Very Instagrammable. The 150ml is the perfect size and not too bad for a travel essential either. As only a squirt or two of product is needed at one time, this toner should last you a good while if used correctly. The scent is very potent and does wonders for a summertime refreshing scent. As this is based as a spray rather than a normal opening, you are able to spray and refresh with this throughout the day, instead of applying product using a cotton pad. Perfect for on the go and when your skin is in need of a light pick-me-up

BONUS POINTS: My skin doesn't react. Yippeeeeeeeeee. AA are so brilliant when it comes to choosing the most natural ingredients for their products, they never fail to impress me. Whether you have oily, dry or sensitive skin, they provide everything! This toner is a must purchase if you have easy reactant skin like myself. At only £7.98 per 150ml, you're not going to break the bank either.

{Purchase the Toner here}

Other products I have tried and loved;

{Purchase here}

{Purchase here}

A huge thankyou to AA Skincare for sending me this wonderful product, go check them out;

http://www.aaskincare.co.uk/

With love Soph x

[My summer footwear]

This year I had to literally purchase a whole new summer wardrobe for Menorca and not to mention, the shoe department was lacking massively! I am not a huge fan of spending a huge amount of money and damaging the bank account when it comes to summer footwear, as firstly, we never have the weather in England to pull designer sandals off and secondly, why overspend when you can buy good quality at the fraction of the price?

Topshop Mules:

These are the only pair out of this collection of which I didn't buy this year and unfortunately, are now not available to still purchase (similar linked below). Retailing at around the £40 mark, I didn't find these little beauty's at too bad of a price to splash out on. Mules are very in this season, a must for your Summer capsule collection, and I have a feeling they're going to be hanging around for a long while to come. I do not own a nude pair of shoes but trust me when I say, they can be worn with anything and I'll definitely be purchasing similar styles and pallet range in the future! Although, warning, NOT VERY COMFY. Plasters are very much needed.

{Purchase similar here}

Primark Sliders:

Sliders are much like marmite, you either love them or hate them. To begin with, I wasn't a huge fan but now, I want more, more, more! These were only £3, YES YOU READ THAT RIGHT, ONLY £3, talk about saving money. Primark's a difficult one, as products vary from store to store, although sliders are e v e r y w h e r e, so it shouldn't be hard to find similar elsewhere,but sadly at a higher end price. So,definitely check out your local Primark first! I wish I had picked these up in the black and tan option too:( Super comfy and simple to style.

{Purchase similar here}

Newlook Wedges:

If these don't scream 'holiday' to you, then I'm not quite sure what will. I am yet to wear these, so I am sceptical about how many toes I will have remaining after this holiday, haha. Although, they look totally worth the pain, right? Due to my height (5ft 7"), I do not want to be towering over everyone in 6" heels, so these are perfect for me, coming in at only 3.5" or there about. These are more to style in the evening time and pricing at only £19.99, you can't go wrong.

{Purchase here}

Converse lowtops:

I am partial to a bit of trainer action and on holiday, who doesn't want to feel comfortable? My other trainers are super chunky, so these are the perfect choice for the suitcase or for plane attire. Can you see a white trend happening here? I'm currently a little obsessed with white, if you can't already tell. An accident waiting to happen. 

{Purchase here}

H&M fringed sandals:

Many of you know, I am currently working at H&M, and with a mighty 25% discount, I was hoping to gather as much for my holiday attire as possible from work, although was left a little disappointed  at their current stock. Although, these fringed beauts caught my eye from a mile off! Fringing is always in, pretty much every season and a tan pallet was yet to be seen in my shoedrobe, so obviously I just couldn't resist these. These can be dressed up or down, so versatile for the price tag of just £12.99

.{Purchase here}

To see these shoes styled up keep a look out for future posts! 

With love , Soph X 

The seven essentials to become happier

We all have our dark days and bad weeks from time to time, trust us, we've all been there and unfortunately it's all part of growing up, becoming older and of course, wiser. But what exactly can we do to overcome those bad days and become happier, more positive people? I have teamed together my top tips, of which help me on day to day basis and hopefully they will assist you on helping you become an overall happier person with a brighter outlook of life and with our fingers crossed, together we can be on our way to beat those 'down days' for good.

Listen to music

Sticking our earphones in, blocking out the world with our favourite, most uplifting and motivational songs can really help improve your mood. It can transform you into a world of your own, erasing the bad memories of a terrible day,oh which you'd much rather forget.

How it helps me; I listen to music as much as I can throughout the day, mainly on the bus, whilst I am walking or just before bed. It massively contributes to how my mood changes, sometimes if I've had a bad day at college, listening to music on the way home instantly becomes a mood changer and by the time I get through my front door my rubbish day is no longer at the forefront of my mind as it helps take my mind off everything for a short while and concentrate on the more positive things, after-all tomorrow is a new day.

My uplifting playlist: (Well a few)
{some are very cliche, I know}

   

• Drake - One dance
• Blonde - All cried out
• Coldplay -Hymn For The Weekend
• The Saturdays - Ego
• Beyonce - Countdown
• The Black Eyed Peas - I Gotta Feeling
• Sia - Cheap Thills
• Dua Lipa - Hotter Than Hell

Write it down

Writing your thoughts or feelings down can feel as though a slight weight has been lifted off of your shoulders. Not everyone can be open with their family members or friends, so writing down exactly how you feel can give a sense of 'telling someone', making it easier to congest why today or this week wasn't a good one and how you can ensure that tomorrow is a great one.

How it helps me; I don't tend to write down my feelings down at this present time, although at school keeping a diary about dealing with GCSE stress did help me out a lot. I prefer to discuss how I feel with either Alexandra, my boyfriend or my stepdad as i find these people the easiest to talk too, it's all down to preference, some people feel more comfortable with just writing it down, although it's always reassuring to discuss a problem or concern with somebody close to you as well.

Get rid of negative people

Shutting out people is extremely difficult and challenging, whatever you age or current situation may be, it's never nice to loose people that you were once close too or had created a special bond with, but honestly, sometimes it is for the best. Surrounding yourself with negative people, who may constantly try to bring you down is never a good idea and it will reach a point of enough is enough.

How it helps me; As my last year of high school was nearing to an end, for me it was a prime opportunity to escape negative people and slowly drift away from them without causing any problems or awkwardness. High school is always a difficult time, people change and unfortunately not always in a positive way. I was ALWAYS a forgiving person no matter what the issue may of been and leaving year 11 would be the turning point for myself and the chance to keep in touch with only the people who would be good for me and who I'd benefit from. There's most definitely a certain way to approach this situation to avoid causing any upset or being horrible and honestly is always key. Addressing the problem with a friend or work colleague etc. is always a good starting point, if they take everything on-board, that's perfect and if not, you can cope without them.

Look good,Feel good

There's no better feeling than getting complimented unexpectedly or walking around feeling damn hot and usually, for us ladies it's all about the clothes, the face and the hair. Putting on your favourite outfit, feeling utterly pampered or simply, getting a fresh cut can leave us all feeling better about ourselves. Looking good certainly makes us feel good and feeling good is the key to a great day.

How it helps me; All of us have varied opinions on how we can look our best, for me I'm most confident when my eyebows are done to perfection, disappointing brows = disappointing day. How I dress is a huge confidence boost for myself, when I'm dressed in my favourite pieces I'm instantly more happy and positive about how I feel for that day. Sometimes, there will be days where I chop and change my outift three or four times, I'd never even attempt to leave my house if I didn't feel comfortable in what I was wearing or how I looked.

Plan,Plan,Plan

Who doesn't love planning days out or trips with the people who mean the most? Whether it's a year or a month in advance it's always great to be looking forward to one thing or another. Not only is it a great way to get together with family member you don't usually see or long lost friends, it's also the perfect opportunity to take your mind off things you'd rather forget about, whether that be college/school/work etc.

How it helps me; I've got to be honest, I'm a little lazy nor creative when it comes to organising plans for a day out and sometimes I'd rather enjoy a day spent in bed with a cup of tea...although I have now realised, I need to get back into being more outgoing rather than wasting my life away under my duvet. I've made a promise to myself that as soon as I turn 18, I shall venture out more but until then, I  probably with just waste away in my bed, oops.

Find A New Hobby or Interest

Finding a new hobby or interest is something we should do often, it's a prime opportunity to meet people and find something new about yourself, maybe a sport you never even knew you were good at. Many people thing this has to be sport based, but that isn't the case at all, maybe a art class would tickle your fancy or a new found love of historic monuments. It can literally be anything. It keeps things interesting, can take you out of your comfort zone, keep your mind off things and build confidence, what's not to love.

How it helps me; I'm not particularly in to participating in any type of sport, so anything sporty based is a huge no go for me as P.E at school was literally my worst nightmare. It's taken me a while to find something I enjoy and stick to for longer than two weeks but blogging is finally something I enjoy and it's non-physical, which is the perfect hobby for me. Blogging is the perfect way to meet various types of people and to bring me out of my comfort zone, not only that but fashion and beauty is a huge passion of mine and what better way than to share that with you all.

And Smile...

Smiling is the easiest tip of them all, it's the biggest and most essential tip on how to be a happier person. No

matter how rubbish and down you feel on the inside,smile and eventually the happiness part will begin to follow naturally. 

~Saving the pennies~

Who else is with me when I say, money equals worry? Is money constantly playing on your mind? Same and it's the WORST. Since leaving college last month, I've been trying to fit more hours in at work, however, nothing seems to compensate all spending I do and after all, every little helps. So what else can we do to save our pennies and up our 'only spend what we need' game in time for summer? 

Shop around

If you're similar to me and fall head over heels for a wardrobe piece and you can't get it out of your head until you've ruined your bank account, then you're doing it all wrong. Browsing is key. You may find a very similar item or a fantastic dupe elsewhere for a quarter of the price. You can download shopping apps including 'Mallzee', of which you can browse similar items all in the same place. So, snap out of that 'love at first sight' mode and get to it.


Bring lunch

Lunch is my favourite time of day, actually scrap that, food in general is my favourite time of the day, and yes, majority of my money is thrown away on take aways and eating out. It actually saddens me to think about how much money I've spent over the past few months on food, sigh. This is 1000000% the area I need to work on the most when it comes to saving and the only way I can *just about* manage to resist buying food is to sort myself out with a tasty baguette and some scrumptious snacks the night before work. Also, take a drink with you...the pounds seriously do add up!

Groupon is my savour 

I've recently downloaded the Groupon app and honestly, it's one of my most used apps on my phone. It's particularly good for dining out as they offer a selection of money-off vouchers for the best restaurants around. They also offer discounted days out and cheap trips away, DOWNLOAD IT NOW, seriously. 

Avoid delivery costs

Recently, avoiding the shops and dragging ques and instead, ordering online has been very much preferred. Although, paying money for the order and then £4-5 delivery just isn't viable and frankly, I aint got time for that. Delivery costs quickly add up so instead, spend an extra £10 or so, to qualify for free delivery and then return free of charge and obviously, get your money back off the items not needed. Of course check with the T&Cs but it's definitely worth the hassle in the long run.

The un-breakable money box

Dipping into savings from the piggy bank is just too easy, so why not buy one which you can only dip into once you've smashed it to a million pieces. THIS IS WHAT I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR. It makes resisting a whole lot easier and you can purchase them from the pound shop, even better!

Sell everythaaaang

Unwanted clothes, shoes, games, consoles...SELL IT ALL. Download Ebay, Amazon and Depop, honestly, people will buy anything and everything! It's seriously worth looking into and ensure you set up a PayPal account so money can be paid to you safely and securely.Your trash, is somebody elses treasure. Guaranteed you'd be surprised to see what you can earn from your own front room.

What are your money saving tips? I'd love to hear from you!

With love soph x

(MATTE ME) Sleek Liquid lipsticks

Sleek is a fairly new brand to me, I have yet to test majority of their range, aside from the Sleek powdered contour kit, so I am still very sceptical but excited to give one of their new products a go. Liquid lipsticks really took off  and hit the market hard when Miss Jenner brought out her lip kits, which obviously have been proved popular. Although, if you're like me and a student on a budget, spending that amount of money on the product and shipping just isn't viable, so alternatives are the way forward. Today, I am finally loosing my liquid lipstick virginity.

                   

    

When it comes to lip products, I'm either a very nude, nude girl or a 'in your face' kinda girl, with light brown, reds and dark purples steal my heart every single time. Although, this time around I thought I'd try a pallet a little more unusual for me, gravitating towards a more pinkish, red shade. Varying in 12 shades, you're not limited with pallet choice, from baby pinks to fiery reds, Sleek are offering it all within this range. 'BITTERSWEET' is my choice today and if all goes well, retailing at only £4.99, I'll definitely be purchasing the collection.

Firstly, the  packaging is simply 'sleek' (excuse the pun), a minimal matte black lid, with an embossed logo and clear casing, it's easy to view the shade without even swatching. Quick pallet choice if you're in a major rush.

I normally steer away from a lip-gloss styled brush as I find the application more difficult than using a lip brush or a block lipstick.  Although, due the the slight angling on the applicator, it did help with getting into the creases of the lip and edging toward the corners without smudging past the lip line. However, I would recommend using this product along with a lip liner to assist with a smooth line.

For the price, I wasn't getting my hopes up but O M G, I was so pleasantly surprised and definitely would recommend. The lip cream is so pigmented, 'matte-tified' to the max and glides on your lips effortlessly. The product drys super quick which helps to avoid smudging and budging throughout the day. However, I would state that this product is very drying, so if your lips are normally dry and dehydrated, like mine, ensure you moisturise, moisturise and moisturise a little more before application and you could always apply a gloss on top if preferred.

A little elbow grease is needed to remove the product at the end of the day as it does NOT budge. ONLY £4.99, WHAAAAAT. Overall a really good must-have lip product if you're on a budget.

P.S. Not 100% sure this shade suits me, maybe I shall be sticking to my usual pallet from now on *Covers face*.

{Click here to purchase}

Any lip products you're loving or desising lately? Let me know

With love, Soph x

[lil' life updates]

My blogging mojo is back , hallelujah. As you've all probably noticed,  Her Envious Mind has been in "sleep mode" during the past few months and I am thinking you're all in need of  a little explanation and update. If I am completely accurate and 100% honest, blogging has been quite a struggle for quite a while now. Although, it feels flipping good to be back. Overall, this comeback post  is definitely overdue. I've been working hard on a number of new posts and ideas, of which I'm super excited to share them with you soon and over the course of next year. Time to get organised and shake things up - never a bad decision, right? 

The latest:

• Driving - After only a short few hours behind the wheel and rapidly developing my driving skills, unfortunately I realised I had massively been ripped off by my driving instructor and the Drive Dynamics Company and sadly, I had to terminate my driving contract with them. GUTTED. I'm hoping to continue with my lessons within a new company in the next few coming months and will keep you all updated with my progress.
• Job and Education - .I'M A COLLEGE GRADUATE! Oh my god, I am over the moon to of finally been able to say 'bye bye education', college isn't for everyone and it certainly wasn't for me. I am now a fully qualified beauty therapist, YES! In regards to my job, I am currently working part time in H&M and I can safely say, the retail life isn't quite doing it for me and a full time job hunt is about to get under way. Pass me the money.

• Personal life and love - Earlier February this year I met the most wonderful human (Reece), of which I now call my bf and my best friend. A lot can change within the space of 5 months or so, and in all honesty, I feel as though it was fate. After meeting on a rather drunken evening to celebrate my 18th birthday, we just hit it off and I couldn't be happier. HIGH FIVE TO LOVE lol.
  
• Travel -  I've had my fair share of trips and days out this so far this year, London, Chester, Stratford, Western Super Mare, and I am about to jet off to Menorca for 12 nights, just to name a few. My love and passion of travel increases year after year and myself and Reece are already planning our next trip, so look out for some travel posts heading your way. 

Can't wait to restart and continue this venture with you all.

With love, Soph x

My Simple, Simple skincare routine

Today I wanted to introduce you to an affordable, basic yet beneficial skincare routine for all of you that are on a budget. Although, I have previously used a variety of brands on my skin I thought I'd share with you my Simple range which is the cheapest and most kind to my sensitive skin. If you're like me, I don't always find the most expensive products the best on my skin as I could go and splash out £30 on a moisturiser but it wouldn't necessarily be suitable to my skin type, where as I know Simple products suit me down to a T and are a fraction of the price. I carry out majority of this routine once in the morning and then again in the evening, my skin has never felt or looked better and at each product retailing at around the £3 mark, what more could you ask for?

Refreshing Facial Wash Gel:

I tend to use this twice a day as it's my substitute to the 'soap and water wash' but is more gentle to my skin as soap is way too harsh for the face and neck region. This is the first step of my skincare routine, gently cleansing and refreshing my skin first thing in the morning and last thing before bed.

Purifying Cleansing Lotion:

I find this one of the most important steps to keeping my skin healthy and blemish free as it deep cleanses my skin removing excess makeup, grime and dirt that is trapped within my pores. This helps to reduce breakouts as it thoroughly cleans out even the deepest of pores which face wash or soap cannot achieve.

Soothing Facial Toner:

It's always important to follow with a toner after you've cleansed your skin as it first of all removes any excess cleanser, closes the pores and helps tighten the skin, supposedly, leaving your skin to look more youthful as the years go on. I'm always left feeling so fresh-faced after using this toner creating the perfect clean and refreshed base before applying my moisturiser.

                                   
Hydrating Light Moisturiser:

After I've washed, cleansed and toned my face and neck, I then lightly moisturise my skin to prepare my final base before applying my makeup. I purposely chose a 'light moisturiser' as I don't like wearing a heavy product on my face and this leaves my skin feeling light and airy, letting my skin breathe. I leave this around 10 minutes before applying my makeup products, letting the moisturiser settle into my skin.

                                   
Deep Cleansing Face Mask:

Unlike my facial wash, cleanser, toner and moisturiser, where I use them twice a day, I only use this face mask a few times a week...purely due to lack of time and the fact that hardly anyone uses a facemask on a daily basis as its not an essential but acts as a extra deep cleanse for my skin. I find this mask brilliant as it only needs to be left on your face for around 3  minutes and I really do find it works even within such a short period of time. Since using this mask, my skin has been left with minimal breakouts and has left my face feeling smoother than ever before.

Love Soph x

{LUSTLIST}

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TOPSHOP| The gf short

ZARA|  Pajama style blouse

  

EGO|  Pom Pom sandals

TOPSHOP| Metal choker

PLT| Olive silky playsuit

MISSGUIDED| High waisted mesh bikini

MISSGUIDED| Ribbed tie-waist culottes

MISSGUIDED| Khaki rope heeled sandals

TOPSHOP| Cropped motif tee

TOPSHOP|  Oversized white shirt

MISSGUIDED | Mustard smock dress

March| The favourites

HELLO. Long time, no post! First and foremost, I hope you all had the most wonderful Easter and are now fully revived from your Chocolate comas. I've had this post roughly drafted for the past few weeks although, rather annoyingly, hectic student and adult life has stood in my way of posting recently. So, although I'm a little behind and we're already half way through April, (that's craaaaazy) I thought I'd kick things off with what goodies I've been loving in the past month or so.

The M.A.C 'Sin'  Matte lipstick & 'Burgundy' Lip pencil combination

My love. Admittedly, this shade isn't going to be everyone's cup of tea, as it's a rather daring shade and a pallet a lot of people would probably discard trying at this time of year. Sin is a deep purply matte with dark reddish tones running throughout, the perfect inbetween shade. Many people would describe this pallet zone as more of an evening shade, although I have also worn this on a day to day basis to add edge to a simple daytime look.

Purchase 'Sin' Lipstick here

Purchase 'Burgundy' Lip liner here

 

The Missguided Mini Tassel bag

I usually carry the equivalent of a suitcase around with me everywhere which turned into a bit of a pain, especially in overly crowed public places, disaster. I was looking for an affordable day to night bag, which was big enough to fit my essentials in yet small enough to not make me appear as though I'm going on holiday. I stumbled across this little beauty and the simplicity of the box like shape, along with the cute horseshoe fastening and tassel detailing drew me in instantly.

Purchase here {WAS £20,NOW £10}  

 The Missguided Beaded detail, mesh body 

This isn't a piece I'd usually purchase, as believe when I say, it doesn't leave much to the imagination, and I'm not the most body confident but fortunately, this is one outfit risk that payed off. I usually team this with my black thigh high split skirt for a night out, although the outfit choices are almost endless with a body. A must for the wardrobe. The mesh and beautiful, high neck detailing is what drew me to the piece and considering the £20 price tag, I'm thrilled with the quality.

Purchase here 
Similar product here 

  Nike Air force 1's

I'm the clumsiest person alive, so purchasing ALL white trainers probably wasn't my brightest of moments. Air force 1's aren't to many peoples taste, although the chunkiness of the sole has been exactly what I've been looking for,  and perfect for my new and upcoming minimalist based wardrobe.  

Purchase here

The Sanctuary Spa 'Gentle Polish Body Scrub' & 'Silky Smooth Body Lotion'

Believe it or not, I lost my Sanctuary Spa virginity only a few small weeks ago, a brand I had been looking to try for quite some time. The affordable range can be bought from either Boots or online, from the company website. I loved the packaging its self and the gift sets are simply impeccable. The two products I trialed we're similarly scented and very light. A true Spring like scent.

Purchase 'Gentle Polish Body Scrub' here
Purchase 'Silky Smooth Body Lotion' here

What purchases have you been loving over the past month or so?

  With love,

 soph xo