(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