Just A Little Update

Hello there :)

I know I have been MIA recently so I thought I owe you all an explaination.

Since finishing school back at the beginning of May, I spent the majority of my study leave writing posts for this blog. Eventually, my three exam free weeks were up and I had to actually study for a my final exams, the first reason for my absence.

Between studying for exams I also had to prepare for going on holiday at the beginning of this month. Also during that week, my stepfather was taken into hospital and my dog became so stressed about this that he cut his eye open and needed stitches. Because of this, I spent the majority of that week studying, looking after my dog and helping around the house to make things easier for my mum. This left almost no time at all for blogging.

After that stressful week, we then went on holiday for two weeks. We came home from being on holiday just in time for prom and my best friends 18th birthday party. I then spent almost all of last week at my boyfriends house helping them prepare for his sisters wedding which was on Saturday and I have only just recovered from it.

So, I apologise for the lack of posts recently and hopefully things will be back to normal soon.

For those of you who are interested, I have just set up an Instagram. I have a personal instagram and I am completely obsessed with it so I thought I would set one up in conjunction with this blog. I don't yet have any pictures but I will soon. If you wish to follow my instagram the username is Sophie14xo.

Sophie

The A-Z of Me Tag

Hello :)

A while ago I was doing a bit of a blog stalk and noticed a tag that Louise (Sprinkle of Glitter) did all the way back in May 2011. The tag is called The A-Z of Me Tag and I thought I would give it a go.


(image: weheartit.com)
Age: 17
Bed Size: Double, but soon to be a poxy little uni accommodation single bed :(
Chore You Hate: Dishes!
Dogs: My little baby is a Shar Pei and I love him to bits.
Essential Start of Your Day: Getting jumped on by an a very large, excitable doggy :)
Favourite Colour: Pink. Original, I know.
Gold or Silver: Depends on my mood.
Height: I don't tend to measure myself but I would say about 5"5 or above.
Instruments I Play: Cornet (google it).
Job Title: Soon-to-be Law Student/Sales Assistant.
Kids: It's a little soon for that don't you think!
Live: Scotland
Mum's Name: Mummy
Nickname: Soph, it's very inventive.
Pet Peeve: Bad table manners, cannot stand it!
Quote from a Movie: "That wasn't flying! That was falling with style!" Toy Story.
Right of Left Handed: Right
Siblings: None.
Time You Wake Up: Around 9am if I'm not working or have a driving lesson. Gone are the days of 7am wake up for school, yaaaay!
Underwear: Whatever looks cute in the shop, I'm not fussy.
Vegetables You Dislike: Mushrooms, Parsnips, Carrots (unless they're raw), quite a few actually.
What Makes You Run Late: Not wanting to get out my bed.
X-rays You've Had Done: My thumb. Do teeth x-rays count?
Yummy Food You Make: Pasta is about all I can make.
Zoo Animal: Penguins or Monkeys.

Sophie :)

Empties 01

Hello!

I apologise for the lack of posts recently. I have just finished my exams and gone straight on holiday for two weeks where I had no internet to post.

I have been obsessed with watching ‘Empties’ videos on youtube lately so I have been collecting the products I have used up over the past few month and thought I would share them. I have spilt the products up into categories, mainly to make things easier for me; Skincare, Haircare, Makeup and Other products.

Clearasil Ultra Rapid Action Pads-

I have been using these for a couple of months now, on and off, and have just finished my first tub of them. At first I couldn’t see a big difference in my skin and it wasn’t until I decided they didn’t work and stopped using them that I realised they do. Almost as soon as I stopped using them, my skin got really bad and only got better when I started using them again. I have repurchased these already. A full review will be coming soon.

My Skin Skin Bright Exfoliating Face Scrub-

I bought this product a while ago because I was attracted by the fact that it is ‘especially for teenage skin’. As teenage skin is most commonly prone to breakouts, I had imagined this would be a good product. I didn’t expect it to completely fix my skin but I did hope that it would keep it under control. Unfortunately, this product did very little at all for my skin and I was very disappointed. I will not be repurchasing this.

Nivea Visage Daily Essentials Facial Cleansing Wipes-

I always remove my makeup with wipes before cleansing and I tend to just pick up whatever wipes are on offer. I don’t have a problem with face wipes as long as they are wet and both sides can be used. Unfortunately, these wipes lacked both of these things. I found the wipes to be very dry, more so on one side than the other, and even when I reached the wipes nearer the bottom of the pack which usually absorb all the moisture. The wipes had one side which was the usual flat wipe and the other had little bumps. The bumpy side was usable enough so I could put up with the bumps but the flat side was practically completely dry and could not be used at all. I will not be repurchasing this product.

Lee Stafford Dry Shampoo-

I received this product as a gift a while back and decided to give it a go recently to see how it compared to the Batiste dry shampoo. The product itself is decent enough. The dry shampoo works well and lasts all day. It is a very white powder and is a lot more noticeable and ‘dandruff looking’ than its Batiste equivalent. The scent, which for many is the main selling point of the Batiste dry shampoo, is very boring and just what you would expect from a hair product of this kind. I would not repurchase this over the Batiste dry shampoo.

Batiste Dry Shampoo in Diva-

I love my Batiste dry shampoo and I purchase a different one of the scents each time I buy it. This time round I bought the scent ‘Diva’. I won’t give too much away about my thoughts on this product as I have a review coming up but I do really like this scent and will continue to repurchase this product again and again.

Aussie Luscious Long Conditioner-

Over the past 6 months or so I have completely fallen in love with Aussie hair products. This conditioner was one of the first products I bought around 6 months ago and it has only just run out. I really like this conditioner for a few reasons. The smell is completely amazing! Every time I use it my hair smells amazing for hours afterwards. It also leaves my hair feeling so soft and sleek and almost as if it’s brand new. I haven’t repurchased this particular conditioner as it was limited edition but I have purchased a different Aussie conditioner.

Natural Collection Loose Powder in Neutral Translucent-

This is my all time favourite makeup product. I don’t feel like I need to say anymore but I do have a review on this product if you would like to know why I love it so much. You can find the review here. I have repurchased this several time and will continue to do so.

17 Ultimate Volume Mascara in Black-

This mascara was a favourite of mine a while ago and, although it was probably too old to be using, I picked it up again recently and decided to use what was left of it. This is a good mascara which does, as it suggests, give a good amount of volume to your lashes. I would have repurchased this product if I hadn’t found the one I am currently using.

Sure Clear Pure Crystal Deodorant-

I don’t really know what to say about deodorant. This is my favourite deodorant as it works really well, doesn't leave nasty white marks on your clothes and smells great. I have repurchased this.

Renu Multi-Purpose Contact Lens Solution-

I wear contact lenses almost every day and this is the solution I buy and use to clean and store them. I like this solution as it doesn’t irritate my eyes, unlike some other brands, and lasts quite long. I have repurchased this many time and now have far too many.

 That is all the products I have used up this month. Let me know if you would like a review on any of these products and I will do that soon. Also let me know what you think of this type of post and if you would like to see this as a monthly feature.

 Sophie

Review: Barry M Nail Paints

Hello :)

I've always heard great things about Barry M but had never got around to trying out any of the products myself. I made my first Barry M purchase while on the search for a good crackle polish and have been a little addicted to Barry M nail polishes ever since. I currently have 6 Barry M nail polishes, two of the original Nail Paints and four of the nail effects/limited edition nail polishes.



The two original Nail Paints I have are Peach Melba, a beautiful peach, and Mint Green, a 'does what it says on the tin' mint green. I have featured both of these nail polishes in previous NOTD posts.
Barry M Nail Paints cost just £2.99 and they are amazing value for money. The colour of the nail paints are really beautiful, strong colours and are very true to the colour in the bottle. The consistency is great, they are easy and quick to apply and you could even get away with just one coat, although two is probably best. The polish does begin to chip after about 3 days but you can't expect perfection for just £2.99! I am very impressed with the Barry M Nail Paints and will definitely be purchasing more in the future.



I mentioned already that my first Barry M purchase was a crackle polish. I currently own two of the Instant Nail Effects Crackle nail polishes in Black Magic and White Frost. As these are the only crackle polishes I have tried, I can't compare them to any others. I never really felt the need to try any other crackle polishes as I am very happy with the effect that this gives. The polish is easy to apply and the consistency is quite good. The crackle polish last a lot longer than I had expected, at least 3 days without chipping, even without using a topcoat. I have heard a few people giving these polishes negative reviews compared to other crackle polishes. I, however, probably won't even try another crackle polish as I am happy with the effect these give. They are also a lot more affordable than most other crackle polishes at just £3.99.



I also have two other Barry M nail polishes. I have a limited edition nail polish in Silver Glitter and a Foil Effects nail polish in Silver Foil.
I picked up the Silver Glitter nail polish because I couldn't resist this lovely bottle of sparkles when I passed it in Boots. I was a little bit disappointed with this polish. I don't know what I was expecting but I was not overly impressed when this polish turned out to be nothing more than a glitter topcoat. To wear it as a glitter polish without a base coat under it, you would probably need 4+ coats. I don't know about you but I just cannot be bothered with all of that effort. However, if it was to be worn as just a glitter topcoat, it is a perfectly good polish.
The Silver Foil nail polish was also a bit of a disappointment. I didn't really know what to expect from this polish but I liked the idea of having shiny silver nails. I originally swatched this polish on a nail wheel and I was very impressed. The polish didn't let me down when I wore it for the first time either. The application was really easy and it only took one coat to give a really nice look on the nails. The major disappointment came when the polish began to chip quite badly after just one day! For just £3.99, I can't really complain too much and I might possibly try out the new Lilac Foil Effects some time soon.

Barry M Nail Paints are available here for £2.99.
Barry M Instant Nail Effects - Crackle are available here for £3.99.
Barry M Instant Nail Effects - Foil are available here for £3.99.
The Barry M Silver Glitter is no longer available but they have a range of glitter nail polishes which are available here for £2.99.

Sophie :)

Tag: How Much Does Your Face Cost?

Hey :)

I saw this tag a while ago and thought I would give it a go. The idea is to add up the prices of your 'everyday' makeup to see how much your face 'costs'.



Foundation: Rimmel London Match Perfection Foundation - £8.99



Concealer: Rimmel London Match Perfection Concealer - £5.99



Powder: Natural Collection Loose Powder - £1.99



Eyeliner: Rimmel London Soft Kohl Eyeliner Pencil - £2.99



Mascara: Maybelline Great Lash Mascara - £4.99

How Much Does My Face Cost? £24.95

As you can see I'm clearly a big spender! I don't wear a great amount of makeup ever day so I suppose if I included things like blush, eyeshadow and lip products it would definitely come to a lot more!

So, how much does your face cost?

Sophie :)

Top 10 Study Tips

(image: weheartit.com)

Hello :)

So I promised that I would do some more school/university related posts since my blog has been overrun with beauty related posts recently. As it is exam time just now or coming up to exam time for some, I thought I would share my top 10 study tips. I'm currently in the middle of studying for exams so these are tips that I am currently using while I'm studying.

ONE: Find a study method that works for you!

I have gone through both Standard Grades and Highers (those who don't know what these are can find out here) while experimenting with study techniques to find what works for me. It has taken until this year for me to find a method that I find works for me which I shared in this post. I would definitely suggest trying to find a method that works for you as early as possible.

TWO: Study what you like least first!

If a certain subject that you are studying for has an area or topic which you like least, study this topic first. If you start with what you don't like, you are less likely to just not bother studying it. I often find that if I study the areas of a subject that I enjoy first, when I come to study the areas I don't enjoy I give up and don't bother studying that area. It's easier to study what you like so leave that until last.

THREE: Take regular breaks!

There is nothing worse than studying for hours on end and doing nothing else. Study for a couple of hours then take a break for a good half an hour to an hour to give your brain a rest. Try to avoid things like going on a computer or watching TV as they can often distract you for hours or even the rest of the day.

FOUR: Get help!

Ask a teacher of tutor to give you a help with your studying. You could ask them to sit down with you to go through the work if that works for you and they are willing too. I find it helpful to get a teacher or tutor to mark sample questions/essays or past paper answers to give me an idea of what I need to do. If you don't really want to go out of your way to go in to your school to get them to mark something, ask for an email address and email it to them. Teachers want you to pass your exams just as much as you do so will be willing to help you out.

FIVE: Eat healthily!

I know it's often very tempting to eat nothing but crisps and chocolate while your studying, and I am terrible for this, but try to eat healthier snacks. Healthy snacks are better for your brain, or so they say, so make sure you have some food available that is easy to snack on but good for you as well.

SIX: Don't cram the night before!

Do not leave all your studying to the night before! When you cram for an exam you don't take in as much information as you would if you study over a longer period of time because you are trying to force yourself to learn information. Spread your studying out over at least a week to make sure that you have time to learn everything that you need to learn.

SEVEN: Reward yourself!

I always find that I am much more productive when I reward myself for studying. I often set myself a target of what to do and if I reach my target I reward myself with something. You could reward yourself with anything like seeing your friends or watching your favourite movie, whatever motivates you.

EIGHT: Take days off!

While you're studying, you need to be aware that your brain will need to rest occasionally. Set aside one day a week that you can have as a day off. It doesn't have to be a whole day if you don't feel you have time for a full day off, it could just be an afternoon. However, don't use days off as an excuse not to study. One or two days off a week is perfectly enough, don't push it and take more!

NINE: Make note of what you struggle with!

During your studying, make notes of the things which you are struggling with. Spend a bit of extra time each day looking over the things you are not sure of and make sure to look over them again before the exam. If you still are not sure of some things after spending extra time on it, ask a teacher or tutor to go over it with you.

TEN: Have a good study space!

Make sure you have a good area to study in when you are preparing for exams. A good study space will have a decent sized area for you to study with space for all your books and equipment. You should study in an area that is quiet and you won't be distracted.

I hope you find these tips helpful and for those sitting exams soon, good luck!

Sophie :)

The Lipstick Tag

Hey there :)

I was a little bit bored tonight and fancied something fun to do so I thought I would find a few tags that I could do and put away in my draft posts for the days when I am far too busy to write a sensible blog post.

I found this tag, 'The Lipstick Tag', on the blog Peaches and Blush, here.


(image: weheartit.com)

When you were a child, did you use your mother's lipsticks?
My mum has never been into makeup. In fact, on the very rare occasion she does wear it she's the one using mine. I do remember sneaking into my grandmother's bedroom a few times when I was younger to steal some of her lipsticks though.

How old were you when you bought your first lipstick?
I had been given a lot of lipsticks in makeup gift sets before I actually purchased my first one myself so I think I bought my first lipstick when I was around 15 or 16.

Pink or Red lipstick?
That's a tough one! I would probably have to go for pink because I feel like that's a bit more wearable than red most of the time.

The most expensive lipstick you have ever bought?
A MAC lipstick.

And the cheapest?
A Natural Collection lipstick.

What's the most bizarre thing you've ever done with a lipstick?
As boring as it may make me, I don't believe I have ever done anything other than wear a lipstick.

If you had to recommend a lipstick, which brand would you recommend and why?
It would have to be MAC. For me, although they may cost a little bit more than a drugstore lipstick, they are completely worth the price. The choice of shades is amazing and they last forever on your lips, I love them!

Sophie :)